Stepping down...

I've just retired for the first time.  That is to say I've stepped down from the post of Secretary at Wantage Women's Institute.  Not because I've not enjoyed myself, but because I need to find a space for me at the moment, and because I couldn't be certain that I could maintain my commitment to the post for a further year.

I've done it since our WI was formed in November 2009. Three and a bit years. And it's been absolutely great fun, and it was something I think I needed at the time.  But it takes a lot of time between meetings, and, in my life, there's never enough time. So something had to give, and that was it.

I'll miss it.  Well, not initially, as there's the minutes I took from the last Committee Meeting to produce, and the Record of the last meeting I attended as well.  But once all the strings are tied up then I'm off the hook.  They asked for volunteers for the tea and coffee duties at the next meeting and my hand shot up.  It's not like I'm not going to participate any more, I'll just do it in a different way.

To find out more about 'my' WI you can check out our website:  wantagewi.weebly.com.

Kat

'I dreamt about you last night...'

... and I fell out of bed twice (The Smiths).

What is it about dreams that leaves you confused???  The part of my dream which I remember from last night is thus:

...  I was in an aeroplane.  It may have been first class (only guessing) or perhaps some specially adapted compartment, smaller, private, intimate.  My reclining chair was in the recline position, and I was comfortably covered with a blanket....  my companion in the adjacent seat was similarly blanketed, and when I looked a second time I realised it was.... David  ..... Cameron.   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (our current Prime Minister, I note this for when I've totally lost my marbles (not long now I hear you say), or if my children read this in the future).  I think I asked him where his 'minders' were, and then although I think I asked him some questions, I don't remember what they were, nor getting any answers... bloody politician!!! And for the record, there was NOTHING sexual about it.  Not my type, he's got too baby a face.

Now, if I was to have a dream about someone I like, or think I would like, it would probably have to be....  nope.  Couldn't possibly say that, now could I? What would my husband think???

We saw the Zom-Rom-Com film 'Warm Bodies' on Valentines day this year.  Zom-Rom-Com as in Zombie-Romance-Comedy genre. Who knew?  Really enjoyed the film, ticked the boxes, nicely silly, humour just right, emphasis on the humour not the horror.  I recommend it if you liked 'Shaun of the Dead'.

I'm off to bed, busy day tomorrow, WI Committee Meeting (my last one, I'm standing down) in the morning, and then off to Oxford Central Library in the afternoon for training on Class Visits (to the Library).  Hope I can find a parking place.

Nighty nighty. Kat.

More about recycling...

I am happy to report I've found a new hunting ground.  As in bargain hunting ground.  At the tip.  The   dump. The 'Recycling Centre' as it is properly called.

They're selling things that have been taken to be disposed of.  AT LAST.  Finally some joined-up thinking by the local council.  The number of times I've taken rubbish to the tip and seen items which really SHOULD NOT have been put into the landfill.  It makes you weep. Or as my father would say 'it's enough to make an onion cry'....

They've got much better in recent years.  The whole business of going to the tip/recycling centre is now very organised - you've to sort your items and put the correct things in the appropriate skip.  Which makes sense and is no trouble.  But when you see furniture ending up in landfill, household items and suchlike it seems such a WASTE of everything.  Of the raw materials, of the energy, of the transport costs, and useless packaging, of the effort of everything.  It's been a bugbear of mine for years.

And then there is Freecycle - our local group is now called Freegle (what's that about?).  Freecycle has  saved me so much in time and money, and given so much as well.  I've used it both to offer unwanted items, and to get things as well.  It was invaluable when we moved house - I advertised/offered the stuff, left it on the drive, and by the next day the stuff was all gone.  And it's fantastic when you're strapped for cash and you see something that you can use - bookshelves, child's sand-pit, rabbit hutch, curtains to name but a few of the things I've collected.  As an offerer you're glad to be rid of the item, and as a receiver you're happy to collect something for free, and prevent it from going to landfill.

That's the root of the matter.  Landfill.  So we're back to the tip......

I spoke to the men who work there (dunno if there are any women, but it's usually men), and said how pleased I was that they're doing this.  They said 'we used to do it before'.  I expressed surprise and asked why they stopped.  They said it was because they had a few 'regulars' who would park up and wait - to see what was being put in the 'for sale' pile, so they'd get best pick of the newest/nicest items. They were probably dealers, so it was stopped.

So, I'm not sure why it was started up again now, but the council website says they're using the cash towards running the tip/dump/recycling centre, which makes sense to me.  There's so many budget cuts coming up, if the council save a bit of money this way then I'm all for it!  And the items are priced to sell, small household items - 20p, 50p £1-£2 or so.

Then there's children's bicycles, computer tables, some items of furniture, household items, exercise items, dvds, puzzles, a complete Aladin's cave of junk! There's even an acrylic rolltop bath with feet there at the moment, in nice condition too.....  I don't need that though.

Anyway, I've bagged a couple of bargains already.

There was a shiny stainless steel thingy. In a dusty John Lewis box. Kitchenware. Upon closer inspection the item is a 'professional bain marie' something you'd use for melting chocolate or making sauces. We do the chocolate melting thing, in fact Phoebe made her first 'ganache' last weekend, and I thought we could use it.  So it still had the price sticker on the box - original cost was £35.  I got it for £1.

So what I want to know is this.  WHO would take something like that to the tip?  Who paid £35 and was happy to throw it away?  Who thought throwing it away was the appropriate thing to do if they didn't want it anymore?  Why, why why???  I don't get it.  But I did get a bargain!

Then I spotted a camping/picnic table.  Perfect! A little old, a little bit of rust on the legs, but will do the job.  No, I'm NOT going camping.  It's for the hens.  'Of course it is!'  I hear you say...

Here's the thing.  Their lovely recycled plastic henhouse (see previous blogs) is supported on makeshift legs as I don't want it on the ground.  From time to time there are rats at the bottom of the garden, and they can scurry in quick as you like and scurry out with their plunder.  A bit of height puts them off.  A bit of height also makes cleaning the house easier on my back, so that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Also, the hens can shelter under the house from sun(!!, that's wishful thinking) or rain.  So the makeshift legs are now old, rusty, and giving way, and I needed something else to support the henhouse.  Et voila.  A thrown-away picnic table. A recycled treasure.  Someone else's rubbish is my pleasure.  I'm getting a bargain, and saving the environment at the same time.  Win-win. What's not to like. Oh yes, how much?  £1.

You can call me cheap if you like.  I don't care.  Two children in private school, so economies have to be made. Disposable income? What's that?

Off to my book - Carrie's War by Nina Bawden.
ttfn (that's ta-ta for now for those who don't know, and 'ta-ta' is colloquial babyspeak for 'goodbye' in case you were wondering).... Keep it sweet!  Kat