General Chat

Morning all,and a special one to you Ian,i thought after all this time your rivals,the Douglass clan had kidnapped you [or worse] lol.
Liz and i had a call to shoot off back up the van yesterday after the security bods called us.
Getting up therer we found that the gale had bought the awning down.
The fabric is fine ,no damage ,but the curtains had landed in mud ,so we bought them home yesterday and washed them.
Two of the bars were well and trully mutilated ,so we stopped off at an Awning clinic on the way back to buy two new ones.
Where the v an was ,nice pitch in normal weather ,well and trully up to the knees in water and mud,so we moved it to a much drier pitch,and we will go up Friday to re erect the awning.
Part of the trouble was a lack of the heavy webbing strap a lot of people use for heavy weather,so we are looking for one to go over the front end .
The strap stops the awning lifting in a gale and letting the wind underneath.
Despite that bad gale and torrential rain though ,the van is still snug and dry,seems the son got a good'un again.
I decided to make a small leek pudding for tea yesterday,so i mixed up four ounces of suet pasrty[veggie suet],to line a one pound basin,and leave enough for the top as well.
Using the wok,i put a quarter pound of streaky bacon[chopped] in a little olive oil,and fryed it until it was nice and soft,then added 1 and a half pounds of sliced leek,and one diced potato,and sweated the lot down,adding black pepper,a dash of salt,,a touch of mace,and corriander.
Lastly a touch of chinese mixed spice from my mill
The basen was gresed lightly with flora ,the basin lined with the pastry,the mix put in ,and then the top put on
I used a piece of greasproof paper to cover the pastry to keep the steam off remembering to grerase the paper to prevent it sticking to the pastry.
One and a half hopurs later ,we had a very niceleek pudding for tea,tasty ,economical[serves four] and preperation time fifteen minutes.
The other half of said pud' is now residing in the freezer for another meal in a few weeks .
Today,i think,a nice Fritata ,i have some very nice free range eggs frm my farmer buddy up the road,a peice of chicken breast,to chop into it,a little onion,.a dash of garlic,and whats left of the mashed potato and cabbage left from last night,done as a small panhaggilty ,nice ,easy to do,and SOFT ,lol,just in case the dentist finds a filling [or worse ] lol.
Seems to be a pretty stiff breeze here this morning,so it's no good trying to liquid feed the brassica,but i may get the greenhouse done,with any luck..
I did send your piccies Mary ,so ,if you didn't get them ,let me know and i will do them again .
There are too many peeps to mention on here now ,but,by 'eck ,it's lookin' real good Les'.
Oh ,and we have at last got red toms on the vines yeeeeeees,a few salads coming off now i reckon,.with a nice french stick ,sliced part way through ,and garlic butter pushed in yum yum.
then heated gently for a few seconds in the microwave,
Off now to have a mooch round the boards ,be back later ,maybe with a sore jaw he he.
Fred.
.

Good Evening All,
Hi Edith I'll be interested to hear about your Ross's - definitely none in my mum's side of the family.
JP - I worked in Helensburgh telephone exchange for 2-3 years in the late sixties/early seventies occasionally covering for absences in Dumbarton & the Vale. My favourite pastime at the moment is trying to find my Essex ancestors (Rumbles, Chaplins, Clarks & Hills)
Well I need to go to the kitchen to check how the soup is doing - left it simmering a short while ago.

Best Wishes to All

Ian

Morning everyone. Grey, cloudy day here,tho' it is warm.
Joyce,the Ross was married to a Martin whom I am researching. I have not gone down that branch yet as I am still finding direct descendants in the Martin and Biddiscombe line.
I hope to make a disc for each family member but I never seem to come to an end. Must make up my mind to cut it off soon!!!!!
Fred if you need any tomato sauce this winter just holler and I will try and get it over to you heehee.
My small storage cupboard now has 2 shelves filled with jars. I froze some of it for soup and for pasta dishes. There are about 8 toms on the plant and if they ripen I will pig out on sandwiches(sarnie)(sammie) Must remember it in all 3 dialects heehee.
Big hello to all the others,if I try and name them I'm sure to forget someone.
Stay well and bye for now. Edith XXXXX

Howdy,

Great to see everyone...lots of interesting stuff to read. This is becoming the BEST thread!!

