... with keeping the Journal up to date at the moment. I'm not sure why? I'm certainly not very busy, and I can always find a few minutes to jot down my daily comings and goings, but, for some reason, I seem to find something else to do instead.
So here is yet another attempt to brings things up to date.
Tuesday, 27th January
The morning was spent bottling a batch of honey. I last bottled a batch on the 15th, so I seem to be shifting about 5lbs, or ten jars, every week. I really can't complain about how well the little stall seems to be doing.
In the afternoon 30% and I attended a local "Tea Club." This comprises a monthly get-together of villagers for a presentation, tea, cake and conversation. The club has been running for over twenty years and was originally established as a community hub for conversation and friendship.
The reason for attending was that I have been volunteered to deliver a talk on bees and beekeeping later on in the Spring, and I wanted a) to get an idea of my audience, and b) to see if I could connect 30%'s laptop to the AV equipment in the Parish Education Centre.
I have to report that my potential audience didn't seem overly responsive to today's talk on an overland trip to Nepal,* and the laptop refused to cooperate.
It looks like I'll be there next month to have another go with the laptop.
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* The talk could have been brilliant, but unfortunately it was a tedious regurgitation of a travel itinerary, rather than tales of adventure in far flung places.
Wednesday, 28th January
Today I headed over to Bubbles place of work to get the 5 Series put through it's MOT. The car passed, but the workshop was incredibly busy, so I didn't get the chance to have a natter with Bubbs.
Back at home I bottled another five pound batch of honey, before Mummy Sheila joined us for afternoon tea. She had been informed that I had made a carrot cake and was here in her capacity as Quality Controller.
She confirmed that the cake was better than the last one, and, when she headed home, she took a large slice "for Ron"**
It'll be interesting to see how this pans out. The last time she took a large slice of cake home, she carefully cut it in half. One half was to eat that evening and the second half was put aside for the following day. Later that evening the first slice was eaten, and Sheila promptly returned to the kitchen, got the second slice and ate that too!
I was also back at the Parish Education Centre for my weekly Tai Chi session. It was the usual routine, and I can report that we finally managed to work our way through the entire Shibashi five sequence.
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** "later on"
Thursday, 29th January
First job of the day was to drive Traitorous Bastard over to Stratford for a session at the grooming parlour. On the way back I detoured via the local feed store for a couple of sacks of layers pellets.
I then headed out on the Three Miler with Hobson and The Rat. The walk was quite pleasant until a local runner came up behind us and took exception to the dogs being off the lead. He was obviously in the mood for an argument, so I apologised and let him vent. I did try to explain that continuing to run did have a tendency to excite dogs, but that was the conversational equivalent of throwing petrol on a fire ... Ho hum!
Fortunately this episode was witnessed by an acquaintance who seemed to side with me. She advised that she had no concerns about our dogs and understood why I let them off the lead, "living where we do."
I am surprised and annoyed how much this encounter has disturbed and upset me.
There are many people who walk their dogs off lead on the lanes, as we do. We are very careful to recall them and put them on the lead when we encounter other people, but the changing village population means that we now see a lot of Townies who are not happy with free running dogs.
It looks like most of my walks will now be on the lead"
The afternoon was spent in the company of Grandad Jack. He was in the vicinity and made a welcome visit. The afternoon was spent nattering and consuming tea and cake.
This evening saw us at Redditch Catering College restaurant for their Burns Night supper. There were nine of us, with members of the local WI and 30%'s coven making up the numbers. We had a super meal and the mandatory piper and saluting of the haggis were all part of the evening.
We arrived home absolutely stuffed, after consuming five huge courses, topped off by coffee and shortbread.
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