A puffin for no reason

This morning I - foolishly - had my glasses on and realised our bedroom window frames (inside) were filthy! So bad I had to clean them. 

I notice when the windows need cleaning - though I don't necessarily do it - but never really look at the frames. It was a shock. Brr. Clean now.

Mini went for her MOT today (annual test of roadworthiness). She passed but Husband has been looking at new second-hand cars for about a year, dithering, and then saying, "We'll keep Mini," but today things progressed a stage further. We may be getting a new car!

More to follow no doubt. Unless he changes his mind again.

What else? Not a lot. I've written a bit each day so my total word count now is 17,128. I have to confess I have copied chunks from the original version, the bits that will fit in with the new one. It is exciting though, finding out what your character is going to do or say next. 

I've just finished reading This Much is True, the autobiography of Miriam Margolyes. A bit rude but not as bad as I'd feared. She is very open and the first half where she deals with early life is more interesting than the later bits about films, plays, she's been in. She doesn't hold back on her opinions about other actors. I see she has a sequel out but I'm not sure there can be much left to tell.

I'm currently reading a novel about a very intelligent octopus and the woman who cleans the aquarium. 

Ah yes, that's what I was going to say. Do you ever think about writing a blog post because there's something you want to say but by the time you begin you've forgotten what it is? 

Politics. Last night parliament voted on an amendment to the King's speech that asked parliament to agree that we should join other countries and organisations in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

125 MPs voted in favour, 525 MPs voted against or abstained. The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, issued a three-line whip telling his MPs they would be suspended if they voted in favour. A few dared to disobey but most went along with it.

Our MP is currently already under suspension from the Labour Party because of alleged sexual improprieties (phwoah, I spelled that right first time) so is sitting as an Independent so therefore would have been free to vote for the motion but didn't. In spite of being very verbal about the need on Twitter. Several MPs who I thought would have defied the ban because they appear principled didn't. It is a sad day.

As you may remember I recently joined the Labour Party. My view was that if I want to make a difference I need to be inside it. Some letters will be written. (I keep getting emails inviting me to party meetings but I am way too nervous to ever speak at anything like that because I think with my heart and people argue with their heads.)

Meanwhile the Supreme Court has ruled that the government's plan to send refugees to Rwanda is unlawful. So that's an end to it you'd think. But no, the Prime Minister plans to introduce emergency legislation to allow it to go ahead regardless. In other words, we don't like this law so we're going to make up our own. So far the UK is still signed up to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) but for how long?

Then there's King Charles. Starting a new food charity while not paying taxes. Or there's the scheme costing £8 million to offer every school in the country a framed portrait of the King. While children go to school hungry.

Mutter, mutter. I need a nice bright cheery photo. Have a puffin.