Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 July 2019

LINDA - sorry about the disappointingly wet day at Tatton - I remember we had it wet one year when we went and the same problem of the wet making us cold.. Glad you managed a few photos - look forward to seeing them

Haven't been too tired today - so glad to have slept back in my own bed last night! We have taken the day quite slowly - really only been feeding the washing machine, but that of course means some clothes hanging in the shower room. No plans for the weekend, and shall be waiting for two dry days before OH can mow the grass, which is visibly (and audibly) growing in this very wet weather - OH laughs when I say I can hear things grow after rain!.

J has offered to make our meal of pasta and the last leftover bought tomatoes, as we have our own from the garden now! I think he will be going to folk group as usual this evening.

Lndybird: Oh that really is such a shame - I feel so bad for the organizers who worked so hard only to see their efforts washed out...  Fingers crossed the weather improves to some extent for the rest of the show.

OG:  Oliver Sachs would have been intrigued by your acute hearing!

Gray and overcast here.  Had to go north yesterday for some errands and it was misty over the pass but very sunny in the Santa Ynez Valley en route home.

DIBNLIB- is the cruise similar to the one that you did before?

Heather: Thanks for mention dibnlib's Danube cruise.  I missed that post.

dibnlib:  So when are you going?  Hope the water isn't so low it turns into a hike!

Hope it improves, dibnlib. My sis in law did a river cruise once when the water was too low for the locks to work properly, so they had to be bussed on to the next town and wait for the boat to catch up (it was complicated, but they couldn't be on board apparently, whilst they did some manoeuvres). Then it meant that they missed one of their excursions :-(

Thanks for the sympathy. I bore it at the time and tried to make the best of it, but its taken me hours to get warm since we got home, and in spite of a hot meal tonight and a blanket over my knees just now, I'm really ready for bed already! We looked at clematis plants but couldn't find what we wanted, so all I bought during the visit was an acorn shaped bird feeder, for filling with peanuts!

ANNETTE - I remember Oliver Sachs books! I think one was titled The man who mistook his wife for a hat ?

Hi all, just been reading back all your news.

OG - pleased visit to M/CR went well and hopefully the results will be favourable.

Lindy - a shame Tatton Park show was a damp squid, usually the photos you post from past ones are great. Glad you both managed to warm up afterwards, nothing like feeling wet and cold.

Its been reasonable down here until today when we have had showers on and off, some heavy..

Finally got my appointment through, via telephone, re my referral to eye clinic. 20th Aug, so not too far ahead and then we'll see what they have to say. Probably will be told that they won't do anything until it gets worse, but who knows.

Have a good weekend all.

Heather:  Yes, I read that. I'm not sure if that was the book where he talked about Synesthesia (folks who can "taste" music and "hear" a rainbow).  He also wrote Musicophelia.  I read his biography On the Move: A Life.  Fascinating man.     I just picked up the Eric Clapton bio Slowhand; also Michael Ondaatje's novel Warlight (he wrote The English Patient), which my friend recommended  

Lindybird:  I remember being cold to the bone when I was growing up in the UK.  It took forever to get warm - and we had coal fires in those days.   Wet clothes hanging in the kitchen to dry, etc, with the oven on...  Ugh.

Lynette:  Tell them it got worse.

Have a good Saturday all.

Annette: Thanks for the recommendation for the American Experience program, Chasing the Moon, about the moon landing. I tried to watch the first episode the other night, and I was really enjoying it, but I was tired and I kept dozing off. I'm going to wait until I'm more alert and binge watch it on their website. You're right that it's the best of all the moon landing anniversary programs. Really fascinating with more context than the other shows. 

Annette: The heat is terrible here. The heat index temperature (the "feels like" temp that combines the heat plus the very high humidity) was 109F or 42.7C today and could be worse tomorrow. The air is so heavy that it's difficult to breathe.

I am dog-sitting in Indianapolis, and at least this house has air conditioning (mine doesn't now). The friend with whom I'd had the falling out contacted me and asked me if I'd watch the dogs while they went on vacation in California for a week. I realize that she has changed and we probably won't ever restore our friendship to what it once was, but I'm too old and life's too short to carry a grudge, so when she apologized and asked for my help, I said yes.

She rescued a pit bull from the streets not long ago, and the dog was in ghastly shape. The poor dog had been horrifically mistreated. I had some qualms about staying with the formidable-looking dog, who has a loud bark that shakes the rafters. However, she's been cuddly and just wildly loving with me. She just wants to lie on my chest and kiss and nuzzle me. She's heavy as a bag of bricks and the air is so dense from the heat that I've struggled with her affection, but it's astonishing to me that the dog can be so open and loving after her harsh life. She's been a lesson in resilience and forgiveness.

I'm caring for four dogs (one of whom is old and not long for this world). It's been challenging because I'm still working on my freelance contracts. Looks like I'm going to be busy at least through the autumn.

Lindy: I'm sorry your annual flower show visit was ruined. I'm sending you some heat. 

OG: I'm glad you arrived home safely. I'm thinking of you and your family during this tense time.