The clue is in the name

Imagine if I told you that "British Airways" was a train company, or that "Barclays Bank" was a sweet shop. You wouldn't believe me. Not just because you recognise the brands, but because the name and the enterprise don't go together...

So you'd expect a government agency called the "Health Protection Agency" to be an AGENCY that PROTECTED our HEALTH.

Well you try explaining that then to the mother of 2 twins boys who are in hospital with e.coli after contracting it at a farm in Surrey. And the Health Protection agency have today admitted that they could have acted quicker in closing the farm, given that the first case linked with the farm had in fact been reported nearly three weeks previous.

So far around forty cases have been linked with the outbreak at the farm and 14 children are in hospital being treated.

The head of the HPA has apologised for the tardiness of his agency in reacting. Sadly, his apology is just a statement and won't help the parents of those 14 youngsters, some of whom are suffering from kidney failure as a result.

Health Protection Agency....
The clue really ought to be in the name.

Spring Bank Holiday #2 : A flurry of flowers

Sometimes the best days start out planned, but end up spontaneous, and therein lies their charm.

On what news people have touted "the hottest day of the year"...
Wait - given the year straited in deepest Winter, and we are in May now, and approaching the Summer Solstice, is that not OBVIOUS that each day potentially becomes warmer than the previous? OK - rant over...
So, on the "Hottest Day of the Year so far", I thought I could never just sit indoors. This day needed to be spent outdoors in the sun.

So donning a t-shirt and SHORTS (yes, I wore shorts!) and headed toward Guildford in Surrey.
45 minutes later however, I had got myself lost in Guildford, and caught in various streams of traffic (apparently all heading to the Surrey Country show)
So eager to simply avoid traffic, I took a road and just followed it. About 30 minutes later, I found myself at the National Trust property, Winkworth Arboretum. So I stopped in.

Wow - yes, this has been a bit of a "flowery" weekend, having visited Claremont Gardens yesterday, but this was different. The landscaped gardens of Claremont were replaced today by the wild and unkempt magnificence of the Arboretum. And because it was Spring, the trees and plants were sporting new leafy clothing, and flowers were in abundance.

It seemed that every corner you took on the gravel path, your senses were confronted with a different cacophony of smells and fragrances. I even had the misfortune to startle a small bunny, who bounded off in excitement deeper into the undergrowth from where he gave me a weary, yet evil eye.

In the middle of the Arboretum is a large lake, flanked on one side by what has been named "The Meadow" and it was on this large, flat open area of grass that many families had made their way. And in the human world too it looked like Spring - there were LOTS of babies and prams in attendance, as families drew together for picnics while overlooking the lake. You can see more photo's of the walk here.

It was a very peaceful walk for about 90 minutes, and all because I had got frustrated in a traffic jam in Guildford!