Courage

 Sunny Tuesday morning..   I like this  > > > > > > > > 

Have you got it?

Toodle pip.   ilona

Follow your dream

Monday night. 

Here is a video I knocked up this morning, before I went to Crafty Club. 

This afternoon I went to the same location as yesterday to finish picking up all the litter. It's a busy road and I parked close to where the litter is. While exploring a piece of waste ground I came across another tent. This looked like it had been carefully constructed. Even a laid down wheelie bin at one end of it. There was no one about, I quickly came away. I don't know how anyone could sleep there with the noise of passing traffic. 

I filled two red bags and filled another stronger bag with glass bottles. I dragged two flat screens and four tyres out of the bushes and left them in full view of the road so the Council vehicles would see them. Let's see if they pick them up. 

I was surprised to see my bags from the weekend have not been picked up. So now my pile is growing, with todays pickings added to it. 

The normal litter bin is full to overflowing. This is a popular spot for dog walking, and as the weather picks up there will be more people using it. They need to put a bigger bin here. 

Now I am yawning. All this fresh air is doing me good. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

It all becomes clear.

I have never been a numbers person. As long as I can navigate my own personal finances I am happy. Big numbers baffle me, they are meaningless, I switch off from them. I came across this video the other day, which explains the consequences of living above your means, something I have never bought into. It explains in a simple way, why our country is in the state of bankruptcy right now. Our Government has no concept of money in money out, and balancing the books. They are locked into a massive money laundering exercise which is actively promoting moving large amounts of people around the world by whatever means they can. There is no actual money circulating, it's all just numbers on a spread sheet which the corrupt Globalists manipulate to further their own position in the hierarchy. Try this video, watch to the end, and it all becomes clear. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -In the latest of my 'This Is' series, which examines the key issues in the political debate and ongoing culture war. I take a closer look at the UK benefits system — who receives support, and the ongoing debate about fairness. Are there gaps in the system that allow misuse and why do political parties encorage it? I break down the data and show why we should all be genuinely concerned about sustainability, fairness to taxpayers, and support for vulnerable people.So, let's have open, honest discussions and let's

23:20

23 minutes, 20 seconds

take the left down because the left, the progressive ultra liberals are ruining this country from the bottom up as well as the top down.

Thank you for reading my blog. Please excuse the crazy formatting of this post. I haven't got time to mess with it. 

Have a good day. Toodle pip.   ilona

Plus two more.

What a smashing weekend I've had. Maybe litter picking is not everybody's cup of tea, but it does get you out and about and meeting people. 

I went back to the picnic area car park this morning and took a red bag with me. I wanted to tidy up so that when the Council pickup truck comes tomorrow, all they have to do is chuck the bags of litter in the back. I didn't expect the man in the van to still be there, but he was, and still in bed. I knocked the window, get up lazy bones. His door opened, and we had another good old natter. 

He then took doggy for a walk, and I was still digging litter out of undergrowth when he came back. I am so envious of him living in a van. If I was much younger I would do that. 

The weather was a bit changeable, sometimes sunny, then clouds came over. After lunch I decided to go and do some more picking on the Industrial Estate. There is some hedging around an office building and I noticed there was a lot of cans and bottles that had been tossed into it. I filled one red bag, and kept these glass bottles aside to put into a stronger bag. I couldn't open the two bottles of juice so put them together in a smaller bag. The Council men will have to sort them out.   

I put a fresh bag in my trolley and went off down the road to fill it. It didn't take long before it was full to the top. Walk back to the car with bag number two. 

While I was there I checked a few corners on the Industrial Estate where I have picked before. I was pleased to see someone else has been picking. I don't know where they get the Spring Clean bags from. 

That's my little pile topped up, ready for collection. Two more added to the two I left a few days ago. 

I pulled all these cans out and left them by the roadside. I hope people take note when they are passing, not to drop litter. I shall go and pick them up tomorrow. 

Now I am relaxing with a glass of port. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

A brief encounter.

 I didn't know how hard the wind was blowing until I went out this afternoon. The sun shining through the window gives the impression that it is a nice summers day outside. I set off for a walk and took my picking stick and a large carrier bag. Couldn't use the trolley as most of the walk was going to be over rough ground. 

