What?

Bloody hell......we have...SUNSHINE!!!!     Yay.

Pigs and Peanut Butter

Maple syrup is on offer at our local Co-op.  A third off and it's still extortionate!  £3.99 a bottle.  Yikes. And, nobody sells tofu or vegi cheese around here.  Or tahini.  Someone open a vegetarian/vegan supermarket, please?  If you do, make it within walking distance of our house!  lol

We are attempting to make home made dog biscuits today.  Peanut butter and apple flavour.  Might save a bit on the dentasticks that Cilla seems to be getting addicted to and that are bulking up the old waistline!  Her breath is ok, though:o)

We signed a petition today to object to an American style pig firm that they want to open in the south of the county.  25,000 pigs on one farm, right next door to a women's prison, too.  The prison is objecting because of the health issues to the women.  Fair enough..but what about the poor piggies?   Gah!  World is going stark, raving mad. Awful stuff.

Gratuitous piccy of The Old Ladies...in the days before the other 9 arrived:o)

Still Here - Language, Timothy.

Well, am still here..going on and on and on and on!  lol

Darth Vader is still with us!

She gives me a run for my money, so to speak.  Arghhh!

I will update, soon.

Hope you are all ok.

Please say a prayer for Ukraine and all my rellies there.  Tell Putin to F**k off.

It never stops

Love how Gill puts things across so eloquently.  

There has been a bit of aggro lately with some trying to take over the home ed world, thinking they know best and trying to speak for us all.  Not happening!  We are all different.  We all home ed in our own particular way.  Don't need ID cards to prove you home ed or to get into venues and you CERTAINLY should not be paying for them when you can print your own up for free!

You should be able to discuss freely, without (1) censorship or (2) threat.  It has happened and still is going on.  If you are being booted off a site just for asking questions that are relevant, then that site doesn't have home ed best interests at heart. imo.  Just its own.  Blocking or booting people off because you don't like the questions being asked just means that the picture painted is not exactly truthful.  Enter the naive newbies!  Like lambs to slaughter.  Can't be warned by the wise and experienced because of 1 and 2 above.  Don't allow these people to slowly eradicate our hard fought home ed rights.  Don't forget Badman and Balls!  The stuff of nightmares.

http://sometimesitspeaceful.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/my-thoughts-on-home-education-id-and.html

Door Stop

Junior decided to bake last night...at 9.30pm.  Cake came out of the oven at 11.30pm!   She baked it first for 25 mins and had a look.  Said it was still liquidy, so put it back in.  Came out not liquidy! And, It weighs a fair bit.  Home made brick.   lol   Hmmmmm...Anyway, it needs eating up, so we had a piece today.  Next piece we have, I suspect, will be with custard to help it go down.

Munchies

I know I'm talking to myself.  At least I have a record of what I say.  lol

It is late.  11.38pm.  Munchie time in our house.

The animals like to eat at this time.  We had the 'share a packet of ham' time earlier on.  All the mogs congregate for their bit.  Tinks, you can hear her 'nom nomming'.  Very funny.   Looloo and Popeye always turn up late!    I can hear Muppet aka Darth Vader slobberingly eating her grub...in peace.    Meg is munching on biscuits.  Spook is eating, too.  All well and happy.  Litters cleaned..      Wonder if little Darthy will leave me another little pressie tonight?

Today, I spent ages grooming our lot.  8 cats done.  3 and the dog left to do.  They all get  groomed weekly in this weather.  Amazing how much they moult.

Earlier on tonight, on my way up to the shops, I spotted a stray ginger and white.  I thought that when I come back, I would grab it and try and sort it out.  Couldn't find it.  I will try again tomorrow evening.  The poor thing looked awful.  Walking all wobbly.  I can't believe that such shit goes on in this day and age.  I have a neighbour/former friend who thinks that food banks aren't needed and those who use them are just scroungers and lazy buggers.  People on benefits are the scum of the earth, type of thing.   I despair at the lack of empathy of some people.  It's such an unattractive feature.  Ack... You know those cartoons where the characters jump up and down in frustration?  Well, that's me at the moment.

