Just a few pictures to add no blackcap though he was staying well hidden (tut)
Oh yes I will go and change the water again!!!!

I cant believe it is Friday already where has this week gone to? Luckily I am not back to work until Tuesday then it will be a short week, as I am on a fire course (how to put out not start) Hmmm wonder if it will be run by firemen??

Well its quite busy in the garden this morning, blackcap is a regular visitor now, but I do worry he doesnt seem to have a mrs blackcap to play with. The blue tits are chasing off the teaspoons and coal tits this morning and the jackdaws are chasing off the pigeons and magpies. Dunnocks well they cant seem to make up their minds who they want to mate with. Blackbird numbers are gradually reducing as the older male is chasing the others off, mrs is still building her nest. Have seen more bumbles about and just now outside a ladybug so at last things are starting to wake up...just need some hogs now!

So (always taught never to start a sentence with so..) I will set up the camera and see if I can get some more blackcap photos as I know of some one who hasnt seen one as yet this year!!

Well 2 days to go...odd really I was thinking today about being on my own and was thinking about stuff I might need to do, well Im ok with the electrics and water stop (found that when the tap came off). Im quite practical in many ways but the main thing that I am worried is about the lawnmower my first and last time I used it I ran over the spare washing line that was on the grass and it got sucked into the blades and motor, which led to the lawnmower making some very odd noises and me switching it off and running inside to face a not very happy man!

However there are people that I can ring that live local if I do get in a bind so am sure I will be ok, perhaps look for someone who can cut the grass once a week!

Well out tomorrow think Ive got my timings right so I can go to both places.. Oh it will be a long night and im not looking forward to my head Saturday morning! So if I do put anything on here tomorrow night please ignore it :)

Well managed to get a bit of fresh air but the birds were not playing ball! So I am posting some flower pictures for you to look at .. Thankfully I came in when I did as it is now starting to rain. I feel a little better than I did yesterday even though the house has been turned upside down! Still its going to be hard living on my own again. I will probably end up one of those women with 20 cats!!!!

The packing begins!!! Hate packing me so am just watching and adding the odd encouraging comment!

Cranberrys..Twister

How come all music I listen to I can relate to the words??

Anyway, days shopping wasnt too bad, managed to get a good discount on the goods bought and after 4 hours still didnt have a row, so result! Stopped on the way back for dinner, nice not to have to cook for a change..oo deacon blue: chocolate girl another good track!. Well all shopping done now, just the packing to go then that will be it!

Out on friday have to places to go, arnt I popular!!! Leaving do and a leaving do! One with people from work another with 5 burly crane drivers and phill! Oh what a choice..On & On Erykah Badu now this lady can sing! So will try and goto both luckily both in the same town so should be able to do it! Will see.

One thing I hate is goodbyes rather not say it at all than go through the whole goodbye thing, just upsets me too much, I know I will be upset when Phill goes silly I know but he is my best mate, and well good mates arnt that easy to come by. Also my work buddie is going to and will miss him also, he is my staying late buddie at work, he knows I dont like to stay on my own....ah old fave desperado!....so he always stays with me, oh why does stuff have to change? Note to self dont write blog so late! Still I guess thats how life moves on and all that and christ ive moved on often enough but then to be fair ive always been running away from something, good at that me....hotel California another good track!...Still Ive stopped running for now at least trying to face things and work through them as best as I can, struggle most of the time, but hey im still here!

Sorry for blog tonight, unfortunately I seem to be on my way down again, but im thinking its just because what is happening around me, hope so anyway. dire straits romeo and juliet another track that I can relate too.... oh well I guess ive bored you enough for one night, so im going to listen to this track then be off!

One of my most favourite things is listening to music and I can listen to pretty much anything, even better when you can sing along to it too! So what am I listening to tonight at the moment its arms of loren, which takes me back to when I was 20 and clubbing back in Scunthorpe!! I used to work in an Hotel that used to hold dance nights a friend and I lived opposite and it was known after that finished at 2 am for the dj's to set up their decks in our kitchen (I had great neighbours). I would come back from working a 10 hour shift to an all night party, apart from when our electric run out, then a mad dash to the 24 hour to get more credit! The noise was so loud never any bother at all though, then everyone would disappear come lunchtime the next day, and I would be up and off back to work...Good times!!

