Weekly Chat, Sunday December 12, 2010

Morning all: Quick pop in to post link of vertical rainbow aka sundogs as we call them, posted on our local news site.  http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=44942

Diane:  What a nice story - and what's wrong with bringing a goose in out of the cold?  (Just don't pop him in the oven). Re OG's comment about six geese a-laying, maybe you'd prefer "seven swans a-swimming," "nine ladies...." or "ten lords...."  Or just the partridge?  Sorry, but I consider all young men "questionable."  :-)

OG:  Missed your post yesterday; sorry you were feeling down and hope things are better today.  Interesting possibility for son; hadn't heard about that but if it helps, so much the better.  My daughter has a couple of chronic (but not dangerous) conditions that pop up every now and then just to keep us all anxious!  :-)    (As someone used to say, "It's all part of life's rich tapestry."  Thanks, but I wouldn't mind something a little less complex.)   Glad electrician arrived and job now completed. Frankly, I think solar power should be the law here in SoCal. Good for you!  Glad to hear you're now feeling better.

Lindybird: Digestives and Crunchie bars will stay in garage until family arrives; have lost a few pounds and don't intend to gain them back before Christmas.

dibnlib: Lovely pix of waxwings.

Brenda: The secret to coping with ironing is to have a good movie on the telly - I find Casablanca perfect ironing fodder. Have tried talking to friends while I iron, but tend to drop the phone....

Alan: Good that Hamish now ready for his closeup with groomer.  I suspect he prefers the vet coz he feels he's being taken more seriously than at the beauty shop.  Obviously a  dog with gravitas. 

"Pineapple Express" has now arrived, sans pineapples, but gentle sprinkles that are due to get heavy and blustery as the weekend progresses.   Take care all.

Hi, all. I saw a beautiful big red-tailed hawk when I was out this morning. Three crows were not so pleased with his visit and were very agitated. They were cawing madly to summon their brethren -- probably to mob the hawk -- but they failed and the hawk flew silently over the ridge. I couldn't get the wheely bins through the snow this morning, so I just carried the garbage bags up the lane for pickup. My muscles were complaining by the time I got through the snow. Somehow, I'm not as young as I used to be! When did that happen?!?!

I'm officially snowed in now. I've got about 8 inches of snow on the ground in my lane. I did see a car come down the highway, so I could probably get through on the roads if I could get my car up there, but have no intention of trying. I'm not even going to have the lane plowed, because I don't want to go anywhere anyway, and I don't want to encourage visitors. I'm happy to be snowed in. :-)

Annette and OG: I'd like the seven swans a-swimming and the partridge, but my house is kind of small for all those lords and ladies. LOL I've been a vegetarian for 10 years, so no danger of popping a goose into the oven here. :-) That's a lovely sundog pic, Annette. 

Patriciat: I read that you have dangerous weather there. Do be careful. In sympathy with your doggy, I think I'd also be a little nervous if strangers suddenly pointed a great big hair dryer at my neck and  "nether regions". LOL LOL LOL

Alan: So glad that Hamish the Brave got the okay at the vet. Wonderful.     dibnlib: Those waxwings are fabulous!!! We have cedar waxwings here, but I rarely see them.      ValC: Lucky you to see all those waxwings. Lovely experience.    WendyB: Sounds like shopping was a challenge in your weather. Take care up there in the snow.     jsb: Hilarious link!     Alicat: Loved the pic of Casper! So sweet!!!

Lindy: Thanks for your kind words to me. I'm glad your packages arrived. I've been getting packages delivered in remarkably fast time, despite the weather, although I'm glad I don't have anymore due now. I prefer to do all my shopping online -- except for groceries and supplies. Hate to shop in the stores; can't get out of there fast enough. I loved your pic of the palm trees. Beautiful!

Big hello to Brenda, Gary, Lynette, AQ, Margo, and everybody! I won't bother you nice folks again today. I'm going to clean my kitchen before the microbes evolve and try to take over the house and then the universe. G'night from the frozen prairie.

OG - I hope you are feeling better by now. Re g-chn, I said my piece (briefly) when Dau1 rang on her return and I haven’t heard anything since. Actually she did say "See you at the weekend". But when we visited m-i-l on Sunday, Dau had already been & gone. I was/am a bit peeved.

Diane - Birds & animals continue to amaze. They are smarter than we think. We all need a Humphrey at times.

jsb - We have been getting "spam" phone calls to warn us that "your computer has a virus" Oh yeah! Last call she said she was Angela & began her spiel. I asked could she hold the line. "Oh yes" she said brightly. I left her for 30 secs & pressed the OFF button!!!! I have been kicking myself ever since that I missed my chance to say "Hi Angela. Haven’t heard from you for a while. How was your holiday?" and to continue asking about her relationship, her family, her Xmas plans, anything - without a break and answering my own questions before hanging up. (BTW All imaginary, I don’t have a friend Angela.)

The frozen lighthouse pic made it into our daily paper, along with more gloomy reports of delivery problems in UK. I woke this morn intending to clean windows of family room. No, the sun was shining directly on them - leave til later. Now it is raining. That’s no excuse because those windows are under the verandah. They are the most important ‘cos they are the ones everyone can see through while seated for C-mas lunch. Oh dear, I’ve just seen the weather forecast for Xmas Day, 33 C. Too hot for one slaving over a hot stove. Let’s hope they’ve got it wrong.

Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way.

