Ganged Agley, But Only Partly
Have you heard the one about the city-dwellers who moved to the country, then complained about the noises made by - cattle, sheep, passing tractors, ploughs, combine harvesters, chickens, church bells, etc, etc? Not to mention the 'Country Smells', eg: slurry spreading.
There is just such an incident at present in Bavaria. The couple moved to a peaceful market town in southern Germany. Their new property overlooks a field, an empty field. Then the owner of said field leased it to a farmer, who regularly puts a herd of cows there to graze.
Now the ex-city-dweller couple is suing the farmer because in Bavaria it is customary for cows to wear cowbells. "Clonk!" "Clank!" And they're complaining about the smells and flies associated with a herd of cows.
Apparently the husband lost his original lawsuit against the farmer in 2017. He'll be appealing against the decision next March. And they've sued local council for leasing the meadow to the farmer for grazing.
. . . ! ! ?
'Scuse me, but if you move to the countryside surely you expect the 'full package'? Farm animals, farm equipment, exceedingly poor public transport, narrow windy roads (complete with tractors), wildlife (including pigeons, rabbits, maybe even deer, dining on your garden and badgers grubbing up worms in your prize lawn), Very Low Speed broadband connection (if any), patchy mobile coverage, mud . . . Along with the fresh air and pretty views. It's swings and roundabouts, folks.
Honestly, what is it with city folks? Have they spent so long in semi-sterile concrete environments, maybe viewing 'the countryside' through screens, that they've totally forgotten it comes with other 'sensory experiences? It's like going out in the rain, then complaining that the rain made you wet! And then trying to sue someone because you didn't take an umbrella/wear waterproofs!
*Shakes head in amazement!* Right, it's Tuesday, it's chilly, it's not going to rain (for once.) The washing is done and out, I'm off out - swimming, a walk along the front (that's where the 'no rain' bit comes in), a spot of lunch, maybe a bit of shopping (necessary food) and back home in time to get the washing in before it gets dark ( 4:30pm-ish at these lattitudes.)
Y'all have a good day now!
* * *
Later (like 4pm-ish, when it's getting dark because cloud cover) - well that was the plan. But, as Robbie Burns realised, even the best laid plans of women gang agley. I left in plenty of time to catch the bus, but insufficient time that when most of the way to the bus stop I realised I'd not packed my swim kit I didn't have time to return, pick it up and get back.
So I caught the bus to the baths, gave them a miss and went for an amble along the Front in the sunshine. Lovely.
Elevenses at The Coffee Cup, sat out in the sunshine, sharing cookie crumbs with this year's crop of new starlings, who happily land on the tables and will take food from your hands. They'll learn proper caution, eventually. Or at least some of them will!
Then a further amble along to The Beach Cafe for seabass with green beans, leeks, kale and sauté potatoes. Very nice. I'll go there again.
I even managed to find a couple of Xmas jumpers in two charity shops; one of them with a large Xmas pudd on the front - to go with H's Xmas pudd hat I knitted him a few years back. Pardon? Knit Xmas jumpers? Six weeks' work for a few wearings each year? I think not. This way both Oxfam and Cry benefit and two jumpers, one acrylic, don't go to landfill. Sounds like wins all round to me.
So even without the swimming it's been a successful day. Now all I have to remember to do is get the bedding back in in time to air it off so we can make the bed again. And I've almost finished the current sock project. Thinx: will I have time to knit a pair of socks as a Christmas present and get it sent abroad? Hmmm.
How's your Tuesday been, Dear Reader?