As we’re here for 6 months the format of my blog will change in that I will only do entries on days when something out of the daily norm occurs, or the mood takes me or I feel a rant, religious rant, joke coming on, or to celebrate a Wave of life.
Friday, 02 May 2025
Early start again, crack of Sparrows fart, 06:00. The flight to Las Vegas was awesome. Security was a breeze and the flight was comfortable with plenty of free booze, food, movies and time for the odd snooze. Brings back the joy of flying, could almost do this again just for the fun of it.
Then, sadly, we’ve a 7 hour layover in Las Vegas. No point in lounge access as despite charging an arm and a leg they only allow you in 3 hours before take off – what a shitshow. Of course Dragon Pass was useless.Fortunately our flight to Salt Lake is only 55 minutes.
Mike’s there to greet us in his mega truck and we spend the night at Mikes, rather than messing around getting into our condo so late at night.
Has the government completely lost its mind.
Our government is set to give the go-ahead within weeks for scientists to experiment whether the sun could be dimmed to combat global warming.
As much as £50m is expected to be spent on the experiments and analysis.
The methods could involve spraying aerosolised particles high into the stratosphere to deflect a small fraction of the sun’s energy away from the Earth. Early modelling studies have suggested that this may cool the planet relatively cheaply.
We haven’t a smidgen of understanding how the climate works, evidenced by the lack of an accurate computer model, yet here we are frittering away even more money on this political fad now called Climate Change. And why bother, we hardly see the sun anyway.
Have they not heard of “the law of unintended consequences”. Madness.
Saturday, 03 May 2025
Mike does waffles for breakfast – shitin in the tall cotton yet again.
Then we’re off to our condo, home for the next 6 months. Unload all 4 suitcases, then we’re off in the mega truck to pick up our STUFF from Mikes lockup. NB for next year don’t store cans of soda or beer in the lockup over winter, they explode with the -16F temperatures.
Spend the rest of the day unpacking. We’ve really bought to much stuff with us. We now have more clothes in PC than at home. Get to see our first Deer of the year as she strolls around the neighborhood.
Big surprise as we see Michael, who’s not normally here this time of year. That’s great the he and Laurie are here.
A trip to Smiths for vitals, judging by how much we’ve spent, two trolleys full, I think we’ve purchased the whole store.
Finally, it’s a Mexican take away from Chubasco’s. Awesome Burrito, but Wendy and Mike weren’t so impressed. Pity Albertos was closed.
Sunday, 04 May 2025
Seeing Michael driving off to buy their early morning coffee is a pleasant reminder we’re home. All we need now is to see or hear some Sandhill Cranes.
I sure know I’ve arrived home in Paradise when I set off for a sunny early morning stroll round to Ruths garage to pick up my bike; the tyres need pumping up but that’s all part of the joy; then it’s leggier time as I try and get on my bike, yeah I’ve remembered how and don’t fall off; followed by a ride back, enjoying just being here in Paradise, with all the other fitness freaks and thinking how lucky I am to be here.
Finish off the unpacking and reconfigure the condo to our needs.
The trade deal with India has run into controversy almost before it was signed. But stand back and look at it strategically and it makes sense to find ways to link what are currently the world’s fifth and sixth largest economies more closely together – particularly since India, number five, will soon pass Germany and Japan to become number three.
Stand back still further, and you can begin to see how the UK’s trading relationships will develop in the changing world economy. That prediction of India becoming the third largest comes from the International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook by 2028.
The top half dozen economies by then, and that’s within the life of this Parliament, will be the US, China, India, Germany, Japan and the UK. So five of the world’s six largest economies will be outside the European Union. If the UK can follow the India deal by building closer trading relationships with the US and China, it will have started to reposition the economy away from Europe and towards the top three. Yeah, bring it on.
And now we add a trade deal with the USA. Not as good as we could hope for but a step in the right direction.
Of course the ANTI-BREXIT fanatics can now go and sulk, and rant about aligning more with EU than the USA. Without BREXIT we could not have these deals. Given a choice I would rather align with USA than that moribund socialist rabble in Europe.
