Location

As my long suffering readers know, I do have taste when it comes to choosing the places where I live. As this picture taken before the snows shows.

Meet the Neighbours

Thanks to the talking tree for the welcome back, and when the snows here first started, I did think of you. Then after making that posting last night I heard of the snow storms over there, and just like an American you have to do it bigger. Well at least I now know what its like to have four feet of snow, temperatures of minus 18 and to be snowed in for four days.

As I hope to show with a few more images, it is actually a really nice place to be living in. When I moved to the previous village I was in, people would ask why have I moved there? But here, people say “Oh that's a nice place to live” They also add that it can be difficult in the winter as the snow can (and does) drift cutting off the road. But all and all, people have said its a great location.

The village itself is actually in the fold of a hill, just two hundred metres from a high peak. Thus the poor cellular reception, but I do get great TV reception as I can see the TV mast from the back of the house. As I am antisocial and don’t like talking on the phone that much, at least I can blame reception for that.

Also the people seem to be reasonably nice here too. And even though its a small village of only 240 people, there are two pubs. One is my neighbour, so I don’t have far to stagger for a drink. Additionally there are great food shops within easy reach. Well as long as the public transport is running. Although I can easily walk into the next village and back for the shops there. Even though I have returned frozen to the bone and found it warmer in the fridge than outside at times.

But in spite of my moans, its great to be back.

Back after the Move

I am finally back to torment my long suffering reader. It has now been two months since moving, and I am finally able to get back on line. Not with any help from the useless company that is supposed to be supplying my telecommunications, Talk Talk. I will still have to wait another four weeks before they will get me online. Even before then, I may see if I can get service from another supplier. Well if Talk Talk just don't care about retaining customers, customer care or keeping promises, then I do not care to support their business.

To get online I have had to buy one of these mobile dongles. This also entailed me moving the computer to the second bedroom, from the living room. As where the new house is, in the second highest location in County Durham, I get very poor signal on cellular devices, all networks, and where I have the computer is the only place where I can get a reasonable connection.

Well apart from that moan about telecommunications companies, I really like the location that I have moved to. Even though Britain has suffered the earliest snows for a generation, I had four feet here at one point, it was something I was preparing for. It came sooner than I expected, but it was something that I had expected to happen eventually. I will be posting more on the snows at a latter date.

Moving here could be somewhat short lived, not because of the snow or the location as I only have to walk into the next village where the shops are, there are none at all in my village, and the way the landscape unfolds to reveal the views just lifts my spirits. The only reason I may not stay is because of the number of serious and previously known faults with the house. As I write, I have no hot water except what I can heat in pans. While I could see problems when I looked at the property, I was given reassurances regarding these. However, the examples of the workmanship thus far exhibited as well as the clear attempts to cover and conceal the problems has left me less than happy.

Had the property been only suffering minor problems, I would have been very happy here. But these combined with a request from my better half that I move closer to her place of study so we can see more of each other, and well I am considering that.

It will take me time to catch up with all that’s going on in net-land, I had over one thousand emails to work though when I finally got back online, but its great to be back.

Lapwings

Having had my old (current at time of writing) Landlord advertised on the BBC Panorama programme and my new landlord worrying about the pipes freezing and bursting before I move in, I made a journey to check that everything was okay, and it was. As my old Landlord flooded the place when I moved in, having the new one taking an interest that the property does not deteriorate at least looks promising.

The only difficulty is that it meant I lost time packing. But I did use it as an opportunity to take the most delicate items with me. Further, having discovered that there is a small bus company that provides a service to the large village next to the hamlet I am moving to from Consett, the trip was less arduous than previous ones. Additionally, as it went through other remote countryside I was delighted to discover the hidden beauty. Once I have the time and opportunity, I will go back and get images that may show these undiscovered delights.

One part that I had not expected was to see large flocks of Lapwings feeding in the fields along with the sheep. As its upland hill farming country, it has to be sheep. However, what was remarkable about these Lapwings was simply that they were so close to the roadside. Often when they can be seen from the roadside they are near the middle or away from where people are or could be. Its the isolation and lack of disturbance that means the Lapwings feel safe with only the sheep and traffic for company.

The weather and wind will cause me problems, I am realistic about that, but given some fair weather, the early morning sun and early starts, I am sure that I will discover the delights hidden in the folds of the landscape.

Autumn Sunshine

As anyone that has moved house will know, packing your worldly goods into boxes takes time. Further, while the boxes pile up it really does seem as though I was making no progress. The difficulties are simply that I have a significant number of books and unless they are packed in small boxes, they become impossible to lift and carry. Well I finally got the shelves cleared and dismantled.

