General Chat

Just popping in to say hello to everyone, I have not forgotten you all but have been busy on ANC....RY making sure that I have each family correct. Started with my Fords, should have stated with A not F!

Watching darts with my husband an we are waiting for our lunch to be ready in about 10 minutes. We are being prudent in using as much as we can from the two freezers and in the store cupboard.......then we can start again.

I hope you all have a pleasent day

B :-) <3

Good afternoon to you all
Well Bridget Spanish electricity is a real pain - hope you get sorted very soon. Today the weather has gone cooler and the wind has come back which is a cold one. For the past two nights we have not had to put a fire on it was quite warm.

I don't know whether I have mentioned it before but parking here in Oliva is terrible to say the least and OH usually parks about 5 minutes walk away from our house. Thursday he went to work in the car and Thursday afternoon we do our weekly shop. When OH came home Thursday lunch I asked where is the car - he replied where he had left it Wednesday night !! I looked surprised and then laughed - you daftie you went to work in it - guess you have guessed correctly he had left it down by the office. I do sometimes wonder if he is safe to go out on his own !!! But we had a good laugh about it and I had a 15 minute walk to the car before we went shopping - at least it was warm and dry.

Today I have had a lesson on our new printer - I have 2 birthday cards to make - our old one was easy switch on and hit print button - this one is completely different but the quality is much better. Just hope I can remember how to do it on my own next time !!
That word remember seems to be the forefront these days !!

Well have a good weekend all and hope to see you soon

Love Mary xx

Tess & Gerad, thanks for your posts, I pleasant surprise as they are both so long and interesting, just as I was beginning to think that everyone was hiding away!

Delighted to hear that you are now back to good health Gerard.
Tess how I have enjoyed read you entry, brought back many memory's, it has made me wonder if I should write a book for my family about said memories. I would have been thrilled if I had one given to me. After all I do not know if my family will be using the sites we are or even be interested BUT if each child had a copy maybe the next generation would enjoy it....???

Well still no electricity of our own, due to all the festivities happening almost every day and night.....hoping it will be on soon......

Time to get on with today's work but hope to look in again this evening.
:-)

Tess - Don't worry about Ancestry members who have different parents for your Samuel, they all probably copied each other. I often find incorrect info on there, which has been copied and recopied when the correct information is fairly easy to find. Particularly last week, there was a whole brood of children, ten in all, given the wrong mother, the father had remarried when the children were in their twenties and thirties! and to be honest if the ancestor has that many greats in front, there aren't too many documents to back any info up. Ask some of them where they got the info - it might help you decide whether to remove or leave that branch.

Talking of porridge I bought some yesterday which you only have to boil a kettle and add the water to. At a pound a throw, a bit expensive I thought, it will save so much time, washing up and etc. (going to have one tomorrow for breakfast - had Rice Krispies this morning)

I am pleased to say we have already disposed of Swansea in the third round - but they are looking good to win the Capital One cup against Bradford City.
Sorry about mentioning the football all the time!

You will all be pleased to note that my back is back to normal and causing me no pain at all now (thank goodness)

Keep well everyone
Lots of Love
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Gerard :-) :-) :-)

Sorry I haven't been on here much recently.
I try to read all the postings, but don't always have time to add anything.

Bridget, your electriciy saga sounds awful! Thank goodness you have got such good friend and neighbours.

I remember, in the mid-fifties, staying with grandmother in Ireland. It was way out in the country side, a really old house.
No electricity (or gas) No piped water. Lots of fresh air.

Cooking and heating all via a large open fire.
Water from a Spring down the road, or a rain barrel.
To have a cup of tea...
1) Light your fire.
2) Go across the fields with a bucket (or two)
3) Get water from the spring (lovely, fresh and cold)
4) Carry back to the house.
5) put some into the (blackened) large kettle that was on a hook over the fire place.
6) Swing kettle over fire and wait till it boils
7) When water is boiled, make sure that you don't burn yourself when getting it from fire and pouring onto the tea leaves in the pot.

etc. etc, etc,

There was often a pot on the side of the fire, keeping warm. And a pigs head on the wall in the inglenook, being smoked.
Toilets were chemical one, outside the house in the cattle shed, with a low, "half wall" between you and the calfs.
The calfs helped to keepthe shed warm, but also watched you with their big beautiful eyes as you sat and contemplated!

Lighting in 1956 was by oil lamp.
No electricity so no lighting or radio etc.

When we went back in 1960-61 (winter) There was electricity in the house, enough for lighting and the radio. But cooking was still done on the open fire and water had to be fetched.
A wonderful but really hard life.
Because of this, I count my blessings in having clean hot and cold running water piped to the house and electricity just the press of a button away!

