So far the worms have not managed to escape, although they have been trying. I'm just waiting for them to eat some of the peelings I put in the damn thing...perhaps they have performance anxiety? I'm sure it'll sort itself out.
I have also (in the fashion of a dictator) made a unilateral decision to 'acquire' some additional land. Basically I'm putting my gate up a little bit along the alleyway that only provides access to my garden. With regards to the gate I have cut the wood (by hand) and put up the fence post. I just need to join the wood together and fasten to the post and then paint it! I've got some pictures but I'll wait until I've got the full story before I post them.
I have the plan for what the garden is going to look like in my head and I can't wait for it to all come together. I ordered my raised bed kit and my plants (Strawberry, Leeks, Peppers, Chilli, Tomato & Red onions), so I just need to get my seeds now (carrot, beetroot, raddish, chard) and some biggish pots with some cloches to protect the tender plants. I also need to sort out the existing pots and retire some (perhaps freecycle could help me out there)
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Interesting
|
|
"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."
Thursday, March 29, 2007
One door closes, another opens
Finally watched the last ever episode of Alias this evening. I must admit I was quite disappointed with how the final season panned out. I guess JJ & crew were too busy focusing on Lost (which I'm totally fed up with) to concentrate on making Alias as good as it was in Seasons 1, 2 & 3. From Vaughn miraculously reappearing alive mid season (and Jack & Sydney apparently aware of the fact) to the very rushed ending it just wasn't too great. And the awful, corny "Thanks for your support" message at the end just topped it off.
Anyway the good news is that Doctor Who starts again this week and the trailers look great and we had the first of the new Apprentice series last night. I love that programme because the people are so ridiculous! And seem to have zero common sense!
House has just restarted on Five as well! Arggh! Too much telly and too many video games...well too much of a lot of things at the moment...how am I going to fit it all in?
Anyway the good news is that Doctor Who starts again this week and the trailers look great and we had the first of the new Apprentice series last night. I love that programme because the people are so ridiculous! And seem to have zero common sense!
House has just restarted on Five as well! Arggh! Too much telly and too many video games...well too much of a lot of things at the moment...how am I going to fit it all in?
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Too cool for school?
I'm worried that my new glasses are too trendy for me and a bit wide for my face. K says they look OK but to be honest it could all be an elaborate ploy to pay me back for being an annoying git. Is she that cunning?
P.S. Please ignore the ample double chinnage on this picture.
The Great Escape
As I may have mentioned previously I'm getting a wormery in an effort to give something back to the environment. Well anyway it arrived on Thursday and fortunately wasn't stolen from my front garden where the delivery people had left it. Now I have an iron railing style fence and anyone could have seen it and just taken it! Perhaps the 'Live Worms' warning on the outer packaging put them off? Anyway, set it up yesterday, carefully following the instructions, gently putting in the worms, leaving the lid off and getting them to burrow before adding some food and the moisture mat. All well and good so far...
This morning it appears my worms have revolted and are trying to do a Steve McQueen! I've taken to checking up on them a bit more regularly and am having to be like a gigantic 'Hand of God' and putting them back in amongst the cabbage leaves. I didn't think worms were that picky? Apparently they can congregate in the lid just prior to when it rains so to prevent them drowning in the soil. I've popped some plastic over the top so that it doesn't get waterlogged...I must remember to check on them later.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Friday Fun
Thanks to a post from Alex I now know that the interestingly titled 'Demetrius and the Gladiators' was on the telly as my mother was giving birth to me. Looks quite epic to be honest!
You may have noticed that its Friday daytime and I'm blogging...that's right I have Friday off...AGAIN! What with work dull-o-rama and masses to do next week I thought I'd take advantage and have another day's leave. Hopefully work will get interesting again soon as I can't afford to keep taking days off!
The sun yesterday fooled me into thinking that I might do some garden work today but since its cold and raining I have put that off. I did however manage to put together my wormery and hopefully my worms are now feasting on an apple core left over from lunch! I'm actually quite excited about making dinner and all the veg peelings it'll produce!
Finished reading the Alias graphic novel that Richard lent me and muct say I really enjoyed it. It's not at all to do with Sydney Bristow and spys and rather the title of a comic based ini teh Marvel universe. really well done and it casued me o stay up a little too late on a number of nights this week wanting to find out what happens next. It looks like some of teh characters will be continuing in a comic called 'The Pulse' so that's been added to my wish list!
