Two Hogs and Two Mice

Finally confirmed for sure that there's two hogs - both dishes occupied at same time for the first time!

Also the mouse was another one, usually one on the back dish, then about 5 minutes later, one in the front, so couldn't be sure that it wasn't running all the way round the house (unlikely, but still) Anyway, again both photos taken within a split second of one another. Cute eh?

Talking of cute mice, did anyone see Nature of Britain tonight? The Harvest Mouse in the reeds, with the tiny, tiny naked babies in the nest, which are the size of a raisin! OMG the cutest thing ever. :)

Ever felt like smashing your head against the wall?

Today, I came very close, believe me. Stupidly, I decided to phone BT concerning my telephone line being wired through the council alarm system. PlusNet told me to ring 150. So I did. After getting the usual press option 1 for this, 2 for that etc, and gone through three separate things, get the message "we are extremely busy blah blah" They don't even play you music while you wait, just the constant ring ring ring, and occasional oh-so-pleasant apologies and they will answer as soon as possible. Eventually, I get through. An Indian guy, probably in India. Now no way am I prejudiced, so I try and explain the problem, and it's quite obvious that (a) he doesn't understand me and (b) he hasn't the faintest idea what I'm on about with the box, the wiring etc. So he says he can't send an engineer because I don't have a fault with my line! So I lost my temper a bit then and said but I do have a fault with my line, it's wired up incorrectly. So he says he will put me on hold, and speak to his supervisor. This time I get the music, ding ding dong dong etc. He comes back on and says I need to speak to customer services, not faults. He will transfer me. Thank you. So then I get back to the original recorded message about we are extremely busy, someone will speak to you as soon as possible. 35 minutes later, I kid you not, I get through to a Scottish sounding guy. At least we could understand each other. Explain the whole situation again, and he says I need to speak direct to the OpenReach engineers. He says he can connect me or give me the number, so I says will I have to wait another 35 minutes? He says he can't be sure, but gives me the number anyway and as I was about to be transferred, the line went dead, and I was disengaged. So I ring the number he gave me. I get the option of buttons 1 to 7 to choose what my problem is. Decide on Option 3, which is faulty wiring. As soon as you pick it, it tells you to contact your service provider's faults department - ie BT...... which is what I effing well did in the first place.

Arrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhh!

So I try another route - I'll phone the council, after all it is their problem, and their equipment which is causing all the trouble. Get through to the switchboard and explain briefly, get put through to someone. Explain again, and she says, oh I'll put you through to another department. So I finally get the right department and make sure this time, before I go through it all again. First of all, although she is Welsh, she didn't know how to spell my address, or where it was. Then she didn't know anything about boxes on walls, alarm systems, BT lines or what fucking day it was. I had to explain what a metal box on the wall was. That it had a bt phone socket inside it, and repeat that twice, and that the door was torn off in the wind, and what day, and that someone from the council came to repair it so they know about it already, and when he came....... So she says sorry, I'll have to speak to someone higher in the department and get them to ring you back. So I have to repeat my phone number 5 times before she gets it right. This was at 11.30. And as you have guessed, nobody has rung me back.

Why me? It's my phone bill to ring them, my stress, my blood pressure and my inconvenience, and it's for something that has nothing whatsoever to do with me apart from fucking up my phone line, and I got nowhere. So will have to go through it all again now. I am tempted to post them a letter to both companies and tell them that I am ripping the phone line from the box and they can come and sort it out. I expect then I'll get charged with criminal damage............

Bastards, the lot of them.

Oh and sorry for the swearing, but boy am I mad!

Two hogs

Just a quick update on the hog situation. Pretty sure that there are still two different ones. Neither has any paint marks, although on the webcam, it shows up like one has, which is weird. I thought it was Speedy, went out to check and when you actually see the hog, there is no trace of paint, can't work out why it shows on the cam but not to the naked eye. The paint I used is Humbrol modelling paint, maybe it has some kind off element in it which shows up in infra red light. If so, then it is Speedy or else the original hog from the beginning of the summer. Oh well, doesn't matter I guess, just intriguing. Anyways, the other hog definitely didn't show any marks, and has a darker face. They are both about the same size though, middle to large, no worries with the hibernation. No little ones this year, hope that's not a bad sign.

