I have now scrubbed everything down and pigeon proofed them all, no small task owing to our strange neighbour who feeds the feathered vermin. Pointy spikes, windmills, and repellent spray are all in place. Any pigeon who invades my balcony now is going to have to be a very determined beast indeed.
When we moved here our balcony was 2/3 cm deep in pigeon shit due to the fact it hadn't been lived in for a while and there was a handy thick bundle of wires for pigeons to roost on. We brought a box of pigeon spikes from the UK. We had to have the cornices fixed so while the cherry picker was available I asked the workmen to put the spikes in place.
Watched by a dubious caretaker from the school next door who pooh poohed what the strange English people were doing. However they were very successful and within two weeks the director of the school ( with a shamefaced caretaker loitering behind) was knocking on the door asking where we bought the spikes from
We find the repellent spray to be the most effective thing. The filthy beasts always return after it's been raining and washed it off. That's one reason I didn't bother with the Spring cleaning until the weather improved.
I'm a bit late checking in to the Ship today: I've been busy.
My brother and sister-in-law came out late this morning, and I now have a dining table!* I'd originally thought that they'd just help with moving it, but while my s-i-l and I were dismantling boxes, my brother got stuck in with screwdrivers and Allan keys, and before I knew it, it was all sorted. I'm really pleased with it, and better yet, it cost me nothing.
They stayed for lunch (SOUP, bread, CHEESE and charcuterie), but when they went to go home, they discovered they'd got a puncture. As it was too far gone for the "run-flat" tyres to work, they got on to BMW, and had to wait about 2 hours for a taxi to take them back to Edinburgh and a recovery truck to take the car away.
You'd have thought that an upmarket outfit like BMW might have offered a better service than that, but apparently not.
At least they could wait at my place, and didn't have to spend the whole time sitting in the car.
* Those of you who are friends on Facetube will have seen the photographic evidence.
This afternoon I went to pick up the victuals for husband en rouge's birthday lunch tomorrow (of which more in due course). On the way back, some eejit had washed the pavement with soap and not rinsed it - it only looked wet on the approach but as soon as I stepped onto it, I discovered that it was the slipperiest surface ever created, and went rude bit over other rude bit. I have a sore backside It could have been worse, I suppose. A fragile older person could easily have ended up with a broken wrist. Stupid pavement washing berk.
@Bishops Finger I personally have no issue with baked potato as an accompaniment to SAUSAGE - so long as there are also BAKED BEANS. I pretty much lived off this meal as a student.
@Bishops Finger I personally have no issue with baked potato as an accompaniment to SAUSAGE - so long as there are also BAKED BEANS. I pretty much lived off this meal as a student.
That's not a meal, that's both a punishment and a blasphemous waste of a sausage. Even Wall's don't deserve that.
Now she must make an Exciting Expotition somewhere, in order to buy suitable provender to grace the said Table!
She must indeed! I'm planning on going in to Embra tomorrow; I need to go to the bank to pay in the cheques from Canada and notify them of my change of address (what's the point of online banking if you can't change your address on line?).
I may take a turn round M&S while I'm there, or round Tessie's when I get back; the option I pick might be dictated by meteorological conditions. I've just looked at the forecast, and it looks quite nice.
Of course, the whole Expotition would be much nicer if it could include meeting someone for coffee or lunch ...
<sigh>
PS La Vie, hope you didn't bruise anything except your dignity!
La Vie, I am reminded of something I've come across over here - the idea that if, in clearing your bit of street, you somehow make it worse and it results in accidents which cause damage, you have a legal responsibility. As far as our local county reported the other year about snow clearing, that is not true, unless your idea of clearing was pouring boiling water on the footpath, and it then froze. Shovelling, sweeping and applying salt were fine. But if you have any ordinances over there about leaving slippery substances, maybe somethng could be said to the idiot.
In Germany (Baden Württemberg) home owners and renters have legal responsibility for the pavement outside their house - including clearing ice and snow. My son is in a flat with five apartments so they have a rota.
Today has been a Zoom morning. Puppy class Zoom and art Zoom. I was pleased with my humming bird. 🙂
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks of a wee dog when I hear the word "subwoofer".
Came in to Embra, have paid cheques into the bank, where they tell me they'll take SIX WEEKS to clear - don't you just love Canadian bureaucracy?
