Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey Topics), 19 June 2016

Annette: I hope you'll stay safe from the wildfire. I just read the latest update on NBC News. The pictures were desolate. Thanks for explaining about the terrain, the landscape, and the fire. I hope it doesn't reach that oil refinery! I also hope your breathing won't be affected. Stay cool if that extreme heat reaches you.

Mike: I noticed that you commented about Tim Peake's return home from the International Space Station. I saw some great photos today of his landing.

Lindy: I wish you luck with Bonnie. Hugs to you.

OG: Have a wonderful holiday!

Margo: Thinking of you this week. Hugs to you, too.

AQ: I think this is the week of your operation? If so, sending all good energy and best wishes to you!!! Happy Winter Solstice! I'll be thinking of you.

Hello to everyone. Wonderful to see the folks who don't post regularly here.

Evening all: Fire 45% controlled this evening, but winds and hot nights ahead!  Lots of doggie talk on here today. I know nothing except when you walk them they like to stop and sniff a lot and then poop in inconvenient locations, which you have to clean up. Still, if I were going to do it all over again, I'd probably opt for a dog over a cat (an older, trained dog let me stress!). :-)

Diane: The fire was at the oil refinery the first night, but obviously the fire crews were on it from the start.  And, of course, THANK YOU for starting us off.

Lindybird: So sorry you're feeling discouraged about Bonnie. I see Nairnred had success with training when dealing with a difficult dog..... 

Pato O: I opted for the pneumonia vaccine for the same reason: Any time I get a bug, which is rare, it tends to turn into a cough and then settles in my lungs. My hitherto healthy friend caught pneumonia a couple of years ago and was wiped out by it for months. She was shocked how much it affected her.

OG: Thanks for clarifying a term I'd never even questioned: "Springer" - interesting. We will miss you!

Lmac:  Did you take Tapaidh to training?

dibnlib: Good grief. Is Rod Stewart still out there? He's always looked ancient to me. Still, what do I know? I still can't figure out how the Rolling Stones are all still alive and kicking.  :-)

AQ: Will join in Diane's best thoughts for your op and that you'll bounce back quickly. When is it?

Must agree it's nice to see lurkers join in the chat - they know so much.  

I was also wondering today how Keith is doing with all the logistics on top of the shock of his brother's death. Keith, if you're looking in, do hope you're managing and have some help in sorting it all out.

Have a good Sunday everyone.

Thank you Diane for starting us off. Thank you for good wishes & thoughts.

Dau & appendages visited this arvo. We keep a box of toys, jigsaws, books for them. (Memo: I must update contents.) I became very popular for a while, I was reading 2 different books at the same time to the twins!!! I’m not seeing them as regularly and Oh my, how all three have grown. Miss4 is all legs. MissJ chatters. MissL is shyer but peeks & smiles.

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Sewing buttons. When Daus were in primary school there were a few weeks each year when parents were invited to participate by teaching (?) children whatever crafts or activities one could do. Even though I hated sewing, I volunteered for the sewing class. The task I prepared was to make a small simple soft toy, eg owl, fish, nothing too complicated in shape, with buttons sewn on for eyes. One year I was landed with ProblemBoy. He didn’t want to do anything and in her wisdom Teacher put him in my group. He announced “I don’t need to sew. I’m going in the army.” The other mum helping me quickly told him he would most definitely need to sew his buttons in the army so he reluctantly participated, sort-of. Of the dozen or so children I had over the 3-4 years, I can claim only one success - one girl, as well as making the toy, copied the pincushion I was “wearing” on my wrist. PS neither Dau can sew <sigh>

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Annette - Op is Tues afternoon. I'm due at hospital at noon.

Good Morning.  Very touched by all the interest in our doggie problem. I'll admit right now, as my OH does not read these comments/meanderings of mine, that the dog would not be here now if I did not know that he would be broken hearted to give her up. Sweet as she is, she has worn me down. More on your comments on this, later.

Dry here, but rain later so we're leaving the decorating and going for a walk soon. We put back the wall cupboard last night after my OH had painted some of the skirting boards and door with gloss paint. It's all looking good, and we like the colours, so that's a relief.

Good to see that Annette is safe:  hope the fires are dying down.

AQ - Your operation has come around quickly!  I expect you'll be glad to get it done with.

Whilst typing, my OH has just come in and says that Bonnie has brought a full grown rabbit home from their walk just now. She is in the garden with it.

LINDY- I have just had a look online, there are both videos and articles regarding your problem with Bonnie . I typed in 'Springer spaniel chasing ( I might have put catching, can't remember) rabbits'. Although as a breed they are hard wired to chase anything that moves - not my words, just read it!, there are detailed instructions for training by the pet owner to help with this. As your OH doesn't want a professional trainer, I wondered if this might help. Hugs, big ones, from here.

Annette: As it happens we have taken the weekend off and I have looked in this morning. We have had a hectic and tiring 3 weeks starting the Probate and Inheritance forms. Both my brother and I had/have investments managed by a financial adviser. He advised us not to use a solicitor but an accountant with Probate experience, apart from anything else it will be cheaper but also it will be help that is much more relevant. Two Thursdays ago I went across to sort out everything for the funeral, it was planned like a military operation and actually worked. Now I know how Wellington felt after Waterloo! I gave a contact for one of my brother's friends to the vicar and he has since told us to up  the number of Orders of Service. Apparently we should expect up to 60-80 people to turn up as, unknown to us , he was a member of a biker group and also had a large number of friends, most of whom have said they are coming. Still got to increase the food for the Wake. We have also ben warned what to expect from the bikers when the hearse arrives so we are prepared. Apparently it will be VERY noisy.

I managed to get a first draft of the forms and appropriate schedules done at the end of the week. Fortunately they are reactive .pdf documents so as more up-to-date information comes in they should be relatively simple to alter (I hope!). At the moment we are waiting for more information to come in from the relevant sources. I probably won't be back until sometime after the funeral, on 27 June. We have been getting help and support from my stepdaughters who are actually going over today to get some house clearance done.

I knew that my brother was well off but not how much! Currently the Inheritance tax stands at £270,000 and it will be going up a bit more yet. My stepdaughters will be able to realise their dream of a bigger house without a mortgage that's for sure.

I hope everyone who is stressed or under the weather feels a bit better for next week.

AQ: Good luck for Tuesday.

ANNETTE   It is now Sir Rod Stewart as of last weekend. He was knighted in the Queens birthday honors.

LINDY  I don't know what to say, things have got to improve.