Food

I know they mean well.

The ptb have just cottoned on that kids ought to be able to whip up the odd meal from scratch and understand where food comes from and what is good/bad for you, blardeblar.  They're making food technology compulsory for school-going 11 - 14 year olds.  So, from 2011,  be prepared to see lots of kids at 3.30pm, carefully carrying a big tin (that probably housed sweets in its former life)  containing their culinary offerings.. which they should then share with their families when they get home :o))  Good food made from scratch and then consumed at the dining table with all family members present.  Happy, non-obese families:o)   The ptb have even brought out a cook book for the kids containing basic recipes so they can try them at home.  Can be downloaded from here

So, for those who didn't know, instead of using eggs, milk and sugar, you can make custard with custard powder, sugar and milk, instead of opening a 20p tin:o)  If you are living in poverty, which would you have to have?  For some kids cold custard is better than no custard..if they have no leccy or gas in the meter.

In my day we had to cook meals from scratch because ready-made/fast food was non existent if you were "financially stretched".  My parents would be out at work trying to earn enough for food, etc.  Shift work, too.    Yes...it was a LONG time ago and I remember being hungry and my parents, do doubt, went without.   I suspect there are loads of hungry kids out there today who have to cook anyway, 'cos single parent has been oiked out to work "for their own good/be a good role model" and so can't be there at meal times with child to supervise and teach; so easiest way for kid to get fed is a ready made, stick it in the microwave meal.  Saves putting on the cooker and burning the house down.  

Today is shopping/bill paying day. Home Economics, life and all that.    So, off we will toddle in search of supplies (with what money we have left, that is!!!) which should keep us going for a week:o))  But, if Santa is to make an appearance this Christmas then we have to save a third so we now have £20 a week to get everything.  Bye bye nice soft loo roll.  lol    Wonder how many healthy and interesting recipes we can rustle up from our budget and using minimal fuel, seeing as fuel bills use up well over 20% of our income.   It would be way more if we ever had the heating on!!!

Spider Season

We seem to be the luxury residence for spiders!! Spider Central. Have evicted loads....and of the bloody MEGA size!!

We were going to the allotment...for a spot of mowing. "Round up the kitties" I tells Junior. "OK" says she. All are in....bar one Perdy...who is notoriously SHY:o) She is the smallest of the bunch, too:o)) Anyway, tells Junior to look in my room, as that seems to be the preferred feline 'hanging out' place of late, due to BIG window sill which means lots of sunbathing space:o)

She dutifully goes up and gives her usual shriek when spotting Incy Wincy Spider. "It's bigger than the one in the bath" she tells me in high pitched and worried voice. And by God, it was.. Spider version of He-Man!!! So, another eviction takes place.....WAY away from home this time:o)) I didn't have time to take a piccy, given that this little beast was hyper and was on track to do the 3 minute mile if I didn't catch it first!!!

So, where was Perdy?    Junior, with vivid imagination and near to tears asks. "Mummy, what if she got outside and the bats get her?" (Yes, we have bats on our road and the houses are relatively young).

Soooo, we search high and low. And, half an hour later,  there she was. In my crocheting WIP (work in progress) bag, which is hung on the bottom bannister with a whole lot of other things that shouldn't be there! No wonder we couldn't find her...she chose the perfect place for a bit of p & q:o)))
Aw!! We woke Perdy up in her hidey place:o)))

Hunny Pot...what big ears you have!! And don't you seem.....bat-like...with those ears...and mouth....and look?!

What do you mean, big ears?!!!!!!!!


Brad, if I could send you one (two are better...for company) then I would. With love. xx 'cos you are a kind bloke and they'd be safe with you. Where is Star Trek Travel when you need it, huh?

This says a lot.   I'm not saying I agree with war.   Why don't our soldiers get the same respect?

First Bit For Tony!! Tee Hee!!

Junior was about to sit on the "throne" when she requests my presence...with an urgent-sounding voice!!!!

