A lot of hot air
The heatwave continued relentlessly, punctuated by the inevitable downpour and clap of thunder. We just about made it from our car to a friend’s garden, all thoughts of a stroll and a picnic vapourised by the heat. British homes and bodies are not designed for sudden changes to high temperatures.
In the garden, a violet defiantly remains in bloom in a shady corner while summer herbaceous favourite, deep blue delphiniums bloom early.
And, sadly for some, happily for others, sales of helium balloons are being jeopardised by the restriction to shipping in the Gulf. Helium is a much taken for granted element yet is so important in medical equipment (it is used as a coolant in MRI scanners) and in electronics. For me, I love balloons but hate to see helium wasted in this way. Yes, we had a helium balloon when celebrating the birthday of his finder, Sir Norman Lockyer, but I do not generally like to see bundles of them being used.
Another shortage I’ve read about recently is the next generation. There is a decline in people having babies to the extent that it has become a global issue. Korea in particular faces a declining population and the UK has noticed a dearth of children in city centres. Many commentators put this down to the sheer cost of raising a child. However, I believe there is a more subtle reason and one which could be resolved if the will were there. Women thankfully now have access to education and careers although, sadly, there has not been corresponding increase in the support available to young mothers in the workplace nor from men decreasing their hours to help with childcare. The cost of nurseries is indeed prohibitive not to mention insufficiently places. This is where the cost of raising a child has indeed increased beyond recognition to those of earlier generations. Once two salaries could be used to obtain a mortgage, house prices went up accordingly, and the spiral of wage increases and house prices began. When only one salary was needed, that gave families the flexibility for one to stay home to take of the children and home. Now that task is added on to the role of worker. On the one hand it is great that there are so many opportunities for children by way of activities, but on the other it is a shame many are ferried from one to the other after school or at weekends from a very early age. No wonder so many people are tired and skint.
Boredom encourages creativity. Libraries provide free reading material but people generally seem to lack the time to visit them while complaining about the cost of going out.
A highlight of the week to finish with…a lovely afternoon was whiled away at a local village fete. There were cream teas, stalls of every kind, a band playing on a stand, smiling faces, and lots of car parking spaces. There was even a mini bus to ferry people up and down the steep and narrow lane to the village. Idyllic summertime in Devon.
Karen Hedges 