22 October 2011

Gone for a while .... back soon

09 October 2011

Pumpkin Picked

A quick update to my earlier post my first attempt at growing a pumpkin has been picked, weighing in at a decent 35lb 12oz .

07 October 2011

Charity begins at home

In a few weeks time I am off on holiday . My weeks routine of rest and relaxation usually involves getting stuck into a good book or two, whilst in bed, on the balcony or at the beach. To avoid the overpriced book shops at the airport I generally pay a visit to the local charity shop and select 2 or 3 paperbacks . The advantage is twofold. Cheap enough, usually 50p each or 3 for £1, it doesn't matter if I don't enjoy them or ruin them by dropping then in the pool and once read I don't need to bother bringing them home. Also the purchase price, albeit a small one, goes to a good cause.
Today, in a spare 5 minutes I popped in and selected 3 clearly second hand paper backs. I handed them to the lady behind the counter and delved into my pocketful of change as she rung in £1.50. Ah well, clearly the 3 for a £ no longer applied. Then she picked up the second book and rung in another £1.50. Then done the same with the third before asking me for a total if £4.50.
I was so shocked I handed over a fiver and, mouth agape, silently accepted my 50p change .
When I got outside I checked and indeed all 3 had £1.50 pencilled inside the cover. This despite being second hand and donated freely, and one of them still bearing its  original brand new price sticker of £1.99 or 3 for £5.
I have no objection to donating to good causes but this is simply taking the piss. This is the same shop where I once saw a man's shirt in the window priced at £4.99, still in its original Asda wrapper marked £2.99. Indeed charity begins at home, but in future I will stay at home at buy my holiday reading on Amazon.