Daydreams, Moonbeams

And Wings Over The Common

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Coffe-Break Chat (BLOG)

Why have we become such a throw-away nation? Is it me, or am I getting paranoid about: 'all things chuck-able and bin-able'? We drool over those time-saving adverts on television that tell us if we buy their products, we need only to use them once, then after they've done a damn good job, we religiously follow the example of the smiling lady who flashes her white teeth at us on the screen, as she stamps her foot down onto the pedal of a waste-bin, then deftly drops the now unwanted product into the receptacle with a look of satisfaction on her face! Job done! Then we have to go out and buy more of these “must haves'” to start the whole process all over again! Instead of using throw-away dusters, we should fetch out those old faithful, big soft yellow ones, which are more frequently pushed out of sight at the back of the cupboard, so why not reach for those: 'light as candy-floss, fluffy, feathery, wandy ones', which reach parts that others cannot! Like all other waste products (which are now building sky-scraper high mountains of our unwanted disposed-of rubbish), we have to ask ourselves: 'do we really need those labour-saving goodies, or should we return to our old favourites?' Whatever happened to those lovely, fresh white handkerchiefs our mothers would always tell us: “not to leave home without one?” Now it's the: 'oh so handy' disposable tissues which we can so easily flush down the loo, or throw into a bin (that dratted bin again!). Okay, I'll let you off if you've got a humdinger of a cold, then I grant you that on such occasions these soft disposable tissues are essential for hygiene's sake. But how often have you forgotten to take them out of pockets before you put the washing into the machine, only to find all your nice clean clothes covered in bits of paper tissues that stick like glue, and a devil to get rid of? Lovely! And there's those wonderful disposable nappies which also go the same route as all other rubbish thrown into the bin. What is wrong in using those old fashioned Terry Towelling nappies? Okay, so they have to be washed, which is probably inconvenient to you, and you could be doing something much more interesting than slogging over a bucket of phooey nappies, but not only would you be doing something kind to the environment, because surely you must be saving money as well. Just think, they might even last for any future offspring you might have planned for, if all that work hasn't already worn you out! Hand-me-down nappies could eventually become heirlooms. Or if they are too full of holes, they can still be used as cloths for cleaning the car! So if you're a young mum, get busy with those soft white towelling nappies!So why not break the mould – do your bit, and fetch those hankies out of their moth-balls. They are so easy to wash; all you have to do is to discreetly add them to your washing machine with your husband's soiled white shirts - he won't notice! And can you remember that posh word: serviettes? They are those nice linen napkins we used to use before the advent of paper towels! Okay, I grant you that they're a bit useless at mopping up spilt wine, but at least you don't have to throw them away! Have you spared a thought to all those sloppy tea-bags that are left steaming away in your bin? Although these do eventually dissolve harmlessly back into the earth, what a waste to throw them away when they could be doing something worthwhile right outside in your own back garden (assuming you have one of course) because your roses will love 'em (that's if you have roses as well as a garden). And as you tip your dripping tea-bags onto the roses, you can say to them: “One lump or two?” just for fun, which will make your neighbours think you've gone 'gaga'. When your friends come round for tea, and you invite them to walk round your garden, don't be surprised if they remark on your beautiful, healthy roses. Instead, you can give yourself a pat on the back and glow with pride when you share your secret formula, and at the same time you can inform them why they are called “Tea Roses!”So now is the time to get rummaging, and if you find things you really don't want, there's always the car boot sales!Cabbages can have other uses too, so don't throw all the outer leaves in the bin, or on the compost heap. Instead, keep at least two large outside leaves and make them into a bowl shape, then put them outside near your bird table (I hope you've got one of these) so that they can fill up with rain water. The birds will love drinking out of their new 'organic' drinking bowl. Perhaps it even gives them a source of vitamins. And if you're living deep in the countryside, don't be surprised if you see rabbits crowding on your lawn, nibbling away at the cabbage leaves. Don't worry, at least the cabbages will keep 'em away from your roses!And what about those little plastic pots which contain thin plastic gloves found in your box of hair colour (other than those which are stuck onto waxed paper which has to be peeled off), a necessary accessory to prevent stains to your hands) - do you throw these little pots out too? I keep my little plastic pots, because they are useful for holding small bits and bobs, and they will also hold either your sweeteners, or a small teaspoonful of sugar to go with your flask of coffee when picnicking. And where do you keep all these little pots you might ask? - A good place is in your empty ice cream cartons, which I use to store umpteen things in, and they are nice and air-tight