Weekly Chat, Sunday August 22, 2010

Hello auntie hope you are keeping well.  Thanks for that link to the osprey cam and the pics.  Running  out of ospreys to watch now until next year.  there are a couple in Canada that Alan very kindly put a link on but the chicks there are growing fast so they will be leaving soon.

Lynette, Yes adult birds do seem to vanish after their nesting season. Whilst they moult and lose their main flying feathers, they are even more vulnerable to predators, so they look for plenty of natural cover and there is also plenty of natural food around.

Good morning Lynette and was so sorry to read about your Mum.  It must be so distressing for you.  My Mum went very quickly for a very active person who went blind and had to resort to a wheelchair.  Her mind was OK but she did not take easily to ending up like she did.  My Dad was an absolute brick and cared for her wonerfully although it was hard work.  She became very anxious about everything.  My Dad was very lucky his mind was as sharp as ever right up to the time he passed away.

We have loads of birds still visiting, I think I spoil them too much.  They are in the molting season now and there are feathers all over the place.  Felt so sorry for them yesterday we had torrential rain and OH laughs at me because I go out in all the rain just to make sure they have food.  They woke up this morning to very soggy food after all that rain.  Normally I put some out last thing so they have breakfast but it was raining so hard there really was not point in putting more food out.  Funny thing is I thought when I cleaned their trays and swept up the mess they would be down very quickly and just demolish everything in double quick time.  I was amazed when I went out to have a look as they have not gone as mad as I thought they would.  I watched a couple of blackbirds yesterday afternoon when it was absolutely throwing it down,  They were finidng lots to eat now ground is a bit softer.  Should imagine it has been difficult for the to find food with the hot weather and dried out lawns and gardens we had previously.

Good morning original goldfinch and thankfully no toilet watch during the night.  The worst of the rain was in the afternoon and while OH was driving home from work.  He had a dreadful journey because so many roads were flooded round Poole plus the fact several trees had come down.  I was very relieved to see him home safe and sound.  The toilet started to gurgle as he came in but the rain eased fortunately and no problems.  I found it hard to eat dinner as I am such a worrier but at least I went to bed feeling a lot more relaxed.

Good morning patriciat  that sounded horrendous and I should think it was pretty much impossible to find a plumber at that time of night.  It must have caused so much damage for you.  Fortunately the rain did ease and once it does that it starts to go down the drains again but I really dread it now when we get heavy rain.  It seems as though we never get normal rain now, if you know what I mean, two months of very hot dry weather and when it does rain it is torrential.  Our garage always floods as well but so far it has not happened.  Still drizzling this morning and very dull indeed.

Miorning all - lovely sunny day here, slight breeze, but quite warm .... sorry to all those suffering the rain!

margobird - I hope you managed to sleep last night and that your toilet and the rain behaved themselves.

Brenda H - if no plans meant HW, I think I'd be making plans :-) Now that the ospreys have departed, I suppose I'll have to get on with all those neglected jobs!

auntie- thanks for the link to the scenery cam with possible osprey sightings.

Various people mentioned steak and kidney pudding/pie - that will go back on the menu list ... its been off during the so-called summer!

Lindybird - enjoy your cinema trip. Shame about the acer calamity. I have a lovely one in a huge terracotta pot .... made by a friend of OH who is a fellow 'potter' (the pot was made, not the acer!). This has been the best ever year for the acer. You seem to have had a marathon B&Q session yesterday!

Annette - lovely pics of your trip .... I wouldn't fancy driving those long distances. Safe journey home.

patriciat - that was some disaster, needing a plumber in the middle of the night!

Alan - shame about the rain spoiling your trip this morning. Thanks for the tip about Wilkinsons for the nyger seeds.

Lynette - sorry to hear about your mum's illness. I can sympathise ... my mum had dementia for a while, and it was awful to watch her getting worse ... she was so unhappy too. It seems awful to say, but she contracted pneumonia and passed away, and it was such a relief for dad and myself.

Thanks to everyone else for chat etc ... must go and take the soda bread out of the oven .... think we've become addicted to it :-))    OH says he's pleased we got the new kitchen because its made me more 'domesticated' .... cheeky so-and-so!!!

Take care

Good morning BrendaH. After torrential rain most of the morning and afternoon just after OH got home from work it eased slightly.  Lots of roads flooded round this way coupled with trees that had fallen.  Drizzling this morning and very dull.  It doesn't look as though it is going to improve until the weekend. 

Good morning DjoanS glad you have sun.  We have not seen any sun for the past few days just lots of rain.  No problems toilet wise but drive was flooded and OH had a very trying journey home with all the flooded roads he had to pass through.

I think your OH deserves a clip round the ear, as you say cheeky devil.

Gardening? If you have any house plants like my orchids, who were recuperatiing in the garden from an infestation of woolly aphids, which I notice are still present, you may wish to take note.....well in the south we have been having heavy rain......so out come the slugs! five new shoots, some with buds are OK, but one plant has lost a shoot, munched away! They will be back indoors tonight, the plants, not the slugs.