My Breathless Break!

My most recent ‘breathless break’ has taken longer than usual. Two courses of different antibiotics and quite a while to rest and recover. This is an explanation, not a complaint. But my head does get rather fuzzy during these phases as I tend to be overwhelmed by intense feelings of exhaustion. I am grateful however to Dave Hill, The Dame and Joe Batty for their contributions to the site – very readable and interesting. 

Meanwhile, I have been building up material and keeping track of what is happening in the world. Like everyone else. I imagine, I am enduring the wall to wall election coverage. I confess I am getting increasingly irritable.

I had my first canvassers on my doorstep yesterday. Perfectly polite and well done for being involved in politics, I was able to tell them, very politely, I wouldn’t be voting for their party – Labour. I explained how I had ‘done the rounds’ with my voting habits – born into a Tory Houshold and I joined the young conservatives, out into the working world and voted Labour. I was uneasy about the swing to the hard left (at that time!) and joined the SDP the day it was formed. I gently moved into the Lib Dems but I find that I have come round full circle and I choose to support the Tories again.  

I find it uncomfortable that politics has become so toxic and even more tribal. I mistrust excessive promises, I dislike being patronised and yes, I do want to get Brexit done and get on with our lives!!And, I did know what I was doing back in 2016.

It has never been my intention to make this site very political. I want to put out good news whenever I can, and helpful information. But, it is hard to ignore politics at the moment. I think it is partly the ageing thing but I yell at the radio and TV a lot at the moment and find Classic FM and Smooth Radio easier on my nervous system.

Stories waiting to be written include a new section News in Brief (which will include local events), a piece on crime fighting with SmartWater and a feature on the Kensington and Chelsea Social Council – 60 yrs old next year – and numerous others. 

My other priorities are to try and avoid colds and chest infections pre and during Christmas (unfortunate habit over recent years) back to exercising with weights, a return to Singing for Breathing classes and continuing to work through my ‘reading pile’.

I have just finished Jerusalem by Simon Sebag Montefiore, that is one long and intense book, and have now started The Body – A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson. And ahead Haven’t you Heard? by Marie Le Conte, an amusing ‘romp through Westminster’ and David Cameron’s Autobiography. I must pop into Waterstone’s in Kensington High Street at its new location. I am relieved it hasn’t moved from the High Street.