31st March 2014 - Avoiding Showers and on Line Traps ..

Last day of March - April Fools tomorrow. I intend to be up and traveling before the April tricksters catch up with me, a distant journey up to Hartlepool tomorrow...

Today was a day for dashing between the sudden rain storms. Early call to get mother's car to the garage for a bit of welding to get through the MOT. Popped into town to do some Probate banking - and forgot to take a coat. Lloyds Bank, skies opened - so popped into one of the cheaper stores to shelter. Just as well I did - Diet Coke at 79p a bottle. I would never have thought of going in before but a lot better than the ASDA Morrisons Tesco run trying to find the 2 ltr bottle at 2 or 3 for £2 or £3 - aiming at the £1 a bottle.

And I noted in ASDA today that the bottles are going down in size to 1.75 ltr for a pound. This is another scam in my view. reduce the size of the bottle and put an attractive price..  I was walking into town so only bought a couple of 79p bottles - was  all I could get into my trusty body warmer (better than any handbag for Mary Poppins style storage!) but managed to pop out later in the car and get another 10 bottles..

Transferred some money - probate style, and dashed between the showers... Picked up the car and popped up to Maplin. I had managed to throw away the money off vouchers that arrived this month. For the first time there was something I fancied in the special offers - an in car camera for filming the idiots on the road .... But when I went up to Maplin it appeared that the purple£5 off voucher was for February.. The Red one I found in a pocket was January !  So no help there either !! No - apparently it should be light blue!!  And I have no idea where it is ...  I remember folding it up - will come to light in June no doubt...

But an email to the Maplin Customer Service say that I shall be refunded if I buy - so I popped up this afternoon and bought the little item - will send the proof of purchase later tonight to see if I get refunded...

So I am quite happy with them, but less happy with Amazon - who seem to be trying to sneak something called Amazon PRIME onto unsuspecting customers..  It seems that when buying a giant simple TV remote for mother in law earlier in the month, we must have clicked on something for a free next day delivery... Seems this free delivery option cost £49 for a service called Amazon Prime - free delivery for a year and something about streaming vids and dvd which we did not want and were not aware of!

Luckily I was checking the credit card transactions with my normal anal intensity and found £49 which I checked with the card company and then went to Amazon Dispute Centre....  Well with the speed with which they refunded the money it is clearly a common claim / dispute.. I just winder how many people do not examine their cards that closely !! In fairness - I only really noticed as it is an Amazon Card that I only use for Amazon Sales - which I took out as it gave me a £10 off first transaction and pays off monthly with no interest....

You have to stay on top of these people !!!

Popped back from Maplins and got the Bothy out to put the mattress and bedding in and get ready for the journey tomorrow ..  And the skies opened !!  I mean Really ! Not just the showers of the day - but a real - let's sit in the car for a while cos I do not want to get out for a couple of seconds type downpour!

So the Van stayed in front of the house for an hour! I simply think that if it is raining that hard - then the Traffic wardens are certainly not paid enough to be out in that weather !!!

Rain finally stopped enough to get the Bothy packed away int he back.  and then the most wonderful sunset - red and golds.. Apparently dust form the sahara is blowing all over us. I remember this being something in Teneriffe but never in the UK ...  Must be a sign of changing weather systems ...

So - off tomorrow to Hartlepool. Looked all evening trying to find a decent response for the visitors - think I will have to wing it ...    Unlikely to Blog much tomorrow as not going to be on line ....

So Happy April First ..... for tomorrow

Monday - so uploaded this weeks Cover Pages...

Rather like this one for its warmth and mix of images...

New Logo as well

Enjoy the last moments of March....

30th March 2014 - 23 hours and Counting - Cards

We lost an hour last night
I felt it this morning as I failed to wake and get a cup of tea at the correct time..
But as we rode off to gather horse manure and retrieve the last piece of a chicken run in the sunshine of the morning it just seemed like an early start...

The first cup of coffee in the garden and a complete failure to mend the solar tree - tried the soldering iron - but think I put the wire in the wrong place - need to find another cheap solar fixing to see where I should have put it ...

And so I thought I would think about a little Vollsanger marketing .. It is always an option .. In this case I thought a pack of cards would be good...

 Not wanting to use the normal suits I decided on Axes, Goblets, Hammers, and Horns..

 And so the suits were developed

 Hammers and Horns .. can't fault it

And then there is the jokers - in this case there has to be Loki !!!

And of course there must be a backing card...

 

And so we will take a pack of cards for the evening ...      Looking forward to a good year ...

29th March 2014 - Of Weighty Matters, Owls and Pipe-dreams

Saturday, and as we are the last Saturday of March - it necessarily follows that while we get a full measure of hours today - we will be short-changed tomorrow. British Summer Time starts then - being the last Sunday in March and therefore the day when at 1am, we will lose an hour!!

It is a time to recall that on the introduction of the Julian calendar, September 2nd 1752, there were riots across the country as people mistakenly (we think) believed that they were being robbed of 11 days of their lives. Went to bed on the 2nd, and woke up on the 14th September!!

I do not anticipate riots tonight - but will watch with interest in the morning.. Of course, in the days of the Crimson Moon, the time never reached anything other than a quarter to eleven!! so there would never have been a problem ...

