Swifts here, rain here , a lot more freedom here.

The swifts or swallows or house martins, which ever one it is are here again and having a wonderful time.  

The rain has been almost continuous off and on since the beginning of the month - very heavy rain and more and more services are opening up and we can now eat indoors in restaurants and meet up indoors with friends.  Many many businesses have gone to the wall however, and even now they are open the struggle goes on as not so many covers can operate.  I am hoping to be going out though on Wednesday as in theory a friend is coming to lunch at the local pub and going to a party on Saturday too.    Heady days!

Money in, money out.

 My state pension has arrived.  After a lifetime of working,  the vast sum of £180 a week.      It breaks my heart to receive so little after over 50 years work.  Not enough to live on but I know it is better than nothing.    And I am still working.  But today out of 6 students due only 2 have attended, so instead of 60 for a day's work about £30.    It doesn't make things seem better. 

In the swim, but going against the tide.

 According to the many newspaper articles or radio items I have heard allotments are in and houses and flats in the country are selling like hot cakes.  So that will be why I am apparently still toiling alone at our community allotment (apart from the bees who have taken up residence in the gooseberry bushes) and my flat is still unsold, even though I itch to relocate one of the lovely places seen in Brecon.  Perhaps I am just meant to live here.    And there are lots of pros to it,  liberated from the virus a bit I dipped into the local swimming pool today.  I hadn't realised it was actually open, till I checked when it was opening, so went along.  All very tightly controlled as to numbers and when you can go in and weirdly no showers allowed or talking to others, but bliss to be in the water, even if I am incredibly unfit. 

Others crossing the water are finding life hard,  sadly we are used to stories of refugees getting locked up in the UK, but now EU citizens who are apparently still legally allowed to come to the UK for job interviews etc, are facing the same problem.  It is a bit like the Premiere Inn debacle,  (still no satisfaction on that count) where one set of people are following rules i.e. EU citizen coming to the UK, (or my sister booking a room) only to find that the gate keepers are following a different set of rules which excludes the visitor.   I only hope that the EU does not reply in kind. 

Dr Elizabeth Carter has been kind enough to respond to my email to her re romance fraud - very nice to have some kind of validation,  andto my surprise whilst watching the Science Museum live feed on Clean Energy my question was read out by Jim Al Khalili, it was a rubbish question, but nice to have a mention.

Green Wins in East Herts!

 Green Wins in East Herts!

After a brilliant campaign with dedicated Newsletter deliverers, canvassers, crowdfund-donors,  Social Media content providers, and members and supporters spreading the word, we are extremely pleased to announce that for the first time in Hertfordshire's history, we now have a Green Councillor at County level!  Congratulations to Ben Crystall, who will be representing Hertford All Saints.  In addition to this fantastic success, we have also secured two new Green town Councillors, with Tom Day and Vicky Smith elected to represent Ware Trinity and Hertford Bengeo respectively. Congratulations to Tom and Vicky!  

A Green Sweep

 

Truly amazing to be part of this historic shift to the Green.  Although not all the results are in the Green Party has won 71 seats so far,  56 new.  And we were proud to achieve good results in the Broxbourne area.  There is a special excitement in the pit of your stomach,  watching the count and realising that people have come out to vote Green.    Thank you.  

No room at the Premier Inn or no respite for the good.

My sister has recently alerted me to the good value that is Premier Inns and I had determined as a result to use them in the future.  However, since then both she and I have found them wanting. 

I booked with them for a legal journey,  had the booking confirmed, so bought my train ticket, only for Premiere Inn to cancel. 

Far worse for my sister.  She urgently needs a break from her caring responsibilities.  We checked the regulations and it is legal for someone to come in and provide respite for her and she is entitled to have respite, so four weeks ago she set the wheels in motion and booked with Premier Inn. I cancelled work and booked my train up, only for Premier Inn to cancel on the morning she was due to travel,  so there was no chance to arrange anything else.  Preparing someone who is being cared for for another person to come in is a delicate operation, needing a respite, the last thing you need is for it to be cancelled at the last minute.  Premier Inn seemed to suggest that if she was local she could stay there and have respite, but not otherwise, but we cannot find anything that says that in the regulations and why leave it so late.

Giving a refund does not cut it Premier Inn, but when one tries to complain there is no address just a feedback form.  This is not good enough.   I know you are good value and good accommodation, but where is the good service to go with these qualities.    Part of the problem is that the regulations are not clear, but as far as we could tell we were following all the regulations correctly.