Brian Snellgrove's personal diary

This came up when I was on vacation in Cardiff

It’s a great role model if you know someone who is about to depart.

My Sunflower has blown away

Blazing Reader:

This is hardest email I’ve ever written.

My wife Nicole said when she passed she wanted to be in my arms with me chanting in her ear. On Tuesday night, at 11:30pm, it was as she wished.

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As you may know, Nicole suffered from type-1 diabetes and end-stage renal failure. She has been on hemodialysis for the last twelve years. Most people only last seven years. On Friday, September 9th, after a year of preparation, she discontinued dialysis and chose to pass away at home with the assistance of a palliative care team.

By her ninth day sans dialysis, Sunday, September 18th, her breathing had become difficult, she was experiencing severe pain and she began morphine treatment. By Monday, she was unable to walk on her own. I, my son Jonah, and three friends took her for a 90-minute walk in a wheelchair around the lake near our home…

By Tuesday, she was too weak to even go out. Nonetheless, she was fully coherent,  talking and laughing.

Every night, around 8:30pm, we’d been having friends over to chant Vedic religious mantras with her. We usually don’t record these, but I felt the urge to. An MP3 of our final gathering is here.

At 10pm, after I got Nicole ready for bed, I told her this was the first day since she went off dialysis that I hadn’t cried. I told her that I finally accepted that she was indeed going to leave and that it was (probably) the right thing to do. She said she was clear her time had come. She had no fear. She had only been staying for Jonah and me. She asked me to forgive her for abandoning me. I told her there was nothing to forgive.

She told me to sleep in the living room, as her breathing was so loud the previous night it was hard for me to sleep. I left her with a sound bowl to bang if she needed me.

I said I would see her in the morning. She just smiled.

At 11:30pm, our son Jonah woke me to tell me Mama was calling for me.

I found her half out of bed, breathing heavily and covered in sweat, making gurgling noises. I lifted her up into a sitting position, and her head slumped forward, as the “death rattle” (which the nurses had warned me about) continued.

I just held her head up and against my neck as I hugged her as tight as I could , chanting OM (the Hindu sound or word for God) as she had asked me to do. It lasted for about two minutes or eternity, I’m not sure. It is the most horrific and beautiful moment of my life.

She thought she was a burden, but love doesn’t feel burdens. I must have told her I loved her so much a hundred times as my mind tried to accept what had happened. I thought she had another week at least. I thought she’d still change her mind. Jonah heard me crying. He came in and joined me.

I then carried her body to the living room, where she had had a hospital bed set up.  I lit candles and Jonah and I meditated and chanted at her side, in between a relentless flood of tears.

Her suffering was over. And it hurt so much.

All of Wednesday, friends from the community came to sit, pray and sing by her body. People kept on bringing roses and we surrounded her body with them…

She couldn’t bear her illnesses any longer — 43 years and four forms of life support (dialysis, insulin, blood transfusions and calcitriol injections) were enough. She said she knew her days were numbered and this was how she wanted to go, saying goodbye and surrounded by friends and having as spiritual a death as possible.

Our marriage was the happiest it had ever been. We’d grown so much together. And she had raised a wonderful young man, having home schooled him for fifteen years.

Every day since she went off dialysis I would ask if she was still sure this is what she wanted to do. She would say, “Yes, 95%.” She was at total peace with the decision. Ever since she decided to go, she’s been the happiest I’ve ever known her.I couldn’t bear it, and all her efforts to convince me I’d be better without her “draining me” and pushing me towards other people and activities. She said I needed more time to write and a wife who could do things. But I’d burn my novel if it would bring her back (in a body that wasn’t suffering).

She said when she was gone I’d feel relief. At first, all I felt was more sadness and regret than I thought possible. I didn’t know the heart could feel so much pain. Grief is the price of love, the cost of caring. I let her go because she asked me to, but this is the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. I can see how so much that has happened over the last year was her and God trying to make it possible for me let her go.
Still, Wednesday was mainly shock and tears. Thursday was hell and screams. Friday peace and reassurance.

And, now, I do feel relief. Not for me, but for her. I sense she is free, happy and active. No more coughing. No more insomnia. No more fatigue. No more racing heartbeat. No more nausea. No more headaches. No more painful dialysis sessions. No more low blood pressure. No more nerve pain. No more brain fog.

Everything went just as she wanted. She was so happy that final night, so at peace chanting and meditating with her friends and family, so grateful for everyone who came to say goodbye to her over the last weeks.

I love her so much. She was an amazing woman shouldering an incredible burden.

Please pray for her, me and my son my Sunflower takes her lone journey…

—John C. A. ManleyPS I’ll be sharing more in future posts about my wonderful wife and our twenty year journey together and this final experience with death. Until then, If you haven’t seen it yet, here is a tribute to Nicole that I published a couple weeks ago: My Red-Headed Sunflower.

PPS There will be a memorial service for Nicole on Saturday, October 15th. We’ll aim for a live web feed of the gathering, but, at the very least, will have a recording posted.

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This followed the next day

3 Surreal Signs From My Wife in Heaven

Blazing Reader:

As I wrote about yesterday, my wife of 19 years of marriage, passed away Tuesday night at 11:30pm in our home, after a lifetime suffering from type-1 diabetes and kidney failure…

Trouble viewing this photo? Click here.

Nicole had told my son and me she would send signs that she was okay after her passing. It seems she has kept her promise. She’s sent at least three clear signs.

1. Thunder: For the next day after her passing, The Weather Network had predicted blue skies. Instead, on Wednesday morning it began to pour… and thunder. We had three thunderstorms that day, after a summer with barely any (due to drought). Nicole loved thunderstorms. Many times this year, she had said she was waiting for a good thunderstorm. Now it feels as if she can make them happen.

2. “Mama”: Our son Jonah has always referred to Nicole as Mama. Amidst Wednesday’s thunderstorms, an email arrived in my inbox from cartoonist Bob Moran with the subject line “Mama.” I subscribe to Bob’s email list, where he releases his latest paintings several times a week. Inside this email was the following cartoon called “Mama”…

Just as Mama Nicole broke free from the cage and shackles of her broken body. Nicole had worked with a local shaman only weeks before, and believed her power animal was the bear. She also believed that upon passing she would be reunited with our late daughter Skye. Notice how the baby bear is surrounded by the sky?

3. Widow(ers): On Friday, Bob Moran sent out his next painting. At this point, I felt Nicole was just playing jokes on me…

Regardless of these outwards signs, since Friday, I’ve had a growing and overwhelming sense that she is happy, free and helping me, my son and the world in ways we can barely imagine.

