General Chat

Hello all,

I am going to but in here to reply to Moonbi's posting of yesterday.

I live in the North Island so we were not affected at all by the Earthquake. I personally don't know anyone who was. It must have been a very frightening experience for all the mainlanders affected.

Tomorrow we are having a national memorial to remember all our Miners lost at Pike River mine. Another tragedy - too much.

Hi MaxiMary, I and OH have visited and stayed with friends who used to live in Niagara. It is so pretty, we did a Maid of the Mist ride once. Is the fudge shop still in the Gardens?

Best wishes to all, we are sweltering in Summer temps here,

Susan

I see that the young people in Uk are protesting against uni fees changes.

Its so sad that it has to come to this again.
I remember when my generation had to do this in Aus in the early 70's and finally the gov. did something about it. so it was worth the efforts that we all gave and even to the extreme of doing 'time'
Because of that my older 2 were able to get their degrees and are set now.
Son 1 is in the Usa training a group in the area of finance, and Daug 1 is launching herself in a health career.
If education is to benefit the whole nation, then it has to be made accessible to all the nation, not just to the high earners who can easily send their children.

Wise to leave the heating on a bit higher than usual Sylvia when you go away, saves the risk of pipes bursting. yes the problem with UK is that they have never seen the need to invest in snow clearing equipment so when we do get snow there is nothing can be done. And councild never have enough grit so only main roads get done, which is OK if you can get to them, if you can't you can't get to work, school or wherever so the country grinds to a halt.

And yes we here in UK are in a mess, we seem to have the money to bail other countries out but we ourselves are losing many of our services for lack of cash. Even talk now of libraries closing. I never thought I would see that day.

Hi Mary

It's still raining here! It's about 5 or 6C, but just like in the UK, it feels colder with the damp.

I read on another thread that you had a roof problem.

NOT what you need, especially at this time of year!

OH got his winter tires installed about 3 weeks ago .................... were we glad when that first snow came down on Nov 19! Now we hear that lots of sizes are in short supply.

We leave here on Dec 14, on the train (both ways) to Halifax .............. that's 6 days, 10 days in Halifax area, and then 6 days back. We've already decided that we will be leaving the central heating on at somewhere around 12-15C, instead of the usual 10C when we are away in the winter ......... just in case!



sylvia

Ann

I read some of the UK specific postings, and cannot believe the state that the UK is in!


We in Vancouver don't scoff at the amount of snow that you get in the UK ..... because we tend to get about the same. Our winters are usually rainy and cold.

I was told when we arrived here that the summers averaged about 5 degrees warmer than the UK, and the winters about 5 degrees colder ............ and that is pretty much correct. Although we do get higher highs and lower colds!


It's the rest of Canada that laughs at us, and possibly at you.


The problem is ........... areas that always get a lot of snow, like most of Canada, northern US, Russia, etc, are prepared for it ............ they have snow ploughs, sanders (gritters?), and manpower set up to deal with big falls.

We have a by-law in Vancouver that states that everyone (business owner, homeowner, or large building owner) has to have the sidewalk in front of their premises cleared by 10 am. BUT cars etc are still allowed to park on the streets, so snowploughs cannot get onto side streets and clear them

Most everywhere else in Canada, car parking on the street is banned as soon as the first snowflake falls ............ result, side streets are cleared as well as main roads.

My daughter lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and that municipality even has little Bobcats (little bulldozer type things) that they put snow blades on ............ and they come and clear side walks and paths between streets. I've seen them have the sidewalks cleared within an hour of the snowfall ending!



sylvia

Romany

I have never told anyone that they are posting on the wrong board ...... I might however have suggested that someone posting a request on General or Surname might get a better response if they post on Records, Tips or TTF


I think you are very harsh .................. and are inferring that everyone is the same


That makes me think that I have wasted my time on this site trying to help people when that is the response




as for mentioning anything slightly debatable .................. my opinion is that that happens mainly on Chat, and hence I keep away from Chat

I don't "do" religion, politics or race ................. at my front door or on internet sites.


I also know, after 7 years, WHO to keep away from, or who to back off from.


sylvia

People are afraid to post, you either get told youre posting on the wrong board or that theres already a post on the subject. We'd like to tell them what we think but then everyone falls out. Also mentioning anything slightly debatable ends up in world war 3.

Mary, you stay safe. Nothing worse than tring to walk on icy paths, so dangerous, we don't want to hear that you have broken anything. Don't blame pup for not wanting to go out in the rain. Bet she is crossing her legs, all four of them!!!

Merlin, I think that is what he intends doing, it is something to do with a join, the pipe seems to have 'popped' out. But it is safe for now and sealed off. Thanks.

