The Cricket Season is near!

I went to Canterbury this week, the Players Corridor needed painting before some new pictures got hung, so in I went.

It’s always very strange being at a Cricket Ground during snowy weather and that day really was snowy! Had there been a game, the white balls wouldn’t have been much good! I hadn’t been there since mid December, so it was a chance to catch up on news, gossip, but most important, just to speak to each other. The Physio asked after my health, so I told him I’d write a list before the start of the Season! I start on 19th. March and the first two / three weeks will be full time, so a great opportunity to counter balance my dwindling bank balance. The only thing is that I have to endure all the where they’ve all been during winter discussions. South Africa, Australia, India, Dubai, it makes my occasional day trip to France and shopping visits to Hastings a bit low key!

The Weather

You may have seen that Kent took a snow hammering last week and down the Lane was no exception, I reckon about six inches in one night. Luckily my work at present entails being indoors in a House where there is Central Heating. This is good, but makes coming home or popping down town all the harder to bear. I’m totally fed up with Winter now, I need a bit of warmth on my back and a hot water bottle is no substitute for Spring and Summer Sun. The weather has also meant my plans for getting the garden ready early has gone out the window. If I put a spade into the earth at present, It would be like a Tom and Jerry Cartoon where poor Jerry shivers and shakes all up the body.

The Website

At least the weather has forced me indoors and I’ve spent much time continuing my quest of changing all the website pages to a new size and making it more ‘acceptable’ for easier expansion. The Shopping Section will shortly be no more. I shall be having a dedicated Shopping page for each category and easily linked to ie. Bargain Sheds at under £250 and the new Shopping pages in the Chicken Keeping Menu.

Winter Fuel

All this cold has brought me down to only another week of Rayburn Fuel. I had hoped it would last the whole winter, but it hasn’t. This means a few extra hours work to afford a few more bags, but I’ve been busy sawing up all the old pallets and wooden boxes in the derelict mill. Going to the woods at present does not enthuse me much!

Work

I’ve been busy sanding and varnishing a 25 feet by 26 feet floor, not easy, but much needed income. Beside that, it’s been a bit of painting, but the job of putting a patio down is still on hold due to the weather. You can see how much the weather can play a part in ‘earning a living as you go’. The secret is always to have options where, should an outdoor job not be possible, you have an indoor one up your sleeve. The problem only comes when you have a long cold spell and the indoor work dries up, which is what’s happening now. But only another four weeks until I get more regular income.

The Chickens

I don’t know how they do it, but all seem to just get on with their business, hot or cold. Two have started to moult and look right scraggies! Should I get any Visitors at the moment, I can imagine the thoughts which would go through their minds! I let them out into the garden as and when I can (this depends on a neighbours dog being around or not) and they love scraping and hustling round the hedges, but needless to say, their favourite haunt is the Greenhouse where they get a bit of extra warmth plus have a dust bath in the nice dry soil. All in all, beside the fact I’m poor and cold (!!), things aren’t bad. This week I’m off to Grandchildren sit down in Southampton for five days. That will basically substitute being cold for probably catching one, or something off them! Leo is coming for two days, so all will be well. I’ll take my Mobile Phone with me, I’m expecting a call from the Bank !