Just look at what I had to evict tonight. It was rather large!! Only 'thing' I had to put it in was an empty cotton bud box. Unfortunately, it still had some sticky residue inside from the labels and Spider nearly lost a few of its legs, but I managed to set it free 'intact'. It is now roaming our road, looking for next residence!!!


Meg being dive-bombed for a quick drink!!! She always feeds them on the stairs nowadays. Funny cat!


We went to a home ed meet today and were away for ages. Kitties and Cilla were pleased to see us and very.....HYPER!!! Cilla is just so good. The kitties are lovely and SO funny but....I need to now instill a little...discipline!! No more climbing up curtains. No more jumping up on table. No more pooing in my plant pot!! No more nicking my tea when my back's turned when they have dishes full of kitten nosh and pricey Whiskas kitten milk . No more switching off the answerphone and getting us into trouble for not returning calls. Yep...discipline ...says she... who notices that Junior has been dive-bombed by five of 'em..purring away and cuddled up for the evening, or so they hope:o)))

I have a little Poet:o))

Autonomous works!

Been doing a bit more English with Junior.   She likes reading but isn't much into story writing, or so I thought.  I buy her pretty journals/notebooks/pens to encourage her to write and she generally ferrets away, mostly art, doodles, lists, etc.  This morning she tells me that she wants to gen up on her spelling so I ask her to dig out a little notebook/journal so she can log in the words and keep a record.  She brings one to me which is sort of half used but there are enough pages for our spelling use.  Anyway, I flicked through it and it turns out Junior, in her quieter moments,  has been busy with poetry and song writing:o)   Angels, hearts and beats are in there!!!! and even a tiny one for Gingernut!!...the dog with separation anxiety.  She wrote it while we were looking after Ging a while back.  (Gingernut, by the way, is still loyally devoted to my nephew and they are inseparable.  Even takes her to work with him.   Bless!)

For Gingernut xx

You don't have to bark

You don't have to bite

All you have to do

Is just be nice

I ask her, when did she do all this stuff, as it's very good?  "Oh, in my bedroom when I had nothing to do".  I'm glad it's happy stuff and not anything too dark.

Wonder if she has a little maths book squirelled away somewhere?  lol

Eardrums Kaput!

I have not been well of late.  Not surprising really, given my age!!  lol!   That time of the month.....lately it's more that time of the fortnight, if you get what I mean?    So, don't have the energy at the mo to get out and about as much as I'd like.   Hopefully,  shall feel up to it, soon.  

The constant wittering and complaining of one certain mother is still doing my head in, which does nothing to help.   She seems very confused by anger at times.  Angry at becoming old and so she's taking it out on moi!   Which means I am in 'switch off'/ignore' mode.  We kids are such failures, did you know,  'cos we are not all married, have big fat salaries, nice house, etc.  In other words, have the life she once wanted.   We're sort of happy as we are, but she doesn't get it.   Everything was ok, once upon a time, when we were car-mobile, but nowadays it's too difficult, time-consuming and expensive to gad around on trips together a la bus.  Think this is what she's missing...being ferried around and seeing places..it's the being kept occupied.   I can understand how she feels, it's just the put downs that get my goat at the mo, especially when I feel like crap anyway!!   Would be nice to have a little runaround, though....with James Bond type ejector seat:o)  I jest!!!

When I explained to mother that I was feeling crap and why...she reminded me that I could still, theoretically, have more kids.  So, she tells me to get myself off to the doctor's and get 'fixed'.  Charming!!!!!

