Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Don't fence me in.

I had a visit from Mr Next-door Down-the-hill this afternoon. He is going to be away for the next month and wanted to talk to me about the dividing fence. Basically, he is happy for me to get some quotes and try to induce someone to fix the fence but he wants to be there to clear away the greenery on his side of the fence.

I told him that the building companies all go on holidays from Christmas until the end of January so I said that I would wait until early February and start getting quotes. [Note to self - go and see the council building inspector to see exactly what my rights are, since the fence is, for me, a pool fence].

No sooner had he gone than there was another ring on the doorbell and it was Ms Next-to-next-door Down-the-hill. She said that her dividing fence between him and her was also teetering over and she wanted to have it replaced at the same time and, as well, she would like to replace her back fence and her front fence as well. She is on a Green Title so that involves the other occupant of the block. So that makes four of us. HELP !!!!!!!!

I have until the end of January and then all hell is going to break loose as we try to sort out who has what done and who pays for what. For me it is fairly simple but everyone else will be dealing with two people and it is, hopefully, going to be a big enough job to tempt someone to do it. The finances are going to be interesting, though ...

Now for your cyberflirt hint for today:

If you describe yourself as articulate, make sure that you know how to spell it.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Fencing around the problem

The ivy which grows up the fence between me and my downhill neighbour finally pulled the fence down during a storm a couple of weeks ago. I had mentioned to him several months ago that the ivy was becoming a big problem and when the fence finally went over he told me that he had obtained some quotes 'about three months ago' and I got the impression that he had accepted the quote without any input from me.

I sent him a written request for a copy of the quote and it turns out that it is dated 15th September, valid for 30 days. So now I don't know where we are ...

Mr Downhill next-door is away most of the time and will be absent, except for a couple of days over Christmas, until the end of January. I have tried to get in touch with the fencing contractor who supplied the quote but so far no luck ... except that he has (or someone has) opened the email I sent him. I also sent a hard copy via snail mail as he didn't return my phone call.

He specified that he needed a clear run to do the fence and the amount of creepers, trees etc, next door is daunting. Mr Next-door brushes it aside as being no problem but if he isn't here I can't order someone to cut all the stuff back.

I need to go to the council and see what I am, and am not, allowed to do in these circumstances because the fence in question is my pool fence. The Next-doors have propped it up again but it is going to have to be replaced; but just how, I don't know. My plan is to speak to the fencing contractor and see exactly what his position is on the subject, go to the council and see what my position is and then go and ask Cousin B if he knows of someone who can do the job. At least anyone he recommends will have some sort of a track record and the one who gave the quote is so elusive that I am afraid that he will take the 50% deposit and disappear.

And here is your cyberflirt hint for today:

Keep a photo to send to prospects.

I notice that it doesn't actually have to be a photo of me; some of those Russian scammers are gorgeous. You might want to borrow one of them to enhance your prospects...

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Wii woes

A couple of weeks ago, D3 pursuaded me to buy a WII fitness package. I have been diligently doing a 30 minute workout each day and it is getting up my nose a bit. It keeps on telling me that my balance is poor - as though I didn't know that already, and that my right leg is weak which I am also woefully aware of. I hurt my hip about three months ago and it is getting better slowly but some activities still hurt - walking up stairs is the prime problem. I guess that I just have to keep on exercising and stretching it until it comes right again.

Summer has finally arrived and my pool, although the chlorine levels are very high and the water is still a bit cloudy, is swimmable and yesterday I had my first swim of the season. It is nice to get back to it and, since we no longer have summer time to trouble us, I can get back to swimming as a form of exercise. We have had three (or is it four) referenda on summer time and each time the result has been a resounding "NO" but the government doesn't seem to be able to take no for an answer. For the last three summers we have had summer time for yet another 'trial' and during that time the sun shone at the wrong angle onto the pool, making it almost midday before I could comfortably swim. On account of the turbulence from the swim jets I have to do backstroke and look directly upwards so the position of the sun becomes critical. Now I can safely swim from about 10.30am.

Today's hint on how to make yourself irrisistable in cyberland:

Choose your name carefully to reflect your personality and interests.

minnie the pink ozcat??? OK - I like cats but the rest is a long story ...

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

I've got the unicorn by the ...

Esmé, the unicorn, has been put into an induced coma pending an increase in capital. She is being fed via a naso-gastric tube and is snoring happily.

Meanwhile I have given her a kitchen disguised as the bottom of a lily pond, a flower garden with a flowering cherry and a garden seat and I have increased her veggie patch which, despite the snow, is growing apace.

Now for your hint on how to attract anyone, anywhere, on the world wide web:

Do not ask a person to describe his or her underwear.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

The loveliest of all was the unicorn ...

D3 pursuaded me to invest in a Webkinz toy - http://www.webkinz.com/ - and I have been a slave to the wretched thing ever since. It eats like a horse which I suppose is logical since it is very horselike, and it needs to be stroked and entertained to keep it happy. All this needs money and I have to build up enough capital to not only feed her, but build her rooms and furnish them. My dilemma at the moment is that I bought her an extra room but am not sure if she needs a kitchen to prepare the vegetables which we are growing in the virtual garden or if a study with a TV would make her happier. I have a while to decide ... it is snowing in Webkinzland at the moment.

There are ways of making money and I have all but given up on Freecell to play arcade games to earn money for Esmé. Some of the games are fun and take quite a bit of concentration and I tend to stick to them. Webkinz are really children's toys but a lot of adults have them.

I am sending a polar bear to Little Bro for Christmas because he and Bro'swife went to Canada recently and photographed a large number of polar bears - or photographed the same one many times; they all look big, white and hairy so who knows. I am a bit afraid that he will let the poor thing starve; according to the news of the day they are short of food and are eating their young at the moment.

I am being given a Siamese cat for Christmas so I need to get Esmé firmly established before I add to my cyberfamily.