DINNER

Spring Lamb Cutlets
Rice
Salad a la Mr A

A quick knocked together meal as Mr A is cooking at 11pm. We have just returned from being sociable with our neighbours, having a glass of vino and chatting, the time sped by.

I worked today, an early shift so I was home by early afternoon. Sat and played guitar, working out some classicalish type of finger picking melodies.

It's been raining so the tv signal is very bad. No horror channel! The Welsh speaking channel, S4C comes over loud and clear though.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts about Dusky going to Cat Heaven. She is probably sitting on a cloud hanging with some cat angels sharing some sardines....

I got an invite to join a friends list, the person is Italian, and their blog is in Italian, but I've said yes 'cos I'm a softy. I guess they can read English, but not a written word of it so I don't know what they are on about. Seemed churlish not to accept just because I don't understand them.

After my tyre burst and my car mechanic neighbour, Jed, turned up to save the day (spare was flat), he gave me the news.

Apparently on Tuesday a woman found Dusky lying on the road in front of our house (I'd gone out) as if she wanted to get run over. She was in a terrible state, so she took her to the vets and she got put down humanely. I will find out where this woman lives and thank her. Of course, now I think that I should have taken her before when I noticed that she was losing weight, but she was eating ok and bounced off down the stairs after food. I'm so glad I did that Reiki with her on Sunday, the last time I saw her, it was like saying goodbye. When I closed my eyes with my hands on her I could see her soft grey fur and smell her distinctive smell. She actually always smelt nice, a bit like Johnsons baby powder, don't know how she managed that. It was like we really connected and she seemed happy to lie there and have the Reiki done rather than go off into the woods as she usually did.

So thank you all for your kind replies to my last post about her absence.
Her previous owner who lives abroad visited 2 weeks ago (we were out) he left a note saying how good it felt to hold her, although it felt as if it was going to be for the last time. He then said that she was 18 years old, born in the spring in a smallholding in rural Wales.
She will be missed.

Moira, a witty and amusing blogger who had leukemia passed away this week. She had many readers and kept us up to date with her latest episode with treatment in dealing with the leukemia. She will be missed by many, family, friends and blogging friends.

So a bit of a day so far, and it's only 2 o'clock!

DINNER
Bought in Quorn Cottage Pie
Oven Chips

As Mr A is away, everything's going to the dogs. Kitchen is a tip, and I am watching the blinking horror channel, full of crappy old movies made by college students (looks like). This is due to my grandaughter introducing this channel to me in an earlier visit. Argh! It's crap! Here I am though, loyal, dragging myself away from the story of 4 college students (American of course) who get super powers through a lap top. I missed the beginning, so I don't know how they did it exactly. Anyway, one of them, a girl, goes a bit feral, and nasty. She wants to take over the world, starting with the college. She gets the headmaster killed etc etc. Pure crap with a wobbley camera.

I did see a really good documentary though, about a guy from Leicester who does DDI, I think it's called. Dancing to an arcade machine with 4 arrows where you have to put your feet. This sweetie, who's 19 and on anti depressants, had nearly won 3 tournaments and went to Las Vegas to compete with the Yankees. The sad thing was that where he practiced, the local superbowl, his home from home, where he became a legend was shut down, so he couldn't practice anymore. He visited it when the workmen were pulling all the fixtures and fittings down saying about the good days there that will never come again, being all nostalgic, at 19! Poor sod. So he goes to Las Vegas and gets eyeballed by these super duper dancers who sit up and watch as his legs fly at about 90mph. This dancing is fast! His mate (British Champion) gets knocked out, so he is left with one game to get to the final. He is in with a chance. He wins his game. His opponent objects and said one of his steps didnt get recorded and wanted a rematch. Our lad objects, he won fair and square, he gave it everything and is now knackered. The referee says to replay, and our boy loses by 1%. He was robbed! He was so disappointed, it was hard not to get drawn in and be sad for him as he tried so hard. Anyway, he is determined to go to Germany this year for the world championships and win. Good luck to him. For a young lad he has a good outlook on life.

Dusky news. No seen since Sunday. I have been out a lot last few days though, but she usually hangs around outside till I come home. Not a good sign.

I've put off answering all the comments you lot have kindly left till after I wrote my post, cos it's going to take a while.

Earlier, I thought of a wonderful title for my blog, and interesting content. Can I remember? No.

I'm at the very wonderful Brenda's, using her computer before we all meet to have a sing, so I can't hang about trying to remember what it was I wanted to write about.

