Saturday, May 30, 2026
how to keep phone running?
My main phone appears to shut down after say an hour, and then need restarting. Maybe I need a little program to run pretty continuously, or be restarted regularly to keep things alive?
M
Friday, May 29, 2026
work
weather
Looks as if it is about to break.
Things really need the water.
A cloudburst would ruin no 1's front bed, as grandpa hes recently broken up the surface, and I guess could be swept into the road.
M
bank
Paid in two dividend cheques without any issues. The bank clerk was very helpful.
Had a good joke with the person behind me in the queue.
Staffing is amazingly small nowadays.
M
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
radio programs
I have set up a base for these afresh. Hope it works and does not clog things.
M
earth moving
The compost heap is basically open, and the contents can be easily moved to the garage area, and spread out. Weather should be cooler as well.
Target is to expose the tree stumps, and cut it down. Should be manageable.
M
sparrows
There are some regularly in the passage between houses. But not sure exactly where or if the is a nesting site. Watch this space.
M
beech tree
Not looking so good. The buds are drying up, and will not open afaics.
Don't know about the total tree, but not looking good.
M
pembury
Session was just about my cancer treatment. Basically back on the bum jabs starting next wednesday 9am.
M
Monday, May 25, 2026
radio, cassette player
I switched this off fully, and would hope it stays that way. However it might restart when the laptop starts in the morning. Watch this space.
M
timeout
This machine, tablet from china, has a pretty swift time out for starting to key in a password. So normally you have to give it a nudge of some sort. This can be a bit unnerving. But you don't have to restart or anything like it.
One of the other machines always seems to want to restart completely, and I am thinking this may be a mistake, and you could effectively just type in the password here as well.
Worth a think.
M
Custard
I finished off the caramel custard, that I had brought for the rhubarb crumble. A couple of days out of date, but so what. This was only second time out of the fridge. Delicious
M
swifts
Saw six swifts together in screaming flight fairly high up. This would be about 9 pm.
M
setting watch
Still trying to remember how to set my watch. I suppose i will have to ask the internet.
M
beech
Rob's beech tree still seems stuck, despite the better weather. I am rather nervous about it.
M
bank holiday
Luckily buses and waitrose were fine.
The weather was too hot, but the bus air conditioning worked fine.
Much better walking past mathews to get the bus.
M
Sunday, May 24, 2026
badger
Some serious digging of a shrubby plant on the boundary near the bins. Badger, fox or deer or any combination.
I will just leave, at the moment. Wait until things have lost interest.
I might fill some of the holes with compost from the top garden.
M
humus
Next doors front garden gets regularly watered. Mine gets nothing. Mine thrives, their hardly does anything.
Are they just massively lacking humus? The history is basically one on tarmac and concrete. Any soil there is post dam, and probably largely came with the odd low leafy shrubs that were off the shelf purchases.
I suspect the water is quick absorbed and drained, in part to avoid the weight of the water pushing the dam down or over. Certainly nothing seems to thrive, despite lots of loving care.
I wonder if there are any earth worms in the plot. I don't remember ever seeing any castes. I will have a look. I might introduce somethings at the bottom.
M
Tesco lady and damaged courgettes
I was impressed with the cashier's handling of damage she spotted to some courgettes
I was buying in Tesco. Very simple and trusting the customer. Well done her.
M
Waitrose
I will do a Monday shop again at Waitrose. This proved ok last week. Maybe half term as well so buses should be fine.
M
corrugated iron
Have put four loads of compost covering part of the boundary at the garage /workshop. This looks ok. But lots more can be dumped here. I am only putting compost on my existing soil.
I think I might even empty the compost heap, if I expand up the slope as well.
M
Saturday, May 23, 2026
three cornered leak
For some reason this plant seems to having more difficulty in thriving. Maybe it does not like long grass. Or my cow mowing techniques.
It is still there, and will always be a problem, but it seems more manageable and the bluebells are doing better.
M
compost heap
Started trying to clear the left hand side so that I can remove the tree trunk that is still inside, but now dead.
