That's rather nice

 Friday morning was taken at a gentle pace. 

30% was hosting a sewing circle* this morning and had requested that I stuck around to ensure that the dogs didn't eat any of the guests. This resulted in an extended session of pottering. I read a little, but couldn't settle in to the book I had selected, so I headed out and tidied away the oxalic acid vapour treatment equipment that I had used on Wednesday.

The afternoon started with a snooze, before we headed over to North Littleton to view the lots to be sold at tomorrow's auction. I was interested in a pair of fighting spears and a couple of other bits and pieces, but was not overly enamoured, when I saw them in the flesh.

However, we were both really taken by a large rug, that we stepped over as we wandered through the sale room. On closer examination we could see that it was of beautiful quality** and we overheard that it had been previously sold, but there had been a cock-up with the courier service. The owner had decided that it should be re-sold rather than bother with arranging another collection.

Back at home we checked the size and agreed that it would be perfect in the dining room. We also learnt that it had previously sold for £250, so we had a guide price too.

Our final outing was to take Whiffler in to the Vet's to have the bandage on his foot changed.  The Vet was quite happy with his progress and, all being well, he will be dressing-free*** next Tuesday.

We also settled our account and will probably be eating value beans and items from the reduced price aisle for the next month, or two!

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* also know as a stitch 'n bitch morning

** The pile is unbelievable, you could get lost in it!

*** it is so embarrassing for him to have to wear a plastic bag on his foot, when he goes out for a pee!

Keeping dry

Having collected 30lbs of honey from Pete yesterday, there was only ever going to be one thing that dominated today ... honey bottling.*

My timing was fortuitous, as heavy rain was forecast for most of the day. It really was the perfect day to be occupied indoors.

I was just about to put the first batch in the hot water bath when Craig the roofer arrived for what now seems to be an annual occurrence.  30% had noticed a couple of slipped tiles just before Christmas and, I think, panicked, hence Craig's visit to have a look.

After a quick wander around the house his opinion was thus, "there are a few tiles that need refixing, and the chimney and flashing need some attention, but there is no need for re-roofing ... yet!"

The roof has clearly been replaced at some point in the past, as is evidenced by the presence of bituminous felt under the tiles, but this was obviously many, many years ago. It seems to be holding up well, and attending to a couple of weather worn areas will keep us watertight.

He advised that, if this is to be our forever home, it will need to be re-roofed and he gave me a ball park estimate, based on his quick visual appraisal. I was pleasantly surprised that it was well below twenty thousand pounds.  Even allowing for finding problems when the tiles, laths and felt are stripped off, it is likely to be nowhere near as expensive as we had expected.

I can see this job being scheduled in the next few years.

The honey bottling continued, and a local curtain maker called in to give us a quote for making new curtains in the dining room.

And that is how the day continued. In the intervals when the honey was melting, various domestic duties were progressed, and I now have a ten pound batch of honey, bottled and ready for sale.

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* It's been little more than a week since I ran out of honey, and passersby are already asking when it will be back on sale.

Mostly taken up with Beekeeping

I have been wittering on about giving my bees their Winter oxalic acid vapour treatment since the New Year. However, a combination of icy weather, rainy weather, snow storms and a weekend away with friends has meant that it has still not happened.

Today was to be the day!  I had checked the forecast and it seemed to be perfect. There had been a frost overnight, but by early afternoon it would be four or five degrees celsius ... just right for the treatment.

Obviously my morning was free, so I headed down the road to see Pete the Beekeeper. I ran out of honey about ten days ago, and desperately needed another bucket of honey. Fortunately Pete was at home and I soon had a 30lb tub sat in the back of the car. We then settled in his cosy kitchen and spent half an hour chatting about bees.

I think it's nice for Pete to have someone who he can talk to about bees without them glazing over. For me, I find him incredibly informative, and he is also very complimentary about my beekeeping skills and knowledge, despite the fact that he manages about fifty colonies and I only have three. He often makes a point or observation and then says, "but I don't need to tell you, you know this already."

He is far more skilled than me, and I have learnt an immense amount from our regular chats, particularly about when to intervene, and when to just leave the colony alone.

In the afternoon the weather warmed, as predicted, so I headed up to the orchard to attend to the bees.

It took just over an hour to treat the three colonies and I was delighted to see that each of my hives had healthy clusters of bees within. This was so much better than this time last year when I discovered that one of my two colonies had died. I am well aware that there are still a couple of months of cold weather yet to go, but, so far, I seem to have three strong colonies.

I have mentioned previously that I find beekeeping to be a very zen activity. The oxalic acid treatment is most definitely not zen. There is a lot of hanging around, and the bees really don't appreciate the disturbance. I appreciate that it is very good for the health of the colony, but I'm glad that it is now done.

A more zen activity was this evening's Tai Chi session at the Parish Education Centre.  It was a small group of seven of us that was taken through the Slapping Qigong, followed by Qigong Shibashi, set 5.  

It was our first time at attempting the Shibashi, set 5, and, as expected for a first attempt at a new routine, parts of it were completely baffling. It will take a few run throughs before it starts to make sense.

Running around

 Monday was uneventful, hence the lack of Journal entry.  I can't make tidying the house and a quick walk with the dogs fill a page, no matter how verbose I am.

Today, was slightly more active.

I woke a little before eight o'clock and realised that I really needed to get my arse out of bed. I threw on some clothes and headed downstairs for the obligatory cup of black coffee. The chickens were let out and then job #1 needed my attention.

Back in November TP had booked his car in at the local workshop for its MOT test. He had then headed off to Vietnam and delegated the responsibility for this to me. 

This morning Hobson and I climbed in to his car,* and headed down the lane to drop off the vehicle. We then wandered back, with Hobson taking immense delight in being an only dog.**

Back at home I had sufficient time for breakfast and ablutions, before we headed out again. 

Our first port of call was the local Vet's surgery. Whiffler was booked in for a couple of minor procedures*** and a few minutes were spent dropping him off and signing the necessary consent documents. We were informed to call "after two", to get an update and likely collection time.

The rest of the morning was spent choosing some new bedding and a wander around Aldi to pick up a few essentials.

The afternoon included a short snooze, and I awoke to hear 30% checking on Whiffler's condition. She let me know that all was well, and that he could be collected just before three o'clock. I made a mental note of this just as my phone rang.  TP's car was ready to be collected.  30% and I, therefore, divided and conquered. She headed off to collect Whiffler, and I wandered down the road for TP's Ford.

So, that was Tuesday. Whiffler is fine, but has a bandaged foot that needs to be re-dressed on Friday afternoon. He also needs to wear a plastic bag on his foot when he goes outside ... this makes him look and sound ridiculous. But he had no problems with the sedation and seems completely unperturbed by his trip to the Vet's ... that's all that really matters.

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* Funnily enough, I wasn't really worried about the state of Hobson's feet ... it's not my car!

** He loves a walk with the pack, but a walk with just me seems to be a completely different experience for him. He is incredibly attentive to me, but I can tell from his body posture that he absolutely loving every step of the walk.

