Confession

Ethereal being forgive me. It's been over a week since my last blog.

But, in my defence, (all be it a poor one) I lost my computer lead and I don't feel comfortable blogging from a different computer.

I was quite organised last weekend and I wrote one in advance of going away so from the comfort of the passenger seat of the car, all I had to do was post it.

So, a week has passed, there is a new Mr and Mrs Brunell in the world (congratulations all round) and we had a lovely, if hectic time in the Dales. 3 hampers were delivered and 2 niece/nephew presents as well as the present for everyone's favourite Grandmother, Nana Maisey, who has been proudly showing off her copy of Prima to anyone and everyone. Of course Nana Maisey's anyone and everyone is a bit different to most peoples. As the wife of the Admiral of the (Merchant Navy) Fleet, she is incredibly well connected and my copy of Prima has gone to my spiritual home, Egglestone Hall. I'm thrilled by that prospect. I'm happier no where than there!

So, what have I been making? Good question. Well, I've been trying to finish Josie's blanket. I've finished the main body of it, I'm on the last ball of wool and doing the edging now so it'll be done very soon. My Nana bought a little crochet blanket in a charity shop the other week and I'd not seen the stitch formation before so I utilised the modern convenience of camera phones to be able to copy the pattern. I love technology!

I also have reduced my t0-do pile by 50%, I spent most of my day off on Friday taking in skirts and dresses. I now have a big pile of tops and trousers to get through and I'm hoping to do that in the next couple of days. Then, it's more Christmas tree decorations - I need to knock out another pile of those (I do like making them) and the next round of hampers.

We have our W.I. dinner next week and I really need to make something for the raffle. I wonder what I can do. I could give a cake, I suppose, I'll have to re count and see how many I have left. I have ear marked one of the squidgiest ones for an orange christmas pud a la Heston Blumenthal off of the Waitrose advert. Yum!

Ethics = Effort. That's why I'm always knackered.

Madame accepted her first visitors today. Jane and Josie came to visit, closely followed by Lou, who all came to meet Goat, eat cake and borrow sensible dome tent, in the name of sharing assets to save money. We like that.

I was planning on sharing another asset too, my abundance of fresh free range local eggs, which I did share. But the little gets got me to part with some of my new and brilliant tomato sauce and my soup in the sterilized kilner jars. Apparently, according to Lou's Mum, food always tastes better when you burn yourself making it. That soup will be awesome as I scalded my stomach with the boiling sterilizing water. Got off pretty lightly with it though. No visible scald. Could've been worse.

So Madame appears to be afraid of children. Josie, actual cutest coolest kid in the universe, appeared to unnerve her somewhat. She did however put that to one side long enough to take a custard cream off her, though!

BBC News 24 was very interesting today. It's fairly interesting most days to be fair but I've become somewhat addicted to the whole Volcano ash debacle as I'm fascinated by how much chaos the lack of air craft trips have caused, that as a nation, as a planet, we are SO reliant on this most polluting, hazard filled, environmentally and socially unfriendly of transports types. I know it's controversial, but I can't help feeling smug about my "only holiday in the UK" policy. I wouldn't be stuck in a poxy airport for a week! But I wouldn't be able to go skinny dipping in the med either. I think we'll stick to the caravan, actually! Just on the off chance that the next door volcano kicks off - that'd be just my luck.

The particularly interesting thing that this has thrown up, though, is the food and sustainability thing.

As a nation we have grown so accustomed to having seasonal produce all year around that the seasons, as far as food goes, now mean very little. See previous blog about tomato prices. I'm ashamed to say that I don't know for definite when the very best time for me to be making sauces is. So used, are we, to having food flown in from all over the world.

The BBC showed video of an avocado orchard/factory/whatever you want to call it in Ghana, and all the tonnes and tonnes of avocados sat rotting in their warehouses that would ordinarily be in Tesco or somewhere. This raised the issue of the unseen impact of the airspace closures. The impact on the everyday farmers and food processors all over the globe, and livelihoods. Then, a further question is asked.

WHY DOES THE ECONOMY SUPPORT AFRICA FEEDING THE UK AND NOT AFRICA FEEDING AFRICA?

Ended up having a naughty food day. Seeing as we were receiving callers this evening I thought it only good manners to make a cake (good excuse more like) so I made my special Rock Star Victoria Sponge. I am going to have spend a few quid this week on a couple of new cake tins as I've suddenly realized that silicone is crap. I'm going to invest in a good set of sponge tins, and I should never have to replace them if I look after them properly.

That's what this old anti-consumerism thing boils down to though. It's not about not buying anything, it's about buying what YOU want and need not what the advertisers want you to buy. The eco-warrior in me then adds to that with buy one good thing instead of half a dozen poor quality things. Not only have you got the disposal of the half a dozen poor quality things to think about but also the energy, chemicals and substances involved in making those 6 poor quality things. The economist in me then adds to buy that one good thing locally, and from a supplier with good ethical policies.

Crikey, having ethics is hard work!