Genealogy Chat

HOPPY BIRTHDAY SUE (reminder of the good old Skippy days)

Happy returns & many more years to come.

Robert I am sure a Sheltered shell wouldn't be good for you - you need to be with us old fogies - I think Josie & i must be the younger ones -

thanks Frank - will try that - but can't understand why nothing will go in History while the computer is still alive - you put a comand in the line - then do another - an another - but nothing stays in the history - help

Will try & pop in tonight if i can - as Busy Busy Busy

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Sue,
Happy Birthday to you.


Hope you have a really wonderful few days Sue and I'm sending very best wishes on this very special day.



Sylvia.......the wanderer is home. Good to have you back again with all the news of your holiday. We've been pretty well behaved during your absence......we have, haven't we??



Frank my friend, that you for giving Anne that advice re the Ccleaner. I have it but don't use it very often because of the hassle of losing passwords etc. You really do have your uses at times you know....:))


Anne, I loved New Tricks and am looking forward to the rest of the series. The casting is absolutely wonderful and Alan Armstrong does a brilliant job of playing someone who is obviously supposed to be on the autistic spectrum. Did you see where Amanda Redman recently married a chap quite a few years her junior??



I am so jealous of Josie being at the beginning of Spring....it is wet and dreary here today...really autumnal. sigh....



Brittany sounds much to nice for you to spend your time cleaning your cooker Evelyn.......wait till it's a miserable day and do it then!



Venerable Robert! How can you say we are nosey when you know you are a much loved and revered friend to us all??? [Actually, I've done a little research and think I have sussed out the number which precedes the '0' of your age.] I hope you 'ate' all your lunch today!!! :))))



Today I am a little sad. I have a friend with whom I have been in contact almost daily for many, many years. She is somewhat older than me but we have lots in common and have many shared experiences between us. She is suffering from what she calls 'mild depression'. The other day, her OH let slip the word 'dementia'. I am sad. So very sad.


Ah well........love to all. Cx.

Hi Kiwibird,

25th.

Hi Cynthia,

Yes, I love my food!

So glad you had a fun day Susan

Sylvia - sounds like a very eventful time at the cabin - more work than rest

Cynthia I am so sorry to hear about your friend - my close friend at work his mum has Vascular dementia - its a nasty thing - all she wants to do is go home - but she can't.

Robert are you really a Christmas Baby? My In-laws are 88 & 86 but who is counting - my OH is 58 on the 24th & I am 7 years younger but another year older also on the 24th.

How about the birthday bash on Sunday 26th or do we wait for October 2nd 0r 3rd - open to offers

Your place or my Sue

At the moment its went & horrid - said to my OH this morning whats the weather going to do (he sees the early forecast) oh it will be ok - so wore sandles & thin coat to work - it tipped it down atound 4:30 - I left at 540 & still got soaked - everything hanging in the bathroom.

I have a night out tomorrow in London - all paid for - we leave around 4 from the office & get up to London in time for the opening at 6. They are unvailing a new line of Chocolate & we are going to the party - lots of cocktails & chocolate tasting - we may get the odd feebie to bring home, its called a taste of the orient.

I have heard there will be cocktail flavoured chocolates & poss a luxury chocolate fountain as well - anyone want to sneak along with me?

So won't pop in tomorrow.

Last day at the office on Wednesday.

Thursday we are packing,shopping & packing the car & then we are off on Friday for our little drive down to Ross-on-Wye. I hope the weather is better next week - we come back on the 24th - we don't normally do that on our birthday but its a Friday to Friday let.

Then on Saturday we drive up to the in-laws for a birthday meal - then back home on Sunday to relax & do the washing etc I have Monday off to do the ironing and catch up with things.

I hope the dongle will work when we are away & I will try & pop in a couple oif times.

Take care all - will try & pop in on Wednesday to tell you all about the chocolate event

Hi Tabitha,

It was my intention to invite you all to a party on the strength of the 25p increase in my pension!!