*** There is a small growth on his left eyelid that is now making contact with his cornea, and a small cyst on one of his toes that is starting to irritate him. Both of these are to be removed. They are relatively minor procedures, but each has the potential to be problematic if left unattended.

A night out

This weekend we had an overnight stop arranged with C&S down in Aston Clinton.  M&M would also be coming up from Brinkworth, so a lively evening was likely.

The early part of Saturday was spent putting the house in order and getting the dogs exercised.

I had managed to persuade 'Chelle to house sit for us and she arrived mid afternoon. A few minutes were spent handing over brief instructions on canine and poultry care,* before we hit the road and headed off down South.

A lovely evening was spent catching up on each others' news. I think the headline item was that M had finally tendered her notice and would be finishing work at the end of February.

It was concerning to see how unnerved she seemed by this significant life change. She is almost obsessed with her responsibility to her, soon to be former, partnership. It is almost as if she has been brainwashed by them to the point that her identity is limited to that of being a partner in a law firm.

I truly hope that she soon sees that retirement will give her the freedom to be her own person and not feel owned by, or responsible to, anyone but herself. Furthermore, that it allows her to find herself again, once the stresses fall away.

We all breakfasted together, before we headed back home. 'Chelle had left our house mid morning, and we really didn't want to leave them too long on their own.**

The rest of the day was spent catching up on some sleep and getting the fire lit. 

It is nice to go away, but it is lovely to be back home.

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* ... and where all the booze and food was kept!

** We know that they can be left for several hours if they have been emptied beforehand. However, 'Chelle is new to caring for dogs and might not be certain that they have all had a pee.

Processing bacon

The only thing worthy of mention for today was the slicing and packing of the recently smoked bacon.

The slicing* and packing took up the most of the morning, and I can report that we produced a little over five and a half pounds of bacon. 

A half pound didn't make it to the freezer, and was consumed for lunch. As expected, the bacon is a little on the salty side, as it was cured for a couple of days more than planned, However I can report that it produced a lovely bacon sandwich.

The afternoon was spent getting the slicer cleaned and packed away.

Not the most exciting of days, but certainly productive.

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* I sliced it a little thinner than usual, about 2mm, and I think I preferred it that way.

Much less snow than predicted

It was a matter of a few minutes work, this morning, to insert the final screw in the curtain pole bracket, and set the pole in place.  I now regard my dining room curtain responsibilities complete, and hand over to 30% to get the actual curtains sorted.

The rest of the morning was spent putting my tools away, and returning the dining room to some semblance of order. I then headed outside and tidied away the smoker and assorted bacon smoking paraphernalia.

This morning also saw the arrival of the new posts and entrance gates for the drive.  These were tucked away in the car port for the time being. I will need to apply a couple of coats of oil to the gates before we get a man in to install them for us.

I think I must have peaked too early, as I did very little for the rest of the afternoon.

This laziness continued in to the evening as storm Gorretti started to blow in.  The Meteorological Office had issued an amber storm warning for our area and had indicated that we could experience up to a foot of snow.  As seems to be usual, they had been somewhat overcautious, and all we actually had was a couple of inches of very wet snow. 

It was already turning to slush by the time 30% and 'Chelle arrived back from an aborted trip to the cinema.  It seems that the weather was more severe over towards Redditch, and traffic was having problems on the snowy inclines between Redditch and here. As a consequence they had decided to abandon their trip and come home early.

'Chelle was a little nervous about driving on the snowy roads, so I accompanied 30% and we followed her back to Alcester to make certain that she got home without incident.

So that was Thursday. I was really hoping to see a fabulous covering of snow, but was somewhat disappointed by the slushy layer that I expect will be gone by the morning.

Smoked bacon and curtain poles

Yesterday 30% reminded me that I had not yet smoked the two, recently cured, pork loin joints. As a consequence this morning saw me setting up my little tea chest smoker in the car port. Within a few minutes I had the cured loins hung in the smoker, and the oak saw dust was smouldering nicely. 

On recent occasions I have found my smoker to be a little temperamental, but today it performed beautifully, and a trickle of smoke could still be seen when I tucked the smoker in the shed for safety* in the early evening.

I didn't manage to get the final curtain pole installed today.  I got all of the holes drilled, but one of them was either into a mortar joint, or a thermalite block.** The plastic wall plug initially held, but started to rotate as I inserted the screw. There was no way the bloody thing would hold. It was therefore necessary to use an alternative plasterboard plug and also apply a squirt of polyurethane adhesive in to the hole.

I have used this technique previously, and have found it to be really effective when fixing in to more friable substrates. The only downside is that it is best to leave the adhesive to cure for twenty four hours before driving a screw in to the wall plug.

The only other news was that my Tai Chi class resumed after the Christmas break. The group was somewhat reduced this evening, but it was really nice to be back at it. Kung Po Fran had come up with some different sequences for us to learn. One of these is called slapping chi gong. Apparently this improves circulation and makes one feel energised and motivated.

It was most unusual, but not as bizarre as it initially sounded when Fran first demonstrated the various stages.

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* I may have been over cautious, but we see foxes quite regularly in the garden, and I didn't want one attempting to steal my bacon.

** Part of the dining room was an extension erected in the 1980's

Out for lunch

This morning I made a start on replacing the last of the three curtain tracks in the dining room.

I removed the old track, filled the screw holes and marked up the positions of the screw holes for the new pole.

This was a convenient point to stop work, as we had been invited over to Dot 'n Dave's for lunch. We had a lovely few hours catching up with each others' news and Dot had made a venison cottage pie. It would have been plenty on its own, but there was pâté and crusty bread to start, and a cheese board to finish.

It is fair to say that we did very little once we were back at home. In fact we both retired for a post prandial snooze.

I lit a fire in the late afternoon, and it was yet another cozy evening in front of the log burner.

Just like Sunday

Today was very much a copy of Sunday.

We had another hard frost and a further dusting of snow.  I decided it was best to avoid the cold as much as possible, and had the log basket refilled, and kindling prepared very early in the day.

I then set to getting the second curtain pole installed in the dining room.

That job was finished shortly after lunch and a snooze may have taken place too.

We then headed out for a brisk walk with this dogs. On this occasion we took advantage of the frozen ground and headed out across the fields on the ridge just uphill of the cottage.

The dogs had a great time racing about, and seemed to get especially excited by the scent trails left by the local wildlife.

The fire was lit as soon as we returned and another lazy evening was spent in front of the log burner.

An "indoors" day

It was another hard frost and far too cold to be loitering outside.

The short days and the cold weather induce the queen bees to stop laying, and a brood free hive is perfect for an oxalic acid vapour treatment.  The varroa mites are not able to shelter in capped brood cells, so the treatment is far more efficacious.

However, the beekeeping cognoscenti recommend that the treatment is not undertaken if the temperature is below freezing.  That is just as well as I really didn't fancy working on the hives in bitterly cold conditions.

It was definitely an indoors day, so I scouted around for something to keep me occupied.  

