General Chat

Hi all, am devastated by the things I'm seeing on the tv. Does anyone know if all our folk are ok.Have a cousin in Toowoomba and can't reach them yet. It's obviously Oz's turn for the weather pixies to turn things upside down. My prayers are with all concerned.
Mary, you won't believe this, but I tried to get an authorisation for the next lot of swabs all last week and finally was told infection control was on leave!! Finally got them done yesterday so am hoping for good news and am on track for Jan 21. One can only hope.
Ser Tones, very glad your girl is safe and well. Love to you and OH.
Mary I got the list off thank you.Luv Me

hi,

I finally poked my head in again. I'm in total holiday mode now although I have gone back to work for a few hours a week.
The garden is producing enough salad stuff to keep us feeling healthy and we are lucky to not be suffering the terrible effects of all the rain.
The youngest one is starting to panic as year 12 began before Christmas for him. he says hes not sure how he will squeeze all his homework into 3 week - geez, gives him an excuse to stay in the cave I suppose. OH has been enjoying life, amnd talking of canoes, took a couple of tumbles yesterday when we went kayaking. Then stood on something that made 'guts' come out of his foot. My mum and dad have been giving more family history tuition, I think my mum has a couple of her pics mixed up though. Love hearing stories of when they were young. Even better now I have been to the places they talk about and when they say 'just down there and around the corner' I can visualize it, just 45 years later. The OH finally got his passport and we are off on our 'honeymoon' in April. Don't know how we will go as we can never agree on which end of Bunnings (hardware warehouse)to go to. It will be the first time we have holidayed together!


Hope everyone is embarking on the happiest new year
xoxo

Nice to hear that John is doing better at last Mary,and hope this is just the start of better things for everyone over there ,about time too.
I am thinking of getting hold of a canoe ,and sneaking over there to hide in one of Tony's suitcases ,lol ,i could do with a break in the warm ,he he.
Having said that it was still in the 15c bracket in the hall when i got up to put the bins out this morning ,so after doing the emails and lotteries i went out back and pulled all the spent roots out of all the buckets to make way for the start of the new season,so i feel i have at least started,next thing will be your chalet Mary,it is looking a bit forlorn at the minute,with all the empty buckets and benches ,still six weeks and i will be able to get the onion seeds in ,and then it will be all systems go again.
Going to do a stir fry for dinner today ,and made a soup last night from the chicken bones and little bits of meat ,which i finished this morning with a shredded carrot and a nice leek,and split peas and lentils.
Think i will do a nice curry towards the weekend using the new electric frying pan ,maybe a Malaysian red or green one ,with coconut milk ,the missus loves those,and they make a change from the indian curry which ,although nice are a bit harsh on the old palate at times he he.
It was nice to see the grandson again ,but it will be even nicer when his wife is home as well,but ,only 12 more months to go and she will be fully qualified and finished uni ,a new doctor of robo- biotics in the making
Told the both of them to go out your way when he is finished with the R A F,he is now qualified on the Hercules and can taxi the aircraft from dispersal to the loading bays without a pilot on board,and is now starting the same course on C 17s as well as a course on airfield security,so the both of them should find jobs fine over there.
Time to do a little housework now ,take care all you peeps ,specially the ones on the flood plains ,and watch for the snakes and crocks which may be lurking about,as if you hadn't enough problems already.
Fred.

Hi Everyone... Back from a lovely week in Orange and starting to get things organised for the next test for John..He enjoyed the break but found the stairs in daughters house a bit hard but he got there ..with help..
It was a lovely Christmas and the weather was lovely and cool.. We had 2 nights of deluge that flooded the daughters rumpus room as the drains outside couldn't hold all the water..Lets hope that doesn't happen again..as they have parquet flooring..

Merle What a runaround you are having with the hospital.. do hope they get their act together and do something soon.. I had problems doing a copy of the list to and in the end Yvette sent me a printed one..If you still cant get it copied let me know and I will scan mine and send it to you,,Has something to do with it being done on a spreadsheet..?????

Fred. so glad you got away for a holiday..but personally I would stay home in that sort of weather..I is chicken...LOL

Wishing all a Happy New Year and lots of good health and happiness..

Love Mary xxxxx

Happy New Year To All !!

Well the first few days have been lovely, finally the humidity has
dropped and the temp not too high either.
Santa was very nice to us so we must have been good last
year too. Even better, I have finally learned not to over-cater. The
seafood lasted two days and so we didn't have our rack of lamb
meal until yesterday ! I have enough cold ham left over for a couple
of lunches only. Won a Xmas hamper which had some lovely
things in , so have been able to treat some girlfriends to a
babycham and cheese platter gathering. Saw the movie
"The King's Speech" and loved it !!

DD (19 now!!) has been going through some of her childhood
things and delightfully listening to stories on tape she remembers
- Brer Rabbit, Wind in the Willows etc, she wants to get them onto
MP3 so she can listen to them on her ipod. We need to get our
video tapes onto DVD too - might write that down on the TO DO
ONE DAY list !!

Marie, what a trial you have been having - hope
everything is smoother in January and you can
get your surgery done.

Floods up north seem terrible, such a lot of water. Marie,
Rockhampton seems pretty organised so I hope your
family members all get looked after. Long term this flood
will cost us all a lot - watch the fruit and veg prices in the
next month!! And no coal exports...... hits the bottom line
big time !!

Gotta water the garden tonight so need to use the
Aerogard first - one of my fave chores however, I
don't mind at all.... have a lovely evening all, Hz



I'd better water the veg garden tonight, so I'm off to put
on the Aerogard first ! Take it easy all, HZ

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

Start of another decade( 2011 ) and if the health fairy is kind to me over the next 10 years, i will be grateful....lol

Scored quite well this Christmas, and Santa gave me all i asked for, so i must have been good during the year.....;>))
I did write a wish list and posted it on the fridge...hee hee
Received ( among other items ) were $80 worth of Bunning vouchers from my children....so was very pleased.
I didn't need any more T-shirts and jumpers so large that would fit the Incredible Hulk......... and could possibly open my own menswear store. With my $80 vouchers i purchased a new step ladder, a duster buster, garden hose reel, new straw broom, large bag of mixed nails,and a punnet of spring onions.

For those not knowing....."Bunnings" is a hardware Warehouse, equivalent to the fairer sexes Myer stores, K-Mart,Target ,Woolworths, Coles, ect.... and carries every known item for the home handyman,tradesman or gardener. Ladies of course do shop there....hee hee... but its as close to a blokes heaven as it can possibly get.
Each time i enter the warehouse i start drooling, and my blood pressure rises with excitement of winning the lotto and the dream of letting me loose in the store....LOL

Fred. You read my mind mate...lol..... and yes, now looking forward to returning to my favourite holiday haunt ( Phuket - Thailand ) during the coming winter months in Oz. This year will be even more special, as i have talked one of my other daughters to join us this time, so there will be 12 of us this time round, from my own immediate children, spouses and grandkids. For under $1,500 Aussie dollars per head ( 983 GBP )........ in a 4-5 star resort for 14 nights/days including Air fares,all transfers,full buffet brekky, 2 happy hours at half price, $10 three course meals,and free use of all ammenities with temps hovering around 32c each day to boot.........you wont find this in Aussie land for that price with air fares. Our summer top resorts cater for the Yank, Chinese, Japanese, Canadian, ect....and you would be lucky to get a three course meal for under $100 bucks per head...lol
The Thai resorts and beaches we stay in are a mirror image of the Aussie...but for half the price.
For a young couple on their honeymoon, or perhaps retired folk.......then the Aussie Resorts and scenery around the country are fantastic, but for a med to large family you would have to mortgage your house to afford it....lol

OH ( Barb ) is off to Queensland - Gold Coast with daughters and grandies in March - April.
She takes the grandies to all the Theme parks...Water World, Dream World,Movie world, ect........and spoils them somewhat. I on the other hand will stay home and suffer watching the Footy......... and will have complete control over the Tele remote......:>))

Marie. Yes, its a terrible mess up north, and hopefully all is well with your family mate. My youngest daughter is holidaying near Toowoomba at the moment, but they are not near the flooding thank god.

Coffee is perculating away, and someone left an coconut iced "Boston Bun" on the bench......and it has my name written all over it...!!!


Av a good un.


Tony....:>))

Morning all you people from over the BIIIG pond ,from blighty where the frost and snow have loosened their grip ,for now.
Hope you get some good news very soon Marie,it must be terribly worrying for you ,not knowing what's going on with all the flooding over there,and in other places with melting tar on your roads setting roadside grass alight,and bush fires already raging ,you lot never seem to have a year without these troubles.
Tony seems to have been well organized ,as usual ,feeding half of town,it seems ,and is now no doubt thinking of the coming holidays in his usual haunt,lucky bloke ,still with the way he is always so busy with his work ,he needs time off to recharge the batteries ,he he.
Hope our Mary enjoyed her break with her rellies and friends,and hope j A and all the others are safe ,and coping okay.
God bless all of you,happy new year .Fred & Liz.

Hi Tony,
I am a little anxious about my brother Neville also my sister Carmel who both live in one of the parts of Rockhampton that is cut off from the rest of the town, my brother and his wife evacuated their home and moved to their son's home but I think that he will be cut off now also.
I have been trying to get them on their mobiles but I havent had a answer for more than 12 hrs., I guess they may have been moved to dry land by the council as they say the flood waters are still rising and will be several weeks before the waters will go done.
I wish everyone a very ****Happy New Year*******

Kindest regards
Marie

Morning...:>))

Just popping into the Wattle thread to wish all a very happy,healthy,safe, and prosperous
New year, as we head into our last day of 2010.

Thank you for your freindship and kind words, and may the New year bring you and your familes much happiness.

Christmas day was a blast, and everyone ate there way through the Roast Pork, Chicken, Ham ( off the bone ) seafoods, salads and cooked Veg.
Plum Pud with brandy custard and cream,and at various stages i didnt think i could fit another bowl of pud in.....but i managed......lol :>))
Grandkids walked around with their new hand held DSI's ( aka Game boys )and bogged into lollies and chocolates, as kids do.

We are off to eldest daughters today, to spend New Years Eve celebrations,and a BBQ tea ( pending on weather )
Total fie ban for the state of Victoria as we head for a top of 41c predicted for Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.

Bacon & Eggs cooking away on the stove for brekky,and very soon the OH will smell it and put her order in...lol


Have a great New Years Eve, whatever you are doing, and i will see you all next year....:>))

To our snowed in mates in the UK.........stay warm.

A special thought also for our northern state ( Queensland ) where they are up to there rooftops with floods.Water levels are predicted to remain above nine metres for up to 10 days in some towns, and the highest flood since 1991.
A disaster zone, and many families are being evacuated from their homes.
The beautiful towns and houses of Rockhampton and Emerald ( among others )are literally under water.
Not a great way to start off the New year.
Thoughts and prayers for all.



Cheers. Tony & Barb x

Just a quickie to let everybody that Liz and i are thinking of you all,and hoping that you are all okay,despite what the weather throws at everyone.
We did manage to get away ,and are now in wildest Wiltshire with the grandson for a few days.
We have found out [for ourselves] that Liz goes into
Hypothemic Shock if she goes out into the freezing air for more than a couple of minutes and the freezing air reaches her lungs.
Now we know what the bother is ,we are fine with it,i have to do most of the shopping myself of course ,leaving the two pests in the warm house ,lol.
Not a bother though ,as spring will soon be here,and we can get her out and about again [knew i should have insisted that we moved to Oz years ago when we had the chance],he he ,too late now was the cry,but things could be so much worse .
The car handles very well in ice and snow ,and we got down to wiltshire no bother,only the english drivers having a fit at being out in conditions they can't cope with,and holding the experienced drivers up.
Have to go now ,as i have to start the Christmas dinner for the Grandson ,who insisted that i even bring down my home made stuffing for the turkey.
Also brought down some corned beef [yum] and some very nice home cooked gammon,this lad is going to get spoilt rotten.
If i can't get on again before hand,have a nice time at the new years parties,and stay safe,Fred & Liz.

Hello to Fred , Mary,Tony, Carolee, Edith from Canada,Persephone ,HZ, Mele175, also Merle.
So sorry to hear you are having such a bad time with your leg, I hope all goes well for you in Jan.

I spent Xmas in Brisbane 5 days there and it rained the whole time, the north of the state has had a bad time and now Rockhampton is in flood .
I had an email from my brother earlier they may have to leave their house as the water was slowly coming into his yard, and if it reaches the peak they are expecting the water will be in his home, i hope it doesn't get to the
height they are expecting.

I arrived home on boxing night to more rain however yesterday and to-day are Sunny, there are heavy clouds about but hopefully it will remain dry.

Like you Tony,I always watch the Carols by Candlelight in the Myer Music Bowl, and sing along with them.

I hope you have a ******* HAPPY NEW YEAR ********

I shall be watching the Fireworks on Sydney Harbour Via the TV.

Best Wishes to you all

Marie

Hello everyone,

Just dropping in, Christmas Eve 6.55pm here in Victoria:-)

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and a safe, happy and healthy 2011.

Best wishes, Carole xxx

Morning from a snowy Canada.

Merry Christmas to all you folk. J.A, Mary and cousin Ian.

Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday and Santa treats you

well.

Edith (Canadian thread) XXXX

Hi all ,from the real frozen north ,seemingly at the moment colder than Greenland ,and we keep getting reminded that we are only JUST outside the arctic circle ,he he.
Going to be a very quiet Christmas here both of us stuck indoors because Liz is unwell as soon as she draws breath outside in these temperatures ,and both of us lying in bed early in the evening ,noses oiut of the covers ,glowing red .lol.Rudolph hasn't a look in
Wish we were out there ,the idea of playing cricket Christmas day ,or having a Tony style B B Q sounds blissful,while we over here try to hibernate or go on tropical holidays ,no matter ,out turn will come [roll on ].
Poor you Merle what a time you are having of it,that hospital of yours sounds worse than Alder Hay [Manchester ] a real horror story ,i think i was so fortunate to land up in the Victoria Infirmary where things are spot on.
Hope ,now at least ,now they have got their act together that they get you sorted out very quickly,and that you will still enjoy Christmas and the New Year despite the ongoing saga.
Hope all of you over there enjoy your holidays,and have a good time despite the terrible weather you are all having .
Merry Christmas all ,and a lovely ,peaceful new year to all,Fred

for the day for disinfection.Sooooo,A very curt letter of complaint against the infection nurse and the promise that if I don't get a call from her with the next lot of swab results the next letter goes to the health dept.When the hospital gave me the next lot of treatment stuff I asked why it was different to the last lot. Guess what. I hadn't been given the right stuff before which was why there wasn,t any improvement. Ah Me.
You wouldn;t believe it would you.Next try Jan 21 with instructions from the surgeon for a private room and a promise from the surgeon my op; will be last for the day as long as swab resultsare favorable. The pain in my leg has receeded as the treatment continues and the ward manager told me It was the infection in my blood stream caused inflammation in the arteries.You learn something new every day.So there you go.Dare I say what more could happen?
If I don't get back this side of Christmas have a great day and stay safe all of you

hurriedly donning gloves and telling me not to touch anything. One of the ward staff happened to bring up my file on the puter and there was a pretty yellow infection flag waving at her which hadnt been there earlier. .the buttery infection control had stuffed up again only this time she really did a good job of it.Must have realised what the date was and tried to cover her back. She hadn't informed anyone that my infection was worse not better. not ward staff, theatre staff, surgeon not to mention this poor old patient who prmptly had hysterics and if any of you dare to laugh at me I promise you prompt retaliation. result? Open warfare. I had to go home again because if I'd had the op theatre would have had to close

...now, the continuing saga of the leg. After a stint of treatment for the staph infection which wiped me out of surgery,I was given another date for the op,Dec 14 In the meantime the dr who was doing the anaesthetic was not rostered on that day so I had to go see another who looked at my file and promptly refused to do it. Too big a risk. Ordered blood tests and a heart scan and shooed me out. Not a happy little lady!!! By this time I had 2 1/2 days to find another one.3pm the day before the surgery, I wasadvised that all was well, so duly presented myself as ordered at 6.30am. Finally Got to the ward at 8.30 and waited till 10.00 for a bed in a four bed ward with other theatre goers, showered and dressed in me sundy best so to speak ready for theatre when there was a flurry of nurses

hi all, third time lucky,I've lost the last two attempts so might send this in instalments.
Tony, sorry to hear of your loss,specially so close to the festivities.Glad you liked my little effort. Keepthe pressure up on those blinds.As long as as it brings in the moolah I guess its worth it.
Hi Mary darling, got the list thank you. Just have to figure out how to get it off the bleeding puter.
Have fixed the bleep over the email address I hope. Glad John has found someone to help him. Did the Dr warn him he might get the trembles with it. Weight is inclined to go up sometimes even though they tell me it can't.Hah! I use it when my asthma gets out of control.Still, I reckon its worth it if it helps him.

Merry Christmas to you all from the Kiwi on the other Aussie thread.

Do have a safe and happy Christmas and a great new year and find lots of your ancestors without too much trouble.

I'll drink to that!!

Love Persey ((xx)) (^_^)

Merry Christmas to everyone !

Wet here, blissful after so much drought.

Having some family come to stay over on Boxing Day, and
very busy week up ahead.

So much to be thankful for.

To all those in the snowy Hemisphere, take care of each other,
sometimes crises reveal hidden depths !!

Am having a couple of glasses of wine plus nutty nibbles tonight
with my DD, decorating the tree and wrapping the silly presents we get for each other.

Had a lovely Xmas party with our core Mums HSC 2009 group
and the relevant kids on Friday night, the youngsters had such
a good time they stayed up all night, seven kids : two gap years
with part-time jobs, one apprenticeship, three uni's, one TAFE....
.... four left town, three stayed, it was lovely to see them all so
thrilled to get together and share their experiences ( and yes I
did get the speech two days before about "oh yuk really, why
do I have to go?' but then two of the girls decided to "glam up"
for it, and from then on it was all "cool"....... the $5 Kris Kringles
were a challenge and the winning gift was given to OH -

the "I-CONE" a pine-cone suitably dressed for Xmas, plus plastic
toy phone in it's ear lol - it is on the front counter of the shop causing
comment, I said it was an I-CONE for an icon..... ( hubby rolls eyes !)

Am being called to put the kettle on, better go!
Xmas wishes to all, Hz