The holiday is in Tuscany, a lovely part of the world! The instructor is American, Sandra Strohschein who comes from Holland, Michigan. She is a watercolour artist with Impressionistic style which will suit me I hope! I only dabble but do enjoy losing myself in painting as in gardening. You can just forget everything and absorb yourself! I go for a week on 16th from Gatwick. The first time I have flown alone but have done everything I can to make it easy!
Hope you have a lovely time Ev. I love flying alone because I don't embarrass anybody else. I once was upgraded from Australia to England when I was alone. When my mother was about the age I am now she went on a painting holiday with a friend who was a lovely painter. My mum just "dabbled " but had a great time.' .
BLOG I am going to hang fire on my suggested blog, until I can sort out a separate e mail as I don't want to lose my ability to post or my current name. I have been very naughty and yesterday the BBC removed 17 posts!!!
Be careful, Cow Girl. I have commented about various programmes but haven't mentioned The Archers. Pathetic comments made just to see what happened to them. Initially they vanish straight away but then reappear. I want to lull them into a false sense of security I wonder for how long we will be sitting on the naughty step? Letter written . Plan to post it this morning. (Second class stamp this time as 2nd class letters posted on a Saturday usually get to their destinations the following Monday.
Well done. I am going to have to be as they are monitoring me again. They are getting much more picky in what they are deleting. I had one deleted that made a passing reference to Peppa pig otherwise entirely on topic even if crass. I sent mine recorded, but the Royail Mail didn't bother to get a signature, so am claiming my money back. First time it has happened , wont bother again to the bbc, will just get proof of posting. I am trying to get what is called an alias on my outlook account once I have achieved that I will do as I said and then close the alias down. It may take up to 48 hrs apparently The things I am learning.
I think you and I will end up going to the powers that be.
Just thinking about it LanJan if you are going straight to moderation then there is no point going off subject, they wont get published and you will be banned. It is best to try and get a second e mail just for bbc which is what I am doing, perhaps one of your children will help you. With a struggle I did manage it, but it is a bit hit and miss
Oh where would we be without Ruthy The lass from the US of A She has done so much more than the Beeb did before She's a Star✳️ Thank you Ruthy ,we say.
Ruthy I do hope you are too inconvenienced by those storms coming up from Mexico. Thank you again. Haven't seen chairs quite like those in the picture before, are they American style?
BLOG. I am finding things a bit odd today, and also yesterday evening. I can get onto the BBC blogs with user name jbythe sea without any problem but if I try with Bloglessarchersfan the name which I have relied on to make the point without being too off topic in the comment, I am repeatedly getting a sign saying - Sorry there was a problem ......try again. I can only think they are reacting to archers in the name. Can't do anything much on the blogs today, as have done a load of baking, sausage rolls and biscuits, and now have to ferry them down to the village for the garden club annual fete this afternoon.
that sign means you are banned, it has happened to me 2 times now and now I am being monitored on my third name, just trying to sort out another. They don't tell you.
Enjoy your self at the garden Fete.
Waiting here longingly for some rain, though the cows have brought themselves in as the flies are bad, I expect they will be in most days now till September and muggins will have to clean up after them, Oh what a cushy life they lead.
These chairs are American. I have always known them to be ‘Adirondack” chairs. The original signed are very valuable. These days lot of these are made of plastic. I clipped this from Wiki:
The first Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee while vacationing in Westport, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains in 1903. Needing outdoor chairs for his summer home, he tested his early efforts on his family. After arriving at a final design for a "Westport plank chair", he offered it to a carpenter friend in Westport in need of a winter income, Harry Bunnell.[1] Bunnell saw the commercial potential of such an item being offered to Westport's summer residents, and apparently without asking Lee's permission filed for and received U.S. patent #794,777 in 1905.[2] Bunnell manufactured hemlock plank "Westport chairs" for the next twenty years, painted in green or medium dark brown, and individually signed by him.
I have seen plastic chairs in the same style. Friends of ours had them for the beach. My husband sat in one and promptly broke it! They had been so proud of their find. It was so embarrassing!
I've always known them as Adirondak chairs and was going to answer Stasia this morning. However as I was not sure of the spelling I decided not to do so. I don't know how they have passed by Stasia because they have been around in the U.K. For a number of years now. I have never sat in one, but have always considered them to be pretty ugly.
Stasia - my reply above on the chairs. We have had 3 days of rain and clouds from the storm that came from the south. But looks like maybe some sun this weekend. 😀
Janice and CowGirl I think if I were both of you I would tread carefully for a bit and perhaps leave everything including your names which have any connection with The Archers. I know I sound like a bossy old biddy but I would hate it if we did manage to get the blog back if you were both banned. I am having a bit of fun being "nice" and making comments only connected with their blog and not mentioning the Archers at all. Eventually I may have my name taken off their black list . Obviously I am still carrying on with our campaign. I am going to check out Ofcom but not do anything yet although I suspect that it will eventually come to that . . I intend to wait now and see what response I get from my latest letter. I will give them a month...............
I had two posts removed yesterday and both had been there for a week or so. Agree with above. It did occur to me that maybe we should rein back a bit for the time being. No reply or acknowledgement from Eddie Mair so far!
I dare say many of you know the answer to the following question. If not I will reveal the answer later. Question Do you know why 2nd June was chosen as Coronation Day in 1952?
I spent an enjoyable hour yesterday commenting on the BBC blogs. I prefaced everything as a response to comments from Bloglessarcherfan and isthisthearchersblog. They all went straight to moderation, even though I attempted to make a reference to the blog content. Shall check.
Have just received 7 emails from th BBC informing me that all the comments I made today have been removed. I posted on some empty blogs, clearly they didn't like what I said. Why are they putting up blogs nobody is interested in? That is a waste of money.
They are being particularly picky, we have needled them,they have gone back a number of days. this waste of money is the subject of my complaint and will be to offcom if it fails. I had 17 deleted !
Ev. Your holiday in Tuscany really sounds very idyllic. Where will you be staying? My problem with a holiday such as yours, and with so many I have looked at and I couldn't book, is that the flights leave from Gatwick. I will only consider holidays where I can fly from Manchester, or Heathrow. I find that to get to Gatwick is very difficult be it by rail, car or a plane shuttle. I remember a holiday I had when I flew into Gatwick at 1.00pm on a Friday afternoon. I had a car, with a lovely, driver waiting for me, but it was an horrendous journey. It took over 3 hours just to reach Heathrow, on the M25! I eventually arrived home at 8.00pm that evening, a car journey time of well over 6 hours. I felt so sorry for my wonderful driver, who had then to turn around and drive back to London, as he had another booking the following morning.
It called the Watermill at Posada. They will meet me and others I guess at Pisa which is a small airport. I have detailed instructions! Gatwick is relatively easy from the island as I can get a train from Portsmouth straight through. I’m travelling up the day before and staying at a Premier Inn within walking distance of the North terminal. The train goes into South terminal but there is a shuttle to the North. I know what you mean about Gatwick as we didn’t find it easy when we lived further north. Although we are on an island once the ferry has been negotiated we are in Southampton or Portsmouth and transport from there is quite easy. My husband and I went on a cruise once from Dover and had included transport and our poor driver had already done a 100 mile round journey before he took us up to Herefordshire and had to travel straight back not even having time for a cup of tea. It really is wrong when you think of the restrictions on lorry and coach drivers.
BLOG I have thought of a new tactic! How about if we all ignore all the BBC blogs for the next few weeks ie until we go to Ofcom? They will think we have given up . Cow Girl .we can use your figures about the number of people other than us who have used the various blogs Also if we are the only ones using the other blogs they may well decide that rather than removing our posts it would be better to close the blogs. Nobody but us will care or bat an eye lid if that happens. I really think it is worth a shout. I will concentrate only on Ruthy's blog until our next big move. What do you think? Let us lull them into a false sense of security. They won't have the satisfaction of removing our posts or even considering them.
Agree (though I will miss the fun ) I will keep a regular check on numbers across the board. as all archer bloggers are recognisable, even the occasional ones it will be easy to keep records.
I am so pleased about that. Let's keep them wondering. I will let you all know when I get my invitation to Broadcasting House to meet the person responsible for the closure of our blog in case you are able to join me! My posh -not too posh ,just smart- frock sits in the wardrobe awaiting the Call! It may have a long wait
I am not convinced that abandoning the battlefield when the enemy is rattled is a good tactic, but will abide by the decision of you others. I think us Archers Avengers made a cracking team, and I have two other email addresses lined up if you decide to have another go later on.
P.s. our M.P. is in a marginal seat in a rural area so I will contact him. I know he will have weightier things to deal with, but someone in his office might have the time to send an email of enquiry to the BBC.
Janice, I think LanJan has a point, lets give them a break and think that they have won, then in a few weeks give them another blast when they are least expecting it. It will also give me a chance to get some figures together that aren't skewed by ourselves. I do think we made a good team, in the meantime I shall cancel my BBC e mail addresses and start a fresh one ready for battle to commence again. I thought Archersontherampage might be a good monica or rampagingarchers, musnt forget ! The blogs make interesting reading,The Media Insight blog for example with 11 headings from Jan 18 this year has a total of 3, yes 3 comments and that isn't the only one, I have yet to finish going through them all
BLOG We may learn some further tactics from The Suffragette programme. The one thing I really love about the Edwardian era is the fashion. Think how smart we would look if we stormed Broadcasting house dressed in our long straight skirts with our high necked white cotton blouses . I
We would also need special banners or scarves, colours to be decided in future. I'd come in green wellies as I no longer have a long skirt, but can wear a white shirt and a hat.
I really do understand as to why some are being extremely active and vocal in their very time-consuming efforts, to re-instate the BBC website comments section. I am thinking that this campaign is now becoming one of a matter of principle. If all you campaigners eventually acheieve your aim and are sucessful, how will you then be able to let it be known to the many previous participants, that they can post again?
Once the blog is open again, people will join in the way that they always have. In the same way that Ruthies blog was announced on Facebook (?) by one of her devotees, so can the reopening. SIMPLE
Had had a bad night with Gypsy. She was used to sleeping in the bedroom next to the bed so continued this as she was settling in. We have just bought a stair gate as my kitchen and utility are open and last night used it to keep her to the utility area which is quite a large room. This did not go down well as expected and as we were not familiar with locking arrangements just having it latched shut, she broke out twice. To cut a long story short I finally got to sleep at about 2 am! This morning because of the stress there were deposits! I must persevere as Trix who is looking after her while I am away will have to keep her in the kitchen which is adjacent to the bedroom. Understandably Trix’s other half won’t have her in the bedroom. My husband wouldn’t have that either! Difficult to retrain a 10 year old dog! I must add I am in a bungalow and was never far away from her!
Ev, just persevere, it is only the first night, I am sure it will get easier, just make sure she has extra attention during the day and a familiar routine at bedtime. I know she needs to lose weight, but a little biscuit before you say good night might help, this just sets the pattern that animals find comfortable, as of course do we humans.
Ev. My first cat was like Gypsy, the first night she hurled herself at the bedroom door crying to be let in. After two restless nights I gave in and she moved on to the bed. She was a rescue, so I had no idea about her previous behaviours. Then, when we were preparing to go on holiday she sussed what was happening and faked illness. Vet said there was nothing wrong with her, she was extremely clever.
Ev,my thoughts are with you with regard to Gypsy. It is such a pity that pets can't understand that what we are doing for them is for the best. I hope you have a better night tonight.
So sorry to hear about Gypsy's, and your, bad night. If sleeping separately is to be the norm then persevering, however stressful is essential. Personally having a cat or dog, or both in the bedroom with me, is the greatest comfort. When in our first home, we would wake in the morning with us, cat, toddler (wet) all crammed in together, later joined by a dog as well. I seem to remember talking with our GP about this problem( ?) , who pointed out to me that early man had lived in this way and that it was all ' very natural '. I saw his point and went along with it.
Yes, have decided to let Gypsy stay in my bedroom as she was so stressed last night and today she reacted badly to Katy going out this morning on an archaeological dig and me venturing out to little Tesco just up the road. In both cases she barked continually which she has not done previously. We have left her for short periods and must encourage this as you need to have the freedom to shop etc. She has settled down to sleep next to my bed and will probably I hope not stir until the morning. She does tend to wake at the crack of dawn and have a little prowl around which wakes me but better I settle to sleep before midnight unlike last night! Will work on giving her alone toile though as can’t always be at the beck and call!
Its because you are not on the watched or banned list. In case you haven't read the above, many of us have decided to give posting a break and come back in a few weeks with a bang all together.Plus some new archer monicas !
