Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 28 August 2022

Annette (and anyone who's interested): 

The uncrewed NASA Artemis I mission around the Moon, including the Space Launch System Rocket and Orion spacecraft, is targeting liftoff on Monday, August 29, between 8:33 a.m. Eastern Time and 10:33 a.m. Eastern Time from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This mission has no live crew, but it’s the first step of the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon and eventually land them on Mars. Coverage of this event will be a big production, with celebrities, orchestras, etc., etc.

I love science and I've always been excited about scientific NASA missions, but I don't have much enthusiasm for the U.S. space program these days. Too many of our people are suffering from poverty, hunger, lack of healthcare, inability to find housing, inadequate education, etc. Also, we need to be directing money toward addressing the climate crisis. I'll watch the launch, but I wish the funding would go to our people, instead. It used to be that NASA missions paid for themselves through scientific development and innovation that served people, but I don't think that's true anymore.

INFO HERE

Diane:  I heard that this was somehow related to future Mars flights, but agree the climate crisis should be a top priority.  After all, if we don't figure that out, what's the point....   Oh and thanks - again! - for starting us off.

Meanwhile, the garden is finally getting attention; if all goes well it might look normal by the end of the week.

Have a good week everyone.

Good Morning. Thank you to Diane for starting us off once more and Yes! How can it be the beginning of a new week on here, we've only just had one. I hope you're coping OK and still on Car Search. Perhaps things will get better in that area soon.

We've had News items about the Artemis project, here. Like you, I had mixed feelings. When we witnessed the 1st Moon shots and Moon landings all those years ago, naturally we thought it was just a matter of time before we had a colony up there, or at least a temporary outpost. However, over time it became clear that that would be horrendously expensive not to mention difficult. I agree that money in such quantity should not be spent on such things whilst there is still so much poverty and disease. Its immoral.

The sun is trying to come out, here and it looks a promising day. I hope everyone both in UK and Up Over and Down Under has a good day!

Thank you Diane for starting us off.
Lindy - I love the poster! Enjoy your day by the coast.
Annette - glad you have got some gardening done.
I had a very enjoyable time at golf yesterday and posted a respectable (but not winning) score. My feet ache today because the ground is so hard to walk on at the moment. We had a glass of Prosecco and nibbles at the 9th hole!!!! The afternoon tea was lovely too.
If I can summon up the energy I am going to cut the grass today.
I won’t comment further on the space adventures. I am basically in agreement with the comments which have already been made.
Have a good week everyone.

Not gone to church – can’t tolerate digital services – our intended leader for today is off sick. J has got up and gone to his church. OH had intended a mowing day, but heavy due – high humidity and not much breeze.

LYNETTE – sorry to read yesterday about what happened to Milo – so sorry. I hope Jasper will learn to appreciate his home and settle into life as a house cat!

RUSTY – I hope the golfing ladies’ day went well – and not too tiring in the heat.

LINDA – good photos from Caernarfon – don’t think I’ve ever been there.

DIANE – thanks for the new start – and a new moon already! Thanks for clarifying that, I had wondered why it was so dark last night! Your comments about current space missions echo what I had been saying every day this week – not the only thing, though – plenty of money wasted around the world when billions of people are facing starvation.

ANNETTE – good to see you are getting time for yourself and your garden!

We had wonderful weather yesterday and spent three hours re-organising all the containers on the deck and re-instating the birds’ corner, with a new feeding station. They are very confused now as the old one is round the corner waiting for the cleaning fairy as I have forbidden OH moving dirty feeders! So there is food in three places now (some feeders hang in the willow at the front) but still scope for altercations between the daily flock of starlings and our close friends the wood-pigeons!

Sounds as if you got a lot done, OG. Your birds will soon get used to new arrangements, I'm sure.

Rusty - that is what I call a good round! Prosecco should be served every week, LOL!! Agree that the ground is hard. Our lawn is full of dints and dents and is difficult to walk on at the moment.

I'm sitting outside and laughing at the antics of the children opposite to us - two cute little girls playing nicely. Bonnie just watches with a serious face.

We enjoyed a coffee at our favourite garden centre this morning and I browsed the plants, but came back with bird food, 3 birthday cards, and an artificial tree in a pot

Pic of said tree--- about 15" high (I don't do mm s)

Went out for lunch today. My OH used to work with the manager of the Kings Mills where we had our lunch but he knew he didn't work on Sundays. We sat down at our table and to our surprise the above manager arrived at our table with 2 glasses of prosseco with fresh raspberries. I am not particularly fond of prosseco but still, how kind of him. We both had roast beef and it was quite delicious.

Thanks to DIANE for starting us again. To add my 5 pennyworth on the subject of space travel – Humans have made a mess of this planet; don’t go and mess up another.

PAT – You wrote “This is a great place to 'meet' people you wouldn't come across in your everyday life - long may it thrive!!” I would add that there is always someone to chat to.

Congrats to HEATHER’s Sam & LINDA’s Sue’s g-dau. I’m sure g-parent's genes and the rearing of offspring have contributed to the results.

I was away yesterday on a bus trip, first for nearly 3 years. A lot of new faces and some familiar regulars. Trips have continued throughout pandemic with many not isolating as I did. It was pleasing that most wore masks. We travelled to Kapunda, a former copper mining town, for morning coffee. Although I know the town well (our shopping town when a child), I found plenty in main street to photo, mostly former banks. The bakery that had been on corner site when I was a child & on my last visit, is now a home decor shop (cushions & candles), closed of course. The convenience store of my childhood, which became a supermarket in recent years (with a lovely tiny coffee bar in a corner). . . is now derelict and a new whizbang Foodland has opened the other end of main street. Only one tiny coffee/gift shop open on Sunday morning. Last visit (Aug 2019) I thought the main street was dead. Cor blimey, it was deader than dead yesterday. To be continued

AQ - I am sorry Kapunda rather depressed you. Sadly, a lot of our towns are starting to look like that too. At least you got out on a trip again at last.
Bank Holiday Monday here in Wales. I am having a day at home. Sadly I am going to take my sweet peas down as they have all but finished. Usually they go on into September but, even though I have watered them, I don’t think they had had enough.