WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 2020

Good Morning. Had problems getting online this morning, my internet connection seems to be breaking up occasionally.

A really cold wind here, it's whistling through any cracks it can find, such as the extractor fan in the kitchen.

Annette, it's a sort of Berber, but when we went to get a similar one to match it, out in the hallway, they said it was discontinued! We had to settle for something else.

I was prevented from filling up the new dresser with china etc by my OH insisting that we sort out the discarded furniture first - at least now the house looks less like a shop! We struggled around, one each end of various cupboards to lift them. He took one lot to the Tip and one good cupboard to his other sister (Not Sue) who lives a few streets away from here. Now we need to get off to Ikea to buy the wall unit we need to take all the books. I will try to discard a few more......

Good morning; managed the early start and OH and J have set off to outpatients (ophthalmology is still old hospital site, but surgery will be in theatres at new site because it involves general anaesthetic). Cleaner will be here later – “such fun”. I shall open the door and she’ll come in, one comment on the weather and then she’ll say, ”and how are you today – that’s good, not so bad” with no gap for me to answer – this is her script every week!

LINDA – Dau#1 has that dresser, or one very much like it. I hope you succeed in your search for something to hold the books. Where is your nearest IKEA – I know the one in Warrington, but there must be one closer than that? Good that you have sorted what can remain in the conservatory and what had to go.

Hello, ROSY. Our local wildlife rescue (at the Rural College) collects textiles for Hedgehogs, baby Bats etc. It is amazing how our cupboards grow their contents in a short time – but we have been here since 2003 – will soon catch up our record in one house!

LYNETTE – sorry the doc was not very helpful; hope eye exam is okay – is this in preparation for the second cataract?

ANNETTE – I will let George know you were asking after him – will email him again when I have caught up with family communications.

Please mention me to George, too, OG. I do think of him.

Yup, our nearest IKEA is the Warrington one, so it has to be a special trip to go there, as its quite a way. Mind you, I always have an eye on the fact that right next door to it, now, is an absolutely ginormous branch of M&S - sometimes I get my OH to sit in the car whilst I whizz around the food hall there! I think the only other IKEA anywhere near is the one you can see from the M6 as you pass through Birmingham!

Hope all goes well for J today

Weather much cooler, mid 20s, lovely. No heat until Wednesday. Twin-sitting tomorrow morn while Dau takes Miss8 to holiday activity (chemistry). I hope to escape early pm and shop for fruit & veg on way home. Dau & Trio came to lunch & play yesterday. They eat more than I, especially MissJ and she is so thin! They all played well together. Very funny, 2/3 through school holidays and they were playing “school”, using a bag of farm & wild animals that live in the play box. Following a conversation a few weeks ago, I showed Miss8 a pen & nib and a fountain pen to explain how I wrote in the Olden Days. Amazement when I said biros were banned. (The first ones were very leaky.) I'm off to spend another evening not watching TV as, yet again, there is only rubbish and/or repeats.

LINDY The new furniture looks good.

Hallo all:  I just waved bye-bye to the appliance repair man who came to investigate why our dryer has started growling.  He serviced it; adjusted the balance thingies underneath, took the lid off and proclaimed it in good health although he said it was a 'general vibration' that can be caused by several things, none of which applied in this case..  Part of the diagnosis was wetting a bunch of (clean) towels and trying the machine at various settings.  It's much better now; we'll wait to order a kit to tighten the belt, which he said looked fine.  We also chatted about hummingbirds, how birds like dryer lint for their nests, etc...   all important topics!

Watched the beginning of the impeachment trial in the Senate; to be continued next Tuesday when the serious stuff gets under way.  Media all agog at the gravity, solemnity, etc,  of it all.  We'll see what happens.  I also watched the final Democratic debate prior to the start of nomination voting by the states.  Again, the TV reporters I watched (didn't hang around for all of them) seemed disappointed no fireworks onstage because for the most part the candidates were low-key and didn't attack each other overtly.  Who needs that when we've got The Orange Menace busy attacking all and sundry....

AQ:  Glad you have a temporary reprieve from the heat.  I remember fountain pens - so grown up! - but dip pens?  Aaack. Blots all over.  And we were forbidden from using biros - new fangled rubbish! - I think they were alleged to cause bad handwriting.  At least that's what the nuns told us.

Lindybird: Ah....discontinued.  I know it well..... it pops up all over the place.  :-)    Our nearest IKEA is 1.5 hours away in Burbank near LA..  I have to plan a detour en route to other places (the moon?) to make it worthwhile, but even then....  They just settled a lawsuit for umpity millions of dollars resulting from chests of drawers falling on toddlers (and killing them).  :-(   We secure bookcases to the walls in case of earthquakes....

OG: How sweet - materials for hedgehogs and bats.  Wonder what it would take for your cleaner to change the script.   Thanks for saying Hi to George from us all.

Off with OH on errand soon, then will stop by the gym to wave my arms and legs about.  

Take care all.

Our nearest IKEA is about 5 mins away - it would take longer to park! And we have never visited, though Dau has been a regular.

AQ;  Wow.  Five minutes away - I'm jealous.  The thing is, you can get lost in that place, so if you go, pack a lunch - they have beds and sofas you can snooze on.....

Lindy: Your new piece of furniture is beautiful. Very lovely!

OG: I hope all goes well for J's operation.

Annette and anyone interested: Take a look at this very short video. Five mountain lions in a driveway in N. California. A home surveillance cam caught the sight.