A day in the life...

[aging one]

Cy, please find something to occupy your time. Your incessant refreshing and monitoring of all posts has hit an all time high. You sadly are becoming this.

[cyrille]

You’re a massive hypocrite.

You were incorrectly ‘correcting’ ohho.

Go back, read the post and tell me I’m wrong with an explanation.

You won’t, will you.

It becomes more obvious week by week that you’re losing it, sadly.

Next time YOU want to correct someone I suggest you check with an adult first.

[aging one]

^ Says TD's hall monitor. But you may not keep the job long if you keep going into a rage when called out on it. Your shit does stink Cy.

[cyrille]

You were incorrectly ‘correcting’ ohho.

Go back, read the post and tell me I’m wrong with an explanation.

You won’t, will you.

Called it.

Now move on, hypocrite.

[Mendip]

^^^^^

Zero cats, seven dogs.

And there's a reason we have zero cats...

On my first night home after my last work trip the dogs killed two of the neighbour's cats. I wasn't at all happy about it, but what can I really do? The dogs are kept enclosed in a walled property but these cats just insist on coming in. There are quite a few cat graves scattered around the garden.

08:00 again… this korat life seems to be about spending all morning in bed.

Not a bit of it... I have actually been quite busy this morning!

Although last night I did have a few hours on the Leo with my mate from the provinces. And we've had a power cut this morning, further delaying things.

On my return home around midnight I found this offering from the dogs...



No scale... but alas this wasn't the mama rat living in the chicken run. This was either another baby rat or a mouse. But still, one less to worry about.

At 7am this morning I duly headed down to the chicken run... but to an empty trap. There was also no sign of the rat (and there hasn't been all morning) and my feeling is that she knows she's met her match and departed. But just in case she returns I've changed my tactics. I've found steel-soled flip-flops impossible to source so have decided to go back to basics...

No more of this new-fangled peanut butter bait... good, honest, old-fashioned cheese with the trap relocated to right up in the roof beams. I can't see how this will fail and to be honest it's bloody typical that I have to go to Bangkok on Monday as Isaan life has never been this exciting before.




And of course the fun never ends.

But first, I wonder of we can make it a thread rule to offer advice before I start on a project, not after it's too late?

TBH, I was waiting to see how that turned out because that bit of shuttering did look a bit under-engineered. The plastic bucket was a good save.
Is it straight enough to use all that step edging you bought?

Haven't you got a heavy drill with a breaker setting would have taken 5 minutes

You can hire plastic concrete forms for about 5 baht a day

Anyway, I couldn't wait until tomorrow to remove the shuttering from the new step.

The dogs were milling about, sensing an upcoming event...



The shuttering appeared to have slightly bulged out, but not significantly.



I must say that it's always nice to have some encouragement during these projects in the garden.



The instant the shuttering was removed, Yogi tried out the new step.



Well impressed!



The new step displays quite an attractive Gothic curvature and as far as everyone up here is concerned, it's a deliberate engineered feature and I'm an architectural genius!



The perfect job.



And yes Shutree, there's enough lateral flex in the plastic step edging to guide it around the curved edge. But that's for next week.



I already know one thing... when you sit down for a cup of coffee, a flat step is way more comfy to rest your feet on than a 30 degree slope. I should have done it years ago.

[DrWilly]

It becomes more obvious week by week that you’re losing it, sadly.

Every accusation is a confession.

[Mendip]

First thing this morning I checked the rat trap...



Despite an empty trap, I'm claiming a victory here.



The rat hasn't been seen since Friday evening and it's quite obvious she has decided that it's just too much hassle living here and left. I know the feeling. Or maybe a snake got her, or maybe one of the dogs and I just haven't found her body yet. I would prefer a body before claiming a confirmed kill, but sometimes things don't work out that way.

No more rats and an approved new step. I can leave for my mini-city break tomorrow with a clean sheet.

[Joe 90]

No more rats and an approved new step. I can leave for my mini-city break tomorrow with a clean sheet.

Watch out for those city rats,far more ruthless

[DrWilly]

[Shutree]

I can leave for my mini-city break tomorrow with a clean sheet

The hotels I use mostly provide clean sheets.

[Mendip]

^ Well posh, Shutree!


I returned home from the bright lights yesterday and during my first night home I was awoken (as was everyone else in the area) at around 2am by a commotion from the dogs. I went downstairs to investigate but there was nothing obvious going on.

In the morning the mystery was solved. In fact, two mysteries were solved.

1, what caused the commotion and 2, where our chicken run rat had disappeared to...



It's body had been placed right in front of the gate as an offering to the pack leader... me, I hope! There was no mistaking this with a mouse. This was a full sized rat.

The two main contenders are Yogi...



And Maya...



Both looked a bit sheepish as I give them a bollocking when they kill pigeons or cats and it must get a bit confusing. They each got a chewy treat as a reward today.

This is what life is all about... none of that drinking down Soi 4 nonsense. All it took was for a short break to regroup and another problem solved.

My next work trip has just come forward so now I need to press on with the step and I can count it a successful trip home!

[OhOh]

My next work trip has just come forward

Where are you off to this time?

[Mendip]

^ Norway again... same shit, different boat.

Norway's my preferred destination for work at the moment, now that travel is easier... regular crew changes so I can keep influence on the littl'un.

[Shutree]

the littl'un.

