Because my thighs got so cold yesterday when I went out, even though I had a thick pair of denim jeans on, I thought I would be better prepared today especially as the winds are quite brisk and biting. When I woke up and opened the curtains there was a light covering of snow and I had intended to get a couple of Christmas presents today.
After having a shower I burrowed through my drawers and found a pair of thick, elastic opaque tights that are supposed to prevent varicose veins that I had bought several years ago but couldn't remember wearing them very often. I don't normally wear tights under my jeans but in the absence of long drawers or similar I decided that these might keep my thighs warm.
After breakfast I set off well wrapped up and feeling quite cosy despite the wind trying to blow straight through me. Although the pavements were just covered with snow it was fairly easy to walk and not that slippery, which meant that I didn't have to work at staying upright and so could relax and walk normally.
As I got closer to the shops I became aware that my bum and legs were beginning to feel as though I had been doing a lot of exercise in the gym and I thought my jeans were starting to slide down but I couldn't do anything about it so carried on.
On the way home things got more uncomfortable so as soon as I was through the front door I took off my outer clothes and went upstairs to re-adjust the rest. It was when I took off my jeans that I discovered the problem. The crotch of the tights was about three inches below where it should have been and if I hadn't been wearing jeans I dread to think of what might have happened. So I took the tights off and exchanged them for a pair of knee highs and thick socks. When I looked at the tights lying on the floor they seemed to be a very odd shape so I picked them up and spread them on the bed.
Now I could see the problem! From waist to crotch they measured the same as the legs which is alright if you have an inside leg of twenty four inches and a waist to crotch depth of the same dimensions. This, together with the elastication, caused my discomfort and gave me the answer as to why I hadn't worn them for so long.
They've gone in the bin now but I suppose I should be thankful that my legs have had a work out, my bum is tight and pert and I don't have a sagging crotch after all!
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Monday, 29 November 2010
Will we ever learn?
Again most of the country has been caught out by the snow. I don't think we get any more than other countries on the continent, or other parts of the world, but we can never cope with it even if it is only a light covering.
It isn't that we are unaware of the imminent arrival of bad weather because the forecasters had been warning us for almost a week ahead that the temperatures would drop and we were going to get substantial amounts of snow in some areas. We have been regularly updated about the progress of the snow but still we are found wanting. Despite warnings 'not to travel unless it is really necessary' we see on the news about queues of cars for miles on the hardest hit routes, usually stuck overnight and the majority of drivers are totally unprepared for the bad weather. When interviewed they moan because the snow ploughs or the gritting lorries are not doing enough but they probably can't get through because these stupid idiots are clogging up the roads!
Of course, lorries carrying supplies have to travel but I know that if I hear the weather is going to be bad I change my plans and stay put, I will certainly not put my life or anyone else's in jeopardy. Perhaps it would help if lorries and other necessary vehicles had to change to the type of tyres that are compulsory in some countries in northern Europe or even snow chains in areas where there are heavy falls of snow.
Then there are the schools that close because of 'health and safety'. This was unheard of when I was a child, we went to school whatever the weather and we didn't have any central heating either. When I lived in Germany we had to travel about eight miles in an old coach and the snow there lasted for a couple of months. The roads were cleared regularly and we never had any problems or accidents.
I think people in this country are getting too soft!
It isn't that we are unaware of the imminent arrival of bad weather because the forecasters had been warning us for almost a week ahead that the temperatures would drop and we were going to get substantial amounts of snow in some areas. We have been regularly updated about the progress of the snow but still we are found wanting. Despite warnings 'not to travel unless it is really necessary' we see on the news about queues of cars for miles on the hardest hit routes, usually stuck overnight and the majority of drivers are totally unprepared for the bad weather. When interviewed they moan because the snow ploughs or the gritting lorries are not doing enough but they probably can't get through because these stupid idiots are clogging up the roads!
Of course, lorries carrying supplies have to travel but I know that if I hear the weather is going to be bad I change my plans and stay put, I will certainly not put my life or anyone else's in jeopardy. Perhaps it would help if lorries and other necessary vehicles had to change to the type of tyres that are compulsory in some countries in northern Europe or even snow chains in areas where there are heavy falls of snow.
Then there are the schools that close because of 'health and safety'. This was unheard of when I was a child, we went to school whatever the weather and we didn't have any central heating either. When I lived in Germany we had to travel about eight miles in an old coach and the snow there lasted for a couple of months. The roads were cleared regularly and we never had any problems or accidents.
I think people in this country are getting too soft!
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Sunday shopping? Not Likely!
After doing a few jobs this morning I decided to go out for a walk even though it is still below freezing so I wrapped up well and set off. I like to get out every day and have a walk in order to keep myself flexible otherwise everything would get very stiff and I would end up not being able to move.
As I don't like walking the streets I went over to Castle Park and thought I could walk all around the perimeter footpaths and then back along the river. It's nice to hear the birds over there in the trees and also it's easy to watch the squirrels especially as there weren't so many people with dogs as there usually are on a Sunday.
When I got over close to the shopping centre I noticed there were quite a lot of people who had obviously been Christmas shopping as they were coming out laden with bags from various stores. Sunday shopping is something I have never been in favour of and have tried very hard not to do unless for some reason it's been a necesssity.
Anyway, I continued my walk and when I came back off Castle Green I was amazed at all the traffic. In less than half an hour there was a queue for the car park right the way back for about half a mile and as I got round the corner and crossed over the roundabout, I noticed that the queues went back even further on both the main road and the under pass. It didn't seem to be moving much either so I think that a lot of those in the queue would be very lucky if they even got near the car parks before closing time. I did feel sorry for those who might have just been passing through because they would have been stuck too.
As I don't like walking the streets I went over to Castle Park and thought I could walk all around the perimeter footpaths and then back along the river. It's nice to hear the birds over there in the trees and also it's easy to watch the squirrels especially as there weren't so many people with dogs as there usually are on a Sunday.
When I got over close to the shopping centre I noticed there were quite a lot of people who had obviously been Christmas shopping as they were coming out laden with bags from various stores. Sunday shopping is something I have never been in favour of and have tried very hard not to do unless for some reason it's been a necesssity.
Anyway, I continued my walk and when I came back off Castle Green I was amazed at all the traffic. In less than half an hour there was a queue for the car park right the way back for about half a mile and as I got round the corner and crossed over the roundabout, I noticed that the queues went back even further on both the main road and the under pass. It didn't seem to be moving much either so I think that a lot of those in the queue would be very lucky if they even got near the car parks before closing time. I did feel sorry for those who might have just been passing through because they would have been stuck too.
Friday, 26 November 2010
A very nasty shock!
The postman delivered a letter today which was in a large brown envelope so I knew it was official. When I saw the address on the back I knew it was very official because it came from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Not too long ago I am sure you will remember that this lot claimed that many thousands of us had either paid to much tax or not enough so eagerly hoping that I was in the first category, I opened it up.
What I read was enough to give someone of a delicate disposition like myself a heart attack. After a sharp intake of breath and a few choice expletives that I wouldn't repeat in company, I checked the name and address just to make sure that it had been delivered to the right person but sadly, it had.
When I had gathered myself together, I scanned through the document and then looked at the figures. Now I retired some eighteen months ago and I have always kept them informed of any change of circumstance, of which there have been none, and trusted my former employers, the Department for Work and Pensions to deduct the right amount of tax from my wages every month because after all, I'm not a tax expert. The money I owe them in tax is a substantial amount which is owed for the tax year starting April 2009 to April 2010 and when I only worked from April to July, I can't quite understand where they got this outrageous figure from.
