WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

Please God, spare us our cognitive functions.... It's about the only thing that ever worries me about old age. I rely totally on if you want to keep it use it, the only defence I can think of apart from normal health measures.
The continuing warm weather.... It's moderate here and quite pleasant.
Have a look at THIS. I had heard about the 'Wood Wide Web' long ago. My mate Ken in Minnesota told me about the symbiotic relationship between trees in a stand of oak on his property 40 years ago. I think I need to look further into this.

[PanBiker]

Countryfile did a piece on networked trees a few weeks ago.

[Tizer]

Please God, spare us our cognitive functions.... It's about the only thing that ever worries me about old age. I rely totally on if you want to keep it use it, the only defence I can think of apart from normal health measures.

You'll be pleased to know that dementia rates are declining. I read a report about it last week but can't find it at the moment. In the meantime here's something similar from 2019...
`Dementia rates may be falling by 15% per decade' Harvard

[Stanley]

Good Peter! I think I heard that report as well.
I decided to look further into the trees and found a well respected book, 'Underworld' and ordered it.
The threat of thunder for a day or two. I shall be pulling the plug on FM3 when I am not online.
How muggy it is already this morning.

[Tizer]

The symbiotic relationship between trees and mycorrhizal fungi has been known for a long time - I was taught it in the late 1960s. It's been a research topic for decades and is now understood in great detail. In the last few years it seems to have gained celebrity status - perhaps the cooperation aspect appeals to the woke generation! Also there is now more interest in manipulating the relationship to improve biomass production and to look after our trees now we've realised how important they are for the health of the planet.
If you're interested in trees this is a marvellous book from Richard Fortey:
`The Wood for the Trees: The Long View of Nature from a Small Wood' Fortey
He writes about the relationships between all the components of his small wood but also branches off (pun unintended) into local history. A very good read.

[Cathy]

I brought this up on OG ages ago, re trees and woods. Very interesting.
Judi Dench - My Passion for Trees. BBC One.
Documentary following Judi Dench as she explores the lives of trees, discovering how they feel, how they communicate and how they fight off invading armies and extreme weather.
Fascinating and well worth watching.

[PanBiker]

Sally has just had notification that the "Yorkshire Scrubbers" group she sews for have to date provided and distributed over 19,000 sets of hospital scrubs to Hospital Trusts that were in need.

[Cathy]

Well done Sally and all Yorkshire Scrubbers.

[Marilyn]

Sally might need a new sewing machine for Christmas!

[PanBiker]

She already has three and an overlocker.

[Stanley]

That's really impressive Ian. Thank god there are people like Sally and her friends. I wonder how many infections they have helped to prevent?
Real time, I am listening to thunder as lightning storms march North up the Ribble Valley.

[Big Kev]

Many thanks to Sally, picked up some more masks yesterday which are greatly appreciated.

[Stanley]

No thunderstorms on the lighting tracker this morning despite the Yellow Met Office warning.

[Wendyf]

My washing machine packed in on Monday claiming to have a "motor overload". It's an LG and has given us about 16 years good service with only the odd blip that Col has sorted out. He thinks a sensor might be the problem and has ordered a replacement but I would love a new one!
We bought the LG from an online electrical discount warehouse and were very surprised when it was delivered from Harry Garlick's. I've been looking for a replacement machine, and as our water is heated by solar panels it makes sense to have one with both hot and cold fill but the major manufacturers don't make them any more. There is one produced in the UK by Ebac, and we both decided that this was the washer to go for...... but its out of stock everywhere! Yesterday Col found one machine online and guess where? Yes, the same discount warehouse, otherwise known as Harry Garlicks.
Sadly, when Col phoned it was already sold and on the wagon ready to be delivered. We have ordered one though it could be a while, fingers crossed Col is correct and the £10 sensor fixes the LG.
Don't worry about me getting my washing done, somewhere in the barn is yet another machine that failed our son and Col later fettled. Nothing ever gets thrown out....

[Stanley]

Well done Col. What a treasure that man is!

[Wendyf]

Well done Col. What a treasure that man is!

You wouldn't say that if you lay awake at night worrying about your property sinking under the weight of all "stuff" that might come in useful one day.

[Stanley]

Don't lie awake thinking about it, he is a force of nature and I understand him perfectly.

[Gloria]

That’s the trouble with having buildings Wendy, they get filled with “stuff”.

[Marilyn]

I often think of stuff we could throw away/give away/sort thru/get rid of, when I lay awake at night. Trouble is, I can’t shift husband’s way of thinking...it is best to throw things and not ask him ( and pray he does not have a look in the bin when he is bored) because likely he will fish it back out. I could strip the house in five mins of things I think need moving on! Two things count as his holy grail - his garage ( a full on headache for me) and his wardrobe ( another headache...some of the things in there pre-date our relationship by about twenty years).

[Wendyf]

If he can't find what he is looking for I'm instantly under suspicion of having thrown it away...... who, moi??

[Wendyf]

Maz, imagine having a huge barn and an equally large "workshop". Of course they are too damp for all the electronic stuff so that fills a bedroom.

[Gloria]

Wendy, I think we are married to the same man. actually I think the three of us are, Wendy, me and Maz.

[Tizer]

`Coronavirus: How ghost cruise ships became a summer tourist attraction' LINK

[Marilyn]

Wendy, I think we are married to the same man. actually I think the three of us are, Wendy, me and Maz.

They must be clones. I have been with my husband for 30 years...and I am still washing socks that his first wife would have washed. Every time I suggest he buys new socks, he says “No -the ones I’ve got will see me through”.

[Stanley]

The fact it's going to be cooler!