Re: Weekly chat, Sunday 5 February 2012

Hi,

We had about three inches of snow here in S Cumbria, on Saturday, which then froze. This morning was the forecast 'freezing rain' and the cars were covered with ice, -very weird looking - it is hard not like the usual frost. The side roads are very icy. though the main roads were gritted and ok.  It looks to be starting to thaw, I hope so anyway, as people can't get their cars out especially if there is a slope involved ! I did not need to go out today but should be going to my mother's tomorrow, 15 miles away.

Managed to do all I planned today, and more. Although snow is forecast, we haven't seen any yet. I was talking to daughter on the phone when she said it was starting to snow in London. On our local news they were saying that our reservoir and aquifers were very low and we need to have plenty of rain.

Mary, I hope you have a rapid recovery and will be able to enjoy your holiday.

Linda, I also hope that you OH is feeling that the chiropractor is making some progress. You both must be so tired and weary. I am surprised you didn't fall asleep in the cinema. The child in that video was brilliant.

Margo, So glad you enjoyed the ballet and still have another one to see. I hope the snow doesn't reach you but the last forecast showed Poole covered in the white stuff. 

OG, You must feel happier now that your electricity problem has been solved.

Thanks to Lynette and Alan for all the pictures. I really don't know how you find the time to follow all these sites.

Sorry your wife hasn't been given any answers Alan. My sister-i-L has seen both the ENT and neurologist. They have now decided that after six weeks treatment for polyps that she needs to return to ENT for inner ear problems, as she also goes light headed and dizzy.

Heather, I hope you are not still feeling so droopy. I feel that if your daughter is going to move that the sooner she can do it the better when it comes to her son's education.

Patricia, I hope you are looking after yourself and coping with your vertigo as well as caring for your OH.

Annette, I haven't managed to go for my Birthday meal yet. So glad you enjoyed a lovely meal.

George, Sorry your son was so worried about you but it does show how much he cares.

Trish, Look after yourself.

Chrisy, Take care if you drive tomorrow. I saw on the TV, what chaos the freezing rain caused. Stay safe.

I should stop before this gets even longer. Have a good sleep ALL.

Just caught up again with all your news.

Yes MaryGK, I wouldn't fit in the suitcase, too fat!!!!!!!!!!, have a great time.

Alan - well done you , managing to get a pic. of the two of them.

Sandra - what delightful captures - those expressions!!!!

Dentist prescribed antibiotics for 5 days just to keep infection at bay so should be OK.

Been snowing again tonight but not too deep, dau has to be off to work at 7am so hopefully she will get through.

Alicat - Whereabouts in Aussieland are the in-laws emigrating?

Annette - "boffins in the apple tree" - we have a saying that someone is "up a wattle", that is, they are misguided, not quite as strong as saying they are wrong.

So many of you are not well - hope you get better soon, especially Mary in time for your trip.

Lynette - You could offer to carry Mary's luggage - that's what I say to travellers LOL

Dau#2 phoned yesterday morn worrying about LittleMiss. I gave some g-motherly advice & suggested a wee bit of solids. She rang later to say LM was not impressed with feeding from a spoon. Most of the ½ teaspoon of sloppy baby rice ended up externally. No, OG, I don't think her grizzles are teething - she is only just 4 months. Rather too much going out and over stimulated, methinks. Family visits, birthday party, shopping, exercise class, new mums group, etc, etc.

Expecting another cool day of max 23 C. Warmer weather next week when the overnight min will be 23! For sis's 50th wed anniversary tonight I had planned to wear the pink top from one of my m-o-bride outfits with black slacks. However I feel the cold and although venue will have a-c, I expect it to be draughty, so a fine knit jumper instead. I was racking my brains for a gift when sis said "no gifts". I found a gorgeous card for them.

Friday Smiles
What kind of flowers grow in outer space?
[Answers below, no cheating, think about it !!!!]

If, instead of talking to your plants, you yelled at them, would they still grow, only to be troubled and insecure?

A new business was opening and one of the owner's friends wanted to send him flowers for the occasion. 
The flowers arrived at the new business site and the owner read the card "Rest in Peace." 
The owner was annoyed, and called to complain. 
"Sir, I'm really sorry for the mistake, and sorry you were offended," said the florist. "But even worse, somewhere there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying, "Congratulations on your new location."

[Answers to flower question]
Ipomoea alba, Helianthus annuus, Pentas lanceolata, and Cosmos
[Moonflowers, Sunflowers, Star Clusters & Cosmos]

AQ New southwales i think

Mary: I just wanted to wish you a wonderful trip, and I hope you feel better before you leave.

I'll catch up with everyone else tomorrow. Super busy the last couple of days! On top of work, I had to go to town today to have a leaky valve stem replaced on one of my (fairly new) tires. Stupid, stupid ol' car!!!

Hope everyone who's been poorly is feeling better, and the weather is improving. Here're some Prickly Pear Cactus flowers to cheer everyone.

OG: Glad the current is back on!

