Saturday, 4 April 2026

The way it's going . . . . . . .




72,750 views 30 Mar 2026


We like to think that mobile phones are a great invention. We are pushed into getting connected online  via our hand held gadgets. Couldn't be easier. Our companions are there with us every step of the way. We are never alone when we have a smartphone in our hand. 
But we must also consider that they can be used as a weapon against us. Hirsi explains how this is happening right now. It's not incompetence from our Government, they know what they are doing. The same thing is happening throughout the Western World. 
Read, watch, listen. The far left are inviting everyone in. The far right are trying to protect our country and preserve our heritage.
Now get on with your own life. 
Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Friday, 3 April 2026

Reflections at Easter.

Dear readers.

This weekend is a time to reflect on Christianity. People go to churches to pray. I was raised with Christian values. My parents never went to church, and neither did I. 

We sang hymns and said prayers every morning at Junior School. It was called Assembly. That's how it was. It was there that I realised that I couldn't see the words on a gigantic song sheet hanging on the wall at the front of the classroom. I was about six or seven. I had to learn all the words by heart. I still remember some of them. I told my mum and she took me to get my eyes tested. Then I had to start wearing glasses. Horrible ugly National Health specs. 

A few years later I started to go to a Methodist Church. It seemed a good idea as my friends were going. I joined the choir. It was friendly and relaxed, and fun. After the service there was a club like atmosphere. I dropped that when I became interested in pop music and fashions. 

And then the Sixties happened. I have never felt compelled to go to church since then. I let go of it, and moved on. My attitude now is that religion should be a private decision for the individual. It should not be used as a battering ram to indoctrinate others, or even exterminate others. 

Religion is something you should feel inside of you. No need to share it at all. 

I wonder what John Lennon would think now, if he was still alive. Nice try John, 55 years later and nothing has changed. Now there are a lot more variable thrown into the mix. Nothing is simple. 

Imagine. 1971. 

 Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion

Imagine no possessions
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday the world will live as one
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Enjoy your Easter break, whatever you decide to do.
Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Thursday, 2 April 2026

Not playing their games

Good evening. 
I've spent most of the day in the garden today. Such a lot of work to be done. Got the lawnmower out for the first time this year. Surprised to find that it actually works. It was the cheapest one I could find at B & Q a lot of years ago. I don't bother with maintenance, just put it away after the last mowing in the Autumn. Switch it on in the Spring and it's good to go. 
Here I am having a little moan about an email I received from British Gas. 
Two dog walks today. The first one was cut short this morning. Carol was getting ready to go out so we only had fifteen minutes. I went back this evening after I put all the garden tools away, to give Billy another walk to make up for the short one this morning. 
Now I am tired so I will be off to bed shortly. 
Thanks for popping in. Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

What did I do today?

Eeeeeebygum. I've had a busy day. 
This is next doors lawn, I can see it from my upstairs window. There was a threesome going on, but where is mummy duck. Is she sitting on some eggs on a nest somewhere. 
First was the Coffee Morning. It's 10 till 12, but I always get there just before 11. Always late. There was an Easter raffle but I didn't win thank goodness. Twas an Easter basket of chocolates. Too much for one person. The winner kindly gave most of it away. 
Next a natter with Angela. Catching up with the gossip. The topic at the moment is the change in wheelie bin sizes. Our Council is pushing for more recycling so a bigger bin will make it easier. Just chuck it all in the same bin, glass, tins, plastic, paper, cardboard. They will sort it out at the depot. 
This afternoon I went back to the Industrial Estate to finish a job I started last week. A particularly bad spot, a rough piece of ground. It has taken three visits to get most of it up. How many bottles of pee did I find? Bear in mind that this is the third visit to this grot spot. 36 bottles today. Usually I just empty them, but this time I didn't. I had a strong clear plastic bag so it all went in together. 
That's enough for one day. Three red bags plus the urine. I don't need to come to this spot again, that will do for now. Plenty more grot spots on this estate.
 
