Lionel

My only concern about so many pleading TV ads is that we, the great viewing public, will get a terminal dose of compassion fatigue and give up giving. I think also Britain's grossly inflated foreign aid budget discourages personal giving. How many people take the view ... oh well, £14 billion foreign aid will cover that? Otherwise I agree with you.

Sheila, the very last thing we need in this country is more legislation. We're drowning in it! Even breathing out incurs the wrath of young, supposedly unemployed climate change freaks. If you have o much energy to spare what about campaigning for a rather silly thing ... common sense. Reduce our legislation by 75% and make people rely on common sense. Now there's an idea!

Hello Hort. I'm from Norfolk too, near Swaffham although have spent a little time in London. 25 years in farm work in Suffolk, N. Yorkshire (Vale of York) and Eire. Where abouts are you?

My step grand daughter works as a professional carer in a private home. She told me at Christmas her company's rates were £30 hour plus 50p per mile traveled. I can assure you, as per my post below, the carer may get £10 plus fuel out of that! Best advice I may offer you is to do as we do. My wife has MS and needs some help. I provide the help she needs. If you can manage without help do so.

Well, Carole, you spoke of this some long time ago and I heard you. Kathryn and I are systematically arranging our present affairs and documenting them. The only difference is in our wills. Thanks for the idea, it was timely and will, I'm very sure, prove to be a Godsend.

The man's side.

Mutte Merkel is very hospitable too! Just ask the one million migrants she invited to Germany.

We must agree to disagree on some elements of climate change. But perhaps we could agree both sides of the debate could be allowed air time to debate the matter rather than the BBC's 'the science is settled,' attitude. We both value British freedoms and democracy, as we've often said. To me the BBC and others are flying in the face of democracy, particularly as it tax payer money needed to answer climate change.

Yes Yodama, this is a lovely site. If it wasn't I would have stayed for almost four years. I used to post on some so-called Christian sites. But, sadly, as soon as they caught my name the racial and anti semitic abuse began. Sally moderates this site for plain human decency and politeness. Strangely, human decency sums up what the God of Israel describes as acceptable religion in the Bible. So much for Christian social sites! I must congratulate you on a skillfully worded riposte to a man whose name indicates a superior health status. It made me laugh. I was thinking of suggesting he foxtrot oscar but in the vernacular. Sally might have rebuked me for that one. What a joy he must be to live with. Never satisfied and that in the face of such excelling wellness. But there we are, it takes all sorts.

Yodama, one of the reasons I no longer answer many posts is in the past I've replied to a lot of people, often going into some detail. Sadly, don't hear a word back so don't know if my words were helpful. As far as Christmas films are concerned, well, I go to the cinema about once every 20 years and haven't got a DVD player. Yep, not really interested in movies.

I don't think anyone can answer your question. What I do know, however, is that the workplace for very many people has become toxic and menacing. In chatting with our local vicar I asked about a mutual pal. The vicar said he'd been bullied and threatened so much at work he'd retired early through ill health. The man is barely fifty! The vicar in question is non-stipendiary, meaning he earns a living as an electrician and every other waking hour he's a very good pastor. He too has suffered in the work place. Family? Oh dear, who may account for family these days. I'd tell you about my step family but ... I think you've suffered enough. It's probably not you at all but you're made to believe it is.

There's still a pint of Guinness awaiting you in my neck of the woods, and a box of salted crisps. I couldn't disagree about planting trees, Wilf, but how about deciduous trees, oaks, elms, etc., instead of so many pines. Just a smile, perhaps ... a few years ago a newcomer couple to our hamlet, one of the very few new arrivals, decided an oak tree on the common shaded their kitchen rather too much. The local council's tree man was called out and my wife, in local government at the time, lead the meeting. He studiously viewed the tree and then addressed the new couple in particular. 'This oak tree has been here at least six hundred years. Didn't you notice it when viewing the house? That couple left here within a month.

The questioner is our esteemed Editor, Sally. I believe many of this community would agree, you owe her a published apology! If you dislike this country so much, Wellman, there are several airports and quite a few seaports you may embark for permanent residence elsewhere.

73% of Canadians polled say they're unwilling to pick up expenses for H & M. Megan's application for UK citizenship in jeopardy since she plans to be out of UK so much. This saga just keeps on rolling.

Yes Tony, As one who was made homeless without reason some years ago I’ll agree with that. Nice to see you on Surfers. Please keep on posting; we need a whole lot more common sense.

Be careful Billy, such thinking is advanced magic, the sort of notions ring fenced to the Humphrey Applebys of this country. You might be getting a knock on the door from two gentlemen in three pieces, bowlers with furled umbrellas and brief cases. They might tell you such public comments are tantamount to a hate crime.

