Greenhouse Construction

Busy with the greenhouse construction,sadly our climate is not suitable for tomato growing al fresco,so concrete mixing and struggling with instructions on how to assemble ,are order of the day,though I had an enjoyable 2 hours in Skegness accompanying a rather attractive tall young lady from Macclesfield on the torrid beaches of the north sea coast,whilst poor Sheila stayed at the savoy hotel enjoying coffee and free newspapers.

Nostalgia with Social Comment

It looks as if Montana Mike is to be re named as Colorado Chuff! is the love affair over?I hope he can get some retro shirt idea's from the photo of that great centre half on Sheila's blog,that was when the ball had a lace in it and a spare one in the shirt,the boots were suitable for playing football and working in the mines,and it took a brave man to head the ball on a sludge sodden field,my mother always said "it was heading that heavy ball that made your dad go bald"she might have been right.
Nostalgia,it's not what it used to be,when a packet of cigs were 1penny for 5, beer 4 pints for tuppence and kids at 11 years old were sent up chimneys or down the mines,for a weekly wage of a farthing less tax,it makes you pine for the good old days,no TV,or internet,no washing machines,butter was good for you,full cream unpasturised milk with added tb.you could reminisce forever.
Latest from our hen hut correspondant,the white hen is still struggling to hatch a strategically placed pot egg,and taking up good nest box room,forcing the other residents to squash into two nest boxes,as befits their highly intelligent brains,they make billy the dog look like a genius.

Showers and sunny periods

Got the washing out early but the dreaded showers are now starting,5 eggs already after I moved a protesting hen (the little white banty)off the two large eggs she was trying to hatch,she is now sat on the pot egg in the vain hope of hatching that,she stayed there while I cleaned out the hut,a little like montana at his KC residence,lifting his feet for MS to hoover round him.
Bowling yesterday at the village hall,played with the crafty cockney Walt as a partner ,we won easily mainly due to his efforts,le blade did not turn up as he is recovering from rope burns on the neck after the blades lost in the play off for premiership status,luckily his dear wife cut him down in time from the garage rafter,I called in with some eggs and he was administering a cure of cold cider to the affected throat,in my opinion a much more efficacious remedy than chiropractors and such like.
It seems Sheila has decided we are going on a visit to australia,and I am delegated the job of searching for the best flights money can buy,I would be grateful for any experiences my reader may have had in this regard,thus avoiding pitfalls,I should like to visit my cousin crocodile mick while we are there and so flights from brisbane to perth are also in my sights with a further search for perth to carnarvon,insurance for the intrepid elderly travellers is also a requirement.

Markby church

This is the oldest thatched church in Lincolnshire. We went there this morning. They were fund raising to decorate the inside of the church having just had a grant from the lottery to renew the thatch

Giro D' Italia

After trying the gmail programme and comparing it to skype,the latter comes out on top,Montana may think I am just making that fact up but we have taken soundings and they confirm this.
That big event the Giro D' Italia is now required viewing in the Kansas City household,but some of us have seen the real thing during our residence in La Spezia,and like horse racing there is nothing like actually being at the racecourse,even if like me you are not a particular lover of the sport,I mention this because if Montana Mike would like to visit Italy and pay for a personal interpreter(much like a personal trainer) I know the very man.
Yesterday we looked at a house with lots of land but decided against it as the house was in need of much work,which would have been ok 10 years ago,but Ithink we shall have to settle for what we have unless we have a win on the lottery,but if that were to happen I envisage a nice place in Tuscany for the summer and an antipodean residence in the winter.
Harking back to the midwest of the USA we found a wonderful place near KC in the countryside and if we could have obtained a residence permit would have bought it,it had stables 20 acres,a swimming pool,the works and at the time with the exchange rate well within our price range,but we are not able to get permission to live there so its a non starter.
This morning I did my good deed for the day,I took Sheila's unused crutches ,to the residence of Cockney Linda,who had a fall on her flight back from Florida and broke her ankle rather severely in two places,and finds a zimmer frame to be of little use,so lets hope the crutches suit her better.