Thursday, 8 May 2025
Start the day with a 2 hour 40 minute call to EE trying to get my mobile working. Tech support guy was not the brightest knife in the box. He had trouble explaining why they were charging me £36 for call when I have free roaming and a £20 spend cap; why they charged me for 0330 calls when my contract stalls ALL calls beginning with 03 are free. Ended up suggesting a new eSIM.
Play Pickleball in glorious sunshine with Mike and Carmel in the afternoon, helps with my EE anger.
Have a few drinks in the evening to calm me down.
Saturday, 10 May 2025
Another gorgeous day. Go on Bub’s hike up the Flying Dog Trail. Not one of the easiest of hikes, all uphill to the Beaver Pond and then all downhill back.
Finally invest in a new pair of Merrell trainers, complete with an all import Vibram sole.I think my existing Merrell Hiking Boots have about had it can feel every Pebble and sand grain, the Merrell soles are that useless. Wendy forced me to buy 6 pairs of hiking socks. I now have more socks than Muslims at a stoning, so I need a new chest of draws to accommodate at least 50 pairs of socks.
Good news is my mobile now seems to be working; the ridiculous 10 door code has now been replaced by a 4 digit code of my choosing; Gas fire is working; new chairs for the deck are on order, it’s a mystery where the other 4 chairs have gone.
Mikes round for Dinner in the evening.
More stupidity and wokeism:
Radiographers at several NHS hospitals have been instructed to ask all men aged 12 to 55 if they are pregnant before performing X-rays.
The controversial policy, aimed at considering non-binary, transgender and intersex patients, has sparked outrage among patients and campaigners alike.
Paradise – we’re home.
Arrive at Manchester airport early but as usual with anything to do with airports we can’t check in early. Screw the customer and let’s create a queue.
Typical of the EU we spend 50 minutes getting through immigration. You have to ask yourself do they really want visitors?
Breakfast is awesome, just about everything you can imagine apart from Vodka and Champagne.
Then it’s the rest of the bus tour, followed by a pleasant stroll through the old town, it’s lovely. Stop for lunch and a beer in the Old Town square, it’s just buzzing. How come these places all have a “famous bridge” the Charles Bridge this time. 
Find a decent restaurant and of course they serve beer.
Day 2 in Prague starts with an awesome breakfast accompanied by live piano music. Then it’s the Old Town bus tour. Stroll across the famous Charles Bridge and settle on another beer. In the PM we stroll around old town in the warm sunshine. 
For evening entertainment we go to a medieval banquet, complete with not so exotic dancers; acrobats; more dancers; whirling flame dancers and swallowers. The dancers are a tad better than Hooters.
Another musical, awesome breakfast. Checkout, and then have a stroll around the Old Town in the sunshine. Try some of the Local street food in the market square. Then it’s another beer.
Stroll back to hotel to pick up the suitcase, stopping for a wine on the way.
With hindsight I think two full days would have been enough. Our last day was just lounging around.
Settle in for the obligatory afternoon cup of tea – yes, even in 3rd World EU countries we still have standards.
Despite the forecast of rain all day the weather turns out mainly dry with scattered sunny outbursts. After the journey from hell we decide to have a lazy day and just do the major shop for essentials for the next week.
Never mind Wendy settles down to watch “Greys Anatomy”, it’s not yet 1700 so thankfully I get to pass on it.
A gorgeous sunny day and it’s even warm, not quite shorts weather but cargo pants weather. Up and Uber into Split Old Town to catch a guided walking tour. One of Guru walks guided tours. They’re free you just tip for what you think it’s worth – and yes I do tip them.
A pretty good tour around the Diocletians Palace (apparently some ancient geezers Roman palace built in 305) Split in the gorgeous sunshine. The palace is really a walled town. Not quite as impressive as Dubrovnik.
Another sunny stroll around Split Old Town.
Then at dinner they tell me it’s not available. Totally pissed off. Food is great, but service is very slow and they screw up Wendy’s cocktail. Considering there’s only us in the restaurant, god help them if they ever get busy. Finally get to try some Dingac wine, wow it’s very good, fruity, smooth and expensive.
