Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Trying to keep up with life!

  The maximum temperature here today is 17⁰C, minimum 14⁰C.    North-Easterly winds of 11km/h with gusts up to 23 km/h.  We have had steady rain for most of the day.  At last, the drought appears to have broken.

As for me, we have had a difficult 6 weeks since I last blogged.  I mentioned in my last post that my FIL had passed on.  The funeral date was set for the 19th September at 11h00.  Unfortunately, the Queen's funeral was set at the same time same day.  All had to be changed at the last minute and the wake had to be moved to a different hotel.  Then on the morning of the 20th, the new funeral date, SIL phoned early to say she was positive for COVID, we had better check.  Nigel was positive, I was negative as was BIL.  The church arranged for us all to sit outside and of course, we could not go to the wake!  We managed to return home to France on the 25th, but by then I was feeling lousy as well.   Nigel soon recovered but he still feels very lethargic.  I ended up having to see my Dr who put me on antibiotics and a cough mixture.  I feel much better now but the cough persists. We will get there eventually, I hope.

Enough of me, here are a few photos that I took along the way.

I loved this amazing sunset.

Sunflower.

A colourful September garden.

Common Wall Lizard, (Podarcis Muralis).

Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) female.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Purple Clematis (Clematis viticella).

Autumn daffodil/crocus (Sternbergia lutea).

Seven spotted ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata).
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Garden spider on the cosmos.  I think it is one of the crab spiders but I have got no further with an ID.

A Goldenrod Crab spider is also on the cosmos. N.B. It has an ant in its clutches. 

I am told this is a Fishing spider (Genus Dolomedes)....

so what is it doing in our drought-stricken garden in September?

I love our House Sparrows (Passer domesticus).


My local list of wildflowers. (91 Species 02/6/2022).


Joining up with My Corner of the World.

38 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks. Phew our trip to China was many years ago (+- 25 years) My husband won a flight for 2 to Hong Kong, and of course we also had to visit china. On the way back home we also had a week in Phuket.

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  2. Hi Diane. I've already contacted you with my best wishes for your speedy recovery - just in case someone reads this and thinks that I'm being insensitive to your plight!

    The sunset is wonderful, the flower images are true works of art, your butterflies are gorgeous, and your spiders are intriguing - and I'm jealous of your lizards!

    I hope that you are soon back out-and-about with your camera. In the meantime, my very best wishes to you and Nigel - stay safe - - - Richard

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    1. Thanks so much Richard. Keeping in touch with you helped to lift my spirits. At last I am feeling better though the cough has not totally gone. The owls are very vocal this evening, I need to put the trail camera back out!

      Wishing you all the best and especially to Lindsay. Take care and keep safe, Diane

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  3. Oh my! You’ve had a rough bout. I hope you are both feeling better soon. We are just over Covid as well. It was inevitable really. We will keep up with the boosters when we are eligible again though.

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    1. Yes it was an experience we could have done without, but I have always said we will all get it in the end! We are due our 5th vaccination at the end of the month but we will check with the pharmacy what date we should get it now. Have a good week Diane

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  4. That sunset is fantastic! Not bad photo either. 🙃

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    1. Thanks very much comment much appreciated. Cheers Diane.

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  5. Hi Diane - oh dear ... I think I did think of you both at that time ... but got wrapped up in the comings and goings of history in our time. Covid is still around ... my brother's just got it, his SIL, but not his wife ... he didn't sound too healthy - so I hope one and all recover ... I've avoided it so far, fortunately. Those Autumn daffodils/crocuses are just such a brilliant colour ... gorgeous. Take care and I hope recovery comes easily ... with thoughts - Hilary

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    1. Hi Hilary, the whole experience was a bit of a nightmare with the funeral complications added. Yes well we avoided it until we went to the the UK. We were masked all the way until we got to the family house. We are both feeling better but not really right, and the cough with me lingers on. I hope you can keep away from it. Take care and keep safe Diane

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  6. Oh dear Diane. You have had a rough time in so many ways. I hope you are recovering both mentally from the strain and physically from the virus. I think we both picked something up on the way home on our 5 hour journey from Greece. The lady behind us coughed a lot so we probably got it from her or one of the other 200 passengers. We have both had coughs ever since.

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    1. Hi Phil, I know what the cough is like so I feel for you both. It was a trip I would like to forget but guess it will be hard to do that. You say mentally, we both just do not feel quite right and memory seems to be a problem and we are both very lethargic. Guess we will come right eventually!! Keep safe and I hope we all get over the coughs quickly. Cheers Diane

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  7. Beautiful animals and flowers! I love esp. the sunset...so gorgeous!

