General Chat

Bit breezy here today, lots of rain yesterday, which we needed. Bit under the weather today but only to be expected, under the circs. Been doing some more family tree, trying to find jobs for people, pity the 1841 census doesn't have that info. Be back tommorrow got some calls to make

Regards

Tress, Val, Berona,and Greenfingers,
Thanks for your entries, happy reading.

We are busy at the moment with the family and visitors. I had a small laugh at my self yesterday, I said to my OH, " Isn't it nice that the children are willing to help so much"? Now given that their ages are from 43 to mid 30s I found that funny!!

We had a very good BB yesterday, these children certainly know how to make a great BBQ. Last night was quiz night and for the first time in ages we came up from Last to third......there were seven teams so we were chuffed.

After the quiz finished and we went to the beach because it was another fireworks night.
The reason for the event is that yesterday was the day to place all you worries, difficulties, etc onto a piece of paper, wrap it tightly and through it into a bonfire........then talk to the spirits and ask them to clear your concerns and worries.........Well anything for a fun time.

We went to the beach fires, then joined the parade, I swear that if the people on the stilts, with their amazing costumes were any higher they would have touched the sky. One of our visitors came with us and she took some great photos, she is a quallified photographer so I am hoping to have some good pics.

We went to one of the best bars in town and sat and watched the world go past as, the grand parents , the parents, children, grandchildren etc all talking at once, all happy and smiling ....a great evening. DIL missed this as R was very tired, over excited and would not sleep. The memory of "the terrible twos" came to mind, I expect most of you will know what I mean.

Relaxing, again today, I am sure that if I relax anymore I might just fade away. Tonight we are going to have the best Fish and Chips in town for our main meal and then have another stroll around town in the mid evening.

Tomorrow son and friend are off to Valencia to watch a the Car Racingof which I know absolutely nothing.

I am making a cake again today for OHs birthday tomorrow. I am in need of a poem or saying to give him as a Birthday card as I cannot find the one I bought in th UK.
So I am now going over to fav poems and sayings for inspiration. Any help will be appreciated.

Look after your selves and have a wonderful day.



:-D :-( ;-)

Sorry I have been silent but so much going on...friends from art came and made a impromptu lunch on Tuesday, then two of my sister in laws came round yesterday, then another friend today...its lovely to be cared about by others. I am so lucky to have so many caring friends. Daughters marriage is getting nnearer I have posted a poem on sayings and poems that I have adapted for her...hope you all like it LOVE YOU ALL

It is the shortest day for us too to-day, sun came up at 7.29 a.m.
Have just baked another batch of rusks, when they are cool will cut them and then put them into a warm oven to dry - this takes about 4-5 hours.

Tess, the sunbirds are truly beautiful. Have just put out some seeds for the others, and the seedlings have been given some water they are growing very nicely, haven't lost any yet, hope the snails don't find them.

Look after yourselves.



Val.

11.30 a.m.

To-day is our shortest day of the year. I believe it is the longest day for you.
Sun up here was at 6.53am and sundown will be at 4.53pm. Of course, that is here in Sydney, and as you said Bridget, this is a big, wide country. It covers three time zones on the world map - and as if that isn't enough to confuse anyone - not all of the states put their clocks forward in the summer! At present, we are all on standard time (varying from state to state according to which time zone is involved).
We don't have twilight. Once the sun goes down, it is dark. When I first visited the UK, it took me a while to get used to twilight.

A quickie, as I have to be up early tomorrow.
Val, I looked up sun birds on the web and found some beautiful pictures. Didn't read about them though. Following your info. I will have another look at the pictures and read the script too.

Yes Iam lucky to lice where I can get info.
It can be a bit hit and miss though. I visit Birmingham Central Library, which is also a referance Library. If you have a readers card look can also request stuff from the archives.

However it is a little like the internet. Not all parishes have details there. Not all towns have their trade directories there. Some things are miss filled. Or detail have been taken from hand written script, so are often mistranscribed or mis spelt.

Jan, I am pleased that you have now had your clips out. Did the nurse give you a little reward for being brave? Or are you hoping that OH will do that.

Sometimes I can find a lot of info. others I have no luck at all. But at least I have the chance of finding something new to me.
You are obviously doing things right if the physio is pleased with you. Well done!!
I good shower and hair wash can be such a treat. Were you then all dressed up hoping to go somewhere?
Hope you and OH enjoy spending the voucher.

Bridget, Roberta and family sound like they had a lovely time. They must be really pleased to be part of your family.
Sounds like you and OH had a good time too.
Have had rain here this evening, lots and lots of it. But have managed to put to rubbish out for collection without getting too wet.

