Weekly Chat, Sunday September 5, 2010

Thanks once again to all you lovely people for news, chatter & pics. I wish a speedy recovery to those unwell - you, your relatives & your faithful companions.

Brenda - I hope your neighbour’s dau is getting the help she needs. The new father must be feeling utterly confused. Strange isn’t it, how we don’t really train for the most important task in our life. Quite scary when I think back at that precious bundle entrusted to me, a novice.

TerryM - I shall drop in for gingerbread when I’m next passing. LOL

Diane - I saw your wood ducks stuffing themselves with bread scraps on the footpath just off Jetty St (main shopping) at Glenelg yesterday. They ignored all passers-by. Hey, take care shifting furniture.

HeatherB - Years ago when the size for our family feast (Xmas) was 13, one elderly relative spent the whole time counting. Whenever there were 13 in the room she would leave, only coming back when someone else went to kitchen or children outside to play. I don’t see why 13 in a room was more bad luck than 13 under the same roof !!! For chairs we once had to use the bedroom stool. Then when Dau left home we had her bring two chairs. Problem solved. Hm, it’s my turn for 14 at Xmas this year.

I’m off again tomorrow on another day-bus-trip. This to Gilbert & Clare Valleys visiting historic cemeteries. Camera charged & ready. As always pit-stops for coffee & cake! Very nice cafe in Clare . . . Have a great weekend. See you Monday.

It's high time I posted some more office funnies.

Hard work is an accumulation of easy things which should have been done last week.

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

Nobody notices what I do until I don't do it.

I don't work here. I'm a consultant.

Hi, all. Do you folks remember those aggressive Eastern Kingbirds that claimed my garage for their nest this spring? While I was outdoors cleaning furniture this week, those birds told me off the entire time! LOL! They were not at all happy that I was invading their garden. They made that awful buzzing call that sounds like an electric fence or a downed power line. I thought they might swoop at me. Mean little birds. LOL!

We are finally getting weather that's a bit cooler. I'm working hard on house renovation projects I want to finish before the holidays (I hope!) -- at least before the worst of the winter weather sets in. My parents had neglected the house, because they were ill, so it still needs a lot of work. Also, when I moved here to care for them, I brought all of my stuff and stored it haphazardly. Merging two households was tough in this little house. So now I'm trying to find room for everything and get properly organized. I'm determined to start the new year out right!!! So nobody feel bad if I don't post very much for a while.

A few replies:

Alicat: Hope you're okay now; let us know.

AQ: Yay, you saw the wood ducks! Give them my regards! I hope you have a wonderful time on your day-bus trip. I look forward to the photos and descriptions of the tour. Can't wait!

Lindy: I can't believe that baby Sweatpea is due so soon. Time flies! Hope the mama is doing well. The Canary Isles? Beautiful. I'll look forward to some of your great photos! Hope you have a nice time.

OG: You have fish? What kind? Glad you're enjoying the Bird Club. I'm also glad that the number of osprey nests is continuing to increase. Yay! I would really like the Wild Goose Chase. We had lots of Canadian Geese in Indianapolis, and I miss them. Every day, I used to walk by a lake with a large flock. I saw a flock of geese fly across a huge full moon one time. So beautiful!

More replies:

Terry: Congrats on the cooking awards. I love gingerbread and shortbread. The best I can hope for is that my cooking is edible. LOL Lucky you -- you get to see the big boats coming in several times a week. I'd never get any work done for staring out the window. :-)
Joan: Beautiful jays. They are different from ours, but very lovely. Also loved the pine marten (can you say that on an osprey site?).
Alan: I hope your sister-in-law is improving. Pneumonia is an awful disease. I loved your capture of the raccoon dog.
Cirrus: So wonderful to see the lovely photo of you!!!
george g: Terrific photos. I enjoyed them.
Gary: I'm so glad that you will have a nice visit with your Mom!!! So great that you'll have an opportunity to reconnect. I hope you have a great time in Vermont.

Heather B: I hope your family weekend goes smoothly and everyone has a wonderful time. It sounds like a great group of folks. I don't envy you having to cook for that many, though. When I was married, I had to take my turn at preparing holiday meals for my husband's large family. My mother-in-law never liked me, and she'd make critical observations about my cooking. "Hmmm. This gravy is lumpy. Remind me to show you how to do it."  "This stuffing isn't homemade, is it?" One time she saw a spider web that I'd neglected to sweep out of the corner of the ceiling, and she pointed it out to everyone! I was a timid little thing back then. Nobody would get away with that today! LOL

Brenda H: Great that your son and his wife are getting the opportunity to travel so extensively. The experience will enrich their lives beyond measure. Annette's right; they'll be just fine and have great stories to tell. Try not to worry -- easier said than done, though. :-) Sorry that your wild birds are poorly. Very sad. :-(
dibnlib: I'm so sorry about your Mom's condition. So tragic and stressful. My heart goes out to you.
Paul Heron: A friendly wave across the ocean to you!