Just as well I wasn't desperate for the money, eh?
In further rantage, my Railcard has lost its magnetism again - it was only replaced on Friday, and had only been used once. The bloke at Linlithgow station is going to be sick of the sight of me!
@Piglet Do you keep your Railcard near bank cards? I used to and was advised it was not a good idea. Just a thought.
I used to, but the bloke at the station advised me not to, so I put this one in an outer pocket of my handbag (my wallet with my bank card being in the main compartment). I think I'm going to try and get a Smart card - it might be a bit less susceptible.
I'm reluctant to keep it anywhere other than in my handbag - if it's there it's guaranteed not to be forgotten - and as my bank card is currently my bus pass*, it has to be somewhere secure but easily accessible as well.
* as Lothian Buses aren't currently issuing Ridacards - further rantage ...
I keep my Oyster in a pocket on my phone cover, to keep it apart from my bank cards. Would something like that work? Although Oyster cards are known to be fairly indestructible.
I keep my Oyster in a pocket on my phone cover, to keep it apart from my bank cards. Would something like that work? Although Oyster cards are known to be fairly indestructible.
It's a completely different technology. RFID cards like Oyster don't get reprogrammed by mere proximity to other RFID cards. @Piglet's railcard is probably a low coercivity magnetic strip, which can easily have its domains flipped into unusability by the proximity of pretty much anything magnetic (being pressed up against a credit card, magnetic clasp on handbag, ...)
@Piglet does your bag have a magnetic clasp, by any chance? I've demagnetised metro tickets that way more than once.
I think I could probably seek the liability of the shop owner for the slippery pavement, but given that I wasn't seriously hurt it's not worth the trouble. Had I come out of it with more than a sore backside, I would have set my insurers on them.
In more cheerful news, today is husband en rouge's birthday. I told him I would take care of everything, and he assumed I was going to cook. Instead I ordered the meal from a Michelin starred chef who is currently doing a click and collect service. For the entrées I got marrow bone for him and sea bass ceviche for me (I don't like marrow bone), and the main course was slow cooked lamb with Middle Eastern style vegetables. I had forgotten the detail that flipping everything is closed on Mondays and wandered half way round the fifteenth arrondissement in search of an open cheese shop but finally found one where St Nectaire was was purchased. The wine was a most excellent St Joseph, and the dessert a rum baba from possibly the best patisserie in Paris (Des Gâteaux et du Pain at Pasteur). We are now nicely replete. There's quite a bit of lamb left over for the week, although no vegetables.
It's turned into a lovely mild sunny day here (after a dull grey morning) and I've been for a walk with a friend. It was positively springlike.
Here we are bracing ourselves for Boris's Address To The Nation this evening; I'm timing tea so that we can watch it at the same time. (Yes, we are lazy and have tea on trays on our laps. ) We Have Wine.
I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Yesterday I spent the whole time in pyjamas with periods of sleeping, and a bit of reading. Didn't feel up to cooking, so ate a sandwich myself and provided tinned sausages with beans for the other person. I did do a dishwash load, and made a loaf in the machine as we'd run out. Also sat with him in th eevening as he was feeling the need of company.
It's a bit late for vaccine fatigue, I'd have thought.
This morning I got up to get the delivery in, and then had to order another from a different source as a vital item had been substituted with something totally different. You'd have thought that the essential part of "Frozen *****" was the "*****", and that if they had "*****" as a non-frozen item, they would have sent that. But no. They sent something totally different. But frozen. It went back.
I am now spending £40 I didn't need to spend.
Then I decided it was time to get the homemade rugs back into the diner part of the kitchen, from whence they had been moved three years ago as a trip hazard, and because someone was regularly spilling food. It is now clear that things are no longer being spilled with any frequency. This involved moving boxes from under the table, sweeping and mopping (with a Flash product), and lifting the table by crawling under it and pushing it up with my back while manoeuvring the rug under the legs. Then putting everything back. And I need to do it again, because it is too far over towards the peninsular unit. But it can wait.
So I started reading a book which has made it through the post, ate some fish cakes, and went to bed for a post prandial snooze, and now have no energy. Apart from that required to post this.
