It is always worthwhile to reflect and remember those who sacrificed themselves and those they loved left at home – this was a very special memory for us on our first visit to New Zealand. Anzac Day in New Zealand and Dunedin, like the rest of the Nation delivered a brilliant commemoration ceremony. Things that…Read more »

I am amazed that anyone is surprised at the actions and behaviour of Donald Trump during the recent demonstrations against racism in the USA. Remember this is a man who apart from being a habitual liar also praised the Chinese Government for their decisive actions and methods in dealing with protesters when clearing Tiananmen Square.…Read more »

As a rule I don’t re-publish blogs but thought given the crisis (and yes it is a crisis) in the USA. And the “complicity of silence” from the UK Prime Minister and his Government in not condemning the actions of Donald Trump I thought this (first published on 17 June 2019) might just be worth…Read more »

General Election 2019 – A Personal Perspective There are certain dates that stick in the memory of true Englishmen (and women) 14 October 1066 – Battle of Hastings, 21 October 1805 – The Battle of Trafalgar, 18 June 1815 – Waterloo and more recently 6 June 1944 – D Day and the beginning of the…Read more »

October 31st and its bloody Halloween in Ipplepen when the children (and some of their parents) dress up as vampires, witches, wizards and ghouls and knock on people’s doors demonising money or sweets. If you did it on any other night of the year it would be construed as demanding money with menaces or what…Read more »

Winter, bloody winter and as the days get shorter and the evenings get longer there is a morbid and depressing forecast of what the season is about to bring. At least one Ipplepen “Old Gimmer” feels the changes in the season more than most with his own individual feelings of despair at the thought of…Read more »

Life can be hard for the allotment holders in Ipplepen having to try and concentrate on their allotments and not be diverted by what must be one of the most fantastic views ‘allotmenteers’ anywhere in the country have. Of course there are some in the village (not please note those who come from local farming…Read more »

The regular visitors to and readers of my blog know that I’m not a greater believer in religion of any kind but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in religions or why other people are believers which is why I would never criticise them for their beliefs. It does seem to me however whenever I…Read more »

It is said that it is easier in the face of unquestionable and insurmountable knowledge to undermine the value experience of understanding a subject knowledge. But what happens if you have people who have an intransigent deep rooted ignorance and who no matter what the evidence placed in front of them continue to lack the…Read more »

Bayonets at Dawn Why is it that people see work and even education as so combative? And yes I have heard the tired old saying that what doesn’t kill yo makes you stronger which in my opinion, (based on my experience of life) is a complete load of (I was gaining to say bollocks but…Read more »

The thing about summer in the South West is the number of visitors who come to the area and who make a major contribution to the economy and yet feel that they are being ripped off. The other day I happened to go into an old fashioned greengrocers located in a local garden/market garden just…Read more »

          One hundred and ten years ago during the Second Boer War the British Garrison in Ladysmith was under siege and the outcome for the defenders was – to say the least – very, very bleak. That was until the Royal Navy landed two 4.7 -inch (in Colonial Great Britain we…Read more »

Spring has ended and summer has arrived so having let the sap get into full flow it is not only the birds and bees whose thoughts have turned to procreation so has the young fellows thoughts. In fact it becomes at this time of year so strong not even a lengthy and prolonged session of…Read more »

Ipplepen-Pen Diary – On Tour 2019 Day 3 Alright up early to take the dawgs for a morning constitutional and it was off to Chatsworth in Derbyshire or more particularly to Chatsworth House where the motorhome site is in the old walled former kitchen garden. The great thing about the site is that when you…Read more »

“I’m a workaholic” “I’m a perfectionist” “I am single minded and centred on achieving my goals” “It is important that I stay focussed” These are all phrases you will here from someone or about someone and commonly about our nations leaders who apparently can get by on less than a nano-second of sleep a night…Read more »

Ipplepen-Pen Diary – On Tour 2019 Day two of this year’s summer tour was spent in Broadway which for those who don’t know is very often considered and referred to as the “Jewel of the Cotswolds”. It is such a beautiful place which is enhanced if like today the weather is brilliant which has the…Read more »

Ipple-Pen Diary. Don’t Panic I love the way our British Government responds to worries raised by issues across the United Kingdom by acting swiftly to raise mild concerns to a level which creates nationwide panic. The outcome is goodbye common sense and realism and welcome fantasy, pre-packaged sound bites. Take what we eat as an…Read more »

It used to be that the ignorant approached problems and demonstrated their own ignorance by standing on a soap box on the street corner and then appearing on the television being extremely angry and vocal working on the principle that shouting down your opponent is the way to be successful. Usually (in fact always) the…Read more »

THIS IS WHY THE NHS HAS TO BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS FROM THOSE WHO WOULD SELL IT OFF TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

I have come to realise one simple fact that for some reason appears to have passed me by and it is that is as I get older I ask a damn sight more questions than when I was younger. Perhaps with age I have come to realise that I know less than I thought I…Read more »