quote:

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Originally posted by Nunc Dimittis:
Happy New Year, one and all!

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quote:

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Originally posted by MSHB:

quote:

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Originally posted by Nunc Dimittis:
Happy New Year, one and all!

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Happy New Year from 1 January 2015.

Hmmm. Why is the time on my post two hours behind?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
It shows the right time here, MSHB, perhaps you need to change your settings in My profile, though in this case, your profile.

Happy New Year!

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Question - what is Sydney 12 hours ahead of? I would locate that somewhere in the deep North Atlantic...
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Yes, that's right, the server is on Atlantis!

Or, alternatively, I have no idea why Ship time is like it is, I'm not even sure that Simon, our revered Captain, knows the answer to that one!
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Hi Everyone. Welcome to the New Year.

Today's forecast maximum temperature means I should be able to get things done, instead of melting into a useless heap

I tend to ignore date and time settings as they seem to be a thing of fantasy and I've never worked out their relationship to Real Life.

Huia
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Happy New Year!

We saw the New Year in dancing away to a band in Thredbo village. Lots of fun.

There have been plenty of things to enjoy about 2014, but there have been many tough things and I'll be glad to see the back of it.

Home on Saturday then 2015 can get underway.

mr curly
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
And a Happy New Year to all, from us also.

A good night last night. Quiet dinner with just Dlet (he had broken up with the latest girlfriend about 3 weeks ago) and he then went out. At 10, we wandered down the hill to some friends, and stayed there until about 1. A sensible time to start a new year's eve party really. People can have dinner at a normal hour then get together for the big event.
 

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Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 
Slightly surreal NY's eve for us, having dinner at my mother's retirement village, which meant the average age was lowered to about 80. Lovely conversations with some wonderful people, pipe band visited about 8pm, and all in bed by 10pm.

The previous few days were spent in blissful isolation in Tuai, near Lake Waikaremoana, just the two of us. About one car an hour goes through the village, so the main noise is hundreds of native birds. We did almost nothing except read and sleep. I don't think we've ever done that before!

Interesting historic area, as the whole area was owned for about 50 years by Electricorp, who built about 50 very nice homes for the workers building the dam (in the 1920s). It was sold back to the nation in the 1970s. If there are 50 people living there now, I'd be amazed, but most of the village is in good repair, and Lake Whakamarino is just beautiful.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Happy New Year. Just up after sleeping right through midnight..

Feasting on enormous cherries and a celebratory bagel.
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Happy New Year. Just up after sleeping right through midnight..

Feasting on enormous cherries and a celebratory bagel.

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Think of us next time you eat a cherry – weather ruined a large part of the cherry harvest here. They were $24 a kilo before Christmas but I think they're down to $16 now.

Happy memories of driving through Central Otago in summer, buying cherries at orchard gates and spitting the stones out the window.

And for all who hang out here – whatever 2014 was like, may 2015 be even better.

GG
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I think these were $12/kilo from supermarket, but they are good. Last year my fruit and veg supplier had very good cherries at reasonable prices. He scored a good deal of publicity in foodie pages. This year he had only boxes for special delivery.

I'm here by myself at the moment and a box would not keep. I did send a box anonymously to DIL as three grandchildren would gobble them up pretty quickly.
 

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Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 
And a Happy New Year to all from the old steel city.

We spent a quiet night in, watching the 9pm and midnight Sydney fireworks on TV and chatting to a mad cap friend via skype who was p...d as a nute (made for an interesting conversation though). Fireworks seemed a bit shorter this year than the last few or maybe I had too much Baileys during the evening!!

Have spent most of the afternoon filling in a myriad of forms (12 very detailed pages)including those for a criminal check, just so I can play the organ at a nursing home for their once a month church service and anyother extra service. No wonder people don't want to volunteer for anything!!
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
May I chip in from over here, having recently come in from taking in the new year with friends, to wish all my Antipodean chums a Happy New Year?


 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Dennis, I agree about fireworks seeming shorter, although I did not watch midnight presentation. Chilly on my balcony. There was another lot at 10:40 this year. Perhaps that would have given same total as usual.

McDs downstairs is busier today than I have seen it for months. Greasy cures for hangovers perhaps.
 

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Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Lothlorien:


McDs downstairs is busier today than I have seen it for months. Greasy cures for hangovers perhaps.

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Not a lot of choice around today, I would think.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
GG you need to move south . Cherries are $12 a kilo here The only thing that prevented me from buying more that I did was the thought of their effect on my digestion.

Arabella - I taught at a school on that road - Frasertown, which is closer to the Wairoa end. One of the blokes from church came from a farm near Tuai (which his brother still runs) and went to Frasertown School as a child. I think the school has probably been closed now.

I did indeed get things done today Am going to celebrate with a glass of wine which will probably put me to sleep.

Night all
 

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Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 
Really, Huia? Was it in the days of country service?

The only thing I know about Frasertown was that my great grandmother went there after her husband drowned (presumed drunk) and subsequently she disappeared from historical view.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Enjoy your wine Huia. I rather fancy a G&T but my son makes better drinks than I do. He gets proportions right first go while mine is never as good as his. He is still at Charlotte Pass. I too could go to sleep. I was planning on watching Military Tattoo on TV but it does not finish till 10:30. I won't last that long. No sons here with me to complain about my nostalgia type TV viewing. I can remember Tattoos at old Sydney Showground with my grandmother. I also scored a very expensive ticket for free when the presentation was shown here some years ago.

Actually it is not the nostalgia I enjoy so much as the pipe bands.

Yes, I enjoyed the cherries while they were still good and fresh but some at lunch as well as breakfast was probably too much.

[ 01. January 2015, 08:16: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I am having a leisurely breakfast before the storm of grandchildren and sons returning from holidays hits again tonight.

