Gates.

As promised I have published a picture of my front gates. As you can see, they are not square. To be candid, I am sure they have never been square as I have not had them closed until recently .

I know they require painting and I am waiting for my friend to go to Boston as I have given him a £20 voucher to be spent at Homebase. We have no Homebase store near us at all.

I am a little worried though because the guy who came to see me regarding my change of LPG supplier. Well he wrote a circular stating that he expected LPG prices to increase and suggested that we top up at todays prices. He gave us the alternative of e-mailing him. This I did. I also mentioned in passing that my gates had been freed and was waiting to paint them. He had pointed out when he called that my gates spoiled the look of my property.

I did thank him for making me get off my backside and get them freed.

He wrote back stating that when he passes by he would take a good look and give me his views on the looks. He has a caravan in the nearby town so I guess he will be passing by at some time.

Still, I can't make my mate go there immediately. All I did say to him last time he called. "Don't wait while there is several inches of snow, or freezing weather, as I don't want to be painting the gates in the winter." Whether it will make any difference, I doubt it.

Finally, the weather here has been fantastic these last few days. At 5.00pm today, the temperature was over 24c. Hotter than most places in Europe. I know it won't last but at least it is saving me on fuel. More soon.

Medication

Yesterday my medication was delivered as usual by a very nice young man. He has begun to stop and tell me a little about his life. He is married and his wife is expecting a child, he is beginning to fret a little, I told him that he wasn't the first and told him not to worry.
Anyway the conversation turned to computers, I think I told him I had just changed my ISP.
He then informed me that he had taken City and Guilds examination on computers and thought he would try to work for himself repairing and helping people who were having difficulty with computers. He told me that he couldn't make it pay. For several reasons he said. First was that if their computer broke down, they expected you to be there immediately, also he said that a lot of them were rude.
I tried to explain just how the old and young do not mix with technology. I explained to him that I had nothing to do with computers until I was in my 60s.
Anyway he told me he was getting rid of some old tower computers and a few portable T.Vs. I told him that I would ask my friend, who was like him quite good with computers if he wished me to take them off you. If he did I would ring him up and confirm.
I rung my mate up and he told me that he would have them, if there was nothing then he could dispose of them. I duly rung him up and informed him that my mate would have them.
Tonight around 5.30pm the door bell rang, it was him with his wife who has about 2 weeks to go. She wanted to see my garden as he had told her all about it. I showed her round and gave her some beetroot, a few runner beans, a cucumber and a few tomatoes. She was impressed. I showed her how asparagus grew into large ferns. I told her that when her husband bought some plants, I would tell both how to grow them and when to harvest them.
Originally, he had told me he was going to take her to a local farmers who produces and sells Ice Cream. Unfortunately they were closed. Mind you she had a few bits and bobs to take home.
It was late last night when I thought just how much things have changed since I was young.
Like 99% of people we had no telephone connection in the home. There was always plenty of public telephones around. Substantially built red in colour ans very small. It cost two old pence to make a local call. Upon lifting the receiver the operator would ask "Number please". You would give her the number and she would then tell you she was connecting you. If there was anymore to pay she would ask for the amount to be put in. If it was a local call. She would say "You are through". You then pushed button A and you were then connected to who you wanted to talk to. You were allowed 3 minutes then you were cut off. If however the number you asked for did not answer, the operator would tell you and then you pressed button B and your two pence was refunded down by a chute.
As anybody who has read all of my blogs will know that I went into business in early 1969.
There were very few lines available and I was on a party line with the local fish shop. Mind you, I can't remember if there was an operator at the exchange requesting the number you wished, or you could dial direct. I somehow doubt if you could dial direct in those days. More soon.