I grudgingly convinced myself* that I should make a start on putting up the curtain poles in the dining room.

Tools were gathered, the old track was removed,** and measurements were taken. This was followed by some careful marking out on the walls.  I can report that the first of the three poles has now been installed, and it went reasonably well. I even sought out a palette knife and filler, and ensured that the holes from the old track fixings were filled.

In the afternoon, following a recuperative nap, we headed out for a short walk down the lane with the dogs.  It was lovely to be out in the cold, fresh air under a clear blue sky, but a coat, hat and gloves were vital.

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* This journal entry summarises the reasons for my less than enthusiastic frame of mind

** It was shortened and affixed to the track brackets in 30%'s dressing room.

A frosty start to the New Year

It was a hard frost overnight, and I needed to be out relatively early for the first shoot of the year over at Childswickham.

It was so cold that the car windscreen was frozen both inside and out, so I left the engine running for ten minutes, while I scraped the windows clear, and loaded my shooting kit.

The morning's shooting was pleasant under a clear, blue sky, but the icy temperatures meant that both a coat and gloves were necessary. Neither helped my score ... a paltry 42/80.

I was home by mid-morning and used the time to get the Honda sealed in to its Vac Bag.

The rest of the day involved a snooze on the sofa and a bracing visit to a local dog exercise field to allow the pack to let off a little steam.

We then settled in front of the fire to thaw out, and did little else for the rest of the day.

Preparations

I woke to see that we had had a light dusting of snow overnight ... and I mean a light dusting ... a few flakes is probably a more accurate description.  It was also bloody cold!

I wasn't exactly rushed off my feet today, but I did start preparing for a couple of upcoming jobs.

I got the Honda wheeled inside a Vac Bag, and I will get her sealed up as soon as the moisture absorbing crystals arrive for the dehumidifying packs.  

Having re-read that sentence, it all sounds so straightforward. 

In reality, it involves wrestling a 185kg motorcycle into a large plastic bag, whilst ensuring that the side stand doesn't puncture the bag. One also needs to ensure that there is sufficient bag at the back of the bike, so that it can be scrunched together and sealed with a large cable tie.

It is a bit of a faff, but it can be done solo.

Whilst I was in the garage, I also connected a spare car battery to the charger.  This is needed to provide the power to vaporise oxalic acid crystals.

By this point you may be wondering what the hell I am rattling on about?  It is time for the hives to be given their Winter varroa treatment. At this time of year, my preference is to treat each colony with oxalic acid vapour. It is harmless to the bees, but deadly to the Varroa mites.

Having got the battery on charge, I headed to the store room and assembled the other items that will be needed. 

I now need to pick a day and commit to the task ... it does involve lying on cold ground to get the hives prepared for the treatment and it can also be a bit of a faff.

A moment of delight.

Sometimes I have a mind like a sieve. Yesterday evening I realised that I had totally forgotten about the two pork loin joints that I had set to cure on 22nd December.

Today I extracted them from the cure mixture, dried them off, wrapped them in muslin, and set them to air dry in a cool place.* I'll leave them there for a few days, before smoking them ... that's provided that I don't forget about them again!

Today was relatively quiet. We took the dogs for a walk in the afternoon, but, other than that, nothing of great importance occurred.

That is apart from a brief moment of delight.  As I walked up through the orchard to the log shed, I noticed that the daffodils we planted, back at the beginning of October, have started to shoot.  Not only have they started to shoot. Some of them are already bearing flower buds.

I know it is only a little thing, but I am extraordinarily pleased to see them growing so well. The realist in me knows that we have a few cold months ahead of us, but this is the first sign that Spring will come in time.

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* They are hung up in the workshop

New Year's Eve

The days are ticking by and I am getting nowhere near the task of polishing the Honda. Consequently I have decided to put it in a Vac Bag and give it a damned good polish when the weather warms. The alternative is for it to sit in an unheated garage and suffer from condensation until I find time to complete the job.

One of the reasons driving this decision is that we have ordered new gates for the cottage and they will be delivered in the next couple of weeks. I will then need to get them treated before they can be installed. This job is going to take priority, so the Honda is going to have to wait.

I have put an extra dehumidifying trap in each of the other bikes' Vac Bags and propose to do the same with the CBR. This item was therefore added to my shopping list for this morning's outing to Alcester. 

The trip was only partially successful. I failed to get the dehumidifier trap and also failed to get another bucket of honey from Pete the Beekeeper. I did manage to get firelighters and a few essentials for lunch.

In the afternoon we nipped in to Worcester and spent a few hours in the company of B&H and their two granddaughters.  We had a relaxed afternoon, as B&H had had a marathon session hosting their large family over the Christmas period. They had twenty one for lunch on Christmas Day, and didn't appear to have had any time to themselves in the intervening week.

We had a quiet New Year's Eve and neither of us actually saw the New Year in. I think we headed off to bed shortly after eleven.  Just before we retired to bed the long case clock decided to throw a hissy fit,* and refuse to stop striking. I managed to halt the incessant chiming, and decided that I will need to track down Mr Troth early in 2026.

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* It barely managed two days of running

** A somewhat eccentric Horologist that has attended to this clock a few years ago

Relatively busy

30% was out 'n about and I was left to my own devices for much of the day.  Having just about recovered from the Winter bug, I set to attending to a few overdue tasks.

The morning started with a tidy up of the kitchen, and I dealt with the aftermath of yesterday's honey bottling. 

With the house looking somewhat more tidy, I headed out to the garden and continued with the tidying theme. Surplus cardboard boxes were consumed by a small bonfire. This provided sufficient space in the store room for 30%'s exercise bike.  This has sat, neglected, in the car port for the past six months unused. I was asked to move it to the greenhouse, but having spent a good while making that a pleasant and tidy space, there was no way I was going to clutter it up with a piece of underused gym equipment.

I appreciate that 30% definitely has good intentions, and wants to improve her level of fitness. I'm just not convinced that she is that committed to a new exercise regime. I really hope she proves me wrong.

Next, I  headed over to the tomato greenhouse and moved the tree ferns inside. A few hard frosts are forecast and it should provide a little shelter from the worst of the colder weather.

I then returned to the ornamental greenhouse and finally packed away the dahlia tubers in boxes of wood shavings. I hope I haven't left it too late and they make it through to next season.

So that was Tuesday. I do have on final thought about Christmas socks. 

Firstly let me define what I mean by Christmas socks. These are sock that have a Christmas message or motif as part of the design. They are socks that are clearly meant to be worn at this time of year. After all, one would look really bloody odd wearing a pair of Christmas socks with shorts in the middle of Summer!

My question is, "Why are Christmas socks made of such shitty thin material?" It is close to the coldest time of the year and this seasonal wear is clearly not appropriate. What you really need is a beautiful thick pair of socks made from Merino wool.  Instead you get a pair made from a cheap and nasty blend of polyamide and elastane.

It wouldn't be Christmas without me having a moan about the commercialism.

It's been a while

 We have an old, 30 hour, long case clock that stands in our hallway. 30% purchased it many years ago and it has marked out the hours and minutes of our lives ever since. It really is like the beating heart of the house.

