We’ve had another mixed day here at Bigland Towers. On opening the bedroom blinds this morning it was obvious the glorious sunshine we’d had yesterday was a flash in a pan as the view across the valley was hampered by low cloud and poor visibility. Temperatures weren’t exactly balmy either! As the pair of us had plenty to keep us occupied with at home the weather wasn’t much of a problem – although sunshine and blue skies does help lift the spirits.

The weather certainly didn’t stop us voting in the local elections. Nor did the new need for photo ID. That’s because we’d already voted! For many years now we’ve had postal votes so our returns were in. I can’t help thinking the whole photo ID idea is a scam on the part of the Tories to stop people voting. Recorded cases of voter fraud have always been tiny, so why the sudden need for photographic ID? Plus, if I remember correctly, when there have been minor cases of impersonation it’s been with postal ballots – for which you don’t need ID! I’ll be very interested to see how this scheme pans out and if it backfires on the Tories in the was some observers are suggesting. Some older people (likely Tory voters) don’t have photographic ID and may well struggle to be allowed to vote. There would be a delicious irony if we see shrinkage in the Tory vote because the ‘wrong sort’ of voters have been disenfranchised!

Of course, the results won’t be clear until tomorrow and I’m not going to be staying up to watch as the pair of us have better things to do tomorrow. Dawn’s spent the day toiling like a Stakhanovite in order to clear as much of her work as possible before turning off her computer this evening ready for the next few days.

Me? I’ve been busy too although I did have a side trip to our local GPs in order to have check-up that I’m overdue for. Fair credit to our local surgery down in Sowerby Bridge. I only rang them about an appointment this morning yet they managed to squeeze me in to see a GP by 15:00! That’s an impressive service, but then they’ve always been good.

Now it’s late in the evening and the pair of us are packing, ready to head off to Turkey tomorrow whilst leaving the cottage in good order for our friends who’ll be looking after the place whilst we’re away. No doubt I’ll be doing some blogging over the next few days whilst I’m away, just don’t expect them to be mammoth travel guides to Istanbul as we’re going with the other members of the ‘5 from the 6’ so the intention’s to have fun!

It’s a good time to go, the UK weather forecast’s not looking good for the next few days. Plus, as a republican and not a royalist the next few days of Coronation fever and forelock tugging is something I’m happy to miss – especially when I reflect on the state of the UK economy right now. I’ve nothing against Charles (in fact, I rather like him) but there’s a whiff of ‘bread and circuses’ in the air that hopefully won’t travel as far as Turkey, although I suspect some of our number will be happy to watch the pageantry, pomp and circumstance on ‘catch-up’…

OK, time to go. Today’s picture is from the last time the ‘5 from the 6’ went on a jaunt which was to Berlin this time last year. Here’s the Oberbaum bridge which became an important crossing point between East and West during the ‘Cold War’ years.

I’m looking forward to being let loose in Istanbul with the camera, but I think hoping for blue skies like this may be optimistic…

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