Morning all: Much ballyhooed snow didn't materialize, we had a sunny day but very cold tonight with temps just below freezing. Spent the first couple of hours today online with Dell Tech Support after a website I clicked on (via Google) delivered a spyware program disguised as an anti-virus program (one of those things that suddenly lights up your desktop with alarming messages about threats to your computer). I ignored it and immediately launched McAffee to scan my computer, which found nothing. However, the spyware program (called Internet Security Essentials) wouldn't go away until Dell's remote support took over and did a super-scan and clean up (LOVE that service! So glad I signed up for it!)
Trish: They said it will take a while for the autopsies on the dolphins. Glad your OH remembered his training and sat still, even if Mia forgot!
Diane: Have never heard of the Nevada Triangle. Will certainly keekp an eye out for the program - we're watching DVD of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest right now. The UK is (it's rumored) is warmed by the Gulf Stream, which perhaps accounts for the daffodils, etc., while you're still dealing with weather from what I believe is called the Canadian Shield...
AQ: Our plants are in danger of drowning right now; have moved some of the potted plants under the eaves to protect them from any frost.
Lindybird: Had big laugh at image of you scraping your pizza off the floor - I'm a firm believer in keeping our immune systems challenged!! :-)) I shall be tuned in to the Oscars from the silly "red-carpet arrivals" pre-show all the way to the final curtain call, although I must confess to shouting a lot at the telly during the entire show. I think The King's Speech will do OK; Colin Firth was nominated last year for A Single Man but didn't get it; think he stands a good chance this time round (and if he doesn't get it, you'll hear me yelling at the telly all the way to the UK)!!
Margobird: Your sister sounds like a real gem.
OG: So glad you had a chance to make various plans with son.
dibnlib: "My fried egg has landed upside down on the floor?" Maybe that happens a lot in Russia? :-))
Hi to all I missed. Have a lovely Sunday!
Mission printing/mailing task has come through late afternoon, and got me really confused as he has used title of 45 circulation for what seems to be in a numbered series for 77 copies! I wish people would be consistent and say what they mean – can’t get the job out of the way until he clarifies, but will he read my email? Grrrrrr! I’ve already told him I am not doing the conference admin this year because it was always so muddled by his dabbling and by delegates who decide they will only communicate with him even though bookings were to be addressed to me! Sorry, being a grumpy again!!
Lynette – laughed at your pun that Diane has “got it all sewn up” with her hand as it is!! I hope you are enjoying your choir practice this evening.
Diane – thanks for report of Cooper’s Hawk release in Virginia – and I see it was under two weeks from capture to release, so she made a speedy recovery.
Patricia - I always decide to take some risk (nothing too silly) and enjoy the present – but it would be worth you taking advice on the agility training, although stopping would be really sad because of the company. And the dogs are used to being worked, so they might get bored! May be a difficult choice at some time. I hope you will get to see “your” Sparrowhawk.
Trish – I hope your small birds remember to stay alert for Mrs S H if she returns!
Son was quite chirpy since his visit, but phoned at dinnertime with hardly any voice to say he has a “good old-fashioned cold”! We hope it won’t set him back – but at least he can look forward to better day length, which will help.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
2 of last seasons osprey cams are back up in the US:
Ferris State:
http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/colleges/artsands/biology/birdcam/index.html
And Lake Barkley which has two eggs in it. They could be Eagles or Great Horned Owls or even Geese. No one seems to know:
http://www.keepky.org/html/nest_cam_1.html
Back from choir practice and just watched Emmerdale. I've so many documentaries to catch up with so will have to try and clear the backlog soon.
OG - quite surprised myself with that quip.
Alan - thanks for the two new osprey links. Will have a look soon.
Dianne - so pleased she thrived and has been able to be released - happy endings.
Will now look at the cams to see what is happening. Back later, maybe!
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
A few pics to close the evening with. At least its only abou 23 days to go now.
For anyone who's awake: There's a big owl sleeping in the nest box. http://www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com/barnowlcam_nestcam.html
Going to bed early for a change. Catch up with everyone in the morning. Have a good day, all!
Nice osprey pic, Lynette.
Annette - "Fort Knox" is what we irreverently call the library’s secure reading room where we are watched lest we go bezerk & damage the records. Most books, except for the most commonly referenced, are kept in store, together with historical documents, maps, etc, either down deep in floors underground or, worse, offsite, 2 days retrieval away. Have you read Miles Harvey's "The Island of Lost Maps"? The story of a map thief who stole rare maps from libraries.
