One bag is enough

 The day went as planned. It was a warm and sunny afternoon with a slight breeze. Perfect for a walk around the Blue Lagoon Pond. There is a footpath, but I searched every nook and cranny around the waters edge for every piece of litter I might find. I found a secret bench hidden up a slope behind some bushes. 

Two disposable barbeques found. 

Buzz balls are difficult to pick up with the stick. What a silly idea to put a drink inside one of these. 

A flower vase found in the bushes. Looks like it has been there a long time. 

I only half filled the bag at the pond so I went onto the Industrial Estate to top it up. Plenty of cans here.

 

One bag is enough, some glass bottles were bagged separately. 

Time to go home. It's starting to get dark about 7pm. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Milking it.

 Stealing milk from children.

Despicable and disgusting human. 

ilona

Rainbow Childcare

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a day ago ·

A disappointing post to have to write…

Over the last 12 months, we have occasionally had milk go missing from our early-morning nursery deliveries.

After reviewing our CCTV, we identified an individual regularly visiting at around 4am and taking milk. Initially, this was just one 4-pint bottle. We made the conscious decision to let it go — our thinking was that if somebody was taking a bottle of milk in the middle of the night, perhaps they were struggling and needed it more than we did.

Unfortunately, over time, one bottle became four, then six, and it reached the point where we needed to take action. We therefore installed a secure wooden lock box with a coded padlock for our supplier to leave our deliveries in.

This morning, our regular visitor took things a step further.

The lock box was broken into and eight 4-pint bottles of milk were taken.

While the monetary value of the milk itself isn't huge, that's really not the point. This milk is purchased for the children attending our nursery. When it is taken, we have to find replacements before breakfast and throughout the day. We now also have a damaged secure box that needs repairing or replacing.

No more London.

Transport is falling apart. Drivers are refusing to go to some cities. New regulations, more intrusive cameras, no go areas which are deemed to be restricted to HGV, means that deliveries are being disrupted at an alarming rate. 

Ulez, clean air rules, mean big fines which will close down haulage companies or cause them to move to  out of town hubs, thus deploying smaller vans to make the actual deliveries. The Government are hell bent on pursuing the net zero scam. Many supermarkets were built with a minimum stockroom area, and rely on just in time deliveries. Now they need to reverse this, to ensure adequate stock levels for their customers. 

I'll add a note here. About halfway through my driving career, I decided I would never take another job which required me to go to London. It was always my worst nightmare, and still is. Leicester Heavy Haulage took me there several times, delivering huge concrete sections for the new build office blocks. I was very brave then. Driving down the M1 and parking up at Scratchwood Services overnight, for a 4am start in the morning down to the centre to miss the rush hour. When I left LHH I decided no more London. 

I was sad when I stopped work, but it had to happen because I wasn't enjoying it. I knew then that transport was on the decline. I had had the best times, 70's, 80's, and 90's. It had given me a decent standard of living, despite many drivers saying the wages were poor. I was happy with my lot, and after careful planning of my finances I am in a good place now. 

But times are getting harder for transport companies to survive the onslaught of all the new regulations being thrown at them. Like everything else that is going on, the Government are on a mission to destroy the infrastructure of the UK. 

Tuesday morning. I am going to the Post Office, then having breakfast, then doing a bit in the garden, then having lunch, then I will go and walk a circuit of the pond with my trolley, and pick up the litter around the waters edge. 

Have a good day. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Farm shops at risk

 Watch this. 

They break in to steal money and wreck the place whilst doing so. This is why shops are going cashless. It must be heartbreaking for the owners to find all their hard work trashed. I hesitate to use the word scum, but these feral youths are just that. Scum.  ilona 

Haughley Honey Farm

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Haughley Honey Farm · Original audio

** Farm shop closed until futher notice **

It is with great sadness to post this after all the hard work that goes into running our farm and little shop, but due to a couple of delights ram raiding it last night to remove an un-used empty safe since going cashless and causing extensive damage beyond repair, our shop will be closed until further notice.

Paying attention.

 I really should take more notice when I am dashing around a supermarket and throwing things in my trolley. A quick whip round the small Tesco at Barton on Saturday for just a few items to see me through, was all I went in for. I am sort of familiar with this store, so this should be easy and only take ten minutes. 

