This morning Jackie drove me into the forest.
At the bottom of Bull Hill a troop of donkeys blocked the road. After negotiating her way round them, Jackie drove on until she could stop safely, when I disembarked and walked back to find that the animals had
ambled off to disrupt traffic further down the road.
Undeterred, I followed, trying not to inconvenience the traffic myself, and found them separately secluded in various entrances.
At the narrow, Portmore, end of Jordans Lane
I spotted a stationary stone squirrel sited on slate tiles.
We wondered who lived down here.
On our return home I received a message from EE stating that my number had been transferred – and another from O2 informing me that I was on emergency calls only.
Flo then helped me get my head around using the new device. This, of course, required much patience from her as she watched her grandfather’s nervous fingers stubbing away, often inserting the wrong information, if only with one incorrect digit. She positioned the various icons in Grandpa-friendly locations on the screen.
This evening we dined on tricolore fusilli pasta arrabbiata with cauliflower and broccoli al dente sprinkled with Parmesan cheese accompanied by Hoegaarden in Jackie’s case, and more of the Cabernet Sauvignon in mine.
I’m glad that you finally got your new device, Derrick. It’s a learning curve! Those donkeys are totally clueless about blocking traffic. 😂
They have the right of way 🙂 Thank you very much, John
I don’t know why, but I love those plaintive donkey faces. That winding lane is mysterious and compelling.
So, all the phone issues are settled? That was good of Flo to help you.
I found the winding lane intriguing as well. There’s something about a bend in a narrow country road that makes me want to follow it.
Thank you both very much
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I wish I had an inhouse helper with my gadgets – but so nice you have your phone issues just waiting for you to learn how to use them…
Thanks very much to each of you
So would I (like to Hava an in house helper for tricky bits of my increasing technological life).
Flo was very good. She has her hands full at the moment with Ellie, so I hadn’t wanted to ask her. Thanks very much, Merril
You’re welcome, Derrick.
You are indeed a blessed Grandpa 😊
Thank you very much, Rupali. Agreed
Such an interesting adventure Derrick. Delicious dinner too!
Thank you very much, Holly
My pleasure ‘
I like your cute donkeys with white nose Derrick !
and fortunately we have around young people to help us in the new technologies.
In friendship
Michel
Thank you very much Michel, my friend. We were born many decades too soon 🙂
Oh no! The gremlins have removed all your wonderful photos and you know how I love photos of donkeys.
That is awful, Sheree. You may have seen from other comments that they have been enjoyed by other readers. Perhaps they will come back for you. Thanks very much.
I hope so! It’s been a bit hit and miss again today
Great donkey pictures and the stone squirrel is a good spot too. Good luck with the phone. Does it have a camera you might think of using?
It does. I may well give it a go. I never used the earlier one. Thanks very much, Susan
“We wondered who lived down here.” – Perhaps the stone squirrel. 😉
The new devices are not user friendly for me either. I have very few aps but mostly use internet for Google Maps. Phone, Text messages and Photo Gallery are the only aps on on my home screen.
The younger generation can have the mods and cons. Just leave me the basics.
Agreed, Chrissy. Thanks very much
The stone squirrel is rather neat!
Thanks very much, John
Great spot of someone’s Den, be it Badger or Fox… Love the Donkeys.. Enjoyed your travels today Derrick.. <3
I wondered if the underground home might be a fox den.
We have lots if foxes around us and they dig some big holes. As our allotments cab testify to 😉😊
🙂
Thank you very much, Sue X
YAY for Flo! It’s nice to have a young patient helper! 🙂
You know I am in Donkey Heaven with your photos today! 🙂
Beautiful lane photo! The squirrel might be playing “Hide and Seek”! HA! 😀 He blends right in! 😉
OOH! I’m not gonna’ look in, or crawl in, a hole that big! 😮 Wouldn’t want to disturb the fellow living in there! 😉 😛
(((HUGS))) ❤️
Wise decision about the hole, Carolyn. Thanks very much X
You definitely captured some wonderful photos today Derrick … the donkeys (as always) are gorgeous …
Cheers, Ivor
Lovely donkey pictures. I am happy that you have achieved lift off on the phone front. You will be soaring soon.
Thank you very much, Tootlepedal
I’ve never heard of a stone squirrel — but your mention reminded me of the Stone Poneys, the group that Linda Ronstadt fronted. I just spent a few minutes browsing through the old songs, and discovered a few I’d never heard, like this lovely “Sweet Summer Blue and Gold.”. It’s a perfect song for overlapping seasons.
Thank you very much, Linda. Your music videos – like this one – are always enjoyable and apt
I Hava developed a renewed respect for donkeys after I saw how hard they were working in Santorini. Moreover, they are kind of cute.
