I've just been doing the ironing to the "Today" programme on Radio 4. Among other things was the mention of the 2 teenage lads accused of the attack on another 2 children near Doncaster. The worthies seem to blame this attack on children growing up in more violent households these days.
Is it just me or has violence always been a feature of many children's upbringing? Wives & children have always been beaten. I certainly wouldn't have fancied going to Squeers' school in Dicken's "Nicholas Nickleby". Do you honestly think Bill Sykes would have stopped beating Nancy if he'd fathered a child with her in Dicken's "Oliver Twist"? I don't. Countless people have told of merciless beatings at schools, people like Churchill.
I can't help suspecting that the level of actual violence hasn't increased. I suspect the level of acknowledgement that such domestic violence occurs has increased. Certainly in educational terms the use of the cane has had its day. What is more students know their rights & use them to threaten their teachers, whether the latter have used violence or not. These days teachers daren't even put their arms round a crying child to comfort them without fear of prosecution.
What has changed is the level of visual portrayal of violence on TV, film, computer games. This violence is without consequence. They see people struck with great violence get up again, apparently unaffected, certainly not suffering.
Here's a heretical thought. Maybe the fact there is so little actual violence, with consequence, in children's lives is the problem. I'm sure some children don't even realise a knife stuck into someone is going to hurt the other, let alone potentially kill them.
And no, I don't think we should go back to a world in which child or wife beating is acceptable. I am not trying to encourage that. I just think the causal link between such violence & the behaviour of young people such as these on trial is a non sequitur. It's an excuse, not a cause. It's not even been established that the accused come from homes where domestic violence is a norm!
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Bad news
Things take on a more sombre tone. PD is on the phone. Al, our mutual gardener, has been to his house today & told him some bad news, only PD's not sure if he's understood it properly. Are we going to the Pub today as he wants to check on what has actually happened? We hadn't seriously thought about the Pub at this point but the news, if true, is dire indeed so we agree to go & meet PD there.
At the Pub we discover it is bad. Dave C, our friend & joiner who fitted our bedroom 18 months ago, is once more in hospital. Over the weekend he had a liver & kidney failure. He'd been in a coma for a while. The latest news from his wife is that he's out of the coma, but they're not sure how it will have affected his brain. Visitors are now allowed - it had been family only while he was in the coma. Now she hopes many of us will get in to stimulate his mind as much as possible, even if he doesn't seem too responsive.
When Dave came out of hospital last year, he said he didn't want to go into hospital again. He couldn't face it. It has been suggested he ought to go back to Manchester Infirmary where he ended up last year, but, in accordance with Dave's wishes, Linda has said don't bother, a brave decision on her part. Now we all just keep our fingers cross, pray & hope Dave's natural resilience will bounce him back to health.
As a side thought, I can't help thinking about the role of a village pub. These days so many villages are losing their pubs. This incident makes you realise what a valuable social role they have. As a central point for news this Pub is beyond price. It is to the Pub we go for the facts, a maybe a drink to get over the shock of it, & it's to the Pub that Linda, his wife, goes as a one stop visit to let the whole village & all his friends know what's happening. Where is to play that important role in society with the demise of the village pub, shop & post office?
At the Pub we discover it is bad. Dave C, our friend & joiner who fitted our bedroom 18 months ago, is once more in hospital. Over the weekend he had a liver & kidney failure. He'd been in a coma for a while. The latest news from his wife is that he's out of the coma, but they're not sure how it will have affected his brain. Visitors are now allowed - it had been family only while he was in the coma. Now she hopes many of us will get in to stimulate his mind as much as possible, even if he doesn't seem too responsive.
When Dave came out of hospital last year, he said he didn't want to go into hospital again. He couldn't face it. It has been suggested he ought to go back to Manchester Infirmary where he ended up last year, but, in accordance with Dave's wishes, Linda has said don't bother, a brave decision on her part. Now we all just keep our fingers cross, pray & hope Dave's natural resilience will bounce him back to health.
As a side thought, I can't help thinking about the role of a village pub. These days so many villages are losing their pubs. This incident makes you realise what a valuable social role they have. As a central point for news this Pub is beyond price. It is to the Pub we go for the facts, a maybe a drink to get over the shock of it, & it's to the Pub that Linda, his wife, goes as a one stop visit to let the whole village & all his friends know what's happening. Where is to play that important role in society with the demise of the village pub, shop & post office?