This is the first hog, who came at 6.15pm - no white on head, darker face markings

This is the one I went outside to see, white marks show clearly on the cam, but not when you see in normal light.

Tuesday

Today has been fantastic weather. Went over to Pat's for lunch, and we took the dogs up the lane today because of all the rain we've had lately, it would have been too soggy in the woodland. Came back and sat outside with our cups of tea, and it was gorgeous, really warm. Quite unexpected to be out and about without a coat at almost the end of October. The weather forecasters were right at least about our "Indian Summer"

On the way home I decided to pop into my mechanic and book in for the car to be serviced next week, so meant going home a slightly different way, so I stopped and took photos of my village from high up on the hillside. Looks quite stunning from up there, and because the leaves have come down off the trees I could actually see my bungalow.

When I got home, I had a message from my isp about the broadband. Apparently because I'm on Broadband Max, and with all the messing around, I have to leave it switched on and the speed should sort itself out after three days so have to wait another two and see what happens. They also agree it's not on about the phone being connected through the box, but its not something they can do, I have to ring BT and report it, and they should come and liaise with the Council and get it done, so will give them a ring in the morning.

Think we will have a frost tonight, it's so clear out. I am going out with the bins to see if I can see the comet in the North East that's visible at present, Comet 17P/Holmes. It's been too cloudy to see it this week until tonight.

Hoggy has been tonight again, was here at 6.15, been to both dishes, pretty sure it's the same one going round. Also saw a bat at 5pm, so they haven't hibernated either. I've always assumed the ones I have here are the Pipistrelles, but having watched the Nature of Britain it could well be the long-eared ones, hard to tell really I ought to get the binoculars and see but they move so fast, but the ones I see seem a bit too big to be Pipistrelles.

Monday Monday...

Managed to get a lot done today. Am feeling slightly more energetic, I think maybe the double dose of thyroxine may be kicking in, plus I've been on my vitamins etc for nearly a week now too. I cleaned out the aviary and Diddy boy, the Guinea pig play area in the back porch, and then the Guinea Pig cage. Just got the Budgies to do tomorrow. My back as usual, is now breaking though.

Been a lovely day here today, bright and sunny, hooray. I also managed to fix my broadband myself. I think I should apply for a job with BT because it seems I can work out the problem where about 6 of them can't. I suppose to be fair though, nobody was aware of that extra telephone socket in the metal box. But it was plain as day that the wiring for my phone which goes into my house via a smaller box on the wall also had a lead running into the metal box. So firstly I tried disconnecting the socket, which didn't work because it meant I had no phone line at all, so that socket is on a circuit with my phone line. So then I tried plugging in just a ADSL filter, no difference. So then I remembered the little tip about disconnecting two of the wires inside which aren't used. Success. So now my phone doesn't disconnect everytime I receive or make a call. Just the speed issue to sort out now. My isp have been informed of my findings and they are passing it through to BT. As soon as they have been, I shall have my rant to the council, and they can damn well get their own phone line to operate the alarms. I am still fuming but pretty pointless until BT have seen for themselves, it's up to the two of them to fix that.

Phoned Kate up this afternoon, and went up the farm for a walk with Emma and took Barra and Skye round the fields with her, it was beautiful up there, if a trifle soggy after all the rain, but I took my wellies so no prob. Had a cuppa with her and Terence, and ran then Kate to fetch her car from being MOT'd on my way home.

Can't get used to the clocks altering, it completely throws me out for about 2 weeks (and all the pets) Means getting up earlier to let Diddy out, uncover the budgies, feed the guinea pigs, and then I'm hungry an hour too early as well. Then shutting everything else in and drawing the curtains at five oclock, makes such a long night.

Still got one or maybe two hoggies coming, I thought the one last night was small, but went out to check and it's plenty big enough, no marks, but very healthy. Am taking a web cam capture each night and dating it so that I can look back and see how late they have been here. Can't remember last year, but I know the year before I saw one here in early December.

This is on the back cam with the best picture

This I had to take, the scary eyes were so funny. Not sure if it's the same hog as on the other one though.

Where shall I start ? ....

