Phew! That's that for another year. Now off to check recent posts.
Good morning from a very foggy Poole. OH had a dreadful drive to work this morning mainly due to people who had no lights on. I have just popped into town for bird food and he is right there are so many driving with no lights. Its not as though it costs anything to pu them on. After the snow went I saw loads of flying insects coming up from my lawn so hopefully the insect eating birds will find something to eat now. Quite a few snails too. Since it warmed up the birds are nowhere near as frantic for food, a trayful lasted all day yesterday and can't remember when that last happened. Had a pair of thrushes in through all that cold weather but so far today have not seen them. Read in the paper yesterday that robins will have been hard hit due to the weather. It said there numbers could dramatically fall this year. Also read about swans on the Somerset levels that had been trapped in ice and had died, although they did manage to rescue 21 of them. How hard it has been for all our wildlife so far this winter.
Lindybird loved the description of Tomasz on Christmas Day and you are well advanced with cards and a special Christmas stocking for Tomasx next year. I alswys say I should be allowed to hibernate but I am grateful that is has warmed up at least for a while. My OH loves Christmas cake and pudding. Cake probably won't get started until January as we are always full over Christmas.
AQ thanks for the link to the pictures of the black ducks, they are so handsome. Thank you also for your kind thoughts.
Alan thanks for the capture from Dunedin, so good to see an osprey and excitement will start to build now in anticipation of EJ and Odin's return. Glad you got home safely in the fog after what sounded like an enjoyable evening. Laughed about the electrocution game played by the youngsters.
Gary thanks for more adorable pics of the puppies. Have a great time with them when you babysit for a couple of days. Pleased you are not snowed right in and how kind for that man to clear your drive.
Lynette Thanks for the birthday wishes and your much appreciated thoughts for me. I quite enjoyed Come Dancint and what a revelation Vince Cable was. Whole show very entertaining and the best dancer did win although he was at a bit of an advantage.
SheilaFE what a shame you did the walk to the pub but they were not serving food. Hope your nephews wedding goes well on New Year's Eve. Sounds like you are getting a lot of wildlife to your garden. We have a couple of foxes who come every night and eat the peanuts and cheese that is out for the birds. We don't often see them but know they visit as they leave their calling cards for me to clear up each morning.
Diane coyotes calling, that must be an erie sound in the nights. Hope the squirrels found their hidden larders OK.
Georgeg pleased you now have a thaw setting in but with all the ice and snow you had up there it is obviously going to take a while to completely go.
ALICAT glad you are beginning to feel better and thankyou for my birthday greetings. Take care of yourself and keep warm which is a bit easiter to do now it has warmed up generally.
Annette yes the birds of prey experience was OH's idea. He had thought of several experience days, such as a day with elephants which I love and of course the Donkey Sanctuary again. I am so pleased that I will be able to fly birds of prey and get good close up views. They only have six people at any one time in a group so it will be quite a year what with the LG visit and this too. Billy Whizz still visiting and we have noticed how clean he is, spends half his day washing himself. Likes to sit in our drive to do this.
original goldfinch sorry you have more pipe trouble. I was just thinking I am glad I am not living in Ireland. How awful to be without water all over Christmas and not really knowing when they will get it back again.
Good morning all although I have tried to do individual posts I apologise for leaving anyone out.
My sister is showing a slight improvement each day although still quite confused and not able to take long visits from the family as she is very tired. I spole to her son and husband yesterday and they are being very positive about her which is good. Not sure when we will able to visit but will try to talk to her as she has a phone with her and once she is allowed out of bed I might be able to contact her. Still don't know how long she will stay in hospital but at least things are slightly better than they were originally.
Think the events of the past week or so really caught up with me yesterday as I did not feel too well. Couldn't eat and the fact I have not been sleeping to well all added to it I think. OH went to Magic Show on his own as I couldn't face the trip on a coach up to London. He enjoyed it very much and even managed to sell my ticket. He got home just before 8 last night and had quite a nasty drive in the fog. I was so relieved to see him home safe and sound. Hoping I will make the panto on Saturday. Going to see Aladdin with Paul O'Grady so that should be a laugh.
Well I think that is all for now, but take care all and thanks yet again for all the kind thoughts and hugs.
