Odds 'n sods

First job this morning was to put away my fishing gear from yesterday's outing.

With everything cleaned up and put away, I attended to the daily chore, restocking the log holder and preparing kindling for a fire later in the day.

I also found a few minutes to give the motorcycle workshop a call. They expect the final component to arrive towards the end of this week. I have, therefore, arranged to drop off a container of the 99 RON, ethanol free fuel at the end of the week. They will then have it available when they need to refuel the Honda.

Continuing on a motorcycling vein, I packed up the defective Arai helmet, and gave the supplier a call.  They had not yet responded to my eBay return request, so I was unable to get a postage label printed off.  

After a quick call, the situation was resolved and a return label QR code was sitting in my email inbox. I finished packing up the lid, and headed over to Alcester to drop it off at the Post Office.

By the time I had got home there was another email in my inbox from eBay advising that they were aware that the helmet had been posted. I was truly amazed at the speed and seamless integration between the Post Office tracking system and eBay's user portal.  All I need to do now is prey for a successful delivery followed by a refund of my payment.

At some point amongst this, we also managed to wander down the lanes with the dogs for a short walk.

I also found another Arai helmet in the right size and colour from a reliable supplier. An order has been placed, and it should be here in the next few days.

I jus hope there are no hiccoughs with the refund on helmet #1.

Not pike fishing

 Today I removed a bag of sardines from the freezer.

I then headed over to Fladbury, where I met up with Bubbles and Ben. One of the aforementioned sardines was attached to a wire trace and dangled in the Avon for five hours. During that time, not a single pike troubled the bait.

At around three o'clock I removed the sardine from the water, put it back with the rest of my dead bait, and packed up my gear.  Forty minutes later I was home and the sardine was back where it started.*

I had a pleasant enough day. The weather was sunny but there was a chill wind. The company was as per usual ... moments of fun, interspersed with the usual inane idiocy.

The thing I haven't mentioned, is that the dead bait is the same that was used the last time I went pike fishing.

I hope no-one, mistakenly, takes it out for supper!

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* Hopefully better luck next time.

I think I preferred the frost

The temperatures have lifted above freezing, and the frosts were replaced by cold rain today.

The weather was vile when I awoke and it didn't improve at any point in the day.  We both spent as much time as possible indoors.

In the morning I bottled the last of the honey that I harvested at the end of May. I can finally report that, excluding wastage,* the harvest produced 125 lbs of saleable honey.  I may have actually produced a few more pounds than that, but I based my harvest total on the number of labels used, and I am sure I have given away, or sold, a few unlabelled jars.

I am delighted with how much has been produced by my two hives, and can only hope we do as well next year.

In the afternoon I made up another batch of leek and potato soup. This necessitated a spell in the veg patch to dig up the leeks and then a session with my hands in cold water trimming them and washing off the mud.  In only a few minutes I was cold and wet and anxious to get back indoors.

The soup doesn't take long to prepare and cook, and I was soon able to get a fire lit and settle in the warmth.

I had a huge snooze the sofa with The Rat and Traitorous Bastard curled up on either side of me, just in case I wasn't warm enough.

So that was my Saturday. A day of dodging horrible weather and achieving a couple of minor successes.

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* There is always a little froth sitting on top of a batch of liquified honey. I use a sheet of clingfilm to lift the froth away from the honey, leaving a nice clear product to bottle. This method works really well, but I do loose a few grams every time.

On reflection, she is a selfish cow!

In the past couple of weeks I have taken stock of the limited range of crops I have attempted to grow in the veg patch.

The beetroot and carrots have been reasonable, taking first prizes in their classes at the village horticultural show.  I was far less successful with cabbages. My first plantings were ravaged by white fly and they ended up on the compost heap.

The hot summer was not exactly conducive to growing vegetables, but I persevered and planted some Savoy plugs and Spring cabbage quite late in the season.  I have never planted so late in the season, and had no idea whether they would amount to anything, or not.  Well, I can report that the Savoys have developed hearts, and it was definitely worth the effort. I haven't harvested on yet, but one will be cut in the next week or so. Allegedly the recent frosts will improve the flavour.

