February 2009
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Archive for February 2009

28/02/2009 by Ted.

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Guarantee of a cold wet Summer?

28/02/2009 by Ted.

FROM THE TIMES
TAKE cover: heat waves are on the way. Despite the unusually cold winter the government has drawn up a national emergency plan to deal with the rising risk of extreme hot weather linked to climate change.

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More ineptitude ……….

28/02/2009 by Ted.

The Sunday Express reports that Gordon Brown’s claim that he will use legal action to claw back banker Sir Fred Goodwin’s £693,000 pension was exposed as a hollow boast last night.

Top City employment lawyer Ronnie Fox warned that any bid to confiscate Sir Fred’s reward for failure would be against Labour’s controversial Human Rights Act.

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Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

28/02/2009 by Ted.

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.
Sir Winston Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can).
(Prime Minister 1940-1945, 1951-1955)

Quod Erat Demonstrandum. - ’which was to be demonstrated’

It seems to me that Sir Winston Churchill forsees and speaks of Tony Bliar and his accomplices who, having destroyed our country and it’s values, and having made us the rubbish-bin and laughing-stock of the world, greedily continue to justify the manipulating of the political system for their own benefit and our misery.

Most days, like millions of others, I just quietly seethe inwardly at the injustice, the corruption, the sleaze, the immorality, the non-human behaviour of supposed human beings, the PC brigade and the political ineptitude and greed of those misguidedly elected to govern our country. Sometimes I have to scream outwardly.

Today is one of those days.

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Greetings to One and All

24/02/2009 by Richard.

Hi Everybody,

just a few lines to let you know that all is well with us down here in Worcester. Like everyone else we are really looking forward to the warmer weather arriving, although the temperatures of late haven’t been to bad at all

.We are all in fine fettle down here apart from the aches and pains that come with age. As Linda says”You wake up one morning and you can’t move your arm,the following morning the arm is fine but you can’t walk” and so it goes. Still I suppose we should be grateful that we still wake up.

Our little Nathan is growing up fast and is a little treasure, such a wonderful child, obviously does not take after his Poppa (thats the name he chose for me). His foot is fine but he still has to wear his bar for sleeping in and will do so until he starts school. He’s already a cracking little footballer and you should see him taking a throw in, quite special for a two year old.

I know its been a while since I posted on the blog, but when one works a six day week , one has to prioritise and eating, sleeping and family take up most of my time, so I hope you will show a little forbearance towards my erratic posts. I do however keep myself updated on a daily basis to see if there is any news from the rest of you.

I hope this finds you in the best of health

all our love

Linda Richard and Family

p.s I don’t know how I managed to duplicate the photo but at least it arrived on there

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Lord Fly reports:

22/02/2009 by Lord Fly of Bogland.

I am somewhat alarmed.

It appears that a member of the House of Lords invited a Dutch politician, to a private meeting in the Palace of Westminster. She had intended to invite her colleagues in the Lords to a private viewing of his ‘documentary’ Fitna, followed by discussion and debate in true parliamentary fashion. She assumed that this still is, after all, a liberal democracy, and that their lordships still enjoyed the rights of freedom of expression and freedom of association, not to mention certain parliamentary privileges for the protection of their function in the legislature.

But no sooner had the unsuspecting baroness sent out her invitations when the Muslim peer Lord Ahmed raised hell. It is reported that he ‘threatened to mobilise 10,000 Muslims to prevent the Dutch politician from entering the House and threatened to take the colleague who was organising the (private) event to court’.

And so the Dutch politician was banned from entering the country and the private screening of Fitna in the House of Lords was cancelled.

Abridged from: http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com/2009/01/lord-ahmed-threatens-parliament-into.html

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Misty February morning - Bowness on Windermere

21/02/2009 by Ted.

Click on the thumbnail.

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Sorry got it wrong again

16/02/2009 by sue.

Just tried to send a very funny link to you all but technically challenged once again and failed miserably. Bryan tried to advise me but it is a bit like the blind leading the blind really. Keep watching this space because I may get it right one day.

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Time for a laugh

16/02/2009 by sue.

http://talbotfamilyblog.org.uk/__oneclick_uploads/2009/02/proof_the_irish_discovered_africia.wmv

Click on the link.

We can’t upload actual videos Sue - we can only post links to them which then have to be clicked on.

Thanks. A lovely start to the day.
Much love and many chuckles.

Dad.

PS. Lord Fly asked me to cover for him if you had problems. He is very busy filling in claim forms.

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Happy shopping!

15/02/2009 by Ted.

You may well be one of the happy-go-lucky customers I see each week pulling things off the supermarket shelves and chucking them into their shopping trolley regardless of the price.

As an austerity-driven wartime child it became my habit to monitor prices in my head from week to week, a habit which is so ingrained that I practice it to this day. I indeed have been told off by one very special person for walking the length of the street in order to buy a four-pint container of milk for two pence less than at the store where we had just purchased the rest of the groceries.

