Sunday, 5 August 2018

Yes, Mr Harvey Weinstein should be prosecuted

for exercising the poorest of the poor judgements  for  sleeping with trout pouts and inflated balloons, who after years of trying to make it big, small,or anything in the show business  and failing miserably, are now crawling out of the woodwork finally having their  five minutes of fame and if not that, at least a pound of flesh. He had the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, the talented  Georgina Chapman,at home. Why on earth would his inflated ego want to jeopardise  his  marriage? And then there is the risk of venereal disease.Harvey, you  really are  an idiot.

Thursday, 2 August 2018

"Ottolenghi's Midas touch..."

as the very likeable restaurant critic Fay Maschler refers to Yotam Ottolenghi's  magic in the kitchen.Mr Kipling may make exceedingly good cakes, but no-one makes a cheesecake the way  the very handsome Yotam makes.In summer it is topped with strawberries, in winter with  caramel and  nuts.I am not a fan of caramel,but in this combination it is utterly scrumptious.

Thursday, 26 July 2018

The lovely Kate Garraway of ITV's Good Morning

says "We are more adventurous in bed."     WE being the women  of 40+.  Kate,I am well  over 40 and if there is one thing I have learnt  it is that you can take a horse to water  but you can't make it drink it.

Monday, 23 July 2018

"Doctors told to honour "human value" of patients with dementia."

The Mail,20 June 2018.If only Labour took the  "human" value of patients  with dementia into account  when they introduced The Court of Protection.The way The Court operated when I had  to deal with them was the most disgraceful,utterly despicable way a human being  can be mistreated.There has been a lot of justified bad publicity in recent years about this Court and I do hope things have changed but I do not hold my breath.If the old layabouts who go to The House Of Lords to eat,sleep and be merry and even after just signing their name  walk out with almost £400 attendance  fee,and we pay for the privilege,could they not at least do something for the ill and vulnerable and bring pressure on the Government  to overhaul this blot on the legal horizon.
And isn't it heartbreakingly sad that  the  doctors have to be TOLD to treat the  patients with dementia in  a decent way.

Sunday, 17 June 2018

To the 71 countries and territories I have visited I must add one more,Crete.

Was there about six years ago when cruising the Med on the Queen Elizabeth, or was it the Queen Victoria?Near the port came across a tiny shop with the most  enchanting window display - jewellery of all kind,nothing too fancy,nothing too glittery,I walked inside this  treasure trove of unusual items.A silversmith sitting, working on a necklace.I said good-morning and smiled, he smiled back.You have the most beautiful shop,but I do not want to buy anything, I just would like to look around, may I,please?Yes, of course.There was nothing I did not like. Did you  make everything yourself, I asked. Yes.  You are a master craftsman,I said. A set of silver earrings and a ring I liked the most, there was something childlike about them, the beauty  was in  the design, simple,yet utterly exquisite.I could not take my eyes off them. Why don't you buy them,suggested the craftsman.It is too expensive for me,oh, they are worth every  cent, but I do not have enough money.I must have been in the shop good 10 minutes,then thanked him and walked out. About twenty meters down the road I felt a touch on my arm. It was the shop owner., These are for you, they have been waiting for you.he said and handed me a box containing the earrings and the ring.Pay me what you can, he added.I  knew at that very moment I could not insult him and  say no.He wanted me to have his creations,because  he could see how much I appreciated his work,he knew I would always  treasure what he had  put his heart and skill into. I emptied my purse into his palm, about 40 euros.  People can be infinitely kind.

Saturday, 16 June 2018

I must add one more country to the 70 I have visited already,

it is Montenegro.Years ago, while at university, I spent two weeks in Petrovac. Not giving it much  thought any longer I have kind of presumed Petrovac is in Croatia,it is, in fact,in Montenegro. After the political and territorial changes in Yugoslavia, Montenegro is now an independent state.

Wednesday, 6 June 2018

There are 195 countries in the world,

Taiwan is not officially recognized by all, so this would bring it down to  194.
The United Nations has  193  member countries and 2 non-member observer countries ,The Holy See and The State of Palestine.
The Travellers Century Club  lists on 01.01.2018            327 countries and territories.
There are 1400 people worldwide registered with    The TCC,   who have visited at least 100 countries.
Today,1.1 2020, I can say with some pride, that I have now been to 89 countries.