Now on to the leeks.  These have grown reasonably well and ready to harvest. Unfortunately we have a mild infestation of Allium Leaf Minor.  The leeks have not been ruined, but they are far from perfect. Small pupae* can be found inside the outer leaves, and need to be removed before the leeks can be cooked.

30% and I agreed that whilst the leeks weren't good enough to accompany a roast dinner, they were far too good to throw away.

I therefore decided to make a batch of leek and potato soup this morning.  The recipe is simplicity itself and was a lovely addition to today's lunch. The recipe produced sufficient quantities to freeze a couple of portions too.

I also got a batch of honey bottled today. Normally I would process a couple of batches, but Bubbles had arranged for use to go and partake of an all you can eat buffet at The Summer Palace on the outskirts of Studley.  For some bizarre reason he had booked the table for half past five in the evening!

I have absolutely no idea why he selected this time? It was far too early in the evening for us to eat, and bit in to my honey bottling schedule.  30% attempted to put a positive spin on it, by saying that "we would be home well before nine."

I have to be honest and say I wasn't really looking forward to the evening.  I am not a huge fan of Chinese food, and I no longer enjoy a vast quantity of food.**  So an "all you can eat Chinese buffet" was, from my perspective, the antithesis of an enjoyable dining experience.  

Also, neither of us were looking forward to an evening in the company of Bobbyn. At best she is monosyllabic. At worst she is outspoken, incredibly immature, opinionated and not as well informed as she thinks she is.

I have to say that the evening panned out exactly as we expected. The food was indifferent. It was beige. It was greasy and uninspiring.***  Mike was his usual talkative self and Bobbyn was monosyllabic and disinterested.  The only moment of animation was when there was a brief argument when she reiterated that she would not be visiting Bubbles' parents for an hour on Christmas Day.

Fuck me, she is a selfish bitch.  I am not a fan of 30%'s mum, but I would always be willing to endure her for an hour or two. However Bobbyn steadfastly refuses to visit Bubbles parents.  I've met them ... they're fine.

She did mention that Bubbles mum "needs to recognise some boundaries." This had us both intrigued. I just think that Bobbyn doesn't like home truths or criticism.

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* They are of the size and appearance of grains of brown rice.

** I used to be able to put it away, but, as I have aged, I much prefer a small portion of well cooked food

*** It was also fucking expensive. 30% and I could have had two amazing takeaways from China Twon for our share of this evening's bill.

Briefly fabulous

30% was off to spend some time with her friend, Jules.

It was another frosty morning, so I was quite happy to spend my time indoors "to keep the dogs company."*

I brought in some jars and a bucket of honey** from the store room.  I need to bottle another batch of honey, and it will be far easier to process if it is brought in to the warmth of the house overnight.

Around midday my new helmet arrived and I'll admit to a touch of anticipation as I removed it from its packaging.  Arai helmets are beautifully made and I have never had another helmet that fitted as well as this new Quantic model.

After a trial fitting I took off the lid, and gave it a good looking over.  Everything seemed beautiful until I looked inside. A section of the helmet lining just didn't look right.  The lining is black, plush and beautifully fitted to the inside of the helmet. However the section of the lining over the crown of my head looked dreadful. It was poorly fitted, and seemed to be peeling away from the inner polystyrene.  It looked incredibly jarring when compared to the quality of the rest of the helmet.

I gave the supplier a call, and they seemed to be quite understanding. They don't have another in the same size and colour, so an eBay return has been initiated.

As it says in the title, the new lid was "briefly fabulous," but I have been left feeling a little disappointed.

I've already mentioned that the weather was icy, so I decided to light a fire this afternoon ... a bonfire.  The metal crate in the orchard has sat for most of the summer, filled with a large pile of combustibles.  I have conscientiously avoiding lighting it until the weather cooled, and there was no chance of the crop of wheat in the adjacent field being ignited.

I had a splendid time warming myself by the fire, and then heading back to find another piece of rubbish to add to the inferno.  30% was mildly miffed when she returned and realised that she had missed out on the fun.

