Rattling On...

Everybody wants to be a cat...

...because a cat's the only cat who knows where it's at.

And right now it's  as close to the kitchen radiator as possible. Harry always has cold feet, no matter what the weather. They are lovely and soft, but freezing all the time.

I don't keep bread in the bread bin, it's mainly stuff like bags of dried fruit and packets of crackers. Very random, but bread doesn't last in there. Obviously it wouldn't last next to a radiator... but in general it seemed to act as a forcer for the sort of humid conditions that sent the bread off. Not good for a breadbin, but it looks nice.

We had a meal at my Mother's yesterday and I noticed some birds building a nest in the tree outside her front gate, as you do. Fortunately my Dad is the proud owner of several pairs os good vintage binoculars, meaning I could peer at them from the bedroom window. There are no neighbours opposite, which is probably a good thing.

Mistle thrushes... I'll take the zoom lens next time, before the leaves are out on the tree. Then people can really talk.

In which I am fed up...

This picture is from the blog almost three years ago, taken on a day when I was cleaning out the fish and Orange was in a rather nice vintage bowl for the duration.

He had been ailing for quite a while and this morning I got up to find he'd died. I buried him in the garden.

I had tried everything over the last few days. An Epsom salt bath, massages, holding him so he could reach food (which he just spat out). I know he was just a goldfish but we'd had him so very long (over 18 years), after getting him on a fairground, that it's hard to think I couldn't keep him going a little longer.

He is the pet we had had the longest time, a constant throughout the girls' childhoods. It's raining today, 5^oC and there's a snow weather warning for later. A depressing start to the Easter holidays...

Someone to watch over you...

The cats like to do daredevil stunts on the stairs and bannisters. Frank likes to stroll along the top landing rail as if it weren't a thirtysomething foot drop.

The first landing is, obviously half that distance, and he has experience of that. When we hadn't had him long and he was still expolring, I'd put a granny blanket on the bannister as a bit of decoration.

Frank leapt onto the rail and he and the blanket sailed to the ground floor. I think I moved so fast I got there almost as fast as he did by using the more conventional stair method. He was a bit dazed but otherwise unharmed. The bannisters have remained clutter free at all times since.

Harry likes to peer over the gap, sometimes looking as if he'll leap onto anyone passing. But his favourite hiding place is on top of wardrobes. I've never seen him get up there and never heard him get down, he's either very light-footed or he can fly. I'm going with the flying option.

Knicker pink...

I know that isn't really a colour, although for me it's the best description of these particular shades. If you don't believe me take a look here or here.

Maybe Vintage Lingerie Pink would be better, but just not as punchy.

The pillowcase pair is new (shock, horror- not thrifted) but I customised it with a shell edging, this time without the blanket stitch base, which makes it more delicate I think. The hanger is in a darker but complementary shade.

They were for a gift, or part of one, with a sort of 40s retro colour scheme. There were also pyjamas and a lovely vintage jug. Bedroom theme.

I've bought more pillowcases and they will feature heavily this Mothering Sunday. Same but different. If anyone is interested in how the edging is done then let me know and I'll cobble together a tutorial.

Harry found them fascinating. Harry is my friend. Frank is not. His urinary tract has struck again, same place. My bloody bed. Just as I was leaving for work yesterday morning, it gave new meaning to the phrase pissed off.

I wasn't spending £18 at the launderette again, so decided to spend it right here at home. I jammed the king size into the washer and mauled the door shut. Pressed start and hoped it wouldn't be a very expensive quick wash. Fortunately when wet it fit into the washer a lot better and as it was so large it plastered the whole drum and spun most satisfactorily and evenly, the washer was where I left it and hadn't hurtled across the cellar floor as it so often does.

Five hundred hours of tumble drying later and it was ready to put back on the bed. I will be placing a collection plate in the front porch to raise funds for the electric bill.

