Sunday

Colder, overcast - but had a long and very enjoyable early dog walk at North's seat - couldn't see too far into the distance - but lots of new growth already, and not too waterlogged.

The operation to move the wood burner across town and to my house went quite well - easier than expected - but the unexpected process of pulling a 3 storey steel flue pipe down the poor woman's chimney without making a mess, and then trying to get it into a hatchback - was.. interesting. It's at home now - ready for installation - which won't be just yet - I can't afford it.

Wandering through town yesterday I saw the strangest of sights. A middle aged woman in glasses with a big, manic grin on her face - walking along Castle Hill Road - with an elderly down syndrome man a couple of yards behind her. He was attached to her by a tube which seemed to emanate from her shoulder bag and lead to a full face oxygen mask. It was quite odd.

Loads to do today, just clearing my head. I went to bed at 8.30pm again last night - it seemed the sensible thing to do. Looking forward to a bit more daylight and some warmer weather, If I get through this week in one piece - it will be a miracle.. A couple of the Alliums have started showing through the garden at the front - there should be 50.

Hedda Gabler was on the radio yesterday - I saw it once in Liverpool with Gillian Kearney in the title role. It was a very good production, as was the one yesterday with Sheridan Smith - but I never understood the play, I can't stand Hedda - if it's supposed to mean anything, I cant figure it out because I can't abide the lead role - she's intolerable. It's like going to a party and someone you dislike intensely is being the centre of attention - but you can't say anything because it's not your house. ( by the way - the headline review in the Liverpool Echo at the time of the production I saw was 'Gillian Scores a Hedda' - really wish I'd thought of that )

The final ever episode of 'Being Human' is on tonight - despite the fact that it's only silly fiction and I scoffed at the synopsis before it was first broadcast - it's been consistently excellent and challenging. Underneath the supernatural stuff - it's a very human drama - this series in particular has been superb interestingly - they knew it was being cancelled before they started writing - perhaps that spurned them on. I shall miss it.

Theresa May wants to get rid of the Human Rights act. That say's it all really. The HR act is like marriage - totally unimportant until it's what you want - and then it's the single most important thing in the world and you can't live without it. We are very, very spoilt in this country - lets not forget that. The Bedroom Tax comes in on April 1st ( no fucking joke intended ), really piss poor piece of badly though through legislation that will achieve nothing except cause pain, distress and resentment - and real hardship. Desperately unfair and cruel - it attacks the weakest members of society, who are the least likely to fight back - and turns thousands of decent, honest people into 'parasites' - as the Tories continue to polarise the country back to pre WW1 levels - a small number of people may abuse the system, but that isn't really the point. If people 'over occupy' - and want to more - they have nowhere else to go - priced out of private accommodation - and with no new low occupancy social housing being created - they will have no choice but to surrender part of their meagre income. If you want to inspire social unrest and resentment - the Tories are going about it the right way.