Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 21 April 2019

LINDY - such a,disappointment that your hay fever has spoilt your precious weekend away. I hope that things have improved for you, today.
It is warm here, a south westerly wind which isn't cold.
My friend in south Wales says that the wind is cold, there. She had put her shorts on, hoping to sunbathe, but no luck!

I've had a good weekend with various family members popping in and out. I think that there were a few barbecues lit around here yesterday, going by the smells! Nice smells, I have to add! No BBQ here but middle daughter is going to fire hers up later, so I believe.

Hi!  Been silent since Saturday because I have spent so much time outside!

DIANE – thanks for the new week and the beautiful Nene.

ANNETTE – sounds an exciting (not) chore, collecting errant chips and returning them to the top of the slope!

AQ – banks in the UK used to have very restricted hours, like only open 10 till 3 and never on Saturday, but some years ago it all changed – longer hours and Saturday opening.  We actually had an appointment as they have a stupid system whereby certain savings accounts have to be “renewed” every year.  It can be done online, but sometimes you find out some advantageous information if you actually speak to a real human!  Hope you had a good day with Daughter and appendages today – bet it wasn’t as quiet as Sunday!

LINDA – sorry you had to miss the walk yesterday because of the hay fever.  I hope you managed to enjoy your very traditional Easter roast lamb.  We had chicken – just two of us as J was out.

HEATHER – glad you had a good weekend with family members calling in.  Barbecues around here always smell of firelighters (or worse) rather than appetising food, but we only smelt one yesterday and none today.  Today’s walk sounds idyllic but I was surprised to see you are coming home so soon – safe journey!

I have almost finished the newsletter – looked a bit thin but a couple of late items arrived, so it has now come together well.  J will be back at work tomorrow, and we have quite a busy week ahead, followed by two even busier ones!  Got to find time to plant things in the garden – although not so much gardening weather after tomorrow.

LINDY: I'm sorry that you've struggled with allergy during your time in Wales. I hope you have a good journey home.

HARELADY: Nice to see you! I hope you had a nice Easter.

HEATHER: I'm glad you've had family around you for the holiday.

ANNETTE: Sorry that the meteors occur so late at night. I hate going out in the dark; I wish we could see them during the day. LOL!

I have a skunk living in a burrow somewhere close to my house. Skunks are beautiful, but dang that little critter is stinky! He or she has sprayed twice this spring and the "perfume" fills up the air and lingers. LOL

OG: Our posts crossed. I'm so glad you're getting the opportunity to be outdoors. I noticed on weather.com that you had warm temps today. It was close to 80F or 26.7C here. So, once again, we've gone from winter to summer with no real spring. Glad you completed the newsletter.

Evening all:

AQ: Our banks are open until 9-6 M-F and 9-4 Saturdays and have been for years. Interesting in that so many people do banking online......but maybe that's the reason there's rarely more than two teller open at the same time.

DIANE:: Yes, quite inconvenient to have to organize the recliner at 2 a.m. in the morning. Do you see the Milky Way where you are? I remember standing out in our garden in England back around the 1950s and ogling it.... It's quite visible from the house in Arizona; very little ambient light. Always a shock when you see it and realize just how much you're not seeing most of the time. :-( Don't surprise that skunk! What is it: Ketchup and what else that's supposed to remove the smell or am I decades behind?

My BBQs never smell as wonderful as the neighbors.

Went to count whales today and saw one very very low-key Mom (I never saw the calf though it was there) just as I was about to leave; that was the third cow-calf pair by. Count is down this year and we're wondering.... 18 calves by April 21 this year vs. 47 by the same time in 2018, 94 in 2017, and 88 in 2016.

ANNETTE: I can't see the Milky Way from my patch, because there's a pub on the highway with lights and there are also street lights along that stretch. But the state park/forest down the road from me is the darkest place in Indiana, and I can usually see the Milky Way from there -- probably not as vivid as you can see it in Arizona. I follow the International Dark-Sky Association on Facebook. They work to reduce light pollution.

Folks here say that the best way to remove the skunk perfume is to bathe in tomato juice. I've never been sprayed by a skunk, so I don't know from experience. I have been sprayed with musk by a frightened Black Snake. I smelled bad for 3 days, despite multiple showers! LOL

Those diminished whale numbers are disturbing. Very sad. They are such glorious creatures. I hope the viewing picks up for you.

DIANE: Oh that's right - tomato juice. Not sure I'd like that either!

Having a very lazy evening and plan an easy day tomorrow....

Take care all and have a good Tuesday.

ANNETTE - I hadn't realised that the whale count was down by quite so much :-(
I've been listening to talk about the Mueller report, I wonder how long this can go on for.
The great orange one has acted against Iran and oil, the price of oil has risen....

Not a lot happening here, today. It is fairly warm but not hot, so I should get my gardening togs on.

LINDY- I've just downloaded the Elinor Oliphant book. Did you enjoy it? Safe journey home.

I've been informed about granddaughter Emilia's (aka Millie) christening date. I will drive down with eldest daughter & co in June. I have nothing to wear. I only have casual stuff these days. Oh well. My girls tell me that trousers and ' a nice top' will be fine. A nice top?

DIANE - the mind boggles regarding the skunk smell..... and the black snake.