A SUNNY START WITH A BLUE SKY BUT OLD KNEE SAID "WATCH IT"..

SHE knows YOU know.. SHE knows better than to just judge the weather by looking out of the front door. 

Right knee giving a bit of 'gip', bad night, dodgy hearing, they all signify lots of rain heading this way.

So coming home after lunch in Notting Hill Gate was not a hassle, for, although it was pouring with rain, blowing fit to bust and cold to boot, SHE was both dry and warm as SHE had on HER much treasured Italian parka. It is rain proof and very snug with a hood.

Lunch with Carol in her new home, a charming place with lots of light, it is very pretty. Work was done, they ate lunch, had coffee and then SHE left.

No gardening for HER tomorrow, it will be very wet after today, never mind, there is lots to do at home, (there always is!)

WE are having a quiet evening at home, no more gadding about today, who wants to go out there in gruesome weather, unless YOU really have to? Not US, that is for sure.

So nothing exciting to report.. except Goaty Mum Debbie found a young mr.ferret in the goaty barn! I have never seen a ferret, perhaps SHE will find a photo so I can see what they look like.

Oh, Karen is off to Mexico.. to loll in the sunshine with mr.Bob, they live in Minnesota.. lots of snow up there, no wonder they're off south for a few of old man sun's rays.. send some this way please Karen.

PipPip Dear Readers.. PipPip.WE will be back tomorrow.. 

GeeGee Parrot.
February 28th, 2014.

SICILIAN PASTRIES.. CANNOLI - CIOCHOLATHE. PISTACCHIO.. LEMON. ARAGOSTINE, BARCHETTE.. ALL @ 70p!

Does SHE not have YOUR tummies happiness in mind at all times? I think so, Dear Readers, for today, in the title of this post, are the names of those simply scrummydumptious Sicilian pastries that Daniela makes and sells from her stall in the North End Road market.

The stall is called 'I love Sicilia' and is at the Fulham Broadway end of the market, directly facing a mobile shop called Chitter Chatter.

After going to the dentist yesterday, SHE ambled up through the market, a little something from there and something from there, a bowl of limes and a couple of spiny-apples, aka pineaples.

Until, finally, there was Daniela with her delicious pastries, she also has two hot burners with very delicious hot yumyum ready for lunches on the go but this was not what was wanted yesterday.

SHE wanted a selection of pastries to take to work as a surprise. They are all the same price, very clever Daniela, so YOU can take a selection of them to try, they are properly packed in little boxes up for YOU so they will travel safely.

Oooh.. lovely boss and SHE agreed that they are, truly, scrumptious! And boss asked immediately for the location of the seller such delicious things.

Today, SHE had to buy smoked salmon and prawns from lubbly-jubbly fishmonger, with that safely in old Wicker, they trundled up towards the Broadway, as the locals call it.

For a compliment was due to this young pastry chef and also an inquiry about those edibubble Sicialian sausages, "I make them, if you want some, I will charge you £12.00 a kilo", was the answer to HER question about their source.

Whoopie-de-dooo, oh, yes please! They would be such a treat to have at home for a special supper! WE can think of lots of different things WE.. let ME correct that.. SHE could cook with them.

Anyway, what has to happen now, is SHE is going to send a copy of this post to Daniela and also to do a bit of research into perspex boxes, lots to do and it is already nearly nine of the evening clock and SHE is out again tomorrow.

I trust SHE will be wearing bad weather clothing, for the forecast is dire, even if London does not get the snow, it will certainly be chilly-billy, the temperature is dropping fast as I write MY Blog.

Stay snug wherever YOU are Dear Readers, snug and safe. If YOU have to travel, make sure YOU have the right emergency stuff with YOU and that YOUR cell / mobiles are fully charged.

I am staying here at home and Beaky, almost certainly, will probably spend the day tucked in between MY shoulder blades, a very snug spot.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 27th, 2014.

THE GENEROUS STRANGER GIVES AGAIN..

Dear Readers.. in haste, as SHE has places to be and people to meet! But SHE has more gifts for YOU.. from Preston who is aka 'The Generous Stranger'.

He sent HER an email saying that he was a'reading MY Blog, is not that nice to hear, he too can laugh, learn how to do the Fandango and realise that a smile on the face does wonders!

He has been generous enough to unlock his address book again and has passed on two, no, three new addresses.

First up, is another Smokehouse in Suffolk.

Richardsons,
Bakers Lane, Orford, Suffolk IP12 2LH.
Tel: 01394 450103.

www.richardsonssmokehouse.co.uk

Then he wrote to HER about a Smoker that he has for home use! Oooh.

It is a Cameron Smoker, he got his from Sur la Table, but he has given their website address and also the UK suppliers details.

www.cameronsproducts.com/stovetop-smoker

For UK: www.cookequip.co.uk/camerons-smokers

Don't worry, Dear Readers, SHE will say "Thank YOU" on behalf of all of US, in fact, SHE will send him a copy of this post!

All HER chores are done, SHE has called Fanny to wish her a very happy birthday, the news is that it is warm and sunny in Paguera, Majorca today, it is sunny here too but warm? 

Not so warm as that Spanish isle and 'they' say that snow is a'coming this way tomorrow, that sneaky timber-shivering white stuff of which there is several feet lying about in both Pegeen and MaryLou's gardens in Illinois, brrr. Chilly-Billy.

Now SHE must fly out of the house and I will flapflap to pole by the door and look at passers-by.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 27th, 2014.
aka: Fanny's birthday!

WAGAMAMAS & LAUGHING HER WAY TO THE DENTIST!

What degree of craziness do YOU think this shows Dear Readers? As mad as a hatter, crazy as a loon, daft as a brush? They are not quite right, are they?

Back to the beginning, having made sure the small person entered the house of torture.. aka school.. this morning at some evil hour, it was home for a cup of coffee and then off again to the dentist.

SHE is having a tooth made, for old age has crept along and last year the kind dentist said "I think this molar is going to crack in two" and two weeks later, it did! And he had to pull it. The jaw and the hole then had to be left to settle down and heal.

Now it is time to decide what to do, as SHE chews way back there. They have decided on a neat and removeable Maryland Bridge, they cannot do a fixed bridge because of the weakness of the other teeth and jaw.

In the accident, it was the right side of HER head that took the punishment.. poor old skull and jaw together with HER right knee which was pretty dodgy even before being maltreated in the vinyard,

So today was the appointment to make moulds of HER teeth.

SHE gave ME lots of yumyum, fresh water, a kiss on Beaky and was out of the door to catch a 74 bus. It was slow, the traffic is bad, I suppose with half term over, there are lots more people back in the city, all driving about in their cars instead of taking a bus.

When the bus turned into the Earls Court Road, there was time to see Wagamama's windows and for HER to read their slogans and laugh, for.

Written large upon Wagamama's windows.. was one of MY favourite words.. "SLURP".

