250608 Dodgy
piss bags
I was about to
go out when I noticed that my shorts were damp. Now was this due to my hand
washing or a leaking piss bag? I got on my way and it was clear it was the
valve above the bag. I could see my pee gurgling through.
I phoned up H,
she was in Bury. I phoned Bob and no answer. I sat there with my sheba towel absorbing my flowing piss. It was warm and an hour later Bob came and
very easily changed my piss bag.
Whilst I was
there , Gardener-man came down the drive and in his white-van he was trying to
sell me box plants and wooden garden
furniture.
Cheryl came for
my first physio for a while and I managed to do 4*1 laps, which both pleased
and amazed me. After this hard work, she cooked me a “snack of monkfish.
Gorgeous. She had bought me seeds for my raised bed. Now I can grow spring
onions for spring.
240608 Another
sunny day
Now what am I
supposed to think ? Yesterday DP counted the knotweed shoots at 6. today GP
couldn't even find them.?. still not 100% clear we have them. I will send
cuttings to GP when we zap them.
After fiddling
around in a sea of indecisiveness I finally called “Clarkes of Walsham” to
order stuff for the raised bed. My agreed strategy is to sort the bed out then
order and fix the paving after. It seemed very technical when DP did his
professional drawings.!! Problems then come.
Firstly the sleepers we have are
a different size and colour. I soon gave up trying to match them. Secondly they
dot cut then anymore. What amazed me was the unavailability of a 5 mm masonry
drill. (later DP “oh great technical man” explained that the imperial equiv
meant that their product list will have had 5.5 mm and so they saw no 5mm as my
Swiss one !) It will all be delivered tomorrow.
The “problem” with a very good
friend likedp, comes whn you ry to use my unskilled Grasham to do things.
Firstly the tools I have are not always the best, the newest of in the best
nick. “Jut let me do it” is too easy to bend too. I prefer to ask him to do the
skilled stuff.
I phoned Neil at
BMW to give him a bollocking. He ½ took the ind wind out of my sails by saying that the 1 sq cm piece of plastic that had fallen off
the £29,000 car was being repainted. He promised to call H to stun her with the
good news. Suprise not…he didn't.
Grizz came for
food. On his insistence he brought the meat. We didn't have the heart to tell
him we hadn’t eaten his chosen pork for 25 years.
230608 Weather
improving.
The week’s
weather looks very MJ friendly at 15 degrees but sunny.
As if I didn't
understand already, money motivates.
As if I didn't
understand already, teenagers wanting to get on well in life WILL work.
As if I didn't
understand already, people don’t need to work QUICK to be working HARD.
As if I didn't
understand already, fair days work for a fair days pay means harmony.
On recommendation from a number of people I thought
I’d give Graham a try. He came to do a number of “blue” asks on my list. These
tasks are unskilled and he did well, extending and clearing up the poo areas
and giving the trees their annual 5,000 mile service of taking the straps to
the posts, loosening removing straps. Seemed to get the hang very quickly and
ii hope he is keen to continue. The more he works here, I’m sure the split
between green-skilled and blue-unskilled will become hazy.
For the second time since the accident I took cash
out of the machine in Harleston. For the first time I was slightly disappointed
by my fish meal, this time smoked haddock, at JD Youngs. Steve was great
company and can't really accept that he is attractive to women or what to do
about it !!
After a great
party with H’s riends I was tolo they weee coming 4 luch. Yippee ….girls tpo
flirt witrh
220608 Mervyn’s
60th birthday party
After last
nights stomach explosions, which poor H had to clear up, I was very nervous to
go out much more than see my raised bed and steam water my cuttings. Bramble
confused me by demanding to play ball, but indecisively decided to run after
the balls…...she is very fussy about which ball she will chase. I had no
breakfast and virtually no lunch.
We were picked up by Mark, my
gardener, who is also a taxi driver, his Citroen car was easy to get into, with
wide doors and a far back seat. To get out, with a high seat, was also easy. We
went to Mervyn’s house off the Thetford road, near Roydon. His house is on a
big plot with many external buildings AND the hugest pond you ever saw. Not a
lake, more an Ocean. His garden was well managed and a huge Penstemon
particularly impressed me.
We sat outside in the bright
sunshine, accompanied by the gusty wind. At 6 we were guided into a huge shed
in which the catering and booze was laid out. H’s gym friends and Mick the
personal trainer were great company and we had a great laugh and enjoyed the
background of the noisy Jazz band.