as well! And what about some of those colourful biscuits tins with glorious pictures on? They can be tomorrows collectables of course! Stop and think before you throw out all these different containers, and consider all those yesterday cleaning utensils, do they really warrant a place on the tip? Feel proud of yourself, and start a new trend with some of those old, as well as new, ideas – go for it! So what is progress? Unfortunately, I have to begin my first piece of news for you with both 'sad' and 'bad', but I must get it off my chest (so to speak), and it's all in the name of 'Progress!' The 'sad' bit will become clear later on, but it all starts off with the sightings of two black rooks foraging on the lawn outside my kitchen window. So what's odd about that you might ask? And where's the progress? Well, to start with, I have never seen rooks at close range before; only as a swirling and cawing black mass flying high above the tree tops, or busy with their nests in the tall pine trees, or just doing crow-type things. I was very surprised to see these strange looking birds, with beaks that looked like ice-cream cones stuck on their faces with blobs of putty. They didn't stop long on the lawn. As soon as they had scooped up a few slices of the bread thrown out for the birds, they beat a hasty retreat, and I didn't see them again. Now this is where the 'bad' bit starts to kick in. Due to the fact that I hadn't been able to leave the confines of my home, as my mother was going through one of her bad patches of ill health due to strokes and lung infections etc., I was unaware of the progress going on at the top of my road, and although I could occasionally hear the distant rumble of heavy traffic, I didn't think anything of it. The shock, horror, hit me, after I decided to take advantage of one of the much needed respite days allotted to me once a week, when a Carer comes to 'sit in' for me, and so I chose to take a trip out to the shops, where I could do a bit of window-shopping, and to buy up the usual weekly groceries (which is normally done online at Tescos these days), but as I reached the top of the lane where we live, I was greeted by the scene of 'mass destruction'. Huge digging machines, with yellow-helmeted men sitting in them at the controls, manically driving these monsters up and down the road like dodgem-cars at a fairground. These great metal dinosaurs had gouged mountainous chunks of earth out of the banks either side of the road, destroying the whole of the hedgerows, along with the habitats of small mammals and birds, not to mention the numerous species of small wild flowers. All made extinct in one big shovel! Dens, burrows and lairs...all gone! As I drove down the hill, more heart-rending sights were to greet me. The long row of tall pine trees; ageless and so serene; used as nesting and roosting sites to the rooks, probably for as long as the local folk can remember, had been felled to the ground by men wielding heavy chainsaws. Those gentle giants were reduced to unrecognizable piles of logs, now lying in neat rows by the roadside, waiting to be transported away. What about the poor rooks? Where had they gone? Where could they roost; build their nests; lay their eggs; rear their young; now? So where do we have the progress?.... A much wider road to accommodate fast-moving traffic, which in turn creates a death-trap for anything trying to cross over to the other side. Wandering dogs out courting; straying cats; migrating foxes and badgers; strolling hedgehogs; tree-hopping squirrels; leaping frogs and toads....even people just out for a stroll; all are at risk. All this for the price of progress! A huge concrete runway for heavy metal (and I don't mean music) to use as a race-track in order to get from A to B much quicker. How on earth can you compete, when you're up against red tape, white paper, or any other colour of bureaucracy. We have to turn the other cheek at this Titanic disaster of a beautiful, winding, tree-lined quiet country road, which is now doomed to be turned into a boringly straight carriageway, made by this thoughtless, rampant, barbaric, mechanical vandalism. I'm sure that my little droplet of complaint wouldn't even cause a tiny splash in the ocean, let alone a stir! Oh well, I expect we will get used to this as time passes, and I only hope that the rooks will find an alternative nesting site, well away from all human interference, but at least I got to see them close up, and to study their funny faces, although I don't suppose I will ever see them again, even though they are more than welcome in our garden, along with all the other wild creatures who frequently stop by. I love to share my space with them, as they give me so much pleasure just to see them. Perhaps the rooks had come to visit me in order to let me know what was going on, and to pass on their message of woe. Who knows? Introducing my new BLOG!!Hello,

This is the first entry in my new "Coffee-Break Chat" blog, and is just a test message really!

(This Picasso-type drawing of a "steaming mug of coffee" was drawn by my cousin Margaret

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Coffee Time
Coffee time is a happy timeso come and join me here,let me fill up your cup,and cheer you up,with a tale or two my dear!...Milk?....sugar?...one lump or two?now we'll just sit togetherand think what to do.Let's write about good news,and nothing of sad,I only like good things,and don't like the bad....You can use the computer,or write it in ink, now let us get cracking,so finish your drink!
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