But this is also a four week anniversary of my little sabbatical - my dryathalon and minor diet which has achieved as of today a reduction from 15 stone 6 pounds down to 14 stone 4 pounds..  I am not saying that some may not creep back on, but maybe continuing the walk / run to Burry Port and limiting the stodgy food may allow me to plateau a little or even lose a little more. It would be nice to get back to the 13 and a half stone that I thought was a stone too much while working !

I used to be pretty much of a lightweight!!  Honest !! I have pictures to prove it ...  I tried to alleviate the effect of giving up smoking by giving up all sugar six months before my fortieth birthday (the date I had always set to give up my pipe) and I have always tried to restrict my sweet tooth... But 40 to 60 has shown a steady increase..

But today I found out a bit of trivia regarding the French... The French used to have a unit of measurement which was the area of land you could walk round while smoking a pipe of tobacco.
A colleague was in France near Limoges enjoying coffee and asked his French Brethren if they had heard of it. One of those present immediately said that it had to be a 4 gramme fill in the pipe, and yes it is true.  He proceeded to speak for some time on pipes, tobacco, Napoleon and related matters, as it happens that one of his great interests is the history of the use of pipes and tobacco. 
One thing stuck:  Napoleon discovered that those who smoked were less hungry, and therefore cheaper to feed!  He ordered regular issue of pipe tobacco to all troops.  It is certainly true that my weight has increased since I stopped smoking just over twenty years ago.

So before  we lose an hour, I will refer to a present lost by my mother after the last visit of my sister to this country... When she last came here she brought a group of little owls, with little rings, designed to go around the stem of a wine glass to identify the owner... And they immediately flew the coop. We had no idea where they may have gone. Our House?  Her House? Back with the Grandkids??  In the end we gave up until this week, when the offending owls were found hiding in a drawer in my mother's bedroom. Obviously hibernating, or scared by the increasing numbers of meerkats that are invading the house care of a certain Insurance comparison site. 

Wondering what to do with them ... not because she does not drink - rather that there are rarely more than one or two people with glasses in the flat, a decorative blue bowl provided a great location for the owls to gather and be displayed... 

Each friendly little owl has its own place upon the bowl - and in today's sunshine they glinted and gleamed upon the balcony.. However, normally they sit on the chest of drawers above the computer, next to the photos of Paul and Christine from whence they came...

And that seems a good place for them ...

So as we creep up to the witching hour, we will give the night to the owls, and perhaps tuck ourselves into bed before we notice we have lost an hour if not a few more pounds....   Perhaps it is just a pipe-dream...

[1496+258]

28th March 2014 - Plotments, Awnings, and Anything for a peaceful life !!!

Busy day.. Early morning trip to the garage for mother's car to get an MOT. Not expecting a lot wrong - there may be a rattle in the exhaust but the car really does not do much mileage so should be alright. Walked back from the garage with the dogs. Gave Delft a chance of a gentle walk - she does not get out much since she has been on heart tablets and nappies - but she is still full of energy in short bursts and enjoyed the trip back along the lanes....

Off then with the Bothy to Crosshands to change the awning - apparently should be a couple of bolts and bobs your uncle...  Well and hour and a half strolling around the shops in Crosshands is about as much as you can do - there are not many !!! Meanwhile - the new awnings are a little different form the old ones and the brackets are not the same - the light has to be removed to allow the central bracket to be fitted - the light has to be replaced - they are having a few problem with.....    and ....    only be a few more minutes...... 

At 1.30pm, with an appointment in Carmarthen due for 1pm, the vehicle is finally ready and paid for. No extra charges due to the extra difficulties thankfully...   The old awning fits into the bothy as I come home - ready with some photographs to see if anyone wants to buy a broken awning for parts in ebay-world.

Return journey takes me via Morrison's for some boxes - I have been neglecting the boxing of 41 recently - something I will have to get back into now we are nearing Spring. Also via the Paint man in Pottery Street. Disputes as to whether we should go for the corner of the car and blend in for £90 or the whole thing for £130 has now reached a compromise that the whole thing can be done for £110 - so for a peaceful life and to save everyone more issues - we are going for the whole bumper!!    Not my chosen position - but in fairness I cannot see that I have a winning hand in any negotiation... A time comes when it is best to find an exit strategy that works...

But back in the Plotment Susie has been busy - at least something is going in the right direction. No she is not planting eggs - though she is carrying the egg box with her. I got confused - but apparently all the best potato growers use egg boxes..

They do see m to be useful things to hold the potatos in when planting - nice rows full of horse manure..

SO all the good work will soon come to fruition. The diet is almost over and to date I seem to have managed to lose a stone and 2 pounds - I think I may put some on again after I finish at the weekend, but I may have to wait for the spuds to grow..

A full row - This is but one of a few - so we may do well for food later in the year. We have decided to take the house off the formal market for a while - and see what is happening. I shall try to see whether I can set up a private sale notice outside - after all we have paid for the ergonomic report and there may still be someone out there...  as long as they know we are still on the market - the estate agent is not doing us any favours...

And we want to be able to harvest the crop.....

Anything for a peaceful life !!!

  


 

27th March 2014 - Shameless Marketting

Weather not so good today - so the run to Burry Port was shortened - but an opportunity to work on the machine and look at some of the photographs from the weekend. Amongst the finest are a few of Susie sporting the latest look in Vollsanger apparel...

 Of course you can have any colour you like - as long as it is green. Actually other colours would be available  - but this works well - the sun was shining and Susie was looking good..

We have the option of changing the awning on the Bothy, and having looked at the costs for repair, even thought we do not use the awning very often, it looks as though it will be more worthwhile to change it for a new one...