—John C. A. ManleyPS My inbox now contains over 150 emails from readers sending their condolences. I appreciate these messages immensely and will respond to each as soon as I am able.

PPS If you missed the post detailing my wife’s death, you can read it here: My Sunflower has blown away. And here is a tribute to Nicole that I published a couple weeks ago: My Red-Headed Sunflower.
________

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(previous days will follow) We arrived home shortly after 11 p.m.  Door to Door 12 hours. And opened that door to the rather musty smell associated with properties that have not been ventilated for sometime.

Our journey from Dublin began at 11 am when we left our hostess’ house to be taken to Dublin Airport. Traffic was reasonable and we turned up at terminal 2 to and were duly dropped off. After some inquiries we found the area from which the bus was due to leave, so called Zone 20.  I noticed the complete absence of any signage including a timetable; the only one we found much later was in the main terminal. There was no official to ask. Everyone seeed to be on their mobile phones conducting their business from there.

According to a previous Google inquiry the next departure to Belfast was at 11:55. May be due to the fact that it was a public holiday recently announced, the Google information was slightly outdated. The next bus was actually an hour later at 12:55. We joined the queue only to be told that the bus was full and that I should go to Terminal 1 where there was a choice of two bus companies. We found the first of the companies to be told they were not taking bookings due to demand. Our plane was due to depart at at 18:45.  already it was 13.15 and we had a long way to go including a 2-hour coach journey. We went along to another company, the only other company actually. We had to wait in a standby queue and by a great miracle we were the last 2 people to be allowed on the bus. Packed it was.

Finally we were on our way through the Irish countryside. There is no question that there is more rain in Ireland than in UK and the fields were green and lovely to look upon. The boundary between South and Northern Ireland no longer exists but it is somewhere along the M1 motorway near Newry. The bus stopped off at 3 or 4 places and we arrived in the Belfast bus hub at about 15.30. Buses to the international airport – about 17 miles away from Belfast itself please note – leave every 30 minutes and we were able to get a seat without any difficulty. Francoise grabbed a roll which turned out to be largely inedible.  What do they use for bread?

Bearing in mind the exhausting and frustrating wait over over an hour “shuffling forward” at the airport security in Bristol on the way out we were dreading the same happening on the return journey but as it happened there was no queue and we passed security in a matter of minutes. Since I last flew, flight protocols have changed.  You show your QR code to a machine tube at the gate. You show the same QR code when you are boarding. Everyone had their mobile phones to do this. We were one of the few that had a paper print out.

Anyway, on arrival at Belfast International and passing through security we were greeted by a combination of a kitchen and a bar where for the first time whilst in Ireland I sampled a very generous single whisky (more like 40 cl than 25 cl) accompanied by a Guinness with its lovely fresh almost medicinal taste. We had finally made it by 4:45 p.m. And so had time for refreshments. Check in was at 18.15 but we were only told the departing Gate 10 minutes prior but in spite of that, the flight left on time and we had a very smooth journey back to Bristol. Lovely sights of the setting sun above the clouds.

This was when the journey became interesting. At the bus hub in Bristol airport there were no timetables largely I surmise because there were a number of different companies using this as a convenience stop. We did not know if there were going to be any changes due to the Queen’s funeral on that day although we knew it was going to be treated as a public holiday. We turned up at 19:30 just as a bus to Bath was drawing out – or trying to. The bus broke down about 100m from the start. We learned that through knocking on the window and asking the driver.

We had debated taking a taxi but discovered that the cost would be over £75. On balance we decided to wait to see if there was another bus that evening. Even on Google, it’s not possible to find a straightforward timetable so we guess there would be another bus and around about 20.30 and indeed another bus turned up. We get a discount for having a Freedom Pass so we paid £10 each. We arrived in Bath after a smooth journey and caught the 22:06 local bus which dropped us off a couple of streets away from where we live.

It could have been so much worse. If we had not by some magic found a bus to take us to Belfast we would not have caught the plane.  As for Bristol I have never spent a night at an airport but I would have considered it. I’m not going to pay big money for a few hours in a hotel. You don’t get away with less than a £150 for such a convenience. Next time we will be able to take the plane to Dublin itself as Francoise will hopefully have her passport.

We arrived surprisingly refreshed. A really enjoyed the change. I realize that it does not matter what I do when away. It is the change that is the therapy and the inspiration.

My over-riding pre-occupation  is watching the orchestrated destruction of our planet by various underhand and nefarious means. the plans have been going on since the agreement in Rio, Brazil, in 1992.  The latest and most under-estimated method is by geo-engineering. I am watching as  I type. The ‘one in 1000 years’ drought or ‘one in a thousand deluge’ can only happen by premeditation and the use of technology. If you think I am exaggerating, have a  look at Mike Adam’s interview with Dane Wigington of Geoengineeringwatch.org.

I went to Wetherspoons yesterday for breakfast. I find the style far from appetizing. there is no disguising the fact that it is production line stuff. I feel it is cooked without love.  The taste lingers in my stomach and it is not pleasant. Back to home cooking.

This morning I had a large piece of lamb’s liver which I diced and had with 2 eggs. That fills me up for the morning and indeed most of the afternoon. I am happy with two decent meals per day.

But enough!  This is the last day of the holidays for many. Back to school for the children. We went off to do some more blackberry picking. They are so fresh and sweet.  This evening we shall cook a blackberry and apple pie.

We are both physically tired so are looking forward to a short break. Destination and timing unconfirmed but it will happen.

Each year around the 7th of September there is a misty smell in the air which means that autumn has arrived. Off with the shorts. On with the long trousers. On with the jerseys. On with the central heating (if I can afford it)

Logistics- Thursday 25th August we departed from Bath by the 10 am 403 coach arriving London Victoria 1.20 pm.  There are various combinations of stops, some taking longer than others. Our stops were Box, Chippenham and Heathrow. Sunday 28th August we returned by the 6pm coach from Victoria Station arriving 9.02 pm just in time to catch the local bus to our stop, two streets away from our home.  The cost of the travel was £40 for us two.

Whilst in London I used my credit card (NB no need to buy transport tickets). There is a daily cap depending on the relevant travel zones so don’t worry about taking too many buses, tubes or trams or buses. You can check your expenditure on your bank app. if you have an android or similar phone.  Our Freedom Passes qualify us for free bus travel nation-wide.

We had not over-planned as I knew that ‘nature abhors a vacuum’ and sure enough this proved to be true.  We had two obligatory visits. One to my oldest friend Gregory where we meet in a restaurant, the other one was for Francoise to make an application for her french passport renewal. This duly took place at 12.00 on Friday. After that we were as free as a bird to do as we wished.

