With thanks to The Badly Dubbed One, the answer to another of lifes questions’, which is vital when living in Wales.

When its raining, does walking or running leave you less wet?

What can I add. The man was a God.

According to this Institute, which I found courtesy of these people, we didn’t do SO bad in naming the boy (although the “v” in Steven seems to be an issue, oh well).

Latest news is that he is 14lb 10oz and moving along just above the 50th percentile line. This is good, I am assured. He now has full conversations with me - although he speaks some foreign language, possibly Eastern European, which I am trying to master. He is being fed mashed food and spitting plenty back at me (if you see me with bits of carrot dangling from my hair, please let me know). He seems to enjoy it.

Swimming is coming along well, with frequent practice sessions around the bath. He flirted with a girl for the first time on Friday. Her name was Natasha and she was a few days younger than him at just 5 months.

There is a newish picture over on the gallery, in case you are interested.

So, a couple of Saturday’s ago (and thanks to this man for the reminder), I was casually flicking (and by casually flicking, I actually mean speed-reading, whilst small child was asleep over my shoulder) through the Guardian magazine when I was stopped short by a full-page advert for Tesco. It read:

“Sugar snap peas. Flown fresh from Guatemala. By Jet. Then delivered to your house. By Tesco van. Oh well, you can’t have it all.”

I went to turn the page and then stopped. I re-read the advert. Then I became incredibly angry.

I cannot believe that we are so desparate for sugar snap peas that we could possibly think it so important that they should be flown all the way from Guatemala. And, on the basis that they are some sort of Nirvana that I am yet to experience, that we are such a lazy society that we can’t get off our fat arses (and I speak from personal fat arse experience here) to go to the shop and collect them.

Taking the second point first. I am still amazed that people find food shopping - and by that I mean the entire experience of wandering around, taking an hour out of their lives, interacting with other members of the human race and making decisions, on the hoof - such a difficult activity. I understand that for some it is not an easy experience. I have friends and family who have to use wheelchairs and who still manage to do their shopping in person. I have friends and family without access to their own transport, who stagger to the local bus stop with their bags. I have family who are in their 80’s (and who don’t have their own transport) who do a little bit of shopping at a time, because it is all they can carry and they are too stubborn to ask for a lift. They are making their own decisions about which vegetables to buy, meeting with people and sharing conversation. I mean, is it really SO difficult that we need to get other people to pick out our sprouts for us? Are we so incredibly overwhelmed that we cannot spend the time to pop into a supermarket, where, for our convenience, every imaginable luxury is brought together under one roof, and have to have a person in a van deliver it to our door? Even when, on the whole, at least one item on our list was “unavailable” and “substituted”?

And, even if this is the case, why, for expletives sake do we need to fly sugar snap peas in from Guatemala? By jet, no less. Using more fuel and causing more harm to the planet than can surely be justified by any small, green vegetable. Would a local cabbage not be as fulfiling? Or even some local peas, spinach or other green thing? Why couldn’t some Curly Kale fit the bill and provide the vitamins and minerals that a person would get from their Guatemalan sugar snap peas?

I’m not saying I’m perfect. We’ve all seen the those delicious looking apples - which surely must have been grown in the UK - bought them, only to discover they have been flown in from Australia, or some similar remote territory. There is also the moment when I’ve realised that more than half the produce in my cupboards has been transported into the UK by some means or other. I mean, how many low-cost plum tomatoes in tins are really grown in the UK? However, that doesn’t mean that I think that its somehow clever to have my vegetables flown in and delivered to my door especially for me.

I am not a Tesco shopper. With advertising like this, I am never going to become one. I’m convinced that William would have agreed with my rant, had he not been asleep at the time.

On the 4th November 2004, there will be a public meeting, held at Llandough Hospital in the Parentcraft Room to discuss the on-going Womens Services Review. The meeting starts at 6.30pm.

From my previous entry, you will know that, after having William, I have some concerns about what is happening with the closure not only of the neo-natal unit, but also the obstetric-led maternity unit at Llandough, if for no other reason than I will have to travel some distance to have another child (should I ever be mad enough, etc, etc).

This is a meeting that is open to all - whether you have children, are thinking of having children, want to discuss local health services, or all of the above. We really need a huge turn-out, otherwise this could just be sneaked through. If you have no interest, but think friends might, please pass on the date and time. If you need more information, leave a comment with your email and I’ll get back to you.

Thanks

Another reminder to self.

Remember to find out whether this is Nick Russells dad?

I crawled in at 3am this morning, many, many vodkas later. I am now sure this was not the cleverest move I have ever made.

Neither was singing at the top of my voice.

I’m obviously being punished by some higher being for enjoying myself.

We’re going on holiday to Edinburgh next month. Look where we get to stay!

SO EXCITED!!

.. that I want to write a long, raging post about the Tesco advert in last Saturdays Guardian about getting Mange Tout delivered to your door.

I have not been so angry for many months…!!

I’ve been saying this for years.

With thanks to “Dunk”.