Have set up a table of treats by the front door so the kids can help themselves without knocking on the door.

Under the mat is a pressure pad that lets out a shriek when they arrive. Watching the reactions on the video doorbell has been fun! One little boy legged it up the path!

Source: The brilliant artist and comedian Olaf Falafel’s Twitter feed

We have a confused little chick stuck on our patio since last night. Put some water and seeds out for it this morning but not showing any signs of recovering as yet so have escalated to making a little safety box nest to get it out of sight of cats (and a certain spaniel) and hope its mother comes to fetch it home.

If still around in a couple of hours I will need to drop it off at the vets.

Times like this it’s helpful to have parrot loving friends to go to for advice.

… let’s get the public to name our new aircraft. Always ends well.

Enjoyed this 2006 Mike Judge comedy yesterday about an average guy who wakes up in a future where mankind has fallen into stupidity, but felt like it now comes across more as a documentary or warning than satire. After a strong start it does fall off a little as the moronic characters get worse, but you can really imagine Trump in that future White House.

The first 4 minute explanation is a concise explanation of where we’re heading if we’re not careful. It won’t be long until there really IS a prime time show called “Ow My Balls!“

Well I’ve had enough of doing my own IT support at home and pulled the pin on my 2degrees broadband.

I get a nice steady 100Mbps fibre connection when I plug my laptop into the cheap & nasty plastic German FRITZ! (yes seriously, it even has the exclamation mark) router supplied by 2degrees. I also get amazing coverage round the house with my Google Nest wifi devices. But do I get fast Internet access through the two? Do I balls!

Just spent 15 minutes on hold with 2Degrees Support to get hold of my broadband password so I could do some troubleshooting, then left my number and not had a call back after an hour. That’s pretty sucky customer support, sadly. It always winds me up when telephone support lines give you the “we’re dealing with higher than normal call volumes” as an excuse for leaving you hanging. Is it bollocks higher than normal – be honest and just admit you don’t have sufficient staff to meet demand, all to keep costs down and profits up. If more people switched to a different provider that is properly resourced you can bet your arse they’d be recruiting.

Now they’re officially getting Bodecotted (that’s just regular boycotting but by the Bodecott family, who keep our grudges longer than high court judges)

A quick search on Glimp.co.nz for offers and discovered that NOW Internet are currently offering 900Mbps Unlimited Fibre with free router on a 12 month contract for only $85 per month, considerably cheaper than the current 2degrees plan.

Now waiting on the new provider’s router and keeping the fingers crossed that it works better than the “on the FRITZ!” crap I’m getting rid of.

Just discovered that Oklahoma City manhole covers feature a map of the city with a blue dot showing where you are. How clever!

Operation SSomPD! has reached prototype stage, with option A being long slope with little chance for birdies to sit and shit, or option B with less intrusive but less vertical sloping.

Now to wait a month and see what state the window frames are in before deciding which option to take.

(BTW spikes is not an option with bird-loving friends to consider)

… is licking the spoon.

When I was bain* Mam would let us lick the whisk when she baked. If we we’d been good she’d turn the mixer off too. Badumtish, here all week, try the gluten free muffins.

* Bain is Hull speak for child.