Haverstock Hill is  part of the very high end property market where you wont get a decent sized flat or house for under £600k. Houses advertised at £1.5m and up are commonplace.

It was a joy to be in the company of so many well off and positive people particularly men who were out enjoying themselves over the bank holiday weekend. This is something I miss very much. A part of me still resides in London but having said that I would not return to live there – unless I had a whole pile of money. Everyone is stressed – by everyone else.

Food – the prices are skyrocketing. It is common to pay £4.95 for a slice of cake.  Meals are very suspicious.  Some have gone to great lengths to make an ordinary dish sound attractive. I was offered Mexican street food with chicken, but the bits of chicken were so small they could barely be tasted.  It was wonderful to sit in the vastly expanded Brixton Market, justifiably world famous. A wonderful selection of fresh fish were offered at prices that we can only dream of locally. If there were less than 100 different nationalities represented I would be amazed.

The South Bank of London is as you would expect of the holiday weekend was full of stalls selling food. People were out enjoying themselves; very few people wore face coverings AKA masks.  We visited Somerset House on the north bank and had a go at the large wheel, about half the size of the London Eye on the South Bank.

It was great to get away from routine and enjoy London before further deterioration makes ‘life as we know it’ impossible. Remember folks, its by design.   As they say ‘prepare to meet thy God’

So, we have 1,000 illegal immigrants entering our shores each DAY.
We have to find the wherewithal to sustain them (£5million a day).
We have oil companies making ridiculous profits whilst we pay record prices for petrol.
We have threats of up to £6,200 p.a. for gas and electricity.
We have food scarcity and price increases.
We have strikes of barristers, the port workers, train drivers.
We have police that do not focus on arresting people.
We have slow motion bio-weapons disguised as vaccines that are killing thousands.
We have the destruction of the NHS.
We have the deliberate culling of animals and the wilding of farms
We have the rise of wokeness and those students who must be protected from anything that might offend or upset them (poor darlings).
We have the premature introduction of sexual deviation at schools

If a new society is to arise then the old one must be demolished. It IS being demolished.

Make no mistake. Many will die. That is the intention. Its called population reduction or ‘eugenics’ to you and I. If you want to know more, look up ‘The Great Reset’ wither on my site or elsewhere. The Great Reset was launched 2nd April 2020 and will continue until 2030 when ‘we will own nothing and be happy’.

If ever there was a time for faith, and the building of character, then this is the time. How can I tell my allotment members that their food will be raided this time next year.  They will abuse me. If they don’t get it by now then they will never get it so there is no point in opening my mouth.

Once the anesthetic has worn off the intervention – inguinal hernia – made itself known to me. Me lying down is alright, standing up is alright, going from a sitting or lying position to standing up is a real pain. I am having medication such as paracetamol and codeine but it doesn’t seem to help much. I have to do everything very slowly. I dropped something on the ground and had to get a gripper to pick it up.

We are only 48 hours after the operation which took place or should I say finished at about 4 p.m. Friday so these are very early days and I must not complain or be too impatient. I am concerned that I will be able to leave on Thursday for 3 nights in the capitol, London. There won’t be much actual walking as we shall take the bus to Bath and then the coach to Victoria Station. The 5G effects are much greater in London so I hope I don’t get too whacked.

There is a huge amount on in London including the Greenwich carnival which goes on for some days but I must not crucify myself. Today I missed the mid Somerset show which is on in in Shepton Mallet and which I visit every year. To make up for not going I did a mental tour of the whole thing and reread my diaries.

We need to go this weekend because Francoise has got her appointment with the French Embassy to renew her passport obviously without which no travel can happen. And I am also due to see a good friend on Friday evening.

Fingers crossed and I look forward to an improvement in my condition at least sufficient to be able to go there.

For some reason, there are blackberries in full maturity just asking to be picked whilst others are green and immature. I guess there must be early and late varieties a bit like potatoes.  Today is day 2 after the end of the great heatwave. Things are returning to normal (if we can use that word) with some rain showers and floods in the South East of the UK.

My son is with us from Thailand having a three week or so break. We are without a car, still, so we are using his ultra reliable  Honda Jazz  to go to the allotment, to pick up supplies of food for the terrible times ahead.

We stopped at a bakery right in the middle of nowhere.   Funny thing is that if the locals get to know it and word gets around it does not matter if it is along a country lane.  We bought a lovely loaf (£3.50 is around right for quality bread) and then noticed that the adjacent hedgerows were stuffed full of blackberries that no one was picking. We quickly collected four jars, and later on made a rhubarb and blackberry crumble.

Word has it that the world will run out of sustainable food. The shops show little sign of this but the prices are going up all the time. I have paid £2.20 for a large container (2l>) of milk. We are doing our squirrel act and hoarding as much as we can.

more to come

I rang my garage in Chippenham to find out that the central control module on my Volvo was indeed defunct, so I gave the go-ahead for a new one which may be sourced locally (overnight) or from Sweden (six days). It is indeed a relief to have a positive diagnosis. I guess the bill will be £1500

For those of you who are not my regular readers I have wet macular degeneration in my left eye and need treatment to stabilize it. It is very rare for isuch conditions to reverse  but 43 injections at regular intervals for the past 5 years have certainly prevented degeneration.

The macula in the human eye is the place where light is focused by the structures in the front of the eye (cornea & lens). It takes the picture that is sent to the brain, where vision is completed. The macula provides us with the ability to read and see in great detail whereas the rest of the retina provides peripheral vision.

I turned up early for my 12.00 appointment – actually at 11.45. I was immediately seen for my appraisal which took about 5 minutes. Whilst in the waiting room I met a chap who seemed nervous. He nearly fell over backwards when I told him this was my 43rd injection. It turned out it was only his third. I assured him about the quality and reliability of service. He joked about his imaginings of what the procedure was like when compared with the reality of the actual injection.

The consultant was very gentle, kept talking during the procedure, and before I know it it was done. I know it because I see soap bubbles in my eyes. I was out by 12.10

Before hopping on the bus to Bath itself I enjoyed lunch at the re-opened restaurant.  During the ***demic only the staff were allowed to use it but now it is open to all and sundry.  I had roast pork and apple with roast potatoes and various greens including brussel sprouts together with a delicious brad and butter pudding for £9.10. A bit more than I expected. Evidently the vegetables are now charged for separately.

It is good to see plenty of foreign tourists in the city. I indulged myself by having an Italian ice-cream, a large slice of carrot cake and a very good coffee. The weather was hot to very hot but with the maximum temperatures happening Friday and Saturday.

