Weekly Chat, Sunday July 17, 2010

With all these wonderful cherries here in the South-East, masses of them hanging or dropping to the ground. It is very timely that the NHS are recommending cherry juice as an aid to alleviate insomnia.

The 'research' was funded by a cherry juice company, oh well, that's OK then

In my case, yesterday I made jam and two jars of 'Le vieux garcon's' after dinner drink, one with cognac and the other with Moutai (Chinese spirit which tastes awful).

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/July07/Pages/tart-cherry-juice-for-insomnia.aspx

P.S. To SueC, as an experiment I have tagged this 'cherry juice', I am curious as to whether this will be a personal tag for me, or for everyone?

I've had a great day out, we went to the Martin Mere Wetlands Centre in Lancashire which is just under an hour from here.  A slightly damp day, but at least it was not crowded.

Will try to post some pics another day. (took 2 cameras)   Very proud of myself, as had only a baked potato & salad for lunch there, whilst OH had steak pie & salad but it came with a great mound of chips!  I also managed to walk around the Gift Shop without buying anything - I must be losing my touch or something as that's unheard of.

No dogs allowed there - so we left him at home & Husband's cousin came round at lunchtime to let him out in the garden. He was very pleased to see us on our return...aaah.

Bye for now.

ps.  Beautiful pic of Thirlmere, Alan.  Can see the shoreline revealed by the low water there at the moment. Let's hope the huge amount of rain in the last few days fills up the Lakes again - we are on a Hosepipe Ban here already & that's where our water comes from.

Hi Lindybird, my mum and dad used to enjoy going to Martin Mere, not far from where they lived in Ecclestone. I thought they took the dogs with them, though and I'm sure we saw some of those dog poo bags hanging from the trees (lovely people about aren't there?) Maybe I'm thinking of somewhere else they used to go.

Annette, I was surprised when apparently there was a naughty word on the main blog, when you've had trouble with little Richard, I assumed it was an automatic thing. Perhaps it hadn't learnt that word (it's gone now so I don't know how bad it was).  Also thought it was moderated, as it says so at the top, maybe not all night though!

Nice to see you back Alan, it's been raining Sunday and today, too.  Soon have those reservoirs filled up.  We're not on a hosepipe ban in north Cumbria.

Evening Folks.

We were driving home yesterday evening, when the phone started ringing. OH parked the car to the side of the road as it was our son calling from Spain ( on holiday, driving around away from the usual  tourist haunts). He was fine, but as we were talking a small white van roared past and took our wing mirror completely with him. We were lucky that we were able to have a new one fitted today but  it cost us £ 287 for a new mirror. What an expensive phone call. What they say about 'white van' drivers is true.

jsb, I don't suffer from insomnia, but I have been eating a lot of cherries lately. There are plenty of cherry farms around here, so we can get plenty and much cheaper than the supermarkets. Not so sure about 'Le vieux garcon's' after dinner drink, but obviously it is not meant for the ladies.

Linda, you chose a lovely place to visit, in Martin Mere. I love to go for the arrival of all the swans on their winter migration. So glad you enjoyed your day.

Alan, I love the Lake District. Such a beautiul place to visit, but so often, it rains when we visit but have also enjoyed some balmy  summer days there. Thanks for your photogrphs.

It has been a long day, so thanks to you all for your news. 'See' you tomorrow.

Hi, ChrisyB. Good to see you. You must live near TerryM. I'm in the U.S., so I don't know much about the evolution of words there, but 400 years is good enough for me! :-) In the year 1600, we in the U.S. were trying to grow corn. LOL

I’m much better today. Thank you Diane, Lindybird & Margobird for your get well wishes.
Yeeeaaaay, Titch has taken the leap into the great unknown. A special saying for our lovely osprey chicks who have reached another milestone "Let your thoughts and feelings take wing and soar."

Hi, all. I was cooking a pot roast and watching Chick 3 face his fears and summon his courage this afternoon. He sure did a lot of chirping to himself as he contemplated whether 'to fly or not to fly". I told my Dad, "As soon as I go to the kitchen to check on the roast, that chick will go." Yup, the minute I turned my back, my Dad shouted, "The chick is flying! He's flying!" LOL

I tried to put myself in Chick 3's talons. What must it be like to look down from that tall tree and trust your instincts enough to step off the nest into thin air? A lesson for me: Trust my wild self and listen to my own instincts.

AQ: I'm so glad that you're feeling better! I was just thinking about you. I'm watching The Human Journey. This episode is about the first inhabitants in Australia (how and when they arrived and how they survived). There's new, but controversial, evidence that humans might have arrived in Australia before they reached Europe. The scientist on the program is tracing the early humans' possible trek from Africa. She said that humans might have wiped out the giant kangaroos that existed in Australia 50,000 years ago. She was showing the ancient kangaroo bones in a vast Australian desert. Awesome. The Australian landscape is breathtaking!

Evening all:  Just on phone with granddaughter and missed some LG action (empty nest now; no fish) and just catching up.  Lovely coolish day (well mid-70s) and even cooler evening (low 60s); low humidity with more days like this ahead apparently.  Have been busy getting OH organized for his trip (he's pretty organized), but going over things to do while he's gone (apart from lolling and eating out!)  :-)

Alan: Lovely photo of the Lake District. Was there once and it rained, but it was still lovely.

AQ: Good your doing better.  When are those wedding dates?

Diane: Well, who else is going to go researching the origin of chunner, etc.  Thanks!  :-)  Fascinating. We used to have - at one of my editorial jobs - the complete Oxford English Dictionary and I could lose myself for hours reading the etymology of whichever word I was looking up.  Re Titch, I just said on the Daily Update that it must be like jumping off a diving board for the first time. I've never done that and am actually scared of water - in large amounts, but I imagine the apprehension must be similar. But imagine the exhilaration!!

Hallo ChrisyB!   I grew up in the UK - in the south - and hadn't heard the word until I met it on this blog. But my family back there use "whingeing"?? but I tend to think that means "whining/complaining."

jsb: Oooh. I'll take the cherry cognac  ("the old boy's" after-dinner drink!  what an odd name) And the jam too please!   Wonder what reputable holistic medical types say about cherry as an insomnia aide.

Lindybird: Congratulations on your restraint. Is it you who has the "extravagant" friend?  Better take her along next time you hit the gift shop.  Dogs are great  - always so happy to see us.

TerryM. Yes, I was amazed to see the word on the Main Blog - I think it was removed before too many people saw it. Trust me, if the system knew the diminutive of Richard, it should know that one.)  I thought the Diary was moderated too, but Sue C mentioned the other week (when there was another brouhaha about something else) that it wasn't.  Go figure.

BrendaH: Oh no - what a way to spend money! Don't you hate it when that sort of thing happens?  But what do they say about "white van" drivers?  Must be a UK phenomenon.