Billie2

[sanjays mummi]

Fascinating, I remember the milk horse and carts, and the coal ones, my stepmum would treat me to a bottle of chocolate milk now and then. In my early teens I had a Border Collie, and everytime he was given a bath, and dried, he would go round to the rag and bone mans stable and roll in hoss apples, he absolutely stank!.
Remember Saturday morning pictures?, I do, and watching the boat race from Hammersmith bridge. Sanjay dropped a feather today, another tail one, it's been Weeks since the last one.
I have traced the inactivity on this site back to the rather heated discussion about "bluffing", I might be wrong,

[AJPeter]

Could be, but on the other hand it might be the time of the year, Billie keeps dropping feathers too mostly wing, she loves milky sweet tea and will have three tea spoonfuls but l suddenly remembered that l am supposed to keep her off sweet things to stop egg laying so she had an unsweetened tea spoonful today but declined a second.
My pen friend in Florida says her relatives up north are having record high temps of over 90f, and the weather men are predicitng very hot weather from next week for at least two weeks, last year Billie and l sat out in the garden in the very hot weather but she has not wanted to this year. I used to go to the Saturday morning cinema when it was free but when they started to charge mother said l could go often as l want when l grew up but she wast not goiong to pay for me tyo go now! I got a free comic a week when l was 14 as my pocket money and was told that if l wanted another to get a paper rouund but that was a crackof the morning job, No way hosea

[sanjays mummi]

Daddi and my daughter both had paper rounds, Christmas tips were phenomenal. I got ,2/6 a week pocket money, it paid for comics, Saturday morning pictures, and few sweets.
I've just had an e mail from Nick, the decorator, he's coming tomorrow at 11am, and has told me not to move anything, he will move the furniture for me!, goodness, I feel like royalty!.
I got my sciatica because an HA repairman refused to pull my washing machine out and made me do it, ('elf and safety)
Lidl looked as though there'd been a plague of locusts this morning, their delivery was late, so I had to source Sanjays peppers etc elsewhere. Your old mum was quite a meanie by the sounds of it!, were you an only child?, I was brought up as an only child, and my step dad was a scaffolder for Trollope and Cole in Isleworth for many years, so he earned very good wage, stepmother worked for the Pier House laundry in Chiswick, there would be less unemployment these days if we still had the big laundries etc.

[AJPeter]

I have a sister 5 years younger than I, she is in Perth Scotland with her family 4 daughters and a son. Yes mother and l did not get on, my father was an only child and did not relate to me. I learnt mother's awful secret one day back in 1978, she was a sex offender masturbaring baby boys that is when she made my da cut me out of the will and before they moved to Scotland, I was very comfortable at home Mother did all my cooking and laundry, l paid no rent so it was a bit of a shock when l left, my first flat the rent was £7.50 a week, and l had to use the local launderette! But l can say that my cooking is a lot better than Mother's well l have to say that as l am the only one who can eat it! If Mother is alive she would be 97 now. She dominated me all my life she would come with my father and rearrange my furniture, move paintings. After they left l moved them all back again but l was free from her spell in 1980 when they moved to Perth.

[sanjays mummi]

Goodness! How awful!, one cannot conceive of the idea of female s o's!. I lost weight once I got away from my mothers cooking, all she could manage was stodge, stodge, and more stodge.
Nick, the decorator came today, but not at 11am, it was gone 3,pm, he is a one man band, but has done a superb job, he's back tomorrow at 8am to do the finishing touches. Poor Sanjay had to wait for his play out and fresh rations, but I made it up to him with his favourite foods.
My mother in law and I got on really well, she said I was more of a daughter to her than her own daughters, it just goes to prove the old saying, you can choose your friends but not your relatives, I remember clearly, getting on the train for Guildford (basic training) and breathing a massive sigh of relief when it pulled out, there is no such thing as perfect parents with humans, I think animals have a much better system!, as soon as the young are old enough, off they go!

[AJPeter]

Mother had a tortoiseshell cat once and it gave birth to some babies the cat was a loving mother but all of a sudden she turned on then and would not let them share her bowl, I cannot remember what happened to them. There are gaps on my childhood and adulthood where l do not know what happened! I never met my sister's husband's relatives, but after she got married in the local CofE parish church his grandmother made them marry again in a Roman Catholic church. They lived in Blethchley near Milton Keynes with a 100 % mortgage but moved to Scotland after his relatives kept descending on them.
Billie flew to my shoulder as l played the organ I thought she wanted loving but instead all she wanted to do was bite my zip on my cardigan. She had a shower this morning but l did not leave her too long in case she pooped in my bath again. Did Nick clear up after huimself?