If you're watching the President's PM's Address etc., you'll probably need WINE...
My sentiments exactly.
@la vie en rouge I cross-posted with you and your meal for Mr LVER's birthday sounds amazing. It's Mr Nen's soon and I'm afraid he won't get anything as lavish, although I'll probably let him choose what we eat that evening.
@Penny S - I hope you feel better soon. I am new to the world of online grocery delivery but have so far been impressed with the substitutions they've come up with.
A very productive day, I went for a lovely walk this morning and got all my emails, forums and admin done by 11am so time to feed the birds before lunch (other half re-heated leftover beef lasagne for lunch). This afternoon I managed an enormous amount of marking so tomorrow is now free for study. Made spicy sausage and been casserole which we are about to consume.
Substitutions mostly OK.
We had Waitrose special fried rice tonight - Ok but not as good as the takeaway, which has a lot of veggies, and pork and chicken as well as beef and prawns, and a sauce - WR is rather dry. I need to get some stuff to add to it, which I have done once.
No, but I've just realised - my spectacle case does. 《brickwall》
Not sure what I can do about that - I can't really do without my specs either. With any luck, the smart card will be less pervious to such things.
In accordance with BF's instructions above re: provender for gracing the new table, and as it was a lovely day, I trotted down to Tesco's when I got off the train, and replenished my stocks of orange juice and sundry veggies. I decided that what I fancied for supper was a nice juicy steak, especially as they had rump steaks on at two for £7.
I marinated one of them in oil, wine, balsamic, mustard, garlic and thyme and then cooked it in oil and butter, and had it with new potatoes, green beans in lemon juice and olive oil and mushrooms cooked in the frying pan with the steak, with a spoonful or two of the marinade sloshed in.
Washed down with a glass of Malbec, it was really very nice indeed.
Mmm, that makes me drool! My husband doesn't like "big lumps of meat" as he calls them, so I haven't had a steak in years. I've got to go to Tesco tomorrow. Maybe I'll see if my local one is doing the same offer.
Catering yesterday was...minimal. Mr F was taken into hospital before he'd breakfasted. I couldn't go with him because COVID. By the time he'd been admitted, assessed, been for the CAT scan, waited 3 hours for the result (mild stroke) and been sent home, it was gone 8pm. I'd subsisted for the day on a baked potato and a diazepam.
I'm pretty sure, after a quick search, that our local takeaway sauce with SFR is not Szechuan - it isn't hot.
I'm thinking I can do it myself, with some stir fry veg, a sachet of sauce, and some mixed bits of meat - though finding some duck is tricky. Searching Waitrose's site gives an unpalatable mix of very expensive whole birds, toilet cleaner and dog food! And vegetarian shredded hoisin duck?
Catering yesterday was...minimal. Mr F was taken into hospital before he'd breakfasted. I couldn't go with him because COVID. By the time he'd been admitted, assessed, been for the CAT scan, waited 3 hours for the result (mild stroke) and been sent home, it was gone 8pm. I'd subsisted for the day on a baked potato and a diazepam.
How terrible for you both @Firenze I hope he recovers well and you both get some rest today.
A pleasant early walk for me - I love the earlier sunrises as I can organise my day more efficiently. The veg box has been put away and I'm having a quick browse before settling down to write an assignment (today is finishing the section on research method and then a bit on insider research).
Lidl duck breasts. Actually all the supermarkets that I know of do duck breasts, but Lidl are best value.
@Cathscats@Curiosity killed@Boogie yes thank you, Alarming Symptoms have subsided, leaving some damage according to the scan, but nothing that's functionally evident.
@Firenze what a worrying day for you, and I’m glad Mr F is back home. I hope calmer times are here.
I’m having a late breakfast (scrambled eggs and toast) because I gave myself a lie-in after a major dizzy spell overnight. It’s the 3rd I’ve had since the summer and wonder if it’s a new type of migraine for me. Bleah.
Comments
When we moved here our balcony was 2/3 cm deep in pigeon shit due to the fact it hadn't been lived in for a while and there was a handy thick bundle of wires for pigeons to roost on. We brought a box of pigeon spikes from the UK. We had to have the cornices fixed so while the cherry picker was available I asked the workmen to put the spikes in place.