May be quite a slog. Cam ove a lot to the garage area.
M
garage bed
This is next doors garage.
Started building up the bank to the top of the corrugated iron. And filling in the hole with a pile of logs. Looks a little strange but it will improve when I have added more material.
Jonathon never delivered on any of his promises, so I am not worried if the gap gets filled and consequent damp possibilities.
M
backlog started appearing
backlog
Got rid of backlog of messages from sharing service.
Things will go better without the backlog.
M
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
apple mac
Fiddled with the power supply arrangement. Power for add on things now taken from the processor box, so there is only one power source used for everything, including the screen. Will need to double check power gets through to things.
M
Labels: done
Waitrose
Made it to Tonbridge in record time. Only stopped at about four bus stops. Was back in Tunbridge by 11.20.
M
Labels: done
cd player
Reorganized the cd player and speakers around grandpa wilkinsons's large mirror chest of draws. It appears to play, but no sound as yet comes out.
Anyway a good start.
M
Labels: done
Short cycle
Next door were back, after only a day cycling. Wonder if something went wrong.
Car parked going up to box room, which is odd and possibly Sue.
Weather not nice, and mat e an event was cancelled at last moment.
M
Labels: done
hale storm
Wow. A big hail storm as I leave Tesco's to go back to Tricia at Mathew's. Quite a stopper.
Pretty cold as well.
Anyway it stops, and T and I get back home without problem.
M
Labels: done
curtains in dining room
hifi in bedroom
Rearranged the stereo in my bedroom. Not sure if it works yet, but in much neater in arrangement.
The cd turns ok, but no noise comes out yet. May take a rest before trying again.
I seem to remember that it was temperamental.
M
Labels: done
T not well?
Complaints about feeling unwell, though nothing obviously wrong, other than reading a lot.
Perhaps we are in a low pressure zone., plenty of threatening clouds.
Roll on some blue skies and sunshine.
M
Labels: done
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Next door
more dusting
With the vacuum cleaner with small dusting brush. I did quite a lot of the easy surfaces around the bedroom. Pretty effective and easy, but it does take time. Effect is fantastic. A little everyday is probably the best bet.
M
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Hoovered my bedroom carpet
At last I have started getting my bedroom shipshape. Just the carpet today, but also rearranging things, and putting things away. Feels much better.
M
the accident at maths conference
Clearly this was why I ended up in pembury hospital. No wonder I did not question why I was there.
:-)
M
Veg
We are a bit short on the veg for steaming.
Red cabbage, carrots, small potatos, brocholli.
M
Tell Mathew about Gareth.
two pairs of glasses
They must be around somewhere. Anyway it is forcing me tp clean and tidy things.
M
battering
The wisteria next door took a bit of a battering, by the looks of it. Windy and wet is not a good combination.
M
hoovering
Did my first bit of hoovering this norning. Stop before you get tired! Quite satisfying.
M
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Painter
T thought she recognised the painter at the house with scaffolding, next one along from high beech. One of the three guys who painted Jonathon and Sue's house last year. I saw him up on the scaffolding and he waved to me, and I returned the gesture. Guess it is one of the guys, who I did get on with, after my altercation with J.
M
piri piri
Very nice dish from Waitrose. No idea what the spices are.
M
cleared a lot of boxes
Just gathering dust. Rescued a couple of cables.
Must hoover.
M
Japanese
Had a good conversation with Lady, about how we were. Also talked about the new building.
Reciprical offering of help when needed
M
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
recommended mathew
Gareth seems to want to find a new hairdresser, so I recommended Mathew, and pointed out his little salon. Will be interesting to hear his views.
M
Michael
Seems to be moving from the south to the north, in particular the lake district. Probably the end of his fives career, and a loss for the Tonbridge turnout.
M
haircut
Went to Mathews, to get appointments and came away with a haircut.
T will have one 12 am on Thursday
M
Capsules
Got two lots if capsules, one decaf and one ordinary.
Clever but annotying protection on the tubes.
