Hair today...?

There is a saying something along the lines of work expanding according to the time allotted to it and certainly I find that, the less I have on the agenda, the less inclined I feel to get on with it. I'm definitely not very good at self-motivation.

The weather has played its part over the last couple of weeks too, of course. I am sure we would all be a lot better off if we hibernated during cold, snowy, icy times, but it did rather put me off making an appointment at the hairdresser's, so my hair has been getting longer and more unkempt and I finally decided I needed to do something about it.

So, I did. The hairdresser was one who hadn't been let loose on my hair before, and she did cut it rather shorter than I expected, Still, it should mean that I won't need to go back for quite a while.

Heat!

Well, according to the weather site here on my blog, today's temperature is five degrees Celsius - yes that's PLUS five, not minus and tomorrow (drum roll here), wait for it, will be a heady SEVEN degrees! At that rate, I might even be able to discard my thermal vest!
Roll on summer.

Sulking

Something we said?

Keeping warm

The arrival of winter usually generates quite a few animated discussions in our house about whether or not the heating needs to be on and, if so, how low can it reasonably be. Keith is the 'nesh' one here and likes the heating to be on as much as possible. I, on the other hand, am protected at times by 'my own personal central heating' (ladies, you will know what I mean) and tend to turn it down whenever I can. If Keith is out, I don't have it on at all  but these days are different. Sub-zero temperatures mean that even I need some heating some of the time, so I have been putting on the living room fire when necessary.
Just one problem with this.

As you can see, Paddy is convinced that the fire is on purely for his benefit!

Keeping warm

This is Paddy, all set for his walk in his new coat. All he needs now are the boots.

Cold? Not yet

I have just seen this little gem courtesy of Daphne and I thought it was too good not to share. In particular, I forwarded it to Dad as I felt it was especially relevant to him. No, he's not from Newcastle but from Cheshire, although the philosophy is the same. He has been living in Bristol since the fifties but, has he succumbed to the soft, self-indulgent ways of them there southerners? No he has not!
In all those years, he has never once been seen without shirt sleeves rolled up and, in cold weather, the added indulgence of a sleeveless pullover until two years ago, when I bought him a long-sleeved pullover which he was persuaded to wear a few times. Since then it has resided in the airing cupboard until I reminded him of its existence (long since forgotten) a few days ago.
And then there is the duvet, not on his bed, of course, but tucked away in the spare bedroom.
("Well, it's not cold enough for it yet.")
That has now found its way into his bedroom but hasn't quite made it onto the bed. It's on the chair, waiting for the really cold weather to arrive.

Bird in the manger

I have read here and there over the years about robins not being the cute, cuddly little birdies that we all like to think and that their presence on our Christmas cards are not really compatible with the season of good will message but yesterday, I witnessed it first hand.

Having put out food for the birds and duly chased away the magpies, I waited for the smaller birds to arrive, which they did, except that this little fellow got there first and was determined to chase off all the other birds. Great tits, blue tits, dunnocks, house sparrows and even a blackbird were all sent packing with their tails between their legs.

When there were no birds in sight, he perched on the bench and waited for the next onslaught. It wasn't even as if he needed all the food. There was plenty there and he didn't seem particularly hungry, just determined to keep all the other bird away.
I am wondering if he was in the pay of the squirrels.