NEW CANADIAN IN CHARGE

So the new chief at the Bank of England is Canadian. I love Canada and all things Canadian and he's been chosen for many reasons, although the mainstream media focuses on the fact that he didn't allow Canadian banks to get screwed in the same way our government allowed our banks to screw us.   Or perhaps more precisely the Canadian government didn't allow Canadian banks to screw Canadians the same way our government allowed ours to screw us.

He's ex Goldman Sachs so he allegedly knows what he's dealing with - although does he also think he's doing God's work?  Or does that just mean GS now has friends in high places?

And have they chosen a Canadian because they don't know who within the British financial system they can trust?  Reminds me of that film Where Eagles Dare when Clint Eastwood, who was playing an American lieutenant (or some such, he wore a uniform) was brought in to a secret military mission during WWII to help British intelligence Richard Burton, because the Brits back at HQ didn't know who they could trust.  Nah.  Too far fetched.

don't get sick at home..

Next article on travel will be about what happens if you get sick overseas and if you are in the position - which countries are the best to feel lousy in, if you get my drift.   I'm writing about it because this evening I have spent nearly three hours in A & E as my son has a suspected head injury that hasn't really sorted itself, has some days and not others, and I'm worried.    So along we went and waited.  Eventually saw a nurse after an hour who asked questions then as time went on and on... and other children started to appear... I asked another nurse how long it would be and why it was taking such a long time.   She replied there had been some urgent cases with young children. I get that. That's fine. But it would have been good, courteous, intelligent to tell the waiting patients that they would be longer than they had hoped (I'd been in there with him on several other occasions and I know you wait but not and never this long, and it had on both occasions been busier).   And hey, what is a suspected head injury anyway huh?  As it was now gone midnight and past the witching hour for both I suggested the school medical centre would be a better and faster and more efficient option.  I had to sign a form to say we were leaving. They couldn't find the form.    I thought bugger this we're going. They eventually found the form and I said it would have been a good idea to just let patients know, and manage expectations about time.  The doctor told me 'I am the only doctor here tonight.'   Yup, I understand that, cuts and all but I said a nurse could have gone round and at least explained to everyone that there was going to be a long wait.   She laughed at me. "you can't expect to wait for less than four hours at A and E'.   I told her to tell the patients that to which she repeated the same thing.  So for those out there who want to go to Kingston paediatric A and E EXPECT TO WAIT AT LEAST FOUR HOURS TO BE SEEN.     They won't' tell you this of course.   So I thought I would.    ps.  they are faster in most countries overseas I am sure even taking into account the flight......  And if his head is not right I'm going back there.   I hope she's gone by then.

Disillusioned Relatively Ordinary Professionals Preferring Independent Employment Situations

OMG didn't realise Liz Jones lived in Brentwood. I went to school there but didn't live there.  (Ilford Essex me). Same school and year as Ross Kemp (very nice man).    But Brentwood is commuter belt, mostly wannabes who work back office in the city, or have made it and want to show off that they've made it.  They are predominantly traders, although as one investment banker I met last month told me, traders aren't real bankers. All things considered I'm not sure that's an insult.    I'm surprised LJ moved to the country as it takes a certain type.  I think author and columnist Daisy Waugh had issues as well when she moved and returned back to the city.    The city puts up with pretentious twaddle. The country has no time for it.    

As for LJ, she writes for the Mail. Everyone who writes for the Mail has it inbred in them to be antagonistic even if they don't want to be.   That Brick woman, who no one likes because she is too beautiful also writes for them. She lives in France I believe. I'm sure they hate her there as well.

MY YOGA GURU - TIM SIBLEY

I went to yoga this morning. It is my gin and tonic, my whatever drugs my peers are taking at the moment to calm their hormones and tolerate their partners and life in general.  I have Tim.  He is phenomenal. There are yoga teachers who speak in hushed voices, others who smell of all things chinky chinky recent visit to Indian Ashram, others who waft about in floaty stuff and can do back bends so their noses are up their own backsides.   But Tim's class is wonderful.  It's bliss. It's what the books on yoga say it should be and so often isn't.    But the thing that always, but always amazes me is his meditations beforehand.  He talks to me.  I know he talks to me. Or perhaps he's psychic.  Sometimes he talks about strength or focus or balance, but never the same thing.    And always what I need, I know I need.  This morning he said it was a prayer and boy have I being praying this week.  His words, his very words were 'Let go of someone who is negative. Thoughts that are negative. Throw them away.  Just let go of them.'  He has never said that before.   For the first time I wanted to stand up and ask the other twenty five in the class 'excuse me but do you all have 'issues' with your exes?'  As we are all 'one' perhaps they do.  Any way.   Namaste to everyone who reads this blog.    Go do some sun salutations and throw away your exes - metaphorically speaking of course.

RICHMOND LITERARY FESTIVAL - IS MEDIA FRIEND OR FOE

If anyone is about on 29th November I am taking part in a debate on the media in Richmond as part of the literary festival.   Entitled Media - friend or foe, and with Sir Trevor McDonald OBE and Matthew Syed, we will be debating if the media is a force for good or ill.   7.30 pm at Clarendon Hall, I think it will be fun mainly because as a travel writer I tend to write the positives but always be constructive (I am not one to believe in a melting pot of cultures or indeed that everyone is friendly where you go - they are not).   And in some places where tourists are allegedly welcomed that is blatantly not true. Anyway please come.

YEAR OF REVELATIONS...NOT REVOLUTION

There I was driving through Richmond Park in the morning mist, mellow fruitfulness, deer antlers, sun blistering orange about the horizon, the frost tinting the trees, bliss, you get the idea.  Keats would have been inspired.  Turned on the radio which is stuck on Radio Four and can't get it off but that's ok as the other stations at the moment irritate me.   Teresa May was talking very hesitantly about an inquiry and how the government were going to have an inquiry into an inquiry.  About the inquiry into abuse at a particular home in North Wales to see if it was done properly.  Does that matter? Is that the point?  She kept going on about how child abuse was dreadful.  Using the most exotic adjectives.   Erm, hands up first person who disagrees.  She came across as crass.   There's a list on the internet with the names of those allegedly guilty. It took Philip Scholfield three minutes to find it. I still can't find them.   This is turning into a year of Revelations.  Just we're not doing anything with them, are we?

debut novel I loved - SECOND CHANCE

Check out the debut novel by Dodie Hamilton.  SECOND CHANCE.   Available on kindle it's a beautiful and haunting love story that will resonate I should imagine with a lot of you.  It's the sort of story that stays with you long after you've read it and you'll wonder what ghosts linger in your own past..