Weekly Chat, Sunday July 17, 2010

Hi all: Just a heads up - we're getting Server Error messages but posts are making it onto the thread. Just means you have to keep reloading the page.  Check out last few posts of previous Weekly Chat to find out what kind of visitors TerryM had at her bird feeder yesterday. I blathered a bit but nothing to miss the ospreys for; pretty quiet in fact with some of the regulars off on vacation.

 

  • Unknown said:

    Morning everyone:  Wonderful Margobird! Can I go with you next time? Sounds like you know how to enjoy yourself !  :-)    AQ:  Glad you had a good natter with Wattle and friend. 

    Thanks all for pix and posts; off to see what needs to be done before trip to LAX this p.m.

     

     

     

    Hi Annette would be great if you could come.  Shame you couldn't pop over with OH.  I felt like a teenager last night and believe me that was a long time ago, today I feel about 90 but it was well worth the aching legs and feet.

    Margobird

  • Afternoon all I haven't blogged for a while but have been keeping up to date with all that is going on. Glad that all the chicks have fledged but am a bit disappointed that we won't be able to follow them during the winter months.

    My camera has developed a fault with the zoom and as it is still under warranty have had to send it back to olympus so I am unable to go anywhere to take snaps.

    BiL got home last Wednesday with nurses coming in in the morning and evening to get him up and put him to bed but he has been turning night into day and SiL is having a very difficult time and he has taken another turn today and they are taking him back into hospital. His cancer is progresive and has spread to his bones and kidneys so the prognoses is not good therfore we were trying to make his life as good as possible but he is a very difficult patient. I must say that the help and attention he was getting from all the different service was excelent and I think we should be thankful for the NHS.

    I would like to thank all for the chat, pictures and clips on U Tube which have been up to everyone excelent standard.

    george g

  • George, Sorry to hear about your BiL, but hospital sounds the right place for him now. Your Sil must be exhausted. I am sure you have both done your very best. You obviously wont be able to go and try and relax with your camera for a while even. Do look after yourself and stay in touch, when you can.

  • George, I am very sorry to hear about your BiL also. It must be a very difficult time for you and your family. I echo what Brenda said and you look after yourself.

  • george g so sorry to read about your BiL and it must be so difficult for you and the SiL.  So sad for you both.  Please look after yourself at this very difficult time.

    Margobird

  • Hello all - Back from Brittany last night. Managed to have a very quick flip through pages, first stop was the 'official blog' page because I knew that there I would be able to see very quickly the bottom line of what was happening with EJ Odin and family. After that I flagged and went to bed!

    The visit to my brother's house was good, but because of really hot weather - like 34celsius - work in the garden was out of the question for a lot of the day. The plants and veg were really suffering and we were having to use all the water we could, eg kitchen water - on the veggies. They have water butts but not enough. So, it was a bit of a shock to return to Inverness and the rain. Today it has been pretty well unceasing. Temp around 14-16. Our water supply is not metered and we do tend to take it for granted.

    Some of you may remember that my stepdaughter was very ill last year - results of chronic alcoholism. She has been sober for a year but last week -  things started to go a bit pearshaped . No drinking, but inefficient liver causing problems She is now back in hospital. Fingers crossed.

    Only other bit of news is that SIL in Afghan has had his pic in papers and on BBC website - just a ?Press Association report which they do regularly, focussing on different members of armed forces.In the interview he spoke briefly about an incident (firefight, IED) that he had been involved in. My daughter got a bit of a shock when she saw it in the newspaper but bottom line is that he is OK and due home for two weeks soon.

    Sorry about the long message, just updating!

     

  • GeorgeG - I am so sad that your BIL's time at home has been so short. Your SIL will at least be able to say to herself that she tried to have him home. I am thinking of you and the family.

  • George - so sorry that your Brother-in-Law had such a short stay at home.  Sad that the cancer is so aggressive and widespread.  I was thinking of you and the family earlier today when we stopped at Loch Levens Larder for lunch and Lemon Curd - didn't visit Vane Farm as the wet weather was so appalling.

    Yes, folks, we are home!  Very lucky at LG yesterday - all five birds in view, saw all three young ones fly - including #3's near-tragic landing attempt - phew, that was a heart-stopper!

    More later.

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • OG - Nice to see you are home - just had to say that 2nd gingerbread is cooling as I speak----

  • Welcome Back, OG.  We shall want to hear all about your visit to LG,  & especially what you saw there.

    Annette:  Hope your OH gets airborne without any delays - what a treat, having an upgrade!  You will suddenly find it very quiet at home when he is gone, but hope you get time now for a bit of 'me' time.  Don't even start on getting used to new phones - every time my OH gets a new model, I  have to spend ages with the instructions, and then I teach him what to do!

    More great pics, Alan.

    HeatherB:  So sorry to hear about your stepdaughter:  it must be a very worrying time for you all. It must be stressful and tiring for you both. Do hope that the hospital can help her return to health.  Good news about your son in law, your daughter must be counting the days till his return now. We are all so proud of our troops and the wonderful job they do out there - I wish there was a way to tell them so, so perhaps you could convey to him and his friends from us that some of us at least are thinking about them.

    georgeg:  Such sad news that your b. in law has to return to hospital - but I agree that the NHS are wonderful and I know they will do all they can to make him comfortable.   Do take care of yourself at this busy time.

    Here are some beautiful Grey Crowned Cranes we saw on our Martin Mere visit - they are called that, but are actually grey cranes with crowns!  We saw one at close quarters but through a fence (which was difficult to snap), and then saw a pair walking away from us so mananged to capture them before they went too far;

     

    Here is a family of Trumpeter Swans:

    ---the parents were very protective of their young, and made that trumpeting noise at us, which was really fun!