Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 9 September 2018

You weren't ranting, DIANE- I like to know what is happening:-)

A Grey Tree Frog

I'm just a grey tree frog

A sittin' on a handy log.

I called some friends to join me,

They came leaping through the air -

Suddenly there were hundreds, who came from who knows where.

We jumped and croaked -

In the rain we were well soaked

But were we downhearted - nope!!

Apologies from me again – Wednesday was a busy day, as I am trying to do more to help, and today we went out.  Both tiring days.  Last night, I shouted out with pain in my leg and woke everyone – including myself!

We had lunch at Dobbies garden centre (just sandwiches) and shopped in their food hall – none of our favourite blue cheese, unfortunately.  We came home via Gretna Gateway where we bought a new frying pan.  It was horribly cold there – it is an uncovered linear shopping outlet and the wind gets between the two sides, so it always colder than outside, but today was really bad – and I was wearing gloves to try to keep warm.  Another time it will be gloves, cardigan, coat and scarf!

Heather and Linda - I seem to remember Dibnlib saying they would be posting less for a while.

Linda – sorry G is now having such a bad time with her lack of appetite and not looking good – pleased her Daughter was able to visit at the weekend.

Annette – the motel in Palm Springs sounded like a dream place to stay – apart from the heat there.  Glad you are safely home; how much longer is your Niece with you?

Heather – nice to have Denmark to think about!  But what’s this about your ankle?  Now, I remember you hurting an ankle a few years back and then wishing you had heeded my advice to have it looked it, so What are you doing about it this time?

Gillian – I hope you are pleased with the summerhouse – was it delivered and erected, or did you have to do it yourselves?  What a lovely baby boy – you all must be so proud of him!

Lynette – good to see a post from you.

Diane – had a look at the waves in North Carolina – amazed at people standing on the beach watching, even turning their backs to take a selfie with the waves as a backdrop!  The downgrade of the hurricane doesn’t mean good news because it will be slower moving (still over 100 mph winds) and therefore drop more rain.  I do hope it won’t come your way to affect the roof and the creek – and no more “plagues” to follow the frogs!

Need to pack up for tonight – getting cramp sitting here!

Lindy: I love that poem. Perfect!!! In all my years here, I'd never seen the frogs come out of the trees like that. They weren't singing, just sitting in the rain. So very strange.

Annette: I'll bet your Palm Springs hotel was beautiful. Good to get the discounted rate, but that temperature is pretty hot. Enjoy your remaining time with your niece!!! I know you treasure seeing your UK kin. 

Lynette: You must be so very excited about your cruise. I hope every single minute is grand and you have a wonderful time.

Gillian: I meant to say that I hope you enjoy your new summerhouse!

OG: I'm so very sorry that you were in pain. I hate that. Also sorry that they didn't have your blue cheese you were looking forward to. Rest well tonight, my friend.

Yes, I also marveled at the folks on the beach. You're absolutely correct about the slow movement. They're predicting that the storm will stall out over the Carolinas. I feel so very sorry for all those folks who will endure that storm, especially the people who don't have the money/resources to evacuate. I am hoping beyond hope that no one will die. Katrina had a profound effect on me and the way I feel about this country. Now, I always worry about the people at the mercy of the increasingly catastrophic storms. 

Hello Everyone. Good to read all the news.

Sorry you are not feeling so good, OG. I hope you have a peaceful night.

I am rather intrigued by those tree frogs, Diane. Are you aware of them living in the trees all the time? I hope that they have vacated your yard now. I must ask Prof Google for info.

Lindy, I like the poem. Exciting packing up for your cruise. Well, it is if you  can decide what to pack!  You  are well practised though. I won't mention the shoes!

AQ,   I loved your story of the discounts in your shops. I had an strange experience today. I was buying a quite large supply of Ibuprofen in Boots (the chemists) today.

The assistant asked me if I was  an asthma sufferer or if I was pregnant!  I know certain things  have to be checked when selling drugs, but one would hope that the speech could be adjusted accordingly. I like to think I look a bit younger than my age, but no miracle births here!