Lazy start to a great breakfast, despite only a handful of guests in the hotel. We’ve been told we can have a late checkout – 1800, how’s that for late. The manager comes to see us over breakfast to apologise for the slow service last night. Lunch today is on the house as an apology. I relate the Brodet saga and he goes away to the kitchen, comes back and apologizes and tells me that there will be Brodet for my lunch. Very professional.
Got up a tad late, 0920 a new laziness record. 
A nice lazy start to the day, rain is forecast. By 1130 the rain has stopped so we Uber down to the Pile Gate. 
I go to the Ethonological Museum (Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. It explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study). Wendy takes one look at the steps, yes there’s 80+ of them, so she goes for a coffee. Unfortunately I’m stupid enough to go for it, as it’s free on our 1 day pass. What a waste of time, fortunately no money. I wouldn’t bother going up one step to see this.
Plastic bottles have retainers (or tethered caps) on their tops to reduce litter and improve recycling. These retainers ensure that the cap stays attached to the bottle even after it is opened, preventing the cap from being discarded separately, which often leads to environmental pollution.
Get to Budapest for 1300 so a sunny afternoon in Budapest. Hotels great, Crowne Plaza, and thanks to Ross Platinum status we’ve been upgraded to a suite.
Catch the red bus for a tour around Budapest. Great way to see the city. Get off for a boat tour down the Danube, with great views of the Parliament building. Then it’s a beer lunch by the Danube, followed by a vernacular ride up to the Art Museum, Ross is most keen to visit. As a complete Philistine not really my cup of tea, but actually enjoyed it.
Too many beer stops, before 1700, so I’ve sinned yet again. Weather is fantastic.
Dinner carefully planned for the evening, after yesterdays screw up. Choose Mazel Tov, with a name like that it has to be Jewish, a great Pastrami on Rye and fantastic friendly service including free Palinkas – equivalent of Slivovitz (plum Brandy) or even Schnapps, mainly brewed over farm kitchen tables.
Another awesome breakfast. Try a Vodka and Orange – “when in Rome”.
Catch the Red bus for a guided walking tour down to the Parliament building. Some interesting and bizarre facts. 
Stop at Shoes on the Danube. The shoes are rusted, made of iron and set into the concrete of the embankment – need to be to stop Croats stealing them. They are a memorial and monument to the Hungarian Jews who, in the winter of 1944-1945, were shot on the banks of the freezing Danube River by the members of the Arrow Cross Party, some were just pushed in the freeze to death, couples were tied together and one of them shot and both pushed into freezing Danube. Mans inhumanity to man never ceases to amaze.
Never realised that Hungary sided with the Nazis. Probably explains why, like America , they now side with Russia.
After yet another liquid lunch we walk up to the Széchenyi Bath, the largest thermal spring bath complex in Budapest and throughout Europe, is the height of European elegance. Missed out on the beer spa which you have to book in advance. Another one of Ross ideas, again not something I would have done but quite enjoyed it, of course there was beer – more sins.
Catch an Uber back into town to the Sima Liba restaurant. Almost put off as there’s hardly anyone in. Glad we didn’t as it has to be one of the best meals ever. Even had 3 courses. All very romantic with strolling violinist and weird piano – we must have looked like a couple of gays. Actually violinist got on my tits as he kept playing in my face with a 5,000 Forint note on the side of his violin.
Decide to go a stroll around Margit Island and a walk up to the Japanese garden. Surprised it was free, but given the state of it not that surprising.
Lazy start to a grey day, but at least no rain.
Have a stroll into the market in La Haye. Amazing for the first time ever we buy something, sausage and pork steak for my tea.
The strategic importance of La Haye-du-Puits was not lost to either side in the conflict, lying as it does on an important crossroads between Cherbourg and Coutances. Surrounded by hills, the Montgardon ridge lies to the west, the Mont de Doville and the Mont Etenclin to the north, and Mont Castre to the east. These heights were where the Germans had set up their defensive positions known as the Mahlmann Line. To break through this front and liberate the town, the Americans, coming from Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, had brought up 3 Divisions of the 8th Corps, deployed between Portbail and Baupte. To the west was the 79th Division, to the east the 90th, and between them the 82nd Airborne.