New ISP

Now to my new ISP.
On Thursday I went online and could not get a connection. Well as I had trouble with my provider before, I just closed the computer so as to try again about 2 hours later.
It was just the same so I decided to ring my provider, she informed me that I had cancelled my internet connection.
I again went online, this time was a page from Plus net my new provider. It just stated that there was no broadband.
I decided to call Plus net. The guy was very helpful and asked me to do several things, all of which were of no use. I informed him that I might have not done all the connections right. I went next door and asked the man there if he knew anything about the internet. He told me he would come round and look. This he did and told me that all looked in place.
I decided to ask my friend in Skegness if he could come and help. He unfortunately had no transport readily available so I told him I would go and pick him up.
Off I went to get him, there were several road works along the way. Unfortunately I could not immediately find his home but eventually found it. He showed me a quick way to miss most of the traffic. That was great so we arrived a little quicker than it took me to get to his.
On arrival, we once again turned on the computer, at first things were just the same, he went to check the connection and immediately I told him the main page from Plus net had altered. It now stated it was gathering information. This according to their welcome pack was to take up to 15 minutes.
After 30 minutes, I told him I was going to ring their help line. Once again a pleasant guy called Andrew was there to help us. When we informed him what had happened, or what was not happening, he told us not to worry. I passed him to my friend and to be honest it was simple. He told him what to type in and after about 15 minutes we were online.
Not altogether simple as it should have been. Andrew told us that this sort of thing does sometimes happen. anyway I am once again online.
I then had to take him back home, by the short cut way so I managed to get back soon after 5.30pm. I had travelled over 60 miles fetching and taking him . It was the time not the travelling that made me a little sad. The good thing now is that whenever I travel to Skegness, I know of a short cut to miss most of the traffic. More soon.

New ISP

New ISP

Friend called

I must say that on Friday, I think it was, I had a new ISP. However more about that later.
My friend called and I had a few things I wished him to do.
The first was to look at my Rose Arch. He only confirmed what I suspected, that is the arch is damaged beyond repair. I was a little sad because if anyone decides to look at old posts, I am sure there is at least one of the Roses. Well on Saturday, I finally decided to dig the rambler rose up. A lot harder than I imagined but I did eventually manage to remove the main root. I took a cutting last year and so when we have the Autumn rains I will try to transplant the rambler at the boundary so that it will grow through the trees.
The second job was to get him to swap the old VCR, he had bought one and it was no good at all. This one is much better although it will not eject the tape by remote control. Not a disaster.
The third job was my rear gate, His brother assisted him with this work. I was at the dentist. When I returned the gate was fixed but it was not fitted well and was very hard to close. Anyway he decided to sink the hinges. Now I must admit, it is great the gate closes brilliantly. He also adjusted my spare bedroom door so that also is now perfect.
Finally, I asked him to look at my gates, yes the ones that would not close. I will take a photo of them. One hangs a little lower than the other. He thinks they can be adjusted. Mind you when I get my Hammerite is anybodies guess.
As for the new ISP, I will tell you more about it tomorrow. More soon.

