Tidying Up

Louise suggested tonight that we spend Friday tidying the house.

Tidying our house doesn't require "Friday"; it required "August"!

We Do Remember Them

I once encountered someone at an event I was running who asked incredulously “Er, was Australia actually involved in the war?!”

It is perhaps as well that I don’t recount here my reply. :-(

However, as one Briton that is profoundly grateful for the role played by Australia in protecting my country’s freedom, I humbly direct readers to the following news items from today.

We really, really do “remember them”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10679715

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/19/2958313.htm?site=news

The perpetual remembrance of these men is the splendid and remarkably little known Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Anyone that’s ever done a tour of Maidenhead with me will recall their headquarters there, They are not a UK government agency but are funded jointly by the governments of the Nations involved in the First World War. They too are worthy of investigation and recognition.

http://www.cwgc.org/

Back to School?!

I’ve had an e-mail from Aldi, advertising their “Back to School” PC.

Back to School?! The poor little buggers have hardly broken up yet and already we’re being subjected to preparations for the new school year!

How long before someone mentions C*******s?

NHS: Improvements Gratefully Noted

I have just posted an e-mail to the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre to say how fantastically they dealt with my mother's appointment today.

Her previous visits have bordered on the farcical with cancelled appointments, exceptionally rude and disinterested staff and the constant necessity for me to engage in administrative warfare in order to get Mum treated properly.

Well what a change! In the place of the most sour-faced miserable trout imaginable who used to man reception, we had a bright, smiling team who made us feel as though we were being welcomed into an hotel. Staff led Mum to the waiting area and came back at intervals to say how long she would have to wait (which wasn't long).

It is - as I've pointed out in the past - at least as easy to do things well as it is to do them badly.

I'm not sure if I played any part in this transformation but however it came about, they deserve credit for it.

Other NHS Departments please take note.......

Oh Canada!

Today is Canada Day, worthy of a mention as it’s a place very dear to me.

That might seem a strange thing to say about a country I’ve only ever visited once, but it was where I proposed to my wife, on the shores of the incomparable Lake Louise so will always have a special place in my – our – hearts.

Like Australia, Canada combines all the things that are good about Britain and America, while, at least as far as I can see, managing to leave out the bad bits of both.

It is beautiful, democratic, open and fair; it also happens to be a monarchy and boast a large slice of French culture. Goodness, this place is heaven!

Happy Canada Day / Joyeux fête du Canada!