A-Z the letter C (Coalition Government and how everyday families are suffering!)

This one was tricky - my first thought went to Cruelty to animals and then Chewing with your mouth open! 

But eventually I settled on the state of England and in particular since the Coalition Government came into power..... 

(This does not mean that I think Cruelty to animals is not as bad as this, however Cruelty is a common peeve or hate and the majority of 'normal' people agree it is wrong. I thought the Coalition Gov was a more 'risque' post and something specific to 2013 which is why I opted for this!!) 

I am not a political person, I know very little on the in's and outs of life in Westminster (in this era anyway - historically I know more about politics!) but I do know how everyday people up north feel about the situation created down south on the banks of the Thames. This maybe a generalisation because I can not speak for all us Northern folk, but everyone I speak to is disgusted at the state of the country now. It has been increasingly getting worse for many years, but since the two culprits above came into power the lower classes seem to have been made lower. The job market is poor yet benefits changes are been made which mean people suffer (bedroom tax is a prime example of this!). The only people who do not seem to suffer at these cut backs and the inflation rates are those sat in the houses of parliament and the fat cats in charge of major companies. 

But the worst thing in my opinion is the ignorance of this suffering and hardship. Tv programmes highlight situations for poorer people on a weekly basis. (Recently Skint on Channel 4, and even programmes like Secrets of Shoplifters illustrate how times are hard) yet we still have politicians stating they could live on £50 a week!!!!!!!!!!!

Do they know and appreciate how hard it is to feed people on a small budget? how difficult it can be saying no time and time again to kids who want an icecream or sweets? I sincerely doubt that!!!! Not all those people who shoplift or do perhaps 'dodgy' things are career criminals- they are parents who are struggling to put food on the table and clothes on kids backs. 

As a family we have not shoplifted or been reduced to low levels to provide for our children. But my husband has now lost his job due to health issues and is unfit to work for  the unforeseeable future. I am looking for work but with these gunky ear infections and deafness it is a struggle. So now we are going to be one of those families who struggle and have to survive on state handouts!! It is worth mentioning my hubby has worked full time and paid his taxes and National insurance for 27 years. So it is bad and wrong to be surviving on government money - but he has paid into the pot over the years! 

Never would we be reduced to stealing to cope with this downfall - but it gives us an understanding on how people can do this because there are more people out there who are much worse off than us!! As a family we are resourceful and can make cheap and healthy food and repair things instead of replacing but not everyone has the know how or ability to cook properly or mend things. 

I just wish that David Cameron and Nick Clegg could see this; not all people who claim benefits are avoiding work but the majority of them are people who are just down on their luck and struggling to eat and stay warm. They should look at families like mine and many others I know and realise how life is for people who are not in power and who do not have life savings and an inheritance! People who are ill or who have been made redundant because of the state of the economy should not be put in the same category as those idiots who purposely sit on their butts all day and have no intention of working (legally). 

I could go on about this because it a subject so close to me and many people I know and care about - and I accept that this government did not necessarily cause this- but they are not helping and still remain ignorant to a lot of people's plights!

But a magic wand can not be waved - I have a feeling the situation is set to get a whole lot worse before it gets better!!! 

Would be interesting to know what others think?

It will also be interesting to look back and review this situation and subject in a year or more and see my opinions on it then!!! 

A-Z of things which annoy me or I don't like ..... today is the letter A (Alphabet challange!!)

I am a bit late in the day with this series of posts but I have been neglecting this blog a bit because I have hit a bit of a rut.....

Seeing this type of thing on other people's amazing blogs made me want to start my own so the letter today is A.

The  little image at the side of this might just give the game  away because  adverts on telly are one of my pet peeves. Yeah I know its a trivial matter and not important in day to day life - but to me there is nothing more annoying (which  begins with an A that gets on my wick!!!) 

Because of this one of my fave inventions of the 21st century is Sky+, been able to record programs so you can fast forward  them at the annoying bits is bliss for someone like me.

In general I use adverts to try and conquer a level on Candy Crush Saga  or read several chapters of my boo, so I will admit they are handy for that reason. But the same repetitive slogan or song time after time makes me tut at the telly.... (Go Compare anyone?!?!)

(Added the day after) - thinking about this post I thought I was unfair. I know advertising is big business and employs a lot of people in its various forms, I also appreciate how much media influences us in day to day life. Which does not remove this 'peave' of mine - but perhaps makes me less annoyed about it. 

(Hopefully the letter B will not be far behind this post!!) 

TV I love at the moment!

Being a family with not many pennies we go out very rarely. TV is my evenings entertainment - and if there is a programme I consider fab then it can sometimes help me get through the day. (Yeah I know I need a life and I am sure when the kids are a bit older and I am working then there will be more to my evenings than something good on the box.)

