General Chat

Hi everyone..and a Happy Christmas to all...May the New Year bring Health, and happiness to you all......

Left for Orange last Sunday and returned yesterday sat. We had a lovely Christmas and it was nice to catch up with friends..the trip up was not to bad but the trip home was very heavy traffic due to lots of peeps going away for the Christmas New Year break..It is the big school holidays here and the main period that people take the kids away for a holiday as they don't go back to school till the first few days of Feb. so for us its a good time to stay at home.
It was lovely to catch up with the grandies and boy they are growing..taller than me some of them..
Fred How did all that cooking go,, Bet it was all gone in 5 minutes... Those Grandies would have made short work of it ,,,lol..I was so busy cooking that I didn't get any photos but never mind it was a lovely day..the weather stayed nice and cool most of the time so that was a bonus.

Sounds like you Canucks are suffering from global cooling...whatever happened to the global warming..hee hee hee...perhaps its all down here...lol.

Hope all are well and those snowed in keep warm and stay well...Love to you all..

Mary xxxxxxx

Morning all ,on this cold ,crisp morning in Newcastle,where the birds are having their brekkie,while i have Hissy indoors ,lol.but the birds are okay,the cat has a bell on her collar ,and as soon as she goes out the door ,or comes over the gate ,the blackbird warns the other birds that she is around.
She likes her new bed ,and spends half an hour each evening as we settle down in bed ,plumping hers up before settling herself in the middle ,with a self satisfied smirk on her little face.
Christmas went very well,the corned beef ,and Turkey wenr down well,and even the new style poast potatoes were very well recieved ,light ,fluffy ,but golden and crisp at the same time.
You really started me off on a mission Mary ,with this corned beef ,lol,but i ain't complainig ,and well done you,as you will see in a minuete.
The firm who supply me with the salt petre is a french one,located at an old fashioned farm and family bussiness.
They have sent me an online bookery book ,all to do with home curing meats ,from bacon,pastrami ,palma ham,and full gammon joints .
I can now cure my own back,middle,and streaky bacon,full gammon hame that can be hung in an outbuilding or kitchen for weeks and even a couple of months ,just like in the old days before fridges and freezers.
I also have the recipes for many kinds of sausages,from all over the world ,made with best quality meats ,and not rubbish like you like as not get from the shops.
I am well pleased old chum,guess where i will be spending loads of time now retired ,in the kitchen and garden having ooodles of fun,trying new stuff he he.
Fred is on a mission this morning ,having to go out into the sales to obtain some bits for the wifes new cam corder,some rewritable discs for it,a stick for stills,and a spare heavy duty battery,and maybe also ,an independent charger ,totally free of the camera.
Liz is well pleased with it finding it easy to handle,and easy on her wrists,so i can now get rid of the older heavier one.
It won't be going to a charity shop now ,funnily enough ,Stephens old camera gave up the ghost at Chrismas as he put it down after filming the bairns opening their pressies ,so i will give him the old one for his own use.
This new year ,we are spending at home,having Stephen and bairns for dinner,on request from the bairns for it to be a party dinner,sarnies cakes sausage rolls and the like,me ,it will be easier that way,and i can save my energy for the next Christmas dinner which will be when Sarah,and Sean come back with us from Cyprus for the week.
Hope everyone is looking forward to the new year?.fred is now looking forward to spring [sorry Mary ,but you have had your turn at all the sun] time for the Canadians Netherlands and Brits to have their go.
Catch you all later,By the way Mary,some of your rellies left Scotland in the clearances's and moved to Ireland,and vice ,versa.
Some of your pattersons have turned up in Manchester as a visitor in the 1861 cencus having some connection to my Rowans [the plot thickens ,chuckle].
Have a great time all ,love From Newcastle ,Fred,Liz ,and the Boss.xxxxx

Hi Y'all,

Well ya know it thawed a little over the last couple of days and finally we could see our front path but no!!! got up this morn and it is snowing again. All of Norm's digging and salting have made no difference to the paths or patio....snow!! I am so sick of this, you cannot imagine. Took Bella for a longish walk yesterday. It was very icy because it had frozen again overnite. Anyway we trudged along and Bella was totally p.o'd with the snow as it was very crisp and no longer fluffy....came home in a sulk.

Fred could you email me the name of the salt petre company. Maybe they would send me their online recipe book also??? I am interested in the sausages as we purchased a sausage make for the Kitchen Aid.