Friend called

Friend called

Brother-in-Law

I have never spoken about my Brother-in-Law before but I have never rated him. Mind you I am not married to him and never in a million years would I wish to.
The first time I was told of his antics was when he was introduced to my Parents, at one stage my Sister who he was courting just said to him. "Lie down and I'll fan you". With that he lay down on the floor. My Mother was shocked. He was a son of a Policeman but was not intelligent at all.
He was the only child, had everything he wanted and was rather greedy and very selfish.
As anyone who reads my blog will know that many many years ago I worked on British Railways first as an engine cleaner then as a Fireman. It was as a Fireman when this incident happened.
I was always at work on Christmas Day, although as a rule there was nothing to do. I can honestly say that all my working life on the Railway I never had Christmas Day off work. We generally went to work at 6.00am and although we were supposed to finish at 2.00pm we often left work about 1.30pm.
It was the first Christmas that my Sister and her Husband were invited to Christmas Dinner, we call it that because that is how we were bought up. Dinner at dinner time, That is at about 1.00pm.
As I was at work, my Brother in law called Dennis offered to carve. I don't know why because he had no idea how to carve meat. In this case it was a Turkey.
Well he cut the meat after a fashion, mine was put on a plate and put to one side. After he had put the meat on all of the plates. He asked if everybody had got enough. With the answer of yes. He then put the remaining meat on his plate. I am telling you as my Mother told me. She was astounded.
When I got home she was full of it and told me that no matter what time I got home on Christmas Day, the Turkey would be left until I was there to cut the meat up myself. This was implemented from that day until I left home.
We found out that he was greedy too with other things. He was at a wedding and his drink is rum. He took the bottle and it never left his side until it was empty.
Mind you some things happened to him that he did not think was funny but my Father laughed heartily when telling me.
They went one day to a sort of zoo. There in the place was a parrot. There was a sign warning folks not to get too coled to the parrot as it had a liking for buttons. Dennis, thought there would be no problem so he went close to the bird. All of a sudden the parrot bit off one of his buttons on his jacket sleeve. "Bugger me" he said "All I did was stand like this". With a sudden move the parrot had the other button off. My Father couldn't stop laughing. His wife, my Sister was furious with him.
The other occasion he was put down was when they stopped at a country pub. My Father and Dennis went in and the rest sat outside. My Father ordered the drinks and Dennis got a tray and started to put the drinks on the tray, not without trouble it may be told.The owner saw him struggling and shouted. "Just a minute, just a minute. I've met clever buggers like you before. Dennis just left the pub, he couldn't stand anyone telling him straight. My Father was again in stitches when he arrived at the table carrying the tray of drinks. More soon.

Duties completed

Well, that is the end of my duties for now.
I get up this morning and went round to open up and let the chickens out. To my surprise their car was on the drive. I thought about turning back but I thought that while I as there I would let the chickens out anyway. As I walked towards the garage, there pinned on the garage door was a note asking me to open up and feed the chickens as they had decided to travel late last night instead of this morning.
I duly let the chickens out and fed them, I noticed that the water was very low so I went hunting round for something to carry water in. I finished up in the greenhouse, there I found a watering can. This did the trick and the chickens were looking forward to plenty of drinking water and several had a good drink. I checked to see if there were any eggs, no I am sad to say. Yesterday, I also collected nil but in general I collected 6 most days.
It would be a few hours later when there was movement next door. I went round to give them the garage key and checked to see if they had read the note from the taxi driver. They told me that the young lad, who was going to college wanted some overalls. She asked me where I had got mine from. I told her the Railway about 50 years ago, I then suggested that they look for an Army and Navy store. That is if they still exist. I also suggested that they look online for overalls as that generally have a next day delivery. Her partner was looking in the Yellow Pages and informed me he had not yet checked the internet. I think it would have been my first port of call. Anyway, I left them to it wondering how long it will be before the young lad starts his travels to Boston College.
By the way, I told them I had taken 4 eggs and immediately was asked if I wanted anymore. I told them that that for me was plenty. More soon.

