Christmas plans, or "what every woman wants"

Neither of us are huge fans of Christmas.*

As a result Christmas tends to be a fairly quiet day here. We do presents and a Christmas lunch. There will be a large honey roast ham and plenty of tasty treats around. We enjoy having visitors and seeing people. It is just that we really don't like the horrendous hype and nonsense that is spouted at this time of year.  It is not yet December and we are already weary of the commercialism and faux festive cheer, that seems to come from all directions. 

We had assumed that it would be our normal Christmas; me, 30% and TP, having a relaxed day featuring good food and some rather nice wine.  

That was up until a few weeks ago when TP informed us that he had purchased a one-way ticket to Vietnam and was flying out on the 23rd of December.** 

It was now just the two of use here for Christmas and plans were scaled back. We have now agreed that our plans for Christmas Day will be determined by fate.  We propose to head in to our nearest Waitrose supermarket, one hour before closing time on Christmas Eve. Our Christmas lunch will be the most appealing bargain that can be found.

The name for this new game is Waitrose Pot Luck!

Now on to the subject of presents. We are both of an age that neither of us really need or want anything for Christmas. We either have it already, or, if we need it, we have already gone and purchased it.  We therefore agreed that there would be "no presents."

Now I have been with 30% long enough to know what 30% means by "no presents." Firstly, Christmas is immediately after my birthday, so birthday presents are purchased and she does tend to go a little overboard. A phrase often spouted is "I'd finished my shopping, but then I saw this, and simply couldn't resist." I am also sensitive enough to know that "no presents" actually means, as a minimum, at least one present that has involved a high degree of thought and originality.

By way of example, one year, when TP was very young, we purchased a pair of red wellingtons for 30% and then spent several hours sticking black spots and googly eyes on the toes. She was absolutely over the moon with her "ladybird wellies", and still recalls the delight of opening them.***

In that vein, I have landed on the perfect gift for my good lady. For the last year, at least, she has positively pined for a yellow wheelbarrow.  Now we have two wheel barrows. One is green with a narrow wheel and is an utter bastard to use in the orchard. The other has a rusty black pan, a puncture proof wheel and is a delight to use. She is happy with either of these BUT she really wants a yellow wheelbarrow.

Today I took delivery of a yellow, 85 litre, replacement wheelbarrow pan. I spent the afternoon in the workshop carefully removing the worn out rusty pan from the black wheelbarrow. I have plenty of time to complete the upgrade before the 25th of December.  It may not the what every woman wants, but I know that 30% will love it.

The only other news was that I dug up the last of my leek  crop this morning. Half of which was converted in to another batch of leek and potato soup.

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* I think it is matter of public record that my favorite part of Christmas is Boxing Day ... because that means it's over!

** This slightly infuriated 30%, as she had arranged a birthday outing for me on that very date , and TP had confirmed his availability.  His proposed return is "sometime in January."

*** Mind you! About that time TP also spotted a rather nice pair of ladybird earrings in a jewellery shop window, and commented that they "were just like 30%'s necklace." He wasn't to know it was a Faberge item ... and the earrings were a very expensive gift to purchase on behalf of an eight year old! ... She loves them too.

I'm definitely a "morning person"

I have never been one to lie in bed. 

Once I am awake I tend to rise promptly. I may lurk under the covers for a few minutes before getting up, and there are rare occasions when I fall back to sleep, but, generally, once I am awake I get up. I also tend to be a fairly early riser. It is rare that 30% makes an appearance before me. Even in these darker months I tend to be awake and up before daylight.

Over my working life I also found that I was most productive during the first half of the day.  If I had a complex and involved piece of work to attend to, I would always attend to it in the morning. If possible I left my afternoons to be filled with the less arduous activities.

I have found that this activity pattern has followed me through to my retirement. I'm keen to get on with the tricky stuff in the morning, but my afternoons are far more relaxed and casual

Let's take today for example.

A couple of months ago 30% ordered a 40 watt oil filled heater for the ornamental greenhouse.  I explained that it wasn't up to the job, so another beefier heating option has been deployed. The oil filled heater has sat on the worktop until I realised that it might be of use as a wardrobe heater.

The fitted wardrobe in one of the bedrooms has been constructed against a solid 8" brick wall and can suffer from condensation during the colder months. Last year I fitted oil filled heaters and these have worked really well.  The only issue was that one half of the wardrobe would only accommodate a 40 watt heater, due to the presence of a chimney breast.  The other half had been fitted with an 80 watt heater, which was far more effective.  I realised that the spare heater could be fitted to the chimney breast bringing the heater wattage total to 80 watts in that part of the fitted wardrobe.

This morning, after attending to dogs and chickens, I gathered tools and emptied the bottom of the wardrobe. I got busy, and can now report that the heater has been fitted and turned on. 

So that was my morning. 

I had planned to dig up the rest of the leeks this afternoon, but the heavens opened and it poured down. I selected option #2, which was an extended snooze on the sofa.

I am definitely a morning person.

"Soupy"

... It's a great first word if you're attempting the daily Wordle puzzle.  It also sums up my morning.

After yesterday's slothfulness, I felt that I really ought to achieve something today. After checking the veg patch and the kitchen cupboards, I discerned that I had sufficient ingredients for a double batch of leek and potato soup.  It is a lovely soup, we both really enjoy it, and it freezes beautifully, so I spent my morning knocking some up.

At this point I should mention that I didn't really think through the amount of soup I was preparing, and had a brief crisis when I realised that my chosen saucepan* was far too small to receive four pints of chicken stock. I ended up having to divide my "softened onion, leek and potato mixture" between two saucepans and completing the simmering stage in two vessels. 

Everything was recombined in to our largest mixing bowl for the blending phase, but I will report that the addition of the double cream brought the liquid level very close to the brim!

I ended up with ten portions of soup, one of which made a rather pleasant addition to my lunch.

