Looking Rosy

The constant and annoying easterly wind has gone and although it's cloudy in East Yorkshire this morning, it is warm. A trip to the civic amenities site ('tip' to you and me) sees deposited a few old pans and old electrical kitchen things that haven't been used for donkey's years. Indeed, the cupboard in the kitchen is now accessible without everything falling out every time you open the door. Glass bottles and jars as well as cardboard was also recycled.

The greenhouse heater has been on for a few days to protect the plants because we've had frosty conditions and windscreens have been white over for a couple of mornings. Just as well that frosts are no longer forecast because I've run out of paraffin and the local DIY supermarket has none left even though their records say they have eight gallons.  A search of the warehouse for a delivery of paraffin that came yesterday has proved fruitless!

When we moved into this house 15 years ago, there were dozens of rose bushes. There were twenty alone in the front garden which is relatively small. Those that survived in the back garden had been neglected for years, were old, gnarled (just like me) and unpruned. Some of the bushes were eight foot tall. They all went. Every single one of them. I love roses, but I had to consider my children's safety and some of those roses had thorns that would have ripped flesh to pieces as it did mine when it came to taking them out.

Now I have three rose bushes in pots and they are full of bud. The smaller bush has a bud just showing a preview of the lovely colour of the flower to come pictured above.

It's the local elections here for councillors and we had the opportunity to vote whether or not we want to move away from the 'first past the post' system of (national) elections and move to the alternative voting system (AV). I put my ballot papers in the box exercising my right to vote, something I've always done, then I have a right to moan! Seriously, although I won't say which way I voted in the voting referendum, it is an important choice to make for this country.

I always fancied getting into local politics once I retired from my vocation, but although I retain a keen interest, I have been disillusioned by politics in general and perhaps more importantly by politicians.

I ordered a Kindle from Amazon which arrived on Tuesday last. I am a book lover and have hundreds of books, and that's after a clear out, but I thought it was time to think about reducing costs, saving a few forests and using an e-reader. There are plenty of e-readers available in the market, but I have to say I am mightily impressed with the Kindle. It's light (about the same weight as a paperback) and the screen is one of those that you can read easily even in the glare of full sunlight. There are lots of free kindle books to choose from and the cost of an e-book that you pay for is about half for that of an ordinary book.

The Kindle holds about 3,500 books give or take a few bob and charges up only about once a month which is brilliant. Buying Kindle books is exactly the same as buying ordinary books and once ordered they download to your Kindle in a flash either wirelessly or via your computer USB cable. A reluctant convert.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week, the weekend is just around the corner and for once, rain is forecast and I'm not complaining.

Chat soon

Ta-ra