Susie - and the Vollsanger Cap

 The Vollsanger logo on the fleece ...

Update on the Tesco Bump - May or may not have agreed the £90 version - but car is booked in for next Monday while we work it all out.....

26th March 2014 - Things that go bump in a Car Park

Another day starts and we have had a conversation with the nice people with the chevrolet with a chip in the paintwork. We have agreed that the first price of over £500 is a little excessive and in fairness to them they have found another body work specialist who, they say, will be able to do the work for £130 - which is a lot better ...

Having talked with the artisan, it appears that his suggestion that he fills the chip and then blends some paint into the rest so it cannot be seen - particularly as it is in a dip on the bodywork, has not been accepted by the owner who feels that the whole bumper should be re-sprayed  at the increased cost rather than a cash payment of £90 - which sound a lot better to me.

Mr Painter is not VAT registered so there is not real advantage to the offer of cash and he is adamant that he does not have room to negotiate - the cost of paint being as it is - so it is just down to chatting with the owner and suggesting that the preferred option of the painter is followed...

The saga continues...

But across in the Plotment - Spring is starting to flower...   and that is enough to lift the spirits...  yellow and white primroses I think (certainly not purple sprouting broccoli )

And some other stuff...

25th March 2014 - So how much would you pay for a scratch???

A morning start and a walk down to Burry Port. Weather not too bad and a chance to examine some more sections of the road to Burry Port, through the Festival and Eisteddfod fields.

I must have walked past them a number of times. I have photographed the steps with the layered name stones - but as I panted across the field I saw the stone laid in 2000 for the last Eisteddfod.

I probably walked over it a number of times - but today I managed to get a picture...

I found the walk fairly reasonable - blew the cobwebs away - but for Rusty there was not pond at the end of the walk for him. There is a suggestion that there are lurgies in the sea and the ponds which can affect dogs so I was not unhappy with him avoiding the swimming. There is also a rumour that the Lava Bread has salmonella - but most locals put this down to an EU and English campaign to discredit a good national Welsh dish...  But back to Rusty, we got as far as the main car park and  he was clearly hot....

 But - it had rained a little before - the sun was shining now - but there was some surface water - and that is enough for Rusty !!!

There is no better way to finish a frenetic walk, says Rusty, than a cool soak in a puddle...
Don't mind me - I will be with you as soon a I have cooled off!!!

Right -  am ready nbow - lets do the last bit... almost home - lets not hang around!...

So - a pleasant day - but then the phone call from Panteg Garage in Felinfoel. Having examined the car from yesterday ....   remember the car??

That was the one - with a small chip on the paint... , well their estimate was £435.75 plus VAT to respray the section .. Was that alright and the owner would like to know if they can go ahead with the work???

Umm - Splutter !!!  No- I don't think so !!!  the annual Insurance for the Camper is £200. There is no No Claims Bonus on a Camper insurance so no No Claims Bonus to lose... 

I suggested perhaps getting another quotation ...

Watch this space!

24th March 2014 - Another good reason for disliking bad parking...

It is Monday night, and a journey up from the South Coast in the Bothy. A fairly uneventful journey, dogs happily in the back, a new route up through Chippenham to avoid the extortion of the Bathampton Toll Bridge who have decided that a Mercedes 310 long wheel base, high top van is a Van, rather than a car because it is a camper. I know - I have always been surprised to get across the Severn bridge for the cost of a Kia, but when asked for £1.50 instead of 50p at the small private tollgate it somehow seemed wrong to be paying the extra. They were, however, fairly convinced that we were over one and a half tons  (probably right) and should pay the extra. I could not really argue - other than to return by an alternative route. Daphne, my Satnav, decided that the journey would be the same time, whichever route I took..

Sadly, there were to be delays. But not as a result of the toll or the journey. rather because hunger dictated that we should pop into Llanelli Tesco's on the way home to pick up some salad to feed our inner hunger while not compromising the diet....

Now, anyone who has followed my photo galleries of "Badly Carked Pars", or my Facebook section " "Parking Cars - An Occasion Gallery" will appreciate my thoughts as I pulled into the car park at a quarter past six to find that my choice of parking was to be restricted....

In fairness to me , this picture was taken a little later, but this being about as near as I could get to the entrance and there being a double space available, forward and back that is because of the length of my vehicle, I turned in, fairly slowly to park alongside the chevrolet.....   Bad Idea!

The Mercedes 310 has quite a good turning circle, but not very good visibility over the front of the bonnet. I regularly have to go fairly close to the bumper whenever I get in or out of the back lane, so I am normally quite good at judging the distance...  but, you may guess, in taking the corner alongside this car, at almost zero mph, the front nearside of the bumper came into brief contact with the rear offside of the chevrolet..

Whenever I post pictures of offending vehicles, I am surprised by the vehemence of the responses, stating that the vehicle tyres should be let down, paint attacked - I even have a full gallery full of letters to put onto the windscreen of offending vehicles.. however, when you actually come into contact with another vehicle, however gently, you have a sinking feeling, because at the end of the day - you know that you have just misjudged!!

In my case, I am not very "car-proud". The car is an instrument of transport. I am not that worried about the washing and polishing. I am never particularly happy until I have the first scratch on the paintwork as I can then relax. I regret a small scratch - but do not worry about them..   But I am not the norm it seems. I have friends who polish their car and worry about the look. Many of those who park with total inconsideration to others are doing so as they are scared of another vehicle touching their precious home from home...

