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Murphy & Dora are the mini mascots of Radio Newcastle's 'Nightshift' who enjoy sending postcards from their travels to radio presenter, Ian Robinson. murphyanddorastravels.blogspot.com has become a sister blog to Ian's own blog, truckshunters.blogspot.com. Please note that neither blog is associated with the BBC. They are purely social network blogs for like-minded folk. We welcome new friends into our network to read and use both blogs.
11 comments:
Good morning friends,
You may recall me talking at the AGM about seeing a bird recently which looked like a pelican? When this grey heron took flight it looked very like the bird I saw. However, the 'pelican' was whiter in appearance, like an egret, and its beak was hooked at its tip (unlike the heron and egret).
You certainly get out and about Vivienne. The river looks as though it was in a hurry to get somewhere.
There are a couple of birds, similar to those in the photo, on the river at our caravan site. It looks a bit like Jurassic Park when they fly off.
Hi Vivienne
on Thursday night's Look North
Paul Mooney showed a weather photograph that someone had sent in ...... it was a white stork pictured at Chopwell ..... I couldn't help but wonder if this was your bird!
Hi Sid and Hildie,
I know what you mean about Jurassic Park Sid, while I was sitting in my car checking my digital photos, after taking several of the heron, I heard the sound of a skate-board rolling along the pavement by my car. When I looked up the noise came from two swans flying side by side up the river, above the heron. Of course I was too late to capture them with my camera, but what an amazing sight - seeing the swans then the heron in flight - very prehistoric!
Hildie, Ive been researching 'storks' after your thoughtful suggestion. Thanks! Although they look very similar to 'my bird' the stork's beak doesn't appear to be the same. The videos I found on You Tube weren't very good, but the heron I saw in flight looked more like 'my bird' than the You Tube storks. I found another picture of a pelican and I now think 'my bird' had longer legs, but I can't really remember. I guess I'll never know for sure which bird I saw, unless I'm lucky enough to see it again and watch it land, walk/ hop etc.
Yes Sid, I do a lot of driving around. I often get the urge to jump in my car and head into the countryside or coast. Over the past 15 months many of my excursions have been prompted by my desire to escape the terrible drilling, hammering, clanging and vibrations resounding through my house from my highly inconsiderate new next door neighbours! This week he knocked down his front garden wall, damaging my side in the process. I was more annoyed about my hedge which he also damaged. Yesterday he drove me out when he began to create a window in the roof. Recently he sounded as though he'd been flooring the loft. Goodnness knows what he'll do next, but the house doesn't have a drive or garage, so I'm certain the drive is on the way. The family opposite have just renewed their drive.
In all the months since buying their house they have never once warned me of the work they planned to do. I don't know how such a young couple can afford to own a flashy car and van and undertake all the alterations etc. Sorry to go on, but it's been very stressful at times. One day I ventured into my back garden to tidy it up after the winter, and their dog barked at me all the time. I've placed large planters and my old Christmas tree along our adjoining hedge in the front garden as I found dog prints all over my lawn, plus some dog's dirt.
I love the peace and tranquility of Gibside, even I'm rushed off my feet. It's my sanctuary and helps to keep me sane! Some friends would dispute the latter!
Good night xxx
Vivienne, I can truly sympathise with your neighbour problem. Some people don't have any consideration do they? We have new neighbours who can't seem to communicate without shouting at each other and can't close a door without slamming it. These little things build up to become big things don't they? I try to keep the tv level down and don't use appliances too early or too late, then we were serenaded by karaoke on Friday until midnight. Should I be grateful that it's only one night a week?
Hi Maureen,
Thanks for your support regarding my neighbours. I should be grateful that my new couple haven't partied through the night like your's, at least not yet, although I was begining to suffer repetitive strain syndrome when they bought the previous Take That hit and played it over and over!
When I first moved in, the previous owner told me that there was a lady with cancer living next door, and that she had three children but she wasn't well enough to look after them. Sadly for her and her family she eventually died, but not before the children moved back in, and lived with for several years. She would start playing loud music in the middle of the night, and had rows with her boyfriends. One night she had the fire brigade at the door. The family moved out for about four hours, then returned and partied all night long. She drove off in a fury one night after first throwing something hard at her house, breaking an upstair window - it could just as easily have been mine.
After her death I learned that she had been a drug dealer, and had been give the house after burning down her previous home. I think it was her cancer which swayed the Housing Depts decision.
The next couple liked to play loud music during the night too. Although Lisa was friendly enough, her partner wasn't. He sided with their two children when balls were kicked into my garden. One day I got such a shock as one thumped the window where I was sitting. Thankfully that was one of the windows I'd replaced with double glazing. He very quickly appeared on the scene when I ran out and hid the ball. He accused me of stealing it! I think he was the one who had kicked the ball over the hedge! He was such a bad tempered aggressive guy, I thought I better give him the ball. He often used to drive me mad kicking a ball against the wall for ages at a time. The children always had a garden full of other kids, and they always played football. When their daughter grew older she got in with a bad crowd. My friend round the corner, once found her and a gang of lads in a 'den' under tall trees in her garden. Sometimes at night I think she was locked in her bedroom. She kicked the door, banged on the window and screamed the house down for a couple of hours at a time, starting anytime after 1 or 2pm. I used to put my radio on to drown out the noise. Actually, that's probably how I came across the Nightshift. So I guess by comparison my present neighbours aren't as bad. They are just totally selfish and have no manners!
I must admit I felt guilty for smiling when I heard that someone had put a lump of concrete through the rear window of their posh car!
Oh dear me Vivienne, that is a terrible situation to be living in. No wonder you are always out and about somewhere.
The concrete through the car window....rough justice at its very best!
That sounds awful Vivienne, people just don't seem to have any consideration now do they? You have to keep reminding yourself that not everyone's like that, but sadly, a lot are.
Hi Sid and Maureen,
Maureen, you're right, there are some good people around and I only have to look at this blog and Truckshunters to find some lovely friends.
I have a lovely lady living over the back from me. When I was considering buying my house I brought my parents to see it. We wandered around the outside trying to get a view of the rear of the house. The lady saw us looking - rather lost. I explained I was iterested in buying the house behind her's, and she invited us in to view the house from her back garden. Her husband was a fine man too. He wrote a couple of highly detailed local history books about Winlaton, and was a good artist. Sadly he died a couple of years ago.
The gentleman who lives across the road has always been friendly and helpful. His wife is ok, but not as friendly, but I'm sure she would help in an emergency. I've just been unlucky with my immediate neighbours, and all the people who allow their dogs to foul the pavement just outside my gate. I had to hose the path again today!
Hi Vivienne, I think sometimes it's just thoughtlessness. I moved from a 'quiet' area to a busy road after putting up with all of the neighbourhood kids sitting on my wall, playing out until it went dark. It might seem a little thing but the constant bouncing of the ball off my car and garage door drove me mad! They were lovely people, but they just thought that I should love their kids as much as they did! A little tip about the dog problem ... My dad advised me to empty pickled onion vinegar on the grass verge outside my house and it worked! Apparently dogs don't like the smell. Didn't do the grass a lot of good though ... I suppose as long as it's in small doses!
PS It might also mean that the neighbours decide that you are a madwoman and give you a wide berth, double whammy!
Hi Maureen,
I'll have to try the vinegar tip. I hope it works on pavement as I don't have grass growing in the street where I live.
Thanks!
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