I hope that it doesn't take the full eight weeks before your electricity s up and runnung (officially) again.

Most of my time spent on the computer recently, has been spent putting my tree details on Anc----y.
Today, I found some other members who have got one of my distant rellies in their tree (a great-great-great uncle) together with his wife, their ten children and numerous grandchildren.
I have got all these people on my tree n GR. but the Anc. members have given this man (great-great-great -uncle Samuel), different parents!!!!!

So I a a little knocked for sis at the moment.
If they are right, it meand that I have over a hundred people in my tree who are in no way related to me!!!!
My Derbyshire connection will have been disconnected.
:-( :-(

They were such an interesting lot too.
Never mind, if that is all I have got to moan about, I am very fortunate.

Tomorrow I hope to go to some new relaxation sessions. Should have gone last week but the unavailibility of the Ring & Ride (special) bus and the bad weather put paid to that.

Yesterday, managed to get into town to have lunch and a chin-wag with my three siblings and brother-in-law. Enjoyed myself, but rather tired so had a long sleep this afternoon/early evening.



Gerard,
congradulations on your team still being in th FA Cup (mine isn't and I saw them go out!)
I reckon that Swansea are the team to watch this season. I think that they beat you rteam, they certainly beat mine.

Mary,
I enjoyed my porridge and golden syrup (now sold in an easy to pout plastic bottle).
It can now be cooked in the micro-wave, so easy to do. Just don't get round to doing it very often for some reason.
Glad to hear that your Mum is staying in the home in Bodmin.

Take care everyone,
Tess

Oh Bridget poor you and the Electric

Well we have been without our little car for nearly two weeks, got news today that it needs a new catalytic converter and that it will cost just under £500 to fix :-(

The weather has been pretty cold with a lot of snow last week when we had to rely on public transport - this week rain seems to be the trend and temperatures just in double figures.

We had the Bishop of Edmonton preach and preside at church last Sunday - he was there for Confirmations and Baptisms

My team managed to get through to the next round of the FA Cup but only produced a draw tonight against Liverpool - Bridget sorry about the 5-1 last week

Been doing a little bit more work than usual, have to pay for the car somehow!

Trust everyone is well - I noticed the last three postings were all from Bridget - it is good to find out what's happening - post again soon

Lots of love and prayers
<3 :-) <3 :-) <3 :-)
Gerard

The continuing saga of Electricity in Spain! We had all our electricity equipment reviewed and brought up to date yesterday and before we can have our Electicity turned on the signed document has to go to Castelon and only when we have the document back can we officially have Electicity in the house! Could take anything between one week to EIGHT weeks......how do they think we can wash, cook etc!!

However we do still have it connected to a neighbours house and that is OK !!!

I am no longer worrying, we have light, and heat but what a palaver!

The weather is reasonable and the sun is trying to break through, jet and Zoe are relaxing. OH is finishing the questions for the Quiz this week and I am just being Lazy!

Take good care of yourselves and I hope to see new entries soon.

Bridget :-) :-) :-)

Good morning everyone. OH is watching the cricket on the TV, I have been up for a morning cup of tea and now decide to write on here before I try to unravel some of my family tree.
This set me thinking about just how far one should add new people on my tree, for example ' person is related as six times removed and third great Uncle'. not an actual person but gives some idea of what I am thinking about.

My lovely daughter in law is on her way to Spain to go skiing, she is an excellent skier and such a good mother and wife, I hope that the conditions are OK for her.
Her daughter can now walk by herself but stops when she has to walk from one room into another, she looks puzzled at the change.

Yesterday our dear friends from Attleborough called to say they would like to visit us in early June for two weeks,,,this made me feel very happy and two other people are coming with them........I am looking forward to seeing them

Not much else to add, but will look in later, enjoy you day and take care of your self is my message to you all,

Bridget :-) <3 :-) <3 :-) <3

Apart from my little granddaughter having a lovely first birthday and has learnt to walk, so far this month has been fraught!

Five days ago our electricity went of in each room, and outside as well...no reason given, no warning, it took hours to find out what had happened...then came the shock! Our bank had not sent the money each month since !!!!!!! August !! We went to the bank and at first they claimed not to know anything about it. Ha Ha we said we will go to the police and the Mayor......oh they said please sit here and we will find the person you should see. Next after an hour it was agreed that, a) they had not sent us the new info about a change of the banks name. b) they had not sent any money to the electrics company. We then spent said days without light, cooking, etc etc .........thankfully someone we have known for many years and is Spanish and well known came with us to about five different people so that we got most things resolved...at last we have heat and light but remain very concerned.......