It made HER laugh to see such a thing, no, I have told YOU before, I am not responsible for how mad SHE is, SHE was like this when I got here.

However, I do believe it is catching, for I have noticed that I talk in a strange accent sometimes.. but that could be down to having French speaking ancestors.

Anyway, that is quite enough excitement for one day. PipPip to YOU all. I am off to bed early tonight. I have had a very long day.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 26th, 2014.

MISTER & MRS. LITTLE DOVE..

OUR boy has a wife! She is a paler grey than Little Dove and she has a mottled back with the classic two stripes on her wings.

SHE was planting out more Narcissi bulbs this morning, when whoosh, OUR boy zoomed past HER ear and just as SHE was about to stand up, another wing whizzed past HER right ear?

He strutted up to HER feet and did a little twirl, as if to say, "I thought it was about time the two of YOU met". 

He is very 'tame' and will come to HER hand but Little Miss, as is her new name, of course, is not and stood back, looking up in amazement, as he allowed HER to pick him up so SHE could look at his foot.

He will eat out of HER hand but SHE does not expect her to do that, so a little 'something' was put down which they both ate. 

Then he showed her the large saucer underneath a pot which always has water in it, they drank and whoosh, off they went.

SHE finished doing the Narcissi, tidied up, grabbed old Wheelie, HER shopping list and set off for Streatham. Trundle trundle, something was seriously amiss with the traffic as it took a long time.

But eventually SHE was in Bartek, tasting such scrummy deliciousnesses as.. the Pork Rolls with Fresh Cream of Horseradish in Aspic.. SLURP.. 
SHE has never ever seen these pretty and very delectable things before. 

There was a fresh barrel of Sauerkraut, a new delivery of Spelt Bread from the Lithuanian bakery, this is out of this world tasty bread and goes exceedingly well with the Smoked Royal Cheese which WE love.

And the Salted Pork Fat was in stock! Two bigs chunks please, one for US and one for Tereza.

Along the road to get Seed Potatoes to plant in a couple of weeks, they are chitting already, which is good and looked to be in good condition. 

SHE also picked up three sets of hard plastic bamboo couplers, YOU use them to fix together the supports of french and runner beans, they are also excellent if YOU have tall flowering plants that need staking.

Several tins of Plum tomatoes completed the shopping and then SHE got onto the bus.. which literally crawled along, the traffic was backed up and no one knew why, until they came down the Northcote Road and there at the crossroads.

Oh dear.. a horrid accident had happened in Clapham, the air ambulance had flown in and landed in St.Mark's park, there were lots and lots of police in evidence.

Poor people.. how dreadful, one minute they are doing whatever and the next.. gulp. There was a silence on the bus as all the passengers probably thought the same thing.

Early bed tonight, SHE has to get up at Sparrows ...., which is very early for HER, to take a small person to school. I have had MY grapes and have almonds in MY bowl, all is well.

SHE has a busy day tomorrow, dentist again, then work, I will doze and dream of sunny summer days and Cherry tomatoes, I just lurve those pretty little yellow things and they bounce really well if YOU drop them off OUR very high bed! 

GeeGee Parrot.
February 25th, 2014.

TREES READ BOOKS!

WE did write a post yesterday.. except that norty Blogspot swallowed it! Grrrr. So here it is again.

SHE had lunch on Sunday with an old friend, they met and ate at a local hotel on Thurloe Place called The Rembrandt.

Into the big dining room and oooh, lookie lookie, there was a splendid selection of beautifully well prepared food, perfect for a proper 'Sunday' lunch! A roast lunch.. oh, such lovely grub! 

Roast beef, roast lamb, yorkshire puddings, onion rings and a huge selection of 'starter' dishes, smoked fish, shrimp, heavenly lubbly-jubbly food to eat with great pleasure but without having the chore to buy it, cook it, OR, do the washing up!

Slurp, they both behaved just like pythons, they unlocked their jaws and ate everything in front of them, no food was left on their plates!

SHE did not eat any pudding but Carol did, she is only forty six and can and does, eat anything, just like SHE did at that age, sigh.

SHE celebrates an anniversary in February, on the 
twenty third, so to spend the actual day with Carol was fun as they had much to talk about.

The previous day, Saturday, had been wonderful at the garden. What was very pleasant was the lack of damage for the garden was not in such an appalling state, much to HER surprise.

Yes, there has been some damage to the fences caused by the dreadful winds but when YOU consider that SHE has not set foot through the gate for six weeks to do any work, it was not too bad.

The grass does look untidy but as it has not been cut for at least two months, that is understandable.

But lookie lookie, everything is a'growing, swiss chard, sorrel, self seeded rocket, cabbages, purple sprouting broccoli, brussel sprouts, herbs, garlic and onions.

The cauliflowers? Huh, well, SHE thinks that they might turn into what they should look like but they don't do so at the moment, the less said about those cauliflowers, the better.

All the little beds and two of the long beds were dug and turned over. A touch of frost would be good to break up the soil which is a 'bit' too damp. The large cutting bed, full of dark blue hyacinths and jonquils, was cleared of weeds. 

SHE sharpened the pruning shears and went snip snip allover the apple and pear trees, they have all grown so much and far too tall, SHE reduced their height by two thirds.

And laughed when SHE saw the three 'Seneca' plum trees for they are covered in blossom, they are very silly girls, for these cold winter winds will blow it all away and then there will be no fruit, grrr. Such a pity as these plums are tasty.

However, all the other plum and stone fruit trees are still fast asleep, they not dancing around in their fairy dresses with pale green chiffon shawls. 

For they are not only in blossom, they are also in full leaf, it is most curious, SHE will telephone Brogdale, the fruit research company and ask them to tell HER more about this variety.

But then old mr.wind came along and SHE saw a big dark line on the horizon, that signifies rain in fifteen minutes, quick scurry scurry, shut up shed, pick some 'greens', a large bunch of daffodils and run for the bus.

Don't YOU just love happy week ends? Now I know YOU are wondering about the curious title of this post, are YOU not?

Well, the fruit trees had grown so tall that SHE knows that they have been reading a book, the autobiography of Sir Douglas Bader. Why his book, Dear Readers, his autobiography was called 'Reach for the Sky'! 

And, if YOU don't know who he was, WE suggest that YOU do an on-line search. 

But be prepared, yes indeedy, be prepared to have YOUR socks blown off by the story of the bravery, the courage and the incredible determination of this man.

WE have a busy week ahead, for there is lots to do. SHE was hoping for a fine day but heavy rain is due tonight so there will be no cutting of grass tomorrow. 

Instead, SHE will go up to Streatham and hopes to have coffee and eat homemade Danish cookies with Susan. And, whilst SHE is there, SHE will get Tereza some salted pork fat from Bartek, for there was none for sale in France. 

Goodness, is that the time, how late it is! Time for bed. 

