Your day (apart from gardening) what took place ? 2024

Since we moved to our flat, I had the mortgage and OH paid the utilities, which left me without any bill since 2020 when I paid back the entire mortgage at once. Having no utility bill can be a problem, and we decided yesterday to change the energy bill to my name.
Remembering that one article where a woman was forced to take a prepaid contract after her husband died, I was pleased to get a new contract that accepts the time since we live here, and is also cheaper than what OH paid.

 

Picked some garlic this morning, it brightened up and I went for a walk in Inverclyde

 

Had a phone call this morning 5am from my daughter telling me about her experience teaching her first English literature class at a Thai Uni. So proud of her, not only for following her dreams but for beating this eating disorder that was consuming her.

 

Sam and best wishes for the future!

 

Had trouble with a garage door so man came out and put a new spring in. Door OK now thankfully. He took 15 minutes to do the job. Cost us £216. PHEW!!!!!

 

@On the Levels those garage door springs can be quite dangerous. We were sitting in our living room, which is about 30 foot from the garage, and heard a loud bang. Went to investigate and found one spring had broken. It just missed the car. This was in 2017 - hubby bought 2 replacements for £166 and installed them himself. I always keep well away when the door is going up or down just in case!

 

Went for a walk near Dumbarton at Overtoun house and this little guy was stopped on the path so took a pic . Also a lone giant hogweed (I think). Usually see them in abundance along river banks here

 

As a pro in the trades, I come across assumptions about timelines
quite often. Tell me, did he and his tools arrive via transporter and did he get the parts free?

 

We got some pix [or my daughter did] of the giant hogweed starting to get going last week when we were out @Hanglow. We were over at Ikea [near Braehead ] on her birthday to get a few things, and it was just along the verge when were waiting in traffic. It was about the same size as in your pic. Are you in that general area - ie the Dumbarton end of the central belt? I'm further over - between 'the big windfarm' and Glasgow itself.
There's always a very visible, massive stand of hogweed on the riverbank, when you go round the one way system in Paisley to come back this way. I pass it every time I'm coming back down the L. Lomond road, but it's not really possible to stop and get a pic. Perhaps I'll go round and park somewhere one day, and get one.
Today I won't be doing much other than a bit of painting upstairs, and then going to visit younger daughter in her new flat.
I might even get a wee treat to take, along with my t-bags as she doesn't drink tea. I sometimes wonder if she's reallly mine...

 

Sat with a cup of proper coffee and read a hand written letter from the friend who visited recently. Tidied and made space in the kitchen ready for the online grocery delivery, I have a tiny kitchen, then had my head in the fridge doing a deep clean. Found a few half dead bodies to throw away then I was bushed.
I tired myself out watching tennis for the rest of the day.
Horrible weather outside. No dog walk, he pulled a toe or nail raiding the dog bag for treats and could barely walk on one of his front feet. He is fine today but still does not like me touching his foot so still sore.
I am waiting for the car to be returned after major repairs, then dog and I will go for a celebratory amble around the village green on nice soft grass. It has finally stopped raining but still very breezy.

 

We consider giant hogweed to be an invasive species and are encourage to rip it out any time we see it. Is it not considered a bad thing over there @fairygirl ?

I've got more wage earning work to do but I was so glad to get a new line of wire run for one of the CCTV cameras yesterday. If I'd waited as I was tempted to do, I would have gotten pretty wet trying to run that today!

 

I'm not doing much with my day as I have a bad knee.

@fairygirl, I know what you mean about daughters. I have a daughter who is tall, slender and blonde and hates the smell of coffee. I'm short, with brown hair, a bit on the dumpy side and I drink mugs of coffee. My other daughter isn't tall and has brown hair.

 

Neither of mine drink tea or coffee @Busy-Lizzie

It can be a pest in that the sap causes problems @CanadianLori , but I don't think there's any regulation about removing it. It's probably not as invasive here though.
I wouldn't want to go in and try and remove it without protection, and I'd only do that if it was on my own property anyway, but it would also depend on the amount of room I had. If it was doing it's own thing and not affecting me, neighbours or other plants, I'd probably just leave it.

I've never really thought about it though. I'd have to research it all a bit!

 

@fairygirl it's up and down the white cart, I've seen it at Pollok park in years past along the river, so it makes sense to see it in paisley too. The councils are supposed to remove it I think, doubt they have the money for it anymore.

 

Ate some toffee and broke off the side of my tooth. Went to the dentist and chose a white filling to repair it (otherwise it was a crown). Cost £180. Will never eat toffee again.