large rat alert

Now this is what l call a rat! Killed by Wapping on the London Underground.
I'm glad l haven't had to deal with any that size in the back garden.
What a beast.

toodle pip

bloody rats

Whilst letting Mr Parrot out in the garden the other day to catch some rays, l wandered over to the overgrown and usually (at the moment) rabbit run, and idly leaned on it, passing the time by wondering if any rats still came over from the fields at the back of the garden, like they have in the past.  Then l noticed something from the corner of my eye - a big rat that was a bit sleepy or dazed.  I managed to kill it by whacking it over the head with a shovel, and then threw it into the farmers field (as you do in these circumstances), and although l felt a bit sorry for it and didn't want to particularly kill it, l also don't want to be having loads of rats by the house.  At least it wasn't as big as the one above, but l might have to keep a look out in case his mates start gathering, and invest in some rat poison. Then again, l may just build myself a rat trap like in the gif below.
One of the many joys of living out in the wilds.
Watch this space.

toodle pip

manchester united photograph saved just in time

I saved this photograph / poster of Manchester United from the garage a couple of weeks or so ago, and it was just in time, as it has been chewed on the left hand side by mice or rats. Luckily, with a bit of trimming, it will look as good as new.
Back from when football was old school.  Although l can't wait for the new season to start, l still preferred the game years ago.

toodle pip

bloody rats

We still have rats annoying little (or not so little) Tubbs outside. I have seen two large ones and a couple of baby ones, which all come out looking for food after Tubbs gets his grub and is then locked away for the night. Sods. I think it's time for me to build an elaborate trap for them. Watch this space for further developments.

toodle pip

a drunken night rat poisoning

These are the pictures from last night after trying to poison the bloody rats. I was taking pictures on the decent cameras, but the batteries were crap and I was trying to find some batteries that were OK, with little success. I had also had a wee bit of ale (classy bottles of Chard pictured) and couldn't remember how to put normal picture settings on my phone, which is what I ended up taking the pictures on. Never mind, the rats tucked into the poison and I did get some pictures. The biggest one even tried to pull the blue bowl that had the poison in underneath the hutch. I topped the bowl up before retiring for the night, and this morning ( I was informed) there was nothing left in it, so that's a good sign. It is also good that I am not scared of the buggers, as a big one came alongside me at one point, before climbing the fence next to me so he could get into the rabbits run for the food/poison. Let's see what happens next, it is now a battle of wits between me and them (oh oh). I am away at work tonight, so will put out more poison for them on Monday and Tuesday. I actually finish work on Thursday morning at 8am as I have a few days off before going away at the weekend, so I will have to sort out the rabbits cage, kill the remainder of the rats, and cut the bloody grass for the first time this year(Damn!). Can't wait.

toodle pip

bloody rats

A baby rat climbing up the side of the hutch to get to the water

Mother rat and two of the babies

Tubbs staring out a baby rat

Mother rat trying to get into the hutch

Two baby rats drinking Tubbs' water

Well, the bloody rats are back with a vengeance. As soon as Tubbs has had his food put into his hutch, the rats appear and try to nick it (and drink his water). Tubbs gets locked up in the evening after the food has been put in, as there are two different fronts (see pictures) for the bottom of the hutch, but the baby rats can crawl up the side of the hutch and get through the bars to his water and food. time for a load more poison to be put down, and I am going to reinforce the hutch to stop the rats getting in at night. Tubbs does not seem that bothered about them, but it must be upsetting for him to have them in his hutch, especially if they are nicking his food. The rats look pretty cute (well, the baby ones do), but it's time for a slaughter again. Updates to follow.

