Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 9 January 2022

AQ: The Supreme Court, which now has a conservative majority, okayed vaccine mandates for health-care workers whose employers receive federal government funding, but neither vaccines nor tests for employees of large companies. I love your idea of sending politicians to help out in hospitals. Congrats to trio; ice cream is a great way to celebrate.

" ice cream is a great way to celebrate." - especially in our rather-too-warm and humid weather.

I must lodge a complaint - I  didn't any treats with my jabs.

Just lost everything I wrote so far..... grrr.

Good Morning. Only 1 degree here so looks like another cold day.

Annette, P. Andrew can still style himself "Prince" simply because he is the son of HM the Queen, but cannot now use his HRH in any way, although apparently he is technically still an HRH. I suspect that Prince Charles has been angling for this decision for a long time, in order to protect the monarchy for the future. Oh! Our BBC News is on TV now, and they just called him "The Duke of York!!" A bit different and not quite how our newspapers have styled him as "Air Miles Andy" for many years, since he used to gad about the world, supposedly on UK business, as a privilege.

AQ - I was led to believe that ice cream makes you hotter as it contains calories, even though initially its cold. Doesn't put me off eating it in the garden in summer, though.

I read about poodles years ago - apparently although they look cute & delicate, they were raised as hunting dogs in parts of Europe.

Rosy, glad to hear that you're getting to grips with the managing of the communal gardens. I remember your problems with it in the past. Are you going to have to find another gardener?

My sister came up with a good idea today - put Boris, Djokovic and Prince Andrew in a room together and listen to the conversation. Hmmm ... think I might misplace the key ...

Brilliant idea Pat!

Lindy, Yes, good memory (about the gardener). I wandered if everyone would wonder what I was talking about.

I have found another gardener purely by chance. A friend had a patio build and was impressed by the way the company worked. I discovered that there was also a maintenance section, so I contacted them.
All set now to start work in March. The manager emailed me today to say they were "looking forward to getting their teeth stuck into our garden". That amused me. I am sure our mud tastes delicious!

It has all turned out well in the end, although I had a sleepless night before the conversation with the present gardener,
but I need not have worried so much.

Great to hear it, Rosy!! Not easy, getting anyone to do anything these difficult days. Good luck with the new arrangements.

We went on a jaunt, buying M&S food on a motorway Services area (they shut our nearest M&S, boo hoo....), then going to a garden centre for coffees where I couldn't resist their slice of cake covered in a thin layer of jam & sprinkled with coconut. It was something my mother used to do over 65 years ago so I guess that's how long it's been since I tasted it.... yum. My OH bought a whole rainbow of seeds ready for springtime, & I managed to resist the houseplants & Sale items, hooray! Also got some copies made of some of the photos of family last Christmas, which is already becoming just a memory. Hoping to frame a couple of them.

Lindybird:  Surely that info about ice cream making you hotter due to the calorie content is fake news of the worst kind.  :-))    I'm assuming Andrew won't be confused with The Grand Old Duke of York. :-)  Somebody will probably now come up with a rude ditty to go along with the tune.

PatO:  I suggest adding The Orange Menace and Vladimir to that gathering and never mind losing the key; just toss it in the ocean.  Meanwhile, the Queen must be banging her head against the wall what with Boris and Andrew.   Now I see that Djokovic may be on his way home....  

Rosy:  Good you got things sorted out re the garden.

Did some minor tidy up in the garden yesterday and it already looks better.....

Hope Diane is okay....

Annette - re Andrew --- there are already many many awful ditties & pics doing the rounds......