I am currently unemployed but studying while doing an unpaid placement with learners with special needs, in order to hopefully become employed again. My husband has a serious condition, so is unable to work currently after working hard for many years. So we have no current income at all as we are not claiming benefits. We have dwindling savings. We pay our Council rates in full.
I have got my elderly Mum a small gift but wanted to remember my lovely late Mum-in-Law, too, as Mother's Day is this weekend. Today I cut 17 fresh daffodils from a Council verge, which I have put in a vase in our house, in her memory. This was a nearby public area to me, where there was a great abundance of daffodils, I would never pick that many that left an area bare. I carefully selected ones in different spread out sections, so that it did not ruin the beautiful look of the host of daffs. I also ensured that I picked the ones that were fully fledged and had bloomed to their maximum, which would die off soon anyhow.
I feel really guilty about it now, as a lady opposite the grassed area came out of her house and was taking photos of me with them, shaking her head in annoyance. I walked towards her saying "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any offence", very politely and with a smile. She carried on taking photos but ignored me and went back into her house. I was not rude at all and would rather not be judged or considered an absolute criminal, although I did feel incredibly guilty as a result of this woman's reaction to me. I feel that I shouldn't have done this, I know in my heart that it is nicer to see flowers growing outdoors, unpicked, but it is too late now.
Having checked if my cutting daffodils is illegal here on Mumsnet, I feel even worse after reading all the objections to this. I won't be doing it again, but please can people be less judgemental of 'non-profiteering' flower pickers, some of you branding us all as foul-mouthed, which I find objectionable and 'tarring everyone with the same brush'. Particularly people should not scorn so much at children who pick flowers, as they may be doing it to please their Mothers, when a gentle reminder of helping the environment instead would suffice. Please consider that some of us do it with the best of intentions, even if it may be morally unacceptable. I can appreciate that more now, and vigilantes need to appreciate that there are people guilty of far worse things in society, we all know that. Who are we all to judge others?
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Sorry I picked the daffy
50 replies
SorryDaffodilPicker · 28/03/2014 17:41
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