Margobird
morning all. Nice crisp morning here. Our snow is still at the white, pristine stage:)
I'll catch up more later as I can see the horses eating the stable doors, literally , so they must be hungry! lol
Just wanted to say-
Margobird, so glad you had some more positive news about your sister and hope you get up to see her soon. Sure you will feel a whole lot better when you've done that.
OG- pipes! I've had very good experience with "plastic" pipes outside. I'm not sure what there're called there but in our barn, I (well, a plumber) replaced the cooper pipes with these very hardy plastic ones. They are very easy to cut and fit and it the water freezes, the pipe expands, rather than bursts. It's worked very well and never had a problem in 2 years.
Alan, had a real chuckle about teenagers electrocuting themselves! lolol
Afternoon all ... slow thaw continuing here .... little bits of green and brown appearing through the white!
margobird - so glad that your sister is showing signs of improvement ... but sorry you have been feeling off colour ... take care of yourself. Hopefully you will be in contact with her soon.
Linda - I agree with you about Bucks Fizz from Sainsburys ... very good indeed!
AQ - yes please to some of your heat ... but not too much. I have been watching the news reports about the floods in Queensland ... absolutely awful.
Annette - pleased to hear of your 'night of peaceful indulgence'!!! Sounds like it was thoroughly deserved :-)
Gary - 2 days of 'puppy -sitting' ... what a hardship that will be!!!!! Lots of pics to come, I hope :-)
Thanks to everyone else for chat, links etc.
Take care.
Joan - avid bird and nature watcher in Northumberland!
Index Thread
If you want to electrocute some teenagers try getting them to play this simple game:
http://www.geniegadgets.com/gadgets_uk/lightning-reaction-reloaded.html?gclid=COyRnoLukaYCFVc03godKkdlow
Morning all: Poured all night; has stopped now. Still gray and dreary so have Christmas lights inside house so it looks nice and cozy.
Margobird: So good to hear from you. Do hope you'll be able to visit your sister soon. Understandable that you haven't been sleeping well, but would be nice for you to go to the Panto if it'll make you laugh.
OG: Hope OH doesn't have too much bother with pipes and that son doesn't get discouraged with job hunt.
AQ: WIll try turkey in oven bag next year. Ha! Was trying to figure out who SA - in your famly I assumed - was celebrating a huge birthday and decided you'd mistyped the year. Ah yes, the dreaded "committee" pressure once you join a club. Very wise of you to steer clear.
Chloe: Thanks for APOD photo - missed the eclipse with all our rain.
Lindybird: I remember we used to make butter/brandy sauce - with sugar?? - for Christmas puds my Mum would make - loved that sauce.
Alan: Sounds like everyone - especially the teenagers - had fun. Ha-ha - where was that game when I needed it!! Take out Chinese sounds ideal after all that other food we consumed. My OH is taking me out to dinner tonight since I've spent so much time in the kitchen the last couple of weeks. Maybe we'll get a visit from IT in 2011?
Thanks all for posts and responses; take care all. Must get going (on second thoughts, why.....?)
Phoebe!!!
A pretty picture to cheer us up on a bit of a grey day, Alan!
Still not seen any waxwings but they are getting closer. Sighting on Birdguides today at 13:50 was less than half a mile from our house. I took a walk out to where they were yesterday but they had moved on.
So near and yet so far, Alan. I would just love to see them, but none reported near to here. :-(
Love the electrocution gadget! Must remember that one when we have teenagers around here again, sometime.
Hello all. Have been reading but not taking time to post. We've now got temps of +8 in the daytime but accompanied by mist and fog so grey, gloomy and damp. I've managed to brush most of the grit/salt off the steps down from the house - got it from the grit box provided by the roads authority to assist traffic on our hill. I needed it mainly to help me get the car into and out of the driveway - had to collect prescriptions and essential medication - but didn't want to fall down 7 steps.
We are fortunate that our water supply hasn't been affected so far - new plastic pipes were installed in our area during last summer. Most of the Leisure Centres are open at least part of the day and evening to enable members of the public to shower but it must be a nightmare for people with children and interrupted water supply. On my mission to Tesco today I noticed that they were limiting purchases of bottled water to 12 litres per customer.
Margo So glad the news of your sister is more hopeful, And what a great pressie from your OH - I'm sure you'll rea;;y enjoy the BoP expeerience.
Must go and get some food for OH. Take care everyone.