I've pulled over a couple more sections of the fence, but then got rained off so I haven't finished the job. Just one more piece to go, but there's a load of bricks and wood to shift, the cleared area to dig the roots out of and then that tree to come down. And, now that the lawn is visible as you come round the bend in the drive, the weeds by the laurel hedge I cut down (and which is about 4 feet high again) are very visible. I think the next thing I'll buy will be an electric hedge trimmer, because the laurel is already untidy, other hedges need to be cut and it will take forever with shears. I usually prefer to do things by hand, but one has to accept practicalities once in a while.
Anyway, now it appears that I have some unexpected time on my hands and, unusually, some impetus to do something useful. I don't know what though. I want to be outside, but all the vast amount of undergrowth that could usefully be cut is very wet and it's not the time to be waving around sharp implements, because I am clumsy at best.
I think it might be Al and Dilly's wedding anniversary today. I'm not very good at dates. They are out, possibly celebrating. I am a very bad mother, because it's the sort of thing women are supposed to remember.
The other day, I was working in the shop when Dilly and the children came in. As they left again, Dilly prompted Squiffany to say goodbye, but she went out without a word. Yesterday, Dilly said she had discovered the way her mind had been working. Later, after I arrived home, Squiffany said to her mother "Oh, I forgot to say goodbye to Granny this morning. I'd better go and see her now." Dilly didn't let her get away with it, but I was quite amused and somewhat flattered.
Yesterday, I took some vegetables home from the shop and delivered them as Dilly needed them for the children's tea (they like vegetables, fortunately). I stayed for a cup of tea and Squiffany asked winsomely if she could come home with me for a while. I agreed, adding that she could go and bounce on my bed...I know she'd ask to and prefer to make it look like my choice! She was pleased enough to wait patiently for me to finish my tea, just whispering "Shall we leave Pugsley at home with Mummy?"
Pugsley is finally starting to walk around the furniture. He has been standing for a long time, but hasn't managed to move his legs at the same time until now. He is not too good at crawling, though he can shuffle backwards, but Squiffany never really crawled either. This is not a bad thing, as a crawling baby can move pretty fast and have wreaked an awful mess before you notice they have gone at all. To encourage him, Dilly laid a raisin trail along the sofa and he edged along keenly, eating as he went. He's keen on food, though he doesn't like being spoon-fed. Mostly, he has finger foods which he chomps effectively with his four teeth. He likes using his own spoon, but hasn't got the knack of transferring food from bowl to mouth with it.
You remember I told you Squiffany's first words were "oh dear"? Now Pugsley can say it too. Dilly had no idea that she said it so much, but I don't expect she did before she had children.
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5 comments:
A pleasant read and thanks for posting. And right back atcha, I like you too!
Blogger comments are refusing to work with IE, so I have to resort to Firefox to comment... which is why I've been a bit quiet of late.
Just wondered why you are thinking of an electric hedgecutter? Won't that be a pain - either as it won't do much before needing recharging, or in trailing cables? If you want, I can recommend a wonderful petrol one that is easy to manage (although not cheap) and would suit your purposes admirably I should think. Unless you already have other arrangements/weapons for cutting other hedging?
I'm by no means keen to get a hedgecutter at all, but Friend with a Chainsaw has little spare time and when he does, I want him to do other things. The reason I'm thinking of an electric one is avoiding the weight of a petrol motor, as holding something at shoulder height is not easy.
I need it for the laurel hedge near the house, the bit of privet near Al's bungalow and the privet round the tennis court, but not on the field side as we have that done by machine, as is the one down the drive and the one by the road. The hawthorn/blackthorn etc hedges around the fields are left, except against the road.
Grateful for advice.
Well, having killed umpteen electric ones thorugh overuse, when we got some unexpected pennies a few years ago, we invested in the longhandled Stihl one that the contractors and council staff use.
From taking 2 days to cut our hawthorn hedges, it now takes Mr BW around 2 hours (no exaggeration).
You can cut the tops of even 10 or 12 foot hedges with it, without resorting to ladders or scaffolding platforms, and it is very balanced and easy to use. In the past I have used it, and it's not heavy to handle.
It's this one... http://uk.catalog.stihl.com/katalog/datenblatt/42802000017/0/default.htm
Although they have come down several hundred pounds since we bought ours (before the internet was invented almost), they are still around the £450-£500 mark - and do shop around for prices.
If you can find a Stihl main dealer, they may have one you can take home and try out before deciding if it's for you.
£500 may seem a lot, but, it's not many hours of somoene's time if you have to buy someone in to do this sort of thing (now or in the future). Even if you employ someone, chances are they won't have tools anywhere near this good, so they can use yours and cut your labour bill in half.
As it's made to be used all day every day, it will never go wrong, and I think ours has only been serviced once (about £40 IIRC) in the 9 or 10 years we've had it.
Thanks, honey
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