Hi all, welcome to the new week.
AQ - sorry you are getting roped in for another afternoon in the week, but I was pleased to see Miss 18 is involved too, I had wondered whether she was helping. What has happened to the other Grandparents' share? Maybe when Daughter's OH sees the amount of extra demands two babies bring, he could pay for afternoon help?
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Evening all: Thoroughly revolting day today. Started off at 7 a.m. with a car shearing a power pole in half two blocks away, so power went out with a loud sort of swoosh-hum which alarmed the cat. Didn't bother me too much coz I left the house at 10 due to more unavoidable to-ing and fro-ing connected with daughter's car, which was interrupted by several calls from grandson, then a p.m. call from daughter with dire news re the car followed by more calls from now-cranky grandson (a fight with girlfriend that overflowed??). It all had me wondering if there was a full moon due Finally arrived home to find no internet access and OH, who'd spent much of the day hooking up his new computer, very frustrated because he couldn't get online and couldn't figure out why. Lots of sturm and drang all round. I put on the television to see what new calamities had befallen the world as a way of maybe cheering us up, only to find we had no TV access. A disgusting day all round and I wasn't in the mood to cook, so we went out to dinner, after which I called our TV/cable provider and learned that the morning accident with the power pole had also affected their transmission cables. We drove by the scene en route home to find the street closed off, a massive crane parked in the middle of the road and the top half of the sheared pole with all the cables dangling in between its neighbors but leaning alarmingly over someone's house. Thankfully, our TV and cable came back on shortly thereafter, so things are sort of back to normal. Do hope tomorrow is even more normal, although OH's LA lunch has been canceled due to one of the guys being unwell - and I was sort of looking forward to having the entire house to myself for the day. Oh well.
Clare: Thanks for the Big Issue explanation; have not heard of anything like that.
Lindybird: Hope your Christmas lights are behaving themselves. Our solar lights also blink annoyingly on one setting (which we don't use). Great shots of the kitties. Oh yes, the special cleanness of the newly decorated house - it's so nice!
OG: I find blue lights cold. Some people also have ever-larger inflatable Santas, etc. on their roofs, porches, you name it. They seem oddly deflated during the day; not sure if you have to blow them up every night. I store our lights in bags with notes to myself along the lines of " east side of garage," "peaked roof", "front porch and south side."
AQ: Oh dear, do hope things will ease up after SiL's time off, but 6 months is still young with so many phases to go through before they can feed and dress themselves, etc., not to mention doing without diapers. And yes, I echo OG's question: What's with the other grandparents? Maybe get someone in to do the windows.... I think I've mentioned our tiny freezer before; it's real pain when it comes to large items; there's no room for much else.
Am going to watch the end of a ridiculous Stephen King movie (well, it's been that kind of a day), then fall into bed. Have a good Tuesday everyone.
Hello all
What a day you had, ANNETTE! The news about your daughter's car does not sound good and cranky grandson ditto. Is your car still with your daughter?
OG I like the idea of sourcing your food from special places. The only thing that I have ordered specially is a sirloin joint from the butcher. I know that rib is said to be tastier but there are too many dissecters in the family who spend ages trimming every little bit of fat from rib roast. It's good to hear that your cataracts don't need 'doing' yet.
AQ - What a long haul for you, but at least you will get two weeks respite. I'm not sure how I would have managed two babies at once. Very badly, I suspect. Cuddles would have been in very short supply because my mother was a nanny in her younger years and I just followed her advice which would probably be seen as very outdated nowadays with its emphasis on routines etc:-(((( My own daughters are more independently minded and did things their own way. I have had to bite my tongue on several occasions.
We have just returned firm a pre Christmas lunch at Culloden House Hotel. OHs Probus Club. I stayed away from meat and had crab cocktail to start served with bloody Mary gel and candied lemon. Main course was mushroom and sage risotto cakes with a sage butter and red onion marmalade. Served with a small green salad.(Delicious and not too sagey) Then a selection of Scottish cheeses with figs, home made chutney and homemade oatcakes. OH had turkey followed by Christmas pudding with vanilla and brandy sauce and muscovado ice cream. We got the menu some weeks ago and had to choose what we wanted from four starters, main courses and pudding/ desserts.We all finished with coffee or tea and the most crumbly and delicious mince pies. The pastry was very short and I suspect had ground almonds in it. No wine for OH due to new drink driving laws here in Scotland.
Sorry not to have replied to all, will get round to it !
Hello All - Really dreadful weather here today, dark, windy and pouring with rain, it just could not rain any harder. I went up to the post office to post my last parcel and my hair was soaked just going from the car into the post office! Water was streaming down our road and there was a flood all around the Garage, I think they must have a blocked drain. It is supposed to be worse tomorrow with very high winds,snow,etc, and I have to go into Dingwall unfortunately as I have a Dentist appointment followed by a Physio appointment. We are supposed to have Carol Singing and Music in the Village Square on Friday evening but it will not be very nice if it is like this. Winter seems to have suddenly arrived and it is really quite cold, I have now taken to wearing all my thermals!!
On Sunday, I went to my Cactus Club Christmas Lunch and it was very enjoyable. There was quite a choice on the menu and it was all cooked very nicely. I had Duck & Port pate to start with, then Roast Turkey with all the trimmings and then Cranachan for dessert finishing with coffee and delicious mince pies.
Annette - Sorry that you had such an awful day, do hope that your Daughters car can be repaired soon, as that will ease things for all of you. I agree with you - I am not very keen on blue for Christmas lighting, I think it gives a cold effect and much prefer golds, reds, and whites for Christmas cheer!
Diane - What a time you are having with your woodpecker, have you thought up a way of stopping him demolishing your woodwork? very attractive birds though , I looked up a red-bellied woodpecker on google.
Lindybird - I laughed at your 'noisy parcel' story and loved your poem also. I also photographed a simply gorgeous sunrise the other day but when I downloaded it onto the computer it was very disappointing, I took several photos and they were all the same, did not portray the right effect at all. I think that I need a much better camera.
Brenda - Congratulations on winning a Lottery prize, I buy one ticket every week but never win anything. Actually, I have won £10 one or twice ages and ages ago now!
Heather - glad you enjoyed your lunch up at Culloden House, it sounded delicious. I have never been there but have always wanted to try it out.
RITA - take care tomorrow. It was pouring when we left the hotel at 3pm. Heard that there are no trains north or west tomorrow and the Inverness-Perth line was in trouble earlier today due to problems at Pitlochry. The usual cancellations of ferries etc.
BRENDA- I had forgotten about your lottery win! Maybe you are on a winning streak-----
LINDY - You are setting me a fine example by getting rid of stuff. Only problem is that it is my OHs stuff that I need to reduce. He won't and I'd better not!