Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 22 May 2022

Heather: I absolutely despair of this country. Frankly, if I didn't have any family here, I'd probably spend most of my time back in the UK. It's not perfect anywhere I know, but.....

ANNETTE - I can understand what you are saying.  Last night was the first night in a long time that I didn't listen to the World Service. I just couldn't contemplate hearing the news bulletins every half hour. 

HEATHER - I know exactly what you mean about listening to the news these days.
ANNETTE - The news from Texas is just awful. No wonder you despair. After these events, nothing seems to get done to change things does it?
On the bright side. It is a lovely sunny evening here and I am just about to walk around my garden to see what has popped up or flowered today. By the way, the garden is very small!!! It doesn’t take long!!!!

New hot water heater installed okay; apparently our old one had a lot of corrosion and bunged up outlets; not a healthy condition at all.

I've been avoiding the news for a while now and I'm now refusing to have the news on while I'm preparing or when we're eating dinner.. Have been watching Nature, Nova and the new Lucy Worsley Investigates series... Nova is a science program that now has all kinds of gimmicky effects; I can only conclude to appeal to younger people for whom simple graphics and words alone are not enough. Boy , am I in a cranky mood! :-)

I don’t think you are cranky ANNETTE. I know what you mean about the graphics. I started to watch a programme with Prof Brian Cox and got put off it because of all the CGI and graphics.
I think LINDY and her OH should have reached Norway by now. I do hope the weather is good and that they enjoy the beautiful scenery.

At last we begin to feel we are settling to new ways of doing things, and both feeling better. Garden lady is here right now - she is tweaking the pesky violets from among the paving, while OH is busy mowing around her. I have been able to get started on dead-heading bulbs and top-dressing their pots - but we have had quite a lot of cold wind at times, so I don't stay outside too long. The two cleaners work together well, and are keeping the house clean - which also encourages J and OH to be tidier. We also had the lounge curatains cleaned last week - £172 for the two windows! Adjustamatic technician visited and confirmed that the air pump for the matresses is faulty and will be replaced (under warranty). We are pleased with the new kitchen and dining room carpet but are having them in again next week to deal with the stretching in the hall/corridor carpet.

We recently managed a full day out for the three of us - to a garden centre and nearby deli/foodhall. We enjoyed being relaxed together and had a very good leisurely lunch We are palnning further similar outings. J's work situation (casual list but no hours offered) continues unchanged. He is still receiving physio advice for his knees, and has an endocrinology appointment very soon. Correction: he just told me he has been asked to do one afternoon in the nursery at Lockerbie primary next week! He doesn't normally do nursery, but is on the phone right now to say he will make an exception for such a short session!

OG Everything sounds much more positive for you all. That is so good to know that things are much better.

OG. I too am glad that things are settling down and you are getting into a good routine. Great that you got a day out together.
I have been on a canal trip today. Lots of ducklings, baby moorhens and goslings but, sadly, the kingfisher didn’t appear.

One view from my canal trip today