Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 26 April 2020

Thanks for all your news. Today didn't feel motivated at all but its because it was a wet day. Must do fridge out tomorrow and try and sort freezer out one day - a chore I don't particularly like doing but it has to be done to defrost it.

Take care all and follow your heart as to what you do each day.

Had a talk on phone with Sue, who lives alone - I contact her by every morning by WhatsApp to make sure she's all right. She has good days and bad days. There are fields near to her, and she can walk around them for her daily exercise. She speaks regularly to her children & grandchildren, and they do her shopping. She made herself tired last week by trying to get her driveway clean, blasting it with a pressure washer! We both agreed we are certainly living strange lives at the moment.

Heather, thinking of you. Don't feel guilty if you have a "day off" when not much gets done. It doesn't matter.xx

Must get some sleep. Last night I dreamt that the dairy finally brought us some milk, and the bottles filled the driveway!

All: Here's a very interesting (I thought) short article about ospreys. It may be a good distraction for those who are tired of being cooped up. 

Lindy: You have very pretty blue eyes. My radio and stereo start to talk in a robotic voice when they switch to Weather Band. It takes over automatically when there's dangerous weather coming at me, usually a tornado. I think most smart phones do that, too. Maybe that's what your phone was doing? I don't know whether you have weather band in the UK.

Diane: Thanks for the osprey link - now I'm wondering how many other creatures have the same left/right inclinations.

I did get all the paperwork done this morning - but no glory there as it had been sitting on my desk for more than a week while I dilly-dallied (dally'd??) doing not much of anything else.  I'm packing up the pants and sandals I bought to return, but still haven't made up my mind about one pair of sandals.  This morning I ordered a pair of shorts online (ones that won't alarm the neighbors if I wear them out for a walk), so we'll see how that goes.

I keep thinking there'll be this mad rush to do all the things we meant to do around our houses once we get an end-date to the restrictions. Practically everyone I know is admitting to being fed up with it while agreeing it's necessary.  California Gov. Newsom in his daily update hinted that some business may be able to open, with strict restrictions and lots of ifs, ands and buts, in a few weeks.  Fingers crossed!   Meanwhile, our newspapers are asking "Where are the heart attacks, strokes..." because people aren't going to the ER even when they should, although necessary surgeries that had been postponed are now being rescheduled.

Lindybird- I found that the only time I have for listening to an audiobook is while I am getting ready in the morning.
It's amazing how many books I have listened to over the years in 1/2 hour or less increments!

Just a thought
Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely. (Roy T. Bennett,)

Back later, after my lunch.

AQ:  My feelings exactly.  My mother used to say 'you can laugh or cry, so you may as well laugh.'

Shopping expedition, most items available, even toilet paper (the first I have seen since early March). I asked the bakery for OH’s special umpteen-seeds bread and requested “not sliced” as he likes super thick slices (chunks?). Of course she threw it on the slicer, but she gave another, saying she could sell the sliced one. With all that I forgot to buy my own seedless bread. Then home to wipe everything, stash 2-week’s worth of food in fridge & cupboard, change clothes, by that time I was exhausted. Never mind, I have 2 weeks to recover.

OG – Good advice. Thank you and I shall please myself for rest of day. Our medical experts insist that children are safe at school and our state has recommended that parents send them. However some states only allow children of essential workers at school. The others have home packs sent home or use internet. I watched a program last night and it seems that the Year 12 students are not happy, feel overwhelmed, they need teachers, friends. Many parents can’t cope, esp those with limited English or children in lower classes. I grew up doing correspondence lessons; I suppose it was gradual and my mother was a good guide. This “remote learning” has happened so quickly. An interesting comment was that one 16-year-old said she didn’t want to spend so much time on “devices” anymore - school all day, then games or chat with friends - she was over it.

PAT – You can expect to have Up days and Down days. On the Downs, just hang in there and endure, or come here and moan. I promise I shall let it go in one ear and out the other.

ANNETTE – You won’t need to worry about a “mad rush” as I doubt there will be a sudden end to restrictions. They will be eased by tiny increments (wrong word, decline, decay, too depressing to use. I want to say downward increments). Aussieland states are beginning to ease. Eg allowing groups of 10 instead of 2. Not much help to us as our state has not had the stricter “2”. First elective surgery, kids back to school, next I expect kids sports to return. OH is waiting for cafe/restaurants to reopen (currently some do takeaway which is not his “thing”. <sigh>)

DIANE – Very interesting about the ospreys being generally left-footed.