[sanjays mummi]

Yes, he has a Henry vacuum cleaner, but 8am turned into 9.15 am, and he looked guiltily sheepish when he got here, so I said nothing, if he'd been blatantly unashamed I would have told him off. Animals are brilliant at training their young (get your own bowls), our pups would get scruffed by the adults if they stuck their noses in the adult bowls, the dogs taught the youngsters how to kill rabbits, how to defend themselves, and our female cats taught their young how to mouse, by dropping a live mouse in the nest. When we ran the training club, the older dogs would put pups in their place!.
Anyway, the ceiling was finished by ten, and it looks good, he also gave me the leftover paint, it's a German brand (Zinnsi) and dries Matt, he said it is such good stuff it could possibly prevent water coming through. Sanjay didn't retreat to the back perch today, his attitude was "oh it's you again" and he Carried on noshing!

[AJPeter]

Good old Sanjay. Billie is a Bad Girl, she made several lunges at my hand as I prepapred her cage but l kept my fingers well away from her beak. She was as nice as apple pie when it came to a shower but she was a bit upset when l shoved a perch under her when it was time to leave she had the look of a parrot that is about to poop in my bath. Then when l sat down to play the organ she came down to her swimming pool which is on the book case next to me and dived in and started to splash my organ, so l reached for a cover and she went back up but as soon as l put the cover away she was back down again splashing, she did this again so l was getting angry. She is creating a new wall paper. Blackberry smudges/ Then this after noon she wanted to be covered up at 4 but l made her wait until nearly 5 and she was not pleased more so when l watched Tv with headphones l could hear her tut tuttuering.

[sanjays mummi]

Yes, blackberries Are messy, another reason I have a sheet around the back of his cage, to keep the walls clean. I hate human tutters, the ones in shops who'd rather tut loudly rather than say "excuse me please", I Always have a go at them, ignorant numpties. So, Billie had her naughty hat on today, it must be the weather
Sanjay has been fine, but a bit livlier than usual, our tickle game was different, he decided to play "you try and tickle me Before I get in a quick nibble" (he never bites or nips).
I've felt too tired to do much today, jet lag after the busy start to the week, but I only have us two to consider,

[AJPeter]

Parrots is out some interesting articles a missing African grey saunter up Gravesend High st, in Parrock Street l had an important customer a Madam shop, where customers go into the salon and sit in cubicles with the curtains drawn and as the model parades each cubicle has it curtain pulled back and if the occupants show any interest then another model comes in and if the occupants show no interest then the model moves onto the next cubicle and the process is repeated each model wears a "creation" but customers do not see what is being bought. The shop was called Madam Burnett, and l sold Ladies Fashions including real fur coats. I once sold a mink coat for £2000 guineas!
Another article on eating greens "Billie pay attention!" and she will reply "How much?" Secrets of the frozen food industry part 2. What happened part one? Another on Budgies part 2. A letter seeds vs pellets. A good read all round.
Billies has been well behaved today, but she begged a ride into the kitchen and sked ever so nicely for another shower, l thought she looked like pooping in my bath on the first one so l hustled her out.

[sanjays mummi]

They're very good at losing their "part one's", viz a viz "cages part two", sigh.
The Jewish couple who owned the posh "gown" shop where I worked, started off buying a bolt of cotton for a tenner, making camisoles at night and flogging them on the market next day, after I left, and by the seventies they had several branches in the North West.
What a scorcher today!, just as I had thought of packing my fan up. Sanjay likes greens, broccoli especially, but it whiffs a bit, garden peas, and mini cucumbers. My daughter had a nice surprise today, she pays bedroom tax weekly with her card, unbeknownst to her, her HA had Also set up a DD, the bank informed her this morning, and repaid £1,600 she had overpaid, which the bank will now claw back from the HA. Jack and Isabel have their birthdays next month, so some of that will come in handy!.

[AJPeter]

I have never heard of bedroom tax? I travelled in ladies underwear for about a year it was all right in summer but bloody cold in winter, I remember a D cup bra that would fit an elephant, and DK.s with a bra size, the camisoles were very expensive made from Mylesta, but after a reshuffle Courtalds made me redundant. Then l worked for a Jew in a company in Whitechapel High st. That was fun until l wrote my car off and left to work in a newsagents in Regent St.

[sanjays mummi]

I'm sure you must have read something about bedroom tax, basically it means, if you have a spare room you must pay extra rent, private tenants don't, my daughter was in a two bedroom house and the HA said Jack and Isabel would have to share a bedroom until Jack was 10, but chaos ensued, and he kept climbing into Isabels cot and waking her up etc, so my daughter swapped for a three bedroom, (hence the move to Luton), and has to contribute twenty five quids a week toward her rent.
The last Jewish boss I had was when I worked for a company in Manchester, I worked from home (live Tarot counselling), his name was Mier, the company director was a Cohen.
Sanjay asked for his squirty bottle today,

[AJPeter]

That Bedroom tax! Of course silly me. When l came to leave Bernie said to me "You are like a son to me, I'll make you a partner if you stay." And he did some sum on a piece of papper and announced "A 5% partner!" All the time l was thinking of 50% and turned him down! Had to go to a church do this evening so crept out after she was covered up. I picked some flowers from the park for her she was very intrigued with them and kept tasting them, she liked the grasses best, I ate too much and now have a belly ache. Billy managed to poop in my bath despite all l good do to stop her, she was grinning from ear to ear!

