Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 4 December 2022

Thanks for your news and hope all are well, or if not, improving. Best of luck dealing with those issues which are causing you stress.
Loving the chat about language. I just had to google AQ's poem (thanks AQ!) because I was certain I had seen it many years ago. Here is one of the links which came up and it has a bit of history of the poem: www.worldwidewords.org/.../ar-eng1.htm

Morning all:

AQ: You'd be so welcome!

Heather: This year I'm sending cards; last year practically nothing, but did send the year before.  It depends on how much mental energy I have!  :-)

Harelady:  So sorry to hear of family worries; I think we all know how difficult that can be as we want our kids and other family members just to be happy....   So a busy Christmas on the roads for you - and New Year's too. My niece from the UK will be here for the latter.  I can't remember the last time I stayed up to ring it in, but I do that  this year just to make sure 2022 is well and truly gone!  :-)  Take care.

Rusty: Whereabout in AZ have your friends landed?  Or do I remember you mentioning Phoenix....?  Hope the cold will soon have run its course.

Gardenbirder:  Thanks for the history behind the poem - I think AQ's version tripped off the tongue more easily.  :-)

Annette.  My friends are just outside Gilbert AZ in a gated community. I visited in 2919. Extremely different from here in North Wales, but I loved the desert and the saguaro cactus. We played golf 3 times a week too.

Rusty: Oh right - that area a great place for Snowbirds. The desert is lovely in winter and - surprisingly - in summer, which if when they get the really heavy monsoon storms that can turn the desert floor so green!

HARELADY – I feel for your Sister. My OH has Parkinsons – it’s not the shaking so much as the cognitive loss that is difficult. Sending {{{HUGS}}} to you & Sister.

HEATHER & RUSTY – Sometimes you can be lucky with mail. According to date stamp on envelope, a friend posted me a card in England on Friday 25 Nov. I received it on Tuesday 29 Nov!!! Amazing and I assume as usual it was security checked (dogs, xray, etc) in Sydney on arrival.

GARDENBIRDER – Thank you for the poem link & history. Years ago I collected all sorts of “stuff”. I should really delete and unclutter my computer but who knows when I may want it again?!

I posted my interstate χmas cards yesterday, a mere “count on one hand” number. One, alas, to a friend who lives in a town which has had to evacuate due to floods. I wondered whether to send or not but Dau suggested that Friend would need to know I was thinking of her and her mail would surely be redirected.

"Mummy, where did all these lovely toys come from?"
"Santa Claus brought them all."
"Did he bring everything . . . the football, the robot, the computer game . . . and everything?"
"Of course he did."
"So who buys all the things in the shops?"

HARELADY So sorry to hear of family problems. You are obviously being a great support. Do take care of yourself.

Good morning. Where is everyone? Hope people are OK.

I am waiting for my friend to arrive to put up my outside lights.

My cold is still going strong!!! I am coping though.

Annette - the desert was flowering when I was there.

I'm here but about to zoom off.....

I'm here too, and thinking about you all - will attempt replies tomorrow :-)