Daydream fund challenge part 4

alfie_1

hi all...


well it was warm today [24-25] but not the heat wave as predicted [more kent way apparently]


ive got to get/catch one of the Jacobs tomorrow ! its one of the 4 horned and its knocked off one of the lower smaller horn... spotted it today and it sure looks sore.. couldn't catch it so will make a concerted effort tomorrow.. got my purple spray ready ! will no doubt end up with more on me than her !!


ive decided that having "done" my lounge and the sun rooms next [its actually a 15 x 15 room with one wall of patio windows] im going to get a sofa bed instead of the single bed in there for when my mum stays over.
SO ive worked a deal that if it works I will be quids in;)

Davesnave

No heatwave here either, just some thundery rain, then it brightened -up.

Dr was coming to visit Horse Woman today, so I'm hoping she'll be admitted somewhere before long. So far the medics haven't been able to find out why she's permanently exhausted. She was fully coherent this morning and knew what day it was, computer password etc.but still kept falling asleep....:(

Not that I got that stupid computer to work with the mouse I got for her. It works fine on this one!!! :mad:

DaftyDuck

Heatwave here, 31°C on the fields. Perfect! We took this week off, planned some time ago, just so we could sort the ditches. So, it's this week that my beloved is sitting in an all-glass cab, driving a five tonne digger. It's pretty hot in there, and I would feel sorry for her.... Except Idiot Boy here had volunteered to be the one with the shovel and gloves, sorting out all the bilge 'er indoors dug out of the ditches, sorting it into heaps for our mini tractor, two trailers, and a wheelbarrow.

I have never leaked so much in my life - it was truly disgusting (hope you are all enjoying your supper... ). I had a towel, until that got soaked, then I just dripped! I drank 2 two-litre bottles of water in the field, plus endless cups of tea on each visit inside.

She might not have had air conditioning, but she did have a big fan! And she just laughed at me! So cruel, such a meanie....

We, too, are doing the conservatory bit and, today at 2, one of the chaps turned up to discuss details. I had showered, and did warn him, but I think I was as red as a strawberry throughout. He didn't stay long - but is probably the one we'll go with, as his product is good, and he has a local reputation for good workmanship.

Then it was back to the fields. Made quite bearable by the wildlife. At one point we had six buzzards over our woods, keeing away and wheeling up on thermals from the slope until they vanished into the blue. A while later, a pair of Marsh Harriers were low over the wetland, where we think they may have nested (but no sign of a youngster, whereas I think two of the buzzards were this years' young, and have all bred in our wood). There were a very attentive pair of swans with cygnets that nested on the water meadow, and a heron further down by the river, and that's one of the reasons why digging had to wait. You could barely move for the dragonflies, who were in ecstasy at all the midges and mosquitos we were feeding, then feeding on to them...

We were out until dark, re-erecting the electric fence to keep the stock in, and were joined by the bats (further revenge on the skeeters) and owls.

Considering less than a year ago this land was fairly barren of wildlife, with anything that moved (or didn't - several traffic cones and a door would agree) was shot or poisoned, it's already been a remarkable turn-around.

So, although I feel a little sick from heatstroke (tea will fix all), and my balding bonce is as red as a snooker ball from the sun, it's been a good three days out in the land. Two more days until the digger goes, then we can rest a little. Next week is also off work, and we haven't yet got anything major planned. Might just sit down during the day, and sleep in in the mornings. Zzzzzzz.....

Dave - well done with HW. The last elderly neighbour we had was a livewire, but willing to accept help when she needed, which made all the difference. Unwilling elderly is worse than unwilling teens... you have my sympathy!

Alfie - keeping the flies off your Jacob's horn will be a real problem in the heat and humidity. You can make a face mask bandage from gauze for the first few days and, surprisingly, they don't seem to take it straight off. (I love four horns... I've seen a wonderful Manx Loaghtan with six amazing horns, but he's too-well-loved to be acquired!) It does help being married to a vet when getting sprays that actually do something!