Chrisitine I loved the story of the handbag (here we call them a purse!!) Its funny how when you are young a handbag is such a "thing"!!! I remember I had one made from imitation leopard skin and I had brown 4 inch stillettoes to match!! LOL that must have been when I was about 18.....how time flies.

Hey Dorothy, Teresa is in Calgary also. Last year Norm and I spent about a week in Canmore, we used it as our base as it was so much cheaper than trying to stay in Banff.

Fred, tell me about the veggie suet, what is its brand name??? Don't think I can find it here but ya never know. I rather fancy that leek pie.

Edith we took off all of our ripe toms yesterday and froze them. I am not much of a canner. Last nite we had beets and carrots from the garden. I grew round carrots this year. They grow to about 2 inch diameter, bit of a gourmet thing. Well what I found out is that you cannot cut them in half to cook as they go to pulp!!! Yuk!! Won't be growing them again.

I have only one Scottish relation that I know of. She was my aunt Bella (Duncan). I remember as a child she sent me a wee kilt, my cousin remembers getting one also. We just don't know how she was related to us nor have I been able to find a link.

Welcome CMD, good to see ya, Ian. Hello to everyone else that I didn't mention.

Today is grouting day and hopefully my help will not be requested!!!
Later Lesxx

Hello everyone

Thanks for the email Les, yes I do finally get around to looking in on this new thread, and have just spend about the last hour reading all the posts.

Mary yes I have "Bookmarked" this thread so I will find it easy next time :-)

I see a few names that I recognise, Mary, Fred, Les, Edith, um oh our footy follower form the West Ian ....and also a lot of names I have not met.

Suppose I should tell you a bit about myself, Im very quiet on the board, as I lead a very quiet life and never have a lot to say but I do love reading all of everyones exploits etc, that is unless you get me started on a couple of my loves in Football (AFL of course) and V8 car racing.

I live in a lovely place called Tasmania, which is also an island and we have our icon the Tassie Devil, (which is where I got my site name from) which is going through a rough trot at the moment and is battling to survive extinction, they are such a lovely animal, but can be a bit nasty if upset lol. I have been married had 3 kids and divorced and no have been happily unmarried to David for just over 6 years :-)

Have a nice day :-) Sue

Hi Everyone,

Welcome Tassie, I have read the wattlers thread so do recognise your name.

Christine, you are like me when it comes to purses. These days I don't even use one that often. I can't take my purse in to work so most of the time it is in the trunk of my car so that I at least have some identification and a bit of money with me. I only use it on my days off. I usually only buy new purses when we go down to the States, last time came home with three so they should last me for a while!

I am having a lazy day today, with both lunch and dinner out as it is my birthday. Lunch with mum and dinner with hubby, sister and brother in law.

It looks like we are in for some rain later today, yuck. Our weather is so variable at the moment with one day cool and the next well into the twenties.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Happy birthday for sunday Mary!

Teresa

Morning all..We have 28c today and sunny.. very nice

Teresa Happy Birthday to you my love.. Glad you are having a nice day..

There are a few of us having birthdays in September so happy birthday to all..and thanks for the good wishes..

Am having a nice relaxed day today to try and throw off this bug..getting very tired of it..anyone want it..going free to a good home...

Have a lovely weekend all..

Love Mary xxxx

Good Morning All,
Happy Birthday tomorrow Mary.
I hope everyone is well. I must go now and work my way through five pages of hot matches and possibly end up with one new contact.

Ian

Hi Y'all,

Normie and I went on our regular Saturday trawl thru the garage sales. Found a cute rocking chair for Rhian and Norm found a stool for the garage. He also saw this long black leather coat. He says to me you'd look great in that. I replied yes, I could dye my hair black, get some black lippy and everyone can call me Grandma Goth!!! LOL

Now it is house work time so I must get at it. Hot today. Maybe up to 28 like you Mary.

