* 16 Jan 2010 OH! TO STAB A DRINK CAN

16 Jan 2010.
First Great Thaw UK 2010 Bulletin 16 Jan
subtitle: OH! TO STAB A DRINK CAN

BACKGROUND & UPDATE: Started writing this blog to stay sane when we were without heat or hot water from New Year's Day to 15th Jan.
My daughter (No 1) and myself, (aka the Ninja-Gran due to having my Beginners Crutchwork Certificate) lived in primitive conditions trying to keep warm and clean. See More on previous Blogs.

Our heating engineers, salty workmen, who watch far too much UKTV Food channel in their off hours, finally finished installing the new boiler and re-plumbing the radiators. Then had to return to reduce the water pressure: then screw the shower-head back onto the wall and repair the washing machine pipes where the high pressure had blown them open and off the wall.

Had my first proper shower in 2 weeks.
Oh! Bliss! (Not better than, but certainly as good as, s**... ( lasted longer, anyway.))

No 1 has stopped slamming doors and shouting. Both I,the workmen and the doors, are relieved.
Shy, timid Miss Minerva Micra now courageous enough to leave her parking ruts on the icy, slushy village hillside. We went shopping and returned with a celebratory feast for supper.

WEATHER: It was a steamy 5C last night, forecast to reach tropical heights of 10C today. AND it has rained. And rained. And rained...
“Why! Clarissa, it’s just like being back in England.”
“Oh! Algernon, we ARE in England, now share your brolly.”
The Ninja-Gran moves house, and rivers, in 2 weeks, from east of the Thames to west of the Severn. Betcha there’s flooding.

BIRD TABLE BLOG:
PORTLY PIGEON OUT, SULTAN SQUILLY (the First) IN
Since the sad disappearance of the French speaking dictator, Robert Robin and his dictatrix, Rubecula, there have been turf wars around the Bird table. Portly, the pudgy Pigeon held sway for 2 days, but yesterday a fluffy, male, grey squirrel appeared. (Anyone who has seen a male squirrel reasonably close up will know how you can tell.) He leaped, nimbly, from an overhanging branch onto the wooden fence and with his tail all puffed up, he bounced towards the bird table and surprised Portly. “Waaa!”
“Ooo! Ooo! Ooo!,” screamed Portly and flapped off, his bulging belly barely clearing the fence.

The Fat Squill proceeded to proclaim himself Sultan Squilly, the First.

He remained, feasting on the table until a large eyed, sultry Squirrel of indeterminate gender, chittered softly to him from the trees. I’m not sure what his motives were, but The Sultan leaped off the table and dashed off into the trees. Since then he has appeared a few times, chasing off any bird on the table.

Viv, a FL friend in rural Ottawa, writes that they had a deer visiting their ‘hood. It disappeared, to be replaced by raw bones and a bloody patch in the snow... with wolf tracks all around.

Oooo-er. Move over, Squill.

I guess a red coat is NOT the fashion accessory Viv needs to be wearing around the ‘hood.

OH! TO STAB A DRINK CAN
Hands up who watches the late night TV shopping?
Why does the salesman on one shopping channel stab a drink can with a fountain pen? Those insomniacs, late shift-workers and mothers of new babies will all know what I’m talking about. How silly is that?

Surely that’s an advert with a misdirected sexist bias? Stabbing something would appeal to a male market. .. but most people who write letters are women. How impressed are we girls that the pen can stab a hole in a drink can?

Not very.

But I also watch CSI and Criminal Minds. .. Hmmm? Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

Have a superlovely, delicious day. Hugs from the Ninja-Gran x