It appears that the said bank is the worst in Spain.......having been taken over by another bank a while ago.

My husband has been fraught as we have always felt proud that like most people we pay all utilities etc before we ever think of anyother item.

We are exhausted both mentally and physically .......this has made me even more determined to return to the UK as soon as we can find someone to buy our house....


Well I am now very tired but think of you all and hope that you are all well.

Bridget

Tess porridge with golden syrup brings back memories - my grandma used to make a saucepan full of porridge on cold winter mornings and there was always Lyons golden syrup to go with it., Happy days !!

Glad to hear you are up and running Bridget - well your computer is what I mean. Hope the quiz night goes well.

Very windy here today and looks cloudy but I shall go and have a walk as I have not been out this week. Had a new printer delivered end of last week so OH was playing with it and setting it up over the weekend - it seems to me to be complicated but I expect I will get used to it. Will have to to do my card making. But at least whilst it was being set up it cleared desk tops and shelves so everything at the moment is sparkling !! Bet that doesnt last too long.

Well hope you are all well and those in colder climates keep warm.

Take care
Love Mary xx

ps should add after the visit by social services mom is now staying put at the home in Bodmin - common sense has prevailed

Good luck with the quiz night Bridget. I haven't been on one for months, but I know that they can be good fun.

Your grand daughter sounds like a determined young woman - already!
How wonderful that she is doing so well.

In the West Midlands (UK) the temps. are hoovering around freezing point. A lot of the time just above freezing, so the snow is thawring. But we have also had spells of just below freezing. A little snow in the night, and the skies are rather white, so perhaps some more snow on the way, :-(
Keeping my fingers crossed that the thaw continues and the white clouds disperse.

Just tried to wrap part of my youngest grandsons birthday gift, (he will be eight on Saturday) but have ripped the paper!

Off now to have a bowl of porridge (with some golden syrup). That should set me up for the day. :-)

I hope that everyone is well.

Tess

23rd of January and my latest granddaughter is One Year Old. When I think that she was rather early and worried us all I can hardly believe that she is now an walking, happy, healthy and has such energy. She was born on the same date 23rd January as my mother and I am amazed at the likeness, not in her looks but in her determination to do everything she wants to do, her laughter, and the looks she can give to anyone, from happy etc to 'the How Dare You Touch That, or NO'.

The weather here is confusing.......from high winds to rain and the sun shine all within the hour I have been sitting at the desk!

Last night we went to the English Bar for the darts night and....my husband came first out of the twelve who were playing....lots of fun and good chats. This evening we are out again with some friends to the other Quiz where we play and only won a few times.......Quizes can be so very different wherever you go.

Well time to do some work etc so bye bye for now,

Bridget :-) :-)

Hi Bridget and all

CAB cant help with someone coming to tribunal with me, but i have been given a number to call from someone else that someone who can. Havent got a date yet. But solictor is starting sending letters to doctor asking him for a letter to put in with my appeal.

I had a fall on Saturday, took Caitlin and Arron just round the corner from where Arron lives as there is a field out there so they can have a play in the snow,dont know how it happen but i did go down with a bang, Hurt all down left side, But didnt break anything that wa main worry. Cariltin handle it very well, I manage to get up, But next day it hit me, Not too bad now.

I came home by bus Sunday night been in since. Bit worried about going out again on my own. Plus i have to go over a bridge that goes over cannal i have to go into the road as its to icey for me to walk. But got to go pick Caitlin up from schooll Thursday just got to get over that way by bus then some one is taking me to school by car to get her.

Its driving me mad staying but been helping someone on FB with they brick wall. Have knocked it down abit for her. Just trying to get be more info for her,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~to everyone Hope you are all keeping warm and safe,

Hazelx

Hello. To everyone......at last we have our Internet back.........how lost we felt without it, to me it felt as if I had been one of those who left UK all those years ago, some to Australia, others to India, America, and others, most did not return.

Pleased to read that those who have been unwell.....are now improving.....long may it stay that way.

Bridget

Gerard, so sorry to read about your back, I hope it is recovered now.
Mary it will be so much better for your mum to have an efficient hearing aid. She won't feel so cut off.
Whenever I read about the people who emigrated to Australia in the 19th century I am full of admiration for their bravery. Interesting to read about your Gt Grandparents Berona. Four months and a horrendous journey and heartbreaking to lose their little ones.

Tess - I can see you appreciate what the ancestors went through. No work available at home, so no income. I can imagine they didn't have a lot of choice, but to try the new 'promised land'.
I can remember the days of no refrigeration and that's bad enough. Ice was being used when I was a child. I still don't know how the ice was made, but I suppose the method was the forerunner of refrigeration.
These days, as happened a few days ago when we had our hottest day on record - I can switch on the air conditioner and set it at the temp I want - and forget about what the weather is like outside. I don't have to go out because I have my fridge and freezer well stocked. I don't know if my gr/gr/grandmother thought it was such a good idea to come here at the time, but they worked hard and did prosper. I wish they could see us now!

Interesting reading about your great,greatgrandparents, Berona.

Things at both their old home and their new one musthave been difficult.

I hope that things improved for them and that they lived long enough to know that they made the right decision.

At this time a lot of people could neither read or write. The "penny post" hadn't started (as far as I know).
Postage used to be paid by the person recieving the letter (or package).

Getting letters and messages from one side of the world to the other must have been difficult, and sometimes impossible.

So much could have happened to the family "back home" before the ones in Australia got settled enough to write.


Anyway, in the West Midlands we, like a lot of the UK have got snow.

Very quiet on the roads, not many people in the shops either, when I went to the supermarket on Saturday morning.

Since I last wrote, I went to the football match (we lost :-( ).

On thursday afternoon I went to the theaaaatre to see "Wind in the Willows" really loved it :-).

The audience consisted of schoo;childern (and their teachers) and a load of pensioners!

Hoping to go to my exercise group on Tuesday (weather permitting) and to a new group for Relaxation, on Friday.

With all this gadding about, I haven't had time to go to the hairdressers (at the college), so my hair is now rather long. Still it s helping to keep my neck warm.

Hope that everyone else is okay. :-)

Most of our ancestors were young and adventurous - and out of work.
One set of my gr/gr/grandparents were in their early twenties and had three little boys. They emigrated in 1836/7 - the ship taking four months and because of an outbreak of measles, 48 passengers died (including the two youngest boys) and were buried at sea

I often think of how they must have felt, arriving here without the children. They couldn't turn around and go back home because they might have lost the other one, or each other. They arrived in January, 1837 and if that January was anything like this January is - I don't know how they survived.

Contact with 'home' was only by mail, which took four months to get there. So different from these days, when we can talk to each other by phone and email (as we do here!).

What a nuisance Bridget having both computers go down. When they are working ok we take them for granted but when they dont work we feel like our right arm has been cut off.
Hope you get them sorted soon at not too much cost.

Berona my thoughts go out to you all in Australia - hope you all stay safe.

Gerrard hope your back gets better soon - there is nothing worse than back ache.

Well the weather here on Costa Blanca is dry, cold and oh so very windy. Hubby actually put his long wool coat on yesterday when he went to work. Oh and a scarf !!

My sister took mom out yesterday for a lunch and then on to Bodmin hospital to get her new hearing aid which seem to be working better. Tomorrow there is a meeting with social workers who still seem to think she can go into a warden controlled flat. Words fail both my sister and myself - mom is almost blind, deaf and cannot walk with sticks anymore she yses her walking frame . it makes my blood boil - sorry do not mean to upset any social workers out there - but the home plus my sister and myself feel so strongly that mom is in the best place being looked after. They seem to think all decisions are down to mom and no one else. Oh well rant over - sorry !!

Hope you all have a good day and take care

Love Mary xx

Just looking in for a few minutes. It is rather cold but we have a clear blue sky at the moment.
I am hoping that it stays dry as I'm going to watch my football team, WBA plat QPR at the Hawthornes this evening.
I am told that the Hawthornes is the highest ground (above sea level) in the English Football League.

Gerald, I hope that you recover soon, what a nasty thing to happen, but at least you now have the "all clear" for AAA.
You are right, our football teams didn't do well at the weekend, please keep your fingers crossed that mine does better tonight.

Bridget, I meant to say that all went well with your Christmas CAKE! Must have missed that word because I've been avoiding calories! (can you see my nose growing?).
I hope that you and OH get your coputers sorted out oon. Strange to think isn't it that twenty years ago we probably didn't have a computer at home. They were just used for work.
How times have changed.

Berona, I know what you mean about the Ancestors, things must have been very difficult for them, a lot different from now. Plus no quick way to contact friends and family "back home" What brave people they must have been. Or were their circumstances at home so bad that it was worth the risk of going all that way into the unknown.

Hazel, I hope that everythig went well at the CAB and someone there was able to accompany you to your appeal.

Will have to go now as I'm off to my exercises this afternoon. I haven't been since before Christmas, so need to get back into the swing.

Keep well everyone.