Good night Dear Readers. I will be back, that's not a threat, it's a promise.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 24th, 2014.

GIFTS FROM A GENEROUS STRANGER

A sunny day in London Town.. it sounds like the title of a song, does it not?

Well, it isn't! What it is, is the brilliant weather conditions here in deepest Knightsbridge! SHE is bound for the garden with a lot of pruning to do. 

I will sit and look at people dressed in normal clothes, not trudging about in cold weather gear.

I told YOU that SHE met a charming man in the market yesterday, they were queuing to be served by Liz on Sally and Geoffrey's vegetable stall. 

His name was Preston, they talked about food and he was kind enough to give HER the name of a Smokehouse up in Suffolk and refreshed HER memory of another!

The new one for HER was Emmett's and all of their contact details are here. 

Emmett's Suffolk Ham & Bacon Since 1820.

Emmett's of Peasenhall.
Peasenhall, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 2 HJ.
Tel: 01728 660250
Fax: 01728 660404
Email: mail@emmettsham.co.uk
Web site: www.emmettsham.co.uk

The one he reminded HER of is, primarily, a Fish Smokehouse. SHE used to buy a lot of their products in the late 80's - early 90's. They are a lovely company with wonderful products!

Pinney's of Orford.

Pinney's of Orford.
The Old Warehouse, Quay Street,
Orford, Suffolk UP12 2 NU.
Tel: 01394 459183
Email@pinneysoforford.co.uk
Web site: www.pinneysoforford.co.uk
They also have a restaurant.. yum.

I think generosity of spirit is a trait that SHE likes more than anything else and to find it in a total stranger was a gift which WE pass on to YOU.

WE hope that it is a 'sunny' day - sunny both in disposition and temperature! Enjoy it, wherever YOU are.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 22nd, 2014.

'I LOVE SICILIA' HAS MOVED. NEW LOCATION. THE NORTH END ROAD, LONDON SW6.

SHE was out of the door like a rat down a drain pipe, it was early but SHE hates being late for an type of appointment and squeaked through the door with two minutes to spare!

Right on time for HER dentist, the lubbly-jubbly dentist who taught HER the trick of how to have no pain when having an injection into a gum.

It is SO simple, drop YOUR shoulders and breathe through YOUR nose. That's it, try it next time.

He is so thorough, this clever man, bite on this, wiggle your jaw about, bite tap tap on this, all to make sure the bite is absolutely even. 

So with everything ok, then it was time to fill old Wheelie up with fresh fruit and vegetables. Apples (Cox), avocados, red potatoes, red and white onions, celery, grapes, spring onions, calabrese.

SHE worked backwards up the market, greeting friends and passing time with a few of them.

SHE spoke with a unknown but charming man whose name is Preston, he will be the subject of another Tale because he generously gave HER the name of a Smokehouse in Suffolk.

Up to Margie, she runs an amazing haberdashery stall, it takes her one and a half hours to set the stall up each morning.. that is how much stock she sells! 

HER favourite burgundy coloured shopping bag has had an accident, some ..... .... (think of two very rude words) mouse has chewed the leather binding on the top edge of the bag.. grrr. 

Margie came up trumps with a identically coloured edging which SHE can stitch around the bag, it will take a lot of time and SHE is not best pleased, but it will stop the damage getting worse.

Nearly the end of the market, ooh, lookie-lookie, look what has moved from Vandon Place into the market! 

'I love Sicilia', is a stall selling Sicilian Yumyum, owned and run by Daniela, who is a Sicilian. Two hot burners were going today. One had Sicilian Sausages and onions ready to pop into panini and the other was Chicken with rosemary. 

Daniela asked "Would SHE like a taste?". Hello, is the Pope a Catholic? The sausage was delicious.

Then there were several trays of those small but delectable small Sicilian pastries whose names are unknown to HER but they won't be for long, oh no, for SHE plans to frequent this stall because a: the food is tasty and b: Daniela (who is very young and is, therefore, to be encouraged and promoted for taking the initiative) is there from Tuesday to Saturday and it was very cold today.

Her stall is at the Fulham Broadway end of the North End Road, it is almost directly in front of a mobile telephone shop called Chitter Chatter.

Bumpbumpbump down the steps came poor old Wicker, such edibubble treasures were unpacked. A delicious luncheon was organised, beetroots, carrots, celery, calabrese, onion, egg noodles were either chopped raw or cooked and served in an olive oil and fresh lime dressing which was heavy on the garlic!

I love a lunch like this and regret that I have to confess that I will not eat this out of MY bowl but nick it out of HERS. 

A quick cup of coffee and SHE left for the library, coming back in a slightly grumpy mood! What can have happened, I thought? What had happened is the following.. grr.

SHE went to the library on Tuesday to return 5 books, renew two and take out four new books. But alas and alack, the 5 books that SHE returned on Tuesday, with the automated return service, are still showing on HER account.

SHE knows that SHE returned them but there is no sign of them as having been put back into the system.. grr.. sigh.

"Che sera sera".. as the Italians say "What will be, will be", let's not get OUR feathers in a twist about this, it can and will be sorted out next week.

As for now, ah ha. I spy a wonderful Post coming up, about an virtually unknown but amazing place to eat. NOT cheap but it does serve delicious food.

YOU will get the recipe for a bread made with Chilli Peppers, which is perfect to eat with Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese and the location about the 'YOU would never know about the place unless YOU knew it was there' little restaurant in New Bond Street.

FlapFlap, Dear Readers, WE wish YOU all a very enjoyable week-end. WE will certainly be posting posts over the next two days.

So smile and thank YOUR lucky stars a fat grey parrot does not 'hang-out' on YOUR head..

GeeGee Parrot.
February 21st, 2014.

HER PET HATES & WONDERFUL NEWS!!

Hello Dear Readers.. ooh, it has been such a busy day here, it probably was meant to be that Kay had to cancel their lunch date!

Too'ings and fro'ings have been done all day.. yes, all day. With another section of that very large cupboard being sorted out. A lot of stuff SHE will never use again but it is valuable so it has to be packed up properly and given to an old colleague. 

More paperwork to be gone through. SHE swears it breeds by itself.. but fierce mr.shredder makes short work of that, it is now in a recycling bag ready to be taken out early tomorrow morning.

SHE has 'lost' a young friend, his mobile is switched off and his parents appear to be away as their telephone is being answered automatically by a machine. 

He was extremely unwell last year, sigh, WE hate it when things like this happen for he is a 'cute kid' and SHE hopes that his parents will respond to the message SHE left on their machine.

So that is the first of HER pet hates.. when people disappear.

The second is the one that Constance & Hugo hated as much as SHE does and it is when people say (but they don't ask YOU which day would be good to do it) "WE must do lunch (or whatever), it makes HER howl with laughter just to think about how ridiculous it is, YOU know there is not a snowballs chance that they have any intention of having lunch with YOU! Heehee..

