Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 20 September 2015

A Dakota has just flown over our house. Probably returning to base after yesterday's memorial flight.

OG, I don't want to think about battening down the hatches just yet, although I have heard and read so many people saying that we are due to have a bad winter. My ovens have been cleaned and are sparkling. LOL  I will get OH to check the extractor fans :- ))

Best wishes for the funeral plans. A long drive for you.  X 

BRENDA - worth checking those fans, mine sounds much happier now!  I shall probably not attend the funeral - I am so pleased I saw them last month, but that was a nightmare journey, just from our holiday stay two thirds of the way there!  OH might hire a car or go by train, or Dau#2 might come down from Inverness and pick him up - can't really take J's car as it will be his brand new one (picking up this Wednesday)and we don't want to run that among A14 traffic!

Now that the subject of extractor fans has come up here, I mentioned it to OH over lunch. It has been a while since we had the cover off ours. I did it the last time but OH says if I want jobs done, why don't I ask him!! He may regret that reckless remark. I've just phoned a blind fitting company - our kitchen blinds need replacing before the dark evenings start. I threw the last ones away on a whim without organising new ones. I'm going to ask them to replace our door blinds in the conservatory, also. The ones that got badly stained by rain this 'Summer'.

I hope that EE can get to his sister in law's funeral without too much difficulty. It would be great if your daughter could pick up EE on her way to the funeral, OG.

LYNETTE - I agree, such a cheerful picture from DIANE.

OH's niece popped in this morning, we don't see her very often so it was a lovely surprise.

Now to look at the ironing :-(( I know someone who sends her ironing 'out'. I really can't justify doing that because I am well and truly retired, but what a treat it would be...

OG: Sounds smart to send condolences and for OH to maybe take the train - or whatever's easiest. Autumn starts late and lasts through "Winter" here, then Spring barges in early.  I'd love a long wet winter!

Heather: I wouldn't send out ironing either, but our painter guy mentioned his wife has a lovely woman who cleans their house (he and wife work 6-days a week and she travels a lot). He gave me her name and I may just see if might be willing to help me clean our house - baseboards need washing and the window shades (slatted wooden ones that I'll never buy again!) need to come down and - ugh - washed properly.

BrendaH: Hope the rain holds off until after your fun game.

Off to sort myself out before drive to daughter's.

Hello, Everyone!   Here I am, back again from our travels.  Such a lot to tell:    The Wedding was a total success and so lovely:  I cried, afterwards in private. Lovely sunshine and a happy couple, all went well -  Not without some small personal dramas, which I will relate later.

We got back yesterday afternoon and went to claim Bonnie, who had had a wonderful time with our friend, by all accounts -  she is not eating much today though, so maybe is more upset at being left than was obvious.  She had been admired, walked and played with, and was pleased to see us again. Now we have to get her back into routine again.  I swear she has grown since we last saw her on Friday morning.

We were just tired when we got home, but then I quickly realised that I was not feeling well by the evening yesterday, and have spent a lot of the last hours in the night, on the loo!!  Must have eaten something "off" at some point, goodness knows what.

LINDA - sorry about the "tum" - maybe you should get checked out, it seems to happen to you quite often.  Pleased the wedding has happened happily.

HEATHER - Dau#1 has had an "iron lady" for many years, and a cleaner.  We had a cleaner - inherited first one from my mother, and had others after we moved, but then with J at home and so often attending appointments, it was easier fro OH to start doing it.  Only drawback - I have to put up with it being done his way!

OG -  I know how much you appreciate EE's input. It must be frustrating to have to watch and not be able to do it yourself! Some of our friends had cleaners when they were both working and then kept the cleaner on after they retired. My OH and his late wife had a cleaner because his wife was unwell in several different ways for a long time. When I first met OH after he was widowed but I was not living here, several of the neighbours thought that I was a cleaning lady.  So I was told, after we were married. Apparently one neighbour was saying to the other 'Have you seen that tall woman coming out of Number 12? I think that B must have a new cleaner!'. Well I was new,tallish and I do the cleaning, so in that respect they were correct!

My ironing plan was scuppered, stepson arrived unexpectedly at about 2pm, so two visitors in one day, very unusual. It was good, though, lots of happy chat until 5pm and then kitchen duties for me.

LINDY - What a pity that you have succumbed again but know that you have a very delicate tummy. I agree with OG, maybe get checked out. Of course, sometimes at a buffet meal things may have been 'out' or cooked some time before. Some of us have hardier constitutions than others. My youngest daughter has IBS and a flare up of that causes symptoms like yours. Looking forward to hearing about the Big Day.

Not sure about the cause of my ailment:  my OH is now looking decidedly greenish and wishing he hadn't cooked himself an omelette for his tea! We both recall someone saying at breakfast at the hotel, that someone there was "Very unwell" and not coming down.  Now wondering if its a Thing Going Around. I do have a weakness for things which affect your stomach/insides, my mother did, too.

I've had very little to eat today at all, but trying to keep up my fluids.  Off to bed now.