Hi Everyone

Robert I will be there just name the day,how are you going to fit us all in your cave though.

Thankyou everyone ,I had a wonderfull birthday and it has not stoped yet,I recieved an email from a long lost cousin who I was very fond of in my childhood.
It was a real surprise,I must say I am looking forward to a nice quiet one tonight ,it has been quite full on.

I have been trying today to use Facebook ,it is not easy for my brain to get around.

Sylvia welcome back ,it sounds like you had a lovely time as well but it is always nice to get home is'nt it.

I am doing a roast for dinner tonight ,I though I had better put some time into the OH seeing as he has been so good over the last few days.

Back to the Kitchen,be back later.
Love to all my dear friends.
Suex

Just a quick visit

Robert that is so sweet of you - thats around £0.025 each

I would like to give my share back to you as i know you will be able to buy so much with it - a little more insulation for the Shell this winter perhaps.

See you all later

Mmm. 25p increase? Wouldn't even buy a balloon would it?? Maybe we could put a gazebo up outside your shell.....oh no, it's Christmas Day isn't it? Hmmmm......well what about just after say between Christmas and New Year?? We could insulate it and have fan heaters inside.


Have been teaching my granddaughter to make blackberry and apple crumble this afternoon. She did a grand job and it was lovely. She would rather do that than her homework of course!


Very wet and windy here and then a spell of lovely sunshine. This weather just can't make up it's mind at all.


May go off soon as I was up at about 6.30am this morning and can't take the pace.....lol


Love to all. Cx.

Hi Gang!

heavy rain on Sunday, no internet service all day Monday, right as rain this mroning (Tuesday, except I was out all day (physio)!


this is not the first time this has happened, so I'm thinking I should begin to keep a weather record ......... see if there really is a pattern, and then contact the servcie provider

Thing is ..... service provider is also our cable company, and the TV wasn't affected!

Physiotherapist found some very sore spots, he even had me shouting a couple of times which is not something I often do!

...... I hadn't been able to do all my exercises while at the cabin. It was so cold that we were either buried under heavy bedclothes or fully dressed in jeans and sweaters ............... and neither is conducive to several of the leg and back exercises I'm supposed to do!


Robert .............. I turned 70 in January, but we don't get any increases due to age in our pensions!! We do get cost of living increases every year.


haven't yet worked out what happens if the cost of living ever falls instead of increasing ......... ?????????????????


A close and very dear friend turns 80 on October 10, which is our Thanksgiving weekend. She is having a slap-up bash, so we will be away for the weekend. She has pointed out that I turned 70 in January, another close friend turned 75 AND celebrated her 45th wedding anniversary in May .................. so this is a big year all round!



C ....... so sorry to hear about your friend. It's very hard isn't it?
xxx



Josie .................. my friend in Lyttleton said they are having supply problems because the highway to the north (ie, Wellington) has been damaged. She was quite surprised to see a supermarket in Christchurch with only half full shelves ........ the supply problem apparently had not been mentioned much by the media!



Anne ..... in case I don't see you again before Thursday ................ have a great holiday!!



Take care everyone


sylvia
xxx

Thank you Sylvia

Hopefully the dongle will work and I can just pop in a couple of times

Really Manic panic last day at work - goodness only knows what time I will leave here tonight

Lovely time at the Chocolate launch & we all got loads of chocolates last night as well as cocktails - even had a goodie bag with chockies in & I am the one who isn't a chocolate person too.

I brought a load in for my team to nibble this afternoon.

Take care all

Hi Sylvia in Canada,

I didn't either when I was 70 all those years ago!!

Hello all. Very wet and windy here today and we even put the central heating on!


The chocolate launch sounded wonderful Anne.....are you sharing it round here too? hint hint lol



Went to a planning meeting re the Autism Strategy today. I feel we have been losing the thread a little lately and going round in circles.


Lots of names and positions have been being bandied around and lots of good ideas heard but very little to show for all that.

I sat and went through my minutes for the last 9 months and decided that something needed to be said, that we needed to be 'earthed'. It worked..... and we now have a more straightforward plan of action in progress.

I am working voluntarily, alongside many professionals from the Social Services covering various areas of service care for vulnerable people across the area. I do, however, wonder how many meetings end up going round in circles with much waffle but little action!


One of the things which really, really infuriates me, is the use of acronyms within the system. I have no idea what so many of them mean and they are bandied around freely between those who are 'in the know'!

Today I was told of someone who was a DOLS

.......pardon me??

Ah....it means he is a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Co-ordinator.


but, of course, you all knew that didn't you??



I give up and will sign off now........Cx.....also known as GOW - Grumpy Old Woman!

Hi all




soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


will Robert get a telegram from Her Majesty?



:)))))



s
xxxx

Hi Everyone

Getting back to normal,it has been a full on week but I have loved every minute of it.

Cynthia ,It is the dame over here ,they waste so much time and money doing nothing.
We are all so over governed by one dept for this and one dept for that and of course you need a team to run all these depts.
If we saved all the money paid out to these people there would be plenty to help everyone.

Our hospitols are having a hard time at the moment,Ambos waiting in line to drop sick people off at hospitol .........24 yesterday just waiting in line ,there is no spare bed for them.

Washing today with a bit of gardening in between, a nice sunny day for a change.
Suex

Hi Sylvia,
Here is a Quick geography lesson, New Zealand is made up of 2 large Islands The North Island smaller of the 2 but the most populated, The largest city Auckland being near the top and The Capital city Wellington being at the bottom tip. Which is separated from the South and larger Island by Cook Strait.

Goods where being transported in trucks across from Wellington aboard the Ferry and then driving 5 hours to Christchurch, however a major holdup occurred when due to heavy rain there was a massive slip which blocked off the highway near the top of the South Island.

Another complication has been that the main grocery distribution centre for the South Island was in Christchurch and was destroyed by the Earthquake.

The Highway was cleared after 2 days and everything is flowing again. Apart from a few rural areas water has been fully restored.
The NZ government was very quick and efficient in putting into place emergency measures and appointing a cabinet minister to oversee and cut through all red tape to ensure whatever was needed was available.
Building consents which can take months have been slashed to allow repairs and re- building to commence immediately.

Emergency funding and loans where made available as well, with the co operation of the Banks. In NZ everyone who has house insurance pays a special levy and is automatically covered for Earthquake and flood damage up to $100,000 People where able to start making claims as of first thing Monday morning following the Quake.
Those who where not insured are also being assisted through an emergency fund and There has been fund raising appeals going on from one end of the country to the other. New Zealanders are very generous and willing to help each other out. People in Christchurch suburbs who did not receive damage were quick to go to areas that had been affected and offer assistance.

Following the quake the amount of people having Heart Attacks in Christchurch rose considerably.
Amazingly a number of people who had mild attacks were diagnosed as having major Heart problems that they were unaware of and are now being treated. In effect the earthquake has saved their lives.

The only death as a direct result of the Earthquake was that of a South American Lemur [monkey] who drowned while trying to swim a moat around it's enclosure at the Wildlife Park.

Right now NZ is gearing up for a massive storm which is already starting to hit both Islands as I write this, with Hail Thunder Rain and Snow in some parts and Gale force winds from one end to the other Winds of up to 120km are expected here in Wellington over the next 48 hours.
I live on top of a hill and am fully exposed so hope we still have a roof over our heads in the morning.

On a brighter note I just booked tickets online to night, to go with OH and experience an Evening with Petula Clark. In October.

Well OH is making me a cuppa tea so will catch you all later... I hope!
Josie

Hi Everyone

Josie it sounds like you are in for a rough night ,I do not envey you .
We live on the South West Coast of Oz and my house is faced West

I am off to bed it has been a long day .
Suex

Well we are all packed - just the car to do in the morning - busy thinking of all the things i have forgotten to pack or need to take with me.

