Sunday May 31st 2026 "Oops! Have YOU heard today's shock news from Croatia?"

Yes, Friends, have YOU heard today's shock news from Croatia? 

Poor Zoran! 

The story's dominating the front page of all the papers today, isn't it, but in my humble opinion, the Onion News version (see report above) has the best angle on it, with that 'money shot' of the Prime Minister's soles, which I sadly can't reproduce for copyright reasons!

Zoran's latest half-arsed antics spell a bit of welcome light relief, however, bringing a kind of a half-twisted smile to the lips of me and my wife Lois this morning, here in semi-leaf-covered Liphook, Hampshire - no question about that!!!

my wife Lois and me - a recent picture

We're laughing because, by complete coincidence, we've been hearing all about Croatia at Lois's church's Sunday Morning Meeting today, at a village hall outside nearby Petersfield, from our friend and fellow-church-member, noted archaeologist Grahame, friend of TV's Alice Roberts and Raksha Dave, would you believe! Grahame, a Roman history specialist, has just returned from Croatia, no doubt from one of his so-called 'digs' (!). 

(left)  Grahame, at nearby Roman Silchester: the BBC refused to pay for Roman specialist 

Grahame's dental treatment although they paid for rival archaeologist Prof Alice Roberts' 

dental work - see her lovely smile-to-camera, as she digs up a Roman villa at Kettering (right)

Yes, not many people know it, but Croatia was once part of the Roman Empire, which seems mad, doesn't it !!! And Grahame is complaining that, when he flew back to the UK last week, the temperature here was actually hotter here in the UK (!), than it was on the sun-kissed Mediterranean beaches of that faraway country, which speaks volumes!!!!

(above) Lois and me at this today's Sunday Morning Meeting - behind us the legs

of Roman archaeology specialist Grahame, who's being "buttonholed" by Glenys,

wife of Chief Elder Richard, and (below) a schematic showing popular holiday destination 

Croatia, once part of the Roman province of 'Dalmatia', which is totally mad!!!!

After the meeting, Grahame pays my wife Lois a massive complement on her youthful appearance, which is nice. During the meeting Chief Elder Richard had tipped off the congregation that 'our sister Lois is about to have a significant birthday this week', which Grahame had interpreted as meaning she was nearing the biblical 'three score years and ten', i.e. 70, but Lois laughingly corrects him - revealing she'll actually this week be turning 'three score years and ten, then add another ten', which is mad too!

You do the maths haha !!!!

Lois and I would have liked to have heard more from Grahame, this morning about the latest Roman archaeological finds in Croatia, but the talk quickly turns to more mundane subjects: 'acid refluxes', would you believe! 

Poor Lois had had a rare acid reflux attack during the Preacher's 'exhortation' this morning, and I had had to sneak out to the kitchen to get her a glass of water, but Grahame tells us that he too is a sufferer, and he recommends so-called 'Gaviscon' (!), every day, just to stave it off. What madness!!!

During this friendly 'Your illnesses tonight' banter (!) between Lois and Graham, I keep quiet, perhaps wisely (!), about my own medical 'good news story' of the week. A routine NHS blood test that I took a couple of weeks ago, had indicated that I might be 'pre-Type 2 diabetic', which would have meant me cutting down on chocolates and marmalade etc (Oh nooooo!!!!!), but that result could have been affected (I claim!!!) by my spring COVID jab the previous day. And I've apparently been proved right, because, happily, a second test, done this week, seems to have disproved that initial diagnosis, which is nice! 

So bring on the chocolate again haha !!!!!

Your personal views, however, are welcome, as always - especially if you're a healthcare professional, but even if you aren't haha - but please self-identify one or the other, with documentation if necessary !!!! But postcards only, please!!! I need a 60-page technical report with diagrams etc like I need a hole in the head haha !!!!!

[That's enough haha's !!!! - Ed]

12:30 Lois and I return home from the meeting, and after a rushed lunch, we hurry up to bed for 'statutory nap time' - just a 'quickie' today, because we're expecting a visit at 3pm from our daughter Alison, who lives with husband Edward and her 3 teenage kids about 10 miles away, over the county line, in nearby Churt, Surrey.

(left) we arrive home, and Lois, still wearing her 'meeting hat' (!), finds time to showcase

a white poppy that's "popped up" [no pun intended!!!] in our tiny front garden during 

our absence this morning, which is nice! Then, there's just time for a rushed lunch,

and an hour in bed, before (right) we welcome our lovely daughter Alison, here for a quick visit!

