Wind blowing through the trees...

First of all I welcome as a follower to this modest little blog, Christopher Dos Santos who was kind enough to take the time to leave a comment on my last blog.

Wind blowing through the trees.
Wind playing in the leaves.
Wind brushing against the sky.
Wind knocking over you and I.
Extract from The Wind by Mishaal Javed Dawar

Wow, has it been windy. The local weatherman on the BBC said that this is not that unusual, we get around two of these each autumn, thank goodness it came when the bulk of leaves have gone otherwise it could have done more damage. The local TV reported on a tree falling on a house and damaging a roof, distressingly, the local council had been contacted six months ago having been told it was unsafe, and they didn't do anything about it!

The picture above is the fountain in Queens Garden in Hull City centre with spray being blown all over the area.

I've spent the day reading today, getting ready and preparing for a course next week, part two of three and this module is on 'business.' It includes such things as finance (high level strategic), business change, human resources and people issues. There'll be people from all over the UK there and the delegation will be about 20 people; we'll share experiences as well as learn. I'm not naturally gregarious, but once over the nerves, I'll enjoy it.

The house is busy tonight, my eldest is watching Hull City on Sky Sports, (as I finish writing this they have miraculously won 0 - 2 away at Preston); my middle lad has a friend in and they are having a jamming session; my wife has two friends round and I'm chatting to my youngest on Facebook...

My middle son and I have been working on a photographic project. We have got some old photographs of Hull in Yorkshire taken variously around the 1903 era. We have gone out and taken the identical photograph from the same position as near as we can get it to the original photographer and then we've melded the two pictures together using Adobe Photoshop CS4, overlaying them to show then and now in the same picture. I'll post the results on here shortly.

Fellow blogger Diane Parkin has a book out, Night Crawler, and you can find it on the following link... Lulu.com

I'm just waiting with baited breath to see if I am a Euro Millionaire - I should be - I invested a whole £2!

Today's story is about a recent trip to the barbers.

I said to the barber that it was funny watching his dog take a keen interest in him cutting his customer's hair.
"Yes," he said, "It's because I sometimes snip off a bit of my customer's ear."

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

Coincidence or Reason?

Those of you who follow this blog will know that I am a Spiritualist and I refer to it occasionally but tonight, I'm going to devote a blog just to an incident which you may (or may not) find interesting.

I attend a psychic circle every Tuesday run by a very experienced tutor, clairvoyant medium Shirley Ann Summerwill in Hull. I take my drawing materials because I enjoy psychic art and am fortunate enough to be able to draw dead people who come into my imagination and normally they are recognised and taken by those for whom they are drawn. They are pencil drawings, often done in around five or ten minutes.

Last Tuesday I drew a man who came to me from the world of Spirit who, in life had a straggly beard and I noted certain things about his life, where he worked, his mode of transport to work, what he was like in life, the era he lived and the relationship he had to a person still living - their father. I even discovered as evidence, that he had been watching over his child in this world and had observed them 'umming and ahhing' about whether or not to get rid of a wooden chopping board.

Sadly, at the time no-one at the circle could recognise him at all, yet the image of him was vivid and he gave me some good checkable evidence. I wrote the facts on the bottom of the drawing of the man should I ever need to refer to them again, which was unlikely. Whilst disappointed, at the end of the night I put my pad and the picture of the man back in my bag and departed for home.

Last Friday night, I had previously arranged to do a Tarot card reading for a lady in a nearby town. Before setting off, I put my Tarot cards in my drawing bag and set off. What you need to know is that other than my circle, I NEVER take my drawing bag out of the house - ever - unless I am going out to do some sketching (usually on a nice warm summer's day).

Indeed the reading went well with an evidenced link to the lady's Grandmother in Spirit. At the end of the reading which went so well, although very happy with it, the lady expressed a slight sadness that her father had not come through - someone to whom she was very attached and loved a great deal.

For a reason I can't explain, I asked if her father had a beard to which she replied that he had. I reached for my bag and withdrew my drawing pad and showed her the picture I had drawn on the previous Tuesday. I have no idea why I did this or what prompted me to do it.

