Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 23 August 2020

How lovely, Annette: we have a "surprise baby" here at Bristol Zoo, born to a gorilla who had a baby last year but it died. They're not sure of the sex yet but the baby & mum appear to be thriving.

We had a good journey here, but with rain on & off all the way - some places dry for a mile, then raining again farther on. Then dry again. Then rain again. The Great British Summer!

I miss those childish days of long ago, when one day was as long as twenty are now. (C.J. Heck)

My favourite childhood memory is not paying bills.

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance. (Franklin P. Jones)

Chilly today even though fine and sunny. Leftover washing on line, nearly dry. I expected Dau would overdo her hand when resuming chores and so I offered 2 hours help. Yep, she overdid it yesterday, in pain, still can’t drive. So tomorrow morn I shall put on my assistance hat. I’ve warned her that I’m keeping score and shall reclaim when I’m old & decrepid.

AQ - It's good to be able to help when needed. Your daughter is fortunate to have you.
ANNETTE - More than 600 fires now? I was half asleep but think that I heard that there are deaths?
OG - missing you but think that you mentioned the church magazine...
DIANE - I worry about the world, too. I'm frightened for my grandchildren. Like others here, I contribute to foodbanks etc but there is a sceptic buried inside me. In the course of my career I realised that there are many people who ' work the system'. I can only hope that those truly in need benefit from charity. For a long time I was an unpaid office holder for a National charity. I was awarded lifetime membership - if you want to call it that- when I gave up. I consistently refused to go to the yearly AGM and bunfight. Cost a fortune, royalty present, drinks reception etc. I notice that it has all been downsized now and not before time. Rant over !

Sorry, folks, Yes, HEATHER was right - weekend spent on Magazine - all will be completed for printing on Wednesday when today's Elders Zoom makes up its collective mind about details of a few proposals.

AQ - that sounds a good way forward with Daughter - limiting your offer - proactive rather than reactive., but doesn't rule out occasionally answering needs as they arise.

HEATHER - I find "charity" a very difficult issue. In an ideal world it should not be necessary, but when will that happen? When we know people are suffering now, we feel the necessity to contribute. I would rather pay more taxes as a national response to need. I still can't understand why folk complain about tax levels and then raise millions of pounds for Children In Need etc.

Over the weekend, we found that I appear to have developed a leg ulcer. I used the online system to request a consultation with GP or one of the Nurses so am waiting for a phone call. It took over 15 minutes to fill the online form. I had to back-track part of it as answering all the questions truthfully gave me a red alert and a message to seek help immediately by going to A&E! I decided their computer was over-reacting and toned down my answers!

OH has gone to Tesco with a very short list today, and J has gone to work muttering his usual expectations of something going wrong - I tell him that if you look for trouble, you will most certainly find it, but he doesn't learn!

LINDY- glad that you got there OK. My daughter in law ( Shropshire) has driven over to the coast of Ceredigion to a caravan she has rented this week. What a brave girl :-). Sam Bella and Millie are all hoping for some beach weather. Sadly, I think tomorrow will not be a fine day.
ROSY - I hope that your OH is feeling more like himself.

OG - is your circulation poor in legs? Sorry to read about the ulcer. You have enough on your plate x

Sorry from me, too OG. You don't deserve more health problems to concern you.

It brightened up here, today, and now in the afternoon it's actually sunny and quite warm. Not hot, but the warmth is helped by there being no wind at -- unlike tonight, as the forecasters are saying Big Gales in the night, tonight, followed by a windy and wet day tomorrow. So Heather, you are right. We may attempt to go out to lunch!

Morning all:

Heather: I check email and here before I go to the depressing news sites, but can't imagine things are any better up north as they're expecting more storms today. Do hope the weather isn't bad all week so the family can enjoy the beach.

OG: Glad you managed to get an appointment for that leg; maybe some antibiotics....?

AQ: When my daughter was raising two young'uns with all that entails, she'd get so exasperated with her doc when he'd tell her to go home and rest. 'Oh right, of course! How obvious!' Meanwhile, who takes care of the kids.... That was back when she lived up in the mountains north of Tahoe and chopped her own wood. I remember driving up there for a visit during my vacation and having her dissolve into tears when I walked in the door. :-(

Am off to Ventura today on a First World errand (looking for new towels at my favorite discount stores). I'm cutting off more and more stray threads each time our ancient ones come out of the dryer.