A year ago this week, in Japan, perhaps equated to my happiest time ever.
The weather was, for me, quite unseasonable, if I dare say such a thing, as Norwich was 3 degrees, and Tokyo 25c. This day - 2004, I made it to Tokyo Tower, and Shinjuku, in my cream Liverpool FC top, and sony camera, blending with the Japanese tourists...yes, that's right, thousands of them from Hokkaido enjoying Tokyo. From the school parties, to elderly citizen's tour bus, the deep tones of the north could be heard. I still dream of Hokkaido, it was a dream I think, but a deep long-lasting one, entrenched in my memory, returning to wake me at key moments in my life. I have seen you really, and visited you surely, touched the shores that surround you, and followed the smooth lines, up to your outstretched arm that is Shiretoko Misaki and looked down upon dawn beside Taisetsu Zan, the reds of morning, white mists of mind, and concrete grey of reality, touching down beyond your island, and onward to Hachioji I went.
Working in the morning, travelling by noon, sightseeing by afternoon, catching-up with friends all evening, every moment packed like removal day, cherishing my friends smiles, focusing on nihongo, sweeping away any gaijin who dared speak to me in eigo, this was truly my time in my life, the greatest moment yet enjoyed by self, only the Philippines holds the flag with this Japanese experience.
Asakasa t-shirts,
fortune beholds my tako-filled palate,
kampai Yuka & Kohei,
forever grateful my fellow Liverpool fans.

Supposition time bloggers~~!!

If you VERY urgently need the toilet, (soooo much so you daren't move too much: No.1's, but last nights masala disagrees with this), the phone rings in the next room, (your favourite loving person is visiting you, (for that evening ONLY), from another country after many years and promised to call, but up to now hadn't), and there's a knock at your front door from a friendly postman probably delivering a much longed-for package that will complete your assignment, which is overdue, as a result of the late delivery already, (your promotion could depend on it), which would you do firstly?

To throw a spanner in here, your neighbour has been speaking to you, (you are seated by pc reading this blog!!!), from your back door, and your neighbour cannot move to well, and your back room is all windows. (So that closes the idea that you could answer the phone and let your standards drop, ehhh!!!)

October 2005 - the warmest locally since before 1870, (and possibly since before 1659), was so uniformly warm that it nearly qualified as a late-summer month!
A complete absence of frost extended the life of tender plants - over 30 different blooming plants in some gardens at the close of the month.

Although the warmest day, the 11th recorded a maximum of 23.3c, far more unusual was the 'mini-heatwave' at the very end of the month. When maxima of 20.5c and 20.7c were attained on the 27th and 30th.
Many readers will recollect the curious combination of summer warmth, strong breeze, and low elevation sun on these dates.

Whilst one cannot conclude the possible global warming had no influence on the exceptionally warm October, (only slightly warmer than October 2001), it is 99% certain that the cause was the persistence of high pressure to the east of the British Isles drawing up very warm air from low latitudes on southerly winds that prevailed for much of the month.

The Met Office forecast of a forthcoming cold winter has been hyped by some elements of the press who have run headlines warning that the 2005-6 winter will be the coldest since the Arctic winter of 1963.
Although the Met Office issued an amber alert at the end of October, they merely warned that 'it could be the coldest winter for a decade.' Their stated 66% chance of the winter being colder that the past decade of mild winters is not too daunting !

The justification for the forecast is based largely on the periodic fluctuation of the north Atlantic oscillation which two years out of three has been a useful predictor of winter weather conditions over the British Isles.

The oscillation has two phases, when a winter is dominated by low pressure over Iceland and high over the Azores mild oceanic westerly weather prevails over the British Isles. This type has predominated over the past decade of resultant mild winters. It now appears that the oscillation is about to revert to the cold weather pattern when high pressure over Iceland and low over the Azores favours the spread of cold continental and Arctic air over our area. This pattern was particularly common during the 1960's, and to a lesser extent the 1940's.

Little publicity has been given to another Met Office seasonal forecast based mainly on global sea temperatures - it indicates a warmer than average winter over most of the UK !

October 2005
Total rainfall: 72.6mms
Wettest day: 9.5mms 31st
Days with rain: 14
Coolest day: 13.4 31st
Warmest day: 23.3 11th
Average temperature: 13.7

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I can't say that to-day it (Strawberry) puts me much in mind of another speech of my lady's (Townshend), 'That it would be a very pleasant place, if Mrs. Clive's face did not rise upon it and make it so hot!' The sun and Mrs. Clive seem gone for the winter.
-Walpole, November 3rd, 1754

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Don't empty the water jar until the rain falls
Philippine proverb

This morning is full of very understandable news of two great figures "losing their grip", and both have in my opinion, remarkable parallels, and both with a Scottish link too.

Firstly, PM Blair, in the wake of the Blunkett fiasco, the conclusion of which was much too late to save a few faces. Quite simply, he was not a success, and now he has gone.
All talk on the radio and press is of Blair losing the confidence of the cabinet, and the people, which again is no surprise, and his third term sees him clutching on even tighter, much as Thatcher did, in that he wants pole position, despite the contrary feelings of the people, if not within their own party...so we are informed.
Does anyone remember a famous political quote many, many years ago, that stated, "He (Tony Blair), is no politician, he is not interested in politics, no...he wants the power."
This was said by one of his own senior cabinet, and maybe is, ironically, one reason behind his hitherto success.
I do not seek to blog about the rights and wrongs of our PM, or of political persuasion, that is not the purpose of this post, no, it is only to emphasis his precarious position, the same situation for...

Sir Alex Ferguson, who certainly has stayed on a season or two too long. Again, I do not wish to berate Manchester United, as Sir Alex's record is immense, only to say that he is now paying the price for the distracting problems behind the scenes, and clearly beyond his control, not too mention the ageing squad that brought all the success. If he bowed out, as his then infant intentions announced in 2002 (?), (remarkably, Tony Blair, did the same a couple of years later), he would have been untouchable in history, a God-like figure, retaining that aura...now, he looks totally human, understandably so as his (fit) players let him down so meekly. He now needs to rescue his season, and faces the toughest of his managerial career, (as Alan Hansen rightly said in the press), bringing back memories of that Robbins goal in 1990, when he was dangerously close to the sack, as Hansen again reminded us this week. Of course he should fight on, as his nature will dictate...
PM Blair ditto.
Sometimes it does not matter how passionate you are in your role, the times are ever-changing, while some of us are not.

How would these two have been judged in history, had the former stepped-down in 2002, and the latter in May 2005?
Timing is everything.

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.