The House Husband

This weekend was the time for the RSPCA Big Garden Birdwatch. The rules are simple. Choose an hour over any of the two weekend days and count the birds. You then record the most of each type of bird that you see at one time. Mirinda recorded our count today between 12:45 & 13:45. Here are her results:

That’s 18 different species! Though we often get another 9 or so. This is a bigger amount than last year which, I hope, is a sign that the birds are returning to the countryside.

Before (and during) the count, I had the camera set up in the garden to try and get a photograph of maybe a woodpecker…or a wren…but all I managed was lots of tits and this siskin.

A siskin saying grace before eating

And then, five minutes after Mirinda had finished the count, I was standing at the kitchen sink and noticed a bird in the banana tree. it didn’t look familiar to me. I grabbed my camera off the dining table and called Mirinda to approach slowly and quietly. She identified it. It was a red wing. I’ve never seen one before, let alone get a photo. It’s nowhere near a good shot but it’s nice to see new visitors to the garden.

A very rare visitor arrives too late

At one stage I switched the camera to watching the floating table. I quite like this show off.

Showing off

After lunch, we popped over to Thursley Common (the place where Carmen decided to have a primeval mud bath last year) for a lovely walk among the swamps and sand. Carmen, just in case, remained on the lead. At the beginning of the walk, just beyond the car park, is a lake. On the lake there was a whole bunch of ducks. All in pairs…except for this chap who was quite keen to show off in front of the girls. I wouldn’t be surprised if the other males eventually saw him off.

Handsome looking chap

We walked for ages. Once you get across the swampy bits, the path is all sand and over soft rolling hills. We saw a few people but not enough to be annoying. Eventually we reached the top of a hill and Mirinda decided we should walk back. For some reason known only to her, she stood and took a close photo of this tree. I managed to get her as she turned towards me.

In the nature reserve

It was a lovely walk but was almost dark by the time we returned home.

On Friday night, Stevie introduced me to a brilliant app called ‘Retro Cam’. It’s a series of different types of camera within the one app. it creates images as if they were taken with the particular camera. I had a bit of a muck around tonight. This is a Polaroid shot.

Scowling in the kitchen

Apart from talking to my mother for an hour and a half, today has been full of working out finances. Seriously dull which goes with the weather. It’s been a long day of rain and cold and grey skies. In fact, on Breakfast this morning, the weather map showed the whole of Great Britain completely covered with rain. Feels like February.

So, nothing really happened to me today. For that reason, I thought I’d post a few photographs I took of birds yesterday. Some I’m quite happy with.

Just about to take off

I’d set the camera up in front of one of our feeder poles. Mirinda told me that the wrens sometimes perched on the top and, because I’ve yet to photograph (or even see) a wren, I thought it would be a good place to start. I didn’t get a wren.

Coming in for a landing

There was an awful lot of gold finches (as usual), blue tits (as usual) and coal tits (even more so). I kept the ones showing them in or preparing for flight.

Fast out of the blocks for this little blue tit

As Mirinda says, it’s great to see them like this because they are so fast, it’s not something you normally see. Sadly they’re all a bit blurry (or not completely in frame) which spoils them but it gives you an idea about how graceful and beautiful they can be.

A coal tit, almost gone

I did manage a couple of nice gold finch shots (there’s one in blip) and a particularly pretty blue tit but they were motionless and, dare I say, a bit dull.

Barry looking rather dapper

One highlight was getting a shot of a gold finch with an id ring on one leg. I’ve never seen one of these before and thought it rather exciting. I do wonder how the person who did it managed to catch him though.

A bird with a history

Anyway, tomorrow I’m having lunch with Mirinda so, hopefully I’ll have a little more to post!

It was -5 in our garden this morning when I woke up. It was pretty bad in my head as well. I am feeling awful. While talking to mum and dad on the phone this morning, my voice gradually started to disappear.

Apart from going up to the park for a walk, I have done little more than snooze, drink Lemsip and take Sudafed. And I’m wrapped up.

I did manage to take a few photos in the park. Here’s a few.

