I managed to count all the sheep okay today, still had to hike down the field though. I think I shall have to do them first in future because after having walked about a mile or more with the dogs, it's bloody hard to clamber over the gate and then trudge down another huge field to see how many sheep are lurking right at the bottom, and even worse going back up again and climbing back over the gate. Didn't take Emma this morning as I wanted to go straight to the doctors from the farm. Just as well cos I didn't get home until about 11.30 so my birds had a late breakfast today. The feral kitten came today to feed with the others. Not sure if the farm cat has been neutered, I guess so, but this kitty could be the son of him, has the same white socks. I don't know the names of the cats, I didn't take it in really, I expect Kate did tell me, but I just call them Fluffy and White Socks (wonder if you can guess why.....? ) Being as I don't like cats really, these two are cool, friendly and quite cute. White Socks was funny yesterday, he or she sat on the roof of my car as if to stop me from leaving. I got him/her off and put him/her on the steps but by the time I got back in the car, he/she was back on the roof!
Doctors was okay, I felt like a right hypo-thingy though, but thing is I had a lot of things that I needed to ask about and get sorted, and I kind of save them up for when I have to have my B12 injection done (every 3 months) unless they are urgent. So I had a list! How awful, I did apologise to the doctor, she sort of smiled (through gritted teeth) I didn't dare even mention the sciatica getting worse or the arthritis in my knee and elbow.... I really needed to sort out my eye, which has a problem with the tear duct, and my dizzy spells, which are getting a bit scary. Haven't mentioned them before, but I frightened myself half to death the other day because I was driving when I had one. If I get another, I have to go straight to the doctors and they will look into it further. In the meantime, we are going down the route of taking more tests for diabetes, my thyroid and other stuff. Have to go for blood tests having had nothing to eat or drink for eight hours, so will have to leave that till next week I think. I got ointment for my eye, and nasal spray to try and sort out my sinuses, which could also be the cause of the dizzyness. Hope so anyhow.
Oh yes, the rain, well it arrived with gusto today, drizzly most of the time from mid-morning but sometimes a couple of really heavy showers, so put paid to my grass cutting today, wish I'd done it yesterday now when it was lovely and dry, oh well, who cares, its not that long. Meant I didn't have much to do really but it was quite nice to sit and relax for a couple of hours. Got pretty wet doing the dog walk this afternoon, Emma too, but it was still enjoyable, just wore my waterproofs and wellies, and have left them to drip dry up at the farm. I am really in my element up there, I love the solitude, the peace and quiet, the wonderful scenery, looking down the valley and the leaves are all turning gorgeous colours on the trees, and the place is alive with birds, there was a little flock of nuthatches today, twittering away, and a beautiful Red Kite in one of the big oak trees. Also of course enjoying the pets, and being able to slob around in tatty old clothes, not have to speak to anyone, it's something I used to love about where I used to live before, and that I've missed this past 8 years. I hope I can continue to do this for a long while to come, hope Kate and Terence want to go away a lot! Maybe I won't say that in the depths of winter though when its freezing and foggy.
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Just a quickie ...
Today has been fantastic, so warm and sunny most of the day, outside doing some stuff in the garden in a t-shirt and was dripping. It clouded up about 4-ish but not a breath of wind, so was still lovely. Guinea pigs went out for the first time in ages.
I did my two stints up at the farm, which means I've walked about 4 miles or so today (so has Emma, and she is exhausted) I wasn't going to take her back up there this afternoon, she was fast asleep, but as soon as I was about to sneak out, she was awake and wanting to come.
I wanted to laugh this afternoon, when I went into the field and started counting the sheep, I had this image of Bitzer in Shaun the Sheep with his clipboard, ticking the boxes, I need one I think, I lost count three times and had to start again. All present and correct anyway. I will take the camera up tomorrow and get a pic of one of the rams, he has a magnificent set of horns. I think he must be a Jacob.
Well, I'm gonna jump in the bath and have a soak, my back is crying out for some tlc after the gardening and cleaning out the cages, and cleaning in here I've done today. Haven't stopped all day.
Diddy boy saying hello to his old friends
I did my two stints up at the farm, which means I've walked about 4 miles or so today (so has Emma, and she is exhausted) I wasn't going to take her back up there this afternoon, she was fast asleep, but as soon as I was about to sneak out, she was awake and wanting to come.
