Most of this countries woes can be attributed to the fact we no longer have our own manufacturing base.

The troubles with cargo ships in the Suez canal...the troubles with Russia are just part of why we are struggling. We no longer manufacture goods here for our own internal market, we have to rely too much on imports and that isn't good.
Once upon a time we and our products were the envy of the world, we exported far more than we imported safe in the knowledge it was top class merchandise, and what we did import was vital, when was the last time you shopped and picked a product with the British kite mark on?
We are now relying on cheap Eastern imports, most of which {especially electrical goods} are turning out to be cheaply made and dangerous the vast percentage of our gas and electric comes from abroad especially with electric we are pumping millions into a French electric company to build nuclear power stations here and very little building work is being done, one site I believe is 15 years in the making and is still far from complete, even the solar panel farms we erect in our fields are made abroad.
Even our national bus company {Stagecoach} is German owned, same with the water companies owned by foreign companies.

We need to go back to manufacturing our own goods and start showing the world we can still be a force to be reckoned with. The British brand has been diluted so many times over the past sixty odd years it's no longer recognisable.

Start producing BRITISH cars, white goods other electrical goods etc. stop relying on foreign imports, if it could be produced here don't import it.

Hopefully one day ----------

Update There is now a petition for Alan Bates to get a recognition for his hard work over the years to get thus sorted out

We are promised a very cold ARTIC few days, which will notch the heating up.
personally I can't with cold weather because of Asthma so walk round outside with a mask on.
My recovered hedgehogs in the shed are sleeping but I still need to go in there each day to put fresh water out etc in case any wake up.
Roll on summer - lets have a heat wave - oh noo maybe not a good idea as we will then be short of water 

Happy New year to you all.

Hubby likes bubble and squeak Smithy


We're just doing the turn around ready for NEW Y ::)ear
Daughter's gone home with bags of pressies.
We've just been in her bedroom to freshen bedding and make up her boyfriends  bed as it's 2 single beds in there.
They'll both be back On Saturday for  the new year

It's a fine day so delivering a few local cards and a visit to the three Church yards will be our day's work

Reply emails from large areas of potholes and poor surface reported have been
This street is on a list of rolling repair work to be carried out and will be done when it reaches the top.
Or something like that - sorry exact wording I can't remember but that is basically what I have been receiving
Hagg Hill I believe has been reported ( unsure how long ago it was submitted) however it wasn't filled in yesterday as I went up there myself.