Weekly Chat, Sunday, February 28, 2010

Evening all. Wonderful rainbow over Santa Barbara this afternoon; more like April with heavy showers then sunshine.  Don't forget to check last week's chat for Tiger's link to the Roy Dennis site about a French osprey that's already completed its migration, and Patriciat's recommendations for places to eat in Grantown (for when we all go to visit OG's son!).   :-)

  • Morning all. Thanks for the sympathy - I feel like a real moaning minnie when so many others have much worse problems.  My Mum was almost totally immobilised by osteoarthritis bu rarely complained, despite terrible pain.  She had a wondeerful contralto voice and would prop herself against the organ in church in order to be able to stand and sing.

    Annette Already taking ibuprofen - alcohol sounds like a good idea but wouldn't be practical in the daytime!

    Diane I, too, admire your energy.  I don't think I could undertake major cleaning in the night.

    Hope the ospreys have some kind of warning system built in, to slow down their migration when the weather in their nesting area is poor.  But don't really believe that - the ospreys at LG have had to cope with cold wet conditions in previous years.

  • Up early today – OH has dentist appointment.  It snowed around midnight, about 1cm on ground, then the dawn was very clear and bright so temp is down to minus 6.

     

    AQ – Burra pic not showing this morning – so far – maybe it’ll be there later.  Thanks for more history –when we were told anything about Australia (long, long ago at school) it always seemed to be NSW or Queensland, so all the SA history is new to me.  Liked the bit about “Little Cornwall” – very hardy people, the Cornish.

    Alan - thanks for late-night report from Wiltshire – hope they will sense that it’s no good travelling further north yet.

    Annette – good whale count – and your own tally of six!

    Taking stuff for joints: I actually have two types of arthritis, so have tried it all!  Fish oils: indigestion.  Glucosamine: no good or bad effect – just costly.  First prescribed treatment  - quite good – then I was anaemic so they decided it was damaging my stomach.  Next drug – three months on it caused a personality change (scary for both of us - took a year to get over it!).  Now two years on one which works – and I don’t seem to be getting the known side-effects.  Also steroid injections – also come with warnings, but decided to go for quality of life now.

     

    Time to get the day started – going to bake gingerbread today – the soft, sticky kind.

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • Diane and AQ Thanks for the reminders about fish oil and glucosamine.  My 2 older dogs get a supplement which includes glucosamine.  Fly (who was 9 yesterday!) became very lame when I ran out of the supplement.  Vet said she had arthritis in both forelegs, would have to give up agility and wasn't to chase a ball.  Also to take medication.  When I started her on the supplement again, the lameness disappeared without use of the medication!

  • OG Gingerbread!  I tried making it using Claire Macdonald's recipe but my scales were faulty and it wasn't a great success.  By a strange coincidence, I've bought a new scale, all the necessary ingredients and had decided that I shoould have time today to try again!  Do you have to store your gingerbread fofr 2 or 3 days to 'mature'?

  • OG: What time will the gingerbread be ready? I want to make sure I'm there. I just bought a lovely new tea called Bengal Spice, and I'll bring some to go with the gingerbread. ;-)

    Patriciat: You weren't a "moaning minnie". I like to think of myself as a tough old warrior, but sometimes things just hurt and a woman has to be honest. 

    (By the way, I love the warrior stories of Queen Boudica, Sgathaich, and the Chieftain Grace O'Malley, who was a fierce old pirate well into her 50s.)

    Such good news about the supplement treating Fly's lameness. Wonderful! Fly: Happy birthday, little doggie!

  • PATRICIAT sorry to hear you are in pain. Two weeks to see a doctor is bad news. Can you get an emergency appt or do you not feel it is warranted. We have 2 practices in one building and when we first arrived and not knowing that we registered separately, the result being we are with different practices. I can usually get an appt within a couple of days but OH has to wait a little longer, but never 2 weeks.

    Have just been out restocking the bird food. It is sunny here but cold and snow still on the ground

    What a mystery these missing photos. First it is there, then it is not, then it is...........

    For those who know that OHs Aunt died id Dec we heard from the solicitor yesterday (he is not in contact with parents) that she died of a massive asthma attack and was found the next day when she didn't turn up to have coffee with a neighbour. It was a shock to hea that was how she met her end as we didn't even know she had asthma

  • Good morning Alan yes exciting news I am not far from Wiltshire perhaps I should go osprey hunting.  The only that worries me is that it is still cold at nights, heavy frost here again this morning but sun is shining brightly so hope the osprey delays its journey North for a while.  Have a good day.

    Margobird

  • Good morning original goldfinch and thanks for your thoughts.  As you will probably realsie I am getting more nervous as each day passes but still staying positive.

     

    It is bright sunny day here in Poole although we had a heavy frost again but it is just a joy to see some sun which actually has some warmth in it now.  Birds not quite so frantic in the garden but I would think they have other things on their minds now and are looking for good nesting sights.

     

    Hope you have some sun and have a good day.

    Margobird

  • TerryM thanks for your positive thoughts and I too have been wondering how Maureen is. 

     

    We have another beautiful sunny day after a hard frost and it really does pick me up to see the sun again. 

     

    Have a good day.

    Margobird

  • I have been wondering about Maureen too.