Monday, May 18, 2009

Back again!

Well that flew by quickly. Four lovely sunny days and then the weather went down hill and curtailed my exploratory walks which had been fun. I particularly looked forward to taking one of the frequent double- deckers to Barnstaple and walking back via the Tarka Trail. We’ll just have to go again and as I daily point out to MTL - the cottage is already booked up to early October. But men can never understand how one can be thinking of the next jaunt before he’s done his unpacking.


We found three new places to eat – The Bar at Instow, The Williams Inn near Braunton and an excellent Chinese restaurant – The Han Court in Fremington opposite a very good hairdresser’s. Oh and I almost forgot – The Tarka Inn which we look at - across the estuary - from the cottage.


Not much fun catching up with the expenses scandal and it was worse to read that Stephen Fry had dismissed it as "rather tedious bourgeois obsession" that is "really not that important. It's a journalistic made-up frenzy. ...’

For someone who has done such excellent work spreading the word about bi-polar conditions and Aids it seems incredible that he doesn’t seem to understand the feelings of the many people who have lost or live in fear of losing their jobs, their homes, savings and pensions. Hopefully it was just a thoughtless remark.


BTW did you know Her Maj has the power to disband Parliament? I’m just saying.

The Speaker seems to have passed his sell by date.


I’ll try to catch up with everybody over the next few days.

18 comments:

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Fry's remark seems very 'out of touch' and rather snobby, doesn't it? Lord....so many people are loosing their jobs here and their homes, etc....this is very REAL here in our country...A friend came by today who was laid off about a month ago now. He doesn't know what he is going to do....And another friend is worried about this constantly...My Housekeeper/Maid, may lose their house....It really surprises me that Stephen Fry would say something like this....! Are we surre he actually did say that??
As you said, he is someone who has great compassion and one would hope he would have it here, too.

I hope you booked that place again, my dear....Welcome Home!

Keith said...

Hi Pat, nice to see you back and that you enjoyed yourself.

I have been wondering why Her Maj has not intervened in this mess and dissolved Parliment. I think the reason could be that she is no longer in control and has been told to keep out of it.

Cromwell did it. If you read his speech when he sacked Parliment you will see that it could have been written yesterday about this present lot!

What goes around, comes around!

Ms Scarlet said...

I'm sure I've seen The Tarka Inn!
All this expense business is making my blood boil...
Sx

Eryl said...

I hadn't read that about Stephen Fry, I wonder what he was thinking?

I love Chinese food! Welcome back, I'm glad you liked it so much you want to return.

Kim Ayres said...

But there were several politicians who wanted to shield us from feeling so upset by passing a law exempting them from having their details made public. How kind a thoughtful of them...

Judybks said...

Stephen Fry's comment is telling because he was once in big trouble over expenses. Can't remember with whom or exactly when ... but in the last five years, I'd say.

Anonymous said...

Glad you're back and up to speed.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Hope HM decides to do what is best, she usually does!

belleek

lom said...

Sounds like you had a nice break.

As for these expenses, at first I laugh, thinking they must be joking. But now! I just can't believe they thought they could get away with it forever, and this attitude of 'if I pay it back everything will be OK' really makes me mad.

Unknown said...

Welcome back!

Pat said...

Naomi: arrogant springs to mind. I'm afraid he really did. as for re- booking I'm working on it:)

Keith : I think you should drop her a line.

Scarlet: now calm down dear. It's only lying and cheating.
If you have been between Instow and Braunton you must have seen it.

Eryl: sadly that he relates more to people who milk the system rather than honest decent folk.

Pat said...
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Pat said...
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AndrewM said...

Pi,

You might want to delete your last duplicate comment and severely edit the one before that. I think you may have dozed off leaning on the space bar, woken up with a start and double posted.

Stephen Fry served a prison sentence for credit card fraud when he was 17 so I can only assume that he operates within a slightly different moral compass from the rest of us.

Carry on,


AndrewM.

Pat said...

Andrewm: I didn't doze off. the side thingy shot out of control and deletion didn't work.
I didn't like to mention the prison sentence but what you say about the moral compass is valid.

Pat said...

Kim:one's heart bleeds.

Judybks: see Andrewm's comment below.

Randall: not sure about that . see Andrewm's comment below:)

Belleek: wouldn't that be luverly?

Lom: I'm right there with you.

Johng: thanks sweetie.

Keith said...

To John G? "Sweetie"? We will never hear the last of that in the pub now! He'll be telling all and sundry you called him "sweetie".

Did you type the wrong word, or was that intended for moi?

Pat said...

Keith : well he does come around more often but you can share it with him.