litter and other sights
Jack and I went for a long walk yesterday. It is rare that I am on my own when walking Jack and it was really nice. I am loaded with the cold (but improving) and couldn't hear my thoughts through all the sneezes. I didn't last at work, too much concentration required. But I didn't feel unwell enough to snuggle up on the sofa so took Jack for an adventure instead. Well, it was just our usual walk along the canal and the River Kelvin but I went a good bit further than normal. It was overcast but not cold, the colours muted to dull but I enjoyed being in the fresh air with a healthy happy dog. His training is coming along. Jack no longer chases bike riders or joggers and can sometimes even resist other dogs.
Isn't it disgusting? I particularly hate dog poo bags hanging from branches and railings. I am not sure if things have been improving since we moved here or if I have developed a bit of a blind eye for the littered landscape. Maybe a bit of both. Some stretches along the canal are quite bad but I haven't seen a burnt out car for a while, and just one shopping trolley, and that was in the Kelvin, far from any supermarket.
All was not bad though and there were some beautiful sights along the way. I prefer the bright colours of summer but the muted colours of late February matched my mood. But Spring is well on its way, look at all the bright green shoots and buds!
Seeing the ducks reminded me of James. He is currently very interested in reproduction and the other day, when watching the ducks, he explained to me that one half of a baby duck came out of the daddy, the other of the mummy. He didn't clarify which parent provides the top half, or if maybe the split was length wise? It was so funny. Funnier still was that James insisted that this was exactly what daddy had explained to him. Must talk to Richard.
Today I was back at work. It was a long day with a networking event from 4:30. I left the three younger with a friend, who fed and watered them. I got them at 6:30 and went home. Below is what I found. Sam in the kitchen (a bit out of focus, you have to be quick with teenagers). He made a pizza for me and himself totally from scratch, with his own tomato sauce and all. He also set the table for the two of us, made Ovaltine chocolate brownies AND tidied the kitchen. How cool is that? It is really nice to see through that teenage cocoon from the time to time, catching glimpses of the young man that is to emerge hopefully one day soon.
A good start to the weekend indeed! It is going to be a busy one but I do hope to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up with blogs at some point. I have not had a chance to read many this week.
I wish you all a great weekend! Cx
Never mind Jack's training, I'd say James' training is going extremely well!
ReplyDeleteI detest litter. It's just laziness and lack of respect, pure and simple, and I don't understand it at all.
Sam is a wonderful kid. You've done so well with all of them and it's showing now that they're getting older and becoming more capable and independent. It must feel so good. I'm glad you got to see some good things on your walk, it looks like a lovely place for walking. I understand about the litter, though. It's the same around here and I can't stand it. I've taught my kids to pick up anything they can that doesn't look to be unsafe and we're always collecting old papers and such wherever we go.
ReplyDeleteLitter makes me very angry too - and this dog poo hanging in trees thing really annoys me - I'd rather they just left if on the ground to decompose than make the effort to bag it but then leave plastic hanging around!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thing to come home too - great work Sam!
I am not sure litter is confined to Glasgow. We often walk at the weekend and I'm appalled at the amount of litter by the road that has obviously been thrown from cars. Lovely to come home to that pizza though... Well done Sam! Hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeletehow lovely to have homemade pizza baked for you xxx
ReplyDeleteLitter is horrible isn't it? I have really noticed it on the verges on our local roads just lately. You have been more successful in finding signs of spring that I have, it eluding my part of the world completely and it is so grey most days that photos I do take are awful. I am heading towards having no photos to share at the end of the month! How wonderful to come home late to a meal cooked from scratch by your own child, I bet it tasted wonderful :). Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeletePeople are so bad leaving litter like this.It makes me sad when I see it.
ReplyDeleteMuch nicer pictures of your dog and flowers.
Rosezeeta.
