WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2015

A quiet day on here! Our shopping was mostly successful, the rain didn’t happen and we had a good lunch at garden centre – and hot chocolate at Gretna Old Toll Bar on the way home! Very high tides today, the Esk (at the top of the Solway) was almost over its banks.

Brenda – I hope you managed to complete the HW and then relax!

Linda – you seem to be still finding a lot of sale bargains! A bit worried that it was trousers which had to go back, but jacket and coat which you then came home with! I hope you have plenty to cover the nether regions! I am not really very busy, and only just beginning to think of doing stuff in the greenhouse! J does take vitamins, but still seems to have poor immunity – and the kids at school where he works have poor hygiene and are generous in sharing their germs! I hope the packing is gathering pace now!

OG, I did some HW, but we then decided that we would go for some more sunflower hearts and then we had lunch at Merriments Gardens Restaurant. The rain started this afternoon and is still pouring down.

Linda, Sounds as if you could have excess luggage, if you take all your recent new purchases on holiday. LOL

BRENDA - how nice to make a snap decision and go out - especially with lunch included! :-)

Dau rang early – she has earache. I am waiting for her to ring back when she can get thro’ to Doc for appt. I don’t want a long day but it looks likely. OH has an easy nanny day yesterday. No fair, she cries!!! Thank you DIANE for sending cool weather. I hope it arrives for our weekend which is supposed to reach 40 C.

AQ - Oh dear! Hope your long day goes smoothly. Not surprising if your daughter goes down with ailments, when she is probably tired most of the time. Hope she recovers (perhaps with anti-bi's) and you can all get back to normal.

OG & Brenda - I bought one of the pairs of trousers to wear on holiday, but have since found a comfortable pair tucked away which my Friend passed to me last year, when she lost weight: she gave me several pairs, all gratefully received, as I wear trousers most of the time, away & at home. So I wasn't desperate for new ones! However, I've found over the years that if you're lucky enough to discover clothes which suit, best to grab them there and then, especially if they're Sale price! I was looking for a lightly padded coat, as when you go out into heated shops & cafes in cold weather, a heavy coat is such a burden. So I was pleased to find the one I bought - usually when I search the racks, they have every size except the one I want!! So no worries that I shall only be covered upstairs LOL!!

I bought a jacket, snug and blue/I know its not a surprise to you/That when I returned the trousers, two/ I came away with something new ;-)

Hello all, just been flicking through all the posts too many to reply to but one or two I've picked up on.

Lindy - lovely pics of Amber she is a real cutie.   The puppy is gorgeous too.

OG - That's the trouble with working with children one seems to pick up all sorts especially colds, hope J feels better soon.

Margo - lovely to see your posts and glad you are feeling a little better.

Picked up on Facebook that Tiger has reported that the ospreys are on the move, one tagged is already on its way, the migration has begun.

Didn't get to the gym on Tuesday as had a bad shoulder, think I've slept in a draft, still a painful ache today but went swimming. Didn't do as many lengths as I normally do.

Weather has been mixed this week, its been dull and wet here today and yet yesterday was like a summers day, clear skies and plenty of sunshine.

Talking of clothes/trousers Lindy, bought 3 prs of fleece trousers from Damart last winter and they are so cosy to wear. Only wear in the house though am not a fan of trousers when going out, but that's me.

Young eaglet is growing up fast -

Hey, Annette. If you drove to Malibu today, I hope you weren't affected by the smoke, ash, and toxins from the Torrance oil refinery explosion.  I'm now reading that it was much worse than was initially reported yesterday. I looked at a map, and Malibu seems far enough away but I know you use an inhaler at times.

Evening all: Lovely day out.  Had to take the inland route to Malibu Canyon then cut south through the hills to the coast due to a rockslide some months ago that has closed Pacific Coast Highway until the end of this month.  That gave me the opportunity to check out Home Goods (discount store) where I bought a new apron and a candle. Then had lovely long chat with friend (I was afraid the bill would include rent on the booth!), then back up the canyon, which was just beautiful - all green and craggy - to a super-Target, where I bought exciting things like dishwasher soap but also cheapo T-shirt for - wait for it - $4.99!  Last stop was at TJMaxx, where I splurged on a $9.99 T-shirt (extravagant I know), another candle, and a couple of other items.

OG: Lavateras here can be huge; they grow several feet a year and one branch at the base that I sawed through must've had a diameter of almost 3 inches; thank heaven it's fairly soft wood, so not too hard to saw through with my rose saw.  We have two plants and they're about 6ft by 8+ft.

Lindybird: Don't get me started on pants that don't reach your waist; thank heaven I've found a couple of brands that do; it's even worse when you're 5'9" tall, but one store does make them in tall sizes. When did cardigan get shortened? They use it here too and it gets on my nerves for some reason (maybe it sounds too cute?).

Diane: Explosion many miles south, so no trace at all, but somebody on the radio set it might send local gas (petrol) prices up - they're on the increase again anyway and I don't think the oil companies need much of an excuse to continue the trend...

AQ: Hope Dau's earache goes away very soon.  How far do you live from her?

Back to jigsaw and to keep one eye on 99th rerun of Doc Martin (don't ask why, I don't know).  :-)

Sister in UK has been watching Wolf Hall, which she says is brilliant.

Take care all - especially the folks I haven't mentioned individually!