Hi All. Don't forget to check last page or so of previous week for all the latest! Granddaughter made excellent time to AZ - got there at 4 p.m. our time - an 8 hour ride with minimal (comparatively speaking) traffic through LA early this morning. Thunder received hysterical greeting from Pepito, tiny noisy companion who wondered where Thunder had gone but was much too noisy and excitable to bring along. Brought Oro home for successful visit after which I went on a hunt-and-scoop mission to clean up yard after two large dogs. Oh fun! Daughter and I watched Wallace and Gromit DVD (the "were-rabbit" one) - a hoot. OH and I just remembered we have tickets for Charlie Rose (PBS interviewer) this evening so have to hose myself down, prop open my eyelids and try to stay awake for another few hours. Why do these things start at 8 p.m.?!
Thanks Alan for reminder re Phoebe (keep reminding us since I'm so busy running and fetching); four big storms due this week with threat of flooding, high winds, power outages. Sounds like real weather!! TerryM: Will pass on gerbil story to hamster! Lindybird: All hankies put away now! :-) Congrats on the redecorating and dibnlib: I'm with you from now on - hire the folks who can do it in half the time (at four times the cost, yes, but....)
Off to comb hair and make self presentable. Have a nice Sunday all.
Hi, AQ Sounds like youre getting a bit warmer again! Send some of it over here, I'm fed up with wearing all these layers of clothes.
Hi Everyone:
Chilly, windy and nasty-overcast here again today.
AQ & Wattle: Feel free to send heat up this way if you like. =O)
Alan: Thanks for the Owl video, most interesting! Also enjoyed the screen shots and am happy to see you're enjoying so many of the cams over on this side of the pond. A few times I've been amused to find you'd already gotten to some of the posts I was going to make, but it's all good. =O)
Tiger: Thank you for posting Oscar the Brilliant. He's really very handsome.
Lindybird: Your pizza incidents both had happy endings and I enjoyed your story.
Diane: Chin up now or you'll miss the all pretty birds up in the trees and the sky. =O)
The Raptor Resource Project has an updated news page and if you've been watching the Decorah Eagle cam you'll notice a change in the size of the image. Here is the link to the "What's New" page if you'd like to check out all the info:
http://www.raptorresource.org/new.htm
Take care everyone!
Lindybird: Thanks very much for describing your lightening experience. I was afraid to ask, but I was very interested, too, and I was glad that Annette inquired about it. From a scientific standpoint, I find the awesome power of lightening fascinating. But I am really glad that you were not severely injured. It's funny how an experience like that can impact a person's perspective on life. So glad you were okay.
Dibnlib
We Scots domiciles would love to know about this pub/orient express type experience you had. Could you post info (name – pretend charades will do - to my page??) I will be in the environs in August 2010 and am currently planning the schedule….grateful for any tips. Steed loves a ‘good’ pub.
Lindybird – loved your Italian restaurant story. Hope you saw my apology to OG and congrats last night….
AQ – we could do with some of your heat. I have been cold all day today. Must be the damp weather as the temps are considerably higher than of late.
Home from shopping mission for salady things for the 30+ week ahead. So much for predictions, it has already hit 34 C by mid morning and they have revised the expected max . . . to 36 !!! Please, Please, Please, Lindybird, Caerann, Emma Peel and anyone else - You are welcome to the heat. I would love to wear warm clothes. Right now I can't remove any more, it wouldn't be decent. LOL. Now my computer is starting to complain that it is hot. I'd better shut down. Botheration, I wanted to check out more of those links.
Evening all:
Alan: Thanks for that alternative link for Lily - it worked! Brilliant.
Tiger: Oscar must use secret shampoo for such white feathers! Handsome indeed; wonder if he could compete with Super Odin as a provider; still, if Ethel's happy enough to hang out with him, he must be doing something right (apart from cutting a dashing figure).
OG: Glad no major calamity with boiler - maybe you and OH can get a good night's sleep tonight.
patriciat: Don't assume anything that goes wrong with the site is your fault - it's just being pesky! Did Alan's new link for Lily work for you?
