Gave Steve a new Dartboard for his birthday but as an additional pressie bought him £10 worth of lucky dips on the Lotto tomorrow. Just hope he wins big on it. Not that I want any of it but it would make sure he was set up in his own home which would be wonderful. He said if it came up he would like to move to Ireland, which got me wondering how Eileen, Sarah and the twins are getting on? Hope we hear from her soon.

Good day everyone - hope the day is progressing well for all.
We are having a lazy day here today as it's a miserable day of almost constant drizzle but admittedly not too cold.
Lynn - sorry to read of your disappointment as regards Gorden's job, everything crossed that things will pick up for you as the year progresses.
Brenda - do have a good holiday in the garden of england, for beachwear and to spare the delicate sensibilities of your fellow holidaymakers I would recommend a Burkha. You can have any colour you like - as long as it's black! lol !
Nice early morning trip out for the muppets Norma, it's about that time each morning that I venture forth with my lot. Best bit of the day - as folk are wont to say.
Yesterday being Whit Friday it was an absolute nightmare up here - it always is. Following the Whit Walks in the morning when the great unwashed from the various towns and villages that make up Saddleworth and District march with bands (of dubious quality) throughout the area. The afternoon is taken up by the "Band Contests" which yesterday involved some 42 huge coaches full of musicians descending on the area. These then take the bands from one venue to another and at each destination they march up to the contest playing one tune - then on reaching the contest site they play the chosen piece of music for the day.
All this is accompanied by thousands of spectators and their vehicles, children, dogs etc., every flat field along the valley bottoms are filled with tents and many of these folk make a full weekend of it! God knows why! Unless it is to increase my blood pressure.
Obviously with Marchers and Bands and Spectators half the roads in the area are closed and sealed off with bollards, to avoid motorised eejits mowing down the revellers. It does nothing at all for the temper of the locals who are trying to get on with life as normal. Thankfully it's only the one day of the year and I don't doubt the owners of local shops/restaurants and pubs are thankful of the trade. However, given my general loathing of human kind it does beggar all for my health and temper. This being the main reason I didn't post yesterday - I was not only busy but in an absolutely foul mood ( even worse than normal LOL!).
Griff - I just noticed that you have posted "ooo how lovely an owl" - we have owls, lots of owls, great big tawney owls, great big very blerdy noisy owls. Will catch a few and send them down to you - when you've had them twitting and too-hooing every night for about 7 months of the year, you may wish to revise your opinion of them!!! Tawney owl parents feed their owlets until well into autumn and if their parents are even a little slow in feeding the little sods they kick up an awful fuss. They are the perfect pet for the insomniac! lol !
Despite my protests I actually do like to listen to a good brass or silver band it's just the thousands of people I dislike! Ah well it's torment over for another year!
Have a good rest of day everyone, will be back later, bye fer now.

Lol, LG...you are in a good mood I see!!!!!! Hope all the invaders have gone home now and all passed off without incident
Moyra, the property where our family live is dead cheap, mum and dad have been looking
Just ordered a nail gun for my dad to do the floorboards lol

As LG has already commented its not a good day weatherwise.
Watched Sean Bean this morning and it stopped raining shortly after, took Cariad and Keshi for a walk round, as it stayed dry for a while I decided that Lona, Mabs and Zen could go on the river, except when we got down there it was really high, by then all of them had made it over the debris to the bank, as I didn't have my wellies on it wasn't the place for me so called them back, Lona and Mabs appeared, but Zen wouldn't come back over. So I had to clamber over this piece of mesh fence, it was sort of like a cargo net but in metal. Took the lunge line with me, persauded Mabs and Lona to go back over, was preparing to clamber back over the fence and coax Zen through the water when she decided she didn't need me anymore and followed them overgrrrrr... Once we were back over the other side I had a play with them then we went home, so they've not had much of a walk out really, however they got wet and smelly and seemed happy enough. Decided to give yard and kennels a good clean, just finished when the rain started again..
Nothing really to report, except of course I remember the Whit Walks from yesteryear, it always rained, well nearly always, and it used to finish in a big local park with of course various brass bands from the surround areas in attendance. Not something you really see much these days LG, and although I know it has upset your equilibrium (doesn't take much does it) its once a year and most people have never seen or in some cases heard of Whit Walks
Hoping Sammy enjoyed his Gotcha Day and he got spoiled even more than usual.
Moyra, I do hope Steve appreciates you, but I doubt it

Just ordered Steve some darts stems as an added birthday present, but he is already getting angst against me because I am having a drink.

Poor Gordon and the hoards that have defended near him. At lest you are safe in your little haven until they go.

Zen does make me laugh (but then I don't have to live with her). She was no doubt testing to see if you would come to her rescue

Its your house Moyra and if you want a drink have one if he doesn't like it he knows what to do.

After the mood your dad was in the other day I would have left him to do the floor boards the hard way Griff. Hope your back is behaving now.

Had a text from son who should have been in a coffee shop working on a talk he has to give in September but is instead watching videos on You Tube. Now home and going to do his ironing Another late pick up from the station on the cards then! He only works 4 days a week so why couldn't he do his ironing yesterday.

Oh dear Zen, you little monkey lol glad you were all reunited though!!
Sue...see that would require forward thinking and advance planning of ironing...not the done thing! Lol, you should see him twitching at the thought of diy Sue...it is hilarious, just got a contour gauge for the tiles and a laser line, spirit level and tape measure in one....he will be awful to live with for the next few weeks !!!

A burkha would be good as I do have the look (stare) which is useful to use on dogs. Sara found it useful on the kids when she worked with them now useful with dog training. (Just lost the first post as I tried to correct the word burkha as it said Gurkha. lol!! Well classes were OK but why do owners not come for the last class when they have decided not to return for another course? Strange people. Have a good evening.

June - As you say it is only once a year and it's quite churlish of me to get the hump! Especially as I'm meant to be a traditionalist. The Whit Walks also known as Scholar's Walks or Walks of Witness up here are still a big deal. All the local schools take part and as the Band Contest is an international affair there are no shortage of bands to play them round the various parishes and villages. Always surprises me that people come from all over the world to both watch and take part in the contest. I'm so used to it that apart from the inconvenience it never really registers.
I almost forgot that in June we have the Saddleworth Rush Cart celebrations so although not as big as the bands it still gets visitors from all over but it's less bands (although there are a few for the marching) and more the Morris Men and such like folkey types and free range yoghourt weavers! lol !
Griff - Apart from commenting on my more than usual good humour - you didn't say when you wanted your owls delivered.
Moyra - you have a drink if you want - Your House - Your Rules!!!

Brenda - you are a dark horse and no mistake - fancy going down the beach wearing a Gurkha! lol !