Boring grey skies over London town.

Yes, I know, that everyone always thinks of rain and grey skies when they think of London but it was a bit of a shock to see not even a trace of blue when WE awoke this morning. 

Yesterday's sky was Cornflower Blue and the temperature very pleasant, SHE worked in a camisole top and thin jeans.. but with thick gloves, SHE was clearing a small bed where Mister Briar thought he was going to take up residence.. huh, SHE showed him error of his ways and he is now on rubbish tip.. roots and all,

SHE still has lots of work to do at garden, so I get to snuggle down with ole Beaky in chest feathers while SHE gets dressed in warm clothes.. no more gadding  about in camisole top.

SHE also muttered something about socks and work boots.. Socks! WE have not seen a sock for a long time! But working those three looong bed should soon warm HER up! 

Much to do and that included making US food with which to break our fast.. We like some routine in OUR life and at the moment, WE both like Buttered Eggs with Lapsang Tea and I get a whole slice of that beyond delicious Rye and Sunflower Bread. I noticed, though, that SHE had broken off a tiny bit and was munching it.. such cheek.

Time for HER to go to garden.. I am off to suggle down on top of bedroom door and dream dreams of daring do when Grey Parrots ruled Ocean Waves from Poop Decks on Buccaneering Pirate ships.. 

Aye aye Jim Lad and Walk the Plank, I am sure, would have been in MY vocubulary.. along with Pieces of Eight and Doubloons.. 

Adieu, MY Dear Readers, Adieu.. But fear not.. for jurst like that American General MacArthur.. WE will return.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 16th, 2012.

FOURTEEN PEONIES ORDERED..... well, that was quick!

SHE wiggled very speedily, yes, for there is really no other way to describe the speed SHE has when doing something SHE wishes to do.

HER Peony order has been placed.. with their order confirmation number in HER 'Garden' file.

Solfatare three, Duchesse de Nemours three, Edulis Superba three, Leto three and last but certainly NOT least, Festiva Maxima two.. the total, including packing etc and the all important 'Health Certificate' without which OUR Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries would not allow the importation of these plant, was £75.63. For fourteen plants!

For amusement, SHE has jurst been on to a highly respected Peony Nursery's site in England.. their starting price is 'significantly' higher.. 

SHE costed the order with their prices and squealed with delight / horror when it came to a price of.. wait.. are YOU sitting down?

THREE HUNDRED POUNDS! Goodness gracious US!!..

Now.. SHE off and I can settle down to a quiet dozy day.. SHE has three hundred Onion sets to plant.. well, WE do eat a lot of them.. plus sixty Daffodils and thirty Narcissi.. lots to do.. good thing it is a fine day.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 15th, 2012.

Thirty One Lithuanian Dear Readers!

WE don't know how or where these THIRTY ONE Dear Readers in Lithuania suddenly found out about MY Blog but SHE is mighty glad they did and 'came on board' as it were.. because it reminded HER that SHE has to order more Peonies, ooohh, how SHE lurves them!

And the best place SHE has ever found to buy these elegant ladies is from a website based in Lithuania!

It is called Peony Nursery.. very simply that and the website site is equally easy to remember for it is www.peonynursery.com. 

Rosamund in Germany, are YOU there? 

They are very LOW maintenance plants, only need proper staking when the plant is first put in and removal of dead foliage in Spring, and a bit of straw over the new shoots to protect them from frost.. but they would be simply beautiful for YOUR new garden.. HINT!

They sell both types of Peony, bush and tree, their prices are jurst amaazing and so is their service. There is a minimum charge, WE seem to remember, of $100.00, this includes packing and postage to anywhere in the world and they all carry a Certificate for Importation.

Their plants are wonderful.. go and have a look.. YOU will be astounded at the range of these exquisite plants.

The wonderful thing is they lurve very cold, frosty winters.. yes and they like snow as well.. most strange! But they grow wild in countries where the winters are severely cold and long.. do not plant them to deep, maximum two centimetres.. less than an inch.. otherwise they will not flower.. jurst like Raspberries, in fact!

Some are singles, some are doubles, there are earlies, middles and late flowering, some smell heavenly, some have a little fragrance but ALL of the colours are beyond 'pretty', that is for sure..

