Digital Collection Day

Out to get the papers first thing and there was frost on the ground. And proper white ice on the cars. I scuttled there and back enjoying the stillness and the blue skies. 
The news is still full of Gaza - a limited ceasefire has been agreed, it appears, between Hamas and Israel. And some of the hostages will be released, which is so very decent. Good of Hamas to talk when they don’t recognise the entity they're negotiating with. 
And there was a budget statement this week which seems to have not "moved the dial" as commentators would say, on the Tory's election prospects. Though one item jumped out in front of my greedy dials. yes, the state pension will be increased by 8.5%. Just as well - the car needed new discs and pads. What else? Rioting in Dublin’s fair city! My blip contacts say it’s all down to scumbags - people who probably live in shitholes (re Cleverly’s description of Stockport). And as for the Netherlands, eh?  
Parallels with the 30s are often overdone but I’m not so enamoured of this fad (let’s hope) for semi-officially recognised "ultra" groups at football. Young guys with drums and black shirts. But worse, their songs are repetitive guff too and assail the ears for 90 minutes. Still, the chat afterwards was just the tonic. We’re a wise bunch, us old blokes.