Good on Sam for making tea! I love it when one of mine cooks for me, especially as I like the idea that when (eventually) they move out they might be good at looking after themselves. I can get my lads to take the washing out of the machine, but hanging it up straight.... well, that takes more explaining!
ReplyDeleteA chef in the making! What a lovely surprise that must have been. I agree about the litter, we have it round our way too, ghastly. Though we are fortunate that our particular stretch of the canal isn't too bad. I was trained from an early age to never drop litter, and now, even if I wanted to wanted to drop as much as a scrap of sweetie paper, my hand just wouldn't perform a 'release' action! X
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better, I am too. Haven't been out of the house except for Doctor visits in forever. Hope to at least get a short walk in.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about litter, this country has spent a fortune on teaching people not to litter and still things are a mess.
I'm always disappointed to see litter too - I mean, how hard is it to walk to a litter bin? You've taken some great photos of some much nicer things, though, and it's lovely to see the flowers emerging. Good for James doing his own thing in the kitchen! When my eldest started wanting to cook, once I knew that she wasn't going to chop her fingers off I learnt that it was far better to walk away and let her get on with it rather than hover because otherwise I'd offer helpful advice that she didn't want! xx
ReplyDeleteIt bugs me that people litter and I find dog poo bags particularly disgusting too. Why can't they throw them in the bin? It's just as bad as just letting your dog poo anywhere and everywhere. Anyway, I'm glad you still saw some lovely things on your walk despite the ugly litter. Your kids are amazing. Sam making pizza from scratch is so cool! You must be very proud.. Hope you're having a wonderful weekend! X
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely, lovely young man you have there. How wonderful that he made you dinner. I see litter around here too and it drives me mad. Most of it is from teenagers, I try to pick things up while walking to get it properly thrown away.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
I'm glad you looked beyond the litter - it does annoy me too> I'm sure Glasgow is no worse than other British cities. I often come across discarded takeaway cartons on my dogwalks. I'm impressed by your son - wish my daughter would cook tea more often.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to come home to find dinner prepared for you. Go Sam!! I hate litter too, how hard is it to put it in your pocket and bin it when you get home? Have a super Sunday, Christina xx
ReplyDeleteSam is obviously growing up to be a lovely young man isn't he!! How great is that! Well done Sam!! I hate litter, cannot abide it in fact, and these sights make me so very sad. I don't understand why people do it! Grrr!! Anyway, it sounds as though the good has outweighed all of that and I am glad that you found some beautiful things on your walk too. Hope that the cold is all gone very soon! xx
ReplyDeleteAren't litterbugs a real irritation in the community! What on earth possesses people to just drop their junk wherever they are - makes me wonder what their homes must be like.
ReplyDeleteDog poo and Litter are my two most irritating things. I tried to savor your wonderful photos that followed but isn't that my blind eye. Mmmm that will get me thinking now. Hope you had a good weekend. Jo x
ReplyDeleteWe have the same problem here. Walk through the fields and there's drinks bottles, sandwich wrappers, bags of dog poo, tampons (yes I know, it defies belief) and all sorts. We also seem to be just far enough from McDonalds for people to eat their burgers and throw the wrappers from the car.
ReplyDeleteYour other photos are lovely though.
Glad Jack is better. What I wouldn't do for a peek of snowdrops. We are again below zero.
ReplyDeleteLitter is a right pain in the you know what, people are generally thoughtless with litter. Love your snowdrops though! And what a brilliant pic of your son. So thoughtful...I hope it was delicious! xx
ReplyDeleteI am saying this cautiously, for fear of offending anyone. I have noticed when I've been in the UK that there seems to be more litter there than in Canada or the US. It has surprised me. I'm not saying we don't have litter. We do, and the dog poo bag thing happens here as well. But overall it just wouldn't be considered the thing to do to just toss down a wrapper or other piece of garbage.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to come home and discover your son in the kitchen making you pizzas. And what a bonus that he cleaned up the mess. Your James and the duck reproduction story made me laugh!