WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2016

A new week - hope it is kind to all...

  • Annette - Dau made & decorated wee cakes with cat faces or blue paw prints. Biscuits (cookies?) in foreground, not chicken. The little rolls with sauce were chicken & ricotta rolls - very tasty. I didn't try the sauce, so can't tell you flavour. Miss5 also was wearing a cat tail, not visible under party dress, alas.

    The Blyth Lutheran church is on corner of South Tce & John St. Sort of triangular shape. Red brick hall adjacent also lost roof. They look so pristine on Google compared to current pics in media.

    Methinks tea maybe late (now 5.24 pm) as OH has started watching on SBS On Demand last week's episode of Great American Railway Journeys (missed 'cos power failure) before next episode tonight. Wilmington to Baltimore. I caught up with it yesterday.

  • Hello all -

    AQ - I missed you too! Loved the pictures of Miss 5, and also the themed party. A lot of work went into those cakes and nibbles.

    DIBNLIB - Benson looking very pensive? maybe hoping that he will go out for a long walk?

    It is a lovely day here, again. I went to town and returned to find OH had just finished both the crossword puzzles and very obediently, had not ventured to the garden without me being in the vicinity to catch him if he falls. I managed to bring his audiogram appointment forward. They told me 12 weeks waiting time but he will get it a week today.

    Thank you, BRENDA for news of MARGO and her sister.

    My brother and his wife are still in UK doing up their house before it goes on the market. It had been very badly neglected, sorry to say. My brother freely admits that when he is in France he just doesn't want to think about the other house. Now they must sell it, in order to pay their way.

    ROSY - I was taken to Kew when I was seven years old ( a very long time ago) but still have some memories of it. What is that poem about Kew? Is it a John Bejeman (Spelling?)

  • Good afternoon: another sunny day, with breeze.  We were supposed to start by measuring J’s room (for planning rearranging) straight after breakfast, but time ran away and it was mid-morning.  OH then had to go in the loft to find J’s single bedding for me to wash, and sort a few other things up there.  I did some ironing, but feel like I spent the whole morning waiting around for various things!  Out this evening – a talk at the General Interest Group by our baking lady who also performs funerals and other civil ceremonies.

    Last night’s lecture was excellent; when planned, nobody thought we would be leaving the EU, so the subject was mainly covering the current UK situation, and that of Scotland and N Ireland which both voted to remain and have versions of devolution still being enacted.  The options and implications are many, and our learned Professor had no option but to concentrate on all the unknowns for the future.  It is still a very scary situation.

    George – I can echo what you say about the “family” on this thread, having myself been on the receiving end of so much support.  We have been together a long time now, and are a great community of care and concern as well as being welcoming to others.

    Annette – sounds as if King is presenting you with some particularly unpleasant challenges!

    Harelady – good to see a post from you – pleased you appreciate this thread.

    Brenda – thanks for news of Margo and sister, albeit not good news; Margo’s transfusions seem to be getting more frequent: I hope she is still getting days out in between.

    Rosy – I agree – that Tropical House at Kew Gardens is huge!  That is one aspect I miss, being further from London and unlikely to visit again – along with the various museums.  And I would have loved to see the Wetland Centre too – but not with all that Heathrow air traffic!

    AQ – spring at last?  I hope the storms don’t return.  Lovely photos of the granddaughters; Miss5 is beautiful, and Miss J (I think, the larger twin) beginning to look a lot like her too.  Sorry the family riverside walk has had to be cancelled, it would have been good fresh air for the girls and exercise for your knees.  Don’t volunteer for too much in the school holiday!

    Dibnlib – Benson certainly doesn’t intend to miss anything!

    Heather – so glad your OH’s audio appointment has been brought forward.  Good to see that your Brother has made the sensible decision to sell one of his houses.  Poem “Come down to Kew in Lilac Time” was written by Alfred Noyes (it’s actually part of “The Barrel Organ”).  Not to say John Betjeman didn't also write one!

