Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 25 October 2015

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY FULL MOON!

Last week's Chat thread is here.

The Full Moon is Tuesday. It's the last of three consecutive perigee full moons (so-called "supermoons"). However, its appearance will be more subtle due to a Minor Lunar Standstill.  

We are well into autumn here in Indiana. The winds are gusting today, and the brightly colored leaves are falling. The Texas storm front is flowing into the Midwest, and the remnants of Hurricane Patricia will be over my patch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Not good news for my leaky roof.

I've just been bitten hard on the ankle by a spider, who has painfully reminded me that I really need to clean my house!

Many white-tailed deer have been grazing around my yard this past week, and I've spent a lot of time just watching them. If I stand still and stay quiet, I can view them from the doors and the windows and they aren't bothered by my presence. They're so beautiful; they nourish my soul.

Everyone have a great week and enjoy the moon!

Best wishes to OG and EE. I hope they've had safe travels and OG's treatment regimen will be effective and as easy as possible on her body. Thinking of you, Margo.

White-Tailed Deer
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Labeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

  • Good Morning Everyone. A very wet morning here.

    We had lunch at a golf club, with bowl club members yesterday and then were invited, along with others, to a friends house. We returned home about 8pm. Rather a long lunch LOL.

    I missed a phone call from Margo yesterday. We will speak today.

    Linda, Margo will be able to tell you some good stories about Malta, when she was there with the Army. We had a holiday there in the 90's. I do remember that it was very hot, but our hotel was very good. We took some tourist trips, but the buses didn't have a/c. I am sure that must have changed by now. It was worth taking the boat to Gozo. We were told that there are 366 churches ( one for every day of the year +1 ), some of which were spectacular, but there is a limit to how many you want to see. Do enjoy yourselves. Any holiday is what you make of it. You will be able to relax and you should eat well, with lovely sunshine. That is something I would love at the moment.

    I need to catch up now.

  • I'm sending good energy and strength to you, Margo.



  • That's lovely, Diane.  

    Brenda:  Glad you enjoyed your long lunch.  We are looking forward to our break in a bit of sun: apparently its warm but not too hot at this time of year. Thanks for the info.  We have bought a guide book but hope to laze around, too, without trying to see all the ruins!   Just had the annual argument with my OH about how many pairs of shorts he needs......  (Me:  4 pairs    Him:  2 pairs    - we'll probably split it & take three!)

  • It's our grandson Matthew's 1st birthday today!  - just can't believe its a whole year since we were called on the phone to say he'd made an appearance. We are going to his party next Saturday.

  • Hello!   Dull sort of weather today but not cold.

    Lindybird - Happy Birthday to little Matthew, the first year has passed by very quickly.    I was sorry to hear about poor Bonnie and that thorn in her foot. Where is she going while you are on holiday?

    Lynette sorry that you are suffering with unpleasant complaint, hope it has eased up now.

    OG - Glad you reached home safely after such an unpleasant journey back with so much traffic. Hope your new shower room will be completed soon with no delays.

    Annette - sounds a very interesting experience at the film-making.  I wonder if you will be called again.

    I have been busy getting on with tidying up the garden for winter, lots to do. I read somewhere that a very hard, cold winter is forecast.   As all the flowers are more or less over now I thought I would post some pictures I have taken in the last couple of weeks or so, a very late flowering Agapanthus and a lovely autumn crocus among them.      

  • Morning all:

    Diane: Lovely cheery card for Margo.

    Rita: Very pretty pix of your garden - what kind of butterfly is that?

    Off to daughter's; will catch up on all the words in between the photos later.

  • diane thank you for the lovely card.

    Lindy have a good time in Malta. Take some warm clothes as it can be chilly at this time of the year and also wer.

    rita great pics from your garden.

    OG thinking of you.

    Finally thanks to all for your kind thoughts during a difficult time.

    Margo x

  • Lynettemeant to include you, hope things will improve.

  • This is for you, Margo.  He popped up at Minsmere and sang me a little song:

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • No water. No lights at back of house. No access through middle of house. Noise, dust …general chaos …and did I mention three extra men in the house? So, I’ll try to relax with a catch-up!

