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deletedMar 2
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My UK friends constantly talk of it and I feel for them and for you, because we had that for three years with a La Nina weather event. But we've now swapped the squelching footsteps for the crunching ones. We're now down to two seasons - Summer and Winter. Or more properly, La Nina and El Nino.

I suppose we can all accept that there will be weather changes - it's just how long between each.

The oyster catchers' fidelity is beautiful, as is their family life. Such striking birds.

Thanks so much for reading, Luisa.

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I love when plants and grass are personified. They do take on different personalities with every season— just like us humans. 😎🪴

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Exactly. King Charles and I have a lot in common - he talks to his gardens as well. ;)

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But where is Kate? This Anglophile is seriously concerned.

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Well in our family, we believe she has had a hysterectomy and in view of family members who have had the same, 6 weeks to relative comfort is minimal, 3 months to full recovery optimal.

But that's only our opinion...

When she returns to the public eye (God help her), she'll do it with blooming good health, humility and radiant elegance as only she can, I'm sure.

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I didn’t know it was a family issue. Still, why wouldn’t the palace disclose such a common procedure?🤔

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Maybe it's Kate's choice. She must have SOME privacy. I respect that.

The same as Charles hasn't indicated what sort of cancer he has. Just that he has another cancer found when he had prostate cancer. As wife of someone who has had cancer and mother to another who has had personal operations, it's not really anyone else's business. Just my opinion...

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I agree with the privacy aspect - that's quite right. Just for clarity, though, the King was having treatment for an enlarged prostate - it wasn't prostate cancer.

I am happy that we had been told in January that the Princess of Wales wouldn't be back at work until after Easter, by which time I hope she will have fully recovered and had a good rest. My darling husband had abdominal surgery of his own in the same week that she did, and he's still very much recovering.

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Indeed. It was an enlarged prostate. But potentially cancerous - so good he was checked and caught early, as with his un-named cancer. My husband had prostate cancer and it took months for him to feel well again after robotic surgery with a surgeon interstate. The surgeon's wonderfully deep Irish voice had me at 'Good morning, Prue'. He made a point of including me in every single consult.

Abdominal surgery is pretty awful whether its small or large, and I do hope Jim is mending well. I'm sure Sister Rebecca is everything a nurse can be. ;) (My daughter had a hysterectomy and her full recovery took 3 months - so whatever Kate had done, we wish her well.)

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Oooooh, now Jim's surgeon is jolly handsome but lacks the Irish brogue, I'm sorry to say. ☘️ We were there today, actually, for a follow-up! Getting there..... 😊

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Mar 2·edited Mar 2Liked by prue batten

Beautiful post on so many points. Love this, " It’s possible to hear me moving through the house." I can relate! We, too, hoped to find an Endeavor parallel or substitute after we (sadly) finished the last episode. Alas, we haven't. We also tried watching Inspector Morse but couldn't get into it. We miss Endeavor. The sunflowers are gorgeous, by the way, and the photo of the birds, spectacular.

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Isn't it amazing the noises that bones and ligaments can make? I remember when I tore the 3 ankle ligaments, the sounds were like 3 gunshots!

I'm preparing to go into mourning this evening as we finish Endeavour. Interesting about Morse - we'll give it a go but I remember in the past, I could never cope with what appeared to be Morse's bitterness. I did love Lewis though, which was the sequel. I always felt Lewis and Hathaway were brilliantly matched.

Thank you for reading and for loving the flowers and birds.

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You're welcome, and I didn't know about Lewis and Hathaway. I'll check that out today!

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Not long until autumn now. Hang in there. 🤗🤗

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Blessedly cool and autumnal this morning for a couple of hours, Beth. See my comment to Elizabeth.

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Here in the U.S., when summer's intensity has sucked away all of my reserves, I like to think of those sporadic days of respite, when the humidity lifts and the temperatures drop, as nature's way of telling me to "hold on, hold on, you can do this, just hold on!" I hope all your plant and animal friends make it through! Surely they are buoyed by your conversations and cheerleading!

I'm so relieved for you to have found your missing song. It is a stunning piece, one I can't recall hearing before. What struck me most, though, was the comments. So many others who say they spent years searching. Apparently, you are in good company, Prue! I do hope you find your way back to the hope of a new season, whatever comes.

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Hold on, exactly, Elizabeth. It was blissfully cool this morning and I went to the veggie garden to weed and mulch which I did as the clouds deflated like pricked balloons and the sun, that cursed ball, shone cruelly. I felt quite nauseous. Came inside and am sitting on the couch, talking to you and drinking a whole chilled flask of water.