Thinking of whom and to avoid dragging the breakfast thread sideways, any more thoughts on your London itinerary?

I'm sure the Natural History Museum will be of interest to her as long as you stay amongst the dinosaurs and animals. There are thousands of rocks which could only interest a geologist. Oh....

Be sure to join it up with a visit to the Science Museum nearby. The young people seem to find that more engaging.

The open top bus is a good idea so long as the weather is kind. Some things, like Buckingham Palace imho, are best seen in passing.

I always liked St. Paul's Cathedral and it is a short walk from there to the less visited Monument. Or, walk in the other direction and you are not far from Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, which I mentioned in another thread. It is a piece of history, a decent pub and used to have good food. You might find a pie to impress you.

Then there is the London Eye and the nearby Aquarium, if she likes fish.

There is also the London Zoo, a favourite of mine although you'll probably be running out of time for that.
Final recommendation, for the time being, as someone else mentioned it is worth checking out what shows are on in the West End. I'm sure you'll find something to please your daughter.

In addition to hotels, have a look at AirBnB, there might be something there for you.

[malmomike77]

I seem to recall you mentioned wanting to visit the Victory and The Cutty Sark? Greenwich is a good visit.

Why not take her by River Bus from tower bridge to Greenwich and its not expensive

Prices and Discounts - Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

[Mendip]

^^, ^, Many thanks Shutree and Mike.

Bonecollector has also come up with some similar ideas.

My main problem is that I'm not very good in big cities using the public transport and stuff. I've always been more of a taxi and airport kind of guy and buses, trains and in particular busy tube trains have me breaking out in a cold sweat. I'll be way outside of my comfort zone being a tourist in London but I guess I'll just have to get on with it... I don't want the daughter thinking her old man's a wuss.

I'm currently trying to get confirmed end of and start of school term dates, but it's looking like me and the daughter for 5 or 6 weeks in Old Blighty between early July and mid August. The wife doesn't want to come... which in some ways will make it hard work for me but in other ways make it a whole lot easier... and a 30% saving on flights, of course!

The rough plan is to be based at my mum's in Somerset, spend a few days there and then a few days away... and so forth. Lyme Regis is one of the first on the list (before English schools break up) and I'll be packing my geological hammer... I want to catch some crabs but also find a couple of nice ammonites to bring back home. The HMS Victory in Portsmouth is on the list, as is visiting an old mate in Great Yarmouth, maybe a night in Shepton Mallet Jail. It's rare I get time alone with the daughter so I want to make this special. There was talk about a canal boat in Oxfordshire but Reg Dingle seems to have gone a bit dodge lately and I'm starting to wonder what's motivating him to get me out there on a boat? But I'll pack me Captain's Hat regardless and see what happens.

I'm thinking of London for 3 or 4 days... that will do me. I'm going to have to digest all the recommendations and come up with a plan. I think maybe a new thread is in order, once I get time. As I mentioned, my next job has come forward and all of a sudden I have a busy weekend sorting out daughter's science projects and a host of other stuff, a few days next week on the step and then I should be away a week on Monday.

[malmomike77]

^ righto you have over 2 months so bang a thread up, forget dates just days and your must haves, at least at the startvand i'm sure the TD worldly wise can help. I'd start with a base hotel, she needs to try the undetground, bus and river taxi. Which sights you think amd work the logistics from there. Key tho is don't pack too much in sight wise as it becomes a slog. Maybe get a list with help and let her decide or jointly.

[Reg Dingle]

There was talk about a canal boat in Oxfordshire but Reg Dingle seems to have gone a bit dodge lately

Only on Sundays mate.

I took these to London last year, load of overpriced bollocks.

That London zoo is 17 times smaller than its big brother Whispnade and you have to pay for parking there too.

Did I tell you I have a 6 man air tent?

Fancy a weekend up a Mountain?

[Joe 90]

Did I tell you I have a 6 man air tent?

Fancy a weekend up a Mountain?

Shell Island and Snowdonia for a week!

Could meet up as I might be going over there again with my tribe.

[Mendip]

^^ Korat zoo is great so we're already covered.

WTF is an 'Air tent'?

I can do a weekend up a mountain, I guess. How about the Mendip Mountains in Somerset?


^ Joe, that sound great, we need a plan.

And don't worry, I've already signed you up as the peg boy for our voyage... bring some Vaseline. Any spare time and you can also be the ship's cook!

[Reg Dingle]

How about the Mendip Mountains in Somerset?

If Joe's fine with the pegging... let's do the Cotswolds and Mendips and maybe even Snowdovia on a Sunday

WTF is an 'Air tent'?

One without poles. They're all good until you get a puncture

[malmomike77]

Do you want a 2 bed flat? I fon't need it until sept.

[Mendip]

If Joe's fine with the pegging...

I would say that all that time spent on a narrow bike saddle would make him perfect for the job. Maybe no need for the peg?

But again, I'm outside of my area.

[Reg Dingle]

[QUOTE=malmomike77;4390134]Do you want a 2 bed flat? /QUOTE]

Are there any mountains near Grimsby?

[Mendip]

Do you want a 2 bed flat? I fon't need it until sept.

That's a really kind offer mate, and very much appreciated.

Kensington/Gloucestershire Road area would be great!

But joking aside, this trip is mainly about daughter/Grandmother time. Me mum's 86 and I want my daughter to have some good memories, we get back rarely enough. Any in between trip time will be at my mum's place in Somerset.