Tales of Chateau Midden

Monday, 20 July 2026

In The Twilight

July 2007

Thunderthighs cannot rest unless both cats are safely in at night. In the summer this leads him to entice them in whilst it’s still light. So we often let them out again until it’s properly dark as they love stalking around in the twilight. Always giving them supper when they do come in ensures that they usually, eventually, come when called.

And I do like to be out in the night air.

From Facebook Archives.

20 July 2025 at 10.32

Yesterday evening (9ish) Thunderthighs was out the back doing his cat valetting.

He tapped gently on the back window and gestured for me to come outside.

There on the lawn was a hedgehog which caused us both some silent delight.

It was so still I had to check it was alive so put some catfood in front of it which caused a shiver of prickles.

We went back indoors and watched.

After a few moments it lifted its head, sniffed at the cat food, then walked over it, up the lawn and into next door's garden where there is obviously better pickings

Woolerwoman Nice to see the little hog, though! I really miss my hedgehogs.

Mrs Poet Little snob!

Sunday, 19 July 2026

Not Hard Of Hearing...

From Facebook Archives

19 July 2024 at 18.38

One of the answers on this evening's Pointless was Osborne House, which I visited with Dr E when we were on the Isle of Wight.

"Oh I did like Osborne House" I said.

"I know" says himself "I could tell. You came back smiling."

"Well I had spent the day in a lovely place with an old and dear friend ... and I didn't have to continually repeat myself four times for her to hear what I was saying."

"Perhaps she was listening."

Saturday, 18 July 2026

Jam Telly AI

From Facebook Archives

18 July 2010 at 21:12

We’ve made the first jam of 2010. From our own garden: rhubarb; the first ever blackcurrants we've grown; some very early cultivated blackberries; a few tiny alpine strawberries.

Bought in strawberries (bogoff).

5 and a bit pounds of fruit, 2 and a bit pounds of sugar, 5 jars of jam.

By the look of the brambles and apple trees there's going to be big jamming this autumn.

18 July 2013 at 22:48

The colour's gone haywire on the big tv we brought up from Sheffield.

The question is:

Do we shell out for a new one?

Do we go old school, turn the colour off and watch in black and white?

Mrs KA Black and White...most of the programmes are old enough that it would not make a difference!

Paganess Watch in black and white and see how long it takes the men in your life to notice!

Tylebach Go black and white xx

KingsCameraman If it was Steve's TV, set the colour dial to black and white, and fiddle around with the H.set and H.hold dials until the picture consists of alternating horizontal black and white stripes.

Bentonbag It is. Many thanks for the diagnosis - I shall go and try that.

Later

Bentonbag Well I've thoroughly examined the set (back front and sides) and can find no H.set or H.hold knobs and none of the menus accessible through the remote take me to an H anything. It isn't however a Wharfedale labelled remote (it has no identification at all), I've a nasty feeling we sent that to Acorn recycling as we believed it was defunct.

KingsCameraman Ah, must be a high tech one with no old fashioned CRT controls!

Bentonbag CRT?

KingsCameraman Cathode ray tube. The technology behind all TVs until plasma and LCD screens came in.

Bentonbag Oh it's cathode ray tube - huge great thing like a tea chest - just no knobs on the back to twiddle with.

19 July 2013 at 20:27 - Mr Gobiron Check your cables are properly in.

18 July 2023 at 20.22

"OK I'm going downstairs now and I'll either watch the news channel or some crap."

"The news is as boring as f*ck so you're watching crap. It's continuous AI AI AI and it all goes over my head, I'm totally disinterested and I couldn't give a shit. We've enough AI in this house as it is."

Thus sprach Zarathustra...

Friday, 17 July 2026

Keeping Abreast (or viceversa)

From Facebook Archives

17 July 2024 at 17.18

Couldn't find my phone.

Searched high and low.

Rang it.

It's in my cleavage.

Drummerman Could have been worse…

Mrs Lasagne Haha Good job you weren’t getting into the bath. !

Bentonbag I don't know about you Mrs L, but I don't usually have my bra on when I get in the bath.

Mrs Lasagne Well anything goes these days !

Woolerwoman Some of us have never had that option!

Paganess A woman after my own heart. However, noting the cleavage, one boob makes a pretty poor cleavage

Bentonbag Maybe you could make a boob sized bag to pop in the other side of your bra and use it to carry all kinds of treasures: phone, purse, hankies, folding scissors, sewing kit, first aid kit, hip-flask ...

Miss Doozer Hidden Bra Flask For Women 25Oz Leak Proof Sports Bra - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266357354683 - Just even it up with 75cl of rosé

Paganess I’ve not worn a bra since the day I retired, 17 years ago. Nothing’s going to make me put that instrument of torture back on

Mrs Poet I do this all the time. Male friend watching me grope my bra said, I bet you felt a right tit there!

Miss Doozer Since this thread seems to be a confessional...

My mate used to teach me and Charlie-horse. Jodhpurs until recently didn't have pockets, so - of course - everything goes in the sports bra. One particularly sweaty summer day, I apologise for handing over 'boob-money'.

Said friend says, “It's fine, I paid for my chippy tea the other night with boob-money”.

She did go on to say she was classy enough to take the boob-money out in the car and give it a wipe before handing it over.

Shortly after this conversation, I purchased riding leggings with pockets.

The money kept falling out of the pockets when I took my phone out.

I went back to boob-money.

Bentonbag You do realise this will end up in a blog one day…

Miss Doozer I'll let her know.