Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 25 August 2019

Spiders ... aarrgghh!!! However small, however large, pictures, television - can't cope! I know it's completely irrational, but as they have got a 'phobia' name for it, it's pretty common. There was a large one in my shower one day last week. The only weapon I could find was my 7 wood, which happened to be standing - with its cover on - in the hall. It worked! I don't usually use my golf clubs for such events, but it was there. And the spider was despatched. Sorry ... but as far as I'm concerned, the only good spider is a dead spider. I know - they do lots of good by eating lots of other nasties, and they are God's creatures - but I really don't want them in my house!

Arrived home for a late lunch, after decanting ourselves in double quick time and a mixed journey - quite a few folks leaving the area today! It got better as we reached nearer home but more danged roadworks on the way - at least they're resurfacing it in places! Badly needed.

My OH likes to take everything out of the car the minute we get here. He piles it up in the hall and anywhere he can find. He put a basket full of biscuits & bread etc in the sitting room, then let the dog in and she promptly found a bag of dog chew treats I'd popped into the basket at the last minute - goodness knows how many were in there but she ate them all and left the bread alone! She had already had her biscuits for lunch so is now sleeping replete....

I'm quite sure she is stuffed, LINDY!
My daughter in law and the children have rented a seaside caravan this week, in Wales. I think it is north of Aberystwyth, a place called Tywyn. All has not gone to plan. The caravan wasn't particularly clean, dog hairs everywhere. It is much smaller than they anticipated. The two little granddaughters don't see any of that, of course and are having a good time. Sam, less so.

I've been thinking about OG and family today an d hoping that they hear something.

ANNETTE - becoming a family doctor seems to be less popular than it once was. Hence the shortage, which is acute in some places.
AQ - my sympathies regarding the banging and shaking. I've bought two new build houses in my time, when houses were still being built round about. I don't think that I would do it again....
PAT- I share your spider phobia. I get up at least once each night  and while in the bathroom automatically check the walls, ceiling, bath, hand basin etc!

I'm still pruning the rambling rose at the front of the house. I checked the garden book today and was happy to see that they should not be left until Spring. At least I'm doing something correctly, if only by accident!

Tomorrow must go to post office to send more Marmite to Denmark. I wonder how this kind of thing might be affected if we leave the EU with no deal.

I was going to write more, but then I couldn't even get back to my post with "edit" to change some typos.

I started stockpiling my Marmite a few months ago - I have about 4 jars of it, and buy another to replace one every time I get near to finishing one. Nothing like it on a hot crumpet!

Annette, it was most awkward. If it had been our usual neighbours, I would probably have dropped by for a quiet word, saying that we had been kept awake. But as it was some friends of theirs, three adults and 2 small children, it was a difficult one - the first night, we thought that as there had been extreme travelling conditions that day, the children might have slept in the car on the way and so they were keeping them up late. (Another couple told us they had taken 5 hours to do a 2 hour journey) But then they stayed up late again the 2nd night.

We are also disappointed to find that the person responsible for the maintenance of the grass, gardens & plants on site has been shirking on the job this year. Too complicated to go into here, but we will be asking others what they think, as maybe together we can complain effectively.

Pat, I try to avoid spiders as much as possible I'm lucky that I have a knight in shining armour who will try to catch them for me & put them outside, but I do know that he is not too keen on them either!!

Lindybird:   Good luck with the caravan - and the manager/maintenance person.  Fingers crossed that was just a one-off with the neighbors's friends.  

Heather: Always nice to find we're doing something right in the garden if, as you say, we had no idea....  I too have been wondering about OG et al and fretting that she maybe got more feedback than she needed here.  :-)  I'm sure she'll let us know what's going when they hear....

Fed all the plants out front today and did some minimal tidying up of shrubs.  I'm not a fan of spider photos either.  Our spiders aren't big and nasty - I try to escort them out of the house whenever possible  because I can't stand killing them and having to clean up up the crime scene.

Good Morning. Dry here at present, but showers forecast. Our garden has many bone dry pots, and sad looking plants, so I think its been much hotter and drier here than where we've been for the last few days.

Off to feed the w. machine again!

NEWS - no great help, but at least reassurance that they are still on the case! J phoned Endocrine secretary and one of the docs called back. They are still debating full thyroidectomy versus partial (RHS only) and a biopsy of the remainder. J said he would prefer whole thing out and get it over with. I gather they have now reached the point of contacting their preferred neck and throat man at Wythenshawe. No mention of timescale yet. Meanwhile, J is still at home, but in daily communication with work.

I have found my vocation this week - preparing surplus veg for the freezer - gluts of Tomatoes and Courgettes - think Runner Beans will reach glut level next week, but enjoying them as they come this week.

OG - At least some movement. I do hope that J will not have to wait too long - both for a decision and for treatment.
I'm so jealous of you having fresh runner beans. Maybe next year I will try them in a giant tub again. There really is nothing to beat them, in my opinion.

So pleased that you did finally get some sort of contact, OG. Hope that it can be sorted soon, for all your sakes.