Right, time to drink some more fluids, then make some supper! Out bright and early to top up my sun[STRIKE]burn[/STRIKE]tan

SeeYaAll

alfie_1

blimey dafty... your a glutton for punishment !!


thaks for advice re sheep.... alas it would give ayrton senna a run for his money !! I was working up a sweat trying to corner it armed with my purple spray which needless to say, I now have a tie dyded white top !! [yep stupid vanity in "catching the sun" rather than practical]
farrier is due tomorrow and the gardener lads will be on the premises so hopefully I will manage between us to rugby tackle it .... farrier wont be impressed .... [he crawls off after being bent double from doing the mini's .... ]

choille

Goodness you've all been mega busy.

If they lose a horn it tends to bleed mega lots, but is usually fine - I got some yellow fly stuff ointment that I've found useful, but the purple spray should do the trick I think.

Good for you Dafty on all the ditch digging.

It's been quite overcast & we had a big bang of thunder & a downpour, but it's decidedly coolish - very Autumnal here.

Dave - you are a good neighbour. I hope she does get some more care & you can be less worried about her. It would be good if she just went in for a bit of assessment - possibly, but she probably is too independently minded to want that.

Davesnave

Well, HW is in hospital, being assessed, no arguments.:T

I think son finally was forced to realise it would all end very badly if he didn't put pressure on, and the Dr would have seen her weight loss and lack of energy for herself..... We just had to go in there today to sort out the panic alarm thingy, which someone had switched off at the mains, so the Panic People phoned us, panicking! :rotfl:

As for us, we have DD1 and family here again for the week, so our work rate isn't anything like normal, and we can't even blame the heatwave Dafty's having.

Sam, confronted with a locked sideboard and no key, went off, found one of my old car keys and within 5 minutes he'd picked the lock. This marks a progression from escaping the nursery's baby class by studying their security gate. That kid is going to make us all rich one day.....

Our sheep are looking healthy here. I wish I could say the same for some of the apple trees! I have most of the good 'uns protected, fortunately, but they've trashed one of the cider jobbies completely. Probably some rare Devon variety in danger of extinction; well, it is now!

DaftyDuck

My mum used to switch hers off, and leave the panic button in the hall.
"I know where it is, and will get it if I need to"..... was her answer.

I learned to pick locks at uni... Starting at five is impressive . . .

Dave, you are no spring chicken... Ever lived near Hatton Gardens?

Davesnave

Sam is not yet 2......At this rate, he'll be hacking into bank accounts by the time he's 5. They start at nursery very young these days. I used to disapprove of surrogate child-rearing practices, but in his case it seems to be working out.

I was quite shocked, however, when Mum casually mentioned that one of his peers was being kept down in the baby class this term, "because she hasn't learned how to walk." Stigmatised for life! :eek:

I was briefly in offices not far from Hatton Garden (singular) back in the 60s.....

Speaking of gardens, I snapped a photo of a new house with a vertical garden whilst driving through Exeter two days ago. Will post shortly. It looked good, but for how long?

choille

Glad HW is being assessed. You can breath a bit easier dave.

GS sounds promising. Goodness they do start young these days.

Massive thunderstorm through the night. Seem to have lost the phone but not the internet which I can't understand.
Lovely bright day, but been awake most of the night so feel jiggered.

Davesnave

choille wrote: »

Glad HW is being assessed. You can breath a bit easier dave.

GS sounds promising. Goodness they do start young these days.

Massive thunderstorm through the night. Seem to have lost the phone but not the internet which I can't understand.
Lovely bright day, but been awake most of the night so feel jiggered.

'Phone and internet are different. When I reset our router, as I have to about once a week because of 'phone interference, the 'phone's not affected, but internet takes about 2 minutes to load up again.

Starting young at nursery is important if Mum's the main breadwinner, but this Mum often needs a toddler in her work too. Clients typically have a romantic image of babies and young children. An afternoon catering for Sam dispels those notions quickly!

The other up-side is that it's a very good nursery with an outstanding level of care, so he's never shown any reluctance to go. Some kids are very introverted and clingy, but not him.