Simon and Garfunkel that reminds of camping when I was 16 in a field sat round a camp fire and a friend playing his guitar and us all singing s&g songs.

Van Morrison well that reminds me of my first love I was 16 he was 24, doomed from the start as I was banned from seeing him, still didnt stop me sneaking out to see him. Of course it ended in disaster and me well having my heart broken. Still it takes me back to when you spend all day thinking of when you will see him, not being able to sleep or eat. Finding yourself just standing still not really knowing why you are but you are, just thinking of your love and how you cant wait to see him counting the minutes and seconds. Oh and that first kiss..you cant wait yet so scared in case it all goes wrong. When you are in front of some one looking into their eyes and you are shivering uncontrollably just waiting to see who will make the first move, then when he brushes your hair from your face so softly and lovingly you do not want to be any where else in the world, almost wishing that time will stop still now so you will always feel this way. Then just lightly at first a brush of his lips and your tummy leaps and you almost feel dizzy and that you will fall, butterflies dancing madly, heart pounding, body aching until you melt into his arms and you suddenly realise you are kissing the guy of your dreams yes you! Then well its normally all a blur after that but you feel the happiest person alive...

Oh aint falling in love grand!

Hows the holiday?!?

Well so far have been shopping YUCK! One thing I hate the most in the world is traipsing round shops looking at clothes, in overly hot shops, been pestered by the shop assistants and also being rammed by buggies! NO NO NO

Did manage to buy a cable for my i/r light but now the i/r light refuses to work, oh what else?!? Oh yes another shopping trip planned for tomorrow. Oh dear I must have been very wicked in a former life!

Ickle

Another Hog story...

This is a hog that was found in the garden in October after monitoring him for a short while, I decided he was too small to last out the winter. On his first weighing he was just under 400lbs and really they need to be 600lbs as a rule and also they need to be round rather than thin and pinched.

So one night he was caught as they are prickly animals I do recommend you use gloves else OUCH! Checked him over and he seemed fine no ticks at all, to be honest not many fleas either so he went into his temporary accommodation which he didnt like at all and spent most of the night scratching. Good sign I thought.

Next day he went to stay with a friend of mine who has more room for a better run for him. He was fed on a diet of fresh organic chicken each night and was soon piling on the pounds. He was no bother and didnt need much looking after really.

Well about a month later he was 600 lbs and round, he was also very active again and scratching, as it was still mild here i decided to release him as the stress of being in captivity was too much. He was released and continued to come back til mid December. He did go in his box, but decided the pile of leaves was a better option!

Picture to the left is when I first found him, picture to the right is on his release, you can see the difference!!

Last night as it was quite mild, the heating was off and we had a window slightly open to let some air in, then a moth flew in. First I have seen this year, it headed straight for the light, that led me to shout "Dont go into the light!!!" Switched off the light and tried in vain to catch the flitty little thing but he was too quick, then he dived under the sofa. I waited and looked but he wasnt coming out. Eventually he did come out and I managed to catch him and put him outside!

Late edit

Well first sighting of two bats tonight swooping about the garden they are fairly small and boy are they fast! No hogs as yet, but on the cam I can now see 6 slugs!

Quiet Sunday

Very quiet day today, done a bit in the garden and the resident robin seems to be getting tamer. Apart from that havnt done much at all, have got a few pc problems that Im still trying to fix! Blinkin computer

As it has been mentioned to me that my blog hasnt been very informative here is a blow by blow account of my day so far.

Got up about midday was feeling quite tired from my evening out, which was better than expected really. At 7 o'clock last night I was thinking about giving it a miss, but made myself go. Was a good evening went bowling not my first choice and the food was well cold and late and not particularly what I would normally choose to eat or go, but as I didnt actually make the choice for where we would go or eat it didnt really feel right for me to complain. However I did manage a strike but unfortunately the computer thing was broke so it didnt record my one and only strike!