Skyped out

Sunday morning and raining the washing is in and out like a fiddlers elbow,the weather men say we are in for abarbecue summer,so we must be getting all the rain now.
The new computer has skype which will allow us to have audio visual contact with friends and relatives,though it seems Montana mike has decided not to use it,is it because its not his idea?
who knows, maybe he has a closed mind.
I notice he has tormented the painters who were working on his house,I have a vision in my mind of a similar situation with me and Sam the pom on the job,there would be much olde english language spoken and not a few threats made,re pots of paint and brush handles etc.
I am off now for my ritual organic cheese sandwich and a cup of coffee,before the football comes on tv.

Rapper Liam

I came across a rapper on the net who was the image of Liam,surely not even he would stoop to this level of activity?though I am convinced it was in fact he,someone needs to have words with the lad,showing himself up in this manner.
Our visitors departed for Preston West End leaving the place very quiet,the hens are missing them too,clucking in sorrow,the day started off with heavy rain but its now lovely sunshine and 17 degrees,which is drying out the hens feathers nicely.
We are hoping to get a number of our contacts on skype and than we can have audio visual conversations,which would be good for international contacts.

SCUM!

So its now official,all the politicians who trample on the truly commited members of their parties to get elected to parliament are no better than common fraudsters,something that has long been known to us all,like pigs in a trough they have selfishly gobbled up our tax money,and pontificated about morals,sadly the genuine politically active people who could have done a job without being corrupt have been shoved aside,there will now be even more cynicism and the populace will not vote as they see no way of outing these greedy self seeking people who like scum have risen to the top.
Its time for the real politicians who have altruistic motives to take back their parties and elect honest people to govern the country,and there are many who have worked hard to promote their political ideas only to see them adopted and misused by the self seeking elements of their parties.
It should be law that to stand for election to parliament,you should reside in the area you wish to represent,and have done so for at least 5 years, London accomodation should be provided in an apartment block owned by the people,free of charge whilst attending parliament, and a register of attendance should be kept,the only expense allowed should be a travel warrant issued to the member only,and not first class,and cost of phone calls all itemised , the salary should be the average industrial wage,(not to include bankers)and the old chestnut about attracting the quality of person is related to large salaries can be disproved.

McAlpines Fusiliers

I am using a keep fit implement which is guaranteed to tire out your muscles and relax them to such an extent you would not believe,I am using it quite a lot now that I am temporary chicken farmer,I will share the name of the implement with all (both) my readers,A SHOVEL,or "Lord Lovel" as it was known by Mc Alpines fusiliers,brother in law Norman being a former McAlpines fusilier bought me this keep fit tool in an auction at Boston some time ago at great expense, 50 pence,though it is'nt the Rolls Royce of the genus it being rather heavy unladen,it suffices .
Who needs expensive machines like the aborigine designed Abkingpro,when for a relatively small sum at most auctions a shovel may be aquired,and maybe the banks will even be prepared to hand out loans for the purchase.
Poor Montana Mike is still searching for the fitness holy grail,and it seems finishing up down lots of blind alleys,machines,diets,snake oils,the poor lad knows not which way to turn,and yet here in my little easy to read blog could well be the answer,a McAlpines fusiliers lord lovel and a plot of land to cultivate organic produce,as is usual because of my generous nature I offer all this information free of charge,go to it with a will dear readers and tire out those muscles with honest toil. Good Luck Graham (former water board fusilier in Rotherham)

