As anticipated, not a whole lot happened around here yesterday. I plowed through three or four magazines and opened the rest of my magazine stash (still sealed in their postal mailers), revealing four more to finish before I can say I'm caught up. Argh! I'd also like to start another Newbery book and I need to get off my butt and do some walking.
I did try to motivate the dog for a walk yesterday. I remembered taking her to the Heath at Christmas last year, so I thought we'd go there -- but she was having none of it. I got her down the front steps and then she dug in her feet and turned for home. She barely touched the street.
Sometimes she's just not in the mood -- and it is rainy out there, which is always a deal-breaker for her.
The downside of having a less active dog, though, is that I am also less active. She used to run me ragged, but it was good for me. I suppose I could just go to the Heath myself, but that seems kind of pointless.
We had this very handsome visitor at the bird feeder. Look how colorful his feathers are -- that flush of blue at the back of his head and the distinct pink and black ring. (I'm thinking it's a male, as is generally true of the most colorful birds of many species, but I'm just guessing.) Often these parakeets are just various shades of green, with indistinct neck rings, but this one is a real Beau Brummell.
Dave and I watched "Don't Look Up," on Netflix, a brilliant portrayal of the human capacity to get distracted and ignore bigger problems. We loved it! And we also Zoomed with his family, which was chaotic (as his parents had a terrible time managing the technology and connecting to the call) but we finally got everyone together. My brother doesn't particularly like Zoom and my mom wouldn't really understand what was happening anyway, so we didn't try to connect with my family, but I sent them greetings. (And my brother said the box I mailed to my nieces almost two months ago without tracking arrived as expected, so that's a relief.)
Also, my mom got my flowers and candy, and my brother e-mailed me a picture showing that they'd arrived, so I was glad to see they weren't misdelivered and sitting forlornly somewhere else in her retirement center. As I told him, "Yay! My hundred bucks didn't go for nothing!"
46 comments:
As Olga sometimes refuses a walk, may I suggest that you take up jogging to keep yourself fit? You will need day-glo running shorts, an FSU running vest, Nike trainers and an elasticated towel headband with a stars and stripes design. You will look so cool dude!
That pub looks amazing! (Just added a comment on previous post re light on phone)
I doubt if Olga will go out today either....though I think the rain is just about to finish for a while according to my rain app! Hope so, as Alexi needs to have a good run around outside as he didn't get much yesterday. Enjoy your day.
The pub decorations are glorious, so’s the parrot/parakeet. Great photos (as always). Thanks for the recommendation of Don’t Look Up. I just added it to our Watch List.
Glad your Christmas gifts got to their destinations okay. Especially your mom's. She'll love the colors. That appreciation outlasts other perception, in my experience.
I think you could walk without the dog!
That pub is fantastic, but, as my mind tends to do with the overly decorated, I jump to, "Who has to take it all down and put it all away?"
I love the pub! Are those real trees?
That pub...
I have no words.
But the pretty parakeet- now that is a small wonder.
I'm so far behind in my NY'ers that it's ridiculous.
I wonder how much money it costs that pub to put up all those trees and lights. We watched Don't Look Up on Friday. We really liked it. Such spot on satire. It certainly nailed the culture here in this country.
That is quite a festive pub, and that parakeet is a true beauty.
Good to know that all your gifts arrived on time. That must be a relief.
Don't blame Olga. Damp walking is never much fun.
One son bought me a year long subscription to The Economist for my birthday, so now I will join you in always being behind in my reading.
Was always tempyed to go in for a half pint but did not, thinking that it would be more expensive. Christmas is amazing in London!
Your bird visitor is also amazing, lucky shot !
I also wuit walking when Dexter became an old man and I had to carry him instead of walking him. Right- walks to the doggie park are now pointless.
So glad your flowers arrived, always iffy- I have sent Erik gift baskets and it is always a gamble.
I have to catch up on magazines at the end of the year, too. I have three National Geographics waiting, among others. I finally cancelled my Oxford American since I usually had all four issues to read in December. Happy Boxing Day!
