Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 18 June 2023

PAT - Your dream certainly gives a new meaning to the saying ' the elephant in the room '! Maybe OG is right !
I continue to have bizarre dreams..
LINDY - my brother always has an afternoon nap. I used to think it quite unnecessary but times are changing. Good that you and RUSTY are enjoying home grown strawberries. My youngest. brought me some from Wester Hardmuir, last week. ( a fruit farm that they pass on their way from Elgin to Inverness ). They are coming tomorrow - I wonder if they will do the same? Yummy.
DIBNLIB - we may not always have solutions but this is a good place to rant, as I have found over the years.
I hope that ANNETTE is enjoying her visitors - and not doing too much. Good that you are getting the landscaping guys.
The weather here is still warm and humid. My middle daughter works in the childrens' ward of our local hospital. She cannot believe that the heating is on, there. Fractious children and exhausted Mums...as for the staff - well, you can imagine !

Good Morning. Sunny here again.

Dibnlib: You are absolutely right, and your brothers actions are unforgiveable. Don't have any doubt over that . The whole thing is a horror story and an example of pure selfishness. You have every right to rant, and try to express your feelings, although sadly he will probably have no idea of the damage he's caused, both materially and emotionally. I hope you can give a victim statement, if only to get some kind of justice for your mother.

OG - Our grandchildren grow apace-- Tomasz is now 12 & will be a teenager in December. Matthew is 8 & will be 9 in autumn. Rosie is 3 and will be 4 in two weeks! They are all getting taller but are small for their ages as they seem to take physically after their mothers side of the family: my OH is 6 ft and our Youngest, their father, is 6ft.2".

We enjoyed a first feast of our own new potatoes last night, which are pure delight and far superior to anything bought in the shops. We will be eating as many as possible over the coming days!

DIBNLIB - even without the gambling addiction which in itself is an awful thing, family dynamics can be very odd. I always felt, as a child and teenager, that my father favoured me and that my brother was mum's favourite.
Dad died when I was 17. When I was 32 I moved 600 miles away to Inverness, because of my husband's work. After that, I probably only saw my mother once or twice a year. My brother was her mainstay and they remained very close. Mum was diagnosed with vascular dementia and spent the last ten years of her life in hospital. Her only visitor was my brother and although I would have given anything to be nearer, I had four young children and it was impossible. Fortunately, her affairs were put with the Court of Protection in England so there was no question of disagreement between my brother and me. I really don't know what the outcome would have been if my mum had had ' capacity '- because I know that she felt that in some way, I had deserted her.
As for the gambling addiction - I have in the past had experience of working with clients who, while pleading guilty for whatever, agreed to enter a rehab facility and that was that ....I'll be thinking about you - sending hugs.

Lindy - I can’t believe the ages of your grandchildren. I remember Rosie being born (when I was still a lurker!!!) My great niece and nephew (cousins 5 weeks apart in age) are going for their taster days in reception class at the end of the month - different schools. The girl lives near me and the boy nearer to my sister. They will be 5 in the autumn. It’s scary how fast the years go.
I have packed the car with my golf clubs and got hot in the process!! However, I will begin my round of golf and see how I go. I will say to the other 2 ladies that I may have to walk off if the heat gets too much. There is a bit of a breeze at the moment.

HEATHER Wester Hardmuir strawberries and rasps.....quite delicious.. We are due a visit to Brodie so we will get some on the way.
Sorry to hear your Dad died when you were only young. It can be hard when you are distant from parents. From the age of 17 when I joined the RAF I just had to move wherever I was told and then the same when I married an RAF Officer. As far as Mum was concerned she was happy as she was able to visit us in places she had never visited before ie London, Shropshire, Moray Coast and when OH left the RAF we moved to Shetland. OHs family were quite different and his Mum wanted him to be posted to bases close to their home. This would have been Abingdon, Benson, Brize none of which appealed. My Mum had moved away from her home in the Wirral when she qualified as a physio. She moved to Scotland for a year!!!! and never went back to live in England. My Grandma was not happy to begin with but then discovered how much they loved Scotland and although they never moved they travelled all over Scotland so much so they reckoned their car knew its own way round!!! Such opportunities.

We saw my friend and her OH for coffee this morning. It is a waiting game now while solicitors talk things through. She did get a lovely Email from a police officer who has been involved from day 1. He has advised her not to be upset if the sentence is less than she would like, but to remember that now he has pleaded guilty she has a glass 1/2 full and can look ahead. I will keep you all informed re Erica's situation and my own. Thank you all again

Morning all: Well, gambling and associated issues are the one problem our lot missed! Still, we made up for it in other dysfunctional ways. :-)) But I just can't understand how family members can betray each other like that. As for how fast kids grow, Ms. D at age 12 is 5'4" tall so definitely has "our" genes. Living far away from parents/family is hard, especially when you're raising a family of your own. My niece has wanted my BiL to move closer ever since my sister died so she can 'pop in' frequently instead of facing 2-hour-or-more each way car trips on a not-very-straightforward route. Here in the States, families are frequently a thousand miles or more apart which can make for major complications during peak holiday travel times, speaking of which granddaughter had a super-easy drive back to AZ yesterday (a 500 miles trip) and made it in record time, which made up for the 11-hour journey here last week.

Meanwhile, take care all.

Nice for your granddaughter to have an easier drive back, Annette. Our Tomasz is much the same age as Ms. D but is only short - maybe 4 ft 6" . Time for him to have a teenage spurt yet, though!

Well done on persevering with the golfing, Rusty. My OH says that the most annoying thing about his game these days is his inconsistency. So annoying!I

I've been busy as needed a haircut again, then went off to nearby town to collect new prescription sunglasses. Did some shopping too, then on the way back called into a small M&S food shop for some goodies, as we're off to Wales again tomorrow. Washed some curtains & risked putting them out to dry, as we had a couple of very heavy showers this morning, which caused minor flooding in the roads for a while.

Lindybird: Our grandson lagged his sister until puberty; He's now 6'1" Enjoy Wales.