Lindybird: Must confess it's been a tad hectic these last months, but did make it to the gym this afternoon and even managed to squeeze in a quick walk with Oro, in between amazing downpours. We will bring him back to the house for visits in the next day or so. Your lightning experience is very impressive (did not think you were worried about me being struck!). Amazing! You guys were so lucky. And no warning signs at all. Sobering indeed. I wonder what the voltage was. Did you experience any after-effects? My friend got a severe electric shock from a piece of farm equipment she was working on last year and was "off" for a few months afterward. Oooh. Hot tea and cinnamon toast in an old fashioned cafe sounds wonderful. And a bigger oooh for that free dinner and delicious dessert.
dibnlib: Pub chef sounds like a keeper. And a lot of potential clients from the response!
AQ/Wattle: Hope these high temps aren't going to continue throughout your summer. AQ: If you don't have any neighbors overlooking your house, get comfy and to heck with decency!
Diane: DId you have a better day today?
Hallo everyone else; enjoyed all the posts. Wild weather here; haven't seen anything like this since the mid-90s. We have a creek near the house and it's so nice to walk over the little bridges and hear the sound of rushing water (not dangerously high or anything). Off to shower and plop down and be a vegetable for the evening; take care all!
P.S. Especially nice to see Tish and Maureen (Hilary) back on the blog. :-))
Unknown said: Diane: DId you have a better day today?
Yes, I did, Annette. Thanks. And thanks to all for your encouragement. I can now laugh heartily about my day yesterday. At 2 AM, our sewer equipment malfunctioned, setting off a deafening alarm. So I went outdoors in the dark to shut it off and fell in the slushy mud, hurting my back and my pride. The government sewer guy fixed the problem. After sewer guy's departure, in an unrelated event, the water heater started spraying water, flooding the laundry room. It had apparently been leaking for a while. The carpet was water logged, squishy, and oh so stinky. I frantically tried to shut off the hard-to-reach water valve, call the plumber, patch leak, move furniture, and keep my Dad from trying to help. Ever rising water level, panic, and blood pressure! When I located him, the very kind plumber rushed over and fixed the broken copper pipe. Then I decided to use the carpet cleaner, which has a tank for sucking up dirty water, to try to dry the carpet. I plugged in the carpet cleaner, and I immediately heard a loud pop followed by an ominous crackle. The motor shorted out and exploded, showering sparks and billowing smoke. It burst into flame, and I had to throw it outdoors.
By the end of the day, I had smoke inhalation, burns on my arms, an aching back, and a dazed sense that I had somehow angered the Universe! LOL. But this morning, as I watched the coverage of the horror in Haiti, I realized that, indeed, I am not the center of the Universe, and I should get over myself and be profoundly grateful for all of my boons and blessings. So I am laughing at my bad day, although I am hoping that this particular planetary alignment doesn't happen again soon. LOL
Caerann: My chin is up now! LOL. I saw the pileated woodpecker today! I was so glad that the big fella made it through the bitter cold. Yay! Here's a couple of short videos for anyone who doesn't know what they look and sound like.
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/pileated-woodpecker-dryocopus-pileatus/adult-female-vocalizing-crest-raised
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/pileated-woodpecker-dryocopus-pileatus/male-foraging-fallen-tree
I will check out the new Raptor Resource Project page. Thanks!
OG: So sorry about your boiler drip. Glad the guy fixed it. As you can see from my last post, I can sympathize! I am so very happy that your son got the job!!! Unemployment is such a hardship, and too many people are having to suffer. So glad for him and you.
Patriciat: So very sorry to hear about Fly's arthritis. Hope the good doggie can continue to enjoy walks. You sound just like me. Whenever, the site has difficulties, I always think that I caused the problem. LOL
Paul (Heron77): I hope you have recovered from your cold/flu. Sending you healing energy!
Annette: I heard on the news that you all are having some wild weather there. Poor Lightening, the cat, trying to hide under the slipcovers. Good of you to give her a "fort" behind the couch.
aquilareen: Hope your daughter was fine during and after her ride. Oh, and forget being decent: Take it all off!!! LOL Stay cool!
Tiger: Oscar Osprey is such a good-looking fellow, and apparently a trustworthy mate.
So wonderful to "see" Maureen/Hilary. Sending good energy to you!!! And a big hello to Tish and HeatherB.
Sorry if I've missed anyone. Take care, all.
Diane: Do you by any chance read Guy Spiro's Astro Weather? Mercury went direct again on Jan 15th but Mars remains in retrograde until March 20th. Seems like interesting things always occur with communication and transportation when either of these planets is in retrograde. Anyway, I'm glad today was a better day for ya. =O)
Annette: Am glad to hear you're faring well in all that rain! Have you been able to see the Power of Art program yet?