No visiting pictures today as my correspondents have been slack so I have sneaked in a rather hurried picture of three walls of the new kitchen which is now officially finished instead. I think I will have to take a set of pictures rather than trying to do it in a oner. Click on the picture to enlarge it. It doesn’t really do justice to the splendour of the room
Things have not improved and I had to visit the doctor today to get some antibiotics. In the past a cold wouldn’t have bothered me a bit but my arthritis medicine, which works very well, dampens my immune system so I have to be careful of chest infections. I don’t want to end up with pneumonia through not paying attention. All this means a bit of a dull week ahead but I hope to get out on some short walks if the weather permits. Meanwhile there will be a narrow range of photos, especially if the sun doesn’t come out.
Dropscone got out on his bike and did a spirited 26 miles though a brisk wind slowed him down a bit. He didn’t join me for coffee as I wasn’t feeling at all well. I am not alone in feeling under the weather as Sandy tells me he has a cold too. On the plus side Mrs Tootlepedal has recovered from her cold completely and has even done a little tidying up in the garden.
It is only two days to the winter solstice and if the cloud is thick as it was today, it is hard to get a good bird picture unless they sit very still but in between snuffles and sneezes, I made an effort.
I was happy to see that the siskin presence was not just a one off.
A goldfinch sitting very still
A trick of the camera makes a chaffinch look twice the size of a goldfinch
This is more realistic
I have bought a palatial new feeder for peanuts
A brambling and a goldfinch arrive as a chaffinch makes off at speed.
And that was the best of my day. I did try doing a little work but my heart wasn’t in it so I spent a good deal of time being bored. I’ll have to find a good book as the weather for the next few days doesn’t look as though it will encourage some gentle therapeutic walks.
I would like to thank everyone for their good wishes for my speedy recovery from my present inconvenience and will do my best to produce one as quickly as possible through sensible behaviour and noble thoughts.
A flying chaffinch to end on a traditional note. There seems to be an endless supply of these.
With all your siskin pics, I was very aware I had not seen one, at least knowingly. My birding friend identified my last bird post as a pine siskin, so that is now off my bird bucket list.
I like the idea of a bird bucket list.
Hope you feel better soon. I usually get one good cold each winter and hope you won’t see any more than that.
I’m not used to colds having built a good immunity from years hanging around with snivelling children in classrooms so I regard this one as a personal affront.
A boring day perhaps, but definitely not a boring post!
I hope your cold gets better quickly.
not a boring post at all. your goldfinches are much different than ours, more colorful. I join you in the cold department, been down for the past couple of days. I hope that you are feeling better soon. and your kitchen is wonderful, I would love to have all that counter space.
Mrs Tootlepedal was remarking on the amount of swabbing decks that the new tops require.
Be assured that I read every word of your posts, it’s hard to say which is best, words or pictures. I hope you get over the cold soon, common it may be but it can make one very miserable. Commiserations!
I’ll have to up my game if people are actually reading the stuff.
Your posts are NEVER boring. Oh I do hope the antibiotics kick in and that you recover soon – what a pain!
That is what is called a polite fiction but you are very kind.
You made me laugh with your final sentence.
The new kitchen looks great, wow!
Get well as quickly as you can although your birds pictures were very good I thought despite your chest infection.
Sorry to hear about the worsening cold. Hope you kick it before the festivities start in earnest. Kitchen is looking mighty fine as are the birds.
We are aiming for Christmas Lite, looking for a quiet life at our age.
Splendid view of the new kitchen.
I am very sorry you have such a nasty cold, but good for you, taking care. Hope you can find a good book, if the weather continues wet. It is a grey and wet day here!
I’m sorry you are under the weather, Tom, and I do hope you will be feeling much better soon. Please tell Mrs Tootlepedal I think she did a brilliant job painting those cupboards! Your kitchen looks so lovely!
I will tell her. She is a dab hand with the paint brush.