Weekly Chat, Sunday February 20, 2011

Thanks Sheila F I am getting so excited about this.  Will harldy be able to contain myself until June 11.

Good afternoon all I have been having problems again trying to get on the site to reply to things as IE won't allow me to write anything so I have to go onto google to reply and yesterday it told me that the site wasn't available.  

Has the world gone crazy with all the flooding in Australia and now this devastating earthquake in NZ plus the amount of snow they have been having in USA and our winter starting a month early but when you see what has been happening around the world I think we in the UK have a lot to be thankful for.

The day started sunny here but now we have rain but managed to get morning and afternoon walks in before the rain started. It is a lot milder today as yesterday was bitterly cold but dry.

Diesel and I are still getting along ok and he loves running around the garden but I used to have a greenhouse which was blown of its base when we had high winds last year and it all got twisted so had to be got rid off but the concrete base is still there and with all the snow and rain we have had there is now a big puddle which  he just adores running through so he has to be dried every time he does this but he does stand and let you dry him and then lets you comb him

Hope everyone who is feeling under the weather gets better soon

SheilaFE: Thanks for that I thought that is where they had their lodges. The spotty pig does have a very posh house but the run has been halved and a different small breed put in that half. I am sure Margo will find people helpful with getting to and from her shift and he if she catches up with me one day and Dibnlib another she will also get a chance to see this super part of the world. All she needs now is good weather.

Hello Wendyb.  I am envious of Margobird!!  There is no substitute for being shown around by a local.  My young friend remembered Pig's name and used it last year, but I'm afraid I have forgotten.  It seemed to enjoy a good scratch on its back.

SheilaFE: Oh always slows down as we go past the pigs but the spotty one spends alot of time sleeping in it's house. We use that road a lot as I hate the main road from Grantown , Nethy road is so nice. When I pick Margo up I was going to take her to her destination not down the A9 but across Dava Moor as that way you do get scenery and not traffic.

Morning all: Looks like that Christchurch quake was just 3.1 miles below the surface and almost right under the city. Was looking at video and noted some of the buildings damaged looked like mid- to late-1800s brick structures that went up before folks realized how vulnerable they are in earthquakes - and especially dangerous when they have those ornamental cornices that just sheer off. Wonder what the earthquake retrofitting codes are down there - seems like they'd be pretty aggressive....

Auntie: We have shortish days, even in the summer, being so far south, but the mild winter climate makes up for the darkness.

Alan: Like the idea of Extreme Duvet Cover Wrestling as a new Olympic event. My OH has the hardest time putting on the fitted bottom sheet on our bed - I bustle him out of the room and do it myself.  I told him it's just like putting on panty house (tights) but for some strange reason that doesn't help! :-) Maybe that Italian peregrine is stuffing down some pasta?

dibnlib: Bet OH's cousin's fiancee got a fright when her intended was wheeled into ER.

patriciat: Re earthquakes, we've been advised that cell- and cordless-phone connections are vulnerable during emergencies (don't know why that should be) and that we should always have an old-fashioned landline that plugs into the wall. Also, we're advised to have an out-of-area contact who can act as an intermediary with other out-of-area friends and family looking for news. When you say Indy didn't compete in the trials, it sounds like she (he?) had already made other plans or decided to stay home and do her nails or something! :-)

Margobird: Hard to imagine you shouting or using naughty words. Good that OH is home and hope you're feeling more relaxed. Geez; sounds like your LG trip is really taking shape. Lucky you.

Wendy A worry for you with friends headed to Christchurch - not the sort of story they'd planned to write home about I'm sure.

Sheila: Pants/trousers fit OK, but then I tempted fate and made a tarragon cream sauce with chicken last night, so not taking any chances and will head to gym for spell on stationary bike in a bit!  Asking the meter man to remove his shoes reminded me of Hyacinth Bucket ("that's boo-kay")!  'Elf and safety, eh? Somehow I don't see you as having lots of hard toys sprinkled about the house for him to tread on! :-))

George:  Agree that the site has been slow/non-responsive quite a bit lately; in fact, just waited for what seemed like ages for the Reply page to show up. Hope it doesn't portend troubles come March (think it was last year that the site went down right before our birds returned).

Off to start the day (a bit late must admit). Thanks ALL for posts and pix; take care!

Woopee.  I have just been looking at the Decorah eagles, lined with snow and with the female sitting on it looking a bit perplexed!  The male kindly brought in a branch in compensation, but has flown off now.  Brilliant camera work.

Wow everyone's been chatty today and I haven't made notes so hope I remember most of the replied I want to do.

Margo - Wendy, how nice you are going to meet up and Margo you must be so relieved to know that someone you 'know' will be able to give you some guided tours. It sounds like you'll meet up with Patriciat too.  I'm not there until July so will miss seeing you all.

Patriciat  well done you and Tweed.

George - glad Diesel is settling in well.

Gary at least while the snow lasts TT will stay that lovely colour.  During the thaw she'll doubtless get very grubby so I hope it dries out quick once it melts.

Wendy - I doubt that spotty pig minds having a smaller enclosure, I shouldn't think she's that active and like you say last time we were there the upgraded house looks fantastic!

I'm sure I actually remember having a family holiday in one of those chalets. I used to go on holiday around Nethybridge every year as a teenager then stopped for some years. Now though I've re-discovered the area with OH. Luckily we have the same love of the area, wildlife etc.  If our numbers came up we'd definitely be looking for somewhere to live up there and his plan would be that it would be somewhere suitable for us to build an osprey nest!!

Trish2: I know the exact position of your feet and camera!!

I have lost track of the thread but when is it you are up here next?