I found a lot of litter at the picnic area car park. Some of it has been there a long time so I scrambled about in the bushes to dig it out. There is a litter bin there that the Council visits periodically to change the black bag. Today is was rammed full, and people had added more litter around it on the ground. I tidied it up as best I could. The Council will probably come on Monday to empty the bin and pick up the rest of it. 

A van came into the car park as I was beavering away. He parked in one of the bays. Ooooh, maybe it's a van lifer I thought. And it was. He had parked up for an overnight stay in a quiet spot. Couldn't resist a bit of banter. He is a builder and had been working in the area. He looked like a decent type, so the conversation flowed. He was dead easy to talk to, and I found we have common interests. 

He was in a Ford van, and I am hooked on Fords, and so is he. He gave up his house and moved into his van. He has a dog so he got it out for a run around. A beautiful black lab type. He likes the freedom of living in a van. We both agreed that freedom is important. He said van life is cheaper than a house.   

We chatted for ages, about all sorts of topics. He was wide awake about the current situation, and the best part was, he didn't take any of the erm treatments offered. YES, big smile on my face. Oh the joy when you meet someone who said no thanks. Clever bloke. On top of that, he was very easy on the eye. Just my type in fact. It's a pity he is about half my age. 😰😭😳  Bugger. 

I carried on with my walk. There wasn't much litter to pick up after that. The wind across the fields was manic. Oooh look, I spy with my little eye, a drinks can. 

I soldiered on, too windy to sit down for a rest. As I got onto the last straight road, I found some litter. The usual drinks cans and bottles chucked out of car windows. There is probably more buried under the growing grass, which will become more visible after the machines have mowed the verges. 

Let's see what tomorrow brings. I wish this wind would die down.  

Toodle pip.   ilona

Closed

 Good morning. 

Now it's time for a breather. I don't know how long it will last, possibly for the foreseeable future. I will not be accepting any more comments. As usual, it is the few who have spoilt it for everyone else. 

I have closed comments before, then opened them again. I have explained what this blog is about, given people numerous chances, but the rot is still there. 

People have criticised me for not publishing comments that are different to my way of thinking. Too right I haven't. I delete loads every day. I don't care if you have a different opinion to me. People are just spoiling for a fight, and I will not engage with them.  

Of course I will still be posting on the blog. After 17 years I am not about to give up. I write for me, I write when I want, and about any subject that interests me. If people don't like it, there are plenty of other blogs out there. 

Anyone is welcome to read. I have changed the comments settings to 'Blog members only'. I don't know how you become a member, it's a mystery too me. 

It's bath time for the boys this morning out on the lawn. I don't know where mummy duck is. Hopefully sitting on some eggs under the hedge. 

Have a good weekend. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Rupert says. . . . . .

 Hello.

The troll loves these controversial posts. They send a stupid comment within a few minutes of me publishing it. They loved the previous post, so here is another one for the sad troll. 😂😂😂😂😂 

Rupert Lowe MP

@RupertLowe10

·

1h

Pantomime politics is not what Britain needs. Restoring Britain will not involve giant cheques, or t-shirt cannons, or indoor pyrotechnic displays. It will require a series of very difficult decisions that a great number of people will not appreciate. That process will last many years. That’s just the honest truth. It will mean removing millions of people who should not be in our country. It will mean removing endless financial help from the government for healthy individuals who simply cannot be bothered to work. It will mean vast cuts to the parasitic state that so many have become so accustomed to enjoying. That will all be unpopular. That will all be challenged. That will all be uncomfortable. I’m not promising you anything different. If you want an easy ride, vote for someone else because Restore Britain is not going to provide that for you. We are going to strip back the state in order to allow hardworking men and women to flourish. That is the only way out. It is very possible that I will not even live to see the full benefits of these decisions. So be it. Restoring Britain is not an overnight job. It will take years, possibly decades, to reverse the damage inflicted on us all. Politicians need to start finally being honest about the scale of what needs to happen There is a vast, vast mountain to climb. But it can, and it must, be done. Does this win votes for Restore Britain? I don’t know. Probably not. But it’s the truth, and people need to hear it.

