WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Morning all:

Clare: Ah!  I see you, Heather, and just about every female in my family has the honest and forthright gene (and which is why my sister and now my niece have had/are having job problems.  Isn't it funny how (sorry, but mostly male) managers, politicians, etc.,  insist that they welcome "input" but only so much and it has, above all, to be delivered all wrapped up in non-threatening smiles. Ugh!  God knows how I survived in the workplace; I suspect they were so busy listening to my accent they missed what I was actually saying!  I remember once, when a (starving) student employee didn't get his paycheck on time, I called up the relevant office, got it delivered to him that day, then heard later that the head of that department had described me as being "officious."  Still, who cares, the kid got his money quickly. Good luck anyway and remember to look sweet, at least until you've landed the job  :-).

Tina: Good luck with Plan B.

Assume Lindybird is already wondering which sandals will work best for an evening in the Canaries! 

ANNETTE - now there's a thought, look sweet until you have the job! I would have found that a bit difficult LOL

OG- Sheana got blood tests last week, still awaiting the results.

My OH has been watching TV without specs this evening! I have made no comment because as I said before,he finds it hard to make positive replies regarding matters of health. I watch and wait---

Heather: Well, re looking sweet, it's a case of "Do as I say, not as I do."  Hope they can pin down the cause of Sheana's confusion - meds that aren't metabolizing fast enough???   We'll be waiting for updates on your OH's visual adventures.  

Diane: Looks like ghastly cold temps your way;  do hope you're doing okay.

Hi to everyone else!  :-)

Unknown said:

Diane: Looks like ghastly cold temps your way;  do hope you're doing okay.

Hi, Annette: Actual temperature was -15 F or -26.1 C Monday night. More arctic cold next two nights. Spent the weekend shoveling 7 inches of snow out of my driveway lane. So sick of it.

I did get groceries today and arrived home at dusk. I opened my trunk (boot) to unload the food, and I heard a rustle of giant wings right behind me. I had disturbed the female red-tailed hawk roosting in the pine tree. I said, "Sorry, Hawk. I'll hurry." She flew a few feet away into a taller tree, but she sat there and watched me unload everything. She never screamed a warning or seemed agitated, just watched closely. I felt bad for disturbing her. I think she's the biggest hawk I've ever seen, more like small eagle-sized. I talked to her softly, but I didn't stare directly at her (they don't like for you to stare at them in the eyes).

I hope your whale count picks up for your next shift. I also hope you get more rain. Spent the evening reading about the surprise result in the Chicago mayoral election.

Heather: Best wishes to your OH for a rapid and full recovery. Sending healing energy.

Hi to Brenda, Rita and everyone.

Hey Diane: We've been busy here so completely missed the Chicago election results - interesting. How nice to have the hawk as a neighbor. We have some (Cooper's Hawks) near us but I'm just one of the many two-legged critters scurrying to and fro while they fly high; they don't give me the time of day.  There's talk, because of the drought, of prohibiting backyard fountains, but ours is small and I can't imagine leaving the birds without water. In addition to the scores of finches that are always about, we most recently had a small flock of Cedar Waxwings, which I haven't seen before at the fountain, and last year a very busy family of American Robins, which I hope to see again. I can't see the fountain from my usual perch indoors so don't know if the one hawk I saw ever came back.  We're due to get another small storm this coming weekend, and the creek that runs down the other side of our street has had water in it for the last few weeks, so at least there's a natural source available. Still, not sure how long that will be available.

Going to friend's house for coffee in the a.m., then a few errands, then off to my daughter's Friday morning to pick up guinea pig before she heads to Arizona next week.

Have a good Thursday everyone.

A: Cooper's Hawks are lovely; I sometimes see one when I cut through a nearby small town to reach the other highway. It will be such a shame if you are ultimately forced to give up your fountain. Is it hidden from the view of authorities? I think Cedar Waxwings are one of the most beautiful birds. I've only seen the species once. Almost every day, there's a story on my Facebook newsfeed about the impacts of the drought on wildlife and people.

Say hello to the guinea pig for me.

Good Morning ALL. I realised late last night that I didn't post yesterday. We left early yesterday morning to take the car for a service and then I was able to shop at M&S, John Lewis etc, which I don't have locally. Didn't buy anything exciting, just bed sheets, towels, bath mats. etc.

I hope Clare is successful today and is not too forthright during her interview.

Tina, I would opt for plan B also. I hope all  goes well at the dentist.

Diane, I have been aware of your weather and wondering how you are coping. Although you talk of 7", I understand that the snow drifting has caused major problems. Good to hear that you were able to food shop.
Lovely to hear that the female RT Hawk seems to be accepting that you live there too. I wonder will she have a nest nearer to your house this year.

Annette, Your fountain really does seem to be inviting plenty of birds to your garden. Hope you do get some more rain. Our garden is too wet and more rain due later !!

Heather, Looks as if your OH's sight may now be improving. I do hope so. Hope your daughter is having some luck in her house search.

I need to go food shopping. Enjoy your day.

Unknown said:

I hope Clare is successful today and is not too forthright during her interview.

 

I think it went all right - I now have to wait and see if they can stand interviewing me for a second time!!  Today's company came across as my kind of place and I particularly liked the interviewer - she came across as very up front.

Morning all: Just spent ages trying to focus on a large bird on a  telephone pole only to finally realize it was a piece of equipment!  It's beyond a very full tree and I was peering through a mass of branches.  Oh well.  

Tina: Cedar Waxwings are so beautiful in the way their colors blend so smoothly. When I first saw them, I thought they'd somehow picked up blossoms from the nearby Tecoma, only to find they have that very distinguishing yellow patch at the end of their tails.

Diane: Currently, the talk of banning backyard fountains is in the City of Santa Barbara; we're in the County, but just in the city of Goleta.  If it looks like it'll  spread this far, I'll go fight City Hall! :-)  Fortunately, it's a very eco-conscious community so I'm sure the birds and other wildlife will get due consideration.

Off to munchies with friend. Take care all.