Dropped off at my collection place, with the bag from yesterday. The Council are going to love me. Ha ha. I can imagine them when they come round in the truck. Oh no, not again. 😆😇😁
Here is a short video I recorded yesterday. Say hello to Mayze. 
A job well done today. Think I will have a day off tomorrow.
Thanks for popping in. Easter coming up. I might go out somewhere. It will be local though because the roads will be choc-a-block. Not going to sit in a traffic jam. 
Toodle pip.   ilona

Tuesday, 31 March 2026

Only one today

Good evening. 
It's been a bit warmer today. Still windy but not as bad as the last few days. A warning light came on in the car, same problem as before. Check tyre pressures, so off to the garage I went. Nice man checked them for me. 
Then I went to town to see Nikki at the Arts Centre. After that I called in at the petrol station and topped up with petrol. Wow, £1.50 a litre now. Crazy price. 
I pass the Industrial Estate on the way home so I checked my litter picking spots and thought I might as well fill a bag while I am here. I was surprised to find that the big concrete blocks at the road to nowhere, have been removed. I can now drive to the end of it. Maybe that will be another possible spot to fill a few more bags, if they don't bring the blocks back. 
Only one bag today. Time to go home. This is the maximum amount of grot that will fit in a red bag. The previous lot have been collected, so I will start a new pile with this one. 
Thanks for popping in. Sees ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona

What the heck ! ! !

Good morning.
WTH have I just watched??????????
It's enough to make you want to run away into the hills and cut yourself off from the rest of the world. 
Carl Vernon is stuck for words. 
If you want your brains scrambled, watch this. 
If you want to keep hold of your sanity, don't watch it. 
 It doesn't matter what they look like, it's what is coming out of their mouths that's important. 
Are they human or have they come from another planet? 
Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona.

Monday, 30 March 2026

Hair today gone tomorrow.

A change of routine today. I didn't go to Crafty Club, I took Billy dog a walk instead. I was due to take him yesterday but the weather was so awful, by the time the litter picking was done I was ready for a sit down.  
This afternoon I couldn't stand my long straggly hair any longer. It was getting me down. It had to come off. I attacked it with a pair of scissors, first cutting lumps out of it, then tidying it up. Two mirrors facing each other makes the job easy. I haven't been to a proper hairdresser in years. Straight in the bath afterwards to get rid of all the loose hairs. Feels a lot better now. 
That's it for now. Toodle pip.   ilona

And four became five

Good morning. It is Monday.  
I was out yesterday afternoon. It was very windy but I thought I would have a mooch around the Industrial Estate to see if I could find any more grot spots. I might pick a bag or two, or maybe I won't. 
On the edge of the estate is this road to nowhere. I did a circular walk and came back along here. Drainage has been installed, deep holes along the edge at regular intervals. No metal grids, just holes. At the entrance to it are huge concrete blocks to stop vehicles going down to the end. I spoke to some dog walkers, they said it used to be a magnet for gypsy travellers. They set up camp there. That's why the owners of the land put the blocks down. 
What did I find? Rubbish, lots of it. 




The surrounding land is very swampy. There are lots of trails used by bikers, old and young, cyclists and motorised bikes. 

I got back to my car and found that a lorry had parked close by. I had a chat with the driver. He was there for the night and was just about to warm up his home made stew dinner. What a nice man he was. I made him laugh with my trucking stories. I almost envied him tucked up nice and warm inside his cab.  
Should I try and pick a bag of litter, it was very windy. Oh well, might as well now I am here. I prepared the trolley with the red bag inserted in the collapsible bucket thingy. I had a job to hold onto it, I grappled to keep it upright against the wind. It became easier once I started putting some weight into it. 
The result. One bag added to the pile I left on Friday. I won't be battling the wind again like that. Nope, sunny and dry and calm from now on. 

