WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020

It is raining quite heavily this evening. Too bad for those away camping for the weekend. Up in the Far North (Hawker, Leigh Creek, Marree, etc) there were thick red duststorms today – visibility down to 50 metres - and families were abandoning their caravans & tents and trying to book into what little motel accommodation available.

It seems to have been raining hard for the past twenty-four hours, and showing no signs of stopping. Good job I am not due to be going anywhere today!

Clare - We seem to have more magpies here than I have ever seen in previous years. They are extremely noisy and quarrelsome, but fun to watch. It has meant we have fewer smaller birds, though, which is a shame. Apart from Robbie the Robin, who seems to be pigging out on daddy-long-legs for all he is worth! (thought ... can a bird really be said to 'pig out'???)

Pat O said:

thought ... can a bird really be said to 'pig out'???

Absolutely ....... though you need a rook, gull or wood pigeon to really do the term justice.

LINDA – a happy ending for a very wet Bonnie last evening! Thanks for all the lovely Anglesey pix. Intrigued by your “expiration” before the disappointing snacks – assuming auto-correct changed from exploration.

ROSY – I hope your Daughter finds a tactful response and a compromise with her friends garden – maybe help to clear the rubbish and then take on a small patch as a trial allotment, with a view to more later.

ANNETTE – thanks for the new week ….

…and I have to stop there as the beans are just coming indoors for me to prepare them for lunch!

It's been a funny old day here. The weather is disgusting so we made a rare trip to the local launderette to tumble-dry some clothing. I usually sit and wait inside - today was no different so I reached for the pile of magazines which usually lurk within, and picked up the top one. Can you believe it was a Tatler? I looked at the rest of the pile and they were all Tatlers! The first one I looked at was full of the best prep and public schools in the country (to help you prepare for the following academic year, you know) while the next one had a riveting article on what all the rich people are doing to hide away from Covid. I can only assume that someone with a very peculiar sense of humour decided to leave this kind of magazine in a launderette. The weirdness of the afternoon was then made complete when a gobsmacked Limpy looked at his phone to see that his beloved West Ham had beaten Leicester 3-0! Cue much appropriate sniggering from both of us at just how the (over-paid) pundits repeatedly get things wrong. Football bores me senseless, unless the wrong team wins (or if there's a streaker!).

Morning all:

Diane:  No worries, but don't like that your anxiety level is that high - I can guess one reason (big, orange, loud?) but have been wondering how you're doing with your other efforts with various issues.  Big hugs from here and please don't worry about keeping up.  Thanks for the link - I may need it.   EDIT:  I LOVE that bear cam - the sound of the water is enough to lower blood pressure.  :-)

Clare:  Had to smile (or was it a wince?) at the image of laundromat clients engrossed in Tatler topics. Maybe some clues about the latest in embossed stationery or how to upgrade that problem patio?

Lindybird:  In what part of Bedfordshire did you grow up?

AQ:  Well, scratch that idea.....   Sorry about your chauffeur friend - and I guess your OH isn't up for drives in the car?

Off to sort out lunch.  Was supposed to be cooler here - and it is, except that we started off with thick fog which is sitting off the beach and keeping things humid.  

Take care everyone.  Do something nice for yourselves...

Unknown said:

Had to smile (or was it a wince?) at the image of laundromat clients engrossed in Tatler topics. Maybe some clues about the latest in embossed stationery or what how to upgrade that problem patio?

It was quite surreal looking at them.  I can't begin to imagine having a life which would find this publication useful.

Unknown said:

Do something nice for yourselves...

I'm now cooking the chipolatas for our tea!

Unknown said:

You might like the livecam of the brown bears fishing and eating in Alaska. The gulls swim right up to the bears and beg for food! Please tell Limpy hello. I meant to "speak" to him when he posted last week. 

I'll be checking that out now it's daylight there.  Limpy sends his best to you

EDIT:  I've got the cam up now - there's a bear sitting in the (very fast-flowing) river with a gull sitting next to it!  This is brilliant.

So - - the beans were lovely, with parsnips and bacon chops. Beans are still coming – not yet touched by frost, thankfully – we have only had one really cold morning so far. Will now try to continue replies:

ANNETTE – I hope the visit to Dau goes well – but I do remember the struggle with the bathroom alterations there!

AQ – lovely spring pix – I love crab apple blossom! Thanks for garden quote. We had garden temps and sun today, but still wet underfoot from yesterday’s deluge.

CLARE, PAT, LINDA and anyone I missed - good to read your posts – must go and sit with feet up – just seen the time. I persuaded OH today that we are not going to wait for his ****** man to fix our windows, so we have been looking up “trusted traders” for him to phone tomorrow.

Sleep well!

Annette: There's a very good California Condor Sanctuary LIVECAM sponsored by the Ventana Wildlife Society. They've posted a notice that a wildfire is burning near the sanctuary, and you can see the smoke in the air. I hope the condor's will be okay. The birds are spectacular. You can see them now.

EDIT: According to the long update post lower on the page, they are limiting viewing time to save power due to the fire. 9 condors have been lost to the fire. Part of the time, they are showing a livecam of a condor nest. I've never seen one of those.