Additionally just to show how exciting my life is at the moment, I also got all the dirty washing down to the laundry. At least when I do move, I will not have anything but clean belongings.

It meant that I was able to enjoy the bus journey and the autumn colours in the low bright morning sunshine. Also, I have been savouring the sightings of the Red Kites. While the hamlet I am moving to is only twenty miles away, I don't know if they are ever sighted there. But I understand that there has been an occasional sighting of a harrier there, an even more rare bird.

Things I will Miss

It is rather strange that it has taken the news that I am leaving the village to get other people that I have known here by sight, to start talking to me. I have always tried to be friendly and open, but others seemed rather cautious and closed. Yet just trying to go about my normal activities I have people coming up to me telling me they are sorry to hear I am leaving.

While I really like the village I am moving from, especially the woods that surround it, and it always the people that make a place, there is a lack of community spirit lodged with a minority here. There are still people that have that spirit, but there is a rather negative attitude that has become rather draining. So while I will miss many of the people here when I do move, there will also be a few that I will not miss.

The person that has prompted this posting though is a story of hope though. As when I first moved to this village, there were various people who were involved in drugs. I was even offered drugs the first time I went to one of the local pubs. I even met a young woman who initially got on with, but I disassociated myself from as she was a drug user. I did say to her that she was unwise to be using and she would be better off not using them.

Yesterday, while waiting for the bus to return home from getting food shopping, she spotted me and came over to say hello. Now I had not seen her for almost three years, but she had heard I was moving. Well the gossip is better than the telephone system. Anyway she was saying she was sorry to see me leaving and that I had been instrumental in her seeking treatment so she is now drug free.

As I told her it was her efforts not mine that enabled her to obtain that goal. I also made it clear that I had someone in my life and she too had met someone. I was glad to hear that as it concerned me that she may have still held a candle for me. However, it is good to hear that she has got her life back in control.

As well as some of the people that I will miss, I will miss the local countryside and the wildlife. It will not surprise my long suffering reader that I will miss seeing the Red Kites. However, it is likely that I will see other wildlife where I am moving to.

Community Spirit

As I had to be at the new house early to accept a delivery of coal, I had to be up at four in the morning, as the only way to get there from nine in the morning, was to catch the first transport from my village at quarter past five. It is actually ironic as the hamlet that I am moving to is in fact less than twenty miles away by the most direct route, but there is no direct public transport. Therefore, I had four buses to catch.

I was in fact really lucky as I was able arrive with plenty of time to spare with each connection and I made it to the house well ahead of the delivery. In fact I had to wait for a while until the delivery arrived. I had brought a camping stove and other items so I could at least make a cup of tea. Also having taken a can of soup too, I was able to stay refreshed.

On the two previous visits, it has been overcast and raining, but today for the morning at least it was bright with a good sustained period of sunshine. This meant that when I had to walk into the main village or small town where the shops and facilities are, I got to appreciate the landscape and view.

It occurred to me while travelling down on the buses this morning that had the place I been moving to been as popular as the North Yorkshire Moors or the Lake District it would better accessible and I would not have been able to afford to live here either.

Had I not had other things to bring and I not been feeling in such a “I really wanted to stay in bed” frame of mind this morning, I would have remembered to bring the camera. Well it will give me something to do when I do move.

As the property I am moving to has a prepayment meter fitted, I had to walk into town to get the key charged. In my old place I have a credit meter and pay by direct debit. When I asked about getting this changed in the new place, I was told it would cost me over fifty pounds to have this done. An extra cost that I can not afford to pay at the moment. Therefore, I will have to pay more for my electricity for now. It is an aspect of the way that the power and utilities companies operate that I find annoying and unfair. As the people who have the least money, the poorest in society have to pay the most for Heating, Lighting and Power. With the current Con Dem (my name for the coalition government), cutting resources for the poor, well I am not happy about such unfairness. However, as this has been a day of good things, I don't want to go there at the moment.

On the day that I had signed the lease, I had visited Tow Law and stopped for a drink and a bite to eat in a café there. It was rather nice that they remembered me when I went in today. I was also able to get the numbers for a couple of folks supplying logs too.

As I was standing at the bus stop waiting to leave my new village, this elderly chap pulls up and asks if I want a lift. As I needed to go further than he was going and I already had my ticket, I did not accept the offer, but it was very heart warming to have received the offer. I get the impression that there is a real community spirit in the village. I just hope that I can offer at least as much as I will receive living there.

Old King Coal

There are some aspects of moving house that should be and are really simple. Getting the electricity account on in my name was simple. The gas was even more simple as all I have to do is give the final reading when I move out, and once that bill is paid, in the new house the gas will be free. Well until they actually supply gas to the village. Until then I need to use solid fuel, Coal or Wood.

