13th December 2021 - Wet and Windy Walking the dogs and Pin Problems

Thought for the day :"Don’t you hate it when you are singing along to a song and the artist gets the words wrong"

A rainy day - and a new duvet set and new sheets mean that getting out of bed has become a lot harder today... But finally we achieved..

Sadly, little chick in the mug did not survive...

These were Sooty's clutch that we found in the long grass. Of the 18 eggs - over a dozen looked to be viable and indeed were candling some movement up to hatching. However - only three actually managed to get out of their shells. And this one had splayed legs and spent most of its time on its back so was unable to get to food. Vitamin E and honey water was used to keep him/her going and the mug was so the splinted legs had a chance to strengthen. Sadly - after two days it did not survive getting back into the coop. The remaining two seem to be strong though and are growing well..

So our brood at the moment consists of Fabio and Zsa Zsa in the main peacock enclosure. Brahma and Bo int he small peacock enclosure.  Cedric and Cyril sharing Sooty, and four more hens which Susie can name but I cannot. - I shall edit when she reads this ...

And that is our lost at the moment - until the Spring. Oh - we have the "eaters" which are huge now and will be ready for culling next week ...

Today, I tired to unblock the pin number on the Credit Card. Went to an ATM as the website said that I put the card in and press the pin and then will be given the option to unlock the pin... Did this and failed. Contact your supplier it said - so I did .... Tesco Bank!

15 minutes waiting on the phone was about par so that did not cause in worry, but of course the card is in Susie's name primarily so she had to answer the security questions - the first one was the surname of your best friend!! Now of all the questions that we could have chosen - this was not one that made any sense so I cannot believe that we chose this - you only need to choose three from a list of twelve. needless to say we failed the security test - though luckily they were not like HSBC which then just shut an account when I got and answer wrong - and then refused to accept the signatories when trying to reinstate - but that is another story....

Instead they allowed me to change the security questions while on line and on the phone. Which worked once I found out that all answers had to be 4 letters or more...

So - having then changed the questions and handed back to Susie to be cleared for the security level - we unlocked the Pin Number - or so we thought.

A trip to Newcastle Emlyn and the card was once more refused!

So back on the phone - 17 minutes wait this time and a very helpful customer service representative informs me that I will have to go to an ATM and put in a wrong PIN number three times to put a physical block on the card. Then they will be able to talk me through how to unlock if I phone back...

I pointed out that the ATM was not local - we were living in a remote village - and to my surprise we have now arranged for me to be at the ATM tomorrow at 11am and she will phone me on the mobile to talk me through the matter - sounds a bit convoluted but still better service than I was expecting...

In other news...

While out I managed to get another 5 pallets - but the wet weather means that I am not working today... Took the dogs out in the rain instead...

  

Susie is in the Kitchen - taking up her water colour painting again - making some Christmas Cards.

I think we shall just have a quiet evening ..

Cheers !

12th December 2021 - Stage and Gaming

Thought for the day :"She was only a whiskey maker but he loved her still"

A long day outside in the rain working on the stage and performance area..

Back wall completed

distant view

Not very clear but roof section over the control section

Extra roofing to stop leaks 

and piggies on the kitchen windowsill
(not very clear photo)

And in other news - we go one stage up market in the evening card games....

Covid levels increasing dramatically - going to stay in I think ..

Stay Safe 

Cheers !

11th December 2021 - Stages ...

Thought for the day :"Father Christmas went speed-dating. He pulled a cracker."

An interesting day - Saturday - so ...  well the same as every other day really ..  but walked the dogs early and it was a bit grey and mizzy, waterproofs on but not really needed - just damp really..

So once the dogs were in it was time to hit the pallets - more stage work ..

Lights in the Beer Garden 

More work on the stage - the left half wall is complete and the back wall is progressing - and the support structure is in place..

The Tavern...

And .. beginning to look a lot like Christmas - I know we don't normally do it early -but it is only the outside

A bit of Christmas Cheer!!!

And so Toby gets a new Moon Chair -the last one was clearly too small - and this seems to meet the requirements...

And BT Mesh Disc System seems to be working = 18 MB in the tavern - will work on positioning to see if I can get it a little stronger  - though we are starting at a 40MB base ...

And so with a bit of puppy zoomies

Cheers

 

10th December 2021 - Another week goes by...

Thought for the day :"Kids want a cat for Christmas – normally have Turkey – but it is up to them"

Daily Puppy Piccie 

Trip to Vic today - he is getting very frail but was in a happy mood and enjoyed Toby as he had his wordsearch book and a cup of tea...

