Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 6 June 2021

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY SOLAR ECLIPSE!

I hope everyone has a fun and joyful week!

The Cicadas are now singing their high-pitched, rattle-screeching song from all the trees on my patch. The noise is overwhelming! I've been turning the radio up indoors, because the ebb-and-flow of their continuous screaming becomes mind-numbing. I revere all Earth's creatures, but I'm glad these critters only visit every 17 years.

On Thursday, 10 June, a rare Ring-of-Fire Solar Eclipse will occur. Most people won't be able to see the full eclipse with the fiery ring live, but you can watch a partial eclipse if you go outdoors. The partial eclipse is visible in the U.K. I will see part of the partial. Bjane will see a short partial eclipse. Annette and AQ won't be able to see the eclipse at all, unless you watch it online. 

Insert the name of your nearest town/city in the Eclipse Lookup box on this page for the eclipse times and visibility in your location. The page also provides info about this eclipse. The website, Time and Date, is safe.

You can watch a live stream of the full RING-of-FIRE Eclipse online HERE. Also at Time and Date.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that you'll need eye protection if you watch this week's solar eclipse. I'm sure most folks know that eye protection is required for any solar eclipse, but this is a public forum and I felt a responsibility to include the warning.

  • dibnlib: That's lovely and such a nice colour!
  • Thanks Diane

    We have just been to our favourite restaurant in town for the first time in 17 months. It was as good as we remembered.
  • Morning all:

    Diane: No, I heard it here first!!  Must remember to check your LG posts for late-breaking news from California.  :-))   I also suspect it was some kind of military test because, yes, there are many such installations in that area.  Interesting that it was the third this year..... Maybe something went wrong?  Or not.  Regardless, I wouldn't expect anyone in the army, navy, etc., to admit to anything.

    Heather:  I too get tired when I'm surrounded by constant chat and bustle and usually have an escape plan set up in advance.  Before I was married, I always drove my own car places so I could leave when I was ready.  Daughter is the same way.  When the entire family is here, grandson, who already has a good set of lungs, gets louder and jollier as the visit progresses, which raises the bar for everyone else.  I've found the bathroom a good place to go shut the door and take a few minutes out. :-))   Meanwhile, OH has an amazing capacity to absorb it all without any apparent negative affects.

    dibnlib:  Lovely azaleas.  Too bad the other one wouldn't load; maybe too large an image?  You can resize with photo software.....

    We went out to dinner last night.  We usually try to keep it to Tuesdays or Wednesdays to avoid more crowded evenings, but seems like many people had the same idea last evening. The restaurant was still holding at 25% capacity, even though 50% is now allowed.  They explained it by saying they'd moved many of their tables outside to accommodate the 6'-apart rule which was more difficult inside.   So there was a wait - and then another wait once seated while they printed more menus because they're not handing out the bound ones. We ended up scanning one of those black and white QR code thingies, which (I just read) stands for Quick Response that when scanned by a smart phone, converts the image to something that makes sense (in this case the menu).  I asked our waitress if they were recycling the paper ones and she said No, even though she'd tried to 'organize' it with management.  Not pleased to hear that, so we brought our paper menu home for future reference and/or recycle.  Anyway, food was wonderful when we finally got it.  

  • I see more and more of you are braving restaurant dinners.

    Covid figures have risen slightly here in D+G, but caused mainly in the district of Upper Nithsdale - other side of Dumfries.

    All like the new kettle! Dreich day here today - only a slight shower at about 5:30. but dark and humid, despite the breeze.

    Had a letter from GD#2 - she failed an essay for the second time and that means she failed her course! She is appealing, but currently banned from uni and practice! She has been through so much to try to follow her desire to be a midwife, and had so much disruption by covid and various uni v NHS arguments. Feeling very sad for her.

    Got a few things done today, but very tired.
  • Nice that you managed your favourite restaurant, Dibnlib:Lovely azalea!! What a colour!

    Heather: I'm the same now, I find it difficult to be in a noisy group. I never did like to be with anyone "shouty" and unfortunately a couple of my OHs relatives always seem to shout at each other rather than just talk.

    OG - Good that the kettle is a success, let's hope it looks good in the kitchen when all is finally done. Sorry about your G'daughter. She must be disappointed.

    Annette, Hope you enjoyed your meal. We are offered paper menus now & I assumed that they were recycled.

  • Our archway is now resplendent with the climbing rose. 

  • Mixed up with the roses, at the base of the archway, is a clematis we put in a couple of years ago. 

  • These are past their best now but have lasted well.

  • AQ - that mouse plague, they want someone like the Pied Piper of Hamilin to herd the mice and lure them to a humane death. Hopefully a solution can be found as to how to tackle the situation.

    Dibnlib - love the pic of the Azalea. Lindybird - and your pics of your flowering shrubs etc., lovely to see nature blooming.
  • OG - talking of restaurant dinners we have booked for Father's Day at my OH's favourite Carvery, we have to travel over 30 mins to get to it but find its worth it.

    Lindybird - I know what you mean about knees and stairs. I find I have to come down one at a time but can manage to go up as normal but with pain, however I had a cortisone injection on Wed and there has been some improvement on the pain level. I still feel it when climbing stiars but finding I can walk virtually normally now and not having constant pain. What helps as well is that we have a downstairs loo so try to only go up stairs when going to bed..

    Looking at all your flower pics, brother and partner gave me an Amarylis for Christmas which we picked up last week when we visited, it had already started sprouting but looked sorry for itself. Got it home, planted it properly in the pot provided and a good watering and it has blossomed. Very pleased.