The day that I went to sign the lease and get the keys, I stayed on the bus to the main habitation, a large village or small town. I am not sure how the locals would describe it, but its only a fifteen minute walk from my new habitation. However its where the community facilities are and while looking at what there was there, I noticed in two shops numbers for people supplying logs, so once there I will be placing an order. However, as the heating is an open fire with a back boiler for central heating and hot water, I also needed to get an order of coal. Now never having ordered coal before, I was a little lost about how much or how little I needed to get. But one of the two local coal merchants was very helpful and I will be getting just 100kg to start with. That's two sacks, and as half a tonne is twenty sacks I am glad that I did not need to buy in that volume just yet. So I need to go down on Friday to accept that delivery. That way I will have heating and hot water for when I move in.

However, of all the services that I will most need, was the most difficult to arrange, that of the telephone. I was after all just transferring my existing service to a new address. Oh no not to them, I was having to set up a new account, and I will be charged over one hundred pounds for the privilege of them allowing me to have a telephone. Not only that, but with my existing contract I get the Broadband as part of the package, not any more, I will now have to pay extra for this.

While in some ways I will end up with a better service an average speed of 6MBS, currently I am lucky to get 2MBS, I do feel rather cheated by the way that these costs and charges have been imposed upon me for something that is a necessity. Also it was ironic that it took over two hours to get them to fully explain how and why the charges were calculated. For a communications company, they don't like to communicate. Well not with their customers.

It was rather interesting to see that last night where I am moving to was minus four C. I will be taking the talking trees advice and moving the sofa by the fire and curling up with a close friend. When she comes up to visit that is.

Although I think I will avoid trying the head in the oven trick, unless I have icicles in the hair.

Good things come

Occasionally good things happen to you and occasionally you see good deeds done. Well today, I was blessed with both.

On the final leg of a long journey home after having signed the tenancy for a new home, I was on the bus when the driver helped a senior lady. She needed to get back to Consett but the bus was going the wrong way for her needs. After checking he realised that he would be the next bus returning, so suggested that she got on to get out of the cold. Now while the bus company does get paid for carrying passengers with concession travel tickets, it was what happened next that showed it was no cynical act. As he got to a point where she could have got off and waited for another bus, at least getting her home quicker, he gave her the choice. She chose to remain in the warm and seeing this just made me feel warm inside.

As I said at the start, I was returning from having just signed the lease on a new house. It has not been easy to get, as so many Agents are trying to play games with the market and are trying to artificially keep, or maintain the illusion, that rents are still rising.

But I now have the place and will be moving soon. It has a much larger kitchen, and will enable me to be creative there, but also and more importantly it has the elements that both I and my better half want and need too.

As for the location, well it is in a rather isolated village, high on the Durham Fells. In fact I am all but looking down on wind turbines. Therefore, I am expecting this to be an interesting first winter!As there is no gas to the village, the heating will be with Coal or Logs, so both you dear reader and I can expect some interesting times. I made the agents representative laugh as he described it as a one horse place, however I had to correct him on that as I am sure the horses out number the people.

When I got back the first thing I did was call my better half and tell her that we now have a home for her when she needs to escape university. Hopefully she will approve or this mouse is in trouble.

Baked with Love

As I have reported here before, my better half is using a low carb diet to loose weight. And while she is loosing it, it really is the exercise that is helping her to shed the pounds. That said, I am still being fully supportive of her efforts and as well as looking better she says she feels better too. Although, as a direct result of the diet she has had moments when she has become giddy. This will be a result of the lack of carbohydrates.

So this weekend, we decided to try and bake some Low Carb Cookies. It was a recipe from a book, and one that I had not tried before. There were aspects of the recipe that I could understand, but with it using unusual ingredients, there were aspects that to my mind made less sense. But the author claimed they were good. We carefully followed the recipe, and as I am helping to teach my better half how to cook, it was really good fun to.

However, this book as I had discovered from previous experience, is not written by a cook. It lacks some details that you really need to know when trying to cook. But we followed the recipe carefully, but the cooking times were just wrong. They took twice as long to bake. But as with any cooking or baking, it really is the taste that matters.

Well, I will not be eating them, nor will my better half as they were not good tasting. I could see ways of improving the taste, but no way would they be low carbohydrate cookies if that was done.

I am just glad that I am not on this diet as it would be torture having to eat rubbish like that.

Well we had fun baking them, and my better half cooked dinner afterwards and that was a good recipe, from another book I should add.

Slaley Show

About four weeks ago, my better half spotted signs for the village fair at Slaley. After making enquires about exhibiting there, I was informed it was full. However, last weekend while at the market I had mentioned in previous posts, a message had been left that some folks had dropped out and space was available. While it was short notice, I decided that it was worth taking the opportunity and attending.

