21 April 2019 (Sunday) - Easter Sunday


Yesterday evening was a rather good catch-up with old friends with wonderful food. It was such a shame that I was awake for most of the night feeling rather bloated. Rice swells up with too much beer…

My stomach was gurgling rather impressively as I scoffed toast this morning. As I scoffed I read something on Facebook which worried me. The local council are going to start charging for using the local tips. Bearing in mind I’m often up there I got a tad worried. Then I actually read the article to which the link led. Charges are being made for dumping plasterboard (that won’t affect me), rocks (I want those!) and soil. I’ve got rid of excess soil before by advertising it and people have collected it. And paid for it.
Yet more scaremongering by Kent Live…
I also saw the “Keep Ashford Clean” bunch had staged a tidy-up at the co-op field yesterday. They seem to delight in posting all over social media about what they have done, but keep very quiet about what they plan to do.
And then I saw yet another example of the total failure of democracy. There are local elections taking place in a couple of weeks. There are six wards locally where the results of those elections have already been announced. With only one candidate standing in each ward (and the closing date for nominations having passed), in each case the candidate gets the job unopposed. Interestingly each one of these people is standing for the Conservative party. Bearing in mind the popularity of the Conservatives at the moment you would have thought that the other political parties might have made the most of the opportunity. But there is a world of difference between shouting and ranting on social media, and getting off your arse and doing the (thankless) job of being a local councillor. I wouldn’t fancy it much.

Bearing in mind the weather forecast we thought we might take the dogs for a little adventure before it got too hot. Four Village Signs geocaches made for a good outing. We started in Bilsington where we solved a puzzle based on a road sign, then went for a little stroll to find a plastic pot. We then relocated to Ruckinge where we couldn’t find a tub at the base of a tree, then got into a minor squabble with a local. Perhaps Pogo shouldn’t have been in the chap’s garden, but did this bloke have to be quite so obnoxious about it? Mind you, I remember (from my time in scouting) that Ruckinge always was home to the nastiest people in the Ashford area. And, as I shouted to the chap, I know where he lives, and if he gets a dog turd through the post he can only guess at from where it came
We then replaced the geocache that was missing (because we were told that we could), then drove up to Kenardington where we rummaged round a bus shelter before coming home.
We found four pots – it made for somewhere different to take the dogs.

We came home for hot cross buns (it is Easter after all). As we scoffed, "Stormageddon - Bringer of Destruction TM" phoned to play his recorder at us. His rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” was outstanding and was in a field of its own. There are those who might say that it would sound best when he is out standing in a field on his own…

I did a little geo-puzzling, then (in a novel change) I drove us round to the abode of "My Boy TM" where we had a little family barby. I scoffed far too much whilst the lilttluns played “Find the Plaster” which is (so I am told) *the* game to play in your uncle’s hot tub. I’m not sure the first fruit of my loin agreed. Eventually the littluns went home, and Cheryl and "er indoors TM" took up residence in the hot tub. Neither found any plasters. We all sat in the sunshine chatting until the sunshine gave way to the dark. And then we watched the bats. I’ve now got stomach ache from a couple of litres of Doctor Pepper and more hot dogs than sense.
And "er indoors TM" is snoring.
Not a bad way to spend Easter Sunday…

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