National Disgrace February 26, 2020

Firstly, let me just say that I owe my life to the National Health Service.

When I awoke in the middle of the night, August 23rd 2018 with severe chest pains, the service provided was second-to-none – and I have lived to tell the tale.  I shall be forever grateful to everyone involved from ambulance crew to doctors to nurses – the whole team was amazing.

This weeks’ blog criticizes nobody other than government penny-pinchers who think that cutting a few costs will not be noticed by the general public.

I have though, unfortunately, had to have more dealings with the NHS….which have been less than impressive ….and simply about cost-cutting and lack of funds.

I awoke at the weekend with pain in my right eye. I should first explain that eye pain is a part of my life – I have a corneal transplant in my right eye caused by a genetic condition inherited from my father. I didn’t really react in a dramatic way as I’m used to the constant pain that comes from the condition that I have. The condition requires antibiotics which I would normally get from my doctor.

I rang for an appointment and was told by the receptionist that they …. “no longer do eyes”. I was then told that I should book an appointment with an optician.

I booked in with my optician who, on seeing the state of my eye, wrote me a letter requesting that I should be prescribed antibiotics – which I was told to take back to my doctor.

When at reception at my doctors I was told… “no that’s unacceptable, you need to see one of our listed opticians” …. (they had not told me this)

I then went to Boots Opticians in Glossop and was advised that I could not have more than one eye exam in a day without a doctor’s note – hence I should request one from my doctor.

I returned to the doctor who gave me a note for the optician and managed to get in to see the optometrist. The optometrist took one look and said… “you need a course of antibiotics which we cannot prescribe – you need to see your doctor”.

I returned to the doctor’s reception and was advised that there were no appointments that day I would have to ring the following morning.

I then rang my dentist and told him that my root canal had flared up and could I get some antibiotics.  They did me a note and fifteen minutes later I had my prescription.

Lesson learned – any ailment – forget the doctors – just go straight to the dentist.

Mike C

Did ya ever wonder….? February 19, 2020

Did you ever wonder why invasive plants have suddenly become a problem?

Your mum and dad never had these issues, did they?  Mum and dad just found a house they liked the look of ….and they bought it.

Nowadays you have to check for the house having ‘green credentials’…double glazing, underfloor heating, solar panels, low carbon footprint, insulation etc. etc.

Plus; what is the risk of flooding?  What are the pollution levels like?  Are there any major roads nearby?  Will there be any new building going on, any new housing or industrial developments?  Are there any trees with preservation orders?  Maybe there’s an asylum offering quarantine to new virus sufferers?

……and of course, not forgetting …. you need to check for any invasive species …..

Life was much easier for our parents ….and of course …everything was cheaper…and better built.

Mike C

Climate Change February 12, 2020

I’m pretty sure some of it is down to fake news.

You may not realise it yet but we are all subject to constant manipulation by the press.  Currently we are being inundated by ‘climate’.  Greta is being used to batter us into submission with guilt about not protecting either our environment or our younger generation.

Now ….I’m not suggesting climate change is not a real problem and I know that we have been careless with our use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions – but – I’m also pretty damn sure that things must be better than they were twenty years ago?

Surely, we continue to improve our pollution record? New requirements on house-building and commercial properties strive to make the strictest of controls on how properties are built, how they are heated and cooled and the carbon footprint created during their construction? Surely this must be better than it was twenty years ago?

Surely, modern cars with modern catalytic converters and cleaner fuel systems must be better than they were?

Surely, the burning of smokeless fuels and use of gas fired central heating must be better than the coal fires and uncontrolled factory emissions of the Victorian times?

Are we all really the ‘climate disaster generation’ that the press is painting us out to be …? or …are there other motives afoot?

I feel at times the press exaggerates the claims about climate change. I read this morning that Prince Charles has used a helicopter for recent visits to a university and to go see his mother. Now I’ve got to admit I hate the guy and I think he’s a complete idiot – who the hell uses a helicopter to go visit people to tell them about climate change ffs ??

However, the newspaper says these flights have caused 2.5 tons of carbon to be emitted on these two flights. Really …. just think about that…. 2.5 tons of carbon – duuh – where the hell has 2.5 tons of carbon come from on a helicopter …surely if it had 2.5 tons to emit it wouldn’t be able to fly? Surely that can’t be true – it sounds good – and it makes Charles look a moron – but 2.5 tons on two flights …. that just cannot be right?

Personally, I feel guilty about everything I do.

I have to drive to work.  Guilt.
I have to drive up and down the country.  Guilt.
I drive a powerful petrol car.  Guilt.
I often buy food packaged in plastic.  Guilt.
I do travel by plane when I go on holiday.  Guilt.
My bins manage to be full every week.  Guilt

But… I also manage to sort all my rubbish into the various different recycling bins. I cycle whenever I can and I walk everywhere that I can …I also use my ‘bags for life’ …I may have about 3000 of the bloody things but I do use them.

Surely though, we are all feeling this ‘guilt’ and we must all be making small in-roads in our lives to make the world a better place?

It’s not going to happen overnight though is it? And there will be repercussions. My wife’s brother shuns everything new. He won’t buy new clothes and he constantly upcycles everything he can – pulling stuff out of skips that he can re-use. He opted out of his job as a Pharmacist and now works on the land maintaining one of our stately homes. He has an allotment and he grows his own fruit and vegetables.

But dear reader, what would happen if everybody did this?

If nobody bought anything new anymore, what effect would this have on the economy?

If everyone recycled everything and never bought any new cars or TV’s or phones ….where would we all be? …

But I’m thinking maybe a bit of joined up thinking might help. Maybe it’s not just black or white. Maybe there are a million ways to improve our world without stopping everything that we do?

