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May 2021 May 2021
inserted in his mouth. He had black and purple hair made out of wavy wool. I NEWS FROM WESTMINSTER
watched her struggle to put him outside but as soon as he was vertical all his
padding went south and he lost his shape. Coming up in May we have the State Opening of
Why was she so bad tempered? After weeks of inertia she suddenly had to do Parliament. The news this week has been full of the
something for a deadline and it was hard work. The house was a tip. She had very sad death of His Royal Highness the Duke of
purple paint hands and there were chips of plastic all over the floor and glue on Edinburgh, and I attended a very moving memorial
the table. The creative process was being frustrated. Having said that most service for him in Wimborne Minster. This year’s
people (bar one friend who was honest enough to say it was terrible) have Queen’s speech was already going to be unlike any
enjoyed the Scarecrows and appreciated the effort. At least the weather was dry other due to the coronavirus restrictions, and Prince
as I am sure if it rained, the purple paint would have run producing purple puddles Philip has not accompanied her to the State
in the street. Opening for several years. I am sure however, that
the Queen will very much miss his support and
She has completed the constancy. We don’t yet have all the full details of
2021Census, so her presence how the State Opening will operate, but it is being carefully planned. It is usually
here, is recorded for posterity. an occasion when all the members of the House of Lords and House of
They didn’t ask about dogs as I Commons gather together in one place – which of course will not be possible
am not important. I am this year.
recording my life here at this
moment as it is in this magazine. At the State Opening, the Queen will read out a speech prepared by the
I am sure if dogs were recorded, Government detailing the plans for the Parliamentary year. Some of the Bills will
there would be many more be carried over from the current Parliamentary session, including the Police,
dogs. There is a higher than Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, the Environment Bill and the Armed Forces Bill.
average incidence of dog The Government have also confirmed that we will introduce legislation to
ownership in this village. There is improve the building safety regulations, reform our asylum system and to repeal
a lot of worry about dog theft. She still leaves me outside the shop. She says, at the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.
least people, know whose dog I am. I am chipped. No one would steal me, I am Here in Dorset we have been having a period of very unsettled weather. I got
too old and no one would want the vet’s bills. Speaking of which, I have been caught in a rather unexpected hail storm whilst cycling, having set out in glorious
back to see the Spanish Vet in Blandford. I have new drugs and am much better. sunshine. Hopefully by the time this is published, the weather will have improved
I think being inside is getting to her. She still watches the News and all the Covid and we will be enjoying some more sunshine.
statistics. The news from America is the George Floyd Murder Trial. She was saying The changeable weather has been challenging for those meeting friends and
on zoom she was fed up with news pictures of vaccinations and discussion about family outside as restrictions have been gradually eased, but it is still important to
Astra Zeneca blood clots. She should be careful what she wished for. The Duke of ensure good ventilation once we are able to meet socially indoors later this
Edinburgh died and rolling news coverage was fine for a few news bulletins but it month. It’s excellent news that the roadmap is on track so far, with more retail
was all channels and went on repeating forever. She stopped watching and read and hospitality able to open, and the opening up again of sport and other
a book. leisure activities. With cases hopefully continuing to fall, and vaccination levels

The weather has been dry but very cold at night. There have even been some high, we will be able to continue to open up even further. This week the Dorset
flurries of snow. My owner tells me it is statistically more likely to snow at Easter in healthcare area is the top in the country for first doses of the vaccine, with
Dorset than at Christmas. The grass is growing but slowly, too cold at night and not hundreds of people now getting their second dose. For those of you, like me,
enough moisture. who have not yet been called for your jab, please be assured that the local GPs
and vaccination hubs are working incredibly hard get through everybody as
We are back to the rule of six outside. We went to a garden Good Friday quickly as they can.
breakfast for scrambled eggs, salmon with buttered Hot cross buns coffee and
marmalade. It was cold and everyone was wearing coats woolly hat and gloves. I know this has been a very challenging time for our cultural sector, and I am
It was sunny but so good for humans to get together legally. Another get together really pleased that several of our local businesses and charities have benefited

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