Walking in the Shadows

Random musings from Warwickshire on life in general... Things that make me laugh, make me cry, things that wind me up beyond all endurance - and everything in between.

Watch the birdies

In these dark times of lock-down, it's the little things that make me smile.  In this case, it was a pair of sparrows having a bath.

Normally, that's not something I would pay much attention to, as I would be busy with other things that my life involved, and forgetting about taking the time to watch the birdies...



 

But the sparrows aren't the only thing to visit the garden...  A cock pheasant has also decided that the garden provides a suitable dining table for him...  Again, these photos were taken from the conservatory on my phone - hence the leaves in the photos...





So I guess there is something to be said for living in Darkest Warwickshire...  When I get sights like this from the conservatory, it helps me appreciate home even more.

Ah well,  time to call this quits.  My poor little phone is making pathetic beeping sounds at me, as I have't put it on charge to do this...

Back when I get chance / inclination...

Karen

Well, it's a brand new morning
And it's the start of your new life
Yeah, it's a brand new morning
You'd better try and get it right
Brand new morning
You've been awake since early light
Brand new morning
So spread your wings and you'll take flight



Furlough, and training

As I’m on furlough, I thought I would have a break from reading.  Yes – that does happen – I do things other than read.  So, as I have been “given” (alright – loaned) a laptop and Wi-Fi dongle, I’ve put my time to good use and completed a couple of courses.  One on time management (something that I have been working on *before* I was furloughed) and the other on basic Excel skills.

To be honest, I thought my Excel skills were OK…  But the course showed me things that I didn’t even know Excel could do…  Bit embarrassing to say the least.  

So, I decided to take the plunge and have another look at my Excel skills.  Turns out that there are some rather worrying gaps in my knowledge.  OK – I had the ability to get through the day to day work that I do, but I am getting to the stage that I do need to gain a better understanding of the things that the damned thing can do...  Namely the dreaded function VLOOKUP.

This has caused me more grey hair than enough, and despite colleagues being patient and trying to explain the principals behind this function, I *cannot* get my head around it.  So, I’m using my time to get some training, and hopefully get to grips with this damned function, as well as other bits of Excel that could be useful to me…  

It does help that the weather has been rotten (cold, rain, wind – typical UK spring day) so it means that there has been less temptation to go back to the garden and finish pruning the dogwood.  Not that I am trying to get out of that – far from it.  It’s just that I dislike getting cold and wet – especially when there is no need to.

So, hopefully this course will help me get my brain cell around the methodology of the dreaded VLOOKUP…  Then all I will have to do is put the theory into use – and hopefully discover that it makes my life easier when I am back in the office…

Back when my brain cell tells me that I have had enough (or I have gone cross eyed / bonkers trying to understand VLOOKUP….)

Karen

Write in dust all you say
Look for the answers you know you can trust
One day they might blow away

Reading challenge...

For those rare people who know me, then they will know that I am an avid reader.

My Goodreads challenge has increased from a measly 120 books for the year to 170... And I can see it increasing.

Simply because there are some cracking books making an appearance this year...  Gems such as the new Dreseden Files books - Peace Talks and Battle Ground, as well as the next book in the Hollows series - American Demon.

All I can say is, thank god for the kindle.  I'd have gone stir crazy...

And yes - it is a genuine list.  I have almost given up watching the TV, as I am getting fed up with the crap that the broadcasters seem to think that people want to watch.

There are only so many repeats of Bargain Hunt and Homes Under the Hammer I can watch before my eyes start to glaze over, and my hands start instinctively to reach for the kindle (or tree book) that I am reading....

And guess what? My kindle is calling again...

Back when I can escape the lure of a good book (or three...)

Karen

See the night sky supernova
Chase the cold moon passing over
Start the dragon's fire to smoulder
On a storyteller's night

Enforced lock-down extension.....


Well, we have another three weeks of the so-called lock-down.  HM Government has said that there has been a decrease in the virus infections, but not enough to allow people to escape.

