Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 February 2016

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

Last week's Chat thread is here.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

  • Had a really good day.  Changed the order of shower and morning gardening, as straight outside after shower didn’t seem sensible.  We did the planting we had planned, and while OH was fetching and carrying I was able to prune and top-dress some fuchsias which didn’t need repotting this year.  We had plenty of time after the postponed showers to cook a good Sunday lunch of chicken and haggis with roast potatoes and parsnips and Brussels sprouts.  After synchronising diaries for the week ahead and enjoying hot chocolate, we were back outside to repot the remaining fuchsias and while I trimmed and top-dressed my sage bush (in a pot) OH did some general outside tidying, until we had five minutes of light snowflakes (which didn’t lie).  While I brought some sage trimmings indoors to wash and freeze, he put the shelves back in the greenhouse ready for use when we have lots of little seedlings etc in spring!

    Wendy – I hope you enjoyed your winter walk and car-ride.  Daughter and partner have been learning about wood burners in their rented cottage this winter – they have three altogether, but instructions not to use the one in the kitchen.  The one in the lounge is a huge one, but they can get reasonably-priced wood from the estate office.

    Brenda – will be thinking of your OH tomorrow – and you driving and trying to park at the hospital!  Well, I did graciously display OH’s card in the dining room, so I suppose I made some concession to valentine’s day!

    Linda – pleased you and Bonnie enjoyed a good walk; good news that she is friendly towards other dogs.  I hope Amber won’t teach Bonnie to open baby gates, or Bonnie teach Amber to jump over them!  I do hope Delilah will not be shortened to “Dillie” – is Millie short for a longer name?  My great-aunt (the one with the glass eye) was Amelia but shortened to Millie, or more often Minnie!  Pleased you enjoyed your dinner.  Like the wee piggies photo; we pass a pig in a field every time we go to Gretna; if we didn’t already know what the weather was, we could tell by how far away from his hut he dares go each day – he really doesn’t like rain at all!

    Heather – good that you rested in front of a film – although I would have just fallen asleep!  I love “The Importance …” but find films in general lull me to sleep!  You’ll be missing the family after two days without any of them turning up!  I just tried to phone second Daughter, but they seem to be out; her sister and family are staying in a cottage in the Yorkshire Dales for a few days (English half term) – I imagine they are “enjoying” snow this evening.

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • OG- envy you getting into the greenhouse,etc. We are a wee bit away from that, yet. No more snow but only 1.4 this evening. We had roast beef for dinner this evening but no pudding, I don't make it when we are just we two. There are raspberries in the fridge but OH declined - he may well have them with his breakfast tomorrow.

  • Nanny day. I am feeling better, just retaining the cough. Dau offered a shorter day but I said I would rather come as usual and have a rest while twins nap. I said it wouldn’t look good if I arrived & first to take a snooze!!! Weather much improved, mid 20s.

    Heather – Lovely church. I enjoyed "wandering" around.

    Margo – Sorry you are down and need another boost. {{{HUGS}}}

    Linda – I imagined putting a ball & chain on Bonnie, but I guess she’d use it to batter down obstructions!

    OG - You had a busy productive Sunday. My tomatoes only have ½ dozen small ones yet to ripen. It wasn’t a good season. Meanwhile the rainbow chard & spinach are enjoying the cooler weather.

    Diane – I can’t imagine your cold weather. The only snow I’ve seen (apart from that on distant Alps) was some melting slushy stuff by the roadside in Tasmania.

  • Good day out after snow moving etc..

    OG a wood burner at its best needs very dry hard wood. It's all in the planning hence my very organised stick store . Wood elsewhere but stick here in Scotland. Not cheap but so well worth every penny .

    Brenda Daisy is a donkey kangaroo cross..

  • AQ- so glad that you are feeling better. The girls are growing up fast! Time seems to pass so quickly.

    WENDY- Yes, I believe that you have to spend to get good stuff for the woodburner. My brother gets mixed wood including oak.

  • AQ you are soothe best nanny in the world.

    Husband insist on Birch as we need dry wood and it burns similar to a BBQ get it hot and close it down.

    Soft wood for open fires and all best heat goes up chimney :-( but cheaper.

  • Good Morning. Pretty frost patterns on my bathroom window this morning. Hope those with the snow in UK are not getting worse weather :-(    EDIT:  The sunshine here now is lovely:  so cheering.  Hope it lasts all day as promised by the weatherman.

    Watched the BAFTAS last night, shocked to see Sidney Poitier looking so frail, but then googled him and see that he's now 88! He made a moving speech after being given a Lifetime Fellowship.

  • AQ -  Glad that you're feeling better, hope the cough goes soon.

    OG - Millie is short for Amelia, as in the case of your Great Aunt.  You sound as if you're getting ready for spring already.

    Brenda:  I know you're off with your OH on your longish journey for his eye appointment:  hope all goes well.

  • Ditto from me, BRENDA.

    Good morning all. No more snow here but a cold and grey morning. OH has gone to the bowls. I have a touch of cabin fever but there are chores waiting to be done :-(

  • Just had to sign in again.   And now I'm getting the "error occurred" message, so I'm posting this to see how it goes....