210608 Weather and
party planning
I was woken and
helped up by Bob to get into watching England getting thrashed by the All
Blacks
In the evening,
Mr and Mrs Rappers came for dinner. For 4 hours I didn't stop laughing. Great
fun.
200608 Avon bulbs
I had discussed
my bulb list with Mark the gardener and his only comment ? You haven't bought
enough tulips. Thus I approached the brochure with the intention of getting
some more. So what to get? H fashion advice was “Dark and bright” colours…so I went
for reds, purples, mauves. Eventually, decisions made, I phoned them. I referred
to a picture in the brochure with crocus AND tulips together in flower.
I asked their
advice on pairing up and they said they would research then phone back, which
they duly did. The only ones I chose were the red tulips with white crocus as
shown in the brochure. Nothing else seemed as good. Having made a big order initially then
doubling it, I think I will get the rest from DGC in the autumn.
Marion, my newly moved in, Scottish gardening,
neighbour popped in for a chat and coffee. Nice lady. I phoned “Mulch Mark” my
tree surgeon, about him returning to clear out the West hedge of even more Elm
, nearly dead, but very tall, dead trees. He announced that he was another bloke
whose wife has walked out of him 2 weeks ago. My list of 15 broken marriages is
dominated by female decisions and infidelity rather than blokes and their
secretaries. Life has moved on.
Bo and I went to Ipswich for our monthly cinema and pasta evening. I chose “Teeth” based on a R5
recommendation. We were disappointed. As for our pasta….gorgeous.
Whilst we were there I was blanked by god-daughter,
Sarah. It was weird. Her brother and grand-father came over to introduce
themselves. I had my back to the restaurant preferring to face the wall and
just assumed that it was only the two of them and that Sarah wasn’t even there.
As they moved away I asked Bo, who
confirmed that YES Sarah was there. In the morning I called her to tell her how
pissed off I was, with her
190608 White van
man/Postman
Not driving,
really motivates me to seek out delivery from “whitevan man” or postman. All of
them are great at delivering packages onto kitchen surfaces, opening post etc
and having chats too.
Paul/Grizz
phoned and I told him the **** he was in with H after not turning up on
Tuesday. He tried to phone her, but kept calling me instead. Whilst there
looking at roadside sales of vegetables, my new friend Marion, climbed over me
and emptied the stall. None left 4 me. I commented thus in my normal subtle
diplomatic way. Marion took the hint and to seek further volume, knocked on the door and Andy looked
at me and shut the door. Friendly
Mark the gardener
was here to plant all of my recently purchased from Garry & Mary. The earth
in MJ bed really looks very fertile, hopefully as a result of the masses of
horse poo we laid on it. Chris-Fish turned up and I bought loads of halibut.
Following
conversations with Steve Thorpe (son of Lake man, Peter and mother June), I had called a recently laid-off lad, 17 year old Graham.
“When can you come up?”…….”Now”…good start and impressive. His dad bought him up here to talk. With their
6 month old shepherd dog, I saw a normal sized young man, very keen to earn
some money. We agreed to start Monday morning on clearing up the barbed wire.
Negotiating his salary was not his strength, so after finding he was earning £6
per hour, I offered £7 per hour. Let’s hope he delivers.
180608 Buying
some land.
I had not really
talked to my neighbour above pleasantries, in the 3 years we have lived here.
We have never shared a meal and the highlight was inviting the whole family for
coffee and cakes over our first Christmas 2004. In the meanwhile communication
has been limited to us screaming at each other whilst he cleared up Donkey poo.
One morning I was out with Bramble and Alan was strimming his roadside hedge. A
quick “Hi” suddenly developed into a 30 minute conversation on his donkeys, the
use of his western block, his external nursery etc. he never asked ONE
question.
Once home, I thought “If he
doesn't want them, will he sell them to me?”. To improve my chances he had
agreed us spraying his thistles and pulling my fence down, now that the hedge
has grown to 4 feet. I phoned him and he “Well no” he wasn’t insulted and I
told him to put the ideas in his “Look at in 10 years” list. Rumours locally
that his house is for sale, but there is no evidence of it. .
1706 Backstreet
passes
I finally saw Garry
& Mary socially chez moi!!. They came to deliver my “invoice” and £20 for
the commission on the sale of £200 plants. (so it wasn’t a bad day for them).