My cookery course finished this week but I didn't go in the end. Not really keen on scallops and couldn't find any to take so had the night off instead (and watched Kath & Kim!) I'm trying to choose my next course at the moment. Not sure if I'm that keen on mediterranean cooking, but there's a Japanese course that looks quite good. Failing that it's Digital Photography with the OU.
You may have noticed that its Friday daytime and I'm blogging...that's right I have Friday off...AGAIN! What with work dull-o-rama and masses to do next week I thought I'd take advantage and have another day's leave. Hopefully work will get interesting again soon as I can't afford to keep taking days off!
The sun yesterday fooled me into thinking that I might do some garden work today but since its cold and raining I have put that off. I did however manage to put together my wormery and hopefully my worms are now feasting on an apple core left over from lunch! I'm actually quite excited about making dinner and all the veg peelings it'll produce!
Finished reading the Alias graphic novel that Richard lent me and muct say I really enjoyed it. It's not at all to do with Sydney Bristow and spys and rather the title of a comic based ini teh Marvel universe. really well done and it casued me o stay up a little too late on a number of nights this week wanting to find out what happens next. It looks like some of teh characters will be continuing in a comic called 'The Pulse' so that's been added to my wish list!
My cookery course finished this week but I didn't go in the end. Not really keen on scallops and couldn't find any to take so had the night off instead (and watched Kath & Kim!) I'm trying to choose my next course at the moment. Not sure if I'm that keen on mediterranean cooking, but there's a Japanese course that looks quite good. Failing that it's Digital Photography with the OU.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Brrrr!
I don’t know whether I’m manic depressive (probably not) or just really affected by the weather but my mood has been up and down these past few days. An unexpected warm spell has meant it’s been sunny and warm and I’ve been formulating lots of plans to sort out the garden.
But now it’s dark and cold and snowy and my gardening plans have been thrown into to disarray and I feel quite down. I guess it’s not just the weather but it seems to be reflecting my mood at the moment. Unfortunately I know have a wormery and live worms on their way and I’ll be forced to go outside and sort it out otherwise all my worms will die!
The bad weather (coupled with some Saturday laziness) means we haven’t geocached this week. We need to make sure we do it again otherwise the 2 we have done will end up costing £35 each (the price of the receiver split in 2). Especially as we have a travel bug that needs to be on its way…
Had a good time at my cookery course last week, we made Normandy Apple Tart and I must say it was the best pastry I’ve ever made! I tried to replicate it with some savoury pastry for a quiche at the weekend but that was less than stellar. Fortunately K’s mum and sister seemed to like it. We had a visitation partly for Mother’s Day but partly because K was playing in a concert. It was the annual Cool Classics for Kids concert with IOS and was quite good in the end. I’m always surprised at how few piece of music I recognise in the programme but then recognise when I hear them!
We also went to a 30th birthday party in Nottingham on Friday which was pretty good. I discovered that the Games Workshop Head Office has its own pub! And it was decked out like a medieval tavern (shields on the wall, low beams, long tables and benches, the works). But next door to that was the gaming hall that had loads of tables set up for war gaming and a fantastic castle theme. Super!
But now it’s dark and cold and snowy and my gardening plans have been thrown into to disarray and I feel quite down. I guess it’s not just the weather but it seems to be reflecting my mood at the moment. Unfortunately I know have a wormery and live worms on their way and I’ll be forced to go outside and sort it out otherwise all my worms will die!
The bad weather (coupled with some Saturday laziness) means we haven’t geocached this week. We need to make sure we do it again otherwise the 2 we have done will end up costing £35 each (the price of the receiver split in 2). Especially as we have a travel bug that needs to be on its way…
Had a good time at my cookery course last week, we made Normandy Apple Tart and I must say it was the best pastry I’ve ever made! I tried to replicate it with some savoury pastry for a quiche at the weekend but that was less than stellar. Fortunately K’s mum and sister seemed to like it. We had a visitation partly for Mother’s Day but partly because K was playing in a concert. It was the annual Cool Classics for Kids concert with IOS and was quite good in the end. I’m always surprised at how few piece of music I recognise in the programme but then recognise when I hear them!
