Wild, Wet and very noisy

The sound of the rain slamming into windows and the howling of the wind were very nearly drowned out by the sound of money going up in smoke.
Yep, fireworks.
There is a large house close by, lived in by an extended family, (no young children) that is quite ostentatious, a highly visible display of wealth. 
As the saying goes, If you've got it, flaunt it.

Last night they sent several hundreds of pounds sterling up in smoke, bright showers of colour and many loud booms and bangs.

Jealous? not a jot.

Annoyed? quite a lot.

Apart from the intrusion of noise and the stink, apart from the dozens of rocket sticks that will be strewn around the gardens, the sheer waste astounds me.

There were a few organised displays (always the best and safest way to see fireworks)  cancelled because of the forecast high winds. 
These attract many people and the diluted cost is easier to swallow for the majority of us.

I know, it is their money to do with what they will.  I have no right to criticise, but....

I do not like ostentatious displays of wealth. I am not, I hope, one of those self righteous "if I can't have it nobody should" people. At least I hope so. I have a strong conscious sense of what is right, instilled into me from birth. Perhaps I go overboard.

If I am offending anyone then just stop reading, it is so easy.

When I see money being thrown away my mind goes into overdrive. I think of all the children going hungry, all the homeless who need a warm coat and a meal and I despair.

I acknowledge that there is no short and easy resolution to either situation. Successive governments, of all persuasions, have failed. Great fundraising drives have had no long term effect, indeed there are those who say that it just prolongs the situation.

I just feel that it is probably down to Joe and Jane Public to each do their bit.

I do a regular food bank shop, I try to buy things that can be eaten cold as often there is no money to feed an expensive pay as you go meter.
I like to buy the other essentials, toothpaste and brushes, shampoo and body wash, bars of soap, menstrual pads and so on. At the appropriate time I add chocolate bars, not eggs, for Easter and for Christmas. I buy tins of sweets that can be divided up into small bags, they were 2 for £6 in Tesco at one point.

As someone once said "man does not live by bread alone" children of all ages need a treat every now and then.

Then there is the flip side of the coin.

There are beggars on the streets of one of our local towns, they are all clean, well nourished and fairly well groomed. One of them has a better manicure than most women that I know. But the hungry are always there, invisible, silent, despairing.

I am a "feeder", I like to cook and feed people. I hate to see waste and use every scrap of food that comes into the house.
As I have said many times, I count myself very fortunate to have the knowledge to do this. Vegetable peelings go into a stockpot, the onion skins add colour as well as flavour. The stock goes into many meals. I am still learning tricks, last week I watched James Martin deep fry parsnip peelings. How much are root veg crisps a packet, a pretty penny I have no doubt.

I do not deep fry anything, but I found that carrot peelings crisp up beautifully in shallow oil, you just have to cook a few at a time. my next try will be parsnip peelings, sprayed with fry light and put in the air fryer. If they fail then it will be into the stock pot with them.

I am on the soap box again, preaching to the converted, I am not trying to "teach my Grandmother how to suck eggs". She would have blown them and made a cake. I am just running off at the mouth, so to speak.

The soap box is back in the cupboard.

What about Strictly then? The scores are all over the shop. It is a completely open field and we are at halfway point now. Still that elusive 40 has not shown its face,perhaps it is waiting for Blackpool.

I did manage a fair bit of knitting, vanilla socks so that I do not have to take my eyes off the dances.
I have completed 10 of the 64 crochet squares and will hopefully crank a few more out tomorrow, not until after The Results and Dance Off though, it will be strictly only socks during that.

Now I need to get my day started, it is amazing how fast the time goes when I get a bee in my bonnet to share.


                           TTFN                              Pam   

I hope that this has not come over as bossy or preachy, It is just how I felt while Herbie enjoyed the display. He charged around with all the excitement of a small boy at his first party. leaping up to catch the bright showers and yipping with glee at every bang.
There was one very loud Boom that had him jump backwards through the back door, he soon recovered his equilibrium and went out as fast as he entered. 

Back tomorrow with a brighter post. Pam xx