[sanjays mummi]

That makes a funny visual!, mind you, I had a male Samoyed who literally grinned when we came home, he was that glad to see us. Sanjay likes herbs, and alfalfa rings from wilko, I've tried him with edible flowers, but he's not that keen. I had an upset tum this morning, it's one of my myriad symptoms, I remembered the Acidopolous capsules in the fridge, and managed to sort it out, I haven't felt that sick in ages. Five per cent was a bit of an insult!, but that's why I have never met a Jewish person who is poor, very astute!

[AJPeter]

Bernie did a deal on a parcel of knitwear and persuaded one of his Jewish friends to take a third. a gentile took a third Bernie had played up the value to his friend and then when l went in on Sunday he was packing up all his best stock. "Big order?" l asked him. "No l have been let down on that knitwear parcel and now l have to send my friend my best stock/ "What about the other chap" l asked "Oh I have already spoken to him and told him the deal is off!" Bernie's partner was called Ruby who bought the baby linen. They were always arguing and shouting abuse at each other but one day Ruby had a heart attack and Bernie gave me the keys of the warehouse asked me to keep the business going.

"Give no one credit!" he said and left me to it. One of his best customers came in an bought a lot and asked for credit l kept saying No. When Bernie came back from visiting Ruby in hospital he told he never wanted to give credit but always gave in and that customer would get his credit. On another occaison Bernie sent down to Brixton market to get as much of £2000 a stall holder owned him. "Bernie wants his money." I told her. "Shush!" she said but I shouted even louder and she pulled up her skirt and fished a roll of money out of her knickers and gave it to me. That was £400, "It is not enough!" I told her and she took one of her shoes off and gave me another roll of money. That was £300. "He wants it all I told her loudly and she pulled out another roll of money out of her bra. That was £750! And finally she gave me all the money in the till to keep me quiet. In all £1800 l had to keep that at home until l could go in on Sunday and give to him. He was over joyed and told me that he had always been fobbed off by her.

Another time l will tell how he made me take part in a sales pitch on the door step of his warehouse when business was really very bad. Sorry to hear about your upset tummy

Billie has been a bit off too, she only had one spoon of tea and one morsel of biscut, they say owner begin to look like their dogs l think we have birds with sympathetic symptoms.

My church had a "Do" last night and l ate too much l was up half the night with the cobbly wobbly

[sanjays mummi]

Poor you, a Spanish friend invited us to a party, and had made "Spanish chicken", I hardly got any sleep that night for heartburn, thank goodness for bicarb. I sussed out it is the smell of paint that's made me queasy, it smelled like ordinary oil based gloss at first, but now it just stinks, a bit like cooked greens, I've had the window open 24/7, so I went online, and apparently it can take a month for the pong to go completely.
I remember my Jewish boss sending me to the bank with the takings in a box, chained to my wrist, every Friday evening, his missus sent me to the deli for black tripe and Knorr chicken cubes, eww, my mum ate bleached tripe and onions, double eww!.
Sanjay serenaded me today, a very priddy toon, he decided to play peek a boo with the curtains for a while, but then espied the canary seed bar, and went indoors pdq.

[AJPeter]

I worked as assistant manager in a store in Deptford High Street, and when we banked the days takings we would send the men with bags of coins over their shoulders while one of the women would take the notes in her hand bag. Do you remember the night safe at the bank? In another shop l would out the days takings in the night safe at about 9 pm and then the following day would go to the bank at about 11 am and count out the money.

Poor old Vista stopped working tonight l thought it was terminal but changed the fuse just in case and lo and behold here we are

I picked some more flowers from the park and offered them one by one to Bille she took each one and felt it with her tongue, l also picked some more blackberries and she pounced on those, she will have a funny runny tummy all night!
Paint makes me go all queasy too. Also vinegar, l hate it, my friends would pour half a bottle of vinegar over their chips not me even the smell gives me a funny runny tummy,

I have never eaten tripe, black pudding, hearts, brains, winkles, oysters, clams, however l did eat a lobsteer once.

