Saturday 29 August 2015

De cluttering, sharks, cake recipe, blogging, and Scottish mountains

Hello and Good Morning.
I have been meaning to write this post for the last week, now I am ready. Last Saturday I did something a bit silly, I spent wasted some money on two Saturday newspapers. It was a spur of the moment thing, I thought it might be quite exciting to re visit the past when I used to buy a mega size newspaper every weekend which would then last the whole week. I religiously read it from cover to cover to get my moneys worth. Now, of course I don't buy newspapers at all, and it saves me a fortune in time and money.

Anyway, I thought I would share my review of last Saturdays Guardian, cost £2.70, and a cheapie version of the Independent called 1 on Saturday,  cost 50p, apparently it's the essential weekend briefing, in their words. When I first opened these papers my initial thought was crikey, it's all a bit above my intelligence level, but I stuck with it and found to my surprise that there was a lot of interesting stuff to devour and hopefully store in my little brain.

I'm not one to stick with a lot of long drawn out waffling, my interest quickly subsides and I move on to the next thing. You might be like me and give up on this waffly post, I wouldn't blame you. However if you wish to stick with it I will tell you what caught my eye in these papers, and if you read this you won't have to go out and buy a paper, thus saving you money.

Starting with the Guardian, I have included links to the articles by the way. Tim Lott writes about chucking out the lovingly crafted detritus created by his children, from lolly sticks, papier-mache  and suchlike. He laments the fact that adults no longer make home made gifts for their friends and family but would rather go to a gift shop and spend on tat. Yes, sad indeed. The article is an interesting take on the topic of de cluttering, and gives food for thought on what you actually need to keep or what you should throw away. The article is here.

Another Guardian article, this time from the Travel Supplement. There is a new North Coast 500 mile drive around Scotland, in answer to America's Route 66. Kapla Kassabova checks this out over a four day drive in an old Landrover with partner and dog, starting at Inverness. It highlights lots of stopping places, interesting sights to see, places to eat and sleep. I almost wish I was there, but I would be walking of course, such a shame to whizz past that wonderful scenery in a set of motorized wheels. For more details on the route here is the full article.  For even more details go to the North Coast 500 web site. Some great pictures on there. 

Are you still with me or have you buggered off somewhere else, ha ha.

What's next? Let's move over to The Independent. This next article makes me quite angry, me being an animal lover and all that. Kathy Marks writes a piece about the shark attacks in New South Wales which have killed quite a few surfers in recent months. Whenever this happens a public meeting is called and last week 200 surfers and business people have voted for a cull of Great Whites. They say the uncertainty of surfer safety is deterring people from going into the water, which is affecting local business because people are cancelling their holidays. Well chuffin bad luck is all I say. One simple solution, keep out of the water. Ok I have never been there so I don't know how important surfing is to the residents and holiday makers, but bloodshed is not the answer. Kill a few and there will be more to take their place. My view is that the oceans belong to the marine life that live in their waters, it is their territory, and we encroach on that at our peril. Find another activity for people to do, on land. Read the article here.

Another one from the Independent, this made me laugh. Emma Lunn writes, Can bloggers be legitimate critics if they are taking money or getting free produce? Apparently there was a spat between a blogger and a cake shop owner, which went viral after the cake shop owner felt they had been bullied by a blogger, or blagger as she liked to put it. They both put their side of the story on their own blogs, the cake shop also has a blog. The social media spat opened up a whole can of worms, with the biggest question being, can you trust a food review when the writer got the grub for nothing? My own personal view is no you can't. Read the story here.  And through the power of the internet, here is the story on the cake shop blog. Remember this is a business. And to balance it out, the story from the blogger, also a business. You can form your own opinion.

If you fancy a bit more cake, this caught my eye in the Food section of the Guardian. I don't use my oven because it costs so much in gas, and cooking for one is much simpler on the hob or in the microwave, with the occasional grill being brought into use, so a cake which doesn't need baking seems appealing. Ruby Tandoh presents this recipe which I won't go into here, but burnt honey and vanilla cake looks lipsmacking gorjuss. I doubt very much that I will be trying it though, I don't have any vanilla bean paste, raspberries, or home made caramelized biscuits, and I try and steer clear of double cream and runny honey. But if you fancy giving it a go the recipe is here. It serves 4 - 6, another reason why I would not make it, I would pig out on the whole lot in one go. I can't be trusted.

