1 February 2012

My old friend Rowan Planterose, from arbitration days, sacrificed the best part of his day to come down yesterday from London to give me lunch. Instead of popping next door to the Cricketers, as it is almost sub-zero outside/, we decided to have a light lunch in the breakfast room and not risk me catching a cold, which, thank heavens, I have avoided so far this winter. I had a small episode last evening, which demonstrated to me the problem I would have with a severe cold. One of my nostrils was blocked and I was having to take in the whole of the air expelled by the respirator through the remaining nostril and this was not a very relaxing thing to have to do. In the end we switched from the ‘ nose only’ respirator to the full nose and mouth one. Certainly more cumbersome and less comfortable than the little one , but at least with a blocked nose, I was able to breathe through my mouth.

Whilst on the mundane. I should mention that the battle of the evening teeth cleaning seems to have resolved itself. Until a month or so ago I could still hold the electric toothbrush supporting my hand by the other. Now my grip has gone completely, and the brush falls out of my hand so’ my lovely’ had to take over. As she is what I have always described as’ a scrubber’, in terms of cleaning her teeth, this really didn’t suit me at all. and although, the dear old thing, tried with the manual brush, she made a pig’s ear of it/, after a certain amount of wrangling, /we agreed a compromise which is to get the night carer, who comes in at 9.30 to add /this to their duties, after all, it only takes 3 min.

Back to matters of more importance. The Prime Minister is having a rough time over exercising his veto on the proposed EU Treaty As I said a couple of days ago, they seem to have ignored this veto and introduced it anyway, but of course it cannot be binding us constitution without without having been approved by parliament. Just how far it can affect us is not clear, but this proved too good an opportunity for the leader of the Labour opposition, Ede Miliband, who felt it incumbent to point out to the House of Commons, what value this Veto? . A veto is not just for Christmas but for life., Milliband said, echoing the message given to parents who buy their children puppies for Christmas. Poor Cameron could only reiterate what he said before, that he would accept nothing that in anyway affected the financial institutions in London, if necessary, he would take the matter to the European courts. I think is a matter of watch this space as this is entirely new ground.

Click here for an appropriate comment on’ spending a penny’!.