I remember the first time I heard that music track, I was menopausal anxious and it just settled me like a glass of cool wine. And of course, the title, Slip into Something More Comfortable - perfect then and perfect now as I reach this new stage of life (Autumn? Winter? Meh!)

I must just be patient - the cooler weather will come in the end, for my husband's and son's sanity and the farm's well being though, it has to come with rain!

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Patience, indeed. I just peeked at the long range forecast for Hobart. I know island weather can be fickle, but it looks like there might be some cooler, wetter days coming next week? I'll cross all the things for you!

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Fickle as all hell, Elizabeth. Today it's gale-force with a forecast of 'catastrophic'. As for rain? Hmm - we're up to high 20's Celsius again by Wednesday and no rain forecast at all for next week. We suspect it will be weeks yet before meaningful rain. My son spoke to a friend of his who is a farmer up the coast and he said he predicts a massive autumn break in about 8 weeks. We shall see...

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8 weeks... oof! I sure hope it lands by then!

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I loved the music. and hearing the update on Kate. . .I hope she will be fine.

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Thanks, Janice, The music is soooo relaxing. I should point out that it's only my guess about Kate. I, like everyone else, have heard nothing and she deserves that little bit of privacy at least, doesn't she?

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Mar 2Liked by prue batten

We loved Inspector Lewis. My spouse wants me to step back to Morse...not sure I can handle his sarcasm and bitterness. Currently watching Broken wood and The Tourist and awaiting Call the Midwife!

In Ohio, I am loving seeing the daffodils poking up through the leaves and occasional snow dusting! The blue birds have showed up at the feeders and the male finches are beginning to deepen their yellow feathers. Of a less pleasant note but an amusing one, the male skunks are on the prowl for their lady loves. A reminder...don't pet the black and white "kitties"!

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We tried Episode One of Morse last night after the so very ambiguous end to Endeavour.

Shell-shocked and with so many questions unanswered after Endeavour ended, we had hoped Morse would be better than it was but it wasn't. We had failure to lift off and so gave up before the end. On to Inspector Lewis but suspect we may need to find a wholly new adventure to entertain us.

Love the sound of your little birds. As for the skunks? Pew!!!!!

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Mar 2Liked by prue batten

Blue skies, sunflowers, books, and the beach...you've brightened this cold, dark rainy morning where we are patiently waiting for springtime. Thank you!

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The world is on weather steroids, there's no doubt. Today we have 'catastrophic' winds. Sigh...

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Another lovely post, Prue - I'm sorry about the crispy leaves of your hydrangea! I just pruned ours last week - I always time it wrong and end up with no flowers, but I'm hoping that as I snipped off ONLY the brown, dead flower heads from last year and didn't go near anything that resembled a bud I might just get away with it. Here's hoping!

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie - I have the dubious gift of an appalling memory for literature, so can read and re-read any of her novels and still be surprised at whodunit! I am always astonished when I get to the end, and have to flick back through to find all of Christie's very clever breadcrumbs which I'd missed following all the way through the story. I must seek out that Allan Carr documentary - thank you for the recommendation.

Mum tells a great story of seeing Robert Lindsay as Richard III in London's West End many years ago - to her horror he'd picked HER to look at for the entirety of his opening speech. She said she wished her seat in the stalls had folded up with her in it! 🤣

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My husband's been away on business and because we wanted to watch the last epsiode of Enbdeavour together, I've been watching the first ever Miss Marple's with Joan Hickson. They are fun - Hickson always looks so inscrutable and sometimes, even a little bit snaky. Not my favourite Marple but it'll do.

Funny about your Mum but awful too - I can imagine sinking lower and lower into the seat in shock-horror. I s'pose the reality is from his position onstage and with the lights trained on him, he could see nothing much in the auditorium at all. I know with our ballet concerts, it's the only thing which gives me comfort, that whilst I may be looking into the Gods, I can't actually see faces at all - thank the stars. It helps perpetuate the fantasy that really there's no one there and I needn't be nervous at all!!!

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I grew up with the Joan Hickson Marples! Really good. I liked the later adaptations very much, too - Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie were great.

D'you know, I've always wondered how much (or little!) Richard III had actually been able to see Mum - she still enjoys telling the story, so I know she was certainly *feeling* his eyes bore into her, whether he could see her or not!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

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You capture your experience and mood and that of the land so well, Prue. You captured the soulful nature of life beautifully.

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Thank you, Martin. That's very kind.

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Ooh, Endeavour sounds like an interesting series. I might check it out. Thanks for mentioning it!

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It was marvellous. I actually think the Endeavour series was much better, more polished than Morse. Even though Morse and Endeavour are one and the same character, there's much more depth to Endeavour. Better script writers perhaps?

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Thanks for the additional info!

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