Nocturnal Visitors

Well, two days ago His Lordship discovered a slug trail in the living room, great. So, I instantly went on the internet to see what can be done about this. Firstly, it's apparently very common, secondly, you aren't supposed to put slug pellets down as it encourages them to come in and thirdly, there's not much you can do apart from bleach the area or put salt down. So, naturally we used bleach and thoroughly cleaned the floor, we also shampooed the rug. Then we left it a day and last night came back to a very small trail, so the problem hadn't been solved.

To this morning, I turn the light on in the living room on my way out to work in the wee small hours and there is Monsieur Slug next to the TV bold as brass, so quick as a flash I grabbed the cooking salt, poured it over it and then covered it with a glass. I left His Lordship to clean it up when he got up!?! Let's hope that it was one on it's own!

In other news, it's going to snow tomorrow, it's been sleeting and hailing all morning and as usual the Great British Driver can't cope, so I had a busy morning reporting on the various road accidents. I shall look forward to my early morning drive tomorrow.

This is why cats are ace....

Work

Well, today went off well, was on my own this afternoon so it was a bit hectic but I think I coped alright. Cough is all but gone and the boss said he thought I'd lost weight. My diet of processed foods must be working eh?! Am doing earlies on Thursday and Friday so that should be fun.

Nothing else to report so I'll say goodnight.

Hi ho hi ho it's off to work we go

Well, I'm back in work tomorrow and there's some confusion surrounding my sicknote from the doctor. He's signed me off until the 16th of Feb but I really am able to go to work now. Apparently I have to go back to the doctor and ask him to sign me back in, so yet more faff!

Not done much today, had a bit of a lazy one in preparation for a ten six shift tomorrow.

Every dog has it's day

His Lordship decided to tackle the outside toilet today. Perhaps this requires some explaination because it had been used as a dog shed by the previous owners of this house - filthy devils that they've turned out to be. These dogs never came in the house thankfully and weren't particularly big things but they have managed to make the back yard stink and the outside toilet an adventure we had to have.

We have found out why the smell hasn't been going away, it seems that they fashioned some sort of bed for these dogs out of a sofa cushion and some hay, these have obviously become soaked with urine and poo. His Lordship has spent the afternoon removing lumps of dog mess and dismantling the woodwork that had been installed - needless to say, there's been some whinging, and he went out wearing latex gloves (thanks to Aunty Sonia for those) and a scarf tied around his face for the smell.

There's still some work to do on it, we need to power wash it, bleach it and then paint it with masonary paint, then it'll be semi-usable for garden things as I plan on having some raised beds to grow veg and herbs.

And for anyone who is wondering how Poppy is coping with being back...

That Friday feeling

Heard from the folks today, seems I managed to worry them by trying not to worry them, so I'm sorry ma and pa! Much better today, still got the odd cough but I think I'm going to be well enough to go back to work on Monday (and not before time!). It also seems they've had a sermon from the mormons today, I'm sure we'll hear more from them in due course.

His Lordship is looking at which mac to buy with his birthday money, he was going to go for the mac mini but I think he's now decided upon a laptop (or macbook as they are called). I fear it's going to be a long drawn out process.

We're having another quiet weekend which I'm hoping will see him put the shelves up that should have been in place three weeks ago, he won't let me do them which means we are now on Andrew Time so they could be done whenever.

We might be going to see the new Sweeney Todd film this weekend, not too sure about it, but Tim Burton's films are always interesting.

A week on

Well, today the cough seems to be subsiding, this is a massive step forward and I'm starting to feel somewhat human again. I had a little walk to the shop for some bread (white sliced - filling my body full of crap, blah blah blah - because that's all there was and we're low on groceries). The shop is about a two minute walk away and it took it out of me a bit if I'm honest, so spent a few hours on the sofa this afternoon playing Super Mario Galaxy on the wii. What a beautiful game?! It's absolutely lovely, I'd read reviews but I never really believe them, but honestly it's lovely.

