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.
ChrisyB : Looks a bit different from when I was there in July. Nice pics though. Did you notice the earthquake on tuesday:
http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/recent_events/20101221225912.6.html
Hi Alan, Yes I did feel the earthquake at 11pm Tuesday ! I thought it was a very large lorry at first, or maybe an explosion of some sort and looked out to see what was going on. I should have realised what it was, as there was a tremor similar but a bit stronger sometime around 1980, though I do not remember the exact year. My brother, 15 miles away from me, felt it similarly, and thought a lorry had crashed nearby.He was in Manchester when they had a quite big tremor there a few years ago.
Thanks everyone for thinking of our Son. He was on the point of catching a bus to Inverness to “sign on” today, when the garage man phoned and said his car was ready! So he drove there instead – and got expenses because of distance. Because he is in the Highlands, he doesn’t have to go in every fortnight: there is a system for posting his records in, to show what searching he has done online, in papers and magazines etc. But he does have an appointment late January with an advisor, to look into any extra help he needs due to his medical condition! He is packing right now to drive down tomorrow, and will be here tomorrow night through to 2nd January.
Wendy – great pics from Spey Bay last evening – that’s on our “must visit” list for 2011 – but hopefully in better weather!
Lynette – keep safe now the snow and ice has reached you (we have started a wee bit thaw today!).
Annette – thanks for digital nativity – very clever! Enjoy your family celebration Friday evening.
Sue – that link to Gordon and Hope was beyond cute – absolutely heart-melting!
AQ - I guess it’s nearly time for you to get wrestling with that turkey – I hope it is more co-operative than the Choc cream pie!
Terry – I hope you enjoyed your walk in today’s lovely sunshine – forecast fog tomorrow, so that might mean the actual weather is sunny again!
Dibnlib – I hope you managed your day on your own and that OH got to The Fort and back safely and in good time.
Margo - I also hope your OH got to Orpington and back safe and sound – a long drive at this time of the year - - Oh, I see he went by train – still not a very nice journey! I have been thinking of you waiting all day for news of the consultant’s prognosis – just don’t know how to help, but am praying hard for Sister and all the family, including you and her other sister.
Joan – I hope you aren’t getting too much extra snow this evening, and that you don’t have to go out tomorrow.
George – so sorry about the boiler problem – pleased it hasn’t left you without heating. I think it is the lack of promised phone calls which gets us all down when these things happen – if they can’t do anything straight away, then they should just say so!
Chrisy – thanks for those lovely winter photos of Windermere and Bassenthwaite. What lovely views for a day out.
Our cleaner was here as usual today. She moved on Tuesday from a flat to a house, so we have given her a bird feeding station and some food as a house-warming and Christmas present combined, because she always enjoys seeing our birds.
My flowers arrived this afternoon, from the new florist who lives across the corner. I ordered just two table arrangements – red, gold and green in the lounge where the tree is; shades of pink and silver in the dining room which I have trimmed with those colours. I am so pleased with both, and at an excellent price too.
I keep refreshing the page in hope of news from Margo, just can’t get her out of my mind this evening.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Just looking in to see what news.
Thanks to ChrisyB for the lovely pics of both Bowness Bay & Bassenthwaite - places we love to visit in the summer, but never see at this time of year. ( We remember the Manchester earthquake not too many years ago - we were laying in bed half asleep at the time! and I thought the house was just going to fall down, for a minute.)
AQ Hope you were able to rescue the cream pie - I remember you putting the recipe on here last year.
OG: Glad to hear that your son got his car back - hope he has a safe journey to you, and you can all enjoy Christmas together. Your flowers sound delightful. (Also, what a thoughtful present for your cleaner)
Husband went to give his Aged Auntie some sprouts today, from our allotment. We already visited her on Monday, and she looks a lot better, having almost got over her bout of shingles. We also left her some photos of our precious grandchild. She will be spending Christmas Day with her large extended family, otherwise I would have invited her to be with us on The Day. We shall have our Eldest and The Girlfriend over, so just the 4 of us which will be quite relaxing, I think.
Our Youngest has now arrived with his new family at his in-laws, which is a long distance south for them, so I'm glad they arrived without incident. They are to be staying there for a few days, so we will not be seeing Tomasz until after Christmas, when I shall have a lot of presents and hugs saved up for him!
Before I forget - we have so enjoyed seeing a repeat of the series 'Yellowstone' which is about the Yellowstone National Park. Best bit for me of course, was in the last part of the series which was on tonight on BBC2 - when an Osprey was shown fishing, and turning his fish around in mid air!!
Hi, just caught up with all the news. My Christmas Card to you all didn't work properly but I do wish you all
A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR
Love your 12 Aussie Days of Christmas, AQ.
OG and EE, what a lovely Christmas card.
Lindybird - love your 12 Days of Christmas too.
George - sorry to learn you have had trouble with the boiler, do hope the leak can be sorted out before it gets too serious.
Well, have started my preparations, done the veg and made the bread sauce. Potatoes to peel and stuffing to make tomorrow. Turkey and duck are defrosting in the dining room as its too cold in the garage to leave them to thaw out there. Just got to make the pannacota for Dau and Step-G.Dau for Christmas Day, they don't like Christmas pud. Got the recipe from the Hairy Bikers Show the other day so am going to atempt it.
Margobird, - pleased to hear that your sister was seeing the consultant today. Do hope they can do something for her and hope you can make the journey soon to see her.
Annette - saw on the news today that parts of California had had more than their fare share of rain and were flooded out. Do hope that you are flood free.
AQ - don't blame you for cooking turkey day before - 34 degrees - wow - the last thing you want is to be slaving over a hot stove. Like the idea of your sweets. Yummyyyyyyy
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
ps Thanks to Lynette for the snaps of the Abernethy feeder - we had a Woodpecker on our suet block feeder today, but he was gone in a flash!
EDIT - Just overlapped with Lynette - hope your baking is successful - I bought the Hairy Bikers last cookbook "Mums Know Best" & its full of ideas.
Chrissy B - just love those two pics of Windermere and Bassenthwaite.
Alan - earthquake heh!! never felt anything although we're not too far away from you. Must just have been localised. Remember feeling a large tremor a year or two back with epi centre not too far away.
May the preparations and family get-togethers go well for you all.
Thanks for your good wishes, Lynette! You, too!!
I should have mentioned before -thanks for all the clever Christmas cards, and everyone's news. Too many to mention individually.Off to mother's tomorrow with Christmas stuff.
Lindybird: Lovely Christmas poem - so clever - thank you!!
ChrisyB; Have safe trip to your Mom's and good to see you. Gorgeous pix; so nice to see other parts of the world.
OG: I also have been looking for Margobird. Am sending her more hugs, regardless.... Fascinating news about earthquake in Lake District.
Have already set the table - God help OH if he moves anything! Now have to wrap some stuff; got as much food organized as possible at this stage. Phew.