Time rich - cash poor

I have loads of time, but not loads of money, so rather than looking for ways to save time, I look for ways to manage my money better, and if there is a bonus in it for me I'm quids in. I don't know if that makes sense to you, but it does to me.

Today I needed to pay my council tax, as it should have been in by the first of the month, so I needed to get it there ASAP. Now the majority of people I suspect would set up a direct debit, it saves faffing about every month as the money is spirited away out of your bank account without you even batting an eyelid. All well and good if you lead a hectic lifestyle, but I have plenty of time to sort out my own bill payments thank you very much. I keep my direct debits to a minimum, so I can keep a close eye on who is dipping their fingers into my pot. The rest get paid either by cheque or cash.

Today I was looking for an excuse to go for a walk, and what better excuse than to take my cash and pay the council tax, at the office in town. The ideal solution.
The bonus is that I get the excercise to keep me fit. It's 5 and a half miles each way, and takes 1 hour 40 minutes each way. While I was there I ate my pack up on a bench in the shopping precinct while I people watched, and then spent half an hour reading the papers in the library. Most enjoyable.

Here are a few pics of my walk to town. Turn right off the road and walk through this lovely wild flower meadow.

The crops are looking pretty good. What is this, barley, corn, or what, I don't know, ha ha.

In all the times I have passed these farm buildings, I have never seen any activity here at all, and they are not derelict. Would make a fantastic barn conversion project.

Lots and lots of poppies mixed in with the oil seed rape.

An amazingly beautiful sight.

The spuds are looking well. The soil here is more like sand, you would think we were close to the seaside.

A tranquil scene at the fishing pond at Flixborough. I can't see the point of fishing myself, if you are not going to eat the fish. Fancy being dragged out of the water by a ruddy great steel hook embedded in your mouth, it must hurt like hell. Then a big pair of hands pulls it out and you are tossed back with a hole in your lip. Pretty unfair if you ask me.

So, the bonus is that I am a lot fitter, and I have seen all this beautiful countryside. A bloomin nice way to pay a bill if you ask me.