Weekly Chat, Sunday June 13, 2010

Welcome to all the new posters. The more the merrier. Quite cool this morn. Overnight min 1.8 C at 7 am. Even now (11.30 am) it has just reached 12 C. Alan, you say "Summer in Hunts (UK) 14 C". Well 14 has been our max for the last few days. Please note I am not complaining. I far prefer these cool days to 40+ temps.

OG - Fancy Aussies having a day off for Queen’s b-day, when you don’t. Aren’t we supposed to be the republican-inclined!!!! Apart from Xmas, New Year & Easter, we have holidays for Australia Day (Jan), Adelaide Cup (Mar), Anzac Day (Apr), Q b-day (Jun), then nothing until Labour Day (Oct). Now we don’t have children at school and are retired, these holidays hardly affect us.

HeatherB - My mother was a great believer in passing our old clothes to charity- if they survived being passed down the sisters as hand-me-downs. I also send old jumpers to the Dogs Home.

AQ: I was the youngest and at the tail end of the hand-me-down stuff; even though I was about 5 inches taller than everyone before me!

Hi, all.

Lindybird: I always talk to all the creatures here. I had a chat with a rabbit yesterday evening, trying to reassure him that he could eat his weeds along the driveway while I unloaded the car. When I came in, my Dad said, "Who were you talking to?" When I told him, he rolled his eyes a bit. LOL Also, regarding your post of 10:55 AM, I want to make one thing very clear: I don't care how far the human species evolves and advances, I will never -- ever -- wear a shiny, silvery jumpsuit!!! LOL LOL Although maybe by the time all of that sci-fi stuff becomes reality, they will have technology that can sculpt our bodies into perfect, youthful specimens!!!

AQ! Hey, Adelaide, Australia, was mentioned on my local news site today!!! Apparently, a team of scientists had left from Adelaide and flown 300 miles northwest to the Woomera Prohibited Area, a remote military zone. They were recovering a Japanese space capsule containing asteroid samples. The capsule had been aboard a space craft that had made a 7-year, 6-billion-kilometer journey. It was the first time a space craft had successfully landed on an asteroid and returned to Earth!!! Way cool! http://www.theindychannel.com/news/23885858/detail.html

OG: Painter working on the last window? Yay!!! Glad everything looks nice. My Dad has been saying that he's going to go through his shirts and throw some out. He's been promising that for a year! LOL You're right; Texas is very flat. Did you see the photos of all those potatoes that were left in Trucker Steve's trailer after his delivery? He picked most of them up to deliver to a food bank, instead of just having them power washed out. Hard, smelly work.

So good to hear from Auntie, but no pressure. You rest up on your well-deserved break!     Alan: Lovely little goldfinch.     Hugs to Maureen!

Annette: So glad that the garden renovation progressed well today. You're so right that many people lead brutally hard lives. This system is not fair or just. I saw a work crew putting on a roof near here today. It was 91 F/33 C today with 100% humidity. Terrible and dangerous conditions to do any kind of heavy work. I truly wanted to weep for them.

I seem to remember you mentioning that your Mom didn't have a washing machine. My Mom had one of those old non-electric washing machines that sat outdoors. When you were finished washing an item, you put it through a wringer that you laboriously turned with a crank.

Hmmm. You've lost weight? Too much stress? You okay?

Okay, sorry if I missed anyone. Turning in early tonight. Major cleaning mission underway beginning tomorrow. Everyone have a nice Tuesday.

Diane - The Japanese space capsule was about the size of a basketball by the time it landed. I heard a tracking device past its use-by date was the one to locate it in the Outback! I saw pics of the re-entry on TV news - only it was travelling UP the TV screen with me muttering "You're going the wrong way" LOL After decontamination, it will be returned to Japan for analysis. Talking to the animals? More sense than the people I see in the street talking to themselves. Oh, sorry, they are on their hands-free mobile phones !!!!

Annette & Diane - Don't you have hot weather policies? Our outdoor workmen stop work when the temp too high. Quote - "Generally, workers involved in outdoor work are at greater risk from adverse climatic conditions. The ‘trigger temperature’ for remedial action for outdoor work recommended is 30 degrees Celsius. If temperatures reach, and are sustained at this level for 2 hours, or more, the following procedures are recommended to be followed. . .30 - 32 degrees Celsius: 10 minute break per hour from outside work. 32 - 35 C: 15 min break; 35 - 36 C: 30 min break. 37 C plus: cease outside work until a sustained temperature decrease. The above temperature/ rest formula applies to light, or very moderate physical activity. If the work involves any type of heavy work and/or rapid physical activity, the rest ratio in the formula must be increased by a minimum of 50% for each temperature range. Any rest breaks, or cessation of work, during normal working hours shall be paid work time."

Diane: Was the rabbit white and did he ask you to get his gloves and a fan and did you follow him down a hole?  :-)   Somehow I didn't see you in a silver lame jumpsuit, especially wielding (not pink) power tools, although pink power tools might work with that outfit.   I didn't see those potato photos; must check them out.   Re our workers, I know the contractor is licensed, but I wonder where he finds his laborers...    We had a wringer that I used to like to work, but no washer of any kind. I remember when the launderette (laundromat) first opened down the road; thought I'd died and gone to heaven.   Re weight loss, have cut out bread and cut down wine and, as a result, after-dinner bites of chocolate. If I drink wine, I want bread with great blobs of butter. Then I "need" another mouthful or two of wine to wash down the bread, and what can I say? It's a slippery slope.  :-)

AQ: Heard about your space event too.  It was traveling UP the screen - is that a result of being in the southern hemisphere?  Along with toilets that flush counter-clockwise?  Sorry!  Attack of the sillies here while waiting for Odin to show up with first fish of the day.   Hot weather policies? Not here. How civilized. I shall spread the word around....

Morning All.   Was awakened by bright sunshine here this morning, its still a bit 'fresh' outside but the sun is very welcome all the same.

Here are some of my poppies as promised:

I just love them !!

Good Morning All, The sun is shining but still have cold NE wind.

 Linda, thanks for your lovely Poppy pictures. A very cheerful start to my mornings viewing. 

A very interesting discussion overnight about working conditions in high temperatures. I don't know what the rules are here, must check, but then we can't compete with your continuous high temperatures.

Have to keep one eye on computer, waiting for first fish delivery, but get some HW done.

Morning all.  Have been 'on' but not posting a few times over the las (fairly busy) days.

Lindybird Beautiful poppies - I just have the wild, Icelandic, variety which grow as weeds inmy garden.

Much excitement yesterday when we had a pair of bullfinches on the steps immediately outside our patio doors, literally feet from where we were sitting.  I haven't seen a bullgfinch anywhere for ages and have never seen them in the garden before.  Hope they intend to stay.

Good morning all and Lindybird the pics of the poppies are lovely, a real splash of colour to start the day.

Bright day but a cold wind again.