On the 25th May Nightjack did a very interesting blog concerning the powers of the police to 'stop and search'.
He referred to the 'suss law of 1824'

I have gone into this seriously because although I said I did not agree with 'stop and search' I needed to know just what is 'The suss law'.

This is what the suss law means:

In Britain, the sus law was the informal name for a stop-and -search law that permitted a police officer to act on suspicion or 'sus' alone.

It was based upon sections 4 and 6 of the Vagrancy act 1824 which made it 'illegal for a suspected person or reputed thief to frequent or loiter in a public place with intent to commit an arrestable offence' and effectively permitted the police to stop and search and even arrest anyone they chose, purely on the basis of suspicion as a crime-prevention tactic.

The law caused much discontent among certain sections of the population and was abolished following riots in St. Pauls Bristol and in Brixton London and Toxteth Liverpool in 1981, because its alleged abuse was believed to be a contributory factor to these events.

Following Lord Scarman's enquiry into the the cause of the Brixtons riots.

The sus law was dropped.

Subsequent British legislation which makes provision for the police to act on the basis of suspicion alone has been denounced as 'another suss law' by opponents of proposals to grant British police 'stop and question' powers.

I would have serious doubts whether this law would work,I honestly think this law should not be brought back in purely because of any confusion over the word 'suspicion'.

What does that mean?

How do you define 'suspicious act'?

What would be the situation if a woman was stopped and searched?

Does that mean a body search or just pockets and handbags?
I would not take lightly to my personal belongings being empted into the streets with everyone watching and walking by, and knowing that members of the public will be thinking:
"What has she done?"

When I have 'done' nothing but walk down a street and an officer 'thinks' I look suspicious.

I have great reservations about this law.

I was looking through Dickiebos blog yesterday when I came across this.
He had received an meme from Missy, who had asked him about his fave things.
Dickiebo had emailed me about it as well, so I willingly said I would do it as well.

Here it is:

4 jobs I have had:

computer operator, wages clerk, cleaner, shop assistant.

4 movies I have watched time and again:

Brief Encounter ( I know every word) On Golden Pond, Kill Bill, Zulu. (At least 6 times if not more)

4 places I have lived:

Oxford, Selly Oak, Leicester, Worcestershire.

4 T V shows I watch:

New Tricks, Crime Channel (on News and Documentary) The Universe, (Docs again) The Mummy roadshow.(or any of the 'Mummies' programmes)

4 places I have been:

Loch Ness, Scotland.(twice) Eastbourne, Santandor (spain)

4 people who have emailed me on a regular basis:

Nobody on a regular basis as such but I have received emails from Dickiebo, Twining, deb and Noddy.

4 favourite foods:

Curry, fish and chips, Roasts, and curry (again)

4 places I would like to be right now:

At home, Oxford, Eastbourne, Anywhere peaceful.

4 family and friends I think will respond:

I'm not sure whether 4 people would respond. As you are all anonymous anyway!!!

Things I am looking forward to this year:

Nice weather, a good pay rise, (LOL) Hols in Torquay

So, Thanks Dickiebo, I enjoyed doing this.

I have said in the past that I was going to try to give up smoking. (again) Well, I have tried.
But I haven't succeeded.

The first thing I did was buy some 'patches'
You have two boxes of patches with 5 in each box,you put one patch on every 24hours, and you start off with the strongest and after 10 days you go on to the medium strength ones and then after another 10 days you go on to the lower strength ones. By then you should be able to manage without them.
Well,never again will I use those.

The reason?

They give you nightmares.
Terrible evil nightmares.

I smoked more.

It is recognised that they do this, the reason I am not sure.

There must be an easier way.....somehow.

I really love Snowdrop, pictured, she looks so innocent doesn't she? She was...........

Until last night.

She always goes out in the evenings just for an hour or two, then she stays in overnight.

Well, we let her out, she doesn't go far she usually stays in the gardens,(my next door neighbours) she has got a catflap but she never uses it, she like to come through the patio door.

Just like the queen.

So I went to let her in and I nearly died, in her mouth she had a big bird. !!! Shock, horror.

I was hysterical, waving my arms about and jumping up and down screaming:"Shes got a bird, shes got a bird!" Geoff was looking at me as if I've gone mad and he said:"What do you mean?"

"Shes got a bird........... in her mouth!!" I screamed.

"Oh," said geoff. "Thats a first."

Snowdrop, seeing me, went all excited and was running around the garden and swinging the bird in her mouth, she had it by the neck and it was dead, she then flipped it up into mid air and chased it around the garden.

I felt sick.

Snowdrop then decided she would come in and what did she do? She came through the catflap. Neither geoff nor I had thought to close it and she must have known that.

In she came really excited, flinging it around and throwing it up in the air, while I stood there screaming at geoff to get rid of it. (I was really girlie you know.)