You may have noticed that my choice of quiche was not what I normally buy from Aldi. Notice the word 'bacon'. Oh well never mind. Maybe I can pick out all the dead animal pieces and eat the rest. 

I cut a slice for my dinner last night, and started poking it around with a knife and fork to separate what I could eat, and discard the flesh. I nibbled the pastry, it was like a lump of tasteless hard rock. With a feeling sick moment, I gave up, and opted for an egg on toast with grated cheese on top. 

This morning my garden birds are having a feast. The fat pigeons will be getting even fatter. 

Now I get ready for Crafty Club. Have a good day. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Two bags full

 I organise my jobs in and around the house to give me time to go out in the afternoon to do some litter picking. Today I went back to Foxhills Industrial Estate to check round four locations where I thought there might be enough rubbish to fill a bag or two. Groups of friends meet up here in the evening and sit on the concrete beam. There are always drinks cans here. 

At the end of the path I carried on across the road to this alleyway. My second bag is now full. 

At this point I turned round and went back. That's enough for one session. 

Jack Wills seems to have had an explosion. He filled his pants. Oh how disgusting. The pants went in the bag, I left the tissues behind. 

It is surprising how many small bottles of vodka I find. Seems a lot of people are secret drinkers. 

Two bags added to the two I left on Friday, plus the glass bagged separately. Just as I was dropping them off a police car pulled up behind mine. The young police woman thought I was a fly tipper. 😁😄😂That's why I am now putting labels on my bags. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

He knows ya know.

 Godfrey again. 

Believe it or not, he has a point. He is joining the dots. 

I am seeing more short videos of this ilk appearing on Faceboook now. Content creators are leaving yoootooob, because they are censoring more videos. Yoootooob are taking down videos posted several years ago, those posting them are losing out on revenue, so they are jumping ship. 

Something is brewing.

ilona

Open Studios Weekend

Sitting in Michael's studio on his comfy sofa, I notice something hanging above the messy shelf. He still has the cd/cutlery creation I gave him years ago. 

What is Michael working on at the moment. Two donkey heads. 

A photo of Michael and Helen Scrimshaw from a previous visit in 2016, ten years ago. 

Another photo from 2013, showing Michaels amazing dreadlocks. His hair is even longer now, and Helen's pigtail reaches almost to her knees. 

What is the open studios at the Ropewalk? Blimey, have I been going there for 20 years!

Saturday, 18 September 2010

Ropewalk Studios Open Weekend

I've had a very pleasant afternoon. My friend Julie came round and we went to the Ropewalk at Barton. This is a contemporary arts and craft gallery near the Humber Bridge. It was originally part of a rope making factory which closed in 1989. The building is almost a quarter of a mile long and has galleries, a shop, coffee lounge, and a theatre for the performing arts.

It also has eleven artists studios, and today they were open for anyone to drop in and have a chat. This only happens on two weekends a year, and last year I met such interesting people, I was quite excited to go again this year. The artists are very friendly and are happy to answer all of your questions, so me being the nosey parker that I am, I had lots to ask.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There are some lovely ceramics on display at the moment. If I had loads of money I might buy some. 

Pru Green is celebrating 60 years of making pots. 

There is another exhibition on at the moment. I took some photographs and will post them soon. Jane Walker uses stitching and painting in her creations. Something I might dabble in. Interesting to see it close up. 

Weather a bit dull at the moment. Sunday morning and I am sitting here in my winter clothes. Not looking forward to the winter months. Never mind. If I keep busy it will soon pass. 

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Not giving in.

 Try this one from Katie.

ilona 

Dumped in the wood.

I have attempted to post a link to a Radio phone in programme but cannot get the sound to work. It might be because it's live. A feisty lady has a lot to say about sending people to fight a war. I still have a lot to learn about this computering lark. Will try later. 

In the meantime, what did I do yesterday. A local walk with an Aldi bag and a picking stick. The kids have been building ramps for a makeshift bike track, and what a mess they make. It is not for me to say what they can and can't do. Three arrived while I was there, with a garden spade I might add, while I was picking up this litter. I asked them to please take their plastic bottles home in the future. 

