This started out as a short post about bouldering up at Craig Y Longridge, which would have been of little interest to many of you. The autumn sunshine made for a lovely afternoon with several climbers up from Manchester to try the outdoors. Many ‘youngsters’ spend most of their time on indoor climbing walls moving from one blue or red hold to the next. Excellent exercise but not at all like the real thing where you learn to position your body to make maximum efficient use of the available holds, feet and hands. They were enjoying themselves but using up an awful lot of unnecessary energy and skin with their climbing gym moves. You have seen them perform in the Olympics. My son sent me a video the other day of my youngest grandchild climbing at The Depot in Manchester. All very impressive on a ‘route’ I wouldn’t get off the ground on. All heel hooks and dynamic jumps to rounded blobs. I congratulated him on his skill, he is my grandson after all, but also mentioned I had never had to resort to jumping in 50 years of traditional crag climbing.
I go along to the mere vertical part of the crag where I have a trio of traverses. At one time I could link them all together, but now I struggle to climb each one. I don’t mind I’m just happy to be moving on the rock. Back to basics.
On the way home I call into my local supermarket and manage to pick up reduced bags of vegetables. Winter greens, mixed vegetables and stir-fry selections. All for a fraction of their original price, the use by dates approaching fast. Back home with the addition of an onion or two and some potatoes I soon have a heart-warming soup mixture. In fact eight generous portions of soup for less than £2 go into the freezer. Back to basics, that’s how to deal with the cost of living crisis. 
Our new government is struggling to come to terms with that cost of living crisis. In fact, they have made it worse by the tax cutting measures that have sent a shock wave through the financial markets. Let’s not hurt the rich and make the poor pay for it in the years to come. Oh! But is that a U turn I see? Disarray within weeks of their new premier. Having Rees-Mogg involved in climate change measures is obviously a joke. Fracking in our back gardens is looming its head here in Lancashire. Time to get back to basics., but I for one have no confidence in the unelectable Tories.
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg,
I’ve made such soup often in the past but not for a long time. I think you’ve got me going again. I do make curry, but only from the Patak ( or Aldi equivalent) type jars. My son W is more adventurous doing all that magic with the individual spices.
I’ve experienced Will’s baking and was very impressed. Time for a revisit.
You are welcome for soup any day..
That soup looks the business! I think we’ll all be learning a thing or two about frugal living over the tail end of this frightful administration. I knew it would end badly when they came in, in 2019, but I’d no idea how badly. The Moggster having anything to do with our net-zero is beyond words. As usual enjoyed your climbing – heart in mouth for the young man at that indoor venue, but then as I remember, they do bounce more easily at that age. I live near Mawdesley’s Rock and River where they have a climbing wall which is very popular, but I’ve always wondered how being good on the blocks equates to being good on the rocks.
I don’t bounce too well these days.
Wasn’t it a Tory MP who suggested people should take on more hours or move to a better-paid job to cope with the cost of living crisis. What plane do they live on?
Unfortunately Ribble Valley seems incapable of voting in anyone but the blues.
At least the crags are free.
If the Tories had their way they’d find a way of making the proletariat pay for climbing too
Probably.
Excellent soup BC. Your Rees-Mogg joke would be funny if it wasn’t so serious. What a shambles…
Well done on the marathon by the way.
The soup looks good BC, as for the climbing I prefer to stick to terra firma – the firmer the ground, the less the terror 🙂 🙂
I can assure you I am well grounded.
I was enjoying your post until I reached the photo of that overgrown Walter the Softie 😬
Walter the Wally