Join me on my trips

 Patti suggested I join her at this. We chose State of Emergency which was simulated COBRA meetings - each one a different crisis from floods to terrorist attacks. we were assigned different departments - I was at times foreign office, defence and Chief Whip (least successful as had no idea what to do) and Transport, then we had to come forward with immediate responses. Depending on the competence of the person sitting as the PM the meetings went well. Our advisor and tutor was Dr Max Stafford. At lunchtime I caught up with the cricket and the final score was a 2/2 draw with Australia retiring the Ashes. The hero of the series was Stuart Broad who hit a 6 with his last ball of his test career and took the last wicket. With that he retires. In the afternoons I did Foraging  as I wanted to do something outside. Not too much walking but a lot of standing so took a little stool from the second day. We had an excellent tutor Fred Gillan - see his website thewildsideoflife.co.uk who is into

 The planned shoring up of the river bank is about to start. The stream is almost choked now with plants though the wildlife enjoy it and despite Miffy having caught a vole there are more around. Have found a couple of new cafes - one in Poulton and one on the way to Lechlade. Also booked a book art course there. So if I keep active - well I should say start being active - and cut down on sugar then I should be OK for a while yet though joints rather painful at times. No plans except for Saudi Arabia which is not until November but companies always want the money up front in fact more and more services are like that from hairdressers to carpet cleaners - since Covid it seems. The men have arrived to do the riverbank work.  Removed a lot of weed, old plastic, mud and stones.  They have managed to keep the purple loosestrife and a few other plants. Not sure what the water voles think of this. But all going well at the moment. Butterflies seen today but tricky to phot in the wind. Small c