There is one figure on there that puzzles me and that is a supposed bank/building society account which is paying me a couple of thousand pounds interest every year on which I have paid tax. However, I don't have a building society account and there is only a few pounds in my bank account so I am going to go through all my tax statements this weekend and I will phone them on Monday. I want to know where this so called account is so that I can get hold of the enormous amount of capital that is earning me all this interest and if they still insist I owe them this money I wonder if they have tried getting blood out of a stone!
They can't have what I haven't got!
What I read was enough to give someone of a delicate disposition like myself a heart attack. After a sharp intake of breath and a few choice expletives that I wouldn't repeat in company, I checked the name and address just to make sure that it had been delivered to the right person but sadly, it had.
When I had gathered myself together, I scanned through the document and then looked at the figures. Now I retired some eighteen months ago and I have always kept them informed of any change of circumstance, of which there have been none, and trusted my former employers, the Department for Work and Pensions to deduct the right amount of tax from my wages every month because after all, I'm not a tax expert. The money I owe them in tax is a substantial amount which is owed for the tax year starting April 2009 to April 2010 and when I only worked from April to July, I can't quite understand where they got this outrageous figure from.
There is one figure on there that puzzles me and that is a supposed bank/building society account which is paying me a couple of thousand pounds interest every year on which I have paid tax. However, I don't have a building society account and there is only a few pounds in my bank account so I am going to go through all my tax statements this weekend and I will phone them on Monday. I want to know where this so called account is so that I can get hold of the enormous amount of capital that is earning me all this interest and if they still insist I owe them this money I wonder if they have tried getting blood out of a stone!
They can't have what I haven't got!
Thursday, 25 November 2010
A nip in the air
So, the northern parts of the country have had the first snow of winter and there's more to come over the next few days which means we might get a light covering here in the west country. It never ceases to amaze me when people complain about the weather being cold, after all, it is winter so we should expect it to be cold.
When I was a child every winter was cold and we didn't have central heating in those days either. The windows were very often covered in frost and ice on the inside and also had the most amazing 'feathers' which we were told had been painted by Jack Frost. When I was very small I thought he must be incredibly clever to paint such beautiful designs! In the mornings it was so cold we could see our own breath in the bedroom and sometimes we would get dressed underneath the bedclothes then go down for breakfast. This was either porridge or bacon, egg and fried bread before going out to school, it certainly kept us warm.
I can remember being dressed in so many layers it was nothing short of a miracle that I could move at all. First there was a cream woollen vest, then a liberty bodice which was stuffed with 'thermogene' which was a treated cotton wool supposed to stop us from getting 'chesty'. On top of this was a school blouse followed by gymslip and cardigan. We had to wear horrible scratchy, voluminous navy blue knickers which had legs that could be pulled down over the tops of thick stockings kept up by elastic garters. When we went outside we were topped off by a coat which had the gloves threaded through the sleeves on a long plaited piece of wool so that we didn't lose them, a scarf was tied around our neck and we wore knitted woollen 'pixie' hats. I had so many layers on I'm sure I couldn't bend my arms and I must have weighed twice as much fully clothed!
We didn't really feel the cold as we were running about far more than the children of today. Most of our time was spent outside playing, we didn't have television until I was about ten but I still preferred to be outside with my friends. Even today I much prefer to be outside when I can and I don't have proper central heating, so when I'm indoors I just put on extra layers. In some ways, I'm rather glad that we get some good cold snaps because it gives me the chance to wear some of the thick jumpers that I've had for years so I'm glad I didn't send them off to the charity shops!
When I was a child every winter was cold and we didn't have central heating in those days either. The windows were very often covered in frost and ice on the inside and also had the most amazing 'feathers' which we were told had been painted by Jack Frost. When I was very small I thought he must be incredibly clever to paint such beautiful designs! In the mornings it was so cold we could see our own breath in the bedroom and sometimes we would get dressed underneath the bedclothes then go down for breakfast. This was either porridge or bacon, egg and fried bread before going out to school, it certainly kept us warm.
I can remember being dressed in so many layers it was nothing short of a miracle that I could move at all. First there was a cream woollen vest, then a liberty bodice which was stuffed with 'thermogene' which was a treated cotton wool supposed to stop us from getting 'chesty'. On top of this was a school blouse followed by gymslip and cardigan. We had to wear horrible scratchy, voluminous navy blue knickers which had legs that could be pulled down over the tops of thick stockings kept up by elastic garters. When we went outside we were topped off by a coat which had the gloves threaded through the sleeves on a long plaited piece of wool so that we didn't lose them, a scarf was tied around our neck and we wore knitted woollen 'pixie' hats. I had so many layers on I'm sure I couldn't bend my arms and I must have weighed twice as much fully clothed!
We didn't really feel the cold as we were running about far more than the children of today. Most of our time was spent outside playing, we didn't have television until I was about ten but I still preferred to be outside with my friends. Even today I much prefer to be outside when I can and I don't have proper central heating, so when I'm indoors I just put on extra layers. In some ways, I'm rather glad that we get some good cold snaps because it gives me the chance to wear some of the thick jumpers that I've had for years so I'm glad I didn't send them off to the charity shops!
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
They've got a cheek!
So the students are revolting again (pardon me, but I've always found the majority of them revolting!). Not only are they causing a whole lot of inconvenience to people who have to live or work in the areas where they are holding their protests, but they are also taking up police resources which cost those of us who pay council tax and taxes an enormous amount of money which is in pretty short supply at present. Then there is also the cost of injury and damage that they cause to innocent policemen, members of the public and property too. The majority of these students haven't even begun to pay money into the system yet as they are at school, college or university, so why should they think it's alright to incur huge bills on those of us who do pay?
The students (and some of the university lecturers) are demonstrating about the fact that the government is withdrawing some of the maintenance funding and increasing the tuition fees so that anyone who goes to university will either have to have extremely rich parents, or have a huge debt when they leave but which they will not have to start repaying until they earn a certain level of wages. The government has said that there will be some support for students from low income families so that they can receive a university education.
TOUGH! Have this lot not heard that our economy is in an extremely precarious position and that EVERYONE is having to make sacrifices. I haven't heard that they've come out to protest about bankers receiving large bonuses, footballers being paid obscene salaries or television personalities clawing in huge wage packets.
The problem with a lot of people in this country is that they have lived up to their necks in debt for so many years with easy credit that things have now got totally out of control. Everything has been dropped into the laps of many people with very little effort on their part and although I don't agree with everything this government is doing, I think that the input from two parties is far better than the alternatives.
I am quite sure that those demonstrating today won't be very pleased if they discover in years to come that they have to foot the bill for today's excesses and have to endure even more cutbacks. Wake up and smell the coffee! Spending money we don't have will not work.
The students (and some of the university lecturers) are demonstrating about the fact that the government is withdrawing some of the maintenance funding and increasing the tuition fees so that anyone who goes to university will either have to have extremely rich parents, or have a huge debt when they leave but which they will not have to start repaying until they earn a certain level of wages. The government has said that there will be some support for students from low income families so that they can receive a university education.
TOUGH! Have this lot not heard that our economy is in an extremely precarious position and that EVERYONE is having to make sacrifices. I haven't heard that they've come out to protest about bankers receiving large bonuses, footballers being paid obscene salaries or television personalities clawing in huge wage packets.
The problem with a lot of people in this country is that they have lived up to their necks in debt for so many years with easy credit that things have now got totally out of control. Everything has been dropped into the laps of many people with very little effort on their part and although I don't agree with everything this government is doing, I think that the input from two parties is far better than the alternatives.
I am quite sure that those demonstrating today won't be very pleased if they discover in years to come that they have to foot the bill for today's excesses and have to endure even more cutbacks. Wake up and smell the coffee! Spending money we don't have will not work.
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
How can I resist?
