What have you been doing today?

[Toria J]

another day on the beach, managed a swim but that north sea is far from warm, or my bomes are getting too old

Nice. You wear a wetsuit?
I usually do around here. Marigolds & rubber socks when cold too. Not been in yet this year though - any dry weather and I'm working on the house. Plus my hair is currently too long for the hat.

 

[Mottie]

For the first time since lockdown began, yesterday we had our son and daughter round with their partners and our grandson. All in the garden, all at the same time. As Mrs Mottie puts it, all our chicks were in the same nest.

 

[Munroast]

Nice. You wear a wetsuit?
I usually do around here. Marigolds & rubber socks when cold too. Not been in yet this year though - any dry weather and I'm working on the house. Plus my hair is currently too long for the hat.

No, nothing - there was no one about so just stripped off for a 5 minute dip. the wife didn't join me.

 

[Toria J]

No, nothing - there was no one about so just stripped off for a 5 minute dip. the wife didn't join me.

Nothing? Stark b*llock naked? Good work. Fair play.
Was the wife a look out?

Just been in to the local village for a 'Bow run and it's heaving with rarely a mask in sight. One shop only had three cans of Dark left, so I bought three four-packs of Cloudy in the other. Can't risk running out - I won't get any DIY done without that & dance music to keep me going.

I've just had a visit from my sister and offspring. Dogs went wild as they haven't had visitors in so long. Apart from that, all she did was criticise the colours I was painting everything - what I like, she doesn't & vice versa. Oh well.

 

[Mottie]

After a dog walk earlier this morning I dusted off the bike and went for a ride local to me. I got lost which is not unusual for me. Anyway, I came across a bloody duck pond in the middle of a housing estate. A family of swans, ducks, geese, moorhens and even a heron on the floating duck houses. Took a few pictures and then thought I’d better start trying to find my way home. I set up Google maps on my phone and was surprised to find I was only 7 minutes from my house! Down a footpath and I was onto the main road back to my house. Amazing - I've only lived round here since 1990!

Started to rack up serious time and miles on my bike now. I’ve had it since 2014 and this is the total time and miles I’ve done on it since then.

 

[crystal ball]

What do you carry in your saddlebag? In mine are a tube of Fruit Pastilles, £10 in coins, battery key, ty wraps, puncture repair kit, all in one tool kit

 

[Mottie]

What do you carry in your saddlebag? In mine are a tube of Fruit Pastilles, £10 in coins, battery key, ty wraps, puncture repair kit, all in one tool kit

I have a spare tube, spare chain, disposable gloves, tools, mini pump and my front and rear lamp.

Oh yeah, update on my 'pond find'. When my wife came home, I excitedly started to tell her about my find and she looked at me like I was a ****ing idiot. "I know" she said, "it’s Platford pond, I used to take the kids there when we first moved round here. Down the path by the school and there it is"!!! She'd never mentioned it to me before, I swear!

I went out again after lunch. Over the allotment, did a bit of pinching out on my tomato plants and then rode back. Legs are a bit shaky now!

 

[durhamplumber]

New Forest

 

[sodthisforfun]

I've just got up, 10am.. Up until 3.30am this morning trying to get a black cat to stop coming in the house and eating my cat's food/spraying.. Need to get one of those chip catflaps..

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I've just got up, 10am.. Up until 3.30am this morning trying to get a black cat to stop coming in the house and eating my cat's food/spraying.. Need to get one of those chip catflaps..

Gotta say the chip catflaps are awesome. The popular choice is the SureFlap Cat Flap with Microchip Identification which is the one we have. Seems to do everything you need it too. Cheaper now than we bought it five years ago too.

 

[sodthisforfun]

Gotta say the chip catflaps are awesome. The popular choice is the SureFlap Cat Flap with Microchip Identification which is the one we have. Seems to do everything you need it too. Cheaper now than we bought it five years ago too.

Thanks, was just looking at those on amazon - will get now. Cheers! Hopefully do the trick

 

[Mottie]

I've just got up, 10am.. Up until 3.30am this morning trying to get a black cat to stop coming in the house and eating my cat's food/spraying.. Need to get one of those chip catflaps..

We had that many, many years ago with our catflap. Every time I heard the cat flap go, I was up and the intruder was off out again. It was one of those two way cat flaps so I stuck a screw in so that it could come in but not go out and waited. I heard the clack and it was in, as I went out to the lean-to to get it it was head butting the flap to get out but of course it couldn’t. I got a pan of water and soaked it, it ran behind the washing machine so I chucked another pan of water over the back and gave the machine a good shake. I opened the back door and it flew out and never came back. Next day I had to get the washing machine repaired! Still worth it though.

 

[sodthisforfun]

We had that many, many years ago with our catflap. Every time I heard the cat flap go, I was up and the intruder was off out again. It was one of those two way cat flaps so I stuck a screw in so that it could come in but not go out and waited. I heard the clack and it was in, as I went out to the lean-to to get it it was head butting the flap to get out but of course it couldn’t. I got a pan of water and soaked it, it ran behind the washing machine so I chucked another pan of water over the back and gave the machine a good shake. I opened the back door and it flew out and never came back. Next day I had to get the washing machine repaired! Still worth it though.

My brother did the same thing, pan of water.. (without washing machine broken though!). His intruder didn't come back either..

It's a bit mean, but funny . I'll get the catflap, bit kinder & less messy, just hope he doesn't break in anyway. My last cat could break into a locked catflap no troubles and he used to be the ar*ehole cat who'd go into other people's houses to terrorise their cats. I've bought 6 of those powerful super-soaker water pistols for various neighbours over the years and told them that a bit of washing up liquid in the water does the trick, cat's hate it. Mine did anyway and as far as I know he never went back into their houses

 

[Mottie]

Made an online appointment at my barbers today. Went up there and he was still finishing someone off. Not only that, he had a friend in there chatting away to him without a mask while the barber was cutting hair (Barber was wearing a mask). I made my excuses and left saying I’ll be back later. I've just phoned him and said I can’t get back today and I’ll rebook. I was expecting that just me and him would be there and that chatting would be kept to a minimum. Mrs Mottie is going to her hairdressers tomorrow and has been told to turn up on time, no waiting inside, no blow drying, bring your own magazines and drinks etc. I think I’ll give it a while before I brave going back to Turkish Ali.

Who's been to the barbers yet? What was the setup/procedure?

 

[securespark]

New Forest

Thanks for posting that!

In Summer 1988 I drove down to see my sister in Andover. She wasn't going to be home till 5, so I decided to set off really early (4am) and spend the day exploring the New Forest.
It was absolutely magical. Never seen so much wildlife: birds, boar, horses, ponies etc.. Sadly I have lost the pictures. I even watched as a mother taught her growing foal how to get over the cattle grid (she got as close to the grid on one side, lay down then rolled over and got up).

I would love to live somewhere around Ringwood, but I don't think it'll happen!