I love the way the birds in the park send out a warning as I approach. This little fellow was clearly telling everyone there was a human and two small dogs very close by.

Watch out! Human about!

I’m not sure what this is (Mirinda?) but he’s clearly been feeding in our garden. He looks exceedingly well nourished.

Now, where shall I eat today?

And here’s a nice shot of Carmen in her coat. Following yesterday’s FSI, coats were mandatory today.

Boy, this walking is hard graft

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And I should have said that the blue stuff (yesterday) is for squeezing.

The birds were very noisy today. I topped up the feeders in the morning and think they may have been telling all their mates to ‘COME AND GET IT’! Whatever they were saying, it worked. Even though the day was mostly memorable for being miserable, grey and wet – the path is so wonderful in the rain – the birds were simply flooding in.

A bunch of starlings having a meeting about the weather

We were going to take the poodles for a walk somewhere nice but the weather was against us in a big way. After Mirinda finished working on her essay (her usual morning routine at the moment), the heavens simply drew a damp, grey cloud over everything. The poodles were not too pleased.

Carmen looking somewhat displeased

Before lunch, Mirinda had a great idea after a text exchange with Susanne and, as a result, we are off to the Isle of Wight tomorrow for a day trip. The weather is supposed to be much improved (which wouldn’t be hard). We are to drive over to Haslemere and take the train. Apparently Rafi has started riding a bike. Not sure if he jousts while riding but suspect he does.

But, that’s for tomorrow. Today was nothing but the birds, rain and catching up on Christmas telly. before I go, here’s a couple of pigeons who spent quite a bit of time arguing over the rich pickings on one of the obelisks.

The Obelisk Wars, eventually won by the white one

Today was my first physio session with Sandra. I was a bit concerned she’d say my wrist was always going to be deformed and I’d have to learn to use it with all its present imperfections. Actually I wasn’t concerned about anything because of general lack of sleep due to last night.

I blame the fact that it was our first Nicktor Night for ages and we didn’t get to bed until close to 1am. We had a splendid time, watching the wonderful This is England 1986 which follows on from the film we watched a while back called This is England.

The one we watched last night was a TV series made last year and was in four episodes, lasting three hours. And it was excellent. Funny, tragic, romantic, almost violent, brilliantly acted. We both enjoyed it a lot. We also enjoyed the two episodes of Sorry! we watched afterwards as well.

There was also a bit of enjoying my Christmas bottle of Fettercairn Fior, which might also have had something to do with my feeling somewhat strained this morning.

Anyway, I made my way to Frimley at lunchtime. I now have the trip down to just over an hour. Bus, train and walk. As long as the bus comes on time, it’s the best way.

Physio is a lot better than the Fracture Clinic with no waiting! They even have a sign on the wall asking patients to tell the receptionist if they have waited longer than 15 minutes after the appointment time. The receptionist in the Fracture Clinic would constantly be dealing with patients!

So I went in to see Sandra dead on time and we discussed my wrist. She took a load of measurements, gauging how much more movement I have in my healthy wrist and noting the differences. She was very pleased with my freedom of movements except for bending the wrist back. Unfortunately this is the most important one.

She told me this is the reason I am unable to make a fist or carry anything heavy. Apparently the fingers closing is associated as much with the tendons extending up the forearm as with the fingers themselves. If the wrist doesn’t extend back then the tendon doesn’t work properly.

She then gave me five difference exercises I have to do as often as possible and took me through them. Most of them are fine though one was pretty painful.

Sandra also told me that I may not be 100% for 6-12 months! She also explained why my left arm is now hairier than my right.

I was only home an hour before having to venture forth into the cold once more to go and have dinner with Mirinda.

Because she’d been to the Lotus with BH on Monday night, she wanted to go somewhere different so we tried the new mozzarella bar latterly set up in one of the office buildings used as a thoroughfare on the way to Canary Wharf proper from the flat. It’s all new and trendy and serves Italian food with a strong emphasis on mozzarella (there’s three types, apparently – normal, smoked and creamy).

