Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 13 January 2019

HAPPY NEW WEEK!  I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Bison deciding which road to take in Yellowstone National Park

National Park Service/Jim Peaco, photo labeled "Public domain" (copyright free)

  • Annette- I am confused. You say you can get Netflix on your TV?  and it's not a smart TV?  

  • Annette – We call the big ones, with 2 or more trailers, “road trains”. Yes, the soil & rocks are red. Have you heard of the Red Centre? Our summers seem to be getting hotter and heat waves lasting longer.

    Heather – Temps in far north of our state far worse, hovering just below 50 C. People there must be tough.

    Our overnight min 23 7 C. Too hot to sleep. We don’t leave air con on all night. Tomatoes & leafy greens watered and covered with old sheets (to prevent sunburn). Time to hibernate for the day.

  • Much as I love the sun, that all sounds "too darn hot" for me, AQ!  Hope you don't suffer too much in the present heatwave.

    Two consultants appointments today:  our son & wife had talks on the pregnancy with their consultant, as she is classed as mature at 41 to be having a babe, and also the scan showed a healthy baby, and only one, not two! -- We were anxious about that!

    Also, my Friend G had discussions on her recent treatment and scans. Her tumours have all shrunk, so good news. They said she had been unlucky to have felt so Ill since the chemo, and that that should now subside. If she has further chemo in the future, they will change the type of it. Meanwhile, she is to rest and recuperate then come back for further discussion in 6 weeks. She sounded weary on the phone. Her daughter is visiting again at present. I'm going to see them on Friday.

  • Lindybird: Glad G has some respite from the treatment and hopefully will feel better sooner than later. Gosh. Twins!  Was anyone expecting that?  What a brave lady!

    AQ: Oh right. Road Trains -  I saw that but blanked on it when I was blathering.   Just Googled Red Center and yes, I know of Alice Springs and Uluru (is that what Ozzies are calling Ayers Rock these days?)   I used to be glued to the radio back in the 50s when they had a program called Flying Doctor. That and Dick Barton, Special Agent.  You could really used your imagination with radio. Sigh.  Anyway, that much red must get awfully - red. It's a sort of aggressive color to live with - and hot too.... Do people who live there swoon when they see green hills and forests?   Funny, but I was texting with niece in the UK today: She was looking for something distracting after all the Brexit stuff and had found a program about traveling across the U.S. - in this instance Texas. She said that since her trip here last September, she gravitates to any program with images of the  U.S. Southwest.  I told her that for my part, I was drawn to programs with views of the cool green English countryside in the background.  :-)

    bjane: Cox Cable (our TV company) has Netflix in their On Demand menu, you have to pay a monthly fee of about $10 a think, but from what I gather, you don't get all the shows you'd probably get by streaming.   Again I couldn't watch the live debate on Parliament's Vote of Confidence on the BBC online today - but The Guardian was showing it live.  Are you watching BBC.com or the BBC TV channel?

    Looking heavy and gray here again today with more rain forecast; we'll see how much!   I suspect Diane may be buried under more snow...

  • Harelady: Oh, lucky you!  I hope you have a wonderful time at the Up Helly Aa! I have always wanted to attend one of those festivals. Have a great time! I always watch it online on the Shetland webcam site, and I really enjoy it. 

    Thanks very much for your concern about me. I had 7 inches of snow last Saturday, but some has melted. A big winter storm is predicted to move into Indiana on Friday night and expected to bring heavy snowfall.

    Here is the worst news: The Polar Vortex has dropped down over Indiana and fractured, so starting on Sunday we will have a period of wild weather: winter storms and bitterly cold Arctic temperatures. I'm sending that cold to AQ!!! Get ready, AQ!

  • Annette: I wish that the radio still played dramas, like were available in the 50s. It would be fun to listen to them while I go to sleep at night. I'm very grateful for the BBC World Service, but some of their programs lately have been disturbing (the history programs).

    Lindy: I wish your son and his wife all the best with the pregnancy. I'm so glad the baby is healthy!

    bjane/Annette: I connected my PC to my TV with an HDMI cable. That way, I have a really big screen for editing and writing jobs, and I can stream the episodes of TV shows that I like from the network websites. I'm really enjoying the sci-fi TV series "Manifest" on the NBC network. I can watch other streaming online content, too. Right now, though, I'm not paying for any of the streaming services, like Netflix, or any of the Live TV cable-replacement streaming services. 

  • I may have to seek some thermal clothing - tomorrow's predicted max is a mere 28 C.

    LINDA - Good news of your friend.

  • Still and dry here, after lots of rain lately. Supposed to be a sunny day, so I'm walking into the town.

    Annette - There was a risk of twins, but it's only one, thank goodness! We are on cable TV with Virgin, but only have a basic package. There are hundreds of channels but most of it is dross  My OH likes the channels showing really old films. Ugh.  When we retired I suggested we got the Sports package so that he could enjoy his favourite sports, but he won't pay the (rather extortionate) fees.

    Diane, take care and hibernate for a bit whilst the wild weather rages! I hope that you receive the warmth sent by AQ......

  • Harelady/Heather: Thanks to Diane's comment, I realize I confused the Up Hella Aa Festival.  Duh.  Have fun Harelady...

    Diane: Saw the forecast and it does look dire.  We still have regular but gentle rain here.  I agree about some radio programs - and  not just the BBC - doom and gloom everywhere.   Here's a link to BBC radio, just FYI.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds   There's also Old Radio World at http://www.oldradioworld.com.    And here's a link to a USA Today article fro 2016 about old radio shows and where to hear them.... www.usatoday.com/.../

    Lindybird: Seems I misread your post too.  Argh.... I'm losing the plot on a regular basis - Blame it on the politicians - I can't see straight anymore.

    Stay warm everyone (except AQ).

    Has anyone noticed - or is it just me again - that spellcheck seems to have disappeared? Then again, was it ever on this site?