Ben meets Annalisa

Good evening.

Another quick blog post before I go to bed. I am really enjoying the Ben Fogle series of documentaries. There seems to be a lot of them. Enough to keep me entertained for a few more weeks. In this episode Annalisa goes skip diving for food.

Native Italian, Annalisa, chose a life on the streets of Europe as a teenager, and now is developing a forest hideaway on the fringes of Swedish society for her and her toddler.

See ya tomorrow. Have a good Sunday. Toodle pip. 

Recycled comments

Good afternoon. 

You may have noticed that I have deleted rather a lot of comments. It's a shame that people can't find anything better to do with their time. However, rather than throw all their efforts into the trash bin, I have recycled them. So let's admire all the wonderful colours. Pretty aren't they. 

😸😹😺😻😼😽😾🙀

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I think I need to confirm my ground rules for this blog. Those who have been reading for a while will know what I am about. This is my diary. I record what I do, what I think about, how I see things, and sometimes my opinions. I don't expect everyone to be on my side. If you are, that's great. I am happy to accept comments. I prefer to communicate with those of a similar mindset.

It is often said that I won't publish any comments which have opposing views to mine. That is true. This is not a debating platform. I suggest anyone falling into that category would do better to start their own blog, or find their niche on another blog, or join a social media site. 

I get to choose which comments I publish, and without explanation. You get to choose how best to use your time. 

As usual, you are most welcome to read my blog. Thanks for popping in. Have a good Saturday. 

Toodle pip.   ilona  

It's only words

Good morning. Still damp, still grey, still misty outside. 

Yesterday I went to the 20 21 Art Centre in town. I need to get out of the house at least once a day to check in with the real outside world. There is a new exhibition which has arrived from the Tate Gallery. These big installations do the rounds, and sometimes travel the world. Now it is our turn to host these particular artworks. Here is some blurb.

Jenny Holzer, Inflammatory Essays, 1979–82, lithograph on colored paper.

The text-based art of Jenny Holzer appears in places one wouldn't expect to find it. On t-shirts, billboards, parking meters and LED signs (Holzer's signature medium), her stark one-liners call attention to social injustice and shed light on dark corners of the human psyche. "PRIVATE PROPERTY CREATED CRIME," "ABUSE OF POWER COMES AS NO SURPRISE," and "PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT" are intended to generate debate and make us think critically. A political activist as well as an artist.

Some close ups so you can read the words. Make of it what you will. Find your own meanings in these  essays. The short sentences are direct and straight to the point. It is often confrontational, and would be offensive to some. Some of it can be easily applied to life in 2026. 

There is a short video on yoootooob about Jenny and this particular artwork. 

Another video filmed at the Tate Modern. Jessye shares her views. 

It's interesting to see how other galleries have presented this installation. Some have mixed up the colours, here the curator has applied them with exact precision in vertical strips. 

It's Saturday. Enjoy your weekend. See you soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Keeping my head above the water

 Good morning. 

Here we go again, another wet and miserable start to the day. Have they been mucking about with the cloud seeding again. Oh well, I have enough to do to keep me busy.

This is a photo of the swimming baths in Burton upon Trent, taken a long time ago. The building was demolished. It had some awful memories for me, trying to learn how to swim and being shit scared of the water. Once a week we were loaded on the bus and driven five miles to this place of torture. 

It was a Stevensons double decker, just like this one. Who would have thought that years later I would have a job driving them, when I got my PSV, Public Service Vehicle Licence. The baths were long gone by then. I did the school buses, morning and afternoon. 

Inside the baths it was freezing cold. There was an iron spiral staircase to get to the top deck of changing rooms. Quickly get your cozzie on and scramble down without slipping, and walk through the foot bath before getting into the pool. The smell of chlorine was overwhelming and took your breath away. 

I was in the beginners class. Mr Cotton was the teacher. He didn't care what we did, he was easy going. I just jumped up and down and splashed about to give the impression that I was actually trying to swim. I stood by the side rail not daring to let go.

One day as I remember, they swapped teachers about, and we got Miss Rasmussen, who was in fact Mrs Cotton, though we always called her by her maiden name. From that day the swimming lessons became more tortuous for me. She gave us exercises to do, like handstands in the water. There was no way I was going to put my head under the water. I gasped and choked. I tried but I just could not do it. 

Every week when it was baths day I was worrying about it. I told my mum, she asked dad to write an excuse note to say I couldn't go because of ear ache or tummy ache. This got me out of going for a couple of weeks. Dad was not very supportive and stopped writing the notes. So I wrote the notes myself and added his signature. My handwriting was neat and tidy and I could copy his. 

I handed the notes to the teacher at the start of every swimming lesson, and was told to sit in a classroom and read a book. I watched the bus drive out of the school gates with a sigh of relief. This went on every week and eventually Miss Rasmussen just naturally assumed I was not going, so she left me alone.    

I have never learnt how to swim. The thought of my head being underwater frightens me to this day. I need to see, I need to breath, and I need to hear. I will paddle in the sea up to my knees, but that's it.

I went shopping yesterday to the retail park. Spent £80 in the Range on cat supplies, food and litter. Spent £40 in Home Bargains on some cat food, and some food for me. I might go to town this afternoon because there is a new exhibition on at the Arts Centre, and I can pick up a few items from Aldi that I didn't get yesterday.

Have a good weekend everyone. Toodle pip.   ilona

Living off grid in Iceland.

Good evening.

Here is another recommendation from me.

