Having just had a parking experience that frustrated me immensely, I felt it that would be fun to share ten things that have really been winding me up lately. Some of these disturb my reading and writing time and others just irritate me on a daily basis.
Before that – THANK YOU for 300 Followers!
Before I get started I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone for following my new blog which now has 300 wonderful followers. I totally appreciate you taking time to read my random ramblings. Below I posted a picture of the tunnel that Julie Andrews sang in during the Sound of Music. Salzburg is my happy place as is the film.
When I am stressed I remember my holiday in Salzburg, where I visited the locations of the Sound of Music.
Back to the gripes – What things are irritating you lately?
Today I have listed my current gripes and added detail where necessary. Some just speak for themselves, I think you will agree.
Please share your thoughts in the comments and let me know your biggest bugbears. Let’s keep it general though, no naming names!
Here are my top ten (not in any specific order):
1) Pathetic Parkers
This one has affected my life a lot lately. I had one person park less than 10cm in front of me and another leaving very little space behind. If I needed to leave in a hurry I’d have had no chance. Thankfully, after some loud horn blowing by me and knocking on doors, I managed to find the person parked behind and ask him to move his vehicle.
2) All Day BBQs
When neighbours have a BBQ, I have nothing against this but why do they need to light the thing right up close to the house? Some people start their BBQs up early in the day and then when you open your windows you are inundated with smelly smoke ALL DAY LONG.
3) Bins
Don’t get me started on this one. I paid for my brown bin to be taken away fortnightly and several times they haven’t bothered to collect it. It is something I fill regularly with garden waste that I want to recycle. My friends live in areas where the service is free but where I live you have to sign up annually and I pay a fee. The service is really poor and I often end up with piles of cuttings and weeds that I cannot fit in the bin due to it not being collected.
4) Space Invaders
We just had Covid right? Suddenly the rules have relaxed and people are beginning to stand right up close again. It makes me miss social distancing because now I am queuing next to mouth breathers who sometimes smell as though they have been on the booze all morning.
5) Smoke Blowers
In Blackpool I was surrounded by smokers. Outside restaurants people are smoking and blowing it on those emerging from a lovely meal. Smoke blowers need to go and blow their smoke elsewhere as I definitely have no interest in passive smoking.
6) Hoover Bags
Every time I empty the hoover bag it opens in a weird way and puffs dust just about anywhere but in the bin that I was intending it to empty into.
7) Online Forms
You know what I am saying here. You take ages filling in a form and then it says that the connection was disturbed and you have to start again. Alternatively, if you are trying to pay for something using a safe payment site and the little circle spins around for what seems like an eternity. It says that you mustn’t refresh the page but you just have no idea whether or not you have actually paid. Then, to make things worse, you end up paying twice. That has happened to me way too often.
8) Nails
Is someone going around tipping iron nails all over the road? I have had several nails embedded in my tyres in the last year or so. Flat tyres are so much hassle to fix. Perhaps I should have learned how to change a tyre by now, but I just haven’t.
9) Doorstep Sales
This one speaks for itself. All I can say is, no matter how nice you are, I am not signing up for it. I am more likely to respond to advertising on the TV than someone banging on my door loudly while I am trying to watch Neighbours on Channel Five.
10) Environmental Ignorers
There is nothing to say here. It is way past the point of no return. No time for climate change doubters.
For some easy ways to be more ecofriendly check out my previous post here.
Thank you for reading about the little niggles that have been stressing me out lately. Please feel free to mention your own as it will be fun to make comparisons.
Maybe it is the pessimist in me that makes me worry about the new attitude people are having towards the Covid pandemic. Many people say that I am a happy and positive person but, regarding this situation, I like to think of myself as more of a realist.
Is it just spiralling out of control?
When I am confused about something or want to make a decision, I usually weigh things up using lists. Here is my pros and cons list about the current situation:
Pros
1) The vaccine is mostly rolling out well (although we still have many who refuse to take it and teenagers who have not been given the chance).
2) Businesses have been able to reopen fully, which means job security and the end of government loans and furlough.
3) That’s where I start to run out of positives but I can see people enjoying themselves, partying and generally having fun.
Cons
1) The UK infection rate is rising rapidly. Roughly 50 thousand people are testing positive daily.
2) Hospitalisations have increased markedly in the past few weeks. Currently 4.5 thousand people are staying in hospital each week.
3) The death rate has reached 96 in a day, heading towards a few hundred a day in the near future.
4) Freedom Day meant an end to social distancing and mask wearing in public spaces.
5) Large crowds of football fans and lots of close gatherings, including nightclub events and celebrations have meant a very quick relaxing of attitudes towards Covid. Such sudden relaxing could easily fuel a steeper rise and the introduction of more variants.
So yes… At this time I do feel like the negative points outweigh the positives. It is unlike me to concentrate on the negatives but I feel there is no choice right now. Pragmatic people can see that the reality is that we have a problem and just turning a blind eye to it will not make it go away.
This was one of my most serious posts yet. I do want everyone to have a lovely summer but fear that if we all go crazy it may be a very bleak Autumn indeed.
If you enjoy posts about reading and the environment then please consider following my blog. Also feel free to drop a comment below.
