Nothing

I was uncharacteristically quiet recently and someone asked me why I wasn't saying anything. I answered that it was because I had nothing to say.  It's been the same with blogging. I've not been able to think of things worth writing about. Which probably says more about me than about what there is about which to blog. After all most of you find lots of interesting things to say and tales to tell.

I am in Glasgow today. I left Lewis on the ferry after lunch yesterday.  I'd left the Island a day earlier than planned because of the impending Storm Bert and the potential ferry cancellations. I had altered my ferry booking 5 days previously.

Yesterday morning the ferry company made it clear there were likely to be ferry cancellations all weekend because of Storm Bert. (How can anyone take a storm called Bert seriously?) So the ferry was rammed full with a lot of large commercial vehicles (I think they said 28) and 99 cars. Lots of vehicles were left behind not having booked on that crossing. 

My plan was to get to Ullapool or Inverness and stay somewhere overnight and then drive to Glasgow today. However the weather warnings made it clear that the route I take through the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow was likely to be impassable because of snow today. So I decided to get as far as I could on the 221 mile journey. As good fortune would have it despite the warmest temperature on the journey being Minus 2ºC (the coldest was -7ºC) and there being snow lying at the roadside the road itself was clear all the way and I arrived in Glasgow much to my friend's surprise at 2230! Very oddly I felt remarkably fresh and definitely ready for a rather good Cognac.

We haven't left the house today. According to the news bulletins the Scottish Highlands have been having a lot of snow and I'd probably still be stuck in Ullapool or Inverness. Or possibly been one of the people the rescue vehicle staff try to help without calling them blank blank idiots for ignoring the 'don't travel' warnings.

Optimism in Trouble

I am, by nature, an optimist. I always have been. Even as a wee bairn (English - small child) I believed that whatever happened would be for the best. Sometimes I was right and sometimes I was wrong. However my optimistic faith in the outcome was rarely shaken.

I have always ensured that this blog avoids serious controversy or political issues of any sort. I am a believer that we all have a right to our own views provided we afford the same right to others.

I hate to say it but I truly believe that this week the world that you and I have known until now has changed for ever. 

The US has suddenly declared that it has become completely US oriented with little or no interest as the guarantor of the 'Free World' as we like to call it.

Only two powers in the world can really challenge the US and Europe: The USSR and China. China has little of no military interest in conquering its biggest customers. Why would it whilst we are fuelling its economy to our mutual benefits?

The USSR on the other hand......

Israel's current Prime Minister now potentially continues to have carte blanche to commit genocide and cause total chaos in the Middle East to the economic detriment of The Middle East and Europe and much more of the world. 

President Putin can extend his empire by annexing the occupied territories of Ukraine with impunity. The Baltic countries which he covets are genuinely worried. Europe does not have the military might successfully to fight Russia on the ground. The UK has a nuclear deterrent, the use of which would be self-defeating and that's about it.

I'm 80 and will probably pop my clogs before a major conflagration involving the UK occurs.

I hope that I am completely wrong in that which I have said.

You will be happy to know that his will be the only post of its sort that I will write.