Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 11 December 2022

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

I hope everyone has a healthy, joyful week. Next week will be the Winter Solstice already!

I now have several species of birds coming to the outside of my enclosed porch. The red male cardinal tries to chase them off, but there are too many. They're eating the seeds on my "weed tree", various vegetation, and the poor wasps hibernating in their nest.

  • Nice to see you, Rusty! We're great fans of Iolo, what a great person he is. Would love to see him in action.

    Glad you've had an interesting time.

    We've had a heating drama, not fun in this cold weather, but am getting into bed now so will tell the tale tomorrow.
  • I put up our wee χmas tree yesterday and decorated it today. I thought about it for longer than it took. LOL I have no idea when either Dau (& appendages) are coming to visit, except not χmas Day.

    Dau#2 has booked me to help next month when her OH has 3 work trips that he cannot avoid, thus ruining 3 weeks, including 3 weekends, of the family’s summer school holidays.

  • Rain yesterday evening – just a little, not a lot. Very slight frost this morning, very bright so far and temps are rising. Hoping forecast is correct for next few days so I can get to hearing appt Tuesday.

    RUSTY – lovely photos – especially Squirrel. How lovely to spend time with the delightful Iolo!

    LYNETTE – I don’t think I shall get to the carol service Sunday morning – OH will have to go as he is doing a reading. Enjoy yours.

    LINDA – sorry the heating drama happened – hope heating and you have recovered! We now have an actual scheduled visit date for the plumber (he has the necessary fitting but has been dealing with multiple bursts around town the past week) so should get our chiller back on Wednesday – can’t remember how any months it has been off!
  • Raining here, and the snow is slowly melting. Still feels pretty cold, though. Our heating is thankfully, on, but we have had problems with it.

    My OH received a phone call from his sister early today (Other Sister, not Sue) as her husband had collapsed and been taken to hospital. Thankfully the First Responders arrived within ten minutes, followed by the Ambulance, but after getting to the hospital, they were told not much could be done. He died at lunchtime. My OH went to support his sister and said that going through the big A&E department was like Armaggedon. Big notice up saying "Present Waiting Time is approx 10 hours....".) of course his brother in law had been seen promptly but he was too ill to be saved, his heart had given out. A nice man with no enemies.

  • Good afternoon from a freezing Suffolk. Its been a very cold week indeed.

    Lindy so very sorry for loss and sympathies to your Husband too.

    Rusty that sounds like a fabulous holiday - I have often looked at Wildlife holidays and am on the Grantown on Spey newsletter list and would love to re-visit Loch Garten one day.

    Thanks to all of you who take time to post - its really is a highlight for me to read your posts.

    My Grandaughter Lily had an ear infection this week and the doctor gave her Mum a prescription for Antibiotics. My Son then drove around South East for overr 5 hours London trying numerous chemists and even the local hospital to no avail. The finally got it the following day miles away on the other side of London. Our NHS really is on its knees. And today both Son and Daughter in Law tested positive for Covid - having avoided it the past 3 years.

    To all those in far flung parts of the UK and other continents - I hope you stay warm or cool whichever suits you best.

    Well a week from today - I shall be llstening to Carols from Kings on the radio - always the start of Christmas for me.

    Keep safe and well all

  • Morning all:

    Lindybird:  What a shock for your OH's sister - the run-up to Christmas won't be the same for her again.  Do they live far from you guys?   Have you  nailed down the heating problem.  

    Harelady:  That's just awful about the lack of antibiotics.  It breaks my heart to read about the problems of the NHS.  It's been underfunded for years right?  Our handyman had Covid with no symptoms at all, although he did isolate until he tested negative, so hope your Son and DiL aren't too badly affected.  

    AQ:  Bravo for once again riding the the rescue of daughter and appendages.  Bummer about the three weeks SiL will be away.  :-(

    I'm watching the Croatia/Morocco third-place playoff.  Will be glued to the final tomorrow morning...

  • Annette: They only live 2 streets away from us, but for various reasons we usually see them very little. We have been sorting out some problems for them today so it's been a tiring day. Just getting a roast beef dinner ready for us to have tonight, so that we can sit with a glass of wine. Sue has made a big slow cooked stew for her sister & her daughter & son in- law who arrived this afternoon as they don't live locally. Their son is resident in USA so we don't know if or when he might come.

    The heating is OK now its thawed out - problem caused by the condensated water outlet freezing solid. My OH spent y'day afternoon trying to melt the water in the pipe with a kettle of hot water & a hairdryer. Then at bedtime he turned everything off at the mains and then on again- it burst into life! Sigh.

    My OH fell over on the ice when he reached the hospital and tried to walk from the car park. He doesn't seem any the worse for it, thank goodness, or he might have been in A&E himself!