Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 1 October 2017

What a cheery sight to start the week. Thank you Diane.

I'm all astray with time as our daylight saving started this morn. I shall miss the quiet mornings. Sensible QLD, NT & WA remain on usual time.

Good Morning, Everyone, and many thanks to Diane for starting us off again with as AQ says, such a cheerful bird.

Damp and drizzly here with no sign of it stopping. My laundry is in the drier or festooned around the place -- not looking forward to the pile of ironing! 

We had to stay the night on our journey south in case we missed our sailing from Southampton. It was a good thing as although we had a reasonable journey, my OH would have been panicking had we been delayed. I wanted to start the holiday in relaxed mode! In the event, returning, it was perhaps optimistic of us to expect to float back home easily on a Friday! But there was nothing we could do about it and there were hold ups every few miles, some caused by accidents and some by roadworks. On the holiday, I took lots of photos, but not as many as usual. Hope to bore you with them all later.

Have a pleasant Sunday, everyone.  (Hope that Lynette is feeling better: I see that you've been having ear trouble)

Here's today's pic:

Rosy - I havn't had time to say that I hope you enjoyed your holiday. A friend of mine never ever ate pasta until having an Italian holiday, whereupon she was totally converted, although she does prefer the proper fresh kind rather than dried, still.

We used to have shabby suitcases on the theory that they do mistreat them in the baggage handling area, but I was tempted eighteen months ago by seeing some smart sets of cases which were described as 'almost indestructible' and showing the presenter jumping up and down on them. It also seemed sensible to have integrated locks, but of course if these are faulty you then have a problem. My OH has managed to find a separate lock which fits, thank goodness.

Our garden looks very autumny, with leaves everywhere, and it reminded me of Heather and her worries over her garden. I hope the tree man you've found will help you with it, Heather, and you can relax over the changes needed.

Afternoon all:  Lazy Sunday here; just went for another walk to next village - 2 miles roundtrip. Went to visit second cousin whose Mom recently died (our favorite first cousin, which was a shame as I'd been looking forward to seeing  her). Off to niece's tomorrow, where I'll spend the night before I leave Tuesday for home.  Sister and BiL will drive us down, then come back before it's too late.

Diane: Thanks for starting the week!

Lindybird: Welcome back.

AQ: Welcome to summertime down under.

Hallo to all.  Back to chatting with sister....

Haven't been on the site for a while and have given up trying to catch up.  OH has been on holiday for a couple of weeks so we have had a few nice days trips and meals out.  Wednesday last week we drove down to Linlithgow (crossing the new bridge) to see Mum in the nursing home. We were very impressed. We haven't seen her looking so well in years.  She was dressed and her hair had been given a shampoo and set the previous day. She was in a wheelchair and we were very pleased to know she no longer needs to be hoisted in and out of chair and bed. I doubt that she will involve herself with any of the activities, but at least she will be able to watch the goings on.  Much relief all round.  We returned home via our favourite hotel in Pitlochry, spent 2 nights there and saw "High Society" at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

Great that you've been able to enjoy some leisure time with your OH, Dibnlib. So pleased that you can relax a little now over the worry of your Mother's care. If you find a good care home they can be wonderful.

High Society is my OHs favourite musical, with so many wonderful songs.

My OH has just driven off to go to our Youngests for a couple of days, to help them with their kitchen alterations - Bonnie and I are here looking after each other. I hope to get the ironing finished and everything else put away.

Rosy – very envious of the samphire – really love it with the occasional sea bass when we can find it on a menu.  Have cooked it at home, but J doesn’t eat it and I think OH only has it to humour me!

Diane – I hope you are taking enough naps between work sessions!  Thanks for the new week, and that beautiful bright Tanager.  I noticed on Friday evening as we drove home from the concert that the moon was already beginning to look quite large ready for fulness – it actually looked the shape of an ear that night, must have been some cloud in the way.

AQ – I hope you soon get used to the time change!  Ours is at the end of this month.

Linda – a dreich day here too, but luckily no heavy rain at the time we were driving out and home.  Rough wind became even stronger in the afternoon.  Leaves are beginning to fall now.  Good of your OH to go and help the family – I hope Bonnie will be good for you and not get you up too early in the mornings!

Annette – pleased you could walk over to your cousins’ village; good that you saw the younger one, but sad that favourite first cousin died so recently before your visit.  Wishing you a good journey home, without delays en route.

Dibnlib – pleased you have had some good times.  Glad you were so pleased with your Mum’s accommodation and care in the home – and a nice wee stay on the way home too.

We had a lovely church service and lunch today; it was good to spend time over the meal with someone we rarely see outside services because she works.  J came with us, and he “looked after” me because OH was busy running the powerpoint.  Time for a quiet day tomorrow, but generally a less busy week ahead.

Monday holiday (Labour Day). It was very quiet on roads & at church yesterday. People away for w/e and start of school holidays. A huge caravan is packed on front lawn across the road. Our temp new neighbours are very quiet – haven’t seen or heard a peep from them!

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I’ll start with my Burra escape saga (YP not forgotten). I set off early taking expressways to the north, stopped in Riverton for coffee after 1½ hours. Thereafter quite a few stops to capture old ruins. These mostly because farms are bigger than in early days and of course less labourers needed now huge machines are used instead of horses.

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This is Porter’s Lagoon with canola paddocks. Wikipedia says ‘The lagoon can cover several miles in wet seasons, and is "intensely salty". It is used by "many thousands of water birds, pelicans, great cormorants, whiskered terns and silver gulls" at certain times of year’. Once used for aquatic sports, I can remember going there when a child.

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Hanson, a tiny cluster of houses just off the highway. Detoured to get a better picture of the former church & hall, now private.

I arrived in Burra in time for lunch at the St Just cafe, then spent the afternoon photographing churches, some I had already, other only through bus window. To my delight the Catholic & Anglican churches were open. The latter may be small but it has some 2 dozen stained glass windows, including 2 from first Anglican church in Burra, 2 from a closed Booborowie church. Most were memorials donated by wealthy pastoralists in district and a stunning 4-light window in memory of WWI soldiers. I’ll let you know when I post these on flickr. Meanwhile this is a window in memory of a farmer & grazier. On left The Tree of Life, on right Good Shepherd. Very appropriate.

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