I probably need to make amends in some way, as my dear wife had kindly returned with twenty litres of 99 RON storage fuel for the Honda ... we won't be able to afford food for the rest of the month!

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* 30% does get quite concerned about the dogs having company.  In my experience, as soon as she heads off down the lane, they retreat to their favourite positions and sleep. They will occasionally wake to bark at passing dogs, but spend 99% of their time snoring. I'm sure they see "company" as "disturbance."

** The last of the May '25 harvest

'ow much?

It was even colder overnight, but I can report that the new greenhouse heater has kept the temperature in the ornamental greenhouse above freezing.  My only questions are how long did it run for, to achieve this feat, and at what cost?*

I spent most of the morning out in the workshop reacquainting myself with my mortiser.  It really has been a long time. 

I realised that I purchased this piece of equipment back in 2012, to construct a cupboard in an alcove at our last house.  After making the cupboard doors and frame components, it has sat in the workshop gathering dust.**. I now need to use it to make the panelled doors for my carpenter's workbench. 

After a couple of hours of fiddling, interspersed with trial cuts in offcuts, I can report that I am just about ready to start marking out the mortice cuts on the door frame stiles. The observant will note that, at no point, have I used the word "confident" in the preceding statement!

I've already mentioned that the weather was bitterly cold, so I did my best to stay in the warm, whenever possible.

In the afternoon I filled the log basket and chopped kindling before reaching out to our Financial Advisor for some guidance reclaiming tax on a pension payment.  I have a feeling that certain documents should have been provided, but haven't, or that vital information should be available on a portal, but isn't. 

I appreciate that it could be me, but let's wait a few days and see how this pans out.

Now on to the title of today's Journal entry. I have already made reference to cost, with my comments on the greenhouse heater. I think a call later in the day pushes the price of things in to an entirely different realm.

Simon rang from the motorcycle workshop this afternoon. We had a lovely chat, BUT the key points are that my Honda needs a new set of tyres, they are waiting for a replacement petrol tap, and the bike is in lovely condition.

I am aware that new rubber is going to cost me in the region of £250, so I asked for an estimate of the bill so far.  I pictured Simon scratching his head, before advising that it was going to be around the seven or eight hundred pound mark.  He advised that much of the fuel system had had to be cleaned or replaced due to the ravages of fucking ethanol in modern petrol.

I do want to continue riding the bike, and I am aware that TP is incredibly keen too, so I bit the bullet and committed to new tyres.***

There is one final element in this "how much" narrative.  Clearly the Honda will need to run on fuel without ethanol, or this refurbishment will need to be repeated in a year or two.  I therefore tasked 30% with picking up ten litres of 99 RON, unleaded storage fuel when she is in Worcester tomorrow.

I checked on availability and asked about the price ... £46 for ten litres! That is over three times the price of E5 fuel in the UK.

It's a bloody good job I won't be doing that many miles on her each year.

One might think that that is enough news for one day, but there is one final event.

This evening we headed out with Mummy Sheila to see a performance of A Christmas Carol performed by Redditch Operatic Society at the Palace Theatre.  It was a very traditional production, reasonably competently performed by an amateur ensemble. There were a couple of stand out performances, particularity the lead role, but I have to say that the ghost of Christmas past was like Stevie Nicks with dementia ... she was bloody funny, but I'm not sure that it was intentional.

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* ... and, are the few plants in there really worth it?

** and a little rust, but I have conscientiously applied tool wax fairly regularly to keep the worst at bay.

*** I've not heard from Buzzer, so I am assuming he has let someone else have his VFR. That leaves me a couple of grand in pocket.

How many parcels?

The weather has been fine, but bitterly cold for the past couple of days.  The blue skies encourage outdoor activities, but a coat and hat are needed, along with plenty of coffee breaks in the warm.

After yesterday's trip to Nottingham I decided that I should really spend some time in the garden today.

