Alt.Mustardland

Good morning to you, too Brian and anybody else who drops in.

Didn't get in last evening... Blame it on the snooker.

Was it just me, or was it really cold for a couple of hours around midnight last night? I actually got up and turned the radiator up.
I'm with you regarding Paris.

Just walked dog, now I'm having another bucketful of coffee before starting the day

Have a good day.

Yep, the temperature took a dive last night ... I turned the radiators back on too (early this morning), for a short while! Picking up again now, and turning into a gorgeous day.

Had a really good walk this morning. Lots of bluebells, wild garlic, wood anemones and, lesser celandine in evidence. As we passed a large pool with a reed bed quite close to the pathway, and we saw a Reed Bunting clambering through last year's dead stems.

Weather wasn't too bad when we set out, cloudy, no wind and, not too cold. It has become noticeably cooler in the last three or four hours. Most of the paths we used ran through woodland within the country park but, oddly for this time of year, absolutely bone-dry. My walking boots have have no mud on them, just dust.

Following on from my posts last evening about the problems attached to being a Presiding Officer, I would hate anyone to think that the job had only difficulties.

I wrote last night about temporary polling stations. That led me to recall a May election that was particularly cold. As I explained, these stations were basically shipping containers. When the sun was out they could be boiling hot but, they could be freezing cold too. All of them had a little electric heater. However, the nature of the power supply meant that it was impossible to run the single fluorescent tube, the heating and, boil a kettle at the same time.

However on this occasion we were really lucky. Mid-morning an elderly lady came in. It was quite clear that she lived alone and craved a little social contact and, she stayed a while chatting. We're technically not supposed to encourage this but, we weren't that busy and you become used to elderly or disabled people needing to take a seat to get their breath back. As I said, she stayed a little while before returning to her home which, was immediately next to the Polling Station. Then mid-afternoon, she came back bringing us some buns, still warm from the oven.

I spent another Election Day in a church hall and as usual, I rang the key holder in advance to ensure that doors were going to be unlocked prior to my arrival on the day. In this case the key holder was the vicar and, having confirmed the the usual logistics, he explained that the day in question coincided with the monthly Senior Citizens Lunch. He asked if the poll clerk and I would like a three course lunch for £2.50. There really was no sensible answer except, "Yes, thank you."

You do meet the occasional unpleasant person I the course of fifteen hours in a Polling Station but, the vast majority are never any problem and, some are really very nice.

In 30 years, I don't recall ever having trouble at a Polling Station. I do sometimes read of trouble at inner-city PS - in London, Birmingham, Bradford etc. But it does seem fairly uncommon.
95% of the PS in this patch, are in Schools, or Pensioners clubs etc. Real buildings. Maybe that helps on a cold day.

Another chilly one here, tonight.

Will I have never had trouble at a PS, in terms of disruption. Annoyances: people who want to make a fuss, those who have turned up at the PS and think they can still vote, some claim not to have heard about the election and that's my fault, etc. At last year's referendum, there was something on social media about not using the pencils provided in the booth but, insisting on using a ball point. Nonsense of course but, people genuinely thought that someone was going to sit up all night with an eraser changing votes. One voter came in an demanded a pen, I had my own silver pen in front of me and somone made a grab for it but, I was quicker! Subsequently, someone had clearly been to the bookies because a box of the little pens you find in betting offices appeared.

The vast majority of 'trouble' is people's ignorance. At one combined Council/Euro Poll, a woman came in with her elderly mother. Now, the Euro ballot paper had about eight candidates, including the BNP. The Council paper had just three candidates on it, Con/Lab/Lib Dem. These two women headed for the booth but, the younger woman came back with a Council ballot paper. The conversation went as follows;

Woman, "Mother wants a different ballot paper for the Council election."

Me: "I'm sorry, that's the only paper available for that election."

Woman: "But Mother wants to vote BNP and there isn't a BNP candidate on there."

Me: "No-one from the BNP is standing in this Ward."

Woman: "But, Mother wants one!"

Me: "She can write 'BNP' on the bottom of the paper, if she wants to. If she then wants to put a cross opposite that, she can."

Sorry pressed the awrong button.

Just to complete the story:

The ballot paper was returned to 'Mother'. How she voted, whether she took my advice, I have no idea.

As I presume you know, voting in Ireland is by proportional representation (STV). I remember hearing of one person who played this little "game", where he tried to get his vote to go as far as possible ... by putting candidates most likely to be eliminated early high in his preferences, followed by those most likely to be returned with surpluses. Now, imagine what would happen if enough people did this ..................

