Strawberry fields not forever

The all-you-can-eat buffet has long given way to the all-you-can-eat strawberry field. A Britsih farmer has had to close his 40-year old pick-you-own business, because dishonest families were gorging themselves through the rows and turning up at the weighing scales with more fruit smeared over their faces than in their punets.

How could it come to this? Strawberry lovers normally munch as they pick. I certainly do. It’s all part of the experience –as farmers also cheerfully acknowledge. But bulging up to 15 quid's worth of fruit without paying is a totally different kettle of fish – or punnet of fruit, rather. One family, it seems, had the cheek to turn up at the victim’s farm with a can of water to wash the fruit (aha, at least they were pesticide conscious) and fresh clotted cream to dunk the goodies in. Perhaps they’d even brought a picnic rug along too.

Families trampling roughshod over fruit and even throwing it at each other also led to the poor farmer finally having to throw in the punnet.

Would this sort of thing happen in other countries, or is it just a British bane? Here in Germany strawberry pickers fill their mouths on the fields too. But at least they have the decency to weigh in a bucket or two at the scales.

Money and Happiness

The Daily Telegraph asks today what makes us happiest. According to YouGov it's 'feel good' moments like having a romantic dinner, gardening on a sunny day and finding money you thought you'd lost. Intestingly though, there's no mention of actually making money.

Does money empassion you? Next time you walk through the City, take a look at bankers and brokers rushing to work. Do they look happy? I can't honestly say I ever get worked up about my bank balance - either when it's well in credit or otherwise. A cursory glance and into the filer. No great emotions.

What do I enjoy though is praise! The other day a student told me I was the best teacher she'd ever had. I guess that made by happy.

Admittedly, praise doesn't pay the bills - a pay rise for all that overtime wouldn't have gone amiss either.