Ex neighbour called

I was only thinking of Linda, my ex neighbour last night and this morning she called to see me. I asked if she would like a few runner beans and she told me she would love some as she had missed getting them from me.
I told her I was looking after the chickens for next door. Well only letting them out in the morning and feeding them. I then pop round in the afternoon to give them a few meal worms.
Yesterday morning, I guess it was well before 8.00am. I was at the garage and getting the feed for the chickens when I heard a car blow his horn, I turned round and this taxi driver was winding his window down he asked me if I could help him. I informed him that I was only a neighbour feeding the chickens. The taxi driver then told me he had come from Boston and was checking where to pick up next week. I asked him if he meant taking the young lad to Boston College. He affirmed this. I then told him that I had been informed that he was going to college about 3 times a week. I also told him that he was disabled. I did not tell him that he was mentally, not physically disabled. He told me he knew this. With that he left. A few minutes later I thought I heard someone calling me but as I am hard of hearing I was not sure. True enough though, it was the taxi back again. He asked me if they were on holiday and when they would be returning. I told him that next Monday she told me that they were coming back. He looked surprised as he told me he should be picking the lad up next Monday. As he had to also pick someone up in Alford, there would be no point in coming up the coast road if there was nobody to pick up. He then wrote a note and asked me to see if she would contact the taxi company immediately she returned so that arrangements could be made to pick the lad up.
I was left in some sort of a daze. Here we are supposed, that is the government is supposed to be cutting costs and here we are having a taxi service to take a lad to Boston College. There is a bus that takes all the young students to Boston College every day. It also brings them back in the evening.
I tried to work out how much it was costing the tax payer. A taxi form Boston to Alford, a journey of around 35 miles. That is around 140 miles a day. Boston to Alford and then back to Boston College, then the return journey in the evening.
I wonder if it is me or has the government got it's priorities wrong?
As for Linda, she has been house hunting since she left and has now found a bungalow and hopes to move in within the next 2 weeks. Once she has settled in she wishes me to visit her. Of course I will do, although I don't visit many people. More soon.

Winds

It makes me realise the power of Mother Nature. On Tuesday evening I was checking my site when there was a sudden rush of wind. Nothing like anything I have seen before. We had the tail end of the hurricane that struck the eastern side of America, but that seemed to have passed. It was quite disconcerting but it soon passed. I just though how lucky we are in this country not to have such events as severe earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes.
On Wednesday morning I looked out of my window and noticed what I thought was damage to my rose arch, thinking that the rose had been blown from the arch. Not a bit of it, the arch had been ripped out of it's securing and was damaged, I think beyond repair but my mate who will be here next week will either confirm or deny this.
Now to the chickens. I am collecting eggs, about 6 daily and the small wicker basket is almost full so I don't know exactly where I will be putting the rest. I do not have any egg boxes. I suppose I will find somewhere. I get up and open the chickens and feed them. I think it is the neighbours Mother who then shuts them up at night. I have not seen anybody though. They do not get back until Monday so there will be plenty of eggs for them. More soon.

Just a little

My postman called a couple of days ago and informed me that a letter was required to have a surcharge of £1,36p. I asked him what it was all about as I had never had this happen before. He told me that it was happening more often. He told me that it was perhaps a large letter which had been incorrectly stamped. Well after some deliberation, I decided to accept the letter.
He told me that he had nothing to do with the letter as it was held back and he had not seen it but he would go back and ask for the letter and it would be delivered the next day. I told him I would wait in to make sure I was there when he came.
Yesterday morning he duly arrived. He had another letter too but the one with a surcharge was from my Bank. I told him as much. He then looked at the envelope, it was blank except for my name and address in the window box. Also in the top left had was the private and confidential note.
So it cost me £1.36 because it had gone through and had not been franked. I just said to him that I knew banks have been having a bad time of it, but didn't realise that It was that bad.
I gave him a few more grapes, a little small and a few hazel nuts. Off he went and it was about 5 minutes later when I realised I had not paid him the surcharge. Luckily enough he had only gone about 50 yds, I shouted to him and he reversed. I laughed and told him I had completely forgotten about paying him. He just remarked that he thought I had not the right money, anyway he told me he knew me so he was not worried.
Later I went to get my pension and went to a place where I get my skimmed milk. To my surprise I saw they were selling grapes. These were obviously home grown. I was rather pleased as they were small. A little smaller than mine. More soon.

Nuts.

During these last few days we have had some windy weather. Not might I add as windy as it has been today but sufficient wind to cause lots of my hazel nuts to drop off the tree.

I thought that the first ones were blind. That is to say, there is no fruit in the not but this was not the case, Anyway on Saturday I decided to pull the rest of the nits off the tree. With the husks there was almost 5lb of fruit. After I took the nuts out of their outer casing, there was still well over 4lb of nuts. I found it back aching work collecting the nuts, not much better taking the nuts out of the husks, it was not easy and took me about an hour to remove the husks. Now I have lots of nuts just waiting to be opened, using the nut cracker.

