Birds...

I have a pair of binoculars on the kitchen table. Fortunately, the rats seems to have deserted the garden the last couple of weeks, and I can concentrate on the birds. It is clearly a good year for robins, blackbirds and song thrushes. We used to get a lot finches, but since we lost our apple tree a couple of years ago we get fewer.

Needless to say, there is often a red kite flying over, which is pretty good for suburbia home counties. At the weekend we managed to get out to hear all three species of wookpecker, and a buzzard and a kestrel without even making an effort to birdwatch. Spring is fun!

Quiz: This is one of Britain's commonest birds. What is it?

NHS Priorites

I have been on the receiving end of rather a lot of generous NHS these last seven months. An operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, countless visits to the doctor and now weekly visits to a centre - where I get a free lunch!

But it has not been enough. I have been told that the last chemotherapy was working. I am back where I was when it was diagnosed. Now there are new forms of chemotherapy, not yet approved, which may be approved in the next year or so. May be too late for me. May not work for me anyway. I could fund the treatment myself and it could be a complete waste of money.

Yesterday, there were scaremongering stories about cuts in NHS funding. I can't believe they would start charging for what is free now. But it is must be tricky in deciding what gets funding. And who gets funding. I happen to believe that a 38 year old, such as my dear self, with two children deserves all, but then, as Mandy Rice Davies said "he would say that, wouldn't he".

Can we carry on funding treatment via the (in my case) NHS?

Anyway, roll on Friday... NHS treatment, new (to me) form of chemotherapy, and I don't pay a penny. Meanwhile, there are those who can't get the treatment they want - who go without, or pay.

Must keep life normal...

I try to keep life as normal as possible. OK, so I don't work. But I try to do a bit of housework. I don't drive but I potter to nearest shops, 10 minutes walk away. This exhausts me. I end up having to go to bed two or three times a times a day.

Yesterday, we went to Henley where I bought two hats to protect my head. My hair is growing in patches. I have none in some patches, and no sign of it. Some areas it is thick, and never really went. And in some areas, it is poking through the scalp as if for the first time. You could describe it as baby-like. These bits include the scar from the operation - now 7 months back - all 55 stitches of itch. This area can be painful - a bit like teething, as the hair has to come up all the way from its root. I wonder if a baby finds "hairing" sore. I am also concerned every time I get a headache or swelling of the scalp - it could be another fit. Still, not had a fit since Maundy Thursday - touch wood!

Now, what is "normal"? An outing. Beale Park Zoo this afternoon. And I plan on Thursday, Reading Beer Festival. However, it is now 10.20am - time for a nap before elevenses!

Pensions

This should be the thorny issue in the Budget. Back in the old days, just after WWII, life expectancy was much shorter than days. This meant very little was paid out in the way of public sector section. Some received none, typically dying while on the job, some a little pension before they died, in their 60s, and a few did pretty well living to a ripe old age. Health, and longevity was certainly not enjoyed as much as today.

Now we live longer, and enjoy healthier lives, we have to work longer. It is simple as that. Still, in the public sector, there are many expecting to retire on full benefits age 60 to 65. There are those who are expecting to retire younger, indeed - police, fire brigade (50 I believe), nurses... I agree that you may not want either of sticking to that job to 109, but they can do something to pick up the bills. You don't have to give at working completely.

Now in the private sector, you hardly ever find a new job with a generous final style ("public sector") pension. While average pay in public and private sector is very similar, the public sector's pension shifts the "package" massively in their favour. In fact, the last 5 years, no employer of mine put a penny towards my pension.

Even those private sector employers who do put in a derisory amount usually, compared who to the public sector, who put in 15-20%, and are increasing that amount to fund ther scheme.

I am afraid eventally the public sector mention will be expected to take a hit, but I am afraid any government will take their time, for fear of the unions.

An alternative would be to run down the health service. People would die younger, and save government money on public sector pensions.

PS: Thanks for all the messages on the blog. There may be periods when it goes fallow for a while. It probably means I'm feeling lousy or found something better to do. It doesn't mean I'm dead!

The Budget

The Budget used to be such an occasion, but there are now few surprises. Well, I'm expecting few.

Darling criticised the LDs for changing financial policy from September, saying they were inconsistent. Well, the world has changed since September... they would have changed the policy if they had NOT changed it. And they have not overhauled? I have lost count of the number of times the Tories since.

I hope Osborne wears a dark suit. He all too often looks as if he is going to wet himself when he hears economic bad news. Doesn't affect the carpet industry, who he springs from, obviously.