Monday, 6 April 2009
Milder days
A spag bol is plopping away on the hob. For once I'm making it rather than the Fox. Mine is a more traditional one. I'm using minced lamb for a bit of a change. There's also some bacon in it. This means there's some bacon fat to put outside on the stoop for the birds. It's a while since we've had much to put out. The fat stayed there a while. Then I heard the familiar cry of a black-backed gull. He's standing guard on the garage roof, letting everyone know there's food below. No one comes & he flies off without even stopping to feed.
A little later Mr Blackbird turns up. He's far keener on the idea of some bacon fat. Now it starts to disappear. I'm always pleased to see the smaller birds getting a look-in. The gulls are great bullies & rarely let the other birds get a feed.
I've decided today is sufficiently spring-like for me to start hardening off the herbs that have been in the kitchen over winter. It's still too early for Basil Bush. He doesn't like the frost & we're still having some heavy frosts at night, even if the days have become considerably milder than they were. The mint & the coriander can certainly start hardenng off. The plants already in the garden are showing new growth now. I reckon if they can survive, it's time for these pampered plants to get used to colder climes & have a drink of rainwater for a change. I'll keep bringing them in at night for a while, but later in the months I intend to plant them out in the big wide world, along with a tarragon plant I bought at the last Farmers' Market. On the whole I'm pleased with the way the herb garden is filling out, with new, stronger growth, this year.
A little later Mr Blackbird turns up. He's far keener on the idea of some bacon fat. Now it starts to disappear. I'm always pleased to see the smaller birds getting a look-in. The gulls are great bullies & rarely let the other birds get a feed.
I've decided today is sufficiently spring-like for me to start hardening off the herbs that have been in the kitchen over winter. It's still too early for Basil Bush. He doesn't like the frost & we're still having some heavy frosts at night, even if the days have become considerably milder than they were. The mint & the coriander can certainly start hardenng off. The plants already in the garden are showing new growth now. I reckon if they can survive, it's time for these pampered plants to get used to colder climes & have a drink of rainwater for a change. I'll keep bringing them in at night for a while, but later in the months I intend to plant them out in the big wide world, along with a tarragon plant I bought at the last Farmers' Market. On the whole I'm pleased with the way the herb garden is filling out, with new, stronger growth, this year.
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Beware the gremlins
Today seems to be a day when the gremlins have come to visit. I decide to have a go on the computer. I've a few things to alter on my freezer contents list.
First the screen is a magnificent magenta colour. I persevere. The screen often starts like this but quickly settles down. And sure enough now it does.
Having finished doing what I wanted on Word, I thought I'd write a blog. I try to sign in. The computer doesn't accept the password.
I typed in the password with my eyes on my fingers rather than the screen. I now realise the password looks extraordinarily long.
OK so type it in again. First entry fine. Second entry & the problem begins. I press the key once but on the screen there are now half a dozen big black spots. I try again. The same. I try a third time, very slowly & deliberately. Success. Just one spot. On to the next entry. Again half a dozen spots appear on screen.
I start repeating the process from the beginning. Each time, very slowly & deliberately. After half a dozen false starts I've finally got here, by which time I've forgotten the subject matter of the blog!
Even then problems continue. Midway in the third sentence the print has changed. It's as though the first bit is in bold (even though I never put bold on) & the rest is in the normal script. I didn't change anything. It must be those gremlins at their games again.
I'm off before they decide to confuse me even more........
First the screen is a magnificent magenta colour. I persevere. The screen often starts like this but quickly settles down. And sure enough now it does.
Having finished doing what I wanted on Word, I thought I'd write a blog. I try to sign in. The computer doesn't accept the password.
I typed in the password with my eyes on my fingers rather than the screen. I now realise the password looks extraordinarily long.
OK so type it in again. First entry fine. Second entry & the problem begins. I press the key once but on the screen there are now half a dozen big black spots. I try again. The same. I try a third time, very slowly & deliberately. Success. Just one spot. On to the next entry. Again half a dozen spots appear on screen.
I start repeating the process from the beginning. Each time, very slowly & deliberately. After half a dozen false starts I've finally got here, by which time I've forgotten the subject matter of the blog!
Even then problems continue. Midway in the third sentence the print has changed. It's as though the first bit is in bold (even though I never put bold on) & the rest is in the normal script. I didn't change anything. It must be those gremlins at their games again.
I'm off before they decide to confuse me even more........
Friday, 3 April 2009
Wildlife discrimination
"She's up at 6 am, looking out of the bedroom window, on heron patrol," says PD in Geriatrics' Corner. A heron has taken to early morning fishing in the pond in their garden. "If it appears, she's off down those stairs, arms flying, determined to scare it away."