Got in quite late had a cup of coffee then went to bed. Woke up about midday feeling slightly groggy so stumbled out of bed, read a text message then went and had a shower to wake me up. Had a cup of tea then checked my emails, had another cup of tea and decided I was hungry, damn no food in the house off to the shop for some supplies. Came back was cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, whilst making some lunch and chatting on yahoo, now thats multitasking!!

Finished my lunch then went outside to clean the feeders, with the help of a very cheeky robin, who at one point was so close I could have patted on the head! Let the feeders dry chatted a bit too boo. Fed the ants some sugar, although now the rain has washed it away. I have now filled up the feeders again, so the birds are much happier!!

Plans now, well hoover (maybe) I need to find some video editing software so will have a look for that! Hope that is more informative for you : )

Good afternoon

Ooops slept in, so have missed most of the morning! Oh well its been a long week and was home late so thats my excuse!

Looks lovely out there this morning if not a little too bright for my sensitive eyes loads of birds flitting about and singing their little hearts out. What a lovely spring day...ooh and just seen mr blackcap too, well im gonna go and try and get some work done in the garden...

What a difference

a day makes, today its raining now thats ok as the garden needs the rain as do we with all this talk of a hose pipe ban looming and water shortages, just dont like the way the shy is all grey and bleak, oh well..

Well the garden is fairly busy this morning, a squirrel is back in the garden trying its hardest to break the nut feeder its only a young one too. The blackbirds are now scrapping with the starlings chasing them all over the garden as are most of the birds this morning. 4 redheads were chasing all over too must be a sign of spring.

My new bed has also got more signs of life more seedlings are popping up, and I also noticed a cowslip coming through too. All in all Im feeling quite positive still which is so nice after the last few weeks. Plus its Friday and Im not working next week either YIPEEE!

Nearly Friday

Well what a lovely sunny day it is today! Bit cold but nice to see some sunshine, even the birds are singing more loudly and brightly. Which reminds me I need to order some more bird food, looked in the shed last night and the stocks are getting a wee bit though and since the greenfinches come back the sunflower hearts are going down very quickly! More surprisingly here too is that they are starting to eat nuts as well, not normally a favorite in my garden.

Oh isn't it nice when the sun is shining, makes you feel so much better, maybe I will skip back to work!

Ok I tend to moan a lot well so ive been told, so true to form Im gonna moan some more, after all its my blog and I will moan if I want too (enough singing)
Well today has been pretty strenuous for me as I have had a high number of people moaning at me. Now we all get frustrated when things dont go the way we want them too or when things go wrong and I completely understand this and empathise. However please spare a thought for the person you are moaning at after all we are only human and show me some-one who hasnt made a mistake and I will point out a liar! Sometimes systems go wrong and that can lead to upset, I understand this but please just think of the poor soul thats had it in the neck all day yet still manages to smile and sorts out as best as she can do, your problems and sometimes all we can say is sorry...

Maybe I should change my job, sometimes I find it hard to remain apologetic when you are being shouted at called rude names and on one occasion hit. Ok thats the extreme but hey it happens. So please try and stay calm as the calm ones get more done!!

Brave or Silly?

Ok I use tepid water at this time of year and test with my elbow of course. However as soon as Ive changed the water in the bird bath all the starlings come down for a bath! They must be mad!!! Plus after 10 starlings have washed and brushed in it, I have to change the water again wonder if a NO BATHING sign will work?

Flippin heck its cold

BRRRRGGHHH, when is spring coming? Have just sent some more faxes off to the inland revenue so hopefully that will keep them happy and they will stop sending us notices of fines, well we can hope anyway.

Not a great deal happening in the garden some of the daffs are starting to show some seeds I have sown are also starting to show, but the frosts expected this week may wipe them out poor things. Hogs? No still none as yet, although I have noticed that something has been digging the soil which Im guessing could be a cat. I might check the hog box though just in case...

Well the camera appears to be still
working, although it does keep switching itself off....odd thought I would share some pictures.

Here is a very relcutant greenfinch who is refusing to come down this morning.

Been quite busy in the garden quite a few teaspoons, redheads, blue tits, great tits blackbirds, starlings, doves, greenfinches, chaffinches, robins, dunnocks.. 

