Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 20 December 2015

Hi Di! - many thanks for starting us off again. Temperatures very varied up here, and the house feels colder than outside!! The rain keeps belting down and strong gusts of wind make it more unpleasant from time to time. The skiers will be unhappy as it has washed away all the snow!

Only a few more days to go now and then it will be all over again for another year.

This year's Solstice is at 08.04hrs on Tuesday 22nd Dec. So from the Wed onwards we should start gaining all of a minute of extra daylight!!!

Hi, Liz! I was still working on my post, so I missed yours until now. I always start the thread, and then go back and edit to add anything I wanted to say.

Our posts crossed, and we both mentioned the solstice. I am so, so looking forward to the return of the sun. The grey, short days of winter usually don't bother me, but this year they have.

Sorry for the skiers, but I reckon your weather could be worse. My temps are wildly varied, too. Cold last night and tonight (-3.8 C or 25 F). But it's going to warm up and be near 15.5 C or 60 F later in the week. No white Christmas here, either. :-)

Nice to see you Liz!!! I hope you have lovely holidays.

Evening all:  Busy but good day.

Diane: Bless you once again for starting us off.  Apparently, we'll have a full moon Christmas too. Will be watching for the Winter Solstice.  Oh my, then it gets lighter doesn't it?  My sister in the UK always welcomes that (you too apparently). :-)

Heather: Gosh, it's a busy time for you having to sort out Sheana's stuff. Oh dear, stale biscuits wrapped in tissues? Sounds like care-home snacks she didn't eat. Your halo should be glowing!  Hope you got those presents wrapped.

Lindybird: Happy to read you had a good trip and home safe.

Liz: I like your countdown until it's all over!  :-)

AQ: Saw coverage of horrible fires in Oz.  :-(  Hope you haven't melted.

We had rain most of the afternoon - gentle but steady with more forecast for the end of the week.

Those cold days sound lovely. Four days over 40 C here. Now it is cooler but horribly humid and I feel yuk.

Annette - 300 fires in Victoria yesterday, others in NSW. Our state has only had minor fires this week - everyone is on high alert after the huge Pinery bushfire.

AQ: Is this an unusually bad year? When does the so-called fire season end?

Annette - It is early for such heat. More like Jan & Feb. The fire threat won't end until early April. Long hot dry summers.

Thanks Diane. We live in beachside suburb and I won't go into country on photo excursions until autumn.

I'm off to find something for tea that is quick and doesn't require the oven. OH is not excited by salad!

Good Morning, and Happy New Week to Everyone, plus many thanks to Diane for starting us off again, and with such a super pic/card.

Heather - Was not surprised to hear that Sheana had let her wishes known about her funeral, she sounded like the sort of person who would do that. It's a shame that she had so few relatives that the sorting out of her possessions has fallen to you, as one of your last actions to help your friend. I hope the nephew appreciates it.

AQ -  It must be so wearing, having to endure those temps for days at a time.  Wish there was a neat easy way to stop those awful fires, they sound scary.

Diane - You must be careful with those scissors!  I'll come over and cut your hair - I used to cut the children's, but lived in fear of nicking an ear if they moved! Can't guarantee what kind of look you'd get, though, LOL!!!