I wanted to laugh this afternoon, when I went into the field and started counting the sheep, I had this image of Bitzer in Shaun the Sheep with his clipboard, ticking the boxes, I need one I think, I lost count three times and had to start again. All present and correct anyway. I will take the camera up tomorrow and get a pic of one of the rams, he has a magnificent set of horns. I think he must be a Jacob.
Well, I'm gonna jump in the bath and have a soak, my back is crying out for some tlc after the gardening and cleaning out the cages, and cleaning in here I've done today. Haven't stopped all day.
Diddy boy saying hello to his old friends
Monday, 1 October 2007
Awww - just hedgehogs
First there was Billy No Marks
Then along came Half Pint to share
Then came a third, Bully Boy, and barged Half Pint off the dish, .....
but all he wanted was a drink of water, then he went
then Half Pint had a drink and left..
So Billy No Marks thought, yay, I've got it all to myself again.
but not for long, the eyeballs at the water dish have returned....
Then along came Half Pint to share
Then came a third, Bully Boy, and barged Half Pint off the dish, .....
but all he wanted was a drink of water, then he went
then Half Pint had a drink and left..
So Billy No Marks thought, yay, I've got it all to myself again.
but not for long, the eyeballs at the water dish have returned....
Sunday, 30 September 2007
Swansea, good time, disappointing end
Today a friend from the windfarm protest group that I belong to was doing a sponsored parachute jump, along with her son, to raise funds to go toward our legal fees for fighting the development alongside our village. She was told to be there for 2pm with the jump planned for 2.30. A number of us went along to Swansea airport to support her, and I got a lift with one of the other members, which was great, the first time I've been driven anywhere in months!
Anyway we got there and met up with everyone just before 2 o'clock, and to cut a long story short, the weather had been bad this morning, and they had only started doing the jumps at 1pm, consequently there was a backlog. I hadn't realised how popular it is, there were loads of people waiting, they can only do 4 or 5 people at a time. Anyway, the weather was now fabulous, and we watched lots of people coming down, I was getting very excited for her, and wishing I was doing it too. Eventually, it got to be her turn at almost 6 pm. We got through the afternoon having lots of coffees, teas and cakes,(thank you Terence - why isn't he fat I ask myself, so unfair....) By this time, the light had faded considerably and we were a bit fed up that the photography and professional dvd that was being done wouldn't be very good. The cloud had built up too. Anyway, they eventually took off and we could hear the plane even though we couldn't see it. Over on the place where they were due to land there were four guys who are there to help catch them and make it a safe landing. Suddenly, they started to walk back toward the reception, and then and we were all saddened to find out that it had been aborted, too much cloud, and unsafe and too dangerous to jump. What a terrible disappointment for everyone.
It's now got to be rearranged, and we will go through it all again I guess, such a shame, damn this weather, although really, we couldn't have wished to a better day, we all thought they obviously take on too many clients per day, there were still some people due to go after Helen, who never even got the flight, at least she had that bit of it.
Didn't get home till an hour after dark, had to rush around doing the hogs dishes and there were two on it almost instantly, lol, they must've been waiting for me. Emma was rescued by my neighbour after a quick phone call at 5 oclock to say I'd be late, and has she been spoiled rotten by the sounds of things, having been fed chicken and lamb! She still had her dinner here though!
As I write this, little Colin has just appeared on my front feeding dish, bless, he's still around then, he is the only one using this dish now though I think, he comes a lot later than the others, I wonder if he's coming quite a distance to get here.
Got a busy week ahead now, dentist and shopping tomorrow, then three days at the farm, possibly 4, on standby to do Friday too now, but I don't mind, looking foward to it.
Will post the pics from today anyway, even though I will probably be doing almost the same ones again in the not too distant future...