In the afternoon I received a call from the local motorcycle workshop. The Honda is now ready for collection.  She has an MOT and the mechanic's report from the test ride is that "she rides really well, and is a lovely little classic." I arranged to collect her next Monday, as I have no-one to run me over to Alcester until 30% get back from Ashby-de-la-Zouch.**

The afternoon was slightly more sedate, but I did manage to cut back the Michaelmas Daisies, Sedums and Achilleas in the herbaceous border ... It's Brown Bin day tomorrow.

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* It was the largest one in the cupboard

** They're not open on a Saturday and haven't been for a year or two. When asked why, they advised "we got pissed off with all the tyre kickers." They clearly know the market, as this approach doesn't seem to have impacted their business one jot.

It's that time of year

I appreciate that people do tend to slow down in the darker months. Apparently the shorter days, cooler temperatures and reduced light levels increase melatonin levels, leading to a tendency to reduce activity levels and increased sleep.

Based on today's activity levels, I can report that my melatonin must be reaching peak levels. I did next to nothing today. 

I needed to stay close to home, as my replacement helmet was to be delivered at some point today. It is an expensive item and there was no option for it be left in a safe place. Apparently I needed to be on the premises to take personal receipt of the item.

So, home I stayed.  30% headed off for yet another trip to Champneys, this time with Jules. They left in the early afternoon, so I am now home alone.

 This afternoon I retired to the sofa, managed to find sufficient space between The Rat and Traitorous Bastard, and entered a state of torpor for an hour, or so.

The helmet did arrive. It is lovely, and I look forward to wearing it when I have less melatonin coursing through my veins.

The rug looks lovely

I hadn't really got any plans for today. 

I expected to do the normal stuff, read a little, possibly cook a batch of soup, perhaps spend some time in the workshop, if the weather was sufficiently clement.

One thing that was definitely not on my list was carpet cleaning.

It's funny how things pan out.

I woke fairly early this morning and wandered downstairs accompanied by Hobson and The Rat. The Rat wanted to go outside, so I let her out of the front door, left it on the latch, and wandered in to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

I then settled in the lounge with my mug of coffee beside me on the floor.  After a few minutes scouring the BBC News website, The Rat pushed open the front door and came bounding back in to the house.  I got up to close the door properly. The Rat was behaving as is normal for her deranged self. She was excitedly bouncing and scampering around my feet.

Unfortunately, during this little canine dance performance, a full mug of black coffee got upturned on the rug.  I cursed and headed out to collect absorbent materials to soak up the large dark spill. After several minutes of mopping, I had used up a large quantity of kitchen roll and was left with a large, dark, damp stain on the rug.

I made myself another first cup of coffee and resumed my perusal of the day's news. 

I had already realised that my half-arsed attempt to mop up the coffee was definitely inadequate, so, after reaching a reasonable level of consciousness, I headed out to the store room and retrieved the carpet cleaner.

A merry hour was spent familiarising myself with the appliance,* preparing it for deployment, and cleaning the rug. 

It now looks lovely.

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* This was its first ever use. It has sat in the store room for many months, securely cocooned in its original packaging.

Post Script:

30% was so enthused by the inaugural deployment of the carpet cleaner that she spent the morning cleaning all of the ground floor carpets and rugs ... well, the bits you can see, anyway.

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%.

---

* 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.

---

* 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.

---

* 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.**

---

* 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.

---

* 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!

Very little to report

It was quite late before C and I retired, so it will come as no surprise that today was a lazy day.

Most of the morning was taken up with an extended brunch. Copious quantities of tea and coffee were consumed, and we all partook in the inaugural "sausage-off."

This new event features a selection of sausages from the home town of the participants. C&S brought a selection from the Kings Farm Shop in Wendover and 30% supplied samples from Hiller's Farm Shop on the Ragley Estate.

Each sausage was sampled and we attempted to reach a conclusion on which was the best. I think we all decided that the Wendover Royal was the winner, but we did point out that our selection had not included the Lashford's Traditional Breakfast Sausage.

It seems that a second round of the competition will be needed.

30% headed off to Champneys Health Spa in the afternoon. She is spending a couple of days relaxing with her friend, Michelle.

I caught up on some sleep and realised that there was a mountain of cold sausages lurking in the bottom of the fridge.

That's my supper sorted!

The closest I'll come to time travel

 C&S are up for an overnight stay and would be arriving later this afternoon. 

Consequently much of this morning was spent ensuring that the house was presentable and that everything was in order for their brief stay.  I'll get to the reasons for that later.

During the day I did find a few minutes to continue with the restoration of my woodworkers bench. This was not messy work. This was an attempt to find replacement hinges for the doors that I will be making. The original doors were hung on the carcass using lift-off hinges.  These are fairly easy to find on-line, but the hinges I need are cranked, lift-off, flag hinges. 

Multiple web searches failed to find a retailer. Annoyingly, I would find a lead, click on the link and be rewarded with a 404 page not found message. On another occasion I found a supplier in Germany, but they had no on-line store. I found a UK supplier of lift off hinges, but they only supplied left handed versions, not right and left. It was getting very frustrating.

Well, this afternoon I think I have found a supplier in Germany that can provide what I need and ship to the UK. I checked out my virtual basket and am filled with anticipation to see what, if anything, arrives in the post.

Now on to the subject of today's Journal entry.

C does tend to gently tease me about my affection for the ska band, Bad Manners. I first saw them back in the early eighties at the Malvern Winter Gardens and was amazed at their sound and performance. They really were very good.

A few weeks ago 30% noticed that Bad Manners would be playing at the Assembly, Leamington Spa. C&S were invited, they accepted, tickets were purchased and that pretty much brings us up to date.  We arrived in Leamington for an early supper at The Terrace,  before heading round the corner to wander in to The Assembly.

As we mounted the staircase to the concert room, I swear I went back forty years in time. We were surrounded by skinheads in denim jeans, boots, Fred Perry T shirts and Harrington Jackets.  Every surface of the venue was painted black and covered in scuffs. There was a pervading scent of stale, cheap beer and the room was filled with a sense of amiable anticipation.