Cricket County Championship

I used to follow the Cricket County Championship. The season has started this year, but I do not feel there is any interest any more from anyone. Not even from even the Telegraph, who until recently had a correspondent at every match.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, in my memory, England players would turn out for their county. Nowadays, England players don't. Sometimes there is one of the endless international fixtures; sometimes there is just a chance for them to rest.

Presumably, they rest to reduce their chances of getting injured. But in the 1980s David Gower or Ian Botham played half the Cricket County Championship season, and the full international season. I also liked the fact journeymen would play for 15 seasons for a team (and earn a benefit), giving their heart and soul to a county - without coming close to England. Nowadays, teams prefer to pick those ineligible for England - for a few matches, and bus them back home, before busing in a replacement.

Shame really. I know very few people watched it in the flesh - and very few still do - but I as a Man of Kent felt something for. Does any still follow Cricket County Championship?


For those who don't know, this is Chris Tavare, who played from Kent, Somerset and England from 1974-93. He was an aggressive batsman, except when he played England, when he was instructed by the authorities to score slowly - which he certainly did. We, at Kent, knew his true class!

State of play...

I thought it was time I put occasional updates on my current state of health on here. For those who don't know, I have a brain tumour, which is no picnic.

I am no better than when I had half of it removed last September. The recent scan clearly showed that, despite lots of chemotherapy and radiotherapy since, things are deteriorating. But without said treatment, I would be probably dead already!

Yesterday, I was told the ongoing chemotherapy was "not working". So will be moving on the different (older) one. Disappointing, but life must go on.

In my case, the tumour is on the left hand side, which affects mathematical ability, literacy, and speech - I really search for some words. Sometimes, after a seizure (fit, they used to call them), I cannot read, write or speak for a couple of days. And my right hand is almost paralysed.

This sounds bad, but fortunately I am left handed. And if the other side of brain was affected, apparently, my personality would be affected, as might memory. I don't think it is, thank goodness!

Now, talking of personality - where is my beer?

Alcohol

I have always been quite partial to booze. From the age of 16, some twenty plus years ago, I would enjoy it. A Friday night would consist of a few pints, a small bottle for the way home... for about a fiver. Don't think I was irresponsible, though.

So there does seems to be a problem with some young people now. Fair enough. Why is the media's response to talk about putting duty on all booze up. What is it that cause the problems among the teenagers? Super-strength cider, cheap lager, alcohops? Or £5 bottles of wine, £2 bottles of bitter?

Don't put duty on booze up. Some of it is expensive enough. And we can always stock up abroad. What I do think is wrong is selling booze as a loss leader. You would not sell fags as a loss leader. And why is cider's duty so much less than beer? Work out what these young people drink, and tackle that.

Funnily enough, all three parties more or less agree. The media don't have a clue.

Little to choose among front benches

It may be that I now find politics boring. And betting. I won't do long term betting, and I am not certain of my own long term future, with this brain tumour. I would hate to land a cracking bet on the next election and not be around.

But... politics is certainly becoming. And so is news. It is always about the recession (and the odd murder). It was not like this in the 1980s or 1990s.

Because the recession is universal, the opposition are not have so much opportunity, it is true. Every country is getting a recession. Vince Cable at least tries to say some things that are constructive; George Osborne is merely trying, very trying. Eighteen months ago the Conservatives looked well placed - full of confidence - but look at them now. Where is Davis? Why can Cameron not appoint him to the Shadow Cabinet? Look at the three main parties front bench... there is little to choose between them compared front-bencher for like.

Now the Alliance or LDs traditionally have had mad or maverick MPs. Russell Johnston, Clement Freud, Cyril Smith, Alex Carlile etc. (There is still Opik, I will grant you). But now most LD MPs are sensible. However, the LDs only have 63 to choose from to get a front bench. It is going to be hard.

The Labour are the largest in parliament. After years in power, they are exhausted. That's their excuse. But with 3 times as many MPs as the LDs, the Tories should have a better front bench than them. They don't.

It has been a while

It has been over two months since anything new appeared here. Well, since no-one knows about this blog this does not matter.

The treatment has been rotten, and the seizures foul. I lost speech for 3 days following one seizure, could not write, could not read, and could not understand TV. I had a totally different soundtrack to TV, and would totally mishear people too. Back to "normal" - just slow...

It is a bit of limbo, even when I get my scan results. But, prospects are better than 5 years ago, when there was no chance of living more a year. The treatment is so new that the doctors cannot say much - the data is not there.

Which Palestine?

