The Insomniac Meanderings Post : Late For Work Yesterday Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I was late for work yesterday. Why when I normally give myself twenty minutes leeway just to cover myself for the unexpected? Because a part of the journey from Penarth to a collection of out of town shops near Cardiff called Culverhouse Cross, a journey that would normally take ten minutes...took me over an hour!!

People were doing Christmas shopping. Which surprised me given that it was still a school day. But there they were. Queueing to get in.

I'm still in two minds about whether this Christmas will be successful for the shops. On the one hand I've already chatted about how the similar out of town stores in Bridgend were busy a few weeks back. On the other the quietness of restaurants in Cardiff Bay in what should have been an office party week.

With what happened yesterday I suspect the former. It was like what I said with regard to the situation in Bridgend. If people have money they could be spending it out of fear they would be unable to provide anything similar in a post Brexit Christmas.

What perhaps is telling though about yesterday is that of the shops people went to. The main one in Culverhouse Cross that had the most traffic was the big 24 hour Tesco. Perhaps people are just splashing out on the food and drink that they're unlikely to see for a while in the event of a no deal Brexit.

Had a look at the double issue TV guide yesterday. Here's the thing. For the most part it's rubbish. You'll say it's because I'm old and a Christmas curmudgeon. But leaving aside sport and Welsh language programmes from S4C there are few programmes that I say I want to watch. They exist. Of course they do. But they are less and less. More channels has actually meant less choice. Especially when channel surfing. As when you find a programme you might be interested in it turns out there's only about ten minutes left!

By the way...mince pies...ugh!

Depending on the traffic my plan is to leave early in the next few days and have lunch at Bridgend Town and wander around. We'll see how that goes.

I wrote two years ago in this blog that if there is a fault with the Welsh people it was that taken as a whole they were just too nice. If they acted like the Scots. Polite but firm they would have got a lot more. After all look at Ireland. Discounting the blip of the financial crisis we are observing a young prosperous vibrant country. The days when they had to put up with "Did you hear the one about the Irishman..." in Britain have long since gone.

Wales can be like that. No one is saying it would be instant or simple but Ireland is the example of what can be achieved. I say this again because in terms of the attitude towards Wales nothing has changed. It is the last colony and it's not helped by having Corbyn disciple Mark Drakeford the "Red Cairns" as First Minister. Being London's man does not help Wales one bit.

And if you want another symbol of declining Britain apparently beefeaters in the Tower Of London are taking industrial action. Perhaps they'll let loose those Ravens?

Random thought. If we assume Brexit goes badly it might be worthwhile buying a copy of the British version of GQ magazine. If only to see what "style" means in a long dark journey through the soul Brexit.

Twitter has just alerted me to a French radio station called "Crooner Radio". Interesting. Even the wife might like it given that it's apparently doing Christmas songs done by the crooners (of course I'm avoiding the Christmas songs - I'm definitely not dreaming of a white Christmas. Few things worse weather wise than settling snow). Will give the station a try though.

Anyway a new day is dawning and you know what I'm almost seeing blue skies....yes I know. Suspect it'll soon turn back to what it's been for the past few days.

Fifty shades of grey. Rather like my hair.

Until the next time.