The front of the hall was a raised stage with a row of microphones and the occasional waft from a smoke machine. At the rear was a middle aged chap, stood behind a trestle table, selling merch to the punters.  A muffled stream of ska and Two Tone tracks played in the background as we waited ... and waited ... and waited.

It really was like being eighteen again, and turning up for your first ever gig.  I should point out that the only thing that showed I hadn't gone back in time was that most of the audience were comfortably in to their sixties.*

At about half past nine, in response to chants of "You Fat Bastard, You Fat Bastard!" the band eventual appeared and kicked off their set.  They really were very good, with a very tight sound. Buster was exactly as expected and lead the merriment.

Unfortunately, after about half an hour, S decided that she couldn't cope with the volume and retired to the bar.** We listened to a couple more tracks before aborting and heading home.

It was a shame that we felt compelled to leave early, but 30% has found that they are gigging in Worcester fairly soon. 

We'll be back!

---

* There were a few youngsters that had either succumbed to the lure of a very danceable music genre, or had just wandered in to see what the hell their parents were on about.

** This was a little frustrating. Before we arrived at the venue she had made a couple of comments along the lines of, "I'll need a few glasses of red, if I'm going to watch Bad Manners." This indicated that she wasn't overly keen, BUT I had asked C, at the point of purchasing the tickets, how many tickets he wanted! She wasn't compelled to come along.

Honey and Woodwork

Today I was forced to bottle another couple of batches of honey. I shouldn't complain. I am now so familiar with the process that it doesn't take much effort to complete.  The only issue is that I can't stray far from the utility room, as every hour or so there is some task or other than needs attention.*

I've also realised that my sales are close to the £2,000 per annum mark. As I said, "I shouldn't complain."

The reason for this success is mostly down to location. We're sat in a picturesque location on a circular walk enjoyed by many walkers and riders. I also put a lot of thought in to my packaging, so we have an attractive product. People seem to love it and the packaging also makes it a nice gift for friends and visitors.

Anyway, the honey business is doing well, so a day spent bottling honey every couple of weeks should be complained about. My only concern is that I have now sold all but a few pounds of my 2025 harvest, and Pete the Bee Keeper is yet to drop off a 30 lb bucket to keep me going.

The only other thing to report is that I spent some of the afternoon milling down some oak that I found in the car port.  

A few weeks ago I gave a carpenter's workbench a light refurb and moved it in to my workshop.  The bench is a rather fine thing. It is made by a Swedish company called Sjöberg, and an internet search indicates that they are a premium product.

I'll now get to the point about the milling of the oak. The bench has a cupboard beneath the work surface and the doors have been removed long before it came in to my possession. In view of the quality of the bench it seems inappropriate to sling a couple of crude doors on the cupboard, so I have decided to construct a pair of panel doors with oak frames.  I have the tools and the time, so why not?

The late afternoon was therefore spent cutting and planing lengths of slightly wormy oak. I'm sure it will be worth the effort.

---

* Jars to be put through the dishwasher, honey to be stirred, jars to be sterilised in the oven, and so on.

I've still go the Honda to do

The morning I got the Enfield tucked away for the winter. I even remembered to put a note on it, reminding me of the recommissioning tasks that need to be completed, before I attempt to start it next year.

With less than an hour before lunch, I headed to the bookcase and sought out a replacement for the tedious tome I abandoned yesterday. I selected Dark Fire by C J Sansom.  I read it many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Within a few pages I was absorbed in this tale of a Tudor Lawyer.

In the afternoon we headed out for a walk with the dogs. The weather was quite lovely today. It was mild and there was a blue sky with only a few clouds.

The rest of the afternoon was spent pottering around the house. I have realised that I am running short of supplies for my little stall, and I will need to bottle honey tomorrow. I seem to be bottling every couple of weeks at the moment and really need Pete to drop off another tub of honey. I am down to the last few pounds of my 2025 crop.

This evening the Tai Chi class resumed and I spent a pleasant hour participating in the Autumn sequence and the Dao Ying Yan Shen exercises. As I have become more familiar with these sequences I am really enjoying the sense of calm as one makes their way through the choreography.

So, that was Wednesday. 

The only other thing to report is that 30% has booked our 2026 Narrow Boat holiday with B&H.  We're off to explore the Llangollen Canal next June. 

Sometimes being told isn't enough

 30% had arranged to visit her old friend Pinky today.

Her condition has much improved. At one point it was a case of "prepare for the worst". Now they are talking about a "complete recovery, taking six to twelve months." She is still in intensive care, but the periods of ventilation and sedation are being reduced. Her eyes are open and she can respond to verbal prompts to squeeze one's hand.  Her slow recovery begins.

What I haven't mentioned is that Pinky moved to Rhayader a few years back, so is ensconced in the Intensive Care Unit of Aberystwyth Hospital.  That is a a fair trek from these parts, so today I was left home alone to keep the dogs company, whilst 30% headed out on the train to deepest Wales.

I dropped her off at the station just before nine, and spent the morning mostly pottering. I read a little, but became increasingly frustrated with the book I had selected.* 

I took delivery of the Enfield's Vac Bag this afternoon, and headed out to the garage to finish cleaning the front wheel. I have found that a gently rub with wire wool and metal polish work wonders on the tarnished spokes.

I returned to the house to keep the dogs company, lighting a fire in the late afternoon. 30% called just before seven to advise that she would be in Redditch at "half past."

I collected her from the station and listened as she recounted her day. She was exhausted by the travelling and the experience of the hospital visit, but buoyed by the fact that her friend's condition is greatly improved. I think she needed the reassurance of seeing Pinky with her own eyes.