But the third one, well, this one takes the biscuit! 

And is HER pet, pet hate, it is when YOU have made an effort to organise a lunch or whatever, and when YOU leave the other person, they say "Now keep in touch" which, of course, means "I can't be bothered to call you".

This always makes HER squeal inside with laughter and think, well now,  there is a name to take off the party list, that is for sure, for YOU realise that they, by the way, are the sort of friend who, despite being asked to join HER and other friends for several jolly occasions has never reciprocated in kind. 

So moving swiftly along. There is all types of 'sorting' going on in HER life at the moment and as YOU probably have gathered, not all the things that are being disposed are of 'material' nature.

Some are out of date acquaintances or friendships.

But hold the post.. for the landline telephone has just rung.

Oh.. happy days are here again. It was Tom, the father of HER lost friend. He is much better health wise, happy, safe, living in the country and comes to London every Wednesday and will telephone HER tomorrow morning.

Only the Dear Readers who have read all the posts on MY Blog will remember this lovely young man with whom SHE worked at the studio. He was called Lovely Assistant.. aka in real life.. Hal. So now WE know OUR 'boy' is ok, how very kind of his dad to call US with this good news.

Flap-a-flap-a-flap! What a great week this is!

GeeGee Parrot.
February 20th, 2014.

ARE YOU A GAMBLER.. GIVE US THE ODDS ON THIS!

Whooop-dee-dooo.. what an afternoon WE had!

Back to the beginning, YOU all know that it is MY favourite place to begin telling a Tale.

Recently SHE turned out a large cupboard and found some photos that should have been together with other family photos.

One of the photos was of a Godmother, she is not a 'real' Godmother but she was married to Sydney Butterell who was one of HER Godfathers and when Sydney died, Simone, who has no family of her own, asked if she could take on the role.

She lives in Brunei, which was where she met and married Sydney, and for the longest time Simone was the French Consul, she is French.

Over the years since Sydney died, Simone and SHE have always kept in touch but when SHE saw the photo, SHE realised, that there had been no Christmas card this year from this lovely woman and no response to a card that SHE sent her last autumn.

Fast forward to this afternoon.. SHE was doing the 'dashing away' with old whoosh machine aka doing the ironing and getting mighty bored as it transpired that there was a lot more to do than WE had thought.

LBC 97.3 was on the radio, they talk, no Boogie music on this channel.. suddenly, SHE bent down and pulled the plug out of the socket, whistled for ME to come with HER and went to get iPad and to go online to look for the contact details of the Royal Brunei Embassy.

Zoom.. there were all the details needed, SHE picked up landline telephone (yes, WE still have one of these) and dialled the Brunei Consulate.

A recording gave HER all the options and SHE pressed number 4. A very pleasant young man's voice answered the telephone and SHE explained what SHE wanted to know and asked if he or the Consulate could help.

SHE gave HER name and the connection to 
Simone, that she is the widow of Sydney etc, etc. that SHE was concerned as there had been no response or Christmas card this year from Brunei.

There was a slight intake of breathe at the other end and then the man laughed and said "I wonder what the odds are on this happening, for I know exactly who you are talking about, she coached me in French when I was taking an exam and she is a great friend of my mother, I do know that Simone is having slight problems with her memory.."

HELLO.. SHE spoke with a man who had known Simone since he was twelve, who now works for the Royal Brunei Embassy in London and who, apart from his mother, is probably the only person who knows Simone in England.

SHE gave him all HER contact details and asked him to pass a message through the Consulate onto HER lovely Godmother, he said that he would do that with much pleasure and that he would also tell his mother of this telephone call.

They said "Goodbye".. 

SHE stood up, SHE had a grin on HER face from ear to ear, SHE went to the cd storage area and bent over looking at two of the racks, SHE pulled out a few, whistled for ME and WE went back in to the sitting room.

SHE plugged in whoosh machine, flipped a switch on the radio, put in a cd and reached up a hand, I stepped down just in time, only to be zoomed upside down and to have MY ears filled with the loudest noise.

Now YOU know that all self respecting girls lurve to Boogie, especially when they find people who have gone awol, also when a girl is as happy as this, who wants to listen to a talk show?  

So there was no more talk show (however good), for now what was a'filling MY ears (and probably all the neighbours as well) was.. Boogie Music!

What are the odds Dear Readers and he was only standing in on telephone duty because a colleague was off. Coincidence.. Fate.. Who cares.. For.. 

Yeah.. WE found Datim Simone today..

GeeGee Parrot.
February 19th, 2014.

SHE LISTENS TO LBC 97.3.. I PREFER TO BOOGIE..

Greetings to YOU all.. WE know that Dear Reader Rosamund down under in Australia is reading MY Blog, she sent HER an email this morning, long email full of stuff to which SHE is going to reply to this evening.

Dear Readers Pegeen and Marylou in snow covered Illinois are up to date as well and so is an old school friend Sally in France.

Sally's gas tank is not where it should be! It should be sitting underground and not, therefore, visible but with all the rain they have had, well there it is, naked to the eye! 

SHE has just plugged in the whoosh machine and turned on the radio.. grrrrr. Listening to Radio, when ironing, should not be allowed.. no sirree.

One should have loud Salsa music on.. for have YOU ever tried to boogie to 97.3? And will it make HER laugh, I doubt it, sigh. 

It is at times like this that I miss Gloria.. oooh.. She and I had such fun on ironing days.. it was a very good thing that the upstairs neighbour is NOT here all the time! 

For Gloria, the whoosh machine, the cd player and I made so much noise.. oh, such happy days they 
were.. SHE is much quieter than Gloria (boring).

Gloria, being Columbian by birth, sang in Spanish,
and knew all the words to those wonderful tunes which cd player would 'belt' out, I zoom-zoomed around the room with joy and screeched at MY top volume (which, I assure YOU, is very loud) and whoosh machine whooshed.

YOU now see why LBC does not have quite the same effect? Never mind.. it is good to be up to date on current affairs but some, most, are grim.

Today SHE is off up to The British Library and the going to George to collect the green shoes. I will doze on a door and dream of sunny days, they have not been here for the longest time, I do wish Spring would spring.

Never mind, the days are longer, it is not as cold as it was two weeks ago when WE shared bed with three hot water bottles.. Spring is a'coming, albeit, rather slowly.

I wish claw could change that switch to cd player for I am sure there is a disc in there.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 19th, 2014.

CHANGE OF PLANS..

Kay has telephoned to say that she is going to Wales tomorrow to see her very elderly mother in law, this means there will be no lunch or jaunt in the market on Thursday, SHE thought "never mind, I'll do so and so instead".

So much to do here in the city, YOU just have to go out and do or see it!

No going out today, only a quick trip upstairs to collect the mail, no mail for US, only stuff for Tereza which SHE collected as she is away with the children.

