Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 13 October 2019

Ha!! Think my post from three hours ago has finally got through!! It must be this tablet, I sometimes get no Wi-Fi signal at all....

Heather, I just tried to message you on your mobile with my new No......

I got it, LINDY, thanks!

Good evening! Two VERY busy days – when I woke up this morning, I hoped that yesterday had just been a bad dream, but it was all too true. Anyway, will start with some comments.

PAT – you always sound so organised, so I was surprised that you commented on writing off 2019 to holiday and recovery and starting again – but at least you have Christmas presents “in the bag”, so to speak!

AQ – Pleased you had a good trip, although weather could have been better for you. It is often windy in Ardrossan here to – it is on the Ayrshire coast where ferries go to Arran.

LINDA – I have never bought anyone a Christmas sweater as there doesn’t seem much time to wear them, although I have at different times given OH and Son Christmas ties! Sorry about the bad night; good that you feel confident that tonight will be a good one – my mother always used to say that was how it worked for her. So, sleep well!

ROSY – I totally forgot to look out for the Hunters’ Moon!

ANNETTE – I find some Lavenders can be very difficult - even temperamental – especially the French and Spanish ones – the old English ones are so much easier to grow in the UK (but haven’t tried here in Scotland).

HEATHER – I hope the Nasturtiums will set seed for you to have ground cover next year – I gave up growing them as they always seemed to attract greenfly. No need to envy the Runner Beans – explanation will follow! If we buy clothes for the wee ones, I just assume that what is available must be what they are wearing this year! Sorry about the driveway. Ours was “decorative” chippings when we moved in, so we had it tarmacked – and then the water company had to dig a hole to correct something going on further up the road, so it has always had a patch in it. I don’t remember the cost but at the time it wasn’t too bad, considering we have a big drive – can park four cars if needed.

... /to be continued

Now, a big whinge coming! OH put a pizza in the oven for Sunday lunch – and all the electrics went “bang”. He tried it again, so it did it again. A few sweary-words later, he reset everything else, including the rest of the cooker circuit and did the pizza in the “smart oven” microwave combination (good job we got that replacement recently). After lunch, there were a few more attempts to trick the oven into working, and a few more choice words (actually, the OH doesn’t swear – but I do!) Back to our multiple appliance insurer for a reference number, and they said we were to phone Neff ourselves; they were too busy to answer their phones, but he did get through this morning, to be told to contact a local agent. His phone wasn’t answered and I found out on Facebook that today was a local public holiday (remnant of tattie howkin’ days, I assume) Incidentally, that also explains why our GP was also closed for the day when I tried to arrange appointments!

Meanwhile “back at the ranch”, OH went out to the big chest freezer (while cooking our Chicken Sunday Dinner in the combi last evening, and actually heard the freezer go “bang”! We spent the evening deciding how much frozen food we could fit into the indoor upright freezer (part of a “side-by-side” model with the fridge) and prioritizing what we should save. The men crammed it full, while I noted everything down. OH did succeed in getting a reference number for that and an actual booked visit for Tuesday of next week. This morning I added up the value of the food we would lose, and of course as is usually the case, it was less than the value of the insurance excess plus the no-claims discount on our contents insurance! Then the two of them spent this afternoon emptying all the excess food from the big freezer. So, I spoke too soon about my frozen beans, HEATHER, as all the beans, courgettes, tomatoes and rhubarb ended up on the compost heap! This evening we have made two plated mince tarts with mincemeat and pastry frozen last November; we have kept out items for the next few days and our recently baked Canada Cakes – so I think there will be some days when we eat cake for breakfast to get though it all!

Oh heck! (Insert swearywords here) OG. Disaster!

The children's Christmas sweater tradition began for us when Tomasz started school, and said that they were allowed and even encouraged, to wear silly Christmassy sweaters instead of their smart uniforms, on the last day of term. Of course, I didn't want little Matthew to miss out and so the tradition began - I explained to Ambers parents that she would be receiving one, too. Now I will be looking out for a cute tiny outfit for Rosie who will be about 6 months old by Christmas this year. She has just passed her three months milestone, so time is already rushing by.

Hope that you can rescue at least some of the food, OG and EE. A nightmare for someone who has gone to the trouble of growing, picking and preparing their own produce. <HUGS>

Ah, so it was a full moon last night it certainly looked it.
Thanks Diane for starting us off.
Its been pretty wet down here the last couple of days and as I'm writing it is still raining. Off in the morning for bloods re Thyroid problem and anticoagulant one, have to do this about every 6 months. Our womens' meeting in the afternoon. OH had a diabetic check today and has had to increase his tablet intake to try and combat it.

Annette - heard about the Californian wildfires, do hope you are a distance from them, also hope that there won't be homes destroyed.

As our minister is on sabbatical till beginning of December we are having visiting preachers. Yesterday's was very good, talking about opening our mouths and not taking care of what we say - all based on James. He made it quite humourous.

AQ - glad you enjoyed your trip out.

Managed to buy my C.cards, I use the Leprosy Mission, and also a couple of books. Seen a couple for presents so may get them. Always hard to decide what to get folks.

I find if I can't sleep, Lindy, rather than toss and turn I come down, settle in the reclining chair and catch up with programmes I've downloaded often falling asleep until the alarm I've set goes. Then upstairs for the rest of the morning before getting up. Strange habit I have.