Poor old Pog-Mobile

Posted on August 3, 2012 by thepogblog

I admit it:  I am a disgrace to the female race.  In relation to cars, anyway.

I loved my first car – an old school mini that drove like the wind (despite a slight tremor in the steering wheel around 75mph) and had no radio – instead I had a battery powered ghetto blaster on the back seat for my tapes.  Since the demise of Tommy (the mini) though, cars have not really held much appeal.  I know Sister 1 has a giant white lorry type thing, Sister 2 has a convertible something and TTB has a black car.  That’s kind of the extent of my knowledge. 

If something sounds wrong on my car I turn up the stereo.  If it ‘feels funny’ I correct my posture.  If nothing changes, I ask dad to take a look. When TTB and I decided to go out last weekend I thought I’d better check my tyres as I’d been driving with one buttock higher than the other for a few weeks which usually indicates that the tyres need a bit of air.  I was right.  They needed a lot…

Then I thought I’d show off a little and announced that I’d check my oil and water.  I thought that the oil must just be very clear as I couldn’t see any on the dipstick.  And I didn’t quite get why I topped up the screen wash and later on there was none in there, but there you go.  Luckily I thought to check with dad last night as something still ‘didn’t feel right’ and I knew that this time it wasn’t the tyre pressure.

It turns out that I had no oil.  At all.  And the screen wash that I’ve been refilling is actually something to do with the radiator.  Apparently I am rather lucky that my car had not seized…or something.  I don’t think it’s entirely my fault.  The oil light never came on.  But then the bulb on my dashboard went about a year ago so maybe that it explains it.

Anyway, I’ve booked it in for a service next week as I’m wondering if there is anything else I might have missed (and I can’t park on any sort of incline anymore as the handbrake isn’t too , erm, handbrake-y)  Now if it were a sewing machine, I could probably strip it apart and rebuild it.  But we all have our strengths…sadly for my old Pog-Mobile, it’s not one of mine :o)

My Pog-Mobile of choice (only in purple, I think)

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Good bye Charlie Cat

Posted on August 1, 2012 by thepogblog

If you read my blog much or know me, you’ll know about Charlie Cat going MIA.  He’s not back, but I think it’s about time I recounted the last part of the story, so here goes:

One of the calls that came as a result of my posters was from a lady less than half a mile away.  She’d started having a furball visitor that matched Charlie’s description at the time he disappeared.  As she lives the other side of a motorway bridge it seemed likely that he’d made his way over and couldn’t find the bridge to get back.  She was great and moved her lawn mower into her bathroom to make room in her shed for a bed for him (!!!) and fed him every night.  When he appeared I’d get a call, rush down and…usually miss him.

One night she had the idea that I should lie in wait in her kitchen, armed with binoculars and see what happened.  He finally arrived and I was 90% sure it was him.  I went outside and he spent time looking at me before running away – a good sign we thought.

The next step was the cat trap – a huge metal container that traps the cat if it goes in to eat.  Amazingly, we had success the first night and I rushed around to identify him.  It was him, I was sure.  We took him to the vets to get him officially identified and checked but…he had no chip.  I informed the vet that the chip must have fallen out because It. Was. Definitely. Him.

The vet knows me (and Charlie) quite well and tried to tell me it wasn’t likely but when I insisted he lifted ‘Charlie’s’ tail and told me that ‘as a general rule, testicles don’t grow back’.  (Charlie was neutered; Charlie 2 was rather well endowed).

So now it’s just me and Norman at Pog Towers.  Norman is loving all the extra attention and is treating me like a queen.  Last week he bought me two mice and three slices of cooked beef.  Yesterday he excelled himself with a piece of breaded chicken complete with lettuce leaf.  I’ve been told to forget Charlie Cat now, but you never know what Norman might bring back next :o)

Norman takes guarding me very seriously

For now though, it’s good bye Charlie Cat.

My boys

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I do NOT ‘ove’ oysters!

Posted on July 30, 2012 by thepogblog

I had a fantabulous weekend.  I went to Whitstable with TTB, meandered around shops, had fish and chips on the beach, had the biggest ice cream ever and actually got some sun! (I also had my pants filled with pebbles while daydreaming in my own little world, but I paid him back by covering his face in pebbles when he dozed off.  We have such a mature relationship.)