Not a good week since Tuesday. Weather crap. Problems with my broadband and phone line. Feeling crap. Weather crap. Bored out of my brains, stuck indoors for two days, apart from about a 15 minute walk with Emma in the rain. Oh, did I mention the weather was crap? Well last night it got even crapper. After three days of grey and drizzle we then had gales and lashing rain all night from about 7pm. At 3am this morning (except I thought it was 4am as I didn't bother to put the clocks back before I went to bed) I was awoken by the most godawful noise which frightened the life out of me and Emma, she barked the place down, and I had to get up, get dressed and go outside in the pissing rain to see what had happened. I thought the telegraph pole wires had all come down to be honest. Well it turns out to be the stupid metal cabinet which is fixed to my wall outside, and the door had been wrenched off, but was hanging by a thick piece of wire. I wedged it up as best I could. Meantime, Emma wanted a wee. I wanted a wee. I made a coffee, then tried to get back to sleep. Bang bang bang. No chance. I then had to get dressed again, and go out with a torch and a pair of secateurs (all I could find) and hack the bloody wire through and throw the door on the ground. I got drenched. I could also see that there were live wires and electric going into the box. Sod it. I decided I wasnt phoning the emergency number and then having to sit up and wait for someone to come out. If it blew the neighbourhood power, tuff. If it blew my bedroom wall away, well tuffer.

Turns out this box which hasn't been touched in the entire time I've lived here and Western Power or BT when they've been here have never known what it is, houses an alarm system for the panic buttons that are in all the old peoples bungalows round here in case they need assistance. Mine was disconnected when I moved in, and I know for a fact the one opposite doesn't work either, cos the cable was caught in a tree and was ripped down over three years ago, and is dangling in the garden. So my point being, I get all the hassle and it's nothing to do with me. Great eh? In the meantime, I have made another startling discovery. I have had problems with my phone line and broadband remember? Each time it's been fixed, it's short lived and amidst much head scratching, nobody can get to the bottom of it. Well inside this box on the wall was a telephone socket. Out of pure interest, I got a phone and plugged it in to see if it was live - it was. So I tried ringing my own number with my mobile and guess what? It's connected to my line! Bloody furious I am. So all the homes round here that have the warden alert use my phone line! It also means it's not filtered like it's supposed to be for broadband. And what's more, I paid BT £150+ to have a new line put in here when I moved in 6 years ago because I was on a party line and couldn't get a decent internet connection at all. It seems whoever carried out the work just connected it into the existing line, so I have always been on a shared line still. How dare the council in the first place use a private house telephone line to use for their system? I shall be on the phone tomorrow for sure! I've also reported my finding to my isp who are still trying to sort out my fault.

Today, it stopped raining mid morning, and after the council repair man had been and screwed the box back together as a temporary repair, I took Emma to the lakes, the leaves had really got a good bashing last night, it was a golden carpet along all the pathways, really pretty.

That's about it for now, I will now try to upload the photos I took although it may be hopeless because my broadband speed is now stuck at about 440mpbs instead of 7meg. It's also now pitch black outside at 5pm, so I have to go shut the birds in. How very depressing. :(

The Evil Box from Hell

What a dreary day

Awful grey day here today, not cold, but been almost dark since about 3.45. Dreading the weekend when the clocks go back, and it WILL be dark at 3.45! (well nearly) :(

Okay so what have I been up to since the last entry? No idea what I did on Monday, Tuesday cleaned the pets out then it was the Bingo night down the pub, which was a laugh, didn't win anything though, and had a little too much to drink, consequently had a terrible night's sleep, serves me right. Nice to be picked up and chaffeured again so that I could actually have a drink though to be honest. No hangover yesterday, but did feel not quite right, extremely tired mainly though. Went to Pat's for lunch and walked the dogs down in the woodland, was a lovely bright day.

Today had to get up at the crack of dawn again because I had the BT engineer coming at 8am to try and sort out my broadband fault. He rang me yesterday teatime to confirm that I was the first call of the day. The fault I have had for months is when my telephone line rings, it cuts of the broadband connection. I've tried everything possible and it was agreed it was a fault on the line. Anyway to cut a long story short, he took two and a half hours over the road at the exchange and finally managed to do it. Came across to tell me, and we checked and it was great, woo hoo. Short lived though, I just thought oh I can put a second phone back on now, tested the line, and it's back to how it was already, didn't even last 8 hours. God knows what he can do now, he was on the last possible fix when it sorted out, so other than putting me in a new line completely, I have no idea. Still it's not my problem. As I've said before though, good job I don't receive many phone calls, because it's so bloody irritating to be in the middle of something, and then whoosh, error message, no connection, no webpage, no yahoo. Good job I don't do downloading else that would be kaputt too.