...... well, as they say, you get the government you vote for .....

Interesting way to cast a vote. The West Midlands Mayoral Election on May 4th has six candidates and voters have to mark their first and second choices. My wife used to do the count and, says that a similar system used for the Euro elections caused chaos at the account. Voters had only marked a second preference, others picked two first preferences and, some even marked their preference in the first column, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc.

I know that in Ulster voters have to produce proof of identity when taking a ballot paper. There are indications that the system will be adopted in elections in England. There have been instances of large scale voter fraud and the Electoral commission has proposed that voters should produce i.d.. As a PO, is someone confirms their name and address, I currently accept that. I do have a process to go through, if a believe that someone is not who they claim to be but honestly,I've never had reason to.

I'm interested in how the process works in practice. Not sure what proof of I.d. is acceptable. After all, not everyone has a passport or driving licence. Not sure how much it slows the whole process of picking up a ballot paper.

Hi each - are we back on elections..
One (Or two adjacent boroughs) use those steel transport boxes. I'm sure they are very strong, but these particular ones were parked on the Grass verge of the Main Road - about 12" from the kerb.. Imagine the Coaches in the alleged 50mph speed limit: Imaging Volvo's best diesel exhaust buses queuing in traffic by the open door. The end door was just a few feet from the traffic side of the box... on the verge that became a slippery swamp... I managed to avoid that one.

Then remember the meeting hall of a Catholic church - in an East London Area of well-to-do Jewish Cabbies. You can imagine the wit when they meet and ask why the other wasn't seen in church lately.

And the asian Gent and his wife who asked me who to vote for.. "I can't tell you that, it has to be your decision"
"Do you have what the participants will do?"
"Well, NO. I am not allowed their political advertising in here, All the electioneering should be done by now"... etc

...and one elector, (Who was my boss when in a shortage of work I did temping in my local gov). But here she was in her home borough. For some reason I can't remember, she needed to show some identity .. "But you know me, you can confirm that I'm who I say I am". ..

And a Lady trying to press on me her postal vote, too late to post ... but she was in the wrong borough.. "The Returning Deputy has instructed that I must tell you to get a number nine bus to ...... before closing time. I have no way of getting it to your area." I didn't know she had to get another bus to where she could catch the No 9...

Now on a personal matter... Afraid life geting to me and I keep using wrong words (or inventing new ones), due to residue of stroke. so I'm up to my eyeballs in nursey, doc, or hospital visits. not helped by Mortgagor bod after me for not responding to wherever my mail is now directed too, co-inciding with a (presumably) change of account number that means that bank payments are returned.. I'm reluctant to try and use the right words, so I will be testing my memory/vocabulary on these boards. I posted a wrong button yesterday relating re reasons for change of address.. I'm taking a break now - will be back .... ....... ...........

Oh dear, GLO. Don't you have anyone who can help you with the mortgage discussions, your Social worker for instance? Even your kid sister would probably be better if you can face having her know the information. Or maybe you can write down what you need to say, then correct it on a second run. Tell them that you are having difficulties communicating after your stroke. Then they'll have to understand. Perhaps the Council officer who changed all the house numbers would be a good choice. You can tell him you'll set up a direct debit if he will promise not to vary it more than 10% or another percentage of your choice.

Brian, my OH was very keen on low technology, and he bored little holes round the rim of a used cat food tin. A little meths in the bottom, and he could boil a kettle in 10 minutes. My knees weren't up to the crouching, but a handy wall could make the 'stove' a lot more accessible.

Good morning all.

GLO, I have no experience of strokes. I do know that they vary in intensity. A woman who attends my Tuesday group recently suffered a stroke but, within four weeks was back attending the group with no apparent ill effects. I guess that for some people the effects are more severe. As such, there is a element of re-learning 'old' skills and/or learning to adapt to new circumstances. I admire you for what you are trying to do.

Like Rwth, I think that you need to access whatever assistance is available to you with you mortgage and other logistical problems. . I'm great believer in not accepting 'No' as an answer. The Council have created a problem and surely, they must be meeting similar difficulties to yours every day.

Rest assured that, there will be no criticism if you choose to practice and develop your typing and spelling skills here.

Yesterday was a beautiful day in the Black Country with, 'wall to wall' sunshine. OH and I managed to complete the weekly stupormarket shop, relatively unscathed. Today has begun in a similar vein weatherwise. A little light gardening perhaps!

Rwth, I have no problems with 'low tech' at all.

