Has spring arrived!, March 2017.

 The lake at Etherow was quite full today with the yachtsmen from the Model Boat Club, there were a few fishermen  out too!, why they park in the front row I don't know and then disappear for the rest of the day. The folk that only come to sit in their cars, have a buttie and perhaps are not able to walk far don't get the chance to park and watch the view at the front, some people are so inconsiderate aren't they!.

The Great Wall just outside the park it seems is not being taken down, but only being pointed!. Doesn't look very good at the moment, still its early days and perhaps the chaps will get better as they progress.

  On the way home stopped off at Aldi and got a big bag of stuff for next to nowt!, no wonder the bigger supermarkets aren't doing very well!.

Then it was a call at McDonalds for lunch and felt a bit guilty afterwards, so it as out with Pepe and off for another walk round Debdale Park to walk some of our dinner off.

Hence the Question "Has Spring arrived".

Crocus on the banking looking towards Hyde Road

More Crocus in the park!.

Beautiful sunny day, but still need the big coat on, or is that my age showing though I wonder!.

Been going to the cinema quite a bit lately, seen some good films too ie

The Great Wall,

Patriots Day,

 Hidden Figures

To name a few,

 Like it at Cineworld as the time early in the day suits us, the sound is great and afterwards my mate Dave and I go to McDonalds for lunch, then I do a bit of shopping on the way home, good day.

Must get an Unlimited ticket though, which makes it a lot cheaper if you are going regularly, gives you money off as well at the restaurants locally.

Have you read any of Matthew Reilly's books?, an Australian writer of Action adventure books, bags of action from page one!.
I'm an avid reader and he is one of my favourite authors, another is Lee Child with his Jack Reacher character, though not too keen on his choice of film star to portrait him though, Tom Cruise??,  still if you buy the film rights you can have who you want can't you, even yourself!, he did a good job though, still not the size of Reacher in the books!.   

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"Mummy Mummy! Daddy's on fire" "Quick grab a burger and a frying pan"

"Mummy Mummy!, can I wear a bra now I'm 16?"

"Shut up Albert"

"Mummy Mummy I don't want to see Niagara Falls"

"Shut up and get back in the barrel"

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That's it for today Folks.

Out & About, May 2016.

Out & About, May 2016.

On Sundays these days I tend to go to Reddish Vale to miss the bad parking at Etherow Country Park, and this week it will be really bad as there is a Big Barn Bike weekend there at the farm at the top of the road.

There isn't any trouble with the bikers, they are a nice crowd of guys with a different hobby to ours perhaps. They were all at the Cafe this morning waiting for them to open has it seems the food at the farm wasn't too good.

At Reddish Vale there is some nice quite areas to sit and enjoy the wildlife,

 

There wasn't much on the lake this week has the male swan was seeing off anything else whilst his mate was sat on her eggs.

As there is only hot and cold drinks at the information centre there I tend to go to McDonalds on the way,

So it seems do others,

Live in Debdale park and visit McDonalds for meals can't be bad!.

The Mandarin babies mentioned in the last post are all doing well and being trained by Mum in the art of pruning and foraging for food.

The Coots are doing fine

 

Dad is doing his bit as well, keeping mum and kids well fed

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The dentist found a cavity so deep in his teeth, he referred him to a chiropodist!.

Man said to the dentist 'Can you recommend anything for yellow teeth'

Dentist - 'A brown tie!'.

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That's all for now folks!.

Rachel's 21st party

Friday the 21st Nov 2014 was my granddaughters 21st birthday, doesn't that make you feel old when your grandchildren reach that age!.

Well on the Saturday (22nd) we all went to the Amaani Indian restaurant on Lees Road, Ashton, it used to be the Turnpike pub for those of you that know the area.

It was a first for me I can tell you, but I was pleasantly surprised at the food ( I did have an English dish though as did the other granddad) and the place didn't reek of curry!.

Click here to see a short video of the event.  

A few pictures of those present for those that couldn't make it through distance or other reasons.

Missed but not forgotten on the night I'm sure, Grandson Jacob on his mission in Greece.

Birthday girl with her proud parents.

And with her beautiful sister and other granddad.

Some of the extended family.

My beautiful lady friend Marjorie too.

A wonderful time and meal was enjoyed by everyone and we all stayed until chucking out time!.

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Out and about has seen Marjorie and I visit the garden centre at Wyevale in Marple, though at this time of the year we should be calling them the Christmas centres!, I suppose its good for them as there aren't any plants being bought at this time of year, so to diversify for them is good.

I'm sure you've seen enough of pictures of us, but just wanted a picture of the moving diorama, real cute hey.

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On the outdoor front,

 Yes I'm getting out and about again after my chest infection which seems to have cleared up nicely.

At the lake saw this nice Robin.

Well every on takes them from the front don't they?, so thought I would be different, thats my excuse and I'm sticking too it!.

Then Pepe spotted a squirrel, good job he was on his lead, but I don't think even he could eat a full one!.

 Even the Bees are still out and about seen in and out of their nest in this split in a tree trunk in Debdale carpark near to McDonalds.

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Sam was in hospital and on the end of his bed was a chart with lots of complaints listed on it.

Most of the nurses had written something on it!.

Recovering from an operation in a bush hospital, Farmer Ted  asked why the blinds were drawn.

"Well" explained the Doctor,"Theres a bush fire outside and I didn't want you to wake up and think the operation was a failure"!.