A few years ago we had its works refurbished, and it kept time beautifully. However, after we moved, it did not seem to take to its new home.  Its striking mechanism became temperamental, and it would frequently just keep striking until the mechanism wound down.

Consequently it has stood silent for a good while, and just collected dust. For some reason I decided to set the pendulum swinging this morning. At the top of the hour I adjusted the strike, so that the number of chimes coincided with the hour. 

It now seems to be running beautifully, but, apologies for the pun, only time will tell!

Today's main activity was to bottle a couple of batches of honey. This was the last of the thirty pound bucket that I bought at the beginning of December.  I really must pop over to see Pete and buy another couple of tubs.

This evening 30% and I did something that we, as a couple, hadn't done in years. We went to the cinema.*

I had noticed that the third of the Avatar films had been released, and my good lady suggested that we view it on a big screen.  Now I enjoyed the first instalment, but found the second film visually stunning, but very poor in the script and character departments. As a consequence I was somewhat reluctant to fork out good money to view a Christmas turkey.

30% advised that our satellite tv package gave us two free cinema tickets each month, so we decide to go.

And what a splendid time we had. Running for just over three hours, I can report that we got to watch a lot of film. It looked beautiful and the darker plot and script was so much better than its predecessor.  There were a couple of areas where it was a little baggy,, but overall we had a great evening and decided that we really must make more use of this free ticket deal.**

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* 30% goes with the cinema club on a fairly regular basis.

** Especially as 30% now has her Blue Badge allowing convenient and, often free, parking. Now I know that one shouldn't celebrate her current mobility issues, but if life gives you lemons ...

A couple of hours at the pub

 Our local singing duo, Mid-life Crisis were playing at the local pub this evening, so 30% had arranged for us to pop down for an hour, or so.

She had also arranged for her friends L&J to visit us in the early afternoon, and then join us at the Pub ... Oh Joy!

Now I can cope with L, but J is annoying. He tends to dominate the conversation with anecdotes that have been recounted many, many times before.  He is also incredibly opinionated, and always right! 

This afternoon he availed himself of our toilet facilities and, upon completion, came and advised me that the light switch did not comply with UK wiring regulations. I attempted to explain that a pull switch was not needed in a toilet, but he would have none of it! He even went on to advise how I should rectify it. 

I saw little point in discussing further, and telling him that he was full of shit* didn't seem to be the appropriate response from the host. 

The couple of hours in the pub was OK,** and Mid-Life Crisis were great, but my eyes had been dreadfully sore all day and repeated application of drops did nothing to ease the irritation. We, therefore, left after a couple of hours and headed home for supper.

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* I was sorely tempted.

** The music was very loud and I was sat at the opposite end of the table from J, ergo conversation was impossible ... RESULT!

Paul Kidby exhibition

There is not much to report for Saturday, other than a rather pleasant hour spent viewing the Paul Kidby exhibition at the Worcester art gallery and museum.

The works of Terry Pratchett have given me great pleasure and entertainment over the years, and the cover illustrations by Josh Kirby and, latterly, Paul Kidby have always brought the characters to life.*

The Kidby exhibition took up two rooms of the gallery and included cover art, preparatory sketches and character paintings inspired by Pratchett's novels.  Each work was accompanied by quotations and explanatory notes about their inspiration and development.

It was a great morning, and it seems that 30% was somewhat inspired by the pictures and quotations. 

On the journey home she intimated that she might search out a Pratchett audio book!

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* There will always be differences of opinion between reader and cover artist, but they are fantastic interpretations.

Our Christmas Break

I've finally summoned the energy and enthusiasm to bring The Journal up to date. We have had a quiet and relaxed few days ... and will probably have a few more before the New Year!

So here is a quick run through the highlights.

Wednesday, 24th December

The day was cold and dry, and I was finally feeling somewhat more energetic after the lingering chest infection. 

The morning saw me wander out in to the garden, with secateurs in hand, and wander over to the raspberry canes.  I spent an hour or so pruning the canes and tying up the stems that will  hopefully bear  fruit next year. 

I then headed up to the orchard with the prunings. These were deposited on the bonfire and, for some strange reason, I decided to check the chicken coop nest boxes.* I was surprised, and delighted, to see that one of the Norfolk Greys had come in to lay and had left us two early Christmas presents.

In the afternoon we headed over to Alcester for a game of Waitrose Lucky Dip.

We were somewhat apprehensive about what might be left for our Christmas lunch, but we need not have worried.  There was food in abundance and tomorrow we will be dining on a rib of beef, roasted medium rare and served with roasted vegetables.** The meal will be topped off with a Tiramisu dessert.

We both agreed that this was a great way to approach one's Christmas lunch ... don't get any fixed ideas and enjoy the surprise element!

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* I rarely do this in the Winter, when the girls take a break from laying.

** The veg patch will provide the carrots, cabbage and parsnips

Thursday, 25th December

We had a gentle start to the day. Breakfast was croissants and coffee, and the triple yellow* wheelbarrow was unveiled to the delight of 30%.

Late in the morning we headed over to spend a couple of hours with 30%'s side of the family. They were being hosted by 30%'different brother, Stevie.

On our return we took the dogs over to the local exercise field. The had a happy hour chasing after tennis balls before we returned home and the beef was put in the oven.

The two of us shared a lovely meal, before settling in front of the fire and continuing the tradition of moaning at the crap on television!

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* A yellow frame, a yellow 85 litre pan and yellow handlebar grips!

Friday, 26th December

Boxing Day was even lazier than Christmas Day.

We did take a wander down the lanes with the dogs in the late afternoon, but, other than that, we spent the day lazing at home.

One might assume that we spent the day stuffing our faces with food and drink, but we were actually very restrained.  There was a splendid beef sandwich and a couple of glasses of decent wine, but we were the very spirit of moderation.

Sixty Two

Today is my birthday. I have previously wittered on about it not being the best time of year to celebrate a birthday ... unless your birthday is a couple of days later, and your name begins with a "J"!

Anyway, it's my birthday and this is how it all panned out.

I started the day with a few cards and gifts.  TP had messaged me from deepest, darkest Surrey to advise that my presents were on the dining table. He had kindly settled on a chocolates, a bottle of gin and a tin of pork luncheon meat.*  I decided that these were clearly the ideal ingredients of the breakfast of champions, and would have happily munched them down, but 30% had other ideas.

This morning I was treated to a huge brunch at a cafe near Tardebigge. She had booked a great table, right next to the log burner and we had a splendid time tucking in to an enormous fried breakfast.

We returned home around midday, and had a massive kip.

In the afternoon we took the dogs over to a nearby exercise field and spent an hour throwing tennis balls for them to retrieve. They had a great time and were exhausted by the time we headed home.

This evening we headed out for my birthday treat. Mummy Sheila joined us to see the RSC's production of Roald Dahl's BFG at the Swan Theatre.