toodle pip

bloody snow

Rather sadly I am now back at work, not really slaving away but at least I am attending.
Still have not cycled to work (did I mention that my car is now scrapped?) as the weather has been so crap. We had more snow last night, and even though it is not too deep, it still prevents me cycling or walking far. It's been good for the taxi's so far, as that is what I have been using.
Wait till it all clears I say, there will be no stopping me on the old pushbike (apart from maybe a heart attack).
At least Tubbs had a run round the garden today before I left for work. Still putting rat poison down at night when he is locked away, but the buggers never touched it last night, even though I could see some little ratty footprints in the snow. Never had any coke left to mix with it, I will have to purchase some more as they love it with that.
Meanwhile...I have however, just had a shower (IT'S CHRIIISSSTMAAASS!!!) and am going to read for a little bit before having an early night. I may make a start on "I am Legend" which I got for Christmas. It must be better than "The Omega Man" film which was based on it (with Charlton Heston). Will Smith's version "I am Legend" was much better,so we'll see.
I still haven't been down to Leeds yet to see my brother, as I have either been working or the weather has been too bad. Going to have to go soon though, or he'll start getting paranoid.
Let's hope it pisses down tonight and gets rid of the snow (unlikely I know), that would help matters. It was good to have it for the hols but it has overstayed it's welcome.
Bring on Summertime!
toodle pip

garden work needs doing

Took these on the wrong setting - maybe l am drunker than l thought!

There were some pretty strong winds last night and this morning, so strong in fact, that a large branch belonging to one of the trees in the back garden has been snapped off, and is currently laying across our back fence. It's too heavy to lift so l will have to cut it up and add it to the bonfire. Damn! l hate manual work!
Also, the rats have come back and are going into the outside cage and bugging Tubbs (l assume). Going to put some rat poison down for them, but in the meantime, Tubbs is getting fed in the evening and then shut in his cage so the rats can't get to him or his food (little bastards that they are). About four ran out of his cage last night, so that can't go on. Had the same trouble with them last year, so l guess this is a new lot, as the others were all killed off. l should throw them on the bonfire as well, but l don't think that would go down very well.
The joys of living next to farmers fields.

toodle pip

more cancer and rats

Here we go with another thrilling update of my mums condition and the rat situation.
First of (l suppose or l will look pretty mean), my mum is (still!!) alive. No change really, we are still expecting her to die every time we visit or leave her, but the old girl is hanging on. Still have trouble understanding her, and she doesn’t always make sense (no change there then), but at least she is awake when we visit.

The rat situation seems to be getting better. Just been outside to check (it is 3.46am) and there were none about, except for one trapped in the rat trap we bought. l have currently caught three of the little gits, one died, one l let go away from our house, and one is in the trap now. There was one on top of the rabbit hutch earlier on, so they are not all dead. Don’t know if the coca cola l have been leaving is killing them or not, there defiantly appears to be fewer, but l am also feeding the rabbits just before dusk, then locking them away so the rats can’t get to the food. What great sport, non stop excitement round our way.

Still not sorted the bastard internet upstairs, l am doing this on the upstairs computer and will then transfer it to the downstairs one (and onto the net) in the morning. Been to busy recently, but will have to do something. My brother is going back to Leeds after visiting our mum in the morning as he has to sign on (he was recently made redundant). He is going to stay down there for a couple of days and then come back up. He is half expecting our mum to die as he is travelling back to Leeds, but can’t just stay up here indefinitely as he has his family in Leeds to see. Hey ho, lets see what this week brings (European cup final on Wednesday – everything stops for that!).

Toodle pip

cancer and the rats

Well, we can't believe it, mum is still alive and hanging on, my brother is still up from Leeds and we are still waiting for a phone call anytime from the hospital. l would have bet anything that she would have been dead by now, but that's probably why l am not a doctor (as l am too thick). She can be understood slightly now and is eating a small amount of food, but is still very hard to make sense of (no change there then).

On a different note, we have had rats going into our rabbits hutch that is kept outside. The little sods have been taking shelter in there during the night and eating some of the rabbit food. Saw at least five rats run out of the hutch yesterday morning. The rabbits do not seem to be affected by this, and have been sitting in their run next to rats, without either of them appearing to be bothered. Bought a humane rat trap and have caught two rats so far, also tried putting some coca cola down for the rats (spoiling them). read on the Internet that if rats drink coca cola, it kills them, let's see if it turns out to be true. Mind you, apart from this blog, l wouldn't trust anything 100% l had read on the Internet. We also have a different front for the rabbit hutch, so we can enclose them at night after feeding them, the last one had a gap so the rabbits could come and go as they pleased. Further updates to come (what an exciting life!).

Still not got our Internet connection sorted out on the upstairs computer, may have to get someone in to look at it (Louise, if you are reading this, that means you!). l am going to have a go at it this weekend, lot of good that will do.

Toodle pip