I’m lucky – I have the garden I can escape into, as it’s been beautiful weather.  If it had been cold and wet, then it would have been a very different kettle of fish – I’d have been going stir crazy.  And the best bit?  The cowslips in the paddock are in bloom, and putting on quite a little show.

Cowslips in the paddock



The funny thing is, we only planted a couple of plants - and they were the red and yellow ones - they obviously reverted over the past 20 or so years..  And spread.  Not that I am complaining, although I don't mind admitting that it does make mowing the grass a little difficult...

However, there is a drawback to the lock-down...  I haven't seen my partner for just over 5 weeks.  OK - that has happened before - it happened last year when I caught a nasty chest infection that flattened me, and meant that I spent more time asleep than anything else.  But at least we knew that when I was recovered (and fit enough to drive) we would see each other.

This time, we are (as I type this) both fit and healthy, and only apart due to the social distancing rules.  And all I can say is thank god for unlimited texts / minutes on my phone.  I know there is a reason for the separation, but it doesn't stop me missing him like hell.

Ah well, guess I should call it quits - my favorite Magnum song has started playing on my MP3 player...  Welcome to the Cosmic Cabaret.

Back whenever,

Karen

Hard game and the music's going nowhere
This room's getting smaller by the day
Some dog on the street, he just keeps howling
Welcome to the cosmic cabaret


Out to grass - aka Furlough.

Yep - I've been put out to grass.  Am I bothered?  Slightly, but to be honest, I could see it coming, as I have been trying to work from home, and with the best will the world, it's not been easy.

I'm one of those rare people that doesn't have broadband at home - in this bit of Darkest Warwickshire, we rely on a carrier snail.  And that met with an accident called a pot of salt.

So, until June 1st, I am officially on the payroll of HM Government, meaning that I don’t go near a computer (I’m posting this via the Blogger App on my phone), so it means an enforced break from the usual stuff that lands on my desk (ok – working from home, it’s been the dining table).

But, I can at least keep up with the training that I have been trying to complete, and may well be able to get some more bits done that I am interested in – mainly updating my excel skills.

They were good enough (just) to keep me afloat, but things have changed, and I admit that I am struggling with nasty things such as VLOOKUP, data validation and other functions (something that the powers that be have decided that I really should know about)…

So, I’ll be updating on things as they arise, and I can be bothered to type on a tiny keyboard on my phone.  Just hope the spell check is up to it!

Back whenever…

Karen

Hold on, there's a new way a-coming
Looks like it's arriving tonight
There's no more hiding or running
There's no more walking on ice

Damn, damn and damn.


Well, the best laid plans have a habit of going wrong, and I seem to be cursed every time I try to see Magnum at Birmingham town hall…  The last time they had to postpone a gig, we ended up going to see them at Symphony Hall – and I have the album that they recorded there…

This is the statement that Magnum sent to their fans:

It is with a heavy heart that we must finally concede to the inevitable.

A combination of government measures in numerous countries, and liaising with promoters and our co-headliners Gotthard has meant that ultimately the decision has been taken out of our hands.

The Serpent Rings Tour will be postponed until later this year and early next.  Dates will be announced as soon as possible.

Those with tickets will be entitled to a refund or to attend rescheduled shows - information on this will be given as soon as we know more.

We're very sorry to all the loyal fans who were looking forward to coming to see us.  But even more than this we are sorry for those who will feel the financial impact of this for months and even years to come.  Our friends, the crew, who now have empty diaries and no immediate prospect of new shows of any kind.  Our support acts, promoters, venue staff, security, bar staff and the touring industry as a whole - all of whom face exceptionally hard times now.

It was never our intent to cause anger and hurt with our previous defiance.  With so much already paid for, contracts all in place and the band all rehearsed and ready to go we had very little choice but to try and carry on despite mounting pressure. We really wanted to play more than you can imagine. We held on as long as we could.