First on my list was to attend the tomato greenhouse.  It will soon be home to our tree ferns, as hard frosts are likely to happen, so I wanted to get some manure dug in to the soil.*

30% had removed all of the tomato vines about a month ago, so all I needed to do was empty three bags of cow manure on the beds, dig it in and then give them a good watering.  My hope is that the climate in the greenhouse is sufficiently mild that the soil biome remains active across the winter, and improves the soil structure and fertility.

I also moved some large pots and a bag of compost to the greenhouse. 30% will pot up her tulip bulbs and then leave them secure in the greenhouse along with the tree ferns.**

In the afternoon I headed out to the workshop and continued my project to construct a pair of doors for my carpenter's workbench.  I now have the timber planed to the appropriate dimensions and have started to mark out the rails and stiles.

So that was my day. As it says in the title of today's Journal entry, it was also a day of parcel deliveries. I can report that, as a result, I will now be able to descale my coffee machine, take accurate blood glucose readings and, hopefully, keep the ornamental greenhouse frost free.

On reflection, I wonder if a single delivery of three parcels would have been better for the planet?

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* Without having to fight my way around two large potted ferns!

** Bloody rats dug up last year's bulbs and, as a result, we had a very poor showing.  

Have chainsaw, will travel

 A couple of weeks ago I was pinged by Gary.

Gary is a frolleague from my last employer.  Now I didn't really have a great time in my last, or should that be final, employment.  I sat around for months doing absolutely nothing and when a piece of work was finally allocated, it wasn't really appropriate to my role or skillset.*

The final straw was a "pre-RFP" engagement to assist in shaping a possible solution for the client. It was also focussed on the modernisation of an aged application estate.  These are not the things I was employed to do, and are certainly not my primary strengths.

I muddled my way through a very stressful engagement and, ultimately, actually produced a deliverable, of which I was very proud.  I'm not sure that the Sales team liked it, but I was bang on the money.

I pointed out that the potential client had repeatedly demonstrated an inability to modernise their suite of legacy applications, and would need a period of more than five years to achieve their alleged aims.  I added that they lacked the skills and management consensus to progress this initiative and that our best option would be bring in a team of management consultants to evaluate their requirements, develop a modernisation strategy and educate the customer in order to set off on a long-term journey of software development and business process revision.

As I said, I was proud of this incisive and accurate summation. I really didn't give a fuck about what the Sales Team thought, as I handed in my notice during this engagement.

Basically it was a crappy job and the pipeline of work, hinted at during my recruitment, never appeared. I sat around and only managed to form one working relationship in the eight months I was there.  That is a pretty sad indictment on the abilities of my manager.

He totally failed to engender any sense of team in the group of people he managed. Basically it was a bunch of ten or twelve guys who each worked independently. There were no team activities that allowed or encouraged us to work as a team, share knowledge or assist in any way.**

It was an unpleasant place to work, so after eight months I told him that the job was neither meeting my expectations nor my needs, and that I'd be leaving at the end of March 2024.

Now I appreciate that that is one hell of a tangent, but I will get to the point.  The only member of the team that I developed a relationship with was Gary.  We are of a similar age and have a shared interest in shooting. We also both have a cynical sense of humour, and a shared ability to spot a bad deal from twenty miles away.

We got to know each other, as I was asked to shadow Gary on an opportunity that he was working to familiarise myself with the relevant processes. A friendship has developed and we have maintained contact since I decided to retire.

A few weeks ago Gary pinged me on WhatsApp and asked if I knew anyone with a chainsaw.  I'm pretty sure that he knew I would have one, so I took the bait and offered my services.  He had a few sleepers in his garden that needed to be sawn in to more manageable chunks, so I arranged to pop up to Nottingham, saw up his sleepers, drink several cups of coffee and make him buy me lunch at a rather nice pub.

So that was my day. I defrosted*** the car, headed North and had a rather pleasant time chewing the fat with an ex-workmate.  It was good to catch up and it further reinforced my view that I was far too old and jaded for a career in outsourcing.

