Hi all: very late starting this - was gone most of the day. I saw Odin on the nest - brilliant! Now off to check on Lady and, hopefully, catch up on chat!
Didn’t try to type this afternoon – arm had a little bleed after blood test so decided to rest it. Then went to Bird Club. Now arm seems okay, but it’s late because we called at Dumfries 24 hour Tesco for a few things we can’t get at local one. So will leave any replies to tomorrow. Good night!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Hi everyone: My OH e-mailed me (from the next room) the following link. You need Adobe Flash Player apparently, which I have to reload on my machine: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/hawk-cam-live-from-the-nest/?hp
Tiger: Oh dear, I keep missing vital info re Henry. Now I feel sorry for him....
TerryM: Every now and then we have outbreaks of exclamation marks; it's probably contagious! :-)
OG: Are they poking holes in you again then? I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow, for some odd reason have to keep refilling the refrigerator!
I didn't understand at first why you were all stocking up on stamps. That won't work in Aussieland - they print the amount on the stamp. If we are caught with old ones we have to buy 5-cent stamps to add.
Trish & OG - Once upon a time when Dau#1 was much younger, she was so long in the shower that one night I went out and turned off the water meter. Alas, my timimg was wrong, she finished too soon!!!
Alicat - What a lovely surprise is wee Bobbie.
First instalment of our weekend trip. We left 8 am, first stop Blanchetown roadhouse for coffee & (for me) a matchstick (an eclair-shaped doughnut filled with cream). Then we caught our first view of the flooded River Murray as we crossed the bridge.
Short stop in Waikerie, the Gateway to the Riverland, for a walk to river, old chimney and/or, ahem, the homemade chocolate shop. For OH I bought some choc-coated macademias which obviously counteracted the naughtiness of my choc sultanas. Sorry they didn’t last long enough for a photo!!! Another pic of the Murray, again through bus window.
To be continued.
Just about to topple into bed but hallo AQ! Is the River always so full or is this an unusual year? I'd say chocolate macadamia nuts are much naughtier, calorie-wise, than chocolate sultanas. But of course, there was that doughnut filled with cream!
Wonder if Diane is back from the big city....
Night all.
Morning, Everyone. Surprised to find it drizzling when I finally hauled myself out of my warm bed. It is warm, as predicted, but its supposed to be dry & sunny today! Was going to wash all the 'doggy' towels. Yesterday was very warm and dry, by the way, almost like a summers day.
Now that I've read about this Giant Hogweed, I'm so very glad we did not decide to pick any of it! If its the sort of thing to make your skin prickly, I'm the sort who would be sure to need hospital treatment. Went to bed late last night as OH had been out, having the first bowling match of the year and so had missed his beloved Manchester United football game - I recorded it for him and he managed not to hear the score before coming home at 9.30, so then he wanted to watch it all through - I went to bed but was still half awake when he finally came up. As the only goal was in the 1st half of the game, I was torn as to whether to tell him not to bother with the rest!
Terry: As you can see, there are plenty of exclamations here, every day!!!!
OG: Hope your arm is OK today. Not much fun, leaking.
AQ: Thanks for 1st instalment of your trip photos. What a swollen river.
Hope Diane returns today with tales of her trip away.
‘Morning, all – everything fine here this morning. Quick track back to yesterday. Started as a dreich morning – busy making soup for lunch and preparing veggie lasagne for early dinner. Couldn’t take advantage of improving weather after lunch because of bloods appointment – there was still strong breeze when we went out, but a very warm one. Must admit to visiting Coffee Lounge – didn’t eat cake – but did have Hot Chocolate with marshmallows (not cream). OH had Chocolate Crunch Pie with Ice-cream and a Cappuccino, so I felt quite virtuous!
Bird Club was last of the winter season (we don’t attempt the summer trips because of accessibility issues) and was very short AGM and a really good talk on RSPB Mersehead – lots of great bird (and other wildlife) pictures and a lot about habitat management and agricultural co-operation. We have some excellent nationally known speakers, but I like the local ones best, learning more about our local Birds.
Garden and feeders were busy yesterday – and we saw the Siskin pair again. We usually get them as winter visitors, but I think these two must have a nest nearby.