Thanks Mr Lowe.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona

Losing his grip

From Social Media. 

 Sadiq Khan is complaining about “disinformation” portraying London negatively. So he wants stronger action and more regulatory powers from a new quango to stop it! So we all believe London is a peaceful happy place, where we all hold hands and love each other

😝😊😁😵😪

You are losing your grip Mr Khan. People can see right through you. It's not disinformation you should be worried about. People speak as they find. All the evidence is there, videos of youths rampaging through the streets. Shoplifting on a massive scale. An epidemic of mobile phone theft. Women knocked to the ground as their bags are ripped from them. The streets of London are no longer safe. 

So what are you going to do about it? How are you going to stop people from telling the truth? How will you shut them up? More cameras? More Big Brother spies? Recruit more police, dress them in black overloaded with tasers, cameras, truncheons, pepper sprays, send in the dogs, get them on horseback? 

Here are the facts from the Metropolitan Police: In the 12 months to February 2026: Sexual offences up 6.1% Rape up 8.4% Violence up 6.3% Drug offences up 22.9% Weapons possession up 23.7%

That is not going to work Mr Khan. Change needs to happen from the top down. You can't beat people into submission. But you wont take a diplomatic approach. Your alliance is with those who give you orders. Those who pay you. Those who will look after you when your time is up and a new Mayor is appointed. Your future is secured, unlike those you have trodden all over on your way up. 

Sleep easy in your bed, Mr Khan. You will. 

Not my Mayor. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Hurry up, the rain is coming.

Good evening.

Looking good for a litter pick later on, but first I must do some housework. The crafting table looks proper messy. Stuff everywhere. I share the table with Mayze. She eats on it, and sits on the window sill looking out of the window. The glass is filthy from her snotty nose. Fresh clean covers needed for the table and the sill. That looks better. 

I have a choice of places that I can go to pick litter. I prioritise which to do first. Today was a short stretch of road between a village and an Industrial Estate. Somebody used to do this section on a regular basis, but I haven't seen anyone working on it for a long time. Maybe they have given up. 

It should be straightforward and easy to do, but I kept finding hidden plastic bottles and cans. Grass has covered a lot of it. The giveaway is the sound of crunching as you step onto it. 

I filled one red bag and had only done half the road. The clouds were coming over and it was trying to rain. Do I start another bag or give up and go home. Oh, sod it, there was enough to fill a second bag. Then the wind got up, it went dark, then the rain came. I soldiered on because I want to finish this section. I didn't want to have to come back.  

There were lots of drinks cans, and I counted 25 glass bottles which I put in smaller stronger bags. I did the last 15 minutes in the rain.That's another place ticked off the list. 

Now I am tired. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

The numbers don't add up, or do they?

 The Road Haulage Association has warned that current weight regulations are making electric HGVs more expensive to run and less productive than their diesel equivalents, after publishing new research on payload loss. 

In its latest report, the RHA said operators can lose up to 11.8% of payload capacity when running certain electric artics, forcing some fleets to use more vehicles or make additional trips to move the same volume of freight. The trade body argues that this is weakening the already fragile commercial case for zero-emission HGVs. 

The findings are set out in the RHA’s Payload Loss Survey Report, which is based on feedback from operators and dealers, alongside the association’s own desk-based cost analysis. According to the report, an electric 6x2 tractor unit can cost £28,282 more per year to run than a diesel equivalent under current rules, with the cost increase largely driven by payload penalties and operating constraints. 

The report also suggests that current rules are creating knock-on effects beyond fleet costs. The RHA said that where payload is reduced, operators may need to run more trucks or more journeys, which would add pressure to road networks and erode some of the efficiency gains expected from electrification. 

Read about it in Commercial Motor.

And the other side of the story is. . . . . . 

Maritime Transport has begun the nationwide rollout of its electric HGV fleet, with the first 19 vehicles now in operation at sites in Wakefield and Birmingham.

The programme will see a total of 56 eHGVs introduced across 13 depots and rail-connected terminals during 2026, with vehicles expected to achieve real-world ranges of between 300km and 500km depending on duty cycle.

