Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 3 September 2017

Well as usual a lurker is late to celebrate 8 years and funnily enough I was late in joining.

Youngest has just flown south after a great week celebrating my big birthday. It's the one with an angular number and a nought after :-). We spent the afternoon at Balmanech doing a gin tasting . It was brilliant and from a whisky tour guide for 5 years that was high praise. The gin was Corunn ( Rowan).. Heather maybe your son might put that on his to do list.

Daisy is snoring as her week included Loch en Eilan, Roseisle and the finale of ice cream at Lossiemouth .

It seems the girls and I are off to Lundy in March and a Fitbit was included in my prezzie package .. maybe a hint to get fit for it:-))

Lindy hope things get sorted.

Heather pleased plans are formulating re garden . I put mostly conifers in 15 years ago as we did garden from scratch. My special one is a Sequoia it's doing so well. I love to visit the one at Logie Steading as it's 100 years older than mine.

To everyone else keep " chatting" as I know many read but don't always post.

Hello everyone. Wendyb's last sentence encouraged me.

I have not posted for quite a while, and rather 'lost the plot' on here.

This year has been quite eventful, Some good things, some not so. We have had a lot of visiting family. Good to see them, but quite hard work.

There have been several hospital visits, as OH has some health problems.

I have missed the friendly chat on here.

Congratulations  to all for keeping this going for 8 years. Long may it continue.

Hope your OH's health problems have come to an end, or at least been treated so that they're not so bad, Rosy.

I agree that visiting family can be hard work, too.

We have family troubles which I can't relate, here: we may have to dash off to our Youngest to help as best we can, tomorrow. It's been so cold here we had to give in and put the heating on. And I put the laundry out this morning but then had to rescue it, as it started raining. Bleh!

Linda - Hope all turns out well. {{{HUGS}}}

Rosy: Good to see you; stick around!  :-)

Lindybird: Oh dear, do hope things can be sorted without too much upset. Hugs from here.

Trip continued. Morning coffee in Orroroo and, it’s a biggish town, yes there were toilets. Then out to Johnburgh (-32.454, 138.705), May I introduce you to this town.

The closed Methodist church.

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The closed manse

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The closed store.

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Home known as a back-ender. The settler built the back half with kitchen first, later he would add the front rooms. Unfortunately abandoned before further building.

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Closed hotel with collapsing floor.

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The local hall.

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Johnburgh’s population is 6, one family with 4 children who have escaped the rat race to live in an old house they have restored. No electricity, they rely on generator & solar. 30 km from Orroroo, children catch school bus about 9 km from home. About an hour each way. I was up the road capturing the ruins and missed the horses that came to inspect the strange sight of a bus at Johnburgh! The owner kindly unlocked the local hall and we took advantage of the toilets. I wonder how often the hall is used – it was spick & span with a smell of fresh paint.

Nice to see ROSY again - nobody expects everyone to post all the time, but a long absence does lead to "losing the plot", as I found earlier this year.

DIBNLIB - one thing I had entirely missed (see above) was your Mother being in hospital, but I am pleased a place has materialised in a good care home now that it has become necessary, and I hope you will be happy with it when you visit.

LINDA - sorry the family problem needs you two to try to sort it out - the joys of parenthood!

AQ - enjoyed your continuation of the trip.

Not much to say as not much going on!

Glad, WENDY that you had a good 'angular' birthday!

ROSY - nice to hear from you again - sorry, though that your OH has health issues. Sending love from here.

LINDY - trying to read between the lines (which is never a good idea) and hoping that things can be resolved.

OG - I take it that you have resolved the tiredness issue regarding your meds?

Heavy rain here during the night. I went to the bathroom at about half past midnight and saw three men in the street, acting strangely, looking in cars parked on the road, using torches on their mobile phones. I watched for a while but then they made off. One had a high viz jacket on which was a bit strange if they were up to no good. They were probably drunk and being stupid. Thought about phoning the police but didn't. Maybe I should have, but past experience tells me that the Inverness police are usually busy at night nearer the town centre especially at the weekend.

Nothing much going on here, either, OG! I had a good time with eldest daughter and family yesterday. Home made lasagne, salad etc. Good company - eldest son in law made me laugh a lot which is precisely what I need ;-)

PS - just had a visit from the police. Apparently the car parked on the road opposite to me had wing mirror damaged. I didn't see them do it but I wish that I had phoned, now..... Anyway, I was able to give a good description of the three men. Insomnia has some advantages. When I'm up in the night, I often spend time looking out of the window.

HEATHER - well, I have succeeded in moving tired day from Sunday to Monday this week, so will carry on as currently!  Pleased you relaxed with food and company yesterday, but night time adventure probably didn't do you much good.  OH just finished some kitchen prep for dinner, so I shall take over to prep runner beans for freezing - seem to be getting enough for at least two meals every second day.  They were a bit late germinating this year, but we are usually picking well into October most years as we don't get much autumn frost here, and we do enjoy saving some for Christmas and Easter.