Dropped some newspapers up to Di at the West Wales Hedgehog Rescue and by the time we got home it was time for a slice of Cake and a cup of tea for ourselves..

But managed to pop up to Beulah and get some pallets so will have stuff to work on over the weekend. 

Dropped the old Terrano Alloys off with my friend Paul Halloms with the boxes...  He has a Terrano so the wheel may be good for him - and the others he may be able to sell for me - but he also fiddles with vehicles so I may be able to persuade him to show me how to service the Honda caterpillar.... 

But, another week has gone by and it is Friday again and the weekend is coming...

Sadly decided not to have friend over next weekend . Covid cases over 58,000 today and the new Omicrom variant is taking hold fast.. But we had Lateral Flow negatives today so we are clear again for another week ...

In other news - bought a 3 disc BT mesh wifi booster system and put it in place..

Allows me to get 18MB in the Tavern which may be enough for streaming - we shall see how it goes. May be able to improved by looking at the location of the disks. Have one at the hub - which I think could move into the main room - one in a bedroom and then one int he tavern - the last is showing orange - which means that it is linked but not really close enough - so will try some new positions tomorrow - but seems to be working which is a bonus...

And so - have a good weekend everyone ...

Cheers !

 

9th December 2021- Chickens, Fences and Taverns...

Thought for the day :"Sitting in front of a roaring fire, sipping mulled wine and listening to Christmas songs until you fall asleep. Nice idea unless you are a Fireman."

A busy day for a change ...

Finished the netting for the chicken runs yesterday - but forgot to take a picture - so here are a couple of the completed structure. Have set it this time so that when the shut-down is over we will be able to unscrew the batons form the outer fencing and roll it up and keep it in place for next year - I have no doubt that it will be back again...

And while we were down at the Springs - the winter creates a completely different vista - clear and calm except when Toby charges through them...

 

And a view from further up the slope by the zip wire...

  

In next news I am turning into Unkle Jimmy..

But the new bench saw is working well - taking the pallet slats and cutting them in half accurately...

This helped with completing the chicken runs but since 'Thena decided to find another way out to the road - it was necessary to put a small fence along the base of the fencing - and then struggle with the large fencing and posts...   gave up after three posts - but can go back on it.

Meanwhile - Susie decided to have a go at the Kiwi and cleared the fencing, taking each of the new growth back to three buds.. Hoping that we may get blossom next year!

 

And a Tavern Dog!

Meanwhile - back at the Tavern stage/ performance area - more work on the proscenium arch, and the vertical paneling to the side...  Ran out of  wood - will need to get more pallets tomrrow 

Cheers !

8th December 2021 - No photos today - forgot to charge the phone

Thought for the day :"Saw someone standing on one leg at the “hole in the wall”. I think they were checking their balance"

A little brighter as a day today.Had the chance to complete the netting over the Chicken Houses - will have to have photos tomorrow as I forgot to charge the phone !! 

'Thena managed to escape again today - so will be back to putting up more fencing tomorrow I think.

Luckily decided to go up the lane to check that no more trees had  come down and there she was - trotting back from Wyn's Tree Plot.....  Ho Hum !!

But had a good time with the puppy in the Chicken sheds and chasing around the springs ..

Steve called this afternoon and we took him around the Lower Quarter and to meet his Peacocks ..

'Thena and Toby decided on multi zoomies - I think that they are getting to be a similar size now so the chase games are getting a little more frenetic!!

Sooty's eggs are pipping but we are not sure that any are going to successfully get out of the shells. We shall see how they get on tomorrow ...

So another day - 

Back to work again tomorrow on the Stage Performance area...   And clearing the Shed - that would be a good idea - and the overhang - that ought to be sorted as well ...   the list is endless!

Cheers !

7th December 2021 - Storm Barra and Growing Puppy

Thought for the day :" Why is there only one monopolies commission?"

What a rubbish weather day as Storm Barra heads our way 

Up early for Susie t have a CT scan at Carmarthen - culmination of starvation and various drugs over the last few days - glad now to have two bowls of porridge and Pizza Thursday - on Tuesday !!

But all well now and we will see the results in a week or so ..

Next trip to Carmarthen is Sunday for Hip x-rays ...

But we got home and it was a guess when we would get out of the car...

But new moon chair arrives for Toby and he is already a little too big !!

Looks that we will have to get the next size up - but it will act as a good extra chair for the living room when we have guests

It seems that the "puppy" is no longer a "little puppy"  or even a Lap Dog..

A bit of zoomies at the river..

and so - another day finishes with very little achieved int he homestead.. may be tomorrow ! 

Cheers !