Well I think that's a mixed bag of stuff in today's post. I won't be buying another newspaper, if I want to read a real one I can go to the library and it will cost me nowt.

Thanks a lot for popping in. It's Saturday, Heidi is looking quite good, she is a lot brighter, has a healthy appetite, and is very playful in the mornings. She still sleeps a lot, right next to me, in her bed on the table, so things are looking good. Rocky is waiting for a walk, and I want to go to town, so I'll sign off. Enjoy your weekend.
Toodle pip

PS. Disclaimer. I wasn't given these papers, I bought them  ;o))

35 comments:

  1. Thanks. That's saved me time and money. My other half buys a Sun 3 times a week. Load of carp. Deb

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  2. You need to start posting about the holiday sections Ilona, you might get yourself a free one there if you plug it enough! Hehehehe!

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  3. I read the Guardian online..it's free!
    Jane x

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  4. I quite like I. I think it is value for money.
    Gill

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  5. I do like my Sunday paper but its a bargain at $13 for 12 week subscription compared to your cost. Plus, we get Thursday and Saturday and enough coupons on things we use that essentially free. It gets passed on often as well to another reader.

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  6. My hubby subscribes to USA Today, and it is really expensive. I give you he does really read it from cover to cover, and I do the puzzles, but it's pretty darned expensive. I couldn't imagine where you were going with the title on your blog today, so had to read it all the way through, although I didn't go to the links. I'm definitely not interested in blogging for big bucks, as it would take all the fun out of it!

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  7. I smiled at your disclaimer about paying for your papers! Of course !
    Happy news about Heidi, I hope she will be even better after this weekend. JanF

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  8. The only thing I like newspapers for is for lining the henhouse, the girls approve .... I'm not sure that they read ALL the articles though ;-)

    Glad to hear that Heidi is improving.

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  9. You can waffle on all you like Ilona....I won't bugger off! Good post. I agree ,the sea is for the creatures that live in it. Bad enough us polluting it. I don't buy papers either. I'm pleased to hear that Heidi is a little better. She's got a good mum.

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  10. We agree with you about it not being the answer to kill sharks just for being in the sea where they belong. Can't understand the mentality of some people. We only have a paper on a Tuesday as I like to keep uptodate with the health sections. Very pleased to hear that Heidi is improving.
    Wendy (Wales)

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  11. We've just had a media free week while we were on holiday, there was no wi Fi and I refuse to have the telly on. No newspapers and not even the car radio. I think the weekend papers had sucked you into a load of trivial nonsense and worst of all you paid £2.75 for it.
    Dave.

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  12. I'm from Australia and I think it's despicable what these idiots want to do with sharks. People really pi** me off with their knee-jerk responses. We are such an entitlement culture...I hate it.

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  13. Dear Ilona,I adore your blog,you are never boring,you make me feel young again.Your cooking I do not like but it is healthy,

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  14. I forgot to put my name Salvatore,Coburg Victoria Australia.
    Be kind dear Ilona to let us know how much you spend on on clothes per year.My was $ 10 for 6 pair of socks.
    Take care

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  15. I commute into London during the week so I get the free morning Metro and Evening Standard - but most of the time I can't be arsed with them and read my Kindle. None of the buggers in the newpapers are unbiased/truthful - I find myself just getting wound up with them!

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  16. I subscribe to the Sunday newspaper but my subscription has just run out. So I'll go without it for 30 days and then I'll qualify for a special offer for "new" subscribers for another year. In addition to grocery product coupons, our paper often has a coupon for $2/$10 or $5/$30 at the local market.

    I like the idea of the 500 mile route in Scotland. I'll check out that link.

    That is wonderful that Heidi is improving! Glad she is eating well.

