Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 3 April 2022

A close up of the famously checkerboard flowers.

Lindybird - glad you managed to get into see your dentist. Dau and I have our annual checkup next week, I booked this ages ago so at least we are being seen. Hopefully no treatment required but I'm sure my 3years without needing treatment will soon be over, who knows!! Just seen your pics of your blooming plants - gorgeous.

Well, the fitters finally turned up at 10,15am after I got up at 7.40 to be down for 8am. They did the job in about 3 hours and it looks great. Mind you it has made the room darker but that is only to be expected. Once I get the new furninture in it should look really nice. Just have to finish the garden but my gardner has problems with his staff off with Covid. Oh well, it will happen eventually.

LINDA – Good to see your family photos & put faces to names. Teenage symptoms at 11? !!! [Later] Not good that you still have aftermath of covid. I muttered “no sanitizer” as I came out of bank. A passing man said “no worries”, I’ve had covid, it’s just a bad cold”. Huh, lucky him. Some people are not so lucky. Good luck with getting teeth fixed.

OG – I can see you regally, or do I mean feudally, sitting in your garden directing your “slaves”. Yes, our weather is enjoyable now. [Later] Too bad your renovations are delayed. Covid to blame again.

HEATHER – Authorities have only this week announced 4th jabs for over-65s and immuno people. They are saying to wait 4 months after 3^rd. I only had that end of January & OH early of March.

RUSTY – Welcome. It is good to “see” new faces. I’m not sure if there are any others from DownUnder (I remember Wattle) but I do find reading the chatter from UpOver expands my understanding of our world. Of course, the encouragement when down or in poor health is great.

HARELADY – Lots of visiting. You must be so pleased to catch up with everyone.

ANNETTE – Do the new eyes mean you will see the dust-bunnies better?

LYNETTE – Keeping busy I see with making over your conservatory. I do wonder - what is the difference between a conservatory & a garden room?

DIANE – You definitely need a hard hat to go walking! Or spray-on vulture repellant.

Yesterday I had major dental repairs. A temp crown fitted until real one ready. Delays due covid of course. Cost of 2-year management plan horrendous. Maybe he is planning to send his child to a posh school! On the other hand, I am not spending any money on bus trips. <sigh> For lunch I found some ancient cup-o-soup and then slept for 2 hours, waking just before OH came home. So much for the Things-To-Do List when he is not underfoot!

No one takes temps anymore. They just ask if one has symptoms. Authorities suggesting that covid close contacts don’t need to quarantine. Also they expect to remove mask mandate April 14. Just in time for everyone to celebrate (ie spread covid) over Easter and the following 2 weeks school holidays. All the holiday spots are booked out. We are not going anywhere. Maybe I should think about a special meal to mark the occasion.

AQ: When I saw my eye doc for the post-op he said successful surgery meant people would see more dust and - arghhh - more wrinkles. It's true. Re dental work, Ms. D had braces but now needs lots of very expensive work to correct an overbite. Sigh. I could have some cosmetic-type work on two fillings dating from the year dot, but at my age I don't think the return on investment makes it worthwhile. :-)

ANNETTE – I told my dentist that I was not interested in cosmetic corrections. Unfortunately a few teeth or old fillings are now in danger of falling apart. My poor dental state is due to a shonky dentist when I was a child. A pity he hadn’t passed on sooner.

Good Morning. Must rush, don't want to be late for my appointment.

AQ - See that you're going through the same. Teeth are such a bore! Hope your dental work is helpful to you. I didn't take much care of my teeth in my teenage years after bad experiences with dreadful school dentists.

Lynette, Good that all your work on the conservatory is finished already. You can sit back and enjoy it, with the new furniture.

LINDA Yes, I blame school dentists too. Ours wouldn't numb you up unless it was an extraction. Thank goodness for my wonderful RAF dentist who, when I was 18 and my teeth were a dreadful mess gave me the confidence to get my teeth repaired. I haven't looked back.

I'm not sure that the school dentists were fully qualified in those days ( in my case just a few years post war). Somewhere in the back of my brain I seem to remember that. I'm overdue checks for teeth and eyes....
OG - I'm relieved that the dreadful week was about carpets and furniture, not health issues. I hope that you are successful in your efforts to get a good cleaner. My Welsh friend has a ' treasure'. She is German and very efficient :-) However, she only seems to vacuum carpets, clean all the hard floors etc plus dusting. I'd be a lot keener if someone would keep my fridge and oven sparkling !
LYNETTE - The conservatory here should really be called a garden room as it has the traditional roof - but it is lined in wood and roof tiled. However it isn't on the central heating system and thus doesn't cope with Scottish winters, even with double glazing etc. I keep it closed off from October until Spring. I'm so glad that everything is coming along well at your place.
ANNETTE - I haven't a scoobie whether I have cataracts or not but if it means that I could see more dust.....
My brother has been told that he has a kidney tumour. Found by accident, no symptoms. The poor man is only 72 and I'm so upset for him. It's only a year and a half since he had a stroke. Anyway, the healthcare system in France is extremely good and fast, so I expect to hear quite soon that he is booked in for surgery.

LINDY - we had fritillaries once upon a time, your picture reminded me. Where are they now, I wonder !