Perfectly put Grannie.

I voted yes, but I’ve read elsewhere the plan is for the bong of Big Ben to unite we, the people. How the hell is the sound of Big Ben to unite this nation so riven with factions and divisions which will permeate the next three generations? It won’t! On Surfers, Wilf is is remainer, and a believer in anthropocentric climate change. I most certainly am neither. Do we need Big Ben to bong to remain pals? Over to you Wilf. As so many other here have said, if there’s half a million Quid sloshing around there’s better places for it than a temporary fix for Big Ben.

I feel sorry for the Queen too, and baby Archie. Can't help wondering how he will grow up with a mother like that.

Mmmm ... swords have a habit of doing damage. Beware.

And now statements which are tantamount to blackmail threats. The threat of a 'tell-all' TV interview if Megan doesn't get all her demands met. This isn't going to end well.

Yodama you're assuming comprehensive educated youngsters have a clue what a proctologist might be. Mind you, the way some are going about things they'll soon need one.

I couldn't agree more Munsterlander. In fifty years of having Collies - some for working sheep and cattle others as house dogs - I've only ever given them bones. The local butcher will supply beef shin bones at almost no cost and bones give worms a hard time too. I haven't often had to worm my dogs, the bones do it for me. Seems to me these vets are getting a little too greedy these days.

'Are They Making The right Decision?' I don't know how we may reasonably have a viewpoint. So many facets of Royal life are veiled from we plebs; we get to know only what their press people deem necessary and often even that is mangled by our red top newspapers. How possible is it to discern truth from sales copy? I don't know. What does irk me somewhat is the Sussex's lavish spending habits - a million quid on Markle's outfits in less than two years and so much jetting around. Surely Charles who funds them could apply that money to help alleviate the need for so many food banks. And there's a few more things ... quite a few. Perhaps if the Palace ordered a 'D' notice on all Sussex publicity they would fade back to their rightful place in the royal hierarchy. Or, as many commentators in our newspapers favour, seek pastures new. Now there's a thought ... but the Sussex's got there before me!

Well said.

I just don't see the point of going dry for January or any other month. If you enjoy a drink carry on. If you don't drink it doesn't affect you. It's that simple. Thus, it's a load of nonsense that is helping someone is make a packet.

Well done Arnold, although never great drinkers my wife and I packed up about three years ago. As said elsewhere the bank balance is a little healthier!

If ever I've made a resolution it is to grow another 3 inches. That would make me a respectable five foot six. Hasn't happened yet!

That's a really pessimistic, humanist view of things. ... purveyors of mind domination for power over the masses... There is an ever-present reality clearly you've missed or perhaps preferred another way of living. Carbon pollution? What carbon pollution?

I didn't know there was a connection between Easter Eggs and Christianity. Eggs and Churchianity yes. But then a lot about Churchianity is strange to the Bible.

What is sacred anymore, Biker Babe? Right now I can't think of anything.

Generally, we don't make New Year's resolutions. They can be just too binding and if broken lead to remorse or worse. For example, Christmas '96, after a disastrous, one-sided marriage, I resolved never to get emotionally involved again. It was just too costly in every way. A year later I'd met and proposed to a lady who is just too good to miss. I'd do it again today. Almost three years ago, for no real reason, we decided not to drink alcohol anymore. That happened in August and haven't done so since. Must say the bank balance looks healthier! Perhaps I should have begun with ... why wait until New Year?

Be true unto thyself. How true.

Welcome home, and in one piece too! Red Bull and later sherry ... might give it a go.

I'm Norfolk born and bred. West Norfolk to be precise, but now live in North Suffolk.

Let's not be too hasty with the wings, Yodama. That time will come ... but for now, settle for legs and wheels.

Just you take care Yodama. Get back safely. You're important to a lot of us. PS - sherry and port require at least 60 hours to drain from the system!

Yep! We do mostly.

It's much the same in rural north Suffolk, Raindrop. Even in our small market towns I shop in, car users, sadly mainly young women, will happily all but force head on just to ... what? I don't know. I've been driving 50 years. There isn't much on the roads I haven't been licenced for. In my limited view, the days of happy motoring (remember that Shell slogan Happy Motoring) are long gone. We're witnessing the dominance of the 'self,' and that's not good news for drivers or older folk like us.

No, I'm not bothered about traffic jams. As a truck driver for a few years I've seen far too much selfish driving on the roads. Far too many tailbacks are the result of a selfish fool too keen to get where he/she is going, lacking any care for other road users, make an often fatal mistake. No for me anymore. We stay at home, warm and well fed letting others enjoy the traffic jams. That means I might milk the pensions for a while longer!