Stupid bird

I'm feeling quite jolly, for no particular reason except that I'm ticking things off my 'to do' list.  It's a mental list, it's a sign things are getting on top of me if I write it down.

They are coming tomorrow morning to check the phones again.  Some wiring has been replaced, but maybe it all should be.  About 12 - 15 years ago, a lightning strike fried the phone line from the telegraph pole right back to the exchange and right down to our phones, all of which had to be replaced, and our phone was off for three weeks.  There is a suggestion that the damaged lines have finally given out.  In the meantime, my mobile is being used as a landline substitute again, which is a blessed nuisance.  I had to pull over to answer the phone three times on the way to Norwich again and once on the way back, all calls for the Sage.  He, I should say, rang up to complain this morning.  Later, I rang to sort it out.  His call had not been down as registering a fault, so I'm not sure what happened.  He doesn't always explain things in the most logical manner which, I'm afraid, I have told him more than twice.  Anyway, phone calls are being diverted to my phone again.  We've just had one from New Zealand.  I don't like to think what that is costing, but we don't count the cost of friendship, hey.

I think that I've finally put the school governor work to sleep for the moment - that is, replies I'll get to my last epistle will engender a response, but it'll be straightforward.  I've still got write-ups from classroom visits to do, but I have all the notes.  I have vague hopes of gardening between now and Easter, but not getting too worked up about it.

Oh, this morning's mini-drama was being woken up by, apparently, a gravel delivery lorry.  I got up and peered out of the window and nothing was about.  Then I heard loud scrabbling from the chimney.  A largish bird had fallen down it.  I grumpily retreated to bed for another hour, and eventually removed the chest of drawers and the sheet of board that covers the fireplace, and left the window open, all but one curtain drawn and the door closed.  Later, I went back and a dove was sitting in the fireplace, but it flew up the chimney, stupid bird.  Later again, I heard a racket from the bedroom and went to find it flying about.  I couldn't chivvy it to the window, so opened the other window and waved my arms a bit, and eventually the stupid bird flew out.  The chimney pot is 6 foot tall, it's no easy matter to cap it.