Back equally quickly as it started to rain, ugh! 

Metal board and whoosh machine came out of mr.Boiler room, whoosh machine will be known to YOU by his other name.. steam iron.

There was lots to iron, SHE is putting linens away in proper storage bags, everything is 'smaller' if it is ironed, so with smelly water for whooshing and music to boogie too, most of the 'lots to iron' stuff quickly disappeared into crisp, neat piles.

Only a small pile of table linen was left and that will be done tomorrow. Two sweaters were darned and mended, the side seam of a pretty grey cable had come undone and a little top needed some work on the hem, if YOU do it as soon as YOU see it, then all YOUR clothes will be neat and tidy.

SHE has planned an early supper tonight, WE are having Johanna's Potato Sauce on boiled red potatoes, steamed calabrese and tuna. 

That should keep that big bad old wolf from the door but alas and alack, there are no almonds or grapes for pudding. Sigh.

Never mind, a few cashews will have to do.

However, I might have to slip a nip in somewhere soon, for SHE, very nortily, tried to palm ME off with a couple of slices of orange at tea time, huh, silly woman. 

I eat Cox apples at tea time with Lapysang, I mean, YOU cannot crunch an orange, can YOU?

GeeGee Parrot.

February 18th, 2014.

ROSTI SALMON FISH CAKES & AVOCADO SALSA..

OH brother, or rather Dear Reader, do WE have a recipe for YOU, are YOU ready for serious yumyum?

SHE has been making this delicious dish for a verrry long time! But it is, I guarantee, as good now as when Dagga-the-Parrot used to eat it over twenty years ago.

WE have seen and told YOU that the most read post now on MY blog is the one about the Gateau de Pommes de Terre Savoyard.. well, this recipe might give that one a good run for first place.. for  Rosti, of course, also contains potatoes!

Avocado Salsa. MAKE this at least ONE hour before making the fish cakes.

2 large firm Tomatoes.
1ripe but firm Avocado.
1/2 small Red Onion.
2 tbs of fresh Lime juice.
Tobasco Sauce.
1 rounded tbs of hopped Coriander leaves.
Salt and freshly ground black Pepper.

Skin the tomatoes by pouring on boiling water over them, then leave for only ONE minute before draining them and slipping off the skins as soon as they are cool enough to handle.

Cut each tomato in half, then hold upside down and squeeze gently to extract the pips. Chop the tomato flesh as finely as possible.

Halve the avocado, remove the stone, cut each half into quarters, then peel off the skin, chop the avocado into minute quarters and then do the same to the red onion. 

Combine everything in a bowl, add the seasoning, lime juice, tobasco and coriander, mix well, cover
the bowl with cling film and leave on the side for the flavours to develop.

Rosti & Salmon Fish Cakes.

1/2lb / 225 small RED potatoes.
3/4lb / 350g tail end of Salmon, skinned and deboned.
1heaped tbs of Capers, chopped if they are large.
2 tbs fresh Lime juice.
2 tbs fresh chopped Coriander leaves.
2 tbs of seasoned flour.
Groundnut Oil for frying.
Salt and paprika.
Coriander for garnishing.

Chop the salmon into fine chunks, place in a large mixing bowl with the capers, lime juice and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and season with salt and paprika.

Wash potatoes, place in a saucepan with their skins on, add salt, then just cover them with boiling water from the kettle, put lid on and then boil the potatoes for 10 minutes ONLY.

When potatoes have had 10 minutes, drain them and peel (when they are cool enough to handle).
Use the coarse blade of a grater to grate into strips.

Mix gently with the fish mix, try not to break the grated potato bits, 

Take tablespoonfuls on the mixture and shape into cakes, you will need to press the mixture together firmly, don't worry about the raggedy edges!

Dip each cake in the seasoned flour.

Measure 2 tablespoons of oil into a frying pan and heat until oil is really hot, then add the fish cakes. 

Fry for 3 minutes on each side until crusty and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with Avocado Salsa and say after ME..

"Slurp".. I do know other words but none that have the right amount of gravitas that is needed when talking about YumYum.

WE are having this on Thursday for supper, SHE is meeting Kay for lunch, then they plan to visit the lubbly-jubbly butcher and the equally lubbly-jubbly fishmonger and MY Cashew Nut supplier.

But now, work has to be done, goodness ME, it is nearly one of the afternoon clock, how time flaps by!

GeeGee Parrot.
February 18th, 2014.

OUR BOY IS SAFE.. OH, WHAT A HAPPY DAY!

Dear Readers.. surely it was one of the happiest of days!

SHE was two paces away from the top of OUR steps when.. whooosh.. a mottled grey Feral Dove landed on the pavement in front of HER.

It was Little Dove! 

He is alive, safe and doing quite well on his poor dodgy left foot. SHE went back down the steps and zooom, he followed. This made HER very happy as the last time he followed HER was when SHE had shut the door behind him but he has now obviously figured out that SHE is 'ok'.

SHE gave him a bowl of yumyum and some water, then explained that SHE did, actually, have to go to work and could not stay and 'chat' with him.

They left the flat together, him with a full tumtum and HER with the biggest smile on HER face.

OUR boy is ok.. whoop-de-whoop! What a great start to the week.

GeeGeeParrot.
February 17th, 2014.

AT HOME WITH MOTHER..

I expected HER to go out and leave ME today.. for old sun was a'shining but SHE had other plans.

They involved sorting out a cupboard.. a very large cupboard. Full of old work files, photos and photographic stuff. And other stuff.. 

The things SHE found! A never opened complete Rigaud candle set, two pairs of wooden candles that are electrified and that fit into candlesticks, an old address book that SHE knew was somewhere.. HER Canon photo printer, two sets of the special ink cartridges and the glossy paper.

But, on the bottom shelves and luckily everything was packed in boxes, it appears that Mister and Mrs Mouse have been living rent free and eating MY bird food!

I wondered where MY monkey nuts disappeared to and now WE know.. there was a huge stash of them inside the cupboard! Some still waiting to be eaten.

But they are there no longer, for fierce Mr.Dyson and his trusty hose took them all away and now the room smells like a Wrigley's chewing gum factory!

Mice do not like the smell of peppermint, so after SHE washed and disinfected the boxes and the shelves, lots of the Essential Oil of Peppermint was put onto cotton balls and these have been placed in the cupboard.

SHE is out tomorrow, but not for all the day, WE will have lunch together, then I will go to a quiet spot and doze whilst SHE does what humans do.

But never fear.. For in YumYum HQ is a big stash of MY favourite bread, lots of eggs and fruit and a big pot of chick-the-licken soup, I had some of this warmed up for supper, it is truly delicious with carrots, onions, celery, garlic and, of course, bones. I am partial to bones as they are good for Beaky.