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* I was employed as a solution architect. As such I would be engaged when the prospective client issues an RFP, accompanied by a clear set of requirements. I would then ensure I was familiar with what was wanted, develop a solution strategy and engage the appropriate subject matter experts to assist me in developing a solution that was technically viable and accurately costed ... Oh, and hopefully at an attractive price point.

** He did host team calls, but they were just an opportunity for him to talk at us. He had no interest in any input from the rest of us, or for engendering mutually beneficial relationships.

*** The first frost of the Autumn occurred overnight. It wasn't too bad, but I did need to scrape the windows on the car.  On the gardening front, it'll be the end of the dahlias.

Normal Stuff

It's Sunday and I haven't made a Journal entry for a few days.  I'd say "I have been far too busy to put virtual pen to virtual paper," but, as you will see, there has been plenty of spare time.

Friday, 14th November

The weather was horrendous today. It started out wet, and then got even wetter as the day progressed.  Needless to say, we both did our best to stay indoors.

I have recently made my first draw down from my personal pension, and now need to reclaim the tax that has been deducted. I therefore did some fact finding about the relevant process. It seems that I need to submit a P55 form to HMRC. I have determined how much tax has been paid, but I think I need a few more details from my friendly Financial Advisor before I am in a position to make the claim.

Another indoor job related to my Freestyle Libre blood glucose monitoring app. I had been using these sensors for just over five years to monitor and assist in the management of my diabetes. They are amazing and have transformed the control of my condition.

Well, they did, up until I updated the Android operating system on my Samsung A53 cell phone last week.  For the past week the Freestyle app has not worked properly and it may take seven or eight attempts to take a reading from the sensor that is affixed to my arm.  The app crashes repeatedly and on occasion goes in to a diagnostic mode and does nothing for twenty minutes or more. 

Taking a blood glucose reading has gone from just waving my phone over the sensor on my upper arm, to a frustrating rigmarole of beeps, button pressing and swearing.

An internet search has indicated that the app needs to be updated and there is no indication of when this will occur.  I contacted the Sensor and App provider today and reported the problems I am having. To be fair, they responded positively and advised that they would send a bespoke sensor reader and a spare sensor. The reader will take the place of my phone and will not have the Android O/S upgrade issues I am currently encountering.

This is great, BUT, Abbot diabetes care are not currently able to advise when their app will be updated to work with the new Android operating system.  It seems that after five years I now have to take the backwards step of carrying two devices around with me because the provider has failed to keep their app software current.  Surely it must be cheaper to maintain the app than issue, potentially, tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of bespoke sensor readers to Android users suffering the same problem?

So that was a very soggy Friday. The only other news is that TP arrived late in the evening in preparation for our annual pilgrimage to the National Exhibition Centre for Motorcycle Live.

Saturday, 15th November

As already mentioned, my plan for today was to wander around an exhibition hall at the Birmingham NEC, taking in the latest motorcycle models and associated paraphernalia.

TP and I started the day in a leisurely fashion and eventually headed out at about ten o'clock. We met up with TP's friend, Charlie and had a great time checking out the show.  I had intended to buy a replacement helmet, but didn't get as far as flexing the plastic. I did learn that the Arai Quantic is a lovely fit and that Shark helmets have completely changed their sizing.* 

I either need to find a bargain priced Quantic or commit to spending a tedious day trying on helmets at some "Motorcycle Mega Store."  I decided that I am in no rush as the weather will be far from clement for the next six months.

TP and I arrived home a little after six o'clock. Our timing was perfect, as B&H were coming over for supper and were due at around seven.

We had enough time to tidy ourselves up, before enjoying a boozy evening, featuring a rather fine lasagna, courtesy of 30%.

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* I bought my first Shark lid back in 1995, and was very impressed by the quality, fit and look of the helmet. I have bought size L Shark helmets ever since.  Now I appreciate that it has been a while since my last purchase, hence the need for a new skid lid. Today I learnt that Shark have changed their designs and I can no longer get an L sized helmet on to my head... I'm absolutely certain that my head hasn't grown! 

Sunday, 16th November

After an evening with B&H, Sunday was always going to be a non-event.