It bought back a memory of I would guess 25 years ago at least.

I don't think I told you, but my late Mother was disabled. It happened overnight when I was about 12 years of age. She went to bed and during the night her leg seized and after many months she had her leg straightened and stiffened. It went a little withered so she had to wear a caliper. Mind you, after a while stopped wearing it.

Anyway she used to come to mine after the school holidays, mainly to see the regular holidaymakers who would call every year.

She loved to go nutting as she called it. She could not walk well but she was happy.

This September day I told her that we would go nutting. I had been there to see if there were any nuts and there was the odd hazel tree.

It was off the main road,I guess it was a B road, if there was a C road it would be in that category. Well I took her up to the verge and helped her out of the car we then started to look for nuts, we had found about a dozen or more when this Porsche 928 came along. I was surprised as this seemed a deserted road, behind the car was an elderly man riding a bicycle.

As the car drew nearer I noticed that it was driven by a woman. She almost came to a stop, giving us a glare that was unbelievable. She then very slowly drove off. This cyclist came along and then said. "She thinks she rules the worrrrrrrrrld," as he rode by. We both bust out laughing. We managed to find a few more hazel nuts and back home we went. My Mother was thrilled to be tasting once again fresh picked hazel nuts. More soon.

New ISP eventually

I find it hard to believe, I went to change my ISP through a Company called Simplify digital. I called them to find the best deal. I was a little surprised as I had contacted another ISP earlier only to be told that my Telephone Exchange had not been upgraded and it was most likely it would NEVER be updated.
Plus net was the best deal I was informed so I proceeded with them. They did all but get the MAC. I was given a telephone number to give them the MAC. This I did and later in the evening I checked my mailbox to find several e-mails from Plus net. One gave the detailed pricing information. Totally different from what I was told. Much more so I sent an e-mail through their help line.
I checked mail later and found I had a response telling me that the support team would be contacting me in about 9 hours after investigating the query.
Yesterday around 11.30am. I checked mail. Nothing. I went back online to Simplify digital and found a page saying what was available. I put my postcode in and to my horror found that only 2 ISPs were able to offer me a reasonable deal. The service provider I am with and Plus net.
I thought well that is that, I will have to stay with my current provider.
Around 3.45pm yesterday I had a phone call. It was from Plus net. It turned out that there had been a mistake and that the price that was negotiated by Simplify digital would be honoured. So hopefully in about 3 weeks time, I will be moving to Plus net, not with the cheapest deal as I can not get any cheap deals but a reasonable deal. What with my local garage charging 7p a litre more than my friend pays at Tesco in Skegness and his deal with Talk Talk is it worth living in the country? It is useless complaining as nobody gives a damn. More soon.

I S P.

Today I spent many hours trying to sort out the best deal.
 To my horror, I found out that because I live in a very rural district, there is insufficient fibre optics for me to get the best deal.
 First I went to get a deal worth 2.99 plus 12.80 line rental for an 18 month contract. When they asked me for my postcode, I was informed that my exchange had not been updated and was highly unlikely to ever be updated. So that was the first one gone.
 Second was the same so I went on to Simplifydigital and there I was informed that as my exchange was not capable of handling most of the big companies. I was restricted to what I could get.
 There was a good deal with Plus net half price for a year . Not available to me unfortunately but I could get half price for 3 months. The guy told me that it was the very best deal available and was cheaper than the current ISP I was with. I then told him that this would have to do and gave all details he needed. Then he told me that I would have to get my Migration Authority Code. MAC for short. I did inform him that I was not out of contract until the 15th September this year. He told me that was no problem, just get the MAC and he gave me a different  phone number.
 This afternoon I contacted my ISP and informed them I was changing my ISP. After some lenghty talking in which I was informed that it would be more expensive where I was going to, I was given my MAC. A long letters and numbers code.
 I then rang Plus net and eventually was sent to a different department. I gave her the MAC and it started with LZ well I gave her it as one should to make sure no mistakes were made. Lima Zulu. Oh dear, when I had finished she spent about 5 minutes trying to sort out my MAC. Eventually she told me that it was not a legitimate number. I told her to read it back to me. She started L22. I stopped her. I told her it was Z for Zulu. She then corrected the code and tried again. Another 5 minutes went by and she again told me that it was not accepted. She then had a brainwave. She informed me that she would re-boot the computer and see if that would cure the trick and she would have to put me on hold. Another 5 minutes went by ans eventually she came back and told me that this time all was well. She blamed her computer. I told her she did not have the monopoly with computers that have a mind of their own.
 Now I wait for Plus net to contact me, she told me it would be a while but things would move. We will see. More soon.