I thought all the hedgehogs had deserted me, the food hadn't been touched for a couple of nights, but something tucked in on both dishes again last night, so my guess is Colin is still around. I had the cams on but nothing before I went to bed at 10.30 though, was so shattered, just managed to watch Nature of Britain, and part of the Chris Packham one, then had to give up before I fell asleep on the sofa!

Bird news, this week has seen the return in the garden for my first Goldfinch in months, yesterday on the peanuts, just goes to show you don't have to have sunflower hearts to get them, although I do have loads of teasels everywhere, they've taken over like trifids, lol. Maybe has something to do with it then. Also today, first Coal Tit since early summer, and also first little Willow Tit picking up suet pellets from the back lawn.

Oh well Wind farm meet tonight, so out again, heh. :D

Goldfinch yesterday

The Parachute Jump at Swansea Yesterday

Well I had the most fab day, despite having to get up at 6.30 am, and get all my things done with the pets before it was daylight!

The weather was great, it was a bit cloudy here first thing, and I thought oh no, typical, but this also had a plus side in that it wasn't freezing or icy to do the birds. The cloud all cleared by the time we got to Swansea and it was a fantastic morning, lovely blue sky and sunny. Helen and her son Christopher were going to be the first to go up and jump, which was good news. It still took a while for them to get going though, but it was so exciting watching them get in the plane, take off, and then it takes them about 15 minutes to get up to 10,000 feet. We finally saw the little white dot in the sky which was them, and then could see them after the parachutes were open. They actually freefall for 5,000 feet before the parachute is open, so we only got to see them then. I've put the main action onto YouTube below, but I guess it won't be very exciting to watch, only for my own personal benefit really to know that it was a friend up there!

We had lunch in the airport cafe, and then eventually set off for home, but we stopped at Fforestfach shopping centre on the way home and we went in Borders Book shop, which was fantastic. Upstairs is Starbucks Coffee shop, so I had my first ever one of these, which was very nice. Kate bought a hilariously funny book (well she bought loads actually) but this was called Rabbit Suicides and had the most hysterical cartoons of a rabbit trying to kill itself. We were laughing so much, Terence was going to disown us!

Got Tuesday night to look forward too now, we have a pub evening locally to play Bingo! Will be a laugh anyway, and I'm being picked up again, I could get used to this being treated like a lady again and having a social life, I really could........

Plane taxi-ing for take off

Plane taking off

Coming back to earth

The airport from the car park


Safely back on the ground

Where's this week gone????

I can't believe it's nearly a week since I updated my blog. Well I guess it's partly because I haven't really done much once again, and thought I can't be bothered basically! Anyway a quick update if I can remember, of the exciting things that have occurred.

Monday erm went to Pat's and we walked the dogs down the woods
Tuesday - it rained all day, continuously, only went outside three times, to do the birds in the aviary and the wild bird feeders.
Wednesday - can't remember, oh yeah went to Tescos ..
Thursday - Wind Farm Meeting
Friday - Doctors, result of my blood tests, and had to bring Alfie back in from the aviary, which meant travelling half way round Wales to try and buy a decent new cage (failed miserably) Alfie can't fly anymore and had fallen and hurt himself, and was huddled up and miserable, I'd been thinking about doing it for a while.

Today - travelled round the other bit of Wales and got a new cage! Should have gone there in the first place. Can't believe the other places didn't have any. I can't put him in with Chippy because he can't fly at all, and that would mean Chippy would have to be shut in too, can't leave the cage open, which is a no-no - Chippy only goes in at night, he's free to fly around the living room all day. Alfie is the little one I brought in last year for a few days, but it didn't work out then either, because of the above, and also Chippy is too boisterous with him, treats him like one of his toys and bashes too hard! Besides which, Chippy is twice his size.