Memories

So, I took advantage of early retirement......before this government decides to screw me out of everything I've worked for.  State retirement age gets  worse.  I'll never make it!     Pension just covers the rent.  That's it.  Why take early retirement?   Rickety joints. ...... Hurt like FUCK!  Sorry for the language, but it hurts.  You try being all happy and la la when you can't climb up or down stairs, get in the bath, get on or off the loo, put your hair into a pony tail, open jars/bottles, chop food/wipe your arse,  etc.   Makes you extremely bad-tempered, narky...whatever.  Can't do what you want to do..decorate the house, clean the house.......  Fatigue, blah, blah, blah.  Pay all your life into the 'system'.  Does it pay you back?   Bleurghhhh!   Nooooo...you have to pay MORE taxes.  Can you get help with appropriate housing?  You need somewhere without stairs.     Hahahahaha.....joke.   Nooo....pay more taxes..... Got to keep the big guys in council going.  Big fat six figure salaries, while the rest of us live below minimum wage/poverty line.  Gah.  They don't give a shoo about us.   Politicians.  All as bad.  Only ever come round when it's voting time.  Sometimes, they don't even bother with that!  Never mind.  They've got £69,000 minimum to live on per annum....plus expenses....

Still with us

I was worried a while back...about a certain 17 year old mog....Muppet aka Darth Vader......she of 'The Snore'.   She has nodules in her nose.  She's too old for ops and all that.  As long as she's happy then I'll not bother with the vet and all that.

So, she's still with us, obviously.  A fighter.  That's the feral bit.  I don't mean as in fisticuffs, but in existence.

She has started to come to me more.  Wants to be near..but not too near.  Always on her terms.  She has this cute little trill.  Half miaow, half Rrrrrrrrr.   Gets me every time..and the other mogs tolerate her...almost protectively.  There are plenty of soft surfaces to lie and relax on here, but she prefers the wooden floorboards or laminate or floor tiles.   Tough as old boots.

She nags for England.  Miaow, miaow, miaow..trill......  For food, milk...anything.    My little 'Why am I miaowing?' alzheimer mog. xx

Ah, yes.  Sweet and lovely little elderly Darthy.  Shits at the drop of a hat.  Nine times out of ten, not in the cat litters........sigh........AND...her sister, Spooky, is nearly as bad.  A portly mog.  Cantankerous...so the others give her 'what for'.  Spook's another fighter, though.  Toughie. x

I have just fed the mogs, again.  They have all retired to comfy beddings.  Darthy is asleep....flat out on the laminate flooring!  Snoring away.  Bless.

Oh Dear

I have been neglecting this blog somewhat.   Bad Min!  Or maybe I'm done with being a Schooler and want to be a 'REAL ME'.  Hmmmmmm...  

Rebel with a cause

We  have bumblebees in our garden.  They are nesting under one of the sheds.   And, we have tree bees, too.  Good job I let the garden go a bit.  Lots of wild flowers for them to seek out and munch, speak.

And...our nesting blackbirds have....produced.  This little lady came within 2 feet of me.  She is so lovely.

Olive posing, with Popeye in the background.....'let me at them thar birds!'   They swoop down and torment my felines.  Haha.

I knew the bumble bees'd come back.  And the frogs.  Yay!  They know a good gig!   Yay.   Pfffffffff   to the politically correct gardening neighbours!!!  I've got birds nesting, frogs, bees, etc.  You have ......?

The real reason for the badger cull

/http://www.farmingmonthly.co.uk/livestock/animal-health/7017-a-case-of-foot-in-mouth-for-defra-as-their-own-evidence

Brock the Badger

Ooooo!    Am outraged at the badger cull.  Protected, they are supposed to be.

We are a hypocritical species....and very arrogant!  Deserve all we get!

