WEEKLY CHAT (NON-OSPREY) SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015)

Well, just typed a post and lost it. grrrrr.

All well here; all family members now back in respective homes and I imagine granddaughter and her partner are enjoying their first non-family/kid evening in a couple of weeks.  Ms. D's b/day party was great - it included pony rides, a pinata, and multiple games and distractions plus lots of yummy miniature hamburgers (called sliders) whipped up by g/daughter's partner. G/daughter's partner was working a 24-hour shift the day before the party, but still managed to do the bulk of the grocery shopping; my daughter was working with the horses so they'd be okay with the kiddies.  I was on the fruit kabob assembly line with grandson's girlfriend, which took eons. We were sure we'd have some left over, but they were inhaled pretty quickly. Granddaughter baked the  birthday cake as usual, but in a new house with a new oven and a new recipe, it didn't quite work out, which prompted an 11th hour Cake Crisis. I ended up stopping at the supermarket late that evening on the way to the motel and buying emergency cake mix to take straight back to g/daughter so she could whip up another one. Then she ran out of cooking oil, then eggs, which resulted in an early morning return trip to the supermarket for me (just opposite the motel thank heaven) to get more in addition to picking up two dozen balloons to string along the road to her house (three miles off the highway on open range which means Black Angus lurking in the driveway, plus antelope and javelinas  - peccaries, not pigs - wandering about, not to mention rabbits and god only knows what other critters). I think my g/daughter could open a day care center and do very well; she loves to be around kiddies.  Thing is, I was tired when I first arrived there coz I had so much to do before I left, then I visited three friends en route and had to pick up and take home two of them after a lunch out, which was fine, but that day got much busier than I expected. Then the drive from Long Beach to Chino Valley took 1.5 hours longer than I expected, so I arrived a bit on the ragged side.  Add two days of cleaning/shopping/playing with Ms. D before the b/day party itself and then the trip home the following day, and I ended up more than a little fuzzy headed.  Will ration my time and energy more efficiently next time.

Anyway, thanks all for pix and news (some lovely pix there).  Will be back on track with responses this week!

Lovely autumn day, blue sky, wispy clouds. I wish I could send you some sunshine to cheer you all up.

Thanks for your good wishes. My back is slowly improving & I do a little more in the way of chores each day. My Physio aims to have me fit enough for my bus trip next Sun to Karoonda to visit their Farm Fair, Pioneer Park & whatever else our tutor has discovered. It’s probably 1½ hours drive and that could be a problem as I can only sit for ¾ hour so far. I expect a coffee stop at Tailem Bend (1 hr), so maybe I’ll survive without having to lie on floor of bus!!! Walking & standing don’t bother me, just sitting. I had intended to “help” Dau tomorrow – though I said I wouldn’t lift babies, bend to empty dishwasher, etc. However she has a trip to her Physio and no way could I cope with twins while she is being done & the extra drama this outing generates, so my OH has to give up his free day yet again. I have read books, started my 3rd baby jacket (for charity) & watched daytime TV. Latter mostly house renovation or escape to the country programs from UK, so I am seeing a variety of English towns & country.

OG – Way back just about when I “done meself in”, you wrote “Do you remember when we several of us ran that serial story about the Kakapo on a thread in the “Tea Room”. I do indeed. That was such fun.

Thanks for all the gorgeous puppy & other pics.

Unknown said:

Evening all and welcome to a new wee

Welcome to a new wee?  LOL!  I'm looking forward to the return of a very beautiful EJ this week - fingers crossed it's sooner rather than later.

Good Morning, and thanks to a tired Annette for still making an effort and beginning us off on a new week. Sounds as if you've had a really busy time: hope you can rest & recuperate, now! The birthday party sounded like a real success, after a lot of effort all round.

Good to hear from AQ, and that the back problem has eased just a little. I should think you will have to desist from lifting babies for quite a while, whether you want to or not! Hope you can make it to your bus trip.

Well, as you can see, we're up early for a Sunday! In fact, my OH has been up since before 6.00am to see to little Madam, who is a very demanding new member of the family! She didn't object to being passed around a lot of laps yesterday, when friends came to call and admire. She played in the garden when I dealt with the laundry, ran off with a wooden peg and tried to get my holiday shorts out of the laundry basket! Later, all three of us flaked out in the wintry sunshine in the conservatory, tired out! I cooked bangers & mash for dinner, as she ran around thekitchen with my shoes, ate my plants and the doorstop, and dragged the doormat around!!! Last night she cried for an hour at bedtime, so I investigated, and she had once again tipped up the water bowl. She'd also had a little 'accident' so we were in the garden at one in the morning, sorting out the bedding! Urgh.

Do you know, Lindy, it kind of sounds like when I first had Helen.....she loved being passed from lap to lap and made all sorts of interesting noises, smells and messes!  You're clearly having an entertaining time.

Yes, Helen, its just like being a parent, all over again! I just said to my OH, "Its all the tiredness, smelly mess, joy and love, the same as with a baby!".

PS and just as with a baby, everyone yesterday enjoyed having a cuddle and a play with her, then passed her back again, LOL!!