We remember our close encounter with a heron when we lived on the edge of the Leighton RSPB Bird Sanctuary. We opened the rather thin front door to find the heron on our doorstep, about to knock on the door. We saw the villainous beak, gently backed away, closing the door behind us, giving it chance to move along. That beak could easily have speared its way through the hardboard door, not to mention our legs.
"She fancied a wildlife garden, so I agreed. She wanted a pond with natural wildlife in it. She's loves showing the grandchildren the water boatmen and so on. But she complains about the heron fishing, & the sparrowhawk hunting. She's no happier about the wild rabbit that hops along in. It ventures into her veg plot. Lord knows what would happen if a fox decided to visit & chase after the bantams."
PD cannot understand this discrimination against some wildlife. "It's all part of nature I tell her. There's a mix of good & bad. You have to accept both sides."
It is true enough. Nature is a war between predator & prey half the time. Personally I would be thrilled if all that wildlife wanted to visit our garden. Though I will admit the visit of a sparrowhawk does tend to result in a distinct absence of birdlife for a while afterwards.
We remember our close encounter with a heron when we lived on the edge of the Leighton RSPB Bird Sanctuary. We opened the rather thin front door to find the heron on our doorstep, about to knock on the door. We saw the villainous beak, gently backed away, closing the door behind us, giving it chance to move along. That beak could easily have speared its way through the hardboard door, not to mention our legs.
"She fancied a wildlife garden, so I agreed. She wanted a pond with natural wildlife in it. She's loves showing the grandchildren the water boatmen and so on. But she complains about the heron fishing, & the sparrowhawk hunting. She's no happier about the wild rabbit that hops along in. It ventures into her veg plot. Lord knows what would happen if a fox decided to visit & chase after the bantams."
PD cannot understand this discrimination against some wildlife. "It's all part of nature I tell her. There's a mix of good & bad. You have to accept both sides."
It is true enough. Nature is a war between predator & prey half the time. Personally I would be thrilled if all that wildlife wanted to visit our garden. Though I will admit the visit of a sparrowhawk does tend to result in a distinct absence of birdlife for a while afterwards.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Birthday season
As we make our way to the Pub, I'm struck by the fact we're well & truly in yellow season. The gardens & hedgerows abound with yellow flowers - daffodils & narcissi, forsythia, dandelions & celandines. It always amazes me how all the flowers of the same colour seem to dominate this time of year. And also by how joyous & cheerful they look.
Yesterday was birthday party day at Geriatrics' Corner. In fact there are 2 birthdays, Fran & Paul. With all the celebration it makes it a very jolly occasion & a better than usual turn-out.
Paul is a younger member of our group, a bit on the periphery at the moment. He's reached the advanced age of 54, still working. All the family have taken the day off work to celebrate his birthday. So here are Judith, his wife, a librarian, & his two sons, Sam & Joe. We know Joe better. He used to work as a barman at the Pub when he was at university. He graduated last summer. Sam is a little older. He's off to the Far East soon for a year, starting in Singapore, then going on to Thailand for a month before going on to Australia. They make such a nice family group. All happy chatting to each other & enjoying each other's company.
Fran is the older of the birthday pair. She's in her 70s & grows younger in some ways every day. Such a kind & generous person. She's suggested she'll give us a ring some time next week & arrange a time for lunch out at the golf club. She & Den are both members so they can sign us in. We've never been before so it will be interesting to see. We've no intention of taking up golf but the golf club is one of the important social hubs in the area, with lots going on, so we're curious to see.
Fran still badly misses her husband, Harry, who died a few years ago. Den is her lodger & very good friend. Harry knew Den through the steam traction engine club - they both enjoyed playing around with these overgrown toys. So when Den got divorced, & was left homeless & broke as a result of the settlement, Harry suggested Den came to stay with them. There he's stayed for 20 odd years & become part of the family. Now that Harry is no more, Den has been an invaluable support for Fran. I'm not sure how she would cope without him.
Yesterday was birthday party day at Geriatrics' Corner. In fact there are 2 birthdays, Fran & Paul. With all the celebration it makes it a very jolly occasion & a better than usual turn-out.
Paul is a younger member of our group, a bit on the periphery at the moment. He's reached the advanced age of 54, still working. All the family have taken the day off work to celebrate his birthday. So here are Judith, his wife, a librarian, & his two sons, Sam & Joe. We know Joe better. He used to work as a barman at the Pub when he was at university. He graduated last summer. Sam is a little older. He's off to the Far East soon for a year, starting in Singapore, then going on to Thailand for a month before going on to Australia. They make such a nice family group. All happy chatting to each other & enjoying each other's company.
