Weekly Chat, Sunday, January 30,2011

I hope every one has had a good day today. Once again thank you for  chat, pictures and humour.

Sunshine and showers here today...thank you Dibnlib as your shower passed over here just after I read your morning post. I could see it coming over the hill behind me from my kitchen window, so delayed my walk for an hour and it was sunny but blustery.

Boring fact from Spreadsheet Man aka OH today we had 1 hour 53 mins more daylight today up here in the Highlands compared with 21st December. It is a fact that really lifts your spirits.

3 new osprey nests for Kielder Forest:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tyne/hi/front_page/newsid_9383000/9383972.stm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Alan: These birds are very lucky... what with Kielders 3 and Arnes 5. They went up this time lasy year. One of which did have some interest shown as they passed through Poole Harbour September October time

WendyB : Also 2 at Carsington Water. Plenty of opportunity for birds not to travel any further north.

Alan: When I spoke to the guys at Arne I think they realised that they were pushing the boundary a bit far south but hey ho you have to try. It was all done with Roy Dennis's guidance. They can get 18 or so floating around at one time before they decide to fly north so in the lottery of life they could get lucky.

Couldn’t get onto site earlier, now seems faster than usual.  Been out all day – Art Centre for 2 exhibitions (rubbish) and lunch (excellent), 2 supermarkets (reasonably easy today) and finally Garden Centre for a drink (no cake – too full) where we managed to spend some more money.  Now tired.

Everyone has had so much to say (four pages since I was last here!), I don’t think I’ll manage much in reply, so thanks to all for messages, pictures, links and whatever.

Gary – what hardship, playing with five puppies in the snow!  Hope all goes well for your neighbour.

Annette – rejoicing with you over end of landscaping!

Lindy – hope you eventually had enough water pressure to hose down.

Dibnlib – sorry you missed the walk – but know what you mean about walking slowly and making everyone else slow and wetter in bad weather.

Margo – yes, man did turn up, but no clue about when job might get done!  Pleased your Sister’s treatment is starting this week – they were very quick with her mask.  Good that she has targets to aim for, too.

Heron – yes, Februarys now, so we can say “EJ will arrive next month”!

Alan and Wendy – fine to have southern nest platforms, but don’t forget extra day-length further north is important!

Afternoon all: Phew - gone 1 p.m. already here. Sunny but coolish (by our standards).

Lindybird: Hope your water supply is back to normal. Interesting that your new neighbor is coming from a care home to independent living. Good they've got a bird table up already though.

Brenda: Did your furniture ever arrive/leave?  I have visions of you sitting in the dark by the window waiting for vans to appear.

Margo: Please say hallo to Billy Whizz - so good your sister is being so optimistic.

Wendy: Spreadsheet Man? Are you sure that isn't my OH you're talking about?  He almost does a spreadsheet before he goes grocery shopping!

Diane: Just looking at that storm on Google Earth. Hope you're warm and dry; ditto your critters.

Off to grab something for lunch.  Thanks all for pix and posts.

Diane - I hope you are safe. And the critters in your garage.

Lynette - Well said. You and all those posting here are a great bunch.

Gary - What a shame you had to slave away next door. Are you sure you didn’t send you neighbours away so you could have the "monsters" all to yourself?

Linda - Hope your OH is feeling better. End-of-winter colds can be nasty.

Dibnlib - Patience. Soon you can have a "run’ in the forest.

Brenda - I hate waiting for deliveries. Either they come early or make you wait until the last 10 mins.

Margo - Your sister has the right attitude. Still sending healing thoughts her way.

Alan says "Current temp 6.9c and rising." Huh, here (8.30 am) ‘tis current temp 23 and rising. Such a cool night, down to 18, we needed a sheet on bed!!! A slightly better today expecting only 34C. I feel like a dishrag that's been wrung out.

Thanks to Paul, Linda, Alicat, Alan for pics.

Greetings to Auntie, Annette, Wendy, OG, and everyone I have forgotten.

Queensland is facing a horrendous storm tonight our time. Cyclone Yasi has now been upgraded to a category 5. It is huge. One report said it is bigger than Tasmania. The danger zone stretches from Cooktown to Townsville, 700 km. People holidaying on QLD islands have been evacuated, also those living in low-lying areas. Queues at petrol stations. supermarket shelves emptying. The weather gods have gone crazy. Meanwhile bushfires in the Gippsland area of Victoria.

Hi folks, I've had to skim through all your news as I can't read them properly due to going out to feed the birds this morning and somehow got tangled up with the end of my yew tree branch which just poked in my eye. It has been quite painful and irritable and so ended up going down to eye casualty this afternoon.  Put drops in which eased it but that didn't last long and also some antibiotic cream which isn;t easy to apply but am trying to get the hang of it. Can just about read to do this post, so:

Thanks dibnib for your info on binocs. And to all those lovely eagle pics and the one of Phoebe. I think I'll just post this and sign off as its quite difficult to carry on.

Diane, before I forget, keep safe and warm with the impending storm coming and have just hard on the news that one of the biggest cyclones around is about to hit the Cairns area of Australia. Stay safe over there too.

Bye for now

Lynette - OUCH!   That sounds really painful - and so easily happens in the garden.  Cream is not at all easy to apply, so good luck with that and I hope the eye recovers soon!