2009 — 14 June: Sunday
I was pleased to hear from ex-BBC DJ Andy Finney — I still have fond memories of the excellent range of music he played on his Fresh Garbage weekly music show in the early 1970s. In fact, he introduced me painlessly to many groups that have remained favourites to this day. Not least, "Spirit," of course.
While I will admit to some considerable personal bias on matters relating to Christa, I think tonight's photo of her (from late 1979) does show the inner glow of a mother-to-be:
The original plan was to squeeze a New Forest stroll in later today, before it gets too hot. And we may be the Gang of Three, too. But #3 is still working on his new roof for his shed so we're now aiming further east, with a pub lunch, and with a different third walker. Time will tell. G'night.
It's (another) new day
What with elderly mothers and elderly brother's mother-in-law (now awaiting planting) and occasional thoughts (albeit as transient as I can make them) of a mildly gloomy nature I'm reminded (by my reference yesterday to my "How to become an IBM retiree" list) that 20% of us face long-term nursing care in years to come.1
Happily, we can (always) trust the guvmint to use a focus group to find an equitable solution:
Downing Street is understood to favour the idea of spreading the cost of an ageing population more fairly and ensuring that millions of Britons have something left to pass on to their children. Aides have tested the plan in focus groups and estimate that up to 80% of people would choose to opt into a state insurance system for £10,000 — £12,000, rather than risk losing their homes and savings if they develop Alzheimer's or another chronic disabling condition.
Patricia Hewitt, the former health secretary, said the current system was an unfair lottery. "I have always thought people would be willing to trade a certain amount of inheritance tax for the reassurance of knowing that their elderly parent was going to be looked after free of charge," she said. Nursing home bills for the poorest are met by the state, but anyone with savings above £22,250 pays for long-term care, with nursing homes costing an average of £600 a week.
Does the "value" of the "property" that Maggot Scratcher encouraged us all to buy count towards the savings total I wonder? I have a cheaper suggestion: How about free lethal doses of morphine for all? Or, perhaps, the Logan's Run approach? Televised on Channel 4, of course.
Good morning, by the way. It's 09:25 and nearly time for the "off". Sun's shining too.
And, suddenly...
... it's 17:52 and time for the BBC 6Music Freak Zone while I hang my freshly washed cotton sunhat out on the line to dry without (I very much hope) shrinking. A cooling shower, a thirst-quenching cuppa tea, and I shall soon be back to whatever passes for "normal" these days.
We three (Mike and I were joined by Richard2) ended up doing a 6.x mile or so stroll along the South Downs way, including the ghastly Beacon Hill you can see here and gentler stretches like this...
but we still ended up crossing an unfeasibly large number of contour lines — you can't see these, of course, but I can assure you you can feel their effect. Plus, of course, you have to do what you can to keep up with these irritatingly fit youngsters. (Hence the shower.) A pub lunch at the Royal Oak and a pint of Guinness shandy hit the spot. It was 26C on the porch thermometer when I got back about 40 minutes ago after a total round trip of a surprising 76 miles, quite a lot of it quite slowly behind grockles on the A272 from Petersfield. But clouds are now gathering to take the edge off the sun.
As for the evening...
... who can say what adventures that holds? I may even fill in the Shell Drivers Club card and get me some points, 'cos we all know what points mean, don't we? But how (and when) did it become 19:19 already?