See that Annette has been too busy perhaps, to start a new week, so I'm doing the honours. Rather wet in this part of the world this morning, so doing lots of tidying & Christmas preparing stuff.
Hi Terry. Super photos. Are you sure that's the Ted in both pictures!! LOL
Oh dear, loads to comment on - back to page three (Monday) I think. Will be brief – and anyone I miss out, apologies now!
Auntie – so glad Independence Day went well for you.
Alan – haven’t had time to watch for Coati – maybe tomorrow …. Thinking about Mallachie – hope data comes through next time. Just made our own manic mission to Tesco – new one opened locally yesterday so went for a recce after tea today – medium size, so some things missing, but on the whole pretty good for a small town. Just hope they carry on getting decent veg and meat – the smaller one in Lockerbie is hopeless for those (we do use farmers’ markets also). Hamish after visit to the hairdressers (I also went today!) looks so sweet, and much smaller – lucky dog with his own bijou residence!
Gary – love the picture of the trees and fences in the snow – just glad I’m indoors and warm. Sometimes get nostalgic for the snows we used to have, then remember how difficult life was! Liked your caption for the bear picture!!
Lindybird – don’t think I’ve served beetroot with shepherds pie, don’t know why as always had it (and red cabbage) with hot-pot when in Lancashire. Only use un-vinegary beetroots these days so maybe not the same! Loved your cheerful tulips picture – just what we needed – it’s been so dark here at times lately. The carpet incident – oh dear, but easily done. Some people I know would claim for that on insurance!! Hope today’s “to do” list was not to arduous.
Dibnlib – Dillon looks so placid and patient – a lovely picture – and having toys without chewing them up is amazing. You are getting some good walks and outings this week in your Moray weather – still very damp here.
Annette – sorry about the un-waterproof raincoat – but I suppose at least it’s warm rain where you are! Pleased horse is doing well, but sorry about your daughter – hope she will soon be sorted and then less tired and stressed – sound like, as we say here, “better out than in!” Anyway, I will be thinking of her – and you, because however grown-up they are, they still remain our children! … … later – read your cold blustery night description – so perhaps your rain was not so warm after all , sorry!
AQ – interesting project about “deserters”. But as someone already asked – “Why?”
Wattle – so sorry you are back to hotter weather – hope it is not so unbearable this time around. And sorry to read about your costly mouse experience too – I would say they really have to go, you can’t keep paying out for appliances, and taking safety risks with faulty wiring too, just for the sake of a few mice! We had wood mice in and used a humane trap then took them for a car-ride and released them in the country!! Love the Shepherdless pie suggestion!!
Caerann – hope you can keep snug and warm in the winter weather. It’s supposed to cool down here at the end of the week, but not that much!!!
TerryM - poor naked Ted! So pleased to read that it's growing back.
Work update – roof men got on well with the job today – expecting them at 8:30 again tomorrow, and the ensuite tiler to correct the wobbly bit at 9:30. Scottish Gas service man – already postponed at their request – failed to turn up for annual service – their “system lost some of the jobs when allocating them and they didn’t know which ones ‘til customers phoned in” - now scheduled for 17th.
Will try to respond faster so my posts aren’t so long!!!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Evening all: Off early on yet another mission this morning - this time with grandson. Briliantly sunny day; snow on the hills the other side of the Santa Ynez Valley (not our side) and Channel Islands clear out on the horizon, so very pretty. Coolish, but still warmer than many places.
Tiger: Yes, welcome back. Sounds like you spent the time away very nicely.
OG: Roof trim guys on time is a good start. Sounds like ensuite might be close to completion? (I probably just jinxed the tile job saying that).
Lindybird: Re carpets, we just have food splotches (not on the new carpet - yet) where my husband keeps missing his mouth!
Alan: Hope Hamish liked his hair-do - he looks a little peeved! His living quarters sound quite baronial; does he sleep out there?
Caerann/Diane/Gary: On the weather news last night they said our storm was going to zip across the country in 48 hours! Hope you're all toasty back there. We're expecting more rain tomorrow night through Sunday.
dibnlib: I know those chairs! Sat in one last night at a friend's house. They are very comfortable. OH is considering a splurge on one. I like them but lean to big soft fabric-y armchairs you can sink into. Your outing sounds lovely. Bear photo rates a big "aaaaaah."
TerryM: I like the furry Ted myself. He would look nice on big soft armchairs (but our cat would have a fit).
Very tired today; maybe OH will read my mind (oh dream on Annette!) and suggest we go out to eat tonight? Yet another early start tomorrow, but this time it's a day-long shopping mission for me - must find some decent sneakers for the gym, so driving to Camarillo to wonderful outlet stores and then will hit all the good discount stores on the way home. On second thoughts, maybe dinner out tomorrow night.....
Take care everyone and hope I didn't miss too many witty and wise comments!
Yes Terry I stood my cyber activities for a while with the exception of my own forums. I had been online almost continuosly for ten years and I needed a break. I hope I now can come up with some fresh topics to carry us through until March 2010.
Tiger Signature
Thanks Annette. Yes the time away has been very therapeutic.
Caerann: You said: Diane: Do you get to escape the worst of this storm system coming through?
Well, our weather forecasters have their knickers in a twist trying to figure out what the weather is going to do here. The problem here is that our temperatures have been hovering around the freezing mark. So the temps go up a few degrees and it rains and even thunders, but then the temps go down a few degrees and we are covered in ice and the roads become treacherous.
Tonight it is raining heavily with some sleet. Starting after midnight, we are predicted to get the extremely high winds, gusting up to 55-60 miles per hour by tomorrow. The temps will start to plummet, and the rain will then turn to all ice. We will get a little bit of snow, but we are going to miss the heavy stuff, I think. By late Wednesday night, the cold will arrive and our temps will be -11 C (12 F).
We will avoid the heavy snow so I think we will be fine. The only thing I worry about is the ice accumulating on the trees. Like Gary, we have "Tall" trees. If the limbs get too weighted down with ice, they will fall when the winds begin to gust. That's the only condition that will make me nervous. Hope you will be okay. I know that the winds up there in the Windy City will be worse than here, and you will be colder!!! BRRRRR... Take care.
Hi, all. I have loved all of the posted pics. Gary:, Very nice photo of the "Tall" trees. dibnlib: Dillon is such a handsome, good dog. Alan: Hamish is so beautiful and dignified. TerryM: Ted is simply gorgeous. Love a gray cat!!! Lindybird: The heat gun accident sounds like something I would do. I once burned a hole in an apartment carpet with a steam iron. And then I tried to patch it -- very unsuccessfully. Sigh... Annette: Sounds like you had your own weird weather there in SoCal. Have dinner out today and tomorrow! Get some rest. Tiger: Welcome back!
Sorry if I've missed anyone. Going to bed early for a change. Take care, everyone.
OG, glad the work is coming alone. Multi tasking like crazy:)
Annette, hope you didn't have to cook and enjoy the shops tomorrow.
Diane, take it easy there. By the time the thing gets to us we are forecast 2-4 inches of snow then turning to rain so we have flood watches up! It is all over the place. I agree about the ice. That is never nice. Hope it's not too bad your way in the end. We had a bad storm here in CT last year. Luckily we were Ok but some places didn't have power for over 2 weeks.
Hunker down and stay warm.
Happy Wednesday everyone.
Lindybird - Yes, I think the Furminator is wonderful. It takes out all the dead hair and makes the whole process less stressful for the dog.
Aaaah! What a beautiful picture.