[sanjays mummi]

I don't mind winkles, stuffed heart is a healthy meal, and we always had black pudding with an Ulster fry. We gave the dogs a lambs heart as a treat (raw) and one of my Samoyeds swallowed hers whole so quickly she brought it back, the cat we had almost fainted!.
I remember night safes, but always took the money into the bank where they had a key to the box. My bosses were very strict, they only employed Grammar school girls, if we had a fussy customer and didn't manage to sell them something it was a sackable offence, and if someone came to the door just after lock up we had to reopen for them. Of course nowadays if they sacked a girl for that, they'd get into a lot of trouble.
Lidl had Cavalo Nero (black kale) leaves again, and he actually eats them instead of just shredding them, as he does with other greens.
I ordered some Crown Imperial bulbs from a company in Holland, they arrived today, and of course, they smell exactly like cannabis, (they keep pests off my border), so goodness knows what the courier thought! You could smell them outside the box.

[AJPeter]

I expect couriers are used to it, Billie does not eat greens, she likes podded peas but cannot be bothered with broad beans l hav eot crack the shell open before she eats on or two beans. I came home from shopping to find I had not bought and Yoghurt or Yakult, so instead of my walk l dashed back down to the supermarket. So no extra blackberries or flowers for Billie.
I had to leve a message on my HA voicemail about my mixer tap not going to cold yeaterday and today a man cam to fix it, it is amazing what WD40 can do! He had a look a the toilet cistern and aggreed with me that it does not work so he is coming tomorrow to fix, And 7 Trent phoned and tried to get me to pay tjhe bill but in the end they took some responsibility for the hidden leak.
On Classic FM they are playing tghe "Devils Gallop" the signatune to "**** Barton Special agent which was on the radio every night at 5,30 pm my sister and l used to listen it but you would be to young to know. At night time Billie ants to play a game which l have not yet worket out the rules but it appears she either trying to bite me a gueuing ??? help me cover her up,
I have the air conditioner running it is 72 f in here but nearly 80 where Billie is housed. A by any other name is still a

[sanjays mummi]

I have heard of "bleep" Barton, but never listened to it, it was Always the Archers, until we got our first TV in 1957. Daddi liked Yakult, so we always had it, the yogurt drinks and "Lassi" (similar) from Lidl are lovely, like Yakult but more of it.
WD40 is brilliant stuff, it removes sticky labels a treat too. What an absolute pain, having this ongoing problem with your loo, I hope the guy sorts it out properly this time.
Sanjay was in a soppy mood today, asked for tickle and kisses several times!, I shall have to give him black kale more often!

[AJPeter]

Last night I threatened my bowels with a powerful laxative Ducolax if they did not produce a result and so far today l have moved my bowels 4 times with a very good result each time, so the next time your bowels play up you know what to do! Of course the toiket flush as been sorted but there is not enough water to clear the debris so it is back to buckets again, I do not mind because l am trying to use less water. 84F in the LR when Billie went to bed l left a window and door open to try and cool it down for her, I have the A/c working flat out in the BR and it is 73 f in here! should be cooler tomorrow and friday rain is forcast. TWSTW That Was Summer That Was.

Billie enjoyed a double helping of Blackberries today l picked some more on my walk around the park, the ones in our gardens are tiny, I shall not bother with any more flowers. If l buy black Cale and she does not like it then muggins will have to eat it,

[sanjays mummi]

I have 3 tsps of Inulin powder on my low fat yogurt every day, it gets rid of visceral fat And keeps you regular, it is powdered chicory root, I buy it from the health food shop, black kale (cavolo nero) is a cancer fighter, all black/purple foods are. I used to take Sennakot, but Inulin is better. The guy in flat 1 is looking for trouble, not only has he moved a mate in without written permission, but they have dumped old furniture around the back, I told him today he has to pay the council to shift it, or the HA will issue a warning. I daresay I was accused of interfering, behind my back of course. Sanjay wasn't quite as soppy today, but today was sweetcorn again, hey ho!

[AJPeter]

Never heard of Inulin, Senakot is too powerful gives me terrible stomcah cramp. Andrew's is about right, Syrup of figs is okay and dulcolax but l prefer to regulate by what l eat and blackberries are doing a wonderful job at clearing my bowels, Billie is a bit looose as well, she sat on my shoulder and gave a vbeautitiful sing song this afternoon.

[sanjays mummi]

Aww bless!, when daddi was on chemo he became so constipated he reopened an old hernia, and because he couldn't swallow solids because of the tumour, he bought syrup of figs, I warned him it would scour him, and it did, so badly he ended up in hospital for two Weeks on iv fluids, they fitted a stent at the end of his stay and told him to use sennacot because it is completely natural, no chemicals.
We used liquid paraffin on our pets, to shift hairball in cats, and foreign bodies like stones etc in the dogs, It's been an "ooh I say!" day today, tree surgeons putting a tree they cut down next door, through a shredder type machine, it was very noisy tho', This afternoon, himself semaphored for a squirty bottle.

[AJPeter]

Billie was ready for her shower today and she had a *** old time under the water but when l came to vac the floor she dived into her pool which sits by her cage on top of the bookcase over looking my organ, and when she starts splashing about I have to cover the organ. As l put her to bed l noticed three black beads quite small on the top of her head she would not let me touch them, hope they will have gone by the morming.