A Girl Knows What A Girl Knows - Maybe Head Back Towards That Goal Of Walking The Whole Stretch - I Spaced On The Name of The Canal You Were Walking In Sections - Good On You For Sending Gifts - Well Done Brother Reed
Cheers
It doesn't look like you're sitting on your butt with all these photos and topics for one day.
Ringnecks are such a beautiful bird. There is a rare blue mutation that is also very striking. What is in the feeder? Is that suet?
The Churchill Arms looks extremely festive with all those lights. I love your colorful feathered visitor. I haven't seen that movie yet but it's on my list.
It's good to hear that all your packages arrived at their destinations.
I smiled that you blame Olga for your not walking more! Just teasing - you must walk a lot because you always have so many photos to share!
The pub looks great and I've found many buildings in the UK to be smaller inside than they appear on the outside.
The parakeet is interesting. It kind of looks like a parrot but in some way looks wrong. Great markings.
Hooray! We also watched "Don't Look Up" yesterday and enjoyed the laughs. And Jager emailed that he and his wife also watched it yesterday. He thought it was pretty good though uneven and I agreed with him on that. So that's three t.v.'s in my circle of friends that had the same movie on at the same time. Or at least the same day. Steve, you and Dave might also enjoy "Darkest Hour" on Netflix with Gary Oldman doing a remarkable job of portraying Churchill. (That's if you haven't seen it. We just watched it on Christmas Eve but I realize we were late to it.)
Mailing something these days is always a worry; I'm glad it worked out! That pub is quite Clark Griswold. ;)
I love the pub - the more lights the merrier is what I always say :)
We had a quiet day yesterday too - lunch with Mike's dad, and then lounging at home. Today was busier, and I have something else tomorrow. I'm going to be glad to go back to work to relax!
You get some very beautiful birds in your yard. Very different from the ones in my yard. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
You laugh, but I have been considering taking up running again. I need to do something to stay in shape now that the dog is flaking out on me.
Your light-on-phone trick didn't work for me, alas. I really think I don't have the app or whatever is needed. Yes, Olga has been mostly staying inside for several days now!
Hope you like it!
I think she'll mostly enjoy the chocolates. Mom has always had a sweet tooth!
Yeah, can you imagine? NIGHTMARE!
I think so, but I'm not sure!
I don't know why I have such New Yorker angst.
It really is spot-on! That's exactly how a crisis of that magnitude would occur.
Yeah, I'm glad they got there!
Well, at least with the Economist the information is so current that it's really only good for a couple of weeks anyway. And then you can throw away the magazine. I feel like The New Yorker lasts longer, which is both good AND bad.
I sent her flowers for her birthday last year and I'm still not sure they ever got to her!
It's crazy how magazines stack up! I finish one and the next one arrives almost immediately!
The Grand Union Canal! We do walk parts of it when we're in those neighborhoods.
Well, I am!
I could see that because they sometimes tend toward a blue-green color. I've never seen a truly blue one, though. Yes, suet seed balls in the feeder.
It is a relief. I had my doubts!
I used to walk a lot more, I think! I really do need to get out and about more often.
I don't know the difference between a parakeet and a parrot -- is it just size? But I do know these are called ring-necked parakeets.
Thanks for the recommendation! We're always looking for new (or new to us) things to watch!
Isn't it?! You can just see the whole family piling in there. LOL
Well, you have your own office, so I'm sure you CAN retreat at work! Lucky you!
We do get some fascinating (and unexpected) birds over here!
We watched it that same night and loved it. Thanks again.
Belated holiday greetings to you and thanks for the many wonderful posts you've shared over the new year (even though sometimes I don't comment!) That's quite the light display in the Kensington pub and how lovely to have a member of the parakeet family at your feeder. Our winter feeders (at least mine) get mostly sparrows, though we do see blue jays and cardinals, chickadees and the occasional nuthatch! All good wishes for a very happy new year.
Post a Comment