But it is almost MY bedtime and tonight I have a bowl of green grapes should I feel peckish in the night, I think that is when norty mouse has been stealing MY bird food. 

Sneaky thieves! Well, they won't be at all happy when they go back and find that their secret place has vacuumed out, that there are no more nuts and I certainly don't think they will approve of green grapes as an alternative!

Tough.. WE want them to pack their bags and go. I am going too but I will be back again tomorrow.

PipPip Dear Readers.. FlapFlap..

GeeGee Parrot.

February 16th, 2014.

HER NEW & VERY SPECIAL DOCTOR!

Yes, Dear Readers, SHE has found a new Doctor!

Now, he does not wear a white coat or hang a stethoscope around his neck, neither he does peer into ears, down throat or try to bend that dodgy old knee.

But he a saviour.. yes indeedy.. for what he does.. drum roll.. is to take care of boots and shoes!

He is Shoe Doctor or rather, the company which has been in existance since 1934, is called Shoe Doctor.

SHE has lots of pairs of shoes, the pair that SHE has had the longest were bought in 1966, come now, YOU knew SHE was ancient!

They are all kept in beautiful condition, using proper polishes and clean cloths, leather soles are always cleaned at the same time, for dry leather soles will crack and ruin a pair of shoes.

One product that is brilliant for boots and shoes is Mink Oil. It waterproofs leather and SHE uses it to keep an old leather jacket supple.

SHE has several pairs of 'coloured' shoes, dark pine green, bordeaux and dark navy and always used to use Meltonian cream polish in the revelant colour.. but what was this! Ugh.. Shock.. horror.. Meltonian ceased to be.. No more dark pine green polish for those pretty J.Renee flats!

Luckily, old iPad had the answer.. a quick look at a search engine produced a web site of a company based in Poole, Dorset, UK.

Oooooh.. Lookie, lookie, there are lots and lots of lovely coloured cream and wax polishes and lots and lots of boot and shoe care products, including Milk Oil!

So for all YOU shoe lovers, here are their details.. 

SHOE DOCTOR
20. Wimborne Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 2 BU.
phone: 01202 668279.
email: orders@ShoeDoctorShop.co.uk

The service was excellent, the products fabulous!

Now SHE has to go and get the dark green shoes back from George who has repaired the heels and they will get a polish with the right coloured cream, they will then be happy shoes and do YOU know what happens when YOU have happy shoes? 

Why, YOU have happy feet!

I had a bath this morning. Yes, Dear Readers, not a splosh about in MY water dish but a proper bath in warm water in the kitchen sink. Then, whilst drying ME off with a fluffy, warm towel, SHE whipped ME upside down and filed MY nails with an emory board, it was extremely undignified. 

And now I, too, have happy feet.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 15th, 2014.
Post script..  SHE does have a new 'doctor' but that is another Tale.

THE STORMS ARE 'HOLDING' HANDS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC..

Oh, goodness gracious! Have YOU seen the aerial photos of the American and the European storms?

They are looped across the country and sea and appear to be holding hands.. WE, in London, like everywhere in Europe, I hasten to add, had a real day and a half of it yesterday. 

The morning was not too bad but come early afternoon, the sky went dark and the rain, which had just been drizzling, became heavy and, just to add to it, old wind decided to come along and anti up the drama.

The damage in London was 'pretty' bad already with scaffolding going wonky, blinds being ripped off shop fronts (why were they still out, is OUR question?), but in the Holborn area.. it was beyond dreadful. A building collapsed and a woman was killed. Poor family.

HER friend Kay was due back from Prague in the early evening.. she got home this morning at nine of the clock! 

The plane had to abort landing at Gatwick, the cross winds were too strong, onto Stansted, same problem, where could they land, for Manchester also had the same problem?

Luckily, Liverpool was 'relatively' calm, they landed safely and were put onto a coach for Gatwick where they could retrieve their car. Phew.

The friends are meeting on Thursday for an Italian lunch in the North End Road Market, which, by the way, SHE was told yesterday whilst SHE was at work, is closing!

Oh no, WE hope that this is incorrect gossip. SHE knows it is much smaller than it used to be but the stalls sell fabulous stuff.. for instance: Sally and Geoff's vegetables, Karen's fruit, Margie's haberdashery or the Saturday man with his electrical spares.

Work was SO quiet but then who was out and about shopping for non-essential stuff yesterday? A couple of locals came in for books and dvd's, doubtless they were planning on going straight home to read or watch them! 

SHE had sneaked a very scrummy cake in and arranged for their staff controller to come in at tea time.. to say "welcome back" to lovely boss who had had an operation on her wrist and been off work for four weeks.

Then Anna Malaga came in for the last ninety minutes of work time, she is called Anna Malaga because a: that is where she comes from and b: because there are another two Annas.

SHE bolted for home and took the bus, not fancying the walk home up two streets where there are lots of building works, be safe, not sorry is a good motto to observe in weather like this.

But, is the end in sight? The temperature is dropping in Northern Canada, this might stop the cold air being forced in a southerly direction for, apparently, this is what is causing these ice and snow storms in the United States and the side effect are these rain storms with severely high winds all over western Europe.

The droughts in California, West Texas and parts of Australia, where as Rosamund wrote, there was extensive flooding two years ago. All very weird.

Prague was dry, sunny, warm! Kay had taken cold weather clothes! YOU can't 'win' at the moment, can YOU and Scotland has more snow than Sochi!

But WE are saddened to hear of the fatalities across the world caused by either the weather or the volcanic eruptions in Indonesia and WE pray that The Ring of Fire is not awakening.

Sigh.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 15th, 2014.

TODAY IS ST.VALENTINE'S DAY.. THE UNFORGETTABLE DAY HER FATHER DIED..

SHE was in Spain staying with friends. One of their daughters was getting married in the afternoon of February 14th, so no one was surprised to see the Postman coming to deliver a telegram.

But, sadly, it was not for the bride nor her parents.

It was for HER, from Constance, to say that Hugo had died. 

(If YOU are not a regular Dear Reader of MY Blog, let ME explain that SHE, aka HER, is MY human mother, Constance was HER mother and Hugo was HER father).

Hugo had taught HER many years ago the practise of 'Restraint of Tongue & Pen' and oh boy, that was a good thing.. for it transpired that Hugo had had another stroke, gone into a coma, then died three days later.

Why was it a good thing? 

Well, read the last bit again, the bit about 'three days later'. For it signifies that neither HER brother nor HER step-mother had had the 'courtesy' to tell the other members of Hugo's family that he was dying.

The daughter's wedding was held in one of Malaga's oldest churches, and the reception afterwards was a happy, very joyful affair and although, greatly saddened by the very sad news, SHE was not distraught about HER father's death. 

Why, because it had been SHE who, nine years previously in May of 1972, had flown from Paris to Tenerife to fetch Hugo, when he had been completely paralysed by a stroke, and take him by Air Ambulance back from the Canary Islands to England. 