Every time that I have attained a new rescue cat, I decided to be "strong" and not let it into the bed-room. The downstairs of my home is completely open plan (incl the stairs). Somehow the new cat always knew where I was and, as Lan Jan has said, my sleeping so difficult, that I always gave in. My latest one, (now 13) is still a night prowler,and her catches always end up on the bedroom floor. I always know when it is a cold, frosty night, as she snuggles right up. Would I change it.....No. My "stray" is still around but so far has not ventured too far in. I have tried to catch her but to no avail yet. She is lovely, just scared and nervy.
I have even bought her, her own feed bowl. How soft am I, - but although I don't want to encourage her too much, I can't bear the thought of her being hungry.
Well good on you Miriam. I hope you get a lot of pleasure from your extra 'stray" Do you know where he/she strayed from? We knew Percy's people but they were out all day and Percy likes company and they had three dogs who Percy did not like so he decided enough was enough . When I spoke to his people they said a cat chooses its home not the other way round and were fine about the situation.
The lovely cat and dog photo on the Archers blog reminded me of my son's pets. Monty is a gorgeous brown Labrador . The cats named Thin Cat and Fat Cat plague him to death and their favourite sleeping position is on his back. He lies there but looks up as if to say"What did I do to deserve this! when I was here first!"
I am thinking about house prices. I am in an area where these have really increased dramatically over the last few months. I have seen properties rise in cost considerably and they are selling within 3 weeks. I wonder whether Justin will raise the house prices on his building site and how will it affect Ed + Emma.
I am watching BGT and I am noticing that the judges are using paper straws (not plastic) in their drinks tonight. Fallons ideal is becoming more widespread.
Regarding plastic drinking straws, I noticed that whenever I asked for a long drink (soft, or alcoholic) on our Northern Lights cruise in March, it came with a plastic straw. As a grown up I don’t need straws with my drinks so I always left it unused. On arriving home I sent an email to the cruise company about this and suggested they stop using plastic straws ( they purport to be a ‘green’ company, trying to avoid environmental pollution of the seas). I said they could at least ask passengers ‘do you need a straw with that drink’ rather than automatically suppling one, convert to paper straws or just stop using them altogether. To my very great surprise, a few days later, I had a personal phone call from a senior staff member thanking me for my suggestion and saying it would be discussed at a future policy meeting. To my even greater surprise I have now been told that the company is now going to abandon plastic straws and cut right down on all single use plastic packaging and review other environmental measures! Result!
Some months ago I wrote an email to Yorkshire Tea asking them to consider removing the extra plastic covering on their substantial tea boxes, and giving my reasons for wanting less packaging particularly the plastic variety. This was sometime before the Blue Planet documentary.
When I looked for the address to send it to by googling the company website, I discovered that in order to contact the company, ( owned by Betty's ) it was necker to do so through there pro forms on the website.
That letter is still sitting in my ' drafts', and I have never got around to filling in the form on line.
Archerphile - brilliant. Mrs P - it's never too late. I am one of those irritating people who remove surplus packaging and leave it in the shop for the staff to manage.
Mistral - you must be related to the woman in our local WH Smith's who holds up the Saturday morning queue while she removes all the sections she doesn't want from the newspaper she's just bought and hands them back. I'm always torn between admiration and annoyance - with admiration winning!
Archerphile ,you are a lass after my own heart. ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ I once contacted ,by letter a Hotel chain mentioning ways I thought they could improve their service and received a telephone call from their CEO -a man-thanking me and offering me a free weekend break. However I have found that most people in Business with common sense are middle aged women. When I go to a Supermarket till they are the ones to go to if one has the choice
I always remove the newspaper sections I don't want and leave them in the shop. When buying clothes, I politely asked for any cardboard and plastic to be removed, before I pay.
I do that too on the rare occasions I buy a new handbag - leave all that plastic bubble wrap they stuff them with on the counter! I have used my own shopping bags for years, long before they started charging for plastic bags in supermarkets. The long-life bags I use were obtained from French supermarkets like Carrefour and have been in weekly use for over 10 years. They initially charged about 50cents per bag but if they ever need replacing they will do so free of charge. Mine are all still perfect!
One thing that I think about concerning the use of plastic is, thst here in Italy people don't buy take away coffees. They go to their coffe place and either drink it at thecountet or sit at a table if they want a more leisurely break.
Mrs P ,earlier this morning I emailed Taylor's of Harrogate to ask about the Yorkshire Tea products. Before lunch I had a friendly personal reply from a gentleman called Peter in Customer Services. Most impressed.
My day did not start until 12.15. Having had two nights of being awake until 5am, I took a sleeping pill. I did sleep but did not wake, yet again until gone eleven am. When I opened my iPad I had a message about cats needing a home, an answer to a post I had left weeks ago. I have been dealing with that item since, and researching neighbourhood resistance to cats roaming and pooing in neighbours gardens. This being the reason the cats have to be Rehomed.
Mrs P ,if hadn't been for you I would not have thought to get in touch with Taylor's. I like their mugs-China- and wanted to know when they would be available again . Yes I used their form. However their email address is customer.services@bettysandtaylors.co.uk.
Mrs P, Re cats pooing in people's gardens. I reckon anyone who has a cat will be in a better position to someone who doesn't because the cat may not allow another cat onto his/her territory. Poppy will only allow Percy into our garden but she can poo or England so we don't need any more. Thank fully the honeysuckle is out now and the scent does help to mask the smell -a bit. I am sure you don't want to know the next bit but I put it into a bag and then in a lidded bucket for a bit before it goes into my bin. Incidently since we have Council containers for most waste products including plastic,if it were not for the pouches the cats food comes in we would only need our rubbish collected every six months or so.
Mrs P - I have just spent 3 days in a row removing large, sticky, stinky cat plops from my garden - my current opinion of cats and their owners isn't printable!!
I gathered maybe wrongly that cats who didn’t bury their poo had left their mother too young so that she couldn’t teach them. Even if it is buried not nice to turn it up when digging in the garden! Responsible dog owners nowadays carry poo bags and clean up after them but it is a problem with cats who freely roam. Usually you don’t know who the cat belongs to and if you did, the owner probably wouldn’t come round to clean up. Nice to hear Mrs P’s cats at least use their own garden! Well done for training them!
At the last count I had 9 cats that visit my garden. Having a cat myself to deter them is not an option as two of my children are very allergic to cats so could not visit if I had one. I just have to go out and pick up the mess frequently. I have netting around all my veg beds otherwise to stop cats going on them, nothing else works.
I will only buy a coffee from a chain if there is no alternative, independent. Quite often only a disposable cup is available. In which case I refuse and do without.
When i took my granddaughter to London for a weekend trip, she took me into a coffee shop, a chain that she personally liked. When offered coffee in a disposable container and I made a fuss, she was only slightly embarrassed but also amused. However the young French man and Italian girl serving were immediately on my side, full of apologies and offering free coffee to us both as a consequence. The young man then came and engaged us in conversation and I seem to remember offered biscuits as well.
The Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Manchester Arena ,the Borough Market and Westmister Bridge attacks were appalling and while my heart goes out to all those affected ,I keep thinking of the poor mother whose two little boys were killed by a hit and run driver and whose husband committed suicide after that happened and the poor mother whose children were killed by arsonists who set fire to their home. What sort of world are we living in?
I meant to add to my previous message that I do hope that the two mothers I mentioned are getting some really good counselling although I don't know how anybody can get over what happened to them
I don't think people do get over such tragic episodes in their lives. I do think they learn to live with the pain and continue their lives, however damaged they may be.
MrsP. I kept my rescue cats indoors for a month, and when let out, for a little while kept them company in the back garden. I can only recommend the one method that worked with them. When they first investigated their external environment, I Took some of their litter and place it in a part of the garden I wanted them to use, and then made sure they had a good sniff. Since doing this with my cats they hacve used the same place. As its a bit of the garden I don't use for anything else I just dig it all back in and in hot weather I hose it down.
Thank you for this tip, Stasia. It is something I have thought of doing before, but have never needed to. Either having a big enough area of wild garden, or being adjacent to a lane with large wild and small woodland areas. Interesting that it has worked for you. I intend to keep an indoor tray, covered as well as another tray outside the side door as I will not be having a cat flap. I do wonder why few cats today bury their evacuations. My immediate neighbour and myself have to cope with the next door cats deposits which are never buried, but after our conversations over the last few days she and I are at least of the same mind. Cats do, what cats have to do ! To use Carolyn's phrase.
Stasia. - I am not convinced that untreated piles of processed cat food are good for my garden, quite apart from the unpleasantness of cleaning garden tools after burying and the fortune spent on disinfectant. I think pet cats should be confined to the house or kept in outdoor cages with runs. Owners of pet rabbits and other creatures to which garden boundaries are no deterrent can cope with thiis arrangement. It would also reduce the toll on wild life, and keep the cats themse,vest safe.
I was appalled when I returned home from a garden centre/nursery today and this was not just what I had spent. I will have a large collection of plastic plant pots and trays and also there is a lot of polystyrene ones, which are not re-cyclable. I am also realising (thanks to Fallon) that I use a lot of "cling film". I will be re-thing this and I will try and alternatives.
I’ be used my last face wipe tonight and will be using face flannels in future. Not sure how to stop using cling film but haven’t heard Fallon’s advice yet. I hate the packaging of meat especially when vacuum packed on a plastic tray but realise it does extend the freshness time. Will try to avoid disposable cups!
Miriam and Ev..... yes we are all finding new, or sometimes old, ways of doing things. I have started washing film bags from the supermarket as my mum did in the sixties. At least I can re use them, until we return to paper bags. Also....... this evening I have been looking at ways of making wax covered fabric wrapping for use instead of cling film or metallic wrap. I think I found it on Pinterest. Intriguing ! I've never encountered it previously.
I personally have never given up on grease proof paper, and rarely use cling film, which I find awkward to use anyway.
Gypsy has been very good today and didn’t bark when Katy went to work or when I popped out to little Tesco. She is ensconced in my bedroom and as this nighttime insecurity is the only problem I have encountered with her I think I have to aceept it. Previously owned by two elderly ladies, she doesn’t know how to play but we, especially Katy are working on it. At a tickling tummy episode she was chortling with what sounded like very human laughter. It was very funny!
So pleased it's going well Ev. You are making good progress and she is clearly happy. If I see a blind dog out for a walk in Bin....d when I'm over this weekend, I will say hello. We shall be visiting the house that my mother in law lived in when my children were small as we are all leaving the island at the end of this month. House sold. She lived in a wing of that first house on the left in Church Rd. The one where so much work was left undone for so many years. I shall also hope to get to Q Abbey too.
Those mothers have all my sympathies too LanJan. There are some terrible things happening these days. We seem to live in an increasingly violent and cruel world - or is it just that we hear about these things today, when they were not so widely reported in the past. Some days I simply despair of the world in which my grandchildren are growing up.
I too feel as you and LanJan Archerphile, but also turn my thoughts to earlier centuries when utter cruelty such as torture was rife in society. The gouging of eyes and suchlike. But also remember my dad who always claimed that life was ever thus, and that the advent of newspapers brought all news to the fore, whereas in earlier times few would have known of such events. My dad died in 1980. What he would have thought of today's media circus I cannot bear to think.
Stasia, may I suggest that for further ' laughs' you look up CATS on Pinterest. These cat runs come in some amazing configurations, and the indoor ' cat rooms ' certainly make me wonder !
But why ever not, Stasia? Look at all the advantages I mentioned! And the cat still has the run of the house to sleep on its owner's bed, be played with and do pet therapy. It works for other pet species that roam freely in the wild ( mainly to find food, which doesn't apply to pets). Nobody seems to think that keeping rabbits in runs is cruel, especially if they are bred to it, which cats could be. Other felines are also kept in restricted environments.
You certainly have a lot to put up with because of cats in your garden, Maryellen and as a non cat lover I think confining them a bit would work wonders for wildlife and keep them safe. My sister in law had the heartbreak of having one of her cats dragging herself home after being hit by a vehicle. She was bad.y injured and subsequently died. My daughter ran over and killed a cat on her way to work last year. It was not microchipped so could not inform the owner. As an animal lover, Katy was very upset but she could not have avoided the cat as it had suddenly run out in front of her. We have to confine dogs and nowadays unlike in my childhood, you never see them roaming the streets.
Responding to something Spiceycushion wrote on the Archers blog.......
