Times are quiet, except of course the news. as Truss economics hits the wall. Then of course Putin and his war against the country of Ukraine. It all boils down to his mad vision of his world, and the dictatorship of fear.
We can watch only from afar, it is a proxy war, Ukraine is fighting a battle for us and we, by that I mean Europe and America are financing it. It is a sort of fingers crossed hope that no nuclear weapons are used. We dangle on the edge of another 'cold war' precipice. It is a good thing that humans are finite beings.
The troubles on the home front, our cleaner came to do our fortnightly clean yesterday and she told me how much they exist on in a family of six, I won't give figures, but she needs a goodly figure to meet their bills. Her food bill astonished me, I did say that cutting out meat might reduce it somewhat. But then how do you ask your children to change their diets.
There is a mass of problems at the moment, older generations are saying how they survived through lean years, and then the younger generations who have had enough food supplies over their lives through the benefice of the supermarkets are beginning to realise that essential food stuffs needs growing and being paid for in a world that is essentially crumpling under climate change.
Well I didn't mean to be miserable, after all problems present challenges and that is something humans are good at overcoming. Perhaps there is after all a higher being, playing us like puppets above.
I think many food budgets rest heavily on ready-made meals, as much as meat. We eat meat, but a joint to roast would be a rare thing on our table. A special treat and these days normally dependent on the kids coming for the weekend. Indeed, with meat off the table completely and a vegetarian menu, money would be saved. It's hard to say where people's grocery money is being spent. No dishwasher here (or at Ynyswen), never used fabric softener (ooh, the stench of it), own brands, no ready meals, no boughten cakes etc. Even so, hard to keep spending down when prices keep going up and not just by a couple of pennies but by 25 or 33 per cent! We older folk can generally make 6d do the work of a shilling - Tam was brilliant at this when virtually penniless after Uni - having to make do with a check-out job at a down-at-heel freezer shop . . . This is what you get for a First in Archaeology! Fortunately, she has a brilliant and secure job now but it's taken a while.
ReplyDeleteAs for Putin and his destroy the world threats. Let's hope someone takes him out of circulation, and soon, and that someone sane replaces him.
Well we are not strict vegetarians, a chicken every fortnight or so, goes into 2/3 meals but mostly we stick to a vegetarian option. I worry, ridiculous I know, putting pasta in the donation box, must make the people sick of the stuff but probably tins of tuna and even other tins of fish would be more welcome. The only time I came across fabric softener was a hotel and I woke up in the morning covered in spots, and as you say the smell is terrible. One thing I will say though, the Asian community round the area is very good at providing food in times of flooding and probably for food banks - instinctively giving.
DeleteAlthough the world can support only so much, I believe our economic problems ARE about redistribution. Too much money stoked into house assets for the few.
ReplyDelete"Too much money stoked into house assets for the few." That might be changing soon as mortgage rises start to alter the picture but it won't be a happy affair. I have never quite understood the business of saving all your capital in a house, when money should be working out in the community.
DeleteThat's a really good point. How many of our wonderful churches and other public facilities and heritage would have resulted from today's attitudes?
DeleteTrue, I had been reading "All our own Work' about the co-operative pioneers of Hebden Bridge", it spread quite far in the 19th century Tasker.
DeleteWe eat a mainly flesh free diet so that if I do buy meat then I can buy a higher welfare product. As a cleaner I earn very little nor does Mr GBT, but we had much better paid jobs before we were made redundant so are lucky to have a decent cushion of savings behind us and no debts. We took the decision to save hard and pay off our mortgage several years ago. Fortunately we are both used to living a very thrifty, simple life on a small budget. I was always one to dance to my own tune and not worry about what everybody else thought of our lifestyle choices. Arilx
ReplyDeleteI know you love dancing to your own tune Aril! My goal was to see both my children housed with no mortgage, so I wouldn't have to worry about them I suppose. I think thrift though is bypassing the new generations.
DeleteWell I suppose not being able to walk has its good points - at least I am not wandering about spending money
ReplyDeleteAhh but you have access to the internet Pat. I spend quite a lot of time waiting for parcels for the family, and as I am slightly deaf it can be bit of a worry.
DeleteThe happenings of the world are too big for me. Evil is relentless and good keeps trying to avoid a confrontation.
ReplyDeleteIt has always been thus Tabor, we just have to learn to live with it.
DeleteI feel very grateful to be in our comfort bubble - house paid for, decent pensions, money in the bank and modest ambitions. But I guess it could all go tits up with a debilitating medical condition or an unavoidable pressure to go into residential care. For the time being we'll ignore those possibilities and keep floating along.... "I'm forever blowing bubbles...Pretty bubbles in the air".
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to burst your bubble YP, many people are secure and happy, others not so but then we will never bring them up to your flush comfortability - chuckle.
ReplyDeleteI just try not to think about any of it - selfish maybe but the only way for me to survive mentally.
ReplyDeleteOf course Pat we all should do what is best for us, some will, some wont.
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