We have had sunshine today, yipeeee. Now what shall I do this afternoon. I could go to the Humber Bridge and have a walk over there. I am keen to see how the traffic is coping now that they have no toll booths to go through. It's probably running quite smoothly on a Saturday, the test will be on a Monday morning when everyone is making their way to work. At busy times there are hold ups on the North Bank due to volume of traffic. Another test will be how the computers will cope when everyone wants to upload an app to set up their account. Will people be paying for their journey before they cross, or after. We shall see how many fail to pay, and get a fine.
I decided to do some more litter picking today. I got the bus to the next village and started from there. I knew there was going to be a lot on the grass verges as I saw it last week. It was bugging me. Must go and tidy up.
I filled my bag four times. It gets quite heavy if there are glass bottles to pick up. I emptied this one at the bin behind the cafe in the Park.
Off I went again. Sometimes dodging the traffic as there are no pavements along most of it. Thank goodness I have a yellow vest. Filled the bag again. I'll give you one guess what is in the crumpled and dirty plastic bottle.
Back in my village to empty my bag for the fourth time. I will get a bigger bag for the next litter pick I do.
It wasn't quite dark when I got home, just time to do a dog walk. Billy was excited to see me as always.
Mayze is making good progress. She has eaten well, and seems to have perked up a lot. She is sat by my side right now, waiting for me to finish this so we can have a cuddle. I have been watching some Ben Fogle alternative lifestyle documentaries.
Thanks for popping in. Have a good Sunday. Toodle pip. ilona
Mayze wasn't very well so yesterday I rang the vet and made an appointment. You can book online but there is no guarantee that you will get an appointment for the same day, or with the vet of your choice. I think vet practices are following the same format as human doctors surgery's. I booked an emergency appointment which incurs an extra cost. I thought it was important that she be seen sooner rather than later.
After the consultation I left her there with the instruction that she has an ultrasound scan. Later in the day I received a phone call that I could go and collect her. Janet came with me, as my support backup. With my hearing not being too good I find it helpful that if I miss anything that the vet says, Janet will pick up on it and we can discuss what was said.
So here is the bill which I paid promptly. I made a guess about how much it might be, and I was almost spot on. No problem, it's accounted for in my budget. This last minute cost before the end of the month bumps my January expenses up to over £1,300.
So this is a warning to anyone thinking about getting a pet, cat or dog, or any other living creature. Costs are affordable when it is all going well, and the animal is of good health, but once they reach a certain age, about halfway through their life, it can all go pearshaped.
One must budget over the long term when taking on a puppy or kitten. Soft and cuddly they might be, but if you add up the costs over the whole life of the animal, think twice whether you can afford it. Pet insurance is available, but you can guarantee that the monthly payments will become more expensive the older it becomes.
My first cat, Bugsy, was insured. I paid the monthly payments for 15 years, and never needed to claim. After that I have always put money aside, and will pay as and when a vet visit is needed.
I feel sad that the cost of visiting a vet has shot up so much it means that the rescues are going to be full to bursting, and animals will be abandoned. For some people, especially those who live alone, their pets are their best friends. A cat or a dog in the home is a comfort. It's a shame that people are denied that.
Mayze at this moment in time is sitting on the back windowsill basking in the sunshine. She has eaten well overnight, and seems a whole lot better than she did a couple of days ago. They didn't find anything untoward on the scan, so maybe the two jabs will do the trick.
Enjoy your weekend. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. ilona
This came up on my screen the other day. Someone reporting on social media. I see skips like this occasionally, full of house contents that have been cleared out. Some personal possessions. Such a shame that the relative has done this.
Charity shops can sometimes take in some of it, but I have seen a notice on the door of one saying they can't accept any more donations, because they don't have the room.
I sometimes take a look and see if there is anything in a skip that I might be able to use. I don't do that as much as I used to because I don't want my house filling up with clutter that I have to later get rid of. I recently rescued a step ladder and gave it to a friend. She was pleased because she can now reach the upper branches when she is cutting back her trees.
