Politics first. I read that Bernie Sanders has abandoned the race to become US President. For those who do not know, he is not a relative of Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken, although he is about as ancient. Nor is he a relative of the politically, these days incorrect, Sanders of the River, made famous in the writings of Edgar Wallace. (For those who do not know Sanders of the River I will enlighten you another day).

No Bernie is a very aged politician holding radical extremist views who was trying to win the Democratic nomination for US Presidential election at the end of the year. He will now presumably now retire to the care home he should have gone to a while back. This may seem good news but in fact is not as it leaves Joe Biden as the only candidate left for the Democratic Party nomination. Joe who? you may well ask. He is an equally ancient fellow who managed eight years as Vice President to Obama without any body remembering who the Vice President was. Somewhat lacking in charisma he also holds some dubious views but might be preferable to Bernie except that he has less chance than Bernie of beating the present incumbent. Which brings us to Trump.

Donald Trump will be the unopposed Republican party candidate. To be fair to him although his personal dealings are some what dubious and his views on many things bizarre he has managed to get a lot of things right and he is not actually a fool, although he frequently appears to be one. The real problem is that he is unbalanced (certifiably so some would say) and quite capable of, if the mood takes him, pushing the button (the nuclear one I mean) just to see if it actually works. Public opinion in America has him heading for re-election and it says all for Biden’s chances that Trump warmly congratulated him on seeing off Sanders. Biden will presumably run his lack lustre campaign, lose and shuffle off to join Bernie at the care home.

A strange day when Bernie, who might have given Trump some contest, has by backing out made the world a less safe place.

Nearer to home. The postie this morning staggered to the front door with a large and very heavy sack of 50 litres of high grade potting soil, which the garden centre for some strange reason decided to send by letter post. His retreat was not as speedy as usual whilst he tried to assess whether he has suffered any permanent damage.

Having received the soil and it being a warm sunny day, after lunch I potted up a number of troughs of vegetable seeds, radishes, carrots, peas and onions so as to be ready with food supplies when all those idiots who emptied the supermarkets of food have saved up enough money to do it again.

After these labours, it still being warm and sunny I poured myself a glass of chilled white wine to consume on the patio, the first time this year. Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc 2018 to be precise. Purchased by the Junior Management here it is just about drinkable and quite suitable to feed to visitors who know little about wine. In all fairness it slipped down very smoothly.