A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on. The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions. Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

Done what we needed to – both tired, but pleased with our day.  Never know what time Dau#1, SiL and GDaus will arrive – supposed to be here for lunch and dinner.  Intending to take them out in afternoon.  Forecast is bright but cold all weekend.  Thanks for all the messages about my peely wally day yesterday!  Road white-liners reappeared at lunchtime and painted arrows around the roundabout – people seem to be taking a much better line with them there!

Lindy – I love your reply to survey cold-calling!  I had a prolonged telephone “discussion” with accountant from solar firm about paying the final instalment when we don’t yet have the paperwork for the installation and the feed-in tariff!  OH was listening, and I think he was quite impressed when I won!!

Diane – I soooo loved your Canada Goose story!!  I had a feeling you might want to take a Goose (or Geese) inside in cold weather!!  When I saw your post about taking out the rubbish/garbage, I said to OH “oh, they have Wheelie Bins in Indiana!” – don’t know what I expected you to call them but wheelie bin seems so “British”!  Do take care while you are snowed in on the frozen prairie – don’t get too carried away with hard work and damage your back again.  I hope you found some interesting radio to listen to while cleaning your kitchen.

Lynette – I hope the Carol Concert went well tonight and that your throat held up throughout.

Wendy – strange the difference it can make crossing the river – Son said they only had about an inch in Grantown!  Pleased you got to Elgin and back safely – and without OH disgracing himself in any shops!

Annette – will explain Son’s potential treatment some time when less rushed.  Don’t get blown/washed away by the Pineapple Express!

AQ – We also get those phonecalls about “computer viruses” – I like to keep them on the line a while, talking rubbish, just so it costs them!  Copied Jingle Bells ‘Elf and Safety advice to Son – just something for him on Saturday which is a blank day for him.

AQ How amazing - I received an email ffrom a friend earlier today which had an attachment including the 'Jingle Bells' instructions you posted.  It also had instructions for a number of other carols - I'll post them here if  you haven't seen them.  They brightened my day!

Diane Sorry you are snowed in.  i hope you have plenty of food stocks and a means of keeping warm.  Do take care.

We had a 'red' severe weather warning for our area this evening, for further heavy snow.  So far, nothing has developed.  My car normally sits out on the road as the driveway is steep and narrow.  With the guidance and assistance of my neighbour, who had just got his wife's car into their driveway, I managed to get ours off the road and it will stay where it is until conditions improve..

Well, the Carol Concert went very well.   Although it was freezing we were given mulled wine to start with and that really helped.  Voice held up and all the young adults who attend the Nursery Farm really enjoyed it, they had brought their families and friends along.   We had two lads who did their best to conduct us and eventually two of the young adults decided to come and join us in the choir and sang along with us all. Hot soup and turkey rolls with cranberry sauce and stuffing to follow.  I just had soup as I'm not keen on turkey.

Been very cold here and it was cold as we came away but no sign of any snow yet. It looks as though its all go for our Nottingham trip tomorrow unless we wake up to ??? inches of snow but the weather forecast for this part of the world seems to be missing most of the snow???

I do feel for you up in Scotland, I believe its the Aberdeen area who have had it bad plus N.Ireland and Wales, with more to come overnight and spreading into the Home Counties and the Southern end of our region by tomorrow.

Keep warm everybody, hope all the pending Carol Concerts go off alright and enjoy yourselves.

Aqualarine wrote. "Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way.

A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on. The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions. Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance"

It sounds to me very like our Health and Safety Laws going a bit too far and stopping people from enjoying themselves.

Patriciat & Lynette - The C-mas carol "jokes" seem to be going around the email world. I do have others and I was going to post one a day. But Patriciat you are welcome to post them if you wish.

Windows cleaned. At lunch OH said how nice it was to look out through them. I have made a list for "things to do" on which days next week - food shopping, baking, finding serving dishes, glasses, etc, etc, etc. Curious I have managed one day free for myself . . .

Still horribly disoganized here: Sorted through linen closet two days ago and realized I'm lacking pillows and a couple of blankets for houseguests next week (two dear friends - one from Sacramento and the other currently living in Kansas City) who will be staying with us Monday and Tuesday nights while visiting their families in LA fr Christmas. The three of us lived in Long Beach and worked together back in the 70s and 80s and used to go out to breakfast regularly before Carol got a job with the Kansas City Star and Barbara moved to Sacramento for a promotion within our company.  Will be soooo nice to get together for girlish natters - OH has been warned in advance to not expect much in the way of peace and quiet!   They both leave Wednesday afternoon, which leaves Thursday to clean, change sheets and towels, and get house ready for family on Friday.  Oro is also staying overnight Christmas Eve, although OH doesn't know yet, which means Lightning will be at "spa" for a couple of nights.  Poor Lightning - no room at the doggie inn, but got last vacancy in feline section.  Anyway, bustled off and got bed linen;now making serious list of what to buy for Christmas food-wise.

Diane: Hope you've got a lot of yummy things to eat while you're snowbound. What are you doing to do for Christmas? Sounds like it might be quiet and contemplative this year.....

Lynette: So glad your carol concert went well!

AQ:  Difficult to know how to deal with kids, their kids, etc.  Don't like to think of you feeling peeved  - having been there myself quite a few times.  I'm sure Dau. appreciates all you did for her; maybe she's a little stressed out.  Things will get sorted out.  In the meantime, do something nice for yourself!

Just started a load of laundry - ironing is taking over entire house; also have made no headway wrapping gifts!!  Now too tired to start tonight; just want to fall into bed....

Take care all; do hope weather isn't too awful. Hate to think of people's Christmas plans get blown away by bad weather.