Someone please come and save me from the doldrums of my life!
My little dude, chilling on the beach.
A while ago, I rather smugly wrote to my MP, Mark Oaten. It was a snotty note, using the service provided by: http://www.writetothem.com/
Dear Mark Oaten,
I have been following the latest parliamentary debacle on expenses with
vague disgust and resignation. Today however, Vine on BBC Radio 2 was
encouraging people to go online to see the latest expenses on
www.parliament.uk, in the vain hope that your MP may have been actually
doing their job rather than fleecing the hard working, honest general
public.
It was with sorrow that I then saw my MP, you, had bought an incredible
amount of computer equipment (not to mention repairs on your house…)
and I wanted to ask: How is it necessary, in your line of work, to use
an iMac (£1291.15), an Acer notebook (£1063.21) and a Fujitsu Siemans
Tower PC (£1504.10), complete with labour, printers etc… all
purchased from September 2007 to March 2008. I would assume that your
job is not so technologically critical as to use all 3 (and I also
assume you had some form of computer beforehand) at once. You surely
need time to watch DVD’s on the DVD player purchased…
I shudder to think what is not being revealed in the blacked out
sections.
I look forward to your speedy reply,
Yours sincerely,
Helen Turvey
I pressed send at 20:52, and at 21:01 the phone rang. You could have knocked me over with a feather when the voice at the end of the phone said: Helen? Mark Oaten here, I would like to chat to you about your email.
Now, I know he is an MP, and makes a living out of politicking, but he seriously impressed me. Not only did he answer detailed questions about his expenses, but chatted to me for about 20 mins about the state of the country and whether Gordy will call an early election or not.
When I asked if he called everyone that wrote to him (to which Justin shouted across the room: it is ok, he will claim the cost), and he told me I was the first. So write to them! It may restore a wee piece of faith in our elected representatives.
After receiving a chicken coup for my birthday (January) we have FINALLY got our chickens. Woop woop. In the name of being greener/influenced by Hugh F-W, we decided to get some ex-battery hens and therefore were reliant upon the farmers good will and the wonderful work that the Battery Hen Welfare Trust does.
The ‘girls’ came up from a farm in Devon last Saturday and then got health checked, claws trimmed etc… in time for us to pick them up. We did only cater for 6, but they had unexpectedly received 30 more, so we took another one.
The only thing we had not really considered… what on earth we would do with all of the eggs… 7 chickens, 7 eggs a day… you are now no longer allowed over the threshold without an egg box!
Farrah checking out the girls:
Our 1st egg – laid after 3 hours… impressive:
Mum proudly holding the 1st of many egg presents:
Breakfast, delicious:
Happily exploring their new home:
Honestly, you can barely get a word in edge ways these days… constantly chatting, and if not with us, then with all of her other friends…
Good golly – all the NCT classes, the poring over books, interrogating friends – none of it prepares you for the shock, awe, delight and terror of having your own… Labour: not a pretty affair, thank goodness Justin loves me, I don’t think it was my finest moment…
Farrah Frances Turvey, born 27th March 2009, 5 lbs 9, 20:41, Winchester Hospital. Officially the most fabulous baby in the world. We just love her to bits.
Peanut told us, that she was starting to get bored in the UK without any of the farm dogs to play with, so she wanted a friend. Happily, Milo (a dear sweet spaniel/whippet/collie mix) was going begging and we are all obsessed. A camper dog, you will not find… insists on being as close as possible to Peanut at all times. Fabulous new addition.