Moving on to the car park at the picnic area. My bag is full, on top is a nitrous oxide cannister. We don't get a lot of these round here, sniffing drugs is rife in other areas. 

A fly tip is found. Looks like a sofa, or an easy arm chair, has been cut up onto transportable size pieces. I have reported this on the Council web site. They need to come and pick it up. 

I did a circular route and walked back to the village, picking up on the grass verges as I dawdled along. My bag was full to bursting point when I got back so I went straight to the church where there is a big grey wheelie bin. Bag emptied into there, to be used another day. 

The sun is shining and I have plans for today.

Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

We are not fighting your war

 Struggling to get the sound of this phone in to work. 

Message to  our Fake Prime Minister

Good for you lady. 

You say it like it is. 

No swearing needed, just hard truths. 

Trying a new link.

Have a good day.  ilona

Hooked on Sam

 Perfection every time. 

Goodnight.

ilona

What did I do yesterday

I had a lovely lunch. Seeded bread with peanut butter. Topped with an avocado and grated cheese, melted under the grill. Bliss. Now ready to go out. 

Another attempt to tidy up that grotty corner on Flixborough Industrial Estate. Only a few bottles of pee found this time. My bag is nearly full, so what do you do with a filthy lorry strap which has been buried in the bushes for a very long time. I need to squeeze this into the bag. 

Do what all self respecting lorry drivers do, roll it up tightly, and store it in a safe place on the back of your truck in the tool box. This one got left behind. There you go, fits nicely in the bag now. Problem solving is my forte.

I wonder why someone chucked this electronic kitchen gadget into the grass verge. Picked up, bagged up into an old found bag, and left by the general wheelie bin for collection. Don't know what it is, don't care. 

Test driving my new picking stick. Sadly not impressed. Flimsy cheap plastic, the grabber is at a funny angle, trigger needs a firm grip, twisting my arm sideways, and it made my wrist ache. Going back to the old one. 

Two very full bags to start a new pile at my drop off point at the Pond. There is a lot more tidying up to do there, when I have time to go back. 

While I was busy picking, a lorry turned up. The driver wanted to get unloaded at a factory, but was not able to. It was late and everybody had gone home. Nobody there to operate the weighbridge, so he had to park up outside the gate for the night and wait till the morning. I moved my trolley out of the way so he could park alongside the kerb. 

I got chatting with him, like you do. 😎😄😀 Nice cab, tipper trailer, big transport company. The conversation progressed from simple trucking talk, to what do you think of the state of the world right now. I told him a few of my trucking stories of past experiences. He listened intently. Then about what I have been doing since retirement. He asked questions about my long distance walking. Did you camp, what did I do for a bed every night. 

He was thinking about his own retirement, when it might happen, when would he be able to stop working. He told me he is 59, divorced and soon to have his mortgage paid off. I said, you could stop work right now if you check out your finances, money in, money out, balance the two, make a few changes to your lifestyle, it's up to you. 

And then we talked about everything else. Luckily he was clued up about the convid farce, so no need to say anything more about that. I recalled my experiences of keeping hold of my freedom while everyone around me was being sucked in. How I have made it my mission to keep as much of my freedom as I can. How I pay for almost everything with cash. He said he has gone along with the digital banking, because there is no alternative, and everything will be moved over to that. I explained that they want us to all live in little boxes, not go anywhere, can't afford a car, get groceries delivered and buy everything on line. Then he said it doesn't matter because by the time that happens he will be long gone. I said I am planning on another ten years, and I will hang on to my freedoms for as long as I can. 

Blimey to have that attitude when you are only 59 is a bit sad. To just give up and go along with whatever is thrown at you. That's no life. I could have given up lorry driving a long time ago, but I didn't. I hope I have given him something to think about. I will continue to share my thoughts with whoever wants to listen. 

Friday morning and it's a bit overcast. I will have to water up the plant pots because it hasn't rained for a few days. I will go and walk Billy dog in the next hour in case Carol goes out later. I can't get him out if she is not there.

Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

New volunteers wanted (video added)

One red sack plus a bit more on yesterdays litter pick. I started on this short stretch of side road, then went onto the busy main road towards town. A new 'L' plate found. 