They clearly don’t want to come in and have a coffee as they seem very nervous
around us. I wonder why people treat us as so different to them? Sort of
“Upstairs Downstairs” sort of thing
I trekked out for a walk with Bramble and only got
as far as Mick & Fiona who have a Golden lab aged 8 months. With a pond in
the middle of their garden the dogs did their best to exhaust each other and
cover Mick with muddy water.
Mick is only 53 but he has
retired from his previous profession of Stage Manager on music tours. To
celebrate his memories he proudly showed off his very extensive and impressive
“Backstage passes” 30 of which were framed on each of 7 frames. So there were
over 200 examples over the 70-80-90-00’s. Guess how many tours I had been to?
Well 2 definitely !!! “U2 Joshua Tree” AND “David Bowie Glass Spider”…both gigs
I saw at Milton Keynes Bowl. This summed his clients up. Mostly bigger than my
favourite bands. He had two others of my favourite bands which I could not be
sure…Undertones 1980 and Cure 1983….was I there? Who knows? I fear a few more
conversations with him, which we will enjoy, but would bore everyone else.
I entered Bramble and I in the “Rushall Dog show”,
after agreeing with DJK what we would do that weekend.
June came round to gain sponsorship for her breast
cancer supporting Sunday afternoon tractor drive. Was she another one nervous
of being here ?
On top of our normal guest for
Tuesday night, DP , H had invited Grizz/Long beard to eat with us only on
Sunday night. By 19.30 it was clear he wasn’t coming so we ate without him.
Another one nervous of being here ?
DP was very
lively and seemed to be discussing something with H which clearlt exclusded me.
1606 Birthday
Well birthday
lists work “!”!! I got music dvds of Cure, Faithless. Chemical Brothers and
Clash. Good stuff. I also got cds that were on my wishlist which included Brett
Anderson, BBC soundtrack for “Ashes to Ashes” and “Life on Mars” plus DVD for
the recent “Wild China”
John Seeley
continued his 20 year tradition of finding me an unusual BT interesting book. I
will really enjoy my furthering education this time on Afghanistan. He
has bought me some great books on this part of then world. Good stuff
H really had to
bend DP’s arm for him to share my birthday lunch. So I had half portions of
monkfish and beans. He really is a great friend.
1506 Open day :
looking forward to it and it didn't disappoint !!
What a fantastic
day. The forecvast was sunny cool and a few showers. I decidsed on a shorts!!
Brave !
Gary and Mary were here at 10.00 to set up their
plant stall. The more they unloaded the more I thought it was professional,
large and much choice. During the day I didn't see much action for them. At the
end ofd the day I asked them how it went. The key question was “Will you come
back in two years, for our next one?”……” Yes”….and
that answer way good enough for me.
The official day started at 11.00 and with everyone
being urged to go to the church to buy their tickets, it was 30 minutes later before
our first guest arrived. Welcomed by a short wearing, piss bag on leg using, MJ
with a short “Welcome to Mulberry Barn”. People looked at the meadow, now at
its peak, and scarcley glanced at the beds!!
One of the key attractions, for our garden and maybe
for the whole event was Sophie and limping Jade offering kids horse rides. I
was no0t able to get over and see the destruction of the meadow, so I asked DP
to take my camera an take a few shoots for me. Brilliantly they raised £36
Next was Carolyn selling ice cream on behalf of CAB.
She bought £42 “home-made” ice cream made by a local itaslian firm. She managed
a £37 profit at £1 for each ice cream. She just about sold out but I think the
price was too low.
In the evening, for 19.00, we and supporters were
invited to the party at Martin and Jane’s manor house. We had managed to
persuade Sally, Paul and kids to attend. We met up with Bob and Ruth at MB and
Sophie pushed me over there. It was great top meet a few new faces, highlighted
by Marian and ex-professional union star from Harlequins, Ian. This Scottish
couple are great additions tom our village.
Paul, “Long beard” or now “Grizz” was there and
insisted on taking me on a tour of the garden. Could he be the replacement for
Duffy ? who was about the back down/resign in preparation for the birth of his
second child.
A photographer, with all the gear, turned up to see
David’s NG kit car. He then tried to persuade him to take some photos in the meadow.
Two grumps People
driving down the drive rater than using the bus or walking. Friends visitimng
and NOT offering to pay.
Sophie then gave H and I leather wrist bands from
her recent Turkish holiday. Very generous. I think the first pressie our
friends’ kids had bought us with their own money. Fantastic.
Lessons learnt: Signs for the walk behind garage AND Cheaper plants
looking less professional OR MJ stuff for sale. MJ do the plants ??