On Sunday afternoon when Sarah came over to pick up Eden she brought Harley with her because he hadn't been able to go to his Dad's. Sarah wanted to go over to the homestore shop because they have a Christmas room and all the decorations and gifts were half price and other parts of the store also had some reduced prices so Eden went with her to help her.
I don't very often get time alone with Harley who is ten, he's quite a handful sometimes and always seems to have had new batteries inserted before he comes to see me! Sunday was no different but after about ten minutes he slowed down a bit to my speed and tried to explain what the little gadget was that he was playing with. It was some electronic computerised thingy and with me being a technophobe Harley was finding it quite difficult getting me to understand. His birthday was only a couple of weeks ago so I asked him what he had received then he reeled off all the presents that had been given to him.
Then I asked him what he would like for Christmas. Usually he will start with the most expensive Lego set and say "If you haven't got enough money for that then there's......" and so he comes down in price until eventually he gives me the name of the cheapest kit and the price. This time he tried a different tactic because I gave him the Argos catalogue and he showed me two items that he wanted saying "If you get both of these then you can save £5 because they're much cheaper if you buy two so instead of thirty pounds you can get both for £25!"
This time he didn't give me an alternative but he knows that my income is limited now that I'm retired and he thinks that if I save a whole £5 I will be much better off! He'll learn as he gets older!
I don't very often get time alone with Harley who is ten, he's quite a handful sometimes and always seems to have had new batteries inserted before he comes to see me! Sunday was no different but after about ten minutes he slowed down a bit to my speed and tried to explain what the little gadget was that he was playing with. It was some electronic computerised thingy and with me being a technophobe Harley was finding it quite difficult getting me to understand. His birthday was only a couple of weeks ago so I asked him what he had received then he reeled off all the presents that had been given to him.
Then I asked him what he would like for Christmas. Usually he will start with the most expensive Lego set and say "If you haven't got enough money for that then there's......" and so he comes down in price until eventually he gives me the name of the cheapest kit and the price. This time he tried a different tactic because I gave him the Argos catalogue and he showed me two items that he wanted saying "If you get both of these then you can save £5 because they're much cheaper if you buy two so instead of thirty pounds you can get both for £25!"
This time he didn't give me an alternative but he knows that my income is limited now that I'm retired and he thinks that if I save a whole £5 I will be much better off! He'll learn as he gets older!
Monday, 22 November 2010
Squirrel antics
Since September I have had a new squirrel take over the territory left when Squidge and all the others disappeared suddenly in August. This one was very shy at first but he has become quite mischeivous and is a lot tamer in that he doesn't bother too much if I go out the back door, he'll just go behind the fence at the top of the garden and peer over to see what I am up to.
His diet is also a lot more varied because he particularly like sunflower kernels (which are quite expensive so I have called this one 'Sunny'), Tesco's cheap equivalent of hob-nob biscuits, tasty shoots off the honeysuckle and the robin seed and insect mix as well as the peanuts in the special feeder which is screwed just under the bird table.
This morning I put out some seed onto the bird table and also a small handful of sunflower kernels as usual. I have two hanging seed feeders for the birds because they make less mess so I put just a small amount on the bird table, mainly for the robin and sparrows, but for the squirrel too. Sunny came down onto the bird table and munched his way through the sunflower kernels and anything else he fancied. A few minutes later when I looked out, he was climing up one of the poles outside the kitchen window trying to work out how to get at the hole in the seed feeder. I tapped on the window and called out to him and he just looked at me for a second or two then carried on so I tapped on the window again. He ignored me so I opened the back door and told him to get down because that wasn't his food. He crept down like a scolded child and crept to the other side of the path watching me and pretending he'd done nothing wrong. As soon as I came back inside he was up the pole to the metal feeder with the peanuts in for the birds! Again I went outside and told him to get down so he stalked off to the fence at the top of the garden.
At this stage I decided the only way to keep him off the bird feeders was to put 'seconds' of seed and sunflower kernels out for him and I put a few peanuts for good measure on the bird table too. When I came in he was up on the bird table in no time stuffing his face so I don't think he will need anything else to eat until tomorrow at least!
His diet is also a lot more varied because he particularly like sunflower kernels (which are quite expensive so I have called this one 'Sunny'), Tesco's cheap equivalent of hob-nob biscuits, tasty shoots off the honeysuckle and the robin seed and insect mix as well as the peanuts in the special feeder which is screwed just under the bird table.
This morning I put out some seed onto the bird table and also a small handful of sunflower kernels as usual. I have two hanging seed feeders for the birds because they make less mess so I put just a small amount on the bird table, mainly for the robin and sparrows, but for the squirrel too. Sunny came down onto the bird table and munched his way through the sunflower kernels and anything else he fancied. A few minutes later when I looked out, he was climing up one of the poles outside the kitchen window trying to work out how to get at the hole in the seed feeder. I tapped on the window and called out to him and he just looked at me for a second or two then carried on so I tapped on the window again. He ignored me so I opened the back door and told him to get down because that wasn't his food. He crept down like a scolded child and crept to the other side of the path watching me and pretending he'd done nothing wrong. As soon as I came back inside he was up the pole to the metal feeder with the peanuts in for the birds! Again I went outside and told him to get down so he stalked off to the fence at the top of the garden.
At this stage I decided the only way to keep him off the bird feeders was to put 'seconds' of seed and sunflower kernels out for him and I put a few peanuts for good measure on the bird table too. When I came in he was up on the bird table in no time stuffing his face so I don't think he will need anything else to eat until tomorrow at least!
Friday, 19 November 2010
Introducing turnips!
The excitement is starting to build because this afternoon I will be going to collect Eden for the weekend. She hasn't been down for a few weeks as she went out with her friends a couple of weeks ago to celebrate the birthday of one of them and last week she was on rememberance parade because she is in St. John's Ambulance. She actually laid the wreath of poppies at the war memorial because the person that was supposed to do it had been taken ill so did not turn up.
Anyway, I have been trying to plan the meals for the weekend and Eden has asked for prawn risotto tonight when we get back so that's quite easy. Yesterday, I sorted out the freezer and discovered a few things that need using up so I will be able to grant another of her wishes for lunch tomorrow and we will be making green pea and ham soup, then for the evening we will be making a proper beef casserole. Now, she's always keen to learn how to make different dishes and also likes to try new things so tomorrow we will be putting a proper white turnip into the casserole because it's something she has never tried. In the past she has tried all the other root vegetables such as carrot, swede and parsnip and has enjoyed them so now she will be able to try turnip as she has often asked what they are like.
As for Sunday, I had planned to do a roast shoulder of pork with crackling but Sarah has had a few dental problems this week and had a tooth removed then had to have the gum stitched so we'll be having a softer option of bolognese ragout with pasta!
Anyway, I have been trying to plan the meals for the weekend and Eden has asked for prawn risotto tonight when we get back so that's quite easy. Yesterday, I sorted out the freezer and discovered a few things that need using up so I will be able to grant another of her wishes for lunch tomorrow and we will be making green pea and ham soup, then for the evening we will be making a proper beef casserole. Now, she's always keen to learn how to make different dishes and also likes to try new things so tomorrow we will be putting a proper white turnip into the casserole because it's something she has never tried. In the past she has tried all the other root vegetables such as carrot, swede and parsnip and has enjoyed them so now she will be able to try turnip as she has often asked what they are like.
As for Sunday, I had planned to do a roast shoulder of pork with crackling but Sarah has had a few dental problems this week and had a tooth removed then had to have the gum stitched so we'll be having a softer option of bolognese ragout with pasta!
