28 June 2010

The World

Is a little quieter this morning, and I don't mean just because the England Football team Prima Donnas'  got knocked out of the World Cup. Not it was much more than that. The long dusty days full of sunshine and heat have mellowed the land into a gray, misty world.

At 6.30am this morning it was already hazy and hot, with the promise of more heat as the day goes on and I for one will be glad when this afternoon is over as I have an appointment with a dentist to fix the problems that the last one caused and I still have inflammation in the gum which the antibiotics couldn't clear completely so hears to hoping this afternoon will resolve it.

I didn't manage to complete the fence yesterday afternoon, it was just a little too hot and I was tired after doing the washing, shopping and ironing so just managed to get just over a metre done and the rest can wait for tonight unless the impending rain stops play.

I can't complain about the last few weeks, we have been treated to just how good this country can be when the weather is clement and she has been spectacularly kind of recent days with the long hot sunny days of Summer.

27 June 2010

The sun is shining

The fence needs painting, so I am off to get splattered lol.

Hope everyone has a great day, practicising safe sun... slap it on, keep cool and enjoy the lovely weather.

26 June 2010

Saturday Satire : The Honeymoon

A young couple left the church and arrived at the hotel where they were spending the first night of their honeymoon. They opened the champagne and began undressing.

When the bridegroom removed his socks, his new wife asked, "What's wrong with your feet? Your toes look all mangled and weird."

"I had tolio as a child," he answered.

"Tolio? Surely you mean polio?" she asked.

"No, it was tolio. The disease only affected my toes."

When the groom took off his trousers, his bride once again asked "What's wrong with your knees? They're all lumpy and deformed!"

"As a child, I also had kneasles," he explained.

"Kneasles? Surely you mean measles?" she asked.

"No, it was kneasles. It was a strange illness that only affected my knees."

Although she thought it was odd, the new bride just had to be satisfied with his answer.

As the undressing continued, her husband at last removed his underpants.

"Don't tell me," she said.

"Let me see if I can get this one right for myself... errmmm.... smallcox?"

25 June 2010

Designer Pets or Money Makers

I was talking to a lady about her dog the other day, it was a pedigree she advised me. Dad was a KC registered Springer Spaniel while Mum was a KC registered Cocker Spaniel. This had the delightful name of a Sprocker Spaniel.

Now, despite my ignorance, Two KC registered dogs have to be of the same breed to be considered pedigree anything outside of that was a mongrel. So when did designer pooches like the following become pedigree (or as I prefer to say money makers).

Jackapoo - Jack Russell with a Poodle
Sprocker - as above
Cockerpoo - Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle
Pugalier - Pug with a Cavalier Spaniel
Labradoodle - Labrador with a poodle (admittedly these were bred to enhance lives of people sensitive to shed hair)

The list is endless, and while they look cute as puppies, these guys grow up and then suddenly lose their charm finding themselves ignored, or up for rehoming, or worse just dumped. I miss having a dog, I want another one, but don't really want to pay premium prices for people carelessly breeding these puppies. I know I don't want another Jack Russell, not because it would remind me of Sam, more I have always wanted a bigger dog though god forbig it gets the idea it wants to be a lapdog.

The world is crazy enough, with too many dogs and cats needing homes without adding to the pile of must have designer things that have people digging too deep just because it is the next new thing in fashion.

23 June 2010

What a beautiful evening

The weather is glorious, wall to wall sunshine with just a cool breeze to take the edge off the heat but all the same it is wonderful and dry. For those people on holiday, it must be lovely to be able to enjoy it and sitting here in my office looking out I just want to be out there too.

I have a couple of planters to pot up tonight with some busy lizzies, marigolds and some Winston Churchill Fuchsia's which will look lovely and put a dividing boundary between us and next door who children like riding their bikes over our piece of garden despite being politely asked not to. So these long tubs will mark the boundary and look pretty too.