While the village is in a much more affluent location than my village, as I don’t believe it is ever wise to stereotype, there was a good chance that I could do reasonably well there. The main reason for my thinking was simply that there were likely to be more people than at the markets I had attend thus far. This assumption proved to be correct.

However, before going there, I had several days of preparation to make, blending and bagging up the herbs and spices. All this went well, and while it can be slow at times, as I have to be very careful about hygiene, I actually got all the preparation done and still have time to relax the night before. Now relax does not mean going out and getting drunk, but a relaxing bath and nice cooked meal knowing that everything is prepared.

Come the morning, I am up just before the alarm goes off, and the bus was on time, making the connection all in good time. So what could go wrong. Well overnight there had been heavy rain, but even that was not a real problem, as the ground was still firm and I was undercover. My only problem was that my better half had offered to print off my price lists. This she did, but had failed to actually bring them.

This is where some quick thinking and being flexible pays off. As while folks will buy on the day especially if they see something they know they want to try or just need, most people are overwhelmed by the array of spices and need time to think about what they want to buy. So I offered to email them a copy of the list. Now while I can not know until or if people order, I seemed to be getting a very positive reaction from most of the people I spoke to. While there are some people who will not give out their email address, and I can fully understand why, as so many of the items I sell are not easy to obtain, I actually found some folks that were saying please don’t forget to mail them the copy.

Therefore while it was something that went a little bit array, engaging with people made for something that was more positive. In terms of cash taken on the day, I failed to sell as much as I would have liked, it is possible that I will have won some loyal customers. While I was beginning to loose my voice by the end, it was a lot of fun too. After all, apart from eating it, talking with other people who are passionate about food too is always good fun.

Also by the end of the day, the sun had come out too. I had intended to take my camera, but my better half said she would be bringing hers. Well that was with the price lists. I still love her.

Farmers Markets

Following on from my previous posting a bit and the comments made by Tonya, got me thinking about the way that some folks react to competition. In my Village there is an Independent store and when I first moved to the village, it was very good. It was then sold and the new owner seemed to lack the understanding of what made it work. Dropping many of the lines and services that drew customers in. So now it is just like any corner shop that you can find anywhere.

But the one action that really perplexed me was when the newsagent was taken under new ownership too and started selling a few grocery items. The owner of the village store took the silly action of starting to sell newspapers. Now both are likely to fail as businesses as all they have done is split the trade.

At markets, craft fairs and farmers markets (over here), I so often see this “me too” attitude where traders see someone doing well and starting to do the same things. Why? I personally think it would be better to do a few things well, than trying to copy what everyone else is doing.

Equally, I do not fear competition, even if others came along selling herbs and spices, it is the service and quality that helps me win customers. Additionally as I mix my own blends, even if someone were to copy me, I doubt that they would match what I am doing. Often though I have seen folks at fairs and markets just complaining about competition.

Now it may well be that the reason their stuff is not selling is that it is not appealing to the customer. Often at craft fairs in particular, crafter's produce items that they seem to think will earn money because they have seen similar items in shops that are made cheaply in China. An example is door number plaques. I see them so often that there must be two for every house in Britain.

Equally, at Farmers markets I see organic vegetables that are over priced and not the best quality. The sellers often fall back on the old mantra of “Its Organic”. Well organic they may be, but poor quality vegetables are still poor quality, organic or not. And I say this as a fan of organic produce, and good organic Vegetables are better than chemically grown ones. Put simply they do taste better, and I am not talking about appearance either. As a sometimes gardener, I can see what is good quality and what should have gone for compost.

However, at the best markets, there is not these problems as the quality is good, there is diversity and specialists crate great items. I love good farmers markets for discovering something different and some great food. If I had the money, I would love to buy my furniture from the great makers that you can find.

I think often with markets it is the attitude of the sellers that makes folks want to return and buy. If the sellers have a good positive attitude the potential customers pick up on that feeling.

I know that markets, of any type, are hard work. I also know that if a seller is not making sales it can be dispiriting, but personally I often see the lack of sales as a way of understanding what people don’t want as much what customers do want. So I wish good luck to Tonya and anyone else trying to sell at farmers markets or any other market.

Craft Markets

As my long suffering reader will know, Last year I met my better half. Well on Saturday it was our first anniversary of being together. However, while this post is not about that, it is relevant as on Saturday night Sunday morning I did not get to get to bed until three in the morning.