I desperately need a haircut. Perhaps that job will be done today. 
Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Sunday, 29 March 2026

My brother

Good morning. It is Sunday, and the first day of Summer. I have changed the time on my one battery powered house clock. I don't need to change my watch because I didn't turn it back in the Autumn. I go through the whole of winter just deducting one hour when I check the time. Now the time on my watch is correct. The computer and car have corrected themselves. 
Today is my brothers birthday. Stephen died when he was 59. He was 18 months younger than me. Today I am reflecting on his life. My memory of him is rather sketchy. We shared adventures in the village where we lived in a Council house. We each had our own friends, but sometimes we were naughty together. I remember we were sent to bed because we had been very naughty. We got a slapped bum and had no dinner that day. 
We had a dog which we got from the RSPCA at Derby. We named him Nipper, after the picture of the little dog on music records.
Stephen was an animal lover. He had a pigeon loft in our back garden. Always out there looking after them. He also had a rabbit. We had two cockerels and some white mice as well. Later on after he moved to Derby he notice a house up the street had a greyhound which was always tied up in their back garden. He knocked the door and asked if he could have it. The woman said yes, then the man came home and was angry that his wife had given the dog away. He demanded money from Stephen. Stephen told him to get lost, and said he would report him to the police. The man went away. Flash the greyhound spent the last years of his life with Stephen, even though he himself had to go without food in order to feed the dog. 
When we both left school we went our separate ways regarding work. Stephen had joined the Army Cadets when he was able to. He later went on to join the regular army. I remember going to his passing out parade at Stafford Barracks. Mum came with me. It didn't register with me, our little boy was now a man. 
Then we lost touch for a while. Stephen moved around and so did I. I was back with mum again in her Council flat. Stephen was also back, it was a bit cramped with two bedrooms, but we managed. 

Stephen's downfall was alcohol. He was a sensitive and impressionable young man and it sent him off the rails. He seemed to be following in the footsteps of our father. I blame the army for that. They taught him how to drink. The police picked him up one night, found him in the gutter, took him to the hospital to get him cleaned up before they brought him home. I left home and got a flat, to give them more room. 

After that it becomes more vague. He went to live in Bah Rain, don't know why, think it might have been for work. He met a young lady there and they shared a flat together. I went for a holiday there. After not seeing him for a few years I was shocked by how much he had changed. Something had happened to his personality, and I saw first hand how volatile he was. Sad to say but I left early, got the first flight I could back to the UK.  

No point in sharing details, what's past is past. He went to live in Mumbai with his now wife. Fast forward 17 years, he chose to not get in touch with us. We got an email from Ap to say he was gravelly ill and wasn't expected to live much longer. A week or so later he passed away in hospital. 

Stephen what happened to you. I think of you today on your birthday. 

The weather doesn't look too good outside. 

Enjoy your Sunday, whatever you are doing. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Saturday, 28 March 2026

Just horsing around

Good evening. 
After a warm and comfortable drive today I got to my destination only to step into a fridge. Don't be taken in by the blue sky, fluffy clouds, and sunshine, it was chuffing freezing. Bransby Horses is about an hours drive away, between Gainsborough and Lincoln. Check out their web site to see what they do. It's a charity I have been supporting for years. Today I went to hand over my donation and buy some goodies from their gift shop. 
I had a walk around the paddocks and took a few photo's. I had a nice chat with a friendly family. They had a young girl who is horse crazy. She had to stop and talk everything with four legs.🐎🐎🐎 






I made it into the shop just before they closed at 4pm. Look what I treated myself to, it was only £5, a bargain. Perfect, I have always wanted a pink backpack. I bought three jars of posh jam which I will donate as raffle prizes at the Coffee Mornings on a Wednesday. I couldn't resist buying a cotton tea towel as well. It has an eye catching cat design. I think this might get donated as well. It should be framed, it's too nice to use on wiping dishes. 
 
I knocked out this video this morning, and left it uploading onto yoootooob. It was ready when I got back. A chitchat before my breakfast. 