    First a skim through the end of last week.

    Wendy – full marks to your Daughter re the dog recue – well done! And sounds like he has a caring new home too!

    Heather – surprised at the winds up your way when you were in Elgin last week. Our journey south was a bit blustery with occasional speed restrictions, but nothing serious. Sorry about your Daughter’s fall and injury, good thing you were able to take her in, with the girls, for a bit of extra TLC.

    Dibnlib – lovely photos of Findhorn Bay.

    Brenda – B&B in Marlow was excellent – lovely level-entry shower for me, comfortable beds (even slept right through the first night), great breakfasts, friendly but not intrusive. Turned out my cousin and her DiL knew the hosts! Weather stayed fine for Friday, which helped everyone through the day. We went to a lovely brasserie in Old Amersham for coffee, met everyone at Chilterns Crematorium for a very short committal and then had a good memorial service at Uncle’s church in his village – attended by his “church family” including Mary Berry – and then a good “funeral tea” as we call them around here. I have never seen a dog at a funeral before, but fitting that she attended (at the Vicar’s suggestion) as she was with Uncle when he died.

    AQ – we are responsible for the traffic parked in our street today – three trades I three separate vans!

    Diane – we ignored the clocks Saturday night – just piled into bed after our journey, and sorted them out Sunday morning. We all seem to have adjusted easily this time around.

    Lynette – I hope all is well with your OH after the bleeding –do let us know.

    Moving on to new week – Diane, thanks for starting it. The full moon was brilliant last evening as we set out, but nothing visible in the rain which was falling when we came home! I hope the roof is holding up in the remains of Hurricane Patricia!

    Annette – your film set experiences remind me of when Gson was an extra in the first harry Potter film, and also body-stand-in for camera directions – apparently one of his elbows actually appeared in the film!

    Rosy – funny you should mention the Cormorants – one flew noisily over our garden yesterday. I think it must have become separated from its friends – unless it was just challenging our resident BH Gull!

    Linda – we had a good time with the cousins. The one male cousin of my generation was absent, but we seven “girls” made up for him! I did find out that one is doing fine after breast cancer, and another is recovering from radical surgery and chemotherapy and just starting radiotherapy for cervical cancer! Pleased you had a good final weekend in Wales while putting the caravan to bed. I hadn’t realised you are going away again so soon – hope your final plans go smoothly. Saw the Tatton photos – you are right that John Paul Jones was born here, in the wee village of Kirkbean; he was actually born John Paul (family surname still found in these parts) and added the Jones later; his birthplace is a tourist attraction, and gets lots of American visitors. Plumber managed all of two hours yesterday, knocking out all the old fixtures and fittings, but we have him, sparks and chippy today, all working hard. J got his flu jab yesterday with working in school – only OH to be done now (had to move it for one of our trips); having it next Monday before taking me to appts. Pleased about your BP – sorry about the eyelids; I assume you are not using any make-up around them?

    AQ – pleased to see the other “Nannies” will be returning to duty soon and you and OH may get some extra time to yourselves.

    Lynette – sorry about the haemorrhoids; they are often made into a joke, but I am sure they must be very uncomfortable. I hope all goes well for you.

    Annette – seems OH’s hoarding paid off – found a spare piece of skirting board needed in bathroom! Wish they wouldn’t encourage him!

    Rita – lovely garden pics as usual. Warm and damp here, but the rain not as heavy as forecast.

    Clare – lovely cheery Robin!

    New health update: the high Potassium result was a “blip” – last week tested exact centre of acceptable level. Spoke to nurse Monday about potential visits to Edinburgh – she told me I shouldn’t think about the radiotherapy yet, and I said the travelling was what was worrying me most about the whole thing; her reply was that I could get it in Carlisle but would have to make my own arrangements to get there daily; I said that 18 miles was preferable to 80, and that I want to sleep in my own bed! Feel much better now, glad I protested! Should get a call tomorrow to give me date for surgery.

    Sorry this is so long – ignore it if you wish! Workers are packing up to go – I think we get plasterers tomorrow!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!