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UK Air Pollution...Makes you want to move

Pollution in London

"When Justin Bieber collapsed last week at the O2 arena in London and was taken to a private clinic feeling "short of breath" and needing oxygen, the rumours started flying that he had had an asthma attack. They were denied by his management, but it would have been understandable if he had. Most of last week, London's air was heavily polluted, with many of the capital's pollution monitors recording "high" nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels as an acute photochemical smog of fumes and microscopic particles (PM) of acids, chemicals, metals and dust drifted in from the continent, mixed with London diesel exhaust and then became trapped in the still, dry air."

Read full article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/19/uk-air-pollution-health-crisis

When you read the above it's easy to see why 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma: 1.1 million children (1 in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12).

The last couple of years my children have suffered from allergic asthma but this last year the situation has become much worse, with several other allergies creeping up... prawn, lactose, milk, soya... etc!

On one of our recent visits to our family doctor, he mentioned that there was a lot of children with asthma around were we live because there are a few factories and places like that. 
I thought, wow, I have been living here for 7 years and didn't know that we were in such a high air pollution area!

That brought me to research on air pollution, I was particularly looking for a map that would show me the levels of air pollution around the UK.

The UK has some of the highest rates in Europe and on average 3 people a day die from asthma. (Source Asthma.org.uk)

This is a disgrace, considering we are one of the most developed countries in the world, you would expect people to be smarter about the environment.

"Air pollution, especially from diesel engines, is a "neglected, hidden killer" and children and old people are especially at risk, says Mudway. "There's strong evidence that if you live near main roads you will have smaller lungs," he says. "They will not reach capacity and will be stunted. When, or if, people move to a cleaner environment they still do not recover the function they lost. We have good evidence that every child born in Tower Hamlets will have a reduction in the volume of their lungs by the age of eight. The point is, people die of lung disease later on. You store up a problem that will affect you later," he says.
He lists some of the effects of polluted air. In the short term, it leads to irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, nausea, bronchitis and pneumonia. Over a longer period it can result in heart attacks and lung diseases, cancers, even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, and kidneys."

Asthma caused by Air Pollution

So yes, it's affecting people left, right and centre but people don't think of all the pollution as the cause. Most of the time they just take care of the symptoms.

I have noticed that since we have moved to my current address I have had a heck of a lot of headaches, I'm not one to have headaches at all, so I found this strange but as everyone else I just treat the headaches. Now after reading the above excerpt, I realise that may be very well a result of the pollution of where I live as I have a dual carriage way just in front of my house. 

I would love to move somewhere else, somewhere in England that it's still accessible to London but there is less pollution. I have a lot to research, but initially I was thinking of Kent. It's nothing for tomorrow but I don't intend to live where I live for the rest of my days that is for sure.

Hopefully that will help my children's allergies but in fantasy land now.... I would love to move to Australia and I was really happy to see it 3rd best country on this list of 'Countries Ranked by Air Pollution' (which is compiled from World Health Organization's Research).

We all wish the best for our children, so we think of the visible dangers around them. I think it is now time to think about the invisible ones!

I have found a cool little website 'Clean Air Kids' that has this article http://www.clean-air-kids.org.uk/doingyourbit.html for the kids, and there are also fun games, etc.

For the adults there are lots of useful tips on the EPA website here http://www.epa.gov/airquality/peg_caa/reduce.html.

Take care,
Monica x

Idiot Encounters

I thought some of these were so funny I had to share them with you to brighten up your day!

Enjoy,

Monica x

Idiot Encounter No.1

My daughter and I went to the McDonald's check-out to pay our bill and I gave the clerk a £5 note. Our total bill was £4.20, so I also handed her a 20 pence piece.

She said, 'You gave me too much money, 'I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me £1 back.'

She sighed and went to get the Manager who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me back the 20 pence and said 'We're sorry but we do not do that kind of thing.'

The clerk then proceeded to give me back 80 pence in change. Do not confuse the clerks at MacDonald's in St Albans, Hertfordshire!


Idiot Encounter No2

We had to have the garage door repaired. The GARADOR repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener.

I thought for a moment, and said that we had the largest one GARADOR made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower. He shook his head and said, 'Lady, you need a 1/4 horsepower.'

I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4 and he said, 'NOOO, it's not. Four is larger than two..' Happened in Moor Park, near Watford.

Idiot Encounter No3

I live in a semi-rural area. We recently had a new neighbour call the Highways Department to request the removal of the 'DEER CROSSING' sign from our road.

The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars on this stretch of road! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing, any-more.'

Story from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.

Idiot Encounter No 4

My daughter went to a local Kentucky Fried Chicken and ordered a Taco. She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.'  He said he was sorry, but they only had Iceberg Lettuce.

From South Oxhey , Hertfordshire.

Idiot Encounter No 5

I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, 'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?'

To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?' He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'

Happened at Luton Airport

Idiot Encounter No 6

When my husband and I arrived at our local Ford dealer to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it.

We went to the Service Department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the Driver's door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door-handle and discovered that it was unlocked.

'Hey,' I announced to the Fitter/Mechanic, 'it’s open!' His reply: 'I know. I already did that side.'

This was at the Ford dealership in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

STAY ALERT! They walk among us....

Julia's first night in the UK!

Famished Julia

 For everyone that has been been following my updates on Julia, I am happy to say she is now in the UK!! Welcome to your new home sweetie.

As you can see Julia really needs some TLC, yesterday she arrived famished as she was on the road on a long trip from Spain since Monday.

Skinny Julia

She is really skinny and very timid, she is still on a course of antibiotics for tick fever (lasting a month) and a trip to the vet hopefully next week should hopefully tell us if she has Mange or not as her skin is in a state.