Someone earlier who was a lot luckier
The plane waiting to go
Kitted up and ready
Making their way to the plane
Airborne
Anyway we got there and met up with everyone just before 2 o'clock, and to cut a long story short, the weather had been bad this morning, and they had only started doing the jumps at 1pm, consequently there was a backlog. I hadn't realised how popular it is, there were loads of people waiting, they can only do 4 or 5 people at a time. Anyway, the weather was now fabulous, and we watched lots of people coming down, I was getting very excited for her, and wishing I was doing it too. Eventually, it got to be her turn at almost 6 pm. We got through the afternoon having lots of coffees, teas and cakes,(thank you Terence - why isn't he fat I ask myself, so unfair....) By this time, the light had faded considerably and we were a bit fed up that the photography and professional dvd that was being done wouldn't be very good. The cloud had built up too. Anyway, they eventually took off and we could hear the plane even though we couldn't see it. Over on the place where they were due to land there were four guys who are there to help catch them and make it a safe landing. Suddenly, they started to walk back toward the reception, and then and we were all saddened to find out that it had been aborted, too much cloud, and unsafe and too dangerous to jump. What a terrible disappointment for everyone.
It's now got to be rearranged, and we will go through it all again I guess, such a shame, damn this weather, although really, we couldn't have wished to a better day, we all thought they obviously take on too many clients per day, there were still some people due to go after Helen, who never even got the flight, at least she had that bit of it.
Didn't get home till an hour after dark, had to rush around doing the hogs dishes and there were two on it almost instantly, lol, they must've been waiting for me. Emma was rescued by my neighbour after a quick phone call at 5 oclock to say I'd be late, and has she been spoiled rotten by the sounds of things, having been fed chicken and lamb! She still had her dinner here though!
As I write this, little Colin has just appeared on my front feeding dish, bless, he's still around then, he is the only one using this dish now though I think, he comes a lot later than the others, I wonder if he's coming quite a distance to get here.
Got a busy week ahead now, dentist and shopping tomorrow, then three days at the farm, possibly 4, on standby to do Friday too now, but I don't mind, looking foward to it.
Will post the pics from today anyway, even though I will probably be doing almost the same ones again in the not too distant future...
Someone earlier who was a lot luckier
The plane waiting to go
Kitted up and ready
Making their way to the plane
Airborne
Friday, 28 September 2007
New Quay
Well a return to sanity today, after the freezing wintry temperatures of yesterday, when we had a heavy frost first thing, with frozen bird baths, ice on the cars and an evil biting wind.
Today it was warm, even hot in the sunshine, and of course, having tanked up the overnight storage heaters, it was boiling and had to open windows, what a disgusting waste of energy, and more to the point, my bloody money those sodding things are.
Anyway, enough of the grumps, I decided to make the most of today and took Emma to New Quay. I got lucky - the tide was out, way out, and I discovered the most amazing thing that I've never seen there before in all the times I've been - shells, millions and millions of crushed and broken shells, it was amazing, like being on some exotic island in the Caribbean or something. They stretched right along the beach through the rocks. Emma had a great time in and out of the sea, rock pools and we walked right along the rocks to a previously unchartered bit of the sea front by me!
Came back and cleaned out the hoggy box - no-one at home, it wasn't too bad, but there were two huge, spewy tics lurking in there, waiting to pounce on the next occupant. Lucky I saw them really, hiding in the newspaper. Now I know I have a "no kill" policy but with these hideous things I'm afraid I make an exception, knowing what they do to hogs and other creatures. I won't go into detail, but safe to say they won't be bothering any more hogs.
Excited about Sunday, Helen is doing the sponsored Parachute jump from Swansea airport and we are all going along to watch, lucky thing, I wish I was doing it too, sort of....
Today it was warm, even hot in the sunshine, and of course, having tanked up the overnight storage heaters, it was boiling and had to open windows, what a disgusting waste of energy, and more to the point, my bloody money those sodding things are.
Anyway, enough of the grumps, I decided to make the most of today and took Emma to New Quay. I got lucky - the tide was out, way out, and I discovered the most amazing thing that I've never seen there before in all the times I've been - shells, millions and millions of crushed and broken shells, it was amazing, like being on some exotic island in the Caribbean or something. They stretched right along the beach through the rocks. Emma had a great time in and out of the sea, rock pools and we walked right along the rocks to a previously unchartered bit of the sea front by me!
Came back and cleaned out the hoggy box - no-one at home, it wasn't too bad, but there were two huge, spewy tics lurking in there, waiting to pounce on the next occupant. Lucky I saw them really, hiding in the newspaper. Now I know I have a "no kill" policy but with these hideous things I'm afraid I make an exception, knowing what they do to hogs and other creatures. I won't go into detail, but safe to say they won't be bothering any more hogs.