Spiceycushion ,you mentioned Creative Writing was now an A level subject. Can you or anybody else's tell me if the dreadful ( in my opinion) modern "must read " books where they not only go back and forth in time,have at least one other person telling his or her story in alternative chapters and having pages consisting of dialogue is "Creative Writing?" I have left unfinished the last three "must read" books and am now re reading a book I read as a teenager "Rogue Herries " by Hugh Walpole. Maryellen ,so far I think that my teenage self and present self have the same taste in literature.
Lanjan - there are quite a few modern books that I have enjoyed reading (despite some "interesting" variations in story-telling!), but your mention of 'Rogue Herries' has set me off on thoughts of one of my favourite series' of novels. I re-read the whole series again recently, and loved it all over again. Walpole's descriptions of the Lake District are so evocative that it's almost like being there. In fact, I was so excited on my first reading many years ago, that I managed to arrange to stay in a tiny cottage in Borrowdale for several weeks during a long drawn out house move, and fell in love with the countryside just as I knew I should. Easy to imagine old Rogue, Mirabel and Judith Paris striding across the fells and along the valleys.
Ev. Gypsy sounds as though she is really settling down well. I am sure that as she is becoming more trusting, she will realise that you will always be there for her. I am sure that you are settling her down at night, with an item of your clothing with your scent on. I had a problem with my cat in kennels, until I found an old sweater which I wore, and put in the bed at night. This sweater went as her "bed blanket" and my cat was fine.
Ev I have to add, that I also, no longer use face-wipes. I use an very cheap, cream face wash (biodegradable) with a flannel and all my face is totally clean, even my mascara!
On Monday I had a message from a post I left on CatChat some time ago, Offering two cats needing homing. One long haired black 5 year old, one ginger and white S H, both males used to dogs and children. Conversations on phone over next two days to share details and photos of cats and consideration of arrangements to collect from the far side of London. Then discovered they were not neutered. Much thinking overnight and decision to say regretfully NO.
Have phoned this morning to let her know, feeling very very sorry to let her down.
The reason for them needing a new home is neighbours being ' unpleasant and unreasonable ' about cats invading their garden. Nothing said about deposits left, just ' don't like cats climbing over my fences ' It occurred to me overnight that the cats may well be spraying in the neighbours garden. I would of course get them neutered myself, but would have to bring them to my house initially. Having spent huge amounts of money eradicating the smell of damp, I do not wish to have tom cat smell invading my house instead.
Mrs P you shouldn't feel you have let her down. What an irresponsible owner ( in my view )not to have had her cats neutered. They may never have stopped even if you had had them neutered, though of course the smell isn't as bad, but... I know from experience.
Yes Cow Girl, I've had the experience myself, hence not wishing to repeat it. When I asked why she had never had them clipped she answered she didn't think it was a ' good thing'. I asked how many kittens they had sired and she answered, ' oh there aren't many cats round here ' ? ? ?
MrsP - answer to facial wipes - its a conveniently packaged disposal tissues that comes pre-moisten with a cleaning solution. It's another way for companies to make money on toiletries and more garbage for our land field. I agree with Miriam; wash your face the old fashion way. I use a hemp based liquid soap. I purchase it in a gallon size and fill reusable soap pumps for the entire house and family. Very economical and ecological. To remove makeup, I have a small bottle of jojoba oil, put a dab on a small cotton wool - also a good facial moisturizer. We don't use or have any plastic containers at home and avoid buying beverages in those also.
Back to the Cat Hunt, mrs P, it's so disheartening & frustrating. I've followed the storyline here, & it honestly doesn't seem your requirements are overly picky or hard for a rescue place, or private contact, to meet. When one thinks of all the cats in need of a 'forever home' (as rather sentimentally expressed on many sites ), I wonder why your search has so far produced no satisfactory outcome - namely an agreeable cat friend ! It feels like the time isn't right, the stars aren't aligned yet, or something, but glad you haven't given up, as somewhere, there's a pair of ears twitching, an erect tail, & sensing whiskers which are waiting for....Mrs P. When it all comes together, we'll have to create a kind of blog party.
Thanks Carolyn. Stars and alignment are my excuses and have been for some time now. However I think I am rather picky. My requirements include ' beautiful ' That is beautiful in my eyes. I would not hang a picture on the wall or have an ornament displayed that I did not like the look of, and I don't want a cat that does not lift my heart whenever I look at him.
I think I might speak to someone at Battersea, at least then I would not have the problem of not being road savvy.
MrsP. The cat owner in London has created the problem for the poor cats by not having them neutered when young. It's too late now they will continue to spray. I have never had a male cat, not deliberately, but a local farm cat occasionally visits and I can smell it instantly, everything then has to be washed down. He came in to eat my cats food whilst they were being idle upstairs. Now they have to remain downstairs and that stopped when my large black and white found him trying to come in through the cat flat. She went ballistic at him.
carolyn. Your description is wonderful. How could anyone not love a cat.
With you there - about pictures etc. In fact, even in someone else's home, if I see a picture, which is offensively awful, yet evidently cherished by the owners, it spoils the visit ! Can put up with anodyne, just there because it works with the colour scheme, though despising the motive How judgmental ! Same with animals, though do understand that is even more personal, & tastes vary. ( so much less tolerant about the inanimate !) Battersea is a great idea - surely a wide choice.
I don’t love cats. Neither does Maryellen but her heart belongs to T💕oby! Mrs P face wipes are used for removing makeup or just the debris of the day. They are wet wipes which contain some plastic and if not disposed of properly can block the drains. One more thing for landfill but in that respect my pet hate is disposable nappies. They should have to wash them as we did! It gave great motivation for early potty training! My daughter has washable ST’s. They go in a special soak and then in the washing machine. I always put them in with her washing though!!
I have a 5 month old Gt. Nephew who lives near Melbourne OZ He has nappies which look like disposablles, but they are actually nappies which are then washed and then re-used, just like the "old" terry nappies. These are also very adjustable and will be worn by Monty (not Lynda's dog) for a very long while. I do not know if these are purely an OZ nappy, or if they areavailable here, in the UK. I do not know what they are called, but I do like the concept.
Here in Alternative Stroud we have Sanitary towel making classes.
Thanks for the info about face wipes. When in the fifties my sister and I ( me an me sister ) wore lots of makeup, I had particularly spectacular black eyes ! - we used torn up wraps, led sheeting which we used to remove makeup. Mum used to boil them clean.
I predict that In due course we will all be returning to the ' old ways '
Incidentally I still have my tall white plastic nappy bin from the sixties.
I made a very big decision yesterday. I am no longer having my hair highlighted, but to let my normal silver streaks, to come through naturally. I did though buy a very expensive 1 litre bottle, of mauve shampoo; which really enhances my now natural hair colour, which I call silver.
I was going to have highlights this week but cancelled it in favour of a simple cut and blow dry. I am lucky to have whitish hair! Re high.lights, I thought who am I kidding!
Those were my thoughts also. I don't mind going silver. I love both Julie Walters and Dame Judi Dench, with their short hair styles and natural colour. I also have had a much shorter hair cut, which I love!
Miriam - the Oz nappies you mentioned sound very like the ones my daughter-in-law in France used for my two grandsons. She has always been very ‘green’ and would never use disposable ones. The specially shaped cloth ones fastened with a special adjustable clip so no nappy pins involved. They could be washed and used over and over again - in fact the original packs of nappies (which were quite expensive) lasted for both boys.
Talking of which, we are off at 7am tomorrow to catch the ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg on the way down to Toulouse to stay with son, d.i.l and grandsons for a couple of weeks. I shall be learning all about their proposed move to Dubai and think this will probably be my last visit to their beautiful home in the countryside, 20K from the city. I hope we shall be able to afford flights to Dubai at least once during the 5 years they are going to be there but the thought of not seeing the little boys growing up in their most formative years is devastating me. I shall have to put on a happy face and say how pleased I am for them but inside I shall be crying! I hope to keep up with listening to TA and writing here over the next couple of weeks but it will depend on the reliability of the Wi-fi in their village! Off to pack the last few items into the car. A bientôt!
I am sure you will make the most of your two weeks Archerphile. Enjoy, and perhaps you will be able to go to Dubai. I know of a person who commutes to and from Putney to Dubai, so it can't be impossible.
I too am off this weekend to say goodbye to my daughter and S. in L. wonderful I O W house that they have restored. After nine years it has been sold and they leave at the end of June. We are all sad to say goodbye, but life moves forward doesn't it.
Archerphile and MrsP, it is sad for us to see relatives and friends move to other places or countries, but for them it may be a case of doing something exciting and different. Do have a good time. Archerphile I hope the weather will be sunny and warm, have watched the French news and they have been experiencing loots of floods.
Archerfile, I can empathise with how you are feeling. Our daughter, son-in-law and grandson went to Singapore 18 months ago supposedly for two years (now an open ended contract). It was very hard seeing them off at the airport but phone and video calls are easy these days, they have been back a couple of times and we've visited them. I still wish they were in the UK but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be.
My younger son worked in Singapore for a while and I visited him several times and loved it. So clean and so safe. Changi Airport is stunning. I visited Dubai,Archerphile in 1995 and then again 10 . years later and by golly had things changed . Like Cheshire cheese ,I do have an idea of how you are feeling and I imagine that Spiceycushion does too since we both have grandchildren who live thousands of miles away. Enjoy your time in France with them now.
So many thoughts regarding all the chatty posts and so many topics. Lan Jan Creative writing! I agree with your comment! How can you teach someone to be of a creative mind? I long to shout at them "Just use a little imagination" I read very few novels post WW2 to be honest unless they are historical; the exception being Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels, which I reach for when feeling low or overwhelmed! My favourite author is Bernard Cornwell who writes extremely realistic historical stories and who always writes an epilogue explaining where he has taken liberties such as by allowing people to meet who actually in reality didn't meet! Cats My beloved GC ((Grey Cat) was a 'whole tom' when he moved in. The vet estimated him to be about six years old. He had been living on the streets for at least a year and used to come round to my back garden where I put food out for him. I had three cats then but the ginger brother and sister would not let GC in although BagPuss the tabby didn't mind him. Two weeks after William took his last visit to the vet about two months after his sister GC came and discovered there was no-one to kick him out. He had an abscess on his cheek which stank so I took him to the vet. He was castrated while under the anesthetic. I asked the vet if it would be cruel to have the cat done when he had obviously lived as a Tom and the vet grinned and said "It's funny. It's usually the men who ask me that!!!" But he didn't ever spray inside the house(the cat, not the vet Ha Ha!) and did get out of the habit of biting my sons' ankles when they walked past him (again the cat!) He obviously had suffered at the hands of men at some time.
Finally to Archerphile. As LanJan said I wholeheartedly sympathise with your distress at 'losing' your grandchildren. My 'boys' were 7 and 5 when their parents decided to emigrate and I knew my circumstances would not allow me to visit them, as some of my friends do. ( to visit their relatives in Australia.) That dreadful last Christmas and New Year will remain with me forever. I have spoken to the boys over the years occasionally on the phone but can barely say anything as I break down in tears. I look forward to next year when my daughter has indicated that she and at least one of the boys will be coming to England and Germany. The 'boys' are now aged 20 and 22 years old so I won't know them at all and I can't help feeling extremely resentful that I was deprived of my grandsons after being as much as a part if their lives as possible, without being meddlesome or interfering. I think I shall carry that always and I do feel guilty about it! BUT do look forward to visiting your son and family at least once and be excited about seeing a different culture. Skype is so much easier now and can be carried out on mobile phones when out and about! I am off to Frankfurt at the end of the month to cat sit while son and family go on holiday to Bulgaria and then stay for youngest granddaughters seventh birthday (and party, Heaven help me!) Hope my garden survives for a fortnight. ,
I was so sorry to hear about you missing out on your grandsons childhood. My family live in a flat above me and I can't imagine what I would do if I couldn't see them regularly.
The world is so very much a smaller place today and there are so many opportunities out there. I just wish I could have had a similar one - all I had was a europe student railcard, back in the 70's.
I will be having a sit down tomorrow as I need to be active, both on the phone + computer. My house insurance is due for renewal in July and I have to find one which is much cheaper but gives the cover I require.
Forgot to add re cling film, plastics etc. Some years back I bought from a lady who does Betterware/Kleeneze catalogues door to door ((Yes they are still going) a set of admittedly plastic dish covers. They are elasticated mop -capped shaped soft plastic covers like the old jam pot covers. The largest are big enough to cover a vegetable serving dish and there are two smaller sizes. They are used constantly then washed up when leftovers are disposed off in some way or another. I no longer wrap my rounds of sandwiches in foil and cut and serve when at the cricket club but have invested in (again plastic) sandwich trays where I cut and place on trays cover with a clip-top and driv very carefully to the cricket ground. Both alternatives are plastic I know but will last for years instead of fresh covers every time they are needed. To make me really feel my age I received a letter from DVLA asking me to renew my licence as I am now 70+ (or will be in August) The 70+ insignia takes up the top half of the A4 sized leaflet!