I managed to get my walk in between showers and it has just stopped rainning quite hard, the sun has come out and it is a nice ewvening. When l worked in the pet shop we were told that it is illegal to diagnoze pets illnesses so when some one bought a cat that was wretching l called out "Any one know about cats?" And a lady volunteered it was a hair ball and recommended olive oil. We did not have a license to sell dogs or cats only birds, fish and reptiles.
You still miss Daddi very much, its alright to tell me of your hurt.

[sanjays mummi]

Thank you, but it's getting easier, I belong to an online group called "widowed village", we are from all over the world and support each other, especially the new ones.
I hope the black spots are feather cuticles, that's what they sound like. When I worked at the RSPCA shop a man came in, his cat had a kitten stuck, with it's head sticking out, I advised him it was probably dead, and to take his cat to the vet, as there may be more kittens queued up behind it, the very young assistant manager, who knew Nothing, told me off in front of him, for giving advice!, I pointed out that I had bred pedigree cats and dogs, And worked as a breeders assistant for over thirty years!, she said "oh but if something goes wrong we'd get into trouble", I asked her what could possibly "go wrong" with a qualified vet!, silly moo.
Sanjay has been quiet today, but I had to tell him off for trying to chew my voile curtains!

[AJPeter]

Its vets who make the rules they get touchy if people make a diagnosis, quite often people would bring dogs in and l would stroke them (The dogs not the people) and say the coat is a bit mangy have you tried our shampoo! The owner of the shop told me once it was washing up liquid! And the cough mixture we sold for dogs was watered down Venos! I used to take his statements with a pinch of salt. One of my favourite puns would be to announce loudly "Its buy your dog a new collar week! It was amazing the number of people who fell for my line. I had that job for three years until l fell out with him, but that was good because it took over an hour by bus and sometimes l would cycle there but that took nearly 40 minutes.

Billie looked a little down in the dumps today so l dug out a toy with chimes and she loved it, also l took a mirror with three bells which has hung on the back of the cage ever since l got her, and gave it a clean and hung it up in the door way and she loves playing with it.

I think you are right about those black spots being feather cuticles as two have disappeared and the other has faded. She refused the teaspoon of tea, cannot blame her it is revolting without sweetner, but l get sweeter in my tea. When my friend Anthony died l suffred a bad depression and went to the doctor he prescribed some anti depressent pills they ere so horrlible l threw them away and cured myself of the depression!

[sanjays mummi]

Yes, I've done that too!, The best medicine for kennel cough is Benlyn human cough meds, and Tunes, once a dog has had Kennel cough they are immune, it's only dangerous in old dogs, so why pay for the nose drops from the vet? Unless you're boarding your dog. My mum bathed my border collie with carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush!, we had to be careful with ours, because at shows they test a dogs coat for artificial colours, at lesser shows they don't, but I saw a woman darkening the stripes on her brindle whippet with a black felt tip!. It's been a weird day here weather wise, bouts of rain and quite high wind, and sunny spells, Sanjay has been a bit subdued too, I was going to shampoo my carpeting, but couldn't be bothered, ;)

[AJPeter]

I get that can't be bothered feeling too but Billie makes such a mess l hate it when people call so l make the effort and vacumn the floor on Mondays and Fridays and also clean the plastic carpet protectors. Billie has been very affectionate today holding her beak up for a kiss, we have got into the habit of a Goodnight Kiss, but this evening she wanted dozens before she went in and l could cover her up.

Emma knocked on my door and said that when l flush the toilet it sounds as if the water is about to enter her flat so l told her l was flushing the toilet with buckets of water from the bath (Billie and I only have showers) Emma gave me a Hippo bag you have to put it under the the ball, but l shall have to give it back to her as my loo does not have a ball cock. I think it must be G a y.

Emma told me her cat was attacked by two foxes and she will keep it indoors in future and dig up some dirt for the litter tray. She told me her benefit had been held up and she had go to the food bank but she has a live in male partner l would have thought he would give her money, but l offered two small tins one of sardines and the other mackeral both of which l do not like. I like Pilchards but the last ime l had any l shared with Billie and her beak stank of fish for days.

I am thinking of buying a new cage because this one is getting beyond cleaning, I had one of those steam cleaners but after l had used it on her cage it stank to high heaven (the cage not tjhe steam cleaner!) and l have not used it again. I might invest in a corner cage with open top that would be bigger than this one so her tail feathers can grow again she once had a beautiful tail over !4" long.

