It seems as if disasters are all around us, a passenger jet  down in the sea in the Phillipines, a SAAB blown off a runway in Stornoway, a three legged Jumbo jet landing at Gatwick, two vessels cast adrift with refugees from Syria in the Med (patrolled by the Icelandic Border patrol – work that one out), a cement ship bound for Runcorn floating stern first in the water in the Pentland Firth with only the bows showing and no sign of life, a car transporter on the Bramble bank and these are just the ones we get told about.

With this in mind I decided to walk up to the care home to see mother-in-law today. I nearly went AOT several times owing to sheets of ice laying over the pavements. It rained most of yesterday and -3C overnight on top of that was quite predictable as regards outcomes. The blindingly bright low sun, mist and questionable pavement were shown with total disregard with some of the morons thundering up London Road at well over 50 in a 30mph zone. I’m not one for a police state but why oh why is there never a man or woman with a pointy helmet on around when these cretins drive like this?

There is much to be seen on this walk. The railway bridge has recently had the parapets raised. I’m not too sure why but possibly to prevent objects being thrown over. Well I’m not sure traffic cones get used on railroads. I might be wrong but they were there on the track, just like those jettisoned off Princes Street bridge into the Gipping. Weekends seems to generate stacked goods vehicles in these lines just outside Ipswich station and today I could not poke my lens in between the steel fence panels so I have cropped out the steel.

I got into the care home relatively early. I always used to take the dog up there early in the morning and in those early days I think she knew he was coming so would be up. She does not even know he has died and does not ever mention him these days. She has gone back to pre-Sam days and when she does talk of dogs it is Bilbo and he went in 98. She was up and quite bright, as bright almost as the day but three times she asked what month it was. There was no angst today as there is some days so I told her about Esio Trot. Such nonsense, and let’s face it, it is but being Dahl is delightful nonsense makes more sense than talking about reality.

I can only admire the kindness and tolerance shown by the caring staff. How stressful their days must be when they have a full floor of people in various states of mental and physical degeneration to deal with. Every would be politician should spend a day on a dementia wing and then go back and re-write their manifestos to place care of the elderly and frail as high as possible on their promises for the next parliament. While they are at it they should also consider how for the most part the people in these homes currently have only ever given to this country yet they have their hard earned savings pillaged to pay between £700-1000 per week for sympathetic and dignified care.

This is all the testing I have done today – on the way up, none on the way down with different glass the 16-35 F4.