Welcome to the new week everyone. Harelady updated us on her return to Suffolk today (Sunday) and she'll be returning to London next Sunday for funeral services the following week.
Lindybird: Thanks for the lovely photo of the poppy.
Pat O: I enjoyed reading about your power-golfing holiday. Hope you have a good trip home.
OG: When do you expect the deck to be done? (Is it a wooden deck or a patio area?)
AQ: Disconcerting that the snowflakes (snowdrops?) are so very early.
Meanwhile, while took Ms D up to the local Natural History Museum last week where, among other things, we enjoyed a visit with some injured and rescued raptors, now living happily ever after in the museum's gorgeous grounds. In the first photo, Ms. D is cozying up to a peregrine falcon that had been shot (she looks a little uncertain, but I know the guy who handles it and he assured me there was no problem). In the second photo, she's looking a lot happier being friendly with a gorgeous barn owl.
"Piggy Sue!!" -- LOL!!
There's no wind here at all. The lull before the storm, I think. Lots of rain forecast tonight, and the next couple of days. I've got a pink face as I dozed in the sun this afternoon!!
Pics of Amber from a few days ago, when they visited:
Trying out her Doctors Kit on daddies sore knee....
Riding my bike with my New Best Friend beside me....
Blowing big bubbles in Grandmas garden, wearing my trendy sunglasses.
Annette – Dau#1 once borrowed a goat to control the non-garden in her back yard.
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Heather – Today I posted pics of Redesdale (Victoria not Northumberland).
Pat – I hope you arrived home safely.
OG – Well done for recovering better than doc expected, “considering your age”. How I dislike them saying that, now I am younger than my daughters LOL.
Linda – Amber has lovely big eyes. And I get to peek at your garden!
I’ve been out for coffee with Travel Friend. My “snack” was a Red Passion Sphere. (Scroll through quickly & you won’t gain weight.) We nattered so long that we stayed for lunch (ham & cheese croissant). Methinks a small tea tonight!
AQ: Hmmm. I'd have to have at least three of those Red Passion Spheres to make sure I could appreciate all those flavors. On second thoughts, maybe I'll should have one of each dessert - quality control you know. :-)
Lindybird: Big BLUE eyes on little Ms. Amber. :-) How old is she now and how do these kids get so big so quickly? I like the winding paths in your garden.
Wobbled my way through Yoga, then home for light salad and lazy evening. Was in the mid-80s today and the same tomorrow, so planning to do desk work...
Good Morning All. Drizzling here, and we're packing up the car to go home.
Amber will be 3 at the end of August. She's tall for her age, and frighteningly bright: I said that she gets it from the grandparents! I suspect that people will assume she's older than she is, which may be a disadvantage! The paths wend their way around the edge of the lawn, mainly. It's a much smaller garden than you might think!
AQ -- I'm eating my porridge, and studying your gorgeous array of 'naughties' - suddenly my breakfast looks boring.....
Today's pic, from my garden, appropriately:
Good morning all
AQ - The history of the bridge is fascinating!
OG - You must feel that all the effort, hard work and boredom of the past five months was well worth it. Did you know that your consultant was fairly pessimistic , originally, over the outcome?
Lovely pics of Amber, LINDY. What a beauty!
I'm a bit distracted just now, middle daughter is having benefits 'issues'. She works, two jobs, but still gets some benefits, which she relies upon. Now 'they' say that she has been overpaid and have reduced her money enormously. She was in tears on the phone to me. Apparently she phones them every time there is a change in her circumstances and they told her that yes, they have a record of her phone calls. One benefit (child tax credit) was reduced by a large amount. She will phone back tomorrow to speak to what they describe as a case worker. The bank of Mum is in operation but I do hope that she can find out, for once and for all, what she is really entitled to claim. All her wages each month are swallowed up by her private rent. She is on the waiting list for social housing but there aren't any to be had...
It was very wet this morning, so we haven’t seen deck man today – he was here making good progress yesterday. OH went out to check on the “item of the month” at the Devil’s Porridge Museum (binoculars which belonged to his great-uncle, which they have been researching). He also tried to assess access at a village pub where we are supposed to going as part of a group for lunch next Wednesday, but couldn’t get in! He is now going to catch up on ironing – has at last got out his summer clothes and put winter away, but was rather cross when I said the summer shirts have to be ironed before he can wear them! I am having gentle day as I was on my feet a lot yesterday.
Linda – pleased to see you had a good time at Glaslyn and the beach. I see the Dyfi birds were weighed, ringed and named today – one wee boy and two big girls, including Bobby Bach who weighed in the same as her older sister! I hope you are having a pleasant and safe journey home. Enjoyed seeing your Amber – thanks for sharing – lovely eyes and, as you say, very tall for her age.
Heather – I knew the surgeon had some doubts about my outcome, but hadn’t realised how worried he was for me. Apparently at this stage I am in the top 50% and that has surprised him. Sorry your Daughter is having such a tough time, especially if it is due to human error! Pleased you are able to help her. Private rentals really are crippling – that is why J still lives here with us.
Must search out a drink – had local blue cheese at lunchtime and it was quite salty although a good flavour.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
That's dreadful, Heather -- supposing she hadn't phoned them and remonstrated?! Hope it all gets sorted properly.
We are home again, after a rainy journey back for most of the way. All seems OK, here, and my sweet peas are a very colourful tower by the kitchen window. My OH has rushed off to the allotment to see if his strawberries are ripening.
OG - You came on whilst I was slowly writing the above. You can be proud at how well your determination has done in helping with your recovery. An example to us all!
Glad to hear that the Dyfi birds are doing so well. I've told my OH that next time we're in Wales again, we're going to have a day out to visit Dyfi! It's rather further south from us than you'd think, so will be a day trip. The Welsh roads are often meandering and slower than we're used to, with various awkward mountains getting in the way!
OG - so pleased to read of your good news from the hospital. Perhaps it's as well you didn't realise how serious things had been until you were well on the road to recovery. Keep up the good work - you are obviously doing all the right things, and hopefully will be able to ditch both the chair and the crutches before too much longer.
Heather - so sorry to hear about your daughter's problems. It makes me so cross that the benefits people make so many mistakes and don't seem to care about the repercussions on those who rely on their getting things right. I hope and pray things are sorted out satisfactorily very soon. So unfair when people are doing their very best to keep their heads above water and someone else's error makes their lives even more difficult.
I am now safely at home after more than three weeks. I am really tired, and it took ages to unpack the car and put everything away. A lot of laundry for tomorrow! I've had a great time, seen lots of things, caught up with lots of friends - but I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.