Therefore, on the Sunday when I had to get up at seven in the morning, it may be a revelation to some that seven O’Clock occurs twice in a day, I think I must have left my brain in bed. I was doing another market with my herbs and spices. Fortunately, it is a down hill walk and as there are no buses at that time on a Sunday, they are still asleep like any sensible folks, I was grateful when one of the other regulars spotted me and gave me a lift for the last half mile. Carrying forty kilos of spices is still 40 kilos even when divided between many packets.

In the hall the tables are set out with the names of the folks who are allocated the spaces, mine was marked with the legend “The Ever so Fragrant Wood Mouse” It was a reference to the incident where some less than enlightened person was offended by the smell of the spices. And even on Sunday, I had someone tell me that they heard I was going to be there with the spices and they were expecting an “Indian gentleman”. It seems that folks will always want to stereotype. At least this time it was not done in an offensive manner.

I had been placed in the entrance area, of the hall. Initially I had wondered if it was to avoid the aroma causing offence to others, but actually I think I was really being rewarded with a prime position. Not least because I am so positive about the way I conduct myself at these sorts of events. I know that the footfall at this venue is not great, and Sunday was the last there, but I see no point in just sitting there being miserable nor standing around moaning as that puts people off. Additionally, I don't go in for the hard sell.

An example of this was while talking to a young woman who had cycled to the venue, was accosted by one stallholders who threatened to let down her tyres unless she bought something. It was meant as a joke, but not well taken or given. With my best diplomacy (not something I am always good at) I was able to calm the situation and ensure the stall holder was aware of my disapproval.

While I understand that the fairs have not been that well attended with customers, the main difficulty is that there are just to many folks selling (or trying to sell) cards, or jewellery. Equally, if folks just sit there frowning rather than smiling at people, folks will not want to stop and browse. I do understand that it is difficult to be positive when you have not sold anything, but equally if the stall holders were to think about the image they project, they may start to think and project something more positive. Anyway, a new venue has been found that should be a better location with more people about, so who knows more folks may sell.

I know that what I am doing is rather unique and I do attract a lot of attention and a reasonable number of sales, but it is one of the things that I have never understood about people that do many crafts, is why they seem to copy what everyone else does? Why not try and do something a bit different? The standard of the work at the markets has on the whole been rather better than most fairs, yet so many of the stalls are doing the same things.

I do wish the folks well, and there are some very talented people there, but cheap jewellery and cards have a limited market. And if people were actually carrying out there craft in some form of demonstration way, I am sure it would have attracted more people too. While not everyone likes the aroma of my spices, on Sunday I actually saw one woman stop, sniff and turn around to come in because of the fragrance of them, and yes she did buy too.

I know the organisers were worried about the footfall at the old venue, and that is why a new one has been found. Yet there is a limit to how much folks will spend on items that have limited use and value. If only more people actually made items that have use like cushions, or children’s clothes, or something that people might actually need, I personally have never needed a fridge magnet, then the crafter too would benefit.

Even in my somnambulism state on Sunday, I managed to do well, and I even have been doing my homework set by a customer who wants a particular blend of spices. But on the whole while I really enjoy doing the markets, I will try and avoid doing them when I have been out celebrating the night before.

A New Start

As I said in my previous posting, I have been very busy, but what I hear my long suffering reader asking. Well I have been setting up a new business.

In my dim and distant past, I had a whole food shop. My regular reader will know, that food issues are very important to me. Not just the environmental aspects, but the issues of fair trade as well as affordability and quality. One of the lessons I learnt from having the shop was that no matter how much people will say they want to support small businesses and that they want quality, many people will still go to the supermarket anyway. The silly thing is that often I was cheaper than the supermarkets and if not better, at least the same quality.

I did have my loyal customers, and while it did work, it was very hard work and there was no flexibility. Thus when rents started to rise then, it became unsustainable. However, there were aspect of what I did then that I reasoned could still work now.

Having suffered from the fall out of the banking collapse even though I had done my best to avoid doing the very things that I was predicting could happen before the credit crunch, I still had the fallout from others foolishness. Therefore, I have been seriously looking and thinking about ways that I could earn my living.

While I was making plans a couple of potential opportunities came up. The first was the discovery of a the makers market in the next village. As well as the possibility of taking a stall, there was also the need apparently for someone to carry out some catering. As I had just had my kitchen inspected and passed, I could offer to help and it could be a good opportunity to see if any of my ideas had real legs. Additionally, a shop unit became available in another near by village. This shop I had even written about here, as it was a greengrocers that seemed better than most. Also it had a small café area in the back that on the couple of occasions I had visited, I really felt was much under used.

However, even though I went to the shop just two days before it closed down, the people running it just said nothing about their plans to close. Therefore, I was concerned that if I took it over I would have had people chasing me for their debts. So the delay in checking out the legal position and getting the finance in place meant that the unit went. While other shops are empty in and around the area, it really does matter about the location when it comes to business, and I just could not justify the rent on other shop units.

