Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 May 2017

Getting on...

We hit the main roads again after that, and carried on north to get 'home'.  I always admire these elegant lamps which line the side of one of the visitor centres, there is a really big preserved and restored windmill here and talks are given on local customs: also there are some unusual plants in the gardens. We did not stop this time as we've seen it before.

Hidden behind the parked cars in front, unfortunately.

Another by a farm.  Water is premium here, and wells must be the only way to get by.  The water we use in our accommodation is reclaimed desalinated sea water!

Typical farm nestling below a volcanic mountain.

A windmill we see quite often:  I have a nice painting of this one done by a friend we meet when on holiday. We hung it in our dining room to remind us of happy times there.

Some more of the more or less barren countryside, it is a strange landscape.

Me again, having my daily look-in. 

AQ – I think people were happier – probably too tired to be miserable – before electricity and “mod cons”.  Life was lived by the seasons and day-length – so much more natural.  BTW, we started married life with no washing machine and no fridge, cleaning out the grate in the morning to lay a fire for the new day.

Linda – drizzle early this morning, and one shower mid-morning, but getting really bright now, and fence men (two of them) seem happy enough working.  They won’t be doing the new deck straight after the fence, as they have another job promised, but will be back here in early June.  Some interesting features where you were on holiday.

J seemed to have a cold after work Monday, and after a bad night he was quite “peely-wally” and wobbly this morning so has stayed at home.  OH and I are fine – he is catching up with ironing today.  I am now reading the third book of the New Lanark trilogy – definitely recommend it.

Linda - Such delightful windmills. I'm enjoying your holiday!

OG - I checked our library system catalogue for the New Lanark books. No joy. I'll try bookshop next time I'm in city. Alas so many bookshops have closed in recent years. "Pop-up" bookshops appear briefly but seem to have weird books.

I have a “free” afternoon – OH is away at nanny duty. I’ve been gathering old jumpers for dogs rescue home, old books for charity bookshop, and later I am making a big batch of meat pies for freezer. Although thunder last night, showers only produced 0.2 mm, not enough to wet the path.

Hallo all: Very quiet on here today. I was out in the garden deadheading roses, etc., all morning (and still 6 more bushes to go), then nap in garden, then to Costco to browse the aisles and home with the usual yogurt, wine, etc., etc.  

Lindybird: Love the photos, especially that windmill that you have the painting of. (Yes I know I've left that proposition dangling, but....)

OG: We grew up with no washer, fridge, phone or TV (got the last two when I was 12 and 14). Poor Mum washed the sheets in the bathtub. Too right everyone must've been too tired to be unhappy - and let's not forget that generation had just been through WWII, so probably didn't notice how badly off they really were.

Grandson and his fiancee are going to the UK to see family, etc., later this year; we're paying his fare which, if we can get our act together, is ridiculously cheap compared to some I've seen (but not as cheap as three weeks ago!). We treated his sister years back and had planned to treat him sooner, but he was creating so much aggro what with one thing and another, we weren't so inclined. I think this is the year, so I'm spending ages on the internet looking at options. They want to squeeze in a quick trip to Paris too. They've only got about 10 days and it'll be a rush.

Ooops. That was interesting. Just had a 4.0 earthquake about 4 miles up the road and just off the coast followed by a 3.1. Felt those for sure but not subsequent smaller ones.  Shall wear hard hat to bed tonight!!

Good Morning.  Not raining here (yet!) and out of the bedroom window I can see the bright pink clematis which grows up through our plum tree, coming out with its saucer sized blooms.

Annette - Goodness, earthquakes! Hope you only get small shudders!  How nice to send your grandson off to see Europe, while they're still young enough, if you know what I mean....  I think I mean that Life gets in the way sometimes, as you get older.  

OG - Hope you're feeling stronger every day now. Sorry that J is not too good at the moment.

AQ - You sound busy as ever. Hope your OH copes with his nanny duty OK!

Glad everyone has enjoyed my holiday ramblings. We love the island, barren as it is, and I must have taken thousands of pics of it over the last years; we've been going there since 1999! (Edit --- every year!)

Off to start the day, lots to do as things to finish before we dash off again tomorrow.

Annette: I hope you won't have any more earthquakes!!! Sending stabilizing energy to you tonight.

Lindy: If I don't get back on here, I hope you have a wonderful trip to Wales. I enjoyed your photos.

Here's today's pic:

Also for Margo........

Good Morning!

Thank you for the pics, LINDY. Our two joiners were talking about Fuerteventura only yesterday. Apparently they went on a boys' trip there to do ?kite surfing. Considering that one is 62 and the other 66 I think they are very brave! MARGO is never far from my mind, likewise BRENDA.

ANNETTE - Hope that you haven't had any more earthquakes. Yes, it is a lovely feeling to enable the younger generation to do things that they would not get to do, otherwise.

Good to see that OG is back at the helm. I think that her next appointment is a couple of weeks away?

AQ - Please send meat pies here in double quick time. I saw an ad for what is the 'only dedicated wool shop' in town, yesterday. Changed days.

I am awaiting a phone call from the solicitor. I haven't heard a dickybird since the beginning of January and my income will remain erratic until he sorts everything out. Stepson ticked me off last evening, for getting this joinery work done before OH's estate is settled:-(

I'm hoping to get some garden work done, will place the telephone on table outside if Solicitor hasn't phoned me before then.

LINDY - enjoy your break. Hope that the weather will be kind to you.

LINDY    Our neighbour directly over the road has the most glorious clematis which we admire every year. There was one in our garden when we arrived but it got too heavy and pulled the fence down when it was really windy. We had a new fence erected but didn't bother with another clematis. i would rather not have bothered with another fence, that way we would have had the side and back garden as one, however that would have meant a lack of privacy in the garden.