Weekly Chat (non-osprey) Sunday, July 17 2022

OMG I just wrote a long post and then clicked off the page and lost it! Arghhh. So in a nutshell, sister is at home with a hospice team in place, but my BiL and niece are completely exhausted, physically and emotionally. There's no telling how long this situation will last. It's very very difficult for them and I felt awful leaving them in such an unresolved and wretched state. Meanwhile, thank you everyone for all your kind thoughts and concern, but I'm reading back and it seems like several folks are having issues of one kind or another and I hope all those will resolve in a good way soon.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering what has happened to Diane?  EDIT:  Hurray!  There you are.  Hope your computer will start behaving soon.  How frustrating for you!    I haven't been able to get my printer to behave since I  came back home; i've tried all the usual solutions, but no luck so far.

Annette: I've used prayer and profanity tonight. Not necessarily in that order. LOL

I'm so very sorry about your sister and family. Caregiving is so difficult physically and emotionally.

ANNETTE – Thank you for starting us. Sounds like your Sis has good care and her family will be able to relax a little & “catch their breath”. How is your neglected OH?

DIANE – I wondered whether you were busy or are just too hot. Maybe the heat has affected your computer? As it does mine.

I did go to real church this morn but was sorry I did as I heard so much coughing. At least there were less people than usual. I think I shall return to live streaming next few weeks. Covid numbers are expected to reach a 3rd peak very soon with the BA4 & 5 variants spreading. Restrictions continue to be slight; masks optional (& few are bothering), lots of travelling because it’s school holidays and most people believe either that the pandemic is over or that we "have to live with it". Hospitals are overfull with covid, flu & respiratory disease and the new govts just bleat and blame previous. Ho hum.  

Just a thought

Another day, another variant. (t shirt message)

 The community has moved on from covid-19, but covid-19 has not moved on from the community: It has dug in. (Michelle Grattan)

Good Morning. Many thanks to Annette for starting us off, especially when she has so much going on in her life. Diane - sympathies on your techy problems (I can hear the swearywords from here across the ocean!!)

Annette, our thoughts are with you and your family. I'm glad that at least, your sister is now at home, after all the efforts to get her there.

AQ - Perhaps best to avoid the coughing, if its rife there. Here, people are now acting as if it's over & there are very few masks about. We stopped wearing ours as we felt conspicuous! But folks we know who are vulnerable medically are still scared, and quite rightly, too. There's a lot of covid about. :-(

All preparing here for our 3 Very Hot Days. Temperature records look to be broken for the UK. Ugh.

Our  crocosmia are enjoying the sun.

LINDA – Everyone was masked at church even though not mandatory. We still wear ours everywhere indoors, as a warning to other that I am “vulnerable”. Don’t think you can’t catch covid again – the new variants are misbehaving. I sympathise with your high temps. I was in London when it was 32 C and very high humidity. It was unbearable. Drink lots, stay in shade and hibernate. Wrong word but you know what I mean. It is 13 C here late afternoon, going down to 6 overnight. Does that make you feel worse?

We know that covid can be caught twice. In fact, we heard of friends of friends who've had it more than once.

It's only about 22 degrees here so far. Plenty of time for it to warm up, though! Just sat in the garden with a drink and there's still a breeze. I've shut all the windows except one, in our cool lounge area

I hope everyone in UK has a bearable day. My Eldest said he heard that one wheeze to escape for a couple of hours is to go to the cinema, where there is air con!

Good morning on Sunday. Saturday was “busy” (in my terms) – more gardening accomplished by both of us. Weather remained hot, even through showers early this morning – now hotter still. We are wearing sleeves and hats to protect from UV, with the lightest clothes. Have sent E-E to spray weeds under the ramp since there is less breeze today (only way to reach them and gardener didn’t even try (still haven’t heard from her since June)), so he also has instructions re mask and gloves. J has gone to his church,

RUSTY and PAT – surprised at your remarks re Tebay northbound – the accessible loo there has been disgusting (more like an outside pub toilet in the 1960s), but they do seem to have slightly improved it now.

LINDY – sorry there are still doubts re your OH’s health.

DIBNLIB – adding to praise of St Andrews – fantastic Botanic Garden – but it does need a real café! There is a superb garden centre café at Cupar.

ROSY – I look around my house and get itchy fingers to start flinging – by no means minimalist! I hope your OH will improve, and you will have a smooth move. How cruel for people to complain about the ambulance interfering with car parking – people seem to have no respect.

ANNETTE – thanks for starting us off this week. Don’t feel bad that you had to return home from Lincolnshire – the important thing was that you responded to the situation when the scenario worsened, and you could not foresee the current situation. You seem to be the “go-to” person for all your family near and far, but you can’t be here and there all the time. Does your sister realise the physical and emotional weight on her OH and Daughter’s shoulders having her at home?

DIANE – sorry about computer tech problems.

Need to find out how OH is getting on out there – been a long time! Will use intercom on the phone.