The Real World

We have come to the end of the school half term week and as a result we have seen much of our Grandchildren. By Thursday the kids were beginning to get bored, after all, you can only sit playing with your Nintendo DS for so many days, can't you?

The recent snow had all disappeared and the days were a little warmer so it was time for some adventure. I got the kids to put on their wellies and coats and off we set to find it. We trekked across the adjacent field to the copse at the top of the hill. This was soon to become our desert island. Now this island was inhabited by cannibals and we needed shelter and somewhere to sleep. Out came the "Swiss Army" knife and with the help of my shipwrecked crew we began to gather the materials for building our "Den". The crew worked like bees and in no time we were constructing our shelter. We heard the call of a buzzard as it sored close by, "Is that a buzzard Grandpa" one said. "No" said I "That's a vulture, it's looking for the bones that the cannibals have left after eating their dinner". "We need a look out, so that we can see if they are coming this way" I said. There was a bit of a scramble to see who could get up the tree the fastest. I won, but was quickly joined by the rest, no one wanted to be left on the ground if the cannibals came. All was quiet and the vulture went further afield. Gingerly we came down from the look out tower and resumed the building of the den. In no time the daylight began to fade and it was time to return to the real world of the Nintendo DS and DVD's. We trekked back down the hill and across the field where we dumped the wellies and had pancakes for tea.

Bird song

A rather mundane week, the weather has kept us pinned down so that we have almost been confined to quarters. I have been pleased that we have the dog because she has given me the incentive to go out and walk, albeit only short distances. The camera has not seen the light of day all week, the cold has eroded my enthusiasm.

On the positive side, the birds have now begun to visit our new feeding station with sightings of Green finches, Coal tits, Robins and a Nuthatch to name a few. But the best thing has been, that this morning, it was the sound of birds singing that woke me. It seems such a long time since the first sound of the day has been bird song. I think that we are both eagerly awaiting the spring.

Fantastic camera

I first became aware of this whilst reading one of the many excellent books by Mr. Scot Kelby.Thankfully, there have been occasions, when showing some of my photographs that I have received praise, sometimes for taking a "nice" picture, sometimes because I own such a good camera. It is the latter that disturbs me. These people have no idea, it is of course the camera that captures the image but it is the person behind the camera that sets and gets the shot. Often this can take hours of preparation, a long walk, getting up at ridiculous hours and a good deal of patience, not to mention the less fruitful forays where it just did not work. So, before you say to a photographer, "You must have a really good camera" think on. Would you say to a water colourist "You must have some cracking paint brushes" or to a mechanic "Your spanners must be fantastic"? Of course not, it would sound so ridiculous.

Here is a picture of my cousin, on a day when I accompanied him on a shoot for some documentary photographs for the RSPB.
Fantastic camera Graham! Like the hat too.

The rabbit run

Sometimes I have to ask "Why me?" Yesterday we were baby sitting our Grandson, about 0900hrs my wife noticed that one of the miniature pet rabbits had broken out of the pen. The garden is not large but it is well stocked with planters, shrubs and a vast array of children's toys. My first attempt to catch the escapee was a bit of a laugh, as I slipped and stumbled in the snow. My wife suggested that I put some food in the run and wait for him to come and dine. This I tried and it worked, but the moment that I moved to close the security breach the villain was off like a black streak across the white ground. Round and round I ran again. I could sense the neighbours peeping from behind the curtains. So I put out more food and took up position behind the shed wall ready to pounce. 10 minutes later he had me again, off like a bullet. I gave up, complaining to my wife about the stupidity of keeping pet rabbits and the trouble that they cause. I could see that she wanted to smile but thought better of it. An hour later I had another go, but you must understand this is one smart, fit, young rabbit verses one tiring, angry, grumpy old granddad who has long since given up surviving on his wits. Round and round the garden we go again. The wound on my nose and my still swollen knee are now throbbing as my blood pressure is rising steadily. Not being the type to give up easily, a couple of hours later I return with a determination to catch or kill the damn thing. So the meal is presented and I take up position behind the wall once again. This time I am armed with a garden broom so that I can block the escape route before he has chance to drop the carrot. Not so, he could run a distance of 6 foot faster than I could lower a broom head 6 inches. So we ran round the garden again, both of us slipping and sliding, knocking shrubs over, breaking plant pots and risking serious injury leaping bikes, scooters, roller skates and other abandoned toys. I almost lost an eye on a bamboo cane and snagged my clothes on thorns. I gonna get him I thought, even if I do become a star on "you tube". The neighbours must have wondered what the bloody hell was happening as I clattered around in hot pursuit still wielding the garden broom. Finally I got my chance, I pounced, or fell from above him and grabbed him in a vice like grip across his shoulders. There were cheers and clapping from the wife as I rose victorious, filthy dirty and covered in garden debris but clutching the little critter like a trophy. So, to the neighbours........I hope you enjoyed the show and if you should see me on "You Tube" believe me, I was more traumatised than the rabbit.

My nose job.