You know what's coming - Indeed, it was her father - quite clearly. Not only was the drawing of her father, but the facts about him were absolutely right. I had drawn him four days earlier for no obvious reason because no-one at the circle could take him. She had even been trying to decide whether or not to get rid of her wooden chopping board!

Spiritualism never ceases to amaze me and more often than not there are less than obvious explanations for coincidences and strange things happening, never-the-less I believe that they normally happen for a reason. I was delighted that the lady was reunited with her father who she so much wanted to contact again and I can't explain why the world of Spirit chose to do it this way, but she is now in possession of the picture and has it with my love.

I don't charge for Tarot readings, I ask that the sitter donate a sum they think suitable directly to their favourite charity if they think the reading was okay. I am pleased to say that the Heart Foundation will be a few bob better off as a result of the reading.

Not a remarkable story perhaps but one which gives me a glow to know that someone has benefited from a reading facilitated by the world of Spirit which for me always has four vital components: compassion, hope, truth and whenever possible, checkable or recognisable evidence.

I hope your week is going well.

Chat soon

Ta-ra!

Season of Mist and Mellow Fruitfulness

It's been a lovely autumnal Sunday here in sunny East Yorkshire with wall to wall sunshine, a light breeze, a chill in the air and that unique smell of fallen leaves and dampness. I went for a stroll around the Sunday Market at the Humber Bridge this morning and there are a few more stalls than normal including some craft stalls with gift ideas for the festive season. Visitors were a-plenty.

The two days of bonfire night celebrations have come to an end and the smell of cordite has drifted away on the breeze. For the first time in a few years, I haven't found a spent rocket in the garden.

Keats' poem on autumn with his 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness...' is evocative of how autumns should feel and is a little romantic, but with nights drawing in and being dark by five, cozy nights in are very enjoyable.

On the way home after a brief visit to the DIY store for some picture hooks, I passed the King George V playing fields in Hessle and saw the low autumn sun shining across a playing field full of kids playing football watched by keen parents muffled up against the cold. I have spent many hours for many years watching my eldest playing football on the local playing fields.

We spent most of Saturday in the garden after a brief sojourn into Hull for some shopping and buying my first ever tuxedo for a Christmas Ball coming up in early December. In total we filled six large tonne size bags with shrub clippings and leaves from the shave we gave the garden and by the end of the day, the grass was dry enough to give a high cut.

It looks as though we might have had a fox in the garden, there are a few about in the neighbourhood because there was a hole in one of the raised borders which indicates it might have been digging for a frog or a toad. The birds are slowly coming back, the dunnocks have made their first appearance today for a couple of months and the robins are taking more notice of the work we've done in their effort to discover uncovered tasty morsels. The squirrels are now feeding more regularly at the bird table.

The final job to do in the garden is to lift the dahlias after they've been bitten by frost and indeed there is frost forecast this week.

It's going to be a lazy day for the rest of the day with a bit of reading, perhaps a football game on the TV if my other half is not watching the dross she records (she's not well poor ducks - chest infection). There's roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for tea although there is only three of us instead of the normal four (five when the boy is home from Uni) because my eldest son is spending his 24th birthday in Dublin - lucky lad. I've never been but would like to go.

Today's story revolves around a passenger plane that is in real difficulties and the Captain warns the passengers that they may have to crash land in the hills and it will be perilously dangerous. A female passenger stood up and shouted, "If I'm going to die, I want to die feeling like a woman." She took her top off and cried, "Is there anyone on the plane who is man enough to make me feel like a woman?"
A man stood up, took off his shirt and shouted, "Iron this!"

Chat soon

Ta-ra

Which Clint Film Rocks your Boat?

I cried today. Not for long, not publicly and recovery of dignity was quick and unnoticed. I watched tonight, for the third time, Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood, picture (above) from here. One veteran Americans dream going to rat-shit as his neighbourhood changes beyond recognition and his view of modern day kids is one of despair for the future of the country he fought and killed for.

He has his faith restored eventually by the actions and attitude of two kids who are his neighbours, brother and sister, one of whom tries to steal his car, but he comes to trust and like them but ultimately, he pays the sacrifice for wanting nothing but the best for his community and for those who restored his faith in youth.

The character teaches us about the futility of revenge, as well as what can be achieved through compromise, hard work and effort.