Evening all: Out most of the day. Met grandson for lunch - he looked so grown up and was so personable (a major change from two years ago!) it was a real pleasure to see him. Really too warm today, but we have a slight chance of rain this weekend. In the meantime, Squeaky Pants (aka Peanut) now recognizes the crackle of the bag containing the lettuce and emits loud squeaks as soon as I pick it up. This evening, I reached for some dark chocolate bits in a similar bag and you never heard such a racket! (He didn't get any chocolate.)

Brenda: I hate those fasting tests and always try to schedule them first thing; hope OH enjoyed his lunch.  Don't put off that birthday dinner too long.

Margobird: Don't you love these people who try to overtake when conditions are so dangerous (not!). Do hope they can track down that driver.  Am hoping the garden will be a "real picture" in a month or two.

George: Good to see you. Nice to know you and Diesel are doing well and that your son is keeping tabs on you!  :-)

OG: Hurray for speedy electricians. Paid jobs are the best kind! :-)  J certainly is out beating the bushes; I found it's always the jobs you don't want that come up with the first offers. Golden Potato Medley with smoked cheese sounds like real comfort food.

Alicat: Wow! That's big news (well, for us) about your in-laws. Assume they've been planning it for a while. How does your OH feel about that? Wonder what part of NSW they'll be heading too (it's a huge territory).

Lynette: Pheather foto phascinating!  :-)

MaryGK: I missed the original post about a design. Sounds impressive for it to be in a magazine! Hope you're back to normal come Saturday. Which countries will you be visiting?

ChrisyB: Good to see you; have a safe drive to your Mom's tomorrow.

AQ: Up a wattle? Never heard of that (and now I'm wondering how Wattle is doing; we haven't heard from her in eons). True that babies can get too much of a good thing - I'm a bit like that myself; can only take so much sensory input before I get the grizzles.  :-)     Hope the anniversary do is fun. Loved the "new business" greeting!

Diane: Gorgeous cactus flowers (you can eat Prickly Pear). Leaky valve stem is a cheap fix; hope it takes care of the problem.

Finished reading Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Fascinating - better than a  thriller. Home tomorrow with a couple of local errands and hopefully cooler. Take care everyone.

Annette: I just had 4 new tires put on in December, so I wasn't best pleased to see another tire going flat. But I'd bought the maintenance insurance with them, so the store fixed the leaky valve stem for free. They also "put a fresh bead around the rim" and re-torqued everything. Had to wait around nearly two hours. :-( I had the grizzles. LOL!

I'll bet I saw a dozen roadkill raccoons on the way to town. Very disturbing. I guess because the weather has been so warm, they didn't hibernate this year. Poor fellas.

Glad you're becoming bi-lingual -- Guinea Pig Squeak Language!!! I really love those critters. I wish I could take care of him for you. I'd love that!!! I imagine that Lightening is quite fascinated with the little guy.

Spot, the neighbors' dog, came for a visit this morning. He sat on my front step and barked at my door until I came out and gave him a good scratch on the back.

Morning all,

More snow overnight approx 2 inches and since the snow the temperature has fallen. Bright sunshine but the temperature is still going down. Currently minus 3.5c.

Diane : Bad luck about the new tyres but glad it was fixed for free. Shame about the raccoons, I hate seeing roadkill.

Annette : We could do with some of your warm weather here. I have just about had enough of snow and ice now.

AQ : Thanks for the friday smiles and glad ethe temps are not too hot at the moment.

Sandra : Thanks for the Dunedin pics. Hope to see eggs there soon, although it was 28th Feb last year for the first laid.

Everyone else thanks for the chat etc. 

Not a lot on today and glad we did shopping earlier in the week. Off outside to clear some snow off the driveway and paths.

Sorry about further snow and ice from Cumbria southward – white cloud and 2°C here over the Border.  Quick coffee now, then going to bake biscuits for a coffee morning tomorrow.

Chrisy – good to “see” you after what seems a long time.  Sorry you got the freezing rain – and I hope the roads are safer today for your visit to Mum – how are you and she these days?

Brenda – sounds like a satisfyingly productive day for you yesterday!  I hope your SiL will finally get sorted for her ears – maybe the GP was right after all with the Menier’s diagnosis.

Lynette – pleased to see that you have antibiotics for that tooth.

AQ – funny that you say “up a Wattle”, whereas we use another Aussie tree and say “up a Gum-tree”!  I often wonder about over-stimulation of babies and toddlers – they seem to have busier social lives than their parents, and grow up just wanting more and more, instead of being content with making their own “entertainment”.  Sorry about hotter weather again next week – enjoy the remainder of the cooler spell while you can!  I hope the big anniversary celebration goes well – maybe starting just about now!  Thanks for Flower Smiles.

Diane – another really bright and cheerful flower picture!  Sorry about car tyre necessitating a trip to town – glad fix was free.  Sad about the Raccoons.  Have two big memories of critters on roads.  Between Perth and Dundee (on the back road) some years back, we had to drive over the wee flat rabbits which had copped it during the night – too many bodies to drive around them all.  Then, last year, we weaved and wound our way along the road from Carrbridge to Grantown trying to avoid all the Frogs doing their annual march.  How clever of Spot to come and find you for a scratch!

