Tuesday, 3 November 2015

The cost of perfection



3 November

Why am I not surprised about what was shown on telly about all the waste of food from the supermarkets? Farmers have been on about the strict conditions they demand for years now, so it’s not really something new. However, the amount of waste at the farm in that programme last night, was new in that it showed just how much was being wasted; and did you catch that field of carrots being ploughed back into the ground, not a good sight at all. Add in the issue of low prices they pay for their milk and it’s really no surprise that farmers are not happy.

Now here’s the thing though, it’s a chicken and egg situation isn’t it? Supermarkets claim that their customers will not buy wonky or ugly fruit and veg. Why is that I wonder? Is it because we shoppers genuinely demand cosmetically perfect goods, or is it that we have become so used to having them on the shelves of the stores. To their credit, the Co-op used to sell so-called ugly f & v, and no, I didn’t buy it. But the reason for that was the high price they were charging at the time.

As it is, we rarely go into the Co-op now for a number of reasons, price is just one of them. The odd time I have been there looking around, they have a very poor choice of all groceries on offer, and a lot of their stuff we don’t like anyway. Now we do all our shopping at one place so we can cut down on the fuel usage and the amount of walking we have to do, and that really is a major concern for us.

Likewise using the local independent shops on the high street. Here in Dorktown we have just one green grocer, a couple of chain bakers who cater more for the sandwich/snack/cakes trade, and just one butchers, which is good. There is no fish monger now, although there is one at the market where fish is sold off the back of van. There are butchers and veg shops in various out ton areas as well. So for most things we really do have little choice other than either Asda or Sainsburys.

Farm shops are an option of course, but again they are a good way out of town, and not many of them at all. The best and most popular one in this area closed down after the owner threw his toys away when the council refused him planning permission to expand his sales area. But you know what, sitting here thinking about it I can only think of three now, and all are still a good way out of town. A quick look on Google threw up just three within easy driving distance from here, one of I knew about. Maybe it’s time for a ride out and see what we can find.

As for that police incident I mentioned yesterday, it happened in the area where I used to walk Cindy-pup twice a day, and here is a shot of the area I got a few years ago … 

So far I think it’s five people have been arrested, all local that sort of area around Mount Street, Poole Bank Street and Duke Street (where incidentally, Billy Breen came from; don’t know him, what about Larry Grayson?). Not that it matters but I thought I’d throw in in for nowt.

That shot was taken in a heavy frost, so today’s photo is another of the same park, taken on the same day … 

It won’t be long before we start getting those frosts again methinks.

Today’s funny …

A child asked his father, "How were people born?" So his father said, "Adam and Eve made babies, then their babies became adults and made babies, and so on." The child then went to his mother, asked her the same question and she told him, "We were monkeys then we evolved to become like we are now." The child ran back to his father and said, "You lied to me!" His father replied, "No, your mom was talking about her side of the family."           

Monday, 2 November 2015

Books with fireworks and pretty lights



2 November

Writers sit and dream of their story lines and the characters that will appear in them. We dream of being the net Ian Rankin or Peter Robinson or whoever is at the top of our genre. I’m not different of course and after typing up around 1500 words of Arathusia I decided a quick look on Facebook was due. So that is what I did. Here I sat scrolling down and I came across a story from our local paper about the closure of part of Dorktown due to a ‘police incident’, and I thought Now what is that all about?

Jan is off to a funereal this afternoon and after that she is taking a load of stuff to our favourite charity shop in town and then off to Asda. On the short shopping list she asked me to make for her I’ve added a Dorktown News, seeing as we no longer have it delivered. You see, my writer’s nose is twitching at the news of a police incident in the town over the weekend. The twitch became a full need to scratch at it after a later report said that the incident was over a stabbing behind the Lidle store that was now a murder investigation. I smell another DI Marty Jayne story brewing up in the depths of my brain. So now I will follow that story in the local press before I start taping the keyboard.

Anyway, back to work already on the go … as I went through to bed last night I realised that all that typing up I did yesterday was a mistake. The mistake was not actually doing it, but what I typed. Now I need to go back and re-work around half of that section of work seeing as the mistake is so bad it would not even get passed Jan, let alone a pro editor. What this has shown me is that a first draft really is needed, and that is what my long hand work is. I really should have seen they error as I typed it, but I did see it in plenty of time to correct it before moving. The writing part I find fairly easy, it’s all the crap that comes after that I struggle with, even if it is vital!

That dreaded date is coming up folks, November 5th. Over the years we have come to hate the day and the whole idea of fireworks being sold to the general public. It really is time it was banned by law. I remember our Sally-pup who so frightened by them that she would jump up on to my lap and bury her head under my arm. Cindy-pup was the same, but as a small dog, even by Yorkie standards, she was easy comfort. Sally was a golden lab cross and was a big dog.

I wonder just how many elderly folk sit and cower in fright for the next few days as thoughtless morons start pushing the things through letter boxes; how many have been made ill by it. And that doesn’t count the number of people who get hurt in some way because of it. There is national petition running now about getting the sale of firework sales to the public stopped but I can’t find the link right now. When I do I shall make sure I post it tomorrow.

