Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

I don't think anyone was implying that all farmers are unpleasant, and we all know there are horrible people in all walks of life. We're simply comparing notes. I've known plenty of very nice farmers, and I've also known horrible and nice people in various jobs/institutions.
A horrible consultant when I was pregnant with my first daughter, and seemed to have the attitude that I was 'just another woman having a baby', yet the 2nd one was absolutely delightful and everyone loved him. The doctor who had to tell my Dad that my Mum wasn't going to survive was absolutely superb in every way. I'll never forget him and his kindness.

They're saying that UK customers of Santander are ok @shiney. I might just change banks now...

 

I saw part of an interview with a chap who was saying that he just wanted to be treated like an adult. Stop promising the moon, stop implying that there's an endless supply of money etc. Tell us the truth, we can take it you know.
I silently added " And fgs just answer the bloody question".

I was wondering what the opinion was of the,er, more mature members of the forum.
I probably first started taking notice of politics back in the days of Ted Heath, but to those who recall the 60s (and maybe even the 50s), my question is this.
Was it ever thus, or in the days before "career politicians" was there a more realistic approach when it came to the electorate ?

 

Yeah I was just agreeing, but not hearing anything from the others that makes sense either, the figures just don't add up, not that I'm capable of working it all out, it just seems like they can all come up with lots of money by just doing a small tweak here and there.
Covid broke the country full stop, all those so called years of austerity gone in 12 months.

 

I suspect it was ever thus ... but it is more noticeable now because of the endless coverage. I don't think there was so much fear-mongering though back in the 60s. Now it seems inducing anxiety is a deliberate strategy and we are urged to believe there is a perma-crisis going on ... which will need tax-payer money spent on it. That started in earnest with the Cold War.

It is the media as much as politicians though and the extent to which these groups are in cahoots really shows up in election campaigns.

 

Back in the day MPs of whichever party seemed mainly to be mature (mostly men) who had made their way in the world gaining experience from working in business and as local councillors etc before standing for parliament. Now it seems to be a ‘career choice’ … you do the right degree course, get a job as a political researcher or journalist and work/worm your way into your chosen party’s hierarchy and get rewarded with an opportunity to run for Parliament.
They know nothing about the world outside Westminster.

 

@KT53 I saw this cartoon on FB and thought it said it all:

As for the noisy farmers @Dovefromabove , I was out all day yesterday and it seems they came back and riddled the surface of the big field across from us to make a fine tilth and, judging by the faint lines I can see, have sown something. It remains to be seen what it is but, judging by the spacing, probably maize for their beef cattle or maybe sunflowers.

I have spent most of this morning at the vet's because Bonzo Labrador (15 yrs) needed an eco-cardiogram following a persistent cough. This showed that his heart is fine but has fluid compressing it so a big needle went in to extract it and reduce the pressure. Consistency not as expected so another needle went in to get fluid from round his lungs. Not as expected either so he's to have an X-ray tomorrow am.

Meds to reduce inflammation and eliminate excess fluid. €240 so far. Analysis of the two fluids to add to that and a change of meds if they indicate a tumour on his lungs.

Not easy for dogs to get old either.

 

Thought most of us were old dogs on here by now...

 

Ah … as I thought, an early start in the right weather conditions enabled them to get a major job done. Let’s hope the weather behaves itself a bit more from now on.
Sorry about poor Bonzo @Obelix-Vendée … is he really 15?! It doesn’t seem five minutes since he was a bouncy whipper-snapper. I hope the vet can find a way to keep him comfortable in his venerable old age.

 

The weather didn't change all day so I still say there was no need to come roaring up th elane at 4am and start harrowing at 4:30 and then wait so long before riddling and sowing. There are only 2 permanently occupied houses bordering any of the fields and they've got rapeseed ripe for harvesting elsewhere.

I do undertsand harvesting going on till 3 am when the conditions are fine and the harvesters are there - happened a lot in Belgium - but this is just thoughless.

Bonzo is 15 and Rasta is 17. She is on her last legs (wobbly) now so we're keeping a close eye on her.

 

The gap between the two processes will have been for a reason … probably as I said to allow the soil to dry out a bit to produce a finer tilth. Or just maybe they were working on another field with the harrow and needed to get that done before returning to the field near you. There will have been a sound reason, unless as I said you really have done something to p them off and they really are, as you suggest, doing it simply to annoy you

Rapeseed ripe for harvesting? What … the pods brown, dry and brittle? Humidity below 10%? Even in France that’s incredibly early given the amount of rain you’ve been telling us about.

ETA according to my weather app, humidity in the Vendee today is 51% so not the weather to harvest rape at the moment.

 

When the sun shines now it is very hot and yes, the pods look dry and brittle.

Farmer Luc has already had to have words with his tenants about how they career about in his tractor, treat the machines and have ripped up too many hedges. They are not awake, it seems, to neighbourly or environmental concerns. They don't live on site and don't give a toss.

 

4 power cuts today all lasting for an hour