Amazon exiles discussion
Trackless wastes
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Today, I shall mostly be...
Lez wrote: "Getting very frustrated with my family tree, I keep reaching dead ends and things I know to be true facts aren't appearing.I love how women who would call themselves housewives are said to be doin..."
Do you have census records in the Uk you can look at?
The irish ones are online, and they're fascinating.
I've found our cottage listed, with family of 12, mum, dad and 10 kids. Also listed is the roof type (thatched), how many windows (2) and how many rooms (2). Imagine that, and fetching all the water in by hand everyday.
A lot of cottages on the census no longer survive. One tick box on it is the type of wall construction. Ours is stone. But plenty aren't they're 'mud', basically mud walled thatched cabins, and many of these had large families in them. 100 years ago isn't that long ago that many were living like that.
Serial wrote: "We're gonna need a bigger boat."That nun loves to ride on people's shoulders. If she gets on yours it'd be virgin' on the ridiculous.
This morning the three of us are going to Hestercombe Gardens near Taunton.https://www.hestercombe.com/
Sorted the Nuns garden today. :0Tea and scones laid on.
Have to say what a bright interesting lady.
She was telling me when she went to Australia it took 6 weeks by boat, seem crazy now.
She was 50 years in Australia and 20 back in Ireland, I wonder what age she went, she could easily be 90 or more.
1 Trying to clear up the overhanging tree branches our neighbours chopped off while we were away under lockdown and thoughtfully threw over onto our garden, burying several plants. 2 Deciding whether to get an estate agent in as we are now surrounded by a bunch of selfish so-and-sos, who seem to think that they are entitled to make as much noise as they like, when they like.
(Don't know if the tree loppers would have spoken to us if we'd been here but I still think they were rude...)
I thought the law was you are entitled to cut overhanging branches but had to OFFER the cut-offs to the tree owner and if they didn't want them, you had to dispose of what you had cut off? Not that the police or any other agency will be remotely interested.If they caused damage by their actions aren't you entitled to claim off their house insurance?
I say this as I watch the huge mature ash tree just beyond the bottom of my garden wither with ash die-back wondering when it will collapse and which way.........
"get an estate agent in as we are now surrounded by a bunch of selfish so-and-sos" and where, other than in an isolated rural house, do you imagine you will be entirely unencumbered by inconsiderate neighbours and what estate agency will fess up that the current neighbours of a property they are selling are arseholes? Entitled exceptionalism now seems overwhelmingly to be the British attitude - look where it got us on Covid and brace yourself for a no or crap deal Brexit.
Applied for my teacher's pension!Haircut in 30 mins.
Can this day get any better?
Brass Neck wrote: "Applied for my teacher's pension!Haircut in 30 mins.
Can this day get any better?"
When you say applied, is there a chance they might not give it to you?
!
Brass Neck wrote: ""get an estate agent in as we are now surrounded by a bunch of selfish so-and-sos" and where, other than in an isolated rural house, do you imagine you will be entirely unencumbered by inconsiderat..."You're right, and we're not daft enough to think that the world will accommodate itself to us, there's proof enough of that. What we hope is that we might have a respite from the foul language of the two football enthusiasts on one side and the trampolining basket ball players on the other...
No use to appeal to their parents, they think it's okay to play "music" with the windows wide open and have all-day barbecues with guests. Wouldn't mind quite so much if it was something we liked but it's all current pop, not a decent bit of rock or blues.
PS How does the law help? As you say, no-one's interested in enforcement of such minor infringements and there are a hundred legal ways to make people miserable if they do complain...
Serial wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "Applied for my teacher's pension!Haircut in 30 mins.
Can this day get any better?"
When you say applied, is there a chance they might not give it to you?
!"
Nope - it is deferred pay after all - but you do have to actually tell 'em you're ready for it; they're not mind readers. God help those fools joining the profession; the age at which they can claim a pension without actuarial reduction is either 67 or 68 (and yes I know we/they are fortunate to still have a final salary pension). I might have done another couple of years but Covid-19 and the blase decision to have all kids back in Sept scuppered that.
