23rd December 2021 - Apparently it is Christmas Adam (the day before Eve)

Thought for the day :"This year I will be a Christmas Pudding – Small, round, drenched in alcohol and disliked by many people"

Last of the chickens prepared and either in the freezer or ready for cooking. 
Chris and Vicky came up to pick up their prepared chicken... 
The last one will be going into the oven for our own Christmas Dinner.

Not expecting to see anyone else visiting until the end of the year ...

Had a visit from Charlie and he brought a new sign which just goes to show that our neighbours know us... 

So - daily puppy piccie 

Me and my Billie-Wig

Just looking out of the window
waiting for 'Thena to wake up 

With visitors here, I did not really get a chance to do any proper work - but managed to walk the dogs up the field - they had missed it the last few days ad enjoyed a good run about ... 

Last night before Christmas Eve which apparently can be called Christmas ADAM!!!

Need to sort out the cards for the Santa Run tomorrow and work out who gets what ..

Sadly watching "I literally just told you" with Jimmy Carr with the worst competitors ever !! Watching them dumb the questions down again and again and still miss the level ...

Was in tears !!!
Following up with new series of Blankety Blank - which is almost as bad ...

Cheers !

  

22nd December 2021 - Missile Toads & PCR

Thought for the day :"16 Sodium atoms walk into a bar followed by Batman..."

Was back on form this morning 

Not sure what had happened the last couple of days - but no longer feeling the lethargy and ill that the last couple of days represented. The aches and pains had gone thought he feet are still cold - but that may be the weather...

So up and showered and when the PCR test arrived - took it though I will anticipate that it will be negative as the sneezes and the blocked nose has gone ... and the cough is intermittent ...

We shall see - but the rest of the day has been resting - mainly because when I went out to the post office to post the PCR test away it was quite clear that it was not a day to be out for the working in the garden..

And it was cold so I thought that I would stay inside -  thought he dogs were not convinced...

and so the day has been that ...

and so, no piccies, no progress, no problems

Cheers ! Missile Toads it is !!

 

  

21st December 2021 - Under the weather - bouncing back

Thought for the day :"I joined a Carpenters’ class today – haven’t made anything but we’ve only just begun"

A strange couple of days !!!
Brain fog and lethargy all day yesterday - had trouble getting out of bed. Strange cough - though not incessant - blocked nose and sneezing, aching bones (could have been the wood moving)... in fact not feeling a good day at all...  

Enough to order a PCR which will arrive in the next couple of days.
Lateral Flow Test is negative. And as the evening moves on the symptoms are getting less each hour.

Decided on some Mulled Wine this evening - the Lyme Bay version which is based upon Elderberry and Damson with all the herbs... and medicinal of course...

Was the best sign that all was not right yesterday - could not face any alcohol at all !!!

But back to normal tonight - though I have had to cancel a Pod Cast with Larp Book as I really did not have the preparation or the enthusiasm for a session tomorrow. New Year will be time enough. We are not going to be able to do much in the next few weeks - though with a bit of luck I have enough energy to hit the wood pile again tomorrow - I did want that cleared before Christmas   

So, today was the Solstice and a time to do some Happy Christmas Posting ...

Also looked back today on my Christmas version of Hallelujah - for my Curious Pastimes friends 

was good times..

In other news...

In other news - Susie is starting to work on Portraits

These are her source material - pictures to follow 

Good looking lad ...

And so - another day is done and nearer to Christmas ..

Glass of scotch so probably in the mend 

Cheers !

20th December 2021 - Trip to Vic for Christmas..

Thought for the day :"Aldi is selling Humpty Dumpty toys for Christmas. They have eggs but are also doing Aldi kings horses and Aldi kings men." (a variation on Bob Williams' post)

Unusually low key day for me today - couldn't find the umpph to get anything done. But visited with Vic and took him his Christmas presents, they are going to have a party om Christmas Day and give out all the presents then so that will be fine.

Toby came with us and took his normal position at Vic's feet...

Took a trip to Shadog - Toby's puppy home and one of Susie's hand painted Cristmas Cards - this one with a picture of Toby..  Seemed to go down well as we have a lovely text once they had opened the card.

It is a huge farm !!  More than I would like to have to look after... Though in fairness Ffynnon Wen tires me out some days !

And with that - we start our festive birthday cards....

Cheers 

 

19th December 2021 - Let me introduce the Barbecue Terrace

Thought for the day :"Take things in perspective – I have a friend who has sex two or three times a day, exercises twice a day, reads two books a week yet every day he complains about how much he hates prison "

Sunday - a day of rest ? Maybe not!