Enjoy your days people.

Hi, again..
Since I last wrote (at least I think it was my last post?) Nurse Mandy is seeking advice for me. (thinks: I must find my diary - I did something stupid - I "tidied up")

I said I was gong to re-state the logistics of house name changes.. - but I'll condense it.
This was a New Town. The Commission for New Town (CNT) did all the design and build, but was National Gov (and Gov Money), Rather than Local gov (and Local Gove Money).
This Area was late in their juristriction but it was at the same time when they were still encouraging Industry. Thus The Design was CNT, and control of The Builders, but ownership split betwixt 1) Local Council, 2) Rehousing from the remaining war damaged areas of London, and 3) Private Ownership. The whole lot intermixed. The London tenants (from LCC - as it was then), and various local Boroughs, all having their own different rent amounts policies. The (then) Local Council was centred in a nearby old town, and their rent was higher. Most of the "For Sale" Houses resulted in Several Big Employers Having Estate Agents in their Recruiting Offices (Think: Harold Wilson in "The White Heat of Technology" when He opened a Vehicle design and road test track). The Original Owner of this House were A Lorry/tractor Designer/developer, His Medical Specialist Wife and their family).

The Design was a Competition won by Stockholm University ... and it shows... All Pedestrian -no roads, just Interconnecting courtyards. Windows into the courtyards are upstairs (Kitchen Window, Downstairs) . No Upstairs window in the Garden side (so you cant look into other Gardens. Parking and Garages off the Periphery road. And a Big Grass/tree/bushes Centre open space - and two smaller areas for Kids Play area and Sport Area. Of course, Milkman, Lectric paving sweepers, The Gardners Tractor-Mowers, all the Ambulances had Gate access of course.

Then the CNT were wuithdrawn and no longer a "New Town". New Council (Boundarys ammended to include two small towns of part of the former town), Lots of consolidation of different Rent bills to the former different council's rent payers... EU became prevalent so the Big firms closed, Council Demolished a big part of the Area ('orrible flats) and British Standard Tiny houses put in their place. Then the Gov wanted more Houses put into Non GLC area - imposed by "The office of Dep Prime Minister" but He was defrocked after demolishing many fine thirty year old houses, but before funding the rebuild. A couple of treeless/demolition sites years before New Gov provided monies. The Extension eventual buildings were Conventional but very small houses (from your dining chair you could reach the opposite walls, and everybody had to stnd to get to the kitchen) but built in small cul-de-sacs, each withtheir own name (Ponsey flower names that never existed here) and their own series of numbers. (I remember some Cab driver asking for numer 3xx and a cul-de-sac with only three houses - almost accusing me - I remember telling him to get his passenger to phone for the address). The Garages were gone, and a Road through the Greenery to provide parking - all requiring parking vouchers. One new internal road now has traffic past their front door and kitchen window, where there had been a wide footpath

The original numbering system was sequential, and easily followed on foot - although Latterly with with he demolished ommisions. Since the Parking and Garages was overcome the appropriate signing was never done. Instead of re-instating some numbering the council have enforced this False Numbering, Without seeking Permision but have employed Vandals to Cover the Legal house number apply Glue over the tiled number and brickwork and applied new numbers. Thus whenever they can make an arbitary break, the numbers start again at 1. They have festooned the place to look like circus with Fake "Road" names, which get changed or defaced at will.

Since then I've had late night chinese food deliverers demanding money and that my (only legal) address is wrong.
A Visiting Nurse of some kind panicking to find her client,
Subsequent mourners looking for the same address,
Police (not local) asking me where thay can find the "new" address for a house they wanted to raid.
I returned Hospital appoints, not realising that thay were mine.
... and ... as A presiding Officer (and one who has been working for Royal Mail about auto address reading/sorting), I am in the embarrsing position of receiving a Postal Vote addressed to the fake address (The Envelope covered with warning notices if this was not the recipients address) that I cannot open - But my Regitration address is my proper Legal Address not the address the council has given them..

I understand that for a change of house number needs a lot of paperwork that only I can apply to - and I havn't. Thus My Legal Address remains. I man in an earlier change tried to retain his Adress, including the "Road" name. He lost his case (after several appeal), had costs of £15,000, then had a medic problen (Stroke, Heart - not certain), but the current thought is that theCouncil can call the Road (if this was a road) whatever they like (providing signage rules), but not to change the House Number Which they (council) have already given a Legal address..

I'm going - brain aching again.....