At the moment I have quite a few favourite programmes -

RIPPER STREET (BBC)
This is historical and has graphic violent scenes in and it is this type of drama and viewing I prefer over anything. I have read a lot of literature about Jack the Ripper and the era that he terrorised the community; so I especially like that this is set in the same time period but only has echoes of the devastation the mysterious Ripper created.
Now the story has developed answers have been given to questions raised by the American characters and it all ties in to worldwide current affairs. I have read somewhere this show has been given another series so I am excited at what is in store.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (BBC)  Another series based in another era. I actually read all the books before this series began last year. I loved these books and nearly had kittens when I discovered it was to be made for TV. Now we are nearing the end of the second series I am hoping that the powers that be allow us the pleasure of a 3rd set of Poplar adventures.
The main reason I like watching Nurse Jenny and co. is because each episode has highs and lows, it takes the viewer on a real journey. An episode which can bring tears to your eyes is balanced out with a heart warming tale which restores faith in human kindness or human nature. It also highlights just how diabolical living conditions were not 70 years ago, so again an educational programme which has made my children ask some interesting questions about life back then.

SPARTACUS  (Sky 1) 
With even more blood and drama then Ripper St, the whole three series' of this programme has excited me. It has everything I like in a programme - cute (half naked men), quite naughty bedroom scenes and graphic but believable realistic fighting. The dialogue adds to the authenticity of the script and although it is spoken as it would be back in Roman times it is still easy to understand and follow.
I was upset when I heard that this would be the final 10 episodes- but it is a story that reached a conclusion in real life so it needs to reach a conclusion in the TV programme. I feel like I must also mention that Andy Whitfield who played Spartacus did unfortunately pass away in 2011 so as viewers we are lucky he recorded these for us to enjoy.

THE FOLLOWING (SKY ATLANTIC) 
Not liking Kevin Bacon much I was not that interested initially in watching this. However benefit of the doubt and all that... and my conclusion is that although he is a OK actor and plays a good character I still don't like him much. But I do like the concept of this programme and can see how a cult following could occur in real life society. In fact as I was watching it this week I found it so tense... I honestly can't remember the last time I was on the edge of my seat so much when I was watching something. It has only been a few episodes so the tension and drama may diminish as they progress but I will definitely be sticking around to give it a chance.

There is a lot of other TV that I watch on a regular basis - but at this moment in time these 4 are the ones that I look forward to on an evening!

'To Do Lists!' that multiply.

Why is it that on a weekend my 'To Do list' gets longer and longer? I seem to cross one job off with my left hand whilst adding a new chore I've just found with my right.  (In fact cos I am so picky about my lists and hate to have lots of crossings out I write about 3 new neat ones in the duration of the day!)

Take for example this weekend - I am doing usual family jobs like getting the kids to clean their rooms and do their homework - but some how as I am going round 'reminding' everyone what they need to do my eyes discover new jobs that need to be done. (It may be worth mentioning that whilst I use the verb 'reminding' the family say 'nagging'.)

I feel so bossy every weekend - but in my opinion there is nothing worse than getting to a Monday morning and rushing around and discovering homework not all done, shoes not polished, crumpled up school letters in the corners of bags etc...

So why not do it over the full weekend and not leave it until Sunday? Well that's the annoying thing - I do try to spread it out so it's not so intense on the one day. But with Brownie outings and clubs and parties and this weekends sledging fun - it isn't so easy to get them settled down to the table in front of their books.

Which means every weekend my lists will be redone - I consider it a good Sunday if it gets to 9 o'clock at night and the kids are tucked up in bed and I am smuggled in my P.Js watching all the historical TV. (Call the midwife, Mr Selfridge, Ripper Street are on remind tonight and I can't wait!)

The first week of the year!

Seen as I am trying to keep a record of my (ordinary life) I thought some weeks that I would try to do an update.

The 1st part of the week was mainly child centred - getting the routine back for school runs and early mornings. However I did apply for some jobs and enter lots of comps, read lots of books and learnt a new skill.

It wasn't my intention to learn a new skill - but my sons hair was becoming unmanageable  He was beginning to resemble cousin It from the Addams family. Been short of funds I decided I would once again attempt to cut his hair myself. In all honesty I have tried before and not one of those bowl style cuts from yesteryear, but it always went a bit pear shaped  Then I had an idea - why not watch a couple of videos on YouTube  So i did - the result was a resounding success. He likes it. I like it - and better still now you can see his lovely blue eyes. I did have some drama whilst doing it though as my daughter who watched the clips too also thought she should be able to have a go at chopping her brothers hair. When she realised I wasn't going to let her loose with the scissors she threw a tantrum like only a stroppy 8 year old can. She still isn't happy about it days later but she understands why her being an hairdresser wasn't an option. (Would she let her 11 yr old brother loose on her long locks?)

On another note there has been a bit of drama on the street too. Next door there was a minor chip-pan fire and the lovely guy who lives there had to be admitted to hospital for smoke inhalation. Thankfully there was no major damage to the house and the fire brigade didn't need to be involved but it definitely served one of those moments where you count your blessings.

The other incident happened today when the 83yr old living in a bungalow across the road fell face first on his return from the shop. Again he was lucky to the extent that no serious head injuries happened - however he had to spend all afternoon at the local A&E for his badly cut hands to be cleaned out and all the gravel removed. There were several of us who helped him until his son arrived and not only could we not believe his age once he had told us we also couldn't believe the amount of blood caused by hand injuries. The worse part is he loves playing piano and the keyboard and now until he has healed he will struggle to do this. We had never spoken to this elderly man previous to this, he hadn't lived their long. But now I know we will be more aware of him as we go about our day to day business.

Right last bit - TV i am loving at the moment includes BBC's The Ripper Street and Mr Selfridge on ITV, I am determined to not get into the hype of Celebrity big brother though!! haha