Teddy & a Hoglet

In the Summer of 2016 Matilda tabby cat passed away and her place was taken by ginger tom Teddy.

From Facebook archives…

😟feeling worried. 30 November 2016 at 23:22   

The bad news is Teddy hasn't come in since teatime so Thunderthighs is on a worry binge.

The good news is I discovered a small hedgehog by the back door when I went out looking for him. Which explains why Teddy's been fascinated by the threshhold of the backdoor these past nights.

Mrs Lasagne  I hope Teddy’s home xxx

Mrs Leftfoot  It was on the radio a few days ago about the huge number of hoglets still awake...

Mrs Delune  Get the small edgehog to the nearest rescue, it's too late for them otherwise (we've had to do this as well)

 

😫feeling tired.1 December 2016 at 09:29 ·UPDATE 

About 23.45, last night, I go out and do more whistling and hear a plaintive mew.  

I head towards it and there's more mewing.  

Open our garage door: nothing.   

Then realise it's coming from next door's garage and he went out at about the same time Ernextdoor gets home.  Next door in darkness.  Is she in bed or out?   

Either way rush into house and phone her landline (answering machine) and mobile (voice mail).   

Thunderthighs calls down "I can hear next door's garage door being opened."  

 Rush down and open back door and there is Teddy blinking in the light. 

Bellow thanks to Ernextdoor.

Usually Ted spends the evening dozing.  So he'll have been curled up asleep whilst Thunderthighs and I called him from 20.00 onwards (because neither of us heard anything) and then woken up at suppertime wanting fed.

As to the hedgehog:

It had scarpered by the time I got back out with some catfood (which I left down for it), so I didn't get a chance to weigh it. The slugs are still coming under the back door - which is probably why it was there - and there are lots of windfall apples for it go at, some in places out of human reach but hedgehog accessible. There are also lots of little dry spots for him/her to huddle away in. Then there's next door and the gardens at the back. But we shall be putting stuff out near the back door for it. And I will catch and weigh it if I see it again.

Mamma Mary

St Anthony of Pauda, BVM, Holy Infant of Prague

From Facebook archives ..

29 November at 10:13

We had a classic moment in Ferretfingers Recycled Arts Flower Collage class yesterday. 

The tutor tries to get in some diversity (numeracy/literacy/etc) so was asking about festivals that other cultures and religions have at Christmas.

One student is profoundly deaf and comes with two minders: one is a deaf lady who signs and lip reads the other lady can hear but is obviously and audibly not British.   

The tutor says cheerfully to her 

"And what about the country you come from…. what religion is practiced there?   

What festival do you have?"
To which she replies "I'm from the Philippines.  We're Catholic.  We have Christmas."

This led to a conversation about my mother's saints’ statues which now reside in my hall. "Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Infant of Prague, St Anthony of Padua."

"Ah yes" she says "We have little statues of Mamma Mary as well."

It strikes me that Mamma Mary is a much warmer and cosier name than the rather cold and stiff Blessed Virgin Mary.

Woolerwoman  We always said 'Our Lady' which, I suppose, is an Irish thing.  We had statues too; Infant of Prague, St Martin de Porres.  Always had a halfpenny under the Infant of Prague so that we would always have money!

Bentonbag  Not heard of that last one - I shall have to try it.  Our Lady sounds a bit remote to me too.

Bess Cavalier  We always say Our Lady.  I used to have a glow in the dark status of Our Lady of Lourdes.  Originally it was on top of a music box which played the Lourdes Hymn.  It was very brittle plastic and the music box eventually got broken but the statue survived.  I suspect it may be in one of the boxes in the attic we never got round to unpacking when we moved.  We've only been here 29 years so there is time yet.

Bentonbag  For some unknown reason the hands have fallen off the BVM I was given as a child.

Woolerwoman  I had a glow in the dark Our Lady of Lourdes too!  Spooky thing!

Bess Cavalier  I loved mine.

 

Another Nosegay

From Facebook archives

28 November 2013 at 16:10 

Dear Body

If my blood count, cholesterol, fasting glucose, iron, liver function, thyroid levels etc. are all normal - why do you feel knackered?

Ms Exlibris  Stress/depression?

Drummerman  Life...

Bentonbag  To look on the bright side - at least my weight gain can be put down to pure gluttony rather than an underactive thyroid (which afflicts both my sisters)

Dicky Brown  Give up jogging immediately.