Happy birthday to all our September birthday bables of which I am one on the 22nd. So Lots of virgins...oops!! I meant virgos....LOL

Have a great weekend everyone. Keep on Posting.
Lesxx

hi to-day the building had it annual bar-b-que for all the tenants it was very good the usual hot dogs and hamburgers it is an occasion for young and old to get to-gether and put a name to faces one see's during the year, it was on the cool side but no rain. as I am new to this site I have put some info about myself out there but here is a bit more 4yrs ago I found out at the age of 62 that I was adopted a bit of a shock but since then I have found out info on this new to me family and last year while on a visit home (to england) I met my half brother quite interesting he is 17 yrs younger than me lives in scotland but works in leeds our mutual mother died at the ageo of 63 so he told his wife that when I walked towards him it was like seing a ghost I guess I look like our mother only one tiny photo of her she did not like having her photo taken I apparently left scotland at the age of 9days with my new mom and dad and lived in england till age 15 all the adults involved in this are long gone but it shows you life can always throw you a curve bye for now dorothy

Afnoon all.. We have a nice mild day today with a little drizzle..

Thanks for the birthday wishes Ian.and Teresa.Am having a lovely quiet day and relaxing..Indian takeaway for dinner.. I refuse to cook on my birthday...

Happy birthday to all the other September peeps ..Hope you all have a lovely one.

Les.. Are you buying someone elses castoffs.. They are probably trying to downsize and just you wait to when you have to do that..You are gonna have to have a garage sale of your own and hope another addict buys all your stuff...pmsl...hee hee hee hee hee...Bet it looks nice though...

Fred You were lucky to have so little damage to the awning of the van..usually they are ripped to pieces and its a new one you would have to buy..They are not built for gale force winds..

Dorothy What a shock to find out at 62 that you are adopted..I dont know how I would take it myself.. a few stiff drinks would be the first thing I think..Sounds like a nice gathering at the block,, Its good to get together every now and then to get to know your neibours..

Well its lovely to see such a busy thread.. keep it up.. My throat still hasent cured itself, so am on Panamax morning and night..Getting a bit sick of it,, its nealy 10 days now and its time it went to a new home..

Have a lovely weekend all...

Love Mary xxxxx

Hi Guys

Took me a while but I found you all again - did you think you could hide?

Its a beautiful sunny day today - we are supposed to get the rain from IKE today - even put some tactivities on hold thinking it would be an all day affair and it still hasn't started, which is good because all the local Terry Fox runs/walks got done without even a sprinkle in this neck of the woods.

So excited that the researcher has sent me the results of the Northern Irish part of Keiths family - it really makes interesting reading and at least I now know which townlands and such like they farmed.

One family farmed the same 32 acres - paying an annual tithe to a Marques in France from 1800 until 1901 when the records from the Valuation books ended.

Anyway I will bookmark you all so I can find you again.

Sending a Wave around the world to you all

Veronica in Dundas

Hi Everyone,

Good to see you back Veronica, glad you found us. The local kids did a run for Terry Fox on the dyke on Friday. I was walking Bella and all of a sudden these hords of little people descended upon us. Bella in her inimitable style went beserk and we hid in the trees until all the kids had gone past. I was very impressed with the amount of parents that came out and ran/walked as well. Good community stuff.

Christine I like a browse thru the charity shops as well. A few months ago I was having a wee look in the Sally Ann shop and found a proper wooden dolls house for $5, guess that would be 2 pounds 50 to you. What a deal!!! I got a wallpaper sample book (free) from a local store and my winter project (one of the very many!!) is to repaper the walls etc. Second childhood is a wonderful thing!!!

I cannot imagine what it would be like to find out you were adopted, Dorothy. I suppose a small part of it might be excitement at the prospect of new family?? My cousin was adopted and he spent many years looking until he found his family. Now my aunt and uncle were wonderful people but I guess he wanted to know the whole story. Anyway he is in touch with his new "cousins" etc and it has made him happy!!