Good luck to everyone in these troubled times.  We'll see you on the other side...


Bob, Tony, Rick, Lee, Dennis and all the Magnum team”

But, at the end of the day, the band have to follow the advice from the various governments, and I cannot fault them.  I just hope that this damned virus clears up soon, and life can get back to some semblance of normality.

Ah well, time to call this quits - got to refuel the Monster today...

Back when I can.

Karen

It's another rainy day
Talk of freedom got away
Time to get the message right
It's never black or white
So I'm walking in the rain
Found a reason to explain
No excuses, no regret
We all deserve respect



An attitude I can relate to....

I found this post from Magnum somewhat refreshing…

UK melodic rock stalwarts Magnum have vowed not to let the coronavirus outbreak interfere with their touring plans. The band, who are introducing new bass player Dennis Ward on their forthcoming run of European dates, say that the flu-like virus – also known as COVID-19 – should not prevent fans from living their lives "to the fullest."  

"Let's get this right out there," say the band, in a statement of Facebook. "The band are not going to cancel the tour."  

The statement continues, "We've been in rehearsal for three weeks now. We're all in excellent health. Dennis has been fitting in fantastically and we're looking forward to playing our new material for the first time to as many people as possible.  

We are contractually obliged to play every single show and we intend to do so. We'd urge every fan and indeed every human being around the world to not fall into the trap of allowing fear and misinformation surrounding the virus to prevent them from living their lives to the fullest.  

If a band with an average age of nearly 60 are chomping at the bit to get on a tour bus and go and play our hearts out for three months solid we sincerely hope that you're not too afraid to come out and see us! Pack these venues out and show us what Magnum fans are made of.  

F**k coronavirus. See you on the road.”

And yes – I am looking forward to seeing them the end of this month – I am one of the lucky ones who has tickets for the gig at Birmingham Town Hall.

Back later....

Karen

It's another rainy day
Talk of freedom got away
Time to get the message right
It's never black or white
So I'm walking in the rain
Found a reason to explain
No excuses, no regret
We all deserve respect

Meet the new boiler - same as the old one

Well, not quite.  We're having another condensing boiler, as the amount of work required to swap to a combi boiler would be horrific - as we would have to have the hot water tank in the airing cupboard removed, and all the pipework capped off.

So, we have had (and accepted) a very reasonable quote from A1 Gas Force to install the new boiler.  The engineer thought that they would have to dig a soakaway as it's a condensing boiler, and were quite surprised when they found that we already had the pipework in place.

In fairness, the old (and condemned)  boiler was one of the first condensing boilers on the market, but they only really took off about 16 years ago, so it wasn't really surprising that they didn't realise what it was.

And the best bit?  It's being fitted on Thursday, so we should (hopefully) have full heating back on line on Thursday night.  It can't come soon enough for me, as I don't like getting out of the shower in a cold bathroom.

Ah well, time to call this quits, as I need to get to bed early - got to be in the playpen for 08:00 tomorrow morning.....

Back soon,

Karen

Still cold in Darkest Warwickshire

The condemned boiler...

Well, Storm Dennis did for the boiler what Storm Ciara couldn't.  It finished the boiler off.  But, in fairness to the boiler, it was old - nearly 30 years old to be honest, so it didn't really owe us anything...

Mum called British Gas today to have a look, and the engineer opened the boiler case, and it was flooded.  So, it was kaput, and the gas has been turned off at the meter, as the heating was the only thing that ran on gas.

It also has a large sticker on the case:



So, we now have the "fun" of getting a replacement boiler.  And the problem is, Mum and I don't have the foggiest what to go for.  We're looking at a combi boiler, but to be honest?  Neither of us have any idea what size or anything else to go for...

Ah well, time to call this quits - my fingers are getting cold, so I'm off to toast by the fire.

Back when I know what is happening with the heating...