---

* I say "selected," in reality it was more a case of it being forced upon me.  It is the fifth instalment of a fantasy series, and, being a completer/finisher, I felt compelled to read the entire series.  The first two volumes were a great read, but three and four were repetitive, and filled with page after page of nothing. There were occasional bouts of excitement that were just enough to keep the dedicated reader interested, but I admit to skipping large chunks frequently. The final volume was the final straw. I got about one hundred and fifty pages in and couldn't bear reading another sentence. It has been replaced in the bookcase and I will never take it out again.

The Lexicon of Love

 Today started with a trip in to Redditch's Kingfisher Centre.

30% was due for a hearing test and my trusted wristwatch needed a new battery. She popped in to Specsavers and I headed to Timpson to have a new battery installed.*

A trip to the supermarket followed and that consumed the morning.

In the afternoon we took the dogs out for a walk and then I headed in to the garage to resume the cleaning the Enfield. A Vac Bag has been ordered, and I would really like to get it tucked away for the winter in the next few days.  I made a start on cleaning the spokes of the front wheel and found that a light rub with steel wool works wonders. I also constructed a virtual list of maintenance tasks that will be needed before I attempt to start it in the spring.**

This evening we took the train from Redditch in to Birmingham for an evening at the Symphony Hall. ABC were in concert, with a Symphony Orchestra, performing their first album; The Lexicon of Love.

I have had a copy of this LP since it was first released in 1985, and have never tired of it. I have a playlist on my phone that provides the soundtrack to most of my car journeys. Several ABC tracks appear on the it, and they never fail to delight.

ABC opened with When Smokey Sings and the rest of the first half was comprised of later works. After the intermission the Lexicon of Love was performed in its entirety with a 30 piece orchestra performing alongside the band.

It was a splendid evening, and we both loved it. We did comment that we could have arrived, listened to the first track and then popped out for a light bite to eat, before returning for the main event. That is not to say that the first half of the concert wasn't good, it was. It was just that the second half was just fabulous.

ABC have definitely set the benchmark high, let's see how Bad Manners do on Friday.

---

* A new battery for a Tag watch will cost in the region of ninety pounds. They last a four or five years, but they are still rather expensive.  Many years ago I called in to a branch of Timpson to get my watch battery replaced, and they advised that, for a small fee, I could get a lifetime guarantee on the battery.  I paid the fee and carefully stowed the guarantee card in my wallet. You can see the Timpson staff smile when you ask for a new battery to be fitted, and then groan when you pull out the golden ticket.

** The list: 

• Adjust Chain, 
• Check oil level (it looks high), 
• Replace chain case gasket (there is a small leak), 
• Pray (the bike hasn't been ridden since early 2021 and the carb could well be gummed up)

Day of rest

It was close to two o'clock this morning before we got to bed, so today really wasn't going to be very productive.

It was a late start, and, eventually, the chickens were let out and our Sunday began.  

A chap called round in the morning to give us a quote for cutting the hedges.  I have done it in previous years, and am still quite capable of doing it. 

The thing is, it is a bit of a mission, and, if I can get someone else to do it for a reasonable price, I'll outsource it.

In the afternoon a snooze was mandated to catch up on some sleep, and then we walked the dogs down the lane.

I then settled down with a book and did little else for the rest of the day.

Out for dinner

I met up with Bubbles and Ben at the Cotswold Shooting Ground in Childswickham this morning, for a round of sporting clays.

The weather was wet and windy, neither of which are ideal conditions for clay pigeon shooting.  The wind caused the clay trajectories to be erratic, and the rain on my spectacles made it challenging to follow their flight.

If I am honest I didn't really try that hard, so I can't complain with a score of 39/80. I'm not making out that it is a good score, but it could have been a lot worse ... and I didn't use the big coat excuse.*

My gun got wet this morning, so the first job, when I got home, was to clean it.  It is now sat back in the gun cabinet and, being clean, if I don't fancy shooting during cold and damp months, it will be fine until the spring.**

In the afternoon we took the dogs out for a walk down the lane, and in the evening we headed over to Evesham for dinner with Rosie & Jim and Gizzie & Jules.  

We had a splendid time, some lovely food, and the conversation never faltered. It was a great evening. One observation I will make is that, now we are all in our sixties, the first part of the evening was spent discussing our latest aches and pains!

We didn't make it to bed until close to two o'clock, so I am expecting that Sunday will be a quiet one.

---

* It was cold this morning and I wore my shooting coat. It is well made, but it does restrict one's movement when shouldering the gun and sighting on the clay.  After a summer of shooting in a tee or sweatshirt, it takes a while to adjust. It is a standing joke that there are hundreds of excuses for poor performance at the clay shooting ground. It is always best to come prepared with a list!

** Much like my motorcycles.

The Dog Whisperer?

Friday turned out to be a very lazy day.

After a very leisurely start to the day, the only thing I achieved in the morning was to pick up a prescription from a local chemist.  

On the way to pick up the drugs, I decided to pop in to see Pete the Beekeeper.  I wanted to order a 30lb bucket of honey as my supplies are running short.* I also wanted to pay him for the two queens that he supplied back in the late summer of 2024. 

I actually bumped in to Pete about half a mile down the lane, where the bridge crosses the little stream.  He has an apiary there and was performing a late season check. I managed to order a bucket of honey but totally failed to get him to accept any money for either the honey or the queens. His reluctance to work out how much I owe him for the queens is getting ridiculous. I must have attempted to pay him half a dozen times, and he keeps declining payment "until he works out how much I owe him."

Anyway, on to this afternoon ... we walked the dogs down the lane and then I returned to cleaning the Enfield in the garage. The peeling vinyl stickers were removed from the tank and it was given a good polish. I also settled to cleaning the front wheel spokes. I didn't get very far before I decided to head indoors, light a fire and warm my bones.

And now to the title of today's Journal entry. 

Since Traitorous Bastard has come to live with us he has shown a rather annoying personality trait. At the sight of any animal on the television,** he lunges towards the set barking. He gets so excited that he actually headbutts the screen and has come close to knocking it off its stand.