I am off shopping tomorrow on the Ring & Ride Bus. I am so lucky to have this service available to me.

It's 23.28 so good night eveyone.

Tess

We have had a pleasant day so far. Nothing special but simply a relaxing day, meet friends fo coffee in a local coffee venue and sat in the shade but out doors. Watched people strolling along on the streets, looking in the shop windows. Son and family took granddaughter to the beach, wandered along the prom, went to the local market, came home and had lunch, help yourself day here today!!

Friend came to our house to use computer and send messages by fax. he is very good at bring the bottle of gin with Limes and tonics. We keep telling him it isn't necessary, but he says we always help him when necessary, and he simply likes us and comes to our parties etc.

I think we may be babysitting tonight or tomorrow night, but as Roberta is so good once asleep I am sure it will not be a problem.

Val and Jen, I am so delighted to read your very positive threads and that you both have had a good few days.

Must go now to go into the pool.

Will be back later today or tomorrow.

Spain 17.08 hrs
:-D

Lovely and warm here today. My physio came and he is very pleased with my progress, and really put me through my paces ! Then came the District Nurse...so young ! and she took out my clips all 30 of them, and I had a shower and a proper hair wash this morning so a red letter day.!!! We also planted (note the Royal we !!) some runner bean plants we have been given. So we have lots of veg to come ..... Spent a lovely day with OH yesterday, our daughter came to see her step dad and gave him a garden voucher, which he insists he will spend we shall seeeeeeeeeeeee

Another cup of tea awaits

Regards Jan
3.50 Norfolk

Hello,

It is cloudy and cold to-day.

Went down to the Bank to pay for something on behalf of my brother, and arrived at the bank only to find I had left the details at home, talk about a senior moment!

We had the plumber around this morning as thought we have a water leak just outside the meter, he came but said he couldn't find any leak but would return in a while. He hasn't been back yet, it would seem as if the Municipality will have to replace the meter which he thinks is faulty as although the water was turned off the meter still turned.

Nice to hear that Roberta had a lovely birthday party, little ones do have so much fun don't they?

Some things said by children were posted on Facebook and this one made me smile -"Our Father who art a lemon, hello what's your name".

With that I shall say goodbye and take myself to have a cup of tea.



Val.

14.52

Good morning, from sunny Spain.

Yesterday the weather turned out to be lovely and warm with the sun shining. This meant that we could BBQ and enjoy eating alfresco. Robertta enjoyed her birthday party, and her presents. We had a various salads and dressings, steaks, pork and veg skewers, and chicken, jacket and new potatos. Freshly made bread, and garlic bread, Carlos drinks from tea/coffee, soft drinks and wine. For desert we hade ice cream, fresh fruit salad of cheeses. Later we had the birthday cake cut by Roberta with a little help from her mum. Roberta really enjoyed her day and so did we.

Today the sun is shining and promising to be a good day. We shall wonder into town, but I will not go to the Market as these days it is mostly Chinese made clothing, poor quality fruit and veg, etc. Such a shame as when we first came here it was quite a good Market. We will meet two friends at 11.00 hrs for coffee and cake, have a chat, enjoy the sunshine and then come home.
I have decided that we can eat the leftovers today so not much cooking!

Val, the Malachite Sunbirds description gave such a clear picture of them, thank you. How sad that the beach walks you once enjoyed so much are now not available due to the danger as you described. One of the most thought provoking reasons I have read. I assume this is physical danger from other people rather than a natural reason. And I guess that bit is something to do with poverty as you once wrote about on this daily Diary.

I can only wonder if the situation will ever change, for surly politics alone cannot resolve this issue...sounds as if there could be a debate on her, or a new thread???

Well time for mevto be up and around the house, rather than relaxing so will sign off for now and wish you all a very happy day,

Bridget :-)

Goodmorning, actually afternoon!

Gee Tess you are so fortunate to have places to go to for research, research here is very difficult and to get certificates from the early 1900s or earlier is virtually impossible. I applied for a birth certificate 2 years ago for someone born in 1910, I still have not received it. I applied for my father's birth certificate in February - he was born in 1909- I haven't received that either. Our Department of Home Affairs expect to be given all the information one is actually looking for!

The sunbirds here are Malachite Sunbirds, the males are beautiful in breeding season. they are a sort of metallic green with black-green wings, the females are dull brown with dull yellow underparts. Thy feed mainly on nectar, they love the aloes. They have long thin beaks to be able to get the nectar.

