Friday 55 Flash Fiction. FAMOUS WOMEN...

Some think me a fruitcake, do you think them right?????
Whatever, something powers me on....
Maybe its because 'you' don't understand their surrender;
I need to be a voice for them......

We attack, destroy and torture, without a thought for their plight.

I'll defend all animal rights;
PETA is the force to help the fight.....

Ingrid Newkirk is one of the most active animal rights advocates. She has dedicated her life to stop animal abuse around the world.
A passion for animals
Born in England on June 11, 1949, Ingrid Newkirk moved early on to New Delhi, India, because of her father’s work. She spent her childhood there and moved to the United States when she was a teenager.
She said that she always has felt a strong affinity with animals but only became an activist for animal rights in 1980 when she co-founded PETA with Alex Pacheco, one of her colleagues from an animal shelter.

Her first encounter with animal abuse came in 1972 in Maryland, when she went to an animal shelter to give away abandoned cats and dogs that she had found, and then discovered that only minutes later they were euthanised. She decided to take a job there to help out.
She didn’t like the conditions at the shelter and the way that the animals were disposed. She also witnessed a lot of mistreatment's to the animals while she was there. She worked at the shelter for a short period and then became an animal investigator for the county and then moved on to become Chief of the Office of Animal-Disease Control in Washington, for the Public Health Commission for the District of Columbia.

The birth of PETA
While working at the shelter she met Alex Pacheco who volunteered there. He gave her a copy of Animal Liberation, a book by Peter Singer. She was inspired by it and they decided together to create PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals). The main goals of PETA were to investigate, publicise and end animal cruelty of all kinds. The first PETA office was located in Ingrid’s basement.
One of the first actions of PETA was an undercover investigation with a hidden-camera in a research laboratory in Silver Sprin Md, which led to the first-ever arrest and conviction of a scientist under animal cruelty charges.
Since then PETA, under the leadership of Ingrid Newkirk, has exposed thousands of cases of animal cruelty and run campaigns against fur, animal testing, animals used for entertainment and many other animal rights issues.
Also, Ingrid Newkirk has helped to create the first spay/neuter clinic in Washington DC and helped achieve the first anti-cruelty laws in Taiwan.

In 1999, Alex Pacheco, who was the director of the organisation, decided to leave PETA but Ingrid Newkirk stayed as President and also as the main voice of the organization itself. PETA now counts 1.6 million members around the world and is the largest animal rights organisation.

Now what else could I 55 about, what with Rosemary & Thyme joining my household. I don't agree with all that Ingrid fights for, and to donate your body after death to PETA to be distributed to certain people & places to be able to still speak out when breath has left your body, a little extreme.

I have been a vegetarian, but now as long as I know the animal has had a healthy life and not been packed with additives and chemical's, been slaughtered humanely, I will put it on my plate. Saying that, the one thing that gets my pucker-up is the price I have to pay for making this choice...

The week-end is upon us yet again, and my D-day is getting nearer. I still have so much to do before then, but hopefully I will be able to tick some of them off this weekend. Have a stupendous week-end, be happy, healthy, and hug the ones you love....

THE GIRLS ARE BACK IN TOWN......

I was told the girls would arrive between 8 & 10am this morning, and at 4.40am I'm up and wide *awake*...... I was so excited that I couldn't sleep, and I know Math was the same, although he was trying to act all nonchalantly (he'd had a days leave from work so I knew it was a big day for him).....

10.15. I have been glancing out the window every 10 seconds now, and not a sign of the girls transport pulling onto the drive.........

10.30. "If there not here in 10 minutes Math, I'm on the phone"

"Oh for goodness sake Queenie give them a chance, they are coming from Oxfordshire" said 'Mr Look how cool I am'.

10.45. "Right that's it, I'm getting on the phone, those poor girls will be parched. What if they've been in an accident, have you thought about that Mr Smarty Pants."

Collecting the information pack with Omlets number, I picked up the phone rehearsing quickly in my head what I was going to say, when I heard the dulcet tones of Maths voice from outside, "Hah!- Miss Nasty Pants, their pulling onto the drive now"...........


I was so excited my heart was going thumper-tee-thump, the van parked down the drive and out of the drivers seat jumped ROB..... Lovely chap, had his shorts on, must be considerably warmer Oxford way than here.

Introductions over he opened the vehicles rear doors, (the girls were nowhere to be seen, sigh!). We led Rob with wire, clips and all sorts of paraphernalia to where we wanted the girls to reside (they will have the freedom of everywhere else, once they have accustomed themselves to their new home.


Within 15 minutes the girls home was erected, they were introduced to us, Rob had drank his coffee and then it was time for the horrible task to be carried out.........