Well,  have decided that, amongst other things,  no more putting it off....I'm going to tackling this sodding washing machine, once and for all, as I'm fed up of mopping up all the leaks and I've been doing that for the best part of 18 months!!!   How hard can it be to replace a rubber door seal?  Hmmm....we shall see:o))  Will take me three weeks to save up for the part, so we have time to 'read and digest' fitting instructions.  A good little project for Junior to assist on.  I'll tell  mother we're doing it for the nappies!!  lol

And, continuing with my black mood.....have been thinking of giving up the allotment.  All this rain must have addled my brain!!   Allotment politics!   I just hate and despise politics.   Shall have to weigh up the pros and cons of keeping it.  Apart from the obvious, it's such a great place for Junior to learn about things not just food.....and then there's that lovely view. ..and that pentagram-shaped herb garden we had planned.  Hmmm

Ah well,  cheer up time.  When all else fails, eat pudding!!  Lots of it:o)) 

Poison

This got me a bit mad.

All the crap I get off the old boys on the allotment to use this, as it is 'safe'.  Bollox!!

Sorry....again.....bloody language, Timothy!!

Pecking Order Re-established

Since Molly the cat munching dog left to live in a new feline-free home... the animal dynamics in our house have changed.

Cats Rule!!

The position of Queen Sorterouter/Bitch/I am Boss and have first say on sitting on Mum's knee..has, seemingly, shifted to little Megan!!  Sweet, little, unassuming, Meg....who is now 'Don't ****** mess with my kids' Meg!!  You would not believe it to look at her..........tiny, little cat that she is...but full of spirit.  Little lioness:o)    Can't blame the mog, given what a monster Molly was towards anything feline or smaller than she.  The kittens are so lovely and happy, but the mums guard them 24/7.   Popeye Dad, the 'big kid' plays with them.    Someone was due to come and collect 'long-legged and big footed' Henry the other day.  Never turned up...so that means he stays.  Fate and all that.  Junior, of course, is happy at this prospect...not wanting our little 'family' to decrease.  

Megan

Little She Cat!!

Sweet, gentle Cilla

So, poor Cilla dog....who truly wouldn't hurt a fly.....got snotted the other day for sniffing 'in peace by accident' at a family get together (Meg feeding some of the kitties...even though they are WAY too old).  Spit and spank...poor Cill!!...who now follows me EVERYWHERE for safety.

Anyway, boundaries have been drawn.  Cilla sleeps under my bed at night:o)  Cats downstairs.  They are the better guards if anyone DARES to break in.  God help their ankles!!!!

Megan, meanwhile, continues to catch, bring into our house and KILL......leaves!!  So funny.   Anyway, if she can train them right..the kittens I mean......just imagine..IF someone attempted to break in.  Nine sets of teeth sunk in to a leg.... and even more REALLY SHARP claws!!!   Ooooooooo.  Ow!

Holidays and Timetables

Brother in law is holidaying in Canada at the moment.  Three weeks!!   Lucky him...but he deserves it really, for an old so and so!  lol  :o))   He has family over there, so it's nice that they can see each other at least on an annual basis.  They take trips all over the place so I wonder where he's been to this time?  Sister won't go....anywhere, which is a shame.

Asked him nicely before he set off if he would suss and bring back certain things for us.  He always forgets, bless:o)    Maybe this time will be different:o)    Top of wish list...proper maple syrup.  A Ukrainian Kitchen fridge magnet...Canada is the second Ukraine..with a huge Uki population:o))  Asked him to find me a pen pal, please and also to suss out the home edding scene there with maybe a contact.    He's back next week, so we shall see.  

Down this neck of the woods, the kids don't go back to school until Wednesday.  Two inset days before they can start!!

Junior has drawn up a little timetable.  Asked her what she wants to learn about, so she's tabled her choices in.  She's still keen on French and our starter country to study 'this year' is, of course, Canada, so it all links in.  Maybe one day we can save up enough and go over, but we'll definitely try and get over to France.  It all helps when you have family who live a stone's throw away from channel ports.  They can get a return ferry ticket for less than it costs Junior and I to get  a return to the nearest town here!!  Madness, eh?