If you take anything out of a skip you must knock the door and ask permission. That's if the house is occupied. Use your common sense if there is no one around. Any lights on or curtains closed?
62 years of life together only to be put into a skip as rubbish. Clothes,records,crockery and everything in between. So sad to have to do this but it does make you realise do we really need all the stuff we collect over our lives only to be thrown away.
Eventually I want to whittle down my possessions to just a few items. I don't want my stuff thrown in a skip.
Thanks for popping in. Have a good weekend. Toodle pip. ilona
This is the most STUPID ‘deal’ I’ve ever read.
Wtf does Starmer think he’s talking about? The dinghies aren’t imported into the UK!
They enter the EU!
Inflatable dinghies: 0% duty into the EU
Outboard engines: about 1.5–2% duty.
There aren’t any other parts!
How would the Chinese government know which ones are being purchased to transport illegal migrants? Ask politely?
Another ridiculous government announcement that will make absolutely no difference whatsoever. Seriously this is complete bollocks.
Make of it what you will. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona
Although I am not a feminist, or a man hater, I quite like this idea. A group of ladies, having a laugh, swapping stories, and a cuppa, or even a pint of beer. Reminds me of the Lady Truckers Club, the meetings we used to have at the Truckshows. Here are the details if you might like to meet like minded people.
Join us at VanLife Fest, the family-friendly campervan extravaganza situated at Scampston Hall, near the charming town of Malton, North Yorkshire. Mark your calendars for June 19-21, 2026, and immerse yourself in a weekend of endless excitement, live music, a bustling trade village, and FREE family entertainment.
Now I must get some breakfast. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona
Good morning. The sky has turned back to grey again.
This picture of a new build housing estate popped up on my screen. Is it AI? I don't know but I suspect it is real. The story is about how our hedgehog numbers are in decline. They can no longer move about freely between gardens. Apparently they make the concrete boards at the bottom with holes in, so they can incorporate Hedgehog Highways in their layout. So that helps I suppose.
But my first impression of this picture is, what kind of a hell hole is this for humans to live in. I can't imagine living in a box like this. I bet the walls are paper thin as well, just like the fencing around the miniscule patches of grass masquerading as a garden. There will be many more of these boxes in the planning pipeline, and some people will be glad of a place like this to live in. If that's what they want so be it.
I watched this video last night. A woman who has self built her cob house on a patch of land she bought in Portugal. Now that would be my kind of project, if I was several decades younger. She has the tenacity and gumption to do her own thing. I admire that.
My building skills are minimal, but at least this is still standing. Solid as a rock and dry inside, after 11 years.
Which is it for you? A tiny box crammed in a small plot, or lots of free space to roam?
Coffee Morning at the club was lively today. There was a raffle and I bought five tickets for £5. They have now realised that it is cost effective to sell the tickets singly, and not five for £1. Yippeeee, I won a prize. Three miniature bottles of Port. I'm not sure if I could have bought the box of three for £5 from a shop. Then I won again as another of my numbers was drawn out of the pot. For my prize I chose a very nice dusky pink knitted bobble hat. I don't need another hat so I immediately passed it to Pat who works in a charity shop. Perhaps they can sell it for a couple of quid.
Back home for a quick lunch. It was at last a sunny day, so lets make the most of it. I got the bus to town. My friend Nikki is away on holiday so I didn't get to see her today. I had a quick look at the High Street while I was there.
Lots of empty shops, everything looking a bit scruffy. I wonder what happened at this one. Electrical fault? Card machine down maybe?
This is a man standing in his booth. He is moving about and chatting. It isn't a real man. The key cutting shop was closed down, so now they put in an automated machine where you stick your key in a slot, press a few buttons, pay with a card, and out pops a new key.
These box things are popping up all over the place. Sit at home, order what you want on the computer, they deliver it to a box, and you go and pick up your package. No thanks. I won't be doing that.
The sign says, they are removing this telephone box because no one is using it. I am not surprised, it's disgustingly filthy. Around the other side is a cash machine. I wonder if they will be removing that as well.