Excited about Sunday, Helen is doing the sponsored Parachute jump from Swansea airport and we are all going along to watch, lucky thing, I wish I was doing it too, sort of....
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Feels like winter already
Today has been absolutely freezing, the wind was strong and northerly and heavy showers this morning, typically as I had put washing out on the line because it looked like the sun was going to stay out finally. I was already in the car and about to set off out with Emma, so it stayed on the line.
Thought I'd take her down to Ferryside on the south coast, away from the wind. Wrong. It was so strong blowing down the estuary, it was hard to stand up. Oh well, we had a fair walk, she had a paddle, and then I thought we'd get a few chips (for a change) a cuppa, and I'd have a look round the pound shop. Wrong again. The cafe was shut, looks like it's shut for the winter already! Unbelievable. The pound shop was open but nothing outside, a right waste of time.
Stopped by at McDonalds instead, and then Tescos to fill up. The car did 51mpg as normal, which is pretty good, I did over 800 miles last week.
Now not in the best of moods, as have just phoned mum to find out if she's okay with the cold and able to work the fire which I finally installed for her last week after all these months. I told her over and over again how to work it, but it has gone in one ear and out the other. She says she pressed all the knobs and couldn't get any heat, and has put the old one back. I am bloody livid with her, she is not senile, she just doesn't listen. So then she started on about last night, and why I didn't answer the phone instantly,(I got "Where are you" on my mobile, like I am still 12 years old and living at home) as if I have to have the phone impregnated in my hand, and then "what am I eating" So I said "chewing gum, aren't I allowed?" So she put the phone down on me. FFS.
I promised Emma some chips
The cafe was shut. Tsk.
Thought I'd take her down to Ferryside on the south coast, away from the wind. Wrong. It was so strong blowing down the estuary, it was hard to stand up. Oh well, we had a fair walk, she had a paddle, and then I thought we'd get a few chips (for a change) a cuppa, and I'd have a look round the pound shop. Wrong again. The cafe was shut, looks like it's shut for the winter already! Unbelievable. The pound shop was open but nothing outside, a right waste of time.
Stopped by at McDonalds instead, and then Tescos to fill up. The car did 51mpg as normal, which is pretty good, I did over 800 miles last week.
Now not in the best of moods, as have just phoned mum to find out if she's okay with the cold and able to work the fire which I finally installed for her last week after all these months. I told her over and over again how to work it, but it has gone in one ear and out the other. She says she pressed all the knobs and couldn't get any heat, and has put the old one back. I am bloody livid with her, she is not senile, she just doesn't listen. So then she started on about last night, and why I didn't answer the phone instantly,(I got "Where are you" on my mobile, like I am still 12 years old and living at home) as if I have to have the phone impregnated in my hand, and then "what am I eating" So I said "chewing gum, aren't I allowed?" So she put the phone down on me. FFS.
I promised Emma some chips
The cafe was shut. Tsk.
Monday, 24 September 2007
I'm back
Well had a week's break from blogging, mainly due to the fact that I had to use dial-up to access the net at my mums! How did I ever manage? Well I guess I didn't look at websites that had lots of photos for a start. It's hard to get back into the swing of things right now too, I am struggling to be bothered to do this really, or even look at my normal stuff on here, I'm in a strange mood really. I am fighting with various feelings about things I would like to do, and things that I ought to do. Mainly it boils down to should I go or should I stay. It's not something that I shall rush into, lots to take into account, the main thing I hate hate hate about where I live is the bloody weather. I've spent the week up at mums wearing a t-shirt, or only very occasionally a lightweight fleecy top, the coats stayed in the car. I got back here yesterday, and could feel the chill in the air before I even crossed the Severn Bridge. Stepped back into my home and it was like walking into a fridge. I had to put on the oil filled electric rad, the gas oven and the fan heater to try and warm the place up. Utterly ridiculous, it was around 10c colder in here than anywhere I went last week. So fed up it's untrue. Then of course there's the rain. It apparently has rained a lot here whilst I was away. It rained for about an hour where I was all week, and hardly made any impression at all on my mums grass. Here, it's squelch squelch, was back less than an hour and had wet feet and socks like I have for about 300 days of the year. I really have to do some serious thinking, but the main tie as always is my birds and cockerel, and of course, I do have some friends here that I would miss, and a very nice neighbour now too. I love the scenery, and most things but I don't know how long I can tolerate the cold, damp weather. I ached like hell again today, my knees hurt and my back, never got any of that in the warm dryness at mums.
