Weekly Chat, Sunday November 21, 2010

Hazel b said:

Lynette. 27-29 April ? The Royal wedding is rumoured to be on 28th April! :)

ChloeB    Great new countdown clock.

Thanks Tiger :)

Hi everyone.

My goodness.  All this talk of crimpelene has got me thinking.  Does nobody ever think of the feelings of those poor crimples?  Forgot to mention the Grandslam of Darts that finished last night.  Don't know if anyone else here likes darts but it was a sensational final to end a great tournament.  Great TV viewing.  Can't wait 'til the next tournament on terrestrial TV: The BDO World Championship in January.  We don't have Sky so can't watch the PDC world championship, which Starts next month.  :-(

Linda:  I'm sure Baby Sweatpea and the parents will enjoy all the presents.  To be honest the shed building would've went a lot more quickly if the old one hadn't required to be dismantled so quickly.  I just hope the new one doesn't gain the power of flight in the next strong wind.  I don't fancy having to knock on a neighbour's door and ask: "Can I have my shed back Missus?"  LOL

SheilaFE:  Sadly no Kettle, fridge etc. in any of the sheds, let alone the one I use, although I've managed to stick a couple of small battery powered lights in there so I can see what I'm doing in poor natural light.  Need to stick a couple more up though as doing bird feeding preps for tommorow, was a bit gloomy.  The Starlings probably think I'm mad.  :-)

Brenda:  Sorry you don't get many Starlings.  I've got to confess to having a very soft spot for them.  I love their rougish behaviour and hillarious antics.  Don't seem to get any summer or winter migrant speices though.  At least one of the Starlings was kind enough to imperssonate a Swallow though, in the middle of winter.  LOL

Wendyb:  Hi there.  I'm sure the birds are mightilly impressed by your brightly coloured dustbins and by all the food you give them :-)

Diane:  Sorry you can't take part in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count.  Sounds similar to the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch, this side of the pond at the end of January.  Sorry your dad isn't well.

Chloe:  Thanks for the Countdown clock. 

Lynette:  I didn't see Countryfile but wish I had.  Red Kites are awesome birds and I'd love to see them in the feather.  :-)

Been meaning to say everyone.  I'm greatly impressed by all the moving signatures.

Happy Tuesday all!



Paul.

Evening all: Sunny but very fresh breeze today; more rain forecast for next day or two.

Thanks Brenda for news from RSPB about the server problem.  Seems like they had the same problem earlier this year (or late last year).  Granddaughter's baby is due end of March.  Had long walk with friend this morning whose son and wife - with three very young kiddies - are splitting due to wife's now full-blown alcoholism. Turns out my friend had only the barest inkling of the impending crisis. Anyway, you think everything's fine and then......

ChloeB: Server/host changes sound quite dramatic; I had no idea that was happening. My experience is that nothing quite works according to plan for a few days after something like that; should be interesting.

patriciat: Congrats to Tweed. :-)  And you of course.

OG:  Yes. granddaughter is resourceful and yes, being young helps!  Sounds like you made a good decision to stay put yesterday. Lovely fall colors in that photo.  Goodness! How long is the roadworks saga going to continue!  More lovely swans - thank you.   Re cleaning out feeders; the folks at the rescue place around the corner tell us to do it once a week because they see lots of birds with conjunctivitis, which they claim stems from dirty feeders....

Margobird: Good luck with the shopping.

Gary: Oh, flat tire with horse on board doesn't sound like fun and actually, having a snow plough on the tractor does sound exciting if it makes winter any easier.

Alicat: Lovely photo of swans. Thanks!

Heron: Good to see you.  Shed talk not boring at all, especially with dialogue between you and Dad - and the birds should be happy too. 

Lindybird: Baby and stove will probably arrive at the same time, given how these things happen.  Good that some use can be made of the old one (stove that is), but a shame about the furniture. Still, not a lot of options with that.

Sheila:  Christmas is just one month away so okay to use the full name. I think it was either OG or Margobird who first mentioned it back in October and I howled loudly that it was waaaay too early to even think about it (of course, they'll be the ones with everything organized while I'm still standing on my head in the garage looking for the Christmas lights).   Yes, lots of vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley (behind Santa Barbara), but the harvest is done so frost not a problem at this point.  Interesting about Lady of the Loch; thanks for the heads up.