The kittens have a new game.  It's "Let's romp all over the answer machine and turn it on and off, delete messages.  Such fun!! "  I think they like the little 'trill' the machine makes when the buttons are pressed.   Suppose it beats climbing up and swinging from the voile curtains!  They're also into switching the printer on and off.  They've sussed out that the little bit of heat that comes from it provides a warm resting spot, so computer cupboard is firmly off limits now.

As I type, there are three black kittens sat side by side behind me, on the back of the sofa, watching as I type!  So...... what are the rest of 'em up to, because it's all gone very quiet all of a sudden?  Eeeek!!!  Please, God....they haven't got the wool...again?

twits

I hate stupid questions from adults, especially when I know they are purposely loaded.   Have absolutely no patience for such nonsense....so they annoy me no end.

This article.  Clutching at straws as to why not home educate.  The journo has links to Supernanny.  Say no more!!

Most of the questions are worthy of a 'Doh!'    In your face stupid and way behind the times!  No pun intended.   Bleurghhhh!!

Home edders are obviously not as dim as some narrow and career-minded wannabe high flyers who can't be arsed to do their research properly, it would appear.

Space, more rain and where's that wool?...again

Furniture movearound today... Junior's bedroom..... in her never ending quest to somehow find more space for her treasures and possessions:o)  

She needs more shelving, definitely,  so shall have to speak nicely to big bro for that...when he eventually gets down to put up the fitted wardrobes for her.  When all that's done it will be bliss because there will be NO MORE MOVING AROUND OF FURNITURE!!   Yippee!!

Has been raining heavily, again.  The animals won't budge from within these walls, so we are having fun and games!!  There is also a fusty smell eminating from the outside walls.  Damp.  All this rain is doing the house in, too!!   Whoever put tarmac down on the front drive went over the damp proof membrane a little.  The water doesn't run off as it should and so that will be another job to get sorted.  In the meantime, shall have to google some anti-damp smellies.  Have tried incense sticks, but they just make my eyes water.  lol

We won on the Euro lottery.  A whole £6.10.  Junior's numbers and she's picked winners for the last three weeks.  Says she concentrates on the numbers and doesn't just randomly cross them off.   So, one day, you never know...we might get our animal rescue centre and sanctuary:o))  We definitely need one for frogs and toads, because we heard squealing from the kitchen this morning..very early.....near back door, by water bowl.  Junior did the customary scream when she clapped eyes on it and there I was a few minutes later,  pj's on underneath my OiLily coat.. waddling down the road to Amphibian Central with yet another big, fat, VERY vocal frog to relocate!!  Popeye, no doubt, brought our little friend in and lost interest as soon as he hit the laminate.    Sigh....  Bet the neighbours think I'm a mad woman and wonder what the hell I do in that little green corner!!

Don't know how some folk can go about dissecting these little creatures in the name of science/education.  Do they still do that?  They did on our Access to Uni course, but I opted out of that little goodie.  Lecturer just looked at me as if I had a screw loose.   One reason why I never took Biology A level all those years ago as it was compulsory then.  

Am now going to attempt to unravel some more wool that the kitties have been playing with (which I hid but they sussed out!) while I soak my sore, allotment-strimming weary feet in our under-used foot spa!  £3.95 a ball the yarn cost and the finished item is supposed to be a Christmas pressie.  It remains to be seen which Crimble it'll be finished in time for!
Think these are the culprits?  The one in the middle is Hunny...Junior's favourite.  Her ears are huge, as are her eyes.  Very round and Persiany.

But....this is Suspect Number One!!!  Tinks

  

Relax

We're still holed up!!   Rain, rain, rain.  Back garden is afloat, almost.  

But, it's nice, 'cos we can just chill and do as we please.  Junior is drawing..the cats of course.....and she is so relaxed and happy...even though one of the kittens went to her new home yesterday.  Millie is now Rosie Millie and has the most beautiful new home and will be spoiled rotten:o)  Junior had a cry when she went.  She never usually cries but the new owners have sent us an update and photos and will definitely keep in touch, 'cos they know how much she cares for the kittie...which is really nice of them:o))  The kitty mums have been looking for her, though. 

Actually, Junior's kittie drawings are quite good and so I'm going to get her to do one on a little canvas to hang up for all to see.

We've made ratatouille and dumplings in the slow cooker.  Shall have those with corn on the cob.   Rhubarb crumble is for pud.  Yesterday we made a 'tweaked' quick chocolate mousse, a la Nigella, which is luverly!!!

Everything today is in 'relax, autumn nights drawing in' mode.....we are still in our pj's:o))    I might even find time to do some crafting:o) 

Bleurghhhh!

Sadly, Walter Pigeon didn't make it.  Passed away this afternoon.  It climbed into the seed dish, nest like.  I gave it all mod cons, but I reckon it was too young and that the weather had gotten to it.  Cold/flu etc.

I am so sad because I saw its parents this afternoon, but if I hadn't taken it in, then the neighbourhood cats would, without a doubt, definitely have...and there are loads around here apart from mine.  At least it wasn't terrorised to death.

One little black kitty has a lovely new home.  Junior is sad, of course.  One less in her little entourage...but she knows it will be ok.  The remaining ones are adept at running across the floor.. hit remote and changing tv channels!!

My feet are still telling me where to go, with all this strimming of allotment and, therefore, standing in wellies!!!  If I had the energy to get my foot spa out, I would.

Tonight we made vegan lasagne...with the usual ingredients, plus mushrooms and artichoke heads.  Very yummy.

Mother has got the bag on with us.  We are not paying her enough attention!!   What with all this allotment stuff I need to sort out, trying to start up a business from home and home edding PLUS life in general, slap me for not spending 6 hours a day down there!!!.   I despair sometimes.  On one hand, I understand but on the other...where are the other siblings?  Get your finger out, comes to mind.   Would help, though, if Mother had a less caustic tongue and became a little more.....diplomatic about our life choices.  I don't blame the siblings at all......just invite her up now and again!!

Does anyone else have these problems, or is it just us?  Maybe we are just having a bad week or so.

Am talking to myself, again...aren't I?   

Walter

Been strimming at the allotment all afternoon and have lost all feeling in my feet!!

Junior has been helping...raking up the grass and has managed to build a mini haystack!!  lol  We were rained off and had to leg it home amidst a thunder storm.  Eeeek!!    There's me, pushing metal wheelbarrow with metal strimmer in it.  Junior asks if the lightning could get me!!  At least I had my rubber wellies on:o))  Wheelbarrow is in the front room...didn't have time during thunder and lightning storm to go around the back and 'park' up in the garden.

I am looking forward to a nice, hot bath and then a nice relaxing kip.  Alas, I doubt if I shall get this wish as we have a 'visitor'.    On the way out of the garden to the allotment, Olive made a fuss of something under the bushes,  Junior spotted it and gave out her customary scream.  It was a baby wood pigeon.  One-eyed at that.  It must have fallen out during the rain storms and tried sheltering under the blackberry brambles.  So, got the old budgie cage out of the garage and our friend is in the safest room in the house when it comes to keeping away from mogs.....my room!! (got a lock on, so Olive can't open it).  I have put in bread and water and a few greens and a slug for Walter Pigeon.  Tomorrow I am on the lookout for a foster home for him:o))

H2o

It's been bogging it down most of the day so we have battened down the hatches...again...., but we are on a hill, so it runs past us.  Feel for those who are up against hurricanes and the like!!!  Hope their defences stand up to the weather.

Junior has managed to (knacker) break the Singer sewing machine.  Last time it broke, we got Mother up here to sort it.....:))

Until then, we have only a few days before the local kids go back to school and we have, again, a peaceful, home edding environment:o)))..until half term!!!

Kitties are lovely.  Even Popeye aka Daddy, is being all laid back and peaceful...even when they jump him and bite his ears!!  These felines are lovely.....all of themo:)))