What a performance

As promised, these are some of the wasps I have caught over the last few weeks. I guess I have had to empty 4 jars at least every other day as they have been full.

I think I told you that George the eldest man told me that there was a wasps nest in the field. I mentioned it to one of the younger men, well today he showed me some powder that he was going to put down the wasps nest. It said on the carton that it would kill and destroy wasps nests. It was supplied by Rentokil, so let us hoe that cures the wasp problem.

I had to go to have my eyes photographed today and my mate was very late in arriving. I guessed that the car that he uses was being repaired. I was correct, so it meant that we could go in his car to the Medical Centre. It was well organised and the whole examination took less than 25 minutes. This included a twenty minute wait for the drops to work. They dilate the pupils so that a good photo can be taken. I will know the results in about 4 weeks.

When my mate arrived, he first told me that nobody had heard of Mammerite Magnetic. He told me that e had been to the local DIY shops and then to the builders merchants. Each said the same, so he decided to go online and use google as a search engine. To his surprise, he found my blog. I told him that I had mentioned it in passing. He told me that google would pick it up as there was no news regarding the paint.

Well I asked the other younger guy and he told me he would mention it to him. Later he told me that he was going online to find out. I am sure there is not a paint that does that. If there is, I wonder why no DIY store or builders merchants have not heard of it.

The only other way is to get a 500gm of Hammerite paint and just paint it by normal brush. I wonder if there is something like that. He is a property manager and does all repairs and improvements. I will keep all informed. More soon.

greengages

This is a very short blog. My best pal called today so I have not much time.
Yesterday, while my neighbour was freeing the gates the other neighbour was cutting the hedge, He had steel capped boots on so he put his foot under the gate while the man hit the parts that were stuck.
After freeing them he told me that his fruit trees were being pestered by wasps and one plum tree was bearing green fruits. I suggested that they would be greengages so all of us went to his place. He has a huge garden and 2 plum trees some 50 yards away. When we got close I told him that they were greengages, I took one off and ate it. To be honest they are beautiful. I gave one to the man from next door and told the neighbour whose garden it was to try one. He was astounded. He told me he didn't realise that they were firstly ready and secondly how nice they were. I then told him to pick them as the wasps were getting at them.
After looking at the chickens we left but later I saw his partner, I asked her if she had tasted the greengages. She told me that she had no idea as to what tree it was, they had as they thought bought 2 plum tree. She then asked me if I would like some. I told her that would be nice and a dozen would be fine. They are really nice. More soon.

gates

Well the other day a guy called to confirm my move to another LPG supplier. He was very nice but his last remark was. "Get those gates sorted they spoil the look of your property". I must admit that they look bad. To be candid, I have never had those gates closed. They are made of wrought iron so are rusty alright. I did tell him that they were rusted and would not move.
Well this morning I saw George my neighbour. He is a semi retired builder. I asked him if he had anything to help with releasing my gates I had tried WD40 but the rust was too bad. My friend had also tried and told me that they were damaged beyond repair. George told me he would send someone round.
True to his word the youngish man came round with a hammer and some sort of releasing agent. He looked at the gates and told me that it was not going to be easy as they had been bent, I guess my mate had hit them hard with some instrument and had bent them. He persevered and to my surprise managed to get one free. He told me that he would probably have to use heat on the other one. He tried it for one last time and to my amazement it suddenly became free. So now I have gates that work. I told him that I will use Hammerite and he then told me to use Hammerite magnetic. This I think is a spray and it sticks to the other side and he told me that there was no need to then paint the other side as it would be already done. I have rung my mate and he will look for some of this paint. He is here on Wednesday so I will keep you informed as to what will happen.
I had a bit of a shock this afternoon. I had to go for a routine inspection of my mouth at the local dental practice. All was O.K and I went to the receptionist to see if there was anything to pay. She informed me that I did not pay for my last visit in April so with this visit it was £17 for this and £17 for the last visit. I queried the cost and it suddenly came to me. I told her that I had paid I think £199 for the dentures and had trouble with them. I went back to have them readjusted and she then told me she remembered. and would report this to the Practice Manager to see what is going to happen. If I am charged, I will be inclined to threaten to take legal action as the dentures were not fit for purpose and see what will happen.
I have taken a few photos of the wasps in my jars. Don't know what they look like but if they are O.K. then I will post them on my blog. More soon.

Rain a plenty

It is funny but here at the seaside we have had lots and lots of heavy showers. Not those that last a couple of minutes but the ones that last for about 30 minutes with very heavy rain.
I think I mentioned it but when I went to Grantham my Brother-in Law told me that they had only a few showers. I noticed it when he was digging up some of the front lawn so his wife could get her car on the driveway. The ground was bone dry. I told him it would not be possible to do that here. I dug a few potatoes up and they were covered in mud.
Today I gave the new neighbours a few more runner beans. I then told him that I would give them a few plums but they must half them to see if there was any plum moth grubs in them. To be candid, I have seen very few in the later plums I have gathered. I also gave them, with my other neighbour a few grapes. He told me that they were having a barbecue tomorrow and I was welcome to join them. He also told me that they were having visitors from the London area later today and were staying for a holiday. I then saw that there were lots of wasps around his bucket. It was full of kitchen waste . He told me that there was a wasps nest up in the field. I told him to contact the council and inform them that there was a wasps nest. Whether he will, I don't know. He should because as I have told you, both he and his wife have been stung.
Just for M. Tomorrow is not looking too promising weatherwise. So perhaps the barbecue will be put on hold. More soon.

