Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 July 2024

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

I hope everyone has a good week.

The big female raccoon I told you about has 4 half-grown offspring. They don't seem to have any fear of me, and I'm trying to avoid them so I don't habituate them to humans.

I don't have any other wildlife stories. I've been indoors most of the week. The remnants of Hurricane Beryl hit Indiana with thunderstorms, flooding, and tornadoes. I'm fine, but it's been an ugly week.

Love and hugs to all.

  • LIndy - love the crocosmia lucifer. I have some too in the front garden. I am pleased with them although they did get a bit battered by last night’s rain! 
    OG - I can see you have some difficult decisions ahead regarding J. It must be a worry. I hope something suitable can be sorted out. I chuckled at your comment re the summer. Actually, I think in Wales we are due a couple of warmer days. 
    I met my sister for lunch in a big Marks and Spencer store today and had a mooch round afterwards. It is full of summer clothes which, I assume, no one wants or needs just now unless they are going abroad for a holiday. 

  • Food shopping this morn. A very short list, mostly fruit & veg, as I am still feasting on the selection of “meals for two” that I had already baked and in the freezer.

    I bought some new pencils, sorry, writing instruments as they are apparently now named. The package states in 20 different languages that they are wood-free graphite. Do not splinter if they break as they are made from recycled material. I wonder what danger this “recycled material” poses. Quite pretty with a barcode printed on each. BTW made in France. Can’t Aussieland make a simple pencil?

    Another chilly, showery day. Max temp has crept up to 13 C. We had early morning fog 3 days this week. I tried to weed yesterday while the weeds are still weaker than I, but it rained.

  • "Writing Instruments!" LOL, AQ!! It's been about that temp here,  & it's supposed to be midsummer!  My OH has been sleeping with a blanket over his duvet!!

    Hope you're getting into a routine now. We have similar arrangements here for some city centres: free car parks out of town and a free bus into the busy part, to keep down the traffic. 

    OG - A family conference seems needed to decide what to do: it will get increasingly hard for you & EE to cope with Js problems in addition to your own- Annette seems to have hit upon a solution with sheltered housing. But I know its hard to find.

    I was too busy to put a comment against my garden picture. We've been trying to do various things here and my OH was so overjoyed at feeling better  he's been rushing around cutting more hedges etc. I'm only glad that it was way too wet yesterday for him to even think of going to the golf course.  I didn't think he was ready for it yet. I realise now that he rushed off before his Hospital visit last week, cutting his sisters hedges, because he was worried that he might not be able to do it later on. <sigh>

  • LINDY  your oh is obviously more concerned about others than he is himself..  OG  I do hope your daughter may be able to help.

  • AQ - what is wrong with the word “pencil” Honestly!!!

    Lindy - so glad your OH is feeling better. It must be hard for you to stop him from overdoing things.

    I have been out for lunch - again!!! 3rd time this week and I am out again tomorrow. Today it was with my former colleagues. There were 11 of us today. It was great to see everyone and to have a catch up. I had a lovely griddled chicken dish with herby sweet potatoes, tender stem broccoli, halloumi and a grilled peach! Plus some lemon sauce and some tomato like sauce. It was a really good combination of flavours. 

  • RUSTY  Sounds interesting.

  • Podiatrist was here this morning.  Two toes now bandaged – one on each of my feet.  She is coming again tomorrow to check o my left big toe as she is worried it might be infected.

    Afternoon trip went well.  We bought our pre-ordered scones at the bakery in Gretna, dropped J off at Caledonia Park for a bit of freedom and his own choice of lunch and went to the Old Toll Bar for our lunch on the way to M&S food.  We have stocked up with some of their readymeals to save some of OH’s cooking time.  Only made one mistake – when OH tried to leave a message on J’s mobile, he left it on our home number!  Anyway he was watching out for us, hadn’t been waiting long and hadn‘t panicked!

    Will make replies tomorrow as I am rather tired this evening!

  • Rusty:  I swear you are going out to lunch more days than there are in a week!  

    Lindybird;  So nice to read that your OH is feeling so much better; let's hope that treatment the doc gave him fixed the problem.  

    Granddaughter and Ms. D arrived back in Arizona this afternoon from Wisconsin; they'll be staying at the house there (very spartan at this point!) for a few days before heading back here.

    Have a good Thursday all.

  • OG - going by what you say, it would be good for J to build up his ability to live independently while he is still relatively young ( think he is in his early 40s ). You and EE are not getting any younger. The road to  independent living may be a hard one for him to tread - there may be quite a few panicky phone calls coming your way at all hours of the day and night. I'm sure that you and EE have already envisaged that scenario. Sending best wishes.  

  • Good to hear from you HEATHER and speaking good common sense.