Hallo all. Hasn't stopped raining here all day - two more days of it - BUT the weather in the UK has been making headlines on the radio and telly! Will catch up with chat later.
Boo. Just realized that with our weather forecast, we probably won't get to see the total eclipse of the moon on Monday night. Broke down tonight and am having nice hot cup or tea with McVitie's Digestives I invited in from the garage!
patriciat: Oh I remember waking up to that light reflected by snow that had fallen during the night. Used to be so magical.
Brenda: Fortunately, OH can disappear into "my" room and close the French doors on all the nattering.
TerryM: Unfortunately, busyness doesn't always equate with productiveness!
Wendy: Assume we won't hear much from you given that you only have two weeks to stuff down those chocolates. :-) What's a grafter?
SheilaFE: Oh what a day; hope your Aga behaves over the holiday. (We still haven't heard from the Panasonic customer service lady and I don't have time to hang on the phone right now - it's still behaving, but....)
I think we're going to have our Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve - g'daughter arrives mid-afternoon and all will be at our house for the night, which means we can eat, drink, and relax, then have a relaxing Christmas morning and lunch before my daughter starts getting antsy about getting back to feed the horses Christmas Day. Also will give g'daughter a chance to go to church - maybe at the Mission - if she's not too tired. Anyway, take care everyone - do watch out for all that snow and ice and stay warm.
Today it is cold and windy with occasional showers of rain. But not as cold as with you northern folks. I finally finished my Xmas mail with emails to those friends with internet. Except one - I can’t find her email address. GRRRRR.
Brenda - I am not organised this year. Normally I would have the springcleaning finished weeks ago. As yet I haven’t done any gift shopping nor put up the Xmas tree.
Wendy - Since those chocs have to be eaten within 2 weeks, feel free to send them here. I’m sure I can dispose of them for you. LOL
Diane - Love your woof avatar. (‘Woofs’ being what Dau2 called them oh-so-many years ago.)
Where was I? Both daus just phoned, one after the other. Dau1 asked if we can put Xmas dinner back 15 mins as she is squeezing a visit to in-laws before us. Dau2 has offered to come Friday to help as she finishes work early. Where was I? I forget what else I was going to ramble on about. Another Xmas carol for your enlightenment.
While Shepherds Watched While shepherds watched Their flocks by night All seated on the ground The angel of the Lord came down And glory shone around .The Shepherds Union has complained that it breaches Health and Safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available. Shepherds have also requested that, due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year, they should watch their flocks via CCTV cameras from centrally heated shepherd observation huts. Please note, the angel of the Lord is reminded that before shining his/her glory all around he/she must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and Glory.
AQ: Hee hee!! (And when I was young, we used to sing "When shepherds washed their socks by night....")
Good morning Annette We used to sing 'washed their socks' too!
Yesterday evening we had thunder and lightning, no rain or snow, mainly just the lightning. Doesn't seem to have changed the weather except that we have some sunshine.
Don't know if I will get to my carol service this evening. Getting out would probably be all right but getting back might be more of a problem - too many ungritted hills and a narrow gateway to negotiate.
Morning all,
Thanks for all the chat.
We also used to sing 'washed their socks'. Speaking of sheep, I watched 'One man and his dog' yesterday. It was the young handlers and the Irish lad won. Also pleased that Kara and Artem won Strictly.
Weather is bright this morning with watery sunshine. Temp - 4.2c. Risk of snow showers later.
Hello Everyone
Not so cold last night as I didn't have to hairdry the front door and we have had a light dusting of snow overnight. It looks as though the capital (Edinburgh) is going to get the worst of it today. Late up and my pheasants were waiting very close to back door.
Long tailed tits back fo a second day...but just a fleeting visit.
Been in touch with my girls to them that the youngests birthday (tomorrow) and both their Christmases are either at Keith sorting office or still on the shelves at Amazon. It is a bit of luck they are grown ups.
A"grafter" is someone who is prepared to work hard and up here not just for yourself.
I am pretty sure that the chocolates being used up 2 weeks is not going to a problem. I am a chocolate, cheese and ice cream addict...oh how healthy.
The alternative words to Carols were always so much fun...we did have a music teacher who I am convinced could lip read
Stunning pic of pied wagtail just taken in the garden:
Alan: It was really nice to come on here and be greeted by your wonderful Pied Wagtail - a great picture.
Hello, Everyone. Sunny & bright here, which is making the fields glisten and look very 'Christmas Cardy' . A cold night here but no more snowfall, thank goodness. Those of you abroad will no doubt be hearing that most of our transport has ground to a halt: Airports closed, rail links disrupted and roads are chaotic.
Enjoyed the final of 'Strictly' last night - it is hard to know who to want to win; they were all so very hardworking,and elegant. We have taped the last two weeks of programmes, so that we can watch it all again over Christmas!! (& of course I cried during, and at the end of the programme)
Thanks to AQ for another funny 'Elf & Safety' directive. Hope you can get that tree up before the end of the week!
My new avatar - our Christmas Tree from last year - a bit elongated as its not a square pic.
Bright and cheerful after yesterday’s mostly grey day. Was minus 12 when we got up (and that wasn’t early!) – now up to minus 6 in the shade and garden full of birds. Had Yellowhammers for the first time yesterday. Also a Rook sat atop the feeding station both mornings – very alert to movement indoors, like raising camera, but today he flew to roof out the back and I managed this one - - look at that beak!
Taking a lazy day – enjoyed fried (in minimum oil) leftover potatoes with breakfast!
Annette – thanks for starting our new week. Sorry about your dreich weather – don’t blame you inviting in the Digestives to cheer you up – are these plain digestives, or chocolate ones?! We were amazed how much chocolate SiL and Gdau#2 munched through yesterday – but they still seemed to enjoy the meals. This was lunch:
We sometimes used to have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve before midnight service, then our children were allowed to open one present each before they went to bed, because after midnight it was already Christmas! This seemed to help them to sleep till a sensible time Christmas morning, and with no cooking to get up for.
AQ – I think you deserve to take Christmas slowly, after a year of wedding preparations, followed by recent teenage-sitting. So pleased your #2Dau has taken notice of what you have been doing for them all, and offered to help you on Friday.
Patricia – My father taught me one from his childhood in the church choir:
While shepherds watched their turnip-tops all cooking in the pot,
A lump of soot came tumbling down and spoiled the bloomin’ lot.
Lightening doesn’t seem very seasonal right now – I hope you still have some sunshine today. Sorry you might have to miss the carol service – but better safe than sorry. We were going to take the family to local “Winter Wonderland” yesterday, but they really didn’t want to go out in the cold an extra time, and were unsure of safety of side-roads.
Wendy – sorry about your parcels for the girls – as you say, good thing they are grown up.
Alan – that is a really lovely picture of your Pied Wagtail – great definition. He seems darker than ours (who came to show himself to young GDau yesterday) - I wonder if there is a north/south difference?
Lindy – good morning – like the Christmas avatar – nice tree.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!