Good morning all. very different start to the day here, compared with last two. It's grey, albeit not cold and, there's a persistent slight drizzle.

Normally, I would be attending my Art Group this morning. However, our youngest granddaughter starts full-time nursery school this morning and, we're not required for child-minding duties this morning. Further, our son and daughter-in-law have been told to pick her up after school for this week. This gives us an opportunity that we haven't had since we first began child-minding our eldest granddaughter, nearly seven years ago. Thomas Trotter, the Birmingham City Organist gives a monthly, lunchtime recital at the Town Hall. So, a local rail journey (Using our 'wrinklies' bus passes), a couple of purchases at shops we don't have locally, the recital, a late lunch at a French restaurant we know and, home.

GLO, I can fully understand your frustration at the re-numbering exercise. We have friends who live in Wolverhampton. The was their estate is built means that the front doors of some houses (Their's included) are not accessible from the road. The back doors are accessible via the site where their garage is. However, it isn't always possible to park there as, each house has two allocated parking spaces and, there are no spares. Visitors can end up with a long walk to get to the house they want. Planning?

Must admit that, "Police (not local) asking me where thay can find the "new" address for a house they wanted to raid." generated mental images of coppers dressed in full riot gear wandering round with an A to Z!

Enjoy your day people.

I'm boring you with Looooong Posts, so I won't say much here..
Anyone seen my Diary?

Can't speak for everyone else but, I didn't' find your post boring. Yes it was long but, the reasons behind the renumbering exercise needed to be understood.

Good morning all.

I hope that everyone had a peaceful night. The 'arctic plunge' has arrived locallyand we have little patches of lying snow here and there.

My Tuesday group restarts this morning and, we have a speaker telling us about the local miners who dug out limestone. There were quarries that were mostly quite small holes. However, the Earl of Dudley discovered that it was more efficient to dig into the limestone ridge that we sit on locally from the side. The result is that we have a large number of limestone caverns and even, a series of tunnels under the hill upon which the ruins of Dudley Castle stand. These tunnels proved a boon when the Earl used them to dig a canal from one side of Dudley to the other, allowing him, To move the limestone to the iron and steel works that he also owned.

This afternoon will, I 'm afraid create some problems because it will be the first time that, the school of which I'm Vice Chair of the Governing Body gets the chance to examine the 2017/18 school budget. It's unlikely to be good news.

The 'arctic plunge' was forecast for here too. It hasn't arrived. It's chilly, but not more than average for April. At the moment, there is bright sunshine and blue sky, so all in all, not bad.

Enjoy your morning, Brian and do your best to enjoy the afternoon. Though the latter is probably not going to happen. School budgets... Sooner you than me.

Good Morning all.
A very quick visit - I'm "Killing Time", pending Clinic visit.
I'm thinking about returning via a trek around the Old Common in the next Town - before London's insatiable Demand for more house-building captures it. I Wonder How Many of the Future Householders know that they are living on a First War Weapon training and Testing Site.. The Populace still occasionally encounter Shells .... Perhaps I won't go there today..

Me again, been quiet here...
I am in Mid-decluttering mode. The problem is that 50 years of work, when shredded takes imense space - I'm not too happy with vast volumes of combustables. Yes, I know thain theory there is nothing to combust, but I'd feel a lot happer by tomorrow when I can start putting out the recycling for Thursday.
I'm trying to get most of todays paperwork responded, so as to concentrate on more shredding tomorrow. I have disposed the six-year old income/expenditure records, but I still have plenty of reports and some maintenance and design stuff that I kept as interesting ... but those trains are at the breakers, those medic "Sharps" are difficult to dispose of, and A power station is being blown up next month...
Think I'll leave you now and go and sulk...

Good morning one and all.

Budget Meeting at the school went better than I feared. The total budget for 2017/18 is a little better than last year but, not by much. I was concerned that it would be substantially less than last year. However, we had to 'snip' at a large number of budget headings to account for inflation. This was to prevent setting a negative budget. We are prevented by law from doing that.

Hopefully, the income we can generate from the 30 hours per week free nursery provision for the children whose parents are working will provide us with a little surplus as the school year progresses. As it was, my fear was that we would be looking at 'restructuring'. Obviously, staff salaries are our biggest spend, as is the case with all schools. We have a long serving staff, most of whom are at the top of the pay scale. This gives us lots of benefits but, hits our budget hard. We do have three or four staff members who are due to retire in the next couple of years. This will allow us to take on newly qualified teachers in some areas and reduce our wage bill.

Enjoy your days people.