Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 10 October 2021

HAPPY NEW WEEK! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful and healthy week! 

Please check back to last week's thread to see all of Clare's phenomenal photography from her trip to Mull!!! You won't be sorry!

  • Goodness, didn't know about the fires. Fingers crossed that Annette is not affected.

    Saw the Doc, and yup, she wants me to be referred for more tests - maybe that will get to the bottom of it. We have eliminated a few possibilities. Meanwhile, she's put me on an iron supplement as I'm anaemic.

    Busy throwing stuff in our hallway as we're off to Wales again today....
  • Lindy: I hope they can get a diagnosis and resolve your troubles! Have a good, safe journey today.
  • Morning all:

    Lindybird: Here they're giving booster and flu jabs together, but my niece in the UK says she's been told to wait two weeks in between..... Interesting about the switching between the vaccines - it seems to be up for discussion even between the 'experts.' Here, we're getting the Pfizer booster and the Food & Drug Administration is meeting today I think re the Moderna booster. Meanwhile, hope they can pin down and sort your health issues.. I'm sure your doc must've checked your ears for those crystal bits that get stuck in the canals..... Have a good few days away...

    Diane: Yes, fire started Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. waaay up in the hills that run between the coast and the Santa Ynez Valley. I get 'vegetation fire' alerts and locations on my phone on the Pulsepoint App. By that evening, it had run all the way down to the coast and jumped Highway 101 and the railroad tracks, both still closed. The winds (typical for this time of year) have been very erratic, blowing from several directions and sending the fire back up the hill, then sideways, then down again. It's supposed to run into two recently burned areas on both sides of the current fire where there'll be far less brush to burn, which is 'good' I guess.
    Meanwhile, they evacuated folks from up in the canyons and along the coast (not densely populated) and all large animals have been taken to the showgrounds in Santa Barbara. The winds dropped enough to get the planes and helicopters up and they'll have a couple of good days to dump the retardant and water but we're expecting more strong winds Friday.... Smoke has been moderate here at times, but no ash at this point....

    Must go sort out the world - again! Sigh.

  • Annette: Thanks for replying. I had worked all night, so I was sitting here at 5:00 a.m. this morning when the BBC World Service went off and my National Public Radio began broadcast. They were talking about how big and bad that fire is now. I was concerned when they said it jumped Highway101, because I knew that meant it was now down out of the hills. I hope the firefighters can get a grip on it before the strong winds on Friday. I also hope you won't have trouble breathing. I know you use an inhaler, and it can't be good for you breathing smoke and, worse, the ash. Stay indoors and run an air cleaner if you have one. Get your go-bag ready just in case.
  • Lindy: Have a wonderful time in Wales. And feel better, dang it!!!
  • Diane, do you still have your red tailed hawk pair? It feels like it's been a while since I last asked.

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • We arrived safe & sound after an easy journey: not as much traffic as in the summertime. Its very quiet here and only a few people although more might arrive tomorrow, for the weekend.

    Put a ready made dinner in the oven & put on the heating - now I'm whacked.

    Hope things go well for you and your tight deadline, Diane. Annette, hope the winds blow the right way.
  • LINDY Enjoy Wales and hope you get those tests done soon.
  • LINDA – Glad you are back in Wales. Put your feet up and relax. (When not walking in that gorgeous countryside.)

    We had heavy rain overnight. OH didn’t hear a thing! Airport had almost 17 mm so weeding was easy today but I am convinced the weeds are growing as fast as I pull them out.

    NSW reaches 80% double vaccinated this weekend. Hence restrictions for returning Aussies will be lifted from Nov 1 but only if double jabbed, have negative test and return through Sydney, no quarantine required. Others will still have to quarantine and numbers capped per week. Our state is lagging with vaccinations alas; just over 50%.

  • Someone sent me an email about using vodka for cleaning around the house. . .  It worked! The more vodka I drank, the cleaner the house looked!

    An apple a day keeps the doctor away. . . A lemon a day means you are drinking too much gin!

    Wife to husband:- I didn’t want to waste the good stuff, so I used the oldest bottle in your wine collection for the spaghetti sauce.