Hopefully I have enough plants to plant up the big blue planter which this year will just have annuals planted in it while I think what to plant. I need to replace the lavenders, rosemary and herbs from the Back of Beyond and sadly my dwarf lilac didn't make the transition nor a hardy fuchsia that was lovely. I would like some philadephus and a californian lilac the varieagated variety which was just turning into a nicely shaped shrub but we neither had the time nor the space to bring them all and given we lost the two we did bring I cannot be sorry to have left them behind.

I also want to plant a honeysuckle and have found one that I can take a cutting from, which has the most glorious scent and will look nice in one corner of the garden and growing along the top of the wall, I also need to get some suitably spiky plants to deter visitors from entering/leaving the garden that way lol.

Plans, Plans, Plans and somehow it was nice just watching and imagining in the sunshine last night.. Browning was right when he said Oh to be in England now that April's here... well make that sunny June and warm evenings full of bird song and quiet fox cubs exploring the fields and hedgerows and this is a beautiful land.

22 June 2010

Fencing with Paint

I had the day off yesterday, because I have holiday to use up and also because I had a doctors' appointment for an Asthma review which I passed with flying colours. My peak flow reading was back up to 450 while it was predicted at 409, a huge increase over the 300 I was blowing back in January when I had to be put on steroids though you could blame that on the cold weather and living in a caravan.

It was too nice a morning to stay in bed, and the fence was needing to be painted, so I got up had a quick breakfast out on the bench in the sunshine and then prepared to be speckled - well if you have seen me paint you will know why.

I managed to get some paint on the fence, on the house, on me, on the chimney pot and even some on the clematis lol but by 1.30pm I had finished the main part between us and the next door neighbours, the brush we brought was supposed to be suitable for fence painting but not the sort of fence we have and I need a smaller one to do the bits I couldn't reach like into the corners etc but on the whole it doesn't look too bad at all.

I washed off all the speckled bits from me before I walked over to the doctors, enjoying the summer sunshine, which has been absolutely glorious the past couple of weeks and I hope it will last longer as I am enjoying it. The garden is taking shape, the back wall is starting to look like a wall and not like a bush of ivy; though somebody who has taken advantage at some point in time and thrown their rubbish on top of the wall which will have to be removed. I want to plant some trailing lobelia and also have some solar garden lights to go along the wall which will make it look stunning when it is done.

The longest day certainly lived up to its name, though I enjoyed every moment of the day well into the evening.

21 June 2010

Weekending and Fencing

We had a new fence installed at the weekend, courtesy of Adam and his Dad to which many thanks is due. Before we had just a 3ft wire link fence which didn't afford much privacy between us and next door neighbours who were yet to move in but on Friday night they were unpacking their stuff and the kids running and cycling across our front lawn. Hmm I thought give it chance.

I introduced myself and SOH to them, and explained that the workmen would be installing a higher fence on Saturday and may need access to their side to do the final pieces. They were a bit strange but luckily were out on Saturday so we didn't have any issues.

It did mean missing Murdoch day, which was a shame, but we couldn't have just left Adam and his Dad and it gave me a chance to catch up with the ironing while watching Young Victoria which I thoroughly enjoyed to my surprise.

The evening saw us go to the Eden Project for a private function, and it was nice to revisit it without too many other people; after two years it has grown enormously since our last visit and the tropical biodome was just as hot and steamy as I remembered. It was made fascinating with acrobats in the tropical biodome and dancing green men on stilts in the cafeteria. I have pictures, just have to load them up. We got home at 10pm with a chinese to finish off the day, late for us but once in a while doesn't hurt.

Sunday was a day of glorious sunshine, and a chance to go shopping for some paint to cover the fence up and protect it against the weather, we settled for Dark Oak as the rest of the wood and surrounds are dark in colour and it would blend in better, but I was very tempted by the other colours. We were also looking for some screening to give us a bit more privacy and allow the clematis to cling to but couldn't find any so have to keep looking.