It was SHE who had arranged and spoken with all the brilliant doctors and staff at Sister Agnes's, aka King Edward 7th's Hospital, and SHE who had to let the family, who were spread all over the world at that time, know what had had happened.

SHE had spent a lot of time with HER father in Spain, had suggested Sculpture as a way to help him beat the paralysis and it was SHE that Hugo had told "....., if this happens again and I go into a coma, let me go, this is a ......".

But YOU do not wait for three days to tell YOUR sister that YOUR father is critically ill, not when SHE is only less than four hours away and, in 
those days, ALL airlines had one emergency seat just for situations like this.

Now YOU should understand why SHE has had to exercise Restraint of Tongue & Pen, SHE did then and WE do it again on MY blog.

WE might say that Hugo friend's were not so restrained.. for none of them were told he was ill or of his death.

So today.. St.Valentine's day.. SHE spends it honouring Hugo, who wore that cologne of Bay & Lime, who takes, yes, YOU did read that correctly, sends or takes HER on jaunts, who was HER father.. who taught HER the meaning of Love.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 14th, 2014.

WHAT'S THIS A'HANGING ON OUR FRONT DOOR?

Well Dear Readers, YOU ain't going to believe this.. but it was OUR supper! Courtesy of OUR very adorabubble upstairs neighbour called Tereza. How about that! And as it was tastyYumYum.. well, it certainly hit that 'spot' know as the empty tummy spot.

Especially as SHE has had another one of those running about days.. doing this and doing that and then remembering, when SHE was a few steps away from home, that there was no fruit at home.. so a quick 74 took HER to Karen for grapes and persimmons.

Who, poor woman, was very chilly-billy, so a quick trip to the coffee shop was what was needed.. there, that was better, WE can't have OUR friends being frozen to the spot.. can WE?

Then out again to Nespresso, silly machine refused to stop being in descale mode, luckily the nice staff know how to make their machines behave properly and they gave HER a lovely coffee whilst SHE waited.

Although it was not as windy in the city as yesterday, the sky was clear of clouds and oh boy, it sure was cold.. really cold.

But, thank goodness, not as cold as in Atlanta and the other places on the Eastern Seaboard.. with those ice and snow storms.. ugh. Shiver MY bones.

So to find food a'hanging on the doorknob, well, it was like a dream but it wasn't a dream.. for it was real, it was real hot and spicy Chinese YumYum.

"THANK YOU TEREZA".

Slurp..

GeeGee Parrot.
February 13th, 2014.

AND WHAT ARE THE FARMERS WITH LIVESTOCK (ANIMALS) DOING?

Not very much to report.. it is blowing a mile a minute out there, rain is falling by the tub load and it is cold. The flooding all over the country is appalling and the weathermen say the end is not in sight.

Today SHE took things to donate to a Charity in Cadogan Street and used an umbrella, which was less than useless as the wind thought it was a toy! 

SHE had to go up to the West End, SHE took a big cotton square, wrapped it over HER head and around HER throat and then pulled a hat over it, it looked 'strange' to say the least, but at least HER ears, head and throat were dry and warm.

Ugh, goodness, prices for repairs have shot up! SHE has two more things that need to be repaired.. sigh.

And it is February, the month when utility bills have to be paid, electricity and gas.. bigger sigh.

So all thoughts of going to eat something hot, nice and spicy at a Chinese YumYum joint had to be put aside.. SHE is being very strict this month and sticking to HER budget.

Income so and so.. with expenditure less equals happiness.. income so and so and expenditure more than income equals misery.. quite true.

Back to the beastly weather. The noise of the wind blowing at midday was beyond ferocious, it was quite scary, in fact. 

Suddenly, there was an awful crash from outside the front door, SHE peeked out and, oh dear, the three orange trees which sit on very wide window ledge had been blown off and were lying down on the ground, a few Oranges had broken off but the main trunks and branches were ok. They were very lucky!

The trees in Hyde Park have not been so lucky. 

There are branches lying all over the ground, with 100 mile an hour winds, what can WE expect? Huge amounts of damage all over the country caused by the water and now these strong winds.

It is sad to realise that the amazing rock formation that was on a beach in Cornwall has been destroyed, it looked like a piece of Henry Moore sculpture, with the perfect hole in the middle, it was blown apart by those monstrous waves last week.

So WE dread to think what is now happening at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Southern Ireland, YOU cannot even begin to think about the ferocity and type of weather that is hitting them, as they face straight onto the Atlantic Ocean and will be receiving the brunt force of everything that is coming this way.

What a winter, MaryLou, in Illinois, has lived in the same area since the 1950's and neither she nor her brother can remember a winter being as severe as this one. 

And in Australia and Southern California, there is a very severe water shortage.. West Texas also.. it is a very grim situation for all types of ranching, be it arable, fruit and or livestock (animals).

Here there will be massive shortages in all types of locally produced food. Winter Wheat, forget it, it is rotting. Brassicas, the same for there are acres and acres of farm land under deep water.

And where are these poor farmers to move their livestock to? Where do you take herds of cattle and goats, horses and ponies, flocks of chickens, ducks, sheep and turkeys when, for miles around, all there is, is more flooded land?

It is, without doubt, an extremely difficult situation, a massive problem and a very sobering thought.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 12th, 2014.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 011410 & 011410.. AND A DELICIOUS RISOTTO..

NOTHING! 

Well, I am glad WE all agree on that.. for SHE came home early today, not in a very good mood.

SHE is, generally, a cheerful soul, has a high level of acceptance or tolerance of boredom and stupidity but today someone got HER Goat. Sigh.

Apologies to all of OUR Goaty friends at Ellie's Dairy.

Enough about dreary things, what have I got, I was going to write up MY sleeve but that would make YOU all choke with laughter and fall over, WE can't have lunacy abounding whilst reading MY blog, whatever next?

Well.. from under MY wing comes lip smacking news about a Risotto. WE just lurve them. This recipe is one SHE often makes as WE love these tasty ingredients. Here is a..

Risotto made with Roasted Vegetables.

250g / 8 oz vegetables. Peppers, courgettes, squash, cut into chunks.
2 Tbs Olive Oil.
1.2 litres / 2 pints of GOOD chicken stock.
40g / 1 1/2oz butter.
Salt & Pepper.
1 small onion.
280g / 10oz Risotto Rice.
85g / 3oz Parmesan cheese, grated.
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh herbs to garnish.

Preheat oven to 200C / 400F / Gas mark 6.
Put the vegetables into a roasting tin with 1 Tbs of oil and make sure that they are all coated in it. Roast in preheated oven until they are tender, about 20 minutes.

Bring the stock to the boil, reduce heat and keep stock on low simmer whilst you cook the risotto.

Heat the remaining oil with 25g / 1oz of butter in a deep saucepan over a medium heat until the butter is melted, gently fry onion in this until golden, do NOT let it brown.

