The Lights are Going Out...

 

 

I'm sitting here watching the room slowly darken around me.  For February the day has been surprisingly bright and sunny, though I was hobbling about too much to do anything much about that.  Outside it remains quite bright, inside darkness gains ground.  

Like many others today I am making the natural light last for as long as possible, I have seen the last bill from the electicity people!  I am not one to complain, however, with BP and the like claiming billions of profits (Just who is paying for all the social media telling us to return to work?) and our prices increase I wonder why this government, which appears to be in the pay of everybody from BP to Putin, does not make use of a 'windfall tax' and get these companies profits to pay for my gas and electric?  If memory serves me right Labour under Blair did this at least once, am I right?

I did manage to hobble up to Sainsburys, though only because I had to, and found the half dozen things I obtained just as expensive as always.  I wonder how it is possible to tell if Sainsburys prices have increased, they are always needlessly high anyway.  Tesco is just a bit far for my back at the moment, and their boss has maintained prices will rise by about 5%, this while Tesco made billions of profits thanks to Covid.  I wonder what his bonus will be this year?   I am not against profits, but with the constant cry of people doing without it all appears Boris and his 'divide and rule' policy is baring fruit, that is if we can afford the fruit and if it is not locked up in a lorry queuing for days at Dover.

However, I had one or two bits of coloured paper that were printed out last time I visited this shop.  The young lady logged them into the machine and I gained several points from this, I reckon I may have made 8 pence all in.  Rejoice!

After 5 pm and while the sky outside is light (the sky usually is outside) I am relying on the laptop screen for light indoors.  

Looking for ways to cut down I found instead I had to do a washing, this means electricity, gas and water, plus routine things like cooking.  I am glad for the microwave there.  I also found the more I seek to cut the more I find reason to use things!

You will recall 'Mean Mr Mustard,' a man in the late 60's who's wife divorced him because he was er, thrifty with the lights.  He would switch of the lights while listening to the radio as you do not require light to listen, he shaved in the dark and that year had given his wife only £1.  Now she had a job but still.  This all sounds fine to me, especially as I have not shaved for a week or two, my back was making bending difficult, but soon it will be required, I might try this in the dark!  I wonder where the 'Elastolast' is kept?

I of course can survive well enough but I wonder how others can manage?  We were always struggling when kids, yet we had more than enough, I wonder if the demands for things is greater amongst some today than it was back when we were used to only having what we needed?  Cutting back is possible for many, though if you have kids their demands may be proving too much, and we all want to keep up with the Jones's.  How hard it is, when you have had plenty, to do without?

Well, I have cheered myself up with that.  Now I must go and find a candle...