Yet More Questions To Be Asked In Parliament?

Our estate's Facebook page is abuzz with the news that planning permission is being sought for the erection of between five and nine houses, to be built at the top of "our" road.

Let's just say "strong" objections are being submitted left, right and centre by a number of residents and after Darrell and Eric went up to inspect the area themselves, in order to make sense of things, we too have had our say.  

Not that we are against the thought of new neighbours ........

........ in fact where the proposed houses are designated to be, is Eric's least favourite part of the school run, especially in the dark, where he always says he feels a just a little vulnerable, as it's just "empty" just hedge, allotments to the other side, lighting that leaves a lot to be desired and where the space in front of the bridge gives him the ebbie jeebies!

But, with all the huge lorries that go in and out of the scrapyard all day, especially when they have to queue to get in, then often have difficulty negotiating their way out, often nudging their way into the shrubbery, it's not the most glorious or peaceful of vistas to live.

The land is has a deep dip, with what was once known as the cress beds below, possibly fed by a natural spring, now just filled with water and a natural habitat for all manner of nature, including, to some in the know, great crested newts? 

And don't get Darrell started on where well pick our blackberries if it all goes through!

Anyway, we've done our bit and had our say ........

 ........ but there's more ..........  and of that, tomorrow! 

Charity Shop Inflation .......

Oh my goodness, yesterday, the ever fragrant Alice did an abrupt turn and double take, outside one of the local charity shops we have been known to peruse and donate to. Something, stood standing on the pavement looked very familiar, very familiar indeed .....

.... to wit, a small drawered side table that Darrell had originally bought for just £4 from the Salvation Army shop as a project, a project that in the end he knew he'd never actually get round to, so we dropped it off at Relate, quite a while ago now.

But it was the price that made poor Alice's eyes water! The origin price they were asking for it was £42, but with no takers it's now been reduced to £25. 

From £4 to £42 and then £25, flipping heck .......

..... it comes to something when inflation is so sky high that we couldn't afford (if we actually wanted to) to buy back our own donation!  Questions, perhaps need, on a quiet day, to be asked in Parliament!!

Lazy Sunday Afternoons ........

Yesterday, we had one of those lazy Sunday afternoons where we didn't quite know what to do with ourselves .....

... until, that is, while Darrell was idly scrolling through his phone with Eric and they happened across "Your Name in Landsat" ...... where you type in your name and it spells it out in land features found in NASA Landsat images ...... 

...... needless to say, their interest was piqued ............

...... and well, since they'd got nothing betterer to do ......

....... it would have been rude not to!  

Let's just say, it kept them amused for a while, but once their source of names ran out, their input got a little boyish and lavatorial, shall we say! 

What on earth are they like? 

Your Name in Landsat - NASA Science

A Potential Rival For Bake Off Chez Towers

Oh my goodness, with a hall cupboard crammed with foam soap cans, leftover from numerous sleepover bath times, our beloved niece and nephew pleaded with us to let them play their own version of "Bake Off", and well, as we didn't have anything really concrete planned, it seemed rude not too, so move over Nigella!

However, admittedly, at first, Darrell did go a whiter shade of pale at the thought of his freshly steam cleaned floor being compromised .........

..... but in the end he managed to persuade himself that should any rouge foam miss the table and hit the floor, said foam soap might perhaps help to intensify (??) the professional, polished sheen he prides himself on. Life is too short, he reasoned not to indulge the little ones now and again, just for the sake of an extra bit of mopping.

Needless to say, total chaos and mayhem ensued, however Alice, bless her, kept a watchful eye on the proceedings, but she didn't even have to show the slightest hint of one of her "special looks", which trust us, despite her ever fragrant, demure demeanour, could easily turn the strongest man into a pillow pillar of salt!  

What followed was a joyous afternoon, where The Towers was filled with so much unbridled and unfettered foamy fun and too many uncontrolled fits of the giggles to count.