[sanjays mummi]

I dunno, we pay out hundreds for cages, and quite frankly, some are not fit for purpose, I am still undecided, because the one I was keen on has a domed roof, and Sanjay likes his flat roof garden to play footie on.
Dirt from the garden?, she could get "economy" cat litter for a quid, ugh! Then she dumps it back in the garden for some poor unsuspecting gardener to find. Some folk shouldn't have pets.
Ooh er missus!, a paramedic turned up today for flat 1, followed by an ambulance, they were in there ages, finally Craig is taken away, walking and carrying a Holdall, wonder if it's mental health? As we have witnessed him snorting cocaine outside the house. His mate is still there.
Sanjay shared scrambled egg today, he's more partial to that, than hard boiled!.

[AJPeter]

Does Sanjay know how fattening scrambled egg can be? Billie wolfed 10 blackberries today and added to the stains on the wallpaper. She will have the cobbly wobbly funny runny tummy all night. I do not mind the stains because one day l shall strip the old wall paper off and emulsion the walls.

Billie demanded l cover her up tonight but l had a crisis with one of my files "Word" crashed and would not load it so l had to use Word Pad. However once that crisis was over she would not go in her cage until l had kissed her dozens of times.

Emma's cat is called Maximus and is addicted to nicotine and quite likely alsholol as well. I am sure she feeds it table scraps and as it getts older it will become hormonal and become a cat from hell, EmmA WILL PROBALBLY GET RID OF IT. To think l would have trusted her with Billie, YUK!

Shopping tomorrow l have on my list to buy some cat litter, but Emma was smoking canabis or some weed if she can afford that she ought to afford cat litter.

[sanjays mummi]

Last I heard, it is twenty quids for a tiny amount.
Mystery solved, Craig had a serious asthma attack and his puffer had run out. I bought Sanjay a raffia "foraging" toy for three quids today from Wilko and he loves it!, he's been shredding it all afternoon, I also found some cooked, peeled chestnuts in Lidl (castana), and his face lit up. I think a lot of parrot toys are over priced with Northern Parrots and Scarletts. All they want is something safe to chew or shred.

[AJPeter]

Lucky Sanjay. I bought some fly paper today sick to death of the fruit flies around Billie's cage and out in the kitchen, was unwrapping one and the end came free form the carton and it wrapped itself around my wrist it is sticky stuff in getting it off my wrist it caught my shirt and and then my trousers this is worse than marmalde which has given me a good idea to make my own fly and wasp paper, finally I got it free and pinned it up in the kitch, the other one l was more careful in withdrawing it from the carton l hung it up near Billie's cage.

Billie is making a new wallpaper blackberry splatter l think l told you yesterday still never mind she added to the pattern today, Billie is not in the mood for ripping anything she is demanding her bed time kisses and does not like being hurried. I agree with you about NP and S sometimes you can make your own toys which are more fun.

[sanjays mummi]

I typed a reply and accidentally pressed the back button, sigh. We always used fly papers instead of sprays, fortunately the CIF antibacterial spray I use smells of citronella oil, and I soak a cotton wool ball with citronella and pop it in my vacuum bag, so we never get any flies at all, on TV Kim and Aggie stuck strips of masking tape to a window and brushed it with honey. My grandma made wasp traps, with a bit of left over jam in a jam jar and water, she would put the lid back on and pierce a hole, just big enough for a wasp to go in, but be unable to crawl out of again.
Sanjay is still having fun with his cheap toy, his strips of raffia are very uniform in width and length, quite clever in fact,

[AJPeter]

Did you look in the drafts folder? Good tips on fly catching, l shoo flies and wasps out but fruit flies are the very devil to get rid of. I gave themn a good squirt from Raid, Billie was in the LR asleep. She wanted oodles of kisses and a bed time story and more kisses before she allowed me to push a perch under her and loaded her into the cage. I did not like the idea os using soapy water on her cage but l was sick of the fruit flies so l gave her cage a good clean with warm soapy water and it came up a treat!

I thought l would strip the wall paper and its new pattern Blackberry splatter and gloss paint the wall in her corner before l get a new cage and as this is a big job l have put buying a new cage on hold. I LOVE PROCRASTINATING!
Don't forget to buy Parrots!

[sanjays mummi]

Don't use gloss, you can never emulsion over it, if you can afford it buy Dulux Endurance, scrubbable emulsion.
Yes, I remembered my magazine on Monday, today I went prezzy hunting for Jack and Isabels birthdays, and bought them clothes and a book each. The market was today, so I came home with Guavas, ripe figs, and a rugby ball papaya for himself, I also bought another "boredom buster" toy from Wilko, only two left, (one now).
There's a country market stall, and some home grown cavolo Nero, not as big as Lidl, but organic, and he was very happy with his fresh rations, the guavas have a lovely smell. A few Weeks ago I bought a mesh domed fruit bowl from lidl, the lid is domed, in case a sneaky fly gets in.
Soapy water is fine, I like lemon Flash gel, it's very effective. When I strip his cage, I use it on his perches, then rinse them in very very diluted Zoflora lavender disinfectant, and make sure they are properly dry, he only uses the perches to perch on, and wipe his beak, the main thing is to prevent eye infections. It's gone very murky here, they have forecast rain and thunderstorms tonight, bring it on!

