General Chat

I am sorry everyone - the trees still have all their leaves - and the plums keep falling off the tree up the road onto the pavement and making a mess - the Autumn equinox is on the 21st and England are still playing cricket (in the rain) - it is still Summer.
:-) <3

Bridget - that sounds very hopeful for your step-son. I do hope that it all goes well for him. If not, keep trying. "The squeaky wheel gets the most oil"!

Not so good for your grand-daughter. A most impressionable age, too. I hope things improve rapidly for her.

Good morning everyone.

I hope that the sun is shining wherever you are, if not in the sky then in your hearts.
Gerard, good morning to you, what are you going to be doing today? When we first started this thread we described where each of us lived, what we could see through our windows, the flulike of the sky, the sea/ the street / the neighbours gardens etc, obviously we did not give road names etc but it helped us all, I think, to learn something about each other. For example my first opening was about the beautiful view of the sea and sky, when I was living not far from Hastings, I described the view from the windows of the apartment I was living in which once had been a convent and amazingly I had lived there for six months when a very young age.

Could you and anyone else who has joined us in the last year do the same. Whilst you may as individuals geel that your surroundings are not very interesting to others such as me tit provides a interest about parts of the UK and other countries where I may never be able to visit.

Here in Peniscola itisthe final two weeks of the summer. Therefore each night we have parades iin town, with all sorts of events happening, from Flamingo dancing, to musical parades, singing, opera, Modern and Jazz.
The children are also included with Punch & Judy, games, dressing up costumes, sweets thrown in the air for them to catch.
At the end of the evening there is a fireworks display,so absolutely no chance of going to sleep before about 01.00 hrs.!

Another sunny and very warm morning today. We do not have any plans today so will just wait and see what sort of day we will have.

We did enjoy our lunch yesterday at the Chinese restaurant. It is rather different to those I have been to in the UK. No MSG for a start and any food which has to be cooked is freshly cooked for you, in fact you stand along a vert long cooking area watching each order being prepared. The fresh veg , salads etc are all so nice and crisp, the meat is fresh and you choose which pieces you want and can eat however much you can. Including wine the cost for our four course meal was 18 euros,

Well can hear others rising so time to be the good wife and hostess,I will be back later today.

Only a couple of days know and - - army son and wife will be here, I really am looking forward to seeing them

Bye bye enjoy your day

Bridget

Well I live in the 'beautiful' village of Holloway in North London, literally a stone's throw away from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium (which is like a beautiful spaceship that has landed where the rubbish dump used to be), I live in a small maisonette (and have done for nearly 32 years), with my fairly new young wife - 8 years married.

I can look out of the kitchen window and see the new shed we erected earlier this year and our scruffy garden which our four cats make good use of, plus all the neighbour's cats too.

We live in a cul-de-sac and near the end where we are is the main Kings Cross Line to the North - but unless you are from the wildest countryside it really is peaceful and pleasant.

I am not jealous of Bridget in Spain - I am not really a sun lover - I occasionally go to Somerset for a short break (but it is too quiet for me) - I love my London with all it's noise and pollution - I must be mad!!

Will be back tomorrow - off to do my voluntary work today!

Gerard :-)

Gerard,

I have never for one moment suggested that Spain is better than England, it is simply different and as all my children live in very different places it made no difference where we live to them.
My husband, having been an English man through and through became sorely disheartend in his work, and finally he had two sudden death episodes and was advised to stop work immediatley.
It was then that he fabpncied living in Spain where the eldest son lives and now we see more of the family as they seem to jump on a plane the way we used to jump on buses.

I do know where you live and late last year went to the match with West Ham at the Emirates, WH lost but what a stadium.we then went to the West End and walked all around our haunts as a memory of our youth.

It is good to hear from someone who still loves London and the UK.

Oh the memories of walking around Kings Road, seeing all the stars of the day, occasionally catching a photo!

My closest school friend was Hazel Leacock and her step father owned a club in Soho and her uncle was the chef so we were allowed to sit on the indoor steps and listen to the Jazz music and songs..jazzis still very important to me.

So who knows, we may have passed each other at some time.

Berona, thank you for your kind thoughts about my grandaughter and step son.

