31st January, 2021. 323 days of isolation/lockdown.

The row about the UK pre-ordering vaccines has escalated with an announcement by Ms Van der Bossy that the EU should not allow our contractually agreed supplies to come through Northern Ireland. They want our orders to go to other EU countries who did not have the foresight to order as early as we did. I don’t understand all this stuff about hard borders etc. but I can understand that the EU is acting in a bullying manner and it turns out , most of the rest of the world appears to be on our side for a change. Even the troublesome Barnier has told the EU to step back from the “vaccine wars”. Miss Bossy’s statement was withdrawn in a couple of hours but the damage had been done. Yes, we will have millions of doses more than needed but we have contractual arrangement with other countries to supply them and I believe it is the UK’s intention to help out other poorer countries. Say what you like about the UK but that is what we do.

The UK are famous for standing inline and queuing. Please understand it’s a tradition we honour, but jump that queue and we will surely let you know.

That statement, having been made by Miss Bossy, will not easily be forgotten. I always said that the EU would punish us one way or another and it is happening. All the paperwork needed for exports and imports they now require (up to 400 pages to export lobster to the EU from Bridlington for example), extra taxes for having a second home in Spain, restrictions on the time we can stay in 2nd homes in Spain and now they try to dictate our buying policies and we don’t even belong to “the club”. What sort of a deal was struck with the EU that they think they can legally interfere? I voted remain and am still a Remainer as I still firmly believe I am a European but many are now changing their minds and I wonder how much more emphatic the Brexit vote would have been, had we known the shenanigans the EU would be up to after the agreement was signed. Clearly they hope to kill off what is left of our fishing industry.

Are we becoming vegetarians? This week I have made Glamorgan sausages (leek based) and Kenyan masala chips with fried leeks as a side. All very tasty. We will have some cod patties today and had fish and chips on Friday to balance things up. The Glamorgan sausages were tasty but complex to make. I hate separating eggs. The Masala chips were simply fabulous. They were a bit spicy (less chilli next time) and very simple to make. Only one mixing bowl for preparation. I will make them again, definitely. (YouTube…”Kenya Masala Chips”)

There has been a fair bit of live football on TV recently and with the pandemic, I thought I would be watching most of it. I have to say that without the crowds there is so little atmosphere that the deliberate falling down (AKA cheating), the histrionics and childish celebration are highlighted even more so I now can’t be bothered to watch any more.

Went for a walk today to “prepare” my knee for the chiropractor tomorrow. It is so much easier to describe the problem whilst it is actually there.