I love you, but …

I’m constantly delighted by the number and variety of birds that manage to find their way into my small backyard, and I’m usually happy to encourage them by supplying them with food and water. But sometimes I wonder if I’m being a bit too kind.
   

Picture the scene …

It was a fine, sunny day so, after doing the usual weekly wash, I decided to wash some curtains as well. I couldn’t fit everything on the two washing lines strung across the yard but I solved that problem by taking a clothes horse outside and draping some items over that. Then I left it all to dry while I went out for the afternoon.

Glancing through the window when I came back, I noticed some dark streaks down a white towel. I might not have minded too much if it had only been one towel but, on closer inspection, I found that almost all my washing was streaked, spotted and splashed with bird poo!

From the size and quantity I’m pretty sure I know who the culprit was.

Who, me?

It wasn't me!

I’m working on finding a way to make the yard a no-fly area on washing days.

In the meantime, here’s a story about scarecrows

 

These shoes weren’t made for walking

The weather here has changed from midsummer to winter (again!) but my calendar tells me it’s spring so I spent a cold, rainy day doing my annual de-cluttering of wardrobes, cupboards and drawers.  I discovered six pairs of only-worn-once shoes that I’ll be donating to a charity shop.

 

 too high















too low

too tight

too loose

I had ‘made-to-measure shoes’ on my When I am Rich shopping list, but now I’m wondering if buying expensive shoes would actually save me some money.

How do shoes that look and feel perfect in the shop turn into crippling monstrosities as soon as I take them for a walk in the real world?   

Not needed

Most of this blog is about things I don’t have, but Wipso has set me the challenge of compiling a list of things I do have – but don’t need.

It made me feel quite smug because, a few years ago, my husband and I downsized – drastically. We sold our house, sold or gave away nearly all its contents (couldn’t believe we had so much stuff) and put only our most prized personal possessions into storage while we took a gap year to go travelling. When we returned we bought a much smaller house and vowed to keep it clutter-free.

So I didn’t think I had anything I don’t need – until I started looking. Here’s the list:

A cold (not as bad as flu, but more than a sniffle and I hope it goes soon)
Grey hairs (why does nature advertise our age so obviously?)
Clothes that don’t fit me (but they might – one day)
Piles of old magazines
Last week’s Sunday paper (haven’t read it yet)
Dust (where does it all come from?)
An empty chocolate box (the chocolates were delicious and the box too pretty to throw away, but I haven’t found another use for it yet)
Too many bright ideas (well, I think they’re bright!)
All my rejected stories (waiting to be re-written and sent out again)
Egg cups
My old film camera (I might use it again – or keep it until it’s a valuable antique)
An odd sock (it would be terrible to throw it out and then discover its long-lost partner!)