Well the title thing doesn't work...again ....but then it did yesterday when I had finished ....weird!
I do not seem to be able to log on to the new skool site...but won't panic just yet! Its all toooooo much for this hour on a Sunday! I wanted to ask Mountainear how she does raspberries in Vodka...or how long to leave them for? But I can't find her either!
My cauldrons are boiling...blackcurrant jam and gooseberry and elderflower jam ...went picking fruit yesterday in the SUNSHINE....the real McCoy no less!! It was a lovely day the heat was bouncing up off the grass....talking of grass we thought of offering the lawns up as a silage crop....stripes? Don't be daft there's wild animals hiding in that! Elephants at least!! We found the damson tree had blown down at the top of the garden ...bang goes the damson jam...but here's to some logs for the log burner!

Anyway why I'm here on a Sunday morning is a bit of a rant and hopefully to allay some fears for Funkymunky and a bit more about my "little girl" who stays with us for one week each year.

Firstly I hope this does not offend anyone...I try to be politically correct but may fail. I am not racist in any way shape or form, I was brought up in a lovely atmosphere by well read parents who had friends of all colours and creeds and I hope I have brought my boys up in a similar fashion.

As you may have read yesterday Tanysha is of mixed race and she is extremely attractive. She has had to leave college because of racism taunts from the Asian community. That is what she wrote in her letter and I make no comment.

We were on a trip to London one year ...I think she was about 13 at the time. We had a lovely day in London..a first time trip for Tanysha and youngest son and indeed himself. Me? ...Hell I had lived there for a little while when working there..an awful long time ago. We did the sites, had a ride on an open top bus and even went into Lambeth Palace...well it was a Church organised trip.

The day passed and we were soon on the way back to the Midlands along the motorway when we stoppped for a comfort break. We decided to get drinks and found a table outside in the sun. Thinking about the length of the journey we still had ahead I decided us ladies had better find the facilities and off we strolled. We were actually walking with linked arms chattering away or rather T was chattering and I was probably laughing. There were numerous other coaches parked and lots of people sitting in the sun.

As we passed a group of tables where a group of elderly ladies sat resplendant in jewel coloured saris like a collection of exotic birds one leaned forward and spat at my feet! Charming I thought...ignored it and carried on! It happened at least three more times and I was getting a tad cross!!! We rached the safety of the ladies and I stood there fuming...'what the hell was all that about?' Tanysha hung her head...'its because of me..my mum gets it all the time'.......I was mortified......it appears that because she is obviously mixed race.....and her mother...on this occassion they assumed it was me...is white...therefore her father is obviously black.....are you still with me? Well apparently the elderly ladies of Asian or West Indian origin disapprove of white ladies mixing with black men.....very no go!!!...And boy do they make their feelings known! I was absolutely horrified!

We strolled back ...linked arms and heads held high...and yes we were spat at...that often I lost count!

So it appears this 'racism' has now fouled up this very bright young girl's education ...and not one to take things lying down I am today writing to her mother to tentatively offer her a few alternatives.....I hope she will not be offended.

...and I sincerely hope I have not offended anyone who may read this....I have just simply told it as it was.