Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 10 December 2017

LOL, Diane!!  :-)

Sugar glider - nocturnal arboreal possum. See here or here.

I’m cold!  Night before last I was shivering at bed time – may have already said I thought this was due to dehydration – so OH left heating on all night and J said it kept him awake because it was too hot.  So last night, he left it turned on but set the thermostat down at 15 degrees with the intention of turning it up first thing in the morning.  I got up at about the same time, started shivering and haven’t stopped yet.  I am wearing a fleece on top of my clothes but feel cold inside.  I had a very good day yesterday, so not sure what is going on!   As I may have said before, I am someone who never feels the cold!

ForestBoar – thank you so much for taking the time to give us the benefit of your car experience; it will be very helpful.  I don’t drive, and always dread changeover time when OH seems obsessed with looking at cars, but I know he is trying to find the best for my needs and comfort.  I think we need the convenience of the VW, but I do worry about him driving something so large (70 next year!)  I said many years ago that I wouldn’t accept being driven by anyone over 70, but vehicle technology has improved and 70 doesn’t seem so old as it gets nearer!  I would hope to stay with a diesel engine (we currently have a Skoda Roomster - VW engine – but now discontinued).  So, thanks for all the details.

Linda – weather looks okay for now – and above freezing.  Lovely photo of Bonnie on the sofa last evening!  Lovely Momma Cat in today’s picture – looks like the wee white kitten doesn’t have a tail.

Plan for today – OH shopping this morning and hopes to attempt the loft climb this evening when J is home.  I shall try to finish Christmas emails and do some tidying – putting things “away” to accommodate Christmas things!  Oh, why do we do it?

OG: I'm 68 next month!!!

OG - When we were young, anyone over 50 was considered to be old! Thankfully, times have changed and attitudes with it. My OH was still driving at 85, a 2.4 litre vehicle. A friend of ours bought a new Aston Martin sporty type thing when he was in his early eighties. He said it was an investment....!!

There are a lot of older people wobbling around the roads here looking extremely unsafe - and that goes for mobility scooter and powered wheelchairs as well as cars!  Pedestrians too!  I don't know what the answer is, with increased longevity - maybe the AA or RAC would like to do a study on this!

OG - In Denmark I believe it is the case that over a certain age you have to resit a driving test every so often! I might be talking rubbish here...

Just looked up some data. Over a certain age in Denmark you have to renew your licence every year and produce a medical certificate. One research paper suggests that older drivers have fewer accidents but that could be related to the fact that older people tend to drive less and for shorter distances. I repeat - 70 is not old these days! Many people are still in full time employment. (B and Q here I come!) Others are less fit mentally and physically, which is assume is why some countries insist on a regular assessment.

I think that theoretically there is some sort of control here too, but self-assessment is not unfortunately very accurate!  I may appear even more cynical than usual, but have known plenty of people driving with epilepsy, heart conditions and extremely bad eyesight - not just the physical signs, but the decreasing mental acuity to process the sensory information which they need.  Okay, I am being ageist, but I will be seventy myself next birthday, and because I am inconvenient and cantankerous, I speak as I find!