Bridget

Hi everyone

I spent yesterday at my voluntary work

My main task was to take sacks of student's cast offs to the textile recycling.

I made three trips (5 sacks) - three bus journeys there and three bus journeys back, plus at least a half mile walk on each occasion. A good job well done - even if I say so myself.

Today I am going to watch a bit of cricket from the KIA Oval in Kennington, London. (I will be in Holloway)

The weather is grey is dismal, but I think the sun is trying to make it through :-)

Good morning everyone, I hope that you all have an enjoyable day.

All is quiet here apart from the birds who are singing away and the very occasional car can be heard from the main road out of town.

It is still festival time here but now the music at night has to finish by 2am,where as in the past it went on all night. Yesterday afternoon OH and his friend went into town and bought the English newspapers, we do not normally bother as we can hear the news on the TV. They were waylaid by a parade of youngsters who were playing Jazz music throughout to the town, with the final Parade going right through the centre...well even in the centre of tow it only takes about an hour to get around Llthe streets.however both men enjoy Jazz so the sat and had a drink and listened to it all.

We enjoyed the party we went to yesterday. The grounds of the house we went to were superb and the food was excellent. It was very p,peasant meeting people we had not met before and one lady gave me her email address,we got along very well and it was a rather strange meeting asshe and her husband have the same names as us!

I managed to achieve just under 200.00 Euros for the collection for the raffle and all the money goes to a Local charity. We left after four hours as the flies were all around us,one of the reasons why we did not buy a house inland.
A few hours after we were home we had a telephone call to say we had one four prizes!! One of these was a bottle of sweet wine in a rather attractive bottle. We won this about 18 months ago and this is the second time we have given it to a raffle and themes have won it back.we do not like sweet wines so will have to put in it back into the next raffle.

Our Yorkshire friends go home today, so OHwill be driving tnem to the airport this afternoon,I shall stay at home and prepare forArmy son and his wife who arrive tomorrow.very excited at the thought of seeing them, because we never know when we will see them both again.

I wonder what you will all be doing today? What ever it is I wish you well.

Gerard, I hope that you enjoyed the cricket, my OH and his friend watched some yesterday when we were all home.

Bridget

Good morning from dreary looking 'Holloway village'

We shall be invaded later by some Welsh people as the spaceship is expecting sixty-thousand visitors later at about three. We are also expecting the remnants of a hurricane over the weekend. Won't park the car under a tree then!
Bridget have you heard from your son and his OH in India yet? The work they are doing is so worthwhile.
I know you are really looking forward to being mummy again whilst your army son and his OH visit, I expect you worry about him so when he is not on leave, I can tell by the tone of your writing!!

I am hoping for a restful weekend with lots of sport on TV, my OH probably glaring at me from across the room.

Back tomorrow :-)

Well goodness gracious me Greentiedmonster, we are related! No wonder I have understood your style!

I will PM you again

Thank you for your comment about my eldest son. The youngest son willshow me how to find the Blog for son number one and then I can let everyone know...just hope I do not poor them!

To everyone else on here I hope you all have a productive day and or a happy day.

Bridget

Good morning to you all.

The sun is still shining bright and the temp is already creeping up.
Last night was the end of the festival, the clothes worn we truly spectacular and one couple were married in the Papa Luna Church.
after the ceremony they walked down to the main roads and followed by quite literally more than a hundred musicians, hundred of family, friends and visitors to Peniscola they walked around town, sweets and flowers were constantly thrown at them and many of the children scrambled on the pavements for the sweets.
It was such a happy hour or so for so many people and the cameras were definitely being used.
We later learnt that the family have lived in the area for more than two hundred years, they also are involved in the music festivals and the various parades throughout the year.
OH has gone to pick up Army son and his wife andi am supposed to be tidying etc but on here instead. I have about an hour beforetney arrive so plenty of time for a quick dust around.

Friends have telephoned to say there journey home went well and on the drive from tjeir airport to home they stopped to have good old Fish and Chips!

I will look in again soon and Greentiedmonster I am still waiting to hear from you about how our trees are connected. Not sure where your family start??

Please please PM me wih the details, you are tne third person whoi have several people in my tree who I have found through my threads!!