I set off to walk back home. Enjoying the sunshine. I got about half way and a BMW car stopped just ahead of me. I know that number plate. A few minutes earlier I was thinking if I am offered a lift I will take it. My legs were getting a bit tired. Philip must have been reading my mind. So I got home earlier than I had planned. That meant that I had time to take Billy dog a walk.
Another wet weather day today. None stop rain for most of the day. I ventured out to the Post Office to collect my spondoolies. I need it for shopping later.
I couldn't be bothered to make a cooked lunch, and I really fancied some cheese and crackers. I opened up a truckle. I had two of these in the fridge, time to make a start on it. Smoked cheese, lovely. Went well with the last of the beer.
It was time to make another video so I got a diary out and found a story in it. 1992 was a busy year for work. I was a self employed freelance driver and took on the challenge of bypassing the agency and finding my own work. Here is a little story about that.
It's a cautionary tale about how you should question everything and do your research before committing to anything. There are a lot of dodgy folks out there.
Tonight I have been to Aldi. Spent £45, and topped up the car with petrol at the Jet Garage, so it's ready should I decide to go anywhere. That's if it stops raining.
Now Mayze is waiting for a cuddle.
Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip. ilona
It was a full house at Crafty Club this morning. One new lady came for the first time, she will fit in well. The daughter of one of our members popped in as well. She comes occasionally when she visits her mother in the village. Someone brought home made cakes. Very nice.
The weather has been horrible again, so cold and windy. I stayed in this afternoon and got on with some sewing.
Dinner tonight was this omelette. I opened a tin of mixed beans yesterday to put some into a stir fry. They were so hard to chew, almost broke a chuffin tooth. Tonight I took some of them out of the fridge and mashed them up in a bowl with a fork. I added some left over humous which needed finishing, and formed the mixture into little patties. Cooked them in a pan in a splash of oil, then added a beaten egg and milk. Worked perfectly, no need to give up on the beans. Washed down with a glass of Newcastle Brown Ale.
In this video, Whitney Webb delivers a stark warning about what happens when societies voluntarily surrender creativity, judgment, and self-determination to artificial intelligence. Moving beyond surface-level debates about convenience and productivity, she frames AI as a civilizational turning point—one that risks hollowing out the very capacities that make humans human. Webb argues that the real danger is not forced automation, but passive compliance: a gradual outsourcing of art, decision-making, and even thought itself, until people no longer remember how to function without machine guidance.
Artificial Intelligence is man made. I am glad I won't be around when it finally takes over every aspect of our lives. I will enjoy my life now while I can.
They use the term 'far right' at every opportunity to cast aspersions on anyone who does not lead a good and honest life. This is a story about criminals. People who break the law.
Calm down dear, it's the crappy Daily Fail. Should rename it the Daily Bollocks.
It's been a cold cold day today. I took Billy a walk and have spent the rest of the day sewing.
Something is bothering me. A niggling question which I can't find an answer for.
Why is our Government escorting thousands of young men across the channel, and flying them in on chartered airlines, then putting them up in hotels. They are given food, mobile phones, and spending money. They also have access to medical care and dentistry. Oh and not to forget, they supply interpreters to help those who come with no English language skills.
Why is this happening? Now they are moving them out of the hotels, sometimes in the dead of night by the coach load, and distributing them into various camps and HMO's.
If the men are not allowed to work how come they get all this free. What do they do all day? How many more are coming? When does it stop?
I have a solution. An idea came to me. Thinking outside the box. These lazy freeloaders should be sent back to sort their own country out. We should organise swaps. Send us all the women and kids, which the men have abandoned. I'm sure the women would be keen to learn new skills. Organise child care, so they have the chance to study, get a job, and adapt to their new lives.
Yes, that's a good solution. Get rid of the men, we don't need them. They are a drain on our society.
My delicious and filling lunch was a vegetable omelette. Mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, with grated cheese. Then I set off for a walk, taking my litter picking stick and a bag with me.