As for Darrell's floor .........

....... well, it absolutely shone afterwards, following a quick flick with a multi purpose wipe, so it was win, win all round, in fact, from now on, Darrell's going to positively encourage such activities!  What is he like? 

The School Run Just Got More Interesting (And Trecherous)!!!!

Oh my giddy aunt, it would seem, much to Eric's humungous excitement, that one of the roads he has to regularly traverse in order to get his beloved niece and nephew home is undergoing a substantial reworking, of a gas pipeline type nature .......  

..... and currently resembles something of an obstacle course, with a whole line of large, yellow hurdles disappearing right into the distance. 

However, said hurdles, should you be so stupid to accept the challenge, are not quite as innocent as they would first appear ......

..... as they hide deep, pipe worked holes ......

All very foolhardy and obviously an extremely ill advised folly to even contemplate.

It also goes without saying, that, as always, in such situations, Eric now says he's feeling the irresistible beckoning to don his faithful old hard hat and hi-viz vest for this stage of his journey .....

..... however, I've advised him that despite the immense allure, he might be best keeping away from all the as yet unfilled holes, for fear of an unexpected gust of wind toppling him into oblivion .......

..... and perhaps turn his mind to trying to decipher all the colourful, weird and wonderful, but meaningful chalk patterns on the pavement instead.

The ever fragrant Alice, bless her, to help quell my fears as to Eric's possible distraction, has kindly offered to accompany Eric on the school run, under the premise of wanting to "get a few extra steps in", until the work is completed, just as a precaution .........  what is he like? 

It's Been A While .........

It's been quite a while since any of us have experienced any sort of hedgehog encounter of the charity shop kind, in fact, it's been so long that we'd begun to wonder if Eric's and on occasion our, stalking by such creatures, in any shape or form had finally ceased .......

...... but no, it seems it continues, because yesterday when the ever fragrant one was out and about mooching, low and behold  .........

....... not one, or technically two perhaps .........

...... but three!!!  However, on this occasion, as none were deemed to be that appealing, enchanting or special enough, no considered purchase was made. Alice says she's holding out for the complete no brainer before she gets her money out! !!!!!! What is she like? 

OMG, There's A Real Life Hedgehog Bus!!

OMG, there was Eric minding his own business, in a world of his own, mooching up town, when all of a sudden he was drawn to an abrupt stop, stunned, completely mesmerized, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief, positive that he HAD to be hallucinating ........ 

..... as a beautiful turquoise bus sidled up to one of the stops at the bus terminus ......

 ..... but it wasn't any sort of bus .......

..... this was a real life, actual Hedgehog Bus!  "It was," he said "love at first sight". It was as if his whole life as he knew it had been " .....turned upside down and uncontrollably shaken in a totally unmeasured fashion!"  What is he like? 

At that moment he knew that he wouldn't be able to rest until he could take a ride on said bus.  He needed to find the timetable and the route(s) tout suite and then climb on board as soon as humanly possible!

However, this might not be as easy as he'd first hoped, because it would seem that the bus is a community, volunteer run service to get the good people of Chipping Campden, Mickleton and surrounding villages to Stratford Upon Avon, Evesham and/or Moreton in Marsh.  The bus to Evesham runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but, if Eric wanted to go all the way to Chipping Campden on a Tuesday, he'd have to wait until Thursday to get back home!!!!

As you can imagine, the little fella is just a tad on the disappointed side at the moment, but where there's a will, as far as Eric is concerned, there's always a way. The only obvious option at the moment would be to catch the bus (on a Tuesday or Thursday) at 10.18am in Evesham and then get off at the next stop, to wit the 24 hour Tesco, a trip, sadly, of only five minutes. He'd then have time for an hours shopping or avail himself of an in store Costa, before catching the 11.30am back to town  ......... hmmmmmm 

As and when Eric comes to a decision you, as always, will be the very first to know! 

Hedgehog Community Bus Service, North Cotswolds