Gosh, is it February already? I can’t say I’m too upset. After the past two Covid coated years I was looking forward to 2022 with optimism and renewed hope that we just *might* be starting to recover from all our woes and things would start to pick up. Sadly, for various reasons January was a mixed month to say the least, not helped by the shower of shits who sit on the Government benches in Parliament. I’ve never felt as embarrassed to be British as I am now, looking at this venal, lying and duplicitous bunch who’re more interested in their own careers, partying and lining each others pockets. But I can’t say I’m surprised. Johnson has a long history as a liar and a man who cares only for himself. The fact the Tories thought this qualified him to be their leader says everything you need to know about the Conservative party in the 21st Century. The sycophants and incompetents he’s surrounded himself and appointed to high-office so they owe him personal loyalty makes us look like a banana republic. I mean, Christ on a bike, who in their right mind would entrust Nadine ‘Mad Nad’ Dorries with anything important? I wouldn’t trust her with anything sharp! Her TV interviews yesterday were full on motorway pile-ups. Despite all this, Johnson (am man without an iota of honour) seems to brazen things out, despite the Grey report nailing the fact he lied to Parliament. As a man with no shame, he did it again by accusing Sir Keir Starmer of refusing to prosecute sex offender Jimmy Savile. It was yet another blatant lie, but lies are Johnson’s stock-in trade. He tells them as naturally as breathing.

How long are the Tories going to let this shit-show go on for? Have they any idea how this, their Brexitshambles and their empty bluster against the EU makes this country look abroad, or do they just not care as long as there’s still some money to be made out of it and most people seem in ignorance of what they’re getting away with – or just don’t care?

Sorry, I wasn’t intending to vent my spleen when I started typing, but the words came far too easily!

Away from the political and economic shambles its also been turbulent times here in West Yorkshire, but that’s been down to natural events – the weather! Having survived to named gales we were caught unawares by another one today which literally seemed to slip under the radar. Dawn and I went out for a walk this afternoon wondering if it was a wise move as the amount of trees that were losing branches was becoming worrying. Fortunately we survived unscathed but when I nipped out this evening I noticed a neighbour’s new fence blocking a nearby road. Hopefully the calm will arrive tomorrow. It doesn’t matter too much as I’ve another day based at home, so I don’t have to negotiate my way around a rail network choked with blown-away trampolines, shed roofs or fallen trees.

OK, on to the picture of the day, which has a very different vibe to all this. It’s from my latest batch of old slide scans. It dates from May 1996 and shows a rather special place. Here’s a pub that has what must be a unique location. The Red Lion is in the village of Avebury which is inside a massive Neolithic ditch containing several stone circles. Imagine sitting with your pint outside here, gazing out over a scene like this?

You can find (or buy) many more pictures from Avebury on my Zenfolio website if you follow this link.

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