We went to Snape Proms last night, to see Georgie Fame. Yes, darlings, he still is going strong and his voice is as good as ever. It was a great evening with a fabulous atmosphere, everyone went out happy.
I still have no idea whether the chickens have worked out how to use the new feeder. I took out a few leftovers to them this morning as usual and tapped the bar to get a few grains down, but otherwise left them to it. When I went back after lunch, the plate underneath was newly covered in dust, but I don’t know if that has any significance. Chickens raise a lot of dust. The only way I’ll know is if the feeder runs out of feed, so I scooped out two bucketfuls and only left a small amount, which they should be able to finish in a couple of days. I threw them some food because it seemed mean not to, and they dashed for it at once. I dunno. Blue Witch assures me they’ll learn, so I suppose they will.
I don’t suppose anyone has a steam press? I’m thinking of buying one, which will be big enough for tablecloths – folded, of course. The one I’m pondering is 90cm wide. It’s an absurd amount to spend really, but I’ve reached the age that, if I want it and can afford it, I don’t have to justify it to anyone. But, if it doesn’t have a satisfactory result on heavily embroidered linen tablecloths, with lace, pulled thread work and all the embellishments, it’s not worth it. I don’t mind ironing the rest. Not that I do a lot of ironing, but I think I’m getting tidier in my old age.
I was given a used steam press that a friend rescued from a garbage pile. Some people in the U.S. call the machine a mangle. It took up a horrendous amount of room, was heavy and I used it maybe twice a year. After about 10:years of rare use, we dragged it upstairs for a yard sale and no one bought it . It ended up going to a mechanic. For free. He was going to dump the innards and use the table and cover to store tools. An antique dealer told me there is a name for such an item…ballast,
How often do you change out your tablecloths and press them? Do you have room for it and would it be used often?
Did he sing “Sitting in a Park”?
One of my faves 50 odd years ago!
How many times could you pay an ironing service to do those tablecloths before you’d covered the price of the press (let alone the electricity)?
Stop feeding those hens yourself! If you’re unsure they are feeding themselves, get a chair, sit down by the feeder, and when they come over to you, press the feed release bar, they will peck it all up off the ground, then, do it again, until just one hen has understood the press/food routine. Should take all of 10 minutes! But you really do need a slab under it – or the food will roll under the edge of the plate and the rats will still come. The only way to get rid of vermin is not to have any left-over food at all around.
It’s a table top version that I’d buy – the ones that look like mangles are incredibly expensive and, as you say, take up a lot of room. As for paying someone to do it, actually it takes ages to do the cloths and it’s a point in favour of the machine. If I’m valuing my time, let alone paying someone, it’s starting to look like a bargain – if the standard is good enough. I do iron other things too, of course, not just tablecloths.
No, he didn’t sing that one Rog, though he sang a number of his old hits.
I’m not leaving the plate there, it gets a layer of earth on and I pick it up and shake it off each time I go in there – though it’s pointless having it really, so I’ve taken it away. Those black hens scratch a lot and the pieces of slabs I have their drinkers on all have earth scratched away round the edges (and into the drinkers themselves) so food would gather there too, I suspect. I watched them for a while this morning, there was no sign at all of them pecking at the bar and when I did touch it and food came out, the tiny bantam was chased away every time. She’s quite feisty, doesn’t give up and, if she learns to use the bar, there won’t be a problem – I’ve got the feeder at its lowest height so she can reach it. I never have left any food about at night in feeders, I’ve always picked it up, but the big hens are so clumsy that they knock over dishes and so, as you say, there was some food on the ground at night. It was rats coming in during the day that was the bigger problem though. I realise I should have put much less food down and fed them three times a day so that none ever lay about. These big hens lay very well but I preferred my bantams, who were much less messy! The good thing is that I haven’t seen a rat at all since the food has been taken away. At least, when I go down later, I should be able to tell if food has dropped out, as there’s not much in the drum.