Hi to everyone else. My kids and the lovely Rhian arrive today and then I am going back with them to stay over on the Mainland for a few days. The kids are taking me to see Carol Burnett as a birthday treat!!! (Too bad Harvey Korman won't be there) So, my loverlies, I will be hit and miss for a few days. Will try and pop in when I can.

Lesxx

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me asking, but I noticed a thread from JaneyCanuck and she suggested the NICE people on this thread may be able to help...well here goes. I'm searching for descendents of my Great Aunt and really don't know where to start. I don't have a lot to go on unfortunately. I know she emmigrated with her husband to Canada in the mid 1920's, to settle in Toronto (I think).. I told you I didn't have much info..
Her name was Mary Jane Miller (nee Foster) born @ 1888 in Co Durham England. She married John Miller @ 1906 who was also from Co Durham. I know her parents as I've found her on 1901 census but I would love to know if anyone has any ideas of how I could go about tracing her family in Canada. I do know they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary as I have photograph. There was some mentioned of John being in the Mounted Police (but thats not 100%). I really hope no one minds me putting this question on your thread and may be some kind soul can help me out. Thanks very very much in advance. Regards

Hi Diane You can try this address for the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/history/archives_e.htm . But he could also have been in or near Toronto as a mounted (horse)policeman.
Good luck with your hunting. We all enjoy helping.
Edith XXX

hi in reply to lesley re a new family well it brings joy and sorrow I expected that my birth mother would be dead and she was but the person who was doing the searching for me called the home of another brother to find out that he had died two weeks previous at the age of 45 playing rugby, a sister had died two years prior to that of a brain tumour a secondary from breast cancer at 43 and their was one brother left, he has taken all this in his stride he feels that at least he is not alone, but my son and sister have not taken this well my son would prefer not to talk about it and has refused to meet my brothers daughte rwhen she was over on a visit, and my sister was so upset about it all that I have not been able to tell her that I met my brother so it brings both good and bad news, I was surprised at the number of people in the area I grew up in that knew and have over the years visited me in canada and never let the info drop life can be very strange at times, can't imangine what it was like for my mom ( the only one I knew) cominghome from scotland to bury lancs with a nine day old baby on a troop train she was a very determined lady daddy was working on munitions at the time and could not go with her, bottom line I had a great childhood and great parents who I loved very much, but am thankful that my birth mother choose adoption over other methods it was war time and things happened at time I have trouble with it but again life is short so you deal with it I guess bye dorothy

Hi everyone. We have a lovely day in ole Sydney town.. A cool breeze but sunny..going up to 19c

Diane I had a look on Ancestry for you but there are so many with the same names that it is hard to know who is who..Firstly I would go to findmypast and take out a 14.95 pounds sub to the passenger lists.. 1 month unlimited access to the lists and you can search as many tiems as you want,, That should show you when they went to Canada and if there was any children,,Someone on the Records board may also be willing to have a look on the passenger list for you as some have yearly subs..to it..

I am not searching in Canada myself so am not to good at it but I will have another look and see if I have missed anything,,but the Canucks are probably your best bet so come on you canuckys ,,advice please..

Les Enjoy your time with the kids and the boootiful Rihan,,gosh I can never spell that name,,hope she is a good speller when she grows up...pmsl...

Veronica Glad you foound us..Just bookmark us and you should have no problems next time..lol You sure been busy with FH ..Do the researchers cost much in Ireland..Its such a hard place to search..

Dorothy I can imagine the turmoil your family must have been in when you told them you were adopted..shame you mum had died,,would have been nice to see her ..

Well am having a lazy day today again.This bug is taking it out of me and making me very lazy,,

Better go and have some brekky..

Love Mary xxx

I didn't say NICE people ... ;)

Just for a heads up -- someone on TTF was hoping to find a way of checking microfilm newspaper archives in Vancouver to look for an obituary. She has the BC vital stats record of a 1976 death she thinks may be her person. It seems like everybody here is on the west coast, so I suggested she try you out.

Of course I also suggested she get the death cert which would hopefully show place of birth and thus confirm -- but an obit would give her some family names that might both confirm and help her contact living family.

