Just like great great grandfather!

" Talc Miner Italy " For Barry the coalville miner

The title is a slight alteration to Florrie's description of her daughters if she disapproved of their actions or words, but I was up early this morning making coffee for my dear wife's breakfast,when I spotted a rat near the edge of the dyke,so with my trusty rifle I got it first shot,but not an instant kill as it crawled off to die, before I could reload .

My great great grandfather W. Jeffrey of Hatton ,a village on the wolds, had a spell as a "vermin killer"according to the census records,after being a farmworker and later moving to Hull and trading as a greengrocer,hence the title of the blog.

The weather looks to be going downhill it started off sunny but cloud is moving in from the wolds,and the forecast is strong winds and rain,Florida seems a long way away.

Montana Mike is visiting some weird exhibition of human bodies! I think he has lost the plot, speaking of Montana,we visited Mrs. Broccoli yesterday,and it turns out her husbands sister lives in Montana,its a small world.

We met Mrs Gander a couple of days ago, and Bob the Goose is still recovering from his back operation, Barry the miner of coalville is going into hospital today for his hip operation,and if they read the blog, best wishes to him.

I am waiting for the postman to call preferably with cheques ,but usually its only junk mail and inland revenue letters.

Thats it for now as you see not much happening. Graham

ps.the painting is of Piero the Italian talc miner,done on wacom programme ,for computer buffs.

TERREMOTO !

Terremoto(earthquake ) here on the prairie,numerous funny thoughts come to mind about the bed lifting of the ground at 1.am in the middle of the night,was it the whisky? did someone break wind rather strongly? and others too risque to mention,but no it was an earthquake,the italians call it a terremoto,which means earth in motion,and describes it perfectly,its a little bit like a really bad drunken night when the ceiling swirls,or so I am told.
As far as I can see there seems to be no structural damage,even though the epicentre was at Ludford a village just to the west of Louth.
I mention the Italian word because some friends of ours who lived in a flat in Pinerolo in Italy once had a domestic disagreement,and being Italians things were being thrown about including a large item of furniture,the residents in the flat below were recent arrivals from the south of Italy,and were used to earth tremors,they ran out into the open shouting TERREMOTO!! but fortunately it was only our friends arguing ,they are of course now divorced.
So nothing much else to report at this early hour, possibly more revelations later.
Graham

First bike ride of the year

Sunday morning dawned breezy but fine,so I rode the bike to mablethorpe and back to buy a paper ,about 4 miles in total,but it was much stronger wind than I bargained for ,and made it hard work pedalling there but ok coming back.
I did some gardening work,tidying up the borders and spreading grass seed where the mole has damaged things,also moved some big pieces of tree trunk out of the back to the grass verge at the entrance,to dissuade binmen and others from destroying the grass verge.
Sheila made a sunday dinner and after scoffing that,we watched the cup game between Chelsea and Spurs,and the result went to Spurs who were the better side.
Thats about it from the little house on the prairie for today.
Ciao Graham

Over the hills and back.

Back from Preston today,after delivering posters to Sheffield and then overnight at Gina's,took her some paintings for the walls which are in need of some ,as they are very high old fashioned walls.
It was raining as usual in Lancashire but cleared up on the Yorkshire side of the penines,and positively balmy here in Lincolnshire,the car registered 16c at Gainsborough,and 13 on the prairie.
The Mole may be dead as no further eruptions of vesuvian magnitude,the reason could be Sheila who stabbed away at a small eruption a couple of days ago,and may have killed off the blighter.
Not much else to report so I am signing off, Graham

cartoon showing the tribulations of a gardener

Below is a pictorial blog showing me furiously trying to pitchfork a mole which is creating havoc in our back garden,the mole as you can see is having a laugh. Graham

Mountains out of molehills

Heathy Eating

Today started frosty and sunny,then the north sea decided to send us some mist,which cleared the frost but scuppered the sun,I finished the poster orders and came in for a warm,to find out Sonia and Michael are cutting short their holiday,I think maybe a week is enough in portugal as there is little to do if the weather is bad.
Montana is reduced to sharpening knives for a hobby,and revealing all about his errant youth,(well nearly all).
We have a mole creating havoc in the garden,I tried stabbing it with the garden fork but fresh piles of soil keep appearing,I must look for a trap to kill the blighter,can't shoot it because its underground.
I hear on the local grapevine that Mrs. Broccoli has a part time job as a swimming instructor,which leaves Ian the Blade without a driving instructor.
Tonight I am in charge of the tv remote as Sheila is WI'ing ,so no soaps tonight,just football,and everybody loves raymond.
The cup game at bramall lane was not a great football match,and Utd.were not the worst team either,the preston game was a better game and Preston should have won,but they had a penalty saved and gave away a goal in extra time.
Sam the Pom is doing well with his Australian team,and at this rate could be in line for the England job in a few years,Sandra the Pom seems to be encountering a lot of OZZIE wildlife,spiders,snakes, and such, which leads me into snake oil and stuff,its time to get on the yorkshire artist diet,and exercise regime,drink plenty of fluids containing alcohol,eat lots of fatty bacon and red meat,do a minimum of exercise,tv remote channel changing is ok,and throw all the vitamin pills in the bin,this will not prolong your life expectancy,but you sure will enjoy the bit you have,NON organic food is a must on this fitness regime.
Only food cooked on the same day must be eaten,no leftovers,and every day a diverse menu,small amounts of water may be drunk but only to alleviate the dry mouth syndrome occasionally experienced after copious amounts of whisky.
Good luck Dieters,and do publish your results,,Graham the guru.

