Grumpy Old Woman. Part II

I have not had a rant on here for a while, but the time has come for me to vent once again. This particular grump I have with the world has been ongoing for a while now and I know that I am not the only one that feels strongly about this topic.

Before I proceed with my steam venting, I would like to make it clear that I am all for fashion trends, I may not agree with all of them but I don't expect people to like all the things I wear. However this trend of wearing what essentially are a pair of tights as leggings must stop. It is in my opinion a heinous crime of which people should be at the least reprimanded for. If ever there was a call for having fashion police it is now.

This winter has been pretty chilly by all accounts and so the females to which I refer have been "wrapping up" to stay warm, but I feel they have been misguided in their choice of warm clothing by reading too many glamour and style magazines which show unusually tall, waif like models in body hugging apparel.

My grump point was tipped past it's balancing point at the weekend  when I decided to take a wander into town and back. This journey very obviously took me along varying city streets and because it was such lovely weather many people were also out and about. Unfortunately, instead of witnessing the first growths of a budding Springtime all that seemed to grab my attention were the many sets of female buttocks wobbling around in a thin gauze of material. It almost made my eyes bleed. Why oh why can they not see, that what they are wearing to cover their legs, are see thru and designed to be worn with other items of clothing preferably covering their, often not so petite, derriere.

Don't get me wrong I am not a tight hater, in fact I love tights. I have thick tights, thin tights and running tights, but with exception to the ones I run in I always wear a skirt. Granted it is often a mini skirt (thank you Mary Quant), but paired with what I call bullet proof tights looks ok. I would not just wear my tights. I do not wish to show the world the colour and design of my knickers or god forbid G string. I don't understand how the opaqueness of tights can be confused with actual fabric thickness.

If you couple this particular female fashion together with trendy boyfriend and skinny half mast jeans showing off his knickers, well I am afraid it is just too much for me to take. Not only is she walking on the non sole part of her fake Ugg boots, but he can barely waddle faster than a duck walking through treacle.

 Grr grr grr!!!!!!!grrr grrrr!!!! ....... and breathe.

I know this is not just a UK phenomenon as American Apparel have printed a label on some of their products, see below, but it must stop. Please, someone, make it stop.

Peace x

Grumpy old woman.

I am not sure when it happened, but I would now classify myself as a grumpy old woman. Not all the time obviously, but sometimes the overwhelming urge to grump is just too powerful to ignore. Last week I found myself grumping about many things, mostly to myself admittedly, but will share some of these grumps with you now.

1) The Government and their stupid petrol crisis nonsense.
2) The Government and their even more stupid petrol crisis advice.
3) People in general who take heed of the Government and their stupid warnings and advice.
4) People, generally women, who still think that they are sitting gossiping in Starbucks when in actual fact they are driving a car. They should realise that there is also a minimum speed on motorways and that the lines painted on the roads are there for a reason, not just to make it look pretty.
5) BT for doing line maintenance thus rendering my internet connection impossible. Do they not realise it is my only connection to the outside world and why do it at dinner time on a Thursday!
6) The Range Rover Evoque. It just looks like it has been sat on by an elephant.

I am sure there were more but I will only go in a bad mood again if I talk about them. So things that have made me happier in between grumps or made me smile.

1) The sunny weather. Global warning is great sometimes.
2) The fields of daffodils on the A90 around Montrose. They are true fields of gold, if you drive past roll down the window as they smell fantastic too.
3) The changes of colour in the landscape. The red ploughed fields on the A90 are also amazing.
4) The police ticketing a guy in Stonehaven for parking on the zigzags as he popped into a bakers to get his lunch. Expensive roll.
5) Seeing a magnificent stag standing on the edge of a hill.
6) Seeing blue traffic cones!

One observation this week that may help you from having a grumpy day at some point. If you are ever sat behind or to the side of a fully loaded animal truck, make sure you roll your windows up. It would take a lot of cleaning to get the smell of cow urine out of your upholstery.

Anyway enough of my mind meanderings here are a few photos.

Arbroath Abbey.

Huntly Castle.

Royal daffs.

Crathie.

Stonehaven harbour.

Loch Achray.

Grangemouth (Saturdays scenic cycle)

Peace x

All photgraphs by Caroline Harvey.

The 'C' word.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not a huge fan of Christmas. I think I used to like them when I was a child, but I don't really recall. Although, I have seen the evidence of photographs and I looked happy enough. Where the dislike has manifest itself from I am not certain, but I have to say it is getting stronger as I get older.

I hate to sound like a grumpy old woman, which obviously I am, but it is just all too much. The expectation to have warm and fuzzy family moments filled with fun and excitement and spending extravagant amounts of cash is almost too much to take.

 Is it ok just to have a quite time and relax?

It certainly doesn't feel like it the way people dash around buying gifts and food etc, by the time the 25th comes most people are dead on their feet.

Don't get me wrong I like giving gifts to my friends and family and I would be a liar if I said I did not like receiving them too, but I try for the most part to give gifts that are possibly more meaningful or personal rather than expensive. Yes, partly because money is tight, but mostly because I hope they will like what I give them for more than just a day.

Anyway I will not become a wingebag and will keep my Bah Humbugness to myself. I know I will have a pleasant day with my folks and be spoilt with good food and wine, but it will be fuss free and relaxing, like any good day off should be.

Below is the sum total of the decorations in my house. Easy to install and tasty.

Peace x