The first part of the walk was on tracks on the edges of fields. I knew there would be no litter there, because very few people use them. When I came out on the road and walked into a village, that's where I found litter, loads of it. I filled my bag and emptied it into a litter bin on the roadside.
Off I went again along the road and by the time I got to the park I had another full bag. There are bins behind the cafe so I emptied the litter into one.
Along the road, behind a hedge, I found this massive fly tip. They have used this spot before. it is mostly cannabis plants and root balls. They come along under the cover of darkness. Those black bags are heavy, so I suspect they use a small tipper truck. The farmer will have to get rid of it because it is on private land.
A short distance along there is another entrance to a field, and another pile of rubbish has been dumped.
I filled my bag a third time from the grass verges and had to leave some of it behind. I need to make another walk along there.
Fly tipping and littering are endemic. People have no social conscious, they don't care. We are turning into a third world country. Very sad.
Now I'm going to cuddle Mayze. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip. ilona
I try and do my bit to keep our village tidy. Take my litter picking stick and a bag out with me whenever I have got an hour or two to spare. The village itself doesn't get too messy, but further afield on the roads that lead in and out, we seem to have a fresh plague of fly tipping. Add the takeaway wrappings and drinks cans which are tossed from passing cars, it can get a bit out of hand.
This picture is from a video which found it's way to my screen. The place, Digbeth in Birmingham. What a filthy mess. There are flats and houses close by. How can people live near this. How do they tolerate walking past this every time they leave their front door.
I suspect there are similar scenes in most major cities. People move into a new place, they accumulate some items they need to furnish it, they move out and the landlord then has to clear the flat or house ready for the next tenant. Dodgy house clearance man and van cart the stuff off and dump it where ever they can. Usually in a quiet lane under the cover of darkness. Our island is turning into a shit hole.
I
There are a keen group of litter pickers in Scunthorpe, doing their best to clear the worst of it away. The Council supply the red bags, and they are left in a prominent position to be collected by the Council workers.
Now I am going to have my breakfast and go out, because the sun is shining.
Have an absolutely brilliant weekend. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. ilona
When I was a teenager, and well into my twenties, I had a fascination for self help books. I bought copies to keep, and I read them over and over again. I had almost nil confidence in those days. Always wondering if I was pretty enough, or clever enough, or good enough. Who would want to know a skinny bean stick with a flat chest, rabbit teeth, and national health specs. I tried my best to fit in, but it was hard work.
Then I found some interesting reading in self help books, which helped me understand a lot more about myself. The titles are tucked away inside my head.
Helen Gurley Brown wrote a book called Having it all.
American author and editor Helen Gurley Brown first achieved fame for her best selling book Sex and the Single Girl. After becoming editor of Cosmopolitan, she transformed it into a top-selling magazine for young women in more than twenty-seven different countries.
Tony Robbins wrote a book called Awaken the Power Within.
Anthony Jay Robbins born February 29, 1960) is an American author, coach and motivational speaker. He is known for his seminars, and self help books.
Susan Jeffers wrote a book called Feel the Fear and do it anyway.
Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) was a renowned psychologist and author best known for her work in the field of self-help and personal development.
These books gave me some of the tools I needed. Although they didn't have all the answers, they helped.
My learning still goes on to this day, and now we have the internet in addition to books.
I have just come across this video from Hope Regained. Easy listening, clear and concise speech.
I copy some of the blurb. Individual chapters can be accessed by clicking on the thumbnails below the video, if you are watching on yoootooob.
Do manipulators avoid you? If you have high emotional intelligence (high EQ), toxic people can sense it immediately. In this Hope Regained podcast episode, discover the 6 signs of high emotional intelligence and learn exactly how emotional intelligence protects you from manipulation tactics like gaslighting, love bombing, and narcissistic abuse.