Dr Brian May..respect. xx

Explosions

What can I say..... except that we send love and hugs to those who have been affected by the bombs in Boston and the explosion in West, Texas.  We are thinking of you.   xxxxx

Just Pray

My daughter in law is in hospital with pre eclampsia.  She is only 34 weeks on.  She's not been well with this pregnancy for a bit.  Looking it up on the internet, she has had the classic symptoms of PE.   The baby is very small (3lbs) and they think they might induce birth tomorrow...so the baby could be 'here' on Monday.   She and Son no 2 said they wanted me at the birth...so I am on tenterhoooks.  Can't wait to meet my newest, dearest grandaughter.

I am praying that Mum and Baby will be fine.  Please send them positive thoughts.

 

The Joys of Animal Ownership Part 5 - She's having me on!!

Darth Vader is still with us.   Yay!

Yes, her backside still has a mind of its own.... I spend time putting newspapers around the litter entrances, in case of 'misses'.    What does she do?  Misses  on purpose.   Yes, I am sure of it.  It's like she's saying "I'll bloody well make sure you remember me!'

Don't know what it is, but the mogs seem to be settling down at bedtime.    It's probably the cold weather and so the lure of a nice warm radiator/bed is much more tempting than a cold, windy cat run.  Keeping them fed and warm keeps ensures a peaceful...ish night.  Half a dozen mogs on your feet tends to stop blood flow!  lol.   Anyway...

The Joys of Animal Ownership Part 6 - Feline Matches in Our House.

The Joys of Animal Ownership Part 4 - Saying Goodbye

It sucks.

Little Darth Vader is not well at all.   She is so old. So thin....it goes with the 'territory' apparently.   She wheezes away..happily lounging on the window sill....above a hot radiator!...Bum warming is her favourite activity nowadays...and eating and crapping to excess.   She doesn't always wheeze,

Today, I noticed that she had some nose snot.  blood coloured.  Maybe that means that her nose nodules have bust a bit.  I dunno.  Don't want her to suffer but, equally, don't want to give up on her easily just because she is old.  She seems happy enough.  Being a semi-feral she has been a complete PAIN up the A.... when it comes to being a 'normal cat' re petting, flea treatment, worming, etc.  But, nowadays, she seems to want attention and...closeness,  She'll let me groom her now.  Wow!   She'll still do a sneaky on me and crap on the bedroom floor!  Ack!  Not a nice aroma at 4am!!!  The other mogs approach her and she trills....and they back off in respect.  You have to see it to believe it.

Still... I will blub when 'the time comes'...and it's not too far now.

Ow!

Heart broken, already.  That's why I spoil my Old Lady.

She crapped at 8pm tonight...so next one is?........

Bog roll at the ready...

The Joys of Animal Ownership part 3 - The Pecking Order

It is quite simple.

Those nice mogs come first.   Then the dog....Then we mere humans.

The Joys of Animal Ownership Part 2 - Puking

That retching sound!  Not something you want to hear at 4am...especially if it's under the bed!

You can hear them starting with the gloop, gloop, gloop.  So, I race towards the noise and try and usher the little vomit freak to somewhere more suitable re; more easily wipeable surface.  Sigh...  They don't have favourite 'puking sites'.  Anywhere will do, although they often try to camouflage their 'present' against the rug or carpet..or under a chair.   If they've 'chameleoned' it then chances are you'll put your foot in it!  Ack.

And the vomiting?  It's usually due to over stuffing or fur balls.  The latter are mank!  So we groom them alot.

Yesterday evening I felt sorry for Darth Vader and opened her a tin of tuna.  She sucks on her food nowadays and I thought mushed up fish would be ok for her.  It was.  She ate a bit and Tinks had a bit. The others weren't bothered.  Anyway, I turns my back for a minute and it was all gone.  Hmmm...one of the others must have eaten it.