The film is produced and directed by the great man Eastwood and the fact that the Academy never nominated it for one single Oscar drew fierce criticism from film critics and the public alike.

Eastwood I guess is a film hero of mine because he has achieved so much in his life and has brought so much to audiences for so many years. He loves his art and is competent both in front of and behind the camera. It's really difficult to pick favourites. He is like a number of actors of his era who always play themselves. Sean Connery is another classic example of that ilk who plays himself - always.

Gran Torino comes in the top five of my personal favourite Eastwood films, Escape from Alcatraz, Pale Rider, Space Cowboys, Every Which Way but Lose, Dirty Harry and perhaps Million Dollar Baby are in there somewhere.

His list of awards is impressive; however he has only won Oscars for Best Director/Best Picture for Unforgiven in 1992, Best Achievement in Directing and Best Picture for Million Dollar Baby in 2004.

What is/which are your most memorable Clint film(s) and why?

Chat soon

Ta-ra

Tradition Vs Commercial

In recent years, have you noticed how Halloween is becoming more and more popular? I guess this has something to do with a commercial understanding of how business can benefit in the same way Christmas, Mother's Day and Father's Day etc., rakes it in for the card companies, florists and the like.

Even in Sainsburys this year, the staff were dressed up as witches and ghouls and it's all taken in good fun - by those who appreciate it and some of the staff put some real effort into it. There are others, like my other half who is a Jehovah's Witness who cringe at the very sight of this representation of a Pagan ritual of celebration of the fine line between the fruitful months of the autumn and the onslaught of winter and hardship. But like Christmas, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

In many ways, it allows us to question and dig into our traditions. How many times do we hear the fact that Christmas and its meaning is obscure and that we don't ever remember Christ and his story. The fact that we have those conversations is in itself a healthy reminder of what it is all about. The Pagan tradition of Samhain and the Christian festival of All Saints amalgamating and morphing into Halloween and what it means is subject of many articles across the net and in newspapers keeping the reasons why we do things in perspective and in focus. Once we forget, they (the festivals) become devalued and worthless.

So why have you got a pumpkin in the window this year and why do you wish your nearest and dearest a 'Merry Christmas?'

I took my part two Reiki course today and a very enjoyable experience it was too. My tutor Maureen is a Master in Reiki and understands it and practices it constantly doing good using the Universal Life Force Energy to heal people. I've learned a number of symbols today used in the process and done a practical healing session on someone today which went very well. From today I am a partner in a three way partnership between me, Reiki and the person who is to receive the energy.

In order to gain my certificate at the second degree, I now have to use Reiki in a practical way for at least 20 minutes per day for the next 30 days which is convenient considering November has 30 days, and then pass an examination on the symbols and Reiki practice. The picture above is the Reiki symbol of Power, Cho Ku Ray

No shortage of things to do then - 20 minutes a day, some days is a challenge believe it or not. I can't even find the time or energy occasionally to meditate as often as I would wish which continues to be so important to me.

Today's story sticks with the health theme.

A man has a doctor's appointment.
Doctor to patient, "I'm afraid I've got some bad news, you're dying."
Patient to doctor, "Oh no, how long have I got?"
Doctor to patient, "Ten."
Patient to doctor, "Ten? Ten what? Ten years, Ten months? Ten weeks?"
Doctor to patient, "Ten, nine, eight..."

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

News, Views and how to be English

The days seem to passing quite quickly at the moment, I guess because work is busy and nights are drawing in. I'm looking forward to the weekend because the weather looks set fair (not wet anyway) for Saturday so it will be leaves clearing up in the garden and putting out a hanging basket of winter pansies for a bit of colour.

Sunday is a Reiki part two course to follow up on my part one qualification in the spring.

There have been some interesting news stories this week not least of which Prime Minister Putin of Russia with a black eye! Speculation is rife about how this black belt judo expert got this shiner and his office blames "A busy schedule and poor lighting!" That is so lame. Hilarious!

In California, voters are expected shortly to legalise and tax marijuana (proposition 19) and this is the state that outlawed gay marriage in 2008 (proposition 8). Wow is this a mixed up state - that's not a comment on either issue which are clearly subject of much debate but the contrast of not allowing one and potentially allowing the other. Interesting.