Go immediately, if not sooner, and have a look, they surely are a FEAST for the eye!

Talking of 'FEASTS'.. SHe sent some bulbs to Caroline and received a "thank you" which spoke of a 'feast of bulbs'.. what a simply lurvely expresssion..

Now, where is HER wallet .. don't jurst talk / write about ordering some.. do it, get a wiggle on!

WE will be back again later today, SHE has to plant bulbs and those 300.. yes, three hundred Onion sets today. rather HER than ME, but SHE does have knee pads.

Happy Saturday to YOU all..

GeeGee Parrot.
September 15th, 2012.

FRESH SAMPHIRE WITH COARSE BULGAR WHEAT..

Good evening to YOU Dear Readers wherever YOU may be.

SHE has jurst dreamt up a deliciously tasty dish.. From lubbly-jubbly Fishmonger SHE bought some Squidly-Diddly, no surprise there, WE eat it twice a week, some Whelks aka Sea Snails, three huge Shrimp and a small handful, because that was all that was left in the basket, of Samphire.

Now along comes supper time this evening, what to have with the Squidly-Diddly? Can not be bothered to cook Rice, Red or otherwise, SHE is hungry and S-D only takes a couple of minutes in a hot pan.. uuumm? What to make?

Ooooh yes! Samphire IN Bulgar Wheat, small pan on, in goes little block of frozen Fish stock from freezer, made from those fierce Salmon heads, in goes a cup and a half of boiling water, in goes Samphire with small cup of Bulgar Wheat, bring back to boil, turn down and simmer for four minutes with pan lid on, turn off heat and let it sit whilst S-D is cooking with his ink.. plus those huge Shrimp.

WE both cleared OUR plates.. yes, of course, I eat fish.. it is very good for feather sheen and eye sight.. have to have VERY sharp eye sight in order to see what SHE is up to!

YOU know that store, Lidl, is really quite remarkable!  Not only is it the ONLY place YOU can find Rye and Sunflower Bread ALL the time but they do sell extraordinarily clever stuff, today SHE found packets of very thick coir matting 50 x 150 cms with proper ties.. 

Do YOU know what it is for? Well, WE will tell YOU.. It is the very best stuff with which to wrap YOUR Citrus Fruit trees in the winter! 

WE have three that live on a window ledge, when it is snowing, of course, SHE brings trees in but for jurst frosty weather SHE always wraps them and takes the trees out of their saucers, murst not water them when it is chilly-billy as water will freeze around the roots and kill little Orange trees.So last watering is jurst about when ole Frosty starts scattering his icy stuff about.. 

Lidl? Why is SHE surprised? SHE found the trees there four years ago..

Oh, such delicious YumYum.. hope fishmonger has more Samphire tomorrow, SHE owes him £1.36.. he jurst waved a hand at HER.. can YOU imagine a dreadful Supermarket doing that? NO, YOU would have to put something back.. not with these guys.. they KNOW SHE'll be back.

And so will WE.. here.. tomorrow with more Tales of Life by a small African Grey Parrot and HER.. Yippee.. it is the weekend!

GeeGee Parrot.
September 14th, 2012.

HOLA.. Buenas dias..

Oh yes, Dear Readers.

WE speak smattering of many languages in this house! And today WE are "welcoming" TWO Dear Readers from Argentina.. 

I wonder where they are based?  Funny to realise that YOU gurls and guys 'out there' know so much about US and WE know nothing about YOU except which country YOU are in, except for those of YOU who are OUR much belurved Followers and WE know YOU personally.

Memo to SELF.. SHE read a very interesting Article about Goaty Milk yesterday whilst SHE was trundling along on bus trip via absolutely everywhere to Squires.. murst send article to Debbie aka Ellie of Ellie's Dairy.

Debbie breeds Goaty Folk and sells delicious Goaty Cheese, which she makes herself, and wonderful FRESH RAW Goaty Milk.. sigh, SHE cannot drink or eat any dairy at the moment.. but that won't last forever.

WE saw Mister.Woe hovering about outside yesterday but Ole Spot, HER most belurved Pigeon, soon got rid of him.. Ole Spot lurves HER because SHE mended Ole Spots' broken foot.. with a matchstick and bandaid.. I told YOU SHE has a special affinity with these birds. 