Karen

Frozen in Darkest Warwickshire

Storm Ciara and the boiler

Bloody bad weather has buggered up the boiler.  It tries to start up, then trips the main circuit breaker.

We think that the rain may have gotten in, and keeps extinguishing the pilot light (it's a condensing gas boiler) so it won't fire up.

Just means that Mum and I will have to wrap up in a fleecy blanket, and use the fire in the living room for heat.

Sooner this damned weather clears, the better.  And at least it's not freezing cold.  Just wet and windy!

Not nice, but at least we have power.....

Back when I know what the hell is going on with the boiler.

Karen

Waiting for the weather to improve

It's finished....

Well, the relish is finished.  Now all I need to do is put it into a jar.

Finished red onion relish

No fancy jars for me - I prefer the Dowe Egbert coffee jars, as they are the right size (and heat up nicely in the oven).  Plus the tops seal really well...



And after all that, I got one and a bit jars of relish.

Finished relish in jars

So all I have to do now is the cleaning up. Great fun. Not.  But it's worth it.

Back when I have cleaned up.

Karen

Hold on, there's a new way a-coming
Looks like it's arriving tonight
There's no more hiding or running
There's no more walking on ice

Danger - Red Onion relish in progress..

Well, as my partner is at work, I decided to do something creative (and edible).

I'd been thinking about trying my hand at making chutney (pineapple chutney has already been made) and like a twit, forgot to take photos of the process.

So, I decided to make something else (and blog about it!). At least this time it's not as complicated as the chutney was (meaning less bad language during the preparation).  It's just four ingredients:

Red onion x 8
Caster sugar x 100g
Red wine vinegar x 100ml
Red wine x 100ml

Slice the onion, then cook it with the sugar until soft (the recipe I am using is from BBC good food app) and states that it should take about 10 min in a covered pan. (I personally gave it 20 min) them added the wine and the vinegar:


Red onion relish in production

This is still on the hob as I write this, as I am waiting for it to finish reducing and thickening up.

Further updates to follow


Karen

Hold on, there's a new way a-coming
Looks like it's arriving tonight
There's no more hiding or running
There's no more walking on ice


Rocketman... Missed

My mistake. I read Elton John's autobiography when it came out, and really enjoyed it.

I also bought the Elton John biopic, as I'd wanted to see it.

And I wish I had seen the film first.  The best bit was the music. Taran Egerton was very good as Elton, but it was very disjointed.  

If you've seen the film, then read the book.  However, if you've read the book.... Well, don't say that I didn't warn you.

Karen

Hold on, there's a new way a-coming
Looks like it's arriving tonight
There's no more hiding or running
There's no more walking on ice


Dirty Cruise ships

And you tell me that they don't kick out god knows what crap....  If this was a car, I would say that the head gasket had blown....





This was taken from the balcony of my hotel room in Funchal.  And it's P&O Brittania.

And no - this photo hasn't been photo shopped - I was using my phone to take pictures.  I can see why Cannes and Venice get upset.  Thankfully, this stinking thing was a good mile or so away from the hotel (and the wind blew the smoke out to sea!)

Back when I finish coughing.

Karen

Getting annoyed in Madeira.

Damn car

And this time, it's not mine that's playing up.  It's my partner's car.

He bought a nice looking Audi A4 estate, but it's got problems.  It sounds like the the instrument cluster talks to the ECU, and completes the circuit allowing the system to tell the little plug in fault reader to tell you what the issue(s) are.

But, what isn't common knowledge is that the dratted instrument cluster can be "fried" by jump starting the car.

So, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Replace the instrument cluster, and then hope that the damned car decides to play ball and show the error codes, or run the car until the MOT runs out, then have the "fun" of selling it for spares or repair.

So we are now desperately trying to find a company to fix it, preferably without costing more than the car is worth....

So, I am now off to find a company that can sort this damned dahsboard out.

Back when I get chance....