I wish this weather would warm up. Fed up of being cold.  Don't forget to put your clocks forward one hour if you are in the UK. We are now moving into British Summer Time. Summer, ha ha, that's a joke. 
Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

A good film to watch


Good Morning. 
This post is written arse about face, because I copied and pasted the film details the other day. So you get my bit, here at the bottom. Can't be bothered to change it. 
Two great actors, or is that actresses, in one film. I enjoyed it, but, Julie Walters character was much the same as Rita, in Educating Rita. Her mannerisms were the same. Would have expected a completely new personality. Remember Rita, when she stomped about smoking a lot, and kicked the door in at the tutors office. 
Something to watch over the weekend, if you are at a loose end. Click 'Watch on Youtube' 
It's windy again, but sunny and dry, so I have to go out. Where to? I have a couple of options.  
Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Friday, 27 March 2026

Four bags today

Good evening. 
The rain did eventually stop so I was able to get out this afternoon. The rubbish I saw yesterday was beckoning me to go and pick it up. It's in a quiet dead end road on the Industrial Estate. The ground is rough with a lot of brambles. Good job I wear boots.
I did two bags, would I have time for another. Yes go for it. The sun was shining. I kept the glass separate and wondered if there was enough to fill another bag. I used a thicker clear plastic bag for that. Then I double bagged it with a red sack. It was very heavy. 
I noticed that someone else had dropped two bags off at the spot I usually use. I parked mine at the other entrance to the pond, where there is another litter bin. Normally I would expect my bags to be picked up quickly, but this week the Council have been a bit slow. They were there from Monday to Thursday. 


There is still a bit more litter where I got this from. Some of it is pretty disgusting. I must have emptied at least a dozen plastic bottles of pee. What's left can wait until I am ready. Or maybe someone else has got their eye on it. 
Thanks for popping in. Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

Cultivate your sense of humour

 If the previous post was a bit too heavy for you, give this a try. Be sure to have a tissue nearby, and don't be eating while you watch, because you will be laughing your little socks off. That AI has got to be good for something. Read the name tags on the reporters. 

😎😍😰😛

Toodle pip.   ilona


Children are their targets

 Good morning.

It's raining and I want to go out and pick up the litter I saw yesterday. Bugger. I hope it stops. In the meantime I will play on the computer, and do a bit of sewing. 

How do you feel about robots taking over the world, because they will. Maybe not all humans will be obliterated, those remaining will be the ones who will be controlling the robots. You know who I mean, the rich mob who are playing God. 

If you are having difficulty with your rabbit hole diving, you could listen what this bloke has to say about Melania's speech.  HighImpactFlix 

What Melania ACTUALLY SAID About Our KIDS at the "Humanoid Summit" will BLOW You AWAY!




It might be fun to use AI for amusement purposes, but the underlying message they are sending out is all about controlling the masses. Make no mistake. We are all being sucked into a murky world of dominance and compliance. Be aware and reject any push towards following the road to nowhere. 
Have a nice day. Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona  

Thursday, 26 March 2026

Exploring a new walking route.

Good evening.
I wanted to go for a walk today, and had several options. As usual I couldn't make my mind up where to go. Then I noticed it was 12.30pm and on the spur of the moment I got ready to get the 1pm bus. I didn't go the full distance to town, I got off early. I had it in mind to explore some new paths. 
Through a gate, past some horses in a field, and take a footpath which runs alongside an old railway track. The views are quite good along here.  
This was an old railway line but the tracks have been dismantled and are long gone. I am standing on an old iron bridge, which is a mere skeleton of what it used to be. I hope it doesn't collapse. 
The bridge has no side rails and goes into a field. It is blocked off at the other end by a piece of farm machinery. Don't look down. 
I was heading towards the Industrial Estate where I do the litter picking. There are no proper paths here, I scrambled over the rough ground and came out opposite the Co op warehouse. This is where I found the second grot spot on this estate. I didn't have any picking equipment with me, I was just out for a walk. I will have to come back here and tidy up. Even though I have removed some of the rubbish, there is still a lot left. 
After checking other parts of the estate for litter, I set off back home. The levels of this mucky pond fluctuate depending on how much rain there has been. Sometimes there is no water in it at all. Today there is quite a lot, although it looks as black as ink. 

I stepped a bit closer to it and took another picture. Then on the computer I turned it upside down. This is the reflection of the trees. I rather like this picture. 

That was a three hour walk. It was sunny when I started out, now it was getting cold as the clouds came over. Nice to get back home and enjoy a mug of coffee. 

Thanks for popping in. Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona