Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 31 March 2019

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY NEW MONTH!

I hope everyone has a wonderful spring week and a blissful April!

I hope EJ returns soon. 

  • More cloud cover now, but did spend some time in the garden sowing seeds in the cold frames - and I really did help; I cut open the packets, gave instructions as to thickness of sowing and what went where and I wrote the labels!
  • Well, OG, you did all the important things !
    Youngest SiL has promised to do some garden work for me, I'm forbidden by them all to do anything involving ladders . You really would think that I am ancient! I do lack confidence, though, when up a big ladder....
  • LOL OG

    Yesterday was a ghastly day, temp back up to 33 C with a strong hot north wind that whipped up the topsoil from farms across the state. Adelaide was covered in a red haze. The main highway near Port Wakefield had to be closed due to poor visibility. With the vegetation tinder-dry, fire services were on high alert. I stupidly went to the city to the State Library. Although my research was successful, I got grit in my eyes, also had to use my puffer. I nearly blew over in the gusty wind while waiting to cross North Terrace. I’m not sure the young Asian student next to me would have appreciated me clutching him for support! So how about today? It is cool, slight breeze, blue skies. Butter wouldn’t melt in Weather Gods’ mouths. Still no sign of desperately needed rain.

  • AQ: Oh sympathies for the weather - you poor guys. It sounds like what we'd call a Santa Ana wind: hot and dry and horribly threatening. I really do hope you get some good rain this winter. We had more than anyone expected so fingers crossed. I've been using an inhaler since I came back from Fresno; allergens are way up as a result of the rain.

    OG: Like to hear that you're back in the groove supervising garden chores. :-)

    Heather: Is the SiL offering help the one who just back to the UK? I do like the way Mike pops in with helpful hints about various dilemmas. :-))

    Hi to everyone; hope everyone's weather improves.

  • Oh heck, AQ: thinking of you in this grim weather.

    Last night we watched a travel show with Julia Bradbury, a popular presenter here, as she was travelling around Aus. She reached Adelaide in this episode, and walked/climbed up to the top of The Oval for a good view of the city. Later, she reached the vineyards and tried a glass of the local Shiraz. We love Australian wine!

    Good Morning, Everyone. We're off to visit our family today, taking Bonnie with us. Have a good weekend.
  • LINDA - Plenty of vineyards & wines in SA to sample when you come DownUnder. You won’t get me climbing to the top of the Oval. Too high. Anyway I think the new stands are big, ugly and overpowering. I shudder every time we drive past. Bear in mind, this is on “parklands”, designated so by founder of Adelaide; now they want to build a hotel on to the stands. It is a mere 5 min walk from a non-parklands street of hotels. Who wants grass & trees when we can have concrete & glass.

  • Gardening weather - so far. Things happening on veg patch - a bit too cool for sitting out, but could manage it later if sun stays out when it gets round to the deck.

    AQ - sorry yesterday was so hot and dry - and that dust sounds frightful - take care with your breathing! That development on former parklands sounds awful - our designated greenbelt around our cities is gradually being eroded too.

    LINDA - have a good visit - I am sure the boys will be thrilled that Bonnie is going with you - and she will too!

    J got on well with the nurse yesterday morning, and also had a good chat with his line manager because he did go in to work in the afternoon - she even did his "back-to-work" interview, so that isn't hanging over to next term.. He is making his usual Saturday trip into Carlisle today - probably for a second breakfast - or brunch - at Wetherspoons and then the cinema.
  • Did go outside for a while before lunch - tidied the remaining ornamental grasses - when we took them all up, we kept a few favourites on the verandah in pots. One is definitely alive, but I think the other two have been allowed to dry out. OH is preparing patch for planting potatoes.

    Main purpose of this post - to bump us up again!
  • Morning all: Sunny here though it was forecast to be cloudy. Hmmm.

    Anyway, have decided it's time to Really Clean the House, but am pacing myself: Blame it on the sun's new angle: so much dust/grime; so little enthusiasm on my part...... I'll do just one section a day to leave time for reading, trip to library, and brief nap (let's get our priorities straight here!). I've also realized it's better to do gardening early evening after dinner in that it gets me away from the Depressing News Coverage and also prevents me from overdoing things due to the inevitable onset of darkness.

    OG: Don't like to read about Green Belts being invaded. Surely there are some tree-huggers out there protesting and/or suing developers... Good that J is doing better; sounds like his line manager is understanding.

    AQ: I like Oz wine too, but we are understandably deluged with California wines....

    Lindybird: Hope drive to family was trouble-free.

    Hi to Heather!