Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 24 December 2017

Whatever holiday you celebrate (or not), I hope you all have a meaningful, peaceful, and happy time!!!

Gray Wolf
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Photo labelled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

  • Linda - I was going to say same as Diane when I read your post. Don't risk it if in doubt. Shingles is nasty.

    Overcast cool day (expecting 24 C). Mid pm wedding outdoors and evening reception indoors. I plan to wear blouse from one of my hardly-worn m-o-b outfits with a different skirt. I don't want to outshine the latest m-o-b! We are collecting Dau#2 as venues are an hour drive away. Dau's OH will babysit as she did for one his family weddings. One day they will be able to go out together!

  • Unknown said:

    Lindy: Shingles can be contagious. If you have never had chickenpox (or the vaccine), you could contract the virus. 

    I just wanted to make sure that you knew. Sorry if I sound pushy or condescending; I was just worried about you.

    I have had shingles, myself, a few years ago. Ugh.  We don't know about my OH as he isn't sure whether he had chicken pox when young - we didn't visit our grandchildren just before Christmas because they'd just had Ch. Pox.  He has, however, had the shingles vaccine only 18  months ago.

  • Hello all, just read through all your news. Looks as though Christmas has gone off well for most of you except Lindy at first but turned out OK in the end.  Well done for thinking of cutting the turkey in half and putting it in the smaller oven in the end.   Large oven I expect wants looking into before trying to cook with it again.

    Well, we've had snow and rain so far since CD. At present there is a thaw going on but we'll see what tomorrow brings as Storm Dylan crosses the country.

    Looking at one of the posts I see someone has shingles.  Can't remember whether I had chicken pox as a girl but was offered the vaccine recently and said "yes" to it. I don't bother with the flu one as I've never had flu and in any case the vaccine is only for the one predicted to be more prevalent at the time.

    A VERY HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

  • Good  Morning,  All.  Still dark, here but dry.

    Lovely osprey pic to go with your good wishes, Lynette.

    Heather, I fully understand that you want to have time to reflect rather than to be "jollied along" too much. I hope the coming year will bring just as much support and comfort from your wonderful family as you've received in the last months.

  • Good morning, all.  I was on duty at Minsmere yesterday afternoon - click on this muntjac deer to see a few more photos:

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • Gorgeous panda, Lindy!

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • Morning all: At last! A morning that actually feels and smells like a California December day!  Foggy, damp; hurray!  Have spent the last two days sorting through god-knows how many boxes and plastic tubs, etc., in the garage where OH has been storing every old nut, bolt, screw, nail and bits and bobs for years.  Took a box of stuff to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore warehouse and recycled the rest. His office closet is next - I mean, how many 3-5 floppy discs does one need...

    So glad to be back to normal, whatever that is. Went to Costco - not a trace that Christmas was ever here; the decorations have been replaced by surf boards! Can patio furniture be far behind?

    Do want to wish everyone a good, better, or the best year ever in 2018. I'm doing it a day early because I know AQ will be there before the rest of us. :-)

  • By gum, its quiet here on Saturdays! 

    Thank you, Annette.  I must admit that in the last two days I have been prowling around the house and finding things which can be recycled or taken to the charity outlets:  well done on sorting your garage bits & bobs.  

    My OH has been to the allotment to see how his new water collecting system is working:  he has put new gutters on his greenhouse there and a large tub for collection, so that he does not have to use the hose system in future for watering, as there have been a lot of problems with it this year. Then he went to help to move some furniture for a friend:  he is a tall person and still strong, so can be useful!!

    I've been packing up all the things we hope to take down to our Youngests family when we do eventually get there: we are not sure yet when we will go.