Other news - weather has been fab this past three days, frosty cold nights, but lovely sunny days and blue skies. Took Emma to the woods at Peterwell after I bought the cage, it was beautiful, trees all shades of gold and lots of leaves down to scrunch through.

Doctors update, don't want to go on about that too much, but basically, my thyroid was slow again, so I'm on a higher rate of thyroxine, and have to have a re-test in two months to see how I go. Doc thinks I may have post viral stress syndrome which is also known as ME, brought on by the chicken pox I had earlier this year. It would cause all the symptoms I've currently been experiencing, however, it could just be the thyroid, would also have a similar knock-on effect. Hope so anyway. She says the higher dose will take a while to work, so don't expect to feel better just yet. We shall see anyway.

Tomorrow Helen is doing the parachute jump from Swansea. Kate and Terence picking me up at 8.15! I have got to get up at the crack of dawn to get the pets and birds and myself ready. Oh no! Hope the weather stays lovely anyway, but at present it's clouding right up, which will be just typical after three glorious days.





Alfie admiring himself in his new mirror

One for OC :)

...and another one :)

Dreary Sunday

I wasn't going to do any more posts about the weather, but when it's about the only thing I have to talk about, I guess it's that or nothing. I am so, so, sick of this now. Wednesday remember was beautiful. Ever since, it's been grey, misty, foggy, drizzly and sometimes just outright raining. It's just so depressing. I have needed the lights on indoors since 4.30, the birds have all stopped feeding and gone off to roost, about an hour or so earlier than normal. The only good thing to be said about it is it's mild, and it's not windy, which are great bonuses I suppose for me.

Well it finally stopped raining for about an hour so I took Emma down to the river. The trees are very pretty of course, and we were showered with dead leaves, falling like golden confetti around us.

At least I got out for a while I suppose. Otherwise done sod all today. My back/sciatica is really painful at the moment, so apart from gentle walking, haven't felt like doing much at all. Have you ever had a dream that included something, and then woken up and it was true? Like the old joke about eating a giant marshmallow and when you woke, the pillow was gone - that sort of thing? Well I had a dream early this morning, I was chatting to a friend, and I was fidgeting away, and said, sorry, my back is killing me, I can't get away from the pain. With that, I woke up, and it was true! I was in bloody agony. I had to get out of bed and rub some of my ibuprofen in and take a couple of paracetemols. Consequently, I felt crap all morning, having taken pills on a empty stomach, felt sick and dizzy. Ah well, could be worse I suppose, but can't think how at the moment..... Roll on April.

Ooops, I forgot, I was tagged

Well, I'll do my best to answer without rambling on too much (as if...)

1. What is the coolest bird you've seen from your home?

Well, there's been lots over the years, I can remember the thrill of seeing my first ever Nuthatch, Red Kite or Treecreeper when we first moved to Wales, but if I stick to the last couple of years or so, it would be between the day a Cock Pheasant appeared, or the Turtle Dove (which are so rare here) but of course, it has to be Rambo! He was the little escapee Lovebird who came last year, and who I managed to recapture and return to his owners.

2.If you compose lists of bird species seen, what is your favourite list and why?

I don't really compose lists of birds, I was doing the BTO Garden Birdwatch for the past few years, but I kind of gave up on that earlier this year, it got too difficult to be accurate with the large flocks of birds that came down to feed, I preferred it when they had a "10+" category. Also got very disheartened with all the Greenfinches dying here over the past two summers, so don't really count birds now. I suppose if you could call it a list, I do take note of the highest amount of rarer birds that have come to the garden, and the biggest amount of Goldfinches I ever had at one time was 11. I have not been encouraging them or Siskins this year - have done away with sunflower heart feeders to hopefully get rid of the dreaded trichomonias here.

3.What sparked your interest in birds?

Being born! No seriously, I've always been interested in birds from a small child, I was surrounded by woodland, corn fields, orchards and very little else as a kid, and can remember searching hedges "bird nesting" at a very young age (only to find where they were, not to steal eggs) I suppose I had a lull as a teen, but have always loved to hear bird song, and have always fed wild birds ever since I left home.

4. If you could only bird in one place for the rest of your life where would it be and why?

Well, I don't really "bird" so would have to say my garden. I am more than happy with what comes here, that or local woodland, but I'm not really all that interested in water birds.

