Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 June 2020

AQ - A church service? What's that??? During a Zoom meeting last night I heard that many Methodist churches are not even considering opening until at least October. And we probably won't be allowed to sing. A Methodist service without singing? Can't imagine it … thank goodness for the wonderful online services and other resources which are available.

Strange day here - a bit overcast but dry and mild. Supposed to be hot next week - looking forward to that. We do need rain, but we've had enough in the last couple of weeks! Have a good one, everyone.

Good Morning. Brighter here - still cold (13 degrees) but supposed to get warm by lunchtime.

Diane, thanks for the Solstice info. I'm booked in on Facebook to watch it. Today, we should have been enjoying ourselves at a family wedding out in the countryside in sunny Yorkshire, with lots of hippie types (the younger ones!) and us older ones promising to wear something bright & cheerful. They were going to celebrate the wedding and the Solstice at the same time. Never mind, the couple have emailed us to say enjoy yourselves & show us pics later of how you spent it. The wedding will be rescheduled for next year.

AQ - Shame about your trips. But I don't think I would want to go, yet. We keep getting messages from holiday companies trying to get us to book to go abroad: no way do I want to sit around in an airport, this year! Nor on a plane.

I can't believe that I've pressed the wrong button and lost a post.
I'll start again.
It is a lovely day here, nice to see the sun after a few dull cool days, with haar from the North Sea. My fence and shed have been painted and I've done some garden work. The weeds will always win though.
I must have put on a few pounds and the only reason I can think of is that I have been much lazier lately. My daily routine is the same, lockdown or no lockdown but I have felt more lethargic. So calories in are definitely greater than calories used!
ANNETTE - I was sad to read about Ozzie. How is Miss D taking it? By the way, she looked so pretty and happy on her special day x
LINDY - Thank you for all the lovely pics, they do cheer one up!
You seem to be taking a sensible approach to things and I agree, it is very frustrating to see and hear other folk having jolly get togethers when we are doing our best to follow guidelines. Like Sue, I had my heating on yesterday. My OH would turn in his grave but I have no qualms about firing up the boiler :-)
PAT - Did you have your chat in the summer house? I agree about the church singing. Methodism was born in song.
HARELADY - always good to hear from you, Lovely that you could visit your daughter and family. I am hoping to see my youngest daughter and family today, first time since lockdown.
AQ- I have read about huntsman spiders - and spiders that hide under the toilet seat. I can't bear to think about it. After it was mentioned here I remembered that I have Bill Brysons book here. Down Under. I pulled it off the bookshelf but was dismayed to find that the print was so small.... Even with reading specs it wouldn't be easy to read, these days.
I've run out of time but sending kind regards to ROSY, DIANE and all.

Heather - glad you enjoyed the pics. Hope you have a lovely time with your family today. (Its so frustrating when you lose a post - I get so cross!)

A bit warmer here, but still not particularly sunny nor warm. I've finally managed to put out the towels I washed on Thursday, to dry.

Heather - Thank you, yes, my friend and I had a lovely walk around the grounds, sat by the lake in the sunshine, moved to the summer house and then she looked at her watch - 6.20pm! We had met at 3.30pm, and both had things to do, so parted in some haste. It was lovely to have a catch-up and chat, and we could give each other news of people we are in contact with as well. A very pleasant afternoon.

Just thought you might like this link b-ok.cc/.../Bill Bryson Bill Bryson free downloads. If you get them on your computer you can enlarge the print! Glad you mentioned them. He's always good value and a great way to pass some time … enjoy!

Thanks PAT!
I'm feeling a bit fed up - youngest daughter and family are coming this afternoon as I said in my post. I didn't choose them to be the designated family but they were so excited to be able to come and see me. Now, middle daughter and eldest daughter can't come inside the house to see me but are allowed to use the bathroom! We are a clean and careful family. I can't see why I could be with them in Tesco, 2m apart but not in my home, 2m apart. This is my rant for the week. I'm so upset .....

That certainly isn't a rant, Heather. More a cri du coeur. And absolutely justified. Some of these rules just don't make sense, and yet most of us stick to them anyway. We are sensible adults and I believe there are occasions when we have to bend the rules slightly, sometimes for our own sanity and sometimes for the sake of those we love. This situation has been going on for such a long time, and we have no end in view yet. We all want to get to the end of it, in good health and good spirits, and sometimes need to weigh up different options. To my way of thinking, two metres indoors at Tesco is the same as two metres indoors in your home - actually, the latter is infinitely preferable! I got very cross with Boris when he announced this idea of so-called family bubbles for people living alone. My family lives 140 miles away. My sister is shielding so I can't stay with her. It's too far to drive there and back within a day. My niece and her family don't have room for me to stay there. The B and Bs are all closed. I haven't seen them since February, and I'm upset about that. Zoom is great, but not like being there … I think the whole situation is really getting to people now, and we are all getting more edgy and frustrated - and even, if I dare say it, more aware of the fact that those who make the rules are really making it up as they go along, thereby leaving great swathes of really upset people in their wake. These days one size most certainly doesn't fit all!

You're right about a lot of things there, Pat. (Thumbs up sign)