Five minutes later, I can hear the gloop, gloop, gloop coming from the lounge and there they were.  Two nice piles of nice, warm bleurgh....courtesy of the dog!     Greedy little toerag had burgled the tuna from behind my back.   She thinks cat food is nicer than her Senior Dog Food and so will nick it before eating her own.  From now on, she's barred to the other side of the dog gate until feline feeding time is over.

Feeding time leads on  to the next.   The Joys of Animal Ownership Part 3 - The Pecking Order.

The Joys of Animal Ownership, Part 1...Bullying

It goes on everywhere.  It sucks, as they say...especially in the feline world.

Well, Spook..one of the Old Ladies, is a cantankerous little sod, I have to say.  But, she is just set in her ways.  However, some of the younger mogs delight in 'ambushing' her.    Let me say that this does her no good....16 year old heart and all that....and she poops herself when they do that to her.    So, I am protective of her...and her sis Darth Vader..(.but she is much more wiley and streetwise and has the others 'sussed and under control'.  :o)))  )   Muppet.aka Darth Vader, is a skinny little thing.  Spook is not.  Think basketball on legs.   Spook sleeps at my side on the bed.  Protection for her..and I don't blame her.   The others usually prefer to be at the foot of or under the bed.  Popeye will do his best to harass her, if he's about.  He is just a naughty, loveable boy.   Tinks likes to ambush en-route to or from the litter.  Spook isn't fussed.  She'll crap anywhere!!  Bowels aren't what they used to be!!

So, I am on a mission for 'A peaceful night's sleep'.    If I separate the 'unruly' lot from the 'goodies' then there is pandemonium.  PARTAY!!!  If I let them kip together, then my day starts at 5am.   To any feline lover...that is......litter time!!...and then all the house is awake!  Arghh.  To any Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer....anyone who interrupts your kip (unless it's your bladder and co')...then......grrrrr.

I would not be bothered in the slightest if we lived in a detached house.....if only.......  The mogs just like to play....at the wrong time of day, of course!  It's just how it is.   We can hear our neighbours all the time. They don't see it that way, though.

Tip:   If you, for some reason, find yourself 'with kitten'....DON'T fall for the 'Oh, Mummy, can we keep them all...I'LL LOOK AFTER THEM..PROMISE!'  Pah!

The Joys of Animal Ownership.  Part 2 coming up....puking!  Bleurgh!!!

Is it Summer time? Nah, not here.

It's still cold...freezing.  I'm having to wear fingerless gloves IN THE HOUSE!  We still have a bus load of snow in the back garden and I have only just managed to prise my way out of the back door.  With the garden room..which is really a greenhouse,lean-to type of construction, every time I open the door..down comes a whole wodge of snow and ice because of the vibrations.  Not good if it lands on your head.  So, we have avoided the back until now.  I had to hack away the snow and ice and chiselled a little path to the main garden using a garden hoe.    Can't put salt down to 'melt' the snow and ice because of the dog.   Went out there, to the bottom and put some food out for the birds.  Mealworms (Eeew) and bread crumbs.  I doubt they'll eat them.  Don't know why that is because they do come into the garden and the sparrows are nesting in the hedge.  Could be that my 'bird cuisine' is not up to scratch?   Never put mealworms down before, though, so maybe they'll eat them.   

Poor Junior has not been feeling well.  She has started with the lurgy.. - 'bunged-up sore throat'..as she puts it.  So, she has been miserable and ratty.  The mogs have sensed this and the majority of them have 'stayed well clear'...and bunked in with me!   lol    I bought her some nail varnish to cheer her up.  When all else fails.... lol.

Now that I have sort of managed to suss out my new camera,  here are some gratuitous pics.

Henry and Tinks looking out at the white stuff.  There's a radiator under this window sill, so they are multi-tasking and bum warming as well as surveying the land.

Henry with his 'Have you seen that...where's it coming from?' look.  He's a very talkative, friendly and nice chap.  He trills and talks away to Junior.   Tinks has a new fetish and likes to play with hair bobbles.  We hide them but the mog still finds them.  You can hear her 'pinging' them around the house.

She smiles:o)