Use …… Recycle …… Repeat ……

After a year of extreme weather events, the World Meteorological Organisation has said that 2020 is very likely to be one of the warmest years on record globally. Recycling, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is one way in which we can all play a small part in tackling climate change, but a number of items cannot be recycled through the normal channels and end up in landfill. 

Step forward TerraCycle!

TerraCycle partner with individual, local collectors and are able to divert millions of pounds of waste from landfills and incinerators each month. They are committed to recycling the non-recyclable. Whether it’s coffee capsules from your home, pens from a school, or plastic gloves from a manufacturing facility, TerraCycle can collect and recycle almost any form of waste.

Jenny Penfold has signed up to provide a collection point for all makes of (certain) dental products. She has a collection box in her front porch at Clach an Tuirc where you can drop off your dental care products, including any brand of electric toothbrush head, electric flosser nozzle, interdental brush and dental floss container, as shown below.

The nearest location for recycling all other dental products is: Smile Design Dental Practice, 11 Main Street, Perth, PH2 7HD.

(NB Jenny is also still in the market for your old pairs of tights which she will re-cycle into tree ties for her wood.)

Book Club Review

Linda writes:

The book reviewed in November was read in a wet and windy autumn, over the Halloween period and was, appropriately, a supernatural and chilling ghost story, The House on Cold Hill by Peter James. The story was based on a house that the author had lived in during the 1980s and around which, some of the strange events had actually occurred. This was a very different style and genre from his detective series featuring Roy Grace.

Some of the group were spooked and left feeling uneasy by the ghostly happenings and could only read it during the daytime. One of the group stopped reading altogether! Others felt they were sucked into the story and were keen to read on to see what happened next. Some criticised the story as being far-fetched and possibly too ridiculous to be really scary – mainly due to a very computer literate ghost which sent implausible texts, screen messages and emails. There was also an over emphasis on product placement and use of brand names, perhaps to maintain the modern twist. 

The idea that no male resident would live past 40 was intriguing. ‘No-one leaves the house’ was the outcome for every owner – and the next family are going to be haunted by the Harcourt family! The concept of linear existence was fascinating and provided clues to later events.

The final message OVER MY DEAD BODY encouraged the reader to read the sequel ‘The Secret of Cold Hill’ which a few of the group did.  Under different circumstances, this would have been an interesting film for the braver members of group to watch and make comparisons with the book. 

The book being reviewed in December is Pine by Francine Toon. The winner of the The McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year, it has been described as:

“A ghostly, atmospheric, original and unsettling debut.”

“Drenched in sinister rural gothic, Francine Toon’s eerie debut makes superbly unsettling use of the Scottish Highlands to infuse the continuing aftershocks of a decade-old mystery with slowly encroaching dread.”

You have been warned!!

Road Closure

Just a reminder that the A827 is scheduled to be closed between the junction at the bottom of the Brae and Balnearn for 2 weeks from the 9^th December. The closure is to allow work that will result in the removal of the traffic lights (Hurrah!).

The Community Council tell us that will probably not be as bad as it sounds. Applicants for a road closure always ask for longer than they think they will need in case problems occur and the job overruns. It is the CC’s understanding that the work will only take five days. The road will be closed from 9.30a.m – noon and 12.30 – 3p.m. This allows children to get to and from school.

Picture Corner

Another selection from Peter’s ‘tootles’ around the area:

The images are (from the top):

Sunset on Loch Tay;

Late afternoon light reflected in flood water on Poplar Avenue;

First snow on Strathtay;

And 2 farmyard friends on the left

Better than Talking to Yourself

Pat sent this little contribution, which came via her Mum:

Be careful please! People are going crazy from being locked down at home.

I was talking it over with the microwave and the toaster while drinking my coffee, and we all agreed that things are getting serious. I didn’t mention it to the washing machine, because she puts a different spin on everything. Certainly, I could not share it with the fridge. He has been so cold and distant.

In the end, the iron straightened me out. She said the situation is not all that pressing and all the wrinkles will soon get ironed out. The vacuum, however, was unsympathetic. Told me to just suck it up, Buttercup! But the fan was optimistic. Gave me hope it would all blow over soon. The toilet looked a bit flushed but did not respond when I asked its opinion. The front door said I was becoming unhinged, and the doorknob told me to get a grip. You can guess what the curtains said….’Just pull yourself together’!

(The Blog thinks this is the sort of thing that happens when you start buying ‘smart’ appliances for your home……….)

Please note that the copyright of all photographs on this blog belongs to the person who took them and the copyright of all text belongs to the person who wrote it.