We eventually had lovely pizzas, prepared in an extremely rustic style. I say ‘eventually’ because they took an age to serve us. We had decided to go to Wagamama’s instead and were almost out of our chairs when the waitress suddenly appeared. Anyway, apart from this slight glitch, it was very nice.

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The previous bird photographs have been a prelude to getting shots of birds on the wing. I had to know their habits before I worked out the best place to set up the camera and where to focus. Today I managed to get it almost right. These are a few of my more successful attempts.

Goldfinch impresses greenfinches

Goldfinch fandango

Bluetit landing

One more thing…I managed to get the same train guard on both my trains tonight. I recognised her voice because it was so awful. And loud. Strange and particularly irksome.

I’ve tried making meringues a few times but have yet to succeed. Because I made some crème brûlée today, I had six egg whites sitting in a bowl. It was chuck ‘em or whip ‘em. I whipped ‘em. Clearly I didn’t whip ‘em enough.

I made crème brûlée because Mirinda claimed I didn’t make it enough. I also made it because Susanne and Rafi are coming over for a pre-Christmas Christmas lunch tomorrow and I needed a dessert. Ok, it’s not your traditional Christmas day dessert but then we’re not having turkey either. We’re having roast gammon with treacle crackling (or black crack, as I call it).

So, first thing this morning (though not first thing enough) I went into Farnham to post some calendars, pick up some currency and shop at Waitrose. This time of year is always horrid and today was no exception. Weekend people have no idea how to behave in a supermarket.

I raced around as well as I could given everyone was pushing their trolleys aimlessly and side by side up and down the aisles while barely dodging the numerous cages full of stock ready for replenishment duty. It wasn’t as pleasant as it usually is. Still, I was lucky in my choice of cashier and was soon paying for my load of goodies.

I could barely lift the bag off the counter it was so heavy. I knew I was in trouble, given I only have the one hand for lifting heavy weights at the moment. I have been threatening to buy a wicker basket shopping trolley for some time. I thought this might be the right time.

I struggled down to Elphicks to find they only had one shopping trolley. It was spotty with four wheels and cost more than I’d be willing to pay in order to never use it again. Which is why I want a wicker basket trolley. I’m pretty sure I’d use it more than once.

I went to Farnham Saddlers. They do all things luggage related and have a fine line in leather goods (as you’d expect at a saddler…though they don’t appear to do saddles). I’ve generally been quite frightened to go in because everything looks horrendously expensive and yet irresistible. Today I took a breath and struggled in. They didn’t sell shopping trolleys. I exhaled as I left.

My next stop was Robert Dyas. They had three very ugly four wheeled shopping trolleys; the kind you’d expect a 95 year old woman with no taste to use. Even so, for a one off I was tempted. They were cheap enough that I could chuck it afterwards. And then I spotted a foldaway trolley.

It’s not a shopping trolley but a trolley for moving heavy objects like delivery people use or removalists. It folded up really small and yet boasted of handling great heavy loads of shopping. I grabbed a couple of ocky straps and bought the lot.

Outside, hidden in a lane, I removed the yards of plastic wrapping and, surreptitiously, unfolded and locked the trolley into an upright position. It looked fine. I attached the ocky straps to the base and placed the bulging shopping bag on top. The straps stretched up and across the bag perfectly, holding it very securely. This is going to work, I thought.

And it sort of did. Clearly it was easier than carrying double my own weight in shopping but the trolley has two faults. The wheels are designed in such a way that when you push it, they are forced out and therefore secure; when you pull the trolley, however, they start to fold away and it becomes completely insecure. And so it has to be pushed.

The second problem is the length of the handle. Now I’m average – average height, average arms, average build – but it’s just slightly too low so I’m almost bending over to push it. It makes me think that someone designed it for the average person and then came up with a great idea of how to save some money by trimming a bit off. Making it just short of average.

Still, it managed to get me home without stretching my arm to beyond an average length. And I’ll use it around the house to move heavy things. AND it folds up quite small, something very handy when you live in a doll’s house.

Once home and before I commenced the brûlée making, I set the camera up for a bit of bird action. Naturally, all the action was where the camera wasn’t pointed but I did get some cute shots of a house sparrow.