Fran is the older of the birthday pair. She's in her 70s & grows younger in some ways every day. Such a kind & generous person. She's suggested she'll give us a ring some time next week & arrange a time for lunch out at the golf club. She & Den are both members so they can sign us in. We've never been before so it will be interesting to see. We've no intention of taking up golf but the golf club is one of the important social hubs in the area, with lots going on, so we're curious to see.
Fran still badly misses her husband, Harry, who died a few years ago. Den is her lodger & very good friend. Harry knew Den through the steam traction engine club - they both enjoyed playing around with these overgrown toys. So when Den got divorced, & was left homeless & broke as a result of the settlement, Harry suggested Den came to stay with them. There he's stayed for 20 odd years & become part of the family. Now that Harry is no more, Den has been an invaluable support for Fran. I'm not sure how she would cope without him.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
What a relief!
After doing the big food shop yesterday, we toodled along to the Pub. Al, our gardener, had been while we were away so he needed paying. We don't like to leave paying small one man businesses any longer than is necessary.
We were also curious. When we'd seen Fran & Den on Monday, we were told that Al had reported at the Pub that there were problems with our kitchen installation. We wondered what they were.
It turned out it was just that he'd been round twice. On neither occasion was there any sign of workmen. He was therefore surprised when we reported it was finished on Saturday. There's a few tweaks to be done, the odd finishing touches, that's it. And on the whole we're pleased with the results.
Then the saga of all the problems with new kitchens, especially new kitchen equipment, came. Al, too, is renovating his kitchen. He's pleased so far with his new cooker & microwave, but, by the time some of the horrendous experiences of some people with new fan ovens etc were related, I was feeling distinctly nervous about cooking dinner. I remember the last time we changed cooker how often food was burnt or not cooked. I came to the conclusion then, that every cooker has its own personality & foibles. You've just got to discover them & adapt.
We got home & I started cooking. Result - flavoursome chips, sweet glossy Vichy carrots, puff pastry suitably puffed & golden, chicken vol-au-vent filling warm & tasty. I admit the pastry was a little bit over browned but I can easily adjust my cooking times in future.
Oh, how great it was to eat real home cooked food again! The Fox had cooked on Sunday but it was just a mass produced frozen pie. This was a meal made with raw ingredients. OK. The puff pastry was frozen, but I'd rolled & cut it into vol-au-vents, the sauce was condensed soup & the chicken was just some left over from a roast I'd done some time ago. But it tasted of home. What a relief!
Today it's the Fox's turn to try real home cooking. He's getting out his beloved wok & doing us a salmon & green bean stir fry. And I, for on, am looking forward to it.
It's good to be back to some normality again!
We were also curious. When we'd seen Fran & Den on Monday, we were told that Al had reported at the Pub that there were problems with our kitchen installation. We wondered what they were.
It turned out it was just that he'd been round twice. On neither occasion was there any sign of workmen. He was therefore surprised when we reported it was finished on Saturday. There's a few tweaks to be done, the odd finishing touches, that's it. And on the whole we're pleased with the results.
Then the saga of all the problems with new kitchens, especially new kitchen equipment, came. Al, too, is renovating his kitchen. He's pleased so far with his new cooker & microwave, but, by the time some of the horrendous experiences of some people with new fan ovens etc were related, I was feeling distinctly nervous about cooking dinner. I remember the last time we changed cooker how often food was burnt or not cooked. I came to the conclusion then, that every cooker has its own personality & foibles. You've just got to discover them & adapt.
We got home & I started cooking. Result - flavoursome chips, sweet glossy Vichy carrots, puff pastry suitably puffed & golden, chicken vol-au-vent filling warm & tasty. I admit the pastry was a little bit over browned but I can easily adjust my cooking times in future.
Oh, how great it was to eat real home cooked food again! The Fox had cooked on Sunday but it was just a mass produced frozen pie. This was a meal made with raw ingredients. OK. The puff pastry was frozen, but I'd rolled & cut it into vol-au-vents, the sauce was condensed soup & the chicken was just some left over from a roast I'd done some time ago. But it tasted of home. What a relief!
Today it's the Fox's turn to try real home cooking. He's getting out his beloved wok & doing us a salmon & green bean stir fry. And I, for on, am looking forward to it.
It's good to be back to some normality again!
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