Set the dongle up ok (I hope) - just need to get the cd's sorted in the morning we like music when driving.

Hope the weather is good next week - might take a few computer games to play as only freeview tv at cottage

Manic at work yesterday - did a big list of everything I needed to clear - so went in at 7:30 - worked through lunch (had a ham roll & crisps while typing) - ended up with a call at 5:15 for a hotel today - so Mike & Emma stopped back to help as well. Mike left at 6 - i left at 6:30 Emma threw me out (same as I did to her day before her holiday) she said she would stay & finish it off bless her. So yesterday I did an 11 hour day instead of 7 and a half. Oh well

We are leaving around 9 tomorrow morning - going for a leisurly breakfast & a jaunt down the motorway - quick stop for a loo break at the last motorway stop & then on the A road. Next stop supermarket for the odds n ends & on to the cottage. then all the faf of unpacking & putting away.

I have to admit sometimes is it all worth it!!!!!!!!!

Take care all - will try & keep in touch if i can Now try & be good while I am away - if you can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, so excited she posted it twice!!

Hope everything goes well........

Hi all

Josie ................ I know the geography of NZ pretty well.

OH and daughter lived in Palmie for a year in 1992-93. I joined them for 2 months around Christmas, and we spent about 6 weeks of that driving all over both North and South Islands from north of Auckland all the way down to Mitford Sound, and over to the Hokitiki area on the west coast.

I remember Dunedin as being incredibly cold, even though it was mid-summer ..... and very "Scottish" with its granite buildings. It reminded me very much of Aberdeen in Scotland!

I knew exactly what (and where) my friend was talking about ..... and in fact, although I didn't know her back then, I'm pretty certain we drove very close to her house, if not actually past it , when we took the "high" road from Christchurch to Lyttelton.

OH and daughter travelled even more in the other months ....... OH gave lectures and talks in Christchurch and Canterbury in S Island, and at 3 or 4 other places in N Island. They even walked the Heaphy Track in the March.

That was actually our second visit to NZ. Our first one was 2 weeks in 1976, which we spent entirely in North Island.

Daughter had a most wonderful experience while she was there ..... she spent 3 weeks at the Maori centre in Rotorua learning how to weave. She made a couple of skirts and a basket ....... from finding and collecting the flax, to preparing it, and then weaving it.


We're getting into fall here ............ shorter days, cooler temperatures, etc. OH put the fans away earlier this week, and cleaned the filter in the furnace for when we need to have the central heating on every day, instead of just the odd day here and there!


We're also getting closer and closer to the kitchen renovation

.............. we've signed a contract with the plumber

............. the bottom cupboards and counters are being made. We're leaving the upper cupboards in place, but I'm going to ahve new doors and fronts made for them

........... we have to go out this weekend and choose the flooring ........... I want lino, not stone or tile. We may ahve a problem but will consult with the company about it. The flooring is the same as when we bought the hosue in 1972 .... and daughter pointed out that it might be a HazMat ............... flooring that old might have asbestos in it. If so, we won't remove i, but cover it with thin sheets of plywood, and lay the new flooring on top of it.

............ finally, we have to choose and order the countertops.




I think I might just leave home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




take care everyone



sylvia
xxxx

That was interesting about the heart attacks and heart probs Josie. One of my close friends went out to NZ a couple of years ago to visit her daughter who lives at the north end of the north island. On the way, she had a mild heart attack and was wonderfully treated by the docs out there. She had a stent fitted there and then....here you wait around for a while! She was very impressed and so were her family of course.



Have a wonderful time Anne......don't let the hiccups spoil your fun! Get plenty of rest and fun.


Slightly warmer here today and haven't had to put the CH on thank goodness. Had lunch with a friend and then enjoyed the please of Tesco's.......hahaha


Off to see what is happening on the boards.......Sylvia, you can stay with us for a couple of days......tea shops, coffee shops etc.......that sound okay???


Cx