5. Do you have a jinx bird? What is it and why is it jinxed?

Well until recently, it was Green Woodpecker, and previously it was Kingfisher, but I've seen them both now. There's lots I would still like to see, like maybe a Hoopoe would be nice.

6 Who is your favourite birder? and why?

Ooooh decisions, well for sex appeal, and all round knowledge, presentation, and, and all that, erm it has to be *drum roll* Simon King. (swoon) Closely followed by Iolo Williams (although he presents all types of nature programmes) and also same as Mary, Chris Packham is a great presenter too, very enthusiastic and makes it interesting.

7. Do you tell non-birders you are a birder?

No, cos I ain't! I don't go off searching for birds with bins, tripods, bird id books and cameras with enormous lenses. They are birders to me. I just take my pocket camera and if I see a bird, photograph it! Simple.

Hog news

Firstly, last night I took some proper shots of two hogs with the camera, not the web cam. Neither hog had any paint marks, or so I thought. Having taken them off my memory card just now, I am quite excited. The one in my front porch, which is isn't the cam I broadcast, was quite tame. It didn't run away, and now I can see some faint paint markings near the head, only on a few spikes, but paint markings nonetheless. I even enlarged that section to make sure. But look at the nose! It has a piece of peanut skin on it, but apart from that, the nose is pinkish and bluntish. I think it maybe Ryan! I so hope that it is. It's definitely not Speedy, as I saw him the other night and still has a lot more paint. The only other possibility is the one who first came early in the spring who was marked on the front of the head too, but he had a normal nose. I wonder.....




This is the one round on the main cam last night, who got beat up, he's in a real messy state, he really stank!

A moan

Next, see this below? Well it's gold dust. Well no, actually it's more valuable than gold dust apparently. It's Emma's allergy vaccine, it last ten months, and I've put a 1p piece so you can see how big the bottle is. It holds 10ml, she has 1ml each month, which I inject into her. I got the vet bill today. What a lovely start for the weekend. Excuse me while I swear - it's gone up - a lot - £141.00 - EFFING HELL! For a repeat prescription. It comes from Holland (or 'Ollarnd as Damien would say) I bet my vets put on their bit though, what an effing rip off. Two years ago when she had the first lot, it was just under a hundred quid, which was bad enough. Now how can they justify that kind of increase, when they hold all the details of what has to go into it on record, and just have to squirt some stuff into a bottle and supply 10 syringes? I wouldn't mind if the stuff actually worked, but for July August and September, Emma was still tearing herself to bits and I was giving her a piriton antihistamine pill every day too. I'm afraid I won't be buying anymore when this runs out next year (you have to keep it in the fridge) I think I'll just try the piriton on their own. I love my dog to bits, but I'm not bloody made of money, and I can't afford that kind of bill (that wasn't the entire bill there was other stuff on it too)

Emma's bit

Thirdly, something for Emma's fanclub -





Guess what we had for lunch today??? (Sorry Nic, I'll start the diet next week, honest. :D )

Three cats and a slug!

Yay, today I had to look after the pets at the farm again. This morning it was misty and drizzly, but was still a nice walk round the fields, picked a few more blackberries, they are nearly finished now though.

It was pretty grey and grim all day really, but very mild, no wind. I went back up to do the tea time shift around 4 o'clock, and remembered to stop at the end of the lane leading out of my village to take a photo of a tree that always amuses me. It is a conifer by the looks of it, and I am thinking that it has been deliberately shaped. I think it's fantastic, has arms and a face or is it me again?

It started drizzling again, typical, but I didn't mind, neither did the dogs. There's loads of chaffinches around at present, all along the drive in the leaves, they fly up at the last minute and make you jump, and I heard, but couldn't see, a woodpecker tap tap tapping away high up in one of the trees.

So when I went to feed the cats, they were all waiting in the barn, all except the she cat, which they think has gone off to have another set of kittens! Oh no! Well the little kitty is still very timid and ran up on the ledge in the barn, the larger one which I photographed on here last time is tame now and you can stroke him, awwwww. Got Socks this time, who plonked himself down on my car on the warm bonnet. Has made a load of muddy prints all over it, good job it needs cleaning anyway.

