Where is Joy?

We made a trip into town this morning ... milk and mail being the main reasons, but also the freezer compartment was becoming depleted of meat. 

I don't know if you are fortunate to have a butcher shop in your area?  While our local butcher does not have a chopping block for cutting up sides of beef, or lamb, we are fortunate to have a butcher.  Somehow Supermarket meat doesn't taste the same; whether it is the prepackaging in plastic, or the lack of chat [or gossip] that is part and parcel of a real butchery.

I waltz in, cheery as always.  Mr Butcher wasn't in sight.  I called out a goodmorning and from the depths of 'out the back' came a "Won't be a tick."  I know some folks wouldn't call out and slowly become impatient if their presence isn't noticed.  But, at the moment, our butcher is the only one there, and if we want sausages made 'out the back', or tasty rissoles that are not available anywhere else as they are made to a special recipe, then we find it easier to call out. 

As I wandered along the front of the counter I pointed out what I wanted ... two of this, three of that, 500g of the next.  My Significant Other refuses to come into the butchery with me as he is of the opinion that one should ask for a quantity of this or that.  I prefer to have a variety.  Open the freezer compartment and grab a parcel ... each meal depends on where the fingers land.

And as is the case with a real butcher, the state of the nation is discussed, as is the state of most other unimportant topics ... weather etc.  You know, all those things we have no say in.  But today we did manage to find a discussion that is apt to everyone everywhere. 

The topic?  Why is it that newspapers, TV, and most other media are glass half-empty people?  Moans about this, groans about that!  And as this discussion was important, some important 'facts' we put forward.  We discussed and came to a conclusion ... they, those faceless people behind the headlines, like to keep us in a state of fear! 

Oh, and you wonder what began this serious, state of the nation discussion?  The fact, as reported in large headlines on the front page of the newspaper that drinking is as bad as asbestos, and smoking was in the mix as well.  Of course anything done in other than moderation can be injurious to health; but scary headlines are every bit as hard to take.  We wondered if perhaps someone, somewhere might consider printing a newspaper full of good news; joyous news! 

Is that really too much to ask?