1406
Bnob wake up and
breakfast
Rugby eng ajd wales
Potting on and
out
Mark happy
Sally nikita
patsey jade * 2
Jade ankle
Martin and jenny
courgette take herbs + cornus
Postman delivery
straight in when I was eating
Open day
deliveries bus fete
Northern bloke
brafdford northern
DP
140608 Language
teaching
One of the
reasons, I think, I was asked to be a school governor, was to help them with
introduction of foreign language teaching to primary school kids. Call me
sensitive if you will but I really get the feeling the head is nervous, bureaucratic
etc on this. He is normally “Adult “ on this. Hem seems to be reluctant to take
the lead and throw the rules away and forsake traditional, crap a failing
language learning
The aim for the kids,
I think, is to instil a pleasure, enjoyment and lack of fear, a sense of fun in
learning a “strange” language. He has missed a great opportunity with the
European Football championships to introduce both French and German. Get them
used to hearing foreign sounds, radio, TV, music etc. Mimicking sounds and not
grammar learning. To get used to making fools of themselves when they are young,
fearless and not yet image conscious. They will learn the best, the younger he
starts.
Two days before my birthday, I was interrupted from
concentrated PC work to go outside and welcome the delivery of 2 of my birthday
pressies. DP had his trailer attached to his Land Rover, and within it a pallet
of concrete paving blocks good lad. Now that’s a good job for Duffy
Then I was led, hands over my eyes to meet “Fred” my
crouching statue, now outside my shower window, to be moved to the
pond………………….maybe
1306 Bramble is
“Dog napped”
Writing this
might make me cry. Bob and I went around the plot to investigate whether he
could cut the grass with his mower, and how long it would take. Bramble, of course, came around for the tour
too. When we crossed to the fence hedge, she was zapped by the Petsafe security
wire. We commented her re-action but basically left her to it (whatever “it”
means)
Inside, da-di-da, 2 hours passed
“Where is Bramble “one of us asked….we went outside
to look, call, rattle her food bucket….NOTHNG. Not a whimper, whine, bark.
Started to worry. As we’d seen her zapped, how could she of got off the plot?
Had someone nabbed her ? I phoned the Police.. I phoned the direct no of Cyndy
(jogger) or Ian. Neither was there
“If
my dog has been nabbed, what happens next?”
I spoke to Francis who did her best to calm me and
asked me to call before her change of shift at 0700. As Bob was leaving JW
turned up and resumed without success searching for Bramble by
circum-navigating the plot……where was she? By now we were getting hungry,
looking forward to Half Moon portions of fish and chips.
Ruth phoned and suggested bringing the borders to
see if they could find her. Suddenly we saw them at the end of the drive and
“My god she is here!”…
heart flutters,
nerves…could they really have found her? And that easily? I could hear Bob
calling her and then he moved 5m and picked her up. put her on the drive and
then she sprinted down towards us by the garage,. She was as excited, relieved
and happy to see her as visa-versa. What the hell had happened for 4 hours ?
Post note/ : we think she was stuck between the zap
zone and the rabbit fence. She had reverted to dog instinct cos she was scared.
She must have heard us, but she was terrified to move. Why she didn't even
bark, I will never know.
Cheryl ½+1/1+1
1206 Strange but
interesting Blogs : Nazi bunkers
An amazing blog
following the Jersey resident who has
discovered a Nazi bunker in this back garden.
Customer service is defined by many things. People’sd
beliefs about “What is right”, commercial interest and what the boss wants to
name three. Chris-Fish changed his route to come and see us at 10.00. This
detour to our house was necessary because I'm out at 15.00 to the wind farm
meeting at the time he would normally come. He detoured gladly sand it was much
appreciated. Wewent into a jewellers recently to think about H’s Xmas pressie. Yes, birthday already
sorted and this was just an idea whilst in Norwich to buy DP a Rolex. Maria dutifully
howed us her necklace andexplained that nother customer had trid to buy it off her neck. She had refused.
Today was the Tivetshall
windfarm presentation at their village hall. What a waste of time. It’s a shame
Lucy wasn’t there to liven it up. Her Northern Irish tones and directness would
have been great. She says that only we English accuse her of bluntness and that
its normal in Ireland.
I can't judge that.
1106 Wanker
banks
Cheryl came for a poor physio of 1 and 3*1/2. I know
its `a helluva weak excuse, but I was put off by H watching and playing ball
with Bramble.
