If you read the Mail on Saturday's TV magazine you will know all about mice and what some people think of them, real or imagined. We have already had one infestation of mice this year (well two mice actually but you know what that can lead to - unless of course they are Bishop Robinson mice!). Personally I think they come in to commune with the mad quadruped and he certainly shows no hostility to them having killed one once by mistake and never really having got over it.
That said I am actually very fond of little mice. They are small and cuddly and so defenceless and dare I say cute - no I mustn't say cute. Very lovable in their own vulnerable way and sad when they are no longer with you.
So what else is new in the land of the Blog? Not much really. My car has no petrol in it so Jetski Boy and Bodybuilder's have been much in use although of course it is a false economy since I will have to fill all of them up eventually. I still get caught out by Jetski Boy's choke, it is so many years since I regularly drove a care without an automatic choke. In fact that belonged to Mrs Claus and its excuse was that it was built somewhere behind the iron curtain. Now the only curtain I hide behind is one of black smoke if I don't get the mixture right and a tank full of kangaroos until I get it sorted. In this weather it is quite quick to adjust but earlier in the year it could take several miles of lurch and gurgle before I achieved even if not silent running (Sean Connery fans will know what I mean)
It's been interview week with hopefuls passing through the offices aspiring to be managers, senior or support workers and me getting a grilling from the trustees into the bargain just to make sure they think I am up to it. Hopefuls are coming up for second interviews next week so I will not reveal any secrets just yet.
Last week was a lot about sheep and they have featured this week as well. The sheep have gone full circle around the reservoir and are back on the banks closest to the road where I can watch whilst I sit in the traffic jam. Lots of sheep (and lambs) create lots of poo and lots of beetles and things like to live in lots of poo so it was really great to watch a hawk (may have been a Hobby) hunting across the banks and obviously making a very good breakfast and still at it in the evening when I sat in a traffic jam going the other way. I could have sat in a traffic jam on the motorway but the views are not nearly so entertaining.
I think I am probably in disgrace. Whilst I was watering the garden this evening the little boy who lives next door (6 next week we think) popped his head over the fence and received a face full of cold water. No tears but he definitely isn't talking to me at the moment.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Sunday, 20 July 2008
More Sheep and a Bishop
Yes the sheep are back on the reserve again and have already made great inroads into the sedge. They look very smart with their recently clipped fleeces. Several have chocolate brown legs and underbellies which I have not noticed before so maybe this is a new flock. Other events to note include sight of a hawk (I don't think it was a kestrel) quartering the grass banks by the King George reservoir. Again both sheep and men have kept this relatively short so there is probably good hunting and not a lot of cover for all the little things that go to make lunch for a hungry hawk
I am still using Jet Ski Boy and Bodybuilder's cars to travel to and from work to keep the batteries topped up and the engines ticking over but then comes the day of reckoning when it seems that I have to fill all three of them up with petrol in the space of a week!
Jetski Boy goes off on holiday in a few weeks time so we are looking forward to some piece and quiet although I do have to admit that he is not much trouble really. He went out with friends last night and then tried to sneak back in this morning when I was out walking Hugh at around 8.00 am - don't tell him I noticed - he still thinks he got away with it (whatever IT was)
We are still chasing the sun for a break this autumn but "we want to go away at the end of September" and "late breaks" don't seem to fit easily in the same sentence. I think we may just have to be patient and wait until well into August before trying to pick up the elusive deal to find cheap sun. Funny how all the friends you used to know who have a little place just off the Costa del......... don't seem to be answering the phone at the moment.
Plans for the big event in the Spring are coming together and the group of 8 - G8 - are getting quite excited. I did find an excuse to go and see the travel agent for the fifth consecutive Saturday and now people are really begining to talk. The NEEDLE is now the big issue. Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus and Typhoid all come recommended but not demanded so now the decisions have to be made. Prudence would say get them done whilst pragmatism, economy and fear all say it will be OK. Prudence was never my favourite anyway.
Women Bishops eh! Talked about the whole issue in housegroup this week and to my surprise everyone came out against them. Not as it transpires for deeply scriptural reasons, more along the lines of tradition and comfort and perception of the leader/elder role. Does it mean that if you give your confession to a WB that it will be all round the diocese by the end of the day or is that just stereotyping? Personally I have no issue either with the principle nor the practice and have worked well with several female clergy to say nothing of having a Mother Superior in the family. t seems to me that we still have a difficult time to live through during which there may well be some appointments of people who are women first and potential bishops second rather than the right people be consecrated who happen to be women. Time will come as more and more very good female clergy come up through the system. Since Mrs Claus came up through Methodism where female clergy have long played a very significant role this should not be an issue for me. In addition I have regularly worked in a wet capacity with a Salvation Army major who also happens to be a great lady.
Watch this space for more great debates in weeks to come - Caz, still no response, beginning to think you are ignoring me
I am still using Jet Ski Boy and Bodybuilder's cars to travel to and from work to keep the batteries topped up and the engines ticking over but then comes the day of reckoning when it seems that I have to fill all three of them up with petrol in the space of a week!
