But for once I'm going to: "I told you so."
I'm going to get the Eurovision Song Contest out of my mind and promise this will be the last time I mention it until next year.
Over the past numerous years as the UK have struggled to come anywhere but in the bottom three I have claimed that it isn't tactical or political voting that has consigned us to the dustbin but the terrible songs that have been universally awful and the equally awful artists.
Get the right singer and the right song I claimed and we will at least finish in the top 10. Well on Saturday we had the right singer and the right song and we came second. In fact we led for most of the contest and, after the countries' juries had voted, were top. It was only the popular people's vote that consigned us to second place. And yes it was a sympathy vote that saw Ukraine win. But we still finished second which was a helluva achievement.
Ukraine received 439 votes from the public. There were 40 countries voting and so that's an average of over 10 points from each country. In layman's terms that means that virtually every one of the 39 other countries placed the Ukrainian entry either first or second in their voting. If every country had placed them first they would have received 468 points (you cannot vote for yourself).
It was obvious that many of those were sympathy votes and I suggest that had there not been a war in Ukraine the UK would have won. It was mega interesting to see Europe standing in solidarity with Ukraine. It was also interesting that in the jury voting Ukraine gave their 12 points to the UK. So was it right and correct that Ukraine won? Well who cares? It was a good evening and Sam Ryder burst the old "woe is me" brigade bubble by proving that it's ultimately the strength of the UK entry that decides its placing and not the misguided view that everyone hates us (after all even France gave us douze points). So for once political voting from the public somehow seemed appropriate and sent a message to Russia that the whole of Europe is against them (something they probably won't realise or accept).
Enough about Eurovision I hear you cry.
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Sometimes I go rather awry with my comments and I would like to apologise to all the volunteers that spent so many hours putting together the domino cascade through the streets of Norwich on Friday.
I was rather critical of the event but have now seen BBC coverage which shows what an outstanding success it all was. I think we probably watched from the wrong place and would have been better following it along city streets rather than sitting outside the Forum.
So well done to everyone who took part in this.
On the subject of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. On Saturday we had occasion to be in the city centre and, after Chinese food and chips from the market which we ate in the Remembrance Garden, we wandered along to Chapel Field Gardens where there were some soft bouncy sculptures which were great fun. There were hundreds of people enjoying life in the park and even the sun rose to the occasion.
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I don't think I have ever talked about cars in my blogs. That's because I have no real interest in them, which I guess makes me an unusual male. My grandson cannot understand why I drive a Fiesta and don't want to buy an electronic Tesla, even if I could afford one.
Growing up, my family didn't own a car for many years and then my father got a classic Volkswagen Beetle. This was later passed onto me. I passed my driving test at the age of 17 or 18 at the second attempt and my grandparents bought me my first car which was a Mini. I had this when I was at college and used it to go back and forth from my lodgings to college - a distance of around two miles.
I also used it to come home some weekends, although I preferred staying in Harlow where things were a lot more fun.
I don't remember when I changed my Mini but it could well have been when I lived and worked in Lowestoft. I remember buying a Fiat whilst I was there and over the years have had Datsuns, Kias and now a long line of Fords.
Anne had a classic Morris - the one with the wood panels. Roy Cropper has one of these in Coronation Street and calls it Woody.
For many years I have gone with Fords and dealt with Busseys of Dereham and then Norwich. I started with bigger models and then went to Mondeos and then Focus' and now Fiestas. For many years I have leased cars which suits me fine. It allows me to budget car costs and know that there won't be any nasty surprises other than the usual repairs/services etc and at the end of the lease period I can agree a new deal and have a new car. Makes sense for somebody whose main reason for having a car is to get from A to B and somebody who doesn't enjoy driving.
A relation once asked me to go to a variety of car showrooms with him. I reluctantly agreed and so off we went. We spoke to lots of salesmen about lots of cars - none of which my relation had the slightest intention of buying. I was bored after about half an hour but the whole thing seemed to go on for hours, which it probably did.
So you will forgive me if I don't talk about cars - as I have very little interest in them.