We won!

It has just been announced on the 1 0'clock news that the building of the dirty power station at Kingsnorth in Kent has been shelved. The official reason being given is that there is no demand any more, but who cares! Greenpeace, who have laboured long and hard for just such a decision are claiming victory, and so they should, imvho. Who says that sustained, peaceful protest doesn't work? Not me and I am proud to have been a part of that protest, however small and insignificant my part in it may have been.

Country File report

There was a report on this week's 'Country File' TV programme about the benefits of cutting out meat altogether for one day a week and that we should eat far less red meat than we do. The idea is being sponsored by Sir Paul McCartney and it is not only beneficial to our health, but also good for the environment in general, because methane gas, as produced by cattle is the biggest contributor to Global Warming. There was a great deal more in the report and I found it very interesting indeed.

It did strike me, however, that had I seen it nine months ago, I would have found it offensive in the extreme! Isn't it fascinating how we, as humans (or at least me, at any rate) are ready to dismiss out of hand a new idea, without having tried it! Having been a vegetarian for the best part of nine months (is it really that long?) it made perfect sense and I can vouch for the fact that our new eating plan still excites and is still delicious. The fact that it is also good for us and the environment is a wonderful added bonus, as far as I am concerned!

Economies and the downside of being retired

Now, I love being retired! We made the decision to do so, some five years earlier than originally planned, due to Ray's health and I am very glad that we did. He has made a remarkable recovery and although he still has to be careful (and always will) it does mean that he can rest, whenever he needs to. And far from being bored, the exact opposite is true for me. I just cannot believe how quickly the days go by! It is wonderful not to be chasing the clock and to be able to take each day at the pace that is comfortable for us.

Sadly though, the plain economic fact is that pensions do not rise in line with the cost of living! Our utility bills, for instance, have doubled this year and we are seeing our food bills creep up slowly but surely as the weeks pass. For lots of reasons, all our credit cards were shredded some months ago and we determined not to use them ever again. So, this week, I decided to conduct a small experiment. We have to get into the mindset that if we haven't got it, we do without, until the next big shop. We are nowhere near being poverty stricken, but we do need to stop just nipping down to the shops, whenever we feel we cannot live another moment, without whatever it is we are wanting. So, aware that we had a plentiful supply of all the basics and the ingredients for the meals I had planned until next Monday (when we do the next big shop) I decided that we would see just how little money we could spend this week. The bank balance is fairly healthy, right now, having had Ray's pension paid into it last week and mine due in tomorrow, but even so, I just wanted to see if it could be done. And I am both pleased and proud to announce that Ray and I, together, have spent a total of £1, this week! That was on a little quiz that his work people are putting on for charity, so as it is for a good cause, we felt it was right to do so.

So, it can be done and to be honest, we have not gone without. We have had food, whenever it was needed and not one of has felt in any way deprived. So, a good week all in all and one which will be repeated in the future, you can be sure of that.

Visiting the Farmer's Market

We trolled off to Didcot on Saturday, because that was where the nearest Farmer's Market was. I simply loved it, although was a wee bit disappointed that the vegetable guy wasn't there, but I suppose we are all entitled to holidays, now and then. It was really, really good, though and we picked up a programme of their intended future appearances and three weekends out of four, for the next few months, they will be at either Newbury, Wantage, or Hungerford. It seems to be a consortium of local farmers, which pleased all of us no end, because it means that we should get to know them over time.

We bought some cider in a box, which is delicious, some home produced unsalted butter, which worked out at only £1 for a half pound block, some raspberries, plums, home made soap and some really lovely bread, so all in all, it was an excellent experience. The butter guy had some amazing cheeses, so they will be bought on our next visit! Most of it was a little pricey, but well worth the extra pennies, if what we have sampled thus far is anything to go by.

The veg box scheme has been cancelled, which is a shame, but is, we feel for us, the best decision, bearing in mind the falling standard of the produce and also the fact that we seem to have fruit and veg coming out of our ears, right now! The aim this week is to spend as little as is possible and use what we still have, before it needs to be thrown. So, some interesting meals planned for the week, culminating in a big shop next Monday, if I have my way, which will be good for us, the environment (because we won't use any petrol) and most of all, for the bank balance!

Small update

I am very aware that I haven't added to this blog for ages, so here goes.

We are starting to harvest the potatoes and the few that we have had, thus far taste completely fantastic! The difference is just amazing and they are well worth the wait. We have been eating our own home grown salad for ages now and again, the difference in taste from the shop bought stuff is very noticeable indeed.

As a result of this and also because there are several Farmers Markets around here, we have decided to ditch the Veg Box Scheme we are subscribing to. The quality of the produce in the boxes has deteriorated - it started off as very good indeed, but as the weeks have gone on, we have noticed that the quality has slowly been getting worse and now, we cannot eat some of the stuff in there, before it goes off and has to be thrown away. Going to Farmer's Markets, will, we feel stop the waste. We can see what we are getting, before we get it and can just buy what we need, knowing what there is in the garden, for instance. We shall see how it goes, so watch this space!

There was some research published recently, about organic produce not having any more nutritional value than non organic. Shock, Horror! Apart from the way the survey was done (if the newspapers are to be believed) it seems to have completely overlooked the fact that those of us, who choose organic, like we do, do so not for the nutritional value, but because it is better for the environment. Yet another case, I feel of a set of facts and figures being tailored to the writer's perspective, rather than being approached with an open mind and letting the facts prove whatever it is they actually prove!

Tiny Rant!

Today was the start of the G8 submit being held in Italy. And on the agenda today was global warming. 100 Greenpeace activists from 15 countries occupied four coal-fired power stations across the country, demanding decisive leadership on climate change. In America more activists climbed Mount Rushmore challenging Obama to be a Leader on global warming not a politician.

And closer to home, while our leaders discussed the worlds fait. Other individuals concerned themselves with more important matters like, who has a right to start their own forum about cats! I mean for crying out loud people. Does it really matter? I guess you could say it matters enough for me to be blogging about it. But that is only because I am completely exasperated with the small mindedness and petty stupidity of some people. I mean come on. There are much more important things to fight about. How about world poverty or, simple pleasures, like the right to free speech. All these things that here in the west we take for granted. So much so that our days can be consumed by such pathetic issues like who’s set up a new forum. And just think if we only got as worked up about global warming as we do over the petty things in life, how much more we could achieve.

Who would have thought it (certainly not me!)

When we we left the protest and the rally yesterday, we stopped off at a restaurant for dinner. We used to live in Kent, for many years, so it was a real pleasure to meet some old friends, who we hadn't seen for years. Oddly enough, they have moved away too, so to suddenly meet them like that, was doubly pleasurable. They asked, of course, how we all were and what was going on in our lives. Well, where do you start? Because, so much has happened in the past seven months, it is hard to know where to start, in truth. And all of it, everything is down to Jacqueline. I read this blog from the beginning, today and as Jacqueline says, in the introduction to it, who could have foreseen that a simple little decision to become a vegetarian, would have had such an impact on our lives? It is like ripples on a pond and I can honestly say that life in general, has never been so much fun and having new experiences is fantastic, we are all learning loads and life is very, very exciting, these days! Thank you, Jacqueline. Thank you.