'Allo all. Hope it's a good week for everyone. Ghastly news from Tunisia - those poor people, sitting on the beach enjoying the sunshine....
Heather: There's at least one situation like yours in every family (sometimes two or three!). Makes you wonder where these folks came from I mean, can they really be related to sensible grown-up like us? :-)
Diane: We're on the edges of a tropical storm system heading into the Southwest which could end up in your neighborhood in a few days. What a pain. It must keep on on edge the whole time. I do hope the trees around your house are sound We don't have many needs when it comes to cars, but we just have our trusty Honda Accord and our lovely old 73 Ford Ranger, which guzzles gas big time and is a bear to drive down Santa Barbara's narrow streets (narrow because of parking on both sides - and not narrow at all compared to some roads in England!). The truck is in great shape but sits out most of the time and it's is beginning to rust in a few places. It takes up the entire garage and I'm the one who takes it and the stepladder to the do-it-yourself car wash where I nearly get blown off the ladder by the water pressure. Truck is too big for a drive-through wash. Anyway, it's slowly deteriorating and I'd rather see it go to someone who will really care for it - it's pretty much a classic a this point. I'm thinking sort of long term for a newer SUV with minimal bells and whistles that is versatile and economical. We're looking at hybrids, but there's not a big choice in the smaller SUVs. The Toyota RAV 4 will come in a hybrid version for 2016 - at a cost of about $30K! Typically we buy newer used vehicles but with the recession, folks seem to have hung on to the popular models much longer than usual and the ones advertised on, say, craigslist, have lots of miles on them. Still, there are much, much worse dilemmas to deal with in the world.
Lindybird: Good news from Glaslyn then. Ha! Liked the 1-in-5 joke.
That tropical storm that's east of us has brought clouds, humidity - and a sprinkling of rain! More sprinkling possible in the next two days. Hey! It's wet. we'll take it.
Hi, all. I forgot to mention that I saw the white-tail deer (doe) that has been staying behind my garage. I only saw her for a moment; she's very skittish, but so pretty. Also, while I mowed yesterday, two turkey vultures kept circling me, around and around. I think they were betting that mowing all that wet, long grass was going to kill me. At one point, I reckoned they were right. :-)))
Hellen: Welcome! I hope you enjoy this thread. Folks here are friendly.
Rita: What a scare! I'm glad Amber is okay. I have friends whose dog did that, except he did jump. They were terrified and raced around the house expecting to find him severely injured, but he was happily peeing as if nothing had happened. :-) LOL
AQ: That's pretty chilly. I always think of your region as being so hot.
Clare: Nice to see you!
OG: Hope your lunch was very good.
Annette: I don't blame you for wanting minimal bells and whistles on the new vehicle. The more features, the more things that can break down. I'd like to have a hybrid, but you're right that they charge such a premium for them. I'm not at all surprised that people are holding onto their cars longer, since the economic collapse. I'm driving a 2002. LOL I hope you find a perfect vehicle. Also, hope that the tropical storm doesn't cause any damage but gives you lots of rain.
I just read an article about the huge numbers of red tuna crabs invading Southern California for the first time. You mentioned them last week. Colorful, but funny looking little fellas. There's a lot of them!
All: Is anyone watching Wayward Pines? I read that it's being shown in U.K., as well as the U.S. That's the scariest show I've watched in years! I just finished episode 4.
Take care, all.
Evening all:
Lindybird: If ancientness isn't a word, it should be.
patily: Hi there, good to see you.
Rita: Didn't realize Proms had made the jump across the pond. Sounds like you're having a nice visit, Amber's antics aside.
AQ: Oh dear - sorry your extra AQ-time has disappeared out the window. :-(
Hellen: Welcome - pop in any old time. It gets busier n the Fall when the birds have flown.
Diane: Never heard of Wayward Pines but will keep it in mind for Netflix. Just checked it on IMDB and it brings to mind Twin Peaks. They're talking rain this week, but we'll see what happens....
More tidy up in the garden today; then started spreading mulch around - it sure doesn't go very far. Second (I think) season of Last Tango in Halifax started tonight.
Take care everyone and have a good Monday.
Hi, Lindy - loved the latest poem! We're all well though my continuing joblessness is very disheartening.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
I'm sure it is, Clare big {HUGS} - hope something comes out of the blue, soon. Life can be surprising sometimes.
{HUGS} too, to both Margo and anyone else who needs one.
Hope that Diane is OK in the bad weather scenario. It seems to be a place of extremes.
Rita: I meant to say earlier, how nice it must have been to see your grandson all dressed up! Annette: Yes, the Proms thing is more popular here now with a lot of schools holding some sort of event at this time of year. Hopefully, it will make the young ones realise that they will soon be adults.
I'm playing hookey as my OH has gone out to the allotment and taken a naughty spaniel pup with him (she ate two magazines this morning, stolen from a high table!). We have to hide so many things now, that the rest of the house is beginning to look like a jumble sale... there are ornaments in our bedroom, lined up on the windowsills, and extra stuff of every other room which we've had to remove because she takes a fancy to them. On the good side, though, she seems to have lost interest in chewing the electrical cables of things :- ))
Here are the first of my garden pictures, this early summer:
More:
The inevitable poppy, of course! and the last one is of two clematis we have growing up the side of the house at the back. Very pleased with their numerous flowers this year, so pretty.