Bridge Building and Antipodean Stays

This is my "bridge over the river kwai" or over the mostly dry dyke next to the hen coop,though as yet the hens are reluctant to use it,but if we get any heavy rain they may change their minds,or when the cockerel arrives he may show them how to be brave.
I mowed down all the nettles as the hens will not eat them and they were becoming an obstacle for them getting back to the hen hut,we are expecting a visit from chicken Al and his wife Vicki on thursday so he can look at my handiwork to keep him entertained.
Sheila's pal Cockney Lil has fell on the plane bringing her home from Florida and broke her ankle in 2 places last night,we learned of the incident when we met her daughter in the co op today,it looks as if I may be having the job of driving her home from wythenshaw hospital if there is no ambulance service,a trip of some consequence there and back.
Reverend Montana is back in full flow with his sermons on healthy eating,but is in danger of becoming very boring and not the least bit entertaining,poor lad.
Sandra the pom is vainly searching for Morn Cremeen biscuits(or cookies if you are American) but so far to no avail,Sam the pom her dear husband has bought her some machine guaranteed to make her fit and lose her beer belly,what's wrong with old fashioned stays I ask?
Enough of this tripe for today ,Cheers All. Graham

Bowling Day

Sandra. I think lidl have an offer on at the moment in their biscuit department so if they have lidl supermarkets in OZ you could try to get some Morn Cremeens before they sell out,you can't miss the very distinctive red white blue and black wrapper design.
Weather report; cold and raining which should please local farmers as we have had minimal amounts over the past month,though there do appear to be some small gaps in the clouds,it is just the day to go bowling at the village hall,where coffee and fig biscuits will be served at half time ,they seem to have a lot of fig biscuits,I think it is because nearly all of the bowlers are elderly and need the roughage,there's hardly an arrowroot biscuit to be had.
Home made curry last night followed by apple pudding and washed down with John Smiths beer,a very physicking meal if I may say so,as a result I shall go for the morning coffee biscuits at the bowling.

Morn Cremeen cookies!

Sheila was going to try and make some but I found these in the local health food shop. They were quite expensive but I suppose you are paying for the name! Graham

Auntie Rosie

Sunday morning and the washing is on the line to dry,5 eggs from the hens already,and I have been into the town for a paper,it will soon be time for elevenses comprising coffee and a couple of morn cremeen biscuits .
I really came on to tell you about another relative, my mothers oldest sister Rosie,who lived most of her 93 years near the London north circular road ,smoking 60 Players Weights a day and washing down the nicotine with more Guinness than an Irish Navvy could consume,with the odd brandy for medicinal purposes,Auntie Rosie not being a great cook unlike my dear old mother,much processed food was eaten at her residence,and no doubt many a morn cremeen biscuit was dunked in tannin rich tea.
Longevity is a very time consuming event in some peoples lives,and I was thinking it would be a shame to eat a so called healthy diet and them succumb to some swine flu virus which does not recognise the fact that you are immune to illness,if I might pinch a joke from the paper,is somebody telling porkies about this new flu.

May Day Missive

I am informed by my patient(Sheila) that according to the paper there have been demonstrations on may day throughout europe,but here in the UK nothing,in fact you would not know it was may day,the only holiday not linked to religion,and not a long established holiday at that,but there is no political party representing working class interests in existence any more,the hi jacking of the labour party by career politicians of middle class origins,and corrupted former socialists of more proletarian descent,is finally complete.
Montana Mike is ranting again about diets of raw food being the salvation of us all and helping us to be thin and healthy,though I had a grandmother who ate what today would be an unhealthy diet of pigs trotters,cow heel offal of all descriptions, buns of all description and the only raw food she had was a cooking apple occasionally, and she was a very"chubby" lady with hands like shovels,in fact anyone who encountered my dad would know that he inherited his stature from this very woman,sadly it killed her at 93 years of age,should we all go on the offal diet?
Changing the subject to the weather,it started off cloudy but I think I detect a breaking through of the sun,and as I have been out cleaning the hen hut this just seems to bear out the old saying"the sun shines on the righteous!"
FOOTBALL:tomorrow is the big day for Sheffield United as they can win automatic promotion to the premier league,depending on how Birmingham City fare,both games are on TV at the same time,so it will be an interesting day of football though perhaps a rough one with not much skill on show but a lot of endeavour.
Thats it for now,I'm just off to gnaw on a pigs trotter in the interests of longevity.