Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 23 July 2023

Lindybird said:

Here, we're supposed to self certify & sign our form that we're fit to drive!!

Seriously?  That's ridiculous.  It certainly explains why one of our neighbours, a few years ago, continued driving even though he was going blind.  I ended up reporting him to the DVLA as he was an accident waiting to happen - especially as our neighbourhood has a fair number of children living in it.  Ironically when he received a letter from the DVLA telling him that a 'third party' had reported concerns about his driving he came over to ours to moan to Limpy about it.  I'll never forget him standing in our front room, bleating that 'somebody snitched on me'.  I should hope so.

From age 75 if we have no medical condition we can self-assess. Since I have glaucoma, I do have to have annual eye & medical checks – besides my twice-yearly visit to my specialist. Our medicos (and us) are required by law to report any condition to Dept. Earlier this year I knew before I had my op that I was not fit to drive and stopped, annoying as it was.

CLARE – Hoons here are just as likely to be female. Social media has a lot to do with them filming & posting photos of “burn-outs”. This year weve’had a spate of young people stealing cars and inevitably crashing them. When I say young, they are 11, 12, 14, 15, maybe an oldie of 17.  

Morning all:

AQ: No. Did not win, although I said to OH when I was organizing dinner the evening of the draw that 'we should rush and buy a ticket,' but we didn't. I also had to Google 'hoon' drivers. We have to renew our licenses in person once we're over 70 and take a multiple-choice quiz on the rules of the road, which we all know but are somehow presented much more obliquely on the test (designed to trip us up!!)

We haven't heard from Rusty but I think she said she was off on a birding caper....

Lindybird: I need to give that cartoon to my OH. Sigh. Far better to find Legos behind the cushions than by treading on them :-) And yes, I loved Tony Bennett's gigs with Lady Gaga. He was performing even after the Alzheimer's diagnosis. What a wonderful life.

Had to smile this morning. We had 6 crows including some young'uns poking peacefully about in the garden when a very young hawk decided to try out its attack skills. No clue at all: It dived down several times, screeching loudly and buzzing the crows who were completely unimpressed and merely cocked their heads as if to say "What on earth does he think he's doing?"

Yes, Annette. I am on a birding caper in North Norfolk!!! Only been here 2.5 days and have already seen over 100 species!! Today we saw the 3 bee eaters just outside Cromer!! Amazing. Having a brill time. Will try to write a report when I get home.
Have caught up with everyone’s news and apologise that I don’t have time just now to reply.

rusty2 said:

Today we saw the 3 bee eaters just outside Cromer!! Amazing.

So pleased you've seen them.  Does anyone think they will try another breeding attempt?

Clare - the thinking is that is is too late for them to have a second breeding attempt. I saw the sandy bank where the nest hole was. Sadly, so many predators could have got to it. I think someone said it was probably a stoat.

Good evening – been mostly a nice sunny day, with just two brief and insignificant showers. E-E tweaked the magazine for printing – we send a number of email copies, but also some mailed or delivered copies distributed by four regular members. (People also have the option to pick up a printed copy in church, but there will be no service there next Sunday as all the local churches close to attend the Holiday Club service) He took one bundle to one of the ladies and received a bag of home-made drop scones/scotch pancakes – he had phoned to warn her he would be in the church printing (opposite her house) so his presence would not worry her, so she was expecting him!

J slept most of the afternoon, tired after the holiday club – but he is enjoying it and says it is going well. Tomorrow he is going straight to Dumfries at lunchtime to do a bit of shopping, while we two are going in the opposite direction to a garden centre with food hall and greengrocer. We shall all have lunch out.

LINDA – glad you travelled home safely. I hope the family will have some real beach weather for their holiday next week.

AQ – good that you are fully fit for your driver’s licence. There are some very unsafe old folks driving around our town – even some of the disability scooter users – I don’t think they ever read the Highway Code!

ANNETTE – we have a young Crow here much of the time now – and the parents turn up to keep an eye on it from time to time. It loves playing in the water, but isn’t brave enough for the bird bath, so uses the drinking water dish and looks absolutely ridiculous!

RUSTY – envious of the birding caper – so glad you saw the Bee-Eaters!

I may be missing tomorrow because of going out.

Unknown said:

There are some very unsafe old folks driving around our town – even some of the disability scooter users – I don’t think they ever read the Highway Code!

There are some out-and-out nutters here on their mobility scooters - they clearly don't care at all about safety.  Saying that, Limpy has a scooter and has had some horrific abuse aimed at him - his goes up to 8 MPH, and you're obliged to go on the road if you travel faster than 4MPH.  Car drivers and cyclists tend to disagree with this, many of them rudely.  I must stress that Limpy is a safe driver!

Unknown said:

I may be missing tomorrow because of going out.

Have an enjoyable day.