Watched by a dubious caretaker from the school next door who pooh poohed what the strange English people were doing. However they were very successful and within two weeks the director of the school ( with a shamefaced caretaker loitering behind) was knocking on the door asking where we bought the spikes from
My brother and sister-in-law came out late this morning, and I now have a dining table!* I'd originally thought that they'd just help with moving it, but while my s-i-l and I were dismantling boxes, my brother got stuck in with screwdrivers and Allan keys, and before I knew it, it was all sorted. I'm really pleased with it, and better yet, it cost me nothing.
They stayed for lunch (SOUP, bread, CHEESE and charcuterie), but when they went to go home, they discovered they'd got a puncture. As it was too far gone for the "run-flat" tyres to work, they got on to BMW, and had to wait about 2 hours for a taxi to take them back to Edinburgh and a recovery truck to take the car away.
You'd have thought that an upmarket outfit like BMW might have offered a better service than that, but apparently not.
At least they could wait at my place, and didn't have to spend the whole time sitting in the car.
* Those of you who are friends on Facetube will have seen the photographic evidence.
I stand admonished, and will purchase MASH this week...
Now she must make an Exciting Expotition somewhere, in order to buy suitable provender to grace the said Table!
@Bishops Finger I personally have no issue with baked potato as an accompaniment to SAUSAGE - so long as there are also BAKED BEANS. I pretty much lived off this meal as a student.
That's not a meal, that's both a punishment and a blasphemous waste of a sausage. Even Wall's don't deserve that.
She must indeed! I'm planning on going in to Embra tomorrow; I need to go to the bank to pay in the cheques from Canada and notify them of my change of address (what's the point of online banking if you can't change your address on line?).
I may take a turn round M&S while I'm there, or round Tessie's when I get back; the option I pick might be dictated by meteorological conditions. I've just looked at the forecast, and it looks quite nice.
Of course, the whole Expotition would be much nicer if it could include meeting someone for coffee or lunch ...
<sigh>
PS La Vie, hope you didn't bruise anything except your dignity!
Today has been a Zoom morning. Puppy class Zoom and art Zoom. I was pleased with my humming bird. 🙂
I'll see meself out.
Came in to Embra, have paid cheques into the bank, where they tell me they'll take SIX WEEKS to clear - don't you just love Canadian bureaucracy?
Just as well I wasn't desperate for the money, eh?
In further rantage, my Railcard has lost its magnetism again - it was only replaced on Friday, and had only been used once. The bloke at Linlithgow station is going to be sick of the sight of me!
Oh yes, Zoom puppy class is a weekly feature!
🐕
I used to, but the bloke at the station advised me not to, so I put this one in an outer pocket of my handbag (my wallet with my bank card being in the main compartment). I think I'm going to try and get a Smart card - it might be a bit less susceptible.
I'm reluctant to keep it anywhere other than in my handbag - if it's there it's guaranteed not to be forgotten - and as my bank card is currently my bus pass*, it has to be somewhere secure but easily accessible as well.
* as Lothian Buses aren't currently issuing Ridacards - further rantage ...
Good news about the table.
I don’t have a cover for my mobile, so that wouldn't work.
It's a completely different technology. RFID cards like Oyster don't get reprogrammed by mere proximity to other RFID cards. @Piglet's railcard is probably a low coercivity magnetic strip, which can easily have its domains flipped into unusability by the proximity of pretty much anything magnetic (being pressed up against a credit card, magnetic clasp on handbag, ...)
I think I could probably seek the liability of the shop owner for the slippery pavement, but given that I wasn't seriously hurt it's not worth the trouble. Had I come out of it with more than a sore backside, I would have set my insurers on them.
In more cheerful news, today is husband en rouge's birthday. I told him I would take care of everything, and he assumed I was going to cook. Instead I ordered the meal from a Michelin starred chef who is currently doing a click and collect service. For the entrées I got marrow bone for him and sea bass ceviche for me (I don't like marrow bone), and the main course was slow cooked lamb with Middle Eastern style vegetables. I had forgotten the detail that flipping everything is closed on Mondays and wandered half way round the fifteenth arrondissement in search of an open cheese shop but finally found one where St Nectaire was was purchased. The wine was a most excellent St Joseph, and the dessert a rum baba from possibly the best patisserie in Paris (Des Gâteaux et du Pain at Pasteur). We are now nicely replete. There's quite a bit of lamb left over for the week, although no vegetables.
