General Chat

Evening.....:>))

Warm to hot days in sunny Melbourne.
37c today, and next 2 or 3 days warming up to 41c on Monday, so our pool will get a good working out over the weekend.

Looking after 8 year grandaughter to-morrow,( Sat ) as daughter and partner are going car hunting. They are dropping grandaughter off at about 8:00am in time for breakfast.
I asked grandie what she would like for breakfast!!
Two boiled eggs in an egg cup, and a peice of toast, was the reply....lol
What would madam like for a drink...with her boiled eggs and toast!!!..... i says. A large orange juice thank you....she replied
Dont forget to tip the waiter...i says....:>))



Wilson. Banthai ( beach ) is on the opposite side from where we stay. If you get the oppotunity, then grab a boat to Phi Phi Island, ( Ko Phi Phi Don ) as its on your side of the pond.

Had some Photos sent ( emailed )to me from my cuz in Essex,( snow, snow and more snow) minus7c and Oxford had a minus 18c.........and it seems they could do with some of our 30s celcius weather. It seemed strange looking at the photos of snow covered ground.....while i'm sitting here in my shorts and sandals with the air-con on full speed......Me cuz said, its probably warmer in their fridge.....LOL

Tony....:>))

Howdy All,


Tony, i better practice my bartering, haven't used it for a while. I think we are staying at Banthai, hope it is good, We have been very reliant on our travel agent, who we hope knows what is worth while. Anyway, i plan to enjoy the stay :-)).

Have been for a swim at the local pool today, OH and i took our 4 year old grandson for a couple of hours, he really enjoyed it. Then this afternoon i got to relive some times past, playing leggo on the lounge floor. I haven't lost my car making skill lol, Just found it a bit harder to get back onto my feet ha ha.

I think i have a very off to the side relly in Durham, but not one i am following up at the moment, so many more closely related peeps to track down, But i will certainly get in touch nearer to travel time Fred, maybe we can have a mini meet in your part of the world.


Well better go find something to eat for tea, it is too hot and i really don't feel like eating, but i am sure Col will still require a feed.

Take care
WIlson

geez, i feel like a bit of a thread killer now xxx

You love it on the roof Tones, we know.

Not so lucky here, with a hole that I can seem to find. the one and only good thing about no rain is no drips.
I've got another tube of silicone ready for next time.

back to my mooovie
xx

Morning Fred.

Well.......i was given a repreive this year, and didnt have to climb on the roof.... Perhaps my girls felt a bit sorry for me having to climb up each year, and do the Ho Ho Ho thing....lol
Eldest daughter bought a "Pinata" this year full of lollies and chocolates, and the grandies had more fun belting it with a stick....lol

Forgot to mention also, if i do get up to Durham next year, will certainly say G'day. Have a few ancestors that came up from Essex in the 1860s and settled in Chester-le-street and neighboring villages.


O'k....best get the BBQ lit for tea.....a few snags in bread for Barb and myself, and no dishes to wash....:>))

Weeeeeeell,that's it for another 11 months and a bit ,but ,it has to be said ,i enjoyed it all ,and it made such a change for Liz and me ,not having much cooking to do at all being out most of the time.
Marta is now back in Poland getting ready for the next semester ast uni' got home yesterday to snow there too ,more's the pity for her ,she hates the cold weather.
Glad to hear that you gave the mountain climbing a miss this yeear Tony.if you have to do it again next year get someone a little younger to do it ,or hire a chopper ,he he.
Long time since i bartered for a taxi fare or argued the price of stuff in a shop ,but i miss it in a way ,a lot off fun can be had doing it in many countries,and it ,is ,as you say ,expected in many towns and villages.
Away now to go and get ready for the visit to the Metro Centre and some late sales.Fred.
P S i don't think the barter system will work there though ,lol

Arvo....:>))

Starting to warm up again in this neck of the woods.

Wilson. Have a great trip to England, mate.
If i knew you were going, i would have let you shout me a free plane ticket....hee hee.
Not sure where you are staying in Phuket, but the people there are really layed back. We are between Patong & Phuket ( city ) in a resort ( Merlin beach Resort ) and about 5 min by taxi -bus to Patong itself. Dont know if you have been to Phuket before, but if you catch a Taxi.......dont forget to haggle for the fare ( they expect it ) and will quote you a heavy price first up.
If the price is for example 299.Baht ( $10 au ) they will quote 450 BHT ( $15 ).....and expect you to beat them down.....lol
Same as the shops in the markets.


Tony....:>))

HI,

I do come on and read but never get around to posting.
I'm starting to get a bit excited about Wattlewoomba, it will be good to meet you Marie and spend time waffling in person with everyone.
We've had a very quiet summer, but its just what the doctor ordered.
Like Wilson, it will be back to work before too long to trying to make the most of my last week off.

xx

Hi Everyone,

Wishing you all a Happy, and Healthy 2010.



Another Christmas finished, we spent a few days camping by the river, fishing and generally relaxing. Had Christmas day and boxing day, with my father and all my children and grandchildren. It was lovely. Way too much food as usual :-)) Now back to reality, work, and the normal routine. Weather has been very changeable, really hot and humid one day, raining and cool the next, not really our usual summer.


Tony, Puket in June- July, i am having a couple of days there on my way back from England in July, you have said such nice things about the place that i couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a squiz myself.


We won't be going to Wattlewoomba either, OH is booked to have a hip replacement early Feb, so won't be up to traveling. Which reminds me, I had better cancel our pre booked accommodation too.


Cheers Wilson

Hi everyone..A Happy New Year to you all..I hope the new year brings lots of peace and happiness to you all..

Not long to the meet and I am looking forward to it..It seems to be turning out to be my annual holidays..so better make the most of it..

MArie I have sent you a email re the meet and hope you can work out what it says,,hee hee..I get very confused when trying to give details..looking forward to meeting you there..sounds like it is going to be another good one..

Fred. I hope you had a nice new years eve, and did you get to download that programme I sent you..have never done it myself but you are so much cleverer than me where the puta is concerned..hee hee hee I just thought you might find it interesting..Sorry your weather is so bad..but still it will give you a rest from the garden for a weeeee while...lol..hope Liz is well..

Tony You will be missed at the meet but understand your reasons..can I carry your bags next year when you go to the UK...I got a good set of wheels...lol

Have a lovely weekend all...

Love Mary xxx

Morning to all the happy bloated peeps who enjoyed their Christmas and New year by overeating a tad ,he he.just like me ,lol,but no matter ,i will soon lose these couple of pounds as soon as the snow clears and i can get the mower out again.
Sounds like you and i share a couple of ancesters birth towns Tony,My grandfather was born in Durham City [front street] in the town centre,which i visited three years too late because the house he was born in was demolished to make way for the new bus station.grrrrrr.
Hope you do make it up this end ,we could have a bit of fun and a natter,with a few other genes peeps who live in the area.and see just how fit you are by running up the tower steps to the roof of Durham Cathederal in your Santa suit ,he he
Marta goes back to the airport for her flight tonight ,the weather was so bad here that the housewarming at Lyneham had to be put off .
Never mind ,the next uni gap is in the late summer when she can see the new house in a better light,with the trees and fields at the back ,looking over the Oxford countryside,so ,i am sure she will love it.
Glad to hear that you have got your extra water Tony ,and that your veggies are doing so well.and i am looking forward to spring already.
The eldest son bought The missus one of these free standing bird feeding stations which i will put out back as soon as the snow goes away,there are loads of hooks for all sorts of feeding impliments,so we will be able to feed a far greater range of birds than was possible before.
It even has a solar light on top ,which i have Liz believing will attract the night jars to feed [weell .it may have her watching through the patio doors for a few nights instead of watching the tele with her corrie and east enders ,he he.
Hissy loves the snow now she is used to it,leaping high in the air as she runs forward ,leaving tracks three feet apart,the patio looks like we have had a visit from baby joey's .
We still can't see our growing boxes ,which are frozen solid ,so it's out to the shops later to get some veggie and tatties in ,for a few more days ,and ,i need B & Q for some sand /salt mix for the drive before we have more snow,it beats having to keep clearing the snow onto the sides out of the way.
Sean has parked his car on the grass outside on the path ,lol,the first time he tried to get it out after the first heavy snow fall ,he slid ,and got stuck half way up the ramp,and come the finish his grandad had to drive it out for him,he he ,all the winter driving on the continent came in handy at last.
His new car is An Alfa Romeo in darned good nick ,with the latest seamless swap over gas conversion fitted.which will save him a bundle on fuel costs,he filled the lpg tank up yesterday for £22 .
The car starts on petrol.and as soon as it warms up ,swaps over all on it's own.
Still ,i suppose the car needed something like that ,with a 2.2 litre engine ,it is a little heavy on the petrol.
With the way the prices are going i think i am def' going Ford this June to either a focus diesel or the new Fiesta ,both doing a really good mileage but with plenty of power when needed.
Catch you all later ,time to go and start our one and only Christmas dinner i will be cooking this winter ,ain't i the lucky one.Fred & Liz

Hello Everyone, It sounds like we all had a great Xmas Day also New Years Eve.
My dau and I decided to spend it together, set our selves up with some bubbly and nuts watched ( Death of a Funeral) good laugh then (Anne of Greengables, then off to bed .
The next day spent most of the day in our Pyjamas watching the sequal to Ann of Green gables and munching on Left overs all very nice and relaxing. I might add ,it was rainging all the time, another lovely present from the big man upstairs.(no it wasn't Tears)Just rain.

Yes Gwenda not long to the meet in T/woomba ,Sorry to hear you cant come Tony.

Wishing you all a happy New Year
.Best Wishes Marie.

Happy New Year to everyone...:>))

A rather quite New Years Eve was spent at our house this year.
Just the missus and me, two glasses and a bottle of sparkling whatever( for a change )...lol
We were to go to eldest daughters for a spit roast on the B.B.Q, but her work boss had different idea's and asked if she could work New years Eve, as the Footy Club restaurant where she works was booked solid for members. So daughter had to cancel the B.B.Q....:>((

It has been raining ( Thunder ,Lightning, Cats & Dogs ) in Melbourne since Thursday ( New Years Eve ) so best we didnt have to travel to daughters in the long run.
All this lovely rain has done our garden and lawns the world of good, and our water tanks are now at capacity, and nearly overflowing, which is great, as there is still a lot of very Hot weather on the horizon heading our way over the coming weeks/months. My summer Vege garden has gone beserk with the heavy rains and then sunshine, so come the next B.B.Q there will be heaps of fresh salads. Freshly Chopped spring onions on sliced Tomato sangas, dressed with mayo and black pepper is one of my favourite.....Yummm!!

Both Barb and myself, are a bit dissapointed that we wont be going to the next big Aussie meet at Toowoomba, Queensland ( Wattlewoomba ) in Feb with the rest of the Wattlers, but we will be there in spirit.
Fate has altered our plans, and we had to cancel our temp booked accomodation for the 4 days in Toowoomba.


Apart from Phuket again later this year,England is looking good in 2011 for our next big trip O/seas, and Barb is chaffing at the bit to get to her beloved Wimbleton ( Tennis ) and i will be lost somewhere else in the U.K as it woud take heaven and earth to get me to sit and watch a tennis match....lol ....so we will be like ships in the night, and she will take the low road, and i will take the high road...hee hee or should i say the High street, as i visit Earls Colne in Essex and Colchester too and visit a few decendant cousins from my lot. Then off to Durham to check up on a few things as well. With the Tennis on, Barb wont even know i'm missing....lol
She is at the moment, sitting by the Tele waiting for the Hopman Cup ( Tennis ) in Perth to start.
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo ( 60th Anniversary ) is on Tele at 9:30 pm our time, so we will watch that also to-night.

Wishing all a safe and Happy New year.


Av a good un



Tony....:>))

Happy New Year

May 2010 be all you wish for and more

Not long to Wattlewoomba - yyaaaayy

Gwenda xx

Wishing all Wattlers a Happy New Year and rich blessings for 2010
Love

JA

Hello Tony & Hz,
The O'Donnell Family decided this year to have everything Cold, so Marie cooked the meats and the girls made luxurious Icecream pies and some with biscuits and chocolate chips, We started off on Christmas eve with cocktails, the girls did them and they were Yummy
I could easily have gotten blotto but didn't want to have a hangover on Xmas Day.

Emily & Abigail were so excited it was very hard to get them to bed so that we could play Father Xmas, they finally gave in and they were so tired they slept till 8:30am , the adults were very pleased as it was rather late by the time we got to bed.
We received the wonderful Gift of rain on Xmas day and night it fined up in the afternoon, but the next night it poured again and I am happy to say my tank is now full again and everything is thouroughly soaked, it was a wonderful gift from the big man upstairs.
It sounds like you had a great Xmas Barbara & Tony I hope you have a great New Year and a lovely Holiday in Pukett, my Son Sean and wife Nancy also baby Ciara arrived back from Thaiand on Xmas Eve.