The down side of the day was when I decided it would be the done thing to try an oyster.  It seems that it’s not a good idea to do something just so that you can tick it off the list.  TTB bravely ate all his (although he did turn an interesting shade of green).  I got mine in my mouth, bit it (we were told to as they were too big to swallow in one) and spat everything out before I actually threw up.  On the up side, I did provide entertainment to an elderly couple walking past who giggled as me a lot and enquired if I’d ‘made a bit of a mistake, love?’ 

How anyone enjoys eating those things is a mystery.  And why they are supposed to be an aphrodisiac is just weird.  We both spent the next hour doing our best to rid our mouths of the fishy taste…and no doubt, the fishy smell that accompanied it.  Yum….

Today I discovered TTB had left me a present he’d got while we were out:

 

Not being the romantic sort, I was very chuffed…until he pointed out that the ‘L’ has been removed.  Of course it had – he ‘doesn’t do the L word’.  Ahh well, I can handle just being ‘oved’ :o)

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Lunch with a smile :o)

Posted on July 24, 2012 by thepogblog

Yesterday was a bit different.  One of a team I worked in a few years back is leaving the company so we organised a lunch.  Nothing much different about that except for the fact that it was such a lovely team, we met from offices across London and in one case, a different company altogether to go out.  And we got there via the cable car across the Thames!

The cable car was…high!  On such a lovely clear day it was amazing how far you could see although it was a little toasty in the goldfish bowl.  It was also amazing that one of the ten of us knew that we were going in a cable car, but hadn’t thought about the fact she’s not terribly keen on heights… My right knee will recover in time though.  I guess.

spot the olympic stadium!

That was one of the best teams I’ve ever worked in – a lovely, supportive bunch who respected each other, drove each other bonkers and still took the um…micky…out of each other. (And to my lovely friend from the other side of the pond who reads this, and the missing one of ‘the girls’ we missed you ;o)  ) 

I have a great team now too.  One of them sent this out to us all yesterday.  I just thought you might like to take a look.  You can’t possibly lose anything by being grateful after all, and it might make us all a happier bunch :o)

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Lovely Bumpkinsville

Posted on July 20, 2012 by thepogblog

It’s been a weird and hectic week, so YAY for Friday!

Even in weird and hectic-ness though I got to see some friends last night staying for a few weeks in a Manor House right in the middle of Country Bumpkinsville (it’s not as glamorous as it sounds, believe me).  When I walked back I took some pictures of the view down to my village…maybe you will see why I love it here so much.

Have a lovely weekend :o)

Image

Image

you might be able to see the rainbow…just

Image

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Weirdy Words

Posted on July 13, 2012 by thepogblog

You know when you go on holiday and you noticed the erm…’interesting’ names of things?  Well I found a few this year.

The fishing float:

 

The mosquito repellers:

 

And ordering this beer caused a few sniggers (I know – so juvenile)

 

And then there were the menus.  I’m not criticising…I certainly couldn’t write them in Greek.  But these still made me giggle a bit:

And my favourite:

:o)

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The weirdness of feet

Posted on July 12, 2012 by thepogblog

Feet.  They are bleugh.  But they are worth a blog on two counts.

The first:  Based on my feet, my family has decided that I may be radioactive.  This is theory has come about via the not very scientific fact that on holiday my toe nail varnish melted (not chipped….melted) so often that Sister 1 had to repaint my toes FOUR times (It wasn’t me being lazy….she is a beautician and I am cack handed).  It melted onto the insides of shoes, my bed sheets and…just into thin air.  It is all rather odd.  Especially as most of the time my feet are freezing.

So it would seem I am a radioactive toad with no thermostat.

And the second.  TTB pointed out to me that I seem to have a foot obsession as a lot of photos here are of feet.  I protested that was purely as I don’t want to put faces on my blog for a whole number of reasons.  But then I checked my recent photos.  In the last month I have this slightly odd selsection:

Well, frankly any more of me would have spoiled this one:

And this one:

And I had to get a shot of dad in trainer socks…wearing them in the way that only he can….with the heel hanging over his shoe…

And I find TTBs inability to wear a matching pair of socks at the weekend, well, weird.

