Weekly Chat, Sunday August 29, 2010

Hello all - I will try and get on here this evening, but just in case Margo goes off to bed early - Margo - glad to hear the antibiotics are kicking in , what rotten luck just before your holiday. I have fingers and toes crossed that you will get away on time.

It is a beautiful day here today (thanks, Paul, for sending it over here).  I should be gardening but had to go food shopping, got home and then realised that I had forgotten to get a birthday card for grandson, 12 on Saturday. So off to town again. I don't drive, so have had my walking exercise for today. Luckily we live 10-15 mins walk from the town centre.

I hope to come back here later today.

Morning all: Oh my - Alan says BigRab has three young children - how did he ever find time to blog!? Hope Lady P gets over her sinus infection (she's had those before, right?). Sooo nice now that schools are back in here too - means I won't be tripping over all those kiddies at the Y's summer camps, which turn into very noisy shriek-fests.

Heron: Cheerful starts to the day are very good - hope your guard Robin assumes a full-time position on your gate.  Thanks for help with weather for sister's stay at Oban. :-)

Diane:  Re the mythical creature: Ghosts of parrots past? Maybe a bit too furry for that.

Gary: No guilt allowed!   Well, at 80, I figure that lady has ridden out several "storms" and has earned a pass.  I agree that a kinder gentler solution for your uninvited critter is the way to go.  Re leafblowers, you're the two-handed leafblower in the group, right?  :-)  EDIT: Geez. Just looked at a satellite image of that storm and it's HUGE!

Alicat: Mug image very nice - a warm and fuzzy way to start the day with a smile. How good of you to find images for Lynette.

Margobird!  :-(   Not good news about your cold. Hope you're well enough to leave on the trip soon. You may be right about finding the energy once you get to Cornwall (although you may have to spend a week in bed once you get back!)

patriciat: Really hope the third Larsson book ties up the ever-increasing number of loose ends and subplots since I really don't think I could stand not knowing what happens. (I'm sure you know he died soon after delivering the manuscripts for the first three of a planned series.) 

SheilaFE: Welcome!  Just jump right in - the water's warm, so to speak.   We've just lost a wonderful orange tree in our backyard and are wondering what to put in as a replacement (if we go with another orange, it'll be a dwarf since we can't keep up with the crop).  We also have a local nonprofit that plants trees on public land, which includes the parkways - the areas between the sidewalk and the curb. They allegedly planted a Chinese Pistache back in April, but this summer it suddenly burst into very non-CP yellow blooms, revealing itself as a  Cassia leptophylla - entirely the wrong tree in the wrong place. The nonprofit is willing to replace it with the correct one and we'd considered moving it into our backyard to replace the dead orange, but it'll be twice the size of the orange and not a good fit there either. Still, dilemmas like this are better than some others....

Off for a walk (foggy again here right now, but we're a mile in from the beach, so we'll see the sun later).

Having another domestic day – cleaner can’t come so OH is deep cleaning the bathrooms and I am sorting out diary, meals and shopping list.  Also been watching the sparrows having fun swinging on the Sweet Peas.  On Goldfinches’ first visit of the day, there was a really young one being fed by an adult – must be a second brood!  Loads of posts so far today, so I don’t think I’ll manage replies to all, so I hope nobody will feel left out.

Gary – looks like Earl will have lost strength before it might reach you.  I read there are already two more brewing.  Don’t feel guilty about leaving the weekly chat for the summer – at least you didn’t disappear without trace – we saw you on the “official” page.  I hope Groundhog doesn’t dig in the paddock and endanger the Horses.

Lindy –sounds like a lovely birthday with really nice food and friends.  I hope your busy-ness is pleasant busy rather than difficult chores.

AQ – Glad you managed your August dinner – hope the MoB outfits still fit!  I think your lawn looks lovely with all the Oxalis blooming!

Annette – pleased you enjoyed your peaceful visit to the cove – such a contrast to your days last week!  (I keep trying to ration my exclamations, but they will keep creeping in!!)  Enjoy your walk today.

Paul – boiled eggs?  On a bird blog?  Oh dear – but sorry you could only find one – hope you found something else to have with it.