The battle for La Haye-du-Puits began on the 3rd July and lasted nearly a week, partly due to the strength of German resistance, and partly to the drenching rain which prevented the Americans from making full use of their firepower and mobility, and rendering efficient large-scale air operations difficult if not impossible. Between the 3rd and 7th July, the 82nd Airborne was dropped on Mont Etenclin and the Poterie Ridge. The 90th took particularly heavy casualties on the slopes of Mont Castre, which was only captured on the 10th July; the 79th got off more lightly in taking the Montgardon heights and Mont Doville, but encountered some difficulties clearing the Germans out of La Haye du Puits, which only completely freed overnight between the 8th and 9th July.
It’s the big day, Brett and Karine getting married. Meet them in Chichester, along with Karine’s two children. There’s just the six of us, Brett daughters wouldn’t come.
This was a phrase found in a 1085 marriage contract overseen by the bishop of Salisbury.
Bonny: french for good. Buxom: German for obedient or compliant. “In bed and at board” means in the evening and in meals. Board apparently refers to sideboard where food would be kept. It is a promise to be good all day long and to feed the husband well.
Actually, buxom could be flexible…maybe there was another connotation after all.
Today’s highlight is a trip to the Biscuit Factory. Amazing the cafe is open for lunch so we splash out on some coffee, sadly the lunch menu just consist of cakes and desserts, but at least they’re open – amazing.
Lazy morning, start to a cloudy day.
Stop off at Intermarches to buy a box of that gamay I enjoyed yesterday. All of E9.28 for 3 litres. Not bad, very quaffable.
A lovely sunny day so we splash out on French cafe life.
This was going to be an alcohol free day until I saw all those beers lined up. It would have been a sin not to try a couple of them. Conclusion if you want a beer go to Germany or the UK.
A lazy start to a grey cloud day.
The objective at Utah was to secure a beachhead on the Cotentin Peninsula, the location of important port facilities at Cherbourg. The amphibious assault, primarily by the US 4th Infantry Division and 70th Tank Battalion, was supported by airborne landings of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division. The intention was to rapidly seal off the Cotentin Peninsula, prevent the Germans from reinforcing Cherbourg, and capture the port as quickly as possible. Utah, along with 
Sword on the eastern flank, was added to the invasion plan in December 1943. These changes doubled the frontage of the invasion and necessitated a month-long delay so that additional landing craft and personnel could be assembled in England. Allied forces attacking Utah faced two battalions of the 919th Grenadier Regiment, part of the 709th Static Infantry Division. While improvements to fortifications had been undertaken under the leadership of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel beginning in October 1943, the troops assigned to defend the area were mostly poorly equipped non-German conscripts.
D-Day at Utah began at 01:30, when the first of the airborne units arrived, tasked with securing the key crossroads at Sainte-Mère-Église and controlling the causeways through the flooded farmland behind Utah so the infantry could advance inland. While some airborne objectives were quickly met, many paratroopers landed far from their drop zones and were unable to fulfill their objectives on the first day. On the beach itself, infantry and tanks landed in four waves beginning at 06:30 and quickly secured the immediate area with minimal casualties. Meanwhile, engineers set to work clearing the area of obstacles and mines, and additional waves of reinforcements continued to arrive. At the close of D-Day, Allied forces had only captured about half of the planned area and contingents of German defenders remained, but the beachhead was secure.
The 4th Infantry Division landed 21,000 troops on Utah at the cost of only 197 casualties. Airborne troops arriving by parachute and glider numbered an additional 14,000 men, with 2,500 casualties. Around 700 men were lost in engineering units, 70th Tank Battalion, and seaborne vessels sunk by the enemy. German losses are unknown. Cherbourg was captured on June 26, but by this time the Germans had destroyed the port facilities, which were not brought back into full operation until September.