Intro - Why Manipulators Fear High EQ People
What is Emotional Intelligence (High EQ Explained)
1: You Can Name Your Emotions (Protection from Gaslighting)
2: You Don't React Impulsively (How to Stop Emotional Manipulation)
3: You Read People's True Intentions (Spotting Toxic Behavior)
4: You Set Strong Boundaries (Narcissist Kryptonite)
5: You Don't Need External Validation (Breaking Free from Approval-Seeking)
6: You Take Emotional Responsibility (Stop Toxic Blame Games)
How to Develop High Emotional Intelligence (5 Practical Steps)
1 EQ Skill Manipulators Fear Most (Self-Trust Explained)
Recap & Final Thoughts
Thanks for popping in. It's the weekend, so make sure you have a good time.
Hello there, glad you could join me here on my little blog.
It's been a lousy day for bad weather. I did a dog walk early before it all started, but it has been non stop rain all afternoon.
My bank balance has taken a bit of a hammering this month. The bills were expected so I was ready for them.
Car Insurance £484 - annual payment.
Utilities, gas and electric £393 - quarterly payment.
Anglian Water £84 - half year payment.
On checking my bank statement I see that there was a deposit of £200 in November. That was the Winter Fuel Payment from the Government. So that cancels out half the utilities bill. Lets hope the temperatures will slowly rise from now on and the heating won't be needed as often.
I am playing with this project at the moment. I bought some zips, found them cheap in a bargain box at the Quilting Show. No plan for them, but something will happen. I have sewn these onto a piece of backing fabric, and put a bar across the top. I did think I might make a bag, but now it's looking like it might be a wall hanging. I have an idea which will include buttons. Watch this space.
That's it for now. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona
Several narrowboats trapped by a canal collapse have finally been lifted out so that they can rejoin the canal network.
A large hole appeared in the bank of the Llangollen Canal near Whitchurch, Shropshire, on 22 December, causing its water to drain into a nearby field.
Two boats fell into the breach and others were trapped when sections of the canal had to be closed off.
In a highly anticipated operation, a 90ft (27.4m) crane and several haulage teams worked to remove eight boats from Whitchurch marina so they could be transported by lorry to the Aqueduct Marina near Crewe on Wednesday.
Here's one I moved earlier. 😁😜😆 Intercity carriages are a similar length. Forty foot trailer extended to 60 feet, with a ten foot overhang on the back. 95 feet long in total.
A job well done methinks.
We just want to thank everyone involved in helping us escape the Llangollen canal! Thank you to Whitchurch Marina for organising everything and lifting us out. Thank you to Steve Foster Cranes for lifting us out with the 100-tonne crane! Thank you to Ray Bowren and A S Taylor for the haulage, and thank you to Aqueduct Marina for lifting us back in! Thank you all so much!
How many more times do I have to tell them! I have religiously done as I was asked over the years, and told them why I do not need a television licence. The letters keep coming. Are there any other circumstances where you have to contact suppliers, or anyone that you buy goods or services from, over and over again, to tell them you no longer require their goods or services. No, you tell them once and then stop payment.
Waiting for the knock at the door. I hope it is a 'he', and someone young, good looking, and sexy. 😁😵😜
Good morning. It is Wednesday and I am off to Coffee Morning shortly.
I use my computer mainly for educational purposes, because there is always something new to learn. I cannot sit in front of a screen and be drawn in by banal celebrity entertainment. I used to watch soaps, and anything else which gave me a reminder that someone else was in the room, even though it was a face on a screen. It was company for a while.
One day it suddenly came to me. My life was being taken over. It got me thinking outside the box. What is the point of watching soaps, quiz shows, celebrity shenanigans and suchlike. I asked myself, when did watching television stop becoming entertaining? When I realised that all I was doing was watching other people working.
I had enough drama, entertainment, and fun, in my real life. I don't need to watch other people earning a crust. They go to work, learn a script, then perform in front of a camera. Yeah there might have been one or two documentaries thrown into the mix, but they were few and far between. Not worth paying for the licence to watch them. So 25 years ago I got rid of the tele and stopped paying the licence fee.
So what do I do now? I find useful stuff on the internet which interests me.
I came across Chase Hughes.