When I came home, I remembered my blackberries from the boot, which were in a plastic bag. Got them out and put them in cold water to wash, and when I looked there was this peeny little slug, crawling out of the dish. Who else would then go awwww and take it up the garden in the rain and put it safely on some of their blackberries ?????

The amusing tree, I wonder if it's been toped!


The small kitty, still wary

The feral tom cat


Such a pretty small kitten

Socks on my car, giving Emma the evil eye

How cute is this?

Briefly

Just a few quick lines, normal stuff, but don't want to disappoint my fan club....... (joke)

Okay so thanks again everyone for the help/advice/ideas re my food intake. I am trying to get motivated to do something about it now. As I joked the other night on chat though, I would like someone to plan my entire dietary needs, prepare all my meals and wash up afterwards. I don't mind getting the shopping in though! I am seriously considering going to a local Weight Watchers, it may be the motivation I need, and hopefully they will do me a good diet sheet. However, I had my blood tests done yesterday, so until I have the results back to see if they are all "normal" as usual, will hang fire on that one

So yesterday I went over to my ex's for the day, had some dvds for them and the weather was absolutely fantastic. We took the dogs down to Aberafon beach, and it was like a summer's day. Sitting on the wall eating our lunch, must have been close on 80 degrees I reckon in the sun. Didn't get home till about 6.45 last evening so by the time I'd done all my foods and stuff it was time to watch an excellent new series called The Nature of Britain. Absolutely fantastic photographic footage of all manner of birds, insects, plants, reptiles. The highlights were amazing scenes of Starlings going to roost, which have been filmed before, but I'd never seen these particular ones, they reckoned up to 6 million, and set to music, it was spectacular to say the least. Also showed some blonde hedgehogs on the island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, which were so cute. Oh and previously to that, Iolo Williams was at my local beach, New Quay, watching the dolphins, and also was a piece of footage from Gigrin Farm, the Red Kite feeding station that I have been to twice this year. This was because the Red Kite was voted Wales' favourite bird (I voted for it too) and the Robin was second, which was my second choice.

Today, weather supposed to be same as yesterday, but of course wrong as usual, thick fog until about 11.30 then grey and more grey ever since. Nearly dark now. Will have to put the light on in a sec. Met Pat and Ben at Newcastle Emlyn for a walk round the castle though, and we had a nice cuppa and a chat (and cake :O ) at the outside tables of the cafe, so it was fairly warm, better there than here anyway.

So there you have it, Wind Farm meeting tonight, so have to get all the hogs dishes done before I go, now pitch black at 7 pm, had four different hogs come again last night, little Colin is still a regular. Checked the box today though, and it's vacant again. Hope someone wants to hibernate in it, but have my doubts, I think they are too cosy in my huge, huge "compost" heap. I use the term loosely, as it is more a pile of garden waste, not much in the way of compost, but still, hopefully it is making a cosy home for something.

The sand was amazing
Barry Christine Misty & Emma

A post for Anonymous...

I guess you wonder if what I eat is the cause of some of my health problems, due to your recent queries on my diet. So here is what I ate yesterday, every last crumb. It is a typical day's food really, excepting that most nights, I have a hot meal of some kind instead of salad. Okay, here it is

Breakfast - bowl of Kelloggs Special-K with a sprinkle of California Raisins

Lunch - A small crusty baguette with thin slices of Double Gloucester cheese and coleslaw, three cherry tomatoes, some red grapes, and an Apple.

Evening/Teatime meal - Salad comprising lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, cheese, celery, and mixed salad stuffs bought from Morrisons (like Florida Salad, Italian Pasta salad, tuna and sweetcorn pasta, mixed beans - like a spoonfull of each) and a cheese bread thing, not sure what they are called, like pastry with cheese inside. For afters Mr Kipling apple pies with fresh picked blackberries that I collected in the afternoon, and Ambrosia low fat custard.

Snack - an Apple

During day I had 4 cups of Nescafe coffee and 1 cup of tea, using semi-skimmed milk. (I don't take sugar in my drinks)

I also chew Wrigleys gum a lot, because I have such a dry mouth otherwise, and I can't keep drinking all day, else I would spend even longer on the toilet than I do already.