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  17. Well, honey, I live in Oz, I read both those papers online, and your blog, and I find they all blend together well. You talk about a frugal life, but you do so with dignity and charm. I love you all. xx

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  18. Lots of interesting stuff here. Very sad that a lot of gifts aren't made at home nowadays. I've been to Australia (when I had 2 pennies to rub together) - the seas belong to the marine life. Thanks Ilona for adding some links. Over the coming days I will explore them. I too can't be trusted with gooey cakes/puddings! Natalie

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  19. Good news of Heidi, Ilona :) Fingers crossed she continues to improve!

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    1. Hi, Heidi has returned to her kitten self, very playful in the mornings. I'm not sure if the tablets have to be taken forever. I think another blood test may have to be done when she has finished the 16 days supply. Keeping my fingers crossed that they have boosted her body to keep on making the red blood cells.

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  20. Hi I'm from coastal NSW. The report was inaccurate about the shark culling. This is not happening at this stage. The decision has been mad to tag great whites to observe how territorial they are. There have been 11 attacks and two fatalities on that part of the coast I the last twelve months. If you are stupid enough to surf at daybreak and dusk in the vicinity of bait fish I guess that's what you get. We swim in their territory , it's a risk we chose, culling sharks is barbaric. I have three sons who have surfed from a young age. They are now men and still go out. They never surf in dirty water, with baitfish around or at dusk and dawn. Very sad for the families but I notice they aren't calling for a cull. The paper you read was probably owned by Satan aka ( Rupert Murdoch).

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    1. Thank you for that, Jennifer. Not sure who owns the newspaper, it's the Independent group. Glad they aren't planning on culling the beautiful creatures.

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  21. onlyjo here - 20 years ago i had a newspaper delivered daily. then i stopped the delivery and picked one up every other day - eventually i just bought a Sunday and it provided reading material for the entire week. Now i never buy and just read on-line. only problem is there's nothing to wrap the'cat sick' up in! if everyone stopped reading newspapers and just read your blog the world would be a happier place!

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  22. I just went to the links to read about the blogger and the cake shop! I want to tell you how glad I am ( we all are, I imagine) that you don't do write ups for money. It makes what you say so much more believable and worth reading, Thank you. JanF

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  23. I don't get newspapers either, waste of time and timber too, all the news is on the telly anyway. Glad Heidi is perking up now. Scottish Coastal 500 route... I'm a bit dubious about this, it was always there anyway for anyone who was interested enough to want to do it. (I have). Now the hordes will arrive in their vehicles and spoil the tranquility. Yes, it would be much better as a walking route, but then again, it's always been there, nothing new!

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  24. Hi,ilona.I am glad to hear of Heidi's improvement and things taking a positive turn.That must be a relief for you.I rarely read a newspaper anymore and browse online occasionally.Will check out the links,thank you for sharing.Have a good one,D.

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  25. Totally agree with you and Jennifer re the sharks. The cause of all the fuss by the local business people and tour operators is that they say they are losing money - so greedy. I grew up on the coast and we swam at the beach every weekend n summer. As Jennifer said you just choose your time to go in the water and no problems. Great post today as always ! AussieCheryl : )

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  26. Fascinating comments about bloggers reviewing stuff. I think I would believe what they said even if they got the item or service for free, but only if the review was balanced. Everything has something negative and if a blogger writes solely in praise of something then its just an ad, surely?
    All the best
    smallholdingsister x

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  27. We haven't bought a newspaper in years (except for the few occasions when there's been an Aldi voucher in one of the tabloids). DH keeps up with the news either online or on TV and once a week we go to the library where he reads the nationals and I read the local papers. Has probably saved us a fortune over the years.

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  28. I have cycled that route in Scotland- before anyone wrote about it and I have kayaked the coast too. when the weather is fair , its fantastic . like you we don't buy newspapers.

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  29. After a few years as a newsagent, the press I find print propaganda and lies. I've never bought a paper since I left the job. I get a metro off the bus (free paper) to line the cat litter tray with, the date is the only believable information lol x

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