None of our other dogs do this. Dog #4 aka The Rat does enjoy a wildlife programme, but she simply settles in the chair and enjoys the show. Whiffler and Hobson show no interest in the television at all. It is just TB that thinks we are being invaded by strange beasts.

So, for the past few days, I have been attempting to dissuade him from this behaviour by putting him outside the room, and shutting the door, each time he does this.  He is only left in the hall for a couple of minutes, before he is let back in.

He seems to have caught on very quickly. If he starts to lunge at the TV, we call him and point to the lounge door. He stops, returns to 30%, and reluctantly sits.

Neither of us can believe how quickly he has caught on, and we are wondering whether it a fluke? The cynic in me thinks we need to continue with this training approach for a while longer.

---

* I harvested about 140 lb at the end of May this year, and I am down to my last 30lb bucket. Sales have been, and continue to be, very good.

** You would be amazed how many advertisements have dogs and cats in them.

There is hope

The day has finally arrived for my appointment with an NHS Cornea Specialist.

I have had a problem with recurring corneal abrasions for many years. This problem stems from a number of minor eye injuries. These range from TP poking his finger in my eye, when he was a toddler, to Marauder scratching my eye with one of her whiskers; when I was playing with her many years ago.  I also picked up another scratch trimming Mrs Tweedy's bush, but I shudder at any mention of that!

These injuries have taken their toll. A few times a year I will suffer a corneal abrasion that is very painful, and can take a week or two to heal. My dry eye condition does not help, in fact it exacerbates the problem. Over night the surface of my eye will dry out and the lid will partially adhere to the cornea. When I open my eyes in morning the lifting of the lid removes an area of my cornea and I have another corneal abrasion.

I use a greasy ointment at night to control this. It works well, but it is like trying to see through a film of petroleum jelly once it has been applied. 

I have waited a long time for this appointment following a referral from CHEC at the beginning of the year. I walked in to the clinic hopefully that I would finally get a treatment that would actually work, rather than the CHEC approach, which always seems to be a combination of formulaic, ineffective and generally disinterested.

The pessimist in me kept bringing up the niggling thought that I was stuck with painful, sore, itchy eyes for the remainder of my years.

The Specialist at the clinic was a delight. She listened carefully to my history, and was thorough in her examinations and questions. She advised that I had been managing my eye conditions appropriately, but there were other, and additional, treatment options that are available to me. It is very much a case of trying the various options to see which ones work best.*

I left with a prescription for some new treatments, a follow-up appointment in four months time and clarification that I should not be purchasing Hycosan Night. In future it is to be provided, without charge, on prescription.

I left the consultation feeling quite positive, after three years of handling a quite miserable condition.

I also submitted my tax return this afternoon, and can report that I am due a healthy tax rebate for the year 2024/25.  I really do not know why I put off doing the damned thing. It is never as complicated as I expect,** and, generally, takes less than a day to sort out.

I wish that my eye condition could be resolved as quickly!

---

* One of them sounded horrific. Google Corneal Alcohol Delamination, it doesn't sound like fun!

** Even less so, now I have retired 

Busy, busy!

First job this morning was to take TB* in to Stratford to be groomed.

Hobson was not impressed that he was to be left at home and could be heard expressing his feelings as we drove off.  Just in case you weren't aware, the Grooming Salon decided that Hobson was not sufficiently well behaved, to be a model for their academy. It has been home haircuts for him ever since.

Anyway, bright and early we all got in to the car and headed over towards Stratford on Avon. As we reached the top of Red Hill the traffic was crawling, and didn't improve until we reached our destination. It was stop/start all the way, and every single traffic light was on red. A handful of road works had been thrown in to the mix, and the inward journey was a complete and utter bastard. A twenty minute drive took the best part of an hour!

We dropped TB off and headed out of town on the Bidford road. That wasn't much better.

The reason for the alternative route was that 30% wanted to check out an oak refectory table at a local auction house. It wasn't really open for viewing lots, but we persuaded the staff to allow is to take a peek.  The table was rather lovely, but it was a little on the narrow side. I think we just need to be patient and wait for the right one to turn up. It's not as though we don't have a decent dining table at the moment.**

That little trip out took up all of the morning. In the afternoon I finally made a start on completing my tax return for 2024/25.*** Accessing His Majesty's Customs and Revenue software was a breeze, but the pre-populated data wasn't quite right and I couldn't find a way to correct it. A twenty minute wait followed by text exchanges involving a chatbot, an artificial intelligence entity referring to itself as Philippa,**** and a real person called Sharon eventually got me sorted.

I made reasonable headway thereafter, and got a good way through the process. By the time I hit [SAVE], in order to go and collect TB, I had come to the conclusion that I could well be due for another tax rebate. If ever there was motivation to finish the job, that was it.

The trip in to collect TB was an absolute breeze. We were there and back in the same time as our inward journey this morning. I should mention that TB looked fantastic and had behaved beautifully, again.

I will just return to my tax return briefly. Clearly I need to get it completed, but yesterday we received a delivery of three new curtain poles and some new light fittings for the living room. As soon as I've done my tax return, I have one less reason to delay installing these fittings.

Perhaps I need to slow down the rate of progress on the Enfield?

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* TB aka Traitorous Bastard, Hobson's litter mate

** I should clarify that the picture of the dining table in the linked entry was taken at The Pile, our previous home,

*** It has only taken me 272 days to get around to starting it!

**** It might have been a real person, but the response time and actual responses seemed more like an AI. I suppose she might have been working from home and cooking something lovely for dinner at the same time? That might explain why my problem wasn't resolved by her?

Great Company

At some point last week 30% was loitering, virtually, in the realm of Facebook.  She noticed that Grandad Jack was on line, so she pinged him and invited him over for lunch. 

She also invited her ex-frolleague Jules, and TP was in residence too.

Basically we had a houseful today and we had a quite splendid day filled with chatter, social updates and good food.