M
simon's bithday card
hair washing
Both hairs washed.
I realise that a good brush after washing is a good way of getting rid of the dead skin on the scalp. It may be still in the wet hair, but it willnow bruush out when dry.
M
Monday, May 11, 2026
statins
Tricia's statins were there waiting for me at Paydens. Very smooth.
M
podback
Royal Mail collected the old two bags of capsules at lunch time as planned. No issues as far as I can see.
Full marks.
M
Saturday, May 09, 2026
simplifying
I am taking out some of the add-ons that seem to clog up my latest and cheapest tablet.
I think this will help stop some of the annoying reloading of the screen apps.
M
Royal Mail
In ordering the collection of the two bags of nespresso capsules, I got completely messed up with needing to change an existing royal mail password.
Chaos ensued with time limits and character restrictions etc etc.
I think I have sorted it out.
But I am going to put the bags out now in the porch and pray.
It was much easier when it was not nespresso. Perhaps I should have pretended.
M
Friday, May 08, 2026
must contact chris
M
tablet
Seriously cleared out a lot of stuff, to make the system more usable. Initially this seems to have worked well.
M
Thursday, May 07, 2026
more capsules
Seems as if AI can get confused with time, and use out of date stuff, eg recycling ops.
Had better luck with following peoples ads, abd ended up with just taking it to a post office. I just have to flash a bar code thing.
Here's hoping
M
statins
Checking today if patdens has the next batch. Who knows what the ayatem is now.
M
chubman
Wednesday, May 06, 2026
badger problem
The animal, probably a badger or just possibly a fox, was at it again, emptying the caddy onto the pavement. This is despite my wedging it between the wall and the wheelie bin.
I have rigged up a method of hanging the caddy from a shelly bin handle, which should make it much more difficult to mess with.
Just hope the council collectors can cope with it.
M
difficulty speaking
Tricia had difficulty speaking today. Mixture of exhaustion, not eating enough and worrying. Better by the evening.
M
recycle coffee capsules
Waitrose claimed to know nothing in Tonbridge. Was AI dreaming?
M
Saturday, May 02, 2026
Deaths
I guess we have been lucky to have had so few losses from our generation. I think thing are changing with Caroline and Mac in quick succession.
It is sad to loose anyone that one has been friends with, even if one has had little or no contact in recent years. But it is probably wrong to change anything. It is not always best to have updates.
And beware friends who are trying to catch up. Just continue what you are happy with.
M
T reading more
T reading much more freely, which is a huge success. She is a bit uncertain whether to use her reading glasses or not. I am not sure why, but I emphasise the fact that the body is not going to help change anything.
M
hearing aids
Changed the rubber cover and it's washer/dcap. One of the new caps fell off before fixing it, but otherwise relatively simple.
M
hard turnip cores
This says it all. I guess end of season rubbish. Will cut the remaining stock in half to aid cooking the tough bits. I ate it, but could have done better.
M
pruned the azalia
Decided that the stonework should have precidence over the azalia, and did some heavy pruning, lifting the centre of floral gravity. Some off the top, allowing some plants to grow slightly up the slope.
It is a pity that the higher fuschia is still a mess after the damage done by the collapse of a tree on the boundary. Should be much recovered by next year.
M
Rain
Lots of rain, not too heavy, not too continuous.
The ground really needed it.
Managed to shop in Tesco's before it all started.
M
Friday, May 01, 2026
flat battery
I am not sure that I have ever had such a flat battery. It takes any opportunity to shut down. This does not give one a chance to find out what is wrong, despite appearing to start normally.
I have been struggling.
A direct charger connector, gives it just enough to get started, and to gain confidence.
M
this system
...can get a little confused in the morning about recent additions, the the various elements can get out of sync. Nothing is lost, but it can give that impression.
It will get back to normal fairly quickly.
M
Caroline
Her death has been a bit of a shake up for T. Not surprising.
I think it will make her more determined to recover, and be more independent.
Parkinson's was the cause given.
M
