Weekly Chat, Sunday April 3 2011

Hi Everyone... Well that's 3 weeks and 2 days of daughter time. Youngest back home in Dorset after her flight home today. Feels really strange as it is the longest time I have spent with either or both in 10 years...roll on June.

Have been dipping in and out but will get to grips tomorrow.

Margobird what amazing results with Billy Whizz. You might never get to pick him up but do not despair my 2 were rescues from the New Forest and they hated beeing picked up. The vet said it was they were part ferrel...something to do with the colour of thir pads.

Bobbie is so so cute.

Went out briefly this evening.  Local independent garden centre had a special evening, including the café staying open later and putting on some special dishes.  Wanted some “mini-bark” which was on special offer, so decided to eat too.  OH had steak pie (with potato wedges!) and I had very nice sweet chilli chicken wrap with salad (which was only £3.30!).

Son’s interview went well, and, subject to references and national HR, he will be working for 3 months!  Locally, they want him, and need him to start ASAP, so I don’t think they will let HR take too long over it!  He will be a catering assistant at a small activity centre near Aviemore, for schools’ visits Monday to Friday – so no weekend working.  After the summer term, they have self-catering groups, so the job will finish then.

Going out tomorrow to the Art Centre as there is a living art installation I want to photograph, and an exhibition of local landscapes in oils – also will have lunch there then shop briefly in Morrison’s on the way home.  We seem to be out a lot this week!

Margo - So sorry to read of your sister. Yet you do have some brighter moments - slow and sure, Billy will become "yours".

Riverland continued. Then on to Banrock Station at lunchtime. A sheep station in the early days, in 1994 it was converted to wetlands, vineyards & restored native vegetation. It is one of 14 worldwide Good Earth ecological projects (another is the Eden Project in Cornwall). Due to recent floods most of the wetlands and boardwalks were under water. I quickly realized my knees would not manage the rough paths so I returned to sit on the balcony enjoying the view. Vines in centre, wetlands beyond.

Some of the restored native vegetation - mallee country.

One of the mallee trees, multi stemmed.

I had a coffee while being entertained by 2 welcome swallows. Other visitors had lunch with wine, Banrock wine of course. If you want to see bird pics try www.banrockstation.com.au as I didn’t go far enough to see the wildlife.

Annette - The Murray River is unusually high. Not the worst flood (1956 when Renmark was cut off for 7 months, 2/3 of town evacuated with river rising 10 metres flooding main street). However recent years have seen the river in SA too low for cruise boat. Before & after pics also on Banrock website. http://www.banrockstation.com.au/sites/banrockstation.com.au/files/Banrock%20Station%20in%20flood%202010_2011.pdf   

If that doesn’t work check under Recent News, then Banrock Station flood images.

Hi everyone.

Sorry I've not posted here for a few days.  I've been sidetracked.  Or to put it another way: My name's Paul, and I'm an Ospreyholic ;-)

Thanks for all your news, pics, and links.  Sorry I can't reply to them all or this post would take about half an hour to read, and with my typing speed about half a day to type ;-)

My kindest regards to you all and a very Happy Friday! everyone.


Paul.

Unknown said:

Wonder if Diane is back from the big city....

Yup, back now, Annette. Thanks for asking. Hi, all. Big city was noisy and crowded. I had to stay longer than I intended. Sounds like a lot has been happening here. I'll catch up with everyone tomorrow. Storms are moving in here right now. I don't think they'll be too bad, but I'm shutting down my computer.

Annette: Are you ready for the government to shut down? Hope you already have your tax refund. :-(

Evening all: Went to rose garden this morning and ended up with sneezing with runny eyes thanks to a strong wind and lots of blowing pollen, etc. Didn't see grandson since girlfriend's schedule changed and she's doing the necessary. Instead, did exciting grocery shopping, then home, then out for Indian meal with OH.

Margobird: That trip to London sounds horrendous for all kinds of ghastly reasons. At least you enjoyed the show. Billy purring and - wow - sitting on your lap! Boy, things are moving fast! So glad he's providing some comfort for you.

Alicat: The thought of tiny Bobbie scrambling up stairs made me smile - does she come down backwards? Sounds like he's giving you a much-needed boost!

Alan: Maybe stock up on Tesco items before schoolkids arrive? Left the rose garden this morning just as two classes from SB School District with happy, shrieking kiddies come to sketch the Mission! Perfect time to drive away. Glad Hamish is holding his own.

OG: Good news re son's job. Good for him; wonder if he'll get to taste the catering goodies!

AQ: More lovely pix; looks pretty flat there. Very impressive before and after pix on that link . Up in our hills, the Santa Ynez River is running higher and faster than normal thanks to all our rains, but not to the extent you guys are experiencing.

Diane: Good to see you back in the neighborhood. Don't get me started on the government shutdown or Mr. Suntan! Arghhhh! Sent Federal return in today; will mail State return tomorrow; not holding our breath for the refunds. :-)

Will say goodnight now as I have some things to do before I go to bed and do much better hitting the sack no later than 10:30' otherwise I have a hard time getting started early next day.

Hello, All:   Welcome back to Diane!  Hope you had an enjoyable time away. We wait to hear about it later. 

Dry here and looks as if it might stay that way, so have put all the dirty Dog Towels in the washer  - some of them have holes in & are pretty ragged, so hope that when I put them on the line later the neighbours don't catch sight of them and think that they are mine!

Thanks to AQ for the lovely pics, and the  commentary - its always interesting, AQ!  Your countryside is so different to ours.

Alicat:  Great that Bobbie is now finding a way to go up and down stairs - I get a great mental picture of her cautiously climbing!

Tiger:  Thanks for the link to the Cute Cat pic!

Annette:  Glad you enjoyed a good Indian meal - how is your garden looking now it settling down after all that upheaval?

Wendy:   Great that you had so much precious 'daughter time'  How the years fly by.

OG:  Wonderful news that your son has a job for 3 months.  I hope he enjoys it, and you never know, it might lead to other things.  Good plan about the cheese - one of my temptations, when I want to nibble! (always straightening out the shape of it by paring bits off!)

Another sunny morning.  Thanks Alan for mentioning it, good to see Brian from Caerlaverock on the news last evening – watched it later on iPlayer because we had been out.

Thanks also to AQ for more about the Riverland trip.  A shame you couldn’t explore the wetlands (I know what that’s like as parts of our Wetland reserves are inaccessible to me) but you took the opportunity for some good photos – and enjoyed the Swallows too.  It looks quite an extensive area, and I enjoyed the photos on the Banrock website also. 

Diane – good to have you back where you belong!  I hope storms last night didn’t cause you any problems.

Annette – good that you were saved the bottom duty yesterday – I hope he is healing well by now.  Sorry about the sneezing – I’m on three times a day anti-histamines now until about September!  Catering where Son looks like working is quite basic – but there will possibly be doggy bags because children can be so fussy and difficult to cater for.  Rivers Annan in Annan and Nith in Dumfries have been high and fast, due to heavier rain in the hills earlier this week – but not actually flooded.

Lindy – pleased you have been able to do Buzz’s laundry today – if the neighbours do notice, it will give them something to talk about!!  Just hoping now that Son’s appointment is confirmed – but if there is any problem, at least he has the voluntary job at the Museum to fall back on, which would reduce the disappointment.  Downside is, we won’t see much of him when we visit!

Must make some coffee then get ready to set off to Dumfries.