What else did I find. Two sealed new pot noodles, in a Lidl bag chucked in the hedge. Long date April 2027. Someone didn't fancy the pack up they brought with them. Given to a neighbour for his pack up to take to work. 

A fly tip in the layby. I put in a report to the Council about this 

Remember the stinky bags of animal carcases I found recently, in this same layby? Well here we go again. Just one black bin bag this time. Can you see it mother. Crawling with maggots and a putrid smell that stays in your nostrils forever. 

A closer look, not too close mind you. 

Zoom in. A quick retreat, feeling sick. The Council need to come quickly and remove it. 

By keeping my patch tidy and not wandering too far afield, I don't see a lot of heavily littered locations. Litter picking teams in other parts of the country are reporting horrendous piles of grot on the UK Litter Pickers Faceboook page. 

So what of the future? Will we ever get to grips with banishing the litter mountains in the UK? I don't think so. I suggest we make a new Faceboook page. European Litter Pickers, will encompass all the countries on both sides of the strip of water between us. Come on in boys. Trash our country as well. To appease the other side, maybe these are our future Voluntary Litter Pickers. Fancy having a go? 

Have a good day. Toodle pip.   ilona

EDIT

I have just come across this new video. Sarah White, an intrepid journalist, has disguised herself and secretly filmed inside multiple migrant camps at Calais. She shows the truth, what is really going on in France. All basic needs are provided for the migrants, by charity workers. This is an eye opener video. Massive amounts of rubbish everywhere, all to be coming here. It is estimated that there are 3,000 people at this migrant camp. 

Observations (edited) (x2)

 There was a lot of activity along our South Coast last night. I watched the live channels on yoootooob of our patriots making their way down there, ready to report on any boat landings as they happened. After the recent crossings into Gosport Portsmouth it was expected there would be a repeat of that. Other places were mentioned and there were people ready to welcome the arrivals at Dover. Boats are reported to be turning off their tracking devices to avoid detection, which is illegal and dangerous in busy waters. 

The shift of using other ports on our coastline to bring the boats ashore means that not only the south and south east coast are vulnerable to penetration, but the whole of the east coast up as far as Northumberland are also fair game. Our borders are wide open to abuse by anyone who has the determination to set sail from anywhere along the neighbouring European coastline. 

The people of the UK are at war with their own Government, who are facilitating these crossings. The welcome parties include warm dry clothes, food sustenance after their long and arduous journey, and a seat in a luxury coach to transport them to their prepared accommodation. All under escort from the Police. 

Our illegal guests in this country are handed a mobile phone with internet connection. Now here is my theory about this. Anyone who has the world at their fingertips in their pocket has the tools to work remotely. Van lifers do it, narrow boaters do it, they have jobs in which they choose their own hours to work. These same opportunities are available to anyone who has set foot on our shores, albeit illegally. They can get to work as soon as they announce their presence, such is the power of connectivity. 

Think about it. Someone with only a smattering of English can bluff their way into any job. Who is recruiting these newcomers? The same organisations that are looking to increase and facilitate more boat crossings. Don't forget it's not only boats they come in, they are flying in as well. 

When you take it to it's full conclusion. Anyone with a phone and internet connection can wreak havoc among those who are trying to protect their land. The battle is psychological. With millions of troll comments bombarding every aspect of social media it is easy to see that a battle of huge magnitude can be used to alter the course of the universe. 

Going into battle with your enemy might be a quick solution when bombs, guns, aircraft, boats, and boots on the ground are deployed. Remember the Build Back Better slogan. They first have to destroy. But there is a less messy way to do it. Bide your time, it can be done remotely and psychologically. It will take longer but if they can get people to instigate conflict within their own territory, with their own people, they will kill each other.  

My conclusion. I repeat my friends logical saying. You are authors of your own destiny. 

Comments are closed at the moment. I can't be bothered to get into he said she said, tit for tat, cat and mouse games. My opinions are my own. If they are not yours, that's fine.

Toodle pip.   ilona

EDIT

Andrew Lawrence gives us an update on what happened last night. The migrants weren't able to land at Gosport and were taken to Dover. 

2nd EDIT

Daniel the Black Belt Barrister has published this video on the shenanigans of last night. How much this operation costs the tax payer for police, coaches, and ambulances.