Anyway, I had a good time away, had a yummy chinese meal with Nic, a day long visit with my mate Irene at her new place in Shoeburyness, and a meal out with her and her mum at lunchtime, and a great day out with Pete on Saturday at Hatfield Forest, where I saw my first ever Green Woodpecker, thanks to the loan of his bins! I did a fair bit of stuff for mum, repairing her shed and the drive gates mainly, much to her annoyance at first, but then gratitude. We nearly came to blows about me doing it, in the end I just pretended I was going off shopping for something else, and came back with all the stuff and started doing it. I did manage to get her out for a few hours too to Tesco, and for a spot of lunch at Fairlands, but it wasn't particularly successful, too windy, and she got all uptight and couldn't eat more than a tiny bit of her sandwich. She wouldn't come to Irene's with me, she is so set in her ways now, so I didn't want to force her or nag too much, that wasn't my idea at all, the last thing I want to do is upset her, but it is terribly frustrating when I really wanted to treat her and give her a nice time, and really all she wanted to do was the normal stuff (sitting doing her puzzles and watching Soap after Soap on the tv...........)
Oh well, I took a few photos on the Saturday, Emma had a good time and so did I. Was so lucky with the weather too.
Oh and has anyone seen the latest Bag for Life from Pets at Home - piccie below. Well worth 20p! I just had to buy it.
Photos from Saturday at the Forest
Beautiful trees
One of mum's plant baskets, she has done loads, garden looks lovely
Starlings on her tv aerial
Lovely sunset, there was a fab one on Thursday which I saw from the A1M in the car
Anyway, I had a good time away, had a yummy chinese meal with Nic, a day long visit with my mate Irene at her new place in Shoeburyness, and a meal out with her and her mum at lunchtime, and a great day out with Pete on Saturday at Hatfield Forest, where I saw my first ever Green Woodpecker, thanks to the loan of his bins! I did a fair bit of stuff for mum, repairing her shed and the drive gates mainly, much to her annoyance at first, but then gratitude. We nearly came to blows about me doing it, in the end I just pretended I was going off shopping for something else, and came back with all the stuff and started doing it. I did manage to get her out for a few hours too to Tesco, and for a spot of lunch at Fairlands, but it wasn't particularly successful, too windy, and she got all uptight and couldn't eat more than a tiny bit of her sandwich. She wouldn't come to Irene's with me, she is so set in her ways now, so I didn't want to force her or nag too much, that wasn't my idea at all, the last thing I want to do is upset her, but it is terribly frustrating when I really wanted to treat her and give her a nice time, and really all she wanted to do was the normal stuff (sitting doing her puzzles and watching Soap after Soap on the tv...........)
Oh well, I took a few photos on the Saturday, Emma had a good time and so did I. Was so lucky with the weather too.
Oh and has anyone seen the latest Bag for Life from Pets at Home - piccie below. Well worth 20p! I just had to buy it.
Photos from Saturday at the Forest
Beautiful trees
One of mum's plant baskets, she has done loads, garden looks lovely
Starlings on her tv aerial
Lovely sunset, there was a fab one on Thursday which I saw from the A1M in the car
Sunday, 16 September 2007
Sunday at the farm
I know I said I wouldn't post photos but I couldn't resist these few. I was down there just after 8.30 this morning, fed the cats - no sign of the feral mum and two kittens this morning, wonder where they've hidden themselves, the male was there. Almost a dust up between one of the farm cats and him, lots of hissing and mwouing, but then peace reigned and the three of them settled at their own bowls.
Took the dogs for the walk round the two fields, as the weather is supposed to not be so good later, and incase they only get a short walk when I go back teatime. It's already looking very autumnal out there now, grey and windy, but none of the promised rain so far thankfully. Bitzer, alias Barra was as good as gold today, hardly bothered with Emma as soon as I found him a stick again. On the way back down the track, he walked with me, and she was ahead. Skye loves running after a stick too.
