I noticed something interesting on Wednesday, which I forgot to mention. When I stopped at the petrol station to fill up and put air in my tyres I found that the air pump takes cards. This is new. It takes a minimum of 50p, where it used to take smaller coins, but that is hardly a surprise as it’s the norm for everything to go up. It’s only surprising that it hasn’t gone up to £1 minimum.

It’s all part of the drive towards a dehumanised cashless society.

Eventually, with all payments being electronic and all shops having loyalty cards I’m sure the Government will take the opportunity to start poking its nose into our spending and resting habits.

How long before my weekly shop is greeted with red lights and klaxons and an automated message: “Put that cake back, fatty, and buy some crispbreads.”

It’s a chilling vision of the future.

My problems, as listed a few days ago, are decreasing. This isn’t because I’ve actually solved any of them, just that I’ve stopped worrying. I’ve already bored workmates, sister and wife by moaning about the boundary dispute at the bottom of the garden, so I won’t add my blog readers to the list. Anyway, it’s not as if my back garden fence is going to need a UN intervention, and despite some elevated rhetoric from the neighbour, I can’t see it escalating into actual warfare.

Unfortunately, the dispute is taking too much of my attention and I’m finding writing is dragging, so will sign off now and look for a random photo to use. I have decided on the sea buckthorn from Skegness on our last trip to the coast.