Halloween (All Hallows Eve) is on its way this weekend and when we were in San Francisco a fortnight ago, Halloween was much in evidence. Our tour guide did tell us that their 'trick and treat' was a week long 'celebration' whereas ours tends to be just one night. I'm not sure what the UK spends on Halloween, supposedly around £0.28 billion, but the US spends about $1.8 billion on costumes alone which allegedly 59% of the country wears and in total, a staggering £3.7 billion on the festivity. In the UK this year alone, pumpkin sales will reach £4.5 million. Spooky. Amazing!

Belfast film maker George Clarke reckons that having watched his favourite film actor Charlie Chaplin in his 1928 film, The Circus, he has spotted an elderly woman talking on a mobile phone. This is worth watching on YouTube and here's the link and you can make your own mind up. His initial reaction according to the BBC was, he says, "... that's a mobile phone, they weren't around then, my only explanation - and I'm pretty open-minded about the sci-fi element of things - it was kind of like wow that's somebody that's went back in time." I've watched it an think it's an elderly woman with arthritic hands scratching her ear! Eat your heart out Doctor Who! Ridiculous!

Rolling Stone legend Keith Richards life of substantial substance abuse has baffled the medical profession - baffled because they have no idea how he has survived so long. An eminent doctor described the reasons why as "He must have the constitution of an ox!" Don't try this at home. Stunning!

Finally this week, something which tickled me is that demise of the wristwatch with mobile phones taking over as the nations source for the time. 14% of the UK population don't wear a wristwatch - that amounts to about 7.2 million people with the younger age group of 15 - 24 year olds least likely to wear one. Although I take mine off to meditate and do my psychic work and occasionally on holiday when time is not an issue, I would be lost without mine. That's okay until the battery on your phone runs out and you can't find the time to allow you to catch your train on time! Crazy!

Those are the hilarious, interesting, amazing, ridiculous, stunning and crazy stories that have tickled my fancy this week, nothing too serious, but then we need to enjoy the lighter side of life.

Many thanks to BBC News online for the detail on these stories.

Rather than a story, I've done a list, the first for a few weeks and it's about the tell tale signs of being English:

You never leave home without an umbrella;
You have little sense of rhythm;
You care about the rules of cricket;
You understand the rules of cricket;
You think weather is a more topical conversation that the future of mankind;
You don't expect any form of public transport to run on time;
You have a cliche for every situation (when all is said and done!);
You think Matt Munro was better than Sinatra.

Have a great weekend

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

Retired and Extremely Dangerous (RED)

Another film review! Most people when they retire are not generally dangerous. Hollywood, however generally finds good reasons why Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich are dangerous and indeed they are anything but demure retirees.

Retired from what? No spoilers here, but Willis is a retired CIA operative getting bored with his humdrum life. He strikes up a relationship with a woman (Mary-Louise Parker) at the CIA pensions office who sends him his monthly pension cheque. Then, without warning, his life is at risk when he and his home is attacked by a CIA team!

Willis gets together his old team of Mirren, Freeman and Malkovich plus Parker who he befriended from pensions to discover why he and indeed they are being targeted. On the way they meet Brian Cox playing a retired Russian agent, Richard Dreyfus as a gangster who has put the Vice President in office and dear old Ernest Borgnine as a CIA records clerk.

On the opposition side in the CIA is an extraordinary actor with so much promise, the brilliant and moody Karl Urban who gets pangs of conscience in the end.

This is a rip roaring story with a thoughtful Willis underplaying his role well. Malkcovich is delightfully mad as the homicidal side kick and Mirren is at ease in her role as a retired assassin who does a few 'contracts on the side.' Morgan Freeman is great in support playing an 80 year old and throughout the whole film, there are good humourous moments and a sharp witty script.

The story keeps the film moving on nicely and at 12A and very little swearing, all ages including young teens will enjoy this adventure. Although there is lots of bodies all over the place, there is little if any blood or gore or gratuitous violence, the film swans along through the strength of the acting of some of the best actors of our time.

This is a recommended piece of great fun.

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

It's Scream Time!!!