19 June 2010

Saturday Satire : Scottish Policemen

With suitable apologies to Noddy.

A London lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a Glasgow copper.

He thinks that he is smarter than the cop because he is a lawyer from LONDON and is certain that he has a better education then any Jock cop. He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Glasgow cops expense!!

Glasgow cop says: " Licence and registration, please."

London Lawyer says, "What for?"

Glasgow cop says, "Ye didnae come to a complete stop at the stop sign."

London Lawyer says, "I slowed down, and no one was coming."

Glasgow cop says, "Ye still didnae come to a complete stop. Licence and registration, please."

London Lawyer says, "What's the difference?"

Glasgow cop says, "The difference is, ye havte to come to complete stop, that's the law. Licence and registration, please!"

London Lawyer says, "If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I'll give you my licence and registration; and you give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket."

Glasgow cop says, "Sounds fair. Exit your vehicle, sir."

The London Lawyer exits his vehicle.

The Glasgow cop takes out his baton and starts beating the feck out of the lawyer and says,

"Dae ye want me to stop, or just slow doon?"

18 June 2010

Exploring


Just across from the house is a farm with a public bridleway leading to Gwennap pit, have been for an amble up the track but not yet up to the pit; something I am longing to do and may have time on Sunday or Monday as I am not working those days.

It has a long history with the mining, as it evolved as a result of the ground subsiding due to mining activities. It was used, and is still for methodist preaching with a service being held there every Whitsun Bank Holiday.

It is nice to start exploring the countryside, I shall take a rucksack with a drink and a book and contemplate the events of the last twelve months always keeping in mind that the sunshine may not last forever and enjoy it while I can.

17 June 2010

nowydh da

I didn't have to wait too long to hear the results of the interview, and from September I will officially be a Key Skills Tutor responsible for teaching ICT, Literacy and Numeracy across Cornwall so I will be doing a fair amount of travelling (which is good) and making a lot of use of the Sat Nav initially while I find my way around the county.

It is only part-time, hence the reason for joining Kernowflex which is bank admin to top up the income a bit, though I also hope to pick up some sessional teaching hours as well as private tuition in Computer Skills which should bring in the money. Then I need to have some good record keeping, along with book-keeping skills just in case the tax man cometh. If you are in a similar position, just starting out please drop me a line with any hints, suggestions etc.

After nearly a month of asking, I now have a BT landline installed, not perfectly working but there seems to be a slight problem with the circuitry that leaves the line pulsating. Doesn't bode well with the need to have broadband installed but I have every confidence that BT will resolve it :-) .

Finally, I have ordered the cooker I have chosen, not without it's own problems as ordering on-line is a bit hit and miss as the postcode is not always recognised by the various addressing systems so had to go into the store but who were very helpful in providing me with the on-line prices, and I have ordered a desk for the study from them as well one with a storage shelf system for files and should be all set for the start of term.

The weather has been glorious, blue skies and sunshine wall to wall and late on until the evening. England can be a lovely place when the weather gives us her blessing and none more that we have at the moment. SOH and I went down to Portreath beach on Tuesday evening and walked along the beach with the numerous dog owners and surf rescue trainees; the only thing that would have made it better would have been to have had a nice cold pint of one of the local ales lol but we waited to get back home and open a bottle of Black Tower to celebrate along with a chinese.

16 June 2010

Couldn't resist this one

Department of Transport initiative, June 2010.


Information Release

Due to the nature of the quality of driving in England, the Department of Transport has now devised a new scheme in order to identify bad drivers and give good drivers the opportunity to recognise them whilst on the road.