Oh dear

Bit of a disastrous morning really, I set my alarm for silly o'clock to watch the race, but didnt really have a hope in hell of getting up, so didnt put the TV on as I though I could watch the re-run later this afternoon. Thought I would be safe with the radio, but they have announced who has one etc....hate it when that happens.

Made some toast which burnt luckily it didnt catch on fire!!! Just now I set my camera up on its tripod but hadnt adjusted the thing that keeps it there, you guessed it CRASH!! Now it keeps switching itself off . Ive stubbed my toe so have spent 10 mins hopping round the room like a crazed women.

Think im going to go back to bed and get up again when Im not so disastrous......... not a happy bunny me

House hunting

Its true when they say you know if the house is for you within 10 seconds, and the one we went to see today took about 3. Big No, now im not the worlds best at housekeeping but if you are selling a house it helps if it is presented clean, or at least put the toilet seats down so I dont have to see... think you can see where I am heading. For what the house was and the money that would have to be spent on it, I think that it was hugely overpriced, oh well keep looking. So far only one has been the nearly perfect home but would prefer the garden to be bigger and the house not on a main busy road, but I can compromise on these I guess.

Well apart from that watched qualifying which still confuses the hell out of me, buttons 2nd on the grid lots have changed their engines too, so a muddled grid for tomorrow, wonder if I will get up at 6 to watch it, well I will set the alarm and see. I have also washed some of the inside windows but was told I hadn't done it correctly so could not do the others as he will do the rest this week (works every time!)

Oh sore throat and swollen glands......why is it come the weekend you start to feel ill?

Four Hours to go...

and Im free for two days! I have also booked a week off, just have to juggle some courses about that I am booked on, then I get a whole week off!!

Plans for the weekend, well some more house hunting and planning so not quite what I would like to be doing but has to be done. Hope to get out on Sunday but am not holding my breath

Very cold here at the moment and as I look out the window it is pretty quiet out there on the bird front, still no sign of hogs as yet I think still a wee bit too early and who can blame them really..

Ok Ok..

I know I havnt added owt for today, but I do have a very good excuse!! Not much has happened today and havnt been home til late so lets think...erm thinking what can I post...something witty prehaps? Sentimental? Oh crap (sorry boo) cant think of anything so will try harder tomorrow....

Thanks..

Well I have had to wash my hair this evening after coming home thanks to Mr pigeon, splat right in the middle of my head!! Off to look at a house in a bit looks like we need to hurry up with everything!

Well I never came home for lunch and saw two birds in the tree was excited as I though they were wrens, and stone me they were goldcrests!!!!! Got some dodgy blurred pics I will post later, but YIPEEE another new visitor!!

Wheres my snow?

Still waiting....

Glad to be home

Have been on my own most of the day and am quite dizzy from all the work I have done. I spend most well all of my day talking to people and well some times I can trip over my own tongue which has caused me some embarrassing moments so thought I would share some, sorry if you have heard them before...

When I was working in an hotel, I was on breakfast and my back was playing up a little, male customer walks in and sees me stretching and asks me if I am ok which I promptly reply to him...Oh yes but dont you just hate it when you wake up stiff in the morning! !

One customer was talking about farthings and I said Oh I dont remember farting!

Another time and another male customer was asking how much I wanted for something, he gave me some money but was short, he asked me what I wanted and I said Sex please (meant to say 6!)

Names I struggle with big time!! The times I have been corrected on them! Its not my fault. Ive called mr's mrs and mrs mr's. Oh the embarrassment!

One lady (another hotel story) came down in a right fluster really angry and was going to leave!! I tried to calm her down asked her what was wrong.."its ridiculous" what is? "how can I bring my kettle down and leave at reception" sorry I dont understand "your sign it says there, leave you kettle at reception" erm no madam that says leave your KEY at reception..

So its not just me Horay!

I think the worse thing is when you are talking to some-one and neither of you have a clue what the other is on about. It can take a while for the penny to drop thats for sure, luckily I am a patient person and get there in the end

I think thats enough humour at my expense for now....