Annette – pleased to see the glowing report on Grandson!  Will Peanut’s reaction to the crackly pack keep you away from the chocolate biscuits?

Alan – my, that is cold!  Take care. 

Good Morning ALL, We had no snow here last night, but still looking at last weekend's. I see that Lincolnshire had the most snow but big problems with icy roads around the country. Take care everyone.

Diane, Sorry about your tyre problems. Very annoying. Sad to see so many road kill raccoons. Lovely PP cactus flowers.

AQ, Thanks for the Friday Smiles. I do laugh when my sister, sister-i-law say that they are told by their daughters that, 'We don't do that now', but when there is something that worries the parents about their baby, they are on the phone very quickly, looking for the answer. Sister says that she keeps a diplomatic silence now, unless she is asked.

Annette, You do seem to be enjoying Squeaky's visit. Has he put on weight during his stay at chez Annette ?

OG, That is exactly the answer that my daughter gave concerning SiL, but she doesn't understand why a full head scan hasn't been done also, instead of all this messing about between various hospitals and GP.

Good mornng all and we did have snow last night.  It started just as we were going to bed and when I got up in the night I had a look out of the window and we had a good covering.  It did look very pretty, trees were covered and looked like a Christmas card.  When we got up this morning it had just about gone thank goodnessl. I started to panic about our trip to the Ballet this evening and wondered whether we would have trouble with the roads.  Luckily it has warmed up a bit, only by a couple of degrees but enough to melt the snow.  I think they say it is going to be - 1 tonight which is not too bad so panic over.  Needless to say Billie was not tempted at all in going out after she had a look out of the door, wonder if she remembers how it was for her last winter.

Alan  more snow for you and very cold with it.  Take care when you are clearing the snow as I imagine it is quite slippery with those low temperatures.  Thank for the news about DEFRA having given notice of a legal challenge re the badgers.  Badgers future will be very uncertain if this cull does go ahead. Good news from Shepherdstown eagles having 2 eggs now.  Lovely captures from Richmond of Mum and Dad eagle, what magnificent birds they eare.

OG  so relieved for you that your electricity problem has been found and rectified and also that you were not without heat ect for too long.  You must have felt tired after the upheaval so I hope you had a good night.

ALICAT has this move for your in-laws been planned for some time.  How do you and OH feel about it and I hope it will not cause your OH any problems.  Australia is a long way to go if anything happens to them.

Lynette lovely captures again and do like your little comments that go with them.  Pleased to read you are not suffering from any pain, hopefully you will not have to wait long for your referral.

Sandra lovely captures from Dunedin and she has stunning eyes.

Mary so sorry you are still feeling unwell.   As diane would say healing thoughts on the way for youl.  OH was not caught up in the accident but the road was still closed when he came home from work as it had to be resurfaced.  Police are now appealing for witnesses to try and catch the very dangerous driver that caused the accident.  Luckily there we no serious injuries just a few bruises fr the two drivers who were unlucky enough to crash.  They must have been very shaken up though.  I will be thinking of you and hoping you are fully recovered by Saturday.  Do enjoy your holiday in the warmth and lots of sun and take care.

Brenda as you can see we did get snow but it has all gone now and even a little warmer today, just a couple of degrees but that is warmer than it has been all week.  Your comment about a head scan reminds me of my dear sister when it took her husband over 2 months to get them to give her a scan, just telling him she was depressed when he knew it had to be something more serious.  Hope you SIL will get things sorted out for her quickly.

AQ the joys of babies but perhaps as you say there is too much going on in LittleMisses' life and it is all a bit unsettling for her.  Thanks for your Friday smiles.

Diane sorry about your tyres.  Lovely card, the colours are just gorgeous and would brighten any day.  What a shame that the unusual weather is causing more road kills, poor racoons.

Annette Squeaky Pants obviously has you where he wants you with food LOL.  Nice to read your are impressed with G-Son and you had a pleasant meet up.

Probably won't post now until tomorrow if I can fit it in so have a good weekend all and take care.

Hi margo its his brother and his wife and the two boys, he lost his parents sometime age,they went to oz for christmas of 2010 liked it so decided they wanted to live there his wifes mother lives there for half the year then comes back to the uk for the other half, OH just says thats his last remaning relative that he's lost only a few old aunts that live near by,he's pleased for him but at the same time i don't think he wants him to go,it will be a few years before we can go to see them as its quite expensive to get over there and funds at the moment won't allow it

AQ wrote - Lynette - You could offer to carry Mary's luggage - that's what I say to travellers LOL

Of course, never thought of that, ha, ha!   Like your Friday smiles as usual.

Just been onto webcams briefly - still waking up in America and can't get the Estonia eagle cam up.

Good Morning Norfolk!

What a lovely flower it produces, Diane - don't work too hard!!!