Back home on the 174, a shower, and the last part of the day spent doing very little (I don’t count writing this diary).

Just finished watching a longer video (don’t let that put you off) about all aspects of the covid-19 virus. The more the time goes by, the more clarity is associated with the actual turn of events. Have a visit here.

Today I have solved two problems; my non-functioning printer and my semi-functioning mobile phone (OnePlus 6). My Epson Pixma printer would not work.  I just realised that if the colour cartridge is entirely empty the printer will not start, even if it is only black and white that is required. Solution – press the red button for at least five seconds.  This will cause the green continuity button to stop blinking and hey presto – printing can resume.

The other problem was far more annoying.  My mobile did not catch on to the Internet and stalled when trying to receive data. I received all sorts of error messages, time out warnings etc. I went along to a local mobile phone/internet shop and paid for a health check. £30 is not bad. I had no viruses but there were four apps that were suspicious and were removed.  When I got home the problem was still unsolved.

People say all sorts of things about YouTube but it is a valuable resource for advice on almost anything you care to name from cutting trees to repairing your car. I searched for my problem ‘mobile phone difficulty in connecting to internet One Plus’ and got a couple of videos back.  An Indian chap speaking very fast talked me through, suggesting I reset to the defaults (not factory reset). I did this on the SIM and on the software in general. Hey presto the whole thing worked like a rocket.  I had thought the signal strength was deficient but no that was not the problem.

Anyway I can breathe a sigh of relief.  Breathing is a very good idea with the weather set to be not far short of 40 degrees later this week.

The last major thing is my car. I returned it to Chippenham last Thursday and realistically I expected it to be started on yesterday Monday. We are managing fairly well but our allotment is over a mile away and it is tedious to have to walk to and fro in the heat. Lets hope I get ‘that phone call’ from the delightful Chris to tell me they are making progress. I am prepared to pay more than £1000 for a new control modem.

I can’t believe how the second hand car market has changed in the last couple of years.  There is virtually nothing left unless you have £10k to spend. Maybe the government have been buying up old cars. I would not put anything past them.

We decided to celebrate Francoise birthday one day ahead (Saturday 6th August) so – still car-less – we arose early and took the 07.49 178 bus to Bristol, and then the 10.10 X7 bus to Clevedon. Non-Brit readers please indulge me. Brits know that such places are not the epitomy of sophistication or glamour but there were many delights in store for us.

I made a vow that I would speak to as many people as possible with the aim of giving them a ‘lift’ – mainly through gay banter and humor. It is just plain fun and gives an extra dimension to the day.

We met a man at our local bus stop who  through coincidence had a plaque dedicated to his father on Clevedon Pier so we said we would pay our respects. Later… although he told us that the plaque was two thirds of the way up on the left, we did not realize the magnitude of our search. There are over 15,000 of them. I estimated it would take the best part of a day to search especially as some of them were dull with age and barely readable.

Met two Jehovah Witnesses on the sea front. They were two of the nicest JW people I had ever met. They were non pushy, non confrontational, and rather wanted to share  their view of life, the universe and everything. We chatted for about 20 minutes. I felt they were really listening to us and not trying to push stuff down our throat.

We met a cheery couple on the pier, this time from Wales. She had taken the week off from a sports centre in Birmingham. Last night they stayed in the Forest of Dean area and highly recommended the Miners Arms, a gastro pub 200 yards away from the hotel where they stayed.

We met a highly motivated volunteer called Jim. He told us of the Great storm in 1990 where a spring high tide coincided with a strong on shore wind. Gardens of the homes on the front were flooded.

We had a celebratory lunch on the pier with no less that one and a half fish on the plate with batter that was so thin and crisp it did not adversely affect the stomach.

No question that the pier is a strong community in itself, but definitely kept alive by volunteers.

We wandered around the compact town centre. One street is quite posh – the Oxford Street of the area, called Hill Road. Many niche shops. We found a micro pub called The Fallen Tree and spent some happy time talking to the server.  They were very proud of the locality of their ales.  Strangely, they have no website but can be easily found in this short street. It is Number 15, and BS21 7PD if you are interested.

We found the bus that took us to Portishead. Not a dump as I had thought. A lively port with a huge Marina. We visited a lifeboat station and in particular the shop associated with it. They do a great job.

We caught the X4 bus at 17.10  then a connecting bus from Bristol 18.10 arriving home 19.20. The X4 is the only local bus that I know that includes travel along the M5.

I could just about get used to being without a car except for my gardening work.  Mind you, we are somewhat lulled into a sense of ease. What about the weather which for 9 months of the year is either cold or indifferent.

I hate receiving demands for money especially unexpected ones.

The first one was however expected. As my car is not working I have to rent a hire car for an event next weekend, 13th August.  I hire from a local firm. The day hire for the smallest car with one driver is £39.99 per day with unlimited mileage. We are responsible for the first £750 of damage. I must pay a £200 deposit which is refundable.

The second one was half expected. I had an accident in May and lost a no claims bonus from 20 years to 3 years. The new company have received the amended no claims bonus. I must pay another £176 including a £50 admin fee. My BIG mistake was not insuring the no claims bonus. We live and learn.

You wait ages for a bus and then three come along at once.  Something like that.

Today is the day when we have to have faith and determination. We are setting sail in our magnificent Volvo to a garage 26 miles away.  We left shortly after 9am. The engine fired up as normal.  I drove carefully and steadily, too carefully for some drivers whom I annoyed by going at a steady 40 mph.

Slowly but surely the electrics failed. All was lit at first, then we lost the rev counter, then the speedometer, then the petrol gauge followed by the auto gear box sync, then the indicators.  We were left only with the electric windows as we gently entered the forecourt and parked.

Chris Fortt, the After Sales manager of MRG Chippenham, was professionalism personified. He assured us that he would do his utmost to assist, whilst hinting that it was probably the main control module that would need to be replaced (£1,000 +). I am glad to pay that because second hand Volvos are almost non-existent. Everyone is hanging on to them or maybe they have all been taken to the scrap heap in the sky.

We wandered into the centre and found a coffee shop for coffee and morning snacks. We came across a very lively man called Mikey who was fully up to speed on all things 5G. He had just successfully complained against a new mast proposal outside a local school. We had 15-20 minutes of animated conversation. It is so lovely and empowering to meet someone on the same wavelength. He was from Liverpool and knew Mark Steel, the 5G campaigner from Newcastle. We discussed the use of Common Law. Mikey said that most courts do not understand it so it can be a waste of time and effort.

We then visited the local museum, incredibly well designed and informative. Chippenham goes back to Roman times (at least). There was an exhibition of etchings of such high quality I could hardly believe my eyes.

