No Borders

While anyone who considered themselves to be important headed north today, we headed south for our late morning walk. Very nearly had a case of road rage as someone drove up my backside, flashing their lights as I slowed down to abide by the (unnecessary) 50km/h limit before a road junction. I could read the female rowdy's lips - "Get on with it you old Grandad, we haven't got all morning".

Just as I was trying to remember how to translate a reverse Churchill Victory sign in to German, noticed it was MrsB on her way to work (nurse=shift) and being a kind considerate driver, she had only got closer so that I would be able to recognise her. The dogs had stood up on hearing my rantings, so could wave a paw at her as we turned off to do our Schickling walk.

Determined not to interfere in the independence debate, ruled out a Blip with Border Collies and anyway, it's been months since I last Bliped a tractor. Day had still not brought the promised rain and all the farmers and contractors were out making the most of it. However could only shoot a brace (Fendt & Claas) in the distance, making silage from the wetland pastures which I think must be in an environmental programme/EU fund. Normal grassland here is mowed 4 to 5 times a year, this land seemingly twice, Can be seen from the size of the raked rows in front of the baler. Much of the grass seemed much too dry and would have probably made ideal horse haylage - long, oldish grass with lots of variety.

Blip in the can and continued our walk, meeting towards the end, a very friendly brown labrador. Had a chat with the owner and we discussed the colour, I telling him that I thought in England one called them "liver coloured", he saying in Germany only known as "Chocolate brown". Back at the car, discovered the dog belonged to the Red Cross Search & Rescue team, so had to take a doggie Blip after all.

Quickly to the supermarket to get essentials where I saw something which may become a rarity in the near future. I wonder how future labels will look? Perhaps it's time for a bit of Welsh Green in that flag or a dragon? One fit in with St George too. On the other hand perhaps not; it won't be long before the Union exists out of SW1 and Henley-on-Thames (South).

Like the Queen, I don't want to get mixed up in the debate BUT I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at her last meeting with Mr Cameron. I can fully understand the Yes camp but if I had a vote it would be No. I'm sure the spineless, arrogant "leadership" of (all) the major political actors has caused it to get this far. The sudden rush to offer everything possible is a farce and has nothing to do with sensible devolution and is a slap in the face for the rest of the Union. They seem to be managing to get the whole Kingdom angry. I don't think even a Red Cross can save the UK and so we can look forward to Hadrian's Wall being taken out of mothballs and Border collies being retrained for new duties.

Germany may not be the best example of federalism/devolution but it does allow the states to maintain some control over those matters that are truly regionally important while giving a degree of financial support to the weaker regions. Afterall it is the diversity of a country which makes it so interesting. A Yes result will almost certainly boost the UKIP ratings and take the UK out of the EU. If that does happen, at least Scotland might remain/become part of the EU.

The debate on the reform of the EU is another matter and I hope the politicians in Brussels analyse what is going on in the UK and react accordingly.