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

More litter, and a fab video.

Good morning.

Dull, miserable, misty, and wet outside, again.

I was out litter picking yesterday. It was warm and dry. How the weather changes on a daily basis. I have a new bag. An old bag surplus to requirements. No longer needed for shopping. It's slightly bigger than the other one. I was out for three hours, filled and emptied it three times. A convenient wheelie bin at the Playing Field. The Council will come along and empty it, hopefully.

What is that strange object spotted behind the hedge in a field. Looks like it fell off the back or a lorry, or did it? Looks almost new. 

Looks like someone else is litter picking and is using this to store what they have collected. Very strange. I will leave it here and check on it when I next come along this road. 

Remember the two piles of fly tipping I saw on a previous litter pick? I see one of them has been removed by the farmer. They haven't made a very good job of tidying up though, the site is very messy. The other pile nearby is still there. 

I'll post this video here for those who like anything about any kind of transport. It's very interesting. I haven't seen an aircraft like this before. Check out the tiny cockpit in the nose of it. No windows in this amazing cargo aircraft. I think I have found another channel to follow. Cobra Emergency  A channel for spotting all kinds of interesting transport on the move and filming around events and happenings such as summits, military exercises, infrastructure projects, technology, airshows, emergencies, and more. 

Watch the final flight of the Beluga Super Transporter (Airbus A300-600ST) as it arrives at Hawarden Airport in Broughton, Wales for the last time - after 30 years of service.

Now I must make a quick getaway to the Village Hall for Crafty Club. Cats all fed, now they are sleeping in the various parts of the house. 

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Pay up or suffer.

Aye up me ducks, here's another moan. 

Don't you just get sick of all kinds of unwanted rubbish popping up on your screen while navigating facefuck, ooops sorry, didn't mean to swear. I include adverts, scams, and AI crap in the mix, which I have no interest in. How do you get rid of it. Let's have a go. Here's the menu, we'll see what happens. So I click on hide this ad. 

OK. Now they are asking me to tell them why I want to hide the Boots advert. So I click on irrelevant. 

Then they tell me the Ad is hidden. Shouldn't that be the end of it? I click Done. 

Then it tells me all ads from Boots are hidden. There will be no more. Good. 

Now comes the trick. Another box opens. Two choices. I can choose to continue to use their products, whatever that means, for free, with ads. Or I can subscribe to use it without ads, from £2.99 per month. Sneaky eh! 

Nope, I am not paying. So there you are. It doesn't make a bit of difference which options you click on. They might say they snooze an advert for 30 days, but you can bet your bottom dollar that it will come back. 30 days, not enough. I want it gone forever. Sorry, you've got to pay for that. 

So now I scroll through the dross faster than ever. 

It's the same with other social media platforms. Pay if you don't want to see adverts on yoootoob. Twitter / X upgrade your membership to give you a better experience. Nope, not doing that. They reel you in, then pester you with adverts, scams, and AI and hope you will cave in and pay a subscription. That's how they control you. 

I don't do instagram or tickytock, or any of the other chat boxes. No sireee. 

Moan over. As you were. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

How to live off grid with kids.

Good morning.

And Happy 60th Birthday to Terry Miles, the famous boogywoogy pianist from St Pancras Station community piano. I think he is doing a live show from home this afternoon.

I'm going to slip this recommendation in here. If you are at a loose end and the weather is crap, stay indoors and give this video a watch. Mathew and Charis are two vets, as in animal vets, not veterans, they got off the daily grind and set up a small holding in the wilds of South Wales. They have two children and live in harmony with the countryside. Watch how they did it, listen to their story, because we all might have to do something similar when the lunatics have taken everything away from us.

Ben Fogle journeys to the Pembrokeshire coast to live with Matthew and Charis.

Mayze continues to make progress. The panic is over. 

Catch ya later. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Litterpicking

 Good evening. 

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

Ouch !

 Good morning.

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

Dumped

Good evening. 

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 

Is this a joke?

 

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

Ladies welcome

 Hello again. 

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

New box - or self build?

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?

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Quick look at the town

 Good evening.

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. 

I hope we get another sunny day tomorrow. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Trust your gut instincts.

Good evening

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

An omelette recipe

 Good evening. 

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. 

Now I'm going for a walk around the village. 

Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona