Marty

It's interesting to hear you complaining about the Australian weather. If only because I thought that even in the winter it was at least warm down-under. Awh shucks, bro! I hope they do better in their next game(s). Make the most of the cooler weather (although close to 30 sounds bloody hot to me. ) Fingers (and everything else) crossed, for you and mum, bro. Oh, yes! I nearly forgot... Ten tubers from the first plant. Weighing in at exactly one and a quarter pounds (nearly 570 grammes). Enough for two meals. The seed potatoes were planted on Friday 22nd May, which was ten weeks ago from last Friday. There's about another two dozen plants of the same variety growing, and I'm sure the yield will improve as I slowly dig them over the next few weeks, when I'll start harvesting the maincrop (indeterminate) ones. Those weighing scales and weights are quite possibly older than I am. They actually belonged to my maternal grandfather, who had a fruit and vegetable business. I remember using them in his shop when I was growing up, and they were old even then. He retired in 1965 when he was 72 years old. My eldest brother offered to take over the business (it had been in the family for at least 3 generations), but grandad talked him out of it saying that, although Napoleon had once referred to the English as a nation of shopkeepers, the British Government had since turned the shopkeepers into unpaid tax collectors for the Exchequer. I do remember the inordinate amount of time that grandad used to have to spend making sure his books were in order. After grandad died (aged 92), we found those scales, plus a set of larger ones that were used for weighing heavier items (like potatoes), in his cellar. Both sets finished up in my possession. They survived my move to Ireland, although in my most recent move I have mislaid some of the smaller weights, brass two ounce and one ounce ones. They'll turn up eventually, same as those books on the Canadian wilderness I mentioned to Gary a good while back will. When I finally get round to unpacking all the boxes and crates of stuff that I have.

Greetings, bro!

Glad to hear the weather has cooled somewhat for you, dug. Best of luck planting the new lawn. Today's a typical day here in the northwest of Ireland. Currently about 16C/61F with periods of sun between the clouds. Rain promised to cross the country from the Atlantic overnight. Rest of the week promised to be similar, although the temperature might improve a little (possibility of 20C/68F). I'm just back from a drive into Northern Ireland to post back a faulty second-hand laptop that was delivered on Friday. I live fairly close to the border, and normally get items I purchase from the UK delivered to a friend who lives that side of the border, as the North is part of the UK, so the postage is cheaper. (Wouldn't have even been able to post it back from the Republic today, anyway, as it's a bank holiday here today, so the post offices are closed.) I intend shortly to head out and dig the first of my early (determinate) potatoes. Just one plant to begin with, but I'll be interested to see how they turn out. (Mental note to self: Take Trusty Nikon with you and take some photographs.)

Coming up to midnight, so I'll have my cocoa and head to bed. Night all! (Hope your beloved Leafs do well for you tonight, Gary. )

Hey, bro! Not sure how your head got on with all that changeable weather... But it sure hurt mine trying to read about it.

Erm.... Although if we spoke Canadian French...

Bicker !! ??? We weren't bickering! Well, I wasn't. Not my fault they don't know how to talk proper t'other side o' pond. Like us does on this side.

No. Canning, bottling. Potato, Pudada. (Or maybe that should have been: Potato, Spud. )

Cool. We don't can it this side of the pond. We bottle it.

A couple of chapters back, I said something along the lines of Christine no longer being physically with the family - but in this chapter we can see that she is still an important part of it. And last chapter I suggested that Hank should maybe talk to Charles. And in this chapter Charles, if only because of a promise he made to Christine, initiated that talk. Whatever happens now between Chase and Hank, I suspect they are now at a point where they can at least remain friends. But dammit, Gary! Did you have to make my eyes leak!

Yea... but you do know I should be stripping at the moment, don't you?

"Never mind the quality, feel the width." (That was actually the title of a British TV sitcom from around the end of the 1960's, based around a tailor shop jointly run by two friends, one Jewish and the other Catholic.)

I'm sure that, like Albert, you'll get millions of tomatoes this year, clo! Mine haven't even begun to set fruit yet...

Nice to see Chase and Hank have a semi-civilised conversation at last. I suspect it might do Hank good to talk to Charles, as well...

Another cross-posting!

You're slowly getting to know me, clo! Quite correct! I'm not a fan of housework. Much rather be outside. Either in the garden, or out on the hills.

Ditto. Although myself and my siblings have always been close (a fact that often makes me feel somewhat blessed), we don't all live all that close to each other. I'm in the west of Ireland, and my siblings are scattered across the north of England. To a large extent, mam (as we called her) was like the glue that held the family together. When she died I genuinely worried we wouldn't contact or see each other as often as we had done when she was alive. Fortunately, that proved not to be the case.

I think we just 'cross-posted' there, young Albert.

G'day, Albert and Val (and everyone else). Showery sort of day here, and the temperature's a degree or so lower than yesterday. Might do a spot of wallpaper removal shortly, as it doesn't look like I'll get much garden work done today (but the weather could improve later).

Good to see the family back together again. Even if mum (Christine) isn't there in person, she's there in their hearts. And now they can talk about their memories of her openly.

I tend to agree with you, Tim. If I only wish to respond to a small part of someone's comment, I usually just select that part of the original comment and a 'box' will appear on my screen with "Quote selection" in it. If I click on that, it will appear in the comment box. That's what I did to get Tim's comment above to appear. I'm not sure if that's as easy to do on a smartphone or tablet, as I always use my laptop for GA. Yea, Tim. Stay safe, buddy. (See what I did there? After responding to Tim above, I went back and selected dug's comment, so I could then quote that in the same reply.) And there I was thinking I was the grumpy old guy in here. I'd never have considered you grumpy.

That's a really nice gesture.

Hi, Page!