We then visited the wonderful and spacious St Andrews Church. We felt welcomed as soon as we walked in. The church was very wide. There were no pews but comfortable chairs. I talked with a very informative and accommodating volunteer. He said the Sunday morning services attracted between 80 and 90 people.  For some reason the Victorians had moved the organ from the rear of the church to an area to the left of the choir.  To move it back would cost about half a million pounds. Instead they are appealing for a rebuild of the organ in its present position. They need about £250,000

After a tour of various second hand (pre-loved) shops,  off to the bus station to check return buses. They are XX.10 and XX.40 but do go round all the back streets to pick up and drop off local passengers. We then went to Wetherspoons via a community hub and had a couple of drinks and a small lunch of fish and chips. I treated myself to an apple crumble with custard. It was rather flat as in having been sat on, having been bombarded with microwaves. It was delicious never the less.

To Bath on the bus X31 which we caught at a stop by the main train station. . We thought of going by train but at £10 single it had limited appeal so our bus passes won the day.  We had a coffee and cake down by the river. Trips on the River Avon last an hour and cost £11 for an adult so we shall do a trip in the not too distant future.

PS I love this video of a newscaster breaking out into laughter about a court case.

I really enjoyed today. We were free of worry about the car. They either fix it or we have them take it to the recycle. I don’t mind how modest a holiday is, it is the break from routine that is the gift. A sunny day helps.

So I call up the RAC to get them to tow me to Chippenham, where a Volvo dealer has agreed to sort out my grand old Volvo. I tried first thing this morning, last night and the night before that and the engine was as dead as a dodo. No power, no electrics.

I called the RAC about 9.30 am.  You get text messages every half hour to tell us of progress (or lack of it). At 2.45 pm they showed up.  I was lower down in the priority list as I was calling from home. They have staff difficulties at the moment. All with children are taking them on holiday. The agents themselves have 6 weeks holiday p.a. so who can blame them.

I tried the engine just before he arrived and blow me down it started perfectly. I had to admit this. He just about believed me. He did a code reading and as a result I was told of two intermittent faults. As the car was technically in running order he could not transport me to Chippenham.

Depressing.

I will live to see another day but tomorrow Thursday we shall attempt the journey.  If we break down on the way the RAC can tow me the rest of the distance.  Fingers crossed in advance.

If there is one thing I am really nervous about or should I say anxious about and that is missing appointments. Today I had an important appointment with the local hospital to have an inguinal hernia repaired. I had this done before ,a couple of years ago but as I was under general anaesthetic I knew very little about it but the whole experience of the hospital, in Peasedown, was positive.

We had set our alarms for 5:30 in the morning as we had to be there at 7 am We took the 6.15 bus to Peasedown arriving at about 6:30 and walked across a housing estate to the Sulis hospital which is part national health and part private. Although I had taken two lateral flow tests as instructed they still wanted another one taken the same day so in spite of my following orders I had to go through the same rigmarole again. I was taken downstairs to the the preparation area about 7:15, told to change, and sat there waiting.

I had been asked to wear a mask. Foolish thing to do with me.  I noticed that some of the nurses were not wearing masks. The rules (still) are that you have to wear something protective in the operation areas. I was asked to wear a larger plastic version – one of those that steams up when you breathe.

My blood pressure is within the normal limits but when a nurse came to take it it becomes some ridiculous figure like 180/110, far higher than would be allowed for an operation under general anaesthetic. I knew this was going to happen so I kept a record over 12 days of my blood pressure readings and they were well within the normal levels.

Whilst waiting I heard some talk in the background that someone has not turned up and so the surgeon would not be able to deliver his care to people until 9 a.m. About 9:45 a senior nurse told me that the agency anaesthetist had not showed up. Everyone else was waiting to start but were of course unable to do so. At 10:30,  three nurses visited me to tell me the news that I would have to get dressed and go home again and they would arrange another appointment for me. In the event this was done on the spot and I am now booked in on the afternoon of Friday 19th of August.

I assured them that I was accepting of the whole situaton and I did understand that this type of thing probably happens from time to time. They told me, au contraire, that it was a very rare event and were embarrassed to have to give me the news. I was compensated by a substantial tomato and cheese sandwich with side salad and a cup of fresh coffee.

Mercifully my condition is not life-threatening and although uncomfortable at times does not give me any pain so I was quite happy to come back  – it is after all only another couple of weeks. We wandered back to the bus stop, sampling a generous supply of blackberries along the way, and went home.

A wasted day?  More a different day. Nothing was lost.

Meanwhile, a harrowing series of testimonies from those who have suffered from the effects of the covid ‘vaccination’  When will people wake up?  Probably for most when it is too late.

My car is due for an electrical service tomorrow Wednesday. Alas when I tried to start it, it did not.  The odd light came on. It has been out of action since mid June.  How much longer?

So, our wonderful ladies have won the European football competition here in Wembley. 2-1.  This is a day for celebration but also as Ian Wright (x footballer) said this should be the start of gaining more recognition for the game starting with the lower levels.

I am winding down my day as I write. My hernia operation is to take place Tuesday morning less than 48 hours away so I am being quiet. Amazing what you can find on YouTube (and distressing what you cannot). Try this for a cheer up.  The Most GENEROUS Undercover bosses. After the ghastly daily events and promises of more to come this is a topic indeed.

I have been suffering from anxiety for some time, maybe because I over-fuss about the state of the world. Francoise is assisting with doing exercises. They are very simple but are very helpful for relaxation and breathing.

My car which was seen by a most helpful garage in Chippenham gives up the ghost electric-wise when it has been driving for about 20 minutes. I am seeing the local electrical wiz in whom I have put my faith. It has been four weeks since we have driven the car so in the meantime we have learned to adapt and use the buses more.

I have just received a wonderful video called ‘the Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding. It extols the benefits of walking bare footed. Running time 1:15:32

Anyway, I digress.

I cannot remember the last time I had a rock fish. I was sitting in one of Weston-super-Mare most famous fish and chip shops, how to order a large cod, when I saw the opportunity of rock and this brought back so many memories to me. The mind is an extraordinary thing. I remember the taste and feel of my previous experience and compared it with what was served. It was certainly up to the mark.

We decided that we would have a day off off. Today Saturday is the 23rd of July. I realized I needed a day away from it so we decided to travel by bus. We had no choice as my car is still in for service, We planned our route meticulously. We took the local bus 173 from Midsomer to Wells, then another bus from Wells to Weston-super-Mare. The Direct journey between the two would have taken 47 minutes by car. The journey took about two and a half hours. We were richly rewarded by the sights from the upper Deck of the double-decker buses and the difference in perspective it gives. I like looking into people’s gardens.