Funny

It is funny me talking about old times and things.
Today, I went to the local bank in the next town. There was a queue as there often is. I must admit that when I go on local journeys I am somewhat scruffy. Well that is what my late Mother would tell me.
Anyway, I was waiting in the queue. I was wearing my old railway bib and brace. All of a sudden this guy, who I guess would be in his late 40s, suddenly turned to me and said. "You know you do look smart in the bib and brace. I do wish I had one still. I haven't seen them for years. They are so versatile and I miss mine". I then told him that these were probably a lot older than he was as I was issued them when I was on the footplate on the Railway and I left the Railway in 1964. I told him that we were issued 2 sets of bib and brace and jacket each year and after the first year we managed to use them more efficiently so that over the years I managed to save about 3 sets. I do like them and they are very versatile. I only hope it bought back happy memories to the guy.
To be honest, although I have never tried to buy a bib and brace set, I am surprised that they are still not available. Saying that, I have not seen them being worn.
My best pal came to see me today. The one from Chesterfield. He, like me feel completely at home together and he told me that it was the best time of his stay. I likewise love his company. We seem to really get on and we both think the same.
When his wife came about an hour later, we got on about clothes. He told me that when we were young, Jeans were a type of overall. I told him that my Mother would never allow us to wear Jeans as they were considered inferior clothes. He readily agreed but told me that he once bought a pair of Jeans just to wear at the local football. He told me that they were stiff material and his legs were frozen. The Jeans were never worn again.
Perhaps I will reminisce again soon.
By the way, as usual we have had lots of rain again, mind you my runner beans are giving me lots to give away. More soon.