Don't fancy doing much today, will do a bit of cleaning up in here after lunch I guess, don't want to leave the place looking like a pigsty. Will have to clean out the guinea pigs and Chippy tomorrow. Hope I can get rid of this headache I've had since I woke up, nothing shifting it so far, just my luck if I have a cold coming, may mean a slight delay if so, cos I'm not going up to mum's feeling crap, will get enough of that with the driving!
Emma just keeping her head above the grass
Barra with his stick
Heading back down the lane, Skye way ahead, the track is half a mile long, but the fields we walk to are about halfway down.
Took the dogs for the walk round the two fields, as the weather is supposed to not be so good later, and incase they only get a short walk when I go back teatime. It's already looking very autumnal out there now, grey and windy, but none of the promised rain so far thankfully. Bitzer, alias Barra was as good as gold today, hardly bothered with Emma as soon as I found him a stick again. On the way back down the track, he walked with me, and she was ahead. Skye loves running after a stick too.
Don't fancy doing much today, will do a bit of cleaning up in here after lunch I guess, don't want to leave the place looking like a pigsty. Will have to clean out the guinea pigs and Chippy tomorrow. Hope I can get rid of this headache I've had since I woke up, nothing shifting it so far, just my luck if I have a cold coming, may mean a slight delay if so, cos I'm not going up to mum's feeling crap, will get enough of that with the driving!
Emma just keeping her head above the grass
Barra with his stick
Heading back down the lane, Skye way ahead, the track is half a mile long, but the fields we walk to are about halfway down.
Saturday, 15 September 2007
Fun at the farm
My weekend for looking after the farm, and I couldn't wait for this afternoon, so that I could go and spend some time walking round the fields, the peace and tranquility, the beautiful hot sunshine, fantastic scenery. I was pacing around indoors trying to find stuff to do till I could go. In the end, I decided to take Emma round the field first, as not sure how the farm dogs would get on with her. So I walked round two fields with her, about half an hour, hard going too cos the grass is long, but Emma loved it. Carried on down the farm track and did all the stuff, then got the collies out and then thought, oh well, in for a penny, lets introduce them to Emma (Kate had explained they'd never met or walked with any other dogs) Well Skye ignored her completely, and Barra was smitten. I kept wanting to call him Bitzer (Pete will understand!) He was rounding the both of us up all the way up the track to the field, mainly with his nose up Emma's rear end. When we got in the field, he was beside himself not knowing whether to run like he normally does with Skye or stick with us, he was back and forth. In the end, Emma was getting a bit fed up with his attentions, so I found a stick, and threw it, and Skye got it. So I had to find another one for him. That finally did it, they were off, wanting me to throw all the time and having a great time. So poor Emma although enjoyed it, walked about 4 miles this afternoon!
I did all the feeding, checked the sheep, could only count 25 but Kate had said not to worry, as they had been squeezing under a fence and going right down the bottom of the valley. The feral cats scarpered when I went with their dish of food, but soon came back. The other cats whose names escape me were tucking in to their food, all very civilised. So all in all, a good time. I didn't take any photos, I'm not sure whether it would be right to do so without asking them, and I don't want to do anything that they may not be happy with, it's like a a breach of trust and their privacy really, I'm not sure how to put it, but better safe than sorry. I know the likelihood of them seeing this blog is probably nil, but all the same.
Instead I will put a photo of last night with the awwwwwww factor. Two cute little hoggies sharing the food dish. Bless.
I did all the feeding, checked the sheep, could only count 25 but Kate had said not to worry, as they had been squeezing under a fence and going right down the bottom of the valley. The feral cats scarpered when I went with their dish of food, but soon came back. The other cats whose names escape me were tucking in to their food, all very civilised. So all in all, a good time. I didn't take any photos, I'm not sure whether it would be right to do so without asking them, and I don't want to do anything that they may not be happy with, it's like a a breach of trust and their privacy really, I'm not sure how to put it, but better safe than sorry. I know the likelihood of them seeing this blog is probably nil, but all the same.
Instead I will put a photo of last night with the awwwwwww factor. Two cute little hoggies sharing the food dish. Bless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