    Must get on with things towards early dinner in order to go out!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • Oh bliss to have computer back, albeit temporarily while waiting for a new motherboard.  Messed up dealing with my brother's estate as well as not being able to post.

    My sincere sympathy to Diane and Margot, having been there 4 months ago I know full well what it is like.

    The last two weeks have been interesting!? Still being on a learning curve to manage my asthma, no-one warned what it would be like when you get a cold as well. Now I know! Cooking a meal when you want to throw up I could have lived without.

    We had a quote for modifying our bathroom hoist and a new system for the bedroom, all I can say is that at least it was a bit cheaper than I expected. Modifications to bedroom done and should have mods in bathroom done by the weekend, then ordering.

    Hope others here are not feeling too bad.

  • HEATHER   pleased that your OHs audio appt is only a week away. Hope for some satisfactory results.

    KEITH   Glad that the household mods are moving forward.

    Had the very sad news today that a dear friend from Lossie days has died. He had been ill for 5 years or so  with a blood disorder and things worsened with a very virulent form of Leukemia.  He and his family have been living in N. Yorks for some years now so we have rarely seen them, but had thoughts of our great times tog often.

    To make me smile, a pic of Benson. You may have seen this before, but OH only uploaded all my camera pics the other day, so not sure what you have and haven't seen

  • Just lost a word post and pic. Goodness knows how!!!!

    Had the very sad news that a dear friend from Lossie days has died. He has been ill for sometime with a blood disorder, the a very virulent form of Leukemia. They have lived in N Yorks for a good few years now so we rarely saw them, but thought of our good days together often.

    Pic of Benson to make me smile.... and you too.

  • I see that Benson lives a very comfortable life, Dibnlib. Love the cushions!

    Sorry about your friend.

    Those cat cakes look lovely, AQ. The birthday girl does too, of course!

    We are missing Lindy's cheery posts. Hope she is having a great time (also that she packed the right shoes)

    Thanks, OG for reminding us of the Kew poem.

    Glad things are progressing for you, Keith, albeit slowly. Sorry about the asthma.

    Thinking of Diane, Margo, Brenda and their families.

  • Thank you for your kind words of Miss5 & Little People. Of course they take after their g-mother LOLOL. Dau loves baking & cake decorating. Amazing to me that she has the children to help with mixing, etc. I never had the patience to cope with the inevitable mess.

    The riverside walk was one of the activities arranged by Dau’s local library for 2-5 year olds as play group & all toddler stuff cease too during school holidays.

    Unbelievable weather today, so far 25 C before lunch. I toasted myself in sun for 10 mins until it got too hot! I hope that dries out the waterlogged. Yesterday I noticed vegie prices had risen with so many market gardens flooded.

  • Morning all:

    AQ: Cookies make  more sense, but chicken and ricotta rolls? Yum.   And tiny cakes with paw prints? How clever! Where did I go wrong.,..   Sounds like your daughter is coping much better with her threesome to the point of getting them to help out. Brilliant.Google Earth has two Blyths - one out in the boonies (someone got their placement wrong) and the "real" Blyth farther south (but maybe still in the boonies).  Anyway, managed a look at the Lutheran church before - and after... What a shame.

    Heather: What a relief to get your OH's audiogram so much earlier than anticipate. Sounds like your bro and wife may not be able to ask top $$ for the UK house. I have a friend who can't afford to fix up her house and I hate to think of how much she'll finally get for it, even though it's in a lovely location.

    OG: Out again!? I can't keep up with you.  A baking lady who also performs funerals? Talk about multi-tasking. Re King: Just what I need - more challenges.  :-)

    Keith/ForestBoar: Assume you have multiple inhalers for that asthma. I have to watch colds myself because they can really kick off the wheezing. Always good when quotes for home projects are lower than expected.

    dibnlib: Nice pic of Benson.

    Have a good Thursday everyone.