Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 29 March 2020

HAPPY NEW WEEK! 

I hope everyone has a good week and keeps healthy. I'm hoping that everyone on this forum will avoid the virus. Sending you all protective energy. 

BIRD NEWS FROM MY PATCH

The big Barred Owls are nesting at the bottom of the ridge right across from my front door. Every time I go outdoors, one of them gives me a booming hoot. Last year, they nested in a tall, old locust tree on the levee by the creek. We had so much flooding that the nest site turned out to be a precarious perch. I think they remembered it was a dangerous location, so this year they’re nesting low in a tree across from me. They are incredibly loud. Their call sounds like, “Whoo cooks for you? Whoo cooks for you?” They can also caterwaul just like large apes when they're feeling aggressive. They can chill my blood sometimes. LOL!

I walked up the hill to town last week to get a couple of meal items at the little general store. I looked up, and R.T. Hawk was flying above me. He landed on a tall silo and watched while I went into the store. Then, he escorted me back. I think he thought he was protecting me from the big Barred Owls, which are his enemies. I hope they can all stay away from each other. R.T. and his mate are nesting far back in the flood plain away from my house right now.

  • Happy birthday to you,
    Happy birthday to you,
    Happy birthday, dear OG,
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU :)
  • I will wash my hands with a lot more gusto today OG :-)
  • A very Happy Birthday today, to OG.

    Hope you have a lovely day!   (I would have posted this first thing, but being a dilly, I thought it was tomorrow, LOL!)

  • Got a call from our Bank, so was surprised. Girl wanted to know if we were all OK. As we made a large investment with them only recently, I guess that we were perhaps high on their call list, LOL!!

    I said "I suppose you're checking up on your Over 70s customers". She was very nice, and asked if she could help with anything, not just bank related. They have all been told to work from home except for a skeleton staff who are manning the bank just in the mornings.

    A bigger surprise today was to see that I had had an email from my errant brother, out in S. Africa. This was a sit down moment, as he only ever contacts us about money matters, apart from a small card at Christmas (which this year arrived as usual in February....). They have lock down now, apparently, and not many cases of the virus. Yesterday I saw a TV report that there in the townships where things are hard, the population are pretty much ignoring all of the advice. So there will shortly be sad figures coming from there.
  • Good afternoon (just) all. Hope you are all as upbeat as possible and adjusting to this situation.

    In my part of Suffolk we have/had 3 bins - one for recycling (but no glass) one for non recyclable inducing all food waste (this gets burnt to provide electricity for the region in some special piece of equipment.

    Both of these are collected every 2 alternate weeks.

    We also had a brown bin for garden refuse but we were asked to pay £42 a year and I decided I would take mine to the local tip/recycling centre where I also took all my glass. However this has now closed but thankfully we do have  local car park that has bins for glass so I can go there. But no compost bin as my garden is very small so not sure what to do with it.

    I'm still working from home but a lot of our customers have shut so not a lot to do. I was paid as normal for this month but am still waiting to hear if I will be furlough so I can get the 80% from the government.

    Our supermarkets appear to have everything under control and whilst you may have to queue to get in there is plenty of goods and produce.

    On a worrying note - I have out on 2lbs in a week so must up my exercise as I already have weight to lose.

    OG -  have a very happy Birthday and I hope you family spoil you!

  • Thanks for the birthday wishes. I do have a cake - dear OH went to get one and ended up with the same Tesco design as last year - LOL. Nothing birthday-ish happening, but I have chosen dinner to suit me – liver and bacon.

    J received a letter last week about his hospital surveillance being in Scotland – no more trips to the Christie for him, so no more trips to John Lewis for me! Yesterday he had a long phone call from local thyroid specialist surgeon (turns out to be someone we know) who is taking him on locally to monitor the endocrine aspects of his case. He has advised him to increase the Thyroxine again immediately – seems to think the GP was using increments too small for his size and weight. He will see J when Covid circumstances permit.

    WENDY – I remember the weird open hours of the recycling in Grantown when J lived there, very awkward. Our council is notorious for its waste troubles – introduced a great new facility bought from Italy, told by Scottish Government it didn’t meet European rules, tried to implement a trial system in Wigtownshire which didn’t work, tweaked that and was just beginning to roll it out in the whole region when the UK in its “wisdom” started coming out of Europe … . Now everything will be delayed by restrictions for Coronavirus! As HEATHER says, closing the recycle centres causes fly-yipping – ours has vanloads dumped outside when it is closed in the evening in normal times, and with people renovating and gardening while allegedly staying home, there will be more rubbish to dump!

    LINDA – rejoicing with you over the baked beans. It’s amazing what simple things are making us happy! I loved the joke about the dog who was feeling overwalked – thank you.

    AQ – keep those thoughts coming – it does us all good to philosophize! Here, up over, young people seem to expect big parties for all their birthdays, and I suppose thirteen is a milestone as it marks the beginning of the teenage years. In Latin America, fifteen is a “coming of age” birthday for girls, when they have a big party with their first “grown-up” dress.

    PAT – I also was thinking about the US election – but of course it hasn’t occurred to the Orange Peril that coronavirus could still be around by then – after all, he thinks he has already conquered it for all America!

    LINDA – thank you for those lovely cheery Tulips. No, I didn’t manage to be born on April Fool’s Day! There were twins in my year at Grammar School whose birthday was 1st April – had lovely singing voices and so good at close harmony.

    Just received a letter in the post from the Sleep Clinic at the infirmary – what to do and what not to do with my CPAP machine in the presence of the virus!
  • ANNETTE - you asked about things in Denmark. I haven't been in touch for a few days. The Danes are mostly a lawabiding people and if the media is to be believed, the hope is that restrictions may be eased off in April. The borders have been closed for several weeks....
  • Harelady, you must be careful with snacking and grazing, LOL!!

    No, I didn't think you were born on April 1st, OG, but I thought the 30th was tomorrow!
  • Had inspiration whilst stirring our pan of baked beans for lunch......

    OG

    A Happy Birthday to OG!!
    She's one of our originals, you see...
    Quick to help, and so good hearted
    She's been on these threads since way back,
    When we started.

    Giving us a view from the North of UK,
    She posts just about every day
    With lots of comments on our lives
    And news from her neck of the woods, besides.

    She keeps busy at home, with the garden to do,
    With family, and organising newsletters too.
    She and EE go out often, and enjoy their lunches
    Coming home with plants & flowers,
    In bunches.

    Often, she can post here twice,
    Offering her sage advice
    Talking of national news, and rumour
    All commented on with her good humour.

    So, a Happy Day to you, OG!
    We'll raise a glass to you, you'll see
    We hope you remain upon these pages
    For longer yet -- for ages
    And ages!!!
  • OH, LINDA, Thank you so much - brought tears to my eyes!