You are young Spicey cushion and don't let any one tell you otherwise. Im still out there knocking in fence posts and cutting winter fuel with my chainsaw, I probably do more now than a good few years ago . I can remember the GP telling me when I was 40+ . that I had to remember how old I was ! ( I had pulled some muscles in my chest axing down a tree.) I have never forgotten and never take account of my age a bit slower pace maybe , but I'm not ready to give in yet .
Just ignore the implications Mrs P, do what you have to, they will unfortunately keep coming. Just bear in mind this is Ageist, as it is not us older people who have the most accidents, though I acknowledge that some still drive when they shouldn't, no different than those who drive with out taking the test. I have given strict instructions to my niece to tell me if she ever thinks I shouldn't drive, though hopefully I shall know.
Fascinating reading here today & yesterday - too much to comment o - but covering so much : plastic, hair, cats, books, (Creative Writing courses make me look askance, as well, especially if they're examinable - just get in the zone & do it). It's sad that a number of you have, or are, suffering from family separations, missing out on children's company, & grandchildren growing up. I hope you can enjoy the holiday, Archerphile, & that when they move, there'll be more contact, one way or another, than you imagine at the moment.
Thank you all for your empathy and good wishes for my trip to see the grandsons (they are aged 6 and 9 by the way). I know I shouldn’t grumble and I do know this is an excellent move for my son’s career and for the boys to see more of the world and a different culture. We shall obviously Skype regularly but I shall so miss sitting and reading Roald Dahl books to them and teaching them various games and how to knit (yes, really, even though they are boys, and they loved learning how to do cats cradle which seems to be unknown in France). Hey ho, it’s a new generation and new opportunities , time for Grandma and Pa to step back and let the youngsters fly.
Did anyone watch. The Chatsworth Flower Show on ,BBC TV? It was the same format as Chevlsea -without the Celebrities. Talk to a designer or two and spend time with them where they live . Talk to an exhibitor or two and give them free publicity for their Nursery. Get Carol Klein to show that she knows all the Latin names for popular plants. At the end get a couple of presenters to say quickly which couple of small gardens they liked. Why don't they look at all the gardens and say what is new or what they like? Why not look at a lot of the plant and flower displays and say what the best way of looking after the various plants ? Won't be watching that again.
All this talk of family moving abroad has brought back memories of my mother and my sister who had married an American. They lived for a while in Suffolk but then he was transferred back home. We all went to an airfield very early in the morning and watched from afar as she boarded a cumbersome troop carrier aircraft. My mother begged him to promise that he would bring her home one day. She was eighteen and this was the early sixties. In those days in order to speak on the phone a call had to be booked in advance.
So Archerphile, enjoy them now, and continue to read R D but over Skype Instead of having them on your knee.
BLOG. Today has been a very interesting day. I had ordered a personalised white T shirt with big purple words on the front saying - BBC: Bring back our Archers Blog, and with the same in very bright pink on the back, and I wore it to the Royal Cornwall Show today, to publicise what had happened to the blog. I knew a fair number attending would be Archers listeners. 1. I started off in the BBC Cornwall tent , and pigeonholed a member of staff there who didn't know before but now knows everything about the blog being closed! It is only our local BBC service but sometimes ripples can spread outwards. 2. I tried to get into a position where the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall could see My T shirt , but although Prince Charles passed very close I had someone standing in front of me. I think Camilla saw it when she went into the Food and Farming tent, but I didn't have the chance to speak to her. For anyone interested she had a lovely lightweight cream jacket on with a pretty decorative finish along the front edges. HRH has done far more good work than many people realise, and there was a parade of all the Cornish rural and sea causes he has supported both financially and with personal support, and for his 70th birthday he was presented in the ring with an oak tree and a very rare breed of sheep . My daughter wondered how he was going to get them home!😊 3. The next bit surprised me very much. I was in the Flower tent when two women came up to me having read my T shirt. One said she knew the blog had closed, and so I asked her if she was an Archers fan, and she said she was Vanessa Whitburn who had been editor of the Archers for 23 years ! She apparently has a home down here in Polperro. I had certainly heard of her ( and I forbore from saying how much I missed poor Nigel Pargetter ) and we then had a good discussion about the closure. There is someone she will have a chat with, and she has suggested we write to Tony Hall , and also said why didn't we have a go at using the Today blog. She thought it was really off that we had been deleted and banned from using blogs that weren't being used by other commenters. It was a very interesting conversation. Lan Jan I don't know if you have already written to Tony Hall, and if not then what think you and the others about us sending him a letter/letters?
Janice, I know that LanJan didn't get a reply from Tony Hall, but do you think it worth while your writing and prefacing the letter with , Vanessa Whitburn suggested I write to you when I met her etc Might not get passed on quite so readily then. I think it might be worth a try if you are willing
Cow Girl. I doubt that Vanessa Whitburn carries much clout now but in any case Tony Hall will not get to see the letter. The office staff will have filtered it out. However if you think it is worth a try ,Janice I wish you all the best.
Blog What the h...ll I have just e mailed Tony Hall, suggesting that his minions will not allow him to receive a missive from the likes of me as he is too great ! I am so cross and it only took a few minutes, so at least it gets rid of my frustration if nothing else. At least it doesn't cost me a stamp. Thinking about it if I don't get a sensible answer I may just keep sending missives.
Cow Girl, think you would enjoy the Royal Cornwall Show, but expect you have ones of your own. Saw a number of rare breeds including an Irish Moiled cow and calf. Prince Charles has some Moiled cattle on his Duchy Home Farm, plus other rare breeds he is trying to preserve, and he was showing some of his sheep today. I expect his present will stay on the Duchy farm.
I would really have loved your show, Irish moiled are beautiful. I might get over to the Great Yorkshire show this year Our local show only has rare sheep, still interesting, it is one of the largest voluntary run village shows in the country. This year I am going to show some old dairy bygones, so I am busy making a traditional dairy smock which I intend to put on a scarecrow, so that I can display my yoke with the milk pails hanging. Just hope it works ! So good for children to see what life was like . Well done for drawing attention to our cause. Thank you
Janice - what an exciting and interesting day you had Janice! And how fortunate meeting Vanessa Whitburn. I wonder if she still has influence at the BBC, if so, it could be extremely useful arrow to our collective bow. Perhaps we should all do the same as you, get appropriate T shirts made and attend out local County Shows in the hope of stirring up interest and possibly getting noticed on local TV. I hope to be attending the New Forest Show and the BBC always have a presence there so could possibly get a mention on South Today, or at least have a chat with BBC staff. I believe Lan Jan did write to Tony Hall early on in our campaign and I certainly sent him a personal email but never got so much as an acknowledgment, much less a reply. Still, it would be worth trying again and mentioning Vanessa Whitburn. Well done for your brilliant TShirt idea!
Well done Janice. ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ As Archerphile said though I wrote to Tony Hall and then emailed him when I didn't get a reply. Tony Hall will be unaware that we are concerned. He will not have been shown my letter Someone in the office will have just passed the buck and sent it to another Department to let someone else deal with it. I offered to go to meet somebody at Broadcasting House but was ignored. I emailed the Today programme too-nothing. Nobody cares about us. We are small fry. The woman who answered my last letter was the one in charge of "Feedback" I wrote back to her last week and said that my previous letter had been passed to her in error and none of the questions I had asked had been answered.so would she send this letter to the person who was responsible for closing our blog I will see what happens now and if as I suspect it is nothing then it is Ofcom for me.
It's all hugely frustrating & gives a very negative picture of the 'public service' ethos of the BBC. Oh, yeah, really....BUT what an interesting day you had, Janice, in your campaigning T shirt. Brilliant.
Blog LanJan what e mail address did you use for Tony hall, the one I used has just come bac k. I know you feel it is a waste of time, but I am so angry I just need to get it off my chest.
Cow Girl,I really do wish you the best of luck and if you are prepared to email the DG then just go for it. The email address I used was Tony.hall@bbc.co.uk
so now gone off again. I was very sarcastic, I know one shouldn't be, but am just so cross. Will just keep battling away. I will do a count of the blogs on Sunday evening and report back, don't suppose there will be more than a handful of comments.
I have been very intrigued about Christine, in that is she really showing signs of dementia. I am a single, retired, home owner and I have recently put in place, a Financial Power of Attorney. If something drastically happens to me, then my appointed person will have control of my house, finances etc. but it needs to be proven that it is my best interest. Hopefully it will never be needed!
Indeed Cowgirl. The forms are not difficult to fill in and you do not need a Solicitor. There is a telephone number if you do need help and the people who answer the 'phone are very obliging.
Just adding to the cats debate.... We have four gorgeous maine coons who are very affectionate but not very bright. We live at the end of a culdesac so not a busy road but a busy rat run nearby so we had lost 3 cats over the years. When we got these latest cats we decided to look into how we could let them have the freedom to come and go into the garden but not beyond. We have had our garden secured now for nearly ten years with no escapes and no other cats can get in so fights with the neighbouring cats and our cats do not poo in our neighbours gardens. Highly recommended! Cost us about £400 and took about 2 days to install. Wouldn't suit everyone but Google secur-a-cat to see images.
Sorry about my typos in the message above- we have had NO fights with neighbouring cats as they can't get in to our garden (and as our cats are safe now we have stopped paying cat insurance) ....and it took two of US about two days to install the net fence on top of our own garden fence-the garden is about 10m square . I believe that the supplier can arrange installation if you don't feel able to do it yourself. I'm not on commission honestly but the peace of mind is priceless
Relaxing on lawn chair 🌸🌼🦋
ReplyDeleteEv - from the previous lawn chair post - tell us more about your Italy painting holiday 😀
ReplyDeleteThe holiday is in Tuscany, a lovely part of the world! The instructor is American, Sandra Strohschein who comes from Holland, Michigan. She is a watercolour artist with Impressionistic style which will suit me I hope! I only dabble but do enjoy losing myself in painting as in gardening. You can just forget everything and absorb yourself! I go for a week on 16th from Gatwick. The first time I have flown alone but have done everything I can to make it easy!
DeleteHope you have a lovely time Ev.
DeleteI love flying alone because I don't embarrass anybody else.
I once was upgraded from Australia to England when I was alone.
When my mother was about the age I am now she went on a painting holiday with a friend who was a lovely painter.
My mum just "dabbled " but had a great time.' .
BLOG
ReplyDeleteI am going to hang fire on my suggested blog, until I can sort out a separate e mail as I don't want to lose my ability to post or my current name.
I have been very naughty and yesterday the BBC removed 17 posts!!!
Be careful, Cow Girl.
DeleteI have commented about various programmes but haven't mentioned The Archers.
Pathetic comments made just to see what happened to them.
Initially they vanish straight away but then reappear.
I want to lull them into a false sense of security
I wonder for how long we will be sitting on the naughty step?
Letter written .
Plan to post it this morning.
(Second class stamp this time as 2nd class letters posted on a Saturday usually get to their destinations the following Monday.
Well done.
DeleteI am going to have to be as they are monitoring me again.
They are getting much more picky in what they are deleting. I had one deleted that made a passing reference to Peppa pig otherwise entirely on topic even if crass.
I sent mine recorded, but the Royail Mail didn't bother to get a signature, so am claiming my money back. First time it has happened , wont bother again to the bbc, will just get proof of posting.
I am trying to get what is called an alias on my outlook account once I have achieved that I will do as I said and then close the alias down. It may take up to 48 hrs apparently The things I am learning.
I think you and I will end up going to the powers that be.
Just thinking about it LanJan if you are going straight to moderation then there is no point going off subject, they wont get published and you will be banned.
DeleteIt is best to try and get a second e mail just for bbc which is what I am doing, perhaps one of your children will help you. With a struggle I did manage it, but it is a bit hit and miss
Oh where would we be without Ruthy
ReplyDeleteThe lass from the US of A
She has done so much more than the Beeb did before
She's a Star✳️ Thank you Ruthy ,we say.
large Tick !
DeleteWell said Lanjan.
DeleteRuthy I do hope you are too inconvenienced by those storms coming up from Mexico. Thank you again. Haven't seen chairs quite like those in the picture before, are they American style?
Insert 'not'.
