Weekly Chat, Sunday 8 May 2011

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers. I hope you all have a great day.

Do check back to last week's chat for OG's gorgeous wildflower garden pics And Lynette's pics of Dunedin & Hampton eaglets.

Linda - I love your pics of Tatton Park, especially autumn.

Alan  -24 handbags!!!! Must be related to our Dau#2 who collects shoes & handbags. Me, I have one all-purpose go-everywhere shoulder bag. Plus the gold one OH gave me decades ago and saw the light of day at the weddings.

Brenda, Linda, Lynette, Joan, OG - On my first trip o/s I had a list of what to take. It helps remind me not to forget vital things like eye drops, film (nowadays it is memory cards & battery charger!). When I returned I noted what I didn’t use and now I check the amended list, pruning every trip. Why drag excess around? Invariably my room in B&Bs was on 2nd or3 rd floor. Besides I may buy things, such as jumpers - that’s my weakness. Stupid really because I knit them and the wardrobe is bursting. So, OG, I shall choose one of them. And camera almost lives in said all-purpose bag!

Joan - I heard a story of a local teacher who had 7 children in her class named "Amy" but all spelled differently.

  • Hi, Auntie! Don't worry if you go missing after the upgrade, I'll saddle a horse and ride into cyber-space looking for you! Nice to hear from you. Glad you've been enjoying the warmer weather.

  • OG: Loved the Castle photo as well as the osprey pics and the willow warbler! Sorry you have to buy a formal dress for the wedding instead of practical trousers. Ten hours of wedding festivities!?! Yikes! I couldn't do it. I'm shy, and being in a large social gathering for that many hours would completely exhaust me. I especially loathe formal occasions. I hate the clothes, the small talk, all of it. I don't envy you a bit. Have a great trip this weekend. I look forward to hearing about it.

    AQ: Just watched the cane toads program. They showed a lot of truly beautiful Australian landscapes. Awe-inspiring. And a couple of professors from Adelaide talked about the cane toad movements. Those toads are a threat and a problem in every way aren't they? And they're travelling really fast across your country!

    I mowed the bottomland near my creek today. I kept an eye on the grass and in the trees in case Stinky the Black Snake was around. It was 85 F (29.4 C) here today, so Stinky is probably out of hibernation by now 

    Everyone have a good Thursday.

  • Barbara Jean    Do not give up. Let me tell you a true story. About six years ago I founded a webcam forum. There was this woman who got very frustated because she could not figure out how to do a signature and said she was leaving in disgust.

    A day later this woman came back and somehow (I do not know how) had managed the trick of getting a signature. The thing is that proved to be a turning point in her life. From there she just grew and grew.

    She became a fully fledged forum member. Later she became an assistant admin on a large book forum. Nowadays she is on Facebook and also takes part in online chats.

    You see this woman is in a wheel chair and by getting the hang of cyberspace her life was transformed. She said "My life was so small and now it is so large"   I think that will always be one of the most lovely things I have ever heard said.

    I always wonder what would have happened if had not come back as she threatened.

    So whatever the frustrations....do not give up.

  • Diane That is a wonderful analysis of the situation.

    Also we know where auntie lives!  No chance of her getting lost! :)

  • Evening all: Lovely chamber concert with small group playing a Mozart quartet and a Bruckner quintet. Very tight and intense playing; it was held at the Natural History Museum up in Mission Canyon - lovely setting.

    AQ: Vienna = chocolate and Strauss waltzes! Enjoy!

    Lindybird: Your walk with Buzz sounds perfect. Oh my, Sweat Pea will be into hamburgers and fries soon. Awful about the "licence to kill."

    Tiger: A thread for our four-legged companions is a great idea. I bet it would be well supported! :-) Thanks for the "friends" how-to clarification.

    patricia: When my mother was ailing and I was worn out, it was our doctor who stepped in and played the "heavy" and told my Mom I needed a break. Heather makes some very good points; we'd all be thrilled for you if you could work it out somehow.

    Heather: I'm not an RSPB member; not sure what I'm classed as when I'm posting! :-) Enjoy Germany; have a beer for me.

    Alan: Goldfinch looks contemplative. Cute peregrine chicks.

    George: The place to go when you're feeling under the weather or depressed is right here, where encouragement is always on offer! Do take care.

    Margobird: Sorry you had a stressful morning; do hope tomorrow is better.

    OG: I think we're all a bit apprehensive about the change; seems like you just get used to one thing and here comes something new.

    Wattle! Brilliant to see you. Any duststorms out your way lately?

    Diane: Great point-by-point explanation of What It All Means. I think it's good that messages posted on individual's pages will be private in future. Yes I'll be driving alone - frankly, getting into the driver's seat and heading out onto the highway has always signified freedom to me (not that I have to escape from anything!). The I-10 is well traveled and, besides, I don't drive long distances at night.

     

    Barbara Jean: Oh no! Do hope someone can help you sort it out. Don't like the idea of you leaving at all. :-( I see Tiger has posted an inspirational message to encourage you. :-)

    Auntie: Glad you're enjoying the spring; sounds like things are busy at your "local" nests. Hugs to you too!

    Jay-Me: Good to see you./Bettyboo: If you're worried about the upgrade, you could click on someome's avatar, go to their page and ask if you could be added as a "friend" - any number of us would be delighted to help if there are problems with the redesigned site.

    I'm sure I've missed responding to some folks - Lynette, Cirrus to name two. Do take care all and thanks for all posts and pix. G'night.

  • Good grief TIger; you're up and about. I didn't realize how late it was here (have a good day).

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    Morning all

    Cloudy here with rain forecast - I'm sure we need the rain at the moment, but the weeds in the garden are thriving - I will have to do some clearing at the weekend.  I don't get birds visiting here - there are too many cats.  My next door neighbours have a cat kennel at the front ( which seems to be often pushed over across the path and under my window) plus they put food out for their cat - but all the cats in the neighbourhood seem to hang around.  I go down to mum & dad's and watch their garden birds - they have plenty and have just started getting goldfinches and bulfinches visiting this year.

    I'm probably a lurker, although I haven't posted much recently - I have been around since the time of Rothes & her sisters & I remember a few chats about parrots in trees - that was when I had a laptop and was awake early in the mornings.  I might still be awake as early but it is a different thing coming down to the desktop PC.  Last year,  life and computer malfunctions got rather in the way of osprey watching.

    Looking forward to my visit to Glaslyn - not for a couple of weeks though, so hopefully there will be plenty to see.  I'm not sure what else is planned for that trip.

    Janet

  • I see that Bill Oddie's site is going in leaps and bounds. He used to be a real Luddite but is now caught up in the white heat of the technologial revolution. See  Bill Oddie.

  • Tiger: Oh, my stars, that Talking Dog video is hilarious!!!