We also went to a 30th birthday party in Nottingham on Friday which was pretty good. I discovered that the Games Workshop Head Office has its own pub! And it was decked out like a medieval tavern (shields on the wall, low beams, long tables and benches, the works). But next door to that was the gaming hall that had loads of tables set up for war gaming and a fantastic castle theme. Super!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Some things don't change...
...like me spending too much money! Had to do an emergency transfusion from savings to current this week and we've still got 2 weeks to go before I get paid again...gulp! And yet the urge to spend is undiminished...
The good weather and the spare time have made me think about what i want to achieve this year. On the work side of things I want to try and get my promotion and then take it a bit easy. At home I'm determined not to neglect the garden this year. Last year there was so much going on that when I did have any free time I was too exhausted to do anything. And because I never do anything by halves I'm gonna need an injection of cash to get it all sorted...time to raid the joint savings methinks!
Things that need doing...
* Replace gate. This is actually quite urgent as our next door neighbour thought we wouldn't mind him popping into the garden to creasote the fence! Don't know whether to be grateful or affronted! The problem is the new fence has posts in different places and I don't really know anything about gates. Added to that is the fact that gates seem so bloody expensive that I might be forced to try and improvise or salvage the old gate. I'll still need to get some sort of post to fix it to though.
* Paint the panel that was creasoted and the panel that wasn't (yes that's right, the neighbour only creasoted one of the fence panels...don't ask!). This will probably hav eot wait until the garden gate is fixed but the good news is that I already have a pot of garden paint!
* Empty out all the containers that have dead things in them! We have lots of small containers which is good for variety but not good for healthy plants as they dry out and die if you turn your back for even a minute!
* Work out if we could manage if I set up a raised bed (1m sq) on the patio. I want to try and grow veg this year and this seems to be the best way to go about it. I can split a larger bed into small sections and the whole thing shouldn't dry out quickly. There are kits that look pretty easy to set up.
* Buy a wormery. This is the most expensive item but it would assuage my guilt every time I dump a load of green kitchen waste in the normal bin. It would also produce fertiliser and compost. Do I have the space though?
* Assuming all of the above, plan out a vegetable growing season and what exactly I'm gonna grow over the year. I bought a helpful book for this.
I'm off again tomorrow so hopefully I can start to think about this properly.
The good weather and the spare time have made me think about what i want to achieve this year. On the work side of things I want to try and get my promotion and then take it a bit easy. At home I'm determined not to neglect the garden this year. Last year there was so much going on that when I did have any free time I was too exhausted to do anything. And because I never do anything by halves I'm gonna need an injection of cash to get it all sorted...time to raid the joint savings methinks!
Things that need doing...
* Replace gate. This is actually quite urgent as our next door neighbour thought we wouldn't mind him popping into the garden to creasote the fence! Don't know whether to be grateful or affronted! The problem is the new fence has posts in different places and I don't really know anything about gates. Added to that is the fact that gates seem so bloody expensive that I might be forced to try and improvise or salvage the old gate. I'll still need to get some sort of post to fix it to though.
* Paint the panel that was creasoted and the panel that wasn't (yes that's right, the neighbour only creasoted one of the fence panels...don't ask!). This will probably hav eot wait until the garden gate is fixed but the good news is that I already have a pot of garden paint!
* Empty out all the containers that have dead things in them! We have lots of small containers which is good for variety but not good for healthy plants as they dry out and die if you turn your back for even a minute!
* Work out if we could manage if I set up a raised bed (1m sq) on the patio. I want to try and grow veg this year and this seems to be the best way to go about it. I can split a larger bed into small sections and the whole thing shouldn't dry out quickly. There are kits that look pretty easy to set up.
* Buy a wormery. This is the most expensive item but it would assuage my guilt every time I dump a load of green kitchen waste in the normal bin. It would also produce fertiliser and compost. Do I have the space though?
* Assuming all of the above, plan out a vegetable growing season and what exactly I'm gonna grow over the year. I bought a helpful book for this.
I'm off again tomorrow so hopefully I can start to think about this properly.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Achey!
Had a great day today...these are a few of the things we did
* Had my eyes tested and yet again, no change to my prescription but a suggestion that I should wear them more if I'm having trouble. Took the opportunity to treat myself and buy some new glasses (my old ones being nearly 6 years old). I'm been quite daring but the only trouble is I look a bit like Danny Messer from CSI:NY when i wear them. This wouldn't be too much of a problem except I find him very annoying!
