Well, the super secure new lock on our super expensive new front door failed catastrophically today.

I couldn’t get my key out of the lock. We couldn’t lock the door.

The local locksmith arrived within fifteen minutes, diagnosed the problem (“you need a new lock, £180”) and proceeded to spend the best part of an hour removing the broken extra secure lock (finally, reminiscent of the birth of my second son, “it’s out, I’ll have to charge a bit extra…").

£265!!!

Thankfully the lock is under warranty, but not the labour.

Big Kids' Sports Day.

Wide angle photo of school sports day white lined running lanes in the foreground, with uncut meadow in the background

England. Always different, always the same.

Labour’s self-imposed, arbitrary and “binding” “fiscal rules” are the same as the Tories' Austerity policies.

Political choices.

The same choices.

So much for change.

Original link to the article from 11 years ago:

"Economic ignorance is almost a qualification for the highest office in governments, treasuries and central banks. To appreciate this, just listen to almost anything George Osborne has to say on the subject – as he blindly drives the UK economy into a continued and deepening recession."

My polling station was empty when I went to vote around 1:30 pm.

My nearly ten year old looked at the TWELVE names on the ballot.

“Don’t vote Labour, Dad”.

He looked some more.

“There’s Joe!” he said.

“VOTE FOR JOE!”

New e-scooter and cycle hire infrastructure in Southall Green.

Photo of junction of HGV Access Roads with new 'E-Scooter and Cycle Hire' road markings and two black and white bollards

[Edit]

Not the ideal location.

Photo of Heavy Hoods Vehicle cutting the corner and turning in towards the new active travel infrastructure of the previous photo

I used to be funny.

Screenshot of Facebook memories from fourteen years ago: "On days like these I can easily get through a whole carton of fresh orange juice. Rock and roll. I heard they can give you cancer, though, so I'm going to stop smoking them."

Bushmen came to cut the communal grass and fill my compost bin with the cuttings. #Winning

“…when you look at it on a personal level, if Nelson was your friend or your neighbour, you would absolutely agree that he should be given the immediate right to settle.”

You. Absolute. Bastards.

If anyone knows of a crowdfunder to support this man’s legal challenge, I would like to contribute to it.
bbc.com/news/uk-england-mersey

One of the reasons we never visit the place where I grew up.

“I just have to share?”?

Shared in "Caistor Memories", a Horncastle Police report from 1942 of a missing dog called "N***er*.