Genealogy Chat

Hello Everyone, Just thought I would pop in for a minute. It is very cold here in Guernsey but we have no snow or rain at the moment.
I have been to have my hair done today, I enjoy my trips to the salon, I have known the stylist that does my hair since she started her training at 15 years of age, she does an excellent job and is very jolly, it is a real treat to be in her company.
Ann, Kara used to be in Eastenders, I think her dancing is superb.
I dont really have a favourite this year I think all except Gavin would be a worthy winner. I cant take to Gavin, never mind he is very fond of himself so he doesnt need me to like him.
Poor Scotland seems to be taking the brunt of the bad weather, my son lives in Livingston and sent me some photos of the road where he lives, the snow was almost up to the car roofs, I guess it had drifted. So please all you lovely Scots wrap up warm and take care of yourselves.
Cynthia I hope you get all your heating problems sorted soon or you will be wearing your broom out with bashing the pipes with it.
I havent done my Xmas shopping yet neither have I written any cards so I need to get a wriggle on or it will be new year and I will have done nothing..
I wish I was going to Beamish with you Ann, we loved it there, I especially found it interesting as I could remember a lot of the things they were using in the houses and shops. I particularly liked the dentists surgery.
Must dish up some food now so take care everyone.
Love to you all
Evelyn X

Robert - you need to decide between you & Frank who is going to take on the Jack Nicholson role & keep control of the 3 of us witches - just because of the hair I could take on the Cher role (not the figure though) = who is going to be Susan Sarandon & Michelle Pfeiffer?

Quite fancy a quick spell or two

Wonderful to have you back with us Evelyn - I love Beamish & they are doing a special Christmas night
Music hall in the Masonic Hall
Pianist, concertina player and brass bands with Christmas carols for all to join in.
Tasty treats too: brandy snaps, roast chestnuts and mulled wine.
Christmas trinkets to buy from the market stalls and period shops.
Traditional Twelfth Night celebrations at Pockerley Old Hall.
Stroll through the snow to meet Father Christmas in his Grotto.
Ride on the beautiful steam Gallopers.

Sounds wonderful - Grumpy may have something to say - but i will try & jolly him along - looks like the weather may even behave itself.

I am getting so excited

Did you see Corrie last night - wow it was quite good really - not that i know who most people are - again have to tape it - OH managed to last 15 mins before he started moaning

I feel so sorry for Frank up there in the frozen north - we just have the cold wind and very heavy frosts.

The frost had settled before i got home last night - it looked lovely in the street light - i miss our roaving reporter - it was such a lovely story you wrote Frank - about you & Cynthia

Hows the boiler - don't hit it too much.

Oh dear Take that has just gone on sale again & they need me back on the phones (well not till 4pm & I am away on Friday whoopee) I have gone off them big time.

Well take care all

My dear Anne,

Are you suggesting that our Cynthia is partial to an excess of sherry.

I'm sure the old boiler only hits the bottle at christmas...............

Another day off as the gritters have not been out in our area and the roads are just pure ice and still very bad in the city.
A lot of travellers spent the night in their cars trapped on the motorways mostly within 20 miles of Glasgow......it was pandemonium!

My bike was coated in frozen snow and when I chipped it off I couldn't get my key into the ignition so I heated the key and melted into the ice.
After all that, it wouldn't start anyway (frozen choke I think) but then the key wouldn't come back out as it had frozen solid in the ignition.......it's still -5c............had to get some boiling water to melt it out.

Evelyn, my brother in law from Kirkcaldy works in Livingston and had to spend the night at the factory as there was no way he was getting home.
Also, one of my wife's workmates left Glasgow at 11.30 am and got home to Hamilton (15 miles) at 11.00 pm.

Don't you just love daytime TV........ ???

Whoops, is that the end of Claire in Corrie................

Not watching it, just annoying my OH with innane comments, I mean the tram has been down for 13 minutes but still no sign of fire engine or ambulance yet????????????

..........and after all these years of practice, Deirdrie still can't cry !

Bring back Ena Sharples.

Hi all

Frank ...... sorry to hear that you are still under ths snow.


I haven't watched Corrie since I left the UK ........... and I'd completely lost the plot when Canadian tv did start showing it


...........but I gather Canadians are currently seeing what you all saw 2 years ago!


we just have rain, rain and more rain here.



