Hallo folks. Not much action yesterday afternoon on last week's chat, though SueC quoted a poem by the Wolof fishermen of Senegal about ospreys, which I found reassuring.
Margobird - so glad you have been out and stayed on your feet - and felt well enough to shop too. That reminds me, I need to wrap soon - most of our stuff has to be delivered on some pre-Christmas visits.
Caerann - so pleased you have sorted out how to spend Thanksgiving with some of your family - have a great time!
Annette - oh dear I suppose I should say Poor Cat, but I really think Poor Carpet - hope you have managed to get the puke out by dealing with it straight away. I expect the cat threw up because of eating something it shouldn't anyway, that is the usual case!
Our day stayed dry till afternoon, so got home dry after the talk and lunch and some food shopping. Talk was very good: Scottish history around 1286 to 1356 - time of William Wallace, The Bruce etc - turbulent times - in-fighting in the context of fighting for Independence from England! If the forecast is correct, rain will stop in time for going into Dumfries for dinner - East Meets West menu at the same place we went for Texas Steak Night a few weeks ago - think I'll have to "mix and match" as I don't like all the dishes in either as an option - could be fun!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Sorry your cat has sort of disgraced himself on your new carpet. I love your silly spells they make me laugh. What a good idea helium balloons as long as I stay away from leaf blowers. Have a good day.
My husband is an avid fan of The Prisoner but only the Patrcik McGoohan one.
Margobird
Interesting about the new version of the Prisoner as every year we visit Portmerion where the first version was filmed with Patrick "I am not a number, I am a free man" Mcgoohan.
Caerann, glad we can't go more than a few days without mentioning leaf blowers!! LOL So glad you got the Holiday sorted, sounds like it will be wonderful.
Annette, sorry about the carpet, always happens. Cat will most likely roll in dirt pile then come and roll on carpet!
I didn't see the meteror shower, thought about it but that was as far as I got.
OG, glad you had a nice time, us English have a lot to answer for!!! LOL
Alan: My sister was in Port Meirion last year and liked it. I've always wondered if it has a "Disneyland" quality to it (sort of theme park-ish), but maybe not I have some PM 'Botanic Roses" mugs and bowls I got at TJMaxx; very pretty.
Annette : Portmerion is not like a theme park or anything like Disneyland. It is more like an Italian village in North Wales.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/history/pages/portmeirion1.shtml
Alan, Annette and anyone else! I have a Portmeirion coffee set (with a pattern called 'Magic City') given to me by my mother on my 1st wedding anniversary - a LONG time ago. I've wanted to visit the village since then but have never made it. Your pictures, Alan, are beautiful. Maybe I'll get there yet.
Back from dinner: we eat early - age-related! Four small courses - OH had east for two then changed to west, I ate west for three, then east for dessert! Both comfortable - as I say, small courses - very good. No more theme nights there until after Christmas and new year.
Not sure, but we may have a tiler coming to correct a couple of things tomorrow - and our cleaner who is off work with an injured arm (mountain biking damage to a previous horse-riding accident) may be sending someone to help us out. So a domestic day - if no cleaner, OH is going to clean the other shower room. I think I shall be updating Christmas card list.
Nothing wildlife related to report today - seen most of the regulars at the feeders. One question arose on the way home: what do rabbits do in bad weather? We often see them feeding at the roadside, but not this week - do they just go without?? Poor dears, their burrows must be quite waterlogged too - I hope they haven't all drowned! We have a floodwatch along the whole Solway coast of Scotland the next two days - very high tides, S-W winds and run-off coming down from the hills combine to threaten the shore. (We are not at river or sea level and are ok here).
OG Interested to read your comment about the Solway high tides and floodwatch. I live just above the northern end of Strangford Lough (the sea-lough in northern County Down NI) and there is a 'canal' - drainage rather than transport now - which drains into it. Both yesterday and today the bridge arches where the canal passes under the road have been completely filled at high tide. Much land run-off turning the canal water brown, very high tide and a strong wind pushing the lough water inshore. Must look what it's like tomorrow, especially as we're expecting more heavy rain and high winds.
Is Portmeirion a bona fide village with hardware, grocery stores, auto repair shops, etc., (well, at least to the extent that a normal village would have them) or more an "architectural" day-trip destination?
OG: Nice you enjoyed dinner; obviously that old "East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet" obviously doesn't apply to theme dinners! :-)
Out reclaiming the garden today; moving all the plants back into their normal locations, washed off the patio table and umbrella and swept up all the stray nails, screws, bits of wall, metal, etc. that the contractors missed when they cleaned up, Hummingbird feeders need refilling and I can see one feathered head bobbing up and down at the regular feeder, which is almost empty. Better get on the job or they'll all start complaining!