Pleased to read that you managed to stroke Billy yesterday, Margo, you have been so patient waiting to gain his trust. I hope you had a good time at the concert, and got home safely.
Joan – interesting that the nest box has two prospective tenant families! Looks like Blue Tits might be winning – lovely photos.
Alicat – another cute Bobbie photo!
Tiger – enjoying all the Osprey genealogy – and memories of poor Henry!
Alan – Lovely description and photos from RW – lucky you!
Lindy – sorry no tree yesterday – and no cake! Large plant looks like Giant Hogweed to me! I think as an invader species you can report it to someone, but need to research who – I know who it would be in our region, but not sure about England any more! Pleased your friend had mostly-good news from her surgeon.
Terry – don’t be in too much of a hurry to move - I think the Osprey sighting at Talkin Tarn might have been just a flyover! I think I am a carrier of exclamation-mark-it is!!!
Lynette – hope OH is continuing his recovery.
AQ – that is a some flood! Thanks for beginning account of your trip – we look forward to more.
Annette and Lindy – last I remember of Diane’s return, it was to be Monday – but that was when she was setting out earlier than she finally went – and it could even have been next Monday!!
Glad the arm is OK today, OG. Love the sound of all that home made soup you keep producing! Hot chocolate with marshmallows sounds pretty good to me, even without cake or Choc Crunch Pie.... Must admit I'm a bit lost about when Dianes return will be - & I don't have time to go back & research it over the old threads.
Didn't get on here at all yesterday. What's this about an offspring of EJ and Henry? Has there been a sighting and if so where? I'm so excited.
Good morning all.
TerryM thanks for your kind thoughts and hugs.
patriciat nice words from you and it is probably best to weep when I feel like it. I am feeling a little less weepy today but cannot get her out of my mind. I can quite understand how you must feel as life does not seem to have dealt you aa bad card. It must be awful to watch your OH struggle so much.
Lindybird thanks for the pic of your OH standing up close to the Triffids, my word they are big. Sorry to hear your friend has to have another op but fairly good news so far.
original goldfinch your soup always sounds delicious and then treats to follow while you were out. Glad you enjoyed the bird talk and hope your arm is OK today.
We thoroughly enjoyed Michael Feinstein last night. Wonderful voice and such a nice person who gained an immediate rapport with his audience. Songs were from his American songbook so lots of music from shows and many of them from the 40's. He ia also a very good pianist. Got back home at 2.15 this morning. We had bad journeys to and from London. On the way up we were delayed for nearly an hour because there had been a suicide on the track at Surbiton, terribly sad that a person can feel so desperate and choose this way to end their life. OH had booked a table at an Italian Restuarant near Leicester Square theatre where we were going, just made it by the skin of our teeth but had to rush it a bit as show started at 7.30. Coming back we got to Waterloo to find a notice up saying there had been a major failure of their IT system and there were no trains arriving and most importantly non leaving. Eventually we managed to get on a train that was only going as far as Winchester and that we would be taken buy bus to Southampton to pick up the train for Bournemouth. We began to wonder whether we would ever get home and would have to find a hotel for the night. Luckily there was a train from Southampton which we had to wait for over 40 minutes before thankfully clambering abroad to complete our journey. We had about 4 hours sleep and OH was up at his usual time to go to work and I bet he is feeling absolutely shattered, so all in all w very eventful journeys.
My contact with Billy is moving swiftly forward. While I was waiting for OH to come home and change for London trip I sat in a garden chair in the glorious sunshine. I had been stroking Billy even more after my posts of yesterday but this time he came and sat on the chair next to me enjoying being stroked and I could hardly believe it when he got on my lap and stayed there for about 15 minutes. I was talking to him and saying I can't believe you are the same cat that used to bolt when you caught sight of us. Needless to say I was absolutely delighted and he really helped me to cheer up yesterday when I felt so down. Lots of strokes this morning and we converse with each other by way of miaows. OH thinks the next step for him will be come indoors. Patience is a virtue as they say and it has certainly paid off with Billy. I hever thought we would reach this stage.
Have a good day all.
Margobird