An excuuse me note....

            OK so I’ve a tad remiss in my duties as yer friendly, ever so slightly rotund, pirate like blogger from the paradise that is North Wales lately (well there’s an opening line). But unfortunately to have something to write about for your entertainment and gratification one must actually lead a life away from the keyboard and glare of the monitor otherwise the post would read something like; - powered up computer, pressure must be low as it took an age to boot up, checked email only the usual junk mails trying to sell me Viagra and asking if I require a loan (a loan? Hell-fire, I need a bloody miracle for my present finances to return to anything like healthy!), played online chess, checked Face book (why?) and powered off computer (must remember to check the steam pressure again). Not exactly the most riveting of lives to tell you about I think you’ll agree.

            Sooo what has Captain Murphyfish (it’s my blog and if I want a promotion I’ll bloody well have one) been up to of late then? Well besides the never ending monotony of the grind, can’t live with it, can’t afford to live without it (have I mentioned my finances or rather lack of them?), tis been a whirl wind of activity of late. Firstly there has been the planting of seeds and a tad of gardening, utilising that garden frame that I cobbled together, fully and even if I say so myself what a grand piece of kit it has turned out to be.

            Then there is the little question of château Wooldridge now resembling a builders yard, what with new paths and walls being laid I have to admit that my back has been in bits lately. But all will turn out well (I hope) with a cottage garden to attract wildlife (and a few veg) being the ultimate aim for the front garden, re bomb site. Work, though, has ground to a slight halt of late er have I mentioned my finances?

            A further project has been completed with the addition of wooden trellis (reclaimed from atop of a fence that was been thrown) to break up the expanse of the garage wall. Wisteria, a climbing rose and a grape vine are the intended planting here (haven’t mention the vine to Clare so shhhhhh).

            Of course there has been plenty of walking.

            Finally there is the last thing that has been occupying my time. Now it may appear that I’m off on a tangent here but bear with me (that’s if you've read this far). A week last Monday I paid a visit to a fellow blogger, yep that’s right, John the recluse and anti social git actually visited another human being! The person in question was a certain Mr. J. Grey whom I have mentioned before in earlier scribing. John writes his blog with a wry sense of humour and an outlook which is both heart warming and yet entertaining. So with anticipation and also a little trepidation about meeting someone for the first time I set of (with the Warthog of course) for the village of Trelawnyd. Any doubts about meeting somebody for the first time were soon dispelled as John proved as welcoming and as entertaining as his blog. Now I won’t expand upon the meeting and conversation just enough to say that time flew and I felt that I’d known John far longer than the brief time the visit lasted. Now how did this take up time I hear you ask? Well John has more than a couple of chickens and foul and eventually the conversation came around to whether or not my back yard could sustain a few Bantams. Mmmm the upshot and time taker is now known as project three (ish). John’s generosity went far further than advice and he has kindly offered me two bantams, so guess what I’ve been building this week?

            Ok so it’s not quite finished and I’m thinking of giving a full post over to its construction once done, but give me another couple of days after the next round of the grind and me thinks that the henhouse will be ready for its first tenants – way hay! The only thing with such a project was the state that it left the inner sanctum in:-

            But this morning’s showers gave me the time to have a tidy up.

            Oh and finally I have had a little time to do some pirating as well, firstly all materials used for the coup and run so far have cost … nothing (don’t ask ‘cause I hate lying), a couple of bargains have been found upon the car boots for stupidly cheap prices including a set of carving chisels and the lathes chucks and also I've come into possession of eleven demy johns for my favorite fee, life is certainly bumbling along quite nicely me thinks. Oh and finally, finally I've been having a sort out of my wares to place upon the dreaded E bay (did I mention my lack of finances lately?).

            So that’s about it folks, excuses made and I’ll try to be a little more regular in future, oh and I’ve got three staffs in progress one of which is for Mr. Grey as a thank you for the chucks.

Till the next time, take care,

John

One I'd like to forget....

Avert your eyes.....

OK just for the OBN photograph prompt here's a photo that perhaps shouldn't see the light of day;-

Taken last year in the caravan over at Llyn Brenig not long after a 9 mile hike (well more like 15 after taking a short cut!), and a rather large glass of whiskey. I think Clare just about caught my better side as I arose from slumber!! Oh and doesn't Lucy just get every where?