They stayed over and, after tea, coffee and chatter, they headed off midway through the morning. TP stayed for lunch before heading home to Cardiff.

30% and I managed a bit of a walk with the dogs, but that was it. 

A lazy day!

I ran out of excuses

 Weather wise, today was likely to be a rose between two thorns.

Yesterday was dreadful, and Friday is forecast to be even worse. There are amber warnings* for rain in the Midlands.  Let's just settle on, "Friday is going to be soggy and I'd stay indoors if I were you."

Today, however, was pleasant. It was mild and sunny, with a lovely blue sky ... dog walking weather!

It has been a good couple of since my injured knee last twinged, so it is safe to assume that it has finally healed. The weather, as already mentioned, is fine, and I have nothing pressing to take up my time.

As it says in the title to today's Journal entry, I have run out of excuses not to take the dogs for a decent walk.

In the early afternoon I called Hobson and Traitorous Bastard** and headed out on to the Three Miler. It has been a good while since I walked a decent distance. 30% has been suffering from some mobility issues, so our recent walks have been short. Today I walked out past the local sewage treatment plant and then turned and headed home.***

In all we probably walked a little over three miles. I enjoyed it, as did the dogs.  It would have been better if they could have spent more time off-lead, but the lanes are too busy to allow them free rein all of the time.

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* Who knows what an amber warning actually means?  We have been subject to many, and varied, warnings from the Met Office, and most of them seem to be a fuss over nothing. 

** I left Whiffler and The Rat at home. Walking four dogs on my own is hard work. I could do it, if pushed, but two is far easier.

*** I could have completed the three mile loop, but the lane out of the village is filthy already. The dogs stay far cleaner if I just do an out 'n back.

A lazy day

The weather forecasters have advised that the weather is unseasonably warm for November.

It didn't seem that way when I looked out of the door at half past six this morning. It was absolutely pouring down and I didn't really fancy going outside.

Unfortunately I needed to be in Worcester for a check-up at the CHEC Opthalmology clinic, so I was out of the door before eight o'clock.  The drive in to Worcester was quite an experience. It is months since I have seen such a downpour. The heavy cloud meant that I was driving in half light and the sheeting rain reduced the visibility even further.   I was glad to be parked, and even more glad when I remembered that I had an umbrella in the boot of the car!

The check-up was fine. My IOPs are at acceptable levels and I will be called in, at some point in the near future, for an appointment with a Consultant. 

I returned home and pottered for the remainder of the morning.  

I have already mentioned that the weather is, allegedly, warm for this time of year.  I can report that it didn't feel that way at lunchtime.  I was really chilly and had a fire lit shortly after we had eaten.

I spent the afternoon alternating between reading, watching low quality television and taking a snooze on the sofa. I really did have a lazy day.

I did make it to this evening's Tai Chi class and had a very enjoyable session. We are, however, learning a new sequence* that has a very odd final move.  The various phases are strenuous, flowing, and rewarding to complete. However, the penultimate move is to bounce an imaginary ball with one hand whilst taking a jumping step with the opposite foot. One alternated from left to right, with each bounce and step.  It is the most bizarre movement and, for me, distracts from the meditative aspect of the whole.

Maybe I just need more practice.

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* Shibashi, set 1

Any news on the Honda?

Since the Honda was collected a few weeks ago, I have been asked this question quite a few times. 

It is not so surprising that Bubbles and TP have enquired, but 30% also seems quite interested in the recommissioning of my CBR600. So, this morning, I headed over to the workshop to see how things were going. 

I was advised that everything was going well. The carbs had been removed and ultrasonically cleaned. New internal components had been installed, and the only reason for the delay was that new inlet rubbers were needed to reconnect the carburettors to the airbox.  Apparently the rubber had hardened over the past thirty years making them virtually impossible to reinstall.

So, it should be ready in a couple of weeks.

In the afternoon we headed out for a short walk with the dogs. It would have been longer but there were a surprising amount of people out in the lanes, se we emptied them, and headed back home.

I then headed to the workshop and milled down another length of oak for my carpenters bench refurbishment. I am fairly sure that I now have "just enough."