DINNER
Potato Wedges with Chilli n Cheese
A few tired lettuce leaves, slice of cucumber and quarter of a tomato.
Yup, pub grub time again, a tired salad, but the rest was lovely, hot and spicy. All for £2.75!

I went to the beach yesterday and went in for a splash around. I didn't actually swim, but got wet up to my neck, jumping the waves. It was quite windy on the beach, so not too hot. I took a book and enjoyed being somewhere different for a change. The washing up was left behind undone, life's too short to worry about perfection.

Dusky hasn't been seen since Sunday. She's been looking like a bag of bones, scrawny and light as a feather. I did some Reiki healing on her, she was quite happy to lay on the table with my hands on her for about 40 minutes. I haven't seen her since. As she is 18, it's quite possible she has gone off into the woods to die, like elders in the tribe used to do. Bloody awful way to go, but we can't criticize others traditions. Well, I can, but try to respect them.

With only a small number of tv channels to watch, I've found myself watching some odd, trashy stuff. A comedy programme called 'Tittytitty bang bang' was fairly funny but owed a lot of its humour to nicking bits from other comedy shows, like Smack the Pony, the Fast Show, Little Britain etc. Also saw a horror film about giant rats gone mad on the Horror Channel. I knew it would happen, and it has, I've been watching crap on tv rather than blogging. Not quite a candidate for Tricia and Oprah but a shameful confession. It has to stop! The crap tv, not the blogging!

I've gotta go. Stay cool and happy...........

DINNER
Chorizo in tomato sauce with,carrots, celery
Organic Spaghetti
Homegrown Spinach

The Chorizo is quite spicy and fantastic with tomato sauce. I could eat it every day and not get fed up with it.

The shallots are all picked and drying out. They will be pickled with ready made spiced pickling vinegar. Gone are the days of buying and selecting all the different things to go in the vinegar for pickling. Easy peasy! We have little green tomatoes on the plants which are nearly as tall as me. I got a lesson in pinching out trusses (plant trusses, not the one men have to wear as they get older) from Mr A. I have to do this while he is away working for the week. I love learning about the natural world, the names of the so called weeds in the garden. Favourite at the moment is the Scarlet Pimpernel. This isn't scarlet but a beautiful orange. It has a tiny weeny flower and stands out in the garden like a jewel. (Orange jewels? Don't ask.)

I gave my grandaughter some money for phone credit, and we have conversed each day since they went back, so it's a good way of keeping in touch. She is going to look for work by asking if anyone wants their car cleaning. She will ask within the farm they are staying at, there are a few people there.

A friend, Going Somewhere hadn't posted recently because she said she was feeling 'negative and didn't want to drag others down too.' I think when someone is down and posts about it then they usually get support and a bit of much needed TLC. So, G.S., you express yourself however you want, your friends and readers can handle it, can't we?

Mr A has been very organised by writing an email to invite friends to our housewarming in 2 weeks time. He put a few links in for public transport, the local hotel, a map of the village, and lots of information. However, as I pointed out, he hadn't put our address down, and how to get here! Heh! Heh! He even put a link to my blog site! So, if any potential party goers are reading this, put in a little comment, go on, you know you want to.

The Israel/Palestine war continues to get out of hand. The 'do gooders' who have previously rushed into places like Iraq on the flimsiest of excuses, are sitting back, not condemming the atrocities of civilians who are being killed. It's about time the U.N. stepped in as mother hen to rein in those boys with lethal toys who don't know right from wrong.

I've just checked the spaghetti in which the spinach is steaming a treat. It is all ready, so I will go and eat. Just as well because I can't think of anything else that will trap, I mean attract attention to friends and passers by so they will leave a comment.

From the stats, I see that I've had quite a few visitors, but only one comment was left yesterday. So don't be shy, make your mark, leave a footprint, even if it's only to say 'hi.'

DINNER (last night)
Baked and marinated Chicken legs and thighs
Basmati Rice - with Lea @ Perrins Worcestershire Sauce to taste
Salad a la Moi - with Capers, Bellini Peppers, 2 sorts of olives, sun dried stuffed and green manzanilla, Celery, Cucumber, Onion, Chives and Hot House Lettuce

Walnut and Advocaat Flavoured Ice Cream

This was last nights feast. I normally cook a sauce with rice, so it made a change to have 'dry' rice. A few shots of Lea @ Perrins goes a treat with it.