But maybe things are changing….it seems I’ve moved onto knees (Sister 2 on the left, mum on the right…so cute!) 

So watch this space… :o)

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Happy Holidays

Posted on July 10, 2012 by thepogblog

Hello – I’m back from my little spot of paradise!  I’ve been to Ithaca (teeny Greek island) on a real family holiday with Mum, Dad, Sisters 1 & 2 and Sister 2’s other half.  I thought I’d summarise a few of the holiday highlights for you (as other than ‘rain’ there is not much else I can write about at the moment).  So here goes:

  • Weirdest words uttered (with no emotion and completely accurate):  Sister 1: ‘There appears to be a goat standing in the hallway’

    I have a suspicion that goat was going to attempt to snaffle a bike after his eviction…

  • ‘Ahhh’ moment:  When Hercules (the very sick cat I took to looking after) trusted me enough to not only climb on my lap but sleep there.  For three hours (apparently I wasn’t a great dinner attendee as I spent more time on the beach with the cats than at the table)

    Hy lovely cuddly hercules

  • Slightly embarrassing moment:  When all 12 of the local cats learned the call for Hercules and rushed to my side each time I called him, and loudly requested dinner.

    you called?

  • Happy wee moment (Sister 2, not me!): When we went out on a moped, attempted a steep hill and (due to my immense weight, I assume) we couldn’t make it round any of the corners so I had to not only get off, but then push the bike.  Humph.

    My view from the moped (when I wasn’t pushing it around corners)

  • Stupid moment: Cycling a 15 mile round trip in silly temperatures when at least 7.5 miles was uphill (coming back was GREAT though!)
  • Wow moment:  When Dad’s electronic thermometer thing measured 57 degrees in direct sunlight…then collapsed.
  • Surreal moment:  When I woke up to find Sister 1 climbing through my bedroom window (no, I’m still not sure why either)
  • Hooray moment: Actually getting a photo of the tartan fish I have seen the last two years and everyone thought I’d imagined.

    tartan fish DO exist!

  • Weirdest food combination (discovered by Sister 2’s other half): Cheese and ham toastie dipped in…yoghurt and honey.
  • Amazing moment:  Spotting dolphins over our balcony while having an early morning cuppa (although Dad was pretty sure that they were sharks…)

    ‘our’ beach

  • Weirdest discovery:  That there is a dance troupe based in Ithaca that where hobnailed boots while doing river dance.  They are rats and their studio was based above my bedroom ceiling…

There was a lot more, many, many giggles and nobody killed anyone else (which I was quite surprised about).  Thank you to Mum, Dad, my fantastic Sisters, and Sister 2’s very patient other half.  It was definitely a holiday we’ll always remember :o)x

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So long, farewell, I can’t spell the next word, goodbye….

Posted on June 22, 2012 by thepogblog

Monday:  Drove to the station, got the train, the tube, went to Sainsbury’s, walked to the office, then realised my jacket was inside out.

Wednesday:  Got lost on the way to work (the office I’d been at for a few years)

Thursday, got part way through a very small mint imperial I’d found languishing at the bottom of my bag (I was desperate, ok?) before I realised I was sucking on an ibuprofen.

I think I need to go on holiday before I do something properly daft….  Luckily I am.  In less than 12 hours!  See you soon lovely people :o)

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Senior moments

Posted on June 19, 2012 by thepogblog

We all have our senior moments.  Yesterday I managed to drive to the station, catch a train, take a tube, rush around Salisbury’s and walk to the office before I realised that my jacket was inside out.

That’s not a patch on my dad though.  Mum told us the other day that after dinner, Dad had rolled and lit a cigarette….and did a lot of spluttering.  (Her impression sounded like when Norman gets a piece of string caught in his mouth and is trying to spit it out).

It turned out that dad had managed to confuse his tablets with his filter tips.  He’d swallowed a filter tip and used the tablet as the tip of his roll up.  Apparently, it didn’t smoke very well….

At least I’m not that bad.  Quite.  Yet :o)

spot the difference…

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