In other news:

The pond pump has stopped working again. I heaved it out and winkled out all the foul gunk to no avail. Accordingly Joe le bassin will be coming round later to give it a service. I know when I'm beaten.

Cake and fish...

I hadn't made a cake for us at home for a while so I thought yesterday was as good a time as any to remedy that. This is a pistachio and banana cake. The frosting has a hint of cinnamon in it.

The point and shoot camera now has a hint of frosting in it after I fumbled and dropped it right onto the cake.

In fact yesterday was a sugary day altogether. I did the grocery shop in the morning and a bag of caster sugar got ripped and poured all over the car seat, the path to the front door, the porch floor...

The big old goldfish was a bit off colour in the morning as well, just gaping and lying on the bottom of the tank. I took him out and put him in a casserole of fresh water, with the lid on, thinking I'd clean him out later and add a dash of fish jollop to sort him out.

I then went out to buy the jollop (we'd run out). All the while I panicked that the cats would have got the lid off and eaten him. They hadn't.

I looked on Google for the average lifespan of a gold fish and it said 'over 10 years' or '20+ if given a varied diet and exceptional water conditions'. This from Wikipedia- one lived 43 years after being won on a fairground in 1956.

Well our Orange was won on the fair over 18 years ago now. He has a rather limited diet of fishfood and I wouldn't say his water quality was exceptional, but I do care a lot about him and Lemon who is a mere 10 or so.

Britain's most wanted...

Wanted for crimes against my bed...again.

Yesterday morning the sun came out and shone beautifully despite the temperatures remaining below freezing all day. This must have loosened the snow and ice on the roof because, at around 11am it slid off and fell into the back garden.

Very, very noisily. It sounded like a train going through the garden. Which alarmed the cats, who ran upstairs. Whereupon one of them...

... peed all over my bed.

I was alerted to this fact by the smell. There's nothing quite like the smell of fresh piddle, unless of course it's stale piddle. There was a neat pool of it on the freshly washed green throw, gently soaking into the duvet.

By the time I yanked off the covers it had reached the bottom sheet and matress protector, but thankfully not the mattress.

Both cats were still in the bedroom, gazing at me with innocent furry faces. they are sticking together on this one and not dobbing on each other.

£18 at the launderette (too big for my washer). I'm docking their spending money...

Drop pounds instantly...

I would have blogged yesterday, but... I couldn't. After faffing around and submitting help tickets for two days I have had to download a third browser, which I am assured will stay working and not be corrupted by, by, well whatever it was with the last two. The day before's post was also deleted by the system but after more faffing I was able to recover it.

We all went to the vet's last night for the annual booster roundup, for which we were greatly overdue. I hold up my hands here and admit I've just been putting it off and off. But I have had a week or so of biting the bullet and doing those put off jobs that were niggling at my peace of mind. None of them large or difficult by themselves, but the sheer quantity... meters to read, forms to fill in, boosters... all done bar cleaning out the fish.

So two cats and the small dog were bundled into the car and off we went. Bunty (13) can't even get into the car any longer and doesn't go for walks, if at her age she hasn't built up some immunity then what were all the years of boosting for?

On the scales to find out only Harry (cat) won't be on iron rations. Fortunately she didn't ask me to hop on. Coco (French Bulldog) has to lose 1kg and Frank (cat) about half his body mass. Just kidding, but he is a whalloper. Trouble is the boy's just not fussy and will eat absolutely anything left lying around. Or indeed shut away in cupboards when he gets them open.

However I left one hundred pounds lighter, so stuff the Atkins Diet, get you on the Booster Bill Diet.

Do I look good in spots?

Kitchen table, laundry basket, ironing, cat... Cat knocks over basket, climbs in, rummages around...

Frank was soon curled up in the pyjamas and fast asleep. I hadn't the heart to kick him out, even though he was in the middle of the kitchen table. 

Oh, and that is the pink tub thingy that was so helpful when bailing out the washing machine. It makes a great cat bed as well, Frank could be their poster boy.

A winter's tale...

