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Hello, Elle!
I was but teasing about inviting the whole street out for their dinner, you know!
My mackerel was peppered and I had it with beans.
The bluebells escaped my mind when I left the nurse.
I was trying to file away things she said, in my head.
About monitor calibration, and Corfu, and Samsung television sets. etc.
She is a Mayo lady, and jeepers can she talk!
I think will I take my phone and photograph the bluebells and send it to the young ones for a verdict?
Is that a wonderful idea, d'you think?
Have you looked in on Lassie today?

Hi, Rusty!
I cannot always tell when you are teasing or being serious!
I was getting a trifle worried........yesterday you apparently wanted me to support all the local bookshops.......and today to take the homeless and needy out for a meal!
Yes, peppered mackerel is good!
We have a BP monitor, but our GP has never suggested calibrating it against that of the surgery's machine? I didn't know you could do that?
Corfu and Samsung Televisions????
If it is permissible to photograph the bluebell print (?) then yes, it sounds a good idea....but really it is your decision...if you like it , that is the main thing?
You will be the one 'living' with the picture.
Yes, I've checked in on Lassie several times...didn't catch another glimpse of the Egg...nor did I see Laddie........
No signs yet of a second egg?

Hello, Elle!
My nurse wants to compare the readings.
I hope she does not take a screwdriver to it to see how the insides are working!
I shall let you know how it works!
See her again in two weeks.
She is hoping to holiday at Corfu, and a new TV is on the horizon.
We agreed Samsung make very good TV's.
That is what the chat was about.
You could ask your practice nurse if they would calibrate your machine?
My one is a cheap Omron from Amazon.
The nurse will have a better one, probably.

Good morning, Rusty!
Another bright sunny day! and a fairly mild one , too!
At long last, the tree cutters have arrived in the park - with a huge shredder - to finish off their demolition of the fallen and 'split' trees that were felled in the storm!
Parts of the footpaths have been cordoned off for over a week now.
Our BP monitor is an Omron , too - but then so is that of our practice nurse!
There is also a huge machine that stands in the corner of the waiting room that will give (on the rare occasion that it actually works!) the patient's height, weight and blood pressure.
I am unsure as to its authenticity!
The GP doesn't seem to have a lot of faith in it!
No sign yet of another egg in the osprey nest?
"Ladies who Lunch " today.......

Good day to you, Elle!
Bit overcast today and not warm!
Your weather in the South East is a good deal warmer than mine!
Omron make several models of bp monitors.
Mine cost less than £20. The cheapest!
I do not know the make of the nurse's.
We have a machine at the health centre to announce your arrival.
When you go to the machine, you select the date of your birth, say for example "23", then select month of birth, then you are faced with years.
Select the correct year and your appointment with whichever GP or nurse appears on the screen. Click OK, and that's it.
Takes less than ten seconds I would say.
I hope you enjoy lunch with the ladies!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I had a very pleasant lunch. We went to a restaurant that is an old favourite, where the lunch menu offers two courses for a set price.
We try not to spend much money on our weekly outing!
(All these meals dining out this week!.........I am very fortunate that I do not put on weight!)
Wow, your GP practice is in the Space Age!
Ours is very old-fashioned comparatively.....
I report to the reception on arrival. She then sends me to whichever waiting room serves the doctor with whom I am booked.
Then when it is my turn.......the doctor in question toddles in and collects me!
Old-fashioned? Yes, very........ but I suppose we do get the "personal touch"!
Have you been out walking today?

Good afternoon, Elle!
Glad you enjoyed your lunch.
I am working my way through mackerel!
Still have some left.
My health centre machine is meant to help "free up" the reception team for other tasks.
But, I think a minority of folk use it.
There always seems to be two or three folk queueing at reception desk.
Using the machine bypasses the need to do that.
Only time I speak to a reception lady is to get the "escape code" to operate the gate when leaving the car park.
I think it works quite well.
Yes, I walked up as far as the children's zoo in the park.
Uphill every inch of the way.
My nurse would be very chuffed with me!

Hi, Rusty!
Car park?! We don't have such a facility at our practice!
Our surgery is a converted detached house on a main road!
There have been several extensions added to the rear of the property - but there is nowhere to park other than on the road - which being a bus route is nigh impossible!
You either get there by public transport or you go on shanks' pony!
Fortunately we are near enough to do the latter!
(Now how did "shanks' pony" originate?)
Well done on your uphill walk!
We have a children's zoo/farm in our nearest large park, too.
The children can visit there individually - or school visits can be planned, which take place in a sort of classroom environment where the children are taught how to care for the various animals; how to feed them and clean them out etc.
It is a good idea, as the kids also learn responsibility.
So mackerel for tea?

Hello, Elle!
No, had mackerel at dinner time.
Beef casserole in slow cooker for tea.
I am against zoos.
Shank is part of your leg, I think.
A sheepshank is a knot? Wonder why?
If you are not too busy, you can look it up?
There is a chance we may get snow tomorrow.

Hi, Rusty!
Both meals sound delicious!
You are obviously a good cook!
Yes, sheepshank is a nautical knot for shortening a rope - no idea why it should be called after a sheep's leg!
I can understand being against "zoos" where wild animals are kept in cages - although I think that this type of "zoo" is now very much a thing of the past?
Even animals such as lions and tigers are now usually kept in suitable environments with a lot of free-ranging land involved - and often such so -called "zoos " do a lot of good - helping with breeding so that rare species do not die out, etcetera.
Children's zoos/ farms help the children to have contact with sheep, cows, goats, often llamas and alpacas ( and also smaller animals like rabbits, and guinea pigs) - all to the good if the animals are living in suitable farm conditions.
You can keep your snow, should it arrive!
I doubt we shall get similar here, as it is far too warm for snow!
We are forecast heavy rain though for tomorrow- a pity as our plans include going to the park with daughter, BB and baby.
We shall get wet!