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Not the same
Yesterday when I went to the farmers' market one of the stalls that I usually use for my fruit and some vegetables was missing. It wasn't in the usual place, so, thinking that I had missed it, I walked halfway up the row and scanned each one in turn on both sides. Realising I hadn't made a mistake I went to the young man next to where the stall normally stood but had been replaced by one selling garlic. I asked if he knew where they were because I know the lady quite well and it was most unusual for her to miss. It turned out that her husband had to go to hospital for some tests and there wasn't anyone to do the stall this week but she was hoping to be back next week.
Now I like to spend my money by buying a little from as many stalls as possible because I feel that as local growers, they all deserve support. Besides, I like to know that my vegetables were growing in the field the previous day not too far from where I live, much fresher than any supermarket! So, I bought all my vegetables from the couple that I buy carrots, potatoes and greens from but they don't sell fruit.
Instead, I went to the only other stall that sells a lot of little known English apple varieties and they also make their own apple juice and cider too. The trouble is, their fruit is a lot more expensive and very variable, certainly organic (as is my usual stall) but the fruits on this stall have been sampled by a whole lot more insects. Anyway, I picked out a few apples that hadn't been chomped on by too many insects and hoped that I wouldn't find any inside and while there I also bought a bottle of perry (a cider made from pears) which I thought I would save for Christmas.
Well, I like to have an apple every day after my lunch so today I tried one of the apples I bought yesterday and although it's crisp, juicy and tart it's not quite the same when you have to have a small knife in your hand to remove the unknown insect 'teethmarks'!
Now I like to spend my money by buying a little from as many stalls as possible because I feel that as local growers, they all deserve support. Besides, I like to know that my vegetables were growing in the field the previous day not too far from where I live, much fresher than any supermarket! So, I bought all my vegetables from the couple that I buy carrots, potatoes and greens from but they don't sell fruit.
Instead, I went to the only other stall that sells a lot of little known English apple varieties and they also make their own apple juice and cider too. The trouble is, their fruit is a lot more expensive and very variable, certainly organic (as is my usual stall) but the fruits on this stall have been sampled by a whole lot more insects. Anyway, I picked out a few apples that hadn't been chomped on by too many insects and hoped that I wouldn't find any inside and while there I also bought a bottle of perry (a cider made from pears) which I thought I would save for Christmas.
Well, I like to have an apple every day after my lunch so today I tried one of the apples I bought yesterday and although it's crisp, juicy and tart it's not quite the same when you have to have a small knife in your hand to remove the unknown insect 'teethmarks'!
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
And the main story is..........
Now that Prince William has proposed to his long time girlfriend, Katy Middleton, there will be no stopping the newspapers, magazines and television companies from pouring out acres of print and hours of boring television viewing. Their stories, all of which have been covered before in great detail, will be churned out again and again in various disguises and every part of their relationship will be analysed and dissected to within an inch oblivion.
I wish them both all the luck for their future but also fear for them because they are now very public property and they stand even less chance of privacy than they did before. OK, so he is a future King of our country but even so, surely he and his future wife should be entitled to some life away from the public eye.
After all, we all know what happened to his mother Princess Diana, so lets hope that this young lady can cope with the pressures that she is about to face.
I wish them both all the luck for their future but also fear for them because they are now very public property and they stand even less chance of privacy than they did before. OK, so he is a future King of our country but even so, surely he and his future wife should be entitled to some life away from the public eye.
After all, we all know what happened to his mother Princess Diana, so lets hope that this young lady can cope with the pressures that she is about to face.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Strange dreams and odd sounds
It must be some of the medication that I have to take because since it's been adjusted I have been having the strangest dreams and also hear the most peculiar sounds in the room that I'm in even though I am alone. I know that one lot of tablets is responsible for me gaining a lot of weight and I'm still battling with that but have only had a modest degree of success so far so I think I will have to work on some new recipes.
Perhaps I ought to start writing down some of the peculiar dreams that I am having because I feel quite sure that they would make excellent science fiction stories! In my dreams I have been to the strangest destinations in the universe and met some of the weirdest occupants of these planets and stars but have never had any problems communicating with them and neither have I ever felt scared. I know it seem strange but I have never seen Star Wars, only bits of it, and I don't watch science fiction movies or read books, so have no idea where these dreams originate. There's certainly no external influence but I'm sure that someone who 'reads' the meaning of dreams would offer an explanation, not that I care!
The medication is also responsible for the peculiar sounds I hear very often when I'm alone, but I've already worked out that it's my stomach making the noises even though the sounds seem to come from about four feet to my left! There have been the odd occasions when I have been really startled and sometimes a little frightened by the noises especially when I am in bed, but now I know where they come from it isn't quite as bad.
I am sure that Emma (and probably you) will read this post and decide that I have totally 'lost my marbles' but let me reassure you, I haven't.....not really :D
Perhaps I ought to start writing down some of the peculiar dreams that I am having because I feel quite sure that they would make excellent science fiction stories! In my dreams I have been to the strangest destinations in the universe and met some of the weirdest occupants of these planets and stars but have never had any problems communicating with them and neither have I ever felt scared. I know it seem strange but I have never seen Star Wars, only bits of it, and I don't watch science fiction movies or read books, so have no idea where these dreams originate. There's certainly no external influence but I'm sure that someone who 'reads' the meaning of dreams would offer an explanation, not that I care!
The medication is also responsible for the peculiar sounds I hear very often when I'm alone, but I've already worked out that it's my stomach making the noises even though the sounds seem to come from about four feet to my left! There have been the odd occasions when I have been really startled and sometimes a little frightened by the noises especially when I am in bed, but now I know where they come from it isn't quite as bad.
I am sure that Emma (and probably you) will read this post and decide that I have totally 'lost my marbles' but let me reassure you, I haven't.....not really :D
Monday, 15 November 2010
Blowing the whistle....again
Ever since my neighbours moved in just over a year ago I have had to endure loud 'rave' type music most weekends and also the screams, banging and foul language from a young teenager very early in the mornings.
Yes, I do know that something can be done about excessive noise and so I reported the matter together with a comprehensive 'noise diary' in the summer. The council noise pollution officer contacted the neighbour by letter and a couple of days later she knocked on my door and got quite nasty with me. She was also so inebriated at the time I was surprised that she could stand. Over the next few weeks there were other occasions when she shouted abuse that was directed at me late at night as she came home drunk again.
He is not very pleasant either, the sort of person who would put one arm around you while quietly twisting a knife into your ribs with the other hand and smiling as if he was your best friend. He tried pushing my fence over one weekend for no reason whatsoever and I had to call the police. When they called there they couldn't get an answer so came back the next day and he denied being in at the time. Luckily I think they knew he was lying because they were aware of the other problems I had had with them.
Since the original complaint, I have had to endure more very loud music at some time or other most weekends but I have been too afraid of reporting it because of repercussions like those I had before. The problem is, they think they are 'untouchable' because they own their own house so are not breaking any tenancy agreement and therefore cannot be evicted. This weekend was the last straw.
It started at 7:30am on Friday morning with the blood curdling screams, banging and foul language from the daughter and as she was in their bathroom which is directly next to mine (I was in the shower at the time), I heard every word and I believed that her mother had hit her. This is child abuse. Then on Saturday and Sunday there were periods of very loud music which sounded like a 'rave' but they always stop before the noise pollution teams come on duty at 7:30pm. I did complain yesterday and got them to log the call but today I have sent them a very long e-mail detailing everything that has happened this weekend so now social services will probably investigate and hopefully the council will take action so that I can return to a peaceful life.
If they even dare to try to victimise me this time I will certainly contact the police and this time, I will be making a formal complaint for harassment and victimisation.
Yes, I do know that something can be done about excessive noise and so I reported the matter together with a comprehensive 'noise diary' in the summer. The council noise pollution officer contacted the neighbour by letter and a couple of days later she knocked on my door and got quite nasty with me. She was also so inebriated at the time I was surprised that she could stand. Over the next few weeks there were other occasions when she shouted abuse that was directed at me late at night as she came home drunk again.