Regards,

John

Hum Drum

 I shouldn’t really be writing a post as Wolfy over at ‘Flowing Waters’ has really put the cat amongst the pigeons, so to speak. With his glowing references to my humble blog if I attempt to write or comment on the mundane I now feel that I’m short changing him, curse his praise. But unfortunately it has just been one of those spells off work when nothing exiting happened, I racked my small brain for any vestige of interesting happenings but nope nothing, not a sausage. But here’s my dilemma, apparently, according to some bleedin’ expert upon writing blogs that I read whilst trying to start up this bloggy thingy ma jiggy way back last year, you must keep regular postings to keep people interested. Well that’s all well and good if you lead an exciting life, fraught with many a danger, with one eye on the sky looking for the eagles and the other casting around your desert wellies scouring for scorpions, but I live in Buckley, North Wales and believe it or not sometimes life can be er, mmm, I, that’s it 'run of the mill'. So my fine adventurers prepare you and steal yer imagination for a tale filled with hum drum and bursting with tedium.

After the other weeks’ wanderings it has been time to spend a little time at home with Clare. I’ve painted the kitchen (just love earning those brownie points), tidied the tools up in the garage and even did some gardening in preparation for spring planting of some container based crops. Well I did warn you; tedium, but these things sometimes do have to take precedence to getting ‘out there’. Then my feet started to itch for just a small wander, “fancy checking mum and dad’s caravan out, after this harsh winter?” I ventured, “We could take your new metal detector” (this year’s birthday present for my beloved wife). Two hours later and the fun cruiser is making all haste to the caravan situated at Llyn Brenig loaded up with me, Clare and you know who. Within the hour we’re pulling up to the gates of the site to be welcomed by Mr. Williams, site owner, hill farmer, sometimes fly fisherman and all times good guy whose was busy repairing a collapsed gate post. We stopped and exchanged a warm welcome with Will (Mr. Williams that is) then going on to explain his future plans for the site. As he’s talking I remembered that last year him mentioning that the flow that runs through the site from Llyn Brenig to the river Alwyn contain fish including small wild trout, perch and snigs (eels to you southern types) so I chanced my arm and asked the question, and now, after being a tad cheeky, I have the right to fish this short stretch of flowing water, but being as I’m yet to learn fly fishing the only baits that Will’s allowing me are natural such as earth worm, slug etc. it’ll take me back to my younger years when these were the only baits, alongside bread, that I used when freshwater fishing (see. I’ve always been ‘careful’ with me money), so hopefully there will some fine tales to tell from this area over the coming months.

We checked that the caravan was a ok, and then took a walk down my new piece of fishing turf, Clare with her metal detector and me with my bog monster (me thinks that I’ve been short changed again). The piece of water looks very inviting with several loops in its path and a few good holding areas; unfortunately the only aquatic beastie that they held this time was black, slobbering and considerably smelly. Temperature around here proved to be a good 4 degrees C cooler than back home and there was still some ice in the margins of the river so I’m thinking that, using the baits stipulated, it’ll be a good month before natural fodder will encourage a take.

After the walk along the river we headed upwards through the fairy tale like woods of the Clocaenog Forest, fairy tale in that Were wolf and blooded fangs behind you in the dark type of woods that is. We were skirting the edge of the forest last year under a nearly full moon and breathless night, scared noooo, just those slightly terrified feelings harking back to my primitive ancestors kept nagging at me to don’t look behind, keep to path and head for the fire. Even Lucy was more than glad to curl up in the van that night. Mind you, the sound of owls that night was awe inspiring. But under the warming Spring sun, yep that’s right- Spring, the forest was benevolent and very relaxing for all three of us (plenty of ooze for Lucy).

We headed home via Conwy to pick up fish n chips (again), along the back roads we saw cock pheasants displaying and a pair of buzzards circling in their courtship swirls. With my good self feeling somewhat smug with the prospect of fishing this stretch and also very content having had a grand day with Clare, since being on this new (now newish) shift rota time with her is becoming rarer and so more precious.

And the last day before the dreaded return to work?, well just spent in my holy workshop, the garage. I’ve taken delivery of a Seagull 1.5hp short shaft outboard for my now renowned favorite fee, dug out a couple of sea reels to be stripped, lubed and relined ready for a trip next week (hopefully), and spent several hours gently stripping varnish off the little lady as at the end of the month (pay day) I’ll be going against the core of my very nature and spending some money on the necessary bits n bobs required to commence the repair work. So yes a week of hum drum indeed, but isn’t life truly grand when hum drum can be as fulfilling as this?

Till next time, take good care my friends.

John