DeleteBLOG. I am finding things a bit odd today, and also yesterday evening. I can get onto the BBC blogs with user name jbythe sea without any problem but if I try with Bloglessarchersfan the name which I have relied on to make the point without being too off topic in the comment, I am repeatedly getting a sign saying - Sorry there was a problem ......try again. I can only think they are reacting to archers in the name.
ReplyDeleteCan't do anything much on the blogs today, as have done a load of baking, sausage rolls and biscuits, and now have to ferry them down to the village for the garden club annual fete this afternoon.
that sign means you are banned, it has happened to me 2 times now and now I am being monitored on my third name, just trying to sort out another. They don't tell you.
DeleteEnjoy your self at the garden Fete.
Waiting here longingly for some rain, though the cows have brought themselves in as the flies are bad, I expect they will be in most days now till September and muggins will have to clean up after them, Oh what a cushy life they lead.
Drat!!
DeleteThese chairs are American. I have always known them to be ‘Adirondack” chairs. The original signed are very valuable. These days lot of these are made of plastic. I clipped this from Wiki:
ReplyDeleteThe first Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee while vacationing in Westport, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains in 1903. Needing outdoor chairs for his summer home, he tested his early efforts on his family. After arriving at a final design for a "Westport plank chair", he offered it to a carpenter friend in Westport in need of a winter income, Harry Bunnell.[1] Bunnell saw the commercial potential of such an item being offered to Westport's summer residents, and apparently without asking Lee's permission filed for and received U.S. patent #794,777 in 1905.[2] Bunnell manufactured hemlock plank "Westport chairs" for the next twenty years, painted in green or medium dark brown, and individually signed by him.
I have seen plastic chairs in the same style. Friends of ours had them for the beach. My husband sat in one and promptly broke it! They had been so proud of their find. It was so embarrassing!
DeleteAnd they are not comfortable 🙁
ReplyDeleteNo, they’re not. Don’t really see the point as you can get chairs of proper height easier to get up from which fold for easy carrying!
DeleteI've always known them as Adirondak chairs and was going to answer Stasia this morning.
DeleteHowever as I was not sure of the spelling I decided not to do so.
I don't know how they have passed by Stasia because they have been around in the U.K. For a number of years now.
I have never sat in one, but have always considered them to be pretty ugly.
LanJan 👏💕🌸🌺🍷🇺🇸🇬🇧
ReplyDeleteStasia - my reply above on the chairs. We have had 3 days of rain and clouds from the storm that came from the south. But looks like maybe some sun this weekend. 😀
ReplyDeleteJanice and CowGirl I think if I were both of you I would tread carefully for a bit and perhaps leave everything including your names which have any connection with The Archers.
ReplyDeleteI know I sound like a bossy old biddy but I would hate it if we did manage to get the blog back if you were both banned.
I am having a bit of fun being "nice" and making comments only connected with their blog and not mentioning the Archers at all.
Eventually I may have my name taken off their black list .
Obviously I am still carrying on with our campaign.
I am going to check out Ofcom but not do anything yet although I suspect that it will eventually come to that . .
I intend to wait now and see what response I get from my latest letter.
I will give them a month...............
I had two posts removed yesterday and both had been there for a week or so. Agree with above. It did occur to me that maybe we should rein back a bit for the time being. No reply or acknowledgement from Eddie Mair so far!
DeleteEv please see my comment a few posts on at 7.43
DeleteI dare say many of you know the answer to the following question.
ReplyDeleteIf not I will reveal the answer later.
Question
Do you know why 2nd June was chosen as Coronation Day in 1952?
I spent an enjoyable hour yesterday commenting on the BBC blogs. I prefaced everything as a response to comments from Bloglessarcherfan and isthisthearchersblog. They all went straight to moderation, even though I attempted to make a reference to the blog content. Shall check.
ReplyDeleteHave just received 7 emails from th BBC informing me that all the comments I made today have been removed. I posted on some empty blogs, clearly they didn't like what I said. Why are they putting up blogs nobody is interested in? That is a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteThey are being particularly picky, we have needled them,they have gone back a number of days. this waste of money is the subject of my complaint and will be to offcom if it fails. I had 17 deleted !
DeleteEv. Your holiday in Tuscany really sounds very idyllic. Where will you be staying?
ReplyDeleteMy problem with a holiday such as yours, and with so many I have looked at and I couldn't book, is that the flights leave from Gatwick. I will only consider holidays where I can fly from Manchester, or Heathrow. I find that to get to Gatwick is very difficult be it by rail, car or a plane shuttle. I remember a holiday I had when I flew into Gatwick at 1.00pm on a Friday afternoon. I had a car, with a lovely, driver waiting for me, but it was an horrendous journey. It took over 3 hours just to reach Heathrow, on the M25! I eventually arrived home at 8.00pm that evening, a car journey time of well over 6 hours. I felt so sorry for my wonderful driver, who had then to turn around and drive back to London, as he had another booking the following morning.
It called the Watermill at Posada. They will meet me and others I guess at Pisa which is a small airport. I have detailed instructions! Gatwick is relatively easy from the island as I can get a train from Portsmouth straight through. I’m travelling up the day before and staying at a Premier Inn within walking distance of the North terminal. The train goes into South terminal but there is a shuttle to the North. I know what you mean about Gatwick as we didn’t find it easy when we lived further north. Although we are on an island once the ferry has been negotiated we are in Southampton or Portsmouth and transport from there is quite easy. My husband and I went on a cruise once from Dover and had included transport and our poor driver had already done a 100 mile round journey before he took us up to Herefordshire and had to travel straight back not even having time for a cup of tea. It really is wrong when you think of the restrictions on lorry and coach drivers.
DeleteBLOG
ReplyDeleteI have thought of a new tactic!
How about if we all ignore all the BBC blogs for the next few weeks ie until we go to Ofcom?
They will think we have given up .
Cow Girl .we can use your figures about the number of people other than us who have used the various blogs
Also if we are the only ones using the other blogs they may well decide that rather than removing our posts it would be better to close the blogs.
Nobody but us will care or bat an eye lid if that happens.
I really think it is worth a shout.
I will concentrate only on Ruthy's blog until our next big move.
What do you think?
Let us lull them into a false sense of security.
They won't have the satisfaction of removing our posts or even considering them.
Agree (though I will miss the fun )
DeleteI will keep a regular check on numbers across the board.
as all archer bloggers are recognisable, even the occasional ones it will be easy to keep records.
I am so pleased about that.
DeleteLet's keep them wondering.
I will let you all know when I get my invitation to Broadcasting House to meet the person responsible for the closure of our blog in case you are able to join me!
My posh -not too posh ,just smart- frock sits in the wardrobe awaiting the Call!
It may have a long wait
I am not convinced that abandoning the battlefield when the enemy is rattled is a good tactic, but will abide by the decision of you others. I think us Archers Avengers made a cracking team, and I have two other email addresses lined up if you decide to have another go later on.
DeleteP.s. our M.P. is in a marginal seat in a rural area so I will contact him. I know he will have weightier things to deal with, but someone in his office might have the time to send an email of enquiry to the BBC.
DeleteJanice, I think LanJan has a point, lets give them a break and think that they have won, then in a few weeks give them another blast when they are least expecting it. It will also give me a chance to get some figures together that aren't skewed by ourselves. I do think we made a good team, in the meantime I shall cancel my BBC e mail addresses and start a fresh one ready for battle to commence again. I thought Archersontherampage might be a good monica or rampagingarchers, musnt forget !
DeleteThe blogs make interesting reading,The Media Insight blog for example with 11 headings from Jan 18 this year has a total of 3, yes 3 comments and that isn't the only one, I have yet to finish going through them all
Okay 😊
DeleteBLOG
ReplyDeleteWe may learn some further tactics from The Suffragette programme.
The one thing I really love about the Edwardian era is the fashion.
Think how smart we would look if we stormed Broadcasting house dressed in our long straight skirts with our high necked white cotton blouses . I
Don't forget the plackards LanJan
DeleteWe would also need special banners or scarves, colours to be decided in future. I'd come in green wellies as I no longer have a long skirt, but can wear a white shirt and a hat.
Delete.....& something over your knickers,perhaps, Basia ? grousers or a skirt ? Militancy is great, but not to distract from the main issue.
Delete'Trousers' of course I mean
DeleteWhat a bloomer!
DeleteI really do understand as to why some are being extremely active and vocal in their very time-consuming efforts, to re-instate the BBC website comments section. I am thinking that this campaign is now becoming one of a matter of principle.
ReplyDeleteIf all you campaigners eventually acheieve your aim and are sucessful, how will you then be able to let it be known to the many previous participants, that they can post again?
That's an interesting point Miriam !
DeleteI expect it to be the main story on the BBC news ,Miriam.!
ReplyDeleteOnce the blog is open again, people will join in the way that they always have.
DeleteIn the same way that Ruthies blog was announced on Facebook (?) by one of her devotees, so can the reopening. SIMPLE
Lanjan. After I had all my comments removed I decided to give posting on BBC blogs a rest for a while, I think we have made a point, at the moment.
DeleteBLOG. Lan Jan and The Team.... I agree too. I hope this break will give me time to sort out a couple of e-mail addresses.
DeleteHad had a bad night with Gypsy. She was used to sleeping in the bedroom next to the bed so continued this as she was settling in. We have just bought a stair gate as my kitchen and utility are open and last night used it to keep her to the utility area which is quite a large room. This did not go down well as expected and as we were not familiar with locking arrangements just having it latched shut, she broke out twice. To cut a long story short I finally got to sleep at about 2 am! This morning because of the stress there were deposits! I must persevere as Trix who is looking after her while I am away will have to keep her in the kitchen which is adjacent to the bedroom. Understandably Trix’s other half won’t have her in the bedroom. My husband wouldn’t have that either! Difficult to retrain a 10 year old dog! I must add I am in a bungalow and was never far away from her!
ReplyDeleteEv, just persevere, it is only the first night, I am sure it will get easier, just make sure she has extra attention during the day and a familiar routine at bedtime. I know she needs to lose weight, but a little biscuit before you say good night might help, this just sets the pattern that animals find comfortable, as of course do we humans.
DeleteEv. My first cat was like Gypsy, the first night she hurled herself at the bedroom door crying to be let in. After two restless nights I gave in and she moved on to the bed. She was a rescue, so I had no idea about her previous behaviours. Then, when we were preparing to go on holiday she sussed what was happening and faked illness. Vet said there was nothing wrong with her, she was extremely clever.
DeleteEv. It might help if you could leave an old cardigan , or something with your smell on, that Gypsy can sleep beside while you are on holiday.
DeleteEv,my thoughts are with you with regard to Gypsy.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a pity that pets can't understand that what we are doing for them is for the best.
I hope you have a better night tonight.
So sorry to hear about Gypsy's, and your, bad night.
ReplyDeleteIf sleeping separately is to be the norm then persevering, however stressful is essential.
Personally having a cat or dog, or both in the bedroom with me, is the greatest
comfort.
When in our first home, we would wake in the morning with us, cat, toddler (wet)
all crammed in together, later joined by a dog as well.
I seem to remember talking with our GP about this problem( ?) , who pointed out to me that early man had lived in this way and that it was all ' very natural '.
I saw his point and went along with it.
Yes, have decided to let Gypsy stay in my bedroom as she was so stressed last night and today she reacted badly to Katy going out this morning on an archaeological dig and me venturing out to little Tesco just up the road. In both cases she barked continually which she has not done previously. We have left her for short periods and must encourage this as you need to have the freedom to shop etc. She has settled down to sleep next to my bed and will probably I hope not stir until the morning. She does tend to wake at the crack of dawn and have a little prowl around which wakes me but better I settle to sleep before midnight unlike last night! Will work on giving her alone toile though as can’t always be at the beck and call!
DeleteToile should have been time! This auto correction!
DeleteIts because you are not on the watched or banned list.
ReplyDeleteIn case you haven't read the above, many of us have decided to give posting a break and come back in a few weeks with a bang all together.Plus some new archer monicas !
EssCee my post was removed after about a week together with most of the others, they don't always react straightaway.
ReplyDeleteEvery time that I have attained a new rescue cat, I decided to be "strong" and not let it into the bed-room. The downstairs of my home is completely open plan (incl the stairs). Somehow the new cat always knew where I was and, as Lan Jan has said, my sleeping so difficult, that I always gave in. My latest one, (now 13) is still a night prowler,and her catches always end up on the bedroom floor. I always know when it is a cold, frosty night, as she snuggles right up. Would I change it.....No.
ReplyDeleteMy "stray" is still around but so far has not ventured too far in. I have tried to catch her but to no avail yet. She is lovely, just scared and nervy.
