Return of the Linnets

Hooray. Seems that the Linnets have now moved back into the bush after the old nest was removed. They've been in and out for the last couple of days. We're staying well away this time.

In the beginning

In the begining there was Dean. And Dean did say "Those features you like, they will stay. 40% bare brick, no problem." Which in reality meant only one small bare brick wall, one very small alcove in the kitchen, but hey we love our home. The photos show the lovely vaulted ceiling in the bedroom and the bottom frame shows the actual area where the mole's head was when we first looked round. Funnily enough it became the kitchen and we're veggies!

Barn built

Our neighbour asked if we could put some of the pics we have of the barn being built on the blog, so here they are. Just think about how much rubble is under the top quality soil they got for us! If we were to dig down from the steps of the back garden then we'll find the brick slope used to bring the cows into the building. The skylights were apparently made of asbestos so were removed for 'heath and safety reasons'. Note the blue doors that were replaced by windows later on.

It's no yoke

Bad news I'm afraid. It seems that the Linnets have abandoned the nest only days after the forth egg has laid. Very sad I know but that's nature for you. Seems that either they have reacted to us gardening (nowhere near the nest) or the local cats have been sniffing around. Bless.

Easter Eggs

It's been a busy few days at the Barff. We've been watching a pair of Linnets moving into one of our bushes , a Ligustrum in fact. Over the week they've built a dinky little nest with a smashing cats fur lining, gratefully taken from the scratchings of our neighbours two felines!

We've also been pacing up and down a la expectant dads and yesterday one egg appeared and then today a second has been laid. Cool.

For those of you who are slightly suspicious of the uncanny resemblance to Cadbury's Mini Eggs, they are real! See ciggie card for full info.

Deep Joy

Been to The Deep to day, it's a submarium just outside of Hull city centre. As we've got my two nephews over, we decided it might be the place to go.

A whole otter love

One of my fave animals are otters.

Here's the cute little critters doing something equally as cute.

(Apparently they're sea otters)

Drive by shouting

(If you squint you'll see Max Biaggi, Troy Corser and Nitro Nori )

We had great fun at the World Superbike race, at Donington Park on Sunday (1st April). Riding all the way round, past the many diversions in place around the Barff, it took all of about an hour and 1/2 to get there with no problems at all. Seeing it was Su's first time riding into Donington, we were chuffed that not one 'rocket boy' got in the way.

Shame that Troy Bayliss binned it in race 1 and ended up at Derby Royal and then James Toseland had bike problems and dropped out in race 2 but the racing was good and the crowds appreciative. After making it through the melle that is the disorganised exit of 61,000 people desperate to get home, I was the victim of a drive-by shouting.

Apparently it's not the done thing to stick to the speed limit through Clifton and after really trying hard to push me out of the way, the passenger of a green Rover, driven by some muppet in a Burberry cap, now driving up alongside me, decided that I could hear what he was shouting and made a courageous attempt to hurl abuse. Bless him, apart from his eyes being so close together he was almost a cyclops, he made the locals from the film Deliverance look positively handsome and as an obvious member of Mensa he may have been speaking Latin . A nice wave goodbye was the reply I gave (no, really).

Still we made it home with no problems, apart from the horrendous head-on, gusting wind.

140 odd miles travelled , races watched and a grand day out. Phew.