Weekly Chat, Sunday, June 19, 2011

Quick read before I start the day

Heather: No e-mail from you, even in Spam folder!  Maybe put it on my page?

Lynette D said:

SheilaFE - your photos are just stunning of the surrounding countryside you managed to visit whilst up in Inverkirkaig. The picture of your cottage reminds me of when we visited Scotland some years back and stayed at an old schoolfriends who at the time lived opposite the Summer Isles in Achiltibuie (apologies if I've spelt it wrong) and the bungalow looked out towards the Summer Isles Hotel, beautiful spot.

Sorry to hear about the lack of builder this morning Lynette.  It is such a pain when that happens, but at least you still call him the friendly builder, so clearly he is much valued!  I hope you have a wonderful time in France.  OH and I used to go there almost every year in the 80s, but we haven't been for ages now.  We have explored much of the middle south area, generally making our way back home through the Macon area to stock up on wine!  We have also had quite a number of holidays on the Ile de Re, off La Rochelle.  Lots of wonderful beaches, good flat cycling which we did a lot of the time, and excellent seafood.  But I think my favourite holiday was on the southern end of Lake Annecy in a first floor flat, overlooking the lake.  Were were there on Bastille Day, with all the fireworks going off around us, late into the night.

I see you were lucky enough to live in Scotland for a short while, and not too far from Mary.  Such a small world!

Your friend's bungalow must have seen some wonderful sunsets being situated as it was.  We drove to Achiltibuie and then spent some time on a bench watching some waders rushing hither and thither along the water's edge.  The sun was lovely, but the wind was bitter so half an hour of this was enough, but it was beautiful.  Here are two more photos of the holiday taken from that spot.

Happy Midsummer's Day to all those who celebrate on 24 June!

Rainy and cool here today, but extreme heat will be back next week. Another dozen wasps have hatched from my window nest in the last day. The Queen is long gone, but 3 young wasps have been monitoring the nest, and every few days another group of young emerges from the eggs. Apparently, every one of those little paper-like pockets will eventually produce a new-born wasp! Oh, and that alien white substance I mentioned? It turns out that it is the egg sac containing a baby wasp. It starts out like a small pearl in the bottom of each of the pocket hollows and grows with the new wasp until it pops out over the nest like a muffin top. Then a newly born wasp breaks through the substance to hatch, and the baby feasts on the remains of the sac until it is strong enough to fly away.

I've just read that in Shamanism, wasps are considered a symbol of productivity, progress, and development. Over the past few months, I've struggled with lethargy, indecision, and lack of direction. I find it very interesting that I've been given this powerful and ongoing symbol of the very traits that I need to work on in my own life! Nature is miraculous!

I'll come back tonight and catch up with everyone. You all have posted some truly remarkable photographs in the last couple of days! Breathtaking! When Annette's not looking, I'm going to steal one of those biscuits that OG made!

Patriciat: I hope you are staying safe. I'm glad you were able to convince the older woman not to travel in the troubled area! My thoughts are with you.
Lynette: In case I miss you, have a truly wonderful trip!

Back later.

Alan super pics! Love them all, especially the supervisor :)

Know what you mean about the giving way but in this instance I took the bull by the horns and actually volunteered to give way. Didn't need to reverse too far back to where there was just enough space for them to get past. It was just unfortunate that when turning the front wheel inwards it just caught the soft mud on the bank of the ditch.

Brenda H, I am so sorry to hear of your SiL's behaviour following her various ops.  It must be really worrying for your brother and yourself, and very difficult to deal with.  You may have already told us, but do they live near you?

Tiger/Chloe Oh dear!  I hope the beauty spot was worth all the hassle - I see that OG has already asked this, and Chloe has said you found others or more note!  Makes it an even bigger Oh Dear.  There is something about 4x4s.  I often find its me who gives way to oncoming traffic in my lane, and only last year I got stuck with my front wheels in a drainage channel running from the road to the far side of the verge.  The other car drove off leaving me totally stranded.  I had to phone a neighbouring farmer and plead to be towed out!  And it was such an innocuous drainage channel too.

dibnlib  Good to hear you have managed to get down to see your mother at last.  What a pain about the traffic though.  I hote to think what the show conditions under-foot were given all the rain.  More like Glastonbury!

Super photos Alan.  What a sweetie the Reed Cutting Supervisor looked.

Lindy how lovely to have cuddled with Sweetpea again.  Smiles and tears about your son's new job though.  Quite a dilemma for him no doubt.  I hope you weren't rushing around too much having given your pint.  Not a good idea, as I know to my cost - I only did it once!

Golly Heather B, ad I thought I was busy last weekend.  At least I only have 12 on Sunday, and had to put up three from Friday to Monday.  Is this for a family celebration?  I hope it goes well and that the sun shines over Inverness for you all.

Annette like Brenda I don't envy your g'son and the removal of two wisdom teeth  I too had one removed many years ago under a general anaesthetic in the dentist's chair.  After over an hour under, the dentist told my then husband if I needed any more removing he didn't want to know.  I came out looking like bugs bunny, grazed and very sore.  Two years later I had three removed in hospital and was completely fine.

Diane ... and a Happy Midsummer Day to you too m'dear.  It's not been midsummer type weather here though.  Quite breezy and grey, but not rain.  I am fascinated by the on-going story of your wasp family.  So the Queen's work is done for another year - or is she busy with a new nest now?  I loved the philosophical thought on the symbol of wasps and the way your life should focus and take you in future.  I wish you well!

Wonder how Andy will do this evening.  I started watching the Nadal match and right at the end of the first set he slipped, and went off for treatment on his knee - just before it started to rain.  So he will have a good period for treatment.  Hope all is well with him.

Can't see it mentioned here, but there has been a new Blog from Richard....

Gee, I can relax now. Murray won his match. I guess that most of you are all watching

Murray won in the end but he is really hard to watch. Still , a good win over a tough opponent.

Caught up again at last.   Not going on hols till 5.30am Monday morning, have to be down in Dover for the latest clock in time of 9.50am for 10.25 ferry.  Allowing ourselves hopefully plenty of time in case of holdups as have to drive down the M1,M25, and M20.

Alan, just love those pics of mum and her cygnets and of course the assistant gathering the reeds!!!

Lindybird - see you have had a visit from Son, wife and Sweetpea, how lovely for you. Do hope his job is successful.

Dibnib and I think OG, you said eating at lunchtime would be better, I can agree but we love to eat much later in the evening when we are away.  However if we go out it will certainly be a good meal at lunchtime and then a light meal later on.

HeatherB - do hope the family visit goes well and that all enjoy themselves although you do look as though you will have your hands full, with 6 children and Uncle Tom Cobley and all!!!!!!

Brenda, thank you for the info on your SiL, do hope the situation relsolves itself before too long.

Another sunny evening.  Watered hanging basket and greenhouse while OH put finishing touches to shrub border, researched some aunts and uncles in various generations, then had a good phone call with Son, who has a date in Inverness next week to sign on unemployed again – on his birthday!

Diane – I had assumed Queen was still in the nest for it still be producing young – there must be some means of staggering the births to spread them through the summer and optimise on variable weather. 

Lindy – thanks for alert to Richard’s new blog.  Maybe ringing next week and we shall know the names – but will be another step towards leaving in August  - seems to go faster each year!

Brenda/Alan – thanks for letting us know Murray won – can now dare to look at score.  I also find him so difficult to watch – he really needs to aim for more consistency in his game.

Apologies to those I left out – getting late and eye/brain/hand co-ordination is going to sleep - thanks for all posts.