Tag Archives: boundary

Sea Buckthorn

Porridge, prunes and pomposity

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It looks like the boundary issue at the bottom of the garden has been solved. It’s cost me more than it should have done, and I feel I have been “beaten” in the negotiation, but on the other hand I have emerged with my dignity and I can now use my time for doing things I enjoy.

Well, to be honest, I do enjoy winding pompous people up, but after six months it grows stale. They probably think the same thing. I am now going to attempt to re-establish the wildlife habitat at the bottom of the garden. We had blackcaps breeding and a thriving colony of frogs. Now we have a clear view into the upstairs windows of the house on the slope below. That’s why we grew the big hedge in the first place – it’s very off-putting to look across and see a neighbour in a state of undress in their bedroom. I’d much rather see blackcaps.

I am going to grow blackthorn and hawthorn and am not sure what else. They will provide bird cover, thorny security and sloes, plus privacy and a windbreak (I am aiming for about six foot tall eventually, (though we may have moved by then). I may try to get one hawthorn to tree size to replace the one that the dickhead neighbour removed – we always had nesting birds in there.

We just had prunes for breakfast. With porridge. That will cause a few perturbations north of the border, where salt and misery are the only acceptable porridge seasonings. I did the Tinker. tailor rhyme and ran out of professions. Obviously my three surplus stones represented chicken farmer, antiques dealer and gardener in my declining career trajectory. Two more stones and I could have brought it up to date with shop assistant and poet.

It’s interesting to see there are other versions, though I do agree with A A Milne that there should be more professions represented.

That’s enough for now – off for a jolly day decluttering now…

 

A Depressing Day – Apologies to my Readers

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I have bemoaned the fact, in recent posts, including yesterday, that I am becoming rather dull-witted with age.

Today I have been handed a reminder that although I may be in mental decline, some people, even at their peak, are not exactly blessed with brain cells. However, this does allow them to plough forward with tunnel vision, and does not necessarily mean that being able to think things through is an advantage.

Sadly, I can’t tell you much about it as it may yet come to court. I’ve been told how much it will cost me to settle and it’s a price I’m prepared to pay if it makes the problem go away. As the person in question has acted in bad faith all through the “negotiation” (which feels more like I have been mugged) I don’t actually trust them and I want to keep something in reserve.

The truth is that I have made concession after concession in an attempt to reach an amicable conclusion and I have, as a result. had more and more demanded of me. They haven’t paid a penny so far and they haven’t conceded a single point.

However, it’s only money. Whether they accept it in the end is another matter as I can’t help thinking that there is more trouble in store.

It’s a story waiting to be written. I had the note through the door six hours after my father died and I have used everything he taught me – manners, conciliation, and that money isn’t everything, in trying to deal with things tactfully.

The negotiation and the recollections of my father would make two parallel strands.

I’m not sure about the ending, but whatever happens to the garden fence I will walk away knowing I behaved properly and that my father would approve. I will also walk away knowing that people who behave badly seem to end up getting their way and taking the money.

Not cheery, but artistic.

Working title – “Karma would be better if you could hit people with it.”

I’ll put in a honeysuckle picture to lighten the mood. It was going to be a cat but the media system is playing up, as usual.