Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 22 November 2015

Hi to all.

I am glad you liked my little mate Olly from yesterday's photo.

So I decided to go and see him again today so up I got at 05:00 this morning and off I went. It was still very dark, very cold and it had been snowing. I arrive at the Island Mere hide at Minsmere at 06:00 - it was still dark and very cold.  Sitting in the hide all was very quiet, 07:00 came and went and still no sign of him - 07:45 and still no sign of Olly. I began to think it was either too cold for him or it was going to be one off those days. 08:00 came and guess what.

The one and only Olly came to see me.

Olly my little mate you were late this morning.

Thanks to all Clare Helen and I are all OK. 

Hello Everybody,

Cold here as well, 1 C .Have been doing low key things here with the family, for the last few days.

This morning we went to the US Airforce Museum in Dayton, about an hours drive from here. It is a huge place, and very interesting, (or Awesome, as G'Daughter would say)

We could not see everything, but saw Cold War Gallery and Missile and Space Gallery.  The Guided missiles were huge.

Hello all, only managed one visit last week.   Been trying to sort out list for Christmas presi's. Done now.

We had a surprise in the garden today - early afternoon - son spotted a large bird on top of the pole which houses the feeders, it turns out it was probably a sparrowhawk. That is a first for me. Only saw it fleetingly for as I got up from the table it flew off. Still, you never know, it might come back.

Diane, thanks for starting us off and for the tale of that poor woodpecker - do hope he managed to get a cherry or two in the end.

Limpy - what a lovely encounter with Olly, I bet you were thrilled. I see that the family is all OK and do hope that things will look up for you all.

We had son and dau-in-law for Sunday lunch today and went down to our local for a pre-dinner drink. Came back had dinner and then whilst relaxing in the lounge, son suddenly found he hadn't got his phone - after a phone call to the pub (which had found it) dau took him down to retrieve it. Panick stations for a few mins!!!!

I think it was the right choice this week for Strictly - that Jumella was eliminated. Peter survives another week. They are all doing well and it will be hard to eliminate contenders from now on I feel.

Love to Margo and anyone else who is feeling under the weather for whatever reason.

Annette,   Cats are smart. I think Lightning thought she would limp around for a little while, so you would take her to the vet, who could tell you what was really wrong. (That's my theory, anyway)!

Rita,   Your Cacti Club sounds interesting. I gather that you are an expert on the subject.

Diane,    Hope you are feeling better now. Lovely that you treated the woodpecker to cherries. I am sure it must have helped him.

Best Wishes to Margo and anyone else not feeling their best right now.

OG,    Good that your wounds are improving.

'allo all:

Brenda: Thanks for clarifying my remark re Margo's first transfusion. Even in my younger, much more active days, I never ran (or jogged) more than two miles on principle! Can't imagine mara-, tri- or any other kind of -athon.  MIght consider a lollathon...

Rita: Chcolate biscuits and cactus club sound like a reasonable combo. I know what you mean about waiting to see what you're in the mood to eat until you sit down at the table; half the fun is perusing the options over a glass of wine.  Maybe the restaurant got stuck with leftover turkey, etc. last year and has decided to trim its losses; then again.....  My sister in the UK has been out in the garden for what seems like weeks planting bulbs. I'm only just now beginning to tidy up the garden. It's been too hot to do much and now I'm hoping for some rain so I can remove a couple of problem shrubs without having to bring in heavy equipment to break up the clay soil, which is like concrete what with the drought. Bought Peanut some "toys" at the pet store today and then splurged on some yogurt treats, which my daughter assured me he liked, only to have him ignore them. Grrrrr.  Don't think you're the only one who's left packaging stuffed in shoes, etc.

OG: Hope you, EE and J have all got Christmas Day down for the 25th. Do they have "Yelp" for churches in the UK?  Just kidding really, but it's a web site here where people can rave or rant about various businesses, etc.

Diane: Hope the woodpecker scarfed up the cherries before anyone else got to them.  Have delivered pat as requested to Lightning, who's still creaking about a bit.

Limpy: How fun to see Olly again - maybe it'll be a regular morning event!

Rosy: Stay warm there - you're just a couple of hours from Diane so you can commiserate over the weather.  I think the universe is awesome, but not too much else. I was watching the NOVA geology show I was telling Diane about and the scientist doing all the exploring and explaining kept using "awesome," which got a bit "tiresome" after a while.  :-)  When will you be heading home? After Thanksgiving I assume?

OK, must go talk sternly to Peanut who's throwing his little woven teepee around the cage. :-)

Not sleeping! Lying here in bed looking out at the Atlantic, dark as it is !! - lights of Funchal and thinking about how much we love this place. We are both looking forward to being at home but....

I wondered if this would be our last visit as OH is not getting any younger but this evening we spoke with a couple from France. He will be 93 next month but I wouldn't have thought it, looking at him.

Thank you everyone for your news. I hope to be more interactive when we return home. We will be in a London Gatwick Airport hotel tomorrow, and flying up to Inverness on Tuesday.

Take care, all

Heather: Ah.... Sounds like there's plenty of time for you and OH to return to Madeira.  Have a good trip home.

Now I ask you, the weatherman on the evening news reported a wind speed of zero in one area.  That would be seem to me to indicate No Wind at all, therefore no need to even mention it.  Do they mention No Rain when it's not raining?  Why not No Snow? No hurricane? Either it's a slow weather night or I'm just being very picky  :-)

Yes Heather, Go for it, for as long as you can.

In fact, I am remembering how much we liked it there, a few years ago. Not too far to travel, and good temperatures guaranteed.

Maybe another trip next year.

I agree Annette, why bother to mention it at all. Of course we are not Old People complaining about how things should/should not be done.

Rosy: I do shout at the television when anyone uses a word incorrectly ,but no, I'm definitely not one of those Old People. :-)

Good Morning, All.  Up early as we are off out today: explanations later.

Lots to reply to, so apologies if I leave anyone out.

Annette:  Peanut is now officially an International Star! LOL!  Hope Lightning feels better after the teeth are sorted. I shout at the TV all the time........ sometimes because I'm cross with the programme makers, sometimes because I'm telling the people on screen just what I think of them.  It makes me feel better!  Guess I'm just a Grumpy Old Woman, LOL!

Rita:  Funny about your slippers, but I think we've all done things like that.  Glad the Cactus Club AGM went well.

Heather: I usually don't want t o come home from holiday.  But was glad to leave Malta, as we had a disappointing time. I've not been on here moaning about it, but we did not like our hotel and after 3 days I was bored with the breakfasts (Fruit salad on offer was obviously tinned, only fresh fruit was cut up bits of melon, or a whole Apple.  My OH had the fried eggs etc but was cross as bacon was not out every day. The food in general was well cooked, but not up to the standard we have had in other 4 star hotels) I'm so glad you've had such a memorable time.

Limpy:  How absolutely wonderful that you got such a good view and some cracking pics of Olly!!  Such dedication, waiting early in the cold for him to appear. Thanks for sharing.

OG:  Hope bathroom gets completed alright, and you have a nice lunch out.

Diane: Glad you're getting better and the snow is melting.