Anyway, back to the shop, they are very nice in there (as are most of the shop owners along the row) and she said "ooh nice coat" and I thought "yes it is". This is significant because it's a few years old now and cost a lot of money (it's Per Una). I was in two minds about buying it but it clearly looks good on so I obviously made the right decision! It's also been freezing today, trust me to go out for the first time in a few days and get crap weather! I like living in this area, it feels like a community which I think we were missing in the flat. We haven't really spoken to the neighbours (apart from when the Popster went missing) and there's no one in nextdoor, they're decorating before they move in. They had a matress delievered from John Lewis so they must be in the money!! I'm turning into my dad aren't I?!

Billy's meatloaf eating made both mine and His Lordship's evening, we had a good old giggle about it.

Still ill,

I've been signed of work now and am to undergo an asthma test. In other words, they have no clue why this cough won't go away. Today is the first day i've not felt like death so maybe this weekend could be the turning point. It wouldn't be so bad if I could actually do anything productive around the house, but really I have little energy for anything other than sleeping, and eating.

The good news is that my blood test came back normal, so apart from this cough i'm in good health. They tested for allergies and I don't seem to have any, so who knows. Still, two different doctors have made two different diagnosis, so it's one word against another. I'm also missing work - I can never be unemployed, this doing nothing is driving me mad!

Poppy has returned from her holiday to His Lordship's parents and is currently pulling the sofa, it's good to see some habits die hard, oh wait, now she's in the litter tray, lovely.

I think ma and pa will be putting Billy in their case to bring home at this rate, i've never known such behaviour from two supposed animal haters.

His Lordship "made" dinner last night. We had fajitas but I had to chop my own chicken because he won't touch meat. He's also supposed to be cooking tonight, this will be hilarious because he can't cook and he'll need me to tell him what to cook and I can't be bothered. I suspect he will then go out and get chips from our new local chippy. They are very nice in there and it's cheap.

Y's chosen her flowers for her big day in November, seems we're having a bronze and gold theme, I better get myself a san tropez!

Day Three

I'm off work for the third day running and I must admit I feel absolutely dreadful. Had quite a bad night last night, coughed so much that I've hurt my throat and my chest, I think this is what's making me feel ill rather than the rash, but I don't have any cold or flu symptoms.

I'm also feeling awful because we were meant to go out for His Lordship's 30th with his mum and dad tonight and there's no way I can now. He says he doesn't want to go without me and that we'll all have a takeaway here, but to be honest I just want to be in bed. I'm hoping to feel better by tomorrow for his big party, but if I don't I've said I'll go and sleep at Darren's (he's agreed to this)and let them just get on with it.

Had the blood test yesterday and she took five vials and said "ooh isn't he testing you for a lot of things?!" I'm taking this as a good thing.

Guess who's back?!

So, she turned up last night bounding up the stairs meowing loudly. When she saw us you could tell she was pleased to see us as she ran straight under the futon! Then for the rest of the evening she followed us around, kept jumping on the bed and generally being the pest we missed so much.

It's lovely to have her home, and it looks like we might be able to get her neutered afterall next week.

Now for the weekend, we're having a party here on saturday night as His Lordship™ is 30 on Monday, the Popster is going to stay with his mum and dad so we don't have a repeat of this weekend!

Poppy is missing

On Friday night a guest at our house left the kitchen window wide open. Poppy escaped through it and we've not seen her since. We've done everything we can to try and find her, including walking up and down the alleys, putting posters up and knocking on people's doors.

I'm devastated, I just feel like there's nothing we can do, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack, and she's so little and scared of things. I'm basically trying to tell myself she's coming back and that cats do this kind of thing all the time. The weather is so awful though and I keep thinking of her out there in the wind and rain. I cannot even entertain the idea that she might be dead because losing Marwood was so bad, and I'm not sure I can go through that again.
*************

NEWS JUST IN, SHE'S JUST RETURNED, MEOWING UP THE STAIRS! I've never felt more relieved and cross at the same time!

Chicken

Now, ever since I could buy my own meat and eggs I've opted to go for the free range option. I realise this is probably because I'm soft when it comes to animals, but I can't help but feel that if we are to eat them then they should have a good life.