Grandad Jack mentioned that his wife rather fancied dropping in too, so we may be hosting Jacqui next time.*

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* That'll be interesting, as Jacqui is the complete antithesis to Jack. He is witty, bawdy, relaxed, delightful company, and definitely worldly wise.  She is much more restrained and uptight. One wonders what he saw in her? Great legs, perhaps?

TP drops in

As the day length has reduced over the past few weeks, I have got used to being able to wake, drink coffee and start the day at a leisurely pace, before it is sufficiently light to put out my honey stall and release the chickens.

I therefore find it somewhat annoying that the switch to GMT has buggered up my relaxed start to the day. I now need to haul my backside from my bed and head straight out in to the garden to perform my early morning duties. This is not acceptable, and it will be another few weeks before I can have lazy mornings again.

This morning I returned to the garage and continued with the spruce up of the Enfield. I can now report that the rear wheel has been cleaned in its entirety, spokes and all. I haven't counted them, but I know that I have individually polished forty tarnished spokes back to something that looks presentable. I still have the front wheel to address. That's another forty spokes and some of those have started to rust. I'm really trying to put that off for a day or two.

In the early afternoon I sorted out the last of the holes that TB had dug in the lawn over the summer.  A neat section of turf has been inserted and the lawn in front of the ornamental greenhouse now looks slightly more presentable.

Later in the afternoon TP turned up for an overnight stay.* He had kindly delivered a rather nice leather Stressless reclining chair that 30% had found on Facebook marketplace. **

After catching up with each others' news we all headed out for a short walk across the field with the dogs. We had a lovely evening and 30% tried really hard to avoid interrogating him about his new girlfriend. 

Note: I did say, "30% tried," I didn't say "30% succeeded"

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* There has been a week long break in his shooting schedule, and he has spent the time catching up with friends and us. He even had a mini break with his new lady friend.

** It was being sold a few miles away from his home in North Cardiff, so the poor lad was persuaded to go over, check it out and buy it, if it was in good condition.  He did a great job and even managed to get them to reduce their price by thirty pounds ... It's a bargain!

What time is it?

I woke this morning totally confused by the clocks being put back last night.

My phone indicated that it was approaching quarter to six, but when I checked my watch it was close to seven o'clock.* It took a few moments for my brain to catch up with events, and I then adjusted my timepiece and started the day at a gentle pace.

30% appeared later in the morning and, after a while, presented me with her wristwatch, requesting that I adjust it for her.  She has had the watch since 2013, and has yet to learn how to adjust it. I attended to the task and noticed that it seemed to need to be reset by two hours, rather than the expected one.  I asked about this and was informed that she hadn't bothered resetting it since our trip to Egypt last November!

Right, on to today's accomplishments.

First task of the day was to extract the mower from the shed and tidy up the roadside verges and the small area of lawn around the garage.  The front lawn was ignored, as it really needed a few hours of sun to dry out the early morning dew.

I then spent the next few hours in the garage cleaning the Enfield. I must be making progress and I now seem to be considering attending to some of the minor mechanical issues that have arisen.** Shall I do them before I put it to bed for the winter, or leave them until next spring?

In the afternoon I put aside motorcycle maintenance and mowed the front lawn. On completion I decided that I was actually quite tired, so I had a short kip before lighting the fire and settling down on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon.

Here endeth Sunday's Journal entry.

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* I know its battery needs replacing, but gaining time isn't a normal symptom.

** The chain case seeps a little oil and the head gasket is leaky too.

The weather was better than expected

As has become the norm of recent weeks, I headed out to the garage this morning and continued with the clean up of my little Royal Enfield. 

The new battery was connected up and the electrics were tested. All seems to be working well, and the new battery is a sealed unit, so I will be able to use an Optimate charger to  keep it charged in future.

After lunch 30% and I headed up the lane with the dogs for a walk. The weather is blustery with sunny spells and, as we walked, I noticed that the grass was quite dry.  This prompted me to consider my plans for this afternoon.*

The lawns were definitely due for a cut, and I didn't think I would get a better conditions for mowing than today, so the mower was dragged from the shed.

A couple of hours were spent mowing the lawns at the back of the house, and it all looks rather tidy now. The neatly clipped sward. will also mean that my feet are less likely to get soaked on my early morning walks up to the chicken coop. 

I will finish today's Journal entry with one more poultry related comment. The clocks go back one hour tonight and we will move from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time. As the days have shortened the chickens have slowly stopped laying and their egg production is now intermittent, at best. It won't be long until we have to resort to tasteless commercial eggs to keep us going through until next spring.

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* Should I mention that the hedges really need cutting and I have yet to submit my tax return.

That's just the job

The autumn leaves are starting to fall, and within a few weeks the Ash tree by the gate will have covered the drive and front lawn with leaves.

Last year, for the first time, I collected up the fallen leaves to make leaf mould. We had three large wooden crates* and I lined them with chicken wire, before relocating them to the orchard, behind Rose Cottage.  

Last year's leaves were deposited in the crates and I can report that they are breaking down nicely. My expectation is that we will have a decent quantity of leaf mould by next spring.

I had another of these crates,** so, this morning, I spent a happy hour lining it with some left over plastic mesh. The crate has been moved up to the orchard and I am ready for this autumn's sweep up.

In the afternoon I returned to the garage and spent a happy few hours underneath the Enfield. I can also report that its new battery arrived this morning, and is now sat on the bench connected to a charger.

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*The stone tiles laid in the kitchen and utility room were delivered in them.

** It has been annoyingly abandoned up the side of the garage. It is sufficiently out of sight to avoid being referred to as an eye sore, but an irritating obstacle when I mow the small area of lawn by the garage.

A Break

A couple of orders have come in for batches of honey. An ex-colleague of 30% reached out and requested half a dozen jars, and another acquaintance requested four jars, two of which were set.

With the dishwasher out-of-order I had delayed fulfilling these orders, until I had proper washing facilities for jars and jugs and bowls and honey buckets and god knows what other paraphernalia is needed to bottle honey.

