Beast from the East

I think I might have a bit rant about 'Beast from the East'?  Apparently the whole of the UK is going to be in 'Siberia type climates' by tomorrow.  Apparently people are 'panic buying', schools are closing, transport networks are not going to be operating, people are being told not to travel unless it's an absolute necessity, shops are running out of food..................  If we believe all the 'media hype' - the whole country is going to come to a standstill over the next couple of days??

We're being told to check on elderly neighbours and relatives to make sure they have enough food in,  we're being told not to go anywhere, we're being told this, that and the next thing?!!  Seriously?................

..................I can't be the only person who remembers the winter of 1963?.....................

I got a tricycle for Christmas and it was March before I could actually go out on it due to all the snow.  Shit happens - that's life!!!

In 1963 most people still didn't even have a fridge, let alone a freezer although I'm sure the cold outside weather was used a lot to preserve food.  Most people in 1963 didn't have a car.  Most people in 1963 had lived through World War 2.  A little bit of snow (OK a lot of snow) didn't actually phase anyone in 1963???

In 1963 people 'just got on with it'......................

..............We didn't have the internet or TV or the 'nanny state'! We didn't have central heating, or online ordering, or even phones.  It was cold.  Very, very cold.  But we had coal fires that we all sat around and we had hot water bottles when we went to bed.  Oh and we also had really thick 'winter pyjamas' that we wore between Oct-Mar.

We didn't go out 'panic buying' because..................... we didn't have cars to load up all our 'panic buying' stuff and we didn't have anywhere to store all our 'panic buying' stuff.  But most of all; we didn't go 'panic buying' because the phrase panic buying hadn't been invented, there was no need.

It was winter.  And in winter it snows.  'World War 2' had only recently ended.  Rationing had finished and we (our parents) were still living in the era of 'make do & mend'.

There were no 'media' announcements about how one should 'panic buy' and stock pile food for the next three months.  Well actually there might have been but  I'm pretty sure there wasn't?! (I'll google it just to be on the safe side. Lol)  I was only 4 years old and all I remember is not being allowed out on my trike!

Anyway to get back to 'Beast from the East'..................  It's totally ridiculous that the media has gone into 'hyper, frenzied, stupid mode'.  OK, it's going to be a 'bit cold' for a few days, but it's not like the majority of us are not going to have anything to eat?

This cold spell is going to last for a couple of weeks max and while I totally understand that we should all be checking on our elderly neighbours....................  I also think that the ones who are doing the 'panic buying' are the so called 'middle class' people who have probably got a freezer full of food at home.

#theworldhasgonecrazy

I don't do goggles

I haven't ranted for ages but I seriously need to RANT today.  Today I received these googles through the post.  I received these goggles through the post because at the end of last year I took part in the 'Aspire Swim the English Channel Challenge'.  (https://www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk/)  I swam 22 miles in 6 weeks (the challenge was to do it in 12 weeks) and in the process raised £165 (or was it £185?) for charity.

To be honest, I wasn't doing it for charity.  I was doing it for myself because I had turned into a big fat slob and needed to lose some weight.  Mmmmmmm..................  I didn't lose any weight?!  Probably because I didn't cut down on the amount of wine I drink???  

Anyway, complete it, I did, and my lovely friends who donated to the charity were well impressed with my efforts.

About a month ago I received a certificate and also a medal from 'Aspire'.

Fabulous?!  I've got a bit of paper saying that I've swum 22 miles in 12 weeks (when actually it was 6) and I've got a tacky bit of ribbon with a plastic medal on the end?!

.................And today I received some goggles.......................

This is seriously irritating me.  I took part in the 'Aspire Swim Challenge' because I felt like I was a big fat slob and needed to lose weight  knew I could do it and I knew I could raise some money for charity in the process.

Sending me out 'tacky' gifts as a 'thank you' for completing the challenge is really annoying me.  The 'Aspire Swim the English Channel Challenge' was to raise money for people with 'spinal cord injury'.  As stated above, I did it because I felt like I was a bit fat slob and needed to lose weight knew I could do it and raise some money in the process.

I did not do it so that I could get a bit of paper saying that I had swum 22 miles.  I did not do it so that I could get a tacky medal.  I did not do it so that I could get a pair of goggles.  I hate goggles.  I have swum 22 miles without goggles.  Why on earth would I want a pair of goggles?

I 'googled' the goggles that I received and whilst I couldn't actually find the exact ones................... the cheapest adult Zogg goggles I found were £6.  And how much does it cost to print off a tacky certificate and send out a tacky medal???  How many people actually want these?  I, for one, will be chucking mine in the bin.  It's not exactly something that anyone would want to frame and put on the wall.....................  Is it?

 

From my point of view.............................  doing a challenge for a charity should be just that.................

Charities shouldn't be giving out 'freebies' that usually end up in the bin to people who are actually completing challenges because they want to support a charity?!

I haven't a clue how much 'Aspire' has paid for their marketing, but even if  they are only paying £1 per person for a 'certificate, a medal and some goggles' (and I'm sure it's going to be nearer £3/4).................. that's just ridiculous.

Charities need to STOP giving out freebies and plough the money they save from giving out these ridiculous freebies back into the charities that they are supporting.

...................And just out of interest............................

...................How many of you complete a 'Charity Event' because you are going to get a medal or a certificate at the end of it???????????????