Sunday 31 March 2013

Silent Sunday







Friday 29 March 2013

Hard Work ~ Photo of The Week

At last we have got our new allotment, it is huge and runs all the way back to the fence at the end. Today we started the laborious task of digging and weeding it.





Sunday 24 March 2013

Silent Sunday





Silent Sunday





Saturday 23 March 2013

Saturday Caption #SatCap

Couldn't believe it when I saw this!
No Blue Badge displayed, the car park was full so I had to park in the road  and hobble to Doctors. If I'd had a small car I could have parked behind it!

Can you think of a funny caption for this picture?






Wednesday 20 March 2013

Day Fourteen ~ Home ~ #BlogFlash2013


I've lived in this house for nearly twelve years but it's not my home, I was forced to leave my home to come and live here. I moved into my home when my son was four years old, he grew up there, my favorite dog is buried there. I tried to move back approx six years ago, but the Council said no, as I don't qualify for a place with two bedrooms.

My home was a corner plot with a massive garden, my son and his friends used to play outside nearly every day. All I have here is a 20'x16' concrete patch with no grass and a huge shed as this house is so small. My home was minimalist and immaculately tidy, I took pride in it and always had lots people round. This house is cluttered and therefore untidy, I always try to avoid having anyone come inside as I'm so ashamed of it. 

I used to know all of my neighbours by name and we were a community, looking out for each other and each others children. I don't feel comfortable here, I don't know my neighbours, in fact I know hardly anyone in the area and feel very isolated. How I wish I could go home again.


#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts


Day Thirteen ~ Darkness ~ #BlogFlash2013


The thing I used to love the most about my job, was going out on patrol in the early hours of the morning. I had a torch but rarely used it, I used to love being surrounded by the darkness. Relying only on my night vision, I used to walk out onto the training area and quite often saw Old  Brock the Badger going about his business, sometimes he had his family in tow and other times not.

Old Brock and I had a mutual understanding, I would stand very still and watch him whilst he totally ignored me as he was rooting around, sometimes I could be as close as six feet from him. I always showed him respect and let him decide how close to come to me, I never ever moved towards him. He certainly was the most beautiful creature and huge too, I never managed to get a decent picture of him, as my digital camera was noisy so couldn't use it for fear of scaring him, but I was able to use my mobile on silent and get several shots of him, sadly the cameras on mobiles weren't so good 7 or 8 years ago.

Old Brock


#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts


Monday 18 March 2013

Day Twelve ~ Music ~ #BlogFlash2013


I love music, but loud music has affected my hearing slightly, I used to love going to concerts, I'm a total Heavy Metal nutter, there's only one way to listen to it, and that's loud.

I used to get as near to the front as I could, several times I've actually been standing right next to the speakers at concerts, I love the feel of music throbbing through you, sometimes my ears would ring for days. 

Ahh the joy of hindsight, but I don't regret a single minute of it, I was having fun and have some fantastic memories.


#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts



Day Eleven ~ Running ~ #BlogFlash2013


How I used to love to run
Three miles a day
Pack on back
Heavier and heavier
As weeks passed by

How I used to love to run
Over the hills
Through the woods
Pounding the streets
The Joy, the freedom

How I used to love to run
My companion Arthritis
Chews my bones
Has spoilt my fun
I run no more

How I used to love to run
Plagued with pain 
I sit and watch
New knee's one day
Running again some day

#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts


Sunday 17 March 2013

Silent Sunday






Saturday 16 March 2013

Chillaxing ~ Photo of The Week

Badger Boo always finds a comfy spot...






Thursday 14 March 2013

Day Ten ~ Time ~ #BlogFlash2013

Time is a constant, so how come sometimes it moves so much quicker or slower than others? No I'm not going to tell you, I have no idea myself either. But time has no limits it seems when it comes to the Child Support Agency.

A Father has to pay the extortionate amounts of Child Maintenance they set every month, two thirds of their wages in some cases, live it total poverty, unable to pay his bills and getting into debt until the child is 16 years old or 18 if they are in further education. 

A Mother who is a friend of A Father, also has a child but the CSA does nothing to collect Child Maintenance because they say they cannot trace the absent father. Even when A Mother  gives them all of his contact details every time he moves house, plus the address of his profitable business.

It doesn't matter if the child leaves home at 16, you still have to pay, you cannot negotiate with the CSA. 

Eventually the children reach 18.
 A Father gets a letter Case Closed, your balance is zero.
  A Mother gets a letter Case Closed, sorry we couldn't help.

A Father gets on with his life, sorting out the financial mess he's been left in. Five years later a letter arrives from the CSA demanding maintenance again for the "child" now in their 20's.

Meanwhile the CSA refuse to  reopen the case for A Mother of a child in their 20's.

The CSA has no concept of time passing.

If you are A Father, who has always done the right thing and paid Child Maintenance, it would appear there is no time limit on how long they can hound you for!!!

If you are A Mother, who they have never collected a penny for, because the absent father refuses to pay and keeps moving around to avoid paying. Then it's Tough Luck!!!

#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts

Day Nine ~ Spring ~ #BlogFlash2013


I love Spring it's my all time favorite season. The days start to get warmer and longer, it's time to prepare the allotment and sort out what vegetables I will grow this year.The sun always lifts my mood and somehow everything always seems so much better in the Spring.

Sitting here now as I type away, the sun is streaming in through the window and Badger Boo is snoozing in the sun. The aches and pains in my joints always feels so much less when it starts to warm up. My favorite flower the Daffodil is almost ready to flower, soon my garden will be an explosion of  the most amazing yellow.


#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Day Eight ~ Chocolate ~ #BlogFlash2013



Opening the fridge
Senses come alive
Sitting on the shelf
A slice of chocolate cake

Touch it she mustn't
Calories abound
Put it there she didn't
It's been left behind

Mouth begins to water
Teasing where it sits
Anticipation building
Could she get away with it

Resistance was futile
Steal it she must
Chocolate is addictive
Had it really come to this



#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts



Monday 11 March 2013

Day Seven ~ Nature ~ #BlogFlash2013


Nature is my inspiration for the way I live and the pictures I take. If I ever feel down, a walk in the woods with my dog and camera will lift my spirits, because there's always something going on in nature.

Nature is beauty
Nature is grace
New life in Spring 
Shoots breaking through
Hot lazy Summers
Fox cubs frolic
Colourful Autumn
All orange and brown
Bitter cold Winter
Wind chills the bone

Nature is cruel
Nature is harsh
The weak will perish
Only the fit survive 
Dead little Blackbird
The insects will feed
As Reynard prowls
His prey he seeks
Rodents stay hidden 
Deep underground


#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts

Sunday 10 March 2013

Silent Sunday





 

Saturday 9 March 2013

Day Six ~ Island ~ #BlogFlash2013


Within the pond an island sat
A house for ducks atop
From fox's safe 
Ducks reared their young
Until the scandal broke

A judgement error
Sir Peter did make
Expenses claimed he shouldn't
Frustrated he felt
For being found out
Retirement the only option


#BlogFlash2013: 21 Days, 21 Prompts, 21 Posts