Bridget

Morning everyone

All the Welsh people have gone home (sad no doubt as they lost 1-0) and the streets could do with a good clean (as usual) - We have a McDonalds at the top of the main street and their rubbish seems to accumulate in our cul-de-sac.

Bridget - I have seen one of those spectacular weddings - it's like all the residents from two or three villages come to the wedding and bring all the music with them. The Spaniards certainly know how to have a good time.

The OH and I are off to church shortly - the sun is shining - and England are playing cricket at Lord's today.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend! :-)

Good afternoon. I have just deleted my last thread as I had added incorrect info. So Gerard, thank you for opening your tree so that I can find you.

There are a few minor changes that you need to make about some of my family but will send list to you on a PM.
With 20000 people it is difficult for me to see how or which surname connects us.
However I also wonder if you have simply copied but also checked all the info you haveI know I am rather nosy. I

It is a beautiful day here husband is watching Cricket and also dozing off from time to time, son and wife relaxing by the pool and all is well so fare today.

Bridget

Well if your OH was watching cricket he well knew the weather in London.

............... and my OH wanted to know they play when it's dark and raining.

Soon will be off to voluntary work today, but have solved how Bridget and I are related.

It seems there is a Matthew Norris c1803 who has two particular daughters Adeline and Agnes. I am related to Adeline and Bridget to Agnes.

Now all I need to do is see if I have a connection with Berona and her Birchall/Burchall line!!

The sun is shining on one side of the house (the other is starting to look a bit grim) - all the trees are still standing (around here at least) - so a normal September day in sleepy 'Holloway village'

Back again tomorrow :-)

WHERE IS EVERYONE apart from myself and Greentiedmonster???

Please come back and join us, tell us anything boring, normal, fun, annoyed, good news, success etc..

I miss you all.

I can confirm my connection with Greentiedmonster but promise that I am not a monster and as age creeps up I am becoming less bossy!

Bye for now

Bridget :-D

I am back from my rather windy holiday in Devon.
Hotel was ideally placed for bus trips (the bus stop is just outside the hotel) and bus fares are cheap in that part of the country.
I was able to use my bus pass, so all journeys were free.

Walked down the cobbled street in Clovelly, only a few people round so able to take my time and enjoy it.
Also went to Westarrd Ho, another pretty place.
Other people on the coach, in the hotel were very friendly. I was the only one travelling alone, but was made to feel welcome by everyone else.

I am going to be rather busy over the next couple of days. Meeting my sis-in-law in town (Birmingham ) tomrrow, for a lecture about Birmingham. Will also be popping into the Library to a collect a book I requested 9for the GReaders group).

On Wednesday, should to going to Staffordshire to visit cousins who live there, we hope to meet some American cousins who are here on a canal boating holiday.

Have managed to empty on suitcase and do the washing, so can fell relaxed about that.
Have also managed to track down some cousins living in Birmingham, (just today) just made initial contact (not via GR) so keeping my fingers crossed that we can continue to exchange information.


Greentiedmonster, you say that youy like to visit Somerset once in a while. have you got any famly connection with that county?
When I was researching my Welsc forebears, I found that one of them came from East Quantoxhead in Somerset. Have managed to visit once while staying near Watchet for a few days.
Another lovely part of the country.

Back soon,

Tess

Tess - I ordered the two books chosen by the Greaders Group on the evening that we voted. The publisher acknowledged the order and said both were "in stock" and should be here within 7 to 10 days. Two and a half weeks later, one arrived and the other arrived the following day, both with International postage in English currency on them.

I had read a complete book while I waited and still waited a few days without reading matter, as I don't like reading two books at the same time.
It didn't help matters either - to find that one of them has more than 1300 pages in it! Now, I will be working hard to get through both of them before it's time to review them! I can only read for about an hour, then my eyes moisten and I have to give the reading a rest.

I have a bus stop right outside the entrance to the villa complex where I live. I have been here for five years now and have been happy to know about the bus stop for when I stop driving soon. However, my leg-power has deteriorated such that I no longer think I could climb into a bus, and since I can't walk far, I don't think I will be using the service. Just my luck!

Good morning everyone.

