Weekend 12-13th November.2022.

Not much been going on this week, on Friday had to get up early and wait in for the gasman to cometh!.

Had a 8-00 to 1300hrs slot!!, but by 1330 still no gas man, so had an online chat with Brit Gas to find out where they were, after giving my details numerous times was finally told they hadn't turned up due to overload of jobs and they had booked me another slot!, which would have been nice to have had that information sent.

I finally got an email at 1830hrs that evening, what a joke. why didn't they let me know they were not going to make it!.

A half day of my live wasted, and there will be another half day at the next appointment won't there, at my age you don't need any wasted days.

Gripe over!

So it was off  to McDonalds with Pepe and a stroll on the rezzers at Debdale afterwards.

This cormorant was on the sailing club landing stage.

A bit closer.

This Great Crested Grebe was happily swimming about in the area the water board had put up a notice not to feed the birds in this area, has it was dangerous for the birds!, perhaps being a juvenile it couldn't read!. 

I got a letter from the Water Board on that day to say my water bill is going down again by £1 so that's better than a slap in the face with a wet fish isn't it!.

Can't understand people not going on a water meter, I only pay a third of what I used to, good saving these days of austerity!.

Sunday we went to The Snipe for a Bacon buttie and some bird food from Home bargains, though they didn't have any drawing pins to put the new world map up on the wall, then its done I'll post a picture of it and the United Kingdom one as well!.

We have been to Pear Mill again today and the steeplejacks have finished on the big chimney, glad about that, didn't like watching them like flies on a wall, I'm not into heights anymore, though when I left school I started as an apprentice lift engineer and heights never bothered me, still you learn with age if you have any sense hey!

Got a new glass clown from Pear Mill this week, its the one in the middle, adding to the theme

"If all the worlds a stage, why do all the clowns live here?".

Next time, I'll tell you all about my senior moment this week!.

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The past few days, 4-6th November 2022.

 The past few days have got a lot cooler, though it's still quite mild for the time of the year which it good for saving energy, what with the price of it these days!.

Friday saw us at Reddish Vale Country Park where the Little Grebes are still fishing on Sunnyside Pond, it's a wonder there are any fish left in there the rate they are pulling them out.

Hardy little things, and quite cute. Not had any babies this year though has their nest kept getting broken up.

Got one again!

The squirrels there were still stocking up for the winter.

Didn't stay there long, as it was cold, so we had a walk round the Butterfly field, then a coffee in the info centre and a chat. 

Its been a bit wet over this weekend, so we appreciate our visit to Pear Mill Cafe where we can meet and have our chats about all sorts of subjects, and have a few rounds of Gin Rummy.

Must take my own cards next time as on Saturday we found out we were playing with 3 extra cards in the deck!.

The work on the big chimney has finished, what a job, 200 foot up there, makes one remember Fred Dibner, this is one of the chimneys that escaped him!. 

Today we had a visit to The Snipe for a Bacon buttie (and went mad and had spam added for a change!), it was packed out, so people must still have money to spend, unless they were doing jobs themselves instead of getting someone in to do them.

Had a trip into home Bargains for some Sunflower hearts, must keep up a stock of them for the winter for my flock of Goldfinches.

I always find its easier to get out of the Snipe at the entrance/ exit near to Home Bargains, its a bit of a longer way round but at least its not as long a wait as going out the main entrance.

Good job I've plenty of jigsaws in, finished this one today, after our trip to the Snipe.

Nice cheap hobby, can get then from most Charity shops for a couple of quid, depending on size, I always go for 1000 as they fit nicely on my counter.

Ahh well, hopefully it will be a bit better this coming week.

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A Man walked into a bar and went Aaaagh, it was an iron bar!.

Did you hear about the man who fell into the lens grinding machine, 

He made a spectacle of himself!.

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First November visit to the local parks , 1st & 2nd November.

 Tuesday saw us at Debdale Rezzers, where it was sunny but with showers forecast!.

There was a cycle club there and when I asked if they had come far the answer was "Only Cheadle", which is quite far really.

The birds gathered round to share their sandwiches.

Only a lonely Cormorant on the lake.

Not the prettiest of birds are they, still it takes all kinds!.

After a few dives it was back on the landing stage to dry off.

The gull in the background gives you some idea the size of the cormorant. 

Brought any monkey nuts today Pepe.

The male swan (Cob) came out of the water to check out me and Pepe.

Then signalled it was safe enough for mum and junior to come out and enjoy the food we had brought.  

You don't want to upset these males, they can be quite aggressive. 

The jigsaw I finished and mentioned in the last post. 

I made a mount out of card and painted it and made it to fit the jigsaw, turned out well even if I say so myself.

Today we went to Reddish Vale Country park but it was quite cool and blustery so didn't stay sat to long at Sunnyside pond, but did manage to snap this little Grebe busily fishing.

And he got his dinner.

We had a brisk walk then round the butterfly field as its tarmacked, so not too wet for Pepe with his low belly.

On the lower mill pond there were lots of Tufted ducks this is one of the males, as is usually the way the females are a rather dull brown.

When I got the seed bag out there, this gang of pigeons mugged me and were all over my arms, head and shoulders, I wasn't too bothered but if they did it to youngsters they would have been frightened to death.

My jacket was covered in muddy feet marks!, won't do that again, will throw the seed away and make myself scarce!.

These are the three juvenile swan there, quite gown up now, seems a shame that they will be driven off by the parents as soon as they want to breed again.  

Nice few days dodging the showers, but getting cold out now, will have to sort out the jumpers.

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Did you hear about the Atheist Dyslexic,

He didn't believe there was a Dog.

This woman confused her Valium, with her birth control pills,

She now has 12 kids but doesn't really care!.
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Autumn in the parks, 28.10.22.

We like this time of year, not too hot for Pepe, but he's not too happy with all the leaves on the ground that wet his belly!.

All the colours in the parks really stand out at this time of year don't they.

This is one of my favourite views over the Debdale lower rezzer, looking over to the Pennines in the distance,  

On an earlier post I had posted this picture and my mate Bob said they were farms in the distance, but on a better day it shows them as some rocky crags, still not too clear due to the atmospherics but it's as good as I'm going to get I'm afraid.

They must be on an ordinance survey map and named, perhaps Bob will find them on his Ipad now!.   

Spot the heron.

There it is a bit nearer here.

A fluffy bummed Little Grebe in the distance too.

This is a young Great Crested Grebe, they are a little bit bigger than their small cousins.

A colourful pigeon amongst the everyday variety.

I think the Magpie's, recognize me and Pepe as they appear out of nowhere as soon as we get there, and sit there waiting to see if we have brought any monkey nuts.

Finished a new jigsaw today, was a Chinese one, I've had Chinese before, but this one was different in that the picture on the box was not the full picture, but at least there was a full picture poster in the box!.

The poster.

The finished puzzle and as you can see another unusual thing, an extra side piece which was confusing when as most people I start with the side pieces and couldn't get it right until I realised the extra piece!

Made it a bit different and a bit longer to do, think I might frame this one as it's nice and colourful, even if the colours aren't authentic

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When you go into court you are putting yourself in the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

Whose idea was it to have a letter "S" in the word lisp?.

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