Last post of April 2022.

 So that's another April gone, done and dusted!.

It was Pepe's 13th birthday on the 27th !, so calculating his doggy years as 12x7 that makes him the same age as me! 84!, no wonder he's going grey round the muzzle.

Bought a couple of new plants this week  from Mockridge garden centre, one for the back garden,

Previous plant wasn't doing anything, so it had to go.

And one for the front, all the front garden are Fuchsias that come up every year.

On my visit to Pear Mill Cafe on Thursday, we spotted a nice Marino glass bird and bought that, £6 can't be bad.

There you go, for scale.

Bought a new Camera this week as well, told Pepe it was for his birthday, don't think he was impressed.

Been after one of these camera's since before the pandemic and they were not availabell, so this week got one from Argos and at a very reasonabell price.

Its the same size as my small one but half the weight of my big one and with all the latest technology built in!.

Not got the hang of it yet but it's the pleasure of learning that's the point isn't it!.

The lady in the picture used to say to me "A fool and his money are soon parted"

"But how did he get it in the first place say I".

We had a half hour at Debdale yesterday, trying out the new Camera but the half inch thick book is like all instructions these days and only the first four pages are in English and the rest in foreign languages.

I always Sellotape up the foreign ones and just leave the ones I can read open.

I always buy one of this chaps books, if he doesn't mention something the camera doesn't do it !.

Got it off Amazon, quite dear but worth every penny.

Some of the picture I took yesterday, not good but I will hopefully get better, like my teacher used too say "Must try harder".

Not sure what this one is, unless its a baby sparrow?.

Mini Garden bench for the birds.

So then it was an Ice Cream and home.

Pepe likes the bottom broken off and some ice cream like a little cornet, no Chocolate for him though!, killers for dogs.

Had some sad news today!, my mate Bob's wife Joyce died last night in the hospital she had been taken to from the care home.

We are gutted as Bob and Joyce looked after Pepe and I when my Velda died, so hopefully we will be abell to do the same for Bob.

In Case you are wondering I can spell "ABLE" its just a Mates joke between Bob Abell and myself.

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Picked this up at Pear Mill today, thought someone might be interested.

At Stockport Covered Market Hall, so don't go to Pear Mill!!.

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No Jokes today, too gutted.

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Wednesday, 20.4.22.

 Didn't feel like going out today, the forecast for Hay fever was high and my arm was still aching from the Jab yesterday, but Pepe kept running back and forth to the front door and giving me that Look!, you will know which one I mean if you are a doggy person!.

You can't waste this good weather either can you, knowing Manchester it could be raining tomorrow, even snowing!.

So it was off to McDonalds where they know us now and my bag was quite heavy and when we got to the park Car park found they had given me a treat of 5 chicken selects instead of 3!, very good of them but wasted on me really as I struggle to eat 3 pieces, still nice of them.

See this doggy walkers van here most days, all the people that bought dogs during lock down will have to use these services now they have to go back to work.

As usual I took the camera, never go without as you never know what you will see. We had a short walk onto the Lower Reservoir and there was the first Mallard Duckling I've seen this year and mother brought the little one over to show it off.

There was only the one, they can have as many as 14 which I've seen in the past, there again its big broods, as a lot don't survive long with all the predators about. Magpies can clear a nest out in no time!.

Dad in attendance.

Proud Mum.

Slow down Mum.

That lake must seem huge to something so small.

So as usually happens, making the effort payed off.

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Spring Booster Vaccination, (AKA Old codgers 4th Jab). 19.4.22.

 Today had my Spring Booster, or if you like my 4th Old codgers jab!.

Was quite painless in every way, from the booking on-line via the NHS letter I received in the post with a special number on, to getting a place booking at the local chemist Opp the site of the Fir Tree Pub, which by the way is no longer there and no signs of any building work, had heard it was going to be a Lidl!.

The jab was painless too, had arrived early but no one there, so was whipped straight in and booked to my GP though the numbering on my letter and even stopping on the way home at the local charity shop was still home before my original appointment time!.

Feeling like a second hand dart board now with all these jabs!.

 Then it was pick up Pepe and off to McDonalds for lunch then into the park.

The big boss swan was in attack mode and chasing all the other young ones up the lake and then flying back.

Gerr off!.

A bit scary with that coming at you.

Look at the span of those wings.

Must have been tired out with all that chasing and flying about.

Courting couple.

Who's a pretty boy then!.

Cloudy, but quite warm for a change.

Colourful at the Nature Centre.

Coffee shop doing a good trade, not me though, like McDonalds too much.

Ring necked Parakeet, Male.

Blue Tit.

Great Tit.

Nuthatch.

Another blue Tit.

Away from The Maddening Crowds.

Pepe keeps wanting to go towards that Sign!.

Top hole is the one the parakeets nest in, but the bottom one has become a bees nest with hundreds of them flying about.

Nice on the water.

The big red one.

The moon on Saturday night, that's a huge crater on the bottom right isn't it, perhaps like the one here that saw off the Dinosaurs!.   

Over the weekend we met our friends at Pear Mill Café and had a good natter and put the world to rights.

Good selection of clothes in there too, probably only worn once hey.

  Saw the Peregrines again, very vocal on Saturday.

Blood on his Claws.

So a good bank holiday weekend though we didn't go out on the Sunday too many people about in the park so no wildlife present.

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Seen in Debdale Nature Centre.

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