Hi Diane

I have had another look and have found the following in the Canadiaan passenger lists.. Dont know if it is you family but will [post it in case it is..

Passengers from Liverpool to Canada on the ship SS Montroyal on 4/6/1926

John James Miller age 42 born Haswell england

Mary Jane Miller age 39 born Castle Eden england

George son age 19 born Trimdon England

Elizabeth age 17 born Ferryhill England

Emily age 15 born Feryhill England..

I think all these places are in Co, Durham which looks promising..

over to you..

Love Mary xxx

Hi Veronica,nice to see you made it at last lol,just in time to enjoy your spring too ,so you can help cheer up these poor Canadians who are having a rough time with the autumn storms.
Yeah ,i thought the north of england was bad but i am now thankful for what we got,it could have been so much worse .
My ears pricked right up at the mention of the name Miller Diane,we have living rellies from county durham ,redcar ,and middlesbrough,going way back,who knows ?I have Barnes ,and Baird rellies over there ,but they are hiding in the woodwork and won't come out to play.
Did you get the piccies of Lewis and siblings mary? or have they gone astray again?,i seem to be having a little trouble with yahoo email at the moment ,so if you let me know i will send them again,using msn ,or line one.net.
We had a heck of a shock last night,heard from our Sean ,in the form of two airline tickets to Cyprus,asking us to attend his wedding as he would like us to act as witnesses.
I know this will mean a fight with our doctor ,but Liz says she will be going come hell or high water ,we are his only rellies that bother with him,and we will not be letting him down,even if we have to paddle ,borrowing one of this thread members canue lol.
Fl;ight date is the seventh of Jan ,from Manchester,so we will put the car into the airport car park for the week,it wwill still be cheaper than a coach,or the train.
We plan to leave on the 6th,staying at the airport hotel overnightas we need to be at check in by 6am.
It will be a long time since i last went to Manchester ,i used to visit every couple of weeks for my last firm delivering in the heart of the city ,using the mancunian way artery to make getting around a lot easier ,any one who has visited this fair city will tell you,it's worse than London for getting lost in, he he
We will be stopping at Seans house which will save on hotel bills,and we will be filming the weddingitself ,and coupling it up to a complete film as to the visit ,and visiting some of the sights.
A welcome break in the middle of our winter,but ,i reckon our heating will be on full blast when we get back.
Sean and his bride return with us for a couple of weeks holiday ,which is the real reson for taking thje car,a lot quicker to return to Newcastle this way,being only around 3 hours down the road.
There is no way of stopping our Hissy getting around now ,she has found out how to get over the wall into the front garden.
I didn't twig until i opened the front door to empty the trash can into the wheelie bin,and there she was [cheeky besom lol] so ,i chased her back to the gate and wall to make sure she knew how to get back.
She leaps as far up the house wall as she can get,then leaps ,and twists at the same time to reach the gate top.
As she did this ,i ran back through the house and opened the back door ,in time to see the tail going back over the gate grrrrrr ,he .he,no ,Missy ,this 'aint a new game lass , im out of breathe and am not chasing you around the gardens .
All i have to do is shake her biscuit packet ,and she comes running ,i know ,iv'e already tried .
We are off back up the van till Friday,so i will have to take the cameras back with us,along with the two backpackswe found at Netto stores.
They have a reasonable pack that we can put shopping in to take back to the van from Newbiggen,and also have built in seat ,that Liz and i will find very handy for shopping [or picnics].
We now have thirty to fourty green tomatoes in the kitchen ,wrapped in newspaper ,to ripen,and there are plenty left in Marys chalet,so we will do fine for soup this winter..
The peppers are doing okay too,we have some nice sized ones now so i will ask liz to make a note of the name so that we can get the sams sort next year,they are well suited to the north east of england.
My years at work have now paid off ,having only been out of work six months since i left school.i will be getting a full pension and so ,with the wife getting hers too indedpendant of mine ,we should manage okay,but some of these young,uns half way through their working like will find it a struggle,thank the lord that i have my veggie patch,it saves the wife and i a packet.
Have to go peeps ,have a good week all of you,see you Friday [i hope]
Fred.