So - it was a very gently nudge....  But in the passenger seat was a lady who came out to look at what had happened... At first I could see nothing... I thought - that was lucky!

Have you noticed that cars do not have bumpers any more??  I think it is a conspiracy to increase work for the body work and vehicle painters.  Not only do they only have painted surfaces, they also have special paints with a laminate sort of cover which will shatter and crack - preventing the use of a little T Cut..
Mrs was looking at the back of the car so I spoke with her in a pleasant fashion - at least I did not find hysterics here - very reasonable and calm - her husband was in the store and would be out in a second.

Well, it had been a long journey from the South Coast, so I parked up and promised to be back in a second but had to make a visit to the loo, so I found another double space in the next section of the car park, where I could be seen, and Susie went off to get the shopping and I went to attend to the call of nature..

On my return, the driver was back, taking photographs if the rear of the car with his camera... I soon joined him trying to find the bit of damage with my own camera... 

Yup - had to accept that if this was me, then there was some damage, about an inch and a half...  My offer of suggesting T Cut did not go down very well - particularly when he asked me if I was professional body worker.. I had to admit that it was not an area of my skill... I gave him a Vollsanger Card with full details and he agreed to take the vehicle to a garage the next day to see if it was easier to fix it without the insurance..

I have no objection to dealing with things via insurance, when a similar incident happened with Susie and the owner wanted a couple of hundred pounds for the repair - I decided to go through the insurance because they were taking the mickey!!  I found later that they had claimed over £1100  for the same repair through the insurance company who would not listen to my information that this was a case of fraud - they preferred to just deal with it as a blame-worthy accident - and though the no-claims bonus was protected - they still increased the premiums outrageously and there was nothing that we could do apparently... 

So I have no objection to dealing with the insurance - but it would be more convenient if we found an alternative - for both of us....  As we all parted amicably, I then took another photograph of the position of their parking - which, though I place as the main cause of the collision, was not something that would benefit the amicable relations.......

Of course - all the other cars have gone by now - probably not wanting to get involved with any possible altercation....  

It was only after I got home and examined the photos again that I saw in the distance something that I had not noticed while chatting with the other driver... Look in the distance.. Yes, in the Disabled and Child Parking areas next to the main covered passage..  is that a fine piece of parking there??

Yup - that would have been a good one under normal circumstances - but to be honest - we were ready to go home now and see what occurs in the next days....

So, note to self - even if you don't like the way people park - restrict yourself to taking photos and don't hit the car.... it will only end in grief - and possible costs !!!



[ 14:8 -12 : MPV 1331+93 ]

23rd March 2014 - Travels in the Bothy - Barton on Sea

Sunday. Bright sunshine but cold. The Terrano is in the garage because they did not open yesterday, and we failed to get it back y 6pm on Friday.

Plans to head down to the South Coast could not be put off though, and so the Bothy was brought back into service. Dogs seem happy and settled in the back, with the new waterproof covers for the benches, and sad to say a box of Whiskey and a box of Port on the bed area. Oh well. Only a few more days in the month for the sabbatical and then there will be plenty of time to celebrate.

Strangely, throughout the whole journey we seemed to be following a large black cloud. The roads were wet most of the way - but we found ourselves in sunshine all the time. As we arrived in Barton, there were piles of hailstones in the corners of walls but still sunshine.

They say that the sun shines on the righteous.   That will be us today ...

[ 14:8 -12 : MPV 1333+92 ]

22nd March 2014 - PAGDC - Mark - That's All

Lovely day....   Visit to Shrewsbury as Provincial Organist in the Order of Athelstan....
Came home to a letter ..
P.A.G.D.C. Appointment in the Mark...

For those who understand - this is a good day

To others - this is a good day ...

21st March 2014 - Run silent Run Deep..

I never liked running. I have tried it at various times in my police career whenever I felt that I really ought to be a little healthier. The Dogs have always enjoyed - and I have had various little routes that I have built up so that I could increase the distance slowly, but I never really got into it. I remember in Haverfordwest, as Inspector and having to live a bachelor life during the week, returning on weekends, I went for the full combat gear - boots and some weights in the knapsack and managed to get around the town... but I can't say I ever enjoyed it....

But then I never got into going to the gymn either. The machines scare me - and when I went for my last sessions I could not find anyone who would tell me what I should be targeting - so instead went for a swim instead.   This is of course why you get yourself a personal trainer and I am very tempted to go and see my Rock Star Trainer Krissie Kirby, but to be honest I am far to mean to spend money on such a venture. I wish her every luck in her work, and am delighted that she is able to make a living. I look at the results with her clients and they are excellent. But I do not think that I will spend money on it. I will buy the records and listen to the music instead. For anyone who wants a trainer then please visit http://kirbysfitness.co.uk/  for Kirby's Fitness. I suggested at Christmas that I would buy a course for Pole dancing for Susie - and I still would pay for it for her as I think she would be great - and get some enjoyment out of fitness and weight loss.....

But I am now 21 days into my "Sabbatical". Weight loss I am happy with ... 15-6 down to 14-8. All those useless calories in the Chateau 41 are the most responsible I think. Bread and Potato have also been cut out, and my shirt collar seems to button up again, and my "summer" belt - the one I can only normally use in the Summer after lifting a few Marquees, is squeezing onto the first notch.... On the Wagon and counting calories and days... 