Gas supplier

I was busy yesterday with getting sorted out with the supply of LPG.
This morning, I had a call from a representative of LPG and I am pleased to say, I have signed up for a 2 year period. This is the norm.
the guy who came started to tell me about some of his problems with health. I think he was surprised at my responses. He told me about his woes with the use of MRI scan. I told him that I had to be helped off the bed after having a scan. He told me that he felt claustrophic and had to go to his G.P for what he called happy pills. He told me they worked perfect and he sailed through although he felt pissed.
He only meant to stay for a short time but it was well over an hour but it was an interesting hour or so.
He had just come over from Chapel St. Leonards. He told me that this guy was useless. It turned out that Calor and Flogas had refused to supply him. This was also the case with this guy. He told me that the guy just didn't understand. Needless to say, he will not be going back to him.
yesterday among other phone calls. The current supplier contacted me informing me that a different system was now being introduced to stop the fluctuating prices. I told them it was too late they told me that if anytime I wished to go back to them, they would be happy to provide me with fuel.
I don't know why, but I put my washing on at about 2.00am so that it was ready to hang out about 3.30am. I did not put it out then, it was about 5.30am. when I pegged it out. Lucky me, for early afternoon it started raining, by then my washing was dry. It certainly didn't stop top rain either. All of my water butts are full to overflowing. It certainly is making my runner beans grow. Also marrows. Yes M. I like marrows. I will mail you. Tomorrow it talks of being much better and warmer too. It was a little cool this afternoon.
Late this teatime the next door neighbour, the one with the chickens asked if I had a lettuce. To be honest those I have are past it really and the replacement ones are not quite ready. I took her down and she told me that they would do fine so I gave her a few bits of lettuce. When I see here next, I will ask if the were O.K. More soon.

Plums

To be honest, I always try to tell of my failures as well as my successes.
This year, I have had lots and lots of plums, unfortunately a lot of them have what they call the plum moth. That is when you bite into the plum near the stone is a moggot. After the first one I now cut all the plums in half and I have been surprised at just how many have been affected. I would take a guess that it is at least one third of all fruits. I am ashamed that normally I give some away but this year I can definitely say that no plums will be given away. Early next year, I will have to get a trap to catch the plum moths.
Now my friend M. mentioned that there were many charity shops around. I must tell you this. My mate who calls regular is I think he calls it a Monitor on a free cycle site. This is how it works.
You can request articles I think 4 items in any month provided you have also offered something to be given away. I don't know how it works as I have asked him if he sees a couple of small saucepans then get them for me. This was ages ago. He informs me that generally it is furniture that is put up for free collection.
I asked my friend also to check the charity shops in Skegness and he told me that there was nothing like that, in general it was clothes that was for sale and not as cheap as they used to be.
Still managing to stay free of wasp stings. I am doing fine with runner beans. This morning I took to my local P.O where I collect my pension, about 4lb of runner beans, these were pulled within a day and this also included meal for me. Tomorrow, I intend to have for my main mean smoked Haddock. When I was at Grantham I was hoping to get a Herring but Morrisons had none so I picked a pack of smoked Haddock there were 3 fillets in the pack so I had half last Thursday so will finish them off tomorrow. This will mean I will have loads of runner beans again. I also took 3 small bunches of grapes and a meal of french beans. I am still a little disappointed with the size of the grapes. Next year I will definitely see if I can do something about it.
When I got back home I went into the garden and picked a few beetroot and another marrow. Each marrow has been about the same size 5lb or more.
The other day I dug a few potatoes up, some of them had been eaten by eel worm, commonly thought to be slugs. Still I managed to get enough for several meals. I think I will not be buying potatoes until some time in September. More soon.

1950s?

I could not believe it, but this afternoon on one of my many journeys to try to stop the wasps, I heard an old fashioned noise. It reminded me of when I was young. I looked up in the sky and after a little while, I couldn't believe my eyes. A Bi plane, yes it was so nice to see such a slow moving single propeller plane. Going at such a leisurely pace and the sound immediately took me back to the tender years some 60 years ago. What a delight it was. It would have been no good me trying to photograph the plane as I would never have found it to take a snap shot of it.
Yesterday I went to my late eating apples. To my horror, I found that at least 15% of these apples had been eaten. I wondered if it was just me but my postman friend called to ask if he could park his car on my driveway as he was going to the party of the 60 year old man. I told him that there was no problem at all. I then mentioned that my plums had been attacked by the wasps. He then told me that he was emptying his jars that he had for catching the wasps at least twice a day.
The new neighbours went to the party and told me that it was O.K. I mentioned to them that there were lots of wasps around. Replying his wife told me that both of them had been stung. I have managed to miss the wasp stings so far. I should think that in my next blog, I will report that I have been stung. More soon.