Annette: I so hope that you get into the classes you want to take. They both sound very interesting. Are they offered by a nearby college/uni? I wish I had a local college/uni where I could take a fun class. But the only one near me is an all-male college. It's one of only 3 left in the United States. Very conservative, exclusive, and elitist along with being wildly sexist. I'm thinking about taking an editing refresher course online. Don't want to lose my skills.

Sorry this has been so long. All you good people have a nice weekend!

I see the Australian ospreys are getting on with their incubation. I would estimate that chicks are due about 28th September. There are some amazing comments on this blog like "you been up to count the eggs yet?"  EEk I wonder who does that at Loch Garten  :))

Maybe this needs a thread by itself if people are interested. See   http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1122302/

Thanks for the reminder Tiger. I tend to forget about this one. Some wonderful photos in there.

Alicat I hope you are feeling ok this morning.

Morning, Everyone.   Quite bright here, but not really sunny, if you know what I mean - not too cold though, for the time of year (sometimes we have the heating on by now)  and you don't need a coat yet to go ouside.

Hope Alicat is feeling OK today - do go to the docs if you keep getting chest pains.

Diane:  You never write too much, its always so interesting, imagining what you are up to there. But you are worrying all of us with your furniture lugging.

Thanks for congrats on our grandchild - I didn't ask to know the sex when I was pregnant with our two - somehow, it seems a bit like unwrapping a Christmas present - you know its something nice, and its just fun to 'wait and see'!!!

Sorry can't reply to All - have to dash off yet again - we hope to be busy for another couple of weeks and then can heave a big sigh and relax for a while. (& take that holiday)

Have a Good Weekend, All.

Morning all,

Thanks for all the chat and pics and links.

Alicat : I hope that you are feeling better this morning.

GeorgeG : Loved the pics of Vane Farm. Great scenery.

Diane: Thanks for the link to the alarm clocks. I particularly liked "The Flying Alarm Clock". Similar theme to the Rocket Alarm but even louder.

Thanks also for the pictures of the jays. Usually hard to capture as they dont hang around for long.

Weather is cloudy but dry at the moment. Today is our anniversary so we will probably be going to "The Cuckoo" at Alwalton for a meal this evening. We normally go away for this week but with SIL in hospital we have had to put it on hold.

Some cloud earlier – and maybe some rain but I got up late and missed it – now very bright.  Still really warm here.  After early lunch, we shall be setting off to Dunblane for Dinner and Concert.  Experimenting with driving back tonight, not staying over as we normally do.  So I shall not come back on here till Sunday morning.  Thanks for all posts – hope for better news of sick and injured next week.

Heather – have a wonderful weekend after all your hard work preparing – good that they all “muck in” and help “on the day”.

Patricia – hope the “doggy things” go well at the weekend – preferably with rosettes, but more importantly without pain for you.  Will soon be in touch re Thornhill.

Gary – sorry I forgot Poppy’s name and called her a him!  Nice to know she is with friends rather than in kennels.

Alicat – couldn’t tell from your post “ thats gary got pains in chest” who had the pains, but from other people’s replies, I gather it is you – hope you can get checked over soon – but know it can be difficult when these things come at beginning of weekend.  Do take care, and hope you feel better today.

Annette – sorry landscape lady didn’t show, but pleased it meant you could post here!  Waiting for Son to decide if he is claiming his fridge-freezer when he changes flat – OH has worked out he can get it in our car.  We currently have chest freezer in garage, overflow fridge ditto and his f-f indoors – at least we got rid of tiny “built-under” fridge.  If his goes, we shall replace with “side-by-side” (without dispensers) which will fit same alcove, and shall probably keep both garage appliances until they give up.  For chilled water, we have a counter-top filter-chiller, and we hardly ever need more ice than a simple freezer ice-tray.  When I was young, there was a White Lion in the chalk of Dunstable Downs – above Whipsnade Zoo.  Sorry, I have to start Ch******* cards soon to get them made before December!

Diane – enjoyed fun alarm clocks.  Sorry you were challenged by those mean Kingbirds for occupying their space!  Understand how you want to get on with the house now you have begun it as a major project, but do please be careful of your back – and pace yourself!  Our fish are in just a small community tank of South American types, nothing spectacular – Male Guppies of various bright colours which swim as a shoal in the top and middle, and an assortment of Corydoras on the bottom – new three are black patterned on silver with orange fins, next youngest are Panda Corys (black on orange) and we still have ancient Bronze Cory – well, ten years is old for a fish!.

Lynette – will have to keep a look-out for Pete’s Pond coming back.

AQ – enjoy the bus trip – look forward to photos - are they wine-growing valleys again?  Enjoyed office funnies – especially “nobody notices what I do until I don’t do it” - applies to so many areas of life!

Alan – Congratulations on your Anniversary – and enjoy the meal.  Sad you couldn’t be away right now, but it is still something to look forward to, and I hope SiL will soon be well enough for you to make plans.

Must drag myself out of semi-woken-up state and do something to get ready for lunch and trip!  “See” you all in new week tomorrow!

Hi thanks for your concerns the sharp pains have gone but at the moment i have a dull like pain  the only way to describe it is the after effects off been punched with breathlessness casper is doing ok ear doesn't seem to be filling up at the moment which is good news by this time last week it had filled back up quite a bit