Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Time to stand up and be counted
There was a comment today on Facebook, from our niece Emma - thinking that we are now famous!
Well, we have stuck our heads above the parapet and have joined in the neighbourhood protest about the proposed development in front of our house.
Comments on the web site are mounting.
I thought perhaps it was only us who saw this small green area as a valuable oasis of green.
But other people are feeling equally aggrieved about its proposed loss.
I loved the image of one writer who talked of this land being a place where children could play ball games and fly kites!
This morning I responded to a request from a journalist on one of the local papers. I talked with her for a while and then she asked if I would mind being in a photo to be taken of the area.
Well, yes, I mind just a little - but of course was prepared to stand up and be counted and have the picture of me in the paper.
This is why Emma commented that I would be famous.
There was a time when I didn't just have my name in the paper for doing things, but I wrote for it and submitted photographs.
I wrote athletic reports - which the editor found hard to cut and change.
I took photos of athletes which one paper used regularly to accompany the things written.
So I don't really feel this picture is anything very special - it will probably look awful.
Anyway, I wasn't alone.
I spent a little while this morning calling on neighbours to invite them to join me.
And at the same Lil was calling on them with a petition.
Lil..... for 43 years she has been Mrs Stag Motors and we had no real name for her until now. She and Mr Stag Motors (Len) live in the house next to the flat we lived in until Jamie was born. Len used to drive a van for Stag Motors.
We see them regularly at car boot sales and no words have passed between us - I guess we thought they didn't recognise us and presumably they thought we didn't know them.
So, if nothing else, this proposed development is creating a bit more community spirit.
At midday the photographer called and in the end there were 5 of us. There was Bill and me - Frieda, Rose and Brenda (one of the sisters I mentioned a couple of days ago).
The photographer had us holding the notice that had been placed for all the world to see about the plans. Except that nobody could see it because it had been ripped from the string tying it to a lamp post. We found it later in the long grass. I complained to the council about this.
The photographer wanted us to look grim - how I hate being on camera looking grim!
Finally he asked us to raise clenched fists at the notice.
What an embarrassment!
The rest of the day has been more normal - wrapping, invoicing and dealing with payments.
These are the last EBay things I shall deal with now until June - although I would like to get some more things described in the next week.
We have been shopping - apart from bread and milk we need no more food now until the end of May.
We had better buy cat food though!
So that has been the day - mostly quite a sunny day.
Time for a cuppa and to watch and listen to the music on the Jules Holland show. Goodnight.
Well, we have stuck our heads above the parapet and have joined in the neighbourhood protest about the proposed development in front of our house.
Comments on the web site are mounting.
I thought perhaps it was only us who saw this small green area as a valuable oasis of green.
But other people are feeling equally aggrieved about its proposed loss.
I loved the image of one writer who talked of this land being a place where children could play ball games and fly kites!
This morning I responded to a request from a journalist on one of the local papers. I talked with her for a while and then she asked if I would mind being in a photo to be taken of the area.
Well, yes, I mind just a little - but of course was prepared to stand up and be counted and have the picture of me in the paper.
This is why Emma commented that I would be famous.
There was a time when I didn't just have my name in the paper for doing things, but I wrote for it and submitted photographs.
I wrote athletic reports - which the editor found hard to cut and change.
I took photos of athletes which one paper used regularly to accompany the things written.
So I don't really feel this picture is anything very special - it will probably look awful.
Anyway, I wasn't alone.
I spent a little while this morning calling on neighbours to invite them to join me.
And at the same Lil was calling on them with a petition.
Lil..... for 43 years she has been Mrs Stag Motors and we had no real name for her until now. She and Mr Stag Motors (Len) live in the house next to the flat we lived in until Jamie was born. Len used to drive a van for Stag Motors.
We see them regularly at car boot sales and no words have passed between us - I guess we thought they didn't recognise us and presumably they thought we didn't know them.
So, if nothing else, this proposed development is creating a bit more community spirit.
At midday the photographer called and in the end there were 5 of us. There was Bill and me - Frieda, Rose and Brenda (one of the sisters I mentioned a couple of days ago).
The photographer had us holding the notice that had been placed for all the world to see about the plans. Except that nobody could see it because it had been ripped from the string tying it to a lamp post. We found it later in the long grass. I complained to the council about this.
The photographer wanted us to look grim - how I hate being on camera looking grim!
Finally he asked us to raise clenched fists at the notice.
What an embarrassment!
The rest of the day has been more normal - wrapping, invoicing and dealing with payments.
These are the last EBay things I shall deal with now until June - although I would like to get some more things described in the next week.
We have been shopping - apart from bread and milk we need no more food now until the end of May.
We had better buy cat food though!
So that has been the day - mostly quite a sunny day.
Time for a cuppa and to watch and listen to the music on the Jules Holland show. Goodnight.