Monday Again

Well its Monday again another week of opportunity stretches ahead of me! I surprisingly feel ok too which I am enjoying. This morning about 4 greenfinches flew above my head and yesterday I counted 6 Goldfinches so I seem to be getting a few flocks!!

Well best be off to work....

Some sayings that confuse me, if you can shed some light on them please do...

Fixing a drink..... why is it broke?

Cruel to be kind.... just sounds like you want to be mean and get away with it

You will see when you are older..... do young eyes not work as well

I will phone you.... yeah right

Its not you its me... ok I have used this on occasions

She is just a friend... hmmmmmm

I will add more as I think of them

Top 5 things that currently bother me

1. Rubbish! Our Bin men come on a Friday, so every Friday morning I dutifully put out my rubbish less anything that can be recycled which as they don't collect that we take down to the tip once a week. I try to recycle everything that can be and end up with not even a full bag of rubbish. Anyway bet you a penny to a pound that come Saturday one of my neighbours will have a bag of rubbish out there which will sit all week and be ripped open by the local cats, which is full of stuff that can be recycled. I have on occasions disposed of the rubbish so it doesn't sit there all week.

2. Being last out of the house it currently takes me about 10 mins to leave the house, once I have checked and re-checked everything is locked up, talk about drive myself mad!

3. People who work in the customer services industry who haven't a clue about the concept of customer service, now i'm not saying that you should bow and courtesy and believe me the customer isn't always right! However a smile and eye contact with manners goes a hell of a long way. I think some of them should demand a refund from the charm school they went to.

4. Myself and how I find it difficult to say whats on my mind or how I am feeling. Instead the mask comes on barriers go up and the show goes on. Sometimes I feel like screaming but it just wont come out. I also miss out big time by not telling people how I really feel about them.

5. Shopping trolleys, well not shopping trolleys as such but the fact that people can not put them back correctly. They leave them in car parking spaces or where their car was. Or they do take them back but instead of putting it into the trolley that's there they leave by the side of it.
Come on its not rocket science!!!! Push trolley into the trolley that's there, is it so hard to do that? So many times I have put the trolleys back correctly when I have taken my own back to the amazement of on lookers


Oh well I will try and think of five things that dont bother me....

Desperado, now thats a good track but probably not best to listen to at the moment. Well to finish the day shall I be honest or shall I just carry on the way that I have been...hmmm this was meant to be about the hogs after all so I guess I will keep it on subject... Still no hogs though, but has been blinkin cold here today even tried to snow at one point.

Well whats the plans for tomorrow then, try and finish the jobs in the garden and try and get this cloud out of my head...well maybe just the garden for starters..

Made me laugh!!!

Just realised instead of buying blank cd's i have bought blank dvd's!! Darn it, oh well trip to staples, but not now as it is trying to snow at the moment and turned blinkin cold!!!

However was treated to the visit of this chap!!

First visit this year so I my mood has been lifted, he came as I was listening to "the devil went down to Georgia" Havnt seen Mrs blackcap as yet but am sure it wont be long. Thats 2 new visitors this week!!

Oh the grand prix well its an all Ferrari starting grid with jenson in 3rd. Still all to play for, but the Ferrari's are looking strong though.

Have resisted the urge to sleep today as well, as last week I laid down and next thing I knew I had been asleep for about 6 hours! Am feeling tired though, maybe I should take a walk down to staples to wake me up...

Well I think qualifying is half way through, but I must say I am slightly ever so confused with the new format!! Kimi is out (shame!!!) suprisingly Ralph didnt make the first cut off either. Jenson is looking quite good and it is nice to see Micheal back on better form... I am sure I will just get used to the new format then they will change it again!

Well I managed a few hours sleep, it was past 3 before I went so will have an easy day today.

First race of the new grand prix season this weekend I think they have changed the qualifying again, which is on shortly. Unusually for me I have the TV on and some Kids programme is on quite a bizzare cartoon that is starting to grate on me. Going to set up the camera today as well see what blurred images I can delete!! Did think about going over to Cambridge today but I dont like it when its too busy plus Ive got plenty to be getting on with here at home....

