Is there any good news around I wonder? Well 147 showjumping horses have been airlifted out of Qatar....And before some of you get on your high horses and remind me of the tourists stuck in the Middle East, yes I know....
What else? The long Distance England Coastal Path has been officially opened. 2000 miles of coastal path, probably the longest managed path in the world. But note Scotland and Wales are not part of it which is a shame.
Nearer to home: We had a gas scare yesterday afternoon it was out in the street, so they had to go into the end empty terrace house next door and turn the gas off there. And as we have all woken in one piece this morning, they must have made it safe. Anyway their barriers have only joined up with the barriers on the main road, goodness knows what they are doing, but it has resulted in streams of cars through the town because of the traffic lights.
Then there is the saga of parcels. You may know that Andrew and Karen just love ordering stuff. But who gets to answer the door for these parcels? me.
I complain bitterly of course, especially last week whilst they were away as books kept arriving, luckily I have most of the delivery people just putting the parcels inside the back door.
This time I had been warned to look out for a specific parcel, it went next door, and I, fed up, said to my daughter by email, "bloody parcels you can get it yourselves". Of course the parcel was my Mothering Day present - so I apologised.
And guess what if you go to the Canary Islands you can shop at Lidls! No exotique fruit then I said. Also Karen managed to find me Miso paste for my soups yesterday in Manchester, I am definitely going Japanese in my cooking. I think because so many of the sauces are sweet.
And one last piece of happy news, (I know it never lasts) is land being planted with trees in Frome for the happiness of future children. Also yesterday the government has brought out a New Plan to Reshape how we protect and manage our land . Do hope they leave the scruffy bits in though.
One other: It was a surprise to see Coltsfoot on Codlins and Cream blog. A plant I believe whose flowers appear before the leaf, must look that up. I remember them as a child, probably the first plant I took an interest in then.
Bad mummy for becoming antsy about her mother's day gift. I am a bit frightened, perhaps needlessly, of Miso, containing MSG. Was the danger of MSG hyped 90s? I used to blame MSG for me not being able to sleep on a Sunday night after having a Chinese meal out. Now I think it might have been an excessive amount of onions. Or it could be that slept later on Sunday mornings, and broke my sleep pattern.
ReplyDeleteApparently there is one percent natural MSG in Miso and also it can be found in some vegetables as well Andrew. I use it in soup and the one bought is organic so I shouldn't come to harm;) It is an 'umami' flavour, the fifth taste.
ReplyDeleteColtsfoot is reasonably common in Wales. A joy to see . Frome is where my paternal grandmother died. They lived in Cheap Street, which has the runnel down the middle. It is full of people (like Totnes) who are "from off" as they say in these parts. Planting trees is always a positive thing.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough we are going to a birthday party at Melksham, which is near Frome Jennie at the end of this month. That is funny 'from off'. We all move around these days. except for a few hardy souls who live in the same towns as their parents used to.
DeleteTrees for the future - perfect.
ReplyDeleteAlways a good sign, especially now Janice.
DeleteWe have coltsfoot on our patio, but for some reason it never produces flowers. It does send up leaves every year, though, through the cracks in the paving stones. I've seen coltsfoot flowers on Hampstead Heath, though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting the good news, even though the cynical part of me says they saved those horses mainly for their economic value. (When they fly stray dogs out of the conflict zone, then I'll be happy!)
As a child I played on the industrial waste/tip of the 'Black Country' Midlands so for some reason there were coltsfoot growing there. As for dogs, have you not noticed that golden retrievers dominate the videos and the hearts of American people, they will be ruling the world still. I notice how visiting tourists to countries like Romania and Thailand go to great trouble an expense to bring abused dogs back to their own country, which is a start.
DeleteLol at your parcel saga! Isn't that always the way!
ReplyDeleteIt is heartening that there are people in the world who still feel a responsibility at what we leave for our children. We need more minds to turn their thoughts to that.
Agree completely Debby, we are all so bitchy about what is happening now because it spoils our 'experience' of our neighbourhood, that we forget we are just passing through.
DeleteHappy Spring! One daffodil is blooming for me today. First one this year! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the same to you Ellen. It was a warm, sunny day today, perhaps a good harbinger of the summer to come.
ReplyDeleteI am glad those horses were saved - for their ability and the riders' love of them as much as for their commercial value. My friend Pam has an Italian rescue dog, Foxy, and he is such a sweetheart. Taken off the streets and then spent the next 6 years penned up . . . He loves his new freedom.
ReplyDeleteIt is always good to hear about dogs being rescued, though I think there are a lot of barriers to overcome Jennie.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do a lot of ordering, although I have to admit that with our only real shopping venue the local WalMart we do shop online at Amazon. For awhile parcels were being left propped against our mailbox which is located on the main road at the head of our lane. Not good! I appreciate when the postman or the UPS van comes down the lane to the house and leaves the package on the front porch.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter and her husband do considerable online ordering and have ongoing issues when one particular delivery man who seemingly delights in banging on their front door which sets four dogs into hysterics, then ambling back to his truck. Having been told that there are security cameras and some sort of 'siri' voice announcing his presence, he's been warned that if he continues to bang at the door the dogs will be let out in full cry!
Shopping when I was a child was such a simple matter: an occasional trip to the nearest 'big' town and orders placed to the Sears Roebuck catalog!