Networking, LBC,

Spent the day clearing the weeds,grass and rubbish from the field wall, and although it isn't a vast area it has taken me much of the day. The hard work has been useful as I have networked with passing locals who have stopped to admire the tidiness. So I have the promise of a cheap chimney sweep, ordered some cheap logs for the fire, hopefully got a contact to cut the rest of the field's hedges , sold some eggs and have swapped some more eggs for onion sets for winter planting. I have also spent the day listening to LBC (London Talk Radio) The subject of today's phone in was education, and I have found this whole discussion sobering and rather frightening on behalf of parents with children ( Yes I know I am not always so supportive). Many of the callers, desperate to get a good education for their children have gone to amazing lengths to secure a good school for their kids. Extra home tuition for tiny children is apparently commonplace, certainly sleepless nights and hours of interviews and phone calls seem to be the norm, and many callers were stating that they had actually sold their homes to move to get into the catchment area of choice. The pressure to get the best for their children seems terribly high and I thought it interesting that The Bishop of Croydon, Rev Nick Baines, stated this morning that parents ferrying kids between violin, ballet and swimming lessons are putting them under unnecessary pressure to excel, in addition to the existing pressures to perform for school.
Parents and children , stress levels seem so much higher than they did when I was mooching around with my one A level pass ( gradeE) in the late 1970s!!!

Went out to a open garden in Wrexham this afternoon, and although most of the colour had gone out of the garden the rubekia (right) was amazing! (I have three flowers in my garden...total!)