Veronica, isn't it nice when the kids "do" a celebration. Both of mine are really good cooks and Nicky is the queen of all things kitchen. If there is a gadget you want...just ask, she has 'em all. I am peeved that they don't have their pressies yet as my theme this year was food and the kitchen and I got some neat stuff for the two girls to try.

Mary, send the sun....now!!! Talked to JA yesterday and it was going up to 30C.....grrrr!!! Me....I want it!!!

Love to everyone else...keep on posting, make it our NYR to post often....LOL

Take care
Lesxx

Hi all... from sunny WARM Sydney..in fact ruddy hot...

Its a lovely day and I have been out to check on the prawns that we are gonna have for dinner tomorrow night..As we don't now go anywhere I have decided that we are having a nice meal tomorrow night while watching the fireworks on tv..Prawns, seafood sauce,,bread stick(french style), champagne. and a nice desert..yum...
Went out to post a nice calender to Fred,,of our lovely beaches near us..would like to send one to Les and Edith so could you email me your snail mail addy please..just want to skite about our lovely area and beaches..especially in the nice warm weather we get..hee hee hee...
Well done Fred with all that work with the meat..You deserve a medal.. just cant believe that you cant buy it in the shops though..It is so common here in our butcher shops, and very popular...Isnt there a old English song about ,,,Corned beef and carrots.......lol..
Hope all are well and ya diddny eat to much over the Christmas period..which I think I did,,hee hee hee...

Life is back to normal now and cant see us doing much for a while..Still no improvement in Johns legs so still praying for a cure of any sort..

Love to all
Mary xxxx

Wishing all the lovely Canucks a Happy and blessed 2009
JA

Hello Everyone and a very Happy New Year to you all.
I have had trouble with my computer again over Christmas and have only just been able to download Christmas cards and messages from friends so I would like to thank everyone now for their Good Wishes. I hope you have all had a very Merry Christmas.
Norman is not at all well and seems to be fading away slowly. He is not eating much at all and sleeps a lot of the time and the doctor is just trying to keep him free from pain with Morphine liquid which he can take as much as he likes . It is so sad to see him like this and not be ablt to do anything to help.

I must go now.
Happy New Year and love to all

From Sylvia XX

Morning peoples,and a special Hello to our Sylvia,who is still having a bit of a rough time of things.
I'm afraid you have to prepare yourself about norm',old friend,he is slipping away now,but be thankful in that he is in no pain,and his passing over should be a peaceful one,and i'm sure ,when the time comes we will all be here for you.
Yes Mary ,seems the british butchers lost the plot shortly after the last war,witjh the beef ,and even the bacon ,now it is all best back and middle bacon that is cured in the old way,all the rest showing how idle our meat trade has become over the last forty years.
I like the old ways ,where you could keep bacon as a slab ,hung on a hook in the larder where it would sit quite happily for weeks before going rancid.
Hey Ho ,not to worry ,i am doing my own now ,so to heck with the lot of them he ,he.
Liz and i are having a quiet day ,but we are going to Solomans this evening for a couple of hours ,with the son and partner,the wifes first indian meal.
The place though is the best around ,waiter service and everything cooked as it is ordered,no warming plates in this establishment ,lol.
Think tomorrow it will be a lowly chuck,because we are on our own all day,aprt from the cat that is lol.
Hissy is now an honorary cling on to me ,i can't even go for a wash and shave without the pest sitting outside the door mewing till i come out,and she follows me everywhere,even checking on my whereabouts while outside by peeking through the windows ,but,i must admit ,i like it ,she is such a darling ,and i would be lost without her .
I look forward to her on my knees in the evenings,and fret iof she stays out late,and dosn't come in for her tea.
We were supposed to have a hard frfost here last night ,but it didn't happen,so ,i will take the wife out for a little shopping later ,because it's a lot easier when yuo don't have to scrape the windscreen down.
I never use deicers on the car ,they rot the windscreen wipers and window rubbers very quickly,and if the weather is really bad i use the electric winscreen heater that start as soon as you start the engine,hence ,no need to wait until the engine warms up enough to give heat,i can be ice free in three minutes and be on the road in four.
Have to go now ,and rty my new suit to make sure it still fits okay after the last weeks meals and goodies,no good waiting until i get to Cyprus ,is it?,see you later peeps,have a good ,peaceful and quiet as you like new year.
Fred.

