Rain and Other Matters

Dear Diary

Euphemisms. In English, it is, ‘raining cats and dogs’. In Welsh it is, ‘raining old ladies and sticks’. Please don’t ask me why. I believe that the English expression comes from the 15th Century where cats and dogs used to live ‘upstairs’, and sometime the roof would fall in when it rained. Or something like that. I have no idea where the Welsh one comes from.

Harrumph. It is 1:30 a.m. It is raining old women and sticks. I am expected by a neighbor to be ready by 6 a.m. to stick things in the ground to hold tables which can take bric-a-brac (it’s called a garage sale over here). There is another expression for bric-a-brac - crap.... I told her earlier it will rain until mid-morning. She's now concerned that at her friend's house where this garage sale will take place, the friend's ex-husband will come along and remove some items of furniture. Another altercation looms.

Let me explain. Earlier, I had a ‘discussion’ with a Canadian Greek. He has taken to parking his extremely loud diesel truck next door, where the place is empty. Not only that, the idiot started it up remotely today to ‘warm it up’. Diesel fumes and my lungs don’t go together. If I was President for one day, I would ban diesel from this planet! He said he was about to leave, that’s why he started it (about 15 minutes before he was ready). Why can’t he wait until he’s sitting in it like any other normal human being? The smell in my place was awful. I certainly lived up to my reputation as a Grumpy Old Man in these here parts.

Back to the rain. It has kept me awake for ages - not the rain itself but the constant dripping of the rain on disused drain-pipes outside in my back yard. Whenever Bob the Yard Man comes, he moves said pipes, and the rain drips loudly onto them. Not regular either.... I've told him countless time to leave them alone, but he will move them. In fact they are not even on any grassy bits - there aren't any out the back! I've been out twice, with a rather wonky (technical term) umbrella, the first time (my knickers got wet), and second time with a 'Dave' Cameron special hoodie outfit (my knickers got even wetter). I think I've cured the problem now. Not the old ladies and sticks you understand.... I hope it rains for hours. I really detest the idea of running a garage sale... My neighbor thinks that I'm a great salesman (another word for liar).

I received an email from a friend about a web site which causes some concern.
http://www.zabasearch.com/
Just key in a name, and if necessary a State, and all will be revealed. I entered my name. I really thought I was the only Aled in the US.

Earlier, a friend and I discussed the number of relatives that I have according to this web site - all apparently living with me. He is kinda jealous of the number of women, but we're not too sure about India. Here are their names:
MICHELLE H HUGHESLOREN HUGHESLISA C HUGHESJOELLE MARTINE HUGHESINDIA HUGHESDENISE A HUGHES
TIMOTHY J HUGHES


No wonder I can’t sleep.

Here endeth today’s lesson.