It is the first day of August, the first day of my two week holiday and it is pouring with rain. It wouldn’t really bother me that much but I’m heading off to Edinburgh tonight to see the Military Tattoo for the first time. A whole lot of firsts happening there!

According to the tickets, I’m only due a refund if the event is cancelled due to inclement weather and that has never happened. I guess they must be used to the unpredictable nature of our weather then. I did check the forecast and it looks like it may clear up in Edinburgh at any rate this afternoon so that can’t be bad.

To me August represents the slide into autumn but since we haven’t really had a summer yet - it just seems to bring more of the same unpredictable weather. I actually like the autumn days with the nip in the air. I’m such a winter baby.

However, a mild winter this year just may save a lot of lives because of the situation with the utility prices. Scottish Gas have hiked their rates up by 35% but those who pay by direct debit (like us) have had their rates raised by 40% to compensate for the poorer families on meter rates. Now, if that were really the case, I wouldn’t mind as much but a lot of meter households aren’t poor - they just have meters because that’s how the power was installed in their house.

So, now the direct debit we pay has risen from £39 (approx $75) to £53 (approx $100) per month. Add the continuing fuel misery on to that and you have a pretty unhappy country. It isn’t made any easier when you learn that Centrica (the company controlling British Gas) have made record profits this year and their directors are going home with bonuses of £80,000 ($150,000). The govt don’t seems to be taking any action and that is making people unpopular - esp Gordon Brown.

Last week, one of the safest Labour seats in the whole of Scotland was lost to the Scottish Nationalist Party. No one saw it coming but it seems there is a definite rise in nationalism in Scotland and their party is getting stronger rather than weaker. I guess independence isn’t as far away as it looks.