I recall the scene in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Gallery when the distant sound of the tramp of feet leads to a scene of Joggers passing through the 'B' Ark.... Encapsulated in that one moment, was the entire concept of the street runnner to my mind. Add to that one of my favourite songs of the seventies by Tom Paxton ....

"We'll do it like the magazines tell us to.. 
25 Laps around the pond, will make us tall and slim and blonde.. Oh hand me down my jogging shoes today..."

So - jogging is not a high a priority of my day..

But the walk from Llanelli to Burry Port is about three and a half miles long...  That is about 5 kilometers in new money which I don't really follow - but 5K seems to be the starting distance for most runners ....

So, bad Friday decisions, the dog seemed keen on a walk. The garage needed to check the winsdscreen wipers on the 4x4 that have suddenly failed - and the sun was shining....

Yes - I set out to see how far I can get on the route. After all I have been walking it for the last 21 days at a fast lick.. well fast for me... No - I didn't try to do a 5k run in one go ..  I am not that stupid.  

My mother always told me that when she was in the Guides they used to do an "indian scout" run. This was 12 paces running and 12 paces walking.  Lord of the Rings had the momentous run of Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas. I am sure that they also ran and then walked , and then ran and then walked....

Llanelli to Burry Port is not really on the same scale, but the sun was shining and the first hundred  seconds corresponded with the right foot pounding on the ground on that number of occasions. This is not Usain Bolt in action. For the random spectator, it may have been difficult to distinguish between the running and the walking bits, except for the panting that is.. But Llanelli to Burry Port in under an hour.. Not a bad start..

So, as a committed non-jogger, I have started on the downward slope...  I may be in deep..
Run Silent.. Run Deep.....  

20th March 2014 - First Day of Spring ? Put the Kettle on !!

Today is the Spring Equinox. I did muse to my American friends that due to the lack of oxen in the country it might be better called the Equihorse, or Equincow, but after a few days of warmth, we seem to have dropped ourselves right back into the depth of winter. Central heating on this morning, and an allergy cough that seems to want to graduate into a full blown cold...

So, no real plans to get out and do the walk, get things done or actually do much at all!

But the NSPCC coffee morning called. Not to me, but 8am and Susie is out to get more butter and cake boxes from ASDA. My job is much more Sous chef, clearing up afterwards. Keeping out of the way. Getting the car and loading it up. Extra cup of tea.

Social Services calling at lunchtime (actually she was late, had the wrong post code, had not seen the forms before, doesn't normally do this type of application, we had to explain the allowances to her, but seemed nice enough). Managed to spend some of the morning clearing the living room of the Ebay sales and accumulated boxes and bags, and run the hoover around. Can almost see the living room again. Seems to go in cycles. Fill the house with "stuff". Clear the House of "stuff". Fill the house...clear...

Too much rain for the garden or the Plotment so only a couple of pictures from yesterday.

The long trek up the garden to the Plotment - one barrow at a time... But in the end it is all worth while.

A Pile of Poo

 After the trauma of yesterday {see yesterday's blog} the manure was put in place ready for distribution.

 Susie surveys her work - new cloches in place and the ground ready.

Rusty checks the pallets and the sprouting brocolli - I think it is .. I am not allowed to go anywhere near it anymore...

And so, it is the first day of Spring. It is cold and very un-spring-like. But all is not lost.
Among the rubbish in the Plotment, there was a very special find. An electric kettle!!

Time for a cup of tea!!!

[ 14:9 -11 : MPV 1374+132 ]

19th March 2014 - I shall Survive - Despite Mr Angry

This morning I once again reinforced in my mind the adage that the "Early bird got the worm" is a simple example of why the worm should have stayed in bed....

Don't get me wrong - I do not mind the early morning, when there is something to be done, but I do not tend to work well to schedules in the morning. I do not do deadlines anymore. It has been said that one of the problems with retirement is that it is difficult to stop when you have no momentum. Certainly it is less pressure to have no real demands. Getting up in the morning has not proved difficult over the last months. Up and out for a walk with the dog. Up and have a cup of tea. Up and do a little work on the computer. Up and do some paperwork / accounts / web-pages / diaries - all the things that I used to do in a a short time that somehow takes a little longer these days. Yes blame FB and Email - they are a distraction and can cause the occasional tangent. In fact add the Blog to that - there are many mornings that I have started another blog ....

But, then there are those who may still be in work, (however close to retirement they may be), who have to plan the day and wish to arrange the schedules based upon a finish target rather than a projected flexible start aspiration. Let me call him Chris to protect the innocent!  Unbeknownst to me ( I was probably told!) the target for the Horse Manure Collection was 9am.

I, in the meantime have arranged to take the Bothy to the Caravan Fitters to have a look at the awning to see what is wrong with it - at 9 am   or so.. ( note the lack of precision !) So going down the garden in the morning to open the gates and get the trailer ready while Susie brings the car around from the front was still well within the time schedule when I strolled down at just after half past eight in the morning. All good so far!

Into the Bothy, where I have left a small solar panel especially designed to "trickle charge" the battery via the cigarette lighter - to ensure that the van would start first time ....  And turn the key... And... Bleerrrrr! Nothing!

Ahh. A bit of a problem there - try again - definitely flat as a pancake... It seems the fine little solar panel has drained the battery rather than charged it....  Susie by now has the Terrano in the lane - ready for the trailer which I have now loaded with the shovels and rakes and implements of destruction - and the rope and the bags and the wheelbarrow..  But we have a flat battery !