Berona, I know no longer buy books from the UK as I found that the delivery cost is such a burden on the cost of the books. Also where we live we have only one chance for special home delivery and then we have to collect it from the Main post office. The parcels or letters are only held for 48 hrs so if we are away or with friends by the time we get home the parcel has been returned!

If we ever go back to the UK to live than the postal system will be very much appreciated !!

Tess, your holiday in Devon sounds delightful. The UK really does have some beautiful countryside. When my First two children were very young we used to take them to Devon for a week on a farm. They loved helping with the cows, and picking flowers, the couple owned the farm were such happy and kind people.

My son and his wife are enjoying their stay and unwinding...son runs three times each day and even runs up to the top of the castle and back again!
Then he does more exercise to cool down!
He tells me that this is just a quick and easy run! Easy ?? I do not think so!

Well the sun has suddenly burst through the cloud and it looks as if we are in fir another hot day

Hi Everyone

Just back from voluntary work - put together a computer and made it work (you know one of those old ones with a tower and a monitor the size of a basketball) - my wife in the meantime was preparing the first floor room (with another volunteer) for a party of 15 tomorrow. This means an early morning start and I shall be helping to serve the food and drink - haven't done that sort of thing for years and years.

Tess - you ask of Somerset - my brother's sister-in-law and her husband live in Crewkerne. My wife and I were married in a mill in the small village of Haselbury Plunknett which is about 2 miles from Crewkerne. We try to visit as often as we can (but not often enough).

Just thought you would like some trivia - Westward Ho! is the only place in the world with an exclamation mark in its name, and you missed it out!!!
:-)

You say you used your free bus pass in Devon! - I have one for London could I use that in Devon too??

Signing off now - have got things to do before I watch Football on the telly later (my team are playing in Germany tonight)

<3 Gerard

Good morning

It is still dark here in Peniscola, and very very quiet. I have just finished my first coffee of the day, always the best, and have read my emails, looked at the online news and decided that it was much more pleasant reading on here!
Tess, you certainly get around! Devon, Birmingham, Staffordshire where next?
We have finally made the decision that within the next two years we shall move back to the UK and most likely to Attleborough or very near by, in Norfolk. By the end of 2 years we shall have lived here for around 10 years.
It is and has been a wonderful place to live and we are not quite sure if we should buy an apartment or not. I think not, OH still deciding. We have made a lot of friends and many have said that we could always stay with them, regardless of whether or not they were here.

Having a great time with Army son and wife, they are relaxing, enjoy cooking and happy being in the garden and swimming. I think that today they are going to the beach for a couple of hours and then wander around town. They will also find out which day next week is the Moors and Christians parade, a truly magnificent event. I have written about this several times on here.

Berona, sorry to hear about your travel arrangements maybe becoming more difficult. There must be a solution, are there any special services nearby where someone could help and advise you.?

I am no longer confident driving in Spain, annoys OH sometimes but deep down he does understand.
However once in the UK not a problem. I am fortunate enough not to have any disabilities in that area,

Gerard. Would you please look at my tree again? I have started to add peoplevas you listed but fear that I have become somewhat muddled, I will send you a PM.
Rather like yourself I do enjoy being involved in the local community and this is another thing I hope to be cable to do once back in the UK.

Well time now to have a look at some of the other boards, before everyone starts to get up, and Jet and Joe want to go for a walk.

Bridget

:-)

Bridget - my main problem about not being able to get around is that I am a very independent person. Luckily, I am happy to be staying at home and only need to have transport when I have a doctor's appointment or I need refills of my permanent medics from the chemist. Daughter is always telling me to get rid of the car and she will take me anywhere I want to go - but she has three children to ferry around to three different schools, sports training sessions and sports events, etc. plus her own shopping and she works two days per week - so I still take myself everywhere. Anything I want installed, fixed, etc., I have sons and a great son in law who help there. Again, I do what I can myself because I'm independent.
I'm just a contrary old biddy. I want to get rid of my car so that I don't have the responsibility of it any more - but then, I find it hard to face the fact that it won't be there if I should feel like going somewhere. Having a license for fifty years has given me the independence of being able to go where I like, when I like and that's a lot to give up.