Buddleia

One of the things I have noticed after many many hours on trains is the frequency and size of Buddleia that grow near railways. They rampage if left unchecked and can be one of 2 things:

1. Beautiful - they have a very pretty purple flower - wow I'm such a girl.

2. Unsightly and weed like. This is often the state I see them in.

Well, in my garden I have one of these bushy plants and it's grown about 75 ft in the last few days. I commented to Mrs TF that we really do need to cut it back as it was approaching the washing line.

And then it rained.

So now it's beyond the washing line and making a concerted effort to get to the other side of the garden, into the neighbour's garden and then on to conquer the world...

I wonder if it's playing a game of Risk with some other Buddleia somewhere..

TTF

Choices

We all have choices to make throughtout our lives - at least from when our parents allow us to make these choices - the age can vary depending on the style of parenting that was adopted for you.

Major Clanger noted in one of his recent responses on this 'ere blog that we all have choices - it is something given to us by God.

I often have a nagging doubt about this.. Am I really qualified to make the choices in my own life? I'm probably better qualified than most I suppose (definitely more qualified that the government who seem to thing they should have this right on your behalf)...

I am not sure if I've really made the right choices over the last 3 or 4 years. I love the outcomes... don't get me wrong - I live in an amazing place with a lovely wife and beautiful daughter...

I just wonder if I should have done something else.... Go to Africa to dig wells, become a policeman.... all sorts of different ideas.... None of them involving travelling across the country every day and dealing with stress...

So another choice presents itself... what do I do now?

TTF

Liberals again

I had a welcome comment the other day from someone who feels it is right to argue that God is a delusion of the human mind. This is very much a Richard Dawkins thing I suspect.

It is often said that there is no scientific proof of God. It is also true to say that there is no scientific way of prooving there is no God. (Interestingly, type into Google the Lennox, Dawkins debate - very interesting).

From my point of view, I see God the creator in all things around us. It is a marvellous thing to behold the beauty of my baby girl who was, without a doubt, "created". That she has come into being and is so perfect is, in the words of my good friend "Major Clanger", just a nonsense. There is no logic that is navigable by man that can persuade me otherwise.

On the other point raised - about Islam and Christianity - it is true to say that many people have been killed in the name of these religions. I would say that this is more due to man's choices about these religions.

Christianity is all about grace and peace. I cannot speak for Islam.

Northern Flop

It's impressive really. Only a Labour government could get itself in to so much trouble - all of it's own making..

If Northern Rock had been properly regulated and the Chancellor of the day had made borrowing a bit more difficult, they might not be in the trouble they're in.

However, my main point is somewhat contradictory.

Labour cannot help but meddle in everything. They think it's their job. Bit of legislation here, bit there and before you know it, the free market is swaying and stumbling under so much regulation that it's impossible to call it a free market.

Northern Rock is an example of where they should probably have stayed out of it. House prices - another. Just let the system find an equilibrium and stop faffing about.

You see it comes down to one basic premise. Labour don't trust the general public to make their own decisions. We apparently all need to be looked after and saved from our inevitable mistakes because we are so stupid, we just can't do it on our own.

What a load of nonsense. Some of us are actually quite clever. (Maybe not me but people I know).

GRR.

I think it's time for a change

I guess we're all finding it a bit of a challenge at the moment.

Everything seems more expensive, money doesn't seem to go as far. Petrol / diesel is a nightmare. Every little thing seems to take more commitment..

It's easy to look for people to blame - partly I blame myself for the stupid length of commute I do. Partly I blame the government....

But I guess the biggest problem we have at the moment if we ignore the financial mess we are in is the fact that the family and everything traditional we have benefited from in this country has been under attack by the liberal left.....

You know the stuff.....

1. Belief in God is an immature delusion.
2. Disciplining children is unfair on them and makes them sad.
3. Health and Safety is everything because we're all so afraid of getting hurt - so afraid that when the real thing happens, we're massively unprepared for it - I mean emotional as well as physical.
4. Hunting animals is bad.
5. The idea that all faiths are basically the same and they should all merge into one "conciousness".

I really really hate all that twaddle. I can't tell you how much I resent the liberal agenda for what it's done and continues to do to this country..

Liberalism stands for nothing.

It's been a bit quiet

It's been a number of weeks since I last wrote - that's 'cos I'm boring and have very little to say. I've been trying to think of a new angle to my commute..

Truth is I've been disparaging enough about FGW. I've written about my fellow travellers... what else is there to say??

Well I think I'm going to focus on nice things from now on (unless I get really angry)..

Watch this space.

Early.....

As I have commented before, when a train is early or on time, this results in 2 things happening:

1) Lots of people miss the train as they usually expect it to be late.

2) The FGW staff do a little may-pole style dance of celebration. Which then makes the train late.

Collyn the train manager was very keen to tell us that we'd have to wait at Oxford for a bit and that there was nothing wrong with the train or the track and that we were just early... How cynical does he think we are.....

TTF