What the hell is that? And why does it keep clicking?

And half a nuthatch…

A nuthatch, just managing to get into shot

But, all too soon, it was all about tomorrow’s dessert. They came out very well and should be set by tomorrow but the meringues…they are sad and pitiful…while the outside is crisp and sweet and lovely, the inside is gooey and tastes of egg.

Good shell, lousy inside

I received a reply from Agora Publishing – see my post from two days ago. It was, actually, a very informative reply. The interestingly named Novelette Walker, told me where they had received my information. I thanked her profusely and then wrote the offending company a scathing email, letting them know exactly what I thought of them. Which made me feel really good.

Something else that made me feel really good was the bird song this morning. I was stood, motionless, at the beginning of our magnificent path, watching the birds avoid my camera lens and the noise of their chattering was deafening. It reminded me of that awful woman who used to live next door us and hated the dawn chorus because it was too loud. But the memory did not linger long and I just soaked in the lovely sounds.

Wings Akimbo

And over the time I watched, I saw blue tits, great tits, coal tits, collared doves, sparrows, gold finches, green finches, a male chaffinch (that I thought was a female sparrow until Mirinda corrected me), robins, wood pigeons, a nuthatch or two (I can never tell if it’s the same one), and missed a woodpecker that Mirinda assured me she saw on the twisty tree while I was at the shops.

In fact, there was a huge mass of birdlife in the garden today and I think they’re getting used to the camera staring single eyed at them from beneath bushes. The one thing they can’t get used to…or should I say two?…is this pair.

Pesky poodles - the avian guards

Though, for all their running and barking, disturbing the birds, they do keep the cats away which would disturb the birds a LOT more.

And I had the pleasure of sharing all the life in the garden with Mirinda as she’s home sick. The conference made her sick. That’s what she’s saying. She’s full of cold and stuck in bed (except for occasional walks up the path). I am keeping my distance. I don’t want it without the benefit of going to a conference and driving a go-kart or mixing cocktails.

Because of Mirinda’s infirmity, I made a second trip into Farnham in order to buy her some restorative truffles. On the way back, the moon looked fantastic in the still blue sky. I almost rushed home in order to snap a photograph.

Moon over Farnham

I really needed my tripod to keep it steadier and if I’d have taken it a bit earlier, it wouldn’t be so yellow. Still, it’s my first moon so things can only get better.

We’ve had a bit of rain over the last few days. A little while ago, this would have meant the dining room floor having a thick layer of mud on top of the wood. This was partly from my wellies but mostly due to the paws of the poodles.

The fur at the end of their feet acts like a mop, absorbing and then redistributing. They go outside, wander around and then bring the garden into the house.

Most of the time I manage to wipe them dry before they enter the rest of the house but the dining room always cops it. And I haven’t mentioned the muddy footprints across the kitchen tiles.

However, everything has changed with the path. Oh, glorious path. What a difference! Ok, there’s still a bit of water but nothing like the old pre-path days. Mind you, Carmen has only three feet to work with at the moment so you’d expect it to be a lot less than normal anyway.

Speaking of Carmen, she has started using her leg a bit (though not when we go for our little walks up the path), gradually putting more weight on it. I have to be quite alert because she races up and down the stairs if I’m not.

Her stitches seem to have done their job well as her wound quickly heals and she doesn’t appear to be suffering any pain although I think she’ll still gets a bit uncomfortable every now and then. She particularly doesn’t like it when Day-z bites the leg.

It hasn’t rained all day. This morning I managed to finally get some photographs of a nuthatch – Dawn’s favourite bird (apparently). They normally fly in, grab some food and then flash away again, leaving me with nothing but an image of the feed tray. This one, however, decided to stuff his face with as much food as possible.

Little beak, many seeds

He really is a lovely little chap, though I think he looks a bit like a badger, with that black stripe across his face. Or maybe an old fashioned burglar.

Hiding behind a chain

We also had another visit from the starlings. I’ve never really noticed how beautiful they are.