Alan – pleased Tesco was bearable, and hope you and Hamish enjoyed afternoon walk.  Sorry about Lady P’s sinuses – mine are clogged up, but I know it’s hay fever and harvest dust.  Grazing animals are so good for meadow conservation – especially cattle because sheep tend to graze too low in some situations, whereas cattle take the top off the vegetation.

Alicat – like the mugs – great idea.

Margo – told you to go to the doctor sooner!  I hope the antibiotics work fast – have plenty to drink and get plenty of rest to help them work.

Patricia – pleased the young man has started on your garden – hope the weather stays good till it is finished.  How is your poor arm?  You haven’t mentioned the dogs recently – hope they are all well.

Sheila – good to “see” you again.  The way I cope with all the replies is to open a Word document alongside the Chat Page while I read through, and then copy my text to Reply – it also means I still have it there if the post disappears! Sometimes trees are just not in the right place – or not the right tree.  We have quite a small garden and had planted a Birch next to an Alder – fine for a few years, but had to take the Birch our this year to really see the shape of the Alder – choice was easy as there is another Birch in the back garden.  We only once went to Cambridge Botanic when FiL was alive there – parking in Cambridge is so difficult - but I think it has plants for every season.

Heather – so pleased this wonderful weather has reached you (and without leaving us, too!)

Hi everyone.

The weather here is really nice.  To be honest it's a delight to be able to look out the window and see the Starlings looking so iridescant.  I know we don't get brilliantly sunny weather in the greater Glasgow neck of the woods very often but when it comes it fairly shows the birds in all their splendour.

I Watched a DVD just after breakfast.called "Faithful Through & Through, The Tommy Burns Story"  This was made shortly after the death of Tommy burns (15 May 2008).  For anyone who doesn't know, Tommy Burns was a Celtic player who later went on to manage the Club.  I won't go into a long post about Tommy Burns because this isn't a football board and those who have any interest in football, Tommy Burns, Celtic F.C, Kilmarnock F.C; will already know the details.  Watching the DVD brought back a lot of memories from my younger days of  watching Tommy Burns play and chanting his name from the Celtic Park terraces.  For anyone who wants to know more, here's a link to a Wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Burns_(footballer)

Linda:  The egg was smashin (sorry couldn't resist that).  Boiled for four minutes and eaten in the usual way in a springy (wobbly) egg-cup.

Diane:  Great pic!  I wonder if that wee furry critter would have the guts to approach the nest when the Ospreys are in residence? LOL

Gary:  The guard Robin, reminded me of the stately Woodpigeon, and the sentry duty Starling.  Our abode might not be one of the great premises but it certainly has some very efficiant guards.  ;-)

Lynette:  Thanks for the LotL pic.  I've been watching the action from there as well.  Wonderful news about BigRab74 becoming a dad.  Thanks for the heads up as I'd previously missed the good news.

Alan:  Glad the shopping mission to Tesco wasn't too noisy.  Sometimes if I'm in a shop on my own during School holiday time, I feel that I have to put on my MP3 player and listen to someting quieter than the screaming weans.  I tend to select an Iron Maiden album.  Hope the antibiotics quickly clear up Lady P's sinus infection.

ALICAT:  Love the mugs.  I bet a tea or coffee will never taste iffy again :-)  Thanks for posting them. Thanks for posting the original pics posted by Tiger and Diane.  Absolutely stunning.

Margobird:  So sorry to hear about you chest infection and sinus infection.  Feeling unwell is bad enough at any time but just before going on holiday is seriously unwelcome.  Hope the antibiotics take those infections to a gloomy back street and have ahem! a wee word with them. :-)

patriciat:  Glad your having nice weather.  Hope the man working in your garden hasn't been too badly affected by the heat.

SheilaFE:  Honestly don't worry about remembering everything that you read here when replying to posts.  The Osprey season was wonderful and I'll certainly not forget it in a hurry.

HeatherB:  Hope your grandson has a nice birthday on Saturday.  Glad you're having nice weather.  I told the guys at the Met Office to send some nice weather and if they didn't... Well I showed them some saved videos from when the LG chicks were still flightless and therefore unable to leave the nest to perform their toiletry fuctions.  Then reminded then that these birds can now fly.  I think that might've done the trick.  LOL.