Merrie Olde Englande

Back again,survived the atlantic and here we are to torment our neighbours with tales of the Wild West, Kansas and Missouri,and forgetting that other peoples holiday stories are boring, though I have to say we have had three climates in around 5 weeks,extreme cold in Kansas and Missouri,extreme heat in Florida,and Olde Englande's temperate climes,and Sheila will be singing at the WI on monday about" Englands green and pleasant land", looking out of the window as I write, it is just that,and the sun is breaking through the clouds,the daffodils are starting into flower,and driving down from Sheffield we saw lots of crocus flowering,and Theddlethorpe church yard is white with snowdrops,after all this I expect a cheque from the English tourist board.
Sandra the pom is still falling for Sam's dubious charms, which I helped to introduce into his nature by educating him in his courting days with my knowledge,especially when I told him how to deal with his future mother in law.
Rumour has it that one of the local gentry is selling some of his expensive shotguns, one has to sympathise,these stately piles are a big drain on the coffers,even though we are now very short on firepower to repel any uprisings by the peasantry.
Sheila has gone out scavenging for food in the local countryside and I have posters to complete in order to pay off the massive debt incurred whilst visiting our former colony.
It will be nice to watch REAL FOOTBALL again not that stuff the Americans call football,the allure of that game passes me by,but I did enjoy the superbowl party(their version of a cup final) we were invited to in Florida,for Yanks ,the party givers were greenbay packers supporters and actually travelled up to watch the semi final.
Should anyone be reading the blog in park circle redington,we had a nice time and wish all the folk we met there a pleasant further vacation,and hope Joe from New Jersey survived the night,with Roseanne!! and thanks for the Italian Sandwiches Joe," E Buona Fortuna "Roseanne.
Sonia and Michael are now in Portugal and dining at the two old ladies place in Silves, (best chicken dinner in the world)and maybe Sonia is allowing him to watch the football at the bar across the street,the waiters were Sporting Lisbon fans,but will gladly switch the tv over to English games if asked.
Farmer Joe is apparently tied up with babysitting,and has done a good job making sure the inland revenue mail reached me??sadly no winning letters from the premium bonds.
Graham,news at midday somewhere in Olde Englande.

FInal Bulletin Seminole Campus

Last full day here at Seminole college campus,its a little grey today but still warm,and forecast is for a thunderstorm later.
Last night one of the owners of the complex we are staying at came in for a drink and stayed till around 10.30.we regaled each other with travel adventures,and much merriment was order of the day,and not a little wine was imbibed.
We shall be making an early start for Orlando tomorrow,which is a couple of hours drive from here and probably stopping for a big breakfast at our usual place , Cracker Barrel where no doubt we shall be full to the brim with a large American breakfast.
So folks this is my final news bulletin from Seminole Campus, signing off ,Graham

Hot stuff at the mongolian today

Lunchtime and we are here after the mongolian buffet,escaping the merciless sun of florida counting down for the flight home,(yes dear neighbours I mean lincolnshire,not sheffield,)I must be settling in now on millionaires row.
Shortly we will be back at our sunbathing posts round the pool,but sadly all things must end,so signing off from Seminole Campus for what may be the last time ,news at 2 graham(the bronze version)

NO Vegetarian restaurant

Today started sunny but went downhill,though its still warm,after a tour looking for the vegetarian restaurant,which may have closed ! we ended up here at the library,party last night at peter the owners cottagebut I was very good and only had one glass of wine,but one of the "mafiosi" new jersey italians wife feell down the step whilst talking to Sheila,but she was ok and came back after changing.
Not much else going on here ,but Montana is up to his old colonic tricks again,I can only think he enjoys it??
Tina tried to cut our holiday short ,she got the return dates wrong and is busy doing social work with her sister!!
thats it for now . graham 3,30 news seminole library florida

Monty Python

Today is a little cloudy and too much sun yesterday so early computer work is in progress,last night we were out to dinner at a place next to the cottage,Sheila had lobster ,and I had steak. Drink was 2 for 1 so margeritas and white wine was imbibed,then a casual stroll home to tv and Everybody loves Raymond.
I see Gina has had pancakes and lemon,and walking in the gale force Blackpool breezes,though the slot machine bit is not what she was brought up to indulge in.
Yesterday afternnon we looked at a nice house just to the rear of our place and it is on sale at $1,5 million ,so we did not put in a bid for it,maybe Sir George would be interested in lending me the money??? it would be one way of aquiring new neighbours in millionaires row lincs.
I think Alan sexbomb must be at his lincolnshire residence as no e mails are forthcoming from him,hope they have weather like here,looks like a low of 70f on sunday is forecast,today its 82,and forecast is high 70s,up to sunday,we will just have to grin and bear it.
Local news in the paper is numerous reports of a large python at walmart car park ( Asda in England) which has now been caught,it amswered to the name Monty.
Graham, morning news Seminole

O SOLE MIO,,,

Had to break off from the poolside and are up to our usual place the buffet for lunch after writing the blog.82f today,it is very difficult living in the sun like this ,last night we were invited to a superbowl party,at a house with boat dock and stuff,its nothing to do with sport and just an excuse for eating and drinking,although we two were admirable ambassdors for England and only had two beers each
On the lottery last saturday I got two numbers so bought another today and hope for more luck on wednesday,if we don't come back you will know we have won.
Thats it for now more gloating about the weather later heee heee.
Graham news at 12.30 Pinellas county FLA.