Monday 8th April

I have been listening to American contributors talking about Margaret Thatcher, revisiting my history, you might say.   I think most of us know that she was a chemist before she went into politics, but it seems little known that she developed soft scoop ice cream.  I think soft scoop ice cream is the best thing since sliced bread and she deserves more recognition for that.

I might not have thought so at the time but I also  think she deserves to be viewed as one of the best prime ministers we've had Looking at the chaos going on in the Euro Zone at the moment we can be grateful she kept us out of it.  And I look at all the trouble  unions cause over here, shouting the odds and protesting  and I think she did a good job breaking them in Britain.  In fairness though, we have got fair employment laws and protection, which they don't have over here, so maybe they need their unions.  Of course another tremendous achievement was helping Ronald Regan end the Cold War.     Golly me, it sounds as if I am writing her obituary, but she did leave an admirable legacy.

I understand she is having  a state funeral?  They call it a ceremonial funeral over here.  Would you let me know when it is on.

The other major news item in this part of the world is still the weather.  I certainly know what the expression 'calm before the storm means'.

 The winter storm, as you can see, is moving eastwards, it is coming from the Rockies.  

 But it will all be over by Wednesday.

The other news item which only seems to be interesting me is the murder trial.  The domestic abuse expert has been on the stand forever.  She, who holds seminars identifying the abuse in Snow White.  She maintains a very calm, unruffled approach, but the Prosecutor is dancing around, practically apoplectic with rage, questioning her credentials.  I don't think he reckons that being an expert on Snow White qualifies her to judge whether the defendant was abused.