Anne ............... that sounds just wonderful!



s
xx

We have not had any more snowfall today but we actually had -14c overnight and at 09.00 am it was still -11c with a "high" of -5c.

Tonight is to be -15c climbing to -11c during the day tomorrow..........

I live on a bus route which usually gets a little grit & salt but there's been no sign of any gritters around here (no buses either) and the roads and pavements are solid ice.

I know that in Canada you do seem to sail through the snow but our problem appeared to stem from the fact that the really heavy snow fell right on the rush hour and traffic encountered major problems with any hills, junctions etc.
Of course as soon it stopped for any reason the traffic found it very difficult to get moving again with the added problem that the snow kept coming and was rapidly compacted into ice.

Temperatures never rose above -3c and as the sun went down it dropped to that -14c which just solidified everything
What few gritters were seen appeared to be stuck in the traffic jams with everyone else and we actually ended up with the M8 motorway turning into one massive car park between Glasgow and Edinburgh with nothing moving for 40 miles.

Tonight the eastbound lanes are open and running slowly but the westbound lanes are closed as the ice is so thick, they are having to physically break it up before removing it..........snowploughs are not up to it!.

Oh Frank it sounds awful where you are,
at first I thought you were describing Siberia,

I wish I could bottle up our beautiful warm sunny weather and sent some of it to you.

They keep playing 'I'm dreaming of a white Christmas' on the radio which is such an incongruous Christmas song for my part of the world, the only white I will see on Christmas will be the Surf at the beach.

I stopped watching Coro Street decades ago after Elsie Tanner and Len Fairclough left. Watched it briefly while Hilda and Stan where in the street but with the demise of Annie Walker. The only original left was Ken Barlow who I never liked, thought he was a wimp.

Albert Tatlock, Ena Sharples, Minnie Cauldwell, Martha Longhurst, Annie and Jack Walker and of Course Elsie and Len where the true heart of Coronation street,
todays lot just do not cut the mustard as far as I am concerned.
Sorry if I have upset any Coro Addicts.and Jack .

Keep warm, catch you all later. Josie

Well I've got another day off as the main routes are still iced up with still no sign of gritters or ploughs but I think the government are just waiting for the thaw which is due tomorrow with temperatures rising to +5c !!
Still have -9c to come tonight and it's presently -11c so it is "warming up" but it's going to be slow.

Josie, you are quite right as it's just like something from Siberia but what is really annoying people is just the total lack of any visible gritting or ploughing.
They are certainly still trying to clear the 20 mile stretch of westbound M8 motorway which has been closed since monday night and that just sums up how crazy the situation is up here as the snow stopped falling Monday afternoon with no more snowfall at all, just -14c overnight temperatures................

We live about four miles from the city centre and even the main bus route 1/4 mile away is still packed with thick ice so I'm just cooried up in front of the fire with a nice mug of hot soup.

Hope Robert is alright as I see this snow band did wander down across his neck of the woods.

A wee joke for you Robert from Tam Cowan......

Do you think that people who live in the baltic will be saying "it's Harthill today"

Keep warm and cosy except for the antipodeans of course ;)

Frank - where did the sherry come from - Broomstick yes - have to admit i didn't mention an old boiler

I do now see the connection between us all & the Witches of Eastwick

Which has livened us all up a bit - wonder where Evelyn fits in

We could of course set up 2 branches

Robert & Frank as Jack Nicholson

Me- Cynthia - Evelyn in the Uk
Susan - Josie - Sylvia outside of the UK

Could work you know

Frank - booking restaurants in your neck of the woods
Brian Maule @ Chardon d'Or
The Grill Room at the Square
Cail Bruich
Two Fat ladies at the Buttery

Which ones the best? Two Fat Ladies is so friendly & they have let me book the Chef's table

Hope you can get back to work soon Frank

Take care all - keep in the warm

Frank, you must be heartsick and so, so sad at not being able to get into work......?? Maybe not. I do hope you are keeping your ferret warm and wearing your long kilt. Hot soup??? Yeah....right. Don't believe that for a minute but will not say a word.


Well, the snow does seem to have bypassed us thank goodness but it's flippin' freezing!


Ven. Robert. Stay indoors please....we don't want you catching cold just before your special day.


On the subject of old boilers......my boiler is not old thank you - it's absolutely fine.....it's just the outside pipes which cause the problem in this weather. Icicles form almost as soon as I whoosh them off.