Annette:  The Robin done a fine job on guard duty so I shall be offering him a full time contract.  Everything's almost ready for him to sign.  Just got to round the suet balls, cross the Tees and dot the Eyes.

OG:  The boiled egg was fine by itself (I'm rarely a big eater at breakfast) so tend not to have a big meal unless I'm on holiday when I don't eat much after dinner so like a good cooked breakfast.  Shhh don't tell the Corvids I cook eggs before eating them, or they'll probably laugh at me.

Sorry about the long post but the mad creature that passes for my muse must've eaten too many sweets or something.

All the best.



Paul

EDIT:  Missed out a word.  Must thoroghly read posts before "Post" button.

Looks like The LG Ospreys band will soon be auditioning for a drummer. :-)

Good evening all ... its been a beautiful day here, sunny and quite warm. We have been out in the garden for most of the day ... apart from a quick shopping mission this morning! Got lots of things tidied up and cleared away ... in between sitting on the seat with a drink or two :-)

margobird - I do hope your antibiotics clear that infection up before your holiday.

Paul - lovely woodpecker capture ... glad you enjoyed your one egg!! I love the idea of a guard robin! I remember Tommy Burns ... didn't he coach at Newcastle United at one time?

Diane - furry creature pic was great ... shades of the phantom parrot as someone said!

Alan - lucky you having a quiet shopping mission ... our schools don't go back until next Tuesday ;-(

Gary - I hope Earl stays away from you and that it loses its strength before it reaches land. I just can't imagine what it must be like to experience something like that.

SheilaFE - welcome to the Weekly Chat ... very different to the Daily Update as you said! We chat about anything and everything ... as much or as little as we want, and as often or as seldom as we wish !!! I tend to think of Middle and Youngest as Titch and Quackers too sometimes ... anyone remember the cartoon of 'Titch and Quackers'? I had a pair of dwarf hamsters with those names once :-)

Linda and AQ - both of your meals sounded absolutely delicious, glad you enjoued them!

My garden birds are eating me out of house and home this week, after being virtually absent for a few weeks. There is a huge squadron of young sparrows at ther moment, and they aresuch lovely cheeky little things. I haven't seen the goldfinches for a few weeks though.

Thanks to everyone else for chat etc. Must go and sort dinner now.

Take care.

Wow, I'd forgotten how active everyone is on the chat page:)

Well, I'm sitting here, waiting for the car to be serviced. Only another hour to go but at least they have wifi in the dealership.

Joan, sounds a nice productive day for you and pleased you got to relax at some time. I think Earl will weaken and not be a big deal for us but could be rough for those in it's way. Hope dinner was nice.

Paul, really enjoy your humor and your way with words. Has me chuckling away!

OG, sounds like an active day, bird wise for you. Lovely to watch.

Hi SheliaFE, everyone is so friendly here, as I'm constantly finding out, so as others have saidsaid just jump in.

Annette, hope the fog clears and you enjoy the walk. You're right, the lady had sat out at least 2 hurricanes but not sure I would want to. In fact, I know I wouldn't. We are surrounded by large trees.

Heather, sorry about your additional exercise!

Evening All, it has been warm here today but not wall to wall sunshine. I have spent today, washing, hoovering, steam cleaned the bathrooms and the kitchen floor and have just finished the ironing. OH has  been out all day and it is surprising how much I can do when I am on my own, without his help.

Margo, So sorry the dreaded chest infection has caught up with you. just when you thought you were recovering. I hope the AB's work fast and you can enjoy your holiday, but I am not too sure about visiting mines.

Diane, Your furry creature on the nest reminds me of the ' Gonks'  I used to collect in the 60's

Sheila, Lovely to 'see' you. You will soon get used to 'life on the Chat Page'.

Gary, I also hope that hurricane Earl loses energy before it lands. The latest forecast, though, looks horrific. I would think that I would definitely leave home and look for a safer place. 

Alicat, I love the osprey mugs. I hope they have agreed to change Cirrus's from the black to the white mug.

I bought the second Larsson book (£4)  yesterday, but have had to order the others. I also bought Tony Blair's book, which was already half price !

Must break off for Dinner now. OH has returned home at last.

For those of you missing ospreys Skylar is on the Nova Scotia nest now:

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/osprey/