We headed out to the Vet's in the early evening. This was not an emergency visit. It is just that Whiffler and Dog #4 aka The Rat are due for their annual checkup and inoculation.

Our favourite Eastern European Vet was in residence this evening and it was lovely to see her.  She has a great bedside manner, and loves the dogs. 

She was particularly thorough with Whiffler, now that he is well in to his twelfth year.  I pointed out a lump on his ribcage and, having felt it, she advised that it seemed to be a lipoma. She even took a sample with a syringe and smeared it across a slide. The contents were fatty and she is certain of her initial diagnosis ... nothing to worry about, unless it starts to grow and impede movement.

The Vet also took a look at a growth on his eyelid. Again, she is certain that it is benign, but removal may be needed if it grows and starts to abrade his cornea.

The Rat was found to be in fine health, and has even put on a couple of kilos. She has always been a skinny runt, so this weight gain was not unwelcome.

So, with a clean bill of health, the dogs were immunised and we headed home.

Here endeth Tuesday's Journal entry.

That's one job finished

Today's achievements look even less impressive than yesterday's!

I finished installing the last of the light fittings, cleaned up, and then put away my tools. I rewarded myself with a cup of coffee, before realising that my next job would be to install the new curtain poles in the lounge and dining room.

I have already recounted the installation of the two poles in the Snug.  And here I am about to commence further DIY tasks in an eighteenth century house* ... I sometimes question my sanity.

In the afternoon I attempted to restore an edge to an old chisel, before giving up, lighting the fire and settling in with my book.

30% arrived home from her spa break in the early evening and attempted to regale me with juicy gossip and drama.

I can report that three of the dogs are delighted by the return of their mistress.**

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* In fairness, back in the late nineties, I had a house in Bottesford that was built in the 1980's. It was a lovely place, but equally challenging to work on.  The internal walls had been built with thermalite blocks.  Trying to fix anything substantial to those is a massive challenge. They are so soft, one can drill in to them using a hand drill.

** Whiffler has sulked on her bed while she has been away. He has only appeared when called down for a wander in the garden to empty his bladder.  Traitorous Bastard has been true to his name and has taken to sleeping in the prime position on my bed.  This has disgruntled Hobson, who has had to find an alternative, and probably less comfortable spot, to curl up in.  30%'s return has restored order to their world. As for Dog #4 aka The Rat, she really doesn't give a damn who is, or isn't in the house, provide that she is fed, let out for a wee, and given the occasional fuss ... when it suits her!

When committed to paper ...

... It doesn't look like I did much today!

I am home alone, except for four dogs, eleven chickens and a goldfish that lurks in one of our water tanks.  30% is having a spa break in Ashby de la Zouch.  She has attempted to describe what goes on there, and I have to say, it really doesn't sound like my idea of fun.

So, having attended to all of the livestock, except the fish, how did I occupy my time today?

A couple of weeks ago we took delivery of three curtain poles for the dining and sitting rooms. The order also included a set of replacement wall lights for the snug. Earlier this week some rather nice LED Edison type bulbs arrived, followed by some round head, japanned screws, a day later.

I had now run out of excuses. It was time to replace the rather unpleasant light fittings* that currently illuminate the snug. 

Most of my day has been spent removing the old fittings and replacing them with the new. It wasn't overly complex, but I did need to excavate the plaster behind the fittings to make space for the chocolate block connectors ... The new fittings have a lower profile than the old, with less space behind them.

As the light faded, I had replaced three of the four fittings, and had vacuumed up the mess. I only experienced one inadvertent surge of 240v mains down my arm, and can report that the new lights look rather nice. They tie in nicely with the iron curtain poles, are far less fussy than the original lights and are in keeping, whilst adding a slightly modern twist.

I am now sat in the warm glow from the new lighting.  I'm well chuffed.

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* Reproduction Victorian/Edwardian brass fittings with the most unattractive bulbs installed.  We had always planned to replace them, so have never bothered to fit shades in an attempt to make them more acceptable ... In hindsight, I wish that we had!