Gathering Winter Fuel.

 

Thinking of the Christmas Carol Good King Wenseslas, I learned today that all wood belongs to someone and it is theft to remove any lying on the ground. So when you go for a walk in the woods, any wood lying there can't be gathered by a poor man. In my childhood I remember going out with my mother with an old pram. We went across fields to some woodland and got dry sticks for firelighting. There was plenty to go round if you could be bothered to go and get it. I loved the woodland smells and crunchy leaves. It was a lovely thing to do on a crisp Autumn day.

In Aldi and our local Home Bargains a small bag of kiln dried logs is £4.99. It is too warm really to light my logburner so the next best thing is to pretend. I put some battery powered hallowe'en fairy lights in the fire place. A rug over my knees and I'm enjoying the warm glow.

Thought of the day.

 

I'm noticing as the years to by that my flower beds in November are as colourful as in the Summer. There are loads more buds on these cosmos and no sign of them dying off yet. I'm sure a frost might see them off but for now I'm enjoying the colourful garden. In the Summer they were all green foliage and sparse flowers. 

I just had an email from Thames Water thanking me for my patience with the hose pipe   ban in our area. Apparently we haven't had enough rainfall yet for our needs and they will continue with it. You couldn't make it up could you. Every day I have been drawing off some water from my rainwater tubs to stop them overflowing everywhere. I think Water Companies need some serious investment in water storage in the UK. I read somewhere that we have a non functioning desalination plant that is going to be too expensive to ever get running again. I can see water rationing on the horizon as the population grows. Meanwhile my water direct debit gives me a sinking feeling every month I check the direct debits. As for my electric and gas, well I will be scared to put the lights on soon let alone the heating. 

My mother turns 90 soon and she said I am the wasteful generation and that it I had lived through the war I wouldn't be moaning and would just have to get on with it. No words of comfort from her, she tells it like it is. I can't help but being a bit put out though. I worked and paid tax for as long as I could but the future looks bleak going towards my state pension. Hey ho, I'm a lot better off than some so I should cheer up and put the kettle on... Oh wait, how much will my cup of tea cost me?