Chuggers and being naughty

I am quite firm when it comes to road side charity giving.....when approached by one of those smiling, usually attractive undergraduate types holding onto their ID and clipboard, I smile broadly and call out assertively "No thank you!" before marching on with my head held high.
It has always been a personal rule.
Now the reasons for my refusal are as follows:-
1) If I want to give to charity I will do so off my own bat and not as a result of soft bullying tactics
2) I have also always questioned exactly how much of my monthly direct debit would benefit the charity of their choice?

I am glad I have never succumbed to the flash of white teeth and the friendly arm tugs as
Yesterday I read with interest in the Telegraph that when these "chuggers" ( I have never heard this term before) obtain a signature for a regular direct debit payment to say Help the aged then the first £165 is swallowed up with the administration costs of the company employing and paying the chuggers themselves!
Given the fact that many charity givers stop a regular payment to their charity after a year or two it is easy to see just where the money doesn't go isn't it? .
Am I right?....................... or am I an old grump?
Go directly to the charity of your choice that what I say or failing this find the nearest poor old lady and bung her a fiver!


I am tying this blog entry in bed. I got up early, walked the dogs, sorted out the field then with coffee , dogs and a peanut butter bagel I have sneaked back to bed listening to BBC I player- ! with Chris still away, I can get away with it!
Yesterday was sort of a quite non-day. I had to give up strimming the field when my loaned strimmer lost an attachment from it's spinning blade head. I rang the company which helpfully said they would send me a replacement "bit" in the post. After this I was in a bit of a loss of what to do, so I went for a drive to see my friend Hefin, who has a small chicken selling business in the hills....it was a fatal mistake......two cups of tea later, six hens ( 2 light sussex (above),a cochin, two pretty barnevelders and a little grey whatever it is) were sat in the back of the berlingo waiting to be rehoused in my new hen house.....hummm more beaks to feed,but at least these 6 will be good layers)

Chris rang yesterday evening...he has been to France with his mum for the day (remember he is in Kent which is a stone's throw from the French ports) and has stocked up with smoked garlic, tinned duck, and other nice nibbles....he knows me well when he said pointedly
"I bet you have been wearing that shirt all week and haven't had a bath for 3 days"
.........and you know what? he's be right................