Well, it's a long time since I've been made to jump out of my skin at the cinema or watching something on TV but tonight was the night. Paranormal Activity 2 hit the silver screen and screams followed believe me - it's the first time I've ever experienced it.

First of all it's fair to say that the cinema was packed to capacity and surprisingly, the average age was around 20 - very young really. This was a '15' certificate affair and just as well. There were some really chatty people throughout the film which annoys me and there was a couple of young giggly women behind us - but the film soon shut them up and at one stage one of them seriously said that she wanted to leave... ha ha ha!

No spoilers here, but the film is about a family in small town America who have their house burgled. The family set up security cameras around their home and the story is then told through the medium of a family hand held video camera which the various characters use from time to time and the security cameras. This is like watching a home movie and it does take some getting used to, but it's beautifully directed and this becomes rather engaging method of telling a story.

The family start to experience some strange knocks and sounds in the house and they seem to centre around the one year old little boy in the house. Then stranger and odder things start to happen and then the full fury of the film hits you in the last twenty minutes.

I say the full fury, but this is in the best tradition of a psychological thriller/horror. There is no blood or gore, it just works on the mind; clever sound, clever editing of film, great acting which is not in any way hammed up and one or two very special, special effects.

There are some uncomfortable moments for the audience, but then why would you go and see a horror film where the first one in the series of films really worked hard on your senses.

There is a going-back really to the 1963 black and white UK classic The Haunting with Claire Bloom and Richard Johnson that relied purely on sound and low camera angles in an old creepy house.

Recommended but not for the faint of heart or the squeamish.

Sleep well...

Chat Soon

Ta-ra

Cuts Cuts Cuts

Well I couldn't believe it yesterday (Wednesday) when I turned the car engine on at 7.30 am and turned on the windscreen wipers to remove the dew to find a' shushing' noise as rubber glided noisily across ice! 2 degrees Celsius plus and we've got a frost. The wind has been bitter and chill and the central heating has been very useful.

However, with the Government Comprehensive Spending Review 2010 (CSR) being announced yesterday too, it was a frosty day all round (good link eh?) If you don't know what that is and you live in the UK, then you must have been ill in bed for the last couple of months as the Government have been building up to telling us what they are going to spend in the public sector for the next four years (CSR).

In my line of work, cuts will be between 16% and 20% give or take a couple of percentage points equating to many, many millions of pounds. As most of the money coming in goes on wages, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out where the cuts will have to be made.

Now this is hugely complex and I don't profess to understand all of it, suffice to say, in order to pay back debts that the Government has racked up in recent years not least of which the reason partly was the fault of the unregulated bizarre behaviour of the banks (private sector), we, the tax payer and more importantly we public sector workers will have to pay, many of us with our jobs through massive and unprecedented cuts. Although relatively low, the chances are, as business support worker, I may well be one of those out of the door within the next four years and I'll turn the light out on my way out!

Personally, I haven't done anything wrong here. At all. I work hard to help my colleagues serve the public and it's a pretty good service, the best it's been for years (not perfect - what is - but not bad at all.)

The public expect a good service and they pay for the privilege. I am a member of the public and I too pay through my taxes and I expect a good service too. The Government have seen problems in society in the past and they have thrown money at it - and by and large problems have been solved with money, people and expertise and performance of the various public sectors has improved. That's because the public, from all political backgrounds, age, gender and locations have demanded it.

Now, a large majority of those people who have demanded those good services have voted in a Government who was committed in their manifesto and through their election pledges to slash and burn them.

What will happen now is that to make ends meet, the Governments own figures suggest that 490,000 public sector workers will lose their jobs.

Those people will not have jobs, will not be productive, will not pay taxes, will not put money into Government coffers and will need benefits perhaps while they attempt to find work. Surprise surprise, despite paying taxes, those made unemployed will probably have their benefits reduced or at worse refused under new Government austerity measures. Families will lose their homes.

Banks continue to make profits, multi billion pound profits - from us, the great unwashed who bailed them out in the first place. The Government intends to tax them paltry sums.

