Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 July 2019

Good Morning, All. Drizzly here but warm, and it should dry up soon. Well done, Pat, on the golf. You can't have got too rusty! How lovely to see the deer.

Lynette, Your OH is sensible in only doing a bit of gardening work each day, rather than making it a big job to face.

Thinking of OG and the family today and hoping their journey goes well.

More gardening today - more use of my new lawn weeding tool!

Found a new window cleaner yesterday - our previous one sadly died, only 47 years old. The new one - well - the windows look clean but it is all done with water and an extending pole with a brush on the end. The other guy climbed ladders and got nearer to the job!

Our Danish friends - who you may remember are going through the Gota canal in Sweden - I am getting regular updates and they are most unhappy. They hate the locks on the canal, their sailing yacht is very precious to them and woe betide if it gets a scratch! Two days ago they hit a rock as they pulled in to starboard to let a tourist boat past. I suspect that the sooner that they get to Gothenburg and the open sea, the happier they will be....

Lynette - little and often in the garden is the way to go, I think. My OH used to work outside for hours but in latter years he had to take a rest every hour or so.

Yes, PAT - well done on the golf! I think I know what you mean about the scoring...…

ANNETTE - I hope that you are recovering from the visitors!
I have plans to go to Wales in September but on checking the diary see that there may well be visitors from Canada, my son and Sam may arrive and the Danes will also visit. All seem to be late September/October. First come, first served :-)

LINDY - it was good to read that little Rosie is thriving! Sam arrived four weeks early and caught up quickly.

Lindybird: Typical electronics!  I wasn't able to open Google Earth for days. but when I clicked on it last night out of habit, there it was as usual.  I think they build in these quirks just to make sure none of us get too comfortable with the workings.   Was just reading Heather's post about visitors and I gather you've heard nothing further from Awful Cousin?

Heather:  Re Danish friends, from what you've said in the past, I'd guess it's the husband who's really upset. I recently got a nice scratch on my car, but my philosophy is Nobody Died, so it's all good.   Be sure to go ahead with your plan to visit Wales.

Diane: If you ever get the chance, look for the American Experience program Chasing the Moon, which you should be able to watch on their website.  It's a six-hour (three 2-hour episodes) about the project and includes all kinds of fascinating background info and footage I've never heard/seen before.  There's a lot out right now about the Moon landing, but this is superior to anything else I've seen so far.

Thinking of OG and hoping things are going well for them all.

I keep meaning to mention that I heard Tracy Edwards interviewed on NPR the other day regarding the documentary about her all-female crew that participated so successfully in the late 1980's Whitbread round-the-world sailing race aboard Maiden, the second-hand boat they bought and restored themselves.  The film, which was shot during the race, was just released here and is getting great reviews.

And while I'm on my soapbox, must recommend the book: She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer.  It's a highly readable exploration of the history of genetics before the word existed.  It's presented through the experiences of the individuals involved, which makes it much more accessible than a dry recounting of the science.

Am reclining now, after spending two hours watering and weeding, including doing some quite physical pulling and heaving! - lots of those creeping, winding things are trying to grow amongst my plants, plus there are some big nettles growing up through the climbing roses. Have got armfuls of them all on the lawn! Good job my OH bought me some of those big gauntlet type gloves.

He's been busy dealing with the strawberries & raspberries he picked today. He freezes them after sorting and washing, ready to add to them later in order to make jam.

I went to order some prescription sunglasses as mine are so old I daren't drive in them any more. It was actually cheaper to buy new ones than just have the lenses replaced in my old ones!

Annette - Sis in law had a wistful phone call from Awful Cousin in which she hinted that she doubted she would be coming this year. Last year she was forced to stay with cousins who live many miles away from the rest of us, plus sis in law went away on holiday the day she arrived! We left only four days after she arrived..... Maybe she's finally got the message that she's not a much loved relative, after all.

I remember the doughty Tracy and her all female crew on Maiden. It was a bit of a shock to some of the male population to see that mere "girls" could do it!

Hello everyone, just lost a post again.

Thanks for all news.

We have been to visit HMS Belfast today with gd. This involved climbing up and down a great many ladders to reach the various decks. Not sure that the knees will work tomorrow!

The cat people amongst us might be interested to know that the ship's cat had its own hammock.

Aw! Rosy.

Looked out at my garden in the darkness, just before bed, and there was a rusty looking full moon! The clouds are obscuring it, so its like a reddish hammock. Very beautiful. You were right, Diane.

Good Morning. Dry here. Not much going on, so getting on with chores.

Have tickets for the Tatton Flower Show on Friday, so looking forward to our annual outing.