Relax

Indeed and with help from the other 27 partners in the thing called the EU. This rather inviting bench has along with lots of similar ones, signposts, and other such matters been sponsored by the EU as part of the help for rural areas.

It's on the "Radrunde Allgäu" a 450km long circular bicycle route mainly on tarmac but infrequently used roads. In the north, it starts where we live and goes down in and along the neighbouring state of Baden-Württemberg down to the Alps, Austrian Tirol and then loops back past the famous Neuschwanstein Castle back to the east of our area.

The infrastructure to support things like Bike & Bed, train connections, daily luggage forwarding etc is all there. This circuit is mainly aimed at leisurely bikers but there are many others for specialised racing and MTB riders.

I was passing the bench that overlooks Ottobeuren as I needed to order a spare part for my tractor mower. I hope soon to get some specialist help from the British Isles but fear the weather in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland will mean all aircraft will be grounded due to buckling wings or they get stuck on the melting runway asphalt.

I see that Sky News has taken over the task of sensational weather reporting from the Daily Express newspaper. Daily I hear "It's the warmest day of the year". I wasn't listening carefully on 1st January if the made the claim it was the coldest or hottest day of 2018 so far.

One does have to admit the scenes from the fire at Saddleworth Moor are quite extraordinary. I can't remember exactly but think the UK Government announced a large million pound scheme to reforest the Moor. I hope they haven't seen any of their investment go up in smoke.

But reassuring to hear the Army and Air Force are being sent in, well 100 personnel and a helicopter, with the war cry of the UK's wonderful Defense Minister Gavin Williamson resounding in their ears.

"I pay tribute to our Armed Forces’ professionalism, dedication and sense of duty. They are proving once again that Britain can always depend on our troops to protect us no matter the time, no matter the place, and no matter the problem."

Doesn't one feel proud to be British English? When in doubt and under pressure, English politicians are wonderful at rolling out the NHS, doctors, nurses, police, ambulance service, fire brigade, army, navy, airforce, or almost anything else at hand which should also link it to victory in WWII, failing which WWI.  When it comes to equipping or paying these people money, then things are a little different.

The one body of persons ignored on such crisis occasions for the last 52 years has been the England football squad who have largely been acting as politicians with over bloated egos and more interested in furthering their personal bank account balances than playing the "sport" itself.

At long last, the "Three Lions" (where did that come from?) seem to have a young unspoilt team that have from Day 1 been getting rave reviews by the German TV and press. I do hope they go far and if possible to lift the cup. Sadly that will probably be the death of England football for the next 50 years as all the Brexiteers will be using them as THE example of what is possible when "we go it alone".

I hope someone told Mr Williamson that the troops putting their lives on the line for the people of "Great Manchester" (yes that is what the area is called on the MOD Twitter) are from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. I guess risking English lives would not be a good PR move.

And yes in the afternoon I watched almost the entire miserable Germany football performance. You won't find a person in Germany who doesn't think the German team truly earned the pitiful exit from the competition. I think everyone is delighted to no longer have to watch any more of the teams miserable efforts.

Seems like the "English Disease" - Arrogance - has struck this once proud institution or at least it's players. Luckily the Germans are the type to do some sensible analysis, make a plan and then get straight down to carrying it out by the start of the international season in a few weeks. Almost taking a leaf out of Mrs May's book on how to tackle problems.

I of course with dual nationality can do the UK politicians Machiavellian trick and now fully support the Three Black Cats. The rest of the Germans are now supporting Belgium as they don't want to have senselessly given out money for flags - they will simply tip them from the horizontal to vertical.