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    1. Thanks Angie, I was really happy with that sunset, very special for me and I was lucky to spot it at the right moment. Thanks for the visit much appreciated, Diane

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  8. Sorry about your FIL's passing. Good to know that your SIL, Nigel and you are recovering. Beautiful flowers and insects. Do rest and take good care. Have a good day.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, I am hoping we fully recover quickly, but it sounds like it effects different people in different ways. Thanks so much for the visit. Take care Diane

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  9. Great to see you back, Diane. I am wondering why the queen's funeral caused other funerals such as the one for your father-in-law to be disrupted? I can't imagine how one would conflict with the other. Great series of images, as always, with spot-on ID. Sorry to hear that the dreaded COVID has taken up residence in your bodies. I hope it is short-lived and you both bounce back quickly. Gros bisous de ton ami canadien - David

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    1. David it seems that the whole country wanted to watch the TV that day. SIL did not want people complaining that that had to miss watching and she wanted people to think about her Dad alone. The undertakers were more than happy to change to the following day. Of course there was a few other things that had to change with it like the priest and the wake!
      We are both feeling better but just not right, think it will take time but at least we are negative now.. Thanks for the kind comment, take care and keep well. Bisous Diane

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  10. I'm so sorry to hear about all the illness. Hope you're all the way well soon. Beautiful photos; especially all those little critters, and that amazing sunset.

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    1. Hi Yvonne, we are 'mending' slowly but it seems to take time to fully recover. Thanks for the kind comment and yes I loved that sunset, very special. Keep well Diane

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  11. Stunning images & I totally agree...amazing sunset!

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    1. Thanks Mitzi for the kind comment, much appreciated. Cheers Diane

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  12. Oh my, sorry for the loss of your FIL. And what a mess with the Queens service being the same. At least you were able to get around it all. YIKES, sorry you both have been dealing with COVID. That nasty stuff is here to stay and will never be leaving us alone.

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    1. Thanks Pam it has been a very difficult couple of months with one thing and another!. I have always said we will all get COVID in the end but we were so careful in the UK, masked all the time!! Stay safe and keep well, Diane

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  13. Can't really compete with the Queen yet what an added bother. Seems harder to travel without getting sick. Evidence of improved health shows in that striking sunset plus so many other sunny colored shots. Be well.

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    1. We could have kept the same date and time for the funeral, but everyone said they wanted to watch the TV. Maybe it was good that we moved it as N and H tested positive the next morning, it could have spread through the mostly elderly folks! y I loved that sunset. Hugs Diane

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  14. There is so much comfort in nature. Hope you find it healing. Amazing photos.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. You are so right and thanks for the kind comment. Keep well Diane

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  15. You poor things what a dram for you both. So sorry to hear you have not been well. The coughing is what I would hate. I hope I never get it.

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    1. I get a cough very easily and it still lingers though is improving. We have always been so careful and still mask everywhere, but very few bother to mask now which is where the problem lies. Cheers t'other Diane

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  16. I am so sorry that your father-in-law passed on, my deepest condolences to you and your husband. That’s quite a coincidence the original funeral day being on the same day as the Queen, and I am so sorry you all had COVID. I expect you were very glad to return home between the sadness and the sickness. My son and daughter-in-law have recovered from theirs and are now on the road to recovery, but son mentions he’s tired all the time and my poor daughter-in-law has a persistent cough. I do hope you feel better and will have returned to normal very soon. Your photos are magnificent as always!

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    1. Thanks Denise for your kind words and thoughts. I think recovery takes its time with some people more than others. We are both still very tired, Nigel is still struggling to remember things and I am still coughing. My memory is rubbish anyway so I am not sure if it is any worse!! Take care and keep safe, Diane

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  17. Oh my Diane, you really had a rough few weeks in October. I do hope Nigel and you will be feeling much better soon. Your photos as always are fabulous and I especially like the sky photo. Take care of yourself and try to rest if you can.

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    1. Thanks Penny, it was not a fun few weeks by any means. We are both feeling much better but just not quite right yet. We both get tired very quickly and things seem easily forgotten still! We have had a few very busy days which has not helped, but I think now we have a couple of days that we can relax a bit. Hope that all is well with you, take care. Diane

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  18. Wowsers! That sunset is absolutely spectacular.

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    1. I think that is one of my best ever sunsets 🌞 Thanks and cheers, Diane

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