First World Problems

Some people have more first world problems than others... it must be a trial to them.

So, the local Council have suspended garden waste collections -- not enough staff to maintain a normal service for all waste collections, and garden waste collection is not a mandatory service they have to provide.  And the refuse tips are closed, because going to the tip is not a valid reason for being out of the house. 'Please compost your garden waste at home'.

Me: Shrugs. As long as they keep taking food waste (not that I generate a lot, but my neighbours do, and rats are no respecter of boundaries) I'll cope somehow.  I have a couple of composting bins, but they're in a place which is too dark and cool for them to work correctly, so I've stopped using them. Will have to start again for pruning and weeding and stuff like that, I suppose, plus get the lawns mowed once a month and hope the collections restart before the garden waste bin overflows: lawn clippings do not store well, I know from bitter experience. And if the worst comes to the worst I shall re-christen the lawns the front and back paddocks, and invite in local sheep and llamas.

Somebody else in the village [X] via Facebook: It's an OUTRAGE. (Yes, in capitals).  The Council have REDUCED the frequency of garden waste collections and PUT UP the cost. (Yes, in an attempt to minimize and cover the cost: do keep up). And now they're WITHDRAWN the service altogether.  We should WITHHOLD our Council Tax (which doesn't go towards the Garden Waste collection, which they've stopped charging for at the moment, but don't let facts get in the way of a good rant) and ALL WRITE LETTERS OF COMPLAINT. (Because the Council doesn't have enough to deal with at the present....)

At least he hasn't received (so far) any support on the Village Facebook page, or else I might feel compelled to go out at the dead of night (observing social distancing) and apply weedkiller to his immaculate front lawn in a pattern that says: Something honest but not kind.

Baa!

 Last time I traveled abroad: Last time I went to Wiscon, so 2012

Last time I slept in a hotel: Last September

Last time I flew in a plane: 2012, coming back from Wiscon.

Last time I took a train: Can't remember the last time I went up to London. Should have been this week just past but events evented.

Last time I took public transit: Same time as the last time I took a train.

Last time I had a houseguest: In ordinary circumstances I have a house guest each week, but he's locked down in Surrey for the duration.

Last time I got my hair cut: Sometime in 1990, before I moved out of London.

Last time I went to the movies: Lost in the mists of time -- I'm not a film fan.

Last time I went to the theatre: Not my thing, so probably when I was still at school

Last time I went to a concert: Before 1990, while I was still living in London (although  it was more probably a ballet/dance performance than a concert)

Last time I went to an art museum: Oursin, help me -- when did we meet at the National Portrait Gallery?

Last time I sat down in a restaurant: 12th February with a dear local friend. We meet for lunch every month, although that's on hold for now.

Last time I went to a party: Crosses fingers, backs off rapidly; doesn't do parties. If pressed, there was a New Years(?) party with an author who was completely up themself.... in the 80s?  Awfully North London.

Last time I played a board game: Trivial Pursuit on a group holiday in the early 2000s (I lost -- far too many sports questions).