We have also had quite a lot of oranges and grapefruit, my husband made some marmelade yesterday. Our lemon tree is still very small and only bore a few lemons this year. Because of the drought watering the fruit trees was a bit of a problem before we had the tanks installled.

Have a lovely birthday BBQ Bridget, and don't feel alone I have also never learnt to swim! The reason I don't want to walk on the beach alone is because it is not safe any more, it is such a pity as the beaches are beautiful.

It is Fathers Day here so at church this morning all the fasthers were each given a lovely handmade bookmark.


Val.

12.44 p.m.

Good morning to you all.
Well goodness me, how pleasing it is to find so many entries for yesterday and one for this morning.

Jan, how pleased you must be to have such an abundance of vegetables, and the peonies seem to be doing so well. Here in my garden all the fruit trees have done very well. The oranges have finished for a while. There was an abundance of them this year, we had oranges in one form or another every day, I made some marmalade, and even dried the skin and will put some of them on the wood fire in the winter, and I also chrstalized some. For cakes etc.
The lemons have been in abundance, the pear tree has had a small but satisfying crop for the first year,. I was disappointed with the cumquats,not sire what I was expecting when I bought the tree, but my goodness they are very sour. I have mentioned this before and someone, I think from Oz, posted saying that the should be quite large and not sour. Have spoken to a few friends and they say that the cumquats here ate small and sour. I shall keep the tree though just in case it improves each year.
The roses are beautiful and the dark red Rose has been flowering in abundance for the first time.
I hope to start sowing some veg soon but not quite sire what veg to do first, it would be helpful if someone could advise...please.
Val, I was sad to read that you did not have anyone to go to the beach with you and that you could not go alone. Is that you would be afraid to be out alone because of personal safety?
You mention "sunbirds" please can you tells a little more about them. We do not have them here in Spain. Are the beautiful colours, do the sing a lot etc?

Tees, you have had a thought provoking visit re your family tree. I envy you being able to go somewhere to search documents. Living in Spain means that I cannot do that and have to rely on other people to do that for me.

Today is my granddaughters second birthday, she was born at 00.12 hrs. Her mum had wanted here to be born the day before,something to do with Karma of certain numbers.
We are looking forward to her enjoying her birthday BBQ, today and to seeing her open her presents. The birthday cake has been made and decorated and hidden away, in case she found it. She is a very socially friendly little girl, who loves dancing, talking to people, and is a delight to have around. She has learnt to swim in just one day!it makes me ashamed that I still cannot swim! Of course we still make sure that she has the arm bands etc on and that an adult is in the pool with her at all times.

It was karaoke night last night...I must be relaxing more because I sang several times with OH and twice with the ladies group...never done this before!! As I am tone deaf I am not going to be a star though.

Berona, thanks for telling us about the area you live in. I still have to remember just what a huge area Australia is. I will look up th area that my family lived and the name of the hospital where one person was a doctor and another a registered nurse.
Welltime for me to make a coffee or maybe a cup of tea. The weather is not looking too good at the moment rather overcast, and chilly so prayers everyone please hoping that the weather improves in time for Roberta's birthday party.

07.42 hrs Spain


:-D

Good morning from Oz. Clear blue sky, sunshine, and a promise of 18c at best, after an overnight temp of 8c. We've had showers for about a week, but nothing like the rain further north, where they just missed being flooded.
Bridget - I'm in a western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The city was started from the harbour and spreads north, south and west. Mine is not the last suburb in the west, and is about 20 miles from the east coast. It is also about another 20 further west to the Blue Mountains, where it snows in winter - so where I am is like a 'trough' and our weather can be totally different from that in either direction.
The weather to-day is as good as we can expect (although not warm enough for me) but we are in our first month of Winter and that is quite warm considering what I have known June to be like in the past.

Have had another busy day.
Managed to get into town to collect my library book. Then went up to the 6th floor to do some family research.
Was there for ages, looking checking info in various books (eg, Probate Records, Trade Directory and Parish baptism and burial records).
Am rather stiff now, because of bending over books for so long.
However, while trying to find Probate details for a member of the R---D family (for someone who had died between Census 1881 and 1891, but can find no death record), I was checking all years 1881-1892, when I found in 1889 Probate for will for another family member who died in 1867!!
A twenty-two year gap.!
Now I am trying to think of ideas for the "missing" years.

Has rained here for a while, but luckily I was on the bus at the time.

Greenfingers, even doing some exercise while sitting down should help. Hope all goes well when the nurse comes. All that fresh food sounds good. I really will have to get a trough to grow some carrots. Hope that the day stayed dry for the fund raiser.

