What have you been doing today?

[Mottie]

Back to work Mottie?

Andy

Not my real job. Just a bit of casual spannering.

 

[crystal ball]

I do like a casual spannering, nice way to relax (in private of course)

 

[Mottie]

I do like a casual spannering, nice way to relax (in private of course)

Even better when you’re being paid for it.

 

[HERTS P&D]

So what did you do today then Mottie?

Andy

 

[Mottie]

Just a service, nothing major. On Tuesday I did a cam belt and water pump on a Mondeo that involved a lot of stretching, leaning, bending and crawling about. I felt like I’d gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson later that night though - every bloody muscle in my body was aching! I much prefer servicing!

 

[Diver Fred]

M&FA

Gosh - I'm bored...

 

[crystal ball]

Just a service, nothing major. On Tuesday I did a cam belt and water pump on a Mondeo that involved a lot of stretching, leaning, bending and crawling about. I felt like I’d gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson later that night though - every bloody muscle in my body was aching! I much prefer servicing!

Feel pretty much the same, been wiring a plant room, boilers, pumps etc, clambering over pipework & scaffolding, worst of all its a hardhat area so suffering from a bad case of "helmet hair", getting a number one tomorrow that should sort it

 

[Mottie]

Had an email from the allotment society today - the allotments had been broken into. Broke the barbed wire fence between my plot and my neighbours and came in via the river bank. None of my stuff taken but a wierd assortment of thefts from different plots - 3 bags of compost, 10 paving stones, a pull along trolley, some tools, a couple of painted fence posts and a bean obelisk. Between me and my neighbour, we managed to retrieve the obelisk and a saw from the river bank and carry out a repair on the fence. Might think of leaving some booby traps such as a few planks with nails sticking out of them on the ground near the same area in case they come back and jump over again. Something along the lines of 'Home alone'!

Made a rather large ****-off pan of Bolegnese sauce. 800g of mince, onions, garlic, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, oxo cubes, finely diced carrots, seasoning, oregano, basil, red wine and sugar. That made me 5 double portions. In the freezer with them.

Made a bit of a mess but that’s half the fun, isn’t it - letting the wife clear up after you.

Now making a chicken paella for tea but I’m half full already, what with all the bolegnese sampling!

 

[crystal ball]

Packing for our trip south, overnight in Brentwood tomorrow, might go for a walk and try and spot Mottie on his dog walk,then to Kent for a funeral, then back to Brentwood, just polished my funeral shoes

 

[Mottie]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Splashed out for a service on my car, then bought some dog food (for the dog, not my dinner)

 

[Mottie]

Usual dog walk this morning then went for a swim - I booked the slow lane but the 'swimmers' in the slow lane on a Tuesday are nothing like the swimmers in the slow lane on a Saturday - I had to swim practically upright to keep down to their pace and felt like a sea-horse! Medium swim lane on weekdays from now on!

While I was watching earlier, I saw a Starling pop it’s head in the hole. The tit jumped up at it and it retreated and is now keeping an eye on the hole and puffing itself up to look bigger. The box is empty now so I don’t know whether it’s frightened the tit away. Fingers crossed he toughs it out.

View attachment 233864

No return for my Blue Tit and it’s been a week now so I’ve had the ladder out, taken the front off of the box and cleared it out in case another one fancies building a nest. I’m working on the assumption that another bird might not build one if it sees what it thinks is a work in progress. A bit like trying to find a builder/plumber/mechanic to take on a job that someone else has already started!

This is how far it got:

 

[Mottie]

Usual dog walk this morning, went through a field of cows all lying down. No, it didn’t rain so that disproves that myth.

Swimming this afternoon and sneaked into the medium speed lane despite booking the slow lane. More suited to my speed during the midweek crinkly hour anyway!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Well it must of rained somewhere!!

Andy

 

[Trazor]

Usual dog walk this morning, went through a field of cows all lying down.

Please be very careful when walking a dog near/amongst cows, it can be dangerous, especially when they have calves.