Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 20 September 2020

Morning all:  I too was unaware Lindybird's OH had headed home.  Re missing the dog, that reminds me of a New Yorker cartoon, now a greeting card, that shows an older couple sitting on the couch.  The husband is reading the paper. She's knitting, has obviously been thinking, and says, "If I die first, you should remarry.  If you die first, I'll get a dog."  

Glad some of you have gym options.  Ours is holding more and more classes outside and has moved even more of the equipment into the various courtyards and patios on the property.  Still not my favorite machines though.

Clare: Well done on losing the weight.  That's hard.  

Heather:  Good you're okay with things; I just have a knee-jerk negative reaction when others make decisions for me.  

OG: Good to read that your leg is coming along well.   I don't think the porch pirates are that obvious, they probably cruise the street a time or two after a delivery to make sure no nosey neighbors are around.  More and more people here have those 'Ring' cameras/doorbells and some of the perpetrators have shown up on the local website with the video recording also sent to the sheriff.

Is granddaughter's birthday today - she's 33.  Eeek. She never has any idea what she wants and I fear that  gift cards or cash will somehow end up buying groceries or something.  I threatened (joking of course) to buy her a year's supply of dental floss if she couldn't come up with a suggestions, but we agreed that she'd check her winter wardrobe and let us know..  :-)

Took the lavenders out yesterday - and maybe the last one today.  They need full sun and the olive trees have now grown up and there isn't that much so the lavender has been leaning into the sun and covering small plants that also need it.   Anyway, a big mess still outside from my efforts so must go and tidy up.

Unknown said:

Well done on losing the weight.  That's hard.  

Thank you.  It's coming off very slowly ..... but that's ultimately what I want - it should stay off this way!

Limpy and I went to Trimley Marshes this afternoon - I only managed to photograph the one species:

We're always happy to see our local buzzards!

Good evening – they tell me tis autumn – feels more like winter – cold stuff coming down from the north. Had another busy day – not exactly doing much, but trying to field phone calls, check various details of stuff and keep a lot of loose ends together.

LINDA – the place where you enjoyed your lunch looks very quiet and peaceful. I was surprised that you have stayed on your own in Wales – and without Bonnie! Did he go back for golf?

AQ – there have been a number of those “back in time…” series and most have been very good. The one we are currently following (after recording it) is “Back in time for the weekend” – about leisure – or lack of it for women. The family they have includes a high-flying business-woman with a stay at home husband, so hardly typical, even now. Her reactions are predictable! No wonder Cats twitch their ears so much with all those muscles!

DIANE – interesting to read the experiences of your predecessors. Trouble is, people still eat (and now generally consume in all areas of life) as if there is no tomorrow and as if we were doing a full day of manual work! Our home produce included all the veg timed for all 4 seasons of the year, fruit from Grandad’s garden, duck eggs from the other Grannie, hen eggs (some preserved for winter) – and when they stopped laying the chickens too were cooked and eaten – and rabbits which also lived at the bottom of the garden! This was in the 1950s.

ANNETTE – sorry the lavenders had to come out – bees will miss them. What will you replace them with? We gave up on presents for a lot of the family now we are into the next generation! Don’t even know what to do for the little ones this year – Cyrus 2 in October and Miri 4 in November and no shopping!

CLARE – sounds as if you are well supplied with exercise and leisure activities. Does Helen still ride?

DIBNLIB – pleased you have news of Fitness Club opening soon.

HEATHER – J’s Wednesday trips (he avoided weekends when there are more children and young people on the streets) have only been short ones over the last few weeks, usually for messages such as new watch batteries fitted and things like that. Can’t see that M&S ceasing foodboxes is influenced by the Ocado arrangement, as that is not available in Scotland – I think they just didn’t foresee a second peak in Covid. Anyway, I have given my feedback, and hope others do the same. Our nearest M&S is about 17 miles south, on the northern edge of Carlisle, but OH won’t go back there because Carlisle has high covid numbers. The other one is in Dumfries (19 miles) and he has been there twice, but it is at the back of the M&S store in the town centre and he has now decided that is too much of a risk – we have quite low numbers in D&G but there is more risk in town.

DIBNLIB – we haven’t yet seen our Wren this autumn, but Coal Tits are reappearing. Wren usually comes about the same time as Robin, but not yet this year.

CLARE – elegant Buzzards!

OH has been proof-reading Mag – now wants me to make minor corrections – probably just some punctuation.

Yes, I is "home alone" as I wanted a longer stay here, as we will miss our usual autumn break abroad this year. But my OH did his little boy look when we planned it, and I knew he would miss going to golf, so I said I would be fine on my own. Bonnie has gone back with him as she is a "Daddies girl!" She would have fretted here without him, but I am fine. Last time we split up here I came in our 2nd car and it does seem strange to be without transport, but buses and taxis are available here if I wanted to go anywhere. I spoke to another lady here who has also been abandoned!!

Had a job posting the above <sigh>

I'm sure someone here is streaming films or something, as I've had a few problems - this is forbidden on our shared WiFi connection.

Clare, well done on your loss. Ive twice tried to begin dieting recently, and then backslid which means I now weigh more than before.... ho hum.

I've nearly finished a 500 piece jigsaw which has been very soothing, and read several magazines which I brought with me. Not opened my book yet, though!! And there are at least 15 books here in a cupboard, too.....

Today we had sunshine followed by a heavy shower. Then a repeat. And another.. really bright sunshine, like a summer's day, then heavy rainfall. Weird, really, but I did get to see a stunning rainbow.

Sorry you won't be able to get your M&S orders now, OG. I had my Ocado order of M&S products before we left home, and was very pleased with it, maybe you could try that. Hope your pain has eased of late.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CLARE & LIMPY
Twenty-one today, Dum Dee Dum, Dee Dum.

So far today (9.30 am) we have had gusty winds, rain, small hail in our suburb. No word whether snow on Mt Lofty.