Priorities

I should have been sorting out an irritating legal problem today, and finishing all the washing from our holiday. Instead I had a lovely day out in Edinburgh by myself. Shopping without kids, when you normally shop with them, is such a pleasure that you can remain in a zen-like state of calm no matter how annoying everyone tries to be (and today they really tried).

One of my errands had me driving past the Botanics. We used to live by the gardens and I was in there once or twice a day with Katherine when she was a toddler - so the place is very close to my heart and I love visiting whenever I get the chance. For the last several months the West Gate has been closed for this fantastic new construction to be built - the photo shows only a small part of the whole scheme. I think it's very dramatic as constructions go, but can't help wondering if whoever funded it (Lottery? I don't know.) have got their priorities straight. I can think of better ways to spend the money: maybe a couple of hundred Local Authority houses for a start....

I get the point of public works and dramatic public construction to lift the soul. But should that be our priority just now?

Construction firms are big employers - and most are going bust. How about, Mr Brown, instead of investing in high-speed internet access for all (so we can catch up on all those great American TV shows) build a million Council houses so folk have somewhere civilised to live and builders (etc) have jobs. It's not as sexy as HBO, but it might help the people the Labour Party is supposed to help. I may be a naive old socialist - but I think whining middle class folk (like me) should be expected to look after themselves.

[Creak, creak] That was the sound of me climbing off my high horse and heading off to put some washing on. Priorities, priorities, priorities.