[AJPeter]

We have had so much rain today l was unable to go for a walk, its raining now and much cooler. Billie has gone off Blackberries two days running she has ignorred the fruit bowl, she went off tea but came back today for more, she is not very keen on toys, l used to make a foot toy of paper wrapped millet spray which went down quite well. But she only gets a millet srpay when l go shopping or to church. She destroys a Parrot (Wilko) stick in minutes so l only give her one mid afternoon. She went in quite quickly this afternoon and only had a couple of goodnight kisses.

[sanjays mummi]

Sanjay demolishes seedy bars quickly, depending on type, sunflower last longer than budgie or canary. We didn't get the rain until this evening, and not much of it, still, the garden appreciates any amount, no matter how small. The last bank holiday before Yule, pensions will be paid tomorrow.The evenings are drawing in quite noticeably now, which is a shame, but not for long. Another black sack in the recycling bin, it's definitely them upstairs, Santa is away again, and the boys in flat one don't use black sacks, just carrier bags for their rubbish.

[AJPeter]

Our housing officer has left after 6 weeks claiming that the HA do not pay enough she has gone to Midland Heart so we have to get used to another one, or should l say another one has to get used to us. I do not use tghe recycling bins any more it all goes into our big bin. Some body dumped a big old TV right where the invalid carriage comes in but fortuantely it was gone by lunch time. I burnt the back of my hand on an oven tray tuesday and it wont heal l had New Skin on it but that came off so l tried a plaster but that rubbed the skin, so l have gone back to New Skin. It was lovely in the park today l sat on a bench in the sun for 20 minutes, it takes me about 40 minutes to walk round (The park not the bench!) The fruit flies are getting us down l tried to vacumn them up but gave Billie a nasty scare, so l reserted to hitting them with a rolled up news paper, l must find a fly swat, the Fly paper does no good, Billie thought the rolled up news paper was a game and gave me a pretty tune as if to encourage me.
Billie sdtarted to play up at bed time so l sat down until she decided to go in, no amount of shouting "Get in your bloody cages." does any good. I use a stick and try and lever her into it but she just lifts her chest and gives me a repreoachful look.

[sanjays mummi]

They can look very aggrieved, can't they?. In the army we put flour on burns, it takes the heat out, running under a cold tap doesn't do much good. I bought the new wilko toy in good time, all that was left of the old one today, was the knotted string at the top!, he was Ever so pleased, he went for it like a rat up a drainpipe!. I should imagine it's a very stressful job, HA manager, we've had the same one for decades. I pottered in the garden today, I had a Nicotiana (flowering tobacco plant) to plant, also a couple of others I brought back from the market, Sanjay was calling to me through the window. I hope we Do get the promised rain tho'.

[AJPeter]

No rain today but humid, last night l had to go round to Everton's house at 4 am and ask hime to turn the sound down as he had all the windows open and a parting in full swing, l do not sleep in pyjamas so had a dresing gown and l wear false teeth but they were in a glass but all he did was to slam the front door in my face, but he did turn the sound down.

People ask me "Do you have your own teeth? And I reply "Oh yes l would not wear and one else's!!"

Billie went to bed aster a little play and lots of kisses but we are both fed ip to the back teeth with these fruit flies l go round with a rolled up news paper and bring it down on any l see Billie asks "Did you hit it?"

[sanjays mummi]

I googled, you need an empty jam jar, Apple Cider Vinegar, and cling film, you put the apple cider vinegar in the jar, stretch cling film across the top and secure it, then punch small holes in the cling film, fruit flies will go inside and not come out.
Sanjay has completely trashed the new toy!, he should be in the Guiness book of records!.
I still have all my original teeth thank goodness, my dentist told me good teeth are genetic. And I wear cotton nightclothes, you just never know if someone is going to turn up late at night or early hours. How rude was Everton!, rude and inconsiderate. I hope the Apple Cider Vinegar does the trick,

[AJPeter]

Mother claimed l pulled a whistling kettle down and scalded myself, face neck and chest l was three years old. I think she threw a pan of water in my face but l cannot remember. However l can remember the hospital and my stay there, Da came hoke frpm the army fpr 6 moiotns which pleased mother.

Funny enough my earlist recollection was sitting on my mother's lap aged about 18 months looking at Christopher sitting on his mother's lap, during the London Blitz of September '41. He was wearing a striped sleeveless pullover and both mother and Auntie Olga screamed when a bomb landed nearby.