Isabella wrote: "PS How does the law help? As you say, no-one's interested in enforcement of such minor infringements and there are a hundred legal ways to make people miserable if they do complain..."Isabella remain calm and do not complain if you want to sell your house. Nowadays any disagreements, formal complaints, etc with neighbours have to be declared to would be buyers as part of the sale process and would make it very difficult to sell your house.
Derek wrote: "Isabella wrote: "PS How does the law help? As you say, no-one's interested in enforcement of such minor infringements and there are a hundred legal ways to make people miserable if they do complain..."Thanks, Derek, I do know that. We probably won't do or say anything. I'm just frustrated at what seems to me (in GOW mode) as a general tendency for people not to care how, or even whether, their behaviour affects others.
I've always thought of myself as tolerant but, whether it's age or not, things do seem worse than even a few years ago. We're all capable of a thoughtless or careless action sometimes but there seems to be a growing trend: 'MY rights. MY needs. MY way. You don't count.'
Sorry, moan over. :o)
Brass Neck wrote: "Serial wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "Applied for my teacher's pension!Haircut in 30 mins.
Can this day get any better?"
When you say applied, is there a chance they might not give it to you?
!"
N..."
Sounds a good move then.
My Dad retired at 53, from a job he'd loathed for a good few years. He worked 30 years in a factory/engineering works.
He's 70 now, and has without doubt thoroughly enjoyed himself since leaving work.
Used to canoe and cycle lots, now runs a Ukulele band and goes to music festivals in his self built camper van.
Isabella wrote: "Derek wrote: "Isabella wrote: "PS How does the law help? As you say, no-one's interested in enforcement of such minor infringements and there are a hundred legal ways to make people miserable if th..."you have my sympathy, Isabella.
I always think, Neighbours make a place, you can live in the most amazing area, but a bad neighbour or two can ruin it.
And good ones can reconcile you to a less desirable area...
I've been really lucky, I've lived in 4 different houses with great neighbours at all of them. So's my sister.
Lez wrote: "I've been really lucky, I've lived in 4 different houses with great neighbours at all of them. So's my sister."It's only in the last eighteen months that things have gone downhill with three changes, all adjacent to us...
Nature's way of telling us to go? :o)
I've always had good neighbours - first (terraced) house had a couple in their 30s on one side who only had one late and loud shindig in more than 5 years. On the other side was a guy who I would regularly see in the kitchen which faced ours cleaning a shotgun which was mildly disconcerting the first time but they were no bother.Next house was a semi with an elderly largely deaf lady adjoining so she wasn't going to be disturbed by my hi-fi and a lovely older couple across the drive, although their Jack Russell Terrier was a barking mentalist when (rarely) let out of the house. The chap did have a slightly annoying and counter-productive habit of making sarky comment whenever I started hacking at the garden usually resulting in me downing tools and him having to look at my unkempt garden - he never learned.
Current neighbours are great and long-term. Older lady on one side comes round and feeds our cats if we're away overnight and a chap and his 20-something son on t'other. He's long divorced but when the whole family lived there the daughter was annoyingly gobby - would shout loudly, repeatedly and without change of tone, "Dad ..... dad..... dad ...... dad ...... dad ....." if she wanted him to see her do something on the trampoline - he usually didn't hear or probably ignored her which meant that she kept on shouting - but she went with the mother so all good for last few years.
At the middle house it was right next to a pub (which we hardly ever went in) and they would have a kids' disco on Sunday afternoons in the room nearest us. In Summer they'd have the windows open which was a bit annoying but then one hot day the music suddenly stopped after a short time. Wondered if someone had complained until. after about 15 minutes, the music resumed at deafening volume - they'd moved it all outside and even closer to us. I was straight on the phone and after a couple of songs the DJ announced to the effect that some miserable bugger had complained and spoiled all their fun and that it was being moved back indoors! I'm quite tolerant of most things but there are limits.
I know it's Ireland, but the fkn rain is relentless.It's July, we have the range lit and I've just hung up my wet clothes yet again after getting soaked outside :0
The only plus is that our Ducks are happy as can be. Though the Hens look like bedraggled refugees.