It was a fabulous show that combined actors with puppetry. In one scene the character Sophie might be played by an actor, working with a 12' high BFG puppet. In the next the BFG is played by an actor and Sophie is a marionette. It was a splendid performance, and we all throughly enjoyed the show.

It was a good birthday.

---

* This item was a joke. Several tins were left over props from his last production, and he decided to bring a few back with him. We all decided to have a blast from the past and have fried luncheon meat for lunch a couple of weeks ago.  It was actually quite tasty! This tin is likely to be used as fishing bait next year.

Slightly more active

TP wandered down stairs this morning and advised that his London-bound train had been cancelled.  Initial panic subsided after he added that he now planned to take an earlier train, and needed to be dropped off at Evesham station  before half past nine.

So that was how my morning started. By the time I got back, 30% had left to spend the morning drinking coffee with her mum ... I was home alone.

After days* of inactivity I finally summoned some enthusiasm and headed out to the veg patch with a fork. I had decided to investigate the success, or otherwise, of my parsnip growing experiment.  

Previous Journal entries have reported the sporadic germination of the crop, but I can report that the few plants that did grow produced enormous roots.  Realistically, I should have probably harvested them a while ago, as I am a little concerned that they may now be woody.  No matter, I will definitely put in another crop in 2026, as I can see that they grow well in our soil.

The rest of the day was spent in general domestic tasks, with little of interest to report, apart from starting the cure of two pork loin joints.

We are running short of bacon and 30% had purchased two discounted loin joints* from the supermarket. These were rubbed with a cure mixture, and are now sat in the bottom of the fridge slowly curing. They should be ready for removal on, or around, the 28th.

I am likely to be smoking the bacon a couple of days after the New Year.

---

*  more accurately a fortnight!

** We usually buy two complete loins from a local butcher for curing, and these will produce sufficient bacon to last twelve months.  I didn't get around to completing a cure this year, hence this stop-gap measure to keep us in home made bacon.

Not pike fishing ... again

After totally failing to catch anything at the end of last month,  it was decided that we should have a day spinning* on a stretch of the upper Avon.

Bubbles and I had exchanged a few messages about potential stretches of water and river levels over the past few days, and we eventually came to the conclusion that the river was far too high** for fishing.

Instead we decided to meet up at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Evesham and spend a couple of hours chatting over coffee and a bacon sandwich.  We had a splendid time, totally avoided any discussion about TB,*** and I came away with a rather splendid early birthday present ... a Barbour T-shirt.

I arrived home at about the same time as TP, and we lunched before I, once again, fell asleep on the sofa. I'm not yet recovered from this bug, and it doesn't take much to totally exhaust me.

So that was Sunday. We had a rather nice joint of beef for our Sunday dinner and unwrapped a couple of token Christmas gifts. The reason for this early celebration is that TP heads off tomorrow. He will spend Tuesday night with an aunt in Surrey, before catching a flight to Vietnam on 23rd December.

---

* A fishing technique, rather than dressing like a prat and cycling without going anywhere!

** i.e. in flood

*** I'll leave you guessing, because I haven't published that Journal Entry!

I just couldn't be arsed to do anything

It has been the best part of a week since I last made an entry in the Journal, and coming up with a reason why not is actually quite challenging.   

I have had a lingering chest infection, but I can recall far worse colds than this. My symptoms have just been a scratchy throat and a dry cough. Nothing more than that, apart from fatigue* and a complete disinterest in doing anything other than sitting, or lying, or sleeping, on the sofa.

As a result I have very little to report for the past week, and the lazy days have blurred together in a Lemsip fuelled malaise.

I do recall a few lucid moments. 30% arrived home with a large bag of game birds at one point, and I spent an hour filleting the breasts off four partridge, a brace of pheasant and a brace of duck... I must think about knocking up a game terrine at some point.

TP returned from visiting his mother on Sunday, and spent a couple of nights with us, before heading off on his last work assignment of the year.

TP's chum, Charlie joined us for dinner on Monday and we had a pleasant evening catching up on each other's news and talking bollocks about motorcycles.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were complete washouts, and it took until Thursday before I started to feel like actually achieving something. 

Thursday's achievement was that I actually left the house and wandered down the road to catch up with Andy, the powder coater. I collected the wheelbarrow frame and it looks fantastic in its shiny canary yellow paint job. Andy refused to take any payment, so has now been promoted to the Honey for Free list.

On Friday I had sufficient energy to head out to the workshop and spend a couple of hours putting the wheelbarrow back together. Even if I say so myself, it looks fabulous ... I really hope she likes it.

And, so we finally get to today. House tidying and present wrapping were my contributions, before I headed up to the orchards and placed a pack of Fondabee candy on the crown board of each of my hives. They all seem to be fine, although we still have a few months before I can report successful overwintering.

---

* Aggravated by sleep interrupted by coughing fits

Post Script: It seems that our honey makes a rather attractive Christmas gift, and sales have been brisk over the past week.  It was, therefore, necessary to bottle another batch on Thursday ... at least I think it was Thursday?

Can't we just stay in tonight?

After two consecutive nights out, combined with a niggling cough and sore throat, I was not feeling my best this morning.  The large quantity of red wine last night probably didn't help either!

After a lazy breakfast TP headed off towards Nottingham to complete the compulsory Christmas visit with his Mum and his half-siblings.

I decided to put a little effort in to looking busy, whist doing absolutely nothing at all.

A short walk with the dogs took place, and a long snooze on the sofa used up a healthy chunk of the afternoon.

Tonight was yet another evening out. This time it was to see the PODS* Christmas Review show at the No. 8 Theatre in Pershore. Our party included Mummy Sheila and Michelle, and we had a splendid night of Christmas themed entertainment, performed by this talented amateur company.

I know that I wasn't at my best, but I would have been disappointed to have missed it. And I know that we have a lazy Sunday planned for tomorrow.

---

* Pershore Operatic and Dramatic Society

Tired!

I have not been sleeping particularly well recently, and the fact that TB has tried to join me in bed during the small hours hasn't helped!  As a result, I am somewhat lacking in energy at the moment.

This morning I headed out early, to drop off the wheelbarrow frame at the Powder Coaters. Andy was there and advised that it would be finished with plenty of time for me to reassemble it before Christmas Eve.

The remainder of the morning was taken up with chauffeuring 30% to the ROH in Birmingham.  They had had a cancellation and had asked her to come in for an MRI scan, with only two day's notice.  It has been a few months since her last consultation, and it is encouraging that she hasn't been forgotten about. She is not a huge fan of driving, so I was more than happy to come along, provide moral support and make sure she got there on time.

The scan took about thirty five minutes, and I had planned to read the last few pages of my book, but I was overwhelmed with tiredness and found myself falling asleep in the waiting room.

Once we were back home I retired to the sofa, and attempted to catch up on some sleep. I have a scratchy throat and an irritating cough at the moment, and I don't think these are helping with my energy levels. I think I slept for an hour and a half, before waking feeling slightly less knackered.

This was a good job as we spent this evening with B&H, sharing a pre-Christmas meal. We had a lovely evening. I drank just enough red wine and there was a lot of laughter.  They also so enjoyed our Bad Manners gig, that we have now arranged to go and see Squeeze with them later on in 2026.

