WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY JUNE 21, 2015

Good grief! Another week!  

In case you missed it, Heather is now grandma to a little girl (as yet unnamed); Rita and tortoises have arrived safely at daughter's but tortoises got up to mischief; Diane is finishing up her freelance assignment, AQ's car floor mats have disintegrated, and OG has been doing the ironing.  I've been out in the garden - how unusual. Anyway, it's all happening!

Have a good Monday all - it's the longest Monday of the year, so make the most of it..

  • Thinking of Diane as she may have more storms to contend with, and Heather who has worries at the moment {HUGS} to you both.
  • Annette – A doona is one of those lovely things on European continental beds instead of blankets. Wonderful & soft to snuggle under. Probably duvet rather than just quilt.

  • Heard of them but not sure what they consisted of exactly, AQ!
  • I'm so excited as its just been officially confirmed that a 2nd egg has successfully hatched at Glaslyn!  It was thought to be a failed nest this year, so its great news!

  • Hi everyone

    I feel a bit embarrassed because I said yesterday that I have family worries and didn't feel like posting! In truth,we are indeed very concerned about the problems- family, financial and health,that have beset my brother and his wife. The problems are all interconnected and are not new, just worse! I just got angry and a bit fed up last evening because - perhaps stupidly and arrogantly- I could see what I thought that they should/could be doing to help their situation. It is all very well saying that, I'm not the one in the mess and I can't wave a magic wand, much as I would like to!

    Hope that those in UK are enjoying the sunshine. I'm off to the garden in a minute, we are getting a break from the cold and rain. How long it will last, who knows. The weather forecasts can be very incorrect for our little part of the world!

  • No probs, Heather. We all have relatives/friends who we wish we could take by the shoulders and say "Now look......!". But even then, we still worry about them. Glad you're enjoying better weather. We have the sun here & my OH has put the chairs out on the lawn. I hope George in particular is seeing some sunshine!
  • Unknown said:

    Diane: Just checked the Wundermap and looks like you've had a bunch of nasty storms overhead this evening.  Hope you're not huddled behind the mattress and that you're recovering from the freelance project and will emerge refreshed soon.

    Heather: I wish the best for your brother and his family. When people experience simultaneous and ongoing crises, they can be overwhelmed. My sympathies to them.

    Brenda: Had to smile at your story about Penny's new living situation. When I lived in Indianapolis, my apartment was on the 15th floor of a 30-floor high rise. I remember watching dogs cross their poor little legs while riding down the lift/elevator for bathroom walkies.

    Annette: I hope you find a car that meets all of your needs.

    Rita: I loved the story about traveling with the tortoises.

    George: Nice to hear from you.

    Margo: I'm so very sorry that you're having to endure so much. I think of you often.

    Hello to everyone I haven't mentioned.

    Annette and Lindy: I'm fine, thanks for asking. It's been storming here every day for 2 weeks, partially due to Tropical Storm Bill, which hit Texas and veered up through the Midwest. The "brown ocean effect" kept intensifying the long storm front.

    My creek overtopped the levee this week and knocked down a big tree, which fell at the edge of my property, barely missing my electric lines. A couple of the neighbors' huge trees have fallen across the creek and are lying on the levee edges. The flooding cut out a big chunk of my levee and deposited a large tree trunk on my bank that had been carried from upstream. I'm still under a flood warning. Lots of roads are closed and all the rivers and creeks are in flood stage. Have been getting automated emergency calls from the county warning about flooding in the town where I get groceries. I'll get a break this weekend, but the storms are predicted to return on Sunday night. It's making me very grouchy. :-)

    Take care, all.

  • Good that you are OK, DIANE - do take care.  Thanks for the Wiki reference, I had never heard of the brown ocean effect.

    Thank goodness your electricity was not cut off by the falling tree!

    Don't blame you for being grouchy, and probably tense......  Hang on in there!

  • Thought I would come on and add some jokes I found in a newspaper cutting:

    Apparently, one in five people in the world is Chinese. There are five people in my family, so one of them must be....  It's either my Mum or my Dad.  Or perhaps my older brother Colin. Or my younger brother, Ho-Chan-Chu.  But I think its Colin.

    I phoned the local gym and I asked if they could teach me how to do the splits. They said "How flexible are you?".  I said, "Well, I can't make Tuesdays."

    I got home and the phone was ringing.  I picked it up and said "Who's speaking, please?"  A voice said "You are!!"

  • DIANE- weather sounds horrendous, I hope that you have got plenty of groceries in, or will be able to get them this weekend. I imagine that you will have a good stock of frozen food etc, will need fresh fruit and so on. Take care x