Wednesday, April 23, 2008
23rd April St George's Day.
St George's Day.... there is a general feeling that we English should be celebrating our patron saint's day, but we don't seem to be really sure what to do!
There are flags decorating some places - Horley is very well decorated and I think they held an event (or will hold) to celebrate the day. But Saturday is obviously more comvenient for events.
The day began with weather that could be called typically English - it was wet and grey and murky.
We decided that today would be the day when we should buy a cheap video player to replace the old one that continues to play up. One of the cheapest places is Tescos.
I opted for the Tescos not far from Horley.
And I suggested that as this should be a day of celebration, we could have our breakfast out (but then when did ever need an excuse like St George's Day?)
On this occasion I was disappointed with The Jack Fairman - the Wetherspoons place. Their menu was for set breakfast meals which would be very good value, except I shouldn't eat half of it - tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans and probably hash browns are off my menu.
So we sadly left - back out into the sad weather and drove to Tescos.
We were hungry. I checked the Tesos caff, which I don't really like, and found they had a better approach - you could make up your own plate of food for 37p an item. So it was still cheap and I could have things I am permitted to eat.
Then we looked at video recorders - items which are now treated by modern young people as being as old as the Ark itself!
Yes, young people, we will, one day, get to grips with the various types of DVD recorders/players.
But for now we just wanted something cheap to record programmes we might feel sad to miss and maybe play some of the very cheap videos we buy at car boot sales. People struggle to sell films on videos these days for 25p.
By this time I was beginning to feel very weary and aware that my back was aching badly - I think as a result of gut spasm.
I did register the shelf filler sporting a St George set of clothing - bless him!
Perhaps they could have had an area of unusual English foods for customers to sample.
Talking of English foods I heard a sad tale yesterday. My customer in the shop who stayed and chatted a good long time was telling me of a trip to Somerset with a friend and they were drinking some good old fashioned cider, brewed on the farm by an 80 year old. The old guy explained that this was the last of his cider because the EU have deemed that he is making cider with the wrong sort of apples!
I am all in favour of European unity, but really the Eurocrats do let themselves down with such daft decision making.
We had to buy a little food, but I found it harder and harder to concentrate and went to sit down as Bill got the shopping through the checkout.
The weather improved this afternoon - some blue sky and fluffy white clouds; but I didn't improve. In fact I slept for quite a while on the sofa.
My plans to describe more for EBay remained as good intentions.
I popped a meal from the freezer into the oven for Bill and I had just a couple of rice cakes with a tuna spread; I felt too tired and not really hungry.
This evening Bill is sorting out the new video - attempting to clear shelves of things we don't want any more at the same time.
We actually cast our votes in the local elections today. We are off to Wales on election day and may opt to leave at 6 0'clock in the morning so we applied for postal votes. I would feel bad to miss voting - even though I am not sure that even local politicians are really working for the good of the town. More of that another time maybe.
I shall get to bed soon.
There are flags decorating some places - Horley is very well decorated and I think they held an event (or will hold) to celebrate the day. But Saturday is obviously more comvenient for events.
The day began with weather that could be called typically English - it was wet and grey and murky.
We decided that today would be the day when we should buy a cheap video player to replace the old one that continues to play up. One of the cheapest places is Tescos.
I opted for the Tescos not far from Horley.
And I suggested that as this should be a day of celebration, we could have our breakfast out (but then when did ever need an excuse like St George's Day?)
On this occasion I was disappointed with The Jack Fairman - the Wetherspoons place. Their menu was for set breakfast meals which would be very good value, except I shouldn't eat half of it - tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans and probably hash browns are off my menu.
So we sadly left - back out into the sad weather and drove to Tescos.
We were hungry. I checked the Tesos caff, which I don't really like, and found they had a better approach - you could make up your own plate of food for 37p an item. So it was still cheap and I could have things I am permitted to eat.
Then we looked at video recorders - items which are now treated by modern young people as being as old as the Ark itself!
Yes, young people, we will, one day, get to grips with the various types of DVD recorders/players.
But for now we just wanted something cheap to record programmes we might feel sad to miss and maybe play some of the very cheap videos we buy at car boot sales. People struggle to sell films on videos these days for 25p.
By this time I was beginning to feel very weary and aware that my back was aching badly - I think as a result of gut spasm.
I did register the shelf filler sporting a St George set of clothing - bless him!
Perhaps they could have had an area of unusual English foods for customers to sample.
Talking of English foods I heard a sad tale yesterday. My customer in the shop who stayed and chatted a good long time was telling me of a trip to Somerset with a friend and they were drinking some good old fashioned cider, brewed on the farm by an 80 year old. The old guy explained that this was the last of his cider because the EU have deemed that he is making cider with the wrong sort of apples!
I am all in favour of European unity, but really the Eurocrats do let themselves down with such daft decision making.
We had to buy a little food, but I found it harder and harder to concentrate and went to sit down as Bill got the shopping through the checkout.
The weather improved this afternoon - some blue sky and fluffy white clouds; but I didn't improve. In fact I slept for quite a while on the sofa.
My plans to describe more for EBay remained as good intentions.
I popped a meal from the freezer into the oven for Bill and I had just a couple of rice cakes with a tuna spread; I felt too tired and not really hungry.
This evening Bill is sorting out the new video - attempting to clear shelves of things we don't want any more at the same time.
We actually cast our votes in the local elections today. We are off to Wales on election day and may opt to leave at 6 0'clock in the morning so we applied for postal votes. I would feel bad to miss voting - even though I am not sure that even local politicians are really working for the good of the town. More of that another time maybe.
I shall get to bed soon.