The rollout is supported by a major investment in charging infrastructure, with Maritime developing what it describes as one of the UK’s largest independent eHGV charging networks. Once complete, it will provide more than 22MW of installed capacity, enough to charge over 100 trucks simultaneously. The network, powered by renewable electricity, will also be accessible to third-party operators.

Across the Electric Freightway programme, Maritime will operate 20 eHGVs from Birmingham and its Manchester depot, supported by 10 charging stations. The project is backed by more than £100m of government and industry funding.

Commercial Motor story here. 

You can make your mind up what you believe. I can't see this net zero madness working. 

Have a nice day. Toodle pip.   ilona 

The trolley dolly is out and about

Hello.

I had a couple of hours litter picking this afternoon on the Industrial Estate. I was wearing too many layers, and it was hot hot hot. Had to take my jumper off. That's one bag filled. Time for a break, a banana and a drink of water. 

Now ready to fill the second bag. I think two is enough today. 

I found a couple of carrier bags, so I filled them as well. This is one end of a long road which goes through the estate. It's quite busy with trucks going in and out of the factories and warehouses. There's still a lot more litter to pick. I'll go back when I have time to do it. 

I dropped my pickings off at my usual spot next to the litter bin at the big pond. I see that the Council has picked up the bags I put there on Monday. 

This job suits me. I can go when I like, where I like, and for how long I like. I can fill one bag, or several, depending how long I want to do it for. I can stop when I am fed up, and I don't have to pick at the same spot. I can move around doing a bit here and a bit there. Other people are happier to do it in groups. I am happier working alone. It's becoming a popular pastime now. I wonder if there will come a time when the volunteer pickers will pick up more litter than what is dropped. I think that's a long way off, but it would be good if at least people notice that more places are free of litter. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Morning banter.

 Good morning. 

Start the day with a laugh, that's what I say. 😍😆😁

The first bin wagon of the day has just been. There will be another one along later. The recycling system has changed, and we have a new crew. These are here to empty the garden waste bins. They are smartly dressed, new orange gear so they can be seen, and they have a very modern newish Mercedes truck. 

I think they were getting a bit stuck up the other end of the road, with all the parked cars. I heard the reversing bleeper a few times as they tried to navigate their way around a blockage. As I fetch the empty bins back, mine and the neighbours, I like to give them a chocolate bar as a thanks. One of them looked very young, a new boy I thought. I asked him how old he is, and does he like this job. A bit of banter always goes down well. He is 21, and likes the job. 

As I am typing this, the second wagon turns up to empty the recycling bins. More chocolate handed out. This driver was able to negotiate the parked cars with ease. As you would expect, with a female driver. 😜👩👅 Well done Missy. 

Now it's time to get ready for Coffee Morning. It's looking like another sunny day, yipeeeeee.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Forthcoming event.

 This is on the North Bank. You can walk across the Humber bridge from North Lincolnshire and it won't cost you a penny. You can get the 350 bus from Barton and if you have a bus pass it won't cost you anything. Or you can drive across the bridge, but beware you need to set up an app with the web site to pay for your crossing. Rumour has it that the new toll booth free system is not working too well. People are missing the deadlines to pay, they are getting fined, and their paid for in advance deposits are getting wiped, out to pay their fines. If you live on the North Bank all will be hunkydory. The market is free to visitors.  

Mark it on the calendar.

Toodle pip.   ilona

Are you ready?

 The deadline is looming. Information for those who wish to consider this treatment.

Check out this BBC report. 

NHS Kent and Medway is asking vulnerable residents to make use of the booking system which opens from Tuesday, with appointments available from 13 April.

The spring vaccination programme will end on 30 June 2026.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Stuck in a jam

Good morning. 

Is everything back to normal now? Will the bin collection happen tomorrow. Did everyone make it back home after the Easter break at the seaside? 

This is why I don't follow the crowd and do my own thing. I go in the opposite direction. 

Pictures from North Yorkshire Weather Report. 

A sunny start today. Nothing special organised. Let's see how it goes. Freedom to choose.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona