Wednesday 30 June 2010

Bloody Interruptions

We were due to visit the zoo today.


Son no 2 and grandchild of Min, me and Junior. My pressie to GoM for her birthday.


Grandchild of Min wanted to see the monkeys especially. She is just two. Junior the tigers.


So, in this house, trips out like this mean a morning start. Bad news for us Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferers! Anyway, we are running around like blue arse flies.....cat litters sorted, animals fed, plenty of water, dog walked, etc..............Junior fed!


We are just about to depart when.......bash on door. Oh, shit!


It is Mother. She tried to phone me but got 'silly messages'. (I switched my phone off...so no distractions).....but.....she needs to talk.....about something we don't agree on but she won't let go of. Sigh... As she walks through the hallway, into the lounge, she comments that the cats are waiting for their food, too many of them, think what we could be doing instead of having this lot, blah, blah. (Cats have been fed..dishes are still half filled (whole box of Whiskas sachets) plus half a sack of GoCat has gone down...plus a gallon of water. They are, in reality...pogged...stuffed...but she has to get the sarcasm in). I bite my tongue...mainly 'cos I am upstairs and she'll never hear me anyway!!

My mother thinks we just sit at home and never venture out, never have plans.....and that all life should be focused on her!


So.....2 hours later.....it is too late to go. Ack. Son no 2 takes grandchild of Min elsewhere. Junior is pretty pee'd off..and me....back has gone. I am Quasimodo, alive. not so well and very grumpy!!

For any bloody do gooders out there..I have given my kids permission to shoot me should I ever turn into my mother!

There!! Shall never get to heaven now!!

Tuesday 29 June 2010

Do You Have Room in Your Heart?

We have 12 cats and a dog. Doesn't feel like we do. OK...the emptying of cat litters is a bind but, apart from that, it's cool. We have to hoover each day, change bedding each day...wash it and dry it, etc.......all common sense stuff anyway.

So, we went to see our friend at the local Pet Welfare place today. He had some covered cat litter trays for us. With this hot weather..it makes sense to keep the litters covered. When we got there......we found.....


Wall to wall kittens........26


Most dumped, in boxes and left.


Some are so small..TINY, due to malnourishment. I could cry.


Junior was followed around by a little tabby boy. So friendly and independent..even for one so young. He is causing concern as he flips from the runs to constipation...and thus an icky bum...with no mummy cat to look after him, means he could get fly strike.....so he is being washed...several times a day. He is obviously suffering from a food allergy, but there are so many mouths to feed, it's impossible to keep this one isolated and fed on specialised food. No time and not enough funds!!


There is also a LOVELY black male. Beautifully friendly. Sleek and otherwise healthy....but he has feline aids....Poor lad. I hope he finds the home he deserves. It needs to be an only home or one with others with feline aids. He will have to be an indoor cat, too. He just miaows for attention....they all do. You just want to scoop them up and hug them. Then there's this brindle female, Thin and scraggy. . She is old but is so friendly. Just wants a bit of love and company. I am SO tempted. She is the one who struck my heart...probably because she is like Tinks....and I can't bear the thought of this being Tinks in the future. Plus, old lady version is WAY friendlier. lol...


So....Junior and I will go down each day and handle these kittens and cats so they remain sociable and, thus, easier to rehome. Plus loved. Black and white cats are COOL!!! Our Henry and Ringo are such characters..and so are Spook and Jimmy and Muppet:o)


God, if I could only just wave a magic wand and help these poor creatures. When we go down I will take photos. Maybe someone will offer a home to some of these lovely animals.

Meanwhile, my lot are partying around the house. Whizzing and playing:o)


Then there's the rabbits at the pet welfare place!!


Two largish animals, not pretty....just your normal brownish types.... cooped up in one hutch......no run to frolic about it...


Might have to take those two home and give them a bit of space:o) They are the overspill. Another person devotes her back garden to rabbits. About 50 of them. Discarded..Too much hassle to keep. They have lost their 'use'. So they wait, in little hutches, for a nice home. Pah!!


Jeez....We humans are barstewards!!

Monday 28 June 2010

Another Project.

Too Hot, still.

Have put water out all over the garden for the birds and other creatures who frequent or inhabit our patch:o)

We seem to have LOTS of spider webs criss crossing the garden, much to the annoyance of Junior. I know when she's copped for one or two by the hi-pitched screams she manages to produce. lol I've suggested a little project to identify the little buggers.

Anyway, we are contemplating having a pond built. This requires big bro, for the pump knowledge:o)..and electrics. He thinks built up fish pond, I thinks your normal level. Would be nice to be able to listen to the sound of running water outside. There are frogs around here, so it would be cool if they could have somewhere to dip. Maybe we could have a couple of fish? Here I am, again, thinking of expanding my pet count! Too many visits to garden centres. lol Do frogs eat fish? My mother seems to think so. Shall have to investigate further:o)

Have put drops of lavender on the windows. The sun has done its job and the house smells lovely:o) Re lavender...we're off to buy some lavender cordial from the health shop. They sell rose cordial too. Never heard of either of these until I sussed out vegan supplies in our area. Amazing what you can buy in this day and age.

Saturday 26 June 2010

'Tis the Season to be Responsible

Ack! Hot weather. Uck.


"Wot are you on about?" ...I hear.


I hate hot weather. Always have done, even as a young kidling.. Well, you try enjoying yourself when you are losing pints of blood, all in the name of 'that time of tfordhe month!!' Bugger!!....so to speak.
But........today's blog speak, that no-one listens to...is all in the name of PET WELFARE


Please, people, remember your furry friends.....This time of the year is crap for them. Do the right thing.


DE FLEA and DE WORM your furry friends..........NOW!!!


Don't use the cheapo stuff...use the vet recommended stuff. We use Frontline. You can get it from some chemists. I buy in bulk and get a 20% discount. Maybe you and your mates could bunk in and afford the costs?


I've seen dogs especially, bald from scratting... It is not nice and they do suffer, just because the owners hadn't used a defleaing treatment on their 'pet'.


We dosed our lot tonight and they are so CHILLED!!! lol


Also.....this HOT WEATHER thing.......


Didn't want to brag, but I just realised that we have a fan light. FAN LIGHT! 3 speeds, too:o)


Blliss....


Problem now being....can't remove daugher.....and pets...from my...MY bedroom. lol

Friday 25 June 2010

Strange

All the mogs are in. It is 11pm....and dark.



But. they are growling, even Mr Quiet Guy Jimbob, .....at something going off outside.

The dogs at the smallholding up the road are barking, too.



Spooky.

Thursday 24 June 2010

Catitude

Jimmy....Mother's cat....is the only mog who is allowed out.

He is an old, wiley thing who has walked many a street prior to 'adopting' Mother. Spends half his life sleeping on one of the shed roofs and the other eating, pooing, peeing up my hall wall and......catching birds. He's a naughty old Jimmy!!

So, lets him out yesterday for his oblutions......one less litter to clean:o) He appears an hour later. Sits at the garden room door, waiting for his servant (me) to let him in. I am alerted to his presence by all the miaowing, of differing volumes, eminating from the cat pen where the Usual Suspects hang out....looking down the garden...in safety:o)
Usual Suspects


There he is, our Jimbob, dead bird in mouth, with the "Go on then!! Open the bloody door so I can devour this little treat and bring in all the parasites that come with it into the house and infect the underling Usual Suspects!"

"Not on your bloody Nelly, mate!!", thinks me. I somehow manage to pass this thought on to HRH, telepathically.

So, off he huffily trots...giving me the "You bastard" look.

"Right back atcha, matey boy" says me. "When you reappear, it's bathtime, Pal. With intesecticidal shampoo. Followed with a shot of worm tableting. Lovely!" lol

I have a pair of heavy duty gardening gloves suited to this task (a la avoiding the claws) plus super, dooper goggles. No soap in my eyes!! Been there, got the t-shirt...voice of experience and all that:o)

Home ed front. Junior is trying to perfect the art of tracing. From memory, it seemed a lot easier in my day and Blue Peter nowadays doesn't seem to be into all that sort of stuff. I miss SmArt!!! Maybe the materials way back then were more suitable for the task. (you get what you pay for!). Anyway, she has toiled.....and will toil for a while, I suspect. lol

We are going to attempt to make paper tomorrow. I suspect this means that my blender may have to be sacrificed, but it's on the way out, anyway!

Monday 21 June 2010

Tinkling

Junior was up this morning.....early....like 6am early!

After making her bed and doing the usuals, she then proceeded to practise......her piano homework on the fandangled, computerised ticketyboo keyboard that big bro has loaned her. This thing allows you to play every known instrument to man!!...as in the sound effects department. Then there's all the accompanying bits like drums, beats, backing tracks, etc.

I know the neighbours are away on holiday but I wonder about the 'noise'.

'Sorted'..she tells me and plonks on a pair of headphones.

Bless.

She played really well! lol

Tea tonight is a concoction of veg and vegan meat in a spicy satay sauce, over a bed of noodles:o) Pudding will probably be strawberries and vegan cream...that is if there are any strawberries left......as smoothies are going down a storm here. Helps to have colourful straws. It's amazing how they make the stuff more appealing to kids.

Sunday 20 June 2010

Missing Balls

This vegan blog is amazing. The food looks so appetising. Don't know how the woman does it!! Mind you, she has some amazing equipment....dehydrator, KitchenAid, workhorse blender.....sigh...


We are doing ok. Junior and her spinach!! Seems very apt that we have a Popeye in this house:o) lol She likes this salad....... Spinach, orange segments, bacon (vegan, in our case) and dressing made with the orange juice , olive oil, etc. You are also supposed to have these ingredients in, too..but we didn't have them on hand.....slithers of almonds and some dried apricots, too. (It's good for iron). All in a bread roll!! yummy....I had some mayo on mine.


Tea was vegan shepherds pie, made with some meat free alternative from the Tesco freezer which is actually vegan and not vegetarian!...and carrots. Popcorn for pud, lol We are way too stuffed for anything else.


My quest re some nice vegan 'meat' for my Coronation Chicken led me here. I figured the company might be owned by a vegan but it never crossed my mind that it was a woman and.... Heather Mills!

On the home ed front.....Ofsted are at it, again. What a waste of space and money they are..to get stuff wrong!! Bloody power crazies! Maybe they are for the chop? Anyway, Graham Stuart has put them in their place:o)

On the home front...all this energy has meant that washing machine has kindly assisted me in NINE washes!!! Ah bless, washing machine is now enjoying some zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Most of the house has been 'spring cleaned'. This means a good hoover, polish and removal of clutter. Big bro is arriving soon........we have to make room for all his Tool Time stuff!

More wood!!

He's bringing the Scooby Doo lookalike, Max, of course:o) Only, this time, so he doesn't have to bother neighbours to do the necessaries......he's bringing his cat!! He did have two.....Itchy and Scratchy....but Itchy wandered off...with testicles. So, Scratchy is in for a big surprise this week!! Guess who has made him an appointment to see the Vetinarian? lol

Saturday 19 June 2010

Got Arse In Gear

Junior didn't eat her steak au poivre....just the veggies....and the pudding.

We have sort of got into the flow of things..menu wise now, although it is still difficult and we have had to resort to a few vegetarian options. Smoothies, toast topped with bananas and honey (using it up!), etc for brekkies. Sarnies for lunch and a cooked tea.

Never thought I'd say this, but Cheesly extra mature vegan cheese is not that bad...in a sarnie...with lots of salady things. We piled in farmer's pickle, spinach, beanshoots, beetroot, cheesly, tomatoes, cucumber...in granary bread. Was nice and filling. Gnocchi with a tomato sauce was another meal. Goat's cheese, roasted red pepper and courgette tart with beanshoot, grated carrot, red grape and sliced mushroom salad with a basic salad dressing beefed up with chilli sauce, soy sauce, honey and seasoning. I am hunting for a vegan goat's cheese! lol J has really been into her fruit..which is good. No coca cola or orangey drinks have been consumed yet.:o) No snacking on rubbish...like crisps or processed biccies. We are too full!! lol

I'm looking for a vegan version of Coronation Chicken.

One good thing that has come out of this is that Junior prefers fresh spinach to salad. Much better for her AND she's started to eat apples and pears Yay for seasonal stuff!

My rickety joints, dare I say it, don't feel as bad The restless legs have calmed down and I'm not feeling as tired and wiped out. I'm really hoping that a vegan diet can help me out. Who knows...I might still be in with a shot at taking up jogging again! And badminton....I miss beating Son no 1 at it! lol

On the Life front.......

Yesterday evening was SO weird. We had to go out to the supermarket and the roads were empty. Let me tell you....if you want a hassle free shopping experience, then go when England are playing in the World Cup! Bliss. lol

Today was birthday day:o)

Grandchild of Min celebrated and so did Olive and Popeye's litter (Bart, LooLoo, Tinks, Henry and Ringo). They are ALL 2 today! They all had a party. Grandchild of Min's was a bigger 'do'. lol J had the party hats out again for the mogs and trimmed up the cat pen and living room:o)...as you do! They got upmarket tinned meat!!!. Granchild of Min has got a trip to the zoo to look forward to from me.

Tomorrow is Jack and the Beanstalk day.....we are planting out runner beans. We have no canes so shall have to be creative in finding something for them to climb up!! I am eyeing up big bro's 1 x 1 wood supply. lol

Tuesday 15 June 2010

We are crap at being totally vegan.

I take my hat off to all those proper vegans out there.

It's hard work....especially for us snacky loving people!

We went out to a supermarket yesterday, hoping for lots of vegan goodies and came away with......vegan ice-cream!

There is nothing else you can buy that is ready made...as in the 'get it out of the fridge/freezer and cook/consume' department.

Junior is a tad peed off....and hungry. Very dissappointed in things...and herself. So, she is not doing the vegan pledge...for now. I have suggested that perhaps she is not destined to be a veggie, but she really wants to have a go at this...sometime. I think the thing that has racked her off most are the little things....like that coca cola and orangey drinks are not even vegetarian!! Who wants to drink something that has fishbladder in it? I offered to buy her some soft drinks today, but she declined. She doesn't want to drink fish bits!! Her eyes have been opened as to what crap actually ends up in our food. So that's a good thing, isn't it? She is not best pleased with the food manufacturing industry....for all the 'fooling us' as she puts it.

Anyway, tonight she tucked in to steak au poivre, roasted potatoes, sauteed tomatoes and spinach. Organic, nicely hatched and despatched and so, expensive. Rightly so. She was hungry so I let her choose her dinner.

So, we have to think hard re recipes and get advice from other vegans re the snack thing. Have to get arse into gear and get organised.

I am not good on the organised front. Hate it. Boring.

Gemini....Don't like being pinned down. Air sign. Pah! Can be such a pain at times!!

I'm not as bad as my sister, though. Took her five years to choose a three piece suite!!

She's so indecisive, she just doesn't know!!! lol

Anyway, we have been out most of the day. Home ed, elderly mother nurturing...garden centre where she and Junior bought lots. Mother old biddy plants,.....and Junior bought herself a fragrant rose. She and her beloved flowers:o)

So, dog and mogs have been neglected. Don't I know it......ten of the mogs...and the dog....all piled into MY bedroom!! No privacy here!! lol

Monday 14 June 2010

Funny Post

This post is just so funny.

Glad to know there are potty mogs around the world and not just here:o) lol

Sunday 13 June 2010

Taken The Pledge

Junior and I have taken The Vegan Pledge:o) (See The Vegan Society for all the gumph).

We are going for the Gold Pledge....one month of nothing but vegan food and drinks passing our lips. This is a bigger deal for Junior, as she likes meat but she's treating it as a project and going for it. Has notebook to hand at all times, detailing what can and can't pass her lips. I'm doing it for the health benefits re rickety joints . Anyway, the VS are sending us a pack which should be rather educational for Junior.

I don't have meat but I will miss some dairy stuff......cheeses, especially the gooey, stringy mozzarella. Cheese is my downfall. Junior will miss coca cola. and chocolate. I need to find vegan cola! lol And ready make snacks. We like snacking.

And wine!! I have just read up on some of the animal derived ingredients that can end up in your plonk! Eeeew. Best start home brewing:o) lol I used to have loads of demi-johns, etc. Wonder if they still exist?

Anyway, Junior is busy freeing the fridge/freezer of anything non vegan...like chocolate cheesecake and ice cream. We are totally vegan from tomorrow.

The mogs are eyeing me with suspicion.....like....'Don't expect us to be in on this, matey!!' ....as if I would.....but......according to the gumph on the Vegan Society website. they could.........lol....

This week we will have a go at home made tofu and seitan (fake meat). If they turn out ok I shall post the recipes. The seitan one is supposed to be really good. I also found a recipe for Courgette Cake...in anticipation of our courgette glut.

Good job my kid likes her fruit and veg:o))

PS. We're having a go at making our own writing paper, pending delivery of paper making kit from big bro. Junior wants to make perfumed, lavendery, nice smelling stuff. Like the posh stuff you see in up market gift shops. The paper is destined to be Christmas presents. Five months should be long enough to perfect the process and get it right...do you think? We promise not to use bog roll. lol

Friday 11 June 2010

The New Cat Pen and Stuff

Sewing tin and book sent by my SPC friend. I am missing reading the book!!! It is such a good. read. Life seems a tad boring now!! lol


The new cat pen is up and running. There is the tunnel from the garden room (which is really a lean-to at the back of the hous) into the new pen (8ft long and 6ft high) and then a shed at the end for shelter. When funds permit there will be another run at the other side of the shed, so the mogs can look down the garden!! They are living in luxury!!! lol They also have the run of downstairs, so plenty of radiators to cuddle up to come winter time:o))

Olive in the new cat pen and chilling! lol


Ringo on the viewing shelf

Jimmy asleep on the shed roof.

Olive, Tinks, Ringo and LooLoo looking out

Bart...bird fixated!!

Tinks, Ringo, LooLoo and Bart...birds...again!!

The pen

Ringo

Jimmy awake...just!!

Wednesday 9 June 2010

SPC and Tofu

I received a parcel from a fellow SPC'r but don't know who sent it. Thank you, who ever you are:o) x

I'm now the proud recipient of a lovely sewing tin (with contents) and a book on sustainable living, which I've already read! Bloody good read. I will post piccies up when camera batteries charge up (they are taking forever nowadays).

The book has a recipe for home made tofu!! There's me searching high and low around here for affordable tofu....never thought you could make your own..doh...., so I will have a go. And a recipe to make your own sunflower oil!! Well...you learn something new everyday!!

Sewing kit has come in very handy as I try to ressurect my little craft biz. Helps to have sharp scissors and decent pins:o)) lol

Friday 4 June 2010

Headless Cat and Goodbye, Mr Peeps

Birdy no 2 did not make it, either:o(

I did my best and will miss the little peeps he made.

The garden worms will be breathing a sigh of relief.

Nearly had a decapitated cat this morning. The mogs were trying out the run. All was well. They found their preferred perching posts, shady parts, etc. I happened to come out and see the back end of a cat sticking out from underneath the shed....which is attached to the run and is the ' shelter in from the bad weather' bit of the run.

Ringo. Ringo. Ringo.

I heard this mournful, panicky miaow...then more....... and realised that he was actually stuck! Visions of fire brigade to the rescue began to race in my head. Junior squealed and panicked, as usual. We (ahem...bro) got the little blighter out, eventually, by jemmying a pickaxe under the shed and lifting it enough to drag poor Rings out. Mog was black bright!!! He didn't want any fuss (due to embarassment, I suppose) and just wanted to lay on the cool laminate inside and recover his dignity..... and he's now 'resting' on my bed.

The animals are conked out with the heat a the mo...so it's nice and peaceful....until night time when it obviously becomes cooler and so is then the time to PARTY! lol

Doctor gave me some more medication for the rickety joints and said she could see that my fingers are started to deform...so I have to see a consultant at hospital. I really don't want any more drugs. Anyway, I found a book on arthritis at a local charity shop which explains that it could be allergy related (by Dr John Mansfield). So, I'm going to have a go at following an elimination diet to see if it eases off the RA. Apparently, it has a high success rate. Who knows, might be able to wear, and actually walk in, my nice, summery shoes again:o)

Back to watering courgette plants. We have 7. Can't give the buggers away so it looks like we'll be having courgette everything to eat! lol Any recipes welcome:o)..especially for preserving or freezing.

Thursday 3 June 2010

Not too fussy an eater

The weaker nestling didn't make it:o(

However, the stronger one is hanging on. He sleeps, peeps, eats and poops. Consumes five worms in each sitting!! We are fast running out of these bird delicacies and might have to raid neighbours' gardens for more supplies. Junior is fed up of digging, so the little chap might have to make do with cat food for tonight's supper:o) Arachnaphobic daughter has suggested, quite gleefully, that maybe we could give birdie some spiders to munch.....as in vary his diet.

I'm off to reasearch. What do little nestlings like to eat? lol

Tweeting

So, I am the poor sod who lives with twelve cats..and a cat pecked dog.

What is the worst thing that you could imagine, new mouth to feed-wise?

More cats...or, perish the thought, another dog? Nah!!

I cop for it, good and proper.........

New tablets from doc. Me, tired out and sleepy, so had a quick nap. Then, I am called into the garden room by Junior. Waking me up mid sleep is a no no. Bad temper ensues, and all that. Seems that Popeye had caught his claw and Junior couldn't sort him as she was outside and Pop inside. So, I unhooked him. Then I got a load of abuse about 'my' washing!!!

I seem to wash all the time. Bedding gets changed daily, due to peri menopausal me and large cat population makes more work anyway. It makes sense to keep washing....keeping things clean.

Anyway, the washing gets pegged out on one of those whirly gig type of contraptions. No washing line here...at the mo. Whirly gig, adorned with washing..nearly dried...was, apparently, in the way of final construction of the pesky cat run. So, they, Junior and Bro, collapsed down the contraption, causing washing to trail on the ground! Arghhhhh, bloody, arghhhhh!!!

I was not best pleased. Packed my washing and went inside. mutter, mutter....

Was hoovering away..getting rid of bad temper, when I could hear Bro on the stairs, asking me if I was any good at first aid?

In they come....Bro and Junior, with an empty mushroom carton box containing two little hatchling birds. Birds!!! in this house!!!! Nooooooooooooooo

Apparently, bro heard a tweet and found the pair under the garden bench.

They are REALLY young....like bald as a coot young. So, takes them to RSPB neighbour. She checks them and advises that they have been well looked after to press, crops are full, tummies full, no parasites. Does not know what they are. They are too young to identify. The few feathers that have sprouted are blue and they have tufts on their, up to press, bald heads:o) Neighbour thinks that maybe the local crows had them and somehow dropped them. Then, I assume that mother's cat, Jimmy, brought them to the garden bench and was copped by bro before he could consume his bounty!

I have to feed them cat food.....every two hours!!! I have made paper tweezers so as to feed them safely without risk of prodding their throats to death. I tap on the side of the mushroom box and 'choo choo' at them and....bingo....mouths open for food:o)

I have done two feeds and am pooped.

The mogs have been evicted from my room as I am on feeding duty, obviously, and are currently sulking....giving bro havoc downstairs (he is a sofa man!) lol

Would be cool if I could raise these babies and set them free.......sigh.....

Tomorrow, if they survive, we are on a worm hunt. Chop up and feed to babies. Nice.