The
start of the day was a startling display of mist and fog dispersing into ta really hard frost on the ground and the sun came out and everything glittered. Not the sort of thing that shows on the camera - but well worth a mention..

Susie had an early start in her boots and with her air rifle down with the chickens. No rats this morning but the last few days she has been successful. She thinks they were too cold to come out this morning.

Walked the dogs over the field and then took them on the lead into the village to deliver some of her hand painted Christmas Cards - not allowed to post until Christmas but they are wonderful, chosen for each recipient ...    

I had started on the wood shed before taking the dogs out so had to go back and do a few more barrow loads before finishing for the day.. 

Taking pictures but not much to show but it is one stage at a time - not as young as I used to be ...

For the uninitiated - the top shelf of wood has gone !!!

Yup - lots to go yet - but it is a start 

For reference - the view of the stage and barbecue area..  Nay Barbecue Terrace!!

Seems only yesterday that I started referring to the "stage and Performance Area" when it was a pile of wood !!

Will have to loo at all the pictures and put them into a video / Gif

In the meantime - Sausage Casserole for Sunday Dinner - For the Win !!!

Cheers !

   

18th December 2021 - Clearing the rubbish..

Thought for the day :"Scientists have created a car that runs on Parsley – they are now working on a train that runs on Thyme"

Started the day by walking down to Felin Ganol to see Johnny and Kaye to give them a Christmas Card that Susie painted of their house. I will wait until all cards are delivered before putting a gallery up - but to be brief she has done a wonderful job. delivered to Spot and Scott and Jackie later int he day on her own.

Meanwhile - I decided to tackle the mess by the tavern door. This is an area that the tree surgeon will need to access to take the tree down - so it has to be done so it seemed appropriate to start today. A messy job taking all the pipework and old pagoda frames around the back of the Tavern.

Not must to see - but thought I would document anyway as it will be a striking difference when the wood store is also removed. For reference - this will be the area that we will put a pizza oven, barbecue and pig roast!!

So, we start with a shot of the  start...

Clearing the rubbish and finding that there is a good structure underneath with supports in cement drainpipes..  

Cleared the floor area 

Not much of a progress - but every bit counts..

In other news, Mayor of London declares Major Incident due to Omicron..
Anti shut down protesters in London cause violence.

Friend Roger Morgan posts pictures of Newport at lunchtime on the Saturday before Christmas and it is deserted.

Interest rates have gone up (not by a lot but by some) - good for those without loans ...  Not good for everyone.

If I were a pundit I would be expecting shut downs for Christmas.

Personally, it will make little difference to us - not expecting much for Christmas.

Managed finally to get a regular slot on ASDA - for our Thursday 7-9 pm after trying for 5 months. 
Every time in the past there has been an "technical" error and would have to book the next Thursday again and try again..  But now - we have that slot for the New Year...  Small victories.

Cheers !

   

17th December 2021 - Stage is very Palletable - and done !!

Thought for the day :"Sometimes I think I'm a marquee, other times I think I'm a wigwam. Maybe I should relax, I'm too tense!"

Today we reached another stage in the progress towards a Tavern ..

Finished the Tavern Stage as far as I can go at present - other than some specialist lighting and wiring.

Curtains put back and system to hold the Wedding Tapestries when we decide to use them ...

Mirrors put on the back wall and some pallet wood used to make some feature structure...

All in all - am pleased by this progress..

May have to create some proper steps to get up to the stage as the logs will not last for ever.

So, the next stage is to get the eyesore that is the Wood Pile away from the Beer Garden and to create the platform for the Pizza Oven, pig roast and barbecue... 

One more step in the progress ....    plenty more to come ...

So - here is the wood shed project at the start ...

Before Picture - this is the wood store today 

This is the new wood store 

Starting the flooring for the woodshed

the start ...   

In other news Covid hit over 90,000 and Wales is heading for shutdown as far as I can see. Tories lost a by election in massive proportions. 

But the driver from Jewson's who got his lorry stuck in the lane came to the house today and dropped some mice pies and biscuits as a thank you for the assistance I gave -   totally unexpected and appreciated. Apparently from the driver and the company as they did not have to get a support vehicle out to get him extricated..  Felt a little feeling of warmth today ...

In other news, decided to create a Christmas Card for my friend Jens in Brokeloh (Mythodea)

Enjoyed creating this one ...

And so it is Friday again ...  

Cheers !