Did you know that normally October 31st is the day that Blackpool Illuminations are turned off for the year? Well, it is anyway, but the last time we went up for it, it wasn’t so good anyway. However, it is round about now that we start to see Crimble lights appearing in houses and shops. Last Friday as I closed the bedroom curtains went we through to be I saw that one of neighbours over the road already had there lights up. Talk about early? Our little tree and the few lights we do put up, will go up a few days before and by Boxing Day I am ready for it to come down. I don’t know about you of course, but for us we don’t actually feel like Christmas these days, not because we are miserable but simply because we have no kids to enjoy it with. So we always have a quiet Christmas.

Most towns will decorate their shopping areas and I do like to see them, maybe cos Dorktown’s are so poor these days perhaps. But for years Walsall in the West Midlands used to put on a lights display in the local park and it was worth a visit. I’m not sure if it still goes on though. So for today’s photo then … 

One from Walsall the one time we went there.

Today’s funny …

Teacher: "Kids, what does the chicken give you?"
Student: "Meat!"
Teacher: "Very good! Now what does the pig give you?"
Student: "Bacon!"
Teacher: "Great! And what does the fat cow give you?"
Student: "Homework!"         

Sunday, 1 November 2015

Lots of books and chicken for dinnr



1 November

 Sunday today, just in case you didn’t know. What are you having for dinner then? We will be having chicken, but not the usual roast chicken though; no, I saw something on telly yesterday morning cooked by Mary Berry, which we liked the look of. Basically I shall cut chicken breasts into chunks along with onion, potatoes and carrots. Place the lot in a large polly bag, add seasoning and a little oil, toss the lot together in the bag. Then put the lot in the oven until cooked. Looked great, even if Mary used sausage and not chicken, but that won’t matter for us.

Any more Harry Potter folks? Well, I think there might be at some time, even if Rowling keeps saying there won’t be. Where I get this idea? From the pen of the writer herself actually. I’m coming to end of my second reading of the full set but I noticed on page 601 (of my edition, these words attributed to Dumbledore. ‘Dumbledore said, to fight, and to fight again. and keep fighting, for only then will evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated …’

It seems to me that those words are there for the sole purpose of allowing Rowling to bring Harry Potter back to fight those followers of Vollie who were not arrested and jailed after the Battle of Hogwarts. Not enough evidence? How about this then? Potter wanted to become an auor and in later writing on the Pottermore site, claim that after he defeated Vollie, he did become one? The role of the auors was to root out dark arts, yes? So if there were no more dark wizards/witches, then why were auors still needed? Got me thinking anyway … … …

You probably haven’t met Fred Cooper yet, and you are unlikely to either seeing as Fred is a figment of my imagination who came into life in House of Pain my first novel. Cooper is based in Cambridge, although the story line moves between here in Dorktown and north to Richmond in N Yorks. He crops up again in the follow up, Web of Hate which is a murder/drug/police corruption story, with part of the story happening in Peterborough. Right now I am reading a book by Chip Walker, another ex-army chef about a mysterious series of deaths in the fair city of Peterborough.

I was a bit surprised when found that out, but why not, there’s a lot of writers out there and there are more than one city to have writers living in them. Edinburgh has Ian Rankin and Ed James, both writing crime fiction based in the city. Both base their stories in the city and I personally like both writers. Don’t forget the J K Rowling lives there too. Using her other name of Robert Galbriath, she writes crime story’s, but basses them in London. Perhaps she feels that Edinburgh has enough fictional crime fighters. Oh yes, I like those books too.

Today’s photo … 

If only … … …

Today’s funny is the last I have from the Sage …

A golfer is in a competitive match with a friend, who is ahead by a
couple of strokes.
"Boy, I'd give anything to sink this putt", the golfer mumbles to himself.
Just then, a stranger walks up beside him and whispers, "Would you be willing to give up a quarter of your sex life to sink the putt?"

Thinking the man is crazy and his answer will be meaningless, the golfer also feels that maybe this is a good omen, so he says, "Sounds good to me," - and promptly sinks the putt!
Two holes later, he mumbles to himself again, "Gosh, I wish I could get an eagle on this one."
The same stranger is suddenly at his side again and whispers, "Would it be worth giving up another quarter of your sex life to make an eagle?
Shrugging, the golfer replies, "Okay." And, amazingly, he makes the eagle.
On the final hole, the golfer needs another eagle to win. Without waiting for him to say anything, the stranger quickly moves to his side and says, "Would winning this match be worth giving up the rest of your sex life?"
"Definitely," the golfer replies, and, sure enough, he makes the eagle - and wins the match.
As the golfer is walking to the club house, the stranger walks along beside him and says, "I haven't really been fair with you because you don't know who I am. I'm Satan, and from this day forward you really will have no sex life at all."
"Nice to meet you," the golfer replies. "I'm Father O'Malley."