So I habitually notice price increases from week to week. And for the past couple of months I have been astonished at what is going on. The following is a list of price increases I have observed on just a few of the things I buy each week, mostly as one-week jumps in the price of the commodities shown.

Morrisons: Dried fruit leapt from 41p to 65p in one week and is still that price. I was delighted to find it still 41p at Tesco and bought it there until strangely, because there is no price fixing allowed in this country, Tesco’s price also leapt in one week from 41p to 65p - where it still is! (That is a 56% increase! At first I blamed the increase on the price of fuel which was high, but that is now at its original level and the dried fruit is still carrying its 56% price increase.)

I bought so called Value bread at Tesco for 30p for week after week. Suddenly in one week it went up to 49p - an 83% price rise. I think that the increase must have slowed down sales because they have subsequently reduced it to its current price of 40p which is a mere 33% above the starting price.

I bought UHT skimmed milk from ALDI at 41p per litre until last week - when it suddenly became 54p per litre - a massive 31% increase. I thought I might get it cheaper at Tesco so I checked their price the same day and also Morrisons and found them also selling at 54p. Another strange coincidence being as there is no price fixing allowed in this country.

I bought Tesco cooked chickens at two for £6, then they suddenly became 2 for £8.38p - a 39% increase; their own Value malt loaves at the same time rose from 18p t0 28p - a 55% increase.

There was also the 37% increase in the Tesco breakfast cereal I was buying, and the price of a punnet of ALDI and, coincidentally, NETTO grapes rising instantly in the same week from 99p to £1.49 (50% increase) and so on and so on.

I will always shop around for the lowest price because my pension is guaranteed not to rise to match these swingeing price increases. Only failed bankers and (failing)politicians can expect increases in income of that magnitude.

Happy shopping!

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Third attempt

15/02/2009 by Andrew.

Hello everyone

This is my third attempt in the last two weeks to write a post. I usually just end up deleting it for various reasons, the main one being that I cannot think of something to write that might seem interesting to you folks. Maybe I am not the only one who finds this?

Everyone in the family is OK healthwise apart from Janette who is still suffering from the dizziness thing and has been very depressed for the last few weeks. As you can imagine this casts a dark shadow over life in general and it does really test your faith as it now almost a year since it started.

Still - He does promise that “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”.

Can we like Job in the midst of his severe testing cried out “Even though he slays me , yet will I trust Him”

Or like Jesus when He faced the agonies of what lay ahead prayed - “Father if it be possible let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless let Your will be done“.

“That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”.

There are times when we must pass through the valley of the shadow of death that God may work out His purposes in our lives but by His grace we will endure patiently until we emerge into the sunshine again.

The sun is shining here on the peninsula this morning and I am contemplating a walk out onto Foulney island this arvo, but i have yet to check if the tide is suitable. I might even take a flask and a few biccies.

Rumour has it that we are in a recession but I have plenty of repair work at the moment although appliance sales have slowed some what. I hope everyone else’s jobs are secure (that are not retired).

It’s quite shocking to read what GP’s surgeries are getting paid, no wonder the NHS costs so much to run.

Anyway thats all for now, all our love and XXX.

Andee and family.

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Who cares?

13/02/2009 by Ted.

Grace received a letter from her GP asking her to phone and make an appointment for her blood pressure to be measured. She was quite touched that the GP had contacted her personally and quickly made the appointment. Then, by coincidence the same day, she read this in the Daily Mail.

Click on the picture to see the detail more clearly.

Perhaps this is the reason that I am also, and maybe you too, regularly summoned to make a visit to the GP’s surgery (the only time I ever have to go). My time with the nurse is never more than three minutes and my blood pressure, suprisingly, is always “140/80 - that’s fine Mr. Talbot”. As I walk out the next person is being summoned via the intercom for the same procedure, all at around £868 per three minutes session multiplied by however many three minute sessions they can fit in each day. Perhaps not suprisingly statistics show that the incidence of Asthma, at fifteen points and £1860 per diagnosis, is escalating at an alarming rate.

Why should the diagnosis of a patient’s asthma be rewarded with a payment of £1860? I though that doctors diagnosed whatever a patient had as a part of their normal job - like measles or lumbago and so on. Why reward them handsomely for diagnosing a particular complaint? It smacks of manipulation of health statistics!

The Mail reports that one third of a doctor’s (reportedly highest in Europe) salary relies on this points system.

The present failed government for some odd reason calls it “Setting targets!”and not “Setting results!”

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Love You Gran - A few personal memories of 11th February 2008

11/02/2009 by sue.

I can hardly believe it is a whole year since I drove from the Ennerdale Hotel at Cleator to Barrow Hospital to see Gran. Bryan and I had been at his Great Niece’s christening the day before and I had prayed for Gran to be kept safe until I was able to visit her on Monday on our way home for just one last visit and hug.