This is Bunty's thirteenth winter and each of those years has seen her moult in the most tatty way imaginable. She looks like no-one loves her, which is far from the case. I do brush her but these days she finds it uncomfortable rather than a big game, so I end up chasing fur balls round the house instead.

The continuing snow meant the students' last day of school (staff are in next Monday as well) was very festive. Meaning there was a lot of snowball throwing and wet bottoms at the end of year assemblies, where they have to sit on the floor of the gym.

Tonight is the staff Do, this will be somewhat less well attended than planned as out-of-towners have opted not to try to get in. Possibly a wise choice as the snow is still coming down.

I am still pondering whether to get my wellies on and walk to the venue, take a taxi there and walk back or taxi each way... dilemmas.

There has also been a bit of controversy over attire. I'm in the camp that believes if you've bought a ticket and it's for an Occasion, then reasonably smart is de rigueur. Quite a few people are reportedly going in jeans, which is just not on. Standards are dropping.

I will leave you today with a tale of L. L is a nervous boy who I've taken under my wing, he has break and lunch with us and is starting to relax a little. He is a worrier. Yesterday I gave him a selection box as a small present, he was very suspicious of my motives until he realised that all our 'form' get a small gift.

So, today he came in at break for his tea and toast as usual, it was snowing hard outside...

L: I'm very worried about driving in this weather.

Me: (Flippantly) Oh, did you drive in today, then?

L: No, I mean my parents.

Me: Ahh, do they have a long way to get to work.

L: No, they don't have a car.

Me: !!!!!!!!!

Where are the bellows when you need them?

A just-lit fire and a collection of furry friends (Bunty is just out of shot) waiting for the blaze to get going so they can hog the hearth rug for the rest of the evening.

The fairy lights on the mantel are just to brighten up the place pre-full-on Christmas decorating. I haven't even considered how I'm going to get a tree home this year. It will just have to be one I can manage on my own, or maybe two smaller ones in pots that can be used again? Decisions...

I like a bit of atmospheric low lighting in a room. I rarely put on the overhead lights in the living room or bedroom. Unlike my Mother who likes no corner unlit. She buys the highest wattage she can get her hands on, and she's not afraid to use it either. My Dad jokes that their house looks like Blackpool Illuminations, only it's no joke really. Their front room must be visible from space most evenings. 

Candles beat the fairy lights, but I could do with a trip to Ikea for stocks (their plain white ones never drip). Trouble with that is you end up with stacking boxes and potato peelers and all manner of things you didn't go for. Or is that only me? I know it isn't!

Maybe when school has broken up I'll chance a trip, the more crowded the better when I get there as then I wouldn't want to browse...

Sunday Scrapbook

As some people were less than appreciative of yesterday's food recommendations (ungrateful lot) I thought I would take you on the walk Coco and I did yesterday evening...

It was very dark, and we were very muddy by the time we got back home...

Should I?

I've been eyeing these up on line and while out and about. I haven't the time for chickens at the moment, so what about doves?

Does anyone out there keep them. If so, do you have any advice? I know a pigeon breeder who could probably supply me with the necessary... but what after that?

Thoroughly modern moggy...

'The modern cat' said my Mother, apropos of something known only to her...

'The modern cat has no concept of burying its own mess.'

I believe from the ensuing conversation that her garden bears testament to this rather profound statement...

If you can't stand the heat...

Yesterday we had a taste of Summer. It was a glorious day from start to finish, with brilliant blue skies and uninterrupted sunshine. The town was thronged with visitors and it felt more like August than June.

Some of us like to sunbathe...

...some of us give it a go...

...but decide there are more sensible options...

Dirty Harry...

He's hiding, he didn't want to be photographed, hence the bad picture- I had to be quick. Caught red-pawed in the coal cellar at one of his favourite pastimes. Jamming himself in and wriggling around until he's covered in coal dust... 

Considering he then has to lick it all off again, I can only assume he likes the taste.