We now have a working dishwasher, so I stepped away from motorcycle cleaning and settled to bottling a couple of batches of honey. This job extended over most of the day, but in the intervals, when the honey was melting, I did find twenty minutes to fit the replacement rear indicator to the Enfield.

In other news, a chap turned up to repair the scratch that had appeared on the rear door of 30%'s car. Fortunately it could be polished out, as the original colour would be challenging to match.*

Today's worrying news was that Whiffler managed to knock the Sky remote control in to a full cup of black coffee. He demonstrated some skill, as the cup remained upright with the remote poking out of the top. As I type this, the remote is sat in a sealed plastic bag with a large quantity of moisture absorbing crystals. I have also learnt that the Sky Go app has provided me with basis remote control functionality from my phone ... phew!

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* It is a very unusual metallic brown that changes as the light falls across it, showing flecks of gold and red. When the car is clean and the sun is shining on it it looks amazing.

Bees, bikes, Tai Chi and the dishwasher ... If You think you can come up with a more concise title

My daily metal polishing activities are playing hell with my hands, and a manicurist* would blanch at the sight of them. Fortunately the absence of a working dishwasher has meant that long sessions with my hands in a washing up bowl, has worked wonders in ridding my cuticles of nasty ingrained grime.

This fortuitous set of circumstances has now come to an end. New dishwasher #2 was delivered and installed yesterday, and Nathan turned up this morning to reassemble the kitchen units. We now have a fully operational kitchen and I now need to remember to wear rubber gloves to keep my fingers from getting very manky indeed.

Today's weather seemed likely to be the most clement this week,** so I gathered my beekeeping paraphernalia and headed up to the hives. It was encouraging to see that a few bees were flying, so a brief opening of each hive should not impact the colonies adversely.  

The reason for the brief inspection was to remove the Apistan strips that were inserted about eight weeks ago.  "Inspection" is actually be a bit of an exaggeration, as I simply pried off the crown board, carefully extracted the Apistan strips and quickly shut up the hives again.  I won't actually look through the brood frames again until the weather warms in the spring.

For the next few months the bees will be left well alone. A further varroa treatment will be given in early January, *** and I may place a pack of candy**** over the aperture in the crown board, if I feel that the colony is running short of stores.

In the afternoon I returned to the garage and continued my cleaning of the Enfield. It looks much more presentable, but there is still a way to go. I keep looking at the spokes and thinking, "those are going to take an age to get anywhere near clean." I also found that its battery has died, so a replacement will need to be ordered before it gets tucked away. Earlier in the week, I noticed that one of the rear indicator stems had been broken, so a good while was spent on the internet tracking down an identical replacement.*****

The early evening saw me at my weekly Tai Chi class and, again, it was very enjoyable, although I find the little meditation session at the end of the class somewhat challenging ... I find that my mind does tend to wander a little.

I can also report that Pinky is still with us. There has been a slight improvement and her condition seems to have stabilised. She is not out of the woods yet, but at least her condition hasn't worsened.

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* They, apparently, now refer to themselves as  Nail Techs ... wtf! 

** A storm is heading in over the next few days

*** Oxalic acid vapour

**** Image a kilo pack of something akin to soft Royal Icing. A hole is cut in the pack and it is placed over one of the holes in the crown board. If they are hungry, the bees will come up and eat their way through the pack.

***** I could have gone to the original Trials kit supplier, but they are far from cheap. I actually managed to find the exact indicator for less than half the price.

A shock

 Once again I took up residency in the garage and have been mostly occupied with cleaning the Royal Enfield Trials special. 

It is going to take a good few days to polish up the tarnished metal work, so I am just going to have to suck it up, and put my nose to the proverbial grindstone. I realise that it is going to make my Journal entries somewhat samey, but it could be worse; I could be documenting my working life prior to retirement.

Also, remember, there may be an interlude, but I'll need to do the same for the Honda, when it is eventually discharged from the workshop.

So that was how I spent Tuesday. The fingers of my right hand are aching from hours of polishing and my finger tips are stained black from a mixture of metal polish and aluminium oxide.

We did have some unsettling news today.

Over the weekend 30%'s old friend, Pinky contacted her to advise that she had ended up in hospital with a suspected twisted bowel.  It seems that an operation to correct the problem has not been successful, and a second surgery was required. Further complications have followed and she is now in intensive care with a pessimistic prognosis.*

30% is, understandably, unsettled by this, and headed off to support Pinky's mother this evening. The poor woman is well in to her eighties and has no family living locally to provide support. 

We are both afraid that this is a case of hoping for the best, whilst preparing for the worst.

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* 30% was alerted to Pinky's deterioration by Pinky's ex-husband

Bagged up

 Sunday's big news, which  I totally forgot to mention, was that we had our first fire of the autumn.  I had brought in a load of logs a few days previously, along with some kindling.  Sunday was grey and gloomy and we were having a lazy day, so I did the decent thing and added a little warmth to our afternoon.

The effect on the dogs was amazing. Dog #4 aka The Rat appeared from upstairs and immediately settled on the sofa at the end nearest the log burner. Whiffler took the other end and Hobson took up a place in the large dog bed, affectionately known as The Paddling Pool. We were unsure whether TB had any experience of a real fire in his previous home, and how he would react. His approach was to sprawl on the rug at a sensible distance, soaking up the warmth.

Now on to today.

First call of the morning was a visit to the local surgery for an appointment with a physiotherapist, to get some advice and guidance about my knee.* The session was reasonably informative, but I wasn't particularly taken with the therapist. He seemed to be in a rush and to want to get me out of the door as quickly as possible. I now have a set of exercises that I need to follow and to report back to him in a month or so, if there is no improvement.**

Back at home, I begged some assistance from 30%, and got the BMW and Guzzi tucked away on their vac bags for the winter.***  I am well aware how much condensation collected on the bikes last winter, so I not only used the provided moisture absorbing granules, but also added a disposable dehumidification device in each vac bag too.