* K offered to buy me a pair of shoes! Very nice of her but I'm going to take the money instead and buy something else!
* Did a load of exercise! Not only did we walk into, around and home from town but we've been out and found our first two caches! Hazel Hunt and Westerfield Trig.
Time for some dinner methinks!
* Had my eyes tested and yet again, no change to my prescription but a suggestion that I should wear them more if I'm having trouble. Took the opportunity to treat myself and buy some new glasses (my old ones being nearly 6 years old). I'm been quite daring but the only trouble is I look a bit like Danny Messer from CSI:NY when i wear them. This wouldn't be too much of a problem except I find him very annoying!
* K offered to buy me a pair of shoes! Very nice of her but I'm going to take the money instead and buy something else!
* Did a load of exercise! Not only did we walk into, around and home from town but we've been out and found our first two caches! Hazel Hunt and Westerfield Trig.
Time for some dinner methinks!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Not bad all in all
Despite my fears for a terrible week it was OK to be honest. Started some work I wasn't looking forward to but got stuck in. Had an argument with the president's PA but seem to sort that out and best of all finished my business case. Not sure when it'll be submitted but at least I can stop thinking about it now.
Just not sure what I'm going to do on my day off? I could do some gardening but...meh! I'll probably walk into town and spend money from my savings when I've already spent my disposable income for this month, last month.
I'll probably also do some cooking...hmmm cakes!
Just not sure what I'm going to do on my day off? I could do some gardening but...meh! I'll probably walk into town and spend money from my savings when I've already spent my disposable income for this month, last month.
I'll probably also do some cooking...hmmm cakes!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Mondays
I can tell it’s going to be a long week at work.
Firstly I have no ‘proper’ deadlines this week which means I’ll spend a good portion of time avoiding the things I am able to put off because no-one knows how long they should be taking me. This is not good. When I am busy and slightly hassled I work much better and can thunder through my outstanding to do lists.
Secondly there’s talk of changing one of our recording methodologies. This is a nightmare to be honest, but as we’re at the start of a new financial year the best time for it to happen if it has to. The problem is we spent months last year changing it to the current system and I don’t particularly want to do it all again.
Thirdly, I’m supposed to be putting together a business case to justify my promotion to a higher level (for the work I’m been doing anyway for the last 6 months). The problem is that from an outside perspective I think I do a fairly easy job (compared to say a fireman or a soldier) and get paid a lot of money (especially compared to a fireman or soldier), but then when one looks internally at my company I see morons and idiots getting paid far in excess of me and I want part of the action! The issue lies in selling oneself in terms of the requirements and making the case for promotion. The problem is I recognise that on balance I enjoy my job and I’m good at it so even if they don’t promote me I’ll stay doing it….probably. Let’s hope no-one from work is reading this!
At least I have this Friday off! I’ve got excess leave to use up before we flip over to the new holiday year and there’s only so much I’m allowed to carry forward to next year. Not sure why I’m hoarding it all up to be honest…perhaps I’ll have a holiday emergency and have to take loads at some point. Oh well!
Firstly I have no ‘proper’ deadlines this week which means I’ll spend a good portion of time avoiding the things I am able to put off because no-one knows how long they should be taking me. This is not good. When I am busy and slightly hassled I work much better and can thunder through my outstanding to do lists.
Secondly there’s talk of changing one of our recording methodologies. This is a nightmare to be honest, but as we’re at the start of a new financial year the best time for it to happen if it has to. The problem is we spent months last year changing it to the current system and I don’t particularly want to do it all again.
Thirdly, I’m supposed to be putting together a business case to justify my promotion to a higher level (for the work I’m been doing anyway for the last 6 months). The problem is that from an outside perspective I think I do a fairly easy job (compared to say a fireman or a soldier) and get paid a lot of money (especially compared to a fireman or soldier), but then when one looks internally at my company I see morons and idiots getting paid far in excess of me and I want part of the action! The issue lies in selling oneself in terms of the requirements and making the case for promotion. The problem is I recognise that on balance I enjoy my job and I’m good at it so even if they don’t promote me I’ll stay doing it….probably. Let’s hope no-one from work is reading this!
At least I have this Friday off! I’ve got excess leave to use up before we flip over to the new holiday year and there’s only so much I’m allowed to carry forward to next year. Not sure why I’m hoarding it all up to be honest…perhaps I’ll have a holiday emergency and have to take loads at some point. Oh well!
