7 November When the Vikings sacked Dumbarton it is said that it took 200 longships to carry their ‘winnings’ (aka ‘loot’) back to Dublin. How do we respond when we win something? Are we the kind of folk who stop after one raffle prize and say ‘redraw it’, or take our equivalent of 200 longships […]

6 November The world is waiting – we may have an answer today, or maybe tomorrow, or maybe… Counting millions of ballot papers takes a long time, and so can legal challenges. Because America is the richest and most powerful country in the world, the outcome of its election affects all of us. But waiting

5 Bonfire Night No trip to Levengrove Park tonight for the fireworks display (and for once it should be dry and not windy!). There may be some in local gardens (but hopefully not as late as late night!) Occasionally, when we’re fed up with the politicians playing politics, we can feel an element of sympathy

4 National Stress Awareness Day Stress and pressure are a natural part of life, and learning to cope with them is part of the process of maturing into adulthood. Much as we might like the thought, life sitting around with no stress, no pressure, no obligation to do anything, would actually rapidly become boring. [Point

3 November You may not have heard, but there is an election in America today, principally to elect a new president, but also a series of other federal and state posts. America is still the richest and most powerful country in the world, so the choices it makes have an impact on all of us.

2 November We’re now in Tier 3. Not much change in practice for most folk. The challenge is not so much going into the new system as coping with restrictions the more we go into winter. Many people have real fears and anxieties about employment and the future, about putting food on the table and

30 October The Job Retention Scheme (‘furlough’) comes to an end tomorrow. Already many businesses have indicated that they will be making staff unemployed. The total figures are not yet available, but each case is a personal tragedy: lost income, lost opportunities, dreams ended, maybe hardship for the individual and their family. Some may find

29 October We are due to hear confirmation today of the new Tier we will be in from Monday. Strong measures are being imposed in France (‘at least for the month of November’) and Germany, and there is concern in England that the infection rate is racing ahead. Not a happy picture, given that we

28 October Once again there is a story in the news of migrants (including children and possibly a baby) trying to enter Britain but losing their lives in the Channel, when the craft they were in capsized. The flow of people trying to enter the country without the requisite paperwork and authorisation is persistent over