Lawns all freshly mulched. Alsteomerias and kniphofias giving the borders a Jackson Pollock look. Bamboos exploding from the earth with phallic promise. The new grasses border paying out a handsome dividend for last year's careful pre-planting preparations. The garden pool as busy as Morrisons, with two Canada Goose families, a Mallard family and eight little cootlets bombing around.
Two black spots in this idyllic heaven. First, the bloody rabbits are eating the echinaceas. Which makes me wonder what sort of mad person would have stolen a rabbit hutch from outside a pet shop in Welshpool last week (reported in today's Montgomeryshire County Times). Since Smokey died, we have been overrun and they've even started to stretch out on the lawns like sun worshippers on these £5 holidays in Crete that are being advertised. Don't house them - shoot them I say.
And secondly, Hoppity has started to attack the postman. This is Hoppity, the pheasant with a limp - not Hoppity the wife who is making fantastic progress after a prosthetic knee replacement three weeks ago.Hoppity is a 'cock' pheasant - a word I use in defiance of the RSPB. It seems, according to the Mail and the Telegraph that I should be referring to Hoppity as Daddy Pheasant to avoid causing offence. What is going to happen when I post something like "On this cold winter's day, there were a pair of blue tits frolicking outside the window, visiting upon my senses a pleasure that can only be described as sensual". I might easily have posted such a line in all innocence.
All this wonderment is my escape. But there must be something to escape from. My month of quiet reflection, free from political pressures, is almost over - rather the same as if I had been elected last May 3rd! Last weekend I subjected myself to the judgement of the Conservative Party's Parliamentary Assessment Board, where assessors decided whether I'm a suitable person to be placed on the Approved Candidate's List for the next General Election. And if I have managed to surmount this hurdle, I will have to decide whether I tackle the next big hurdle, by throwing my hat into the ring, seeking consideration for selection as Parliamentary Candidate for my beloved Montgomeryshire. And what else should I do to advance the cause of our modern 'Welsh' Conservative Party - and to indulge my passion for the 'countryside'.
Ah well, its back outside to face the aggressive Daddy Pheasant and put some chicken wire around the echinaceas - and mental preparation for a week of decisions coming up.
9 comments:
somebody give the man a column to write
I would prefer it if all the parties saved their best for Cardiff rather than London, but I can understand your desire to get back into an elected role. Look at it this way, if you get selected and just miss out against Lembit, your raised profile will make you a favourite to take the Mick in 2011.
Mind you, I still want Plaid to win all 60 seats, but what can you do?
ian - by 2011, I expect Plaid and the Welsh Conservatives to be working in harness. We will both be so keen to have an alternative government committed to devolution and Welsh culture. You don't believe me? Well, we will have to wait and see.
Glyn you really are cock of the walk - in the nicest possible way.
Whats your take on cameron and grammar schools
Ole Savanarola wishes you well in the quest.
Valleys man - the grammer schol row depresses me. It looks like an own goal and I'm still not sure what the row is all about. What really surprises me is that it has become such a big issue when there are only 164 grammer schools - and over 2000 non-grammer schools. I do think we should be concentrating on how to improve the 2000, and cannot see why we had to bring the future of grammers into the discussion. I hope Andy Coulson will stop this sort of row happening in future
This seems to be going on and on Glyn .I agree with you on the level of importance being given to it.It is damaging Cameron though.
This was on Ian Dale's Blog
Writing in tomorrow's NEWS OF THE WORLD, Graham Brady launches a savage attack on David Cameron's grammar schools stance. He accuses him of picking a fight with millions of ordinary working families by turning his back on grammar schools. He calls the policy "badly thought-out" and "absurd". Brady said he was warned to "shut up on education" if he wanted to keep his job in Mr Cameron's frontbench
I agree that it is damaging. I was shocked by the comments of David Mellor on Radio Five today. Mellor maybe from the past - but he got the coverage. Don't understand how a man who owes his public profile to the Conservative Party can be so disloyal. This sort of shouting match must stop.
the mellor interview gets a lot of coverage on Iain Dale's blog
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