Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 10 November 2019

OG: Good to hear from you but as Heather noted, you were ripe for any marauding bugs after last week.

PatO: Do hope your friend's house stays safe. We had so many people evacuated up north that many AirB&B folks opened up their available rentals for temporary occupancy free of charge. I was reading that some 3,000 folks have returned to Paradise since last year's fire but many former residents aren't able or willing to go back. Jobs disappeared too. It's still quite devastated, with I think maybe one grocery store.

Diane: I watched tiny tiny Mercury creep across the face of a very angry-looking red sun courtesy of the Griffith Park Observatory, but didn't stay around for the full transit. Tomorrow I'll be glued to the impeachment hearings, which start at 7 am our time. Have you been able to do any repairs on the part of your house that you closed off a couple of winters ago? I don't like to think of you huddled in your winter coat by the stove. :-( How are the freelance projects going (that very difficult big one you were struggling with is long gone I hope!)

Found a leak in one of the irrigation lines yesterday which probably explains why that area of the garden was a bit lackluster this summer. Must fix that today. It's in a difficult location behind a shrub near a wall, so must stand on head and work backwards - or something! :-)) Last night my yoga teacher and I were bewailing our irrigation problems but then we realized it's a First World problem we're glad to have (well, not counting our idiot President, impeachment hearings, the Far Right, etc., etc.). Meanwhile, my UK family and friends are apoplectic about that report that they're withholding until after the election. How can they possibly get away with that? What an absolute shower they all are (as Terry Thomas would say). Sigh.

bjane:  Good to see you and glad you're keeping warm.  AQ is safe in Adelaide, but Sydney folks aren't doing so well...