Last Monday I had a trip to the dentist to have a tooth treated for a disorder the he had never seen in 27 years. I wont go into the ins and outs, I had to have it extracted. There was no pain but it took the dentist 20 minutes of pulling and twisting to remove it. It came out in five parts with a piece of the root still remaining firmly planted. It is only to be expected that I suffer some after effects for a while.
Today it snowed here like most of the UK. My four-year-old granddaughter wanted me to take her for a ride on the sledge. I was only too happy to take her. The sledge is a large wooden Austrian built one that we bought for our daughters when they were much younger. After a couple of circuits of the housing estate I began to get a little bored with my role as a reindeer. I decided to take her down a gently sloping but rough track that is nearby. Now this sledge goes like the wind, I took up position at the rear and began to push as I ran, we were just about at my maximum speed when my foot slipped in the snow. I lunged forward just as the front of the sledge dropped into a pot hole which made the rear end flip up as I put my hands out to break my imminent fall. My fall was broken by the bridge of my nose on the rear of the sledge and my knee sent a searing pain shooting up to my brain. I grabbed a handful of snow and stuck it across my heavily bleeding nose. My little granddaughter looked on anxiously as the snow beneath me got redder and redder. "Can we go home Grandpa"? She said. I checked that she was OK first and tried to stand. My left knee was not having any and I sat down with a bump on the sturdy and unmarked sledge. I took several minutes to mop up blood and get my breath back before hobbling back to the house.
My nose now has a kink to the right and a 2cm gash that it did not have before, my left knee is ballooning and walking is awkward. The deliberate hole in my gum is still as sore as a week ago and frankly I feel battered. I have never been a fast learner but I think maybe, I should stick to photography and bird watching in future.

Audible warning

The week began well, when we were joined by my cousin Graham and his wife Sheila. We have had very little contact for the last 35 years or so therefore we didn't really know each other all that well. As the week went on, we found that we had been enjoying many similar interests for a number of years including an interest in bird watching. As you would imagine, we did a good deal of talking and comparing notes on a wide variety of subjects. It turned out to be a very enjoyable week, one that will remain firmly implanted in our memories for many years I am sure.
Sadly, the day arrived when it was time for us to part company and that day was today. We said our goodbyes and agreed to meet up again for a repeat event sometime in the future. Now bear in mind, our van has not turned a wheel for six weeks, we have worked on the braking and cooling systems without any form of road trials. The engine fired up OK, and as usual after a long lay up we emitted a fair amount of smoke from the exhaust. Within half a mile of leaving the site, a very loud and ear piercing alarm began to sound in the van, BEEP BEEP BEEP, needless to say it made me jump, I had never heard it before and it was not the anti-theft alarm. My eyes scoured the instrument panels for some clue as to what it might be.......Nothing. The van was driving OK, the brakes were OK, the engine temperature was OK, and Meg was clearly anxious pacing up and down the van. It was about a mile or so, before I could stop safely and I drove on waiting for something to go horribly wrong. I pulled into the side of the road, turned off the engine and within 2 seconds the alarm stopped. I walked around the van looking and checking, then back to Pat who was following in the car. She had heard the noise too and like me, had no idea what was making the racket. Suddenly Pat shouted, "The van........It's rolling". I looked and sure enough it was on the move, I ran after the van and jumped aboard to bring it safely to a halt. In my panic to stop the engine blowing up, I had omitted applying the parking brake. What a prat...............Once again I started the engine and let it run for a minute or two. No ear shattering BEEP BEEP BEEP, great I thought. Whatever it was, has reset. Off we go again, everything was fine, for about another 1/2 mile, then BEEP BEEP BEEP. "Oh shit" I am thinking and again pull in to the side of the road. This time when I turn off the engine the alarm continues. What the bloody hell can it be? I thought. This time, I apply the brake, and walk round the van. The sound was coming from the near side above the rear wheel. Again I walk back to Pat, alarm still sounding, who now has a look of real horror on her face. "It comes on when you touch the brakes" she said. "No". said I. "I wonder if it's that smoke alarm I fitted in the wardrobe". Sure enough, that was the culprit. Again we set off, this time all is OK. Some smoke from the exhaust must have entered through the vent holes under the floor and activated the smoke alarm. Ten minutes later I am pulling up at the house, heart still settling and cursing myself for not realising sooner what was the culprit.
My blood pressure is now returning to normal as I sit watching the snowflakes melting on the windscreen. Peace and tranquillity slowly return.

Just routine stuff

We decided to carry out a couple of jobs on the van whilst we remain static, so we have replaced a flexible brake hose on the rear axle, topped up the anti-freeze and checked the fluid levels. Due to the recent electrical fault, the second of it's type since we took ownership of this van, I decided to fit a second smoke alarm under the false floor in the wardrobe just above the electrical junction boxes. We anticipate that we shall be moving on in about another week. It has been a mixed week weather-wise, we have been battered by gales and basked in sunshine, sometimes on the same day. I have worked hard to shoot some new photographs, and the most rewarding shot I have managed, has to be the Little Egret, not because it is a particularly good photograph but because it is quite an unusual bird to see. Things have otherwise been quiet and I have occupied my time improving my photoshop skills.