Collecting Rig from the Bristol University veterinary clinic.
has he had a wee op? hope he's okay.
Tech XXIII wrote: "has he had a wee op? hope he's okay."Got to leave shortly so I'll post the details later. As usual, Rig has to do things differently to other dogs, even getting ill.
Derek wrote: "Collecting Rig from the Bristol University veterinary clinic."Sounds expensive.
Serial wrote: "Derek wrote: "Collecting Rig from the Bristol University veterinary clinic."Sounds expensive."
Not got the bill yet but yes it is. They have thrown in a free x-ray though😊
Just got back, I'll post the details later.
Derek wrote: "Serial wrote: "Derek wrote: "Collecting Rig from the Bristol University veterinary clinic."Sounds expensive."
Not got the bill yet but yes it is. They have thrown in a free x-ray though😊
I feel your pain. Having just had a very sick labrador who needed 2 nights at the vets and multiple tests. Leading to a diagnosis of Diabetes. And now twice daily insulin injections we do at home.
OK, this all started after our trip to Hestercombe Gardens last Wednesday. We all had a nice day apart from Rig managing to fall into a small ornamental pond in the formal garden, we hauled him out, he had a bit of a shake and carried on, no sign of distress and we thought nothing of it.In the early hours of Thursday morning he wouldn't settle and when we got up we discovered that he couldn't put any weight on his left rear leg. We assumed this was somehow linked to his unexpected dip, but now we don't know. Anyway, we managed to get him downstairs and into his cage hoping that it might wear off, but it didn't.
When we got up we called our vet who came up and did a home visit. Couldn't see any obvious problems but put him on painkillers and an anti-inflammatories. Thursday and Friday, he still couldn't get up without help, but he did improve to the point where he could stand and walk a little. Friday evening we noticed that his left rear leg was starting to swell with what felt like a fluid.
Got up Saturday, leg much more swollen, he's refusing food and water so back down to the vet. Vet looks at it and decides to refer us down to Bristol. Saturday afternoon we deliver him to Bristol, vet had a good look at him, couldn't come up with much other than that it might be a tumour. They kept him in and on Sunday did a CT scan which showed that he had osteomyelitis in his left rear femur, which is an aggressive infection of the bone/bone marrow.
So they put him on heavy duty antibiotics, but they can't figure out where the infection has come from since osteomyelitis is usually the result of some trauma to the bone. They did a heart test, blood tests and finally an x-ray of the left rear leg and the thorax. No sign of any blood infection anywhere which could have migrated to the bone marrow. No sign of trauma to the bone itself. Nothing at all to give any clue as to what triggered this.
By Monday he'd started eating and drinking again so the antibiotics are working. Yesterday he'd got to the point where he could get himself upright without help and walk about a bit, but the cause remains a mystery and I suspect we'll never find out what it was.
He's back at home and fast asleep in his bed at the moment. The swelling has reduced dramatically, which is good but he has to stay on the antibiotics for at least another seven weeks. We'll have to get him x-rayed again in about five weeks time to see if there's any change (you can see the infected bit on the x-ray).
He's only allowed two/three 5-10 minutes walks per day for the next, few weeks, then if that goes OK we can try 15-20 minutes. We're all going to get very bored with just pottering about the edge of the Forest.
By now anybody reading this is probably feeling pretty bored as well so I'll stop now.
not at all. hope the big boy gets better soon.
Tech XXIII wrote: "not at all. hope the big boy gets better soon."Thank you tech, we were seriously worried we were going to lose him. Admittedly he's nearly 10 years old but we hope he can keep going a bit longer. We get to pay the bill tomorrow which will mean the Govt will have to pay for a few extra weeks of our care home (when we get to that point).
ach, he'll be fine for a few years yet, nae sweat!
Derek wrote: "OK, this all started after our trip to Hestercombe Gardens last Wednesday. We all had a nice day apart from Rig managing to fall into a small ornamental pond in the formal garden, we hauled him out..."Wish him well, Derek. These Pets become family, don't they.
Good boy Rig! Sounds like you were able to get a good diagnosis quite early so you must be much relieved. I hope he continues to make good progress. We're all cheering him on!