I hope your ankle improves, Heather. I am still hobbling about, after my unsuccessful trip to the Walk in centre last week, hence the industrial supplies of Ibuprofen.

Welcome back, Annette, after what seems to be a wonderful trip with your niece. I hope you both enjoy some quality time at home, now.

Best wishes to everyone not mentioned. Oh! yes, a lovely baby, Gillian.

Lots written today.....

Rosy, sorry you're still in pain/uncomfortable. I hope the Ibuprofen does the trick.  I haven't got around to deciding which shoes to take with me yet, but have put some "must haves" in a pile.  I must admit that I found a pair of flip flops in a corner, which I had forgotten I had, when looking! 

(By the way, the person who had all those shoes I mentioned, also had........   wait for it.......

175 jumpers and cardigans!! -  my mouth is wide open!)

I regret dashing off the frog poem now, so fast.  It could have been soo much better, but I was also in the middle of a conversation with my OH at the time, and tried to get it off my chest in case I didn't have time to get back on here today. At least it raised a smile.

I laugh when I'm in the supermarket and the assistant pauses when they get to the bit where they're supposed to verify your age when buying alcohol: it's pretty obvious that I'm just a teeny weeny bit over the age of 18!!  I had a man on the phone a couple of weeks ago, from a charity, who said, embarrassed, that he had to ask me if I was over 21 --  I assured him that that was nearly 50 years ago and he laughed out loud.

OG - Sorry you had leg pain, and disruption of your sleep. You have my permission to go and mutter some swearywords!

I'm off to bed - my OH has gone out, so I got out some chocolate and have now eaten half of a large bar. Not on my diet plan!  Good job that I just bought a "tankinl" which is the most upholstered piece of swimwear I've ever worn, but it will hold bits of me in, I hope, when I plonk onto a sunlounger, LOL!!

Lindy: I loved your poem just as it is.

Rosy: I'm so sorry that you're still hobbling and hurting. Sending you healing right now. I hope you feel better very soon.

I think the correct, complete name is Eastern Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor). Their color varies a lot (to match the vegetation); mine are more brown than the photo at that link. They've been here on this patch for several years. They sing their chirpy song high in the trees from mid-spring until it gets cold in autumn. Their skin secretions are mildly poisonous so it's not a good idea to handle them, especially if you have an open sore or you tend to rub your eyes. They're nocturnal, so they shouldn't have been on the ground during the day (except briefly during mating season). This source does say that they will call during the day if it's thundering, so maybe the dark, windy, stormy weather threw off their timing and location. Wikipedia    30 Second Video

Take care of yourself, Rosy. 

Evening all:  Had a nice lazy day at home (well, did have to do a bit of garden tidy up first thing).  Niece spent most of the day lolling in the garden in the sun while I tut-tutted and waved tubes of sun block at her.  She declined them and I must say she's one of those people who gets a lovely deep tan in no time at all (her grandmother on BiL's side had very olive, Mediterranean-type skin) while the rest of the family is pale and typically northern European.   Anyway, she's here for the next week; flying to New York next Friday before taking an overnight flight to London next Monday.  

OG: Sorry if I've missed anything, but is all this pain new?  I don't remember you mentioning it as much in the past.

Lindybird: Very cute little poem.  My niece thought the one you wrote for Ms D some years back (which is still hanging in her bedroom along with the photo of her sitting on the fence in her checked shirt), was lovely.

Heather: No dancing on the tabletops then.....?  Hope the ankle is better soon.

Diane:  Really hope any residual energy from Hurricane Florence is minimal by the time it gets to your neck of the woods.  Interesting that the frogs were active during the daytime.  Haven't heard you mention that kind of behavior before....

Take care all

Good Morning. At least, I think it's morning.  Had a really bad night, tossing and turning with very little sleep. Don't know if it was the chocolate I had! Now I'm unsure how to spend my day - I was going off to get some stuff from M&S but I'm worried that I might not be alert on the road.

Annette -  I don't blame your niece for taking a rest now, after all that travel. Enjoy her company, and take a rest, yourself.

Scary talk about the hurricane hitting the USA soon. Do hope that people in its path have evacuated now.

Off to look at Diane's frog links....