Each of the bikes are now sat enclosed in a large, heavy duty bags, hopefully dry and dust free. They'll remain there for the next five or six months, until the weather warms again.

I then turned to the Enfield. It has sat ignored in the garage for far too long, and has suffered from this lack of attention. Rust is appearing on the steel work and the acres of polished chrome and aluminium are now dusty and tarnished. I made a start with the Autosol metal polish. It is going to take a fair amount of time, but the handlebars look much better already.

I just need to settle down and apply myself to the task.

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* it has, fortunately, finally started to improve.

** He was such a charmer, I think I'll try to avoid that encounter

** Phil The Postie delivered them this morning.

Will I keep to my word?

 I finally finished preparing the BMW and the Guzzi for their winter hibernation. They have been washed and polished and will be popped in to vac bags at some point in the next few days.

I am certain that a diligent inspection would find a smear of road grime here or there,* but I'm satisfied that they are clean enough.

I also made a tentative start on the Royal Enfield. I am embarrassed to say that she has been neglected since we moved here at the beginning of 2021, and her chrome and alloy is looking rather tarnished. My plan is to get her cleaned up and polished and then put her under cover for the winter. In the spring I propose to get her out, give her a service and attempt to get her running. I know TP would be pleased if I do. For some strange reason he has a strong affection for this primitive and crude machine.**

She should run, but there is a strong possibility that her carburettors will need to be cleaned, and a new battery attached.

As I said. "that can wait until the spring."

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* The underside of the mudguards is a case in point.

** I'm rather fond of it's eccentricities too.

Two in one ...

 ... or, perhaps, a case of rinse and repeat.

Friday and Saturday have both been very similar. Most of my time has been spent in the garage polishing motorcycles, with a break in the afternoon to walk the dogs across the fields.

One might wonder how it is possible to spend so much time cleaning bikes, particularly if you have never owned one, or see them as an instrument of the devil.*

So here we go; They are incredibly intricate pieces of machinery. Almost every component is one show. Nothing is concealed behind panels as it is on a car.** All of these intricate mechanicals seem to be a magnet for dirt and it takes an age to clean each and every crevice and groove. I am also a bit of a completer/finisher, so, once I've started, I do tend to keep going until I real the shiny end.

There is also the safety element. Giving a bike a damned good clean means that each and every external component is given a visual inspection. It is an opportunity to identify loose, damaged or missing components, and rectify, before a mishap occurs.

The other thing is that I am retired and can afford to take a week or so to get my little collection looking as good as possible.

So, there you have it. I've been bike cleaning, dog walking, and I did give Michelle a hand to set up a VPN on her phone and tablet on Saturday morning.

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* I'm not joking. I have encountered people that are absolutely appalled and literally terrified of them. They have been raised with a mindset that to sit on one will lead to imminent injury or death, and that they should be banned. I've ridden them for over forty years and have fallen off on a few occasions, mostly when riding off-road. I love them, but am well aware that I am incredibly vulnerable when riding them. Safe riding, good observation and keeping within one's limits are key survival skills.

** I accept that faired sports bikes do have panels, but they don't enclose the mechanicals in the same way as car bodywork. You still need to remove them and clean behind them.

In the zone

 Today's entry will not be lengthy.  I was busy for most of the day,* but my focus was on cleaning the bikes, and I can't make an interesting paragraph out of that. 

I have just about finished cleaning the BMW. I still need to give the front forks a wipe over, but I'm still waiting for the GT85 to be delivered.** I have, therefore, moved on to the Moto Guzzi, and can report that the front half is looking rather splendid. I am still uncertain how to clean up the brushed aluminium mudguards and other trim, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

I also gave the mudguard of the Enfield a tentative polish. The poor thing has been neglected for far too long and she will take a lot of work to get her looking sparkly again. 

I also ordered a couple of vac bags to, hopefully, keep the bikes dry and dust free over the winter.

I told you the aforementioned paragraphs were likely to be boring.

So that's it for Thursday. Friday will be just the same.

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* I was home alone, as 30% had gone in to Birmingham with the coven to see a performance of Moulin Rouge.

** I've never used it before, but, unsurprisingly, the manufacturers claim miraculous results for a wide variety of uses. Watch this space.

So what exactly does your guarantee cover?

 Matt, our kitchen fitter, arrived early this morning and spent a good couple of hours extracting and testing the new dishwasher. It still failed to operate, so 30% attempted to get support from the manufacturer.  The manufacturer advised that they were more than happy to book an Engineer in for a support visit, but advised that their engineer would not be able to dismantle or re-assemble the kitchen.

Let's just have a think about that. Neff are quite happy to sell an integrated dishwasher, and, allegedly, provide guarantees and warranty the device.  Now let's look at the term integrated". In this context it refers to a device that is built in to fitted kitchen. It is most definitely not stand-alone.  The dishwasher needs to be incorporated in to the kitchen so that it can be connected to water supply and waste pipes before you can use it.

How on earth can Neff dispatch an engineer to deal with a problem on an integrated dishwasher, if the aforementioned engineer is not able to extract the device, resolve the issue, and then return the kitchen to it's original state. It sounds to me like a) their warranty isn't worth anything, and b) they really don't give a shit about their customers.

In the end 30% contacted the retailer; John Lewis. John Lewis were far more helpful, and quite appalled at the response from Neff.  They advised that they would supply a brand new device and install it for a significantly reduced fee ... They are booked in for next Tuesday.

Whilst all of this was going on, I headed out to the garage and continued with my vacuuming and floor tile laying. I can now report that a 20' by 10' rectangle of flooring has been laid out and I can finally go back to polishing my bikes.

We managed a walk across the fields with the dogs in the late afternoon, before I headed off for a Tai Chi class. I really don't know what has got in to Kung Po Fran,* but it was one hell of a workout! Normally I come away from a Tai Chi class with a calm and relaxed aura. This evening I came home thinking, "This is gonna ache later!"

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* The class teacher