Recently we received a new ‘improved’ list from our council detailing some changes to our recycling. The major change is that we now have to sort cardboard from our other recycling. On any given rubbish day I can leave out my wheelie bin of garden waste/wheelie bin of household waste depending on the week, a food waste container, a container for paper/magazines, a container for glass/cans, a plastic bag for… plastic waste, clothes in a separate bag, and now a separate bag for cardboard. How the hell is this improvement? In the same breath they’re complaining that as a council we don’t recycle enough. If they keep making it harder it’s little wonder! Don’t even get me started on much pavement all this nonsense takes up. My sister lives within a different council and they have a food waste bin, a wheelie bin for anything recyclable, and a general wheelie bin for any rubbish. That’s it. 3 containers!

When I’m out with my friend he often has to tell people to leave the dog alone. People assume because he can’t see them that it’s okay to ‘interfere’ with his guide dog whilst he’s working. Well it isn’t, and I understand that, however recently he embarrassed me by ‘going off’ on an old man who had touched the dog. Frankly he was quite abusive, and even though the old guy apologised, he was quite rude to him and loudly called him a name. I didn’t know where to put myself! He’s been a little short with me once or twice, and wasn’t happy when I told him I will be working on Saturday so probably won’t see him this weekend. I appreciate he gets a little stir crazy sometimes, but I need time at home to unwind and see to the housework.

On the subject of stir crazy, I need a break. We haven’t been away since Easter of 2009, and the only night I’ve had away from the house since then was to spend a night, one night, at a friend’s house so we could have some drinks and I wouldn’t have to drive. I can understand that my son doesn’t want to go away with his Mum, he’s nearly 18 after all, but I really do need to get away, even if only for a weekend. Any ideas? I can’t afford anything too expensive, and I’m wary of the dreaded single supplements, but if I don’t get some kind of break away from the house I’m going to lose it.

Speaking of which, I was gob smacked recently when I noticed a missive in work asking if anyone wanted 'to loose weight.' Rest assured I would never pick up any of you for spelling or grammar errors, but work? They really should know better. We’re in the business of education yet people make such silly grammatical errors, and one member of staff who dealt with stationery supplies, regularly used the wrong form of spelling. It makes me see red! As I said, I’d never correct any of you, and I have the odd typo myself, but never in the workplace.

Is it ever going to stop raining? I genuinely wish we could send our rain to Oz to help them tackle the ridiculously high temperatures and the wildfires.