Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 13 May 2018

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week. 

PLEASE CHECK BACK TO LAST WEEK'S THREAD HERE TO SEE AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MOFFER. Feel better, Moffer!



Sleeping Barred Owl


U.S. National Park Service (G. Gardner)
Photo labeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

  • Nice to know that things went well, OG!

  • Great to hear from you, OG, and that your trip was successful. I was wondering about you this morning, but forgot to mention it!

    Heather, sounds lovely, having a big family lunch. Sounds as if you're being sensible about how much you can tackle in the garden.

    The bungalow next door now has a "SOLD" sign on it, so we await nervously to see who has bought it. We were not surprised that it sold very quickly, as bungalows are scarce within walking distance of the town centre here, and so are very popular.

    Had a nice lunch with Friend: she had soup & a roll, and I had a good old fashioned cheese & pickle sandwich, then we talked for about an hour and a half!

  • Good that you enjoyed your lunch, LINDY! We had a good lunch,in Pizza Express. Know what you mean about potential neighbours! I'll say no more....

  • A quick re-read and any comments I need to make on here.

    Diane – thanks for new week with update on end of last week, and lovely pic of Owl!

    Annette – looking forward to seeing your trip photos.  Sounds like you are busy as ever back home and then off to AZ for bathroom works!

    AQ – that land astride the Murray river looks very arid – is it awaiting autumn rains or does it stay dry there?  Enjoy the next trip – pleased you are well enough to go.

    Heather – Sunday was dry for us – unexpectedly good all the way!  I was so pleased – I hate getting wet at all the stops on the way anywhere!  Had missed your apparent mention of your hands – I hope they can be helped for you.   And sorry Granddaughter’s problem is continuing!  I hadn’t realised Callum’s car had been impounded – I thought he was “just” a witness!  Glad he has it back now, anyway!  We called at a garden centre on the way home.  We thought our Pansies had finished, so bought some plants to replace them, only to find they are surviving after all!  Now need a rethink!

    Linda – gathering at Sis-in-Law’s sounds very pleasant – sitting outside with good food and good company.  Sorry about the Spotted Dick not being the original recipe!  Pleased you got reimbursement for missing present – but it doesn’t solve what to give him now!  Doubt I shall watch the big wedding on Saturday – but stranger things have been known to happen, so I might!  Sorry about the dental treatments – I have “shell crowns” on three of my back teeth and they seem very good.

    Dibnlib – we haven’t had a photo of Benson recently – will you post one now he is half the dog he was?

    Rosy – hope your electrician will soon recover!  Hope he will be able to work too.

    That’s all from me this evening!  Will try to write about our time away soon!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • OG    Glad all went well for you.  Rarely post pics now as I am not sure how to do it after getting the new system.

    LINDY  Good we still have some of those old fashioned "shoppe" places around. We usually go to them as a last resort, then wish we had visited them first.

  • OG – Those “arid” lands are expecting winter rain, but the rivers are awaiting the spring run-off from the nearby snowfields. Corryong is quite close to Mt Kosciuszko, about 40 km. We didn’t see mount due to cloud. To answer your question (days ago!) re OH & driving. He rarely drives now as he doesn’t feel comfortable. When he goes to lunch in the city, he uses our ½ hour bus service. That wet day I offered to drive him to bus stop to keep dry as long as possible. When I go to city, I usually drive halfway, catch a bus, and on my return to car, detour for food shopping. Good to see you home and trial trip was successful.

  • Good Morning.  Bright again, here, and they're just saying on tv that it will be similar weather at Windsor for The Big Day tomorrow.

    OG - Sent for a similar, but slightly different present (it was an electric coffee grinder) for our son, which we were told should arrive soon: fingers crossed! I'm sure you'll find somewhere to put all your plants. We have cheerful azaleas out here, and everything is growing madly.

    Off for a hair cut today, then back to Dentist, then baking to do for tomorrow.

  • Dibnlib: You're right about the old fashioned shops often having what you want. We should have gone there first!

  • Another promising day here too - all yesterday's laundry dried outside, and more out this morning; garden had a brief tour of

    hosepipe last evening - will need more of a soak tonight.  Veg and ornamentals all coming along well.

    DIBNLIB - my problem with photos these days is making them small enough for the site to accept them!

    LINDA - glad you ordered a replacement coffee grinder for Son - I hope it arrives satisfactorily.  Good luck with dentist.

    So, a summary of our short break.  Had an easy journey Sunday - lots of convenient stops and finally arrived at Loch Leven's larder to have a nosey at the alterations which George had mentioned - just an extra café for drinks and cakes, to take pressure off the main table-service restaurant.  Had our snack outside in brilliant sunshine, with view of the Loch.  Continued our journey to Glenrothes to unpack, then went to Pub next door for a meal - didn't want much, but they were happy for us to have starters as mains, and then OH had a pud.  Too tired to go out in the evening.

    Monday we walked/scootered all morning in the local park - lots of paths but couldn't follow a marked route due to steps at changes of level, and sadly there were also steps at the town centre end, so we crossed from path to path, around the pond, in woodland and down to the river - nice to be in a mix of sun and shade.  Drove into town for lunch and a look around.  We were tired, after a poor night in an ordinary double bed (we have a queen-size at home (2x2'6")) so after a short drive to Leven (on the coast) we returned for a good dinner back at the pub next door.  I had one of my favourite meals - although I don't like fish in general, I love Sea Bass, which was served with a Lobster and Samphire Sauce, Crushed New Potatoes and Asparagus!  We had discovered a nearside rear puncture from a screw right though the driving surface of the tyre, so OH had to arrange repair - via Motability.

    RAC came next morning and escorted him to nearest Kwik-Fit and we were given a new tyre.  We drove to the Botanic Garden at St Andrews which was as good as we remembered - with added attraction of the Butterfly House - great day to see them in flight as it was so sunny.  We stayed in the gardens, seeing everything, including the Tadpoles which had also hatched in the hot weather, until about 5pm.  We drove back on the coast road, stopping for a meal in Anstruther - we regretted this as we chose High Tea and didn't enjoy it!  I never have understood High Tea as a meal, and I hardly ate any of it!  We wished we had gone back to the pub!

    We were allowed to view another accessible room with a superking bed and they have noted that as our requirement for our next visit.  We left mid-morning and returned to Loch Leven's Larder to buy cheeses and a few other bits.  The journey home was uneventful, and we came in via dinner at Greens at Gretna (part of the company that owns the OTB).  All was well in our absence.  J's ophthalmologist has expressed doubts after all this time about operating on his eye muscles - he has to consult with his optician and let the hospital know what he decides!  He has also received the copy of his Christie's letter to his GP about running more endocrine tests.

    Sorry about the length of all this!  OH says he will wait a few days before asking me how I feel about trying a few more days on our next trip, meanwhile it's on with the gardening while this weather lasts!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!