It has been per week of fine issues and a bit of little bit of dangerous. Let’s get the dangerous out of the way in which with an replace on our six new Indian working geese.
Having safely been collected by my spouse, Sally, we’ve put them in a spare secure, which we have now till their new home arrives. They’ve slowly bought to know one another, with no preventing.
Sally ordered a small backyard shed from Homebase which will probably be their new house within the pond space the place the prevailing duck homes are small and want changing anyway. We bought a supply date and time.
When it didn’t flip up we phoned the deliverers who stated they couldn’t ship as a result of the producer wouldn’t ship to Homebase, a enterprise sadly now in administration. So, alas, we have now needed to make different preparations. Perhaps it is going to be hotter and drier by then. We’ve already had one duck egg, which I can reveal is fantastically massive and blue.
It’s one thing to look ahead to and the geese, even within the secure, give me a lot pleasure. I’ve written earlier than about how animals can elevate the spirits of individuals like me with dementia. Plus with Sal and our eldest son Alex checking out the supply I do know all will probably be effectively.
One other bit of fine information was that the Division of Work and Pensions phoned and stated they had been making progress however wanted to cope with Sal resulting from my dementia. She has a Energy of Legal professional anyway so that’s all effective. Not less than they’re on the case.
The headline excellent news was my hoped-for assembly with Lord John Reid and Charles Clarke, fellow leaders of the NUS within the Nineteen Seventies… occurred – and it was a triumph. Attending to London and again stays a problem and not one of the prepare timetable web sites are straightforward for somebody with dementia to navigate… The heavy rains additionally took their toll on providers and there was engineering work, too. What works effectively although are the South West Practice providers on social media, particularly Twitter/X which gives direct messaging.
Alex drove me to the station and helped me get my ticket. The guard gave common bulletins on our progress. I bought a taxi to the Lords and it was sport on. John invited us for tea within the Home of Lords. I just like the place and have many associates therein, some accidentally of beginning, others by dint of advantage, contribution to society or their job as with the Bishops.
I additionally just like the place as a result of it’s the place the three wings of the State come collectively on the state opening of Parliament, which I used to like commentating on. Crown, legislature, government, judiciary, army, and Church.
Additionally it is an attractive a part of the Palace of Westminster. I waited within the seating space by safety and subsequent to the primary financial institution of coat hooks. And, as an addict of Wolf Corridor, I used to be amused to see the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshall, had two hooks by his identify card. Two more moderen adornments to the Home I noticed had been Lords Kinnock and Lord Soames.
I spoke to Neil who I’d not seen since his spouse had died, so I wished to supply my condolences. However I missed catching Nick for a chat as he was clearly in a rush. John arrived, however no signal but of Charles. John phoned him to find he was ready for us within the Pugin room, a pleasant lounge the place tea is served to Lords and their visitors.
We had been served with three pots of English breakfast tea, three plates of splendid finger/bridge sandwiches and a scone and particular person pots of strawberry jam and clotted cream. It was a blast from an excellent previous and simply how issues ought to be executed.
I noticed my Winchester MP, Danny Chambers, who defeated the Conservative candidate Flick Drummond, the incumbent MP for the now-abolished seat of Meon Valley. She was chosen to switch Steve Brine in Winchester who had stepped out of Parliamentary politics. She was simply defeated by the Liberal Democrats’ Danny Chambers.
Charles, John and I grew to become very shut associates within the NUS. Charles was president, I used to be his Deputy and John was Chair of NUS Scotland. We had been the entire broad left – Charles was Labour, John a Communist, and though I used to be not a member of any occasion, I aligned to the left as we stated. John departed the CP and joined Labour, each rising to excessive workplace, both may have made an ideal PM.
Charles had labored for Kinnock when he was shadow training secretary then grew to become Chief of Workers. I don’t know if Neil would have been an ideal PM however he was actually an ideal Labour Chief and had the heart to name out the arduous left, who had been busy poisoning what was left of Labour after the debacle of Micheal Foot.
Each males grew to become shut allies of Blair and had been instrumental within the creation of a ‘new’ electable Labour Occasion and Blair’s decade of energy. Charles as soon as requested me if I regretted not having turn into an MP, an ambition we’d shared as scholar leaders. I stated sure however he stated as a senior TV journalist I’d had as a lot, if no more affect than many junior MPs as a result of I used to be of that group who helped set the agenda and choose whose voices had been heard.
Charles stated Wes Streeting had impressed him and, like him, was a former President of each Cambridge College Pupil Union and the NUS… I stated I believed he’d missed a trick not getting reforms in trade for beneficiant pay offers and an excellent increase to day-by-day NHS spending. Each had been hotter to Rachel Reeves and her Price range than me.
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Charles stated winter gasoline allowance may have been retained and handled by means of the revenue tax code and scales. I stated Jonathan Reynolds at Trade had impressed me, however the closure of Vauxhall’s manufacturing facility at Luton can be an acid take a look at of his metallic.
I advised Labour had been fortunate in a weak and unfocused opposition. Charles and I agreed at size that Reform UK was the hazard for Labour and the Tories… Charles was very pro-John Healey at Defence; they’d shared a room years in the past within the Commons and remained shut associates. Reid and I agreed a mini-defence evaluate decommissioning a couple of ships and helicopters was short-sighted forward of a promised main defence and intelligence static evaluate.
The 2 males had an interesting trade on the deserves and demerits of the 2 mighty plane carriers. They roared with laughter remembering how Scottish Chancellor Gordon Brown had insisted on a Scottish constructing programme… they each mourned John Prescott though they disagreed with him on nearly every little thing.
John’s Communism has all the time intrigued me, however for a working-class Glaswegian lad, it was under no circumstances uncommon. I as soon as requested the previous Chief of the Defence Workers Subject Marshal Lord Peter Inge at dinner on the Tower of London when he was Commandant: “Who was the best Defence Secretary you worked with?” With out hesitation, he stated: “John Reid.”
By no means a soldier however John joined the TA to get mud beneath his nails and cordite in his nostrils. Peter additionally stated: “It’s always good to have someone on your side who used to be on the other side.”
We completed tea and Baroness Gillian Shepherd, a former Tory Minister, came visiting to say hiya, it’s that sort of place. Charles knew her effectively from his days as a Norwich MP. John simply appeared to love her, and there was a lot banter about her constituency successor Liz Truss…
On the way in which out I handed Zac Goldsmith, a pleasant man and a pal, and the sensible Lord Robert Winston. I additionally noticed Baroness Clair Fox, and chatted. We all know one another effectively from GB Information. It strikes me {that a} Parliamentary chamber with area for each Fox and Goldsmith is an efficient place and I believe serves us higher than different choices into account.
Final evening Fred, Oscar, their companions and kids got here for kedgeree and ice cream. It was a complete pleasure. All of them make me giggle and maintain me pleased and Jim and Tommy play splendidly collectively. I can hardly bear in mind a time with out them however that’s dementia for you…
We additionally did one other interview for Alzheimer’s Analysis UK, which will probably be within the Telegraph this weekend. We’ve been chosen as one of many recipient charities for his or her Christmas attraction, which is doubtlessly very beneficial.
We’re so happy to assist them.