Karen

To the spirit that guides you, follow it through
To the spirit inside you, always be true
You know you'll despair
If the spirit inside you is used without care








Summertime – and I’m back on the Road to Eternity

I know that I have posted from the gig, but this post has all the background...  So please bear with me!

As the title suggest, I went to see Magnum on their summer Long Road To Eternity tour.  This time, it involved travelling to Warrington, as my partner decided that he didn’t fancy going to see them in Stoke on Trent. 

I suspect this was because it was at the start of the tour, and was on a Tuesday night, whereas the Warrington gig was the penultimate stop, and was on a Thursday night, meaning that we could both take the Thursday and Friday off to make a nice break for the pair of us.

We travelled up on the A-roads, as my partner isn’t keen on motorway driving, and the M6 by Stoke on Trent was buggered as per normal.  There seems to be something about that piece of motorway that encourages accidents – if there is a problem, it’s normally on that stretch.

The only slight drawback was trying to find somewhere for lunch.  The first place we stopped was by Trentham Gardens – the Harvester called the Poacher’s Rest.  Well, it was struck off the list to stop for three reasons:

  • It was warmer outside that it was inside – they had the air conditioning set to polar levels
  • It was expensive – even on the so-called lunchtime specials – not to mention that neither of us liked the “options” on the lunchtime menu.
  • The choice of Real Ales - three if you were lucky.

Needless to say, we only stopped long enough for a quick drink and a comfort stop before hitting the road to Warrington.  It wasn’t a bad run – apart from the fact that it was lashing it down with rain.  Not fun to drive in, and I freely admit to being grateful I wasn’t driving.

About 3pm, we struck really lucky.  We spotted a pub that looked half decent, and stopped for a rather late lunch.  

My partner had his reservations, as it did look expensive, but a quick check on the Google reviews  decided it for me – it was worth taking a chance on. (What did we do before Google?   And the pub is called the Spring Brook)

We had a drink, and looked at the lunchtime menu – it ran from 12:00 to 17:00, so we were in luck.  I’d already decided that I was going to have the bacon cheese burger.  

My partner did the same, only he decided that he wanted his as a double, on the grounds that it was late, and he didn’t really want to try and find somewhere to eat in Warrington before the gig.  That struck me as a good idea, so I opted for the same thing.

So, for £13, we had two burgers that needed planning permission, with beer battered onion rings and chips.  It was well worth it – the burgers were juicy, the bacon was back bacon and crispy on the edges the way I like it, and mature cheddar.

As luck would have it, we were only a few miles away from our overnight stop in Stretton.  I’d taken a chance and booked a B&B – The School House.

It was only a small B & B – 4 rooms, but boy, did I strike lucky on this one.  The rooms are named for different subjects – English, Science, Maths and History – logical I suppose as it was an old school.

We arrived, and were warmly greeted by Garry, who showed us to our room, and advised on the best taxi company to use to take us into Warrington.

He suggested breakfast, and as I hadn’t booked on the grounds that I wasn’t sure if my partner would be interested, we took him up on the offer.

Whilst my partner got the flight bags out of the car, I sorted out the breakfast with Helen, and then made my way to the room.

We’d been given the History room – which was a real surprise.  It was really spacious, with plenty of space for the pair of us to hang the t-shirts that we had bought with us.

The towels weren’t the usual mean, thin little scraps that I’ve experienced in UK hotels before – these were big and fluffy – and just right to dry my hair with.  And, as an added surprise, there were little bars of soap – perfect if you hadn’t got your own toiletries with you.

We decided to have drink in the local pub before we got ready for the gig, and walked across to the Cat & Lion.  From the outside, it looked rather attractive, but looks as they say, can be deceiving…

Given that this pub had a Premier Inn attached to it, I would have expected it to look better.  In fact, if I was staying at the Premier Inn, I would be looking for somewhere else to eat.  It looked… Tired for want of a politer description.