Sylvia it's rainng here near Niagara Falls too, and I need my roof fixed! The wretched new puppy doesn't want to venture out in the rain, wait till it's snowing, we'll lose her 'cos she's white.
Thanks Ann for your comment, much appreciated.
I too have been overwhelmed, more than once, by friends on GR,kindness and compassion, and a kick in the rear when needed LOL.
Don't like this combo of cold and rain,could become a skating rink in no time. Have to get my winter tires installed this week just in case.
Stay dry, folks, those who are warm please absorb some for me.

Ann see if you can cut the pipe( if its only for outside use i/e garden hose etc.) then cap it.Then in the spring or when it warms up get acompression joint to repair it. you can get the bits from B&Q, **M**.

Thanks for adding that Catherine. we do all pull together when needed.

The heart has not gone out of the boards completely, see Fire shock update on Chat. Im overwhelmed by my friends on GR

Cath xx

Usually Sylvia, as the weather in UK becomes colder and people stay in they return to chatting on here so we will see. I can understand the problems non UK people have with posting on threads that are UK specific, that is one of the difficulties with a worldwide site. However I think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages as we learn a lot about other countries. Bet you over there in canada/US think our paltry few inches of snow laughable.

At the moment my OH is frantically trying to seal off an outside pipe which has burst, and it wasn't even very frosty last night. We knew there was a chance as he hadn't been able to turn the tap to shut the water off to that pipe but he'd lagged it well and wrapped up the tap. There was still an inch of water on the patio this morning. (and we are on a meter!!) I need to look up the plumbers number in case........

Hi Ann

Yes, I think the heart has gone ..... but out of GR as much as out of General and Chat.

I've been a member of GR since 2003, but only really started posting on General about 18 months ago. Still only rarely post on Chat


The reason was that every time I ventured to have a look in on either board, there seemed to be some sort of barney or nastiness going on, and I got enough of that on GR's parent site, Friends Reunited.

I spent most of my time in the early years helping on records, and especially TTF, in the days when you had to reply by pm to TTF queries.

I try very hard to be helpful to newbies ................. but sometimes when you see the 20th query that evening for the same thing, and it could have been answered if the person had looked at help, or one of those new stickies on How to Use xxxx, then it is a bit hard to be as pleasant as you were to the first one. I know, I know, the answer is to NOT post!


But I have found my niche on chatty threads ............. 2 or 3 on General, but also including Help Us To Help You on Tips, and the thread for the battiest people, Please Don't Post The Same Family Twice on TTF

Those two in particular are trying to keep useful tips near the top, since GR doesn't do it.

I also often read the Depression postings, and Taff's thread on Daff.

It is hard to post on a long time thread without feeling you are pushing your way into a private conversation!

But one thing about being a non-UK member is that many threads are posted that might be of interest, but I cannot post with any kind of intelligence on the topic ........ they are strictly UK leaning. So I may read it out of interest, and then go on my merry way.


I think it is interesting to note that FR has gone the same way ................. most of the people I used to chat to for hours in the evening and nights have gone, fed up with changes that were made on that site.



I'm sorry to hear that FTF has had its problems .................. I was invited to be one of the early members, and still am a member although I rarely look in over there. I've just been more comfortable on GR. Most of the people I consider my "mentors" moved over to FTF during that furor.

It's amazing how the number of postings dropped last week ......... although they do now seem to picking up again.



sylvia
in rainy Vancouver

Hi Susan in NZ
sorry to hear about all the trouble that your country folk have had in the last months. especially the coal mining tradgey.

I have a friend in Christchurch where the earthquake hit. She has to have her home pulled down as the damage is too great to fix. It will be a sad loss for her, as this is her family home and it was left to her by her late parents only a few years ago.
Fortunately she was insured above the Government level, and she can go live with her daughter while the rebuild happens. But in the meantime has to store all her belongings.

Are you anywhere on the south island?

Annette

Hi Moonbi,

I think we across the Tasman might have your summer, we have been having lovely hot days and there is talk of a possible drought for parts of the Country.

Susan

Hi all
Im awake again! whats this about a long cold winter. (smile)
I think you people may have put a jinks on us here, telling us we are in for a long cold winter.

we were gearing up for summer here, but so far nothing happening.

Oh yes spring has come and gone, but now its turned cold wet and windy again.
Finally the big dry has ended in most parts of the country and the dams and weirs are filling up.
So we are not going on about water restrictions anymore. Everywhere its long green grass.

I have a purple column on the left of my screen today on this board, Title "Important note"
"Please add suggestions and comments to this board only- if you want to add a trying to find message, visit the trying to find boards here. Trying to find messages will be removed from this board.......etc

Is this board being moderated now?
Annette

Island Lol!!!

Susan NZ thank you for your input, Mary you always write such friendly and sometimes funny (sometimes sad) posts that I am sure you would be a welcome addition to any thread.

Personally I love the threads but only contribute regularly to one. I've made some friends and disovered that there IS caring, The long cold winters are brightened by people on GR for me.
mary