Diane: Thanks for the Audubon link. I remember you had a vegetarian Thanksgiving (or was it Christmas or both?) last year.  Do you have anything planned this year or are you too busy looking after Dad?  How's he doing?

WendyB. Oooh. Pink gym outfits, now pink and purple dustbins. Where will it all end? :-)

Finally Googled crimplene, but can't seem to get a closeup; not sure we had it here (at least not under that name).  U.S. Google's home page has just gone into Thanksgiving mode, with turkey and all the trimmings in place of the two "oo"s.  Off to topple into bed; take care all. Stay warm!  (Or cool if you're AQ.)

Morning, Everyone:   Grandma in Waiting reporting!  - still waiting!   No news yet, but lots of debate about "when"   and "boy or girl?"  within the family.

Not had time to read the above, yet, but will get down to it later.   I remember Crimplene, had a skirt or two when it first came out, my mother had a suit made of it but eventually got frustrated that although shabby, it wouldn't wear out, so she wore it to do the gardening in!   Also remember how excited we were when it first appeared - "never needs ironing!" - wow!  we thought, here is the future, modern clothes will be like Star Trek and we can throw away the hated ironing board!  Where are we now?    -- ironing heavy linen skirts!

Lynette D said:

ShielaFe wrote -All I was browsing Amazon at the weekend and found out that a paperback book called Lady of the Loch:  The Incredible Story of Britain's Oldest Osprey by Helen Armitage is due to be published next year at £7.10 – my estimated delivery date is 27 to 29 April.

Will look forward to that - keep us informed Sheila so I can purchase one - sounds very interesting.

Also had a blue crimplene, sparkly dress - sleeveless but high neck with zip - wore it for our engagement in 1967. Sweet memories but time moves on.

Lynette   I have pre-ordered the book thru Amazon, so it will, hopefully, appear at the end of April.  Amazon will charge me on despatch.  I felt that if I didn't do it now I would probably forget to do it next April!

Flamingo make a group self portrait.....of a flamingo! Today's Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8152950/Stunning-image-of-flamingos-gathered-as-one-flamingo-the-holy-grail-of-wildlife-photography.html

Lindy: I predict that Sweetpea is a girl, and she will be born Friday at 10:00 a.m.

:-)   :-)   :-)

Anyone else have predictions?

Hi, everyone. I'll try to catch up today after I sleep.

Amazing photo jsb.  Thanks for highlighting it.

Lots of fieldfare on the trees in the garden and in the sky today.  Forecast of this cold weather we are expecting?

Good morning, all.  Won’t try to predict weather – clear and cold right now (one degree).  Quiet day – just dietician appointment this afternoon.  Curbs for roundabout were dropped off (literally) from bucket of yellow digger this morning.  Three men now scratching their heads to try and fit them in (the curbs, not the heads!).

Paul – don’t know why I addressed you as Heron yesterday – apologies.  I too hope the shed stays put - - had a sudden image of it flying away with you inside on your way “off to see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz” – do you wear pretty red shoes like Dorothy’s?

Lindy – pleased the stove can be recycled, shame about the dining room furniture, but you did try.  Swan with outstretched wings is one I have been waiting to catch on camera – now need to see one without other Swans in the way – and with better background than all the feather litter etc where they have been preening!

Sheila – good that you are gradually getting to know the new car.  Thanks for tip about Lady of the Loch – when daughter asks what I want for Christmas, I will suggest an Amazon voucher!

Diane - from your brief comment in the post about the bird count, I read between the lines that your Dad is still far from well, over and above the breathing problems.  I do hope he will make progress soon – and do try to look after yourself too while “things are hectic”.

Wendy – keep those birds well-fed – they will soon need extra energy to leave you and come down south to warmer climes!!

Chloe – thanks for reporting on 7^th December changes – amazing that we have been able to access the site yesterday and today after the 50% prediction.

Tiger – hadn’t heard date mentioned for Royal wedding – have heard Westminster Abbey as probable venue – surprise, surprise!!

Annette – sorry about your friends family trouble. 

jsb – enjoyed that Flamingo pic!  Thanks.

I’ll join in Diane’s prediction fun and say Sweetpea will arrive at 4:55am on Wednesday!