Therefore, I would use the Makers market as a useful way of testing the market with some of the ideas. As my previous experience has taught me, there is a big difference between what people say they want and what they are prepared to actually do. Therefore, I made plans so that I could deliver fresh Fruit and Vegetables and bake fresh bread. As I could also bake cakes, I made lists and went to one of the markets with the bread. I had been up all night baking and even then I was only just ready in time to get down to the market.

The bread all but sold out, but while there was interest in folks getting their veg delivered, not one person was willing to make an order. It was not that they doubted the quality, it was simply that they were spoilt for choice. If I had just said this is what I am willing to sell you, rather than you can choose what you get, I think I would have had orders. Equally, I was offering to bake fresh bread and deliver it, but the majority wanted the pap that supermarkets sell us that they call bread.

However, I had also taken lists of various herbs and spices that I could obtain along with some fresh juicy fat vanilla pods. These generated quite a bit of interest. When I had previously had the shop the herbs and spices were a real point of interest and generated a good income stream. Not least because they were so fresh. As I still had the contacts with some of my previous suppliers, I knew I could trust the quality too.

I had planned to attend the following market, but as I have epilepsy and I can recognise the warning signs of a big attack, I had to postpone going to that one. Not least because I knew that if I were to stay up all night again to do the baking, I would make it more likely that I would trigger one.

So I rethought my ideas, and decided that as there just was not the level of interest in the Bread or the Fruit and Vegetables, I would concentrate upon the Herbs and Spices. Also as I knew they were items that it are ideal for mail order, I also set up to sell them on Ebay too.

That part I was not completely sure would work, as there are already folks selling similar. But, as I could see that people attending the market might not want to buy straight away, having a simple ordering system was essential as well. As anyone that has sold on Ebay will know, it is not a cheap way of selling, especially to start with. As you need a track record with them to use the cheaper options, and while I already had a private account there, I needed to keep the business activity separate from that. Not least so that I could see if it was really working and not just appearing to be from me selling off unwanted books and DVDs.

With the items listed and many kilos of different herbs and spices adding a wonderful aroma to my home, I then had the task of putting together some blends as well as packing them. This takes longer when I am dealing with small volumes as I have to ensure good hygiene and avoid cross contamination, but I made it to the next market with a very good range. Equally I was making a number of small steady sales via Ebay.

My assumptions were quite good and I made some significant sales at the market. Although, there was one of the fellow stallholders who complained about the smell of the spices and demanded to be moved. If it had not been so funny I would have felt offended, but every other seller thought that she was just being really silly. In fact, it was only after she realised I was white that she came and apologised. Well need I say more.

Since I was a child, or at least one old enough to understand, I have known that using herbs and spices can lift relatively bland ingredients, and have long used them in cooking. While I know that I will never become rich from what I am doing, if I can develop a living from selling these wonderful seasoning’s then I will be happy.

As will my better half, who loves that she gets cooked for.

Catching Up

Because I have been busy, I have not had time to make any postings here, but I have read the comments made regarding the loss of my cat, and I thank the kind folks for them. I also note the comments on the Oil spill. Although that is the wrong term to use, as its the way that everyone thinks about it, its the way I will continue to describe it.

While most of the comments were generally supportive of what I was saying, there was one person in particular, who said that I had the facts wrong. This was relating to oil potentially coming ashore in Britain. At the time I made the posting, it was still unclear of exactly how much oil was escaping the well, and while there is good knowledge of the currents, it was and remains a theoretical risk. Therefore I am justified is calling it a possibility.

In the Niger delta (Africa) more oil that was released in Gulf is spilt each and every year and this does not reach Britain, nor America. It does cause great damage to the environment, but does not get the publicity that the spill in the Gulf of Mexico gets.

As someone that doesn't drive, I could be sanctimonious, but the reality is that we still need oil until we change to greener and cleaner technologies and there is also a change in attitude. There are very few people that are willing to give up their car or driving fewer miles.

But the aspect of the response that I found most offensive was the way the anonymous poster tried to bring their god into it. As my regular reader will know, I personally do not belie in any supernatural being, however while I respect the right for others to believe what ever nonsense they like, don’t use your religious nonsense to attack me for trying to get the facts right and to blame me for the actions of others.

These people always hide behind anonymity and are never prepared to have other correct their ill informed prejudice.

Cat Euthanasia

There are times when we all have to make difficult decisions, but for me the most difficult is and always will be, making the decision to have euthanasia on an animal. This was the decision I had to make this weekend regarding my cat Trouble.