Weston is not the most brilliant seaside resort on the planet but I see that the Council have done their best to smarten up the town centre and the civic area with its Winter Gardens.  We were blessed with fair weather. When the tide is down it is very down extending to miles of mudflats but it was half way up, covering most of the mud but allowing us to walk along the rather decent and clean sand. Following the advice of the grounding idea above we enjoyed a long stroll along the length of the beach.

The only thing I missed was a decent ice cream.

We returned via Bristol, the X1 was the bus, and took about 50 minutes. I got the time table wrong so instead of taking the 178 directly to Midsomer we went via the express bus to Bath and then onward home. A lovely day with such a bonus of not having to drive.

There is a lot to be said for being quiet. I am incentivized to do this because for the third week in a row I have no car. Tomorrow my nearest garage with skilled Volvo people (Chippenham) will call me to tell me of my fate. One morning the car starts, the next morning everything is dead. I suspect the main electronic control unit. A replacement is a mere £1200  and must come from Sweden. Second hand Volvos have disappeared over the past two years. I am aware of the campaign to get rid of such monsters and replace them with hybrid or battery powered cars.

I would never have a battery car because a) to make them takes so many raw materials and energy b) when I do long runs I dont want to end up stuck c) the cost of charging is significant d) the battery is the most expensive element in  a car if it goes wrong.  I am being robbed blind by petrol tax but better the devil you know …..

Slight chance of subject – this is how crop circles are made (mostly Wiltshire, UK) by the Pleiadians and/or the Arcturians  See the link here. 

This afternoon I watched ‘the Gospel According to St Matthew’ by Pier Paolo Pasolini (1964).  2h 17m.  It is shot in black and white and has very little dialogue. The characters are very believable and I found myself becoming emotional several times.

Talk of more covid lockdowns in the autumn, more variants. What happened to our immune system. Why do they tell us that vaccinations do not prevent being infected or spreading the infection, at the same time as getting us to have more jabs.

We have not been to Bristol for the best part of a year so we thought we might as well go along to an advertised festival. One of the problems with Bristol is that 5G is blasting from every point so I have come to recognize the familiar heavy sick feeling of the GHz radiation. No protecting myself from it; when I leave I need to make sure that I ground myself by walking in bare feet on the earth itself as this somehow dissipates the charge.

Bristol is very heavily woke and there are many advertising signs for black lives matter, examples of numerous black people who have changed the course of history or featured in it.

One thing I know is that I don’t like crowds. The only positive thing I can say is that no one was wearing a mask. However I did spot two people among the thousands that were there but on this boiling really hot day who wants to make their breathing more difficult.

We had the opportunity to go round a sailing ship and a steam power barge which was designed 150 years ago go. It was interesting enough but I soon became hungry so we went to the ginormous 500 seater, the Za Za buffet restaurant on the harbour front. We paid £13.95 each for an all-you-can-eat meal. We got a ticket for 1:30 pm and we were allowed to remain in the restaurant until 3:15 pm which I consider to be generous. The food was good and fresh and I went back about 6 times for refills. This is not a restaurant that you could take someone to on a first date. There are many children there. They were well behaved but noisy but we took it in the happy spirit that was meant. The music was full-on so were given a place in a corner where we could at least hear each other speak.

We were there for about 3 hours and I got rather tired walking about; Françoise has difficulty with her hip and knee and finds walking long distances difficult so that has to be accommodated. We caught the 178 bus which goes round the houses via Keynsham but lands us a couple of streets away from our home in Midsomer Norton. The bus had no air conditioning and on this hot day the top deck was like a furnace roasted by the sun. We took refuge downstairs.

I was to have had a hernia operation but it was put off because my blood pressure was too high but it has been fixed again for the 2nd of August so in this day and age this is not so bad. I have to be there at 7 a.m. On that day I’m not allowed to come home by taxi as I could faint and the taxi driver would not be able to help me.

My hitherto trusted Volvo V70 has got a fault in one of the electronic circuit boards. Because of its age in may cost a Four figure sum to replace it and very few mechanics do old cars.  We took it to Bristol Volvo from our local garage who did not have the diagnostic equipment but the Bristol people could not help so we had to go back there, pick it up and drive it as best we could do a place in Chippenham about 25 miles away.

My thoughts and prayers were trusting that we would get where we needed to be and sure enough we arrived at our garage destination more by luck than judgement. There it will stay until the middle of next week when someone will pay attention to it.

It is disadvantageous to be without a car. I’m not paying 50 or 60 pounds a day to take a rental car if we can manage by buses and walking. Unfortunately, I cannot earn a living this way as we cannot carry our garden tools around on a bus but hopefully this will last only a few days and our car will be back with us safe and sound. It is a 2003 model so a part of me is accepting that we may have to buy another car car. The second hand car market has become transformed in that there are far fewer second-hand around that they are going for higher prices. I can find virtually no Volvo V70’s.

Saundersfoot to be precise.  It’s just north east of Tenby, along the south coast. My goodness what traffic jams we saw on the way down on Sunday (5th June). Miles and miles of cars and lorries on the M4. Agreed this was the last day of an extended holiday for the Queen’s Jubilee. And this phenomenon on the day that petrol (well, diesel) hit £2 per litre. One pound of that goes to the UK Government. I wonder why they are not in any hurry to address the situation.

I wrote up my hotel stay on Trip Advisor.  I have written close to 2,000 reviews over the years with a two year pause for covid. Have a peep here and scroll down until you see the reviews section.   We were very tired – cumulative fatigue from not having had a break for two years. Alas, we enjoyed only one night’s sleep out of five nights. We wondered if there was some sort of magnetic or electronic interference similar to the same heavy metal feeling that I experience in Bristol, where there is a lot of 5G.

Having returned home I feel that there was some healing effect though it did not seem like it at the time. I suffered bouts of stomach bloating which prevented me from having a last night of the holidays decent meal in one of the handful of hotels and restaurants open in the evening for the public. I have had to cut out alcohol, and all dairy products including cheese (strangely, goats cheese is all right).

The sound of the sea always has had a therapeutic effect on me, as does sitting in front of a live wood fire. I find the whole process of gathering wood, lighting a fire, nurturing it and letting it mature, to seeing the embers and imagining scenes a la Dante’s Inferno from within.

