Eggs in the Loft!

I have been up in the attic this morning.  
It makes a change from the usual routine.  
There has been strange noises from there for a while, including lots of 'coo-ing' noises which could be irritating if allowed to continue.  So I got out the stepladder and tried to get up there to investigate.  Naturally the thing has only three steps and I could not get far in.  On top of that a redevelopment in the 70's meant that I could not see far enough into the loft as a wall cuts off the view.  So it was time to contact the landlord.  
However, the flat being a bit dingy I thought I had better clean up before the landlord or his man came hence the decorating.  He came today to remove the birds.  So the landlord himself came, spent a while trying to work out the new style stepladder and we then ventured up into the darkness.  Good job he brought a light...
I let him clamber over the confused morass that lay in front of us, just how some of that stuff got up there is a mystery, and on hands and knees, bumping his head on the timbers he managed to force a brick into the gap the birds had used to gain entry.  
I stood at the top of the ladder and helped...
He returned with these four eggs which will now not hatch.  This is quite sad but it is not a good idea to encourage birds up there.  I feel quite guilty about this.  I now do not know what to do with the things!  
When I first came there were several openings in the roof beloved by many types of birdlife.  This included a Swift which screamed in to feed the young and screamed out again.  This was most disconcerting at first.  All those openings have long been fixed and we must await now to ensure they do not return.  
Still, all this activity meant I did not have time to return to painting the other window, instead I passed on a small bag of chocolates for his wife and assistant who I have since discovered thought that was a great idea!  
Bribery is always handy...

The Sun Turns, or is it Me?

Another revolution round the sun has occurred.  For another 365 days I have been swinging the lead journeying round the sun enjoying life.  Tonight I eat whisky cake 'sweet and mellow' like me, she said with a hint of sarcasm. 
The church found out and sang 'Happy Birthday' as they do.  How embarrassing!  I keep it quiet but someone shouted out my name.  She will hear about this.
Nothing else to report.
Another year older again, cards, well wishers, facebook posts, but no book vouchers!  Tsk!
A quiet museum day, exhibition ended, new one begins to emerge, will take three weeks to erect mind.  Few visitors, nothing much to do, home to sleep....

I believe these are the two new neighbours.
Up above, in the loft, I hear noises and coo-ing.  I think these two have moved in.  I tried to get up there but my steps are two small, I need a proper stepladder.  I was thinking of borrowing the museum one but that of course is now in constant use.  Maybe I will try again and risk my neck by clambering...?

Lunch, Football Books and Doves.

As one of the near million or more who opened a can of beans today I began to cogitate on the worth of this fine food, a food that was is so important to our health that during the war it was declared an 'essential foodstuff.'  It has been essential in my house for many years.
Somehow beans grown in South America made it to Europe during the 1500's, possibly by being swiped from Spanish and French ships by English pirates, and bean stew became popular world wide, the world being Europe and the Americas and the rest did not matter much.  Haricot, also known as 'Navy' beans for some reason are covered in tomato sauce and make a complete dinner for many in the UK.  This tells us much about them!   
Heinz, who sell the most, and probably many 'own brand' types also, claim that around 50,000 tonnes of beans arrive annually for their Wigan factory from the Americas, a fact which might change come Brexit!  Their sauce is based on a US model which originally contained pieces of pork (pork & beans still on sale somewhere)  first produced in the UK by Heinz in 1928.  The beans had first been sold as an expensive foreign import in 1901 by Fortnum & Mason at 9d a tin.  Considering some earned around £1 a week then (with 240d to a £) you see how pricey it was.  Today Heinz and other charge considerably more but wise folks like me buy own brand beans, considerably cheaper and if you don't like the sauce ad a bit of imitation Lee & Perrin's sauce to spice it up a bit.   Even the English queen likes the beans and has given Heinz a Royal Warrant, she always has some on order, probably for Philip.
Pie and beans, meaning a Scotch mutton pie, was a staple of my diet in Edinburgh, in this wilderness these pies are unobtainable and the English mince pie is frankly disgusting!  Therefore my diet suffers.  Being cheap and flexible they cover a lot of mistakes leaving me feeling fed even though no restaurant would remain open if they offered what I ate.  I however suppose it is possible to live on a diet of beans?  If this is cheap I may give it a try.

Someone indicated a book might be missing from my collection.  This usually means they have nicked it so I had a quick check and all the appropriate books are in their rightful place.  It may be someone did not look close enough....

Someone was watching me with the tins of beans muttering "I'm game for dinner" and when I looked he had hopped it.  I wonder if he had obtained the wrong idea?  He ought to know we don't eat birds like him these days...usually...