"We would like to ask you a few questions."

Sorry about the lack of photos, never rely on your kids to do your painting, that is unless you don't mind waiting.
Still if you don't pester them to do some work they will think they will have nothing to do in this life.
So the big computer is still waiting in the hall for the painting to get under way and life is moving on.

Wow the World has come to Dublin.
Not a cruise ship it is a private hotel, sailing around the world with its rich patrons on board. Strange thing is the last time it was here we went out to see it and were gobsmacked at the size of it. This time (I have a photo) there was a cruise ship in the port which was at least 1/2 as big again.
Today it is heading for Liverpool.

You see if I didn't post today my reader in Dublin would miss a spectacle which will take place on Sandymount strand this Sunday between 12 and 3 PM.
It is a recreation of Jack Vettriano's painting the singing butler
Bring your wellies,your umbrellaand a camera.

There is also a Tango festival coming up soon.

The Beatles story is on in the Olympia tonight and I think the poster said Sunday as well.

I got a phone call which made me see red. (I was never so enraged in my life)
It was from the office of the taxi regulator !
They were asking me how my costs have risen over the last while !!!
All they have to do is to look at all the administration they have added to my life. They put up the cost of a PSV(public service vehicle) licence from £3 old money for 10 years to €250 for 3 years. I was told that is 2000% of a rise. Plus all the extra vehicle tests, plus the new 9 year rule which has been brought forward.
I reckon that as much as 1/4 of the fleet will have to be replaced and NO ONE will give money to a taxi driver to replace their car.
The one thing I thing that I find most difficult to come to terms with is that the wheelchair taxis will be almost disappear from the streets. In 1999 the rule was that all new taxis had to be wheelchair accessible..Then they de regulated the trade and abandoned that rule..a wheelchair caxi costs around €80,000 you can buy a reasonable car for €6,000. You earn the same money with both cars.

So after seeing red I said "A couple of months ago a taxi killed a pedestrian in Foxrock and then tried to drive away. He was caught by 2 taxi drivers and held. The driver had no licence and was driving a "borrowed" taxi". I had a customer in the car who's sister was nearly killed while going to the airport in the snow. She and her boyfriend were badly injured and finished up in hospital the driver had no licence or psv licence therefore not insured either.

This goes on all the time and a total blind eye is turned to the situation.

So lets hope you get an honest legal driver to bring you home tonight and not one who has only been in the country for one wet day.

Normal service will resume soon with' photos.

Look after yourselves.

Here is what is happening in London





Ok I will let you go to Italy for a few minutes