Off to Norwich for a few pressies for my god son, his sister and his mum (my fathers’s
cousin’s daughter). Both the kids got chocolate from Hotel chocolate, where as
they were serving hazelnut choccies, I didn't join the feeding frenzy of the
freebies as normal.
We speedily moved
on to the jewellers to pick up some repairs.
Once home we had a great cabbage
salad and then got fixed up for a Swisstrak trip. Bugger!! the battery was only
half full. Planning only a short trip because of it, I got ¼ way on a short
trip before the battery gauge started dropping down too quickly. I turned
around and as I entered my drive, the battery gauge was flashing and beeping. Thinking
the batteries were knackered, DP offered to check the charger. Before we even
got screwdrivers ready, he discovered that someone (Gordy?) had turned the
switch off.
Money from CH took Thursday order to Tuesday
arrival. How come it takes so long?
1006 Impressive
women.
Fiona Ryder, our
new neighbour came to visit. I had predicted H would like her. I was right. She
is a borne entrepreneur, builing up and selling businesses. She was a very
impressive woman
CAB fund raising was the sole topic tonight of a new
group I’d been asked to chair. Dianne was surprisingly aggressive. They
certainly didn't like my joke.
The fox and goose phoned back to
confirm the date for lunch on H’s birthday.
0906 stomach
After more
thoughts about what makes me have scvummy bottom inb the UK, but not
during one month rehab in CH, I decided to stop taking my vitamins. I will wait
for a monbth and see what happens. After last nightrs gut explosion and
colonial cleatr out I decifded NOT to tske Movicol for at least a day either.
As stomach not stable I decided to not go to the governors
meeting where I had expected to spesak about the lack of language teaching. I
also persuaded JD to bring bread and cheese instead of going out. Lovely blue
cheese and great French bread with a chewy crust.
0806 Jez is good
value.
DP woke me and
got me up for breakfast and a shower.i have NEVER seen someonber curt brea d vso professionally.
I wrongly assumed he’d got a machine to cut it so well.
Cheryl came for another poor session and after a poo
we got on our way to Jez in Ipswich with
Bramble. En route we found ourselves in the middle of the “Tour de Hasleworth”
bike race. Despite seeing NO bikes we were forced by the nice policeman to make
a major detour to Yoxford .An hour late (early compared to our hosts normal
practice) we arrived hungry for our well prepared, healthy and suitably
under-cooked stir fry and pasta. It was gorgeous. Well chosen beans, chicken,
peppers and pasta.
Jez is a handsome, kind, thoughtful and generous
mate. The mystery is simply why he is single?. He is living in the middle of Ipswich's single shag palace land. His shaven head and
extremely fit muscle bound torso must give an impression that he is a fug.
(thug). How false. He would make both a fab partner and father. At 40 he is
unfortunately reluctant to take on a girl with “baggage”. How many of us,
>40, have NO baggage?
0706 DP paying
again
Dianne and
Gordie left just before lunch after leaving me a plate of salad. There was
nothing wrong with the salad, it was very healthy and nutritious, but it wasn’t
an H salad with a different taste in every corner or under every bit of
lettuce.
DP arrived an hour early, hungry and keen to go out As
normal JD Youngs didn't disappoint, with my Red Snapper, DP’s curry and Jo’s
pork medallions. We all had good puddings too. This time there was 2 of them, so
surprisingly for DP, I accepted , without a whimper his “My turn” offer to
pay!! At least I managed to pay for the fish on Thursday. Who could ever
disentangle all the cash movements to work out who is in credit? As long as he
is happy then so am I !!.
They saw me to bed.
0606 Google
Earth
Cheryl came for
a session. It was rained off.
Having bought Halibut from Chris-Fish on Thursday,
Cheryl finally phoned her fish order in, only to find him gone. I recommended
she called him on the way home as he would probably make a small detour to her,
as he knows she would make a significant purchase. She didn't disapoiint. She
spent £40 on the rest of the halibut and also some monkfish.
Gordon / Diane have been very generous to come and
spend Thursday and Friday night with me to help whilst H went to Alicante with Sonia and
Karen. Known since Feb 1989, my first day at Mars in Kings Lynn, they have
visited frequently even just after my accident whilst I was in hospital. She is
the only member of the “MJ is a great boss” club. That does NOT say I was
great, merely that there are even worse!!
In the afternoon I introduced them to the wonders of
Google Earth. Gordon quickly picked it up and phoned one of his friends about
the scars in his field, where he had dumped some waste. Could be a useful use
for identifying scars on the landscape.
