Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 18 October 2020

LINDA – have you never had bacon in a croissant? It’s delicious – even better with a slice of brie too – and maybe some cranberry sauce. Wee Rosie looks more like Tomasz every time we see her! We also use frozen Yorkshire puds – I never eat them anyway as they are unnecessary calories, and the other two don’t have them often. We have the heating on day and night but the bedroom so we window open and fan on, so we turn it down at night and up early morning. This will all be automatic when we get the new boiler and programable control system next month.

LYNETTE – good to see you – I did wonder when you didn’t show up the day before!

ANNETTE – pleased you didn’t attempt too much yesterday. Take care working your way through the list!

AQ – thanks for chocolate quotes. Hope you are okay.

E-E is cleaning the oven this morning – first part eco-clean is done; when it cools he needs to wipe it all. It’s quite dull and dreich today may get sunny intervals after lunch, but showers at the same time!

Mrs Blackbird has returned to the garden after spending early autumn berrying in the field hedges – actually it may be a new younger Mrs B. Wren appeared a few days after I said it hadn’t been when I expected it. Mouse, Robin, Dunnocks and Coaltit are all frequent visitors now, and the Starling numbers are increasing daily when they come in from the roosts on the marshes.

Good afternoon all!  It's a beautiful afternoon here and my second washload is now out on the line, enjoying the breeze.  I even made it to the gym earlier which means I'm knackered but triumphant.

Today I learned I really do have legs like tree trunks.  I assumed the weights in the gym were in pounds ..........but they are in kilos.  That means I've been moving 14 stone on the leg press .............

Blimey!!!!!!!!!

OG - I've had a bacon & brie toastie with cranberry sauce & it was yum. Just never think to have croissant with anything savoury.

Clare, well done on getting down to the gym. And swimming, too - you'll be 'as fit as a flea' in no time!

We've been eating all sorts of things lately out of the freezer, as I found that the drawers were sticking due to being frosted up. Not had that problem before, so I suspect that we've not shut the door properly at some time. Anyway, it needed attention so I'm defrosting it today before we fill it with goodies for winter. It's in the garage so won't make a mess when it drips into a tray. Which is the bit I don't like about defrosting.

While it began defrosting, and I waited for some spray on bleach to work in the shower, I began doing a jigsaw, which feels very decadent as it's rather non productive, but then I suppose reading a book is,too!

Yesterday we went to Astbury Mere, which means a trip through the lovely countryside around. Only the odd tree had begun to change colour on the way there, so we weren't surprised to find that the Mere wasn't clothed in gold yet as it can be, but I took some pics anyway.

Not many birds about, mainly just coots.

It wasn't as grey as this!

Bonnie tried in vain to find a duck to chase, but they were all on the water - so she ate some food from a picnic which had been left instead.

Trees turning colour on the far shore.

More exploring to do, but she didn't go in for a swim.

Peaceful.