We arrived home at a relatively decent hour and were welcomed in by TP. His work schedule has been revised, so he made a last minute decision to travel up and see us.

I know I am very tired, but it was a lovely evening of socialising.

A change of plan

30% was out this morning, which gave me an opportunity to head out to the workshop, and make a few decisions about her Christmas present.

We are both of an age where we have most of the material items we need, and if we do need something we just go and get it. As a result neither of us really need, or want, anything for Christmas.  I appreciate that it is nice to have a surprise on Christmas morning, so I have decided that 30% should have her heart's desire ... a yellow wheelbarrow!  When gardening she has often mentioned that she would love a yellow barrow, so that is exactly what she will get.

A yellow wheelbarrow pan arrived a couple of weeks ago, and I have stripped down our trusty, but rusty, black barrow, in preparation to receive the new pan. Today I looked at the frame and decided that it really needed to be cleaned up, before I put it all back together.

I started to rub away the dirt and surface rust, and this led to me breaking out my angle grinder and flap disk. The more rust I cleaned away, the more I thought about paint finishes. The more thought about paint finishes, the more I realised that I really should do the job properly. 

I made a phone call and arranged to drop off the wheelbarrow frame at our local, friendly powder coat company.* The refurbished wheelbarrow will soon be sporting a bright yellow pan, on a gleaming yellow powder coated frame ... I also ordered a pair of yellow wheelbarrow handle grips to complete the ensemble.

So that was my change of plan.

As I pottered in the workshop I heard the front doorbell ringing.** I wandered out and was surprised to see Grandad Jack loitering at the front door. He had been out to lunch with one of his ex-workmates and had decided to drop in on us.  We had a lovely couple of hours catching up on each others' news, before he headed off home.

We then had to get ourselves tidied up for this evening's entertainment. 30%'s cinema club were having their Christmas Dinner at the Redditch Catering College Restaurant.  I had been invited along to join them ... apparently I am "one of the girls"***

We had a splendid time, and the food was lovely. My chosen menu was a smoked trout mousse, followed by a venison pie with a chocolate tart to finish. It was all beautifully cooked and a special mention has to go to the honey and whisky sorbet palate cleanser.  It was tasty, yet subtle ... absolutely beautiful food.

---

* Owned and managed by our nearest neighbour, Andy.

** Aren't internet connected doorbells brilliant?

*** I'm not quite sure how to take this.  I think it is because I don't tend to get fazed by the female banter.

Honda clean, part 1

30% headed off to Stratford with TB, and Jules.  TB was booked in at the dog grooming salon and 30% and Jules planned on spending a few hours checking out the shops.

As soon as they had left, I unravelled the hosepipe and wheeled the Honda from the garage. I then spent the next few hours getting her washed and dried.  I plan to give her a thorough clean and polish over the next couple of weeks, before bagging her up until the warm weather returns. 

The clean and polish will also allow me to make an assessment of her condition and decide on the priorities for her refurbishment/preservation.  I am already aware that the forks need re-painting and a stainless exhaust system might also be needed. I hope the resulting list is not too long.

In the afternoon I headed off down the lane with Hobson, Whiffler and The Rat for a walk, before attempting to catch up on some sleep ... for some reason I was absolutely shattered this afternoon.

My attempts to nod off were disrupted by a phone call and then the return of 30%. I gave up on the idea of sleep and did as little was possible instead.

As the sky darkened we headed back in to Stratford to collect TB. He looks very smart, and, again, his behaviour was perfect. When 30% walked in to the salon, he was playing with some of the other dogs and was having a riot of a time.

This evening I attended the last Tai Chi session of 2025. The Bear Frolics are becoming more familiar, and I am now quite comfortable with most of the Dau Ying Yan Shen. I still have my doubts about one of the moves in the Shibashi sequence we are learning ... it seems quite incongruous.

Perhaps he has done us a favour?

Today was filled with mundane activities.

I renewed the insurance on three of my bikes, spent a good while cleaning the condenser from the tumble drier, popped up to the surgery for my annual diabetic review,* and managed to purchase TP's Christmas present at a healthy discount.

So, what is today's Journal entry all about?  I promise that I will try to be concise.

There is a couple who were good friends, but over time we have become less enamoured with one of them.  The reason for this is that we learnt, from her partner**, that she had accrued significant debts.  Eventually a row between them brought matters to the surface, and measures were taken to get her finances back in order.

We believe that this is not the first time she has run up debts, and, previously, she has relied on her grandfather to bail her out. We also understand that she is not one for paying back these loans.

The problem is that, once you know something like this about a person, you tend to review their actions and behaviour in the light of this newfound knowledge. As a result we have been quite shocked that she continues to spend on unnecessary items, and really doesn't bother to live within her means.  Her view seems to be that there is always someone around to bail her out ... her husband, or a relative.

I am afraid, that the more we see, the less we like. Previously we had glossed over the less attractive personality traits. She can be monosyllabic to the point of rudeness, and is frequently arrogant, dismissive and argumentative.  However her husband is great fun. He is also very good with his money.

It is definitely a case of putting up with one partner, because we really like the other.

So, that is the background, now on to the "favour." A few days ago 30% reached out to the couple to ask them if they would like to join us for a meal.  A reply came back advising that they would love to, but "taking account of TB's history of biting, perhaps we would like to go out, or go to their house."

Now they have only met TB on two occasions, and both were shortly after we rescued him.  I will freely admit that he was a bit barky, but he has never nipped or bitten either of them.  Over the past few months he has slowly transformed in to a loving dog. He can be excitable when visitors arrive, as can the others, but he soon calms and settles. Young children have visited, and there has been no problems.***

So, despite him settling in and exhibiting positive behaviour, this couple have decided that he has a "history of biting," and that they would prefer not to visit.

I've already mention that the friendship is not as close as it was, and this seems to be the perfect excuse to take a step, or two, back from this relationship. 30% replied that "it's probably best if we leave it then," and we have left it at that. 

I have a couple of outings planned with the husband, and it'll be interesting to see whether this matter is raised.

---

* This was best described as perfunctory, as they have been for the past couple of years. Previously these reviews were undertaken by nursing staff that had an understanding of my condition, my personal history and were actually interested in how I was managing my diabetes. Nowadays it seems to be a tick-box exercise carried out with disinterest. All of my results are available on-line and I gained nothing from my consultation. It is worth noting that a key part of the review is to check out one's injection sites.  I haven't had mine checked for over two years! It is a good job I know to, and do, rotate my sites.

** He does have a tendency to overshare ... "I'm not really interested in your post-vasectomy sperm count"

*** We always supervise the dogs and children closely.

Robyn!

Can you just move that chair upstairs

We were late to bed after yesterday's Frankie Valli tribute show, and neither of us were particularly keen to get on with anything this morning.