I have been watching with particular interest the latest TV programme from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and his attempt to get people to eat free range hens, and I watched with horror at the conditions they are kept in when intensively farmed. For an animal to never see daylight, and to eat for 23 hours a day just seems massively wrong to me. The thing I also didn't know was how these birds are culled if they don't make the grade, or aren't as big as they should be within their 39 days of life; and that 45 million birds are killed this way before ever reaching the dinner table - with 97% of them being intensively farmed.

All of this has made me more determined to carry on with my buying practises, I'd rather spend that pound more than contribute to that.

No place like home

We've unpacked more of the junk we own and the place is starting to feel a bit more like ours.

I desperately want to decorate but we need new windows first and need to find the money for them. I'm going to do the little bedroom after that and I'm going to do it how I like because my computer is in here. His Lordship's stuff is all in the main bedroom so it's kinda like my little haven. As such, it's going to be colours that I like and it's going to match. I'm sick of having things that don't match and I'm sick of having everything in brown or neutral. I've not decided on colour yet, but there will be some, and may even be pink.

Nothing to say really

The title is correct, we're doing some pottering around the house today. We've found the digital camera so I'm going to take some snaps of the abode once it's charged, you will then all be able to see the decorating done by Wonder and Blunkett Decorators Ltd.

Because I am devoid of interingness, I'm going to provide you with some humourous videoes instead.

This one made me laugh a lot (I'm a terrible person) Also, I would watch with the sound off because Oasis are terrible.



This one also made me laugh (and makes me an even more terrible person) just look at their reaction!



And this final one is me just calling to say I love you....

Fish, on a Friday?

For dinner today, I have had what can only be described as a "Pensioners Meal". It consisted of boil in the bag pollock in parsley sauce (I'm sure I remember liking it from school dinners), mashed potatoes, peas and carrots. I don't know why I've eaten this, I don't like it much, it didn't taste of anything and I'm left feeling deeply unsatisfied on this Friday evening when all I wanted was something delicious. I am of course making up for this with the last of the Christmas chocolates - although strangely this year someone's eaten all the toffee pennies!?!

We've also been food shopping after surving on Christmas rations, and had a big debate in the supermarket on the origins of "greens". His Lordship wanted to know what exactly they were, and would not be satisfied with the term "greens." I suspect they are from the cabbage family and said as much hoping that would be the end of it. Still, we'll be eating them tomorrow so he'll get the chance to make up his own mind.

Freezing

It's cold today, and I got home to no heating because his Lordship™ has set the timer to hours after we get home. It's ok for him though because he doesn't really feel the cold, but now my feet and hands are aching.

There's soooo much to do around the house, we've still got boxes that need unpacking, I need to put all the Christmas decorations away, and all the cleaning needs doing. Plus I need to make the spare bed. I want to get all the pictures up and everything. His Lordship™ is going away in April so I might decorate it then. This way I can have as many pastel colours as I like because it will be done!

We went up to North Yorkshire for New Year's Eve, it was the usual drunken behaviour except this time I refused to go to the park in the wee small hours. It's a bit of a tradition now, but it ALWAYS rains, people go on the slide then complain of wet backsides for the rest of the night, and I often think the people who live near there must think we are crackers, bunch of people in their late twenties and early thirties going on the rope swing etc! Besides, usually, we go, then realise what a bad idea it is and come back after five minutes. I'm glad I stood firm because they all looked frozen when they got back. It was actually a bit sad because it's the last "do" we'll be having in the Party Flat (so named because there are NO neighbours and we can have the music as high as we like) because R and E are moving to a proper house now they are all grown up and engaged!

Been reading a website about eating raw food, some of it is certainly off the wall, and the woman in question lost me when she said she wanted to become the "DR" Gillian Mckeith of the raw food world. I'm hoping this doesn't mean she wants to poke at people's poo.

As for the word verification, it's staying on because my last blog was spammed to death and it makes it harder for them if it's switched on. And I urge you all to switch yours on.

Poppy is shouting at me, I don't know why as I've been playing with her for the past hour :(