Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 10 December 2017

OG - Did the others get going? Did you get ROSY's recipe or did you look online? I have looked, today but several slightly different recipes.

Another drama today, I tried to bleed a radiator in my bedroom, turned the key too far, it blew a gasket and consequently I have sodden carpets and a plumber's bill on the way! Have to say, local firm, have always turned up quickly in emergencies. Water stain appearing on dining room ceiling, though. What next, I wonder?

HEATHER    just don't beat yourself up. Hope plumber arrived quickly.

DIBNLIB- Within ten minutes- M****sons. Brilliant service, he was working not too far from here so came straight away. They have never let us down.

Morning all:  Interesting about dimples in sloped curbs - we don't have them at residential, etc.,  locations, though I can't imagine they'd be useful in icy conditions. They do have them outside Costco, Target and other large retail locations and I assumed they were there to prevent runaway shopping carts. They sure make a racket and shake things up though.

Heather: Oh dear....but it's so nice to have plumbers, etc., that provide such faithful service. Are you using fans/dehumidifiers to dry out the carpeting? I managed to fix my toilet's flushing system the other day (not that flap thing, but a seal inside the tower bit). I put the float behind a large container of hand cream when I was taking it apart and didn't notice it when I was putting everything back together. Called the plumbing store, mystified as to why things were still amiss and as the guy talked me back through the process, I realized what was wrong. Duh. Problem solved. He was kind, confirmed that "yes, it does help to include all the parts" and I could hear him smiling.

Clare: "Curmudgeonly" is the word you hear a lot for cranky old people here, which for some reason implies just a tad more fondness for the individual.

Forestboar:  What about designated "handicapped" parking areas at the docs?  I get really upset with cars that have no handicapped decals/plates parking in those spaces. Seems the height of arrogance.

Lindybird: Ah yes, the car. I was thinking you were having a senior moment and meant to say Bonnie.

AQ: Don't envy you those hot dry winds, but at least they're in season there. They're telling us that fire season is year-round now....   :-(     Sounds like you have the same awful TV re-runs there as here. All we have now are Christmas specials, which they seem to take out and dust off year after year after year...

OG: Had to Google "pour les autres."  Wonder if it applies to presidents...   Hope EE is doing better.

Thrilled with the Alabama Senate race outcome.  :-)

ANNETTE- carpet and underlay pulled back and radiator on full. Dehumidifier is with Elgin family! They have condensation problems and remembered that there was a dehumidifier lurking, unused in the loft, here.I had bowls etc and several bath towels but the water was coming out horizontally at great pressure. Youngest son in law just on phone, talking language that I don't really understand- something about pressure in psi?

OG - Daughter has a power chair with a "joy" stick to maneuver. The chair weighs approximately 300 pounds so cannot get it into a car. I set up her rides for her (she's deaf) with transport vans that have ramps and special accommodations for locking it down. Holidays we take her in our cars and we use a manual chair that needs to be pushed. She cannot transfer any longer as her legs and feet have no feeling, so I cannot get her in to a car on my own though did it for years before she lost the use of her legs. Her brothers pick her up and put her in the car now. but mostly she relies on vans.

Annette: I am not even going there, let's just say I have been left fuming quite a few times. Fortunately with the VW Caddy conversion OH enters up a fully automated ramp from the rear and the passenger doors are sliding so we can manage. Another trick I have now come across is at Hospitals, particularly in Gloucestershire although I suspect this is probably universal. Blue badge holders can park for free in a designated disabled space BUT if there is not one available then you can park in an ordinary space but you have to pay. Cheltenham has all of 10 spaces! Lets just say that our visits are generally expensive.

We had a lot of thawing today, temperature got to the dizzy height of 1°C. Freezing again tonight. Managed to drive round the corner with younger SD for lunch, conditions not right for power chair to do it.

Annette- I had a cat once who would not touch litter at all. He always walked around the edge of the box, squat over the edge and do his business in the box, get down and walk away. Wouldn't cover it. Very persnickety cat!

bjane: Cats are the embodiment of "persnickety." Sounds like things must be very difficult with daughter; I assume her condition is progressive. Take care...

Heather: Any chance of mold developing with just heat? Just sayin'...     Psi = pounds per square inch.

Forestboar: Aack! Disabled folks have to pay when there aren't enough dedicated spaces?!  I'd be inclined (not that you have the time!) to stand outside the hospital and collect signatures for a petition demanding refunds.

Lighting is almost normal here today (sort of blue sky/bright sun) with no noticeable ash fallout, but fire still alive and well in the mountains and canyons behind Montecito (think Oprah, etc).  Wind strengths expected to build again tomorrow...

My eldest has 2 cats and a rabbit ..all 3 outdoors and indoors but she leaves a litter tray down “ incase”. All the 3 come in when she gets home and only the rabbit uses it :-))