He is not very pleasant either, the sort of person who would put one arm around you while quietly twisting a knife into your ribs with the other hand and smiling as if he was your best friend. He tried pushing my fence over one weekend for no reason whatsoever and I had to call the police. When they called there they couldn't get an answer so came back the next day and he denied being in at the time. Luckily I think they knew he was lying because they were aware of the other problems I had had with them.
Since the original complaint, I have had to endure more very loud music at some time or other most weekends but I have been too afraid of reporting it because of repercussions like those I had before. The problem is, they think they are 'untouchable' because they own their own house so are not breaking any tenancy agreement and therefore cannot be evicted. This weekend was the last straw.
It started at 7:30am on Friday morning with the blood curdling screams, banging and foul language from the daughter and as she was in their bathroom which is directly next to mine (I was in the shower at the time), I heard every word and I believed that her mother had hit her. This is child abuse. Then on Saturday and Sunday there were periods of very loud music which sounded like a 'rave' but they always stop before the noise pollution teams come on duty at 7:30pm. I did complain yesterday and got them to log the call but today I have sent them a very long e-mail detailing everything that has happened this weekend so now social services will probably investigate and hopefully the council will take action so that I can return to a peaceful life.
If they even dare to try to victimise me this time I will certainly contact the police and this time, I will be making a formal complaint for harassment and victimisation.
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Spicy tomato and red lentil soup
This recipe is a perfect winter warmer and is very quick and easy to make.
For about 4 servings you will need:
For about 4 servings you will need:
5 or 6 large ripe tomatoes (or 1 tin chopped tomatoes)
2 cloves of garlic - crushed
1 large onion - chopped quite small
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon each of garam masala and ground cumin
half teaspoon sambal oelek
2 pints vegetable stock
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (fresh or dry)
2 cups red lentils
- Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the chopped onion and garlic until soft but not coloured.
- Add all the other ingredients and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the lentils are cooked.
- Leave to cool then blitz in a blender or use a stick blender but the soup does not have to be completely smooth.
- Reheat before serving with some crusty bread. Yummy :D
Friday, 12 November 2010
Ahh! Bless.....
Very often on a Friday morning when I am coming back from doing a bit of shopping I come across a very pleasant young man dressed in a smart suit, with a shorthand notebook and pen in hand, outside of the Evening Post building.
Each week he has to stop passers by and ask for their opinions on various subjects such as the bus lanes, taxis, wearing poppies and today it was whether we think the shops prepare for Christmas too early. Each time I see him we stop and have a little chat and he tries very hard to persuade me to let him print my thoughts together with my photo in the Evening Post and each time I decline. Today was no exception, especially as my hair was pretty windswept making me resemble one of Macbeth's three witches and I don't really want to frighten the horses!
We had a little chat about Christmas goods being on display even before the children return to school in September and that many people have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. Then I asked him why they always sent him out. Had he done something to upset someone? He laughed and said he only works on a Friday and to become a journalist this is one of the things he will have to put up with. He said the problem is, he can't find many people to talk to or they don't want to stop or have their picture in the paper. I felt both a little guilty and also sorry for him, then I suggested that he might have a bit more success in the pub just along the road.
I don't know whether he had any luck because I don't ever buy the Evening Post but I hope he did.
Each week he has to stop passers by and ask for their opinions on various subjects such as the bus lanes, taxis, wearing poppies and today it was whether we think the shops prepare for Christmas too early. Each time I see him we stop and have a little chat and he tries very hard to persuade me to let him print my thoughts together with my photo in the Evening Post and each time I decline. Today was no exception, especially as my hair was pretty windswept making me resemble one of Macbeth's three witches and I don't really want to frighten the horses!
We had a little chat about Christmas goods being on display even before the children return to school in September and that many people have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. Then I asked him why they always sent him out. Had he done something to upset someone? He laughed and said he only works on a Friday and to become a journalist this is one of the things he will have to put up with. He said the problem is, he can't find many people to talk to or they don't want to stop or have their picture in the paper. I felt both a little guilty and also sorry for him, then I suggested that he might have a bit more success in the pub just along the road.
I don't know whether he had any luck because I don't ever buy the Evening Post but I hope he did.
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Shameful behaviour
I was shocked when I saw the news yesterday evening and watched the 'students' demonstrating against the plans the government has made to raise the tuition fees for universities. The thousands of pounds worth of damage that some of them caused is absolutely disgusting and if this is how the 'educated' amongst our younger generation behave then there is no hope for society in the future.
Students in this country are extremely lucky because even with this increase the fees are still nowhere near those of universities on the continent or the USA. They don't even have to start repaying their debts until they are earning far more than the average wage and for those who come from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds there will still be help. I am all for the increase because I didn't even have the opportunity to think about going to university as my family were certainly nowhere near well off and we were told that girls from our background did not need a career as we were expected to get married and rear children. If I had been able to go to university I most certainly would have jumped at the chance even if it meant that I would spend a lot of my working life repaying the cost.
The taxpayer cannot be expected to pay for the extended education of these people and besides, perhaps it will stop a lot of them doing what we used to call 'Mickey Mouse' degrees that are no use to man nor beast. I know from working in the jobcentre that those with non academic degrees usually had no idea of what work they wanted to do, preferably nothing at all if they could get away with it, and they only went to university for the 'social aspect' and because it pleased their parents. These youngsters also expected to walk into jobs paying top wages yet they had no work experience, no sense of self presentation and were some of the scruffiest, smelliest people that I have ever met. With the new changes to the welfare system some of these could be in for a very nasty shock in a few years time!
Students in this country are extremely lucky because even with this increase the fees are still nowhere near those of universities on the continent or the USA. They don't even have to start repaying their debts until they are earning far more than the average wage and for those who come from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds there will still be help. I am all for the increase because I didn't even have the opportunity to think about going to university as my family were certainly nowhere near well off and we were told that girls from our background did not need a career as we were expected to get married and rear children. If I had been able to go to university I most certainly would have jumped at the chance even if it meant that I would spend a lot of my working life repaying the cost.
The taxpayer cannot be expected to pay for the extended education of these people and besides, perhaps it will stop a lot of them doing what we used to call 'Mickey Mouse' degrees that are no use to man nor beast. I know from working in the jobcentre that those with non academic degrees usually had no idea of what work they wanted to do, preferably nothing at all if they could get away with it, and they only went to university for the 'social aspect' and because it pleased their parents. These youngsters also expected to walk into jobs paying top wages yet they had no work experience, no sense of self presentation and were some of the scruffiest, smelliest people that I have ever met. With the new changes to the welfare system some of these could be in for a very nasty shock in a few years time!
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Sweet temptations
Last week at the farmers' market I bought some Bramley cooking apples because the apple crops have been excellent this year so there's no better time to take advantage of a plentiful supply of delicious fruits. There are also splendid selections of good, sweet eating apples too, including some very rare Old English varieties, so I have been spoiled for choice.
With the Bramleys, I made a French apple cake which was simply delicious so I bought a couple more Bramleys today and also some very large conference pears which I also love. The afternoon has been spent looking through the cookery books for ideas to use the fruits as I would normally eat the pears as they are and although I like a good apple pie I thought I would like something different for a change.
There are dozens of recipes for using the apples in various ways either in cakes or desserts and I haven't yet decided which one I will use but I didn't find that many for pears. One idea I did have which I will try to see if it works is a pear and almond clafoutis. I can hear the French yelling at me now saying that I should use cherries or even plums but I'm afraid they're out of season!