Imagine how devastated I felt when my phone rang just as we arrived in the Hospital car park to hear mum telling me that Gran had died in the early hours of that morning. Dad had just phoned to tell her. As you may or may not know mum is not an early bird (unless she has to be up to catch an early bus to go off on her travels abroad) so it was almost lunchtime.

I still had a desperate need to see Gran to tell her how much she was loved so we went to the ward and arranged to see Gran in the chapel of rest at half past one. We sat outside in the Hospital grounds in the sunshine whilst I called Amanda who had flown out to Toronto with Andy and friends for a few days break. All we really wanted was to be together and give each other a hug. Mum was in Bridlington keeping an eye on Bekki and Anthony. I spoke to them too and Bekki was caring for mum in the traditional Tally way-making cups of tea and giving hugs.

When I saw Gran I felt so bereft, and cheated out of my last chat and smile from my wonderful Gran. She was peaceful but so still. I kept expecting her to open her eyes and smile at us but that was not to be.The hugs and kisses were easy even though they were one sided. I was able to tell Gran all the things I had to say, passed on love hugs and kisses from all of us -mum, Paul, Mark, John, Amanda, our spouses and children. It took me a good hour to feel ready to leave her and begin our journey home. I wanted to bring her away with me, keep her with me. forever. We called in to see Auntie Clarice and shared stories and real warm hugs in the cottage with Gran’s baby sister, not forgetting the cups of tea.

Today whilst at work I have had flashbacks to that day. I relived my time saying goodbye to Gran and recognised that whilst we are still alive Gran is too. She has left us with so many happy memories and the greatest gift to be able to love others, to share hugs and smiles and enjoy life whilst we can to the full. We all carry a little piece of her inside us and always will because she was with us for such a lovely long time. Thankyou for reading my personal memories of the day Gran died.

Love you Gran.

Please keep the blog going. It started to keep us all in touch with how Gran was but should continue to keep the family continuity going. Those of us who do not post regularly still love to keep updated with the goings on in the family, no matter how far spread we are. We do have busy lives but we also have quieter times when it is so nice to reminice and reading some of the stories on the blog is good for that.

Don’t forget, I am still working on the Cuban photos so you need to keep checking to see if I ever manage to do it.

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Little Prue

11/02/2009 by Richard.

“Death is not extinguishing the light, it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.”

You are forever in our thoughts, especially today

Love you always.

Linda Richard and family.

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Precious memories

10/02/2009 by Ted.

Precious memories of little mum who passed away on

11 February, 2008.

“Irreplaceable!”

(Which means - “of which the loss cannot be made good”)

Click on the photo to make it larger and clearer.

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Another sunny day.

09/02/2009 by Ted.

Hi everyone - from sunny West Cumbria.

Still no snow but a bit of ice around and a coolish breeze.

It is easy to persuade oneself that it isn’t really fit to go out these days, but having over-ridden the mental block it is enjoyable to do so. Good to be able to make decisions about when and not to do things like that. I realise - and REMEMBER from my own working life - that not everyone has that luxury. Just one more of the many blessings of retirement - and probably one of the reasons why so few family members find time to contribute to the FAMILY blog.

Perhaps it has just outlived its purpose now that little mum has gone - what do you reckon - if anything? Not worth the effort?

Well, there we go. I started this post yesterday morning with bright sunshine streaming through the window. Now it is Monday evening and in the intervening period we have since had a veritable blizzard which last night left a thick covering of 5mm or so of snow. Thank goodness it all melted today so that everywhere is now green again instead of white and, until it got dark, bathed in golden sunshine.

Hey, Ted. It really is quiet out there. Do you think that there is anyone there?

Dunno, Ted. Do you think we should carry on or find something else to do?

Well, Ted, who are we writing to?

Right then. Let’s pack it in and do something else.

Good idea. Goodbye, anyone.

Love, as usual, to anyone out there.

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Believe it or not.

06/02/2009 by Ted.

Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

The first statement embraces ”Whoever”. That includes you!

The second statement is addressed to “you”. That is you!

These amazing assurances are unconditional and are for you to enjoy!

Jesus made the statements, but they dont just apply to Christians. He is stating a law built into the universe which was put there for everyone. It works for everyone, the only constraint being that it wont work to bring about anyone’s harm.

The “mountain” obviously does not just refer to physical mountains (don’t you dare mess about with my Lake District scenery!) but represents anything within your concern. Take away the “mountain” reference and you have:

Whoever ….. does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

and

If you have faith as a mustard seed ….. nothing will be impossible for you.

Every day your mind creates your reality by what you choose to believe and what you choose to disbelieve. You have the ability to rationalise away the challenge contained in these clear and unambiguous statements and remain in unbelief. Or you can accept their challenge and prove them for yourself - as many are doing.

The reality of who you are and how you live is down to you.

The means to make your life what you desire has been freely and unconditionally provided for you.

Believe it ……. and go for it!

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