Chase Hughes is the founder and CEO of Applied Behavior Research, a leading expert in the field of human behavioral science, and a neuroscientist. After serving in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, Chase developed world-class behavior science tools, such as rapid behavior profiling and enhanced persuasion techniques, which he teaches to the United States military, law enforcement, Fortune-500 CEOs, doctors, attorneys, executives, and intelligence organizations.
We discuss: how to reprogram your mind and take back control of your life, why being comfortable is the gateway to self-sabotage, how to shift your relationship with discomfort, the blueprint for rewiring your dopamine system, why people stay stuck and how actually to break free, how to become more emotionally resilient. Read the Wellness disclaimer.
This is an interview he did with Doug Bopst. There was such a lot in this video which resonated with me. Parking it here because I need to watch it again and make notes.
Now I am off to Coffee Morning.
Thanks for popping in. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona
I've just been to the Post Office in the church. Notice on the door says it is not open today due to equipment failure. That could mean anything, but I read it as the computer has malfunctioned and there is no connection to the internet, and no way that transactions can be completed today. Oh well, it happens.
It's that time of the year again, the trek to Switzerland has begun. Maybe trek is the wrong word. It doesn't take any effort to step into a limo, climb aboard a private jet with your entourage of bag carriers, then get ferried to your posh hotel for your annual holiday in Davos.
Rebel News are on duty at the airport to report on how the meet and greet all works. Guests walking across the tarmac. Lots of people we have never heard of.
After a week long conference, the WEF will be revealing their new plan about how the rest of us should be living our lives. None of them have been elected, except for a few new faces in this years shindig. Some puppets, er politicians, have accepted invites to attend, to the consternation of many who question their motives. Have they sold out to the Globalists, or have they a cunning plan to infiltrate the very heart of the richest people who pull their strings. Who knows. Whatever the outcome, they can throw ideas around, nothing will change.
I see that David Icke is soon to start his UK tour. Two events are sold out. I haven't booked a seat this time. I saw him in Derby, and read everything he posts online, so I am up to speed with his concerns for the future.
Now it's past midday, so Good Afternoon. It's sunny and dry, so I might go out after lunch.
As well as all the beautiful quilts on display there were also a lot of stalls selling everything you need to make your own artistic masterpiece. Ladies were loading up their bags. For a lot of people an outing to a sewing show is a must. Many of them travel miles because there are no arts and craft dedicated shops in their area. Here it's very convenient, everything under one roof.
I found a box full of zips, four for £1. Couldn't resist having a rummage in that. All colours and all lengths. I spent £3 and bought 12. Not sure what I am going to do with them, but I've made a start by sewing them together.
Here is the walk around the quilts video I recorded.
I joined the ladies at Crafty Club this morning. We had a laugh and put the world to rights.
Thanks for popping in. Now I'm off out to do a litter pick before it gets dark.
Good morning. It is Sunday and it is raining. There might be a walk later, but in the meantime I have enough to keep my grey matter occupied here.
Some photo's from the Quilt and Sewing event yesterday at Newark Showground. The first show of 2026. Let's look at the magnificent quilts on show. Some of these are massive. The skill of piecing and stitching fabrics together is off the scale. The artist starts with a centre picture, then builds the surrounding areas with smaller shapes and colours for the background. If you look closely you can just about make out where the background overlaps onto the picture. Imagine collecting all that fabric and cutting it into the shapes and sizes that you need to complete your masterpiece. Pure magic.
Then when all the pieces are in place you blitz the whole quilt over with hours of machine sewing.
Lots of medium size quilts.
Then smaller quilts. They can be any size you like.
There are some very worthy prize winners in the smallest of these wall hangings.
I recorded a video of some of the quilts, which I will upload now and post later.
I treated myself, spent some money on a superduper LED lamp for my craft table. That will brighten things up a bit. Now going to unpack it and set it up.
Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip. ilona
Hello. My working life ended 16 years ago. Now I just please myself. This is my diary. What I do and what I think about. You are welcome to read it. Toodle pip.
