Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 9 July 2017

Evening all:  Diane: Thank YOU!  And I noticed the moon last night - and will, even more so, tonight.  Interesting about the Full Buck or Full Thunder names. Ah. I see, "at this time, a buck's antlers are in full growth mode."  Makes sense.  Also, Thunder Moon "because thunderstorms are so frequent during this month."  Just heard from daughter that the monsoon season has started in Arizona, with much dramatic lightning and very heavy rain,

Very hot here these last two days, with a brush fire now burning along Highway 154 just over the hills behind us. Evacuations are ordered for some areas up there. All okay here though and fortunately, cooler weather forecast for tomorrow...

Happy to see Roger Federer has made it through to the next round; must organize next week's activities around Wimbledon.

OG: Sod's law for J and his appointments, but his trip sounds like a nice break.   Gosh, granddaughter has saved enough to last a year?!  That's pretty impressive. Hope the weather is good for church.

Heather: More family!  :-)  Your SiL sounds like a real help.   Sweeping up in the garden can be a full-time job.  Make that "mad dogs and Englishwomen" too.

AQ: Had an OZ moment  this morning at a garage sale, which included some cups from "Birds of Australia" line. The one that caught my eye, even before I read the ID at the bottom of the cup, turned out to be Pink and Grey Galahs. Spent a big $1 on it!  :-)  After all, we can't have too many reminders of our far-and-wide friends, can we?  Hope you get rain.

OK. Must start BBQ and get organize for update on what they're calling the Whittier Fire (started at a campground by that name near Lake Cachuma)!

Annette: I hope you stay safe from that new wildfire. I'll try to send rain to you. We've had a very stormy, humid summer in my region. It gets really hot and then all heck breaks loose. My area had a very strong storm last night that tore the side off of an historic covered bridge. Such a shame. It was as dark as night here. Enjoy Wimbledon, but do listen for the fire updates. I loved your photos you posted of the gorgeous Ms. D.

Annette and AQ: I used to watch a webcam that often showed those Pink and Grey Galahs. I adored them, and that webcam made me happy. That new cup you bought would've caught my eye, too, Annette. $1 was a real bargain.

AQ: Please let me know when you're going to make those apple fritters, and I'll show up on your doorstep. I'll eat the extras!

Mulberry: I'm very sorry about your doggy.

Heather: I'm so very glad that you have family around you so often. I think of you every day. I empathized with you about the noise on the roof. I often get critters on mine that can make the loudest sounds! Sometimes a Great Horned Owl eats its prey and hoots loudly up there. The raccoons and squirrels have dance parties on my bedroom roof once in a while. I know it can be unnerving when you're living alone. I saw your post about having coffee in the morning. Usually, I must have coffee when I first get up, or I'm worthless for the rest of the day. Lately, it's been so danged hot that I've been having iced tea instead.

OG: I'm so very glad to hear that you're gardening again, albeit in limited and creative ways. Be careful going to church.

Lindy: I loved the turtle poem! I meant to tell you that I enjoyed your photos of little Amber. She's a beautiful little girl.

George: Nice to hear from you!

Harelady: Hugs to you. I hope the move went smoothly.

Hello to Clare, Limpy, Lynette, dibnlib, ForestBoar, Pat O, Wendy, Nairnred, DjoanS, and bjane. Sorry if I've missed anyone. Life's been a little hectic here.  

Annette: That covered bridge link is for the Parke County Facebook page. I live on the Parke County line. My grandfather was a Parke County forest ranger, and my great-grandfathers were Parke County coal miners.

Here's today's pic:

"OK --  We all get Bad Hair Days, you know!"

Well, I know I have been quiet for a while. That's because we have been head scratching thinking what we can do with this money we have found ourselves with. Anyway OH said wouldn't it be nice if, when my brother's house was sold, younger stepdaughter could move to the Forest and we could pay her to help. The theory was fine but it would involve setting up an employment contract and pay for a workplace pension. Things moved on and three weeks ago OH had a text asking what it is like living in Five Acres. An immediate reply was sent:”you should know as you have been visiting us for a long time!”. So we suddenly realised she was thinking along the same lines.

Time to get our financial adviser over here to find out what we could do as my brother's house is now sold and only all the paperwork etc. to do. We have a buyer ready to go. The three of us got together with him last Thursday and we now have a solution to the problem, one we would never thought of by ourselves. Basically if we invest £250k it will, at current rates, earn around 7%, and she will get a monthly income of £1000 a month tax free as it will be less than 5% allowance. We are not paying her so there is no involvement in setting up a contract with all that entails and it does not constitute a gift either. It appears to be a win win situation so we await the next stage from the FA next week. Oh it also transpired that she has 6 houses she has her eye on to look at as soon as she has the money from the house.

OH also came up with a plan for the long haul to and from the Cairngorms. She found a Changing Places fully accessible toilet at Strathclyde Country Park, just over 5 hours up which is a bit of a stretch but possible with planning. We will see how that goes next month as it just might allow us to extend our trips for a while longer (food for thought!).

On a different subject today is the first day for five days that we are not cooking in the temperatures thank goodness.

Our thoughts to all who have been suffering recently.

FOREST BOAR  Good luck with everything.

Hi Diane I hope all is well with you

And Afternoon to everyone

Afternoon, Limpy!  - nice to hear from you!

ForestBoar:   You sound as if you have exciting plans, and that everything is going well:  I do hope that you can all come to a happy arrangement for all. Best wishes to you.

THE NIGHT TIME DANCE PARTY

The silly, skittering squirrels
Held a party on the roof -
The Great Horned Owl was invited, but
Stayed decidedly aloof.....

While squirrels danced The Boogie,
The Monster Mash, and tried The Charleston:
Even late on when they tired a little,
Some still Jived with gay abandon.

The neighbours, perky young racoons,
Watched on, quite undecided,
Until one of their number
Remembered, how he had once been guided
By a grizzled old racoon to Waltz
Quite gracefully, then moved onto the Tango:

Before you knew it.....All the tiles were resounding
To a full, noisy Fandango!
As racoons and squirrels gaily swirled
In patterns complicated
It became more of a party
Than was ever contemplated.

Even the ancient owl joined in, by
The twitching of his beak, and
Sounding out the beat with claws
Though still standing by, quite neat.

The house below was jumping:
The beams were shifting up and down -
The noise was such that others heard
Who lived nearer to the town.

"Those pesky critters are dancing!"
Cried the deer and foxes, too
But they were also moving
As the beat was drumming through.

Diane was trying to get some sleep
In her cosy bed below -
She didn't need to hear a party
To which she couldn't go.

She banged upon the ceiling, and
Cried out: "It wouldn't hurt ya!"
"To wait until the daylight hours,
Before you all Mazurka!"

The animals were shamefaced,
They stopped almost right away -
For dear Diane had always been kind
And let them enjoy their play.

They sneaked off, very quietly
And hid amongst the trees
(Except for little Lionel, who had a 
Tendency to sneeze......)

The night was hushed, the only sound,
The wind blowing in the leaves:
The only thing remaining was their
Memories of lines
Of fluffy squirrels prancing
Of racoons cheerfully dancing
Of All happily romancing, as
They Conga'd back, through the pines.