Wednesday 4 November 2009

Wednesday 4th November 09

A busy and good day. I got up relatively late but got up and about soon, as had some paperwork to get on with... quite a lot, invoices to send, stuff to do with advertising, various stuff.

Whilst on the computer I downloaded a suggested AVG antivirus update, and after that my email wouldn't send, it wouldn't accept my Phone Co-op password and I was totally flummoxed. I rang them up. A couple of hours later, a Phone Co-op chap rang me back and through a little sequence of key strokes he instructed me to do at my end, he took control of my computer... it was most weird seeing the cursor moving around 'by itself', but he only took 2 minutes before he found a box had been ticked or unticked somehow and after that, it all worked. I wonder if it was anything to do with the AVG download? Seems unlikely.

After lunch I spent over an hour moving the remaining logpile from the side of the house and tidying the area, sweeping up lots of leaves from the Wisteria. I bagged up three sacks of dry logs to take to Ann C later this evening when I'm in her part of town because of the Transition meeting.

I popped down to Country Fresh and chatted to Shirley, bought spuds and broccoli and brought back several bags of compost heap filler.

When back, I boiled the potatoes and Gill made a nutloaf, and then when she went out, I finished the nutloaf and did roast potatoes and broccoli for tea, which was delicious.

Then at 7ish, I cycled over to South Bank to deliver logs to Ann and to attend the Transition meeting, which was good. Only 5 of us, but we got a lot done.

Gill told me a little story tonight, and this is an example of what we're up against. She was in the bread shop and overheard the following:
Customer: "Hello, you all right?"
Shop Person: "Yeah, good thanks. You all right?"
Customer: Yeah, been getting Christmas presents. I've just got nine. But I haven't got the big one yet. I was thinking of getting a 30 inch flatscreen telly for Kelly's room. But me Mam said not to as she was only 3 and it would be wasted on her.
Shop Person: (grunts)

Unbelievable, eh?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not all of think of Christmas as a present buying expedition. My sister and I have a competition - who can spend the least on Christmas presents and still come up with something nice. Much better than just splashing out!!
C

Compost John said...

Thanks 'C'; we too enjoy finding re-used presents, things from Charity shops, making things, etc.

But this is an example of the kind of society we are in which is entrapped in consumerism. The 'punch line' "she's only 3" was the clincher. And the idea that a 3 year old might want/need/be given a 30 inch tv screen!

I'm glad that some of us have a bit of perspective!
John

Christine Gram said...

Sad. Not only for the environment, but for the little girl!

When we were house shopping we were shocked by how many homes had a TV in every bedroom. Some even had them in the kitchen and bathrooms! I sometimes wonder if people think about the things around them at all anymore.