Overgrown trees, paint and a cat

Apparently with all the rain and sun we've had it's led to a lot of growth. A few weeks ago I tackled some pretty over grown conifers in Sparkling's front garden. I cut them back, stood on a folding ladder with a loaned reciprocating saw and hacked. Binned lots of cuttings and got a wonderful thank you from Sparkling. Actually I'm not sure if she was around, but I do recall I was doing the chopping and she came out and had a chat. But then found she was getting bored of me chatting and sawing so she left me to it. To my protestations might I add as well. Sometimes it's nice to have some company when you are spending a lot of time being a lumberjack. But not like the Monty Python song might I add. So Sparkling has now told me the conifers need another cutting, it's the weather she tells me. At least I am given a vocation. Wood chopper. Not quite the same as esteemed intellectual, but it will have to do for now. I suppose it's better to be wanted for something than for nothing.

This evening I spent two hours doing some painting. It was a gloss coat on the house's front fascia boarding. I realised while looking at my handy work, the preparation was awful. The truth being it's not up to scratch, I should of taken time out, maybe an entire day just preparing the surface for paining. Filling in all those little cracks and holes, taking off those stubborn little bits of paint rather than leave them there. The only real thing in my favour is the board is 30 feet up in the air so it's unlikely anyone will really know how badly it's been painted over. Unless they get on a ladder and have a closer look. But I've been told there are a lot of people out there who are afraid of climbing ladders. I must admit the first time I did it, there was a little bit of vertigo, but I'm over it now. I've had the opportunity to also check the roof to try and find the place our pigeons get in, but I just can't see it. It's been suggested I should just leave the cat on the roof he'll catch them. If I did though, I'm not sure I'll be a popular individual. Neither with the cat's owner or with the cat. It's just the pigeons I want to get rid off. Maybe they will like the paint work and not fuss over it. I expect they will, certainly much better than a handshake with the cat.