I have even bought her, her own feed bowl. How soft am I, - but although I don't want to encourage her too much, I can't bear the thought of her being hungry.
DeleteWell good on you Miriam.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a lot of pleasure from your extra 'stray"
Do you know where he/she strayed from?
We knew Percy's people but they were out all day and Percy likes company and they had three dogs who Percy did not like so he decided enough was enough .
When I spoke to his people they said a cat chooses its home not the other way round and were fine about the situation.
The lovely cat and dog photo on the Archers blog reminded me of my son's pets.
ReplyDeleteMonty is a gorgeous brown Labrador .
The cats named Thin Cat and Fat Cat plague him to death and their favourite sleeping position is on his back.
He lies there but looks up as if to say"What did I do to deserve this! when I was here first!"
I am thinking about house prices. I am in an area where these have really increased dramatically over the last few months. I have seen properties rise in cost considerably and they are selling within 3 weeks. I wonder whether Justin will raise the house prices on his building site and how will it affect Ed + Emma.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, replied to Basia's June 3, 12.35 after her post
ReplyDeleteMrs P to day 1.17pm - what a delicious picture ! I'd like that ( minus the wet toddler) Percy often settles on the pillows behind my head...
ReplyDeleteI am watching BGT and I am noticing that the judges are using paper straws (not plastic) in their drinks tonight. Fallons ideal is becoming more widespread.
ReplyDeleteRegarding plastic drinking straws, I noticed that whenever I asked for a long drink (soft, or alcoholic) on our Northern Lights cruise in March, it came with a plastic straw. As a grown up I don’t need straws with my drinks so I always left it unused.
ReplyDeleteOn arriving home I sent an email to the cruise company about this and suggested they stop using plastic straws ( they purport to be a ‘green’ company, trying to avoid environmental pollution of the seas). I said they could at least ask passengers ‘do you need a straw with that drink’ rather than automatically suppling one, convert to paper straws or just stop using them altogether.
To my very great surprise, a few days later, I had a personal phone call from a senior staff member thanking me for my suggestion and saying it would be discussed at a future policy meeting. To my even greater surprise I have now been told that the company is now going to abandon plastic straws and cut right down on all single use plastic packaging and review other environmental measures! Result!
Well done Archerphile.
Delete✔️✔️✔️
Some months ago I wrote an email to Yorkshire Tea asking them to consider removing the extra plastic covering on their substantial tea boxes, and giving my reasons for wanting less packaging particularly the plastic variety.
This was sometime before the Blue Planet documentary.
When I looked for the address to send it to by googling the company website, I discovered that in order to contact the company, ( owned by Betty's ) it was necker to do so through there pro forms on the website.
That letter is still sitting in my ' drafts', and I have never got around to filling in the form on line.
Shame on me !
Archerphile - brilliant.
DeleteMrs P - it's never too late.
I am one of those irritating people who remove surplus packaging and leave it in the shop for the staff to manage.
Mistral - you must be related to the woman in our local WH Smith's who holds up the Saturday morning queue while she removes all the sections she doesn't want from the newspaper she's just bought and hands them back. I'm always torn between admiration and annoyance - with admiration winning!
DeleteArcherphile ,you are a lass after my own heart.
Delete✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
I once contacted ,by letter a Hotel chain mentioning ways I thought they could improve their service and received a telephone call from their CEO -a man-thanking me and offering me a free weekend break.
However I have found that most people in Business with common sense are middle aged women.
When I go to a Supermarket till they are the ones to go to if one has the choice
I always remove the newspaper sections I don't want and leave them in the shop. When buying clothes, I politely asked for any cardboard and plastic to be removed, before I pay.
DeleteI do that too on the rare occasions I buy a new handbag - leave all that plastic bubble wrap they stuff them with on the counter!
DeleteI have used my own shopping bags for years, long before they started charging for plastic bags in supermarkets. The long-life bags I use were obtained from French supermarkets like Carrefour and have been in weekly use for over 10 years. They initially charged about 50cents per bag but if they ever need replacing they will do so free of charge. Mine are all still perfect!
One thing that I think about concerning the use of plastic is, thst here in Italy people don't buy take away coffees. They go to their coffe place and either drink it at thecountet or sit at a table if they want a more leisurely break.
DeleteMrs P ,earlier this morning I emailed Taylor's of Harrogate to ask about the Yorkshire Tea products.
ReplyDeleteBefore lunch I had a friendly personal reply from a gentleman called Peter in Customer Services.
Most impressed.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteOh Lan Jan .......... you put me to shame !
DeleteDid you use their form ?
My day did not start until 12.15.
Having had two nights of being awake until 5am, I took a sleeping pill.
I did sleep but did not wake, yet again until gone eleven am.
When I opened my iPad I had a message about cats needing a home, an answer to a post I had left weeks ago.
I have been dealing with that item since, and researching neighbourhood resistance to cats roaming and pooing in neighbours gardens. This being the reason the cats have to be Rehomed.
I would be interested, please, in opinions.
Mrs P ,if hadn't been for you I would not have thought to get in touch with Taylor's.
DeleteI like their mugs-China- and wanted to know when they would be available again .
Yes I used their form.
However their email address is customer.services@bettysandtaylors.co.uk.
Mrs P,
DeleteRe cats pooing in people's gardens.
I reckon anyone who has a cat will be in a better position to someone who doesn't because the cat may not allow another cat onto his/her territory.
Poppy will only allow Percy into our garden but she can poo or England so we don't need any more.
Thank fully the honeysuckle is out now and the scent does help to mask the smell -a bit.
I am sure you don't want to know the next bit but
I put it into a bag and then in a lidded bucket for a bit before it goes into my bin.
Incidently since we have Council containers for most waste products including plastic,if it were not for the pouches the cats food comes in we would only need our rubbish collected every six months or so.
Mrs P - I have just spent 3 days in a row removing large, sticky, stinky cat plops from my garden - my current opinion of cats and their owners isn't printable!!
DeleteI gathered maybe wrongly that cats who didn’t bury their poo had left their mother too young so that she couldn’t teach them. Even if it is buried not nice to turn it up when digging in the garden! Responsible dog owners nowadays carry poo bags and clean up after them but it is a problem with cats who freely roam. Usually you don’t know who the cat belongs to and if you did, the owner probably wouldn’t come round to clean up. Nice to hear Mrs P’s cats at least use their own garden! Well done for training them!
DeleteAt the last count I had 9 cats that visit my garden. Having a cat myself to deter them is not an option as two of my children are very allergic to cats so could not visit if I had one. I just have to go out and pick up the mess frequently. I have netting around all my veg beds otherwise to stop cats going on them, nothing else works.
DeleteI get annoyed at people drinking from disposable cups instead of reusable ones when staying in the coffee shop.
ReplyDeleteI will only buy a coffee from a chain if there is no alternative, independent.
DeleteQuite often only a disposable cup is available. In which case I refuse and do without.
When i took my granddaughter to London for a weekend trip, she took me into a coffee shop, a chain that she personally liked.
When offered coffee in a disposable container and I made a fuss, she was only slightly embarrassed but also amused.
However the young French man and Italian girl serving were immediately on my side, full of apologies and offering free coffee to us both as a consequence.
The young man then came and engaged us in conversation and I seem to remember offered biscuits as well.
A good lesson for my G daughter I think.
The Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Manchester Arena ,the Borough Market and Westmister Bridge attacks were appalling and while my heart goes out to all those affected ,I keep thinking of the poor mother whose two little boys were killed by a hit and run driver and whose husband committed suicide after that happened and the poor mother whose children were killed by arsonists who set fire to their home.
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of world are we living in?
I meant to add to my previous message that I do hope that the two mothers I mentioned are getting some really good counselling although I don't know how anybody can get over what happened to them
DeleteI don't think people do get over such tragic episodes in their lives.
DeleteI do think they learn to live with the pain and continue their lives, however damaged they may be.
MrsP. I kept my rescue cats indoors for a month, and when let out, for a little while kept them company in the back garden. I can only recommend the one method that worked with them. When they first investigated their external environment, I Took some of their litter and place it in a part of the garden I wanted them to use, and then made sure they had a good sniff. Since doing this with my cats they hacve used the same place. As its a bit of the garden I don't use for anything else I just dig it all back in and in hot weather I hose it down.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this tip, Stasia.
DeleteIt is something I have thought of doing before, but have never needed to. Either having a big enough area of wild garden, or being adjacent to a lane with large wild and small woodland areas.
Interesting that it has worked for you.
I intend to keep an indoor tray, covered as well as another tray outside the side door as I will not be having a cat flap.
I do wonder why few cats today bury their evacuations.
My immediate neighbour and myself have to cope with the next door cats deposits which are never buried, but after our conversations over the last few days she and I are at least of the same mind.
Cats do, what cats have to do ! To use Carolyn's phrase.
Stasia. - I am not convinced that untreated piles of processed cat food are good for my garden, quite apart from the unpleasantness of cleaning garden tools after burying and the fortune spent on disinfectant. I think pet cats should be confined to the house or kept in outdoor cages with runs. Owners of pet rabbits and other creatures to which garden boundaries are no deterrent can cope with thiis arrangement. It would also reduce the toll on wild life, and keep the cats themse,vest safe.
DeleteI was appalled when I returned home from a garden centre/nursery today and this was not just what I had spent. I will have a large collection of plastic plant pots and trays and also there is a lot of polystyrene ones, which are not re-cyclable.
ReplyDeleteI am also realising (thanks to Fallon) that I use a lot of "cling film". I will be re-thing this and I will try and alternatives.
Sorry about the mis-spellings, I can't find my glasses.
DeleteI’ be used my last face wipe tonight and will be using face flannels in future. Not sure how to stop using cling film but haven’t heard Fallon’s advice yet. I hate the packaging of meat especially when vacuum packed on a plastic tray but realise it does extend the freshness time. Will try to avoid disposable cups!
DeleteMiriam and Ev..... yes we are all finding new, or sometimes old, ways of doing things.
DeleteI have started washing film bags from the supermarket as my mum did in the sixties. At least I can re use them, until we return to paper bags.
Also....... this evening I have been looking at ways of making wax covered fabric wrapping for use instead of cling film or metallic wrap.
I think I found it on Pinterest. Intriguing ! I've never encountered it previously.
I personally have never given up on grease proof paper, and rarely use cling film, which I find awkward to use anyway.
Gypsy has been very good today and didn’t bark when Katy went to work or when I popped out to little Tesco. She is ensconced in my bedroom and as this nighttime insecurity is the only problem I have encountered with her I think I have to aceept it. Previously owned by two elderly ladies, she doesn’t know how to play but we, especially Katy are working on it. At a tickling tummy episode she was chortling with what sounded like very human laughter. It was very funny!
ReplyDeleteSo pleased it's going well Ev. You are making good progress and she is clearly happy.
DeleteIf I see a blind dog out for a walk in Bin....d when I'm over this weekend, I will say hello.
We shall be visiting the house that my mother in law lived in when my children were small as we are all leaving the island at the end of this month. House sold.
She lived in a wing of that first house on the left in Church Rd.
The one where so much work was left undone for so many years.
I shall also hope to get to Q Abbey too.
Mrs P I’m a bit further over in WB but might venture to Quarr on Saturday. Not sure about Katy’s plans though!
DeleteThose mothers have all my sympathies too LanJan. There are some terrible things happening these days. We seem to live in an increasingly violent and cruel world - or is it just that we hear about these things today, when they were not so widely reported in the past. Some days I simply despair of the world in which my grandchildren are growing up.
ReplyDeleteI too feel as you and LanJan Archerphile, but also turn my thoughts to earlier centuries when utter cruelty such as torture was rife in society.
DeleteThe gouging of eyes and suchlike.
But also remember my dad who always claimed that life was ever thus, and that the advent of newspapers brought all news to the fore, whereas in earlier times few would have known of such events.
My dad died in 1980. What he would have thought of today's media circus I cannot bear to think.
maryellen. 😈❌🚫. I don't think my cats would appreciate your alternative arrangements of cat runs placed out doors. I did laugh at the idea.
ReplyDeleteStasia, may I suggest that for further ' laughs' you look up CATS on Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteThese cat runs come in some amazing configurations, and the indoor ' cat rooms '
certainly make me wonder !
But why ever not, Stasia? Look at all the advantages I mentioned! And the cat still has the run of the house to sleep on its owner's bed, be played with and do pet therapy. It works for other pet species that roam freely in the wild ( mainly to find food, which doesn't apply to pets). Nobody seems to think that keeping rabbits in runs is cruel, especially if they are bred to it, which cats could be. Other felines are also kept in restricted environments.
