WEEKLY CHAT (Non-Osprey) Sunday July 2, 2023

Another Saturday already! We went out yesterday. It was a dull day to start, but the sun came through and there was a lovely warm breeze. We only went to Dumfries. Had lunch at the garden centre the other side of town, where we bought a handbag to match the trousers I was wearing and a few kitchen bits - oh and chutney, which is what we went for! Shopped in Morrisons on the way home - we like to go there about once a month for things we don't get elsewhere. Came home on the "low road" (more pleasant than main road queues and roadworks) and called at the icecream farm for a big pack of farmhouse icecream.

J stayed at home - he is very oddly unwell at present - we are having to check his medications etc as he doesn't seem to have much idea what he is doing or even where he is - he has a doc appt on Thursday. We wondered if we shouldn't have left him for five hours, but he seems to have managed to make some lunch (he didn't know he hadn't eaten his breakfast). We had a good lamb dinner, but he only ate peas and carrot!

Got to start taking down curtains today - difficult not knowing yet what order window work will follow. We shall assume we begin with the large window in the lounge, but shall leave the blind until Monday morning as we know they won't arrive till 10. Where does one pack things away when every room in the house is having something done?! Today we are threatened with thunder and it is very humid - could last most of the week,

DIANE So good you are alive and kicking again. You have been missed.

OG sorry to hear that J isn't at all well.......very worrying for you.

OG: Odd about J - perhaps his meds are working against each other? Do you go to the docs with him or have some kind of input? Hope it's a passing thing.

Clare: I am the Walrus (re Limpy's photo and those posted on the other thread)? Thank you anyway for the detour to the Beatles - ah those were the days... :-)

Diane: SO GLAD to hear you have power. Let's hope it stays on. Looking forward to hearing how you coped (or not). Arghhh.

Rusty: Hope storms didn't disrupt your day too much.

I ended up cleaning the house thoroughly the day after the kids left. I was planning on a leisurely room-by-room schedule but at 8:30 that morning the lady who made slip covers for our two easy chairs texted to say her husband would be delivering them the next day!. Aaack! Living and 'my' room had fine coating of dog hair from previous visits plus stuff tracked in from garden and beaches, etc. and other associated detritus from family visit - and I couldn't see bringing pristine chairs into grotty house so it was all hands on deck (ahem - my two hands!) to blaze a trail through the house with the vacuum cleaner and mops in between juggling multiple laundry loads, which included the existing slipcovers on the couch. Phew. Was quite knackered. Lady did a very good job though so we're pleased. Now if we avoid spilling anything on the chairs for a week or three, that would be nice.

Sounds like a Herculean task, Annette- hope you sat down for a bit on the chairs, afterwards!

OG - How worrying that J is not himself. Perhaps time will tell. Glad you managed to get out for an outing. I hate it when something seems to affect the whole house, like your new windows. There's nowhere left to go for refuge! Hope all goes well.

We've been staggering on - both of us weary after recent illness but at least now feeling on the better side. Should have been in the Midlands today with our Youngest, but I was not up to it. Also, my cough would have frightened the children! We will have to get there later on the week.

Yesterday, my OH saw a GS Woodpecker on the peanut feeder, and then in the afternoon, we both watched a Sparrowhawk for several minutes in the garden as he/she went about trying to catch sparrows (we have many). Thankfully did not witness any deaths, although the poor hawk must have gone hungry.

One of our small pots of geraniums which I put outside, but on view from within the conservatory so it cheers me up in the mornings!

It's done really well this year with dozens of flowers.

Biblical storm at the golf club. Fortunately the klaxon had sounded in time and we all made it back to the clubhouse before the deluge came. Competition abandoned. I will be back with replies to everyone’s news and a report re the golf tomorrow.

First Fairway from the clubhouse during the storm!!! Somewhat waterlogged!!!!

Goodness, Rusty! We've had rain here this evening and then it turned into the promised storm with thunder & lightening.

My OH cooked us a nice roast beef dinner tonight & we had a glass of red with it. Now it's sending me to sleep!

STARTING NEW THREAD NOW.