Thankfully, we’d already eaten, and I had spotted a pool table….  We (or rather I) decided that we could have a couple of games whilst we had a drink (or two)…  That didn’t really go to plan, as the “real ale” according to my partner was as gassy as a pint of lager, and the Kraken black rum?

That tasted off as well – it was too sweet, almost as if it had a sweeter spirit added to it.  I tried the Lambs Navy rum, thinking that would be better, but that definitely tasted “wrong” to me.  Again, it was like someone had put a cheaper spirit in the Lambs bottle.

Needless to say, neither of us were too keen, and we quickly headed back to the B & B to get ready for the gig…

The shower was really good, and made me feel brighter – just ready for the gig.  We booked the taxi for 18:00 from the Cat & Lion, as it would be easier for the driver to collect us from there.

Amazingly the driver was early, and we quickly finished our drinks (I was daft and tried another rum – not good) and headed into Warrington.

The driver was really helpful, and told us that the best option to get a cab back to Stretton was to walk to the office – which was a two minute walk away from the Parr Hall.

We got to the Parr Hall, and they weren’t letting anyone in until 19:30 when the doors opened.  That meant we had nearly two hours to kill before we could go in.

As we had already eaten, the Italian place that we had been told about was San Lorenzo.  The same restaurant chain that is in London, and favoured by the super rich in Kensington….

So, we opted for a bar near by – Las Ramblas wine and tapas bar.  Not the sort of place that I would have normally chosen, but there were quite a few Magnum fans in there, so it made for a reasonable atmosphere.

You could almost see the regulars having a hissy fit at the influx of rock fans, and I heard several snarky comments made about the number of us being in there – as if we lowering the tone of the place.  I muttered something about it being a case of “all lace curtains and no knickers” .

It was expensive - £12 for four bottles of beer.  Ok – it was Estrella Galicia, but no way was it worth that.  But there were some good laughs though with other Magnum fans, and when we saw the queue for the Parr Hall starting to move, we joined it.

I think the Parr Hall missed a good chance to make some serious money – the bars were heaving as we got in, and my partner was a real sweetie – he went and got me a drink, whilst I went to get myself the obligatory (for me) tour t-shirt.

Now I had been somewhat devious, and bought a limited edition vinyl copy of Chase the Dragon – the first Magnum album that my partner bought – and it was the one that got me into the group. 

It was an anniversary present – we’ve been together for three years, and  I hoped to get it signed by the two original members of the band, when they came down after the gig..  Only to be told that they weren’t planning on doing an appearance after the gig.

Well, I was determined to get Bob Cately and Tony Clarkin to sign it, so kept my plans quiet when I joined my partner in the bar.  As luck would have it, my partner went to watch the support act, and I said I was off to the ladies…  And off I slipped.

I asked for a favour from one of the band’s support team (who shall remain nameless), but they have my gratitude for the help in getting Bob and Tony’s autograph on the album cover.



So, having had Bob and Tony sign my album, I went back to the bar.  My partner was relieved to see me, as he had been worried about me – he didn’t think to look for me in the foyer.  Good thing he didn’t otherwise he would have spoilt the surprise….

The look on his face was priceless when he realised what I had managed to do.  He was so happy, and decided that he was going to frame the album, as he hadn’t realised that my plan was to get the two original members of the band to sign it for me.

So once I had secured the album back into my bag, it was time to wriggle my way to the front.  My partner didn’t expect to get anywhere near the front, but me being small, I decided to see how close I could get…

And the answer?  Right at the front – second row to be exact.  Being small certainly helps at times, as people were quite happy – I was told by one fan that he didn’t mind me being in front, as he could see over me, and could also take photos over me.