Her fur is like straw but I'm guessing this is due to her malnutrition and should improve with time, my mum is visiting today and bringing some oil capsules for her which should help too.

Yesterday we went to fetch her in the evening from the Dog-e Transport people, we met up at one of their stops. I was waiting for quite a while and when I finally saw the van the tears just started trickling down my face.

I was so pleased that I was finally going to meet Julia, that she finally was here and didn't need to suffer anymore!

We recognized her amongst the other Podengos in the van as she has a white chest, the poor thing was so cold that I carried her straight to the car. It was a bit of a trip home for her, she was very stressed and very scared.

When we finally got home she had a quick sniff around and her new sisters decided to go on a butt smelling marathon... yes, they all now now in detail each others backsides. A good thing though as they all seemed to like each others butts, no problems there.

Then, without further delay Julia proceeded to ravish the dog food that was in the bowl, yes, all of it!

She still looked famished looking around for more so I gave her a nice tray of Cesar and she polished that too. I don't think she had anything ever so yummy in her life.

"I could get used to this!"

I showed Julia the house, she went out to the back garden for her business with her new sisters and then I gave her a well deserved warm bath, and lots of love and cuddles.

She decided to 'steal' my sister's blanket and lay very cosy in her bed. 

So after an exhausting few days, a very restful sleep with a nice pillow and all!

Finally in my forever home, safe and sound!

 So now that one struggle is over, another one begins... getting Julia healthy and happy.

We thank all the support we have received so far, if you would like to help with Julia, we still need to fund raise £70 to cover the costs of her coming over. All funds go directly to Spanish Stray Dogs through Julia's Just Giving Page www.justgiving.com/SavingJulia

Any donations of anything else for her is welcome and whatever is not suitable for Julia or not needed will be passed on to Spanish Stray Dogs as they have many dogs that will benefit too.

Thank you so much

Monica x

Easy Peach & Coconut Cake - Lactose & Milk Free Recipe

Totally Milk Free & Totally Yummy

This is an easy peasy recipe with both 'Busy Mum on the Fly Style' and 'Proper Housewife Style' versions, one being quicker to make than the other but only a few minutes difference. As I run My Funny Bunny I am always very short on time so the busy mum style was totally made up by me!

It is a totally lactose free and milk free cake recipe which I adapted from a Portuguese normal milk recipe and made it my own. One of my kids is lactose intolerant and the other can't have milk at all, so this is an awesome treat for them and it tastes awesome!!

Ingredients:

6 Eggs
2 Small soya yoghurts (we used peach flavour)
3 Yoghurt cups of flour
3 Yoghurt cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
½ Yoghurt cup of extra virgin coconut cream - melt for about 15 secs in the microwave (we used Royal Green organic one).

Use the yoghurt cup as a measure for the ingredients.

Busy Mum on the Fly Style -

Chuck all the ingredients in a bowl, beat them very very well and put in a tin that has been buttered and floured and pop it in the oven at 180 degrees in a fan assisted oven.

Voilà!

Your cake is ready when it looks lovely and brown and when you stick a spaghetti in it and it comes out nice and clean, if it comes out with sticky cake on it then leave it in the oven for a little while longer.

That is the way we made it.... and it came out lovely!

If you have the time then do it Proper Housewife Style -

Beat the egg yellows and the sugar very well and then in a separate bowl beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Now join all the other ingredients to the egg yellow mixture and again beat very well, after you have done this add the fluffy egg whites to the mixture and fold in gently (preferably with a metal spoon) until it is all mixed in.

It's done so now pop it in a buttered and floured tin and follow the instructions above.
You will end up with a much taller and fluffier cake than if you make it 'Busy mum on the fly style'!

Enjoy,
M x

PS. If you don't have coconut cream use vegetable oil & you can use other flavours of soya yoghurt but changing those will of course change the taste of this lovely cake.

Julia waiting to come over to the UK!

I am sure you have heard about Julia by now!

I haven't stopped going on about her, if you still don't know the whole story, you really need to go read it here.

This is a lovely update, I should have already written it but it's been hectic around here. Julia is waiting to come over to the UK and while she is waiting a very kind lady called Harriet is taking care of her!

So instead of being in the shelter with over 200 other dogs, she is now in a small family run kennel and is getting some love and attention. This is a massive improvement and helps a lot as Julia is taking antibiotics so needs help with those.

I was so pleased to hear when this happened, she even had a bath and everything! She must have felt so pampered. For those of you that don't know, Julia was very sad and depressed living in the shelter, in those cramped conditions for approximately a year and a half, so this is a massive help for her.

Julia at Harriet's after a bath :)

Look how nice and clean she looks! She still sleeps in a kennel outside the house but there are only a few dogs, and the lady has children which help taking the dogs out for walks too. Compared to the shelter she was in this is amazing for her, the lady is very caring and has even got her a little jacket as she gets very cold in the kennel at night.

Julia on a walk

So here she is, very soon she will be coming over to the UK!
All we need is a little bit more help, we are running around £90 under our target fundraising amount for Spanish Stray Dogs, so please do give us a hand to get there... there is no minimum donation and you can even donate by paypal!

Donations help Spanish Stray Dogs UK continue their life saving work.

Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeazy! Just pop on over to http://www.justgiving.com/SavingJulia

If just 90 people donated £1 each we would reach our target easily!

Monica x

hArLeM ShAkE ReVoLuTiOn!!!

The Strydom Family joined the Harlem Shake Revolution!!!

Give it up for...

Me, my kids, my sister and my husband... what a fun evening this was!

Enjoy!

If you decide to join in please post your link below and consider adding a link to ours ;)

Monica x