Those in the UK reading this need to understand that despite Government assurances, front line public services - that which you and I directly receive WILL be affected and those services WILL be reduced and suffer loss of performance. Hopefully this will be minimal - but it will be there and here's another surprise, they have removed some of the targets which means the public may not be easily be able to find out how badly cuts in funding is affecting them and how their services are performing!

And yet you will pay not one penny less in your taxes for a reduced service.

What's the solution? I don't know, I'm not clever enough to have one or know what that is, but I do know my family and I in middle class England will suffer along with those poorer families who are in genuine need. I do know that better regulation of the finance industry, sensible regulation of benefits, protection of pension plans from greedy companies and investment houses and none meaningful investment across the public and private sectors would have gone some way to stopping the rot. Not to have done so has been the fault of successive poor Governments. Slower, more considered pay back of the debt, which I agree must be paid back eventually would have kept more people productive to fight the way back to prosperity.

I am glad benefit cheats will get their just deserts, I'm glad schools and the health service will suffer less than other services (but they will suffer nonetheless believe me), I'm glad those that go to work will earn more than those who for selfish reasons (not genuine) sit at home all day and laugh at the rest of us, but to think that the private sector will get loads of work from this is folly. Public services won't pay the private sector to do some of the jobs - there will be NO MONEY to pay for them - some services will stop altogether. The private sector who supply the public services will suffer greatly as well as contracts dry up or are not renewed - meaningful projects for improvements will stop or be delayed indefinitely.

And today I read that a Councillor down south is calling for his council and his colleagues elsewhere to start a new regime of self regulation and peer inspection and targets to make up for those the Government have taken away in an attempt to stop bureaucracy. Madness.

I'm sorry to have gone on a bit on this subject and it's probably the last time I'll do so, but that's what blogging is all about I guess - put a point of view that's uncensored and heartfelt. You decide and have the freedom to make whatever comment you wish if you haven't fallen alseep by now.

The weekend is a-coming and I hope you enjoy it and perhaps I might go for a walk to clear my head. I'm going to the pictures to watch a couple of films and I'll report back on them here over the weekend.

Chat soon

Ta-ra

"Come, little leaves," said the wind one day

before

"Come, little leaves," said the wind one day,
"Come o'er the meadows with me and play:
Put on your dresses of red and gold -
For summer is gone and the days grow cold."
Anon

The grass has grown quite a lot and the leaves are in full fall. My lad says its been too wet to cut it while we've been away, but looking at the soil, it's more like dew than wet from too much rain. It was cold here last night and about 6 degrees Celsius (43F) around 9 am today, with cold mornings and frosts forecast next week. Brrrrr.

The garden got a quick makeover today with the grass cut high which takes the leaves up at the same time; once December gets here and the grass stops getting cut, the leaf blower will come out of hibernation. My lovely but bedraggled geraniums have been composted today and the tired hanging baskets suffered the same fate. Leaves are falling in the pond so a job for next weekend is to put some netting on.

after

The trees in general are only just turning really even though there is lots of leaf fall, there is a lot of green still about although I notice the chestnut trees are bare already. The many and varied bird varieties have yet to return to the garden in flocks as they normally do in a winter, there's clearly lots of nuts, seeds and berries in the wild for them still. The squirrels however have seen our bird tables as a free meal already.

My patio Acer tree is starting to turn...

Back to work tomorrow which I am not looking forward to, although I do look forward to seeing the people again. My other half has a few more days off yet and the cats are going to the vets tomorrow to be neutered so she'll be nursing for a couple of days I guess.

My computer hard drive is on its way out. A convenient little notice appeared the other day telling me that it need repairing or replacing and it appears every fifteen minutes or so since. The nice technical man told me over the telephone that after a diagnostic check, that indeed a new hard drive is needed and that within five days to a week, this disc will fail. Since that call, strangely, I haven't had any more notices and the computer appears to be working perfectly okay. As it's not costing me anything other than time to put everything back on once it's replaced I don't suppose I can complain. It's nice of the computer to let me know in advance that is going to pass on!

Here's a short story: A divorce court Judge said to the husband, "Mr Smith, I have reviewed this application very carefully and I've decided to give your wife £800 a month."
"That's very fair your Honour," said the husband. "And I'll try to give her a couple of pounds a week too!"

Have a great week

Chat soon

Ta-ra