31st January 2022 - More Patio Madness

Thought for the day :"After 26 years the stand that dried our clothes in the kitchen has broken. It is the end of an airer"

Monday so off to Beulah for 5 more pallets and a day working on the stage area.

Managed to complete the flooring section other than some lipping. Was dark when I finished after walking the dogs ..

But - enough for one day ...

Cheers !

30th January 2022 - Spring is Springing - More Patio

Thought for the day :"Rubbish Dump. A great tip..."

Family weekend and great to see Nancy, Wren and Torren. Susie measured up for a dress for wren and knows what material to find now. Today was an opportunity for them to meet up with  the Coopes and enjoy an afternoon at Llys y Fran.

So as they left - I finished the pallets that were available and completed another section of flooring for the Pizza Patio and BBQ Ballustrade.

Meanwhile - Spring is struggling to make an entrance and the weather was once again fairly mild - though turning into Mizzy Rain later.

But things are springing up already .. Mainly in Fairyland..

In other news..

Cheers !

29th January 2022 - Family Visit

Thought for the day :"Bought my partner an anaconda for their birthday. Got it from Amazon."

Lovely to have the family visit. Nancy, Wren and Torren are with us for a weekend.

Walked the dogs and Nancy and Torren went to the beach .. I ended up doing some more pallets - will take photographs tomorrow. 

Daily Puppy Piccie 

Found a local who will waterproof the under side of the Landie .. Tom  from up by Wildwood junction. 

Other than that very little has occurred today ..

Cheers !

28th January 2022 - And clearing a Workshop

Thought for the day :" Rubber bands are not allowed in Algebra classes – they are weapons of math disruption"

A day to get to grips with some matters that have been put off for a while.

Susie wanted her propagator - a plastic box that has heat and a perspex lid - and we were sure it was in the workshop somewhere..

But the workshop was stacked to the ceiling with boxes and random "stuff"

So today's task was to get to the pile of "stuff" and sort enough to find the propagator which was duly achieved - though after moving "everything" Yes it was the last thing that I found in the clear up ..

But we now have an area for Susie to plant her seeds and I have seen a lot more of what we have in boxes still - I think about 10 years may be a reasonable plan for completion ..

Meanwhile - the walk with the dogs included a "scramble" today - a walk from the road to the end of the lower quarter...  and a chance to see how the daffodils and bluebells are doing...

Toby was quite interested as well

So Nancy, Wren and TJ arrived late this evening so a little late on the posting 

Cheers !

27th January 2022 - Hospital visits and Pallet Walls

Thought for the day :"My dog only responds to commands in Spanish ... He's Espanyol"

A bit of a mixed day today - Susie had some chest pains last night that were not in the usual place (possible arthritis of the ribs) and had a bad night . Got up to let the Girlies out to allow her an extra hour or so in be, but when she got up she was still concerned/

Many seem to want to knock the medical services in this country but I can only say how great they are.

A call to the surgery and they wanted her in straight away. ECG scans and decided that if they took the bloods samples it would be a day before they came back so called an ambulance! 

(Granted that they stated that she should have called an ambulance from home as it would be shown as a higher priority and she may have to wait longer as it was called from a medical safe place!) 

I popped home to make up a hospital bag for her in case she was kept in and by the time I got back tot he surgery she was in the ambulance and ready to go ...

Granted it was 6 hours later when they rel;eased her from the A & E department but the ambulance were delighted (and shocked) that she got from the ambulance to a cubicle in under 10 minutes - apparently they waited 6 hours the day before ...   X-rays, bloods, and consultation and she was ready to come home at half past five ...   40 minutes to Carmarthen in the Landie ...

Luckily got back to the house by 7pm as we had ASDA delivering on the 7pm to 9pm slot!!

Actually did not arrive until 8.30pm so all was well..

So I spent the day with the pallets and the Pizza Patio and BBQ Ballustrade... Another wall done 

Another section done ...

And Toby on Watch of course...

Cheers !

 

26th January 2022 - Marmalade and Yurts

Thought for the day :"I thought carefully about how to make a glass of prune juice. I did it with aplomb."

Almost back to normal and so able to do a proper post this evening - though it may be a little later than today and I may be back dating the post - I may have done that before !!!

