Everyone's under stress. That's life in these consumer driven days. The push push to get more more. Bigger, better, faster, sooner, newer, now, now, now! The focus on growth all the time. No wonder we aren't 'happy' with our lot. No wonder our children want things all the time. Was it ever so?
And what does this relentless buying get us? 'Stuff'. In other words, toys the children don't play with. More packaging that has to be recycled. Clothes we don't wear, shoes we don't wear, food we don't eat, books we haven't time to read, DVDs we haven't time to watch, CDs/music downloads we haven't time to listen to...
I'm as guilty as the next person. I try to justify my spending habits to myself by saying that because most of my purchasing is done in charity shops I'm: a) supporting a good cause; b) recycling; c) saving money. The fact is that by making the choice to pay for our children's education in the private sector, we have very little disposable income and have to be careful with what we do have.
I know everyone's having a tough time, it's austerity times and all that, and we're not exactly on the breadline, but sometimes, just sometimes I'd like to buy something without wondering if I'll make it to payday without going over my overdraft again. There. I said it. Ridiculous really at my age, you'd have thought that money wouldn't be a problem. But this time last year the business we had went into administration, and we were both redundant for 3-4 months. So we've still got some way to go before we catch our tails financially. Not complaining, just explaining. That's why it's still stressful. That's why it still hurts. That's why it's still hard.
And you CAN find some really nice things in charity shops.... in fact I'm a little in love with my latest purchase, my Rohan Ice Pack jacket in lime green. (I paid £25, which was a lot for me, but I needed a winter jacket as my Helly Hansen Ski Jacket was on it last legs, 8 yrs old or so, raggedy round the cuffs and a couple of seams split and unrepairable... and I was fed up of wearing Simon's old black fleecy jacket thing).
So here's the Ridgeway again, good walk - this is the return leg, we'd parked up by the trees on the horizon. The Devil's Punchbowl is behind us to the left, there should be a dog somewhere, but he's off doing his to-ing and fro-ing, and missed this shot.
Time for bed - and more Lady Chatterley's Lover!
keep it sweet, Kat :)
And what does this relentless buying get us? 'Stuff'. In other words, toys the children don't play with. More packaging that has to be recycled. Clothes we don't wear, shoes we don't wear, food we don't eat, books we haven't time to read, DVDs we haven't time to watch, CDs/music downloads we haven't time to listen to...
I'm as guilty as the next person. I try to justify my spending habits to myself by saying that because most of my purchasing is done in charity shops I'm: a) supporting a good cause; b) recycling; c) saving money. The fact is that by making the choice to pay for our children's education in the private sector, we have very little disposable income and have to be careful with what we do have.
I know everyone's having a tough time, it's austerity times and all that, and we're not exactly on the breadline, but sometimes, just sometimes I'd like to buy something without wondering if I'll make it to payday without going over my overdraft again. There. I said it. Ridiculous really at my age, you'd have thought that money wouldn't be a problem. But this time last year the business we had went into administration, and we were both redundant for 3-4 months. So we've still got some way to go before we catch our tails financially. Not complaining, just explaining. That's why it's still stressful. That's why it still hurts. That's why it's still hard.
And you CAN find some really nice things in charity shops.... in fact I'm a little in love with my latest purchase, my Rohan Ice Pack jacket in lime green. (I paid £25, which was a lot for me, but I needed a winter jacket as my Helly Hansen Ski Jacket was on it last legs, 8 yrs old or so, raggedy round the cuffs and a couple of seams split and unrepairable... and I was fed up of wearing Simon's old black fleecy jacket thing).
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| The Ridgeway towards Gramps Hill, near Letcombe |
Time for bed - and more Lady Chatterley's Lover!
keep it sweet, Kat :)
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