That's it. Now I have to admit a lot of days I have a cake for a snack, and sometimes I have McDonalds for lunch so then I try and have a small meal in the evening instead. Sometimes my evening meal is a ready meal, but I'm sure I always eat my "five a day" fruit and veg, I eat the Healthy options type ready meals too, low salt, low fat ones where at all possible. I rarely eat sweets, but my biggest downfall, and hence why I've put on 28 lbs in the last year is cakes. I just can't bloody resist them, and also biscuits. But when I went shopping I didn't buy any this weekend, so have none. I did buy the apple pies though. A box of 8, on Sunday, and there are now two left for tonight. I also normally have a yoghurt instead, so have plenty of those in the fridge at all times.

So there you have it. If you can come up with something from my diet that I'm lacking or any advice, then I'm happy to listen.

Fed up

Have started to write an update several times, and then thought, can't be bothered. I have gone from being on a high, and happy last week to down in the dumps, in the course of a few days. I hate this time of the year, and I suppose having something useful and nice to do last week made all the difference. I know autumn is pretty and love all the colours of the leaves turning gold and brown, but at the same time, it's just so depressing, everything dying, withering, and the thought of all the horrible weather to come until about next April. It hasn't help that this is the third day of grey oppressive skies too. Well it was ok first thing, but then clouded up. 5pm and I need the lights on. Had nothing more to do today than take Emma out for a walk, and I've cleaned out the budgie. Guinea pigs need doing but can't be bothered, they will have to wait till tomorrow. Oh and housework, cleaning and stuff, really exciting. Also not helped today by waking up at 6 am and not being able to get back to sleep so feel wrecked anyway. My eye is driving me crazy, itching and streaming all day, the ointment has made no difference to me waking up with it completely dry, and if anything has made it worse. I also keep having to get up twice during the night to go to the loo again, back to that once more, thought I was over that. I cut the grass and cleaned out the aviary on Saturday, so that probably accounts for my breaking back. Moan moan moan. Pretty pointless blog today really, but haven't done anything much since the last one, apart from dog walking and been food shopping. Oh I bought a new mower. Hopefully won't have to use it much more this year though.

Having serious thoughts about bothering with this blog so often anyway really, it's all much of a muchness, same old, same old. Will probably only do it if I do something other than dog walking and shopping! Can't be bothered with chat at the moment either really, would rather just watch the telly, everything's a big effort. Right now, just wish I could go to sleep and wake up in April 2008. Maybe I should turn into a hedgehog?

Few more photos from today

The bigger kitten with amazing tilting eyes


Emma and Barra, both knackered


The cat family, Tom in front, then bigger Kitty, Mummy cat hard to spot in the sunlight, and the little kit ran away, is in the background.


We had an fantastic sunset tonight, this was in my garden when I went to shut the aviary up, around 7pm.

Last day at the Farm :(

Was a bit of a nippy start this morning, almost a frost, mist hanging over the valley, but blue sky and sunshine by the time I took the dogs up the field, and has turned into a fabulous day. Took lots of photos, as this will be the last chance really for a while, and yesterday was a complete no-no with the rain. Hopefully, will be doing another stint next month though. Feel quite sad, I've so enjoyed doing this, it has given me a whole new interest in life. I shall do a little note for Kate later, and don't want to sound too gushing and gooey about it, but at the same time, want them to know how much I enjoy it.

Finally managed to remember to take a bag and pick some of the blackberries round the edge of the field, did remember yesterday of course, but in that rain, I decided against it.

The feral cats put in an appearance today, not sure which are the kittens though, and which is the she cat, and the tom chased off Socks, so didn't manage to get a pic of him/her (guessing a him now) One of the kittens is tamish, and came on the dish with me very close, awwww bless. (you sure??? me and a cat? nooooooooo! )

Looks like they will probably be back tonight, as I think she would have phoned me by now, so will probably have an exciting trip to Tesco tomorrow then, back to my normal thrilling old life. *yawn*

Oh well best get on and do something round here for a couple of hours I guess till it's time to go back. I have the windfarm meeting tonight though, and the car boot book sale on Saturday, which I've to do on my own this month, as Helen is away. Should be fun.

How about this view from your front garden then?



Badger poo! (It has blackberries in it - I know, too much information!)

Come on then!





My blackberries





Cute little lamb

No wonder I couldn't find these four, tsk.







The rams





Fluffy cat