COLD DARK ROOM

[Maro2Bear]

Anyone need rain?

 

[Maro2Bear]

And, if you like it live.

 

[Kristoff]

Good afternoon all. We have taken possession of son's new house share room today. A quick trip (OK it takes 80 minutes to get there on a good day - and today was a good day) to Elstree, home of the famous British film studios with some of his stuff. It is just north of London. The rest will go next week after his graduation and he will move in properly then too.

On the downside my Credit Card has been cancelled because the card company detected fraudulent activity. Detecting the fraud is good. Having the card removed is a nuisance. Luckily, JoesDad had previously authorised the card company to talk to me about the account as he is in India! It's ridiculous really. The card is mine and they have all my details, but because it is a joint account they will normally only talk to the main cardholder unless they have authorised you to speak to them. And the first you find this out is when there is a problem...which I did 10 years ago when he was working in Australia and my card was blocked (wrongly it turned out)

I do have another card with a different company, but all my online accounts have the other card on; it will take time to sort them out.

How annoying. Any ideas how your card info got into bad hands? I had a similar situation after ordering Ed’s TORTOISE gift in Turkey from an unfamiliar website. Fortunately we detected it quickly too.

 

[Kristoff]

Heading to the beach with four 12yr girls!
Wish me luck in the car!
I’m bringing a book.

Hope you’re good at tuning out all the giggles!

 

[Kristoff]

Such a shame. Do they think it was arson?
The last few years almost all our forest and mountain fires have been caused through arson by kids or young adults.
A few years ago there were fires on at least 6 if not more hills and mountains in the valleys - all coordinated via social media.
I think the arsonists were all arrested though.

How awful. Hope you got plenty of rain by now!

 

[Kristoff]

This is exactly the type of picture I like to see in a jigsaw puzzle!

The never ending jigsaw puzzle?

 

[Kristoff]

Today's followup report in the newspaper on the jaguar incident:

Once the staff found out that Valerio had gotten through the woven steel mesh in the roof of his enclosure, they went and CLOSELY inspected EVERY CORNER of all the other animal enclosures,"...starting with the large carnivores"
(When I read that aloud, hubby said "No sheet." Actually, the word he used wasn't exactly "sheet" but it's very close to the word he used! )

I wonder how Valerio’s teeth are still OK after biting through that steel mesh. One strong, healthy jaguar!

 

[Kristoff]

I took a couple of Pictures of some things growing on my land and thought of y’all. Just wanted to share ...View attachment 245597View attachment 245598

Tort food?

 

[Kristoff]

Still warm weather in Germany and no rain. I can`t remember a spring and summer like this one.
This is a "tortoise summer". Every day tortoise outdoor weather. My torts are happy collecting the natural sunrays. Mor UVB, more calcium, more D3 more growth !
I must weight them once again. I think my biggest one is over 6 KG ( 13,2 lbs ) at an age of 2 years. Is that normal ?????? HELP ! View attachment 245617

They look huge now!!! Sabine, what are you going to do when they’re fully grown? (having them pull your sledge is just one idea...)

 

[Kristoff]

Dang, it's Friday! That means I have to get my act together and go out to run errands. Leaving my property is NOT my favorite thing to do. I get more agoraphobic as the weeks go by. And to add to the anxiety, my driver's license expired on my birthday a couple weeks ago and my appointment to take the test to have it renewed isn't until August 1st.

Oops, good luck! Hope nobody stops you.
Did I miss your birthday? [emoji512]

 

[Kristoff]

The catering looks wonderful!!
You have been so busy!!

We have drama with my daughter ‘s soccer coach.
I guess he has been yelling and talking down to the girls on the side lines and made a few cry after our tournament last weekend. We can’t hear what he says but the girls told us and the other teams coach heard him really putting down our girls. He is the one who called our league to report him.

Last night we had a Parent meeting with our director and he has had difficulties with this coach on the administrative side. We told him some of the things he said and the director was having a meeting with the board to decide if he will lose his job.
We as parents really like him but there does seem to be a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on because as we walk up after the games he is congratulating all the girls and telling us how proud he is but then a bunch of them are sad or crying.
As an example he said “you are a bunch of loser, now go get your 2nd place medals.” These are 11 & 12yr old girls.

We will find out today the outcome.

Oh dear. That’s not good. What’s so terrible about 2nd place medals? They did so well!

 

[Kristoff]

All caught up! Will now try to sleep off some of the jet lag. Not see you all later!

 

[Lyn W]

The firefighters in Sweden have to give up on some big fires. They can`t get them under control. That is so sad.

It is so sad and it makes me so angry when they are deliberate started.
Our hills have flared up again and the pictures I've seen of the devastation are heartbreaking

 

[Lyn W]

Nature will be thankful about the rain.

It certainly will - many of our small mammals are dying because they can't find water.
My sister has been out leaving water for the rabbits in some fields near her.

 

[Lyn W]

Anyone need rain?

View attachment 245814

Yes please - as much as you can spare!!!

 

[Moozillion]

And, if you like it live.

AHHHHH!!! LOVE IT!!!!!! I am a big-time, lifelong Pluviophile!!!!!!!

 

[Lyn W]

And, if you like it live.

That is the most beautiful sight!!
Looks like the showers we thought were coming tomorrow are going to miss us, and none on the cards for the rest of the week either.

 

[Lyn W]

All caught up! Will now try to sleep off some of the jet lag. Not see you all later!

Welcome home Lena.
I bet you need a holiday to recover from the holiday now.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Cute pictures from Daughter again today. Lots of baby dormice. They were being weighed, measured and sexed before being returned to the nest.
View attachment 245812
View attachment 245813

So cute... door mice.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Happy Sunday..

Scatterred thunderstorms off and on today. Garden is soaking, not good kayaking weather with chance of severe rsin and wind so we took a drive over to Maryland’s Eastern Shore to check out some fishing and crabbing piers/parks. Stopped st Romancoke and Matopeke Parks and Piers. Nice access to the water.

On the back stopped and bought a dozen frsh MD Blue Crabs straight from the Bay.

The driving route

View attachment 245804

And one of the fresh crabs