To clarify, bad driving includes:

1) Overtaking in dangerous places
2) Hovering within one inch of the car in front
3) Stopping sharply
4) Speeding in residential areas
5) Pulling out without indication
6) Performing U turns inappropriately in busy high streets
7) Under-taking on motorways
9) Wandering from one lane to another in multi lane roads
10) Using front fog lamps in perfectly clear visibility

As from 1st June 2010, bad drivers will be issued with flags - these will be white with a red cross - signifying their inability to drive properly. These flags must be clipped to a door of the car and be visible to all other drivers and pedestrians.

Those drivers who have shown particularly poor driving skills will have to display a flag on each side of the car to indicate to the general public their greater lack of skill and general lower intelligence.

Please circulate this to as many other motorists as you can so that drivers and pedestrians will be aware of the meaning of these flags.

The Department's advice is to avoid these sub-standard, low IQ motorists, and give them as wide a birth as is possible.

15 June 2010

Interviews

My temporary contract comes to an end shortly, and I am busy looking for more work hopefully involving some more teaching work; though this one has provided me with some and I am very grateful for the opportunity.

Yesterday I had an interview with Kernowflex, at Truro hospital. A short interview was held with someone from HR who documented my skills : PA, IT support, Admin, Data Processor etc... I have completed the next stage of the process where they ask for references and CRB checks etc. It should take a couple of weeks and then I have to attend a 'free' (aka unpaid) induction day and training day as well as learn the hospital system then I can accept contract work on an ad hoc basic. It might yet suit me to do this at the moment rather than a full time job for reasons I can't say at the moment.

Today I had an interview at Truro College for a part-time Skills for Life tutor, teaching numeracy, literacy and ICT skills to a range of learners from drop in sessions to workbased participants and I now have to wait and see the outcome. It would certainly provide the necessary teaching hours for the PGCE course but much more than than it will be what I want to do and though I can always fall back on admin work I want to give teaching a go. I have already picked up clients for private tuition, and will register for what I need to do if I take on more private work.

I will miss where I am working, though it has been a challenge sometimes, it has been very satisfying and some of the people in the office have already said it is a shame I am not staying on, to those people thank you because you have restored some if not the majority of my self-confidence which I had lost sight of last year.

14 June 2010

Busy Weekend

SOH and I are busy decorating the house with second hand furniture. A dining room sideboard, drink unit courtesy of the animal rescue organisation arrived on Friday, including delivery it cost us £50 and it is well made, a base unit of two double cupboards with three draws in the middle and topped with two glass fronted units for display and a central drink dispensing cupboard.

We managed to negotiate the tight turns of the hallway and manoevered it into position but being over 6ft long and particularly heavy we had to take our time, we can now retrieve the more fragile items in store for us at his parents house (who no doubt will be relieved to offload it once more as they have had them for the best part of a year).

Sunday was a more busy day, although a migraine attack left me feeling a little sensitive to the light initially and led me to have a lie in; note to self it is wise to get up when you feel the pain start in the wee small hours and not ignore it until 4/5 hours later lol.

We went to Perranporth beach for a walk on the seashore but had to cut it short due to the sea mist that rolled in but it was fun seeing a beach that you could take dogs onto something in this day and age that seems to be frowned upon in the need to keep everything clean and ultra hygienic. This is when I miss having a dog as although Sam and Teg weren't particularly keen on the sea they would enjoy a dip in a river or stream to cool down on a hot day.

SOH watched the Canadian grand prix while I relaxed with a good book, though I probably should have done some ironing as I was then ironing until nearly 10pm for things today as I have an interview for Kernowflex with the hospital for some bank admin work so keep your fingers crossed.

12 June 2010

Saturday Satire - The Atheist

An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all that the 'accidents' that evolution had created. 'What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!', he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.


Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw the grizzly was closing. Somehow, he ran even faster, so scared that tears came to his eyes. He looked again and the bear was even closer. His heart was pounding and he tried to run faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but the bear was right over him, reaching for him with its left paw and raising its right paw strike him.

At that instant the atheist cried, 'Oh my God!....'

Time stopped.

The bear froze.

The forest was silent.

