Ship shape and Bristol fashion

I've done my litter picking stint this morning, in between the showers. The village is starting to look ship shape and Bristol fashion now, no idea where that saying comes from, or what Bristol has got to do with keeping things tidy, ha ha. It's surprising how many people are speaking to me as I go around with my plastic bag and pickstick, everyone says hello, or good morning, or makes some light hearted comment about the weather. I seem to have aquired lots of new aquaintances. People even shout and wave to me from across the street. I was worried that people might think I was bonkers, but it has not happened I am pleased to say.

I started some small talk with a woman waiting at the bus stop, as I picked a sweet wrapper up from near her left foot. She asked why I was doing the job. I thought that was a strange question. I muttered something about the kids buying sweets from the shop and discarding the wrappers as they walk along. She immediately replied, 'It's not kids from round here that are doing it'. I said, 'I don't care where the kids come from, I am fed up of seeing it lying around so I am doing something about it.'

I see we are entered in the Best Kept Village competition, there is a poster on the notice board outside the Post Office. I will try and find out when the judges are expected to come and look round the place, then I can put a bit of extra effort into it the week before. It would be nice if we could win, we have been very close in past years.

Talking of rubbish, we have just had the new Thompson Local Directory delivered. I can't see the point in this publication when we have two perfectly acceptable directories called Yellow Pages and The Phone Book, both from BT. Why do we need another one? Well I don't want it cluttering my office up, it is going straight into the recycle bin, along with all the other junk mail.

I'm off out now to take Ben dog a walk. You can bet your life that if I don't take my pickstick I am bound to see some litter lurking, so I had better take it, just in case. We shall go a walk up to the smallholding so I can get some free range eggs, I have run out. Toodle pip.