Thank you very much, Sylvie
I’m very glad you have your new phone working and got help with the setup which would take me days. There are many features on my phone that will probably never be used. I love the sweet donkey closeups.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. Me, too, re the phone – and the donkeys
Wonderful donkey photos. Soulful. Thank goodness for Flo!
Thanks very much, Laurie
I love those photos of donkeys. They make me smile
Thanks very much, Gary
Donkey pictures, I just can’t get enough. I love them.
Thanks very much, Bridget
Donkeys! You know, we don’t ever have an issue with donkeys where I live, but more than once I”ve had to work my way around a group of pack llamas on the trail…
Thanks very much, Marilyn
So, you have halted horsing about to focus on donkeys 🙂 We have them all over town too now – recently there were fourteen of them on the pavement outside our house, where they had decided to settle for the night. Their braying in the early morning was a pleasant sound.
Thank you very much, Anne. Because we are just outside the forest edge the animals can’t get to us – we certainly would like to have them milling around.
You always get the best photos!
Thank you very much sweet spontaneous
So if donkeys are so stubborn and always get where they are going with letting us interfere, is that why Joseph put Mary on a donkey?
Could be, John. Cheers
I find that my grandchildren are my “tech experts” almost daily. And such patience they have with us! Donkeys/stubborn and yet by their eyes, they seem quite at ease with their reputations. Just seize the day, yes!
Thank you very much, Pam
Excellent news about the phone. I’m so glad Flo helped you out.
All we need now are those photos transferring from the new phone to your computer!
Thanks very much, Sue. I’m going to e-mail them to myself if I can manage it X
I was blessed with two excellent IT specialists over the years where I worked. They patiently lead me through the crises that proved to have simple (for those in the know) solutions. I think the best thing I learned from them, though, was you truly have to work at messing things up so bad the computer shows the fatal blank blue screen. It can happen, but it just doesn’t usually happen. It gave me confidence to risk trying things, thereby learning what works and what doesn’t when it comes to doing and undoing things on these devicess1 This understanding became very helpful after I retired and didn’t have access to IT specialists as handy as “just down the hall” and as easy to reach as picking up a phone. Oh, there was a little panic the first time I needed a helping hand on my computer problem, and I had to figure it out on my own, yet the confidence it built when I realized I had a similar problem once at work that I learned how to fix from one of those IT specialists and I managed to survive this at home problem made me a happy camper! I could solve my own problems or, at least, not panic when I got into a mess. May you benefit from the IT specialist in our home…um grandchild with IT knowledge you need! And learn what it takes to operate your phone!
Thanks very much, Doug. When I was consultant to an adoption agency in the ’90s, I was offered the opportunity to join their staff training on computers. I later regretted that I had declined 🙂
I think you gotta love those donkeys, not a care in the world with what goes on in “civilization”!
Beautiful photos. Hope Flo is able to make the new device easy for you.
I just love the way the donkeys roam about your area… and block traffic. A pain, but so beautiful. Your photos are wonderful, Derrick. Thanks for the smile!
I love all your donkeys wandering up and down the road! They are beautiful animals. Amazing to see. New technology is a challenge for us old pencil and paper folks!
I love the photos of those soulful-appearing donkeys and the photo of the winding road. I’m glad Flo was able to help you with your phone.
I’m glad Flo was there to help you get started. I’ll bet you’ll need her a few more times till you are comfortable with your new phone. I truly hope this is the end of technical issues for some time. That stone squirrel looked real to me for an instant; I had to stare at it for a while. And the narrow end of Jordan’s Lane is simply perfect. Nice shot. <3
I am getting closer and closer to moving somewhere where I can see donkeys every week.
Oh, I love the donkeys! They have the sweetest faces. And that squirrel would have fooled me. Even with the big picture on my computer, I thought it was real.
Thank you so much, Jodie
<3
Oh, and yay Flo! Over here we have a commercial (I forget what it is advertising) where a grandchild goes to visit their grandparents and as they walk in the door the grandparents both hand them dozens of electronics to fix. I remember the commercial because it is 100% accurate.
That seems spot on, Jodie. Thanks very much
You are welcome.
Love your donkeys and stone squirrel. Any day with a forest drive is a great day.
Thanks very much, Pat
Gotta love those donkeys! And God bless Flo! I hope this new system gets easier as time goes by!
The donkeys are adorable! I also suspect one can herd a donkey anywhere the donkey wants to go. 🙂 The stationary squirrel was a nice find! Burrow entrances are also fun to contemplate. 🙂
I am glad the phone troubles are over, Derrick. One less vexation!
The donkeys’ close-ups are very expressive.
You are not the only one assisted by grandchildren when it concerns phones and the rest of modern technology, Derrick.
I’m sure I’m not, Dolly. Thanks very much
You are very welcome, Derrick.
Hope you’re enjoying your new blog site, I can see the photographs but commenting required passwords and full information.
Thank you very much for your perseverance, Charlotte. The glitches are gradually being ironed out.