Berries

gleaming on the bush by the shed.

St Andrew's day, a happy one I hope for Greek and Russian friends as well as Scots.

My yellow suit is too much to blip, but had an outing today - we didn't strike in our school, as our problem is with the Government not the school (which is independent), but those of us in the ATL union wore yellow in solidarity with the many who did.

The Headmaster allowed me to address the senior assembly on why some us feel strongly that we are being bullied, and if those in power want to steal our pocket money, they should ask nicely and be prepared to bargain, not impose a major change on those who've already given tens of years - their best years - in the public service.

I suppose I have to declare an interest: one of best decisions I ever made was to be born in 1954. Public service for the Ministry of Defence looked after me and mine very fairly - especially when we were hived off (older blippers may remember Sir Derek Rayner, of Marks and Spencer and Thatcherism, to save the country money. It may have done - it certainly saved me a lot because I stopped being liable for UK tax while serving abroad. Happily, under a NATO Status of Forces Agreement, I wasn't liable for tax to anyone else either, so took home the lot. Oh happy days of duty free in the NAAFI and the PX, popping up to Gothenburg to collect a tax free Volvo to replace the Range Rover which was getting a bit thirsty even on untaxed petrol coupons. (OK, we'd worn out the gearbox doing highspeed runs on the autobahn to see the boys at their boarding school in England - did I mention the boarding school allowance ?)

So I do feel that I've been well treated - but then I was able to save up a deposit and buy a house on a multiple of less than three times my salary. Tell that to the young people of today and they'll wonder what they did wrong. Don't get old, boys and girls.