Hi! Fred. I hope you and Liz will enjoy your meal tonight. It's ages since I had a meal out, but when Norman was fit a few years ago, we always went out on New Years Eve and had a marvelous time so I have lots of good memories to keep me going.
I can remember the snow and ice in England and I used to hate it. It has been 39 degrees Centigrade here today which is very hot, but I believe it is going to be even hotter tomorrow. I quite like the heat and we have Air conditioning so it's not too bad and the car is air conditioned too.
Once again, I hope you will have a very happy New Year.
Love to all from Sylvia XX

I should have said I wilsh all the Canucks International a Happy New Year, would not want Badger, Mary and Sylvia to think I missed them out, or others not from Canada who pop in from time to time -Ian where are you?. I only found out recently that you and Edith are rellies -as VP would say, how coll is that!

Sylvia, big hugs to you and for Norm, a difficult time for you. One thing the Dr seems to be giving good care. I hope that you are being cared for too

It was a great chat with VP, we laughed as only Canucks and Wattlers do :)
When do you leave Fred?
~~~~~~~~~to all

JA

Happy New Year everyone, may it be full of good health, happiness and laughter. Funny how we never wish for money? or riches?

I have been ordering fabric from the States over the interent and am totally impressed with the designs, quality and service. Now my aprons will be really unique.

Rained heavily last evening and then had the cheek to dip down to minus 3.....sheet of ice on our patio and front walk. Norm just went out in his jammies to salt it so that the mailman does break a leg!!

We will be quiet tonite, just us two. Norm got us another wee bottle of champers....this is becoming a habit!!

Good to see you are OK Sylvia even if the news is not great. If you pm'd me your phone umber we could have a chat?

Love to all. Stay safe tonite.
Lesxx

Good Evening Everyone, just a quick hello to wish you all a very happy peacefull new year. Special wishes to Sylvia!! Not going far tonight but spending time with family, which is really the nicest thing to do.. Lots of Love xx

Happy New Year to everyone.

Just in from a potluck supper, wow enough food to feed the armed

forces, but oh sooo good. Lots of the red as well even with the outside

temp at -32 with windchill it's warm hmmmm.

Best wishes for a great 2009 and I do look forward to another year of

friends and relatives on here. Love to all. Edith XXXXXXX

Happy New Year to all...May the New Year bring Peace and Love to all...

Sylvia Sorry to hear your news but am glad the doctors have the situation in hand and Norman is in no stress..Big hugs for you both..

Les...Snail mail addy please...when you get your nose out of the fabrics..hee hee hee...

Edith..Posting tomorrow..friday..

Fred.. Has it arrived yet...

Well I am very tired so am off to bed.. Have visitors tomorrow so have to be up at sparrowfart.....

Lotsa love Mary xxx

happy new year to one and all from dorothy in barrie ontario it is a wee bit cool this morning -26 and that is not including the wind chill, I had an early new years eve I was tired after having the family over the day before for dinner I shall have to entertain more, so I went to bed at 8pm and slept through till 8-am when the two old cats just could not wait anymore for their breakfast, my family went ski-ing yesterday and then were having some other families over for the evening they had planned to all go tobogging but decided it was too cold as some of the young ones are quite young. I also wish for allof us much happiness and good health and good times with families and friends bye for now dorothy

Good Morning and a belated Happy New Year to everyone.
I just don't seem to find the time to visit the threads as much as I used to - I blame my GGgrandmother for that but with any luck I may soon be looking for someone else to blame!
I slept through the New Year but just woke up in time about 15 minutes after midnight to fire up the computer and await my little sister calling from the UK on Skype.
Well I must go - I'm busy making a gazpacho (cold soup) as the temperature here is forecast for the high 30s for the next week. (commiserations to all those in the northern hemisphere)

Best Wishes
Ian

I am afraid I have some very sad news. Norman passed away in the early hours of this morning, very peacefully. Although it was expected, it was a shock and it will take some time for me to get over it, so don't worry if I am not here very often. I will try to look in as often as I can though.
Love to all from Sylvia XX

Oh Sylvia, I am so sorry to hear the news that Norman has now passed away. Please take comfort in that you did all you could to take care of him. I hope you have lots of family and friends to support you now. You know that we are all here for you too. Take the time you need and then come back to us when you are ready.

Love,
Teresa

Dear Sylvia, so very sorry to hear your sad news. No words can make you feel better but take comfort in knowing others are thinking of you xxxx

Dear Sylvia Sorry to hear your news but remember we are all here for

you. Love to you and your family. Edith

to sylvia sorry to hear about your loss please accept my condolances I am quite new to this thread but feel I have got to know you through you messages on this site take care of yourself throughthis difficult time kind regards dorothy