'Cautiously Optimistic'

Wednesday. 6.25 a.m. 'Cautiously optimistic' was how Prime Minister Boris Johnson described how his infamous 'roadmap' out of lockdown which is supposed to be lifted on 21st June.  That is, unless there is a sudden rise in infections or something else to scupper the plans. He also said it about the Brexit deal that had been agreed with the EU. So, are we going to be celebrating our freedom from being bossed around? That is, if the by now more than a little bit famous Indian variant of the virus doesn't get a starring role over the next few weeks. 

Boris Johnson is a bit of what you'd describe as a 'loose cannon.' He is somewhat unpredictable and he doesn't work like any other Prime Minister I can think of.  The matter of making statements about letting dead bodies pile high rather than implementing lockdown, may or may not have been said by him. Also, the business around who paid for the alterations to his flat in 10 Downing Street, which  seems to have disappeared from being mentioned in the media, He gets away with all sorts of things that anyone else would be in court for. I see him as a combination of Winnie The Pooh, Bertie Wooster and Mr Toad, he of 'Wind In The Willows.'

As for the former political advisor to Number 10 Downing Street, Dominic Cummings, who has today been grilled by MPs in a Commons select committee about the Government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, or perhaps that should be, lack of it. He was removed from his post in No 10 back in November and it seems he is attempting to stab people in the back in a sort act of revenge, worthy of something out of a Shakespeare tragedy, such as Othello, with Cummings in the role of Iago. He's definitely not the sort of person you'd want as a friend. As someone said, 'with friends like these, who needs enemies?" He's stuck the knife into several government personnel, not least saying that Boris Johnson wasn't fit for the position of Prime Minister. Well, someone also said that 'you get the politicians you deserve', and in some respects that's totally true. It was American President Thomas Jefferson who came out with that one.

Today would have been Carol and my 14th wedding anniversary. It's no good dwelling on things and she would expect me to get on with my life, which I am, except that it's all been cancelled due to the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

I was up and out before 6 o'clock with Alfie this morning. A bit overcast and it looked as if it might rain later, but one hopes not.

I have received a letter from the Nephrology department of  Milton Keynes Hospital. I have no idea what nephrology is, but never mind. I'm always keen to learn new words, so his is another to add to my growing collection.  It's regarding the 'incidental finding of a small renal angiomyolipoma' in one of my kidneys when they did the ultra scan. I have no idea what an angiomyolipoma is, but, having spoken to my doctor on the telephone recently, it isn't malignant, like a cancer. When I first heard about it I did panic, really as a response to not knowing clearly what it was, because of my memories of when Carol was first diagnosed with bowel cancer. The letter goes on to say that I should have an ultra scan done every 4-5 years just to keep watching it and seeing how it behaves. I shall be discussing this further when I speak to my doctor on the telephone on 11th June.

The Excitement Is Too much!

(Sunday) It's mild, windy but clammy. There has been a blustery wind in force. How would Winnie The Pooh manage? Or Mary Poppins? Would she be able to manage with her flying with her umbrella if there was a high wind? Would she be a danger to aircraft? How does she manage to hold on to the handle and still manage to travel so far? Does she ever get cramp in the arm she uses to hold on, her hand never loosing it's grip? What happens to her? Does she fall to earth? Why does she not have a parachute? Doe she have insurance? Can she fly at night? Doe she have lights? Has she ever been hit by aircraft, or other forms of propelled flight? Has she done any sort of risk-assessment? How does health and safety come into things?  When I was at school, about the time the first film was released in the 1960's, one of my teachers made the rather obvious observation that, did she never worry about people seeing up her skirt? It does occur when you think about it. Not that I ever did. Like, later, when I was at college a good deal later, when Evita, the Lloyd-Webber/Tim Rice musical about Eva Peron came out, why would anyone want to see a musical about the wife of a fascistt  dictator? I suppose he had a point, but it didn't put me off buying the original concept album. 

I'm continuing with my writing. It's going gradually, having now found a way to move forward. It's taking a while to write but I'm getting there. As the day progressed I managed to get quite a considerable amount written. I will leave it until tomorrow and hopefully get this particular section completed, but I'm not rushing it.

Dominic Cummings is in trouble. His name is just about right as he's been coming and going and as a result some people, including members of the government, think he's getting away with breaking the lockdown regulations by going all the way to County Durham, but I'm not entirely sure why, to care for a child and his wife has been infected by the coronavirus apparently and so has he. He's a naughty boy. Who is he? Boris Johnson's political advisor or something. What does that mean and is he actually a Member of Parliament? Is he part of the Cabinet? What is his function? From the pictures I've seen in the Sunday Times today as well as on line on the Sunday Telegraph website, he just looks plain odd. Creepy, even. Why does he always wear that stupid wooly hat and go around in a thick jacket when it's so sunny and warm? No, he's not an M.P., but described on his Wikipedia profile as a 'Political Strategist,' whatever that means. It would be better if Boris Johnson go rid of him because if he doesn't watch out it will get out of control, as some sort of damage limitation. The left wing press, which I have to include the BBC as it seems full of lefties, is the biggest culprit, infact I would include most of the British media, who are doing more harm than good to the Conservative government, mostly the Remainers who are still not happy with the results of the 2016 EU referendum and the fact that we've left the failing EU. They keep picking away at it, rather like someone with a scab. As my mother used to say 'I'll never get better if you picket,' which someone should have said to Arthur Scargill duding the Miners Strike. Sorry about the dreadful pun, but it just came to me as I was writing this.

There have been people at Dexter House who shouldn't have been here at all, totally flouting the lockdown regulations. I had a sleep this evening, and woke up to hear voices. I imagined it was outside the confines of Dexter House, the sound of children, shouting and general noise. I went into the kitchen to do some washing up and could see in the garden below through the window people, mostly children, I don't know who they were, family members of others who live here, but clearly not observing the two-metre social distancing rules. I don't know what they were thinking, the parents just being irresponsible. We can apparently meet people outside, but only on a one-to-one basis, not in groups like this. Just making a nonsense and very likely to spread this wretched virus by their behaviour. If nothing else, putting themselves and others at risk of catching the coronavirus which has been causing all the problems over the last few months.