So this weekend I will be busy in the kitchen and if everything turns out alright I will put the recipe on the blog. Next week I will buy some more Bramleys and will probably make an apple pie for Sunday dinner when Sarah comes to collect Eden.
With the Bramleys, I made a French apple cake which was simply delicious so I bought a couple more Bramleys today and also some very large conference pears which I also love. The afternoon has been spent looking through the cookery books for ideas to use the fruits as I would normally eat the pears as they are and although I like a good apple pie I thought I would like something different for a change.
There are dozens of recipes for using the apples in various ways either in cakes or desserts and I haven't yet decided which one I will use but I didn't find that many for pears. One idea I did have which I will try to see if it works is a pear and almond clafoutis. I can hear the French yelling at me now saying that I should use cherries or even plums but I'm afraid they're out of season!
So this weekend I will be busy in the kitchen and if everything turns out alright I will put the recipe on the blog. Next week I will buy some more Bramleys and will probably make an apple pie for Sunday dinner when Sarah comes to collect Eden.
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
A day for hats
With the weather being very windy and a bit damp this morning I decided to give my hat it's first outing of the season. The trouble is, my hair is so fine and getting thinner too so even the slightest breath of wind makes a mess of it and I don't like to use too much hairspray.
Now, I have never been a 'hat' person but I bought this one a long time ago before Emma moved to Norfolk. I called it my dog walking hat because it was perfect for the odd occasion when we took the dogs for a walk in the woods after lunch when I visited her on a Sunday. For years it has been in the cupboard and last year when we had the very cold weather I decided to get it out and wear it.
At first I was a bit reluctant but eventually I decided that I didn't really care what I looked like as long as I was warm and didn't have my hair blowing all over the place. I must admit that it didn't look too bad and so I wore it quite a lot last winter and will do so again. Now I am looking for a rain hat too because this one is made of a woolly kind of material and the style is a sort of bucket shape with a flat top. The problem is, my head is quite small because I have tried on hats in several shops and they have come down over my eyes and ears so that I couldn't see out and I can't remember where I bought this one. The answer is to try a child's hat but I don't know whether they make rain hats for children but Emma suggested that I try one of the outdoor clothing shops like Milletts.
I think maybe I will wait until Eden comes down in a couple of weeks because she will give me an honest opinion on my choice and will no doubt tell me how ridiculous I look too!
Now, I have never been a 'hat' person but I bought this one a long time ago before Emma moved to Norfolk. I called it my dog walking hat because it was perfect for the odd occasion when we took the dogs for a walk in the woods after lunch when I visited her on a Sunday. For years it has been in the cupboard and last year when we had the very cold weather I decided to get it out and wear it.
At first I was a bit reluctant but eventually I decided that I didn't really care what I looked like as long as I was warm and didn't have my hair blowing all over the place. I must admit that it didn't look too bad and so I wore it quite a lot last winter and will do so again. Now I am looking for a rain hat too because this one is made of a woolly kind of material and the style is a sort of bucket shape with a flat top. The problem is, my head is quite small because I have tried on hats in several shops and they have come down over my eyes and ears so that I couldn't see out and I can't remember where I bought this one. The answer is to try a child's hat but I don't know whether they make rain hats for children but Emma suggested that I try one of the outdoor clothing shops like Milletts.
I think maybe I will wait until Eden comes down in a couple of weeks because she will give me an honest opinion on my choice and will no doubt tell me how ridiculous I look too!
Monday, 8 November 2010
A hot date with Hosay (Jose)
Since retiring I have had to change my dentist because I cannot afford to pay the fee to go privately anymore and my last visit was in March. Luckily, a new dentist has started up only twenty minutes walk away and they were taking new NHS patients so I duly trotted along last month and registered. They made an appointment for me to see the dentist for a check-up a couple of days later and afterwards, she recommended that I see the hygienist so I made the appointment but there was a couple of weeks wait.
Today I attended my appointment and the hygienist turned out to be a young dark haired man with very dark mysterious eyes. He introduced himself as Hosay (Jose). I am not sure if he was Spanish or from a South American country but his accent was very heavy.
He looked into my mouth and then breathed "Higham going to geev you a deep clean" and then proceeded to scrape away at my teeth humming quietly to himself as he worked. Now I'm not really a fan of any dentist or hygienist but I am terrified of having either false teeth or badly stained dirty looking teeth and that's why I religiously turn up on time for all my dental appointments.
After a few minutes my clasped hands were getting tighter across my middle and he stopped and asked me if I was alright. I told him I was and then he said "You haf tartar everywhere so if I hurt you just lift your hand". I nodded and he carried on scraping and humming and every so often muttered "Tartar everywhere". Eventually he finished and asked me to rinse and while I was doing this he asked me what sort of toothbrush I used, did I floss and did I use a mouthwash. I said that I used an electric toothbrush and yes, I did floss and occasionally used interdental brushes but not mouthwash (remembering that I emptied a half bottle down the drain last week because it had been on the bathroom shelf untouched for about six months).
"Don't waste your money on mouthwash" he said, "Just use toothpaste and water. There eez no need for mouthwash". Then he told me that my cleaning was very good even in the difficult areas but the reason he had given me a deep clean was because the tartar was just below the gum line. He went on to explain that this may only need to be done once a year and just a general scrape and clean in six months time.
When I got home I looked in the mirror and there is certainly a big difference. I know too many people my age and older who believe that going to the hygienist only damages the teeth and so consequently their teeth don't look very nice and I certainly wouldn't want them in my mouth!
Today I attended my appointment and the hygienist turned out to be a young dark haired man with very dark mysterious eyes. He introduced himself as Hosay (Jose). I am not sure if he was Spanish or from a South American country but his accent was very heavy.
He looked into my mouth and then breathed "Higham going to geev you a deep clean" and then proceeded to scrape away at my teeth humming quietly to himself as he worked. Now I'm not really a fan of any dentist or hygienist but I am terrified of having either false teeth or badly stained dirty looking teeth and that's why I religiously turn up on time for all my dental appointments.
After a few minutes my clasped hands were getting tighter across my middle and he stopped and asked me if I was alright. I told him I was and then he said "You haf tartar everywhere so if I hurt you just lift your hand". I nodded and he carried on scraping and humming and every so often muttered "Tartar everywhere". Eventually he finished and asked me to rinse and while I was doing this he asked me what sort of toothbrush I used, did I floss and did I use a mouthwash. I said that I used an electric toothbrush and yes, I did floss and occasionally used interdental brushes but not mouthwash (remembering that I emptied a half bottle down the drain last week because it had been on the bathroom shelf untouched for about six months).
"Don't waste your money on mouthwash" he said, "Just use toothpaste and water. There eez no need for mouthwash". Then he told me that my cleaning was very good even in the difficult areas but the reason he had given me a deep clean was because the tartar was just below the gum line. He went on to explain that this may only need to be done once a year and just a general scrape and clean in six months time.
When I got home I looked in the mirror and there is certainly a big difference. I know too many people my age and older who believe that going to the hygienist only damages the teeth and so consequently their teeth don't look very nice and I certainly wouldn't want them in my mouth!
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Someone's seen the light at last
This morning I nearly choked on my muesli while I listened to the news because at last a politician has 'seen the light' so Praise be to God because it's something that's long, long overdue.
Before long those who have been unemployed for over a year will be made to carry out jobs such as cleaning the streets, gardening, painting schools etc. and if they refuse then their benefits will be sanctioned for up to three months.
I wouldn't mind betting that tomorrow morning a lot of advisers in the jobcentres up and down the country will be jumping up and down and shouting with joy. For the last seven or more years of my working life I dealt with long term unemployed and a huge majority of them had no intention of finding work, many were working cash in hand or up to other scams but they knew as long as they 'played the game' there wasn't anything we could do about it, besides, they all knew how to get round the system better than any of us. We knew all the best ways to catch them out though!
