Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 10 November 2019

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY FULL MOON!

The moon turns full on Tuesday, 12 November. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

  • DIANE – Thank you for starting us off. Another full moon already? They are coming too quickly.

    OG – I would be unhappy at losing my pudding too. I like to finish off with a morsel of sweetness.

    HEATHER – I took a double batch of sausage rolls to nanny duty, so I hope there were enough left to freeze for a busy day. Dau threw some veg in microwave for balanced meal. It was an easy day, just chores as twins were so tired they played quietly together. I had washing up, empty dishwasher, fold & put away washing, oh dear, there’s another load in machine, hang that, run the bath, sit down. I gave twins a warning to finish off in bath, to my surprise they were out and drying themselves before I gave 2nd warning. They are becoming more responsible. Miss8 enjoyed her disco and was bemused by my description of dances in my Olden Days. Dancing with boys! Having to wait to be asked! Of course I was more likely to be aged about 15 or more, certainly not 8.

    ANNETTE – I have not heard that the fires were caused by power lines. Several have been deliberately lit. These fires are producing their own weather – pyrocumulus clouds are formed, thunderstorms and dry lightning result and then more fires. Some of these people are in isolated areas with only a single road access. If a fallen tree blocks the road they are trapped. Most are heed the warning to leave early. The country is extremely dry after years of drought. As you know the oily Eucalyptus trees burn easily. Our state has sent 100 firies to help; offers have come from NZ, US & Canada.

    I don’t think I mentioned Miss8’s birthday party. Dau had asked on the invites if there were any dietary restrictions. Two replied vegetarian. Dau informed activity venue who duly allowed for 2 veg pizzas as Miss8 had chosen hot dogs as the “main meal”. However 3 other girls claimed vegetarian and, of course, 2 of those got the pizzas. Dau thinks the others must have missed out in the chaos. Another girl claimed halal but also had not let anyone know beforehand. Perhaps she could eat the bun? One child ate nothing but fairy bread (bread topped with 100s & 1000s), a dozen slices and surprisingly was not sick. I guess everyone enjoyed themselves except Dau!

  • Diane: Thank you - and we have Mercury crossing the sun tomorrow but don't have the requisite protective glasses....   Looks like you guys are in for some really cold temperatures. :-(   Isn't this a bit early?

    AQ: Good grief. Miss 8's party sounds like quite a palaver what with all the dietary complications.  You sure do a lot of work when you go to daughter's.  We have quite a few eucalyptus here along the coast and they are highly flammable, but haven't been "blamed" for all the fires we've had.  Don't like the idea of fire-caused lightning though.

    I spent the day in the back garden cutting back stuff so there are huge piles ready for the green bin.  I'll rake it all tomorrow morning and then loll about for the afternoon.  

    Have a good week everyone.

  • OG: I hope J, you, and EE are all improving. I wish your cough would diminish. I'm glad you're getting a new oven! That's wonderful! You will feel better when you can return to your usual menus. I'm very sorry about the loss of your cousin.

    Harelady: Nice to see you. I hope your back will heal very quickly. I know that it's very difficult to work when one is in pain.

  • Annette: I'd love to see the Mercury transit, but I don't have the correct glasses, either. Too cold to stand outdoors, anyway. Yup, we have an Arctic cold front arriving this week that's predicted to shatter all the records for this early in November. Here on my patch, I could see a low of 10 F (that's minus -12.2 C) on Monday night. Snow predicted, too. It's supposed to freeze all the way to the Gulf Coast. Crazy. 

    AQ: I've been following all the info on the fires. Such frightening, strange, and record-breaking conditions. That's bizarre that the fires control the weather. I hope you will stay safe where you are.

  • Good Morning, and thank you to Diane for being "a brick" as we used to say here years ago, and starting us off again.

    Dreadful news about the continuing awful fires in Australia. Do hope they can contain them.

    It's sunny here but cold.
  • Found some spare time so here I am for a bit. OH keeping going, it seems that it is me causing the problems!. A week ago younger SD took her for some time shopping in Cheltenham and for older SD to cut her hair. She has just been through the wars again as she finally went in to Cheltenham hospital for breast reconstruction after her surgery last year They forgot about the dreadful roadworks around us and in the Forest. A 45 minute journey took 3hrs and just as bad returning. Lets say everything was in a rush on return!

    We are glad that we live on a hill (windy though it can be) as we have been having flooding in and around the Forest. The river Wye did its usual winter flooding but twice the height. It burst its banks quite considerably in places.
    I am now obviously getting strength back in my legs but a long way to go. Arms even longer but still winning. I have now added varicose stockings to protect my lower legs. I am getting the feeling that I have gone from getting old to got old!!!!!!

    We have now started having our milk delivered and it is great, having real flavour. It is pasteurised but not homogenised and you have to get the cream out first!
  • Can just taste that cream, FB! It must be a help to you, getting it delivered. Sorry you're still having trouble with your legs, that must be a nuisance.

    Glad you're not affected by the floods. Shocking pictures on the News from several places in the country. Poor people.

    It's gloriously bright, here. Been to Tatton Park, where there were crowds of people gathered at the side of the road to photograph the deer underneath the trees, which look wonderfully autumnal at the moment, all colours. My OH took Bonnie for a walk whilst I went inside the hall, to see a Christmas Craft Fair. I bought a glass piece of mistletoe to hang in a window, plus a cute robin. Then I found a small cute knitted bag which I can give to Amber. On the way out, a handmade pork pie for my OH!

    Met my OH and Bonnie in the car park, where he revealed that she was very smelly, having found something to roll in, in the park. Ugh. She had to be washed as soon as we got home.

    Edit:  bad pics of the trees, taken thru car window --

  • No stags visible,  sadly, as they were elsewhere, and surrounded by people!

  • Morning all:  Horrible night here, although fell into bed shortly after 9 and woke up at 3 (still 6 hours of sleep).  Kept waiting to nod off again, but no....  

    OG:  Missed sending condolences on death of cousin. Have you had a chance to tell J or will it wait a bit longer.

    Lindybird:  My niece lives close to Woburn and I've seen those stags - they're huge!  Too bad they hid from your camera on this trip.  Ms D  - long skinny girl that she is - needs clothes for Xmas, so it'll be gift certificates for her Mom to take her shopping and more than likely a book or two and maybe a little extra something.  She just got her braces fitted - green and red, very seasonal - I asked her if they lit up!  Gift certificates also on the list for granddaughter (also needs clothes!) and for grandson (who knows what to buy 30 year-old guys!).  

    Forestboar:  Glad you missed the flooding.  My Mum used to pour me the cream off the top of the milk bottles as a treat (it was the Express Dairy in those days).

    Diane: Such cold temps that early don't bode well for Jan/Feb.  Any progress on that Tiny House?  :-))  Seriously, I could live in one of those with no problem at all (as long as I was surrounded by green stuff).

    Off to eat something that will keep me going until lunchtime. Yawn.

  • ANNETTE - bit the bullet last evening and told J about my cousin - he had never met him, only his brother, so it didn't have much impact.

    We are all still unwell, but I cooked a lovely shepherd's pie in the new oven yesterday, and today we cooked a pork meatloaf (home made) from the freezer (one of our rescues). I think we are all making some progress - lack of sleep is taking its toll - my nights are particularly bad. J sleeps a lot during the day.

    Can't really concentrate to say much, sorry.