Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 17 June 2018

Evening all and thank you Diane for the purple Galanule - handsome creature!  I'm actually looking forward to June 21 and the (eventually) darker evenings.  Sorry to all in the UK, but the sun does get sort of relentless after a while.  Our storm skirted us, but it was nice while  whatever-it-was lasted; humid again though now...

Lindybird: A Rose Queen indeed!  How nice for SiL and also pleased to read she delivered a good speech.

Heather: That's absolutely awful about Glasgow's art institute. I guess it'll be a while before they determine what cause this one...

Did go to library today and wasn't able to borrow books (could do it with granddaughter's and Ms D's cards), but they had a For Sale corner and  I found three books that cost a whopping $4!!  Such a deal!  They are Assembling California (geologic/human history of the state); Are You Somebody (memoir by Nuala O'Faolain) and Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson (about the Galveston, Texas, flood of 1900 when 6,000 people were killed).  Larson is also the author of Devil in the White City and Dead Wake, about the sinking of the Lusitania, among other books..  Anyway, battery is getting low and it's getting late, so signing off now. Have a good Sunday all.

Thank you Diane for a new start. I love winter. It was quite cold yesterday, but I always say I can find another jumper and wrap myself in a rug. Those ditch lilies look familiar – I have them in the garden. We call them day lilies as the flowers only last a day but they do produce lots for the season.

Heather – I hope all goes well with the new babe and your nanny duty.

OG – This trip seems to be much happier than others you have mentioned.

Linda – Our young’uns are so confident (remembering how I was). Schools must be teaching them something that we lacked!

Annette - Where are you staying? May I join you? Salad, wine, chocolate. Sounds good to me.

Strong winds have passed. No damage to us; some to others particularly in Hills & foothills. Of course, not enough rain, just a few mm here.

Good Morning. Thanks to Diane for starting us off with the colourful bird - I've never heard of a galanule, and never seen a purple bird either! -  Hope he finds his other leg soon, LOL!!

AQ - Glad the winds did no damage for you. I liked the lilies, too. (Edit - I agree about the young 'uns, I would have been a stammering wreck!)

Annette - Pleased to see that you found some books. I just finished another by Alexander McCall Smith - "The World According to Bertie' which was most enjoyable. 

My sis in law and her opposite number, Grandma Sue, were both bursting with pride over their granddaughters' poise and successful speech. There was a whole retinue of children, including ladies in waiting, flower girls, and other attendants, and a few adults which should have included a Town Crier to begin the proceedings. But on the day, he had the flu, and had a stand in, in the form of a tiny four year old girl dressed in full rig including a huge tricorn hat!  She got the biggest clap of the day!!

Nearly forgot -- It was so sad to see the fire in Glasgow yesterday, I remember the previous one and work had begun on restoring it from that. Such an iconic building, irreplaceable. Today, it looks as if most of it has gone altogether. :-(

Good Morning Everyone.

No posts from me for a while. Busy doing I know not what, but it takes a lot of time!

I have read most of everyone's news. Thank you for that.

A lovely picture as usual to start the week, Diane. I agree with Lindy  about the other leg.

Glad you found suitable reading material, Annette. I also like the choice of meal. Only a small bottle of wine, though? Very restrained of you!

Heather, I hope you have a good journey and enjoy time with the grandchildren, and it is not too tiring for you. I think it is probably easier when it is not in your own home, where you see a million other things to do as well.

Lindy, I am impressed by the Rose Queen.

A little welcome rain here this morning, but not really  enough to  make watering of plants in containers unnecessary.

I have just googled that Dibnlib. Looks good. You saw it on the big screen?

Glad there were not many sad bits.

Hello all- and thank you to DIANE.

Quiet day here until eldest daughter arrived and we went shopping!

ANNETTE- I leave here on Wednesday and return the following Wednesday. Interesting books- I remember that you recommended Dead Wake a couple of years ago. I still haven't read it but it is on my list! Hope that you enjoyed your night off! As ROSY said, you were very restrained with just a baby bottle of wine :-)

Heard from my son today - he is now opening the shop on Sundays for a few hours. Quite a few folk in today, buying last minute Fathers Day gifts!

I'm thinking that OG and EE will be home today. Hope that J has looked afte the garden satisfactorily, OG!

Regards to ALL

Ahem, make that a four-pack of tiny wine bottles (I had two). Also substituted yummy carrot cake for chocolate.  Life is tough.

Lindybird: Love the "Bertie" books - poor beleaguered child!

Check out time.  Oh well....

Unknown said:

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY SOLSTICE! 

The Solstice occurs on 21 June. I hope everyone has a great week and a wonderful summer (a wonderful winter for AQ)!



Purple Galanule, Everglades National Park, Florida USA
National Park Service/Rodney Cammauf
Photo labeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

We had something very like this arrive at Minsmere nearly two years ago - it's featured on this blog.  It was later confirmed that it was the first UK sighting of the purple swamphen and it got everyone very excited.