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That's all for now folks.

How the mighty have fallen!.

How the mighty have fallen!, well it comes to all of us at some time, even though I've had my Flu Jab every year for the last umpteen years, this past few weeks I've been poorly with a bad cough and a sore throat.

It was getting so bad I finally got myself to the doctors today He said "Not been for a few years have you", "well you have been getting paid for me on your books haven't you" says I.

So after my blood pressure and temperature was found to be normal and he said I was not doing bad for my age, he then agreed that I had a chest infection and wait for it THRUSH in my throat!, "I thought only women got that" said I, No No No said he, I can't do the accent on here but you can imagine it!, Must be all the bird pictures I've been taking lately perhaps

So I'm got some antibiotics for the chest infection and some stuff to swill my throat out, "How about a booking for full MOT whilst I'm here then, good idea he said, so I'm booked in for a full check up in the next few days.

I tell you if I'd known I was going to live this long I'd have looked after myself a bit better, "Not bad for your age" he'd said, I just wish he hadn't added "for your age"!.

Last Thursday I was in Etherow with Pepe and today friend Bob had mentioned about the Mandarins he'd seen and I remembered I had some pictures of them in my camera, here they are.

A few of the other birds and wildfowl in the park.

A nice Moorhen sat in a tree

 On our walk round the lakes

Today after dinner Pepe and I had a walk round Debdale as it was nice and sunny, As Captain Mannering would say "You stupid boy!", it was a biting wind, so  stopped for a drink at Pepe's 2nd favourite place McDonald's, 1st Place goes to Etherow of course and the Sausage and Bacon Baps!.

I always want things done straight away and the first tablet in a course of antibiotics isn't going to cure me is it, so I should have stayed in,in the warm, still Pepe enjoyed it, felt sorry for him really as he hadn't been out for a couple of days, he's always exploring his garden, but they like to get out and about as much as us don't they, and I'm going stir crazy too if the truth be known.

Well that's it for now hopefully if I keep taking the tablets I will be feeling a lot better next time.

By the way got my Fibre Optic broadband today!, so the drag of uploading Video's in the past will be a thing of the past, so watch out for more video's, you have been warned!.

Noticed friend Bob's boat "The Great Eastern " had another showing on the Coast program this week, he has certainly given the Etherow Model Boat Club plenty of publicity with that model, and for years to come the way the repeats are on the telly these days!. 

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The doctor told me that as I was getting on in years, my lifestyle of wine women and song would have  to change.

"In fact you will have to give up the first two" he said "But you can still sing", only like Barry White at the moment!!.

  

 There's not much different between a toilet seat and an anniversary, men usually miss them both.

Salvador Dali took Picasso aside and said "Excuse me my friend could I have a word in your eyeball?.

Fred was an Atheist, but he gave it up, he said there were no holidays.

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Thats all for now folks!.

  

Out and about again

Well, we have been out and about again, not letting the wet weather put us down!.

Debdale park trees in bloom, pity the high winds are causing havoc with the blooms though.

A close up, not bad for a phone camera is it. 

Refurbished my rainbow ornament and added a few more pots to the fence.

The rainbow is lasting well as it must be 8-9 years old now, so it was a rub down and a few coats of stain varnish and a new set of DVDs to bring it back to life, brilliant when the sun is out!.

Must be doing something right, as all the plants I've put in are thriving.

Cherry Cola

Silver veins

This is the latest addition to the back garden, an Acer japonica, should be alright in this pot for a few years and then perhaps a new home in Marjorie's  front garden then.

Pepe, the McDonalds fan!.

On his new bed.

In his night bed with Teddy, he was lying like than when I took the photo, how Teddy got his arm round Pepe is a mystery to me.

Looks a bit like me in my recliner chair I suppose.

Well that's it for now, still thinking about the Green goddess planter, mentioned in the previous post.

If you like Dogs check out Son John's A-Z blog on his Cockapoo's  

Click here

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He nervously faced his boss "My wife told me to ask you for a rise".

"Okay, I will ask my wife if you can have one".

Charlie's taken up meditation.

Well, its better than sitting around doing nothing isn't it.

News flash 

A helicopter crashed into a cemetery of an irish village this afternoon. 

At the last count, 745 bodies have been recovered.

Its the way I tell em.

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Autumn in Debdale November 2013

Today Pepe and I got wrapped up and went for a walk in Debdale Park!, though it was quite cold the sun was out and just the job for some pictures of the Autumn scenery.

Pepe in his woolly coat and me in my Aldi quilted jacket, nice and warm

Looking North

A few leaves left.

Looking over the reservoir towards the Donkey sanctuary, I see the paddocks I helped to erect in the early days of the sanctuary opening are still standing the test of time.   

 The orchard on the right there, not many leaves never mind fruit!.

 Latest art work installed in the park, that's the road to McDonalds on the left, thats where Pepe would rather be!.

Beyer Peacock of train fame was in this area and the founder is buried just a few hundred yards down the road. There is another art work like this outside Gorton library, that one is all white!.

Who is taking whom for a walk 

Some more nice colours 

Cotoneaster shrub

Yesterday (Sunday) it was dinner at Son John's where we met Grandson's lady friend and as usual Pepe had to get in the picture.

No show without punch springs to mind

Pepe playing gooseberry, two's company, three's a crowd Pepe!.

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That's all folks, hope you like the pictures, they are a lot better viewed in the warmth of the living room!.