Even the river stopped moving.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, ' You deny my existence for all these years, teach others that I don't exist and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?'

The atheist looked directly into the light, ' It would be hypocritical to ask to be a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?'

'Very well' said the voice.

The light went out.

The river ran.

The sounds of the forest resumed.

..and then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together and bowed its head and spoke: 'Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful.

11 June 2010

Being a Student Again

This time last year, I met with representatives from the Education department of Cornwall College in the hope of doing my CertEd with them. At the time, the house was just about to be put on the market and we were optimistic about a quick sale so I hoped that I would be able to start in the September. I passed the relevant tests, and was offered a place however the quick sale didn't happen and although I could have started in January this year it was during the daytime only and as I had only just started a temporary contract I couldn't really ask for a half-day so had to decline.

Since then I have found out that Truro and Penwith College in Truro do a similar course, and after talking to them in March at an open day I found that actually I could do the PGCE course which is similar but intended for graduates. I submitted my application, only for it to magically disappear, and I had to do another one including a 500 word personal statement about my reasons for wanting to teach and what qualities I could bring to the role.

Where is this going you ask? Well yesterday I had a formal interview for the course, and was accepted on the course. I haven't a clue about funding, but only that this course is something I have wanted to do for a very long time and I now have to make arrangements for teaching as this is a mandatory requirement for the course as over the two years I have to clock up 150 taught hours. Luckily the ICT teaching I undertook recently counts towards my total hours so I already have 30 and would hope to get a few more even if it means undertaking evening work.

So from September, I will be a student again, and collecting more bits of certificate paperwork along the way.

10 June 2010

Lady Godiva & Banbury

Ride a Cock Horse

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse;
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.

During the 11th century, Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, imposed heavy taxes on his countrymen, provoking outrage and near riots. Leofric's wife, Godgifu (changed over time to Godiva), sympathised with the common people and urged her husband to lower the new taxes he had levied.  Now, Leofric was obviously a man with a sense of humour because he told his wife he would lower taxes only after she had ridden naked through the streets of Banbury. Leofric hadn't reckoned upon Godiva's spirit and, much to his surprise, she agreed to the challenge. The delighted people as a show of respect and to spare her blushes, all agreed to stay indoors, close their shutters and face the other way as the lady passed by.

She rode through the streets on her beloved white horse, completely naked apart from her wedding ring (rings on her fingers), and with bells attached to her toes to remind the people not to look out of their windows.  All the citizens kept their word, except for Tom the tailor, who couldn't help himself and peeped out through the shutters - hence the expression the expression 'Peeping Tom'.

An old friend (now no longer) lived about half way to Banbury and decided to meet there for a coffee and a natter. I asked Dad what he would like to be brought back and he said a Banbury cake for his tea, I agreed but after eventually finding parking and meeting up with M we covered the main shopping areas of Banbury in about 15 mins; actually I think it was more like 10 mins and no Banbury cakes could we find.

Now I don't know whether it was because we didn't know the town well enough, or simply that there were none that day (or any other) but Banbury seemed such a town with history and yet was almost soulless in it's grey existence. Needless to say we never met there again, preferring instead to meet at Stratford on Avon despite it's 70 miles away from my house and only 20 from M's; some things cannot simply be divided into two equal parts and SoN was a satisfying place to visit.

Does anyone want to chip in with what makes Banbury special in case I missed it?

09 June 2010

Poaching problems

I quite like poached eggs, but have never managed to get a nice shape or texture when trying to cook them.

No more problems though, I brought a couple of silicone poaching cups yesterday from the range and although they were expensive at £4.95 for a pair they were excellent and we tried them out for tea last night as we have a glut of eggs and a limit on how they can be used.

Without a cooker I am using an induction hob, which is good but only works with a single pan (at the moment) and it has withstood some serious sticking issues with fried eggs etc.