I have a sneaking feeling that the way the world is going is to make all the bad things – like using the central heating to keep us warm, flying and eating meat will be really, really expensive – so that only the privileged few can partake of such things.

Whilst the rest of us freeze, holiday in Skegness and eat tofu…

Prince Charles will be cosy and warm, flying above us in his helicopter eating rare beef …laughing and taking a shit on us.

Just saying.

Mike Clough

Me February 5, 2020

When you reach my age (58) you tend to have a whole series of… ‘commitments’… that you just can’t get out of. I’m not just meaning the obvious financial obligations like mortgage and car payments ….it’s all the other stuff that I’m talking about.

Family commitments. Work commitments. House commitments. Friend commitments.

My mother, for example – 92 years of age and an absolute legend…but…she doesn’t half encroach on my time. She has a technique of making me feel guilty about everything. If I don’t see her for a couple of days she makes out that I haven’t seen her in months and that she’s been completely alone.

If I ask what she’s been up to – she says …”nothing” …. “nothing at all”….

She manipulates and controls me by pushing my buttons to ensure she gets exactly what she wants. What she wants is me …. there all the time and providing her with both a taxi and a gardening service…. with the associated benefit of providing her some company.

Work somehow still manages to take up a lot of my mental energy – even though I’ve actually taken a step back and am supposedly ‘working less’. My years of running my own business have left a weight of duty in me which is hard to shake. What’s the bank balance? What are the debtors? and the creditor situation? …how much work do we have on?

Family – I still can’t shake the feeling that I’ve got two daughters who need my support. The reality is very different with two daughters who actually require nothing and need zero support. Mentally, I’m still thinking about them all the time.

Houses – are simply a pain in the ass. Houses just never end; they are just a drain on your resources. Painting, decorating, window replacements, plumbing issues, electrical issues… then you start all over again …

My marriage requires my attention at the moment as, due to me having dropped the marital ‘ball’ – Mrs. C has departed. Thus… much of my time is currently spent trying to be a better man and to prove to her that our marriage is still worth fighting for. I wake up thinking about her and I go to bed thinking about her. I’m constantly trying to improve myself…and constantly thinking about where I’ve gone wrong.

One of the results of the ‘marital issues’ is me ending up in therapy. It’s not something I’ve ever done but it’s helped and has opened my mind to a whole series of new thoughts.

One of my therapist’s main questions to me has stumped me a bit though?

She has asked me to write down – … “what do you want out of life …?”

What do …. ‘I’ …want?

Hmmmm, I think maybe I’ve lost track somewhere along the way? …

When I first started out in my working life, I used to want my own business, a lovely wife, a couple of kids, a nice house, a nice car….and a bit of money in the bank.

I’ve had all those things …but what do ‘I’ want now …? …

I currently seem to spend most of my time doing things for others?

Where do ‘I’ fit in …?

It’s a bit like pushing yourself to climb a mountain – then you manage to climb it…you get to the summit ….what do you do next?

The only way is down – unless you pick another mountain to climb?

Mike C

Me February 5, 2020

When you reach my age (58) you tend to have a whole series of… ‘commitments’… that you just can’t get out of. I’m not just meaning the obvious financial obligations like mortgage and car payments ….it’s all the other stuff that I’m talking about.

Family commitments. Work commitments. House commitments. Friend commitments.

My mother, for example – 92 years of age and an absolute legend…but…she doesn’t half encroach on my time. She has a technique of making me feel guilty about everything. If I don’t see her for a couple of days she makes out that I haven’t seen her in months and that she’s been completely alone.

If I ask what she’s been up to – she says …”nothing” …. “nothing at all”….

She manipulates and controls me by pushing my buttons to ensure she gets exactly what she wants. What she wants is me …. there all the time and providing her with both a taxi and a gardening service…. with the associated benefit of providing her some company.

Work somehow still manages to take up a lot of my mental energy – even though I’ve actually taken a step back and am supposedly ‘working less’. My years of running my own business have left a weight of duty in me which is hard to shake. What’s the bank balance? What are the debtors? and the creditor situation? …how much work do we have on?

Family – I still can’t shake the feeling that I’ve got two daughters who need my support. The reality is very different with two daughters who actually require nothing and need zero support. Mentally, I’m still thinking about them all the time.

Houses – are simply a pain in the ass. Houses just never end; they are just a drain on your resources. Painting, decorating, window replacements, plumbing issues, electrical issues… then you start all over again …

My marriage requires my attention at the moment as, due to me having dropped the marital ‘ball’ – Mrs. C has departed. Thus… much of my time is currently spent trying to be a better man and to prove to her that our marriage is still worth fighting for. I wake up thinking about her and I go to bed thinking about her. I’m constantly trying to improve myself…and constantly thinking about where I’ve gone wrong.

One of the results of the ‘marital issues’ is me ending up in therapy. It’s not something I’ve ever done but it’s helped and has opened my mind to a whole series of new thoughts.

One of my therapist’s main questions to me has stumped me a bit though?

She has asked me to write down – … “what do you want out of life …?”

What do …. ‘I’ …want?

Hmmmm, I think maybe I’ve lost track somewhere along the way? …

When I first started out in my working life, I used to want my own business, a lovely wife, a couple of kids, a nice house, a nice car….and a bit of money in the bank.

I’ve had all those things …but what do ‘I’ want now …? …

I currently seem to spend most of my time doing things for others?

Where do ‘I’ fit in …?

It’s a bit like pushing yourself to climb a mountain – then you manage to climb it…you get to the summit ….what do you do next?

The only way is down – unless you pick another mountain to climb?

Mike C