Strawangel  Erm, could it be age.....pace yourself B!! x

Mr Mull  Perhaps because 9 times out of 10 you feel knackered due to other people.  Problem is 9 times out of 10 when you feel wonderful is also due to other people.  The usual Catch 22!  Oh, should have said 'people & cats'!

Mr Python  Alcohol level is too low..luckily many self-administerable remedies are available

28 November 2014 at 23:27

First Christmas card today and bittersweet sorting of Christmas card list.  

Two people on last year's list no longer with us, one tragically by her own hand.  

But old friends and new friends found to add to the list.

Later  Now three people.

RIP Fred Mowbray, after a long illness, bravely and cheerfully borne.

Those words look so cliched, but that's because sometimes cliches carry the truth.

 

28 November 2018 at 18:15

Today's Recycled Art flower collage. 

The tutor has students colour in the flowers and then presents them with templates for the various leaves and petals to cut out from fabric and/or felt.  

Ferretfingers' are always quite abstract.

But Fester looked at this and instantly said "Poinsettia".

 

 

28 November 2019 at 18:34

Fester has just had a spam email offering to publish one of his learned papers as a book.

There was some discussion about this concluding with "…and if I want to publish a book I'd do it myself."

“Well you have.”

"Quite. I have a phenomenal plethora of talents."

Sometimes I'm quite overwhelmed by the modesty.

28 November 2019 at 18:48

Quite pleased Thunderthighs has asked for a book for Xmas.

Ok it's "Fuck Yeah, Video Games" but it is a book, and it is an autobiography.

Tyleback  There we are then innit xxxx

Radio Drying

I know! Any excuse to use this one!

From Facebook archives

27 November 2013 at 22:53

So I'm sat here quietly doing my thing when "Bloodyellfire" comes from the bathroom.

He's dropped the radio in the bath.

So I get the batteries out and hairdryer them and the radio back to life.

FOR THE THIRD TIME!

Good thing it's battery not mains.

Here's a tip gentlemen.

If you're reading the newspaper in the bath don't try and fiddle with the radio at the same time.
I hate to generalise and be sexist but I fear you are not equipped to multitask.

Henlady  hee hee

Bess Cavalier  We've got a specialist bathroom radio that's supposed to be waterproof, although I've never tested it by dropping it in the bath!   

It hangs on the wall and can't be reached from the bath.  Also I'm the only person who listens to the radio in the bathroom – Captain and Master Cavalier just think it's too slovenly by half!

A Small Handful

...  from Facebook archives

26 November 2009 at 17:08

Just taken Ferretfingers to the practice nurse to have his ears syringed.   

He was really good, sat and chortled with laughter throughout the whole operation.

Then we went to the newsagents where he bought Zest (probably for the pretty ladies in scimpy clothing) and Disney Playhouse magazine - he's 15 going on 5 ...

FifiD  Bless him! He's the same as all men!!!

26 November  2011 at 10:35 ·

Have just removed Dad and Aunt Joan's names and addresses off my Xmas card envelope label file.  Feel a little bit sad

FifiD  Ah shame.  A sad year.  Thinking of you.  Xx

26 November 2011 at 15:45

A trip to Tynemouth with Ferretfingers to see the sea turned into a walk from the pier up to North Shields Ferry Landing (with stop to eat Mint Feast sitting on bench looking between piers), ferry to South Shields and Metro home.  Now nackered with blister!

26 November 2013 at 08:54

Dear Facebook,

I am not interested in Defeating Funeral Costs, nor do I believe doctors are in the least afraid I will find out Amanda Holden's 'beauty secret'.

Mrs Delune  I imagine Amanda Holden's beauty secret involves the fact that for her looking glam is a job, and for me nobody gives a shite if my jumper is manky or I bothered to wear make-up.

Mr Mull  I bet you don't get an advert for 'New Testosterone Booster'.

Bentonbag  Good thing too - there's more than enough testosterone floating around this house!

Fay  Have you seen Demi Moore's beauty secret?  The pic on that 'Suggested Post' is absolutely gross!  Tried to get rid of 'em at the weekend but didn't succeed.

Sandy  Does Amanda Holden (?who?) recieve messages offering to reveal Bentonbag's beauty secrets?

feeling accomplished. 26 November 2014 at 13:10

Have just replaced the toilet seat

Miss Fiddle  And who broke it?

Fay  What with?

Bentonbag  Rust - three males - lousy aim - even worse design of hinge and attachment.