She lived in the bath on a layer of old towels and newspaper and didn't mind being handled in the least.. throughly enjoyed bath in basin with bird plumage 'shampoo', lurved being dusted with mite and tick powder and ate and drank copiously.. lived life of ole Riley, in fact!

Ole Spot stayed for two weeks and when SHE released her, flew off like a rocket straight up into the sky.. and was on the doorstep the next morning with her 'husband'..

Ole Spot and SHE have known each other a very long time.. for at least thirteen years.. That is one of the reasons SHE has such a large 'saucer' under Herb pot, SHE makes sure that it is always FULL to the brim with fresh water, it is not lack of food that kills birds, in the high heat of 'hot' summers and the freezing cold of frosty winters, it is more likely to be that there is no water for them to drink.. well, not clean water.

YOU see them drinking from puddles, poor babies, and YOU can see the slimy sheen from car exhaust on the water.. ugh.

What SHE has to do now.. is go to Clapham Junction to go to Lidl to stock up on MY favourite bread.. Rye and Sunflower.. oooh.. even Debbie aka Ellie thought it was 'pretty' good!

So I am off for doze.. egg and bread was good for ME, SHE had stewed home grown apples with a mug of black Lapsang.

WE will Post again later.. WE know WE won't have a new Post from La Vie en Rose to read for Joanna is staying with her parents and I do not think they have a computer connection in their home.

David, of Ellie's Dairy, has his tractor back.. hope all the hay is in David? So kind of other farmers to help, that was how it was when SHE lived on the farm in Kent, all local farmers would drive up and help with each other's harvests, Costance and Hugo would organise food for everyone outside or in the huge barn. SHE picked fruit in exchange for hay for BlueBoy (pony) and Victoria (goat), YOU name it.. SHE picked it.. 

But now, SHE has to go and 'pick' up MY bread.. so it 'Adios' from US Dear Readers.. vayo con Dios.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 14th, 2012.

GUERNSEY....

Dear Readers.. 

Head's up.. MY Blog has flown to Guernsey, one of The Channel Island and is being read by FIVE Islanders.. and, WE have ONE Dear Reader in Poland, I wonder if it is same person as before.. looonng ago WE had a Dear Reader in Poland... now WE see also ONE Dear Reader in Sweden..

Oooh.. talking about Sweden.. SHE wonders if they are going to be further episodes or another series from the team that did that brilliant-must-see-next-episode programme called 'The Bridge', it was VERY SCARY.. VERY GOOD.

Yes, I know I said I was flapping off to YumYum HQ. but jurst wanted to say "Welcome" to new Dear Readers..

Froom frooom.. closest thing to ME in aviation terms was a Harrier Jump Jet but I believe they were de-commissioned.. sad... such a magical aircraft to watch... marvellous engineering.

Pip pip.. chocks away..

GeeGee Parrot.

September 13th, 2012. 

HeeHee.. SHE'll get fat!

Dear Reader.. does YOUR beloved stick in their toes and do what they want to do sometimes?

SHE is 'delaying' doing Part Two of 'Air Travels '97'.. SHE jurst flaps 
aka waves a hand at ME and says "Yes yes", which fools none of US because WE know it means "No no".. but.. hey, what's a small redbum gurl supposed to do?

SHE had to pay a Library fine.. SHE lost HER books, I kept telling HER "look in Ole Wicker, YOU were supposed to take them back on Monday and YOU put them in there".. no no.. SHE kept scurrying around looking in all wrong places.. until I landed on Ole Wicker and as I have NEVER done that before.. SHE twigged.. finally.. Ooh, it IS hard work sometimes..

Anyway.. Off SHE went to Library and paid the fine, caught a bus to Homebase in search of Onions to plant.. not an Onion in sight.. most strange, went to Hammersmith and was waiting for a 190 little bus to go to garden when along came a 267 big bus going to Squires.. a HUGE garden centre the other side of Twickenham.

On SHE hopped and oh, MY goodness ME, it took 'forever' going through Brentford, past the house where Van Gogh lived when he stayed in England, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT.. yes, indeed he was here.. then past the side wall of Syon Park.

Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland, should tell their land agent to pay attention to that wall, it is not in good 'nick' and if she can afford and is prepared to spend MILLIONS of Pounds on her other properties, she should throw a few thousand at Syon and get that wretched ivy off the wall.. everyone knows ivy is a disaster on brick walls.

They went through Fulwell, Twickenham, SHE had NO idea it was as big but eventually there SHE was.. at the last stop.. and across the road was the side entrance to Squires.. lots of different varities of Onions.. so 100 of each went into basket, along with a magazine.. BIG treat! Yes, WE eat LOTS of Onions in this house) and back on the bus to come back.

Needed some cash so got off bus off behind Lyric Square and walked through to HER bank on King Street.. only for HER nostrils to be assaulted / bewitched / bedazzled.. YOU get the idea?  

OH.. MOLEY HOLEY..

There was a HOT FOOD MARKET all over the Square.. oooh... good thing it was before the Bank as SHE had precisely 24 pence in HER pocket.. 

SHE sniffed HER way around the stalls.. ooh, such deliciously enviting smells!  One smiley woman replied "Yes, it is always here on a Thursday".. Pulled Pork, Paella, Vietnamese, Thai.. well, WE know where SHE will be sidling off to next Thursday lunch time with some pennies in HER pocket, don't WE!

Home clutching a £10.00 note  via lubbly-jubbly fishmonger.. SHE is being very good at jurst eating fish, fruit and vegetables.. it has stopped the reflux completely.. sadly it comes back with a vengence if SHE has a morsel of dairy.. sigh.. and NO red meat.. that is a blow, WE like OUR Rump Steak very much and also Duck Breast but for now, they are not on OUR menu.

Hot water with a slice of Lemon in the morning is NOT the same as a very large mug of frothy hot Ellie's Goaty Milk with Expresso coffee from HER Nespresso machine in it.. bigger sighs, yes, two sighs.

Now it is time for ME to persuade HER to rustle a pan in YumYum HQ.. for it is supper cooking time.. yes, unless there is outside evening entertainment on the book, WE eat very early in this joint.. early to bed, early to rise.. NO wrinkles on OUR faces from gadding about too late..

I know lots of YOU want to know what Casey had lined up for her 60th bash in the new apartment in New York.. and what was SHE doing down in Texas.. but I am afraid.. I can only try.. sometimes I KNOW SHE pretends to be deafer than SHE really is.. I mutter things under MY breath only to catch HER looking at ME with a very sharp eye.

Off I flap, adieu Dear Reader.. until tomorrow.. play safe!

GeeGee Parrot.
September 13th, 2012.

Beds dug, compost & topsoil added, bulbs in.. PLUS.. explanation of how box got behind the mirror.. OH DEAR..

Oooh.. a lift to B&Q and a petrol station for 'juice' for strimmer!

Yes.. B&Q have a 10% discount on Wednesday for over 60's.. too good to miss, so bags of top soil, compost, fence wire and a packet of Broad Bean seeds were tucked away in a large trunk plus 5 litres of 
fuel for Mister Strimmer, nothing worse than having lots of grass to cut and no petrol!

OK.. two small beds in front are now planted up with mixed Daffodils and Narcissi. SHE is mighty bored with feeding nasty Mister Slimy Slug with Strawberries so those are coming out and, instead, SHE will underplant espaliered Miss Pear tree with miniature mixed Narcissi.

Tulips go in next month, SHe has to get some sand or fine grit as they do not like to have water around the bulb at all and where SHE wants them is a bit 'clayie'.. did YOU know YOU should NEVER allow the leaves and stalk to rot down?  When the leaves have turned yellow, YOU are supposed to cut it all off!  Who knew that.. not US for sure!

On a non-gardening note..

SHE has been asked "why on earth did the housekeeper put that box of washing tablets behind the mirror?"..

If YOU have read sad Tale of 9/11/04 YOU will know that box was the cause of Dagga Parrot breaking HIS neck.  

That horrid day was a Saturday and, as normal, Ivana, the housekeeper came on Monday.. SHE was angry, devastated, distraught, sad, shaken beyond belief (as YOU can well imagine) and so after Ivana had taken her jacket off, SHE asked her "Ivana, why did you put a box of washing tablets behind the mirror?".. as quick as a flash.. Ivana responded "Oh, it stopped the swing mirror moving back when I polished it, why?"..