Here we are bracing ourselves for Boris's Address To The Nation this evening; I'm timing tea so that we can watch it at the same time. (Yes, we are lazy and have tea on trays on our laps.
Start at p.27.
Anyway, we don't have to listen to him. We're in Wales.
It's a bit late for vaccine fatigue, I'd have thought.
This morning I got up to get the delivery in, and then had to order another from a different source as a vital item had been substituted with something totally different. You'd have thought that the essential part of "Frozen *****" was the "*****", and that if they had "*****" as a non-frozen item, they would have sent that. But no. They sent something totally different. But frozen. It went back.
I am now spending £40 I didn't need to spend.
Then I decided it was time to get the homemade rugs back into the diner part of the kitchen, from whence they had been moved three years ago as a trip hazard, and because someone was regularly spilling food. It is now clear that things are no longer being spilled with any frequency. This involved moving boxes from under the table, sweeping and mopping (with a Flash product), and lifting the table by crawling under it and pushing it up with my back while manoeuvring the rug under the legs. Then putting everything back. And I need to do it again, because it is too far over towards the peninsular unit. But it can wait.
So I started reading a book which has made it through the post, ate some fish cakes, and went to bed for a post prandial snooze, and now have no energy. Apart from that required to post this.
My sentiments exactly.
@la vie en rouge I cross-posted with you and your meal for Mr LVER's birthday sounds amazing. It's Mr Nen's soon and I'm afraid he won't get anything as lavish, although I'll probably let him choose what we eat that evening.
@Penny S - I hope you feel better soon. I am new to the world of online grocery delivery but have so far been impressed with the substitutions they've come up with.
A very productive day, I went for a lovely walk this morning and got all my emails, forums and admin done by 11am so time to feed the birds before lunch (other half re-heated leftover beef lasagne for lunch). This afternoon I managed an enormous amount of marking so tomorrow is now free for study. Made spicy sausage and been casserole which we are about to consume.
We had Waitrose special fried rice tonight - Ok but not as good as the takeaway, which has a lot of veggies, and pork and chicken as well as beef and prawns, and a sauce - WR is rather dry. I need to get some stuff to add to it, which I have done once.
Not sure what I can do about that - I can't really do without my specs either. With any luck, the smart card will be less pervious to such things.
In accordance with BF's instructions above re: provender for gracing the new table, and as it was a lovely day, I trotted down to Tesco's when I got off the train, and replenished my stocks of orange juice and sundry veggies. I decided that what I fancied for supper was a nice juicy steak, especially as they had rump steaks on at two for £7.
I marinated one of them in oil, wine, balsamic, mustard, garlic and thyme and then cooked it in oil and butter, and had it with new potatoes, green beans in lemon juice and olive oil and mushrooms cooked in the frying pan with the steak, with a spoonful or two of the marinade sloshed in.
Washed down with a glass of Malbec, it was really very nice indeed.
We had a late supper of a Fray Bentos steak pie.
I'm thinking I can do it myself, with some stir fry veg, a sachet of sauce, and some mixed bits of meat - though finding some duck is tricky. Searching Waitrose's site gives an unpalatable mix of very expensive whole birds, toilet cleaner and dog food! And vegetarian shredded hoisin duck?
Oh goodness.
I hope Mr F is recovering well 🕯
A pleasant early walk for me - I love the earlier sunrises as I can organise my day more efficiently. The veg box has been put away and I'm having a quick browse before settling down to write an assignment (today is finishing the section on research method and then a bit on insider research).
Lidl duck breasts. Actually all the supermarkets that I know of do duck breasts, but Lidl are best value.
@Cathscats @Curiosity killed @Boogie yes thank you, Alarming Symptoms have subsided, leaving some damage according to the scan, but nothing that's functionally evident.
A lucky roll of the die so far.
I’m having a late breakfast (scrambled eggs and toast) because I gave myself a lie-in after a major dizzy spell overnight. It’s the 3rd I’ve had since the summer and wonder if it’s a new type of migraine for me. Bleah.
Do try to remember to feed yourself, if only a bowl of porridge.
Prayers ascending.