Reading Kathy Reichs. She is a forensic pathologist who has turned to crime! Similar to Patricia Cornwell, if anyone reads her. She solves crimes through researching the bones of dead people. She goes into a lot of technical detail and knows her stuff. Not a bad read, she's written quite a few books and I've read about 6 of them. About time for a new Terry Pratchett, I have reread his books many times, as a quick read and would love a new one. So, Terry, if by any chance you are reading this, please write a new Discworld book for me. I can guarantee that it will be a best seller, as all your books are. Granny Weatherwax is my role model - she rocks!

Back at work after a long absence and so far it is going well. My collegues have been great and that is so important. It has been busy, quite often there is no time to have a break, but the time goes quickly when on the go.

We have decided when to have our housewarming party and sending out invites. Our neighbours who own next door as a holiday home are kindly allowing us to use their house for people to sleep over, so no tiddly drivers leaving this party! Unfortunately it's the same time as the Big Green Gathering which quite a few friends are going to, so we are going to have another party, probably in September, so they came come and celebrate then.

I will post tonights Menu of the Day later, I know what it's going to be, but I will surprise you!

Thought for the day - I couldn't think of one, so I asked Mr A, and he came up with this.

'Measure it right. Mark it right and cut to the line. You can't go wrong.'
He is replacing the wooden boards on the side of the house after insulating, which may explain his train of thought.......

As previously mentioned, Mr A has taken down the outside wall at the side of the house to insulate it. We have yet to get the exterior wood to put on top. So, he has put up this amazing sky blue paper to cover the whole wall. It is waterproof, but allows moisture out, very high tech stuff. It covers the insulation, so when you look at the side wall it looks like a house made of paper! It just needs a big red ribbon to look like a gift wrapped present!

Had Molly and Eve, my grandaughter last couple of days. Eve picked up a length of yellow clothing line and carried it about to wrap around unsuspecting people, saying 'tell the truth!' Apparently this is from Wonder Woman who had a 'lassoo of truth' which she would wrap around people and they would have to tell the truth when she asked them. It made me giggle and think what an effective tool to use on politicians and other criminals. We had a lot of fun playing drums and wooden marimba today before they left. A bit of my heart goes with them when they leave and gets replaced when they return a hundredfold.

DINNER FOR THURSDAY
Chorizo in Tomato Sauce
Homegrown Broad Beans
" Peas
" Spinach
Organic Spaghetti

Mango Sorbet

DINNER
Mixed Meats Pizza
Salad a la Him

Work today so Mr A did the eating honours when I got home. I'm actually into today but writing as if it's yesterday. It was a scorcher! Tomorrow I'm not working so I may give the swimsuit an airing and go to the beach to cool off in the sea.

The thermometer reached 34 degrees in the lean to today. Hope y;all slammed on the factor 20.

SATURDAY DINNER
Smoked Salmon
Smoked Mackerel
Home cooked chips in Sunflower Oil
Salad a la Moi with Chives

Crumbly Caerphilly Cheese and Crackers

Sitting out on the deck in the shade of the evening, it was a lovely meal, and we sat and read the papers afterwards. A comfortable shared silence, enjoying each other's company yet giving the space needed to have a read.

SUNDAY DINNER

Chilli Con Carne. (Minced Steak Mince with Kidney Beans in hot spicy tomato sauce)
Basmati Rice
Salad a la Moi

Another sweltering day. Mr A has taken off the outer wall at the side of the house ready for insulating. He is replacing rotten bits of wood with new and splashing it with yucky stuff to kill woodworm and preservative. During a shade break he bottled his homebrew, ready to drink in 2 weeks, so there will be some for the housewarming in 3 weeks. Hurrah! Contrary to what you might think, Ecover, the eco friendly cleaning stuff works well. All the bleach and poisonous toxic ingredients of the usual cleaning stuff can't be good for the environment, eventually it all soaks in somewhere. We have to be carefull in what we use as we have a sceptic tank and everything that goes down the sink affects it, so no toxic stuff can be poured away.
I cleaned various things in the kitchen and bathroom and washed the floor. Although I love being in the sun it was nice to be in the shade. The house is surprisingly cool.

Is it a man thing, or do any women listen to the cricket on the radio? It's been on yesterday and today for Mr A to listen to. I find it all washes over me, not understanding most of the terms they talk about. It seems to me that cricket is one of the least interesting sports to listen to as there seems to be such a lot of hanging about waiting for someone to bowl the damn ball. The commentators twitter on about not very much to fill in the gaps when nobody is doing anything. They talked about cricketers who had beards for a bit. Then one player got a fly in his eye and they commented on that for a good 10 minutes. Anyway, it keeps him outdoors happy and his happiness is linked to mine!

