Denise: A complaint today from a neighbour about the mess the geese leave. The sillies get it in to their head to have favourite places to camp. For a few days – or even weeks – it will be on a certain hillock.  And then it will be down in a little gully by the sea.  And then for a while it might be right outside someone’s gate.  Now they are perfectly within their rights to graze wherever they want on croft land, and I’m within my rights to let them: but let’s face it who wants to have to … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Last visit home – back in mid August, I divided the bee colony that survived last winter, in the hope of spreading my risk this coming winter. It was already late in the year to do this, but I had so little opportunity earlier.  I divided by moving the queen and a good supply of grubs and house bees, and some workers, to the new hive, and ensuring a good supply of day old eggs in the old hive, which the workers could convert to queens.  To be successful this would also require the new queen to be mated, … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Today I announced at work that I will end working full time with Mouchel.  There’s no stepping back from that now. I will officially remain an employee, but only working the hours I’m actually needed and working at home in Uist.  The talk with my boss about my future plans took place along with my 6-monthly review. I’d put as my career development objectives that I want to change to a part-time casual status. That’s the first time that any objective I’ve ever put to management has ever been agreed to and has come about – and immediately too!Just … Continue reading →

Denise: Tilly is unquestionably a very bright and loving dog.  But she also has her problems.  Mainly it’s that she doesn’t like being separated from me even for a few moments. if I put her out behind the house (with makeshift barricades until Jonathan comes home and makes something better) and I walk up the garden to serve a customer: if she hears me talking she’ll bully her way out and race up the garden to join me, sometimes alarmig the customer! Or if I leave her in the house, then she’ll wet on the hall carpet – even though … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Today has been sparklingly fresh and sunny, and so just as I last week said that I would, I cycled to St Alban’s for the day. National Cycle Route 61 passes very close to the campsite here in Welwyn Garden City: from the A1000 on the south side of WGC it crosses the A414 and then follows the line of a former railway through Hatfield and then  west for about 7 miles to St Alban’s, ending near the Abbey Station.  The quality of the route – in terms of surface, width, junctions and signing – was highly variable and … Continue reading →

Jonathan: Today, for a change, I’ve come to Chelmsford by train. Walk to Welwyn GC station, train south to Moorgate (but signal failure meant I had to change to another very crowded train at Finsbury Park), walk to Liverpool St Station (no signs to give directions), and then train north-east to Chelmsford, then short walk to office.  Time taken 1h 50mins door to door. Driving the far more direct east-west route along the A414 is just 40 miles (and about half that on dual carriageways) – but has never taken less than 1h 30mins, maximum so far 1h 45mins. I … Continue reading →