WING-CLIPPING! - I am a wimp I know, but I could neither hold them nor do any of the tasks in hand. In fact I closed my eyes and made whinging noises. (You would have thought it was me that was being messed with).....

Rob showed Math how to clip their wings to stop them jumping away (they can't really fly), then Rob held the other one while Math clipped her wings....

I then had my ultimate experience! I held my very own, nobody elses, soft clucking chuck, absolute ecstasy. We waved Rob off, then sat for hours, like really sad dudes, watching our hens as they explored there new abode.
The mess in the garden is invisible to me at this time, and I would rip it all up again in a flash for this moment.....


Come on girls don't be shy, turn around.


So ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce
ROSEMARY & THYME. Rosemary is the Miss Pepperpot breed, the dark one, and Thyme is the Gingernut Ranger.

I'm in a bit of a dilemma, we're at the theatre tonight for the 4th of the 5 Thriller plays. I really don't want to leave them on their first evening, but Math has convinced me they will be fine. They will be in their Eglu, and Omlet guarantee the fencing is fox proof, and at this moment they are contentedly clucking away in their brand new home. So, until the morning, lets hope they have a great 1st night 'HEN PARTY'.......

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

Sandy & I.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was due a busy weekend which started on Thursday with a meal at my elder sisters 'Sandy'. She had said that she wanted us around for a meal before I went into hospital and this was the only date we could all get together.



Math & my big sis.

My sister cooks good wholesome food, and you always leave the table feeling full & nourished. Our main course was a hearty steak Shepperd's pie with fresh seasonal vegetables, I must admit to having seconds. It was lovely to spend the evening with my big sis and her husband, I always feel comfortable and at home in her company.

Math & Adie (sis's husband).

The only problem I had was with the stairs (it always makes me appreciate living in a bungalow) when I needed the loo, but I managed even if the grunting I perform mounting and descending the stairs was a little embarrassing......

FRIDAY
my beautiful mum.


Well the evening we all doubted would happen finally happened last night. Not only because of mums health did we have problems organising a mother and daughters (and my niece) get together, but with two of my sisters nursing, it was arranging for their shifts to coincide.

The girls
Mum said she wanted to take us all out when she was feeling up to it, to say thank-you to us all. We told her she didn't need to do this, but she was adamant that she wanted us all together. Throughout the evening she kept glancing around at us saying ,"I am really responsible for all you lot", "fraid so mum" we replied in unison. No doubt the staff thought the same when this gaggle of women invaded their restaurant, (we were on our best behaviour)....


The place we invaded is a local pub that serves basic food at a reasonable rate (mum was insistent that it was her treat, so we aimed at keeping it at that price range). Mum had Hunters Chicken, so did I.

Mmmm, no need to comment on how it went down!!!!! About 8-30 mum said she was feeling tired, (this was her first time out and about really, so she did well). We all phoned our respective chauffeurs (hubbies), to take us home.

Math arrived to take me home, we all kissed and said our farewells. I'm sure it will be a night we will always remember, especially when we think back a few months ago how poorly mum was. .........

SATURDAY
Tonight I am going to the Milton Keynes RED HOT WORLD BUFFET, one of the restaurants that my son has designed. I'll take plenty of pics so you can see his work, gosh its been a long time since I've had such a busy social schedule.

SUNDAY

View from sons apartment onto the square

I have just returned from visiting my son at Milton Keynes, I have had a fantastic time. Ate far to much at the restaurant, they had over 600 covers, it was soooo busy.
I have taken a few photos, but I've finely got the ones from my son that he took as he was designing it. So I will show mine, and then Math is going to have a go at doing a slide show of my sons at the end of my post. I hope you like the design of the restaurant, I'm afraid I'm bias......

look who's filling their face - moi .....


Mmmm what shall I have to drink???

G&T please.

Because it was so busy in the RED HOT we went to 'The Living Room' (a new bar) for a chat and a drink. This is just below the penthouse the firm has rented for Nat whilst he's been working, so I managed to walk there with everyone, which was a great feeling.

Look at the ceilings they are fantastic......





This morning we packed a stack of Nat's belongings into the van (that little van has been worth its weight in gold). Its sad he's finished working at Milton Keynes, and has given the lease up on the apartment, I just love staying there.
Never mind, I think his next restaurant to design is in Manchester or Lincoln, and of course he has is own cafe/bar to finish here in Nottingham. So I will still be able to visit him when he's working at these. Well I'm absolutely shattered, so I'm off to bed now. I hope you enjoy the slide show.

RED HOT BUFFET SLIDE SHOW