Diane - Me, a spy????? Well ‘spose I am. One of my projects is to index the names of those who deserted or went missing in the early years of our state. It helps family historian trace a lost ancestor. Most amusing are those with a wife in Perth, another in Adelaide, Melbourne and so on. Not so amusing for the women who were deserted. But quite a few women fled too. Then there were the "uncontrollable children" - I wonder how they compare with latter-day delinquents. Thank you for the news of the Coopers Hawk. All too often we don’t hear the final bit of the story, so it is good to know she is back in the wild.
OG - We too have bun fights. I think of them as events with too many people and not enough food. Re your mailing/printing task. Perhaps you have what our Dau calls Insufficient Reluctance.
Alan - Just how old are you?!!!! Riding on supermarket trolleys indeed!!!!
Patriciat - I believe it is better for arthritis to keep moving. Gentle exercise strengthens the muscles. Tho’ I do wonder when I feel the bones rubbing together. Ouch!
Big excursion this morn to get paint sample cards, and exciting things such as filler, sandpaper, masking tape. Sorry Diane, I can’t come to help yours - at the rate we are progressing, our house will be heritage –listed before we finish. LOL
Some thoughts on healthy exercise
My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. Now she's 97 years old and we don't know where the hell she is.It is well documented that for every minute that you exercise, you add one minute to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $5000 per month.
Evening all.
AQ: Oh yes, of course, you'd be just the person to run amuck in the reading room and start tossing books around willy-nilly. Thank you for reminding me about "Lost Maps." I heard about that some time back and thought it would be interesting, then forgot about it.
Diane: Thanks for good news about the Cooper's Hawk. Did hear about the vote to eliminate funding for PBS and NPR (along with education, health care, and all those other extraneous frivolities we can do without!)
OG: As I've said before, I did a newsletter for a nonprofit once - and once was enough! Here "buns" are another term for derrieres/bottoms/posteriors! Gosh, I remember cobblers - we used to have an old guy down the end of the road who always put soles and heels on our shoes.
BrendaH: I think you've got the ranch lady pegged!
Margobird: Dogs provide a great excuse to chat to perfect strangers! You and your OH do get about; I should do more traveling...maybe your OH can arrange some trips for me. :-) Hope your sister gets over her bronchitis without it turning into one of those coughs that hang on and on.
patriciat: I'm sure you've tried everything for the arthritis - my cousin in the UK had gold injections (I think it was that) or steroids; whatever it was really made a difference. In the meantime, enjoy yourself.
TerryM: Good to see you; enjoy your days off. Hope your M-in-law gets over her stroke with no ill effects.
Alan: Had to laugh at vision of you speeding up and down the aisles at Tesco, etc., no doubt with Hamish in the basket.
Alicat: Thanks for the heads up about Richard's blog.
Had busy day today; cleaned the cook top thoroughly, and the overhead hood and filters and was halfway through cleaning the oven when I remembered it was a self-cleaning one!
Morning all. Another frosty start, with some fog in places, apparently. Don't mind as long aas the daya stays dry. Mission to Tesco shortly, then OH has an appointment to see an Occupational Therapist - hope he/she can come up with some ideas to help him cope with everyday life.
Didn't Richard have a wonderful experience in Panama? I don't think I'd have the courage to go into the rainforest with all those deadly snakes!
Hope everyone has a good day.
Forecast: misty – actual: sunny. Zero degrees at 9 am – not sure what it was earlier. Had a bad night and not feeling “quite right” – haven’t found out why yet.
Thanks for overnight posts.
Lynette – we are still catching up on “Lark Rise” from (I think) December, and some documentary series which pre-date that!
Diane – I was awake at 5:15.but stayed in bed!
AQ – sorry that archive security makes your research less pleasant. Understand what your Daughter means by Insufficient Reluctance. Had e-news from one of the actual missionaries this morning and thought – “I suppose that makes it worthwhile”, then thought more rationally there should be no “suppose” about it – how do I really feel? Your decorating is beginning to sound more exciting now! Enjoyed the exercise “quotes”!
Annette – the mailing is only that – no composing or editing involved – he emails those he can, and I “just” do the postal copies, so it should be straightforward, but not when I don’t recognise what I’ve received as what it says it is – I don’t receive any explanation, I’m just part of his distribution list!! Had to laugh at you cleaning the self-cleaning oven! Ours has a programme which you set for self-cleaning, then you have to mop it out after.
Patricia – hope your OH’s appointment with OT is helpful – they are usually very human and approachable.
Need to get the day on the road – been to dry washing up in middle of this, and cooked potatoes for salad. Cleaner due again, so that’s another week gone. Been trying to contact the Solar “suit” who said he would phone – nothing since a message Friday to say he was awaiting paperwork. Receptionist said she couldn’t connect me and I could leave my number for him to ring back, so I told her I couldn’t do that because we’ve been told that before and it never happens!