Masham

We went yesterday. I have to say, it was the quietest I have ever known. We had arranged to meet M&R for lunch, actually found ourselves parking two cars apart at more or less the same time. Didn't go round with them, but met up at the pub and spent a very pleasant couple of hours, the food as nice as ever.
Saw several people from Bradford, including the indefatigable Magrat, up there for the third day running. But never did run in to Iris, Eira and Judette, shame.

We did buy a few new dpns, and a Kundert spindle, which is very, very nice. Never can have too many spindles is what I say.......

It was quite cold, very grey, very, very windy. But it didn't rain. Oh - and we did meet a couple of friends from HB, fortuitously I think, as far as Pete was concerned, because he knew that I was looking for the opportunity to Say Something to the chap who was doing a long commentary on sheep and agriculture in general......

I do NOT think it acceptable in a public forum with charity as the focus to rather rudely state that vegetarians are not welcome on his property because not eating meat is ruining the economy of this country or some such stuff. Now, it is perfectly ok to say "I think that people who don't eat meat are wrong, and these are my reasons why", but to imply that they come somewhere in the vicinity of Saddam Hussein for social acceptability is not. I was looking for an opportunity to approach him and say a) You, sir, would be very welcome in my home despite your views because I am more civilized than you and b) I chose not to eat meat not because I think that doing so is inhumane, immoral or whatever, but because I could not tolerate the despicable methods meat producers and the industry in general used, both in terms of animal and human welfare. We suspected he was probably a UKIP supporter, too. (I didn't, btw, disagree with all he was saying by any means. Just didn't like his intolerance and ignorance.)

There were as well a lot of "Liberty and Livelihood" and other slogans around. Another way too simplistic campaign. I don't want them to stop charging around over the fields of landowners who are happy for them to do it on horseback, I can well see the fun in that. I just want them to stop mauling foxes to death in a prolonged and inhumane way. (And to stop lying about that, as well.) I'm trying to remember the other slogan - it may have had something to do with injustice. Excuse me? I need to have that one explained to me. I presume they mean the injustice of me wanting to prevent them from doing something they enjoy, but sorry, that is the nature of society, we cannot just do everything that we feel like doing. I might want to swim in their pool or use their box at the opera. OK, chaps?? I don't think so, somehow!

Woah, a long way from fibre. Well, I did say politics would creep in de temps en temps!!

We leave for SOAR early on Thursday morning. A peaceful silence for a couple of weeks??

gw