Chitchat thread #24

[Florence Fennel]

Definitely entertaining GF. They are so skilled. I remember when a row of very old and massive trees were taken down outside our unit at the hospital. The female staff were in awe, and had lots of what they called "Diet Coke" breaks

[Snoop Puss]

Photo taken. More noticeable than the scratch are my bright red cheeks from running around trying to get cash. We're moving into a cashless society, so they say, but not today in our local market town. The internet was down and nobody could pay by card, withdraw cash from the machines, do just about any kind of transaction at the post office... Cash was definitely king. After running around from bank to bank to see if I could find a machine that was working, by chance I spotted Mr Snoop driving to another builders' merchants and stopped him to snaffle his cash. Turned up for the photos, with cash to pay, but looking like a very hot, bright red bonkers foreigner. Anyway, no putting them off, GF, as I've got an appointment with the immigration cops, for which I need said photos.

As for wildlife, on the way back, a sizeable deer crossed the track ahead of our car. Biggest one I've seen yet here. Lovely to see but we won't be sharing the info with anyone in town in case the hunters get to hear of it.

Have a great rest of the day, everyone.

[Nicos]

Exciting times there Snoop!

I’ve spent half the day in the kitchen and OH asked if I’d like to go with him to the farm supplies shop again, just to get out really. Never one to turn down a trip to anywhere which sells plants , I jumped at the opportunity.
No new plants in from 2 days ago… so we came back with a brand new metal wheelbarrow instead…over £100 Bet he wishes he hadn’t invited me now! Some were almost £200 so I at least I showed some restraint!
Having said that, we have three really old , UV bleached and fragile plastic B&Q ones which must be at least 10 years old. Totally abused by building work and neigh on impossible to use without a chunk breaking off. One can just about be rescued for another few years by buying a new pneumatic tyre next time we’re over.
”Is this our Xmas pressie then?”: says he…..nope……( as if )

I agree about cashless societies Snoop. We’ve had some electricity outages after storms where the local shops could only take cash.
They have to write everything down and will only take credit from people they are on first name terms with.
More storms predicted in the future due to climate change…should be interesting to see how that goes shopping- wise.

[Florence Fennel]

My eldest GG budgets by drawing out enough cash to last her a month. It works for her too. She has a little spending spree every three months or so with the money she's saved in the process. Perhaps cash will make a comeback!

[Snoop Puss]

^Good strategy, Flo.

By the way, thanks for the suggestion of radishes, Bren. I have more packets of radish seed than I can shake a carrot at. I might see if I can ferment some, see how that goes.

[lottie dolly]

Afternoon all,hope things go well for you Snoop regards the photo outcome,took some garden produce again to my thursday group,it apparently raised just over £14,it all goes into the charity funds,we all benefit from eventually,what a sensible girl FF,glad your car passed Bramble,is always a good feeling,i know that it will cost an an arm and a leg,but hay ho,it's my independance and get out the walls machine,i really have to get them cakes done tonight,the first drop off is 10 am start tomorrow,is all in a good cause

[bramble]

Lottie, I agree with you about the car..lord being independent that matters.
Lovely to hop in the car and get out when the walls are closing in on you.

Snoop let's hope we dont turn into a cashless society, lots of older folk cant cope with cards and machines.
Hope your pic turned out well.

Nicos, I haven't priced a wheelbarrow in years but the price pulled me up short.

Flo, I have two adult ggirls, one is so careful with her money, the other one let's the money run through her fingers like water.

Jay, , enjoy your break away, we have hares in the grounds behind our house, but they never came up to our door.

Have a good night all, we are having gale force wind and driving rain at the moment.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Seems a bit calmer here today after really heavy downpours and gusts of wind overnight, but we have a frost forecast for tonight ( thanks Pen for the heads up on that)
Looks like there are a lot of windfalls to sort out today.

No Covid vaccines available here until mid October , same for the flu. Oh well, so long as I’m vaccinated before the Xmas Fair in November….

Not sure what today will bring - I’m actually fancying starting sewing even though there’s loads of other things on the ‘To Do’ list.

Whats everyone else up to?

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

I checked for our Covid and flu jabs yesterday. Seems like we're the same as you, mid-October.

Distinctly cool out today. And very dull. Got a bit of work to get out the way and then it's on with some more gardening. Doesn't look like I'll overheat out there today. Yesterday was decidedly warm.

Frankie and Missy are getting acquainted. Not friends, by any stretch of the imagination, but it looks like he might be trying to play with her rather than just hunt her. Huge breakthrough for him. With any luck, he might become a happier, less troubled cat.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Wet and windy here but its supposed to be dry later.

It looks like not everyone will be offered a Covid jab here just yet the NHS site says they're available from 3 October.
You may be offered a COVID-19 vaccine if you:
are aged 65 or over
are pregnant
are aged 6 months to 64 years and have an increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 because of a health condition or treatment
live in a care home for older adults.

I'm waiting in for a parcel no real tracking info just due between 11-15 and 3-30. so while I'm indoors I'll be juicing and dehydrating more apples.

Enjoy your day

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Very windy but no rain yet. I had the offer of jabs yesterday, by appointment, no walk-in centres yet. The house will smell of chicken tikka this morning - I'm making wraps. Have a good day

[bramble]

Good morning all.
Bright and sunny after a horrible day yesterday.
Some domestics and then out to tidy up the garden which got battered by the heavy rain and wind yesterday.
We have both had our flu jabs but not the covid one just yet.
Have a good day all.

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

It's cold, windy, and drizzly here today, with a predicted low tonight of 3°C. The tree fellers are back again this morning, and there are only three of them today, two workers and a watcher. Yesterday we had six of them, two workers and four watchers, a van, two trucks and a land rover. The half tree is now reduced to a tall branchless, leafless trunk, and the have also temoved a broken limb from another tree.

The sun has peeped out and we now have four workers and four watchers. Am I a cynic? Is there a correlation between watchers and sunshine? There are two wood chippers but one of them has seemingly jammed now. I have a feeling the job is going to expand and fill the whole day.

I need to visit my brother in law and get him some shopping later. I am glad we've booked for our Covid jabs (next month) because at the moment three of our neighbours have got it.🤧😷 One of them rarely goes out, so somebody must have brought it to her.

Although I generally pay for most things by debit card, I always keep some change in the car and some notes tucked into my phone case.

[greenishfing]

The tree fellers have all gone now and left the trunk standing and a pile of logs. When I suggested to Mr GF that someone ought to carve the trunk into an English style totem pole instead of cutting it down or just leaving it he looked at me in disbelief. I can understand why, as I generally have absolutely no appreciation of art, and even less of sculpture. I was however impressed by the totem poles I saw on the West Coast of Canada and am intrigued by gargoyles on churches.

[bramble]

Good evening all.
Lots of showers today but I still got some time in the garden.
Also got my laundry dry as it was so breezy.

GF, we have a beautiful tree sculpture in our park.
The tree, a Monterey Cypress was dying. Dublin City Council commissioned an English tree sculpture Tommy Craggs to design it.
Called The tree of life, it depicts all the birds and animals in St Ann's Park.
A lot better than chopping it down

Not a lot else to report.
Have a good evening all..