When I am on vacation I make a note of the tasks I need to complete when I return home. This keeps things off my mind and I can relax more.  Today Saturday 11th June we went to Shepton Mallet to enjoy the annual town fayre. We visited the Aldi Supermarket on the return and I bought some walking sticks (sticks for walking, Norwegian style) which I would have found helpful on the very up and down walks along the coastal path of Pembrokeshire. It is a sort of safety thing as I am occasionally wobbly when I walk especially on damp uneven ground.

Incidentally I discover it has been government policy to close all information bureaux throughout the country. I was first aware of this possibility in  Tenby where we wandered around like lst souls looking for one only to be told that it had closed two years ago.

I am writing a talk called ‘How to give better talks’. Funny – such things come into my mind from goodness knows where and I just have to write down what occurs to me.  I suppose its like writing poetry or music. I am inspired and it does not take much effort to make notes.

I am listening to a Finnish video “Something in the air – The cell phone radiation documentary”.  Youtube have an evil way of keeping our attention. They keep a record of all that we have watched and tempt us to continue by introducing videos in the same genre.

There are normally 8 hours in a working day. Mine are – on and off – about 10 hours most of which are spent in front of the computer.  My day is not that different at week-ends save we tend to go out more on at leat one day. We aim to attend the ‘Stand in the Park’ informal meetings at 10 am on Sundays.

From the practical point of view I do not have to do gardening but I like to keep my current account topped up and physical exercise is good for us both.  The Powers that Be are trying to starve us into submission through a combination of food shortages, steep increase in prices of food, increased taxes on the price of gas (petrol) not to mention council tax and travel by train.

With gardening it is difficult to estimate what the job can charge. Everyone has different circumstances but some claim that they cannot afford something when in fact they just don’t like spending money.  I state a price that I prepared to work for and if it is too much then I leave the job.   I do not accept money until the customer says they are happy with what we (Francoise and I) have done.

Francoise’s’ french passport has run out. She can only renew it by visiting one of the consulates in UK of which there are two, London and Edinburgh.  There are currently 250,000 people waiting for appointments in London. You have to enter their rather badly designed website, look at the calendar, and gap a slot when it becomes available. Due to the pressure, slots remain unfilled for only a few seconds.    (Updates happen daily between 11 and 12 am). It is a nerve-wracking experience. The earliest offer was late June but that disappeared. the second one was mid July and that disappeared also. Its a bit like an auction. There is no allowance for delay.

My stomach continues to give problems.   For some reason my beloved home made bread is the main culprit. the offending item is barley. I might as well swallow poison. The results drain my energy. I survive by taking sodium bicarbonate and putting a hot water bottle on my stomach.

I am also interested in the latest healing methods. How many have heard of the med bed? This is a pleadians inspired technology. Try this. ‘Everything MED BEDS’. Be prepared to be amazed.

I do need to look after my body which includes regular walks, treatments, meditations even – anything to keep my humanity at full strength.  I await the future fear mongering embodied in the Monkey-pox manufactured and weaponized by the powers that be.  I hope enough people will recognize it for what it is – a complete scam to justify lockdowns and yet more vaccinations and top ups.

Garden and allotment duties keep me occupied also. Not everyone maintains their plot and I have to chide them. No one likes to do this but if they dont respond to emails or phone calls I have to up the pressure. Fortunately I am not seeking popularity. Someone has to do it.

From my research point of view there are so many papers to read in addition to the daily news inflow that I have to catalogue and enter into my web site if appropriate.

I escaped to our allotment today – anything to make a change from my four walls / computer screen. You may ask – why not walk away? The topic is so fascinating that I cannot wait to see the next chapter of the book of death. By that I mean the death of the human society through lies, bribery, evil of the utmost extreme. You think I am kidding? Watch out for the food shortages which are already hitting us but mainly intended for Africa to kill vast numbers of useless eater through starvation.

Monday morning I leave on my own to spend time with friends, the group I have known for 40 years, and relax. There are topic to be discussed which have arisen and I hope I can deal with them with equanimity.

Someone from the UK won the Euro lotto -a record £186m. If I win I have already worked out what I would do with it. I would give large amounts away and spend the rest on social change and improvement.

Yesterday was the first day of The Bath Festival which lasts a week. There were many – about 60 – musical groups of all types. The quality was variable but everyone was out enjoying themselves. A find that all food and drink is priced way over the top but hey it is an occasion and the money is well earned by those willing to take a risk.  The weather was clear if a little windy.

I went to one of the participating churches ‘St Michael Without’ which was more like a restaurant . there were easy chairs, a servery at the back offering food and drink. Yes, I could tell it was a church because there was an alter. Noisy musicians play at their peril – and the peril of the audience. There are two factors – the acoustics and the echo. Churches are designed for sacred music and for the single voice -sung or spoken.  Everything else like a jazz band is a horrible mess sound-wise.   We escaped to Queen Square and Parade gardens to listen to more music.

We parked at the Odd Down Park and Ride and bused into town. The last bus back is 00.08 so you can have a long evening if you so choose.

So we turn up for day two of the Paulton job. It is a joy to do it but there is a certain lingering of the husband of the customer who died 10 years ago.

We had much to burn so started the bonfire about 11am. The wind was fickle and changed direction in an  unpredictable way.  We heard a shout over the back fence. The woman was incoherent but basically said ‘everyone has their washing hanging out and will have to put it away while you have your fire. You should have the fire after 6pm.  I retorted that the 6pm rule was a myth and that there were no fixed hours for having bonfires. Our local authority asks for reasonable consideration of others (fair enough).

My client went upstairs and said that no one had washing hanging out.   The husband of the complainant then came  round and complained again, trying to use moderate language. (my client is 82 y. old).  They had a lively discussion. My client said others complained about the activities of her grand children so why not adapt. She said that her fires were very rare.  The neighbor to our right offered to support us. The neighbor to the left is a misery, the wife as bad as the husband. The ones opposite were also unpleasant. They said they would report me to the authorities.  I invited them to do so.

It strikes me how boring and meaningless people’s lives are  that they cannot adapt to a small amount of smoke for a couple of hours. Our work was put back so we will have to resume Monday afternoon.

As on Thursday the weather was perfect, even hot, and I drank three cups of tea and then one whole pint of water. Someone said we lose a liter of water an hour during hot weather.

Back home to flop in front of the TV (I suppose it would be foolish to flop behind it). I made a wok of rice, shrimps, mixed vegetables, soy sauce and 3 eggs. It went down well though I admit I stuffed myself.

We shall finally return Monday 2pm to do the bonfire.  Not a lot of money but enough for the gas/elect bill, petrol and the Sky Internet,phone, landline bill.  I wonder what the bills will be in 2025 when they abolish landlines.

