A relatively quiet yet very pleasant week, if any week with a two-year old in residence can ever be considered “quiet”. Very pleasant weather (again) but it is beginning to feel somewhat Autumnal – I’m not sure I’m ready to hunker down for winter yet!
The “big” news this week is that Adam and Ava have both started working part-time. As it happens, Adam was having a driving lesson and in chatting with the instructor mentioned that he and Ava were hoping to find some local work. The instructor said that the pub in Culworth, about three miles down the road, was looking for some wait staff as one of their current employees was leaving. Adam gave them a ring, he and Ava went along for an interview and together they got the job. They have arranged to share the hours between them so Ava gets the morning and lunchtime shift while Adam does the heavy lifting during the evening shift. While one is at work, the other can look after Jessica – win, win.
The only minor issue with the arrangement is that since neither yet drives we have to sort out transport – we deliver and collect Ava while Adam rides a bike. Great exercise and tolerably pleasant, at least until winter gets here! Let’s hope he’ll be able to take and pass his driving test sooner rather than later.
I am delighted to report that Jessica has taken a fancy to watching American football with me, much to my delight. Penny has never been remotely interested in any American sports so this has been a pastime I have been compelled to enjoy alone. The other evening, however, I had the Alabama – Louisville game on and Jessie came through to see what all the excitement was about. Within a few moments she had mastered the concepts of the game and enthusiastically demonstrated all the characteristics of a dedicated fan. She counted to ten between each play and then, when the ball was snapped, she jumped up and down waving her arms about trying, presumably, to encourage the ball carrier. When the runner was finally tackled there was a collective, “Oh, no. They got him!”
I ran across an article concerned with climate change in the New York Times the other day complete with an interactive graphic. It asks you to enter your hometown and year of birth and then calculates how many days in a year the temperature can be expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. In short, Arcadia can expect to have about three times as many days of 32 degrees Celsius or higher than when I was a child. Scorcio!
And finally, Parliament is back in session following their 6 week recess and, not surprisingly, Brexit is back in the news. One of the issues farmers have been concerned about is who will pick all the fruit and veg once we no longer allow those smelly workers from Europe into the country. Surprise, surprise, the government has revived the Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Scheme.
According to the Guardian:
Blessed are the fruit-pickers: For they shall have visas after Brexit. Ministers announced today they are to revive the Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Scheme, which offered short-term visas to non-EU migrants to pick fruit and vegetables in our fields. Farmers say the extra labour will be needed after Brexit to stop food rotting in the fields. As it happens, this exact scheme was scrapped by the former home secretary — one Theresa May — in 2013, which is kind of embarrassing
Joined up Government at its best – good to see that they are right on top of all this stuff.
Love to you all,
Greg
The video is adorable!