Transport questions

Sunshine today, warm, but nowhere near as hot as parts of Southern Europe. It's even hotter in Andalusia now than it was when I was in Estepona this time last year. Wild fires in Greece, Sicily and Spain. I don't understand how any government can fail to accelerate their programmes of de-carbonisation and other measures to defend against global heating. How much more tragic does the impact of destabilized weather systems have to be to concentrate minds? No amount of protest or appeal to reason or love of nature seems to make enough of a difference. Unlike last year, Britain is spared for the moment from a dangerously long heat wave, the future weather pattern is uncertain. The UK government drags its feet on abandoning reliance on fossil fuels instead of speeding up. Sleepwalking into danger.

Radical change will be painful for us all one way or another, but necessary. Like others, I can't afford to buy an electric car. The VW Polo is likely to be the last car I own. Fifty thousand miles on the clock after twenty years, a fifth of the presumed average mileage for a car of its age, so a relatively small carbon footprint. The manufacture of any new electric car entails a large initial carbon footprint, even if energy consumption thereafter is very low. In old age, I'm a low mileage car user. It's only a matter of time before I give up driving and rely entirely not just partly on public transport. The car is due for MOT and re-taxing in September. Should I continue with it or not? Could we manage with taxis locally if needed? These are questions we need to mull over and to be fair, soon if we decide to sell.

Clare's study group came for their meeting mid-morning. I sat in the front room and started work on next Sunday's sermon, then cooked lunch after the group departed. I went to Cafe Castan afterwards and meet with surgeon Andrew for a chat. It's the first time for us to meet since my cataract surgery last year. Then I drove the car to Splott for its MOT and 50k servicing. When I arrived, I found the garage had closed early. Although I'd arranged to take it to N G Motors for them to work on ad lib for the rest of the working week, I didn't check before I departed if it was OK to deliver it at half past four. Serves me right. I'll have to take it back in the morning. So much for my carbon footprint!

A walk through the park down to the river when I returned from Splott. Clare had left for her meditation group and I ate supper on my own listening to 'The Archers'. After browsing unsuccessfully for something new to watch, I ended up with a couple more quirky episodes of 'Anneke', and then bed.