When SHE told her what had happened and why.. she rushed to the bathroom and vomited.. Ivana adored Dagga Parrot.

SHE made her a cup of coffee and then SHE said .."I am going out, I will be back at 2.30pm to pay you before you go, there is lots of ironing to do, is there anything you need?"

As SHE left, having said "goodbye".. SHE thought about fact that HER 'BOY' was dead because Ivana had made it easier for herself to clean a mirror... oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.. 'how' would anyone be able to deal with causing such a sad thing to happen?

SHE came back with Ivana's wages to find the place immaculate with all the ironing done most beautifully but what was this? For, on the sideboard was a note and the front door keys! 

The note explained that Ivana felt she could not work for HER any longer knowing that, because of her, Dagga was dead.. she was sick with the thought she had caused death loss of most beloved bird.

So that explains why wretched box was there.. But nice Ivana had gone without her wages and had left..

The mirror left too.. SHE gave it to one of HER nieces.. SHE never wants to see it again, it has been in the family for a long time, it had been HER Grandmothers, given to Constance and valuable but SHE could and would not live with it in HER home.

Sombre day yesterday.. I know that people have said "ah well, if HE had not died, YOU wouldn't have GeeGee.." and yes, that is true. But now I am jurst going to fly onto HER head and blow HER a kiss.. because YOU have to let YOUR LURVED ones know YOU LURVE them.. and I do, I LURVE HER very much..

I do hope that YOU tell YOUR lurved ones this every day.. YOU see.. things happen in a flash sometimes.

More tomorrow.. in late afternoon, SHE has a busy morning and SHE has to check sequence of flights with an old passport. Useful things passports..

GeeGee Parrot.
September 12th, 2012.

SHE WILL POST LATER.. SHE IS GOING TO B&Q IN CAR WITH FRIEND..

SHE has offer of trip to B&Q in car.. ooh, so nice, now SHE can get wire, compost, manure, weed suppressant fabric for garden.. 

WE are breaking fast, eat Buttery Eggs and then SHE will go for all of those garden supplies that SHE really cannot carry in ole Wicker!

No need for YOU go.. lots here for YOU to read.. have you read ALL of MY Blog? Are YOU sure... no gross fibs.. remember truth should always be told!

GeeGee Parrot.
September 12th, 2012.

9/11/01 Nearly 3,000 people died.. 9/11/04 Dagga Parrot died.

Today, as ALL of YOU know, is the Eleventh Anniversary of that dreadful day when so many people died in those terrorist attacks on America.

What YOU don't know is that three years later, on 9/11/04 at 09.45.. HER most beloved and treasured companion for over sixteen years, Dagga, a male African Grey Parrot, died in an accident at home.

SHE was in the bathroom and in HE flew.. ZOOMZOOM, HE was a very big bird and powerful, when HE flapped HIS wings.. the air DID move!

HE landed on the old triple mirror which was on the table.. HIS 'party' trick was to JUMP up in the air and land facing the other way.. It always made HER laugh and HIM 'chuckle'.. only this time HE missed HIS footing and plunged down backwards behind the mirror.

HE screamed, SHE pulled the side panel to the front and saw, to HER horror, that the ...... stupid housekeeper had put a box of washing tablets behind the mirror and HE was laying with HIS back on this and HIS head and neck were hanging off the edge.

SHE put HER hands under HIS neck, head and body and lifted HIM very carefully up and out from behind the mirror.. HE had broken HIS neck, it was obvious that HE was dying.. SHE looked at HIM and put HER lips to HIS beak.. SHE told HIM that HE was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to HER, that SHE LOVED HIM and was so grateful for HIS love.. 

HE had a sound, that HE would make when they were cuddley-duddling in bed, which was "whawha".. this meant, and I kid YOU not, "give ME a kiss".. HE looked at HER, his eyes enormous and almost all black as the pupil was so enlarged..

HE said "whawha".. and the light went out of HIS eyes.

Dagga-the-Parrot was dead.. 

WE are not posting again today, WE will continue with Part Two of Air Travel '97 tomorrow.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 11, 2012.