Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

Talking about American food earlier, a friend sent this of her purchase in a US farmers' market.


Looks like glorified Eccles cakes to me. Certainly not Traditional English Christmas pies.
Surely traditional ones are mince pies. More confusion to my US friend!

 

we had fireworks going off last night for the first time in a very long time, even police said that they were visiting local peacefully firework displays, how are fireworks peacefull??? you can hear them miles away

 

I understand totally @Fat Controller. For the last 20 years or so, we'd get fireworks from mid October round here, because that's when the school holiday is, so the inevitable happens with the little gobsh*tes who think it's great to let them off at all hours of the day and night. When my children were small, everyone just did a bit on the actual night itself, often a group of neighbours and children at one go, and now it seems they're fine for every r*ddy occasion possible.
I've noticed a big difference this year, as there were none until about last weekend. I don't know if this clampdown on the sale has made that difference, or maybe it's because they're all inside looking at computer screens instead.

 

We tend to get fireworks all year round and they will be in the illegal time period. They have more for Diwali too.

Years ago it was terrible. One year about 3 weekends after bonfire night some neighbours started to let some off. I was so annoyed that I opened up my back door and yelled "BONFIRE NIGHT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO WE'VE HAD ENOUGHT FOR CHRIST'S SAKE". All went quiet immediately!

These days it's much quieter, but it's tomorrow isn't it - what's the date.....

 

When I was young all we had was the small Standards firework box with a Catherine wheel, a fountain, some traffic lights etc. It was enough and they weren't loud or a nuisance. I used to love opening the box up just to smell them!

Now when I lived in Singapore they were really loud - great chains of bangers hanging up. Didn't they ban the import of these types - well they probably do get through and those are the really loud ones we hear - like bombs going off.

I feel sorry for wildlife - they must think they are being shot at. No wonder there is less of it.

 

And what about suet? They've probably not heard of it.

 

I remember well the Catherine wheel that never spun and the rocket in a milk bottle that never took off.
Jumping jack that only jumped once.
Then the metal sparklers that got too hot to hold.
Yes the good old days.

 

I remember those little boxes too @cactus_girl - and my Dad doing the necessary with the milk bottles for the rockets @pete - although I think he always did a good job!

Simple pleasures - and a simpler time altogether.

 

The people who lived a couple of houses down from us used to have massive firework displays for birthdays, anniversaries and bonfire night. As they barely spoke to neighbours we didn't have a clue when these events would take place, and they always went off after about 10 pm!

 

Our garden waste collections used to be year round apart from about 4 weeks over Christmas and New Year. That has changed and collections stop at the end of November and don't restart until February. That means our last collection is 19th November and our next won't be until 14th of February. Effectively 3 months without a collection. They actually increased the charge this year too.
If our last collection had been one week later (26th Nov) our next collection would have on the 7th of Feb. Some people effectively get 2 additional collections. The council may claim it will even out over time but it will be a long time!

 

That wouldn't suit me, @KT53, with my supply of fallen oak leaves from Dec onwards. We only miss one - the first collection after Xmas is for decoration-free trees, not bins.

How many words have politicians spoken about stopping the boats? And what has it achieved? Complete waste of time, frankly. "Quit yakking and get stuff done" would be a good gov mantra.

 

@ViewAhead the Labour Party opposed every single thing the Conservatives tried to do to stop the boats. The main reason so many keep coming is because they know they will be housed, fed and given money. Cut out all three and the numbers will plummet. At best, give them one option for accommodation. If that doesn't suit they can't be all that desperate.