Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 9 August 2020

It's been unbelievably hot here - supposed to have reached over 28 degrees this afternoon. It felt much hotter than that, even. I sat in the garden, but was fanning myself as there was not a breath of wind so it was not much better then being inside!! Went into the sitting room with Amber and watched a Disney film with the fan next to us.

This morning, went to a park and Amber climbed on the climbing frames and ran around before demolishing a vast icecream. We sat with coffees and hoped the tiny cloud over the sun would last long enough for us to enjoy our outdoor drink.

We all had an uncomfortable night as it was so hot, plus at about 1.30am the thunder began, followed by cracks of lightning and then enormous bangs the likes of which I have not heard for 30 years. My OH and I lay awake, wondering when the next one would come. Thankfully, it eventually stopped. I was expecting to hear Amber cry out but at breakfast she cheerfully said that she had heard nothing at all!

Amber with her icecream - she ate it all, including the chocolate stick!

Lindybird  Amazing what kids can sleep through!  How tall is Amber now - and I forgot how old too!?

OG:  Hope J continues to feel good about school.  Had to Google stoat to remind myself what they looked like. What a treat!

Heather: Let's hope someone tells the teachers that the facilities people have their own jobs (and lives) too.  I assume daughter has enough PPE?

PatO:  A shame about the heat - and the dahlias.  Still, temps can't stay that high for too long (can they?) so let's hope you get cooler days and better blooms next time round.   Maybe if you called ahead some nice person could tell you what the dahlias are up to?   Meanwhile, our cooler-than-normal summer continues.

Diane: I see Joe has picked Kamala as his running mate?   Wonder what he's got in mind for Warren and others. I can feel my anxiety level gradually ticking up as the election approaches.  I think Bolton's book alone would be enough to make any reasonable Republican either stay home or vote for Biden.   Heard a very interesting On Point discussion recently about Polls, the good, bad and the ugly.

Did not get up for Perseids.  Peered out the window at 2:30 only to see reflected lights on the coastal overcast that had crept in.

Annette: I'm a Democratic Socialist, so I probably should refrain from commenting on any of the candidates or the election on this thread. (I vent on Facebook sometimes.) I don't have anything positive to say about either party. I decided that I'm not even going to watch the conventions this time. I don't need the extra stomach acid. LOL I don't think I'd trust the polls, though. The usual methodologies failed to accurately count Trump voters in 2016, and I don't see any evidence that they're more trustworthy now. 

I didn't try to see the Perseids. I have so many very tall trees, it's difficult to see meteors. Also, I never know what kind of critter I'll run into outdoors in the dark. LOL I don't have good night vision anymore. I hate to drive at night. 

There is one word that describes people that don’t like me: Irrelevant.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. (Noel Coward)

I'm apathetic and I don't care.

Good morning – I hope everyone got some sleep in the heat last night – it really was terrible here, but without thunder and lightning – just a heap of rain. Another scorcher today but dry up to now.

PAT – sounds as if you had a good day at Hever – and the Dahlias have given you an excuse to return!

LINDA – glad you are enjoying Amber time – and she still loves those big ice creams!

ANNETTE – I can imagine what your anxiety level is doing as the presidential election comes nearer – on top of the daily fear of what the current incumbent will do next!

DIANE – hope you are getting settled weather now, but I suppose we are still in tornado season and then it will be hurricane time again!

Minor bits of “this and that” going on here today – garden tidying will continue if weather permits. Parts of Scotland – particularly the East – had flooding last night, and in Fife schools due to open today have had to stay closed! Travel and communications have also been affected by lightning strikes.

Our family returned home earlier than intended, today - they were going to have lunch with us but decided to leave mid morning and try to miss some of the heat of midday. Just got a text to say they are back OK. I've been filling the washing machine up, and opening every window in the house.

Another noisy night last night: we had barely got to bed when the thunder began again, followed by flashes which lit up the countryside for miles. Then "bang!!" - Again, Amber didn't seem to hear anything and was more excited about looking to see if the Tooth Fairy had been, as she lost another tooth yesterday.

Annette, I don't know her height but she is definitely going to reach her Daddy's which is just over the 6ft mark, rather than her Mum who is about my height, 5ft 4". Very excited to be looking forward to her 6th birthday at the end of the month. She appears much older in pictures than her age.

LINDY - I heard a radio programme about this. Apparently we should be keeping curtains and windows closed to keep the heat out and the house cool...
Daughter was,all psyched up to politely ask the teachers to leave the school. She saw the janitor who said, ' leave it to me'. He strode in and said 'OK guys, the cleaners are here, time you went home!' - and they did....
ANNETTE - according to the News, Santa Barbara has new and royal residents.....

He who must be obeyed.....the school Janny. Good for him.

Morning all:  Just reading about nasty train accident near Aberdeen.....  due to storms from what it seems.

Heather:  New and royal?  Oh my, just Googled it as no local coverage here; too busy with corona virus counts and Kamala Harris.  Hmmm.  Wonder how long their address will stay private....   My guess is that they're in Montecito or Hope Ranch.  Lots of high walls and impressive gates in those neighborhoods....   And yes, closed windows and drapes definitely make a difference on hot days.   Ha!  Re daughter's work, you don't mess with janitors!

Lindybird:  Amber does look older than that.  Good that they made it home okay.   I told my daughter that the UK was getting Arizona's monsoon season, which typically brings very heavy rain and spectacular storms, but which - like so much else - are MIA this year, at least so far....

Diane: What was interesting about that program on polls was that the national polling groups have indeed made changes based on lessons learned in 2016, but the experts interviewed stressed that the state polls are still more revealing in terms of Electoral College implications.  I wasn't planning on watching the online convention, but must say it all seems much calmer compared to previous years, probably because speeches are being made from people's kitchens, etc. with no crowds yahooing and reporters breathlessly interviewing anyone they can grab hold of.

OG:  I do feel that Trump is going to get more and more desperate as the election gets closer.

Getting stuff down around here, so back to the To Do list.  Take care everyone.