Boxing Day - back to basics

After the excesses of yesterday (alcohol, turkey, alcohol, trifle, alcohol, cheese, alcohol, cake, alcohol, The Queen, not sure what came next but have a feeling Strictly was in it somewhere!) really felt like we needed some fresh air today. Not raining, and not very cold, so new Barbours on (mutual Christmas pressie - lovely) and rumaged amongst the 'walking' books for something not too far or too taxing that would take a couple of hours.

Found a lovely walk from Godstone to Tandridge and back across the fields, past streams and ponds with ducks, herons, rabbits but not a car in sight. I have lived round here almost all of my life and had no idea that some of the footpaths I have walked along today existed, nor the pretty ponds and picturesque lanes with enormous mansions hidden behind high hedges. Why haven't I found them? (Actually I know why - I am a lazy cow and go everywhere in the car).

It took us a couple of hours to gently stroll about six kilometres through beautiful farmland, during which time we talked to each other, laughed and got some exercise into the bargain. To get out and do that took a concerted effort of will not to be sidetracked into chores and boring jobs, but I'm glad we did. All we really needed was a labrador to run along beside us - maybe we should have stolen one.

I cannot believe that after all the shopping everyone has done over the past few weeks, and how much they are all complaining that they have no money, thousands are flocking to the sales today. I find it positively obscene that one major fashion retailer (alright, Next) opened its doors at 6am this morning in a desperate attempt to get shoppers through the door. Their poor staff have had barely 24 hours off. It shouldn't be allowed, by law! I really hope people stayed away, but I'm sorry to say that probably the sad gits didn't in the vain hope that they might get a bargain.

Let's face it, we don't really need any more clothes, kitchen gadgets, CDs or anything else come to that. The post (or increasingly pre) Christmas sales are commercialism and exploitation run rampant. I'm sure I will go to the sales, maybe next week, and complain that everything decent is gone, but as I didn't need anything anyway, I'll then keep my money rather than put it into the pockets of retailers who overcharge most of the time anyway and ought to be taught that we don't have bottomless pockets.

Now, where did I put my visa card?.....