So much waste!

1 June

Summer is now officially here today, but it seems that someone forgot to copy the weather in on the email. Ah well … … …

On the news this lunch they reported on a 97 years old lady who had run yet another marathon. Ninety bloody years old! Good grief, I’m lucky if I could walk a hundred yards without being in a lot of pain. I can’t help but admire her; and then we were told she is a survivor from cancer. What a strong willed lady she is.

Also on the news was a report of the Chinese government introducing a ban on smoking in all public areas. They have recognised the health issues involved in smoking. 50% of the male smoke, and a million people die a year from smoking related illness. It sounds a lot of people but if you compare that figure to the total population of the country, I would suggest it is fairly low on league tables of world health figures. As I said a few days ago, ‘I’m glad I didn’t take up that dirty habit.’

We have a small chest freezer and a large fridge/freezer. Jan has wanted us to sort them both out so we can try to get rid of the chest freezer. So straight after the news we got on and did it. Now we have a full fridge/freezer and a chest freezer full of cold air along with a pack of sausages and a pack of Aunt May’s roast potatoes. We sit and watch items on telly about how much food waste we as nation throw out. I personally hate to see wasted food and I’m always lookout for a way to use left overs.

Among all the stuff in the freezer was a chicken carcass with a lot of meat still on it; that is now in the fridge waiting for me to turn it into a curry tomorrow afternoon. The amount of stuff I’ve just carried out to the bin is criminal. The black bag was so heavy I could hardly lift it. We have got rid of stuff we haven’t seen since before we moved here three years ago. When we looked at something, if it was discoloured, it went into the bag. The stuff we have kept is all frozen veg. Meat products will not be bought on an ‘as needed’ basis.

Some folk would perhaps say, but why buy like that when you can buy two for one. Well, yes, we could, and we would quickly end up in the same situation as we were in before we started. The thing is, we tend to forget about what we have in and like to be buy something fresh instead. If you buy a two for one, especially if it’s a new item on the market and you don’t get on with it, then you haven’t really saved anything have you.

And here’s another point; we don’t eat anywhere near as much as we used to. At one time we would get through a 56lb bag of spuds in around two weeks. Jan bought a 7lb bag yesterday afternoon and I will be surprised if you get through those in one week. So now shall we buy as we need.            

Today’s photo … 

The same grey heron but a different stance.

And today’s funny …

A bloke goes to see his farmer friend and sees a pig walking along with a wooden leg. "Why has your pig got a wooden leg?" he asks. The farmer says: "That pig is a great pig; it got five As at A-level, it can count, and it's my children's best friend." "Yes, but why does it have a wooden leg?" asks the bloke. "He saved my wife and kids in a fire, and he's the best pig we've ever had," answers the farmer. "But you haven't answered my question," says the bloke. "Are you stupid?" said the farmer. "You wouldn't eat a pig like that all at once."