So now they will have no choice and the reason that this step is being taken is to get people into a routine of getting up and going to work. Many of the younger unemployed don't even realise that ther is more than one 9 o'clock in the day!
So at last, it's a step in the right direction and now all he has to do is to enforce a system similar to 'the green card' that was in operation many years ago where an employer had to employ ten per cent of employees with a green card. This was carried by those who had some barrier to employment and included those who had certain disabilities and those with learning difficulties who would otherwise have been unemployed. Employers today often don't want to bother with people who need repetitive menial tasks and extra supervision so these people are pushed out of normal society and are left to claim either jobseeker's allowance or employment support allowance. So, the government now needs to bring in legislation to help these people, many of whom would like to work, and make employers give them adequate support because although employers are not supposed to discriminate against people like this, they most certainly do.
Before long those who have been unemployed for over a year will be made to carry out jobs such as cleaning the streets, gardening, painting schools etc. and if they refuse then their benefits will be sanctioned for up to three months.
I wouldn't mind betting that tomorrow morning a lot of advisers in the jobcentres up and down the country will be jumping up and down and shouting with joy. For the last seven or more years of my working life I dealt with long term unemployed and a huge majority of them had no intention of finding work, many were working cash in hand or up to other scams but they knew as long as they 'played the game' there wasn't anything we could do about it, besides, they all knew how to get round the system better than any of us. We knew all the best ways to catch them out though!
So now they will have no choice and the reason that this step is being taken is to get people into a routine of getting up and going to work. Many of the younger unemployed don't even realise that ther is more than one 9 o'clock in the day!
So at last, it's a step in the right direction and now all he has to do is to enforce a system similar to 'the green card' that was in operation many years ago where an employer had to employ ten per cent of employees with a green card. This was carried by those who had some barrier to employment and included those who had certain disabilities and those with learning difficulties who would otherwise have been unemployed. Employers today often don't want to bother with people who need repetitive menial tasks and extra supervision so these people are pushed out of normal society and are left to claim either jobseeker's allowance or employment support allowance. So, the government now needs to bring in legislation to help these people, many of whom would like to work, and make employers give them adequate support because although employers are not supposed to discriminate against people like this, they most certainly do.
Friday, 5 November 2010
The great Christmas rip off
This morning when I was out shopping I did actually buy my first Christmas present. OK, so I know it is only a little squeaky toy for Eden's dog but because she's so small it can be quite difficult to find something suitable for her. I also bought back a gift catalogue from Boots so that I could browse through it, perhaps to get some ideas and I wanted to look for a particular item that Sarah had asked for for Christmas.
When I got home I made a cup of coffee and sat down to look through and I was absolutely shocked at how much people are ripped off at Christmas. Now I know that perfumes are expensive, but when they put them in a fancy box with a small tube of body lotion then you will probably need a mortgage to buy it. Then there are the bath products, usually very small sizes of bath foam, body lotion and hand cream in a toilet bag and costing three times as much as they would if you bought each item separately. The same goes for cosmetics such as lipstick, eye shadows and nail varnish. Several different colours in smaller than usual pots but costing much more than they normally would.
Now, I've made a point of asking Sarah and my grand-children what they want for Christmas so that I can buy the right things and I know then that they won't be disappointed on Christmas Day. They also know that now I have retired I don't have as much money to spend on them as I used to and they have accepted that. I just don't understand people who spend so much on Christmas presents that it takes them the whole of next year paying for them and shops and advertising men are very good at getting them to part with their money. Spending the earth on someone does not prove that you think anymore of them because love and respect cannot be bought.
Besides, Christmas has become so commercialised that I am sure most people have forgotten the real meaning and why we have it in the first place, instead they prefer to worship at the house of retail rather than the house of God.
When I got home I made a cup of coffee and sat down to look through and I was absolutely shocked at how much people are ripped off at Christmas. Now I know that perfumes are expensive, but when they put them in a fancy box with a small tube of body lotion then you will probably need a mortgage to buy it. Then there are the bath products, usually very small sizes of bath foam, body lotion and hand cream in a toilet bag and costing three times as much as they would if you bought each item separately. The same goes for cosmetics such as lipstick, eye shadows and nail varnish. Several different colours in smaller than usual pots but costing much more than they normally would.
Now, I've made a point of asking Sarah and my grand-children what they want for Christmas so that I can buy the right things and I know then that they won't be disappointed on Christmas Day. They also know that now I have retired I don't have as much money to spend on them as I used to and they have accepted that. I just don't understand people who spend so much on Christmas presents that it takes them the whole of next year paying for them and shops and advertising men are very good at getting them to part with their money. Spending the earth on someone does not prove that you think anymore of them because love and respect cannot be bought.
Besides, Christmas has become so commercialised that I am sure most people have forgotten the real meaning and why we have it in the first place, instead they prefer to worship at the house of retail rather than the house of God.
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Say cheese!
Watching part of a television programme today where the presenter was in Wensleydale in Yorkshire, visiting a dairy that made Wensleydale cheese, I was reminded of many years ago when I had a go at making Cheddar cheese.
It was when I was nursing and working in theatres, I had a friend who came from a dairy farm in Somerset. We were both lucky enough to have the same day off one week and she wanted to go home to get some jumpers. As she didn't have a car and I did, we set off to the farm which was about thirty five miles away.
When we arrived and she had got what she needed she asked if I would like to see the dairy where her parents were both working. I didn't need to be asked twice. We met her Dad in the dairy and he started to show me around while my friend was talking to her Mum. They were in the process of making cheese so they asked me if I would like to have a go to. Of course I did, after all, it's not every day an opportunity like that comes along!
Her Dad had explained the process and now her Mum showed me how to get hands on. All the time I was helping I was asking loads of questions because I like to know how everything works and by the time my visit had come to an end I had received a full personal guided tour and also tried the end product.
The day was certainly one that I will never forget and as we were leaving I thanked her Mum and Dad for such an interesting day. Her Dad told me that I could go back any time because it had been a pleasure to find someone so interested and told me that he often had students from an agricultural college who didn't show as much interest as I had.
It was when I was nursing and working in theatres, I had a friend who came from a dairy farm in Somerset. We were both lucky enough to have the same day off one week and she wanted to go home to get some jumpers. As she didn't have a car and I did, we set off to the farm which was about thirty five miles away.
When we arrived and she had got what she needed she asked if I would like to see the dairy where her parents were both working. I didn't need to be asked twice. We met her Dad in the dairy and he started to show me around while my friend was talking to her Mum. They were in the process of making cheese so they asked me if I would like to have a go to. Of course I did, after all, it's not every day an opportunity like that comes along!
Her Dad had explained the process and now her Mum showed me how to get hands on. All the time I was helping I was asking loads of questions because I like to know how everything works and by the time my visit had come to an end I had received a full personal guided tour and also tried the end product.
The day was certainly one that I will never forget and as we were leaving I thanked her Mum and Dad for such an interesting day. Her Dad told me that I could go back any time because it had been a pleasure to find someone so interested and told me that he often had students from an agricultural college who didn't show as much interest as I had.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
A brick in the box
The weather has been a bit strange to say the least this week and it has been unseasonably warm for early November. In fact I have only turned on a couple of heaters and they are on low at the moment. We did have a couple of quite cold mornings a week ago and on Monday last week I even wore my gloves when I went out. I have also noticed that during the last week there have been some quite heavy leaf falls from the trees and their colours are now changing rapidly too.
This week we have had quite a lot of sunny weather but now we have some Atlantic weather fronts which are moving across the country in waves and one of the features of these is the wind which can be quite strong and very gusty at times.