Bridget, enjoy the visit of your son and family. I will give the "new sobject" some considerable thought. Mind you, this doesn't mean that I will come up with anything.

Val, I hadn't heard of sunbirds. Will have to Google to find out about them. Hope that they come for a feed soon.

I am still worried that the dreadful magpies have killed the blue tits. I fell responsible if it happened near my feeder.

I now need to exercise my shoulders to loosen them up.

So bye for now,

Tess

Hello all, it really is a beautiful day to-day, would be lovely for a walk on the beach but unfortunately I have no one to go along with me and am too afraid to go alone.

Greenfingers, I remember when my husband had his knee replacement he also found the exercises painful especially the cycling. Lovely to have your own fruit and veggies they just seem to taste so much nicer - enjoy.

We have quite a lot of honeysuckle and aloes which I had hoped the sunbirds would visit but no such luck yet.

Enjoynthe rest of the day .



Val.

15.23

Hi everyone, following a hip replacement they give you easy exercises, but when your leg is heavy with brusing and tight enough to split like a sausage, even they were painful, so I took the advice of the hospital and am only doing them until it hurts !!!!

We are now eating the fruits of our labours in the veggie line, first courgettes, first strawberries, lettuce and by the looks of it soon to be eating tomatoes. It looks as if we should have a bumper crop of carrots too, grown in a trough. Its been a strange year plant wise the Peonoies have been beautiful the best ever and yet some other plants have struggled. Still we had lots and lots of rain during the night, which should help.

Its our churchs main fund raiser this evening, and my OH is out with the others putting up gazebos to cover the stalls. Showers are forecast for today, but it =should get out later.

Regards

Jan Norfolk 9.20 am

I had just finished a long message for here when the screen disappeared and then immediately returned minus my new writing!! I am cross. So will say I hope you all have a good day and I will be back later today or in the morning.

I am taking the event as a nudge from some one saying " keep your messages short please"

Bye for now

07.10 hrs Spain
:-0

Val, I got my water back on the same morning .. (you must have messed my posting).

I haven't seen the little blue tits around for a couple of weeks.
Trouble is, we have a lot of Magpies around. They are a danger to smaller birds.
Have stayed in again today, mut really stir myself tomorrow and get the bus to town so that I can collect the book that I had requested.

Bridget, I sleep with my bedroom curtains partly open, so that I can see the sky when awake.
Had rather a restless nighrt last night. Pretty sure that I could hear a fox (or two). Have sometimes seen them around late at night. They have a den in a nearby railway embankment.

Good night everyone,
Tess

Good morning everyone, sorry I am rather late but have been busy making siite that everything is in place for son and family from Amsterdam arrive today. OH is on his way to the airport, so I have a few minutes to brouse.

Tess, sorry I did not drop by for a cup but was busy here in Spain, maybe another day we could have cyber afternoon tea!!

Greenfingers, sorry to read about your sore leg. Hopefully the district nurse will be able to make you feel a little more comfortable. What exercises are you supposed to be doing, again if it istoodifficult explain that to the D Nurse and she should be able to advise what to do.exercise really is very important. Instead of doing any for a longish period try one or two minutes very half hr. And slowly you will find that you can do more and more. OH DEAR I am sounding like a nurse again :-)

Val, the weather here is excellent, hot enough to be able to sit outside cool enough to enjoy the experience. However the heat last night was almost stifling. I went onto the verandah at around four am and the moon was magnificent. The moon itself was almost any orange/yellow, completelycircular and around that was a vibrant orange ring. We were unable to see the moon eclipse due to the clouds the night before. But last night almost made up that disappointment.

I do find the sky fascinating, am I the only one who enjoys this?

Have eaten my second piece of fruit for today so now going to prepare lunch for the family when they arrive. Only spaghetti bolognaise, it is easy to prepare and improves when left for a while,

Have a happy and enjoyable day everyone.

We have not had a specific item to write about for quite a while now.. So please send some ideas. My ideas Re the worst / best holiday or " if on
I could......."

Others welcome and if you would indicate which subject we are going to write about we could start again on Monday the 27th.

Take care of yourselves

11.55 hrs Spain :-D :-(

Thank you Spanish Eyes.............but doesn't that cross seem rather big sometimes. Have had two bad days and last night could'nt get comfy, found out why this morning......Bum one huge bruise, I look as if I have been kicked by a mule !!!! Supposed to be doing exercises every day, but hopeless at the present.... still hopefully all the brusing out now...I sincerely hope so. Diistrict Nurse coming to take clips out on Monday..Wooooooooo. Love everybody, we all seem to be having a bad time X