Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 31 January 2021

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY NEW MONTH!

February 1 is Imbolc (or Imbolg), the old Gaelic festival marking the coming of spring and traditionally celebrated throughout Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. It falls about halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. We're almost to the time of warmer weather (cooler weather for you, AQ)! Yay! I'm so hoping for an early spring, so we'll only have about 4 or 5 more weeks of the cold. 

I hope everyone has an easy week!

Marsh Marigold wildflowers, Shenandoah National Park
U.S. National Park Service: NPS
Photo labeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

  • Yes, snowdrops. It is overcast & spitting rain here this morn but expecting 27 C. My plans for the day? Perhaps that pile of handwashing but it will have to dry in garage. I always wash my "best" clothes by hand in a wool detergent, hence they last for years. More lolling for rest of day as that proved successful yesterday or I was not exceedingly tired last night.

    Dreadful news from Perth. Not only a fresh covid (after 10 months of no community transmission), they are in 5-day lockdown and serious bushfires to the east, suburbs threatened. 71 homes reported lost. People were advised to ignore lockdown & evacuate anywhere even if in quarantine. It is still pre-dawn there & a tough night.
  • AQ - Yes, awful things happening in and around Perth. The whole of Australia has done so well over Covid, and there has been little mention of bushfires this year, after the dreadful fires last year. I hope and pray things will settle on all fronts very quickly.

    Lindy - We have lots of lovely snowdrops here as well. They seem to be a little later than usual - perhaps they don't like being waterlogged! I also found some shy periwinkles yesterday, shining blue in a hedge. And some of the daffodils are showing yellow, although not quite open. Spring is beginning to spring ... hooray!
  • OG - went ahead with vaccination but getting a bit of a reaction with wind like pain in back and occasionally arm feeling sore. Unfortunately Dau's test came back positive so from Tues pm we are all self isolating. Mind you we don't much go out anyway its just that Dau won't be able to bring in any shopping I might want so am having to make sure I've got enough on my weekly shop. Hopefully her 10 days is up on the 11th Feb and she may go back into school. At present they have closed the school as so many are off in the different bubbles.

    Talking about your tooth, Lindybird, I have one of my crowns which has broken away at the bottom so unless I can afford the large amount to redo both crowns I am just having to live with it. I have a bridge with the other crown. Still with waring masks when out I suppose it doesn't really matter.. lol.
  • Not going all the way back but trust all is ok with you all. Looks like we are in for another cold spell. At least down here we have missed all the snow.
    Keep warm and safe.
  • LYNETTE – What bad luck for your Dau. I hope she only has a mild case. Your quarantine is shorter than ours (14 days).

  • ANNETTE & OTHERS I have forgotten (sorry) - For many years I have gathered quotes. Some were uplifting, some not suitable in these dire times, others funny. (Some people, including OH, think I have a weird sense of humour.) When I began to post them almost a year ago, I did not imagine how long it would last. However the need to post daily has kept me focussed and has been a great help to me while I cannot do whatever I want. Our daily paper has a few quotes each day of which I may “borrow” 3 or 4 a week. I find some quotes when reading (which as you know I do a lot). And there is always Mr Google. One of you may mention wine, shoes, garden, sleep, etc and that sparks me to search for something appropriate. The uplifting ones are harder to find.

  • . . . but then Cinderella said to the Prince, “Keep the slipper. I obviously can’t run in it anyway”.

    Princess, having had sufficient experience with princes, seeks frog. 

    We can’t all be Princesses, someone has to clap when I go by.

  • Evening all:  Busy day here; then OH and I got take-out to celebrate (sort of) my b'day.  Got lots of calls and e-cards plus a few real cards.   Take out was from favorite restaurant and have to say it was much better than the other time we did that.  I ordered Key Lime Pie and it was a bit too sweet this time; still, managed to choke it down.  :-)

    AQ:  Just watched video from Perth; never a good sight to see houses burn.  Tx for sharing 'sayings' resources, but you're doing such a great job I won't bother to investigate.  :-)

    Thanks for snowdrop pix and everyone's news.   Have a good Thursday all.