So I've got some weeding to do, putting it off till the sun is less fierce as the garden is south facing, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Saw a film on Glastonbury on tv last night. Ah, happy memories! I've had some great years there, though not gone for about 6 years now since it got so large and lumpy. Mr Eavis is a very reasonable, funny and nice guy, he came over as sincere, using the money from the festival to help charities like Oxfam, Wateraid and others. I used to camp in the Green field, a quieter area with the tipis, for a weekend, it felt like a caring community with lots of laughs and instant music. A couple of years were muddy, but it was put up with for the sake of enjoying everything else. For all the 6 times, except the first, I was with a group who were invited there. We played music and sang, meeting the same friends again each year. Our main thing was chanting and drumming. We sang many American Indian chants, as well as others from different lands, it was good to hear those same chants being sung years later. In fact in this film, some people were singing one of 'our' chants at the last festival. Festivals aren't just for the young, they are also for the young at heart, those who love music, dancing and just hanging out.

I have had to ask several friends on my list not to send personal messages containing their blogs. I would rather choose to read someone's blog rather than have it sent to me in a PM. It clutters up my emails and seems to give the sender an unfair advantage. Let their blogs be read by those who visit rather than send it, unasked for to everyone on their friends list. So, if anyone reading this sends their blogs as PM's, then please dont! This is different from a 'for friends only' post when someone wants to share something quite personal just with their friends, this is fine.

So, accompanied by the ramblings of the 2 commentators still twittering on about the cricket, I bid you adieu at the desktop headquarters of The Happy Hippies Unlimited Group (T.H.H.U.G.) or maybe just Happy Hippies Unlimited Group Society (H.H.U.G.S.)

The title is a flash into my mind, hoping to convey that it is still morning and I am up and blogging. Too early for menu of the day so stay tuned.

I have a bowl of granola (roasted museli with seeds n dates n raisins) with chopped apple n banana in milk waiting on the deck for me.
There is a Carl Hiiason book just started to employ the little grey cells.

Talking politics for a mo, there is something that doesn't seem right to me. Lord Levy, he of the fund raising fame, was made ambassador to the middle east by Mr Blair. Now, he has children living in Israel and is proudly jewish, shouldn't that make him biased towards Israel? I am not a political commentator normally, but this stands out as a bad idea. They should have appointed someone neutral. It smacks of the old boy network to me, prestigious jobs for friends and mutual favours.
Watch out Jeremy Paxman, your job may be in jeopardy!

DINNER
Mashed Potatoes with parsley, butter and freshly ground black pepper
Morrisons Best Pork Sausages
Homegrown Broad Beans
Organic Beetroot

Got the barbie going, plus a difference of opinion. I reckon that using charcoal makes the food taste different, it gives it a unique flavour. Mr A reckons using just wood produces the same effect as charcoal. I think his taste buds are having him on...

For the first time in my life I have to admit that going to the dentist wasn't such an awful experience as I had anticipated. From previous experiences, I dread going to the dentist as: dentist = pain.
My dentist is gentle, the injections (4 of them) didn't hurt and I didn't scream when he pulled my teeth out (3 of them) and it was over quickly. All morning I'd been working myself up into fear and anxiety mode right up to the point I was sitting, or rather lying on the chair gripping the armrests. My dentist chats away in a jolly way and managed to put me at ease. Give this man a medal!

Went to visit an old friend who I hadn't seen for a couple of years this afternoon. She found out she had breast cancer in March and had a masectomy straight away and has had 2 lots of chemo. It was great to see her and we chatted away catching up in our lives. She showed me the scar where her left breast used to be. She said using humour helps. She's got a falsie and invites friends to feel it, and let them feel her real one saying 'it feels real doesn't it!' She is such a positive person and I really hope she remains clear.

Mr A has taken off the outside wall on the side of the house as he is going to insulate it, an early start will see the job finished tomorrow. What a worker! I shall give him a hand then go into town to look for a dress. I've decided I need a dress. I haven't got a summer dress, and I want one that will show a bit of knee. I've been wearing trousers that come just above the ankle, and it's time to air the leg hair.