Get well soon, Rig. 🐕🐕🐾🐾
Thank you Collette, Val and Serial. He was very tired when we got him back yesterday, didn't want to eat much or have a drink. He's better this morning though, ate his breakfast and had a drink after a short walk.When he gets back to eating normally we'll be a lot happier. As Lez can confirm things have to be pretty bad for Rig not to want food. He's greedier than most Labradors which is a pretty high standard to beat!
Yes, Rig is quite keen on his nosh. I'm sorry he's so poorly, sounds like he's in good hands though and as an honorary Forumite he's got us all rooting for him.
Best wishes & a speedy recovery for Rig Derek.I had a lovely Lab/German Shepherd cross called Oscar, many years ago. Great big daft thing it was...but a lovely temperment and gorgeous coat of balck and bronze. Anyhoo.....he used to like his food as well, i learned many years later, that half the labrador/retrievers are born with a genetic trait to over eat. Yeah....some Labs are born to be like pigs! :)
Oscar...would have ANY bit of food going wanting, if he tough he was in with chance of nicking it.....the number of times he used to slyly lift a crumpet off my plate & wolf it down in seconds...and bugger off before i'd realised what had happened...the cheeky woofer!
Not surprisingly.....he got 2-3 walks/runs a day...just to keep him from becoming a fatty! :)
You may wonder..why we didn't just ration his food at the time......& come to think of it....i'm wondering that as well?! He cost a fortune in food! 8-S
Had quite a lazy day. Tonight I'm sat with a bottle of red watching a film called The Toybox on Horror Bites.
Vegetarians look away.Went to Butchers today, to see me 2 pigs butchered.
I took em to the Abattoir on Monday.
What a lot of pork chops.
Had 1 sold, so that got picked up this evening, leaving us with one for our freezer. The one sold fairly pays for our one and all the butchering cost.
We won't be going hungry anytime soon.
I always find it fascinating to watch a butcher break down 1/2 a pig at a time into all the cuts and mince. Very skilled and nothing wasted.
You're off my Christmas card list, Tim. 🐷 🐷 murderer.
"nothing wasted" - as Frank Zappa once sang in The Torture Never Stops; An evil prince eats a steamin' pig
In the chambers right near there
He eats the snouts an trotters first!
The loins and the groins are then dispersed
His carvin' style is well rehearsed
My mother and Gran were partial to offal and would happily partake of the meat from a boiled pig's head. I would withdraw to another room with my cheese sarnie.
Collette wrote: "You're off my Christmas card list, Tim. 🐷 🐷 murderer."Didn't realize you were Vegan, C.
You have my sympathy :0
Brass Neck wrote: ""nothing wasted" - as Frank Zappa once sang in The Torture Never Stops; An evil prince eats a steamin' pig
In the chambers right near there
He eats the snouts an trotters first!
The loins and the..."
Boiled Pigs Head, also known as Head Cheese.
Quite true.........rofl...
Serial wrote: "Collette wrote: "You're off my Christmas card list, Tim. 🐷 🐷 murderer."Didn't realize you were Vegan, C.
You have my sympathy :0"
Does a vegan eat a munchy box? I just couldn't eat my own animals if I had a farm. And pigs look better alive. Pig heads are the stuff of nightmares. 😱
Collette wrote: "Serial wrote: "Collette wrote: "You're off my Christmas card list, Tim. 🐷 🐷 murderer."Didn't realize you were Vegan, C.
You have my sympathy :0"
Does a vegan eat a munchy box? I just couldn't e..."
Nope, don't agree.
I'd rather give them a good life outside free range.
And take responsibility for my choice to eat meat.
And anyway, free range pork is about as tasty as it gets.
:0
I hope you don't name them first. 😬 Anyways, what would I know. I believe in zombies.
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
Time of the Child (other topics)This Is Happiness (other topics)
Time of the Child (other topics)
Mog's Christmas (other topics)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (other topics)
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I love how women who would call themselves housewives are said to be doin..."
You have time to do a family tree when there's; washing up, hoovering, ironing, cooking and other stuff to do? Lazy!! ;-)