Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 24 January 2021

Snap HEATHER

Have had a boring day cleaning etc. It took all day for the floods which had reappeared in our garden, to subside slowly off somewhere - all the ground is so saturated, now that it only takes a shower to make our paths fill up with water again.

Had an offer from our cruise line for us to rebook for a similar cruise (we were going to see the Norwegian Fjords) but the first one they suggested was next August, and no way do we fancy going anywhere by ship or by plane, this year. They've said they will hold our deposits for us for up to 24 months if we wish, until we do see something we fancy. We've decided to play a waiting game rather than ask for our money back, and see if anything comes up in 2022 which we could consider going to.

Scylla posted a link to this video of "an immature red-shouldered hawk" on another thread -- www.youtube.com/watch . If I have read the YouTube post correctly, the video was recorded in September last year and added to YouTube this January. The birder feeder cam is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and is normally running 24 hours per day, seven days per week, but has been turned off and feeders removed and cleaned from the 15th for two weeks due to a few birds appearing to be ill. Not sure if it is running again or not.

Gardenbirder:  Thanks for posting Scylla's link - super clear and fascinating!  There's still a bird cam in Gettysburg - not sure if it's the same one - but you apparently have to get the owner's permission to join in...

Lindybird:  Probably smart to postpone any cruise plans.  

Rain arrived late and no problems in our areas.  I think UK folks would laugh at the dramatic narration by our local newscasters stationed by well behaved streams (worse in other areas though).

Have a good Friday everyone

This morn’s appt was 11.24 am. Homeward just before noon, I’m driving down our street. What? What? Witches hats? Fire engine? People standing around? Too close to our house! I ease past. A police car parked in front of our house. Our driveway is clear & I drive in. Of course, I’m not nosy, I do have to check our letter box (there were 2 letters). I see 2 pranged cars, fronts smashed. So I ate my lunch peering out our front window. Next an ambulance & someone wheeled off on a stretcher, can’t be too serious, no hurry to depart. It appears that one car (parked?) belonged to one of the yellow hi-vis men working on the Next-Door-Other-Side-of-us’ roof. The other was driving down road? Our street is fairly wide, so how did it happen? We shall probably never know. Perhaps one of those “medical episodes”. Such excitement was unsettling & delayed my nanny nap.

PS. One of our letters was a picture from Trio to “cheer me up”. I recognise a horse, cat & dog. Dau has phoned to invite herself to deliver home-cooked spag bol tomorrow morn before the rest of her busy day. Trio will be coming, only 15-20 mins, but something to look forward to. As I rejoice, I think of YOU who have not and cannot see your Little People.

AQ; What a nice cheer-up treat! Enjoy the trio and the spaghetti.

Have a nice Friday everyone.

Good Morning. A bit warmer here, and we both declare to each other that we "Feel well" today, so thats a good start! Actually also feel much more optimistic this morning.

Drama close to home, then, AQ! Enjoy your short but sweet family visit, & thank you for thinking of us who are sadly missing ours. Not many zaps left to go, for you! Soon be all done.

A local pub landlord here invited 30 friends to spend New Years Eve behind locked doors in his pub. Later, 29 of them were taken ill, and we have now heard that one elderly gentleman died. I presume he must now regret his hospitality. A friend of my OH who is 81 has been quite poorly since his covid jab, coming down with a fever as was warned sometimes happens. However, after 2 days he's now recovering.

Have a good Friday, everyone!