Weekly Chat, Sunday, January 3, 2010!!

Caerann, thanks, good perspective, I'll keep it in mind.

Morning all. Nice thin high cloud today is cooling us off.  I'm sure all the UK folks have seen this NASA shot of the UK!   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8447023.stm   I remember the winter of '63 - I left on December 21 with snow drifts along the runways at Heathrow; the BBC website has an item on this winter being the worst since then.  Now to read blog of firsthand horrors!!  Seems like gritting salt is going to be rationed??!!  Can't imagine.

Caerann: Thanks for photo of owl looking quite happy in her house. That first shot looks like a bunny.

Diane: Thanks for offer, but you'd have to fly to sunny SoCal and I'm sure you'd hate it!   :-))

AQ: Ugh. 6% humidity. Even with our proximity to the ocean, that would be read as a super-high fire risk!

Alan: Will check out the Cora Linn cam - but must remember to do it when it's daylight there.  Media hype over temperatures sounds like what we hear when we get more than two drops of rain!

Lindybird: Brilliant milkman; does he get hot chocolate for all his thoughtfulness?  Glad you made it to Sainsbury's and back safely.  That looks like bougainvillea on that trellis!  It's abundant here and has thorns far meaner than any rose.

jsb:  Interesting post: I checked those links.  You mean hospitals/chemists delivery prescription meds under normal circumstances? Wow!  I think that amazed me more than the weather reports!

Djoan: You wonder what the difference is between local councils, etc., when you see such a difference in maintenance, assuming, of course that they're always claiming to be broke...

We're fine here; just watched on-the-road video taken by granddaughter on drive from Arizona to Santa Barbara - she says it was on the dashboard when she was filming....  She is off to go camping tonight at Lake Cachuma in the Santa Ynez Valley.  Daughter taking it day by day and enjoying being fussed over.

Stay safe all you cold-weather people!

Hi everyone......I see you are all enjoying the snow???

Well, over the last couple of days I have been watching two Magpies doing a 'reccie' for their new home.....being watched by two crows. It was the same last year and the Magpies won. It is fascinating to see them working away with HUGE branches for their nest.

Captain Alan.....somebody was trying to sell a portrait of Lady P on the Antiques Road Show, Sunday night!!!!

Tiger.. my heart soared when I read your timetable for EJ coming back, I can hardly wait. I really hope that Odin comes back as well.

Speak to you all later (: 0) xxxxxx

Maureen

Annette: Re,

"You mean hospitals/chemists delivery prescription meds under normal circumstances? Wow!  I think that amazed me more than the weather reports!"

Your assumption is partly correct. The system is that those with prescription needs, who either cannot collect their medication due to lack of mobility, due to illness or old age etc., or those who have no immediate family or friends, who can collect on their behalf, can arrange to have the deliveries made to them. That's the basic system, but there are other options, which would take too long to describe.

So now that the roads are bad, they (our local pharmacy) are not delivering to anyone!

Lots of chat today!  Having to speed read it all, and sorry no individual replies - too busy.  About one third through the dreaded database, so there is light at the end of the tunnel - but also have church magazine to edit very soon!  Son has landed an extra part-time job - an hour a week running a junior school chess club - will be losing money driving to it as already gets his £5 per week allowed over his benefits from his other p-t job - but is going to ask at job centre if there is anything in place to prevent him being out of pocket!  He will still go to his Grantown interview as that is full-time.

All about the same here - birds "eating us out of house and home", cold but safe.  Thinking of you all and looking forward to joining in properly again!

Diane – You could pack the snow in your suitcase and bring it yourself!!!!! Lindybird – What a thoughtful milkman to remember the birds too. Annette – The NASA pic was in our paper this morn but they added a red line to indicate the shape of the land which spoilt the effect. Alan – I’m looking forward to checking Corra Linn when it is daylight over there. My Dad’s farm was called Corra Lynn but we don’t know why. (Named by an earlier owner.) I think the name is also in Tasmania.

I was up before 6 am, just before sunrise. Then a pleasant 23 C. Now 2 hours later it is 28 C & 25% humidity. I have given vegies a drink and covered them as another scorcher today. The Red Cross are ringing elderly (those who have registered) daily to check they are OK and remind them of the hot weather advice. Emergency services on stand-by. Police keeping an eye on arsonists. Some sport cancelled, especially for young people. Must get on with some data entry before computer & I get too hot. Keep warm & safe all frozen people.

HilaryH said:

Hi everyone......I see you are all enjoying the snow???

Well, over the last couple of days I have been watching two Magpies doing a 'reccie' for their new home.....being watched by two crows. It was the same last year and the Magpies won. It is fascinating to see them working away with HUGE branches for their nest.

Captain Alan.....somebody was trying to sell a portrait of Lady P on the Antiques Road Show, Sunday night!!!!

Tiger.. my heart soared when I read your timetable for EJ coming back, I can hardly wait. I really hope that Odin comes back as well.

Speak to you all later (: 0) xxxxxx

Maureen

Oh Maureen we so much want to be the most fantastic year for you. The reality is that we will not know how it has all gone until the end of August. Bust then that is the fascination of life.

Here is your own countdown clock. See http://people.rit.edu/cwcnvs/share/birds/

I know this bird is not EJ but it is the only one we have of this type. We do have some showing EJ and the chicks and EJ looking cold in the snow but not yet in this format.

I don't know why but my time management has gone out the window completely since christmas. Just caught up on the blog and really enjoyed all the comments, chat and photo's. Caerann, love the owl in the snow:) You guys in the UK, I am coming back for a visit in a couple of weeks so if it could be clear by then that would be great!! LOL

Sorry, can't repond individually but will try harder to keep up

Happy Saturday everyone:)

Hey Maureen: let's hear it for the magpies!  Can you believe the time for EJ to return is so close!?

jsb: Thanks for elaborating on the pharmacy deliveries.  We can get mail-order deliveries here, but it almost certainly wouldn't be from the local source.

OG: When you have a minute or three, what database is this that OH is working on?  Do hope son will get some substantial prospects soon.  I hate to see the younger generation struggling so..

AQ;  What's the longterm forecast for your summer? 

Hope all you UK folks get the snow cleared by the time Gary gets there. Gary: How long are you staying - and where?

Stay safe everyone.