Josie......I'm just sooo envious of your weather.


Evelyn, you're leaving it a bit late now aren't you? Just don't go rushing around trying to get things done and slip on the ice or anything please take care.


I haven't watched Corrie for ages either for much the same reason as Josie. Fings ain't wot they used to be!!


Going to finish my present wrapping I think and then I will feel all virtuous...haha

Finalists for Best Customer Service of the Year

The Pompador, Edinburgh
Abode @ Michael Caine, Glasgow
Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery, Glasgow


Finalists for Seafood Restaurant of the Year

Seafood Restaurant , St Andrews
Lochleven Seafood CafŽ, Fort William
Two Fat Ladies, Glasgow


I've consulted my wife as she is more in touch with the catering side of things but we've not been out anywhere like these restaurants for several years.
We spent twelve years working in Hotels and used to dine out quite often
but two weddings and two grandaughters rather affects the cash flow!

Two fat ladies certainly gets good write ups at the Buttery which has always had a good name and is set in an old building in Anderston.
Chef's table...........does that mean you have to wash up after your meal ;)

The Grill Room at the Square is in a lovely location at Royal Exchange Square just off Buchanan Street and once again gets excellent reviews

Don't know anything about Brian Maule @ Chardon d'Or although once again, it does have a good reputation, sits just off Blythswood Square.
We went to the same restaurant when it was called The Brasserie and thoroughly enjoyed it.........perhaps a bit small.

Cail Bruich is brand new to both of us, set in the west end at Great Western Road just opposite the Botanic Gardens.

Probably can't go wrong with any of them but I'd shortlist The Two Fat Ladies and The Grill Room at the Square.

With regard to our west end girl ( The old boiler hitting the bottle ), you started it............

"Cynthia

Hows the boiler - don't hit it too much."

She can't get at me for all this ice and snow ;))

Hello All,
Guess what, I did some Xmas shopping today, whilst at the shops I spotted a very nice jacket in my size and decided to buy for myself from myself for Xmas, very kind of me dont you think. For Ron I have bought a magic wand as seen on Dragons den, heaven knows how long it will take him to work out how to use it but I thought it would keep him awake for a while.. For my rellies off island I have decided to send money as parcel post is so expensive and I dont know quite what to buy for the granddaughters so sending cash seems to make sense to me.
Frank I hope you get some nicer weather soon you must be sick of the sight of snow. We have no snow or rain yet today but it is very cold.
Did some food shopping whilst out this morning, I find that very boring but I do like eating.
Josie we should all pop over to your place for a few weeks whilst this arctic weather is around, we could have a lovely barbie to celebrate your birthday tomorrow. Just in case I dont get in tomorrow I wish you a wonderful Birthday.
Cynthia if I send my Xmas shopping over will you wrap it for me? in return you could send me your ironing.
Many years ago when we visited Edinburgh on a regular basis we often dined at The George Hotel, it was superb, but I dont know what it is like now. Last time we went to Scotland we didnt go into Edinburgh at all.
Just noticed the time so I had better start preparing food for our evening meal, looks like liver and onions will be on the menu.
Please take care everyone and watch your step in this rotton weather, love to all
Evelyn XX

Evelyn,
George Hotel is still quite nice although it has changed hands several times over the years.
There is a bit of history about the place in that it was originally not a Hotel but the Head Office of an Insurance Company until 1939 until that Company moved across George Street to a brand new purpose built office.
I worked for that Company and NO,I did NOT work for them in 1939!!!!

Thanks for that Robert, I believe you about not working at the George in 1939 I am sure they did not employ child labour and at that time you were but a child as was I (poor old souls that we are).
Take care of yourself in this horrible weather.
Evelyn

Hi Everyone

Boy you lot up in Scotland are really getting it bad,I suppose to me it sounds good with all that snow that I have not seen it for 44 years.... but it must be realy terrible to get around and the Schools ,all the kids must be happy not having to go.
How do you all manage to go to work.

We have spent the day putting up the outside Christmas lights ,it is getting more and more like the US for that ,but it does make Christmas a liitle more festive.

I could not work out what you were all talking about with Corrie,does it mean Coronation street,I used to love it as a kid .
I did meet Elsie Tanner back then ,she opened our new shopping centre in Yate Gloustershire.
She was a very lovley lady,she also had her fancy man in the show with her but I can't remeber his name ,he was about the same age as her can anyone remember it is driving me mad.