The set list was pretty good as well – again, some songs that I still am not familiar with:

1. Wild Swan
2. Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies
3. Lost On The Road to Eternity
4. Crazy Old Mothers
5. Your Dreams Won’t Die
6. How Far Jerusalem
7. Les Morts Dansant
8. Show Me Your Hands
9. All England’s Eyes
10. Vigilante
11. Don’t Wake The Lion (Too Old To Die Young)
12. The Spirit

You could see that the band were enjoying themselves – the massive smiles on Al and Tony’s faces were something of a giveaway…




And again, during the guitar solo on Don’t Wake The Lion (Too Old To Die Young), you could see that Tony was enjoying being the centre of attention for once…



I think one of my favourite photos is this one:


But this one comes a very close second:


Some of the photos I didn’t realise I’d managed to get such a clear shot…


But the shots I am most proud of were of the band at the end of the gig:








And at the end, there’s always something sad about the empty stage….



Such a contrast to the start of the gig – even before the support band made their appearance:



But it was a good gig.  Would I see Magnum again?  Yes.  The fans are a good bunch, and whilst Magnum might not be fashionable, they put on a good show for those of us who do go, and are willing to sign things – even before they go on stage.

And that, to me is the real difference.  They care about their fans, and don’t make you feel like pond scum for asking for something as simple as an autograph.  The album won’t be sold – it was a gift to my partner, and it means an awful lot to the pair of us.

Ah well - guess I'd better call this quits - I'm falling asleep.

Back when I get chance.

Karen

You know we're lost on the road to eternity
Nobody's looking and nobody cares
You know we're lost on the road to eternity
Well there's no mercy, no magical prayer


Finally at the End Of the Road to Eternity.

I never expected signatures...!

The member of staff pulled out all the stops to get my beloved guardian angel's album signed....



Bob and Tony are true gentlemen - I cannot thank them enough for the signatures on the album, and to the staff member (you know who you are) - I owe you a huge thank you.

Karen

Somewhere on the Long Road to Eternity

Back on the Road to Eternity

Well, as Chase the Dragon was the album that introduced me to Magnum, I felt it was only appropriate to get my partner the limited edition version of the vinyl....


And yes - they are the genuine tickets for the gigs in Birmingham. I just hope that we can get it signed by Bob and Tony, as this will make a perfect anniversary present for my beloved.

Karen

Back on the Long Road to Eternity

Why should I pay to breathe??

Asthma UK is running a campaign to get the prescription charges dropped for those of us with asthma. Why should I pay to breathe??

















Now if you have a thyroid issue, or are diabetic, or have cancer, you get free prescriptions. But, if like me, you have asthma, you pay.

Now I am not saying that those conditions are not life threatening - they are. But so is asthma. 

And I know that there will be people who say that asthma isn't that serious, and that the NHS had more important things to spend money on.

But if you have asthma, it's almost like playing Russian roulette - especially if you cannot afford the current prescription charge of £8.80 per damned item. 

I'm very lucky, as I *can* afford the charges, I also have a very supportive (and protective) partner, who makes sure that I have used my preventer inhaler, and that I am carrying my reliever inhaler, as well as having friends and family who keep an eye on me.

But not everyone is as lucky as I am. According to information from Asthma UK:

Asthma attacks hospitalise someone every 8 minutes; 185 people are admitted to hospital because of asthma attacks every day in the UK (a child is admitted to hospital every 20 minutes because of an asthma attack).

So I have just one question? How many more families will have to lose a loved one, before asthma sufferers like me have to stop paying to breathe?

Karen

The spirit that guides you follow it through
To the spirit inside you always be true
You know you'll despair
If the spirit inside is used without care

Christmas baking

Well, as it's Christmas, I decided to make peppermint creams...  The traditional plain ones, and ones rolled in grated Bournville chocolate:


I was also asked to make a Reindeer gingerbread cake / biscuit:


This was before I decorated it - like an idiot, I forgot to take photos...  But hopefully the recipient will enjoy it...

Guess I'd better call this quits - dinner's nearly ready...

Back when I get chance....

Karen

Your dreams, won’t die
If you remember them each day
Sweet dreams, blue sky
They’re gonna take you all the way
I believe, in you, no lie
Your dreams, won’t die
Your dreams won’t die