Look On The Bright Side

"Smile for your auntie"

During Lockdown the artisan baker near Ferretfingers’ day centre at the Rising Sun Countryside Centre started home deliveries of bread.  We signed up in order to help keep a local business going.  The bread is so good that once the pandemic was over we chose to carry on with our weekly order.  We collect it on the way home from the other day centre; deliveries are still available but I'm interested to see what's happening at the Rising Sun.  

Ferretfingers always pays, then demands a £10 note off his dad when he gets home.

Last week the baker asked if we’d seen any Charles III coins yet.

We hadn’t.

Yesterday he offered Ferretfingers a newly minted 50p with the King’s head.

Ferretfingers rejected it.

“Are you sure?” said the baker “The way things are going it might have rarity value in the future.”

 

That's My Boys

Once a week I do ‘the big shop’ with Thunderthighs; this week it was Sainsbury’s.  

On Tuesday afternoons I pop in with Ferretfingers to pick up his tv magazines and other bits and bobs.

We always get bananas.

On Monday I grabbed their Fairtrade five for 75p pack.

Thunderthighs looked askance, went to the loose bananas, picked a hand, weighed and priced it, and dropped it in the trolley with a triumphant “Six for 74p.”

A couple of weeks ago, between the WI, theatre and another meeting, I was out three nights running.

Ferretfingers much prefers to have full control of the telly.

I was out again last night.

This afternoon Ferretfingers asked “Where’s Mummy going tonight?”

I replied “I’m not, I’m going to be in all night.”

His reply was a low growl.

 

 

Phone Fag

From the Facebook Files

3 February 2023 at 07.57

The phone/answering machine has died.

I've plugged in an old phone from Sheffield so we can ring in and out but the ring is puny and there's no way to leave a message until I buy a new one.

My mobile is always on and Fester is threatening to turn his on too.

Mrs Leftfoot  That's that mean we can all ring Dr F? Wonderful.

Bentonbag  I think he's turned it off again now I'm home.

4 February 2023 at 13.10

New phone/s from Argos/Sainsbury's all installed and set up.

Day was when you just bought a phone and plugged it in.

Now you have to set the date and time, record a message, select 'eco', adjust volume of speaker/handset/ringtone etc etc. 

Each handset has a selection of 15 (fifteen!) ringtones.

The base is next to the tv (that's where the socket is) and has a bright American drama type brring.

The one next to Thunderthighs' bed in the loft has a low trimphone trill.

The one next to Fester's laptop in the office has an awful electonic version of Scott Joplin's The Entertainer (theme tune of The Sting film).

I bet he answers the bugger within 9 nine rings when he's in there now.*

I know...

Evil.

 

*This ploy has failed

Not In Penelope Leach

From Facebook Archives

3 February 2022 at 08:30

Thunderthighs has just gone for his annual medical, scheduled 08.30, on his own, as he has since 2020 when the appointment landed on the same day as Ferretfingers was due to come out of hospital with his mended ankle.

This morning at 9:15 Ferretfingers has his annual medical.  

He's just got up and gone into the loo (he may be some time...).   

I've washed my hair so am sat here in a towel turban and bath sheet.  

It is 08.30.

At least we can walk up to the GP Surgery, not drive and have to find a parking space like yesterday's dental nurse appointment.

Apropos the blog.  Fanny Och the needlework teacher at Llandeilo Grammar and Tregib Comprehensive instilled in me a belief I was no good at sewing and a pathological hatred of sewing machines.  Thank God she never attempted to teach me to crochet or knit.

Off to get dressed.

Paganess  I had an art teacher who wouldn't let me join in the class and I had to sit and read because I was so bad!  I can sculpt in many mediums but, still am limited when drawing.

Later

Bentonbag  Update on the medicals.   

Both boys have slightly raised blood-pressure (probably inherited from their father).   

Thunderthighs has gained weight, Ferretfingers has lost some.   

Thunderthighs refused to have a testicular examination or blood taken.   

Ferretfingers happy to do both and sat watching as the needle went in and his life fluid flowed out.  

I was sat biting the inside of my mask and trying not to drum my feet too hard on the floor at the thought of it.   

We do have a home blood pressure testing thing, still in its box.  So I shall have to get it out and do the boys' daily for the next week or so to get a better, less stressed reading.  

Oh, and I have a urine sample tube for Ferretfingers to fill and me to take up.

They don't tell you about all this in the Penelope Leach books.

Cheery Idiot Warning

The last photo Phil took

I can't remember what meme gave rise to this post.

I have a vague feeling I gave the bloke a cold stare and said "It already has"; there was no further conversation.

From Facebook Archives

2 February 2016 at 21:26

Sometime back in the 1992 when Phil's cancer had come back and he was in hospital for tests, treatment or whatever, and I was worried sick and not getting enough sleep, I was on the Metro going to or coming home from work and obviously my face showed my feelings.

Some cheery idiot sitting opposite me said 

“Cheer up, it might never happen.”

The only reason he was not verbally or physically abused was that I was too damn tired.

At The Farm

On Tuesdays I enable Ferretfingers on two sessions at Ouseburn Farm. To be honest I get as much out of it as he does; exercise, fresh air and the company of interesting animals and people.

From Facebook archives

1 February 2023 at 08.43

Yesterday at Ouseburn the farm lad decided not to have everyone doing everything and sent Ferretfingers off into the hayshed to dismantle the big hay and straw bales and fill up the rubble sacks with fodder and bedding to be taken to the mucked out pens.

Just the job for destructoboy.

He had a great time and filled four bags, which vanished into the pens fairly quickly.  He was so engrossed in pulling out and putting in that he didn't stop for a break but carried on for over an hour and a half. 

A plus for me, it was an intermittently drizzly windy day and we were warm and dry.

The afternoon wood carving session took place in the hut (heated so I got some knitting done).  Again he was so engrossed in debarking and digging out a hole in his log he only took a 5 minute break for a drink of water.  They use only hand tools, mainly chisels, and sandpaper so there's no problem of dust and Ferretfingers can cope with the noise of knocking.

Sadly Robson the goat died on Friday, probably something he ate as according to the farm lad "He was a bugger for eating things he shouldn't."

His pal Jerome looked quite upset (as far as a goat can) and was very responsive to being petted, which is unusual for him.   

One of the staff tried to take him for a walk but only got as far as the car park where he turned around and decidedly headed back to his pen.

There are two new little whethers (goat/sheep equivalent of a bullock or gelding) in a pen inside his pen to get them acquainted but safely separate.

I've suggested they be called Ant and Dec.

The new goats are called Robbie and Sonny, after RobSon.

Recently someone posted a video on tiktok about Ouseburn Farm’s goat walks.

https://www.tiktok.com/@rebbeebee18/video/7324402804720799009

It went viral and now hundreds of people are on a waiting list for goat walking.