We went to do a garden clearing job for a fellow congregant who owns a house in Paulton.  It is a lovely job. Since the passing of her husband ten years ago the garden has not been tended and has become overgrown. The lawn had become a field and all the bushes were over run with ivy and brambles.

We reckon there is about 24 hours work. At a rough guide, you need one day of remedial work per year of abandonment of a garden. We wanted to make a bonfire and here our situation became interesting.  I went to the neighbor on the right as I noticed that there was washing hanging out. That belonged to her daughter and she pro,ised that the washing would be removed. She commented that she did not like bonfires. It was not what she said but the dismissive way she said it. Maybe she does not think much of workers in general.

We lit the fire and it poured out a fair amount of smoke. The neighbor the other side spoke to me over the fence and said that I am not allowed to have bonfires until after 6pm.   This I know is not correct and I told him so. He raised his voice and said that he knew the rules. He clearly did not. I typed in BANES (local council) bonfire times. The first response –It is a common misconception that bonfires must be held after certain hours….

I carried on the fire. He later said that if I did not put it out he would spray the hose on it. I did call him some names. Not nasty ones – I think I called him a sad individual that should be happier – something like that.  He did get his hose out and made a half hearted attempt to spray the fire but the pressure was weak and the attempt flopped. I never saw him again.  My customer told me that he complains about everything – the grand children playing for example. Some are so bitter they are not happy unless they are grumbling about something.

Anyway we did 10 hours between us and will return Saturday to do some more. The weather was lovely with blue sky and a slight wind. Not much rain has fallen which means that the field experiment recently referred to stands a danger of failing without a water supply.

It is in Failand, somewhat South West of Bristol. We set off at 9am and soon encountered monumental traffic jams. We moved one car’s length at a time down a side lane and it took 30 minutes to reach the main road.  I decided to leave the car and walk the mile or so to the show gates. I arrived 20 minutes before the car with its two occupants.

The problem with shows is that the quality and variety of the show depends on the rental charged. There should be two rates – one for community groups and one for commercial groups.  The latter held sway. The coffee bars, Cornish pasties,  Chinese food purveyors attracted long queues throughout the day and certainly made money.  I do not know why it is a one day show when like the Bath and Best show it could have easily been three days. By giving a lower rate to community and religious groups more colour could have been included.

It costs as much in foxed costs to hold a one day show as everything has to be hired and dismantled at the end. The charge for a family was £45. For adults it was £19. So the public, the exhibitors and the trial participants have to pay. I felt that £15 would have been more acceptable.

However there was plant do do. Features included horse and dog trials, and sheep and  cow competitions. There was a noisy drag competition where tractors had to pull a heavy load. Very noisy specially built tractors (or were at one point). Farmers are a special breed. They are inevitably tall and well built and have a certain stance that means that you don’t think of messing with them.

I have a new app on my Android  phone which shows the identity codes of mobile phones in the vicinity.  It can also detect people who have been vaccinated if there are significant amounts of graphene in their system. The maximum number in the range was 161. I do not do well being blasted by microwaves at the best of time.  I mitigated this by going without shoes for the 2.5 hour duration of our visit. It certainly enabled my body to drain away some of the effects.

We left around 2pm and people were still coming in. We visited the previously written Rockaway Park and enjoyed the trip back to the 1970’s.

Home to more Lasagna and chat. I introduced my guest to Long Island Medium’ where the medium gives public demonstrations on the reality of life after death.

An early night. We went to bed at 10 pm and slept through.

The celebrations started at sunrise or what would have been sunrise had we been able to see it. Dancing round the maypole and the like started 7.30 am. Celebrations were held all over the town.

We arrived about 9.30 am. We were joined by a visiting friend from Peterborough.  Sometimes you meet people and there is an obvious ‘click’. You have not met them before but they are familiar to you. No instructions are necessary. You just carry on from where you left off, whenever that was. This was the case with our friend.

We spent some time in the Chalice Well Garden itself where there was entertainment by way of singing and dancing. A plentiful supply of coffee and snacks was on offer.  People as ever were very approachable and I had half a dozen meaningful conversations. One was with an astrologer and writer, another with a dancer, and another from an Estonian lady who I complimented on her demeanor and happiness. Another had headgear in the shape of a ram.

We walked round the town introducing our friend to the main sites and sounds of the unique High Street. We then came across a number of druids, with their faces painted green a la the famous Green Man of old. We returned to Chalice Well for the midday celebration and had a quiet period of meditation for the welfare of the planet and its consciousness.

We finished our visit by a drink at the King Henry, one of the community establishments where it is a genuine pleasure to enter and mingle with like-minded people.

It requires several visits to Glastonbury to appreciate even a small fraction of what goes on.   We did not attempt the Tor as our friend’s back was stiff.

We returned home via Wells and prepared a meal, part of which was a lasagna prepared by our guest. We then sat round a brightly burning fire in the living room, whacked up the temperature by adding many logs, and went into a semi-somnambulent state.

Yesterday evening, Thursday, I attended with 23 other men a talk about God and chaos at the Rugby Football club in Frome. It was a so called curry evening prepared by a very good cook who offered a mild chicken curry laced with coconut milk. Delicious. He got a round of applause at the end.

The speaker was James Carey. He earns most of his living income from writing comedy scripts for the BBC but has also written a number of books, all on the Christian theme. He had a remarkable way of bringing the New Testament – actually the whole bible – to life. I forgive him for being a creationist. He was refreshing and knowledgeable about the history of the church.

He talked about people ‘speaking in straight lines’ to each other which I found enlightening. Strange how small a stimulus is needed to help a soul in its journey. He talked about using the name of Jesus in discussions with others and said that few if any people had ridiculed him for so speaking.  He mentioned that Jesus asked 316 questions as reported in the New Testament. That gave me a good clue about how to deal with any controversial subject such as covid, the Ukraine etc.

He is giving another talk in a ‘Water into Wine’ event in Shepton Mallet on Saturday 25th June. Its at the St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church, 7.30 pm, I shall attend that with Francoise.  £10 per head is a bit steep, but maybe I am behind the times.

This weekend we have a visitor called Rosemary.  She is very alive and alert. We will leave early on Sunday to partake of the celebrations in Glastonbury, not only the usual celebrations in Chalice Well, but Mayday celebrations in the town and hopefully a trip up the Tor. When close up it is much larger than it looks so some considerable effort is needed. You have to be fit.  Next time I go up I will count the steps…. No, I have been lazy and looked it up. There are 301.  If you want to be really fit try the 528 steps up to observatory at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Monday we go to the North Somerset Show, one of these huge farming/selling/animal judging/ arts and crafts events that you cant even get round in a day. Love it. How to do the bank holiday in style.