As my long suffering reader will know, I have had her for over fifteen years and she was about two years old when I got her, and she has had very good health. But over the last couple of years she has developed Alzheimer's and has to be shown where the water and food is. Fortunately she never seemed to forget where her litter try was. Therefore when she would occasionally suffer from vomiting, I never knew if it was just that she had tried to over eat having allowed herself to get hungry or if she was really unwell.

Well it became clear that she really was becoming very unwell and was starting to suffer. It was this aspect that made me decide to have her put to sleep. I had tried to make her last days as comfortable as I could, but it was clear that this could not be put off any longer, as trying to keep her alive was adding to her suffering.

So on Monday I took her to the vets and she was put to sleep. I was able to stay with her while it was done too. Not something I enjoyed, but I could keep stroking and fussing her and I got to see for myself that it was genuinely painless and quick.

I got her from an animal rescue charity and it was in fact another cat that I was being shown but she started rubbing herself against my proffered hand. It surprised the staff as she had clearly been abused and normally would cower away from people. Well I took her on and while she had her moments when she would show the effect of that earlier abuse, she thrived with me.

I took her on knowing that she would be with me for many years, and fifteen years plus two or three, is a good age for a cat. We parted with me rubbing her face just as she had done when we first met.

I will miss the little pest too.

Follow up to previous posting

As this issue is far to important to remain hidden, I am responding to the comment Ms Tree made to my previous posting with a follow up posting.

I am aware that the oil could reach British shores. The simple fact is that this has already become the largest oil spill in US history, and the larger the volume of oil from any spill, the greater the chance that it will impact other shores. That could include Britain. Such is the nature of environmental pollution. Pollution does not respect the political boundaries, it just follows the wind or sea currents.

Also I am aware that people cleaning up the oil need to be trained. After all if they don't know what they are doing they may cause more harm and may damage themselves if they are not trained. The point I was trying to make was that BP were trying to keep independent eyes from seeing what was really happening. When Exxon dealt with the spill in Alaska, they steam cleaned the beach and the rocks. This created the illusion that the beach was free of oil but in fact the steam drove the tars under the surface. Therefore creating the illusion of a good clean beach, rocks, shore while sterilising the shore of all life and hiding the problem. This is exactly what BP was trying to do.

If no independent eyes were there to see oiled and dead birds, BP could try and claim that the impact was far less than had been feared. Just the same as BP tried to do regarding the out flowing of the oil. BP claimed that it was five thousand barrels per day. Yet the US Geological survey says its forty thousand barrels per day. To put that into context that's two million litres per day, every day for three months.

I fully agree with Ms Tree that this is a travesty and I have equally avoided posting about this as too feel extremely angry about this. It has taken me a while before I felt that I had enough accurate information so I could post something meaningful.

One aspect that should not go without being commented on, the area of the spill is the breading ground for the Blue Fin Tuna. This is a species that is already seriously endangered, and over fishing of immature fish (By Europe and Japan) is already preventing breeding of the fish. The spill has occurred just as the Tuna had been laying their eggs. The oil will kill at least seventy percent of the eggs and fry. What is most upsetting about this is the efforts of the US within the Gulf of Mexico was really the last and only hope that the Blue Fin Tuna and the Yellow Fin Tuna would not become extinct. It appears that we can say good bye to sushi as a direct result of this spill.

As I write I am now hearing on the radio that the oil leaking from the well head is in fact sixty thousand barrels per day. And while I do understand that the costs of sorting out this mess will impact the pensions of normal people, especially if the costs drain BP of cash. But had more people been much more concerned about ethics then they would never have invested in companies that abuse people and human rights, as BP does in Nigeria. And regularly pollutes, again as happens regularly in places like Nigeria. Therefore BP has to pay for the cost of cleaning this mess up.

This accident was predictable, and had it been a terrorist action I doubt that people would be any less angry. BP actions across the globe shows that they have a very poor attitude to safety and the environment and had it not been that America is a developed country would have happened much sooner.

While BP is supposed to be a British company, half the shareholders are in fact American. But in reality it is a global company that has no loyalty to any state or nation and only cares about making money. It was this attitude to making money at all costs that caused this, so if BP falls I will not be shedding any tears for it.

Oil, Lies and Videotape

When the explosion occurred on the Deep water Horizon rig in the gulf of Mexico, I was shocked and saddened by the loss of life. Even at that time I nearly posted regarding this event as I could foresee the environmental disaster that has subsequently unfolded.

However, as I always try and check the facts, I quickly realised that accurate information was very thin on the ground. Unlike the oil on the water.