Denni has had an interesting life, having spent many years in the US as a film maker. He is now back in his homeland living in a remote location in Iceland. If you fancy going on holiday there, he offers B & B to paying guests. A holiday with a difference.

Ben Fogle journeys to Iceland to stay with Denni Karlsson.

At the moment you can watch videos on yoootoob free of charge, but the BBC are looking into ways to change the rules. Because they are losing so much money by people not renewing their TV licence, they want to try and grab some of that back. 

I had a coffee with my friend at her house today. They sit in their big kitchen on easy chairs watching videos on a big screen on the wall. She said we don't watch any TV programmes because there is nothing interesting on. I said, stop paying for a licence then. 

That's all for now. Toodle pip.   ilona

Health matters (edited)

 Keir Starmer

@Keir_Starmer

I lost my brother to cancer. I was with him when he was told his diagnosis - a moment I will never forget. Throughout, the NHS respected and cared for him. When he passed away, it hit me like a bus - even though I knew it was coming. I'm determined that every person diagnosed with cancer gets the best possible chance of beating it. Our National Cancer Plan is the most ambitious in a generation. It means earlier diagnosis, slashing waiting lists and investing in cutting-edge technology to build an NHS fit for the future.

Read the comments here.

So Mr Starmer shares his own family health matters in the hope it will garner some sympathy and support for the NHS. Hospitals are struggling to treat everyone who asks for help. They are overwhelmed with patients, so the Government give contracts to private health care companies to take up the slack.

Just wondered. Have the scientists discovered what has caused this explosion of cancer? What age groups are most affected? Are they looking into this? Are there any figures?

I lost my brother to cancer, it was a long time ago. He hadn't been living in the UK for many years so I can't say what was the cause.

Now I must do a Billy dog walk. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona

EDIT

And another. He can't help himself. More bollox

Keir Starmer

@Keir_Starmer

·

1h

I love this country. It is the greatest country in the world. We are tolerant, decent and respectful – and unity is our strength. But for too long, proud communities have been failed by politics and left powerless to do anything about it. Our Pride in Place programme changes that. We are giving people the power to build up their communities. We’ve already invested thousands into communities across Britain. Now, we are giving thousands more the opportunity to transform their local area. Putting local people in control and building a Britain that works for all.

Another edit

A story from the diary.

Good evening. 

Look at the time. I've been watching Ben Fogle. Didn't notice how late it is. Here is the video I recorded this morning. 

It's easy to find yourself in a rut. In a dead end job that is repetitive. Where your days, weeks, months, follow the same routine. When it gets to that stage boredom kicks in and your brain becomes redundant. If I was not looking forward to going to work, I knew I had to change jobs. Some people would love that kind of security. To know that their daily routine was going to be the same as the day before. That was not for me.

Now I  must go to bed. Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.  ilona

Not a prison?

 Watch the video: Doncaster Free Press. Bosses at a new luxury hotel under construction near Doncaster have hit back over criticisms that it looks like a prison and is being built to house asylum seekers.

Bawtry Park will be a 64-bedroom luxury hotel near Austerfield, integrated with a multimillion-pound sports and leisure resort

Addressing speculation about the building’s design and use, spokesperson Jonathan Pearson said: “There’s been a lot of interest and conversation around our new development. “This is a major hospitality development being delivered by an experienced team, and we’re incredibly proud of what’s being created.

Something about this doesn't make sense. They are trying to reopen Doncaster Airport which is a few miles from here. There are enough hotels in the area, why do they want more? Not far from Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough, and Doncaster. Hardly a tourist area. Who has put the money up for this project? If they get the airport open they will be bringing them in by the plane load. I don't believe anything the Government tell us any more.

Catch ya later, with a new video. Toodle pip.  ilona

More solar

 Good evening. 

I have retrieved two blog posts from the Drafts folder, and merged them into one post. More Solar Parks are planned, but Sir Dieter Helm, a Professor at Oxford University, says these won't solve our problems. 

The solar park between Dauntsey and Christian Malford will be the size of 160 football pitches - it's been approved after a government inspector overturned the local council’s refusal.

A solar park the size of 160 football pitches will be built after a government inspector granted planning consent - overturning the local council's refusal.

The 23 megawatt Swallett Energy Park, which will be built between Dauntsey and Christian Malford in Wiltshire, and will cover 114 hectares (281 acres).

A meeting of Wiltshire Council's strategic planning committee in March 2025 had voted down the plans, citing landscape concerns and the impact on designated heritage assets, with more than 50 letters of objection sent by residents.

The solar panels are expected to be able to produce enough energy to power more than 9,400 homes.

Listen to Dieter Helm. 

BBC Politics

@BBCPolitics

"China burns half the world's coal, so we don't solve our problems by simply closing down British industries," Sir Dieter Helm, professor of economic policy at Oxford University.

Some comments.

BBC should pay attention. Dieter Helm knows exactly what he's talking about. An activist lunatic he ain't. Either UK gets it act together on affordable energy or we're finished. Political sales pitches are no longer acceptable.

Time to scrap the net zero bollocks and kick-start British businesses to produce things for British people. The fact we're having this nonsense thrown down our throats when it'll have zero effect is madness.

Makes our right-on rulers feel virtuous. We export their guilt by importing the carbon in cut-price products manufactured abroad.

Yes, they burn coal to make products for the rest of the world. They’re not burning it for their own consumption FFS. They’re burning it in our behalf.

Now it's time for dinner. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. ilona