I contacted the council twice today, the first this morning simply to enquire if the collections would go ahead given the weather prior to carting it all out, the answer was “yes they are out but we don’t know yet if they will last the day”. That’s fair enough, I made sure all rubbish was available to take, card & paper in one extra bag and cans & bottles also in an additional bag given the number of weeks since the bins and boxes were taken for recycling.  It is now 4.15 and my drive looks as if it’s replaced the tip at Whetstone.

The second contact was to ask if the items for recycling are still being collected, yes hopefully they are, “they have been out since 7.30 this morning but the side roads are bad and the lorries are extremely heavy given the excess weight from Christmas, Leave it out until 5pm and if they haven’t been collected there will be a full pick up next week”, oh good because then it can all be brought back to keep the drive warm in the snow.

The gritters were not too helpful then, they weren’t where I live either, did they come out at all? Perhaps it’s time that the council started working on a rota system like many other services do. A rota does not mean you have to work Christmas day and Boxing day, but it would mean that there would not have to be a massive and troublesome collection after Christmas.

The July fortnight, no Shops open on a Sunday and the  Monday to Friday and 9 til 5 jobs are becoming more scarce. Is it not time the council boarded the 21st century? It’s a good job that nurses, policeman fireman, prison officers and postmen don’t work that way, imagine the excess that would gather up. And I bet that council workers were glad that they could find shops open when they needed one outside of 5pm and a weekend.

Last night though we had an Owl, larger than life watching every move my husband made without moving anything but his head, curiously though he was not bothered at all by the dog, but then the dog was not looking up at him. I love it, i’m not a “twitcher” or someone thats at one with nature, but i like being able to look out over the garden and watch the number of visitors we receive.

What visits you? there must be some gardens in Kirby with some wonderous visitors.

Outside the post office were six elderly people blocking the entrance to tbe door. Whilst my daughter joked that they too can be intimidating in a group, she explained herself further when questioned. She stated that, older people often seem to assume that a young person of any gender that is dressed in a hoodie is a “yob”, about to use abusive and threatening language and possibly mug them or frighten them.

The truth of the matter is that the body language they are exhibiting is distressing and hurtful and it’s no wonder that some youngsters feel angry and upset. She said that there is a self- righteousness aura in the way they look down on you with expected  criminal intent followed by relief and wonderment when she utters “excuse me please” and thank you.

Can this cycle of fear or annoyance ircle ever be stopped and if so how?

It seems to me that each year Christmas begins earlier and earlier, i spotted my first sight of trimmings and carols in the shops in August. August to me is still children off school and summer holidays , not trees, turkey and trimmings. Maybe it is because my children are no longer small Santa believers, or perhaps it’s because i’m no longer amid all the festivities and preparation of it all by working at home, does anyone else feel this way, is it a chore for you or as wonderful as the television and books would have us believe?

For those of you who also feel obliged to send greetings to someone you haven’t seen or heard of since last christmas…….here are the last posting dates.

2nd Class  – 18th December

1st Class – 20th December

Special Delivery – 23rd December

International Airmail from 5th December depending on destination

Reporting on the village and its amenities they both unconsciously emitted, this is a quiet rural village and we want to keep it this way, more of an adult view than that of a schoolchild at primary age. I am by no means undermining the children concerned but when it is written that sound barriers for noise pollution near Vicarage Close and surrounding areas would be a good idea, am i the only slightly suspicious or cyical reader.

Of course the older residents amongst us value the peace of a picturesque village with its known security and safety of knowing who you live alongside, but the reality for the younger generation is isolation and boredom.

In the first report the subject of fascinating buildings and local clubs such as bowling and fishing by no stretch of the immagination suggest exciting time consuming activities for youngsters. The second report at best states we have a park to walk through, well whoop-de-do!

The truth of the matter is that society has moved on so much that technology has overtaken the immagination. In fear of saying, “back in my day” school holidays meant gokart building after scavinging for parts, den building and swinging over streams on a rope, marbles, hopscotch and skipping…….fun then but incredibly dated now. With the onset of the internet, email and instant messaging alongside the technology of Playstations and the wii it seems most if not all entertainment is inside snd where it’s safe. Our throw-away society and lack of monetary values means it is easir to buy a gokart than build one.

There were one or two  suggestions towards the end of the reports that appeared to me to be the views of younger minds, firstly a youth club for teenagers,  somewhere inside with activites and a youth leader could be a positive move. Secondly the suggestion of a bus service between Kirby, Ratby, Groby and Glenfield would enable friends from these villages and atteding Brookvale or the college to interact more independently.

Having pets i prefer to have someone house/pet sit when i go away, my choice of sitter was not so good this year and i was not happy on return. Instructions were left but not adhered to and to cut a long story short, i paid someone to throw a party, break plates and glasses, smash a pane of the green house, give the computer a drink and steal things. The worst thing for me was the amount of pet food left…..what could hey have been fed? this is still to be answered and i hope that no neighbours were upset, if this is the case i apologise.

I am too trusting but lesson learned, i’m a little too soft where animals are orry for the lack of posts but you’ve guessed it i’ve been away.concerned after having a dog come back from the kennels with kennel cough,

Anyway, i shall scour the usual areas to see if anything interesting has happened in or to or about the village whilst away, better still if you are aware of any news…… let us know.