As well as the three companies involved playing the blame game and acting like five year olds in the school yard, the main question was just how much oil was escaping this well head. That actually should have been an easy question to answer as BP, the company has not been called British Petroleum for years, pays royalties for the oil that flows out. Therefore both BP and the US government knew what the flow rate was, and this would tell the Coast guard et al what volume of oil was escaping. But I could not get that information as I was told it was commercially confidential.

It was clear that the PR (the P stands for Propaganda) machine was in full swing. With neither BP or the federal authorities in charge of oversight telling it the way it is but trying to spin the facts to make the situation appear less serious than it is. Because of this lack of openness, the Coast guard was forced to try and calculate the volume of the oil escape by measuring the volume of surface oil.

This was in part why BP used the dispersant's at the well head as this visibly reduced the amount of oil that would appear at the surface. Just like PR its about making things look better than it really is, and not about being truly honest.

Then while following the situation, the political fall out meant that the president and the US government were getting blamed for not doing more. What can the do? They do not have the technology nor the expertises to shut off this well head. I personally had visions of the president donning a wet suit and swimming down to turn some shut off valve. Well had it been that simple BP would have done this already. This is actually a major part of the problem, BP had never even considered a blow out of this type could ever happen thus they had no plans to deal with the eventuality. That is not just my opinion but a quote from someone who used to work for BP.

Further, even before the oil started coming ashore, BP were telling volunteers that wanted to help stop the environmental damage to stay away. They said that people had to be trained and they had enough people. Now you can call me cynical but to me it sounded like BP saying “stay away so we can keep the real environmental damage quiet”.

The point is, that BP have spent as much effort on trying to spin the news as they have on trying to stop the leak. Take for example the futile effort to use shredded golf balls etc to plug the well. Now only a company that creates pollution could have dreamed that on up. How to stop pollution use more pollution. Anyone that had a basic understanding of physics could have told them that would not work, but it looked good for the media!

With the internet age it is possible to see and read the different ways that the media on both sides of the Atlantic are reporting this. While I don't much like the rants that seemed to have filled the American media, here the reporting has been down playing the level of the disaster. Over here you can clearly see the hand of PR guiding the media to downplay the situation.

Then this weekend, as the share price of BP tumbles, the emphasis has been spun saying; “that the US president is damaging a British company” and this was effecting ordinary people as most pension funds have invested in BP.

This puzzles me as it is not the US President or the US government that caused this disaster it was BP. The cost of the clean up will have to be born by BP, so it is the actions of BP that have caused the share price to fall. As the share holders are the owners of BP, they have a responsibility to make sure that BP operates in a way that the company is not cutting the corners that could lead to the company having to pay out billions to clean up their own mess.

While I understand that the individual folks that have invested in pensions have no real control, the pension fund managers do. Cutting corners to increase profits may look good on paper, but the effects of this are happening in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the owners of BP who have to pay the cost, not the US tax payer. If the situation were reversed and it was a US company that had caused a major spill in the North Sea, would US investors be calling for the UK tax payer to meet the costs to protect their investment?

The oil industry along with the coal industry, especially the ones that are involved in mountain topping, always argue that its the jobs and wealth creation that matters. Yet it is often the other industries and people that suffer as a result. The oil from this major spill will effect the tourist industry for years costing billions. The fishing industry in the US will suffer for decades. The impact upon wildlife will also have a serious economic impact. For example, each of the wolves in Yellowstone generates over one million dollars in direct tourist income. So if the wildlife is lost from the Gulf coast how many billions of dollars will not be spent by visitors that will have no reason to come?

If BP put more effort into sorting out the problem instead of spreading propaganda, then I could understand the investors complaining. But BP has caused this problem and it is up to BP and its investors to pay the bill.

In Praise of the Slow Life

Having today been to Hexham with my better half, I found myself having to walk for a half an hour along the road from Ebchester to Blackhall Mill. Not extraordinary in its self, but as the traffic was far lighter than normal, I was able to think and muse on the environment that I was walking through.

The mat blossom was out, the blueberries were there in full fruit in the hedgerow and in the early evening the birds nesting were going about their business of feeding and raising their various broods. It made the inconvenience of the bus connections far more bearable. We all are pushed to lead such hectic lives that had I been driving I would have missed the beauty of seeing a Blackbird
carry a worm back to the nest, or the coal tit that was wooing a mate and being rather successful about it as he appeared to mate with her.

Even during the journey in to Hexham I had the joy of seeing Lapwings nesting on fields that are still traditionally grazed by sheep. Even as we walked together down to the bus stop this morning we saw a Red Kite seeking, searching for food.

None of these delights would have been observed from a car, or trying to live at a hectic pace.

Gateshead Race For Life Heroes Part Three

Gateshead Race For Life Heroes Part Two