Now, where were we?

Well, here we are again. A lot of catching up to do, lots to write but not a lot of time to write it so here goes:

Cheltenham
Cheltenham proved quite profitable again this year, amazingly enough, and the Wednesday again proved to be the most lucrative - four winners, which must be something of a record for me.
In a departure from recent years, we took a short break in the Lake District (Coniston pictured above)during Cheltenham week so missed much of the action on television. Lake District was as beautiful and peaceful as I remembered it, though, and I'll return to Keswick for another short break before I'm too much older.
In another departure, I also decided to 're-invest' (I.E. 'blow') Cheltenham returns at Aintree's three day festival. Cheltenham and Aintree are like chalk and cheese, however, and the form does not always translate. I learned this slightly too late, unfortunately, and the final three winners on Saturday - 100-1, 66-1 and 66-1 again - summed it up, a real bookie's benefit. I left Liverpool behind an older, wiser (and poorer) man. Roll on Cheltenham next year, but Aintree no more ...

More Sport
While the papers are still poring over the details of Wee Barry's Big Night Out - can't say I care too much whether he ever plays for Rangers or Scotland again - I'm more concerned with HIbs' current position. In the great scheme of things an away game in Paisley would not generally be considered that important, but tomorrow Hibs have got to get some sort of result there or face the ignominy of finishing in the bottom half of the table (yes, they could beat Rangers next weekend, but ..).
It's been a miserable season and the end can't come quick enough. The standard of entertainment has been pretty poor for too long and I know many season ticket holders who are seriously considering whether to renew next season.

Politics - Bravo, Guido!
The G20 is now but a distant memory, and it's questionable what's actually been achieved. At a cost of millions of pounds we got a couple of hours worth of meetings, grotesquely expensive dinners and endless photo opportunities and the inevitable fudged agreement. Has Gordon saved the world? Have we seen an end to world poverty? An end to boom and bust then? No, but we did witness the tragic death of a peaceful protester, which kind of took the gloss off those happy smiley pictures of our great world leaders.
Gordon's not had a lot to grin about lately, and the Bank Holiday headlines can't have cheered him up much. He'll have been choking over the Easter Eggs with the latest scandal to hit the government. The uncovering of Damian McBride's dodgy emails by ace blogger Guido Fawkes (in days gone by that would have been the job of the press) has opened up a real hornet's nest. Before yesterday's resignation, McBride was a senior civil servant - we paid his wages - not a paid party hack, but a supposedly impartial government official.
There's been a distinct blurring over 'adviser' roles over recent years. It's a worrying development, and the Email Affair sheds some light into a very shadowy corner. It's high time that the issue of 'special advisers' - and who pays for them - is addressed. And with party politics held in contempt by so many people these days, the last thing we need is a politicized civil service.
Let the parties themselves pay for their researchers and spin doctors. Every party has them - a Tarquin and Lavinia straight from Uni with a politics degree and boundless enthusiasm and ambition. Let the party workers play grubby party politics and learn their trade in the 'dark arts' - but don't ask the public to foot the bill for them. Enough is enough - and incidentally, with the expenses/allowances row rumbling on now would not be a good time to raise the issue of public funding for political parties!

The Heid's Twirling ...
Attended a quiz night on Friday, a fundraiser for our local baton-twirling troupe. As a bit of a quiz buff, I was looking forward to the music quiz with some confidence. However I learned to my cost that pop music did not end in the late 1970s but has continued even to the present day. As a result we came a miserable 11th out of 13 teams. Malt whisky dulled the pain briefly, but I remembered - too late -on Saturday the reason I switched from whisky to gin many years ago.
Friday was a good night - I really enjoyed it, despite the result - but Saturday was not a good day. Whisky no more - and I have resolved to watch more MTV before I take part in any more music quizzes.

And Finally ...
We're off to York next week for a wee holiday, and I will miss my old comrade Jimmy Burnett's leaving party. Jimmy is retiring to spend more time with his organic beetroot - all the best Jimmy, we'll meet again in Jinglin's 'Summer Wine' corner some time soon. I won't be drinking whisky though.

All the best for now.