DeleteYou certainly have a lot to put up with because of cats in your garden, Maryellen and as a non cat lover I think confining them a bit would work wonders for wildlife and keep them safe. My sister in law had the heartbreak of having one of her cats dragging herself home after being hit by a vehicle. She was bad.y injured and subsequently died. My daughter ran over and killed a cat on her way to work last year. It was not microchipped so could not inform the owner. As an animal lover, Katy was very upset but she could not have avoided the cat as it had suddenly run out in front of her. We have to confine dogs and nowadays unlike in my childhood, you never see them roaming the streets.
DeleteResponding to something Spiceycushion wrote on the Archers blog.......
ReplyDeleteSpiceycushion ,you mentioned Creative Writing was now an A level subject.
Can you or anybody else's tell me if the dreadful ( in my opinion) modern "must read " books where they not only go back and forth in time,have at least one other person telling his or her story in alternative chapters and having pages consisting of dialogue is "Creative Writing?"
I have left unfinished the last three "must read" books and am now re reading a book I read as a teenager "Rogue Herries " by Hugh Walpole.
Maryellen ,so far I think that my teenage self and present self have the same taste in literature.
Lanjan - there are quite a few modern books that I have enjoyed reading (despite some "interesting" variations in story-telling!), but your mention of 'Rogue Herries' has set me off on thoughts of one of my favourite series' of novels. I re-read the whole series again recently, and loved it all over again. Walpole's descriptions of the Lake District are so evocative that it's almost like being there. In fact, I was so excited on my first reading many years ago, that I managed to arrange to stay in a tiny cottage in Borrowdale for several weeks during a long drawn out house move, and fell in love with the countryside just as I knew I should. Easy to imagine old Rogue, Mirabel and Judith Paris striding across the fells and along the valleys.
DeleteEv. Gypsy sounds as though she is really settling down well. I am sure that as she is becoming more trusting, she will realise that you will always be there for her. I am sure that you are settling her down at night, with an item of your clothing with your scent on. I had a problem with my cat in kennels, until I found an old sweater which I wore, and put in the bed at night. This sweater went as her "bed blanket" and my cat was fine.
ReplyDeleteEv I have to add, that I also, no longer use face-wipes. I use an very cheap, cream face wash (biodegradable) with a flannel and all my face is totally clean, even my mascara!
DeleteCan some kind soul explain what face wipes are.
ReplyDeletePlease.
Cats....
ReplyDeleteOn Monday I had a message from a post I left on CatChat some time ago,
Offering two cats needing homing.
One long haired black 5 year old, one ginger and white S H, both males used to dogs and children.
Conversations on phone over next two days to share details and photos of cats
and consideration of arrangements to collect from the far side of London.
Then discovered they were not neutered.
Much thinking overnight and decision to say regretfully NO.
Have phoned this morning to let her know, feeling very very sorry to let her down.
The reason for them needing a new home is neighbours being ' unpleasant and unreasonable ' about cats invading their garden.
Nothing said about deposits left, just ' don't like cats climbing over my fences '
It occurred to me overnight that the cats may well be spraying in the neighbours garden.
I would of course get them neutered myself, but would have to bring them to my house initially. Having spent huge amounts of money eradicating the smell of damp, I do not wish to have tom cat smell invading my house instead.
One day !
Mrs P you shouldn't feel you have let her down. What an irresponsible owner ( in my view )not to have had her cats neutered. They may never have stopped even if you had had them neutered, though of course the smell isn't as bad, but... I know from experience.
DeleteYes Cow Girl, I've had the experience myself, hence not wishing to repeat it.
DeleteWhen I asked why she had never had them clipped she answered she didn't think it was a ' good thing'. I asked how many kittens they had sired and she answered, ' oh there aren't many cats round here ' ? ? ?
MrsP - answer to facial wipes - its a conveniently packaged disposal tissues that comes pre-moisten with a cleaning solution. It's another way for companies to make money on toiletries and more garbage for our land field. I agree with Miriam; wash your face the old fashion way. I use a hemp based liquid soap. I purchase it in a gallon size and fill reusable soap pumps for the entire house and family. Very economical and ecological. To remove makeup, I have a small bottle of jojoba oil, put a dab on a small cotton wool - also a good facial moisturizer. We don't use or have any plastic containers at home and avoid buying beverages in those also.
ReplyDeleteBack to the Cat Hunt, mrs P, it's so disheartening & frustrating. I've followed the storyline here, & it honestly doesn't seem your requirements are overly picky or hard for a rescue place, or private contact, to meet. When one thinks of all the cats in need of a 'forever home' (as rather sentimentally expressed on many sites ), I wonder why your search has so far produced no satisfactory outcome - namely an agreeable cat friend ! It feels like the time isn't right, the stars aren't aligned yet, or something, but glad you haven't given up, as somewhere, there's a pair of ears twitching, an erect tail, & sensing whiskers which are waiting for....Mrs P. When it all comes together, we'll have to create a kind of blog party.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carolyn.
DeleteStars and alignment are my excuses and have been for some time now.
However I think I am rather picky.
My requirements include ' beautiful '
That is beautiful in my eyes.
I would not hang a picture on the wall or have an ornament displayed that I did not like the look of, and I don't want a cat that does not lift my heart whenever I look at him.
I think I might speak to someone at Battersea, at least then I would not have the problem of not being road savvy.
MrsP. The cat owner in London has created the problem for the poor cats by not having them neutered when young. It's too late now they will continue to spray. I have never had a male cat, not deliberately, but a local farm cat occasionally visits and I can smell it instantly, everything then has to be washed down. He came in to eat my cats food whilst they were being idle upstairs. Now they have to remain downstairs and that stopped when my large black and white found him trying to come in through the cat flat. She went ballistic at him.
Deletecarolyn. Your description is wonderful. How could anyone not love a cat.
With you there - about pictures etc. In fact, even in someone else's home, if I see a picture, which is offensively awful, yet evidently cherished by the owners, it spoils the visit ! Can put up with anodyne, just there because it works with the colour scheme, though despising the motive
ReplyDeleteHow judgmental ! Same with animals, though do understand that is even more personal, & tastes vary. ( so much less tolerant about the inanimate !)
Battersea is a great idea - surely a wide choice.
I don’t love cats. Neither does Maryellen but her heart belongs to T💕oby!
ReplyDeleteMrs P face wipes are used for removing makeup or just the debris of the day. They are wet wipes which contain some plastic and if not disposed of properly can block the drains. One more thing for landfill but in that respect my pet hate is disposable nappies. They should have to wash them as we did! It gave great motivation for early potty training! My daughter has washable ST’s. They go in a special soak and then in the washing machine. I always put them in with her washing though!!
I have a 5 month old Gt. Nephew who lives near Melbourne OZ He has nappies which look like disposablles, but they are actually nappies which are then washed and then re-used, just like the "old" terry nappies. These are also very adjustable and will be worn by Monty (not Lynda's dog) for a very long while. I do not know if these are purely an OZ nappy, or if they areavailable here, in the UK. I do not know what they are called, but I do like the concept.
DeletePS I will be meeting my Monty, for the first time on August Bank Holiday this year, when he will be in UK.
DeleteHere in Alternative Stroud we have Sanitary towel making classes.
DeleteThanks for the info about face wipes.
When in the fifties my sister and I ( me an me sister ) wore lots of makeup, I had particularly spectacular black eyes ! - we used torn up wraps, led sheeting which we used to remove makeup.
Mum used to boil them clean.
I predict that In due course we will all be returning to the ' old ways '
Incidentally I still have my tall white plastic nappy bin from the sixties.
Should be rags not wraps
DeleteI made a very big decision yesterday. I am no longer having my hair highlighted, but to let my normal silver streaks, to come through naturally. I did though buy a very expensive 1 litre bottle, of mauve shampoo; which really enhances my now natural hair colour, which I call silver.
ReplyDeleteI was going to have highlights this week but cancelled it in favour of a simple cut and blow dry. I am lucky to have whitish hair! Re high.lights, I thought who am I kidding!
DeleteThose were my thoughts also. I don't mind going silver. I love both Julie Walters and Dame Judi Dench, with their short hair styles and natural colour. I also have had a much shorter hair cut, which I love!
DeleteMiriam - the Oz nappies you mentioned sound very like the ones my daughter-in-law in France used for my two grandsons. She has always been very ‘green’ and would never use disposable ones. The specially shaped cloth ones fastened with a special adjustable clip so no nappy pins involved. They could be washed and used over and over again - in fact the original packs of nappies (which were quite expensive) lasted for both boys.
ReplyDeleteTalking of which, we are off at 7am tomorrow to catch the ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg on the way down to Toulouse to stay with son, d.i.l and grandsons for a couple of weeks. I shall be learning all about their proposed move to Dubai and think this will probably be my last visit to their beautiful home in the countryside, 20K from the city. I hope we shall be able to afford flights to Dubai at least once during the 5 years they are going to be there but the thought of not seeing the little boys growing up in their most formative years is devastating me. I shall have to put on a happy face and say how pleased I am for them but inside I shall be crying! I hope to keep up with listening to TA and writing here over the next couple of weeks but it will depend on the reliability of the Wi-fi in their village! Off to pack the last few items into the car. A bientôt!
I am sure you will make the most of your two weeks Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy, and perhaps you will be able to go to Dubai.
I know of a person who commutes to and from Putney to Dubai, so it can't be impossible.
I too am off this weekend to say goodbye to my daughter and S. in L. wonderful
I O W house that they have restored. After nine years it has been sold and they leave at the end of June.
We are all sad to say goodbye, but life moves forward doesn't it.
Yes, indeed Mrs P. But just sometimes, I wish it wouldn’t!
ReplyDeleteOh me too, me too !
DeleteArcherphile and MrsP, it is sad for us to see relatives and friends move to other places or countries, but for them it may be a case of doing something exciting and different. Do have a good time.
DeleteArcherphile I hope the weather will be sunny and warm, have watched the French news and they have been experiencing loots of floods.
Archerfile, I can empathise with how you are feeling. Our daughter, son-in-law and grandson went to Singapore 18 months ago supposedly for two years (now an open ended contract). It was very hard seeing them off at the airport but phone and video calls are easy these days, they have been back a couple of times and we've visited them. I still wish they were in the UK but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be.
DeleteMy younger son worked in Singapore for a while and I visited him several times and loved it.
DeleteSo clean and so safe.
Changi Airport is stunning.
I visited Dubai,Archerphile in 1995 and then again 10 .
years later and by golly had things changed .
Like Cheshire cheese ,I do have an idea of how you are feeling and I imagine that Spiceycushion does too since we both have grandchildren
who live thousands of miles away.
Enjoy your time in France with them now.
So many thoughts regarding all the chatty posts and so many topics.
ReplyDeleteLan Jan Creative writing! I agree with your comment! How can you teach someone to be of a creative mind? I long to shout at them "Just use a little imagination" I read very few novels post WW2 to be honest unless they are historical; the exception being Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels, which I reach for when feeling low or overwhelmed! My favourite author is Bernard Cornwell who writes extremely realistic historical stories and who always writes an epilogue explaining where he has taken liberties such as by allowing people to meet who actually in reality didn't meet!
Cats My beloved GC ((Grey Cat) was a 'whole tom' when he moved in. The vet estimated him to be about six years old. He had been living on the streets for at least a year and used to come round to my back garden where I put food out for him. I had three cats then but the ginger brother and sister would not let GC in although BagPuss the tabby didn't mind him. Two weeks after William took his last visit to the vet about two months after his sister GC came and discovered there was no-one to kick him out. He had an abscess on his cheek which stank so I took him to the vet. He was castrated while under the anesthetic. I asked the vet if it would be cruel to have the cat done when he had obviously lived as a Tom and the vet grinned and said "It's funny. It's usually the men who ask me that!!!"
But he didn't ever spray inside the house(the cat, not the vet Ha Ha!) and did get out of the habit of biting my sons' ankles when they walked past him (again the cat!) He obviously had suffered at the hands of men at some time.
Just to say I was entertained by your post. Cats, eh?
DeleteLoved your story Spiceycushion.
DeleteThank you.
Finally to Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteAs LanJan said I wholeheartedly sympathise with your distress at 'losing' your grandchildren. My 'boys' were 7 and 5 when their parents decided to emigrate and I knew my circumstances would not allow me to visit them, as some of my friends do. ( to visit their relatives in Australia.)