Reduce heat, add the rice and mix to coat rice in oil and butter. Stir constantly for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the grains are translucent.

Gradually add the hot stock, a ladle at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition of stock. Cook for 15 minutes, then add the roasted vegetables, reserving a few for garnish. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until all the stock is absorbed but the rice is creamy but still firm to the bite.

Remove the risotto from the heat and add the remaining butter. Mix well, stir in parmesan until it melts, season with salt & pepper, serve on warmed plates with the rest of the vegetables and the fresh herbs on top.

No, WE are not eating that for supper tonight. WE are having Gnocchi with Zaira's Tomato & Garlic Sauce. SHE made the sauce yesterday and I know SHE went and bought fresh gnocchi on the way home this afternoon. Yum.

No, SHE never makes it, it being gnocchi, for why would SHE do that when SHE knows where it buy it where it is so fresh it would squeak, if freshly made gnocchi squeaked! But the sauce, ah now, well that is quite a different matter! 

SHE is always 'amused' when SHE sees people take garlic and onions out to make tomato sauce and they way they chop the tomatoes, oh, MY giddy aunt. The less said the better.

Anyway, that is what WE are eating tonight. SHE has a busy-running-about-sort-of-day tomorrow and hopes it won't be a day like this morning ugh, it was very wet indeedy.

PipPip Dear Readers, PipPip, I will be back here tomorrow. SHE is delving back into the latter part of the 1700's tomorrow with the help of a very kind and nice man who said "I find that subject fascinating, oh course I will help you, do come and see me next Wednesday". 

I mean, WHO would be able to resist such an invitation? Certainly not HER!

GeeGee Parrot.
February 11th, 2014.

WE HOPE LITTLE DOVE IS OK..

Don't even think it! Don't even allow the thought to formulate in YOUR brain.. WE know a lot of YOU maybe thinking "what a fuss, it was only a wild bird".

WE know he is a wild bird but he is OUR wild bird. He came to HER for help which SHE did.

He came on February 1st and left today in the early afternoon. He had a full crop and had eaten proper food and drunk clean water with avian vitamins in it for over a week.

His poor little foot had recovered as much as it ever would, the broken and damaged toe was helped greatly by old Mother Nature, it went black and dropped off his foot.

When SHE let him go this afternoon, he fluttered down the ground, then flew up on to the large flower pot which sits by the front door.

He turned and looked at HER for a while, standing still with his eyes fixed on HER face, then he flew to the top of the steps, where he turned and looked at HER again.

SHE, selfishly, would have much preferred it if he had zoomed off but he was probably adjusting to being out in the open again and wondering where all his friends were.

London pigeons mate for life and live (as long as they eat and drink enough and don't get killed by accident) for about eighteen to twenty years.

SHE is sure that Little Dove was a male pigeon, his avian family must have wondered what on earth happened to him. It is dark and chilly out there, WE had supper and hope that he has eaten again today and is with his family / mate.

WE hope that YOU will, if YOU do not already do so, purchase proper food to take care of YOUR wild birds. YOU don't have to have to do anything except to put it out in the day time, being careful not to put it where cats can creep up on them. And remember that they need clean water as well. 

Birds of all breeds are all beautiful, not every one has to be a chic grey parrot with a flashy red tail, Little Dove had mottled grey feathers, his head feathers were dark with a florescent sheen, with bright pink feet. 

OUR boy, bit HER yesterday afternoon, the first time he had done so and SHE knew that today was the day he must go. It was his way of telling HER "enough, I want to go now".

Don't worry, to help nature, YOU don't have to bring them 'in', but YOU can do the following, feed, love, watch these beautiful creatures and let them into YOUR heart.

I used to sit on top of his door and talk to him, it was 'strange' but rather nice to have another avian person here, I miss him, in fact, WE both miss him.

GeeGee Parrot.
February 10th, 2014.

VIM AND VINEGAR PLUS WIRE WOOL &.. A FLUTTER!

I know, Dear Readers, it is a most unusual title for a post but it has been a most unusual day.

Vim and Vinegar (white) are what SHE uses to keep the place clean, along with ironed dusters, microfibre cloths, wire wool of different gauges and that noisy Mr.Dyson. 

It is Monday, aka scrub-a-dub day. SHE has a weekly routine now as, usually, it is house work and washing on Monday, SHE works on Tuesday, plays on Wednesday at Museums, sees a friend or two for Thursday lunch and shops for food on Friday.. but, hey, YOU know what happens when YOU have a plan.. YOU can always change it!

Such a dismal day, at about midday, there were one or two minute patches of blue sky but old grey cloud came along and covered them up.

But WE are not complaining, as SHE has received an email from MaryLou. She said that birds have this ability to lose a toe without it impacting their health, thank goodness for that as dove is short of a couple of toes!

She described the three feet of snow and minus 30C temperature that are the conditions around and about in her part of Illinois, gulp! 

That is very seriously cold and very snowy snow, three feet is slightly better than the five feet they had earlier but who is measuring?

But with reference to here.. what SHE wants to know is.. have the UK Government been in contact with the Dutch Authorities? They are probably the best in Europe at managing their water as a huge percentage of Holland is, of course, reclaimed land.

This is, of course, with reference to the very severe flood conditions that have and are still occurring in the UK as WE Blog this post.

SHE wonders if anyone in a level of authority of the River Maintenance Department has come from a countryside background, or are they all city folk?

Let's move on.. rather swiftly.. as SHE is extremely annoyed and very angry about the mis-management of lots of the countryside and how EU Laws have been put into place, including trees not being allowed to be planted on agricultural ground. 

No trees, equals no tree roots.. which take a lot of water away from the surface and allow it to seep slowly and naturally down into the ground.

Moving along..

WE broke that dreadful fast, SHE and I were last as SHE went immediately SHE got up to check on Little Dove.

SHE made sure he had lots to eat and drink before WE got soft boiled eggs, rye and sunflower toast.

Then I was shut in whilst SHE fiddled with Little Dove, checking his toes, putting more anti-mite powder on him. 

SHE opened the front door, that was when SHE saw those blue patches of sky, went and picked up the dove and took him to the front door.

Having kissed him on his head, SHE opened the door and opened HER hands. Surprisingly, he did not vroom off but fluttered down to the ground and then sprang up onto the big flower pot where 'Joro' rose lives.

He turned and looked at HER, staying quite still, then flew to the top step and stayed there for about three minutes. 

It is always a bit of a heart in the mouth moment when YOU release a wild bird, he, of course, is minus two of his three front toes, will he be ok?

Just as SHE was about to turn and go back into the flat, he stretched out both wings, gave them a big flapaflapaflap and took off and up.. vrooom.. 

"Yes, indeedy, God speed Little Dove".

GeeGee Parrot.
February 10th, 2014.