But we are not to be stopped by such a small hiccough!  We have power down the bottom of the garden and I carry a a battery charger and an extension cable - so up with the bonnet and in with the charger and off we would be.... 

Then Mr Angry arrived at the scene. Now our house has a rear entrance to a lane which serves three houses but links West End to Derwent Street. Next to the house - the back lane also goes up the street to allow access on the the other roads and back to Derwent Street. While we have been struggling a couple of cars have come to the junction - seen the blockage and used the exit lane to make their way ...

Not Mr Angry!!!
He stops at the junction and beeps his horn!!  I wave at him in my best "Sorry but we have a little problem here why don't you please follow the lane up the road and you can be on your way" manner - but he beeps his horn again !  I don't like confrontation at any time and don't feel particularly like any arguments at 8.45am in the morning. Not my best time for that ! So I ignore him !!!

Back to the trailer - we will have to get it out and connect it to the car - BEEP!
Maybe I will connect the battery charger as then we can get away quicker. I will do it quickly while Mr Angry decides to take the other route...  Avoid confrontation is always the best way!!  Sadly there are red cables on both terminals of the battery and a quick look gives me an idea which is positive and which negative...  Like a bomb disposal expert aiming for "don't cut the red cable!"  I add the first terminal to a large spark!  just as a loud BEEP  sounds again !

Okay - anyone can get the terminals wrong - so put them the right way around and and the little red warning light on the charger will not go off .. Hmm - Have to think that one out - better hitch the trailer. Taking the trailer out to the car - it is only small but still needs to be pushed hard to place and lifted on. Mr Angry is still in his little silver car ... So I thought - "I will go and explain that we may be a short while - and anyway we cannot drive away while he is blocking the road himself and there is a free exit for him". I am still in a splendid mood, allbeit the timing is slipping away slightly. My own original plan to be in Crosshands by 9.30 is still achievable....  But, as I walk towards the car - Mr Angry gets out and to be honest I was suprised that such a large person could get out of such a compact car....

"Move the Bl**dy Car!!" he shouts - Which was rather different from the friendly greeting I was going to give him ..

They say - never try to argue with a moron - he will always bring you down to his own level.
But I do have the underlying feeling that there are three houses with entrances in this short lane - it is the access for our properties rather than the "Rat Run" that everyone uses to get out to the main road.... It was not a good idea to suggest that it was our access.   "I live in Derwent Street and it is my access too!!!  There's no parking in this road !!!  You are blocking the road !! Now move the Bl***dy thing!!"

It must be some form of minor road rage !! I will probably find his car parked across two parking bays some day. I will then take a photograph of his car as an example of people you would not want your children to meet on the way to school, Sadly, though I had my camera and video in my pocket,  I did not think to get it out and escalate the situation...  And sad to say - his shouting really only raised a small element of stubbornness through my morning bon-homie...

Though tempted to leave the matter entirely and return to my battery charger - I had a wife out in the lane and she does not do mornings as well as I do ...  and she had made the arrangements with "Chris" to meet at 9am at the farm and was now wanting to re-schedule...... So I attached the trailer to the back of the Terrano and carefully raised the jockey wheel. Checked the electrics sadly deciding there was not much else to do.

Mr Angry had now pulled back into the junction allowing egress. I was not involved!!  I would have left it there as a positive form of conflict avoidance - which might well have led to criminal damage and/or assault.. Susie decided to move the car forward...

The Battery charger required a change in internal fuses. Done... It may have been Mr Angry. (I waved sweetly as he drove passed.  I did not see if he was waving back!) But whatever the reason, I managed to attach the wrong terminal again - and blow another fuse.. Not good for the timing. A little frustrating for me - but my trip to Europe had forced me to get a full pack of various fuses - so I was not short of replacements.

Third time lucky. Nope - little red light still on!  Try the fuse again and Bingo - connected !!  Power Charging !! Try the ignition !!!  Nothing!

It seemed that the battery was flatter than Mr Angry's humour - and we were not going to get away immediately...  To be fair I normally leave the charge for an hour and then come back - but I had a wife in the lane...   and she does not normally "do" mornings !!!

Back to the time ... Now about ten to nine - still well within my schedule...  Apparently not of others..

Ten minutes later - enough power and the Bothy starts.. What could possibly go wrong?? Out into the lane and shut and lock the gates. Call me paranoid - but last time one of my neighbours disagreed with me he decided to paint the gates with metallic paint... I am such a passive person!! Why me??  No, I decide to lock the gates!!

Up and onto the Crosshand's Road - when a phone call on the mobile causes me to pull over. Susie advises me that the trailer has fallen off and she cannot get it back onto the car! We are now in Felinfoel Road Rush Ten Minutes and traffic backed up. Back to the lane - and I find that Mr Angry actually lives right up the other end of Derwent Street. I t seems that the alternative route would have been nearer for him had he chosen to take it!! It was obviously a matter of principle for him. What did I say about morons? Now was not the time to stop and take a picture - But I thought about it!!!

So back to the Lane and the perennial problem of the connector on the trailer. One in three times it locks in the shut position and will not go onto the tow bar...  Sadly we blocked the lane completely - but there were no irate commuters upset on this occasion...

Off to the Carafits....  Dropped the camper.. a call to "Chris" to meet us at the farm and off we go...