Basically it was a few hours of pottering. Abandoned items were put away and rooms were tidied. Midway through the morning 30% asked if I might move a leather tub chair upstairs to TP's bedroom.*

Now this chair is not huge, but it is quite heavy and, most definitely unwieldy.  Neither are our stairs very high, but they are bloody steep and have a 90° turn half way up.

It is fair to say that a simple statement, lead to a lot of huffing and puffing, and a high risk of personal damage. No assistance was offered by my dear wife and I'm not sure that there was any acknowledgement that I had got the fucking thing up to the landing.

I wasn't expecting an award, or such like, but a thank you would have been nice ... a helping pair of hands would have been nicer!

So that was the morning. In the afternoon we took the dogs out for a short walk and I then retired to the garage to fit a fly lead to the Honda's battery.  This involved removing the side panels and seat to access the battery box. It took a while, but I can now report that the Honda is reconnected to it's life support machine.**

That is one item off my current to-do list. There are several other Honda related items, mostly related to getting it clean and dry.

---

* A strange descriptor for a room, especially as TP has never been recorded as a resident at this address?

** A CTEK battery charger/conditioner. I did use an Optimate, but that now serves my Royal Enfield Trialer.

Why, Who, What?

So, this morning I spent half an hour attending to The Rat's toes. I can now report that she looks quite smart. The only thing is, the tidying up of her tootsies has left her toenails on show, and they are overdue for clipping. The only problem is that she is going to squeal like a stuck pig as each one is shortened by a few millimetres ... she is such a drama queen!

It was a fairly quiet day, but we did head over to a local dog walking field and spent a hour hurling tennis balls for the dogs to chase.  They had a lovely time and were quite exhausted by the time our time slot came to an end.

On of the reasons driving this afternoon's canine exercise session was a puzzling event in my calendar. Apparently I was to spend the evening at the Regal Cinema in Evesham watching a Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons tribute act.

Now I had been aware of this upcoming event for a few weeks and, on and off, I have been wondering, and asking, WHY the hell I would have agreed to attend this performance? 

I also wondered WHO thought I would actually enjoy it, and, of slightly less importance, WHAT the performance would actually entail?

30% was suspiciously vague when these critical questions were raised. This got my spidey senses tingling.  Despite repeated questions, I got no further information, so grudgingly tidied myself up and provided chauffeur services to the event. 

It is fair to say that I wasn't looking forward to the show. I am not a fan of Fifties/Sixties American do-wap, hence I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why I had agreed to go?

On the drive to Evesham it transpired that 30%'s friend, Paula had arranged the event many, many months ago.. That fact didn't answer any of my key questions. It could, possibly, be argued that it raised several more.  I am, for the moment, assuming that several months ago Paula asked 30% if we wanted to go, and 30% had agreed without consulting me.*

Anyway, I was at The Regal, I was in the company of friends, so I had better put on my "I'm really enjoying the show" face.

So the show started and it was four American gentlemen who sang a series of Four Seasons songs interspersed with a narrative about the history, formation and hits of the band.  They were very well rehearsed and sang very well, BUT it was unbelievably cheesy!

The matching suits, the dreadful sixties/seventies choreography,** and the odd attempts to perform in character just didn't work for me. It just seemed dreadfully old fashioned, despite their hard work and professionalism.

On the way home*** 30% admitted that she hadn't really enjoyed it either. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't really our sort of thing.

AND, we still haven't a clue how we ended up agreeing to go?

My suggestion that the show really needed a Stevie Nicks impersonator dressed as The Ghost of Christmas Past needs to be taken under consideration.

---

* I will accept that, somewhere in the multiverse, a somewhat simpler version of myself was asked about this event and grudgingly agreed to go.  For the record I need to state that this was DEFINITELY not in this reality.

** I swear I saw a couple of moves from last week's Tai Chi session!

*** AFTER we had dropped off Paula & Neil, and Mummy Sheila

Almost finished

It is day #3 of my dog clipping marathon.  Dog #4 aka The Rat is today's victim.

She can be a bit of a squealer, but I have to be fair and say that she was a very good girl today. She stood patiently for most of the clip and it was quite delightful how playful she became, when we took a break.  She would bounce around the room, rushing at me, nuzzling and pawing me with great excitement. 

I had forgotten how much fun she can be. Her natural playfulness can be inhibited due to her size. She is much smaller than the dogs and she can become a little nervous, when they want to join in the fun and games.  

When I am grooming the other dogs are shut out of the room and she can play without fear of being barged, or knocked over, by the boys.  

Over the course of three sessions, I removed her long coat. Her feet still need to be clipped, especially around the toes and pads, but that can wait until tomorrow.

The clipping took most of the day, although we did find time to put away a recent delivery of wine.  30% also completed and inventory and scared me with the amount of booze we have around the house at the moment ... TP better not invite his chums over for a party ... it's far too good for them!*

---

* I'm almost embarrassed to say that our friends are divided in to two categories. Those we are quite happy to share a bottle of Governo with, and the rest.

Two down ...

 One to go!

I woke horribly early this morning. It was at about half past four, and, after tossing and turning for a while, I rose just before five.

I've mentioned before that I am a completer/finisher, and, after yesterday's dog grooming session, I still have 2.05 dogs to clip.

First task of the day was to deal with the 0.05 ... Whiffler's rear feet. This didn't take long, and Hobson was next on my list.  Over the course of the day I got Hobson looking a lot less hairy.

I suppose I should have mentioned that Whiffler, Hobson, and, ultimately, The Rat are all going to get the same haircut ... a complete, all-over trim ... no top-knot, no fluffy ears, no furry legs! An all-over short, back and sides. 

There is method in my madness.  This severe clip ensures that they have no matts or tangles left in their coats. It also makes them easy to wash and dry, now that the roads are generally wet and filthy.

The one thing I didn't take in to account is that, at the end of today, Hobson and Whiffler are very difficult to tell apart. They are a similar size and colour, and it is now necessary to take a long look at their faces,* their collars and their colouring to work out which is which.

So that was my main achievement for the day. 

The early wakening meant that a kip was needed in the early afternoon, and the vile weather meant that a fire was lit before it got dark.

---

* Whiffler has the longer, narrower nose, and Hobson has the chunkier collar. Hobson also has slightly darker ears.

Time for a haircut

It has been a good few months since Whiffler had his final clip at the dog grooming school, and he is long overdue for a haircut.

30% had set a deadline of early next week, as he is booked in at the vet's for his booster shot, and she wants him to look his best.*

So, after tidying up the debris from yesterday's honey bottling, I grabbed the clippers and set to removing four months of hair growth.  I took my time, with plenty of breaks, as Whiffler now in his twelfth year. However he was surprisingly boisterous as each grooming session ended, and he was rewarded with a biscuit.

Midway through the afternoon I had completed his clip, apart from needing to tidy up his rear feet. The clippers needed charging, so I called it a day and looked for something else to do.

I headed out to the garage and topped up the Honda's petrol tank with 99 RON storage fuel, I also added 30ml of fuel stabiliser.  I appreciate that this is probably belt 'n braces, but better safe than sorry.