Jetski Boy goes off on holiday in a few weeks time so we are looking forward to some piece and quiet although I do have to admit that he is not much trouble really. He went out with friends last night and then tried to sneak back in this morning when I was out walking Hugh at around 8.00 am - don't tell him I noticed - he still thinks he got away with it (whatever IT was)
We are still chasing the sun for a break this autumn but "we want to go away at the end of September" and "late breaks" don't seem to fit easily in the same sentence. I think we may just have to be patient and wait until well into August before trying to pick up the elusive deal to find cheap sun. Funny how all the friends you used to know who have a little place just off the Costa del......... don't seem to be answering the phone at the moment.
Plans for the big event in the Spring are coming together and the group of 8 - G8 - are getting quite excited. I did find an excuse to go and see the travel agent for the fifth consecutive Saturday and now people are really begining to talk. The NEEDLE is now the big issue. Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus and Typhoid all come recommended but not demanded so now the decisions have to be made. Prudence would say get them done whilst pragmatism, economy and fear all say it will be OK. Prudence was never my favourite anyway.
Women Bishops eh! Talked about the whole issue in housegroup this week and to my surprise everyone came out against them. Not as it transpires for deeply scriptural reasons, more along the lines of tradition and comfort and perception of the leader/elder role. Does it mean that if you give your confession to a WB that it will be all round the diocese by the end of the day or is that just stereotyping? Personally I have no issue either with the principle nor the practice and have worked well with several female clergy to say nothing of having a Mother Superior in the family. t seems to me that we still have a difficult time to live through during which there may well be some appointments of people who are women first and potential bishops second rather than the right people be consecrated who happen to be women. Time will come as more and more very good female clergy come up through the system. Since Mrs Claus came up through Methodism where female clergy have long played a very significant role this should not be an issue for me. In addition I have regularly worked in a wet capacity with a Salvation Army major who also happens to be a great lady.
Watch this space for more great debates in weeks to come - Caz, still no response, beginning to think you are ignoring me
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Wimbledon 2008
Two sets down and serving to save match point on Centre Court so not really worth queuing to see the final death throes of British tennis so we packed up our picnic, rubbed our sunburn and headed for the long walk back to the station. How wrong can you be! We will probably never live down not going up to see Murray complete his comeback of all time. I just have to console myself with the thought that he is not really British, only Scottish. Have you noticed how we appropriate people who we are quite content to let keep their specific nationality until they begin to succeed and then they become "British". And how little we heard of his younger brother who only WON a WIMBLEDON TITLE last year!
That said, we had a great day and watched the Williams sisters in spades if I am allowed to say such a thing. First venus, tall, deceptive and powerful in an entertaining match against Kleybanova where the young Russian acquited herself very well. Then Serena, power and designer frills to crush poor Bethanie Mattek. Then after a quick sausage roll (£1.80) and a cornish pasty (£2,00) and Orange Fanta (£ lots) back to watch them do it all over again to a pair of Spanish ladies watched by a reporter from Spanish radio who as far as I could see was more interested in chatting up the ball boys and topping up her tan than saying anything into her microphone.
But the joy of the day was Tipsaravic or Tipsi as the crowd named him. Very entertaining tennis and lots of "entertainment" too. Having seen Venus get an obscenity violation warning, his outburst at the umpire was masterly "You ... you.... oh I have no word for you" followed a few games later by "What is it with you........ why do I always end up with you" Great shame he was knocked out by Schuettler, I think he would have been a very entertaining player to have watched through the rest of the tournament. All in all we had a very good day of tennis and Andy Murray not withstanding I wouldn't have swapped it for any other match except perhaps Nadal or Baghdatis which must have been a humdinger of a game.
Our last outing for the forseeable future but hey two posts in one week what more do you want?
Oh and by the way thanks Carol for reading, I sometimes wonder if you are an audience of one, even your namesake seems to have stopped responding - come on caz at googlemail talk to me
That said, we had a great day and watched the Williams sisters in spades if I am allowed to say such a thing. First venus, tall, deceptive and powerful in an entertaining match against Kleybanova where the young Russian acquited herself very well. Then Serena, power and designer frills to crush poor Bethanie Mattek. Then after a quick sausage roll (£1.80) and a cornish pasty (£2,00) and Orange Fanta (£ lots) back to watch them do it all over again to a pair of Spanish ladies watched by a reporter from Spanish radio who as far as I could see was more interested in chatting up the ball boys and topping up her tan than saying anything into her microphone.
But the joy of the day was Tipsaravic or Tipsi as the crowd named him. Very entertaining tennis and lots of "entertainment" too. Having seen Venus get an obscenity violation warning, his outburst at the umpire was masterly "You ... you.... oh I have no word for you" followed a few games later by "What is it with you........ why do I always end up with you" Great shame he was knocked out by Schuettler, I think he would have been a very entertaining player to have watched through the rest of the tournament. All in all we had a very good day of tennis and Andy Murray not withstanding I wouldn't have swapped it for any other match except perhaps Nadal or Baghdatis which must have been a humdinger of a game.
Our last outing for the forseeable future but hey two posts in one week what more do you want?
Oh and by the way thanks Carol for reading, I sometimes wonder if you are an audience of one, even your namesake seems to have stopped responding - come on caz at googlemail talk to me
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