A rather large pile of Horse Manure. I can understand why the Farm wishes to get rid of it. Apparently a skip is the best way - though a little more costly, and requires a few hours of shoveling. Personally- I found the filling of bags and two runs was quite heavy enough.. 

Getting into the thick of it ....  There was a possibility that her boots were leaking - but that is another story ..

And ready for the off! This was the second journey and only the return journey and the barrowing up the garden to the Plotment

 The faithful little trailer!!    

Now, those less generous than myself will be thinking of the possibility that the large, smelly, and unmistakenly warm pile of horse's d'ouvres might have sat nicely in Derwent Street next to a small silver car. (It wasn't there when I finally parked the trailer inthe back).

 But that would not be my way ...

No, the pile went up to the Plotment and will assist in feeding me potatoes later in the year and I shall carry on with the quiet satisfaction that I remained calm in adversity.....

However, my brother in law did send me the following idea for the programme " Survivor" in Texas ...


SURVIVOR -- TEXAS STYLE
Do to the popularity of the "Survivor" shows, Texas is planning to do one entitled: "Survivor,Texas-Style!
The 8 contestants will all start in Dallas, then drive to Waco , Austin , San Antonio . Then over to Houston and down to Brownsville .
They will proceed up to Del Rio , El Paso , Odessa , Midland , Lubbock , and Amarillo .
From there they will go on to Abilene and Fort Worth Finally back to Dallas .
Each will be driving a pink Prius with bumper stickers that reads:

1 "I'm a Democrat"
2 "Amnesty for Illegals"
3 "I love the Dixie Chicks"
4 "Boycott Beef"
5 "I Voted for Obama"
6 " George Strait Sucks"
7 "Reelect Obama in 2012"
and...
8 "I'm here to confiscate your guns"

The first one to make it back to Dallas alive wins.

I wonder if the programme would  translate into Welsh ???

18th March 2014 - The Plotment Fights back

So, St Patrick's Day has passed without much activity, unless you look to the Crimea in which case they have liberated themselves from Ukrainian rule or been annexed by Russia depending upon you interpretation. The only real consensus is that there is a lot of Western rhetoric which is going nowhere...

So, as an alternative the daily walk from Llanelli was a little brighter, with the sun shining and the weather at 8am being a little closer to Teneriffe than Torquay. A morning cup of tea with my mother and we were able to go and sit out on the balcony to drink it!  An opportunity to put some bamboo fencing around the washing line providing a little privacy, and a new set of solar butterflies. I changed the batteries on the old set but they still did not want to work - maybe a new battery in a few days time!

Definitely shorts weather.. and a splendid cup of tea ... The balcony looks out over St Mary's Church Burry Port and over the fields and the railway line leading towards Llanelli.

Through the balcony..

This was a day to drive down and walk back and the cup of tea and a chat did delay the journey a tiny bit. But it is rare at this time of year to be able to sit out in shorts (me) and dressing gown(mum).

The balcony has a few flowers, but we want to get the roses from the back garden at the flats and bring them up here thought the wind may treat them badly. Also, one of the chemist delivery drivers apparently has his own allotment and has offered to come and fill the pots with sweet peas - which will be nice if they climb the rails... Must say it was very tempting to jump back in the little car - but no! It was time to get Rusty out and start the trek back to Llanelli..

You can just see Rusty on guard in the front passenger seat...

So a little exercise to get back and then the task of clearing a little more of the Plotment. To be fair I do not do the hard work - but I have to do the heavy work. The chicken straw and droppings needed to be taken around to the compost heap - not a big job - but the brambles and the chopped trees and greenery needed to go to the Dump.  The little trailer does a splendid job - as do the masonry bags which were very full - such that I completed my daily calisthenics trying to lift them into the trailer.  And that is where shorts and a T shirt do not really help!

I was good - honest ! I have working gloves that I use - they allow me to grab the brambles without mishap.. But hefting the bags into the air for the trailer - and twice as bad at the dump where they have decide to put bollards so you cannot drive up to the greenery enclosure - and worse - have walls that are at least waist-high-to-a-fat-man to get over......[not waste high- see what I did there? Here all Week!]  It was a walking wounded fat man that limped away from that enclosure!! Cuts and grazes on both legs and arms - but the hands were safe !!!

Tomorrow is an early start - I may be up anyway if my allergy cough does not give me a rest - 2 nights hacking all night!  I used to think it was the canvas - as this was the time of year that I would be gathering the tentage and sorting for our first events. This year - I have the same cough at the same time of year. Has to be an allergy. But some other cause. Got some spray and antihistamine - maybe I will get some sleep.

Tomorrow I take the Bothy up to the Awning Doctors to see if we can repair the awning at a reasonable cost. It retracts with no problem but needs to be coaxed out with kind words and a large stick!!  Only a couple of weeks to my first outing as LARP Entertainer - a 21st Birthday with the Green Cloaks futuristic Sci Fi system.

And then we are going to some stables to liberate some Horse Manure.   

I know there will be some Western Governments who will say that it is unconstitutional, that we have not gone through the proper procedures, that it is against international law and conventions, but four of us will be heading up to the stables tomorrow to do the evil (smelling) deed...  Susie says the Plotment needs Horse Manure and that is good enough for me.   We will see what economic penalties the government tries to bring to bear....  but personally , I think it is just a load of ..... rhetoric!

Ho Hum - I lift my diet coke to you!

