Like the mould that grows on a discarded sandwich – life evolved on earth and is just as insignifcant.
I envy those with faith. It must give a fantastic sense of purpose and meaning to life.
Some interesting figures regarding house prices…
I’ve often heard it, always from the older generations…
“Isn’t it about time you got your foot on the property ladder, settled down”.
Lets run through some numbers.
If you are between 50 and 60 years old now you would have probably paid between 15k and 30k for a house, lets take an example of a house in a quiet countryside village costing 25k in 1980. The average salary was around 8k a year.
Fast forward to 2008 and the average house price (170k) is just short of 8 times the average salary. In the 1930’s and 40s the average house only cost a years salary. And the quality of properties that make up the mid range of these averages has gone down considerably. 1st time buyers are pretty much restricted to town and city living which was not the case until recent years.
So if you are between 20 and 30, and people of your parents age say something like:
“When we were your age we had a nice little cottage and the wife was expecting” you can remind them that their cottage was probably priced below the average for the year, costing around 2 years salary.
Today that same cottage would be valued above average at around 10 times their salary – I wonder would they have been so quick to settle down and start a family under these circumstances.
I think not!
The Boat Inn, Ashleworth – Gloucestershire
In every good pub guide and on every real ale website you will find mention of a multi award winning pub that is local to me, The Boat Inn, a 400 year old riverside inn, situated on the Ashleworth Quay in Gloucestershire.
This small riverside cottage has been in the same family for 400 years, serve real ale and farmhouse cider, from the cask in their small front room bar.
The Boat Inn is now run by Mr Ian Lock who has returned the pub to its roots, serving only traditional ciders and well kept real ales by gravity.
Being a free-house, you’ll find a constantly changing list of Beer and Cider both local and from further afield. You’ll also often find a diverse range of locals, cyclists and tourists to engage in conversation with.
Stepping in to the Boat Inn, Ashleworth is like taking a step back in time. Escape the chemical filled presurised lagers and corporate gastro pubs with their plastic “character” and experience one of the UK’s best preserved riverside Inns.
For more information, Real Ale Lists and news about events visit: http://boatinn.wordpress.com/