Hz it is nice to see you also had a great Xmas sorry you didnt get the rain we got but it looks like we may get some more from the cyclone on the W.A. coast I do hope so as a lot of places missed out in the west of NSW.

I wish you and your family all the best for 2010 .
Kindest Regards Marie.

Hello Seasons Greetings to All,

Nice to see lots of family gatherings, we had our waifs and strays
get together yesterday, five families of average three each, all brought
a plate and had a big chin-wag, the teens are all off in different
different directions (hopefully) next year. We had two other dinners also in the last four days, but had Xmas day to ourselves and managed all the phone calls and several good movies, and an early night! Town is full of
visitors and Motels full.......makes for a busy retail time. It gets very hot and
humid in the afternoons, poor Middy the cat is melting, and the rain hasn't come south from Cranberry. Oh well, it's summer, and time to slow down from the usual round of things, so I like to take it easier..... almost like a
holiday ! Like others, fridge has plenty of leftovers for easy pickings, no cooking needed for a few days,
smiles to all, HZ

Arvo from a warm Monday in Melb.

Joy. Merry Xmas to you and yours too...xx
Tony & Barb

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Xmas day

I was excused from climbing the roof this year donned in the Santa suit, as eldest daughter bought a Santa "Pinata" stuffed with lollies & chocs, and the littlies had great fun wacking him until he split and sweets fell out all over the backyard driveway covered in sparkling glitter, and myself incuded.....lol
I looked a bit like Tinker Bell out of Peter Pan much to the delight of my grandies......:>))

Well..Christmas day has come and gone, and we still have a fridge full of left overs, as we do each year. Cold Ham, Pork,and Chicken sanga's for the next few days....Yumm!

Scored myself a few nice present too, and a Merimex Laminator that Barb got me will come in handy to protect some of my FH doc's.
As usual my 3 or 4 Jars of Choc scorched almonds to keep my strength up, and blood sugar levels high.....lol $100 worth of Bunning Vouchers to spend at my favourite hardware store from my kids, and a ticket to see the "Jersey Boys" at the Princess theatre in Melbourne.....so i did well this year...:>))

Back to work to-morrow ( Wednesday ) to find the money to pay the Bill's that keep appearing in my letter box, and dont seem to aknowledge the Xmas spirit of giving.....hee hee

New Years eve will be at eldest daughters house, where herself and partner will put on a BBQ spit roast with all the trimmings, followed by more plum pudding....cor!!!!
Its amazing i am not the size of a house with all the food i put away over the festive season, and its a good thing my metabolism burns it off quickly....lol

In the New year ( June or July ) we are off again to Thailand ( Phuket ) with some of my children and grandies. We loved it so much last year we have decided to go again, and see a bit more. Its far cheaper than holidaying around the Whitsunday Islands off the Queensland coast , and half the price for the same 4-5 star Resort accomodation.
I will be looking forward to having my authentic Green & Red Thai curries again.

Barb and i have already made our New year resolutions, and thats to travel the world a bit more ( pending finances of course ) while we are still fit enough to do so, before the wheels start falling off......lol
Its fine for some folk who say......we will wait to we retire, and then travel, but in some cases the body starts retireing before you do from the work force....:>(((.....Also, as we both manage our own small businesses, there is no big company package at the end of our working years waiting for us.....so we are not waiting around to see which retires first....LOL

Happy New year to all,and may you and yours have a heathy and happy 2010.....and a few extra $$$$ in the hand wouldn't go astray either...lol


Av a good un


Tony & Barb.....;>))

Hi everyone,,Happy Christmas.. Hope you all had a good one and got lots of pressies..
We have had lovely rain for the past 2 days so hoping for more..Didnt realise that it was so long since I was last here..gosh how time flys..just not enough hours in a day..

Nothing much happening here that is exciting,,my 2 girls and their families have been and it was lovely to see them,,Have made a promise to myself to visit them more often next year,,will go on my own even if John cant make it,,Love the train trip there and back,,so relaxing and the scenery is lovely..

Not much planned for New Years eve so will watch the fireworks on TV and being Sydney they will be fantastic as usual..might open a bottle of bubbly to go with it..lol...

Hope all are well and from next week it will be diet to get off all this extra pounds..or should say Kilo's...

Lotsa love Mary xxxx

My apologies. I usually pop in and say happy Christmas.

So, belatedly happy Christmas and best wishes for the new year :-)