Larder fridge update.

The larder fridge arrived Thursday 28th as promised and fits like a glove in the space I had made for it. All the weird tiling can't be seen so what does it matter. It will make it easier to clean the walls when we move everything forward (once in a blue moon) joke!

Daylight saving time.

I'm sure we used to call it British Summer Time when I was a lad.
The clocks went forward last night and today the temperature was 46'F, things are starting to look up already. I love light nights everything just comes to life!

A day in London with friends.

The 27th March my second trip down to London in two weeks.
This is the side entrance of the Natural History Museum London the place where we arranged to meet.

Patrick and two of his children Brian and Aaron in the stroller (pushchair). We have not met since we walked in Scotland eight years ago.

After walking round the museum and catching up on things it was time for us to meet up with Patricks wife Alison. She was in St Jame's Park near Buckingham Palace, so we took a black cab and met up with her.

Here we are altogether Me, Alison, Patrick, baby Aaron, John P and Brian in the stroller. Buckingham Palace in the background, we are now off for a stroll through the Park.

The lake in St Jame's Park.

First stop, the hotdog stall hotdogs all round, a cup of tea for me hot chocolate for the others.

At the far end of the lake Alison said she had seen some Pelicans, I ask you Pelicans in the wild in England never!!!

Pelicans, well I never!

We left at the far end of the park and rejoined the Mall.

We are now at the Admiralty Arch, this is at one end of the Mall, Buckingham Palace at the other.

Through the Arch and onward to Trafalgar Squqare.

Another few hundred yards and we were there..

Trafalgar Squire, Nelsons Column and to Waterstone's.

The day was getting on and it was turning colder hot drinks was the order of the day.

Sadly this is where I had to say my goodbyes, it was getting closer to the time of my return coach and they don't wait for anyone.

Back down the Mall and onward to the coach station.

Back at the coach station with half an hour to spare, I like to cut things fine.

I was not by myself but I was guaranteed a seat. Buses leave for all points of the UK from here.

Up the M1 nothing much to see at night, after three and a half hours I'm back in Gods own county Yorkshire and home. It's been a long day but well worth it.

Patrick and Alison are the ones from California that I met up Scotland eight years ago. We have kept in touch using Blogger, Facebook and e-mail ever since. They live in Azerbaijan at the moment but will be going back to the States later this years when Alison will be having her fourth baby.

A prisoner of the weather.

Last week starting Sunday we were at a loss for what to do. It was so cold outside I decided to do a job that needed to be done by 28/3/13, the day the new larder fridge arrives.
Some years ago in fact many years ago (1985) I fitted the kitchen out with home made units and there lies the problem. I did a good made to measure job building the units around the old fridge freezer. It was a tallish slimline upright F/F a size that are hard to come by now. The new fridge is 5cm (1 1/2") wider than the old one so I've adjusted things to fit.
One job lead to another, when I first tiled the kitchen I could see no reason to tile behind the units or fridge but it was always something I was going to do but never got round to it.
Anyway since everything was away from the wall and I had lots of tiles left over from some other job I'd done and working on the principal that they would not be seen, I just slapped them on.
These jobs took me until Wednesday to complete.

Thursday I went to London for the day to meet up with my friend from California that I have not seen for eight years and her six year old son. She was on a flying visit to London from Azerbaijan. I am going down again this Wednesday her husband and other two sons have come over until Friday then they are all flying together, back to Baku.

Friday my birthday last year it was 60'f this year it snowed, it's the first time I've known it snow on my birthday. We went to the Rockingham Arms at Wentworth for our dinner (1 oclock). Una bought our dinner it was supposed to be a treat for me but I'm not sure! I always buy the meals when we eat out and she cooks all the meals when we're at home, so was it her treat or mine? She also went to the bar and bought me a pint, now that was a first. Anyway we both really enjoyed the afternoon.

 These tiles will never be seen so what does it matter.

 My friend Alison and son JP originally from orange county CA.

 Westminster Cathedral the first time I've seen this, it's a Roman Catholic building.

 

 Inside the Natural History Museum London.

 A mixed grill my favourite buried under the chips, egg, and onion rings is chicken, beef and ham Una could not finish it there was too much meat for her.

 The Rockingham Arms a typical country pub five miles from home.

 Una pointing out a notice on the gate.

 

The bowling green littered with wind blown twigs.

 The cards are mine, the flowers were for Una for mothers day.

Saturday we woke up to 6 to 8" of snow on the ground, too much snow to risk going shopping so we bored ourselves silly watching TV and DVD's.      

First day.

Yesterday I could wait no longer I had to make a start on the allotment. To say it's been neglected over the last two years it wasn't bad really. The winter has killed most of the weed back making it easier to see where I could make a start.
I fired up my old fashioned organic weed killer come soil steriliser and did a hours burning. I don't know if it does any good but it kept me warm!
The soil is too wet and sticky to do any real work, but at least I've made a start.

Winter is still with us.

Yesterday we awoke to a dusting of snow, by teatime it had almost all gone. Then at bedtime it started again we awoke to another dusting. This winter has been the longest cold spell since the 1960's. Most nights this year have been well below freezing and the daytime temperature has not been much better mid to low 30's.
The weather does not keep us in, we wrap up in warm clothes and go about our daily outings though it WILL be nice when the weather does get warm. Roll on Summer!!!

A slight problem.

We have a slight problem with stay cats, there are four young ones that tend to live in our garden and four older ones that are casual visitors passing through on a regular bases.
Last Saturday I decided it was time to think about the future and the possibilities that these four kittens were reaching breeding age and we did not want more cats on the doorstep.
I contacted a cat charity to see what could be done and within an hour a lady was round at our house with a trap and holding pens.
By this time it was getting dark and about the normal time when we put food out for them. They are not our cats but we can't see them starve. She baited the trap and in no time at all one at a time they were all caught.

The agreement with the charity is that they take the cats get them neutered and returned them to where they were caught. I don't mind having them back I just didn't want them breeding.
The cats look so peaceful in the cages but believe me they are wild. It turns out there were one tom and three shes.

Good neighbour.

Trees are OK but sometimes they are a bit of a nuisance. The ones at the bottom of my garden were becoming just that, blocking sunshine out. Last summer the trees were casting a shadow way down over the garden passed my greenhouse which I think affected my tomato crop.
So at the back end of last year I asked my neighbour if he would have them lowered. He agreed with me and set a contractor on, the thing is we have had to wait until now for a slot to get the job done.

The christmas tree near my greenhouse I trimmed back a fortnight ago using my ladders and a pruning saw on a broom handle.
 

These two really knew their job and to watch them climb with safety ropes and chainsaws was amazing. They made it look so easy I would have loved to have a go but my knees wouldn't stand it.

The dull photos were taken yesterday Wednesday foggy day and the brighter photo was taken today Thursday. Honestly this winter has been a long cold winter and promising more to come this weekend.
It will be well into April before things get better.

Roaming starts this month.

Rotherhams newest build Rotherham Central Railway Station.

This will be the starting point for many a day trip in the future. Traveling by public transport is a sociable event you get to meet people from all walks of life.
One tip I will give anyone:- take some fishermans friends or any other strong flavoured sweet because you do come across some very smelly people!
I find generally train travellers to be cleaner than bus travelers but bus travelers are more chatty.

I don't know if it's an age thing or whether road users (car drivers) are getting crazier but I'm not liking driving the car anymore. I've slipped into that let someone else take the strain of driving thing, everyone is in a hurry and I don't have a rush in me as long as I get there I'm happy.

One thing I must do, I have to go to the coast I've not seen the sea for two summers.