Weekly Chat, Sunday December 27 2009

HELLO, ALL.  Just popped in, & no time this morning to read back over the last couple of days posts, but hope you all had happy holidays. I'll catch up later on all your news.

Just started snowing mixed with rain here, an hour ago, & grey skies so no sign of it stopping.

Caerann:   Lovely owl pic, (I'm an owl fan)  & the snow, but so sorry to hear your time has been spoilt by bad colds. Keep snug & get better soon! Then as OG said, you can perhaps do something nice together later to make up for it.    Annette:  Get some rest, you sound as if you need it. The phone can be an enemy when you just want a bit of peace, we have run our own business & were amazed at the unsociable hours people feel they can ring you up to discuss things.

We had a nice, family Christmas:  enjoyed our meals, & due to the awful weather have just slobbed about inbetween, so feel really stodgy now (I see a new diet regime on the horizon....) Our youngest & his wife are still staying here till tomorrow, so more eating tonight!  We are off to a concert in Manchester this afternoon so hoping the roads won't be bad & hold us up. Will catch up on here tomorrow.

Enjoy the footie, Alan!!

The weather here dosn't know what to do it was heavy rain when I went to bed last night and it was snowing when I got up this morning but now it is drizling a bit.  Caerann you don't seem to be able to get rid of your cold and now you have given it to John you both will just have to keep warm but it is difficult as someone has to go out to get provisions but I hope you both get well soon. Annette do you like cookbooks for their pictures or do you really use them for something to cook. Alan Dundee held on for a long time but sometimes you get caught out when trying to hold on to what you've got instead of playing your normal game. I am going out now to face the elements as I go to sister in laws for coffee on Sundays and I will pick up my presents as I left them on Christmas day as I was walking and the pavements were a death trap and you can balance better if you aren't  carrying anything. Everyone take care.

There was an interesting article in newspaper this morning about a golden eagle. Every December since 2003 in southern carelia here in Finland, some nature photographers saw an adult male Goldie from their hide next to a carcass. But only in December. Then one of them got a picture where the Goldie`s leg ring was readable. They found out that this eagle was born in 1991 and was actually living some 400km up north, but every December he returns to that carcass for few weeks, although there is enough food there where he lives. Maybe he remembers that dinner table from his wanderer's bachelor years.

morning all

just dipping in to say I'm running behind today so will catch up later.

Hope everyone is doing well and I just saw something about Auntie and snow! Bruuu. Hope it's not too bad for you.

Very odd weather here. Woken up and it's 11 degrees (52 ish) snow in full melt mode. Catch up later.

George G:  I know what you mean about holding onto a 1 goal lead. You have to go for that second goal.

Auntie : Nice story about the golden eagle. The snow here is mostly gone now just some ice on the pavements.

Just going out with the Thunderdog for his afternoon walk.

Hope everyone else is keeping warm and dry.

FAB

Good afternoon Alan and to all bloggers. 

I am just catching up with everything having spent most of Christmas Day and Boxing Day in bed.  I can see that I am not the only one who has not been feeling too good - Caerann and John hope you are feeling a little better.  It is a nasty germ going around and knocked me off my feet to be honest.  I always say I have a husband in a million and he had been an absolute brick over Christmas, cooking and washing up.  I would really like to go back and start Christmas again.  Did not feel like eating much so there is plenty of cold meats to have with salad and pickles.  Should have gone to my sister on Christmas Day evening but had to call it off and then yesterday we were going to a lovely pub we know in the New Forest for a really nice buffet lunch they do.  It was my birthday yesterday and I am so annoyed that I missed this treat.  Should also be in London now but OH has gone on his own.  We were going to see a show put on by the magicians who belong to the Magic Circle and had been looking forward to it so much.  He will meeting up with his Mum afterwards for a meal and to exchange presents as were not able to do it last week because of the awful weather.  Not only has OH been chief book and bottle washer but has also looked after my garden birds as well for me, he really is an absolute treasure.

Thanks to all for all the links and photos we have so much to look at now.

On a brighter note as always I had wonderful presents for Christmas and my birthday.  I now have "A life of Ospreys" which I am going to get stuck into this afternoon, plus other bird and wildlife books which are going to make interesting reading.  I now have an adopted leatherback turtle which my sister-in-law and brother-in-law have given me.  As I did last year I will be a donkey carer for the day at the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon which will be in June so the weather should be OK for that.

My niece who was made redundant not long ago gave me a magical birthday present.   She hasn;'t got a lot of money and present so she put together a DVD of my life complete with photos from the very beginning.  I have watched it a few times already and it will aways make me cry as it is so poignant.  This was a really unique present and will always be very special for me.  Lots of photos which have given us a laugh as well as sadness as many of the photos are of family that are no longer with us.  I can't believe what I looked like at some stages of my younger days.

Talking of weather Christmas Day was wet and Boxing Day not a lot better.  Today is brighter but a lot cooler again and I see there could be more snow later in the week.

I hope those of you in the US are OK as you seem to be having terrible weather at the moment.  Do stay safe and warm

Wishing you all a Happy New Year with all you would wish yourselves.  Keep safe and warm.

Margobird: I am very sorry you were unwell over the Christmas period. Around Christmas 2008 I was unwell as was Lady P and we ended up not going anywhere so I have an idea what it is like.

Here is a picture of 2 peaceful collared doves taken today. I hope it will cheer you up:

Margobird, like Alan, I'm so sorry you haven't been well and christmas has passed you by. Hopefully you are on the mend qucikly now. Your OH sounds wonderful. And what a nice present , the DVD. How thoughtful. Enjoy the books and take it easy.

Caerann, sorry you and John have been unwell as well. Not good at all. Enjoyed the snow picture. Sounds like you have some more rough weather today so take care.

Auntie, that is a lot fo snow and a lovely storey about the eagle. Looks like he would travel a huge distance for a good meal:)

George, hope you had a nice time at your sister in laws . Take it easy on the paths.

Lindybird, glad you had a nice time and still going!

OG, hope you are having a nice creative day:)

Alan, nice pictures as always.

Diane, hope the snow stops soon but I don't think it will!!

Heron77, thanks for getting us going on the new thread:)

Annette, sorry you were so tired, all this enjoying yourself. Sorry about the DVD. Do you think you have a bad sound cable?

Sorry if I've missed anyone (opps just remembered, thanks Caerann for the owl picture, wonderful)

Catch up later, weather incredibly mild, 11 degrees!

Thanks Alan so much.  The wonderful photo of the collared doves has now been saved to a folder so I can always look at them.