Geoff got up and asked me to get a dustpan and brush, which I did rather quickly, while he called snowdrop to distract her attention, but she wasn't having it. The bird came too.

After he called her a few times she did go to him and he rushed around and picked the bird up with the dustpan and brush and took it out in the garden to put it in the bin.

Well, snowdrop looked really disappointed at geoffs actions and stalked off.

I was relieved it was all over.

I went and put the kettle on and made a cup of tea, I walked into the lounge to see snowdrop at the door.........with another dead bird in her mouth.

I screamed.

geoff told me to leave her alone because that is what cats do. I could not believe that that was our snowdrop, she wouldn't harm a flea. Well, not normally.

Geoff explained she must have found a nest but where that was we don't know.

What happened to the bird?

Well about ten minutes later, I found a pair of birds feet by the patio door.

YUK,YUK.

I never spoke to her again that night.

Anyone for a drink?

Four years ago, we went on holiday and took this photograph, when it was developed we thought it was so lovely we had it enlarged and framed.

As this is my first time I have printed photos I did it twice to just make sure it was alright to see.

This was taken in Scotland but:

Can you guess where this was taken from?

P.S. I'll probably be driving you mad with photos now I know how to do it.

I'm always the last to know!

Well, what some lovely weather we are having. I know, don't speak to soon.
It is great to get up and not put the fire on or come home shivering and sitting on top of the fire.
Just get the old jeans and a T-shirt out and I'm happy.
Oh, yes, and take those winter socks off as well.

Taking of socks what is it about british gents and their socks?
Why oh why do they have to wear them with..........shorts.

The shorts are great, quite long, below the knee and then the socks.
The socks come up to their knees.

It looks like their trousers have divorced their shoes.

We do laugh at the male customers and we all look out for the funniest ones. (sorry, but we do!)When we see one we send messages to each other, whispering and nodding.

Like I said to one of the girls today: "Theres nothing funnier than a naked man wearing just his socks."
I don't know why but she did laugh. Guess she knows what I mean.

Two weeks ago Geoff and I often popped down to Oxford to see the family. We visit them roughly once a month or so, sometimes it is longer depending on what we are doing.
So, off we go and we have a lovely day seeing everybody.
My mother, Ruth and my stepfather Bruce, my sister Yvonne,Geoffs daughter Wanda. Wanda is the only one who actually lives in Oxford now as his other daughter Sandra and her husband Simon has moved to Devon. Laura and Martin live in a little village in Oxfordshire so we pop in to see them on our way down to Oxford. Perrie his son and his girlfriend Tammy have now moved to France. Which is rather a long way to go in one day.
While we were there we were talking about when our next visit will be, when geoff remembered it was the may bank holiday. We looked at the calender and realized it was only two weeks away. So we said we would come down on Sunday bank holiday, 4/5/08.
My mum, Ruth and Bruce, said they would love that and so it was arranged.
We said our farewells and left on Sunday night.

Sunday, 4/5/08

Up we get and drive down to Oxford looking forward to seeing the family again.
We arrived in Oxford and Geoff dropped me off at my mums because he was going to see Wanda and was short of time.
As I arrived at their bungalow, I knocked the door and heard bruce exclaim:"It's annette."
My mum answered the door and looked surprised.
"Annette" she said. "Why didn't you let me know you were coming. I haven't even cooked you a meal?"
"Er, mum" I said gently. "we arranged this two weeks ago. We said we would come down this bank holiday weekend."
She turned and looked and looked at me.
"Oh,I didn't know you were coming."She said annoyingly.
She walked into the kitchen almost tutting.
"I haven't cooked you a meal, you have to go and get something." She said.
"Yes, o.k.I will, thats fine." I almost snapped. I was annoyed I admit.

So I popped across the road and went and got a frozen meal. That was fine I didn't mind that.

When we had finished my mum looked at me and said:"Why didn't you let me know you were coming?"
"MUM," I snapped. It was only two weeks ago we arranged this. We looked at the calender and realized it was the bank holiday and said we would come down today. You know we always come down bank holidays anyway."
"Well, I didn't know." She replied.
That afternoon we all went to see my sister, Yvonne, and had tea with her. Yvonne had no idea what we had arranged so she was non the wiser about the situation.
Still my mum kept insisting she didn't know we were coming.
But how could she forget in two weeks???

GGGGRRRRRRRR!!!

My mum will be 80 in 2 weeks time. I know I should be more understanding and allow for her age but it just got to me.
Bruce doesn't say a word about anything, he is so quiet. He just stays in the background all the time.

When geoff and I got in the car to go home I ranted a bit about what had happened and all I got from geoff was:"remember her age ......" etc etc.
As I said it is her birthday in two weeks time and she asked if we were going down that weekend (sunday) and I said yes we would.

I bet she won't forget that weekend.

So Boris Johnson won, did he?

God help us.