Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 5 September 2021

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. (Joseph Addison)

If a book about failures doesn’t sell, is it a success? (Jerry Seinfeld)

If you can read this, I’ve lost my backpack. (t shirt)

PAT O Hope your journey continues without too much trouble. I can't remember how far north you are driving but think you will have found the roads no problem and so much quieter than a fortnight ago. Hope all goes well.

About to leave Lichfield - which has been lovely for an overnight stop - and on to Morpeth, Northumberland for tonight. Then on to Perth tomorrow. A couple of days there, including my dear friend's memorial service on Saturday, the reason for my trip, and then heading south and home again. A flying visit, but I'm making the most of the stop-overs.

Sounds very sensible, Pat.

Bonnie is slightly subdued, so I have to guess that my OH read The Riot Act out to her after her morning antics.

Been out for bits of this & that. It's still surprisingly warm, and the sun is trying to come out, so I have filled my line with towels. Always a problem to dry if it's not good weather, but I resolutely refuse to use our tumble drier in summer. Sue came around to borrow some books, and yup -- she came whilst I was out! Good job I left them in the porch. She and my OH are both Jack Reacher fans (by Lee Child).

PAT – I don’t think you have the right week for sleeveless tops – hope you have other layers with you. We had fine drizzle early and a shower of real rain at lunchtime – still warm but getting worse for weekend. You will like Morpeth. Hope the service in Perth goes as well as such things can. Are you travelling the same route southward to get home next week?

LINDA – sorry Bonnie had a naughty start to the day – but I think you must be tired of my opinion on dogs off the lead. I wonder what your OH said to make her noticeably repentant.

I went tor a car-ride this morning! We weren’t sure about me having a long morning home alone, so I went in the car for OH to be able to look after my needs. J was first in for the MRI, and it was without the contrast injection, so very quick. He came out to the atrium to find us sharing a sandwich, so then had to have a second breakfast himself – fried egg and tattie scone! The road wasn’t too bad and we were home before 10:30. The nurse came this afternoon as expected and has decided to leave off the dressings on the worst sore and I shall just treat it with barrier cream. I have spare dressings if we have an emergency, and they will return next Thursday to assess progress, but we can phone if needed.

We really want to get out sometime, to buy my Tulip bulbs – prefer to plant in late August but haven’t been anywhere yet.

Good that you were able to get out, OG. It probably made you tired as you're not used to the excitement, even though it was not exactly a prime destination! Good too, that Js MRI scan was so quick.

Bonnie is unused to being told off in strong terms, and she adores my OH, so was probably in shock by the time I came downstairs! But of course, being a dog, she will have forgotten all about it by now. We deliberately take her to places where she can be off lead as dogs like her can run for ten miles without being tired, and as we can't, ourselves, we have to hope that she does a lot of back & forth. Here, there are no cattle nor any animals except the odd fox or rabbit. We always feel sorry for dogs we see being dragged along or held at length by leads when its not a natural thing for a dog, they need to run about.

By the way, yesterday in M&S they were selling Christmas puds! And today, in our local supermarket ---- mince pies!!

I will have to hold off buying any as my OH loves them and would eat far to many if we had them in the house permanently, so I try to ration him.

The big tubs of Roses and Quality Street have appeared in our local Morrisons .......... sigh.

OG - Sadly, I have nothing that is warm or waterproof with me. Just one t-shirt with short sleeves - which is not very formal as it's covered in The Cats of Greece - cartoon cats with all sorts of expressions! Everything else is sleeveless - I left Sussex in a heat wave! I have a 'formal' jacket for the service on Saturday - that may have to be used at other times as well. Whatever was I thinking - or not thinking? I've been coming up to Scotland for years ... Not decided my homeward route yet. The plan was to get to Perth in a reasonable state for the service, so making my way quite gently. Although 200 miles today didn't feel particularly gentle! It doesn't matter if I arrive home exhausted - so it will probably be a quicker trip!

Christmas puddings and tubs of chocolates ... help! Although I have to confess I have been buying Hot Cross Buns in Aldi ... previously I have only ever eaten them on Good Friday. But they are sooo good ...