Bat out of where?

So it's Thursday already I don't know what we've done with this week so far. I could swear it's only Tuesday.

The local wildlife is continuing it's invasion attempts. Last night we were watching The Land of the Dead (not a bad zombie film as zombie films go) and a bat appeared from somewhere (the windows were shut) and flew off upstairs. Perhaps it was just trying to enhance our spooky film viewing experience.

The cat thought it was her birthday oooohhh mouse AND bird combined and ran up the stairs after it with TS in hot pusuit. The gardening gloves were found but the bat was out of reach on one of the beams. We got the step ladders but Mimo thought they were for her to reach the bat so the gardening gloves were used to hold on to her while TS opened the bathroom window to let it out.

Sorry no pictures we never think of the camera in moments of drama.

Anyway are you sure it's Thursday?

Oil Yer Cat Missus

A cautionary tale.

Today TS decided to paint the metal plate at the base of the hearth (round the Rayburn that wasn't moving).

The kitten was playing outside. Now she has had all her jabs we've rigged up a plank so she can come and go from the kitchen window.

Our first mistake was not to lock her out of the way in the bedroom.

Our second mistake was not to lock her out of the way in the bedroom when she came to see what TS was doing.

Our third mistake was not to lock her out of the way in the bedroom when she came back for a second look having been pushed away.

Our fourth mistake was to make a grab for her when she decided to go tripping across the freshly painted hearth.

Mistakes one through four resulted in a kitten with green paint not just on her feet but all over her belly from when she crouched down.

Now mistake number five was to try soap and water. It didn't work and did nothing for kitten human relations.

It was time to appeal to a higher authority (thanks to whoever posted info on unpainting cats on t'internet)

This is the secret of unpainting a kitten

1) get sturdy garden gloves (wet from soap and water optional)
2) get bottle of sunflower (or other vegetable) oil
3 get kitten
4) apply oil to affected areas (your clothes, walls and ceiling optional)
5) rinse off oil and paint mixture with warm soapy water
6) rinse off soap
7) spend the rest of your life atoning

Mongoose, gooses, goosi, geese

You are married to someone for more than a quarter of a century and just when you think you know everything about them you make a stunning discovery. The conversation goes like this.

"What is a mongoose anyway?"

"You've never read Riki Tiki Tavi?"

"No"

"You have! Rudyard Kipling. It kills snakes "

"No"

"We could Google some pictures"

"No that would spoil it"

Perhaps I'd better rewind a little.

There is something or some things that visit our attic. We can hear it/them at night tippety tapping about. During the day the only evidence is bits of beetle carapace and little droppings but not mouse droppings.

TS says it's a mongoose. I had been working under the assumption that he knew what a mongoose was.

When Mimo starts venturing up the attic steps he tells her to watch out for the mongoose. When we can't find things the mongoose has taken it.

The mongoose is up there now as I type.

I don't quite know what mythical beast the word mongoose conjours up for TS I only know he doesn't want to know what's in the attic. He's happy for it to be a mongoose

I'm happy that we've got a door on the bedroom. I'll be even happier when Mimo is of a size to go mongoose hunting.

Menhir and Chips

We decided to have a random drive round and sightseeing trip today cos we never go anywhere and we felt we should for a change.


First new place was Mortemart a really pretty village. They have a country market Friday mornings apparently. So of course we rolled up on Thursday when the tumble weed was blowing down the main street.






Seeing a sign for megaliths we followed it to the Menhir de Ceinturat. Sissy and I are in the picture to give some idea of scale. Set a good way along a track, just when you think you've gone the wrong way you see it looming through the trees. Excellent place.





Then we followed the autre megaliths sign to the Stone of Sacrifice. Quite frankly I think it was just the baldy bit at the top of a hill but an interesting looking stone for all that.






Then on to Confolens mainly because we've never driven in that direction before. It looked quite nice but I'm afraid our appetite for sightseeing was on the wane by this time. We were seduced by the aroma of Le Chippy where we had pie, chips and mushy peas washed down with a can of pop. Sissy was particularly impressed by the chips. Then we came home.

Chicken Run

"It's like this chicken I'm a predator and you're prey"

"Come on girls there's three of us"

"Ooooooh . . .














. . . sh******t"





















"So anyway I said come on you three chickens if it wasn't for this wire fence you'd be KFC"

That's What I Call Cool

A surprising star has arisen from the ranks of our permanently rained upon veg. It’s the Wautoma cucumber.

While the other veg has been swooning and demonstrating that it can’t possibly perform under these conditions especially with amateurs like us in charge. The cucumbers have been quietly getting on with it. Hiding their harvest under their sprawling leaves. Providing us with tasty little cucumbers in the face of adversity.

Even among this doughty crowd there is one little chap/ess who stands out. Barely half a dozen leaves have escaped the slugs but undaunted it has made it’s contribution.

Ladies and gentlemen I give you . . The Little Cucumber That Could

Change

Today I've changed my (blogger) name from Karen to Breezy, it's more of a wish than something I feel right now.

Tasha 1993 to 2007

My Princess Puppy, so called because no matter how high you piled the cushions she had to lie right on the top (think of the fairy story the Princess and the Pea). We found her when she was about six months old tied to a tree in the woods. She was mostly some kind of terrier. She loved sneaking under the duvet for a lie in and having the comfiest chair in the house, she hated lying on the floor like a common dog and going out in the rain. She died last night.