Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 27 November 2022

OG - I well remember my old nursing tutor in the 60s - when I was doing psychiatric nurse training. He impressed upon us that psychosomatic illness was ' an emotional coat hung upon a physical peg'. He wanted to make sure that we understood that the physical symptoms were very real. He had nursed RAF servicemen who were suffering from the effects of war. I'll never forget the pain on his face as he described how a lot of them were diagnosed as suffering from LMF - ' Lack of moral fibre'. Thank goodness we have moved on from those days...

OG I do hope J is feeling better.

Lindybird:   :-)))

OG:  Not surprised J discouraged by having mat pulled out from under.  World is run by incompetent twits.

Heather: Lack of moral fibre? OMG.  Yes, thank heaven we've moved on from that.....

AQ:  I've tried shouting a weeds, but they don't listen.

Diane:  Is  your weed tree providing a home for critters?

Rusty:  We have giant Chinese Elms around here including one in our front garden and I often see little shoots popping up that need to be pulled out asap because they have very long tap roots compared to what's above ground.  Some neighbors don't seem to recognize the threat....

Off and running this morning.  Parcel that was due to arrive between 11-2 Wednesday was on the doorstep this morning when I got up.   Also received fabric to recover the cushions on the glider in our back garden (a pretty little thing; got it for $25 in a garage sale years ago!) and am taking tatty originals and new fabric to clever lady who will whip up new covers.  This - and other things - were on my list of thing to do back in 2021.   Still on the list:  Hooking up the new router/modem and OH's new speakers which have been sitting in the box for 3 months.   Sigh.    Oh and then there's Christmas...

Your To Do List sounds much like mine, Annette!! I came downstairs full of vim and determination to get on with things this morning, but as the day went by I got discouraged, not least by having a battle with a couple of techy things online!! That took a chunk out of the morning.

Did manage a few more Christmas cards, and a relationship of sorts with the ironing basket!

Wrote a hilarious poem in my head whilst taking my morning shower, but it's now lost forever as by the time I had dried and oiled myself after, the whole thing had disappeared from my memory. Argh.

OG – That school doesn’t deserve any staff. Poor J.

LINDA – Our brand of sticky date pudd claims to serve 8 but they would be tiny.

ANNETTE – How big is your backyard? A glider in it? I visualize one of those things with wings that are towed into the air by a plane……. Must Google. [Later} ah, a chair.

Our Aussie Post has announced Saturday parcel deliveries for next few weeks. They must be busy after the “dark-coloured” Friday sales last week which seem to continue for a week according to some adverts.

Re my war on weeds. Success only in veggie & bulb patches. I made the mistake of looking under the weeping crabapple which is OH’s pride & joy but he has done nothing about the rampant rye grass which has gone to seed. <achoo> Alas he seems to think it is now my territory. <achoo>

I am feeling quite smug, having written & posted my half dozen overseas χmas cards. Now for friends interstate. Nah, plenty of time yet for them.

A sulphur-crested cockatoo story 

and

and how LINDA could travel to the Canaries next trip.

HAPPY ST ANDREWS DAY

Shockingly, its the last day of November already and the countdown to Christmas begins.

AQ - Love the cockatoo!! What a shock, plants flying around everywhere!

Saw the horrific picture of the migrants - can't work out how they managed it, they would get too thirsty!

Misty here but not as bad as yesterday. Housework beckons again. OH is still tidying up the allotment- he gets a lot of leaves there due to overhanging trees nearby.

Hi all. Just started to read all the news that's been happening.

OG - It's the same with most schools, budgets won't allow more staff even though they need them. The school my daughter is at as a TA really requires more staff but they can't afford it. Dau deals on a one to one basis with children who have special needs. If a staff member is ill they just have to cope as best they can which in most cases they do but at times it can be stressful. Do understand it must be distressing for J not to get his 5 days.

Diane - thanks for opening again. Lovely to hear about the wrens and the deer and pleased to hear that they seem well fed for the winter months,.

Lindy - love the English words descriptions.

OG - please don't be too hard on the schools. They have a difficult job balancing their budgets and often TA's are left in charge of a class, although rarely , particularly if staff are off sick. Dau's school is practising for their Christmas play and today have a craft day where they make Christmas decs for their classrooms..

Had a hospital appointment at the chest clinic yesterday, all fine but being referred to Leicester where they have a specific sleep clinic so that I can be fitted with a device to use at night as I have been diagnosed with mild/moderate sleep apnea. Also have a podiatry appointment at a local hospital in Dec re numbness in my feet due to possible diabetes. Its all go but am getting there. We have now done a reply to the hospital's long letter re my late husbands care and will await a reply, hopefully an apology for getting it wrong right at the beginning. Pigs might fly, still I live in hope. If no joy will have to try and put it behind me and eventually move on. Been a difficult year so far but getting there.

Weather has been foggy and damp although today it is brighter with blue sky around.


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