I was told Ken Barlow is still in the show is that correct.

My dear mum who passed away in 1880 used to love it .

Is everyone ready for Christmas ,I suppose it is ahrd for you all to get your shopping done ,mine is still not all done but I hope to get some more done tomorrow .
Next week I am going shopping with the Dau so she can help me with her family.

My neighbour over the road is not too good ,he is back in hospitol so we are going all out with the lights this year just incase we don't have him next year,it really is so sad he is such a lovely man.

Robert is so nice to see you coming out of your shell,it can't be good for you shut up in that cave all the time and so cold too.

Going to get a drink ! white wine tonight.
Suex

Happy birthday Josie - am I too late?

Hope you had a fantastic day

Robert - lovely to have you out & about again

Frank - thank you for your help - its great to have people all over the world.

Chefs table - It is in a room right next to the kitchin - it has a very large opening or window which looks directly on tot he kitchen so you can watch what is going on while waiting for your meal. Some chefs will even cook your meal in front of you. This one sounds nice as you can see everything going on but can't hear all the row.

Evelyn - hope you still have enough energy left to do your cards.

What is this wand thing you got Ron?

I have to admit I am at a loss - no cryptic comments about the Witches of Eastwick - how very upsetting.

Well we are all packed - off "Up North" tomorrow getting nearer to Robert - hope we can get there ok - getting quite excited now.

Won't be around for a few days - look out on the local news for two silly tourists from the south

Take care all - keep warm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSIE
xxxx



although I do realise that we are a day late for you


ooooops



Sue ........ yes it is THAT Coronation Street, and yes Ken Barlow is still in the show, and is still played by the same actor, William Roache.



Going to get get hair cut this afternoon ....... that'll see me through until January


take care everyone




sylvia
xxx

Hope you had a lovely day Josie............hangover???



There's a live episode of Coronation Street on tonight but, as I don't watch it normally, I can't see the point of watching it tonight. OH is watching Jurassic Park 3. Lots of noise going on from behind the lid of my laptop.


Frank.....are you still buried in snow? I see they have brought the soldiers in to come and rescue you.



Robert - are you still okay in your shell?


How is Ron coping with that wand thing Evelyn?? Must be fascinating to watch......


Have a good time Anne.


OH had a haircut today too Sylvia. Mind you, in his case they charged a search fee......lol



The Christmas cards are beginning to come in and most of mine are in the post now. My presents are wrapped and I am trying to be organised because it is my daughter's 40th on 30th Dec and I want to be as cool, calm and collected as I can be. It is my brother-in-law's on 22nd and my daughter-in-law's on 31st!!! It was my father-in-law's on 10th and my mum's was also on 31st. For several years I was absolutely cross-eyed between Christmas and birthday cards, presents, wrapping paper etc.etc.



Love to all. Cx

Hi all


the rain eased off this afternoon, so I managed to get to the hairdressers, then to the coffee shop without getting wet ......... and OH was at the coffee shop so he brought me home


Now I'm light-headed :)))


Things are coming together re packing for our trip

........... 4 boxes for J and 2 suitcases for ourselves to be checked.
........... 2 small (18" and 20") roller cases and 2 canvas bags to take on the train with us.


Good job we can check upto 3 bags free on the train!

The boxes still have to be sealed with tape, and roped, with a handle provided ........ but OH bought 2 clothes lines today to do the roping! He said the other ropes at the store, the kind you buy by the yard, were all stretchy.

There's even some room available, so we're both going to pack our winter boots ......... we don't need them on the train but we may well need them in Halifax. They usually won't fit in a suitcase so we have to wear them on and off the train, and carry another pair of shoes for wearing onboard.


Take care everyone


s
xx

Hi Everyone

Been a little busy the last few days,we took a run up to Perth yesterday to see Dad before the Christmas break.
We don't get together over Christmas since my Mum died as Dad met a Lady called M she is very good to him and they spend Christmas with M's side of the family ,I really don't mind to much as I am flat out with my own family.

The son is coming over late to day to put up the rest of the outside lights,the OH does not like getting on the roof at the very apex,the son is a bit more flexable for that,with the help of the Grandsons of course.

Very hot today expecting 35c,would like a bit of your snow now.

Try to pop back tonight.
Love to everyone
Suex