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Franchise Reboot
A frantic knocking on a front door propelled me out of bed at K's urging this morning. Raced down the stairs, frantically sorting my dressing gown out to cover my modesty. I made it to find that the front door in question belonged to next door and the postman barely batted an eyelid when I emerged from out of ours. This explains why its 7.45am and I'm blogging. Although it sounds like K has got up to although I doubt its from sympathy.
I wanted to use this post to talk about my mixed feelings regards to franchise re-boots. You know where they re-imagine a beloved character disregarding what story has already been told in order to make a new film/book/comic whatever and rake in loads of cash. I'm the first to admit I enjoyed Batman Begins & Casino Royale but then I didn't have so much emotional investment in those things as I do about Star Trek. Yes that's right, Star Trek XI, is primed for release on December 25th 2008 and be a young Kirk/Spock movie. I know its a cash cow for the studios and they want to resurrect it but I'm worried. What are they going to do to it? What are they going to change for 'artistic reasons'. Which character is going to get changed into a woman to make it more politically correct? I may be worrying over nothing,it may be that the love out there for this franchise will stop them from screwing around too much with it, although having said that apparently Matt Damon is going to be playing Kirk!
The one bright spark is that they want Gary Sinise to play a young Dr. McCoy and I can't think of anything who would be better.
I wanted to use this post to talk about my mixed feelings regards to franchise re-boots. You know where they re-imagine a beloved character disregarding what story has already been told in order to make a new film/book/comic whatever and rake in loads of cash. I'm the first to admit I enjoyed Batman Begins & Casino Royale but then I didn't have so much emotional investment in those things as I do about Star Trek. Yes that's right, Star Trek XI, is primed for release on December 25th 2008 and be a young Kirk/Spock movie. I know its a cash cow for the studios and they want to resurrect it but I'm worried. What are they going to do to it? What are they going to change for 'artistic reasons'. Which character is going to get changed into a woman to make it more politically correct? I may be worrying over nothing,it may be that the love out there for this franchise will stop them from screwing around too much with it, although having said that apparently Matt Damon is going to be playing Kirk!
The one bright spark is that they want Gary Sinise to play a young Dr. McCoy and I can't think of anything who would be better.
Friday, March 02, 2007
It's the Weekend!
Hooray!
Another busy week behind, not helped by the fact I've taken on a new project at work, trying to put together a business case for a promotion and being off ill yesterday. Back on track today though and managed to power through my list of stuff to do. Next week should be busier though as I'm covering the work of a colleague as well! Heigh Ho!
We went to see Chicago last week at the Norwich Theatre Royal and it was really good. I still think I enjoy the film more but its really interesting to see how they use the limited space on the stage to convey everything. And the level of fitness of the company (well apart from the chap playing Amos) is something else.
Had my second Cookery class this week (mussels and illness ensued) and looking forward to next week's Pork with Camembert.
Still addicted to Dragon Quest 8 (bought the soundtrack CD & a poster to put in the study this week) and neglecting everything else. Although I am still keen on the Everybody votes channel. Although I must admit my prediction accuracy is only 66.6%...must do better.
Going to a Dallas themed party tomorrow, K has yet to locate a costume but I ordered myself a stetson off the 'net so I'm all ready to go!
Another busy week behind, not helped by the fact I've taken on a new project at work, trying to put together a business case for a promotion and being off ill yesterday. Back on track today though and managed to power through my list of stuff to do. Next week should be busier though as I'm covering the work of a colleague as well! Heigh Ho!
We went to see Chicago last week at the Norwich Theatre Royal and it was really good. I still think I enjoy the film more but its really interesting to see how they use the limited space on the stage to convey everything. And the level of fitness of the company (well apart from the chap playing Amos) is something else.
Had my second Cookery class this week (mussels and illness ensued) and looking forward to next week's Pork with Camembert.
Still addicted to Dragon Quest 8 (bought the soundtrack CD & a poster to put in the study this week) and neglecting everything else. Although I am still keen on the Everybody votes channel. Although I must admit my prediction accuracy is only 66.6%...must do better.
Going to a Dallas themed party tomorrow, K has yet to locate a costume but I ordered myself a stetson off the 'net so I'm all ready to go!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)