That dreadful last Christmas and New Year will remain with me forever. I have spoken to the boys over the years occasionally on the phone but can barely say anything as I break down in tears. I look forward to next year when my daughter has indicated that she and at least one of the boys will be coming to England and Germany. The 'boys' are now aged 20 and 22 years old so I won't know them at all and I can't help feeling extremely resentful that I was deprived of my grandsons after being as much as a part if their lives as possible, without being meddlesome or interfering. I think I shall carry that always and I do feel guilty about it! BUT do look forward to visiting your son and family at least once and be excited about seeing a different culture. Skype is so much easier now and can be carried out on mobile phones when out and about!
I am off to Frankfurt at the end of the month to cat sit while son and family go on holiday to Bulgaria and then stay for youngest granddaughters seventh birthday (and party, Heaven help me!) Hope my garden survives for a fortnight. ,
I was so sorry to hear about you missing out on your grandsons childhood. My family live in a flat above me and I can't imagine what I would do if I couldn't see them regularly.
DeleteSo sad for you Spiceycushion, but understand your resentment.
DeleteAccept how you feel and don't be guilty about it.
The world is so very much a smaller place today and there are so many opportunities out there. I just wish I could have had a similar one - all I had was a europe student railcard, back in the 70's.
ReplyDeleteI will be having a sit down tomorrow as I need to be active, both on the phone + computer. My house insurance is due for renewal in July and I have to find one which is much cheaper but gives the cover I require.
ReplyDeleteForgot to add re cling film, plastics etc. Some years back I bought from a lady who does Betterware/Kleeneze catalogues door to door ((Yes they are still going) a set of admittedly plastic dish covers. They are elasticated mop -capped shaped soft plastic covers like the old jam pot covers. The largest are big enough to cover a vegetable serving dish and there are two smaller sizes. They are used constantly then washed up when leftovers are disposed off in some way or another. I no longer wrap my rounds of sandwiches in foil and cut and serve when at the cricket club but have invested in (again plastic) sandwich trays where I cut and place on trays cover with a clip-top and driv very carefully to the cricket ground. Both alternatives are plastic I know but will last for years instead of fresh covers every time they are needed.
ReplyDeleteTo make me really feel my age I received a letter from DVLA asking me to renew my licence as I am now 70+ (or will be in August) The 70+ insignia takes up the top half of the A4 sized leaflet!
You are young Spicey cushion and don't let any one tell you otherwise. Im still out there knocking in fence posts and cutting winter fuel with my chainsaw, I probably do more now than a good few years ago . I can remember the GP telling me when I was 40+ . that I had to remember how old I was ! ( I had pulled some muscles in my chest axing down a tree.) I have never forgotten and never take account of my age a bit slower pace maybe , but I'm not ready to give in yet .
DeleteWait till you get another letter to re apply just a few years later, as I have this month.
DeleteI have found that to be even worse.
Just ignore the implications Mrs P, do what you have to, they will unfortunately keep coming. Just bear in mind this is Ageist, as it is not us older people who have the most accidents, though I acknowledge that some still drive when they shouldn't, no different than those who drive with out taking the test.
DeleteI have given strict instructions to my niece to tell me if she ever thinks I shouldn't drive, though hopefully I shall know.
Fascinating reading here today & yesterday - too much to comment o - but covering so much : plastic, hair, cats, books, (Creative Writing courses make me look askance, as well, especially if they're examinable - just get in the zone & do it).
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that a number of you have, or are, suffering from family separations, missing out on children's company, & grandchildren growing up. I hope you can enjoy the holiday, Archerphile, & that when they move, there'll be more contact, one way or another, than you imagine at the moment.
Thank you all for your empathy and good wishes for my trip to see the grandsons (they are aged 6 and 9 by the way). I know I shouldn’t grumble and I do know this is an excellent move for my son’s career and for the boys to see more of the world and a different culture. We shall obviously Skype regularly but I shall so miss sitting and reading Roald Dahl books to them and teaching them various games and how to knit (yes, really, even though they are boys, and they loved learning how to do cats cradle which seems to be unknown in France).
ReplyDeleteHey ho, it’s a new generation and new opportunities , time for Grandma and Pa to step back and let the youngsters fly.
Did anyone watch. The Chatsworth Flower Show on ,BBC TV?
ReplyDeleteIt was the same format as Chevlsea -without the Celebrities.
Talk to a designer or two and spend time with them where they live .
Talk to an exhibitor or two and give them free publicity for their Nursery.
Get Carol Klein to show that she knows all the Latin names for popular plants.
At the end get a couple of presenters to say quickly which couple of small gardens they liked.
Why don't they look at all the gardens and say what is new or what they like?
Why not look at a lot of the plant and flower displays and say what the best way of looking after the various plants ?
Won't be watching that again.
All this talk of family moving abroad has brought back memories of my mother and my sister who had married an American. They lived for a while in Suffolk but then he was transferred back home.
ReplyDeleteWe all went to an airfield very early in the morning and watched from afar as she boarded a cumbersome troop carrier aircraft.
My mother begged him to promise that he would bring her home one day.
She was eighteen and this was the early sixties.
In those days in order to speak on the phone a call had to be booked in advance.
So Archerphile, enjoy them now, and continue to read R D but over Skype
Instead of having them on your knee.
Did he bring her back? Hope so!
DeleteBLOG. Today has been a very interesting day. I had ordered a personalised white T shirt with big purple words on the front saying - BBC: Bring back our Archers Blog, and with the same in very bright pink on the back, and I wore it to the Royal Cornwall Show today, to publicise what had happened to the blog. I knew a fair number attending would be Archers listeners.
ReplyDelete1. I started off in the BBC Cornwall tent , and pigeonholed a member of staff there who didn't know before but now knows everything about the blog being closed! It is only our local BBC service but sometimes ripples can spread outwards.
2. I tried to get into a position where the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall could see My T shirt , but although Prince Charles passed very close I had someone standing in front of me. I think Camilla saw it when she went into the Food and Farming tent, but I didn't have the chance to speak to her. For anyone interested she had a lovely lightweight cream jacket on with a pretty decorative finish along the front edges. HRH has done far more good work than many people realise, and there was a parade of all the Cornish rural and sea causes he has supported both financially and with personal support, and for his 70th birthday he was presented in the ring with an oak tree and a very rare breed of sheep . My daughter wondered how he was going to get them home!😊
3. The next bit surprised me very much. I was in the Flower tent when two women came up to me having read my T shirt. One said she knew the blog had closed, and so I asked her if she was an Archers fan, and she said she was Vanessa Whitburn who had been editor of the Archers for 23 years ! She apparently has a home down here in Polperro. I had certainly heard of her ( and I forbore from saying how much I missed poor Nigel Pargetter ) and we then had a good discussion about the closure. There is someone she will have a chat with, and she has suggested we write to Tony Hall , and also said why didn't we have a go at using the Today blog. She thought it was really off that we had been deleted and banned from using blogs that weren't being used by other commenters. It was a very interesting conversation.
Lan Jan I don't know if you have already written to Tony Hall, and if not then what think you and the others about us sending him a letter/letters?
Janice, I know that LanJan didn't get a reply from Tony Hall, but do you think it worth while your writing and prefacing the letter with , Vanessa Whitburn suggested I write to you when I met her etc Might not get passed on quite so readily then.
DeleteI think it might be worth a try if you are willing
That is a sound idea C G
DeleteAnd very well done Janice
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
Cow Girl.
DeleteI doubt that Vanessa Whitburn carries much clout now but in any case Tony Hall will not get to see the letter.
The office staff will have filtered it out.
However if you think it is worth a try ,Janice I wish you all the best.
😊
DeleteBlog
DeleteWhat the h...ll
I have just e mailed Tony Hall, suggesting that his minions will not allow him to receive a missive from the likes of me as he is too great !
I am so cross and it only took a few minutes, so at least it gets rid of my frustration if nothing else. At least it doesn't cost me a stamp.
Thinking about it if I don't get a sensible answer I may just keep sending missives.
Cow Girl, think you would enjoy the Royal Cornwall Show, but expect you have ones of your own. Saw a number of rare breeds including an Irish Moiled cow and calf. Prince Charles has some Moiled cattle on his Duchy Home Farm, plus other rare breeds he is trying to preserve, and he was showing some of his sheep today. I expect his present will stay on the Duchy farm.
ReplyDeleteI would really have loved your show, Irish moiled are beautiful. I might get over to the Great Yorkshire show this year
DeleteOur local show only has rare sheep, still interesting, it is one of the largest voluntary run village shows in the country. This year I am going to show some old dairy bygones, so I am busy making a traditional dairy smock which I intend to put on a scarecrow, so that I can display my yoke with the milk pails hanging. Just hope it works ! So good for children to see what life was like .
Well done for drawing attention to our cause. Thank you
😊
DeleteJanice - what an exciting and interesting day you had Janice! And how fortunate meeting Vanessa Whitburn. I wonder if she still has influence at the BBC, if so, it could be extremely useful arrow to our collective bow.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should all do the same as you, get appropriate T shirts made and attend out local County Shows in the hope of stirring up interest and possibly getting noticed on local TV. I hope to be attending the New Forest Show and the BBC always have a presence there so could possibly get a mention on South Today, or at least have a chat with BBC staff.
I believe Lan Jan did write to Tony Hall early on in our campaign and I certainly sent him a personal email but never got so much as an acknowledgment, much less a reply. Still, it would be worth trying again and mentioning Vanessa Whitburn.
Well done for your brilliant TShirt idea!
😊
DeleteThe T shirt came from vistaprint online and was very reasonable. You can choose what colour you want for the printing.
DeleteWell done Janice.
ReplyDelete✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
As Archerphile said though I wrote to Tony Hall and then emailed him when I didn't get a reply.
Tony Hall will be unaware that we are concerned.
He will not have been shown my letter
Someone in the office will have just passed the buck and sent it to another Department to let someone else deal with it.
I offered to go to meet somebody at Broadcasting House but was ignored.
I emailed the Today programme too-nothing.
Nobody cares about us.
We are small fry.
The woman who answered my last letter was the one in charge of "Feedback"
I wrote back to her last week and said that my previous letter had been passed to her in error and none of the questions I had asked had been answered.so would she send this letter to the person who was responsible for closing our blog
I will see what happens now and if as I suspect it is nothing then it is Ofcom for me.
😊
DeleteIt's all hugely frustrating & gives a very negative picture of the 'public service' ethos of the BBC. Oh, yeah, really....BUT what an interesting day you had, Janice, in your campaigning T shirt. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBlog
ReplyDeleteLanJan what e mail address did you use for Tony hall, the one I used has just come bac k.
I know you feel it is a waste of time, but I am so angry I just need to get it off my chest.
Cow Girl,I really do wish you the best of luck and if you are prepared to email the DG then just go for it.
DeleteThe email address I used was
Tony.hall@bbc.co.uk
Thank you LanJan, I missed the capitol T !
Deleteso now gone off again.
I was very sarcastic, I know one shouldn't be, but am just so cross.
Will just keep battling away.
I will do a count of the blogs on Sunday evening and report back, don't suppose there will be more than a handful of comments.
I have been very intrigued about Christine, in that is she really showing signs of dementia.
ReplyDeleteI am a single, retired, home owner and I have recently put in place, a Financial Power of Attorney. If something drastically happens to me, then my appointed person will have control of my house, finances etc. but it needs to be proven that it is my best
interest.
Hopefully it will never be needed!
But have you sorted your health and welfare? equally as important in my view as the financial one.
DeleteIndeed Cowgirl.
DeleteThe forms are not difficult to fill in and you do not need a Solicitor.
There is a telephone number if you do need help and the people who answer the 'phone are very obliging.
Its the one thing I wouldn't be without in my handbag.
DeleteJust adding to the cats debate....
ReplyDeleteWe have four gorgeous maine coons who are very affectionate but not very bright. We live at the end of a culdesac so not a busy road but a busy rat run nearby so we had lost 3 cats over the years. When we got these latest cats we decided to look into how we could let them have the freedom to come and go into the garden but not beyond. We have had our garden secured now for nearly ten years with no escapes and no other cats can get in so fights with the neighbouring cats and our cats do not poo in our neighbours gardens. Highly recommended! Cost us about £400 and took about 2 days to install. Wouldn't suit everyone but Google secur-a-cat to see images.
Sorry about my typos in the message above- we have had NO fights with neighbouring cats as they can't get in to our garden (and as our cats are safe now we have stopped paying cat insurance)
Delete....and it took two of US about two days to install the net fence on top of our own garden fence-the garden is about 10m square . I believe that the supplier can arrange installation if you don't feel able to do it yourself. I'm not on commission honestly but the peace of mind is priceless
I will open a new blog. Look for beach chairs.
ReplyDelete