Well last night I filled it up with water to half-way, turned it on to heat and sprayed the inside of the cups with some oil to ensure the eggs would slip out and then cracked some eggs into each of the cups before carefully placing them into the water; needless to say one slipped out the cup between counter and pan and ended up on the floor - time to test the waterproofness of the floor!

The cups were two shades of green and looked a little like lilies in a pond while cooking. I followed the instructions which said use a lid and about 4 minutes later we had boobs sorry eggs on toast; this was due to the fact that when you turned them out of the cups onto the toast they looked like little white boobs :-)
 
A good buy if you like me struggle with strands of egg in the water and/or your eggs don't look very good.

08 June 2010

The joys of getting older

Sadly no wiser, but then again wisdom only comes with hindsight and I am always lacking that lol.

I have been given antibiotics to fight a tooth abscess caused by a dodgy root filling not be done completely by my old dentist and this is the 'root' cause of the problem. Mind you the price of fixing it will be an arm and a leg, but I have trust in my new dentist (that might be because he has access to strong sedatives and gas and air mind you :-) )

Still on a brighter note, even with the overcast clouds and rain thundering down, we are finally settled in. The cheque arrived from the solicitors yesterday and some shopping is to be done for the oven this weekend, I think I have identified the one, sadly not the one I was lusting after but a good second alternative. The main reason for not going with the lustful one was simply price, I couldn't justify spending over a £1200 on a cooker for mainly just the two of us so I had a rethink and have come up with a smaller version which has two ovens still but is only 60cm wide so we don't have to reorganise the kitchen to make space for it.

The boxes have been travelling upstairs this week in preparation for making the dining room presentable, and also we have a unit to pick up which will fit in here and contain glassware, drinks and other sundry items along with the dining room table.

It is nice to wake up in a bed, and not in a caravan; to have the space and place for everything and not live out of plastic boxes protecting clothes from the damp. I am grateful for that time, and it was cosy and warm but it is nice to be able to open the back door and walk out into a garden which needs work on it to make it more interesting than just a square bit of grass fenced in on two sides with a wall at the bottom.

Guess I am grateful that the house means I am finally settled as I always felt the house at the Back of Beyond was just too big for me and that I couldn't manage it; this house is much more manageable even with the few niggles we found.

07 June 2010

Adams Farm

SOH and I enjoy watching countryfile (a BBC programme on Sunday evenings), but particularly for the weeklong weather forecast and more so for Adams farm.

Something about the way he describes the ups and downs of farming life, even down to the rare breeds and the more standard crop farming is interesting. We have commiserated with him over the loss of cattle to TB, and to the lambs during the recent lambing season. We have laughed with him over the antics of the young lambs when first let out onto the fields and more recently his visit to Butser Farm with some iron age piglets which are going to form part of the display at the museum.

It is a place I long to visit, Butser, they have had a number of other TV programmes filmed there but notoriously the rebuilding of the roman villa stands out in my memory. As a keen archaeologist, I found it fascinating that we can recreate buildings and structures based on measurements and pictures found in mosaics. More fascinating was the break down in communications between the builders, all archaeologists and all insisting their vision was correct which led to people walking out on the project before it was complete which was a sad ending of the series.

Is it a modern 'thing' not to be part of a team but to consider only oneself? I don't know, I was brought up differently and hope that I do not have such an attitude myself.

05 June 2010

Saturday Satire : Horse Riding

A blonde tries to go horseback riding even though she has had no lessons or prior experience. She mounts the horse unassisted and the horse immediately springs into action.


It gallops along at a steady rhythmic pace, but the blonde begins to lose her grip and starts to slide in the saddle.

In terror she grabs for the mane but can't seem to get a firm grip. She tries to throw her arms around the horses neck but she slides down the side of the horse anyway. The horse gallops along seemingly impervious to its slipping rider. Unfortunately, the blonde's foot has become entangled in the stirrup. She is now at the mercy of the hooves as her head is struck against the ground again and again.

