Car crisis

We had a minor car crisis last night. Went to open the car to take the dogs down to the river and the alarm went off, and we could not switch it off.

After pulling fuses and mucking about with keys in the ever increasing rain, with tempers fraying (it's hard to remain cool when there is a siren going off in your ear), I eventually opted to call the AA and retreated into the house to hunt for my membership card and the phone.)

While I was dialling Brian rushed in and said "Don't call the AA!"

Oh good, I thought, he's fixed it.

No.

"We're with the RAC".

DOH!

The Morning Routine

The alarm goes off. I get up.

Feed the cat,
Go downstairs, let the dogs out, clean up any surprises,
Make coffee,
Empty the dishwasher (or fill it),
Unload the washing machine and reload,
Fold up washing,
Feed the dogs,
Pill the dogs,
Put any recyling in the bins,
Check email, bloglines & Flickr,
Refill the dog water bowls,
Shower & dress,
Poop scoop.


Brian gets up and gets dressed.

He says his is the greater accomplishment.

I think he has a point.

I have new kitchen thing

It' a self basting roasting dish, the old fashioned enamelled variety, the kind that is perfect for roasting a leg of mutton in a peat fired aga.



Now the only problem with this is I don't have an aga, and mutton legs are hard to find round here. Apart from that it's a great plan.

The interesting thing about this particular gizmo is that, according to my dad, the self basting dimples were actually invented by my great-grandfather. Or was it great great grandfather?

Cool huh?

Brian thinks he's been transported back 50 years, he's got no soul.

I've been robbed!

ok. that may be a slight exaggeration. Actually I seem to have left my mobile phone somewhere. But that's ok, I had a lovely chat with the lady who now has it and "bought it off the market".

Anyway..... I phoned O2 to say I had lost it, not really expecting anything to be done and you could have knocked me down with a feather duster.

they are going to:
a) block the card
b) block the phone
c) transfer the phone number to a new sim and send it to me FREE
d) send me a money off token for a new phone.

How cool is that! Well done O2, seriously good service.


Now the only problem with that is I need to shop for a new phone, so it ought to be on my shopping list, only I can't actually READ my shopping list, mainly cos its in my handwriting.


Hand me back the rose tinted glasses please :-)

Marrows, Compost & Wee.

Last weekend I took my first look round the garden to check what had happened while I was away. Despite a couple of frosts and some missing leaves, everything looks ok, though the autumn "weed&feed" on the grass has REALLY done its job and I needed to mow (it's the one garden chore I hate, mowing).

Anyway, while sorting out the recycle bins I noticed that Brian had chucked a pefectly good marrow on there so retrieved it, rinsed it and left it on the side in the kitchen (Brian is clueless about gardening & veg).

I mentioned to himself that marrows can keep for quite a while and a look of horror came over his face.

"Put... it... back.... on the compost. NOW."

I puzzled over this for a second.. "Why?".

It turns out that he had been listening when we were discussing the merits of wee on helping compost break down.

ah.

Unsure of the imperviousness of marrow skin, I put the marrow back on the compost heap.

Back in Blighty

Well, I've been back for a week now and still feel a bit of a space cadet. It's taken me ages to catch up on the blogs cos there are just too many to read.

Who was the MOST prolific?

Well...

Dog's Eye View came in WAY over everyone else... something like 33 posts, and in joint second were Wally the Corgador and Flowerpot Days

Jees you guys HAVE been busy... you need to stop and smell the flowers:


Or the pengies...


Ok - maye NOT the pengies.. they do NOT smell of chocolate.

I've uploaded more Falklands pics to my flickr account if anyone wants to see some wildlife and scenery.

I'm home

and knackered.