Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 7 May 2017

I shouldn't have moaned about being too hot - the rain has appeared! Don't know if gardening jobs will take place but the rain is badly needed.

These cyber attacks on the NHS systems etc are bad news. It sounds as if they exploited a weakness that Microsoft patched a while ago but the systems attacked had not been updated.

Off to drink coffee.

Good Morning. Awoke to a glimmer of sunshine today, but my OH reckons it's been raining most of the night, which will be good for the garden.

There is a house in our road where someone must have been a keen gardener, once. It was very crowded with all kinds of shrubs and trees which the present owners were allowing to grow into a complete jungle. Even the front driveway had tree roots coming through it, along with weeds. One day a couple of years ago, a gang of men arrived in vans and trucks and ripped everything out, plants, weeds, even the driveway. Landscapers!  They removed it all except for two large trees, one of which they pruned down. Then they rebuilt the whole front garden, with a small curved gravel pathway between raised flower beds instead of a ragged lawn, and a smart new paved driveway.

At first, it looked very nice and was certainly tidy. Now a couple of years have gone by, the weeds are creeping in and it's looking scraggly. I don't think they give any of it much attention. They must have paid a lot for it to be done but are certainly not gardening people.

Good Morning, Heather - You came on whilst I was rambling. It's annoying that this has happened to the NHS as it must have been preventable - my Eldest works in the cyber security field, helping protect large organisations, and he will be scornful of the weak measures which have apparently been taken.

I feel sorry for those who have had their operations postponed.

Here's today's pic:

Hey, folks. It's being widely reported that a cybersecurity researcher has found a kill switch for the malware causing the current worldwide cyber attacks. So that means the attacks are over -- unless or until the perpetrators find a way to alter the code to overcome the kill switch. Just thought you might want to know.

This newly discovered kill switch won't fix the computers that are already infected, though.

Back later to start the thread. Happy Saturday, all.

Good morning – didn’t post yesterday as I got involved in various things in other rooms – sometimes being quite helpful!  Also sorted through paper sitting here from when I was away – one waste paper bin full, and pile reduced to just 1 cm high.  Was mostly dry and OH was also busy weeding and tidying various beds – no rain here until after 5pm.  More showers overnight and even this morning – garden looks much greener and “happier” – and OH can do some cleaning indoors today!

Heather – I hope the fascia replacement job goes smoothly and not too much mess; I hope you arranged for them to remove all waste as part of the job.  Don’t blame you for finding yesterday too hot for garden work – I was melting, even with windows open and fans on!  I watched Gardeners’ World but halfway through I switched over to Masterchef.

Linda – had to laugh at the big investment in a washing up bowl – reminds me I had said we were due a new one before I went to hospital, but it hasn’t materialised in my absence!  Our Starlings are also very entertaining right now – young haven’t quite reached the noisy nursery stage when they begin to annoy me.  Lovely (?Welsh) pony this morning.

Diane – staying away from our Doc website as long as I can – our area was affected including three local GPs, but Health Board are refusing to name which ones!

OH should have our lunch ready by now – celery soup – so I need to investigate!

Good evening-

Hope everyone had a good day. It has been busy here. Eldest and youngest daughter took middle daughter out for lunch, shopping and then cocktails. The two sons in law plus three granddaughters and I went for lunch at Pizza Express, courtesy of Tesco Clubcard vouchers. Then home to instruct me in the use of new pressure washer and do some pruning jobs in the garden.Isla age seven, brought her small garden rake with her and made herself very busy!

The camellia has been reduced to half of it's original height. The three daughters returned home in good spirits (!) and everyone has just left. I'm not embarrassed to say that I have just put my pyjamas on.....

Sitting watching the Eurovision contest.... it's pretty barmy...

Glad you've had a good day with the family, Heather. :-)

Not sure about the origins of the pony, OG. I thought that perhaps it was a New Forest pony, but hard to tell.