Dipping Into The Water Butt

Did you know that current legislation defines back gardens as “brown field” land? What that means is that our back gardens can be bought up and built on in the same way as old factory sites, disused airfields and the likes. Yes, that’s right, that nice little plot you have at the back of your […]

I despair! Health and safety has gone bonkers!
Take a look at this article in The Telegraph
If the box has been there for three years without any accidents, why the hell remove it? I always have some knitting or crocheting with me when I have a hospital appointment because a) it passes the time while I […]

Apparently nurseries across the country are rewriting the old nursery rhyme that we sang as kids by exchanging the words ‘black sheep’ with ‘rainbow sheep’. Ok, so maybe I’m a bit late picking this up but things plog along at a relatively slow pace in the Jacobsen household.
Anyhow, I’m sure the politically correct brigade believe, […]

Our borough council has decided that they’re going to put a ban on dogs running free anywhere within the borough. I can understand why they’re fed up with people exercising their dogs on the playing fields because far too few bother to pick up after their dogs. After all, the dog might drop it while […]

So the fine for using a mobile phone while driving has increased to £60. Is that good?
Well as far as those of us who survive on the minimum wage or something close to it goes then yes, it’s good. The fine should hurt otherwise it’s no deterrent. But what about those who earn much, much […]

I’ve decided that no matter how badly I need the money, I’m not going to accept jobs that mean working for a pittance.
Since Richard left, money has been very tight and, because it’s the beginning of the year, work has been slow in coming in. When the bills still need paying, it’s easy to start […]

I was listening to the radio the other day and listeners were asked to call in and say what they found to be most stressful about Christmas. Most of the usual stuff featured: cooking for a huge family, family members getting drunk and being obnoxious and the expense involved, but what really surprised me was […]

Do you like visiting museums and galleries? Do you think they’re an important part of a culture? Are you glad you’re able to take your children to visit them?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re probably also glad that entry to national and galleries is free. And why shouldn’t it be? Museums […]

Sorry to disappoint you guys but this isn’t a post about pornography. What I’m going to talk about today is the filthy state of our country and why we Brits are, if not happy then certainly willing to put up with it.
Richard and I went to Blackpool a few days ago. Now don’t get me […]

My mum’s hoping to sell her house in Stratford, East London once Dad’s passed away (I know it sounds awful to talk about that but one has to face the inevitable) but it seems The London Development Agency, the people who are planning the “necessary” changes in order for London to host the 2012 Olympic […]