Well, the most momentouus thing for me in the last three days is a seizure that confined me to hospital. I think it's all to do with over doing it, and a huge increase in the medication for 5 days. So, I have more or less confined myself bed until this programme ends - today. Last time my tumour gave me a seizure in October, I had to discharge myself from hospital as I had to go to see the Stranglers. No such emergency this time. With, the any luck, I should as back on my feet, as anyone with a grade 4 brain tumour can be, before long. Meanwhile, there have some political events I have yet to comment on.

I am not going to analyse here on Gaza too much. That has all been done. And so much analysis has been done badly. I saw a lady from Palestinian Solidarity Movement on BBC News 24 on Saturday. What solidarity? There is no solidarity between Hamas and Fatah. Hamas remain a terrorist outfit, whose leaders wish the destruction of the Jewish race. Fatah want to get down to business. They have a good chance now without Yasser Arafat. It was Bruce Anderson who said of Arafat: "He never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity." How accurate!

So what can we do? There is no point debating the last sixty years of wrongs and rights - there are plenty on both sides. There is little point trusting Hamas, who say they support extermination of a race. And if Hamas ever "do a deal" they always seems to break it again. Israel seem to be very heavy-handed as usual, but then were not we in Iraq, but with the UN critcism?

I feel desperately sorry for the Palestinian living under Hamas. But you are led by donkeys. Don't vote for them! Meanwhile, plug on with negotiation - Israel seem to be getting some security out of it. And Hamas are still donkeys!

Leave Harry alone

I started on the chemotherapy again yesterday. Fortunately, it is only five days, but it knocked the stuffing out of me yesterday afternoon. It also knocks the stuffing out of the NHS at £250 a day! Still, if it "prolongs" my life, so much the better. They have already told me that the tumour is not curable, and that about two years is average. Should make the general election at least!

Anyway, a week ago, the "hot" story was about something Prince Harry said three years ago. Sky News were determined to push this as much as possible on Saturday, in order to flog as many cheap rags of papers the following day. And the rest of the media, including the BBC though it was newsworthy.

Now I have historically not been a fan of Harry the lad. His incident with a Nazi unform was appalling. But he has grown up a fair bit since then. I admired the fact that after it had been said there was no way he could go on active service to Iraq, he snuck off to Afghanistan instead. That took guts. His choice of words in that video of three years was not intended to be offensive. I doubt if he would use them now, though many army in the may continue to do - and some with racist motive. It is interesting that the Conservative MP, Patrick Mercer, said that Harry's language was unaccepable. Is this the same Mr Mercer who that a couple of years ago that calling a soldier "a black bastard" was fine?

The media should grow up. I am sure you can find more racism in the Sun than in Price Harry. And the politicians should shut up. Three years is a long time. Speak up for Harry. He tries. He is probably pretty good at his job.

Heathrow? Or no?

After a month off, I start on some chemotherapy tomorrow. The last lot was a mammoth stretch of six weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, with daily hospital visits. This time it will last just five days, and I don't need to pop into the hospital. That's good; it may make me tired, but I will still have to find ways of amusing myself. So what is going on in the news... ?

The Heathrow expansion seems to be the hornets' next at present. There are, it appears, three schools of thought:-

• There are those, including the Government, who back it. We know where they stand with them.
• There are those oppose it, and oppose every alternative plan. The Greens do this out of conviction, as they want to stop flights. But those who do like progress and the twenty-first century are being disingueous if this is their approach.
• There are those who oppose it, and want to built an alternative. Boris Johnson's idea is that this would be in Kent. It is true that Kent is more conveniently located than Heathrow, but the environmental damage, in terms of wildlife, could be substantial.
  

So what is the political reasoning behind the parties' viewpoints.

• Labour are untroubled by their decision. It is difficult to see how such a decision could cause them to lose Labour seats.
• The Conservatives are desperate to win seats in London, particular south-west London Liberal Democrat seats. But do they realise that the seven Labour seats in Kent that are meant to fall like dominoes to the Tories will be hurt by Boris's plan? The people of Cliffe or Sheppey, two purported sites, would far prefer Heathrow expansion. And so would the RSPB.
• The Liberal Democrats are tussling in south-west London, over the same seats as the Conservatives. I can't see an alternative they have proposed yet - they are sitting on their hands.

At least the Green are clear, although deluded.

Heathrow is far from ideal, but you can't uninvent it. I go with Heathrow.

The beginning....

You have to start somewhere with a blog. But I don't really know where. Or what I will blog on.

Perhaps a cheery mix of politics, my own tastes - books, music and drinks, for example - and stories of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and neurosurgery. I'm undecided.