As her head is battered against the ground she is moments away from losing consciousness, when to her great fortune the Store Manager sees her and switches off the horse.

04 June 2010

Glorious Sunshine

The weather is gloriously sunny, all I can see is hazy blue skies and sunshine.

Fridays are good because I get to finish earlier than during the week which is nice, and will get home and still be able to enjoy the weather.

Luckily this morning I woke up, albeit a little later than I should have done, but then some numpty forgot to set her alarm last night and so I had some extra snooze time. Still managed to get everything done before leaving for work, including making my lunch and washing up the breakfast dishes.

I have a busy weekend ahead of me, tomorrow I have an appointment with the building society, then later a trip to a rescue centre at Newquay before heading to Penryn to watch a rugby match in aid of a young man paralysed by the game. Then on Sunday, the bike trip to Jamaica Inn, my first trip on the bike in almost a year.

It was once of the sacrifices I had to make, yes I could have taken him out on my own up at the Back of Beyond but more urgent things like decorating/tidying up/decluttering needed to happen and that allowed me to come down to the Edge of the World. One little sacrifice I didn't mind taking.

The bikes are now safely in the garage, the house is gradually taking shape with things in the right places though I fear it will be a long job, but this weekend is for us to enjoy ourselves and Saturday night will be the Chinese take-away from the Hong Sing which does the most wonderful food and extremely bad for the diet.

Have a good weekend all.

03 June 2010

Dinner

Tuesday was an additional day's holiday from work, to make the bank holiday really special. The weather wasn't kind on Tuesday, but dinner was.

We had Cornish lamb chops, served with Jersey Royal potatoes along with Hispi Cabbage, Carrots, Broccoli and peas (the latter was the only thing that came out of the freezer).

It was absolutely lovely to indulge in non-fast food, something I missed over the 5 months in the caravan. It is funny the things you think you need, but can manage without and the things you think you can't manage without but can when push comes to shove.

I enjoy cooking, always have, and in a different world, different time I think I would have chosen it as a career. Still might if I have an opportunity to and the offer comes up as it is a very satisfying pastime.

The cooker is getting closer to being purchased, then the kitchen is complete as the other items are purely luxury and not a necessity. The kitchen needs a complete rework as it showing it's age and has the normal wear and tear that you expect but on the whole is not too bad. A set of new doors and fronts would perk it up as would a granite work surface.

We still have a pile of boxes to unpack, but I think finally we can call it home.

02 June 2010

Progress

I think I am making headway with BT, I now have an order number but it looks as though I am not going to be connected to the broadband until at least 16th June.

Does someone want to explain the delay to me?

After all, if BT can write to the previous occupants of the house using the correct postcode, why can't their system find it on their network of exchanges and cables?

Answers on a comment :-)

Did a bit more tidying at the weekend, enjoyed a day sorting and moving things around to make room for the bikes to go into the garage, definitely smaller than the last garage and space is going to be at a premium; thank goodness for a pitched roof that we can utilise for storage.

Found some things I packed sometime last Summer, just in time for this Summer, and joy we have had the Sky installed; free HD box and installation so not a bad deal and neither of us go out to the cinema much so the costs per month would equate to one evening out and we get the sports channel as well as movies so I have managed to watch the Guiness Premiership Rugby final - I was so hoping that Saracens would win but no Leicester Tigers managed to get a last minute try and take the trophy.

SOH watched the Formula 1 Grand Prix, while I pottered around. Don't enjoy motor racing much at all really, but really enjoyed the Renault World Series at Silverstone.. strange perhaps being there makes a difference.

The DVD recorder finally went back to Comet, after 5 months and two repairs it was returned as unfit for purpose and swapped out for a Panasonic of a similar size and nature. Perhaps we were unlucky, I don't know, but it would put me off a Samsung in future.

Today I am back to work, yesterday I was blessed with mist and grey skies up until evening and today we have blue skies and sunshine.. go figure!