GrandmasterP

Welcome back Deci.

Wearing a toga could be OK for mid summer hot weather but wear one of those round these parts of a winter and your bits would freeze off. We're not far from Hadrian's Wall here and at the museum there they have tableaux and such showing how the Romans who built and garrisoned the wall were dressed. They didn't wear togas like that they donned lots of layers over the top of thick woollen undergarments to try and stay warm.

A truly inspiring man whose gentle wisdom, wise counsel and words of encouragement have touched many lives including my own.

Well so far so good. Hoping for the best and that ratty has gone elsewhere. Not heard anything these past few nights and it's not as if I'm sleeping all that well at present.

I'm 62 so unlikely to change much. Bad habits from childhood... Laziness definitely. That said, I enjoy being lazy those few times when I get the chance.

Absolutely 'ghosts' are a fact of life. I prefer 'spirit friends' though. Entities might be another name for ghosts but tends to come with negative connotations as in... " I think an entity has attached to me." That's not good. I don't believe that spirits are out to drain our energy with ill intent but the fact is that spirit communication can and does use our energy. Back in the old days ( I'm a Spiritualist) when seances were popular the medium communicating could be totally exhausted at the end as if they had run a marathon. Reptilians etc I don't know much about at all, seems a bit science-fiction- like somehow, bit who knows for sure?

Big Salaams Aayla Secura and welcome to TTB. It will be nice to have an informed Moslem perspective on here.

No disrespect to your good self or the Sangha bro and I have the deepest respect for Dogen & Zen in general. However Zen Buddhism, especially in the west has a shady history of scandal, coercion and abuse amongst some prominent Zennists. Compared to other branches of Buddhism Zen does not 'score well' on safety and protection issues. There's been a commission investigating what to do to address these issues set up by the main Zen groups. That continues its work. More via this link, it makes sad reading..... http://www.darkzen.org/articles/uszen3.htm

Hum? On topic.... How about... Numinous

Great ideas guys. I have done QiGong. Sent mental biddings to the rats. Been at one with the rats of a night when I think they were scurrying about. Thing is this is a really old house with massive oak beams downstairs and Norfolk reed ceilings plus wattle and daub plaster in places so it creaks and makes noises on its own. We have a cat and three dogs all indoors at night. The cat was a great mouser at the other house but the dogs are Cockers so not natural ratters. They've barely barked of a night, possibly taking the noises for granted or getting the hang of the place. We've been in nine weeks and it's still new to all of us. What seemed to have worked so far ( fingers crossed) is packing an air brick under the sink unit with yards of steel mesh screwed up to totally fill the space but still let air in. For the little sods can get through that they'll need wire cutters. That seemed to be the main entry and exit as there was lots of poo in the area plus they had dragged down some sponge from under the sink, also a cloth, a carrier bag and a wire pan scourer. Maybe they were getting set to do some washing up! The plinth at the base under that unit is clipped on so I can pop it off to check and see if it remains clear. I really don't want to use the poison or those traps. That would be an absolute last resort for me.

Excellent topic. One of the possibly justifiable critiques of Mindfulness is that some companies introduced it not so much for the benefits of the staff but for the company to mould a quiescent workforce. The theory being that Mindful employees are potentially less likely to challenge company policy. For example not agitating as much for improved pay or working conditions. I taught Mindfulness as part of my old job but within a 'Coaching and Mentoring' award route. That awareness of possibly negative aspects comes up in the Mindfulness literature from time to time.

Same here 'ineffable' isn't used much here in the UK in spoken conversation but you'll sometimes see it in print. We've a thing about 'in' prefixes. 'Inflammable' was changed to 'flammable' because some folks thought inflammable meant fireproof. Hence ''ineffable' might imply.. ' cannot be effed'. Many things are 'effed' in general colloquial English conversation. 'Effing' this, 'effing that'. For example... " I have effing rats in my kitchen."

Just found the equivalent of one of those underneath the kitchen sink unit. Total rat play area. Flooring guy took off the bottom unit panel and we found out where the little critters are getting in and out. There's NO flippin' floor around the sink waste at all. Found a dish cloth that the little sods had dragged down there. Tonight is for cleaning out all the mess and wire meshing all and everything I can get to. Floor guy will pour screed down there tomorrow and hopefully once that sets solid that will seal up any access. Man, those rats are persistent little beggars and no mistake. Word to the wise colleagues. Never ever buy an ancient property.

Om or is it Aum? I have a little medallion from India with that engraved on.

Kudos and Merit.

Their final blazon, and to prove Our almost-instinct almost true: What will survive of us is love. ( Larkin)

I'm pretty squeamish about using traps and poison, not faced up to doing it yet. Will see how we get on. Nothing gnawed since those sponges. I hope I found where it was getting in under the eaves and have blocked that hole off with wire mesh but time will tell. Have given the cat a pep talk and promised extra treats if she scares any further the critters away from in the house. I have no issues with the beasties being outdoors but not inside. At the old place we had a cat flap so puss went in and out at night. She's cabinned up in here with us at night at the moment and back to using her cat litter.

Those moderators sure sound to be a tough ( albeit inclusive) crowd. I shall be more careful how I post in future.

Monkey Magic was one of the best TV shows ever IMO.

Circuit board in and, so far so good. Power has stayed on. Possibly rats nibbled through some wires. We've heard a couple these past nights so sure to be more. One in the loft for sure and last night I heard a big one behind a kitchen unit false wall. Had wondered why the washing up,sponge appeared gnawed. There were bits of sponge all over under the sink. Cat can't get in there so I've bought a couple of traps today. Not looking forward to using those but what else to do? Man this place just keeps on giving!

To an extent there are drivers towards accomplishment' in the world of work. There was a motto in my old job that went... "Publish or perish." The expectation was that every year active academics would have at least one learned paper published in a relevant journal. There were funding implications for the university. The fewer papers published the lower the grant income from central government. The idea was to keep standards up and discourage laziness. Having to accomplish something to meet a target can be a bind whereas accomplishing something for oneself is far more satisfying IMO. That doesn't have to be a big thing either but the rewards of personal satisfaction far outweigh the relief felt from getting a job accomplished at work that one had to do 'or else!'.

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

+1 Stosh. It's easier to be 'spiritual' and in the zone when everything is secure and going well. Things like flat tyres or floods , illness or upset can soon shake our spiritual foundations even if only during the time when things aren't going too well.

Thanks for the suggestions guys and also to Jeff and Manitou for good wishes and rituals sent. We may get a multi fuel stove fitted. I don't like open fires much at all to messy and also a bit risky in a basically timber framed house IMO. I'm the same with candles. Mrs GMP loves 'em but they make me uneasy. Needs must though if the power goes down. Electrician due again tomorrow to fit a new circuit board to replace the ancient fuse box. All good fun.

I had impacted wisdom teeth both sides of my bottom jaw and they were jolly painful. I was in mid twenties when they started bothering me. Never quite 'through' the gum which was sore both sides and one became abscessed. Had them out ( separately with six months between ) and it was jolly painful both times but great relief afterwards.