Starling

Speaking of visits, I had an unexpected one from Nicktor this evening. He was on his way from his new work to a Christmas ‘do’ at his old place of work and suggested ‘popping in for a cup of tea’. Which is exactly what he did. I haven’t seen him for ages so it was a great treat. Hopefully next week we’ll be able to have a Nicktor Night.

It was a very busy day in the garden today. Not with me but with the birdlife. The morning was all bright and blue as I topped up the feed and set the tripod up. I then stood in the kitchen and waited.

At one stage a whole gang of starlings attacked the floating table, kicking out all other species. There was also a rather possessive collared dove who wanted everything for himself, fighting off all the wood pigeons.

At one stage there was a group of wood pigeons wandering around beneath the floating table, picking up discarded scraps while the collared dove wandered around picking and choosing what to eat. Though it was only wood pigeons he didn’t like. All the smaller birds were quite welcome to join in.

The blackbird even put in an appearance at the table. I managed to snap him on a branch above it. It’s slightly out of focus, which is annoying, but still…

Mr Blackbird

And then it rained. I quickly dragged the camera inside and set up in the kitchen, shooting out the big window. A rather cheeky robin kept glancing out from behind things. I managed to get one shot of him.

Robin sneaking a peek

At one stage, while the camera was set up in the garden, I snapped a shot of myself (using the wireless remote) as I walked by the floating table. I thought it came out quite well though at a rather odd angle and I think I need a shave.

Glancing askance

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Tonight I watched Kirstie Allsopp (she is so cutsie it’s impossible) learn how to make pork pies, braun and sausages for entry in the handmade section of a Yorkshire show. She has never done any of these things before. She’s oddly entertaining.

There’s something terribly game and wholesome about her desire to try odd things. It was the last episode of her entering things in country competitions – flower arranging, cushion making, pig walking, all manner of things. It’s also the only episode I’ve seen.

I now feel confident that I could make pork pies and sausages by hand. I’m not that keen on buying a pig’s head and turning it into braun so I don’t think I’ll be doing that.

Kirstie is quite infectious and the results are exciting. I’m not going to give away how she goes but she deserves what she gets.

Rather than staying the house all day watching Carmen, I put her bucket on her head and went up to Farnham for a Starbucks. I’m really not made for being housebound.

The highlight of my Starbucks visit was when the barista told me about the stray King Charles spaniel that was in his house last night.

He lives at home and, last night his sister came excitedly into his room and told him there was a strange dog in the house. They’re the proud owners of a couple of shih tzus so they’re doggie people anyway but this was a great treat.

Apparently their neighbours had turned up with it, saying it had strayed into their garden and they’d been trying to contact the owner without success. They had to go out and wondered, given they had dogs anyway that one more wouldn’t be a problem.

According to the barista, they had a great night with the King Charles. All good things, though, must come to an end. They finally managed to con tact the owner who picked it up this morning, obviously deliriously happy.

That’s it. Just a nice lost dog story.

Our dog is progressing far too well. It’s a constant battle to stop her jumping on the furniture, especially when Day-z has a bark out the front window. Carmen always has to add her (slightly deeper) bark to the mix. And, of course, she can’t do it from the lounge.

It’s almost comical seeing her stand on her wobbly legs, trying to balance enough to launch herself through the air. Fortunately the slight delay gives me time to stop her.

She is getting better. Her scar is very slight, with only the stitches giving any clear indication there’s anything wrong. Well, if you ignore the big shaved area.

Carmen's stitches

This morning I fed the birds then set the camera up in the kitchen, hoping for some action on the seed tubes. I wasn’t disappointed.

Now clear off!

The green finches are quite aggressive, pushing any other birds off and threatening them with GBH.

We also had visit from a local gang of house sparrows who stopped their eating for a brief dip in the bird bath. For a while, one would stand guard on the rim while the other splashed around in the water. But then it was all too enjoyable and they were soon both in the water.

Sparrows in the bird bath

We had quite a lot of sun and blue sky today. After the wind blew away the clouds, anyway. The light was great for getting shots of the birds, including this lovely great tit.

Great tit on guard duty

I have quite a cunning plan for my bird shots tomorrow so, fingers crossed for more sun and more bird species.