That is why I was woken at 1:15am this morning with a loud crash and in my state of half wakefulness I realised that it was probably my waste food container heading off down the street, probably following the large black re-cycling box as both had been emptied yesterday. There was no way that I was going out at that time to retrieve them and after all, even if they were in the middle of the road I didn't think that there would be that much traffic anyway.
Eventually I managed to doze off again, I had turned on the radio and the American election results were on so that sent me off to sleep! At 5am I woke again and at least the gusty winds had died down but I still could not go back to sleep so at 6am I decided that I would make a cup of tea. While I was at it, I thought I might as well put some clothes on and go out while there was no-one about to find my food bin and re-cycling box.
So there I was with no make-up and very hastily dressed, out wandering down the road at 6am looking for the box. As it turned out it was only the food waste box that had taken off and I found it in the middle of the road about thirty yards away so I picked it up and brought it home. If any cars had come along the road, they had probably driven around it and although it has my house number on it, no-one would bother to bring it back. I couldn't understand how the wind had extricated it from the big black box which I stand on it's end and then put the food waste box inside and anyway, why is it only mine that gets blown down the road?
The forecast is for more gusty and strong winds tonight so I have put a brick into a plastic bag and put it in the food waste box so hopefully it won't disappear tonight and I will get a good night's sleep. I must remember to remove the brick before the waste collection next week!
This week we have had quite a lot of sunny weather but now we have some Atlantic weather fronts which are moving across the country in waves and one of the features of these is the wind which can be quite strong and very gusty at times.
That is why I was woken at 1:15am this morning with a loud crash and in my state of half wakefulness I realised that it was probably my waste food container heading off down the street, probably following the large black re-cycling box as both had been emptied yesterday. There was no way that I was going out at that time to retrieve them and after all, even if they were in the middle of the road I didn't think that there would be that much traffic anyway.
Eventually I managed to doze off again, I had turned on the radio and the American election results were on so that sent me off to sleep! At 5am I woke again and at least the gusty winds had died down but I still could not go back to sleep so at 6am I decided that I would make a cup of tea. While I was at it, I thought I might as well put some clothes on and go out while there was no-one about to find my food bin and re-cycling box.
So there I was with no make-up and very hastily dressed, out wandering down the road at 6am looking for the box. As it turned out it was only the food waste box that had taken off and I found it in the middle of the road about thirty yards away so I picked it up and brought it home. If any cars had come along the road, they had probably driven around it and although it has my house number on it, no-one would bother to bring it back. I couldn't understand how the wind had extricated it from the big black box which I stand on it's end and then put the food waste box inside and anyway, why is it only mine that gets blown down the road?
The forecast is for more gusty and strong winds tonight so I have put a brick into a plastic bag and put it in the food waste box so hopefully it won't disappear tonight and I will get a good night's sleep. I must remember to remove the brick before the waste collection next week!
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
What about my human rights?
I was disgusted today to hear on the news that some b****y European court has told Britain that we are breaking the law by denying prisoners their human rights by not letting them vote in elections. The ex-prisoner that challenged the 'right to vote' a few years ago, was interviewed on the radio this morning. He had served an eight year sentence for manslaughter, he killed his landlady by smashing her head with an axe. Well, he didn't give a thought for her human rights to live did he? He should have been locked up for life even if the crime wasn't pre-planned because he took the life of another person.
The problem with prisoners is they get everything their own way because most prisons are more like luxury hotels. If someone is sent to prison for any crime, then they should expect to be denied not only their freedom, but all the luxuries that many ordinary hard working people cannot have. The living conditions in many prisons are far superior to those of many honest citizens and yet it's the taxpayer (again) that has to fund their luxury lifestyles.
Not only that, when they are discharged from prison, they go to the top of the social housing lists ahead of people who like me, have worked all their lives, paid all their taxes and get pushed down the list by someone who has deliberately made themselves homeless by comitting a crime in the first place. Many also have no intention of working either because from my time in the Jobcentre, they would nearly all say "No one will employ me because I have a record". Once again the taxpayer (including me, because my little bit of pension is taxed too) has to pay their housing benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance.
So what about the human rights of all honest and hard working people? Surely we have a right to decent, affordable accommodation and the right to keep our pensions without them being taxed.
The problem with prisoners is they get everything their own way because most prisons are more like luxury hotels. If someone is sent to prison for any crime, then they should expect to be denied not only their freedom, but all the luxuries that many ordinary hard working people cannot have. The living conditions in many prisons are far superior to those of many honest citizens and yet it's the taxpayer (again) that has to fund their luxury lifestyles.
Not only that, when they are discharged from prison, they go to the top of the social housing lists ahead of people who like me, have worked all their lives, paid all their taxes and get pushed down the list by someone who has deliberately made themselves homeless by comitting a crime in the first place. Many also have no intention of working either because from my time in the Jobcentre, they would nearly all say "No one will employ me because I have a record". Once again the taxpayer (including me, because my little bit of pension is taxed too) has to pay their housing benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance.
So what about the human rights of all honest and hard working people? Surely we have a right to decent, affordable accommodation and the right to keep our pensions without them being taxed.
Monday, 1 November 2010
I wonder who ate that?
Yesterday I baked some scones and later in the afternoon after Tinkerbell and I got back from our walk, I decided to have one with a cup of tea. As the dog was very interested in what I had, I buttered another one and broke a half into pieces in her bowl then I ate the other half myself.
However, she wasn't really interested and just licked some of the butter then walked away. Just before she went home I emptied the bowl onto the bird table so that the bowl could be washed ready for Sarah to take home.
I didn't give much thought to the scone on the bird table until this morning when I was cleaning the oven. I had opened the back door to let some fresh air in because I had to use a chemical spray cleaner in the top oven and I don't like the smell. It was then that I noticed the bird table was completely cleared of food including the scone. I knew that the birds wouldn't have eaten it last night because the clocks changed this weekend and it was dusk when I put it on the bird table so I wondered who had eaten it all. Sometimes a magpie comes to the table and so do a pair of collared doves but I know that they usually come around lunchtime when they know there will be food on the table.
While I waited for the oven cleaner to do it's stuff I decided to put out a little more food onto the bird table because the robin prefers the table to the bird feeders and I also included some sunflower kernels for the suirrel. Within five minutes of coming back inside the squirrel was up on the bird table stuffing his face so I think he was probably watching me from his hiding place on the wall where he can hide in the honeysuckle. Perhaps he ate the scone because he seems to have a taste for things other than nuts. Maybe I might put some more scone out another day or even a biscuit and watch to see who's eating it.
However, she wasn't really interested and just licked some of the butter then walked away. Just before she went home I emptied the bowl onto the bird table so that the bowl could be washed ready for Sarah to take home.
I didn't give much thought to the scone on the bird table until this morning when I was cleaning the oven. I had opened the back door to let some fresh air in because I had to use a chemical spray cleaner in the top oven and I don't like the smell. It was then that I noticed the bird table was completely cleared of food including the scone. I knew that the birds wouldn't have eaten it last night because the clocks changed this weekend and it was dusk when I put it on the bird table so I wondered who had eaten it all. Sometimes a magpie comes to the table and so do a pair of collared doves but I know that they usually come around lunchtime when they know there will be food on the table.
While I waited for the oven cleaner to do it's stuff I decided to put out a little more food onto the bird table because the robin prefers the table to the bird feeders and I also included some sunflower kernels for the suirrel. Within five minutes of coming back inside the squirrel was up on the bird table stuffing his face so I think he was probably watching me from his hiding place on the wall where he can hide in the honeysuckle. Perhaps he ate the scone because he seems to have a taste for things other than nuts. Maybe I might put some more scone out another day or even a biscuit and watch to see who's eating it.
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