Well watching the cams tonight, paulines hog was back, so cant be too much longer now for me, well hope so anyway...

Music im listening to tonight, feeling I need something relaxing else I wont sleep so am listening to some easy listening jazz type cd, has a few of my favorite tracks including midnight train to georgia: make yourself comfortable: ev'ry time we say goodbye amongst others...

Lets hope it does the trick

Home at last, well ive cleaned the house Im not hoovering as Im wound up enough as it is without the hoover being a pain. Next thing I need to do is fix the light outside, oh and change the bulb in here as it blew as soon as I switched it on problem is I only have a spare red one~

I know what you mean Boo, yes somethings are at the back of your head. I have that problem when you cant switch off I am sure I will crash tomorrow, just been a hard week thats all, anyway best get outside whilst there is still some light left

4 Hours to go, am not feeling too good today. I somtimes have a lot of nervous energy and I cant sit still yet feel very tired and drained. I also feel on edge for no reason at all hate days like this

Another day another.........9 hours stretched out in front of me

Still its Friday YIPPEEE hoping the weather cheers up some too. I am a member of a hog forum and was just reading that some hogs are starting to wake up so Id best get on with the hog shelter this weekend and sort out the lighting too. True to form though ive left it too the last minute, how comes I can be so organised at work yet everything else in my life is a mixed up bag of jumble!?!

Stripey Hog!

Somehow this hog managed to get paint over his prickles! When he first came he was a bit thin and nervous of the other hogs. However after a good few weeks of chicken each night saw a lot of improvement and the paint soon came off. So if you have a shed please make sure you close the door at nights as you never know who will wander in, and hogs are nosey creatures, one of the reasons they are always getting themselves in bother!

well not a great deal else to add for today, was home later than I wanted to be...

Oh havnt said much about hogs as yet.. Well this will be the third year that I have fed them in the garden, dont know what it is about them but I think they are great animals. They do need our help too as their numbers are in decline for a whole host of reasons that I will go into more detail later. Last year I was luckily enough to help 5 hoglets and although it meant a few sleepless nights chasing them around the garden (yes my neighbours think I am mad) to make sure they are eating, plus I had a late one here that needed fattening up before winter. I wouldnt change a single day and I will post more about the hogs from last year and their stories with pictures, if I figure out how to post pictures on here...PETE??

Just a quick post

Will be going off to work a happy bunny this morning, the Great Spotted Woodpecker was back in the garden this morning, first visit this year!! Doesnt it give you a lift when you see a new face in the garden or one that you havnt seen for a while....just waiting for those blackcaps to come back now!!

Oh still too cold for hogs as yet, but looking more promising..... YIPPPPPEEEE!!

Well .....

primarily this will be about the hogs that will hopefully return to the garden again, but as its a wee bit too early yet you will have to put up with my ramblings. Not sure if I will manage to post every day but I will try....

Ok well a little about me to start off with then. Im of a certain age not saying as I have decided to go down in years rather than up. I live in Herts and work full time in the finance sector, would much prefer not to be working but hey ho have to pay the bills. My ideal would be to have my own business or a job that incorporated my hobbies. Hobbies mainly being all types of wildlife, gardening, cooking, reading, music and photography although I ain't great, still one tries.

Pet hates, well rudeness bad manners people who lie or people who are two faced. Ok we cant get on with everyone but do we have to slag them off? Having worked with people most my life I do find now people can be so rude barge past you dont hold the door im a wee bit old fashioned in that respect when I walk down the street I will smile at passers by or say good morning, am lucky if I get a grunt these days!

Ok enough moaning, plenty of time to come back to that. Oh my day, well not the best day in the world, but I am getting closer to booking a holiday! Oh and at least I wasnt too late home tonight. Whats great now is coming home and its still light, which means I dont have to stand outside with a torch in my mouth clearing down the bird table in the freezing weather. Oh darn it I didnt order a cable for the i/r light and I still have to make the hogs shelter to keep off the rain, oh so much to do and not enough time.

Wonder how long one is meant to type for first blog entry, guess I should stop now, can always add later.....well dont say I didnt warn you about the rambling