But, Susie and I went for a walk with the dogs today - her hip had been better for the last few days and she wanted some exercise. A bit of pain and later she has been in discomfort with her ribs - a continuous chest pain that we are still trying to get to the source...

But did a few bits of pallet and ready to do some more tomorrow 

Took a bag of tree chippings down to the peacocks

Had three eggs today form the chickens - we are getting back to proper laying I think after a month or two of single eggs if we are lucky.

Daffodils and other bulbs are starting to come through, and there are signs of growth all around though everything is still very barren  ...

Susie decided to sort some Marmalade - so we had to badge it ...

Another one for the larder..

Talking with Lyme Bay today and they seem to have no mead and little stock to deal with ...

May be able to get some Moniack and some Traditional Mead ( though only after Friday ) and trying to get an order in place before the price hike on 1st February.

No Mulled Wine .. No Spiced Mead.. In fact nothing of much really 

Have options in More Mead and Lancashire Mead but they are higher octane and more expensive = I may have to bite the bullet ..

In other news - we chose our first Yurt for the lower quarter ..

Deciding to go with Kent's of Cornwall who give a good sales patter regarding the extra membranes that they use for British climate - we will need this in the lower quarter

But we have gone for a 5.8 mtr in Green and White - it will be a green one !!  With wood burner...

Looks to be good at £5750 for the yurt and £750 for the burner plus VAT 
looks to be £7,800 in total - though we still have to build the platform and there will be delivery and assistance in building which is apparently part of the deal...

seems we may have delivery by March - early or late - not sure

So - end of a day ...

Cheers !

25th January 2022 - Selling the Qashqai - back to one vehicle family

Thought for the day :"Invited to a joint Chinese New Year and Burns Night Party – Chinese Burns Night – I will go if they twist my arm"

Today was sell the Qashqai day - we leave the days of luxurious driving - but the old girl did us proud - moving use form Llanelli - thought to be honest it turns out that she should not have been towing the 3 and a half ton box trailer and the timing seems about right - just before the annual service and the new MOT as a three year old and probably needing new brakes.

Came in at break even for the lease with £300 cash back so all well and good.

Interesting journey back - decided not to use the Landie and use more fuel - was bad enough that I gave it back with £40 worth of diesel init ( had to fill up to get the calibration done - camera would not settle unless the tank was full !!)  so got the bus from Crss hands to Carmarthen and then Bus to Newcastle Emlyn. 

Waiting at the Horse Market for the local 611 to take me to Rhydlewis - reading the siogn that said Monday Thursday and Friday only !! - did not sink in to me that it was Tuesday and not Monday - seem to lose track of the days...

Cancelled the Car insurance within the 14 days so should not be too expensive - lass at the insurance company seems to be getting confused - sent them back to look at the figures again...

So Susie had to come to pick me up - but was a chance for her to drive "Bowie" and make sure that it started properly. Which it did..   Toby was not at all sure about the rattling in the back - but I am sure that he will get used to it ...  Well I hope so - he wasn't sick anyway! 

No Photos today as was on the road for much of it...

Cheers !

24th January 2022 - Puppy Day

Thought for the day :"My love was unrequited with someone who only knew 4 vowels – they didn’t know that I existed"

Puppy Piccies ..

Cheers !

23rd January 2022 - Progress on the Pizza Patio and BBQ Ballustrade

Thought for the day: "Read a book called "The History Of Electricity". The contents were shocking!"

Managed to get some pallets again so we are up and running again 

Also Malcolm dropped around and brought another 4 pallets so I have enough to keep me going 

Rear Walls Completed

Not looking bad though I say it myself

Needs clearing of the debris but getting there 

Bags of Tree Chippings are slowly getting transferred to the Chicken runs - but slow business..

Cheers !

22nd January 2022 - Tavern Times - Cold but Chilled Out

Thought for the day :"My images are all blurry when I take a picture in the shower.. I have selfie Steam Issues"

Not that good at selfies!! But had to try as it was the first beers served in the Beer Garden

Jim came and joined us as the light failed and the fairy lights became more effective...  

After 2 hours - still a little bit of flame 

And so another day passes..

Cheers !