Busy busy busy!!!!

Our daughter Alison has just finished our weekly tennis lesson with her 'coach' at the tennis courts at the nearby home ground and 'hallowed turf' of local soccer heroes Liphook United, and so Alison very much welcomes the cup of tea I provide to her chair-side table, just in front of our TV (see picture above, right!). 

the tennis courts, adjacent to the 'hallowed turf' of local soccer heroes,

Liphook United, this year once more triumphantly avoiding relegation from

the prestigious East Hampshire Premier League (senior division), which is good news!

Alison, and husband Edward, are having a tough day themselves, also, not just having to cope with their weekly tennis lessons today, but also doing yet more punishing 'maintenance' work in the 5.5 acre grounds of their 'crumbling Victorian Mansion' in nearby Headley. The family is currently 'managing' two houses at the moment - their own 'crumbling mansion' in Headley is currently being slightly "uncrumbled", slightly (!), by builders doing a massive refurbishment job, so isn't really 'liveable in', at present.  

Meanwhile, therefore, the family has 'retreated' to a slightly smaller (!) Swedish-owned rental home in Churt, where they've been living for about 18 months or so, although they're hoping to move back into their own home in September, fingers crossed!!!!

(left) Lois showcasing our daughter Alison and family's crumbling Victorian mansion 

in Headley, and (right) the smaller, Swedish-owned house in Churt, which the family is renting

while their own 'crumbling mansion' (left) is being 'uncrumbled' (slightly!) by builders 

doing a massive refurbishment job - what madness, though, isn't it !!!!!

The family's 'crumbling mansion' was originally built back in the 1870's for one of Queen Victoria's vice-admirals John Parish, and Alison, despite her busy busy busy life-style, is somehow finding time to do some research on the history of the house, which is totally mad!

And when Lois and I, in a couple of months' time, visit Greenwich, by the River Thames in London, Alison is hoping to join us, to check what records there are available there, relating to Vice-Admiral John Parish at the Royal Maritime Museum. 

the Royal Maritime Museum, Greenwich, on the banks of the Thames,

with the modern skyscrapers of central London 'towering' (no pun intended!!!)

in the background - yikes !!!!

Lois and I ourselves will be visiting Greenwich in July because our other daughter Sarah and family will be staying with us for 3 weeks, flying into London from their home in Perth, Australia. And Sarah and husband Francis's 12-year-old twin daughters, Lily and Jessica, the 'little monkeys' (!), have expressed a desire to look over the 19th century sailing ship the Cutty Sark, which is also moored at Greenwich. 

flashback to December 2004: 15 months before we retired, Lois and I,

on a lightning trip to London, somehow finding time to visit the 

19th century sailing ship the Cutty Sark, moored at Greenwich

That's in addition to the all the other things on the twins' 'shopping list', which also includes the Harry Potter World at Watford, and, like a billion other attractions - more probably (!) - which Lois and I are very much looking forward to showing them during their time with us.

The family is currently able to visit us every year from Perth, because Sarah, an accountant, is in fact doing two jobs - her job in Perth, and also her old job in Evesham UK, which she's still somehow finding time to manage to do, online!!!! What a crazy world we live in!!!!

flashback to last summer: Lois, with our daughter Sarah, Sarah's husband

Francis and their 12-year-old twin daughters Lily and Jessica in London, during

what we're hoping will become an annual visit here, from their home in Perth, Australia

By coincidence, Lois and I should have been talking to Sarah and family at lunchtime today - we have a weekly 'catch-up' video call with them at 1:30 pm BST (British Summer Time), which is 8.30 pm Western Australia time. 

However earlier today, Sarah texted us to say that, over there in Perth, their power is out today following a massive storm, and may not be restored till late tomorrow (Monday). Hopefully we'll be able to talk to them tomorrow lunchtime. 

Lois and I aren't too surprised by this news, because, since yesterday, we've been following the progress of the storm on social media.

Yikes!

Imagine that! Perth getting all the nasty weather, while we Brits have been sweltering in the hottest May temperatures ever! 

What a crazy planet we live on !!!!

[That's enough madness for today! - Ed]

Will this do?

[Oh just go to bed! - Ed]

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzz!!!!!