Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 12 November 2023

Hallo all and thanks to Diane once again.

Thank you DIANE. Curious you too had a single warm day this week. On Friday we had a max of 40 C, unusual for November in South Aussieland. A weak cool change that evening dropped the temp and today it is only 19 C. I’m not complaining.

Back to church this morn, having missed a few weeks. There had been too many people coughing but I feel a little safer now I have had my jab. Covid numbers are rising rapidly and it is only the start of the χmas party season.

I wonder about LINDA & OH. Tomorrow a cruise ship is docking at Outer Harbor (near Port Adelaide) with a reported 100 covid & gastro cases on board. Unwell passengers confined to cabins. Well passengers given vouchers to encourage them to go ashore to allow deep cleaning. Give me travel on dry land.

I have weeded (a little) and inspected tomatoes intending to stake them if “arms” long enough. I was shocked to find the new variety already has bunches of fruit, green but decent size, hidden underneath, almost resting on the soil. Too late to fertilize that one. Maybe I shall have ripe tomatoes before χmas.

Mention of that word reminds me I must buy χmas cards this week and think about posting overseas mail before end of month. Where has the year gone?

OH is out for his walk and I cannot remember what I was intending to do when he was not around. . .

Yeah, I've said 'good bye' to my garden too, Diane. Definitely needs putting to bed for the winter now. Oh well, a little at a time over 3 or  4 weeks (if weather permits)      

Have a good week everyone

Thank you Diane for starting us off. Glad you enjoyed a little bit of a late summer (if only for one day)

AQ - I see you are having weird weather events too.

Rosy - I get those orange fault thingies almost all the time but the site still works for me. I just ignore them.

Brrrr. I have just been out to scrape up some leaves and feed the birds. It is cold, dull and damp!!! Yuk.

I will give you an account of my busy Thursday. I went out with the ladies birdwatching group to Ty Mawr Country Park on the Llangollen side of Wrexham. Naturally it was raining when we arrived, but, dressed in all our gear, we set off and the weather soon improved. We had brief showers throughout the walk but we kept going. the river Dee was flowing very fast indeed so there were no water birds whatsoever- not even a mallard in a calmer bit!!! We did see some nice little birds including 2 flocks of long tailed tits. It was a beautiful walk though and the autumn colours were wonderful.

It was a circular walk so we then drove over the river to Trevor the site of the famous aqueduct. We had a very nice lunch in a cafe there which is in a former chapel. After lunch, I had time to kill before an appointment so, with one of the ladies, I walked over the aqueduct and along the towpath a bit. I got totally drenched!!!!! Good though.

View from the aqueduct 

I then continued to the hospital in Wrexham where I had my 2nd annual check up mammogram. Results in January. Fingers crossed.

I will bump us up if I can post.

Thank you Diane for starting the week.

I am also wondering about Lindy. I have been reading about passengers on a cruise ship who had a rough time in the Bay of Biscay. Crockery, cutlery and bottles went crashing to the floor. Apparently, a few people did as well. I think Lindy might be glad to have escaped that.

It worked ! I cannot post when the orange fault thingy comes up Rusty.

Interesting about the cruise ship with Covid and gastro cases AQ. That cannot be much fun for any of the passengers or crew.
Good luck with the tomatoes. I have bought my seeds for next year. I have not had anywhere suitable to grow tomatoes for several years. Now I have the space. They will need to be in containers, but that is not difficult.

Another Monday morning! I was really quite ill Friday after the vaccinations on Thursday, but didn’t really realise how bad until I started to feel better on Saturday.

Saturday was quite muddled, but we spent part of the afternoon browsing the local lifestyle magazine choosing potential Christmas Fairs etc and pencilling into the diary – don’t know whether we shall attend any as most travelling is weather dependent for us. Sunday, we went to our church Remembrance Service – after the Town Parade. We had the Army Cadets present and one of the Deputy Lord Lieutenants of the County. The B Legion were supposed to be there but never appeared! Haven’t been to a R Day service for years – E_E thinks the last was when we were visiting his family near Cambridge and they fired guns which I objected to.

HEATHER – I was glad I agreed some few years ago to have a Care Call system although have never yet had to use it, except for regular testing. Specially good that it is connected to the new service which would get me up off the floor even if OH is at home with me – without dragging me off to hospital! That said, I hardly even wear the button as the cord hurts my neck (I just keep it beside me if I am home alone), but there is the fixed button next to the machine for someone to call for help if they can't manage me alone (new service sends two).

DIANE – thanks for the new week. I am imagining you as a wee dormouse eating and sleeping your way through winter!

AQ – I hadn’t thought of the possibility of LINDA’s boatload catching Covid – had they had their vaccinations, I can’t remember? I ordered Christmas cards on Thursday (I think) and my wee desk calendar for 2024, which arrived today.

I listed progress so far on the social worker front to write an update for the second Daughter – I was rather pleased to see what we have achieved so far. I don’t think she is too impressed as when we had a conference call she seemed to want to be invited to organise us as a project, whereas elder Daughter agrees it is our life so our choices!

J didn’t get the jobs he was interviewed for last week – not enough experience. When he went for his pre-booked flu vaccine Saturday, the nurse offered him covid too, so he accepted. He was a bit unwell yesterday and missed church, but has walked into town for breakfast today - weather is mostly showery. Cleaners are due this afternoon.

Good afternoon all, hope you are all well. Winter is coming so I hope you all wrap up warm before going out. Kind regards, Limpy

Limpy: Great to see you! You should pop in more often! :-)