Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 29 December 2019

Hi all, not been on for a bit but hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

Thank you to Diane for again starting off the week.

Lindy - just read about the guests arriving late, could it have been traffic. We went up to Manchester on Friday and the traffic going up was quite heavy. Had to text brother to say we'd be there when we traffic permitting let us. What a shame though that the meal was spoilt by the thoughtless lateness of the guests.

As I said, managed to get up to see brother and partner on Friday and what a joy to see the family home fully renovated, still a few snagging jobs to be done, but so much better than it being exposed to the God's at one time.

Thinking about all out there in Aussie with the fires raging away. Friend's son is still not out of danger but not as threatening as it was. AQ looks like you are coping - just.

I know this forum is not usually about ospreys but watched Country File this evening and they were praising the work of volunteers in different parts of the country particularly those that are helping in certain projects. One mention was of the Glaslyn Osprey Wildlife Volunteers, very interesting.

Hope you are all keeping fairly well. Take care and in case I don't come on again soon - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

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Being late … not possible for me! I'm one of those annoying people who, if I'm not half an hour early, then I'm late!!! I spend half my life sitting in my car around corners waiting to be on time. I don't 'arrive' early, but I'm always there or thereabouts. It's such a waste of my time … but at least I have a reputation for always arriving everywhere on time. If I'm delayed by traffic etc I always phone before the expected arrival time. There are some people who are always late, which I find very difficult to understand. It's rude and thoughtless and inconveniences other people. So sorry your sister in law's special meal was spoiled.

Diane - I smiled at your description of your mother-in-law. I had one like that as well - I was never good enough for her precious son. My father-in-law was, if anything, worse. I was a bit naughty - when my daughter was about three someone gave her a fluffy pink elephant with a large trunk. My F-i-L had a rather large nose - and I suggested to my daughter that she should call her elephant Edgar … I've always felt guilty about that, but only slightly! (PS: We had already separated by then …) (PPS: The elephant was later waved by its trunk out of a train window, and was dropped … oh dear!) I must have been a horrible person when I was younger - hope I've improved a bit since!!

Lindy: I'm sorry your extended family's meal was spoiled. Sometimes you just have to ask, "What is wrong with people?"

Pat: Oh, dear. I pity you if your father-in-law was even worse. One malicious in-law was quite enough for me. That's funny about the elephant! I was very shy and long-suffering as a young woman, although I did finally tell my husband that I would no longer go anywhere his mother was present (toward the end of the marriage). Today, I wouldn't suffer that kind of ongoing passive-aggression at all. I'm a lot stronger and more formidable today. LOL!!!

PatO: What I'm wondering is Who dropped the elephant out the train window?  :-)  I'm also someone who tends to be early but I do call if the traffic's bad.

Diane:  I used to be shy and self-effacing but living in the States cured that.  Be sure to project self-assured, confident and independent older woman on those forays to the store, just in case you cross paths with your ex.  :-)

Have spent an inordinate amount of time on phone this p.m. chatting to all and sundry.   Grandson was supposed to stop by on his way back home from Arizona, but he called up and made some noise about his car not behaving.  They had a 9+ hour drive today, so I told him not to worry, to go home and we'll see him next week.  I suspect he was just exhausted.      Must go rustle up some dinner....

Annette - Honestly, it wasn't me! I wasn't even there!

I think on the whole I am now shy and self-effacing. I hate being in a crowd of people - I'm useless at a social occasion, usually choosing to be in the kitchen washing up! I used to be far more confident … I feel much stronger inside than I convey on the outside. Isn't it interesting that we are all so different?

DIANE - Many years ago when I was in a group as a volunteer, one spritely lady in her 80s would come in and airily declare that she never bothered about spider webs. She said she sprayed them with glitter. She also claimed her windows were not dirty; it must be a foggy day.

PAT - I love the Edgar story.

AQ: Good for her! That woman is a hero!!!

The Caleb/mountain lion thread has been removed and is under review by the moderators. At least, that's the message I got when I clicked on the thread's link.

Hi, all. I deleted a couple of my posts above. Upon reflection, I decided that they were a little harsh for this thread. I was being humorous, but the content was probably too personal and problematic.

The comments others made in response might not make sense now. Sorry.