I can also report that I sold the last two jars of this year's honey crop this afternoon. From hereon I am reliant on Pete the Beekeeper until next year's harvest.

---

* It is also useful to give him a thorough visual examination whilst clipping him, to make sure there are no new, or worrying, lumps or bumps.

Bear Frolics!

After a long and busy day yesterday, neither of us were filled with energy this morning.

Don't 'n Dave had invited us over for coffee and cake, and we had a lovely time catching up on each others' news.  Unfortunately Dave's VFR 800 had been sold back to its original owner, so it won't be joining my little collection, but the good news is that he has recently been out on his Royal Enfield Meteor and really enjoyed the ride. It seems that he plans to continue riding for a little while longer.

In the afternoon I bottled another batch of honey and used the intervals, while the honey is in the Bain Marie, to catch up on a little sleep.

The final, or perhaps only, exertion in the day was this evening's Tai Chi session at the Parish Education Centre.  This evening Kung Po Fran took us through a warm-up, the Winter exercises, the Dau Ying Yan Shen and elements from set three of the Shibashi sequence.

I throughly enjoyed this evening's session, but I have to say that Fran does pick out some quite unusual exercises. The Winter exercises included Bear Frolics, one of which involved picking up an imaginary rock, lifting over one's head, and then casting to one side whilst growling.

If I hadn't seen it on YouTube I would swear that she is just making it up to see how gullible we are!

It's a good job my afternoon was relatively quiet

My day started with a short visit to the local surgery for a blood test. My annual diabetic review is due, and I'll be back at the surgery on the ninth, once the results of the tests are available.

We then headed over to the motorcycle workshop to collect the Honda.

Having already paid the bill, I simply needed to thank Nick and Simon, the proprietors, before starting her up and heading off down the road. It had been over four years since I last rode her and she now seemed incredibly compact after becoming, almost, familiar with the bulk of the BMW R1250R.

After riding through the Industrial Estate, I pulled onto the roundabout and then headed down the short length of dual carriageway. I twisted the throttle open and was alarmed that it seemed incredibly stiff, and the bike unresponsive.  I twisted the throttle a couple more times, and really wasn't happy with the result. 

I continued on to the next roundabout and turned to head back to the workshop. This time the twist grip and the engine response seemed better, and within a few hundred yards I was a lot happier with the bike. I am guessing that either the throttle cables need lubricating, or that the refurbished throttle linkages just need working a little.

My ride home was cautious, as the roads were wet and I was riding on new tyres. However, I can report that she is now running beautifully and the in-line four cylinder motor sounds amazing.  At home I parked her up in front of the garage and turned off the petrol tap.  

Nick had advised that I should let her run until the carburettors are emptied of fuel to minimise the risk of damage from modern fuels.  I was amazed at how long it took for this to happen. I didn't time it, but I estimate it was close to five minutes before she stuttered to a stop.

So the bike is now back home, and I need to think about getting her cleaned and bagged up for the rest of the winter.

In the afternoon I set to bottling a batch of honey.  I was only able to process a single batch as we were out this evening with B&H.

About a month ago 30% and I had gone to see Bad Manners perform at The Assembly in Leamington.  Unfortunately, one of our party found them a little too loud, so we decided to curtail our visit and head home to enjoy a couple of bottles of wine.

30% and I felt a little cheated about having to leave the gig early, and, when 30% found that Bad Manners were playing in Worcester this evening, we decided to go and see the entire performance.

We had mentioned this to B&H, who immediately said, "we'll come along." So this evening we found ourselves queuing outside the Marr's Bar with a motley crew of punks, skinheads and sixty somethings.  The Marr's Bar used to be a dance studio and H informed us that she used to learn to jive there.  It is now a small licensed music venue that holds somewhere around three hundred people.

It is amazingly intimate with the small stage no more than twenty five feet away, even when stood at the back of the room.

This evening Bad Manners were supported by Max Splodge, formerly of Splodgenessabounds.  We were treated to a set that started with a cover of Nelly the Elephant and finished with the infamous Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.  It was a brilliant punk set and the atmosphere was amazing. I had forgotten how the energy and enthusiasm of the band infuses the audience with such a great feeling, especially as we were so close to them. I loved it.

And then it was time for the headline act!  This time they were fifteen or twenty feet away. Up close and personal rather than remote, as they were in Leamington. The band were incredibly tight and the horn section was incredibly accomplished. This time we stayed through to the glorious end and were treated to a long list of ska classics, ending, of course, with Lip up Fatty. and The Can-can. 

We had a fantastic evening, and are actually grateful to S for not being able to endure the noise of the Leamington gig.  If we had stayed to see all of the gig at the Assembly, we wouldn't have discovered the super little venue that is The Marr's Bar, and we would have missed out on a fantastic evening with B&H.

Thank you Sue!

Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow

 I had arranged to go and pick up the Honda this morning, although the weather really wasn't cooperating.

It had poured with rain all night and showers, alternating with heavy rain, were forecast for the rest of the day. 

I was aware that they are short of space at the workshop, and that the mechanic needs to empty the workshop of motorcycles before he starts work, and then put them all back, before locking up at the end of the day. I felt somewhat obliged to collect the Honda, as it was yet another machine that the poor chap needed to shift twice each day.

So, early this morning, I grabbed my helmet and jacket, and 30% chauffeured me over to the workshop.  Nick, the mechanic, greeted me with the phase I wanted to hear, "I didn't think we'd see you today."  I replied that I was conscious that he was short on space and didn't want my bike being there unnecessarily. Nick advised that it wasn't a problem and he was quite happy if I left it until tomorrow, when the weather was supposed to be better.

He took me through the work that had been completed and reconfirmed that she was a lovely machine, and well worth the expenditure. I said that I did feel a little guilty that she had been neglected for so long. Nick shrugged and countered that, at least, she had been kept under cover in the dry, and had been brought in for recommissioning.

I paid the bill, which was probably slightly more than 50% of her current value, picked up the invoice and MOT certificate and headed off home, promising to return tomorrow.

So that was Monday really!

The vile weather deterred me from doing anything else, although the sale of four jars of honey meant that I will be bottling again tomorrow. Jars and honey were brought in from the store room in preparation, but little else was achieved. 

A little ride out

A couple of months ago 30% found a rather nice Stressless leather armchair for sale on Facebook Marketplace. With TP's assistance it was purchased and, eventually, transported here. It now sits in the smug, and is very comfortable.

The thing is that this chair is really crying out for a partner to sit opposite it.  The smug is then the perfect area for pre-dinner drinks and post-dinner chat and ... more drinks.

Well 30% came up trumps in the preceding days, and has found an identical Stressless chair for sale.  It was located in Bramcote, near Nottingham, so this morning was spent driving up and down the M42/A42 to collect it.

It is in beautiful condition and was a steal at £125.  It was so good that I couldn't bring myself to haggle on the price.*

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* perhaps, in part, because 30% hadn't managed to locate an auto bank, so forty five pounds of the price was paid in pound coins from the honey takings jar.  It was a little embarrassing having to hand over a large handful of shrapnel, in part payment.

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.

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.