Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 January 2024

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

I hope everyone has a good week.

I don't have any wildlife stories to share this week. We've had snow and 60 mph winds last night, and tonight we've been warned of dangerous arctic cold settling in. The "feels like" temperature (sub-zero temp plus wind chill) is predicted to be near 25 below zero Fahrenheit. That's 32 below zero Celcius. All of the wildlife have gone to their burrows, nests, and other shelter to try to stay warm. We've been warned that power outages are possible, and the extreme cold will stay around through the week. I'm going to read the novel "Project Hail Mary", which I've had for awhile but haven't read yet. I bought a second arctic sleeping bag for the bed and also some thick, fleece slipper socks and some flip-top gloves.

Hugs to all of you!

  • Made some progress with the bird fountain but someone has gone off with the 6" plastic tube that connects the motor to the upper basin where the birds like to drink and splash about. I put it in the bowl when I dismantled the fountain. Possum? Raccoon? A crow? We've had owls carry off entire gopher traps (complete with gopher) and drop the traps in neighbors' yards. Sigh. And talking of gophers, they're back digging tunnels around the plants (most now in gopher-proof cages) but.... I'm not up for this kind of challenge anymore......
  • Hello. I see I managed to repeat myself yesterday. We had a rather rough start today as when my OH got up at 6.15am, the heating wasn't bursting into life. He fiddled with the boiler for a long time then found that it was an outside pipe which had frozen up. He had to put a lot of hot water on it (from the kettle) and by the time I got up late it was beginning to work. What a time to be cold! There is still snow from days ago on the lawn.

    We went to a h u g e supermarket several miles away, just for a poke about. I bought some white wine as stocks are low!! Also some teeny tiny pretty socks for the baby girl which is due in a few weeks, in the family. Also their bird food is cheaper!!

  • Lindy - I had that happen to my outside boiler pipe one New Years Ève. That’s how I found out about the kettle of hot water trick. The pipe is now lagged!! Glad you enjoyed your poke about in the big supermarket.
    Annette - the problem with your fountain sounds to be most frustrating. Can you get a replacement pipe? Glad I don’t have a gopher problem. I have enough trouble with squirrels digging up bulbs.
    The visit to my friend in the cottage hospital yesterday seemed to go well. She looked and sounded much more perky. She likes the nurses and physios and is enjoying the food. She still has a long way to go but is making progress. She needed a few things from her flat and as it is only a 5 minute walk from the hospital, I popped and got them. So easy. I also fixed a problem on her iPad. I have arranged with her other visitors which day I will go next week so that we don’t clash.
    This afternoon a couple of friends and I went to recce a small nature reserve down on the coast. We had heard good things about it but had never been because it is difficult to find. It is a well kept hidden gem. Obviously the ponds were frozen but we still saw lots and met some very friendly people. We will be returning in the spring.
  • DIBNLIB – I would have liked to visit the Shetlands but I doubt I would be in shorts & T shirt at 16 C!

    LINDA – Wot, no shoes? Oh, it was a supermarket <grin>

    Yesterday’s outing was better than I expected. Reasonable price for family of 2 adults & 3 children. Dau says most places consider a family to be 2+2. The Trio collected a sheet each, Gran supplied pencils and they marked off each plane, rocket, helicopter as they found it. Starting with rockets; they learnt about rocket testing in the desert at Woomera in our state.

    They climbed into every plane, cockpit, etc possible; taking turns as pilot etc. One old passenger plane with 16 seats provoked lots of comments, including this exchange – Miss: what are those silver things? Dau: Ashtrays. Miss: WHAT! Dau: Yes, people used to smoke all the way. Miss’s face shows disgust.

    Fortunately there were old passenger seats dotted about for the Aged One to rest. Even these were a highlight for the Trio who have never been anywhere by plane. They sat clicking and unclicking their seatbelts. Ah, so easily pleased; they don’t need a trip to Disneyland.

    There was a second hangar filled with navy helicopters, planes & a model of an aircraft carrier. A large search plane explained how it was used to find sailors & yachts in the disastrous Sydney- Hobart Yacht Race of 1998 with a video of the yachts in the rough seas. Finally after 2 hours they had checked everything, the F111, the Spitfire, small planes, big planes, trainer plane. It is the biggest aviation museum in Aussieland. We adjourned to a bakery to replenish calories. Not surprisingly I was exhausted, takeaway fish & chips for tea and early to bed.

    If anyone is interested in the collection, see here.

  • Good morning RUSTY, or rather good evening UpOver. I just missed you while I was typing.
  • More education about Aussieland. I have never heard of a woylie or a chuditch.

  • AQ: Just watched a woylie go bounding off - you do have a lot of bouncy critters down under. Chuditch look very cute in photos I googled. Glad you enjoyed the aviation museum; glad you had places to park yourself. Wish they'd had some old car seats to rest in when I went to the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA with niece last year. Of course, that was right after we spent two hours at the LA County Museum of Art....

    Rain here today; always welcome.
  • AQ: I'm so glad you all enjoyed the museum day. You deserve more enjoyable days out. Your granddaughters seem like such good children. Well-raised. I was glad to see that Miss had such negative reaction to the idea of smoking. So many young people here are smoking or vaping. 

    I've enjoyed the interesting links you've posted. Take care of yourself. Thinking of you.

  • LINDY: Thank you for posting an installment of your travelogue. Very interesting!!!

    I'm so sorry that the big storm hit and your itinerary was altered. I was very worried about your safety. Although I'm sorry about the rough conditions, above all I'm just glad you're okay.

    That photo of Vigo is beautiful. I've always wanted to see both Ireland and Spain. I look forward to the rest of your travelogue!