WEEKLY CHAT (Non-osprey) SUNDAY JANUARY 7, 2018

Diane: I can't get it - just stepped away. Did they scrub it?

OK, apparently that's the case.

So things going from bad to worse here as the authorities today ordered a mandatory evacuation for the entire area around the mud slides, which they say could be in effect for at least two weeks. People had two hours to get out.  Problem is too many outsiders getting into the "exclusion zone" (hitherto restricted to residents), but what with broken water mains, sewers, etcs.,, it's impossible to guarantee anything and they're also bringing in the Army Corps of Engineers with heavy equipment to work 24/7 on cleaning things up, so need the streets clear of unecessary traffic. New images today showed areas only just accessible where destruction is awful.

Then, of course, we have the Orange Menace on the loose again, wondering why America doesn't take more immigrants from Norway instead of ******** countries. Does it never end? Every day it's a new low... 

Unknown said:

Then, of course, we have the Orange Menace on the loose again, wondering why America doesn't take more immigrants from Norway instead of ******** countries. Does it never end? Every day it's a new low... 

He's cancelled a planned visit to this country ............ I'm just heartbroken!!

Unknown said:

I just had wonderful news! R.T. Hawk is alive!!! The big fella made it through that long bout of extreme arctic cold. It's a balmy 60F (15.5C) here -- weird. So I went outdoors near dusk to check the land and my car. I noticed that I had a flat tire. (The tire pulled away from the rim slightly during the cold.) I was sitting by the car using my tire pump, and I heard a long, loud SCREAM! It was R.T! He was saying hello to me from back in the woods.

About 5 minutes later, I heard him take a small bird. So he must be in satisfactory condition, because he's able to hunt successfully. If he's okay, then his mate is probably okay, too, because they hunt as a pair. Red-Tailed Hawks who are strongly bonded often hunt together, and R.T. and his mate are formidable hunters. 

R.T. must have been stocking up on food. Temps are predicted to plummet quickly tonight, and we have an ice storm coming and then more arctic temps this weekend. I'm happy he was able to get a last meal before it turns bad again.

I'm so very happy that he survived. Yay!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so pleased to hear your friendliest neighbours are still with us.  They are clearly formidable birds.

Thanks, Clare!!! I've been enjoying your lovely photos. You are very talented!

Annette: Yup, launch was scrubbed until Friday at the same time.

Heather: Your daughter should not be subjected to that kind of treatment by her employer. That makes me so angry on her behalf! I hope her job isn't really in jeopardy.

Unknown said:

I've been enjoying your lovely photos. You are very talented!

I'm better than I was.  I've some way to go, though.  Limpy and I joined our local photographic society a year ago and some of what we see there is eye-popping!  It's been good for us both - they hold regular competitions with varied themes and we've both had some lovely feedback.  Two of Limpy's photos scored a perfect 20 out of 20 last year but the best I've managed is a couple of very respectable 18s.  I'm looking forward to seeing how we get on this year.

Clare: Wow! Congratulations to Limpy and to you! I'd say that an 18 is darned good! That sounds like a lot of fun for you both. 

I'm going to contact eldest son in law who used to work for the Council until fairly recently. He still has contacts. I'll ask him about the sickness/days off policy. Middle daughter says that there is a big problem with people taking odd days off, often on a Monday :-( so these interviews are becoming more common. While her immediate boss was a bit grumpy, the lady who interviewed her said that daughter was under the threshold for sick/absent days. I think ANNETTE is correct - daughters immediate boss is a bit of a 'jobsworth'....