Things of little interest

First however before I waffle on. I am thinking of changing my ISP. My friend will be here on Wednesday so will get more information. I am out of contract in less than a fortnight.
Now to useless thing, well not quite so useless to me as it concerned my life.
Where I was born we had no electricity. An outside toilet but we had a bathroom.
Food rationing was on and the last things food wise to be lifted was sweets. This was in 1951. when they first informed us the sweets were no longer on ration. Everyone queued up and tall the shops ran out of sweets. Thus rationing was once more introduced. Only for a few weeks then when they said sweet rationing was abolished. This time all the shops were well stocked and never again was there a shortage.
Milk and meat was always delivered by horse and cart. Pony and trap with the butcher. He called only once a week. The milkman called every day and the horse knew just where to stop. Each house had a privet hedge and the horse would try to nibble a bit of privet although he had a bit in his mouth.
Cars were almost never seen during the war. There was a famous Doctor who had a car, the only other vehicle I can recall was the bakers van. he called twice a week.
I never saw a banana during the war and I guess it was late 1946 before we saw a banana.
I only saw 1 orange during the war. Of course no exotic fruits ever.
The first fruit of any quantity in the late 40s was the pomegranate. I don't know if anyone has tried them but they are so fiddly. You want a pin to get each small segment out and each segment has a pip. Also we didn't really like the taste a lot. Now of course there are so many different fruits available it is unbelievable.
The only tinned fruits were tinned pears. the biggest treat was prunes. They came dried and had to be soaked in boiling water. The juice was nice and the prunes were also very nice.
When we played football at school we had I think a size 4 football. All footballs were heavy and I never saw a new football all the time I was at school.
The same went regarding cricket. We had to use what they called a cork tipped ball. They had no seam, weighed the same as a leather ball and just as hard. The difference was that they never seemed to wear out. It was years later that I saw my first leather cricket ball.
When it came to cars. In the 1950s the factories had bicycle sheds there were plenty and I guess they had room for about 200 cycles. The car park was only large enough for about 6 cars. Plenty because in those days cars were few and far between. I had a van in 1960 and I think there was only 2 other vehicles at that time parked on the railway. I bought a van because it was cheaper than a car.
I learned to ride a bicycle that had solid tyres. I enjoyed it though learning to ride a bike.
I have never had a driving test. All I did was take an officer in Hong Kong on a run that I had done, I guess 50 times. He just told the guy who was with me as my official driver as he had a licence. When I got back he just told me to keep well into the side and that was it. Passed my test
I used to smoke and drink but ceased smoking in 1975 and to be honest, although I may have an occasional drink, ceased heavy drinking in 1968. When I say I have the occasional drink. I guess I will have about 12 alcoholic drinks a year,
The last time I went to the cinema was in about 1973. Have not been to the theatre since school days.
I very rarely read a book, much to my shame. The only reason I would give is that as children, we were so poor that books were not readily available. No excuse really.
If I go out, I always clean my shoes. That is if I am not going to get me pension but going out to see someone.
I have never worn jeans. When they were first introduced in this country, I think towards the end of the 1940s. They were sold as cheap hard working clothes and my Mother would never allow us to wear them.
I never wear trainers or sneakers. I only wear shoes. As children we would only wear leather shoes or sandals. Leather shoes were generally the only shoes available. Crepe soled shoes were available but quite often they would spread on the soles after a few weeks wear making the shoes look awful.
I never have had long hair, now it is getting thin and very very grey.
Now I never wear a tie. The last time I wore a tie was to my Mother's funeral.
I only wear casual clothes, not branded clothes.
I hardly ever use my car. I have had the car since end of February. It had about 190 miles on the clock. It has less than 1500 miles now. Enough for now. More soon.

No Internet

I was surprised yesterday. When I tried to log on I found it impossible to get anything at all. Eventually I rung my ISP and asked them if there was something wrong. I was answered in the affirmative. Apparently there was some fault and quite a lot had no Internet connection at all. I told him that he was not to blame but told him he would get many irate customers. I was correct.
I did not bother to try late at night. The guy on the phone told me he thought that the repair would, hopefully be completed so that all should be well by late evening. As you can see all is back to normal. However I will be looking to change ISP because there are cheaper deals about. My contract runs out in about 2 weeks. I will look to see what is on offer.
On Wednesday I asked my neighbour if she wished to have a cucumber. She told me she would love one but also asked if I could do a favour. I of course said yes. She asked me if I would let the chickens out again, this time for a week in mid September. She told me her parents would shut them up at night. She also asked me if I could, feed them as she was having the feed bought in at night and put in the garage. She would;d give me the garage key. I told her that it would be fine.
I really do not mind at all. In fact I quite enjoy letting the chickens out, all chickens seem to be friendly and love human contact. So I will look forward to a week of chicken company.
Today, I was spraying a little weed killer near my leylandi hedge. I noticed a few bits on the floor. I looked up and noticed that the guy next door had trimmed the top of my hedge. I was pleased and when I saw him I thanked him. He told me that he had cut the tree down and as he was trimming the side decided to trim my top. That tree was a dreadful tree, seemed to grow out of all proportion and had no good attributes at all.
I must admit, I hadn't noticed that he had cut the tree down. Mind you, I had not noticed the hedge had been trimmed. I am not observant at all. I guess I live in a little dream world.
Finally, the weather these last couple of days have been a lot better and today has been quite warm. Typical I suppose, the holidays are about over. More soon, Internet allowing.