Weekly Chat, Sunday 28 November 2010

Morning all,

Thanks for the lupin pics AQ / OG. We cant seem to get them to grow here but when I lived in Scotland there was no problem. Something to do with soil ph.

Auntie : You can appreciate how sensible the ospreys are when you see that picture.

Everyone else thanks for all the chat. Nice to see Paul on the blog again.

Another light snowfall overnight. It s getting like groundhog day. Mustnt complain though after seeing the pics on the news from Scotland and the north east. The sun is trying to shine so I will clear the snow when it warms up a bit.

Happy St Andrews Day:

margobird said:

Good morning Lindybird sorry you didn't sleep well.  Hope Mum to be gets on OK this morning.  Sweet Pea is certainly loathe to arrive.  Snowing here now and I am hoping it will not be too much.  Have to go hairdressers and it is a long way from me, don't want to get stuck there.   Loaded the bird tables with as much food as I can but will top it up again before I leave.  Take care and look forward to surprise pic.

Glad to hear you are taking a taxi, margo.  Very sensible.  Don't fall down on the slippery paths.  I'm just off to get dressed & all my birds are queuing up for me to go out with my daily 'bird cake' of dripping with seeds, sultanas & oats in.  Thrilled this morning to see that we now have five Goldfinches, where we usually only get two or 3 at most.

EDIT:   Lovely St. Andrews flag, Alan.  Happy St. Andrews Day to all our Scottish friends!

Tuesday morning – bright and sunny and minus 3 - very slight snowfall late evening – too thin to measure.  Man coming to “service” adjustable beds this morning, then to my hairdresser and both to chiropodist this afternoon.  Too many blackbirds again, male Chaffinch with withered leg doing very well, plus another male and two females, Town Pigeons and Black Headed Gulls around (school off for St Andrews day so no litter) and Starlings by the score.

Lynette – enjoy your swim.  I wish I could swim to ease my joints, but I never learned.

Annette - oh no!  OH doesn’t do all databases – I happily use Access myself, and totally look after Address Book and any Queries such as Ch Cards, Postcard list etc.  I also created the one for my regular mission mailing task.  His more complicated bits come in for any which we create for charity etc such as thousands of names with cross referencing, multiple users etc.  I use Excel for domestic spreadsheets and minor listings.

Margo – sorry about the bad night – hadn’t realised your OH was staying in Exeter overnight – or perhaps I just got the days wrong.  Keep safe and wrap up warm.

Auntie – keep warm and have a good week yourself.

Patricia – your weather sounds much like ours – just enough white stuff to be a nuisance.

Lindy – I assume DiL will get a date for induction this week if nothing happens – hope all goes well.  Cough not too bad in night when resting – maybe need to stop talking in daytime too!

Brenda – thanks for St Andrew’s Day wishes – yes, haggis, neeps and tatties tonight!

Alan – love the waving Saltire!  (No time to go into it now, but does everyone know the history of Scotland’s Flag?)  Happy St Andrew’s Day to all Scots, whether exiled or at home, and all who live in this glorious country!

Snow overnight and now snowing quite steadily

Dibnlib, Hope your Mum is alright. Very worrying for you.

Margo, if your snow has only just started, your taxi should have no trouble geting you to the hairdressers. I hope he can pick you up from the door when you are ready to return home though. You don't want snow on your newly styled hair. Sorry you didn't sleep well last night.

OG, I hope your cold is not any worse this morning.

Annette, Yes, I also remember the frozen milk and the birds. I also rememer that we would just clear the top of the milk and would use the rest without thinking about any germs !

Linda, Sorry you didn't sleep well last night. It is terrible when the mind will not close down for the night and let you sleep.

Thanks for all the coo and lupin photographs.

remember the silver topped milk bottles and the birds pecking through and the frozen milk with the tops balanced on top of a frozen tower. Also Jac Frosts visits and the beautiful patterns he left both inside and out.

OH has decided the roads are safe so we are heading to Beauly to an excellent craft shop and may have lunch out as well.

I remember the frozen milk bottles too ... and the birds pecking the silver tops! I also remember the little milk bottles we had at school ... they came into the classroom frozen after being outside in the yard, and were put beside the pipes to warm up. I hated it warm and I think that led to my lifelong hatred of 'neat' milk!!

 The thaw continues here ... and the promised rain did materialise for a short while last night! There have been a few minutes of light snow this morning, but not lying on top of the wet stuff that remains.

Blog Update from Alice: Rothes is fine and Richard has gone to Trinidad!!!
http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/lochgartenospreys/default.aspx

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/forum1/index.php

DIY folks should bookmark this site. I just got an idea from it, to solve a problem, within minutes of posting!

On another subject, the weather, it has been snowing in Surrey, since 6AM. The birds are making full use of the feeders, mostly goldfinches easily outnumbering the others. The greenfinches absent since the end of September, came on Sunday afternoon, in a small flock, for a few hours, when it was sunny, but cold. However that was a brief visit as they have now gone again. My theory is that, the residents left when their young were old enough to make a trip south, end of Sept., then recently some northern populations left Scotland/North of England with the onset of the snow, then on Sunday, they were probably refuelling in the garden, then contined on migration, although I know they are supposed to be resident all year round. Anyone noticed something similar?

SheilaFE apologies for asking but was it you I spoke to earlier this year about LG.  I have a phone number but not sure if I have the right Sheila so to speak.  I am really looking forward to it and will certainly ask for any tips from you.

Margobird, it was me certainly me who offered any advice, tips or information, but I haven't given you a number!  Leave a message on my page when you want to discuss and I'll give you either a phone number or an email address.

I'm a bit short and sweet sorry, waiting for a call from the hospital about aged aunt.  I think she must have fainted having reached the foot of the stairs to fetch her paper, and then couldn't get up.  She may have been there for 3-4 hours, so I am grateful to her friend who popped in to see if she wanted any shopping.

I have friends in North Yorks and west of Kinross who have sent me photos, so I sympathise with those of you affected by the snow.  Here south of Cambridge we have a covering with a few further flurries.  Do take care if you have to go out, and keep warm.  I'll catch up later.

http://haggishunt.scotsman.com/

This year's Haggis Hunt just arrived via email. For those who are fans, good luck!