On my timeline, I keep seeing wee anecdotes about how things have changed over the years, in particular about services.

The above photo, shows my father’s garage in Canonbie, [1960-70s]where I grew up. Not only did I grow up there, I worked for a while in that business before going into partnership with him to open a grocer’s shop next door. So I know a little about the importance of customer services, and how it has changed.

The days of blowing up customers tyres for free and checking water levels are well and truly gone, now we pay an arm and a leg to do it ourselves!

Personal service in any form is still important, but sadly lacking these days.

Today, if you are ill and are sent to an A&E from another hospital, you can end up sitting for over 6hrs on a hard chair in the waiting room before you are even seen……as did a 79yr-old friend of mine last week.

…..and don’t even get me started with private companies, once you sign a contract you just become a number not a valued client. You are at their mercy!

Not everything old is old-fashioned and should be binned.

And if you think politics hasn’t changed, then think again. I am old enough to remember when politicians had the good grace to step down when caught lying or having an affair!

Today, they don’t lie, they mis-speak!!

They also, top up their high wages with backhanders from lobbyists or they charge us for renting a home near work, even if they own one down the road!!…….everything is about money…..from the taxpayer. And I’m not sure we fare much better in Scotland.

Our system invites scroungers. Private companies have more safeguards against corruption than governments do. Fiscal prudence is nonexistent.

…..and we are paying for it through the nose!

Sadly, we have to use the system we have, to change it.

There was a time when a garage would only put up petrol prices when their tanks had been refilled, if the price had gone up. Today, even talk of war will send it sky high in hours. Britain holds about a 3-month supply.……so why the rush……oh yes…I forgot…. let’s push our profits up and everything else while we’re at it.

10 days ago, Starmer called the energy suppliers into a meeting to prevent such a thing…..but then I did say the government is beholden to the large conglomerates, didn’t I?

So they told him!!

My timeline keeps saying Starmer will be gone by the summer! If true, no doubt he will join the long line of ex politicians and ex diplomats who seem to wander the earth at the expense of others, on the ‘talking circuits’. Still having the need to feel important, forgetting why they are ‘exes’ in the first place!

They may even return home one day, popping up on a different bandwagon, still seeking recognition.

Scotland doesn’t need ‘old blood’, especially if it’s been somewhat diluted with alcohol!!!! We need new blood that is vibrant and energetic.

What can we do about it?

We can vote for change on the 7th May. We can send a message to Westminster, and let them know the sleeping lion is awakening. And we can tell the SNP, that Scottish women have also had enough.

Never underestimate the ordinary, they have a habit of surprising everyone!