But the enamel on my teeth never form and consequently when l was 14 l would have to visit the dentist twice a week for him to keep up with the fillings, I used to get terrible toothache and when l was 22 l had the last 7 taken out. 6 were leaning on one and they just came out but the last stuck its foot in and the dentist had to climb on the chair to get enough purchase to pull the last one out! So no more toothache!

The fruit flies seem to have lessened since l have bee using soapy water to clean Billie's cage. But l have put Apple cider vinegar on my shoppping list l bet Asda do not sell it. Billie called to be covered but kept saying "Not yet" and she got very cross but after awhile she popped back inside for a quite bite and I leapt up and shut the cage up and covered her in a trice.

[sanjays mummi]

Well done!, I remember being inside my mum. I remember stepmother snatching me from my sisters arms as the train to London pulled out, I was 2. And I certainly remember her with hands around my throat, forcing me backwards through a third storey window when I was 4, and being carted off to the funny farm, she never stopped being abusive either, and her husband was a nasty little bully too. Nowadays, I would be taken off them.
Most shops, that is, the big ones, have apple cider vinegar, I wonder if a fruit flavoured cider would have the same effect? Or maybe it wouldn't smell pungent enough to attract them.
When I used to put Sanjays left overs in my compost bin I would get a cloud of fruit flies everytime I lifted the lid, nowadays his stuff goes in with ordinary rubbish. Working as a landscape gardener, I would get nipped by perspiration flies, (tiny gnat like things) especially when laying well rotted manure, but then a colleague told me to use Dettol soap, and it really did the trick, the little blighters would leave my face really red and sore.
Sanjay is noshing his "supper" so he's not ready for bed yet,

[AJPeter]

Billie would have a fit if l kept her up until 6,30 it is hard enough making her wait until 5 pm, what time does Sanjay get up in the mornings? Well done on the memory a lot of people cannot remember what happened before they were Seven.

If Asda do not have apple cider vinegar l will try Holland and Barrat, I tried some honey mixed with warm water but it has caught nothing. However there does seem less of the little blighters!

I can remember at 6 being in Woollies and mother was talking to the shop assistant and l was bored so l pushed up the glass front to the counter, Mother said. "Do that again and l will smack you." So l did and she did and being a little beast l said to her "That did not hurt!" And she slapped my leg even harder and with tears in my eyes l said "That did not hurt either!" the next one nearl knocked me off my feet and a woman came up and told my mother "That is no way to treat a child!" And mother said "Have you had any!" When l was about 12 we used the lunch money to buy cigarettes and would make do with 3d of broken biscuits!

Anything happening on the ringneck side?

[sanjays mummi]

Sanjay goes to bed at 9pm and gets up between 8 and 9 am, sometimes if I get up early, he makes a little "ahem" noise to let me know he's awake and wants a tickle. We watched "Now Voyager" today, my favourite BD film, and Sanjay fell asleep, bored.
We still haven't had the rain they keep promising, I thought with a bank holiday we would be bound to get some, wrong!.
It will be a shorter week for workers,

[AJPeter]

What is a BD film? Billie is an avid Tv watcher she get really annoyed if l do not switch the box on first thing, she tuts if l stand between her and the telly! Shame about Gene Wilder, only 83! Shopping today and Asda had Apple vinegar but l had to ask for help imn finding it. My watered down honey trapped one may fly but by this evening so had the AV so 1 each. I forgot to buy apples so when Billie had gone to bed at 5 pm l crept out, I'm a good creep"! And went to Tesco its off the bus and straight into the store, and on the way home it is out of the Store cross the road and bus back.

[sanjays mummi]

A BD film is a Bette Davis film!, I can see why I was named after her, but my name is pronounced Correctly, as in Bette Midler, there is no "y" on the end, (it's a French name),
Anyway, I caved in and have given the garden a good sousing with the hose, and it has picked up quite considerably.
We have a Tesco metro near the bus stop, but the nearest Asda is in Biggleswade, and Sainsburys is outside town, Morrisons two bus rides away. I Never get away with sneaking out, he susses me out Everytime and kicks off shouting for me,so I always have to share dialogue if I'm going out, and say ta ta, then he is fine, of course, he always wants to know if I've bought everything on his list, when I get back!

[AJPeter]

Fancy Sanjay having a shopping list wait until l tell Billie tomorrow! We pay a service charge but have not had a gardener for 3 months. And the last HO only lasted 6 week and for two of those she was on holiday. She claimed that our HA only pay enough for an assistant HO, I can quite believe it. I bought some brown trousers yesterday 36" waist but they are miles too small so l measured my waist and it has shot up to 40" l put it down to Billie and I enjoying tea in the afternoons with lots of skimmed milk powder! No more tea.
Made 21 portions of shepherds pie today they are cooling their heels in the fridge, before going in the freezer. But l shall have to freeze them in batches. They each total 175 calories each which is very good. I added up all the claories of the ingredients and divied by 21.