[ 14:10 -10 : MPV 1421+183 ]

17th March 2014 - St Patrick's Day - No Snakes in the Green Green Grass..

It is always a little hard not to generalise and stereotype.  For Example, that statement may be a generalisation itself!  But when you wake on a day like today and find that all you can see is corny jokes like "An Irishman walks out of a bar.. No!!  It could happen!" I find myself placing today in the same category as Halloween and St. Valentine's Day. Are we now so far drawn into commercialism, and the American tradition of St Patrick Day marches for ex-patriot homeless?

Now I like potatoes as much as the next individual. I have managed without them for 17 days and am hoping that it will have an affect upon my wasteline - otherwise it is a sad omission for no purpose. My history tells me of the devastation of the potato famine and approximately 1 million people died and a million more emigrated from Ireland, causing the island's population to fall by between 20% and 25%.

Of course it was never a native crop there or here... (Thank you Sir Walter) The potato was introduced to Ireland as a garden crop of the gentry. By the late 17th century, it had become widespread as a supplementary rather than a principal food because the main diet still revolved around butter, milk, and grain products. Over the course of one day, men could eat 60 potatoes, women 40, and children 25 due to the exhausting work. The main potato was the Irish Lumper.

Although the potato crop failed, the country was still producing and exporting more than enough grain crops to feed the population. Records show during the period Ireland was exporting approximately thirty to fifty shiploads per day of food produce. As a consequence of these exports and a number of other factors such as land acquisition, absentee landlords and the effect of the 1690 penal laws, the Great Famine today is viewed by a number of historical academics as a form of either direct or indirect genocide.

All this in a country described by Benjamin Disraeli in 1844, "a starving population, an absentee aristocracy, and an alien Church, and in addition the weakest executive in the world."

But today - the desire to show allegiance to the Irish comes to the fore on a day like today - or certain Rugby International days, when they are playing the English.

Of course, this famous Welshman is also best known for driving all of the snakes out of Ireland, and to be honest I have not seen many snakes so that is a bonus. I recall that Odin said he would eliminate the Ice Giants and I have not seen many of them lately either! It is probably the same reason that elephants paint their toenails red- so they can hide in cherry trees. "Have you seen many?" "No!" "Works doesn't it!"

And through it all I have my own mantra - "and a Green One" which has nothing at all to do with St Patrick or Ireland. I do not even have a version in Irish though Alba plays on the Television. Now reaching over 255 hits on the current version it is soon time to add the next episode - though could do with one more language to create version 4...   In the meantime it is always worth watching the existing one...

And so I leave you with the comment
"It should be alright to pretend we are Irish on St Patrick's day - after all we pretend we are good at Christmas!"

I shall not say Slainte !!!  I am still dry but will make up for it at the end of the month.....
I wonder if they make a Green Diet Coke??

[ 14:11 -9 : MPV 1351+113 ]

16th March 2014 - Back to the Plotment

Middle of March - in fact the Ides of March yesterday and St Patrick's day just a day away. Sun shining and weather improving. A day to think about getting back to the Plotment across the road. Susie spent much of last Summer and Autumn clearing the brambles and poisoning the Japanese Knotweed, and chopping the trees and clearing the ground. Two pallet beds contain enough soil for cabbages and were covered with netting to keep the cats out. But the ground has been lying unused for the winter and the wet weather has given it a good soaking.  Now it was time to get the Rotovator out!!!  

Bought last year off Ebay, we had never actually tried it out!!  Not having the opportunity to get it into the ground. Not even knowing if it was a two stroke (requiring oil) or petrol driven, a hunt started on the intertweb to find a suitable manual. Naturally as a German company, all the manuals are available for free download, but requiring the serial number and model number - which unfortunately are different in America and would not be accepted by the sites.  But perseverance prevails and finally  suitable manuals were downloaded.

Meanwhile, it seemed easiest to get the rotovator out and give it a try. Looking around the machine, I found a choke and an off button and a start position - and lo and behold - unused for 6 months, it started first time!

And so Susie manages to start the soil turning. Most of the roots are broken up and unattached. Bits of green are soon ploughed into the ground.

A steady thrum of the engine - not very even to be honest !! But it carried on and seemed to be doing the job....

The Manual states that the fuel should be changed within 30 days .. Sadly we have not changed it - just used what was in there..

The Manual  also says that the air filter needs changing and new oil added ... but the sun was shining and the engine was running so we just got on with it ...

 Well... Toys for Boys!! It does have an engine and stuff so I had to have a go. Now don't get me wrong! I have no real intention of doing much in the way of Farming and gardening. It is not my idea of a good day out. I will leave that to Susie quite happily. The thrill of watching things grow is shadowed completely by the final solution of eating it with a fine glass of Chateau 41 sometime in the future.

But if you have to do some gardening then it may as well be with a machine to do the work. 

I really did not fancy the idea of covering this area with a spade and fork. Much more useful will be the Knife and Fork in days to come. Apparently the potatoes are going in the middle section and peas (I love peas) around the top. We did not have enough room for sufficient peas for more than a meal or two last year.

  

A small fence to keep the Deaf Centre dogs out and the plotment will be complete. Some brambles to be removed but after turning the soil it needed raking - and that was my queue to pop off and find other things to do !!   

I will revisit when stuff is growing...

Meanwhile - tomorrow will be green for a different reason - St Patrick's Day it will be - to be sure....

Always good to have a Green One!!!

[ 14:11 -9 : MPV 1415+177 ]