I'm so glad that Fatal Attraction has decided to stay. She has been receiving insulting messages from someone on the site and she was brought to the point of packing it in because of it. There were so many replies asking her to stay that she changed her mind. That's what I like so much about this blog site, the support out there from friends when there is a problem with someone who decides to get at you.
I love reading her blog, she's real, she's believable and funny. She has many friends who reckon she's the dog's tonsils (that's a good thing!)

So, as dusk creeps in like a thief in the night, I look for inspiration for an interesting finale for this post. All I can think of are some words of a song, called 'Feel ok.'

Feel so dirty, feel so clean,
feel so attached to this old dream.
Feel so different, feel so the same,
feel so ferocious, feel so tame.
Feel ok.

Feel so shallow, feel so deep,
feel so awakened, feel so asleep.
Feel so obvious, feel so done,
feel so many, feel so one.
Feel ok.

Feel so realised, feel so fragmented,
feel so alienated, feel so contented.
Feel so happy, feel so depressed,
feel so contented feel so repressed.
Feel ok.

DINNER
Welsh Spring Lamb Cutlets
Potatoes
Asparagus
Homegrown Broad Beans

Hello all. Been off playing truant at the Small Nations Festival. Alas, no pix, not like Emsbabee who did a wonderful photo reminder of what a great time she had. The highlight was Saturday night in our tent. There were 7 of us in a little green igloo, with the rain pounding down outside and we sang and played music filling the air with grass and Tia Maria scents. Yup, it rained, not drenching rain, but enough to find a dry spot and stay there. I saw one band (shame) called Ember, a very good band from Wales with fiddle, guitar, cello and drums. I've seen them before, the singer has an amazing voice and they do a lot of harmony vocals. Catch them if you can, but they won't be on Top of the Pops, that's for sure. Didn't get wet, it was nice and snuggly in the tent. Mr A won an award for Saint of the Year by fetching me a coffee Sunday morning from a stall. We didn't come prepared to cater for ourselves for just one night.

Scarabella, the all singing, all dancing accapella group I'm in did a little spot in the cafe, with what you might call a captive audience (it was raining). Went down well, with an encore even. Managed to sell some cd's, and boosted our collective image to new heights.

Apologies for not replying on others' blogs, but I've got a stack of emails to tell me who sent what comment and I don't know if I've got the will to answer them all. So, here's the deal. I'll answer comments put on my blog but not on others. So, let's start afresh. I'll go visiting and post some new comments and we'll take it from there.

Dusky is looking in quite bad shape. She's looking tatty and skinny though she has a good meal every day. She appeared to have slug slime on her back and crushed leaves stuck to her fur. She is very old, but after her meal she hops and runs away back into the woods like a kitten.

Swing seat news.....It got wet and is drying out.

My internet connection is now better than ever, after Mr A spent ages reconfiguring the new wireless box and connections. The week spent offline seemed longer, I wanted to catch up with friends and missed my blog time.

I've been offline all this week because we had a mother of an electrical storm which did something to the wireless connection. My desk top still isn't working so typing this on Mr A's laptop.
I was going to make up another story to explain my absence but thought 'let the truth be told', all righteous like.

So tomorrow we are off to the Small Nations Festival for the weekend which means I'll be back on Monday. We should be there now, but what with this and that, decided to make an early start tomorrow instead.

DINNER
Fry up. Bacon, eggs, baked beans on toast

I am now back at work. Must say, enjoying it so far. Delivered a lovely 4th time mum with her 9lb 14oz baby on my first day back, so right back into the swing of things.

I shall now go for a quick visit around my friends' blogs and say tatty bye.......

DINNER
Beefburgers, freshly made
Wholemeal rolls
Fresh from the garden Broad Beans with garlic, oil and lemon juice
Salad a la Moi
Various chutneys, mustard, pickles

It was to be a barbie, but we couldn't be arsed when it came to it, so it was cooked on gas.
What a match! I happened to be out of the room when Rooney got a red card, bugger! It was disappointing, but there you go, penalties again let us down!
Got Rocket, the stick fetch mad dog for the weekend again. I did say I'd take her down the beach for a bit, but forgot about the footie, so she didn't get her walk, or rather run. A nice day spent with Mr A for a change, Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' springs to mind. Well, it was pleasant enough!
Reading a John Grisham book, he writes about lawyers and courts, having been a lawyer before becoming a successful author. Not a bad writer and I managed to finish the last one and reading another of his. I hadn't read him before and though he's not going to become a favourite author, I'd read another book if there wasn't anything else better.