The diversity of Work

Once again, much done in the way of work covering inside and out, guess it’s what make’s the World go round for me through the Winter months.

At last I finished the Paving Slabs with Folly / Grandstand thingy on top. This was delayed a couple of times due to ‘client re-thinks’, but complete all the same. I’m now in the process of putting a Pond in for them. Last week saw the main digging part and next week see’s the Liner going in plus a 7 feet tall fountain on three levels. Being made of Concrete (or something) this needs extra hands, so I’m lucky to have someone with me to save a strangulated hernea beyond normal belief!

Casual Labour in force for garden weeding and digging my way to victory!

Dispersed between this have been various other little jobs like fixing up PIR lights, clearing leaves and easing a few doors. The work in the financial sense is good, but it’s all physical which to be honest I could do without. The more life carries on I’m swaying away for wishing work of this nature, but if it’s there, it’s needed so must never complain – I’m very blessed to get by.

The Website design change is well under way at the Web Developer’s and I should be in a situation of transferring existing content to the new templates within the next couple of weeks. Most have to be done individually and there’s probably 1,500 of them. I can’t afford someone to do this for me, so there’s quite a few weeks there to keep me occupied I think! All the more reason for my visit to Specsavers on Thursday!

Around the Garden

Most of the Vegetable Beds have now been cleared as has the Greenhouse. The weather looks good for tomorrow so I’m hoping to cover the whole lot with various objects of frugal nature; old foam wrapping, corrugated iron sheets and carpet, I want a good start with minimal weeding next Spring, whichever month it decides to happen.
Autumn seems quite late here, the tree’s seem to have more still on them than usual, even the Acer which sheds it’s leaves in the first week of November is still clinging to a red brown colour. Not one year seems to follow a regular pattern anymore, the Gardeners challenge indeed!

But….I’m still bringing Tomatoes in and the Squash is slowly ripening off in the Greenhouse, although I don’t hold out too much hope of them all finishing up as Soup!
The Quinces are stored in the Shed giving off a wonderful smell whenever you go in there. The only bad thing about going in the Shed at present is the sound of the Freezer, the mild weather is setting the thermostat off too often for my liking, the Vegetables and fruit inside could be a tad more expensive this year!

Another little job for me is to devise a more Squirrel proof system for the Bird Feeders. Last year it was good with them staying over the other side of the Lane, but they’re everywhere at present, so a Heath Robinson plan is being worked on. I love Squirrel’s as much as I think a Fox is beautiful, so wish no harm on either, it’s just controlling the situation as much as you can. After all, for Squirrels, bird feeders are just a lazy drive-in type Restaurant, they should be doing what Squirrels are good at and finding their own way a bit more !

Autumnal Apple Trees in Kent and two of my daughters cats sleeping the frugal way!

The Chickens

With the Vegetable Garden mostly cleared, as long as I’m outside keeping an eye open, I can let them out more. Although they have a huge Lawn, they much prefer scraping around the Veggie Patch or under the Laurel just behind my Garden Office.
Getting them back is always quite easy, just a walk up to their Coop, a shake of the food pan and they all come running, except there’s always one and this lot has the one which no matter how hard you try insists on walking in the opposite direction to where you’re trying to guide it to. I now hold a long piece of wood in either hand and steer her up that way, bloomin thing!

The social side of Life

I’ve just come back from my first family visit to Southampton since mid August, how time flies. I regret my visit was aptly timed for the Gym Roof of their’s to start playing up, so my first day there was spent alongside my first wife Helen fixing tarpaulins up in the pouring rain! Once this was done though, we had an enjoyable time together and I even went to my first Bonfire Night display for about 15 years in Victoria Park, Netley. I’m not a great Firework fan but have to say, quite impressed with how they do them nowadays.
Personally I think that Fireworks are for Displays only, the days of sensibility seem to have gone and many are annoyed by bangs and flashes for a week before and a week after the 5th of November – think that’s an age thing!

I shall be going down there again in a few weeks to decorate the Stairs and Landing for them. With three cats, one hyper active Chihuahua and a Tortoise, this will be quite exciting! Oh, plus the Gheko which is not always 100% in keeping the Crickets inside it’s huge home and you spend ages trying to work out where the Grasshopper type sounds are coming from!

But, I’m still on the right side of the grass as they say, I’m thankful for that and enjoying myself.