There must have been more portaloos set up than last year. Many trucks came out of the city yesterday, but there are many more today going west. The same goes for the large orange or white barricades. Several trucks also carrying the solar operated large signs used for directions.

Must make an effort and take my own garbage downstairs and also sort possibilities for dinner, depending what time the travellers return.
 

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Posted by Dark Knight (# 9415) on :
 
I have nothing cherry related to contribute.
Not even Kirsch. Though that might actually be berries.
Happy New Year, y'all. Hoping for some justice from our Family Courts this year. I will settle for compassion and good sense, but I'm cautious on all three counts.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
DK, I think of you and wonder how things are going. Prompted now by hearings at end of month for #2 son. It's been so long for you.
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Quiet New Year for we two here in the valley. Cheese, crackers and bubbly in front of the tv on NYE, then a day of rest yesterday. Tattoo and New Year's Day concert from Vienna last night. We had an almighty thunderstorm at 3.00am, which didn't make sleeping any easier, so didn't surface again until almost 10.00am this morning. Just about feeling conscious again now.
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Cherry check this morning – $14.95 but that's for a 700g box.

Lots of young birds here – I threw out a crust and watched a cock sparrow feeding two demanding chicks.

GG
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Ginormous cherries from a roadside cart for $12 kilo
Just waiting for the Golden Queens to hit the stores....my favourite peach.

While my mother was in reasonable health on Boxing Day, she has deteriorated quickly within the space of a week. Cannot stand up, and all bones aching terribly. Pain meds means she is sleeping a lot, and her strength is about a third what is was last week. Her heartfelt wish is not to face another winter, to die in her sleep, and for there to be someone sitting with her when she goes. I trust God has this all in hand.

In between daily visits to the nursing home I am paving again. The courtyard now has a pergola over it which has necessitated some re-landscaping. Keeping busy helps, too.
Lord have mercy.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
for BL's mum.
 

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Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
indeed for BL's mum and all the family. We have spent time this Christmas and New Year with some who may not see another Christmas, so it has been good to share the times with them.

Currently sitting on the motel balcony overlooking Crown Street. Haven't made it to Newtown, Loth, but had a great day going over the boats at the Maritime Museum.
 

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Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :
 
Quiet NYE for us, as I had just collected the Marama off a plane from Europe, and she was in no shape for anything except straight to bed!

But in good news, the reason she was enduring a month of the God-forsaken Netherlands winter was to be with our daughter (#2) who duly gave birth to a healthy baby boy [her first-born] on 19 December.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
BL, prayers for your mother that she may have her wish, and may you be with her at her time. I know how hard it will be for you when she does go (over 8 years now since my mother went, and no easier now than then) but if she is at that age and stage, it will be mercy for her.

GG, plenty of young birds here, none interested in someone like me. Little do they know what they are missing....

And Tukai, as with our Lord, new life from the chill of winter - congratulations, best wishes, and prayers for all.
 

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Posted by Dark Knight (# 9415) on :
 
I checked. Kirsch is indeed fermented from whole cherries, including the stone. Sadly, I have none.
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Happy New Year from Darwin - where the Monsoon rains started pouring right on cue at 12.05 am on New Years Day!
 

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Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Well- deserved vacation on tne beach, just out of my parish..... But close enough to go do my bushfire bit, if the worst comes.

Today, so far, the worst day in the current fire season of midsummer. Nothing bad yet. We wait with baited breathe.


Happy hot new year!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Rowen, I see that it is forecast as another Ash Wednesday fire for SA. I remember driving to city and listening to the broadcaster who was also a member of RFS. He was describing to thousands on air what he was seeing as his house burn down in front of him.
for you, Victoria and South Australia.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
for BL and your mum, and for Rowen for safety if the bush-fires happen.

Congratulations, Grandpa Tukai!
 

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Posted by MrsBeaky (# 17663) on :
 
It has been so lovely to join you all here in Pacifica. Christmas and New Year spent on a beautiful beach in the Far North of New Zealand.
On Wednesday we'll start the long journey home to Kenya.
Thanks for having me and Happy New Year to you all!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

ust waiting for the Golden Queens to hit the stores....my favourite peach.

---

Mine too, I love the flavour.

Prayers, BL for you and your Mum. As Gee D says, time does not make things easier. I miss Mum who died just short of ninety, and dad died almost twenty years ago after many scares with pneumonia. May God's grace be upon you.
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Reminding me of going to the market all those years ago and coming home to fill the shelf with jars of golden queens for the winter.
Now I do jellies and marmalades instead, and keep domestic cooking to the simplest minimum – but I've just tested my new S*****ine pan with a batch of ratatouille, and it was pretty good.

for BL and her mother, and for Rowen and any others who may be too close for comfort when the wind blows on the fire.

GG
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
They were showing pictures of the bush-fires near Adelaide on the Weather Channel here today, and it looked v. scary.

Hope you're all safe and well.
 

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Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
We watch the Adelaide news with great empathy... Still ok here, as even tne terrible dry heat and winds dissapate a little.
We know there are weeks still to come, but today at least, we can relax.

Thanks for your well wishes and....
A belated Happy New Year!
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Thanks for the prayers - very much appreciated. Mum is 96, with advanced osteo parosis - had a v.bad night last night but whatever meds she was given made her sleep then bounce back strongly this morning. It's a day by day thing but I am convinced she is getting the monitoring she needs, which is a relief.

Another plus was finding the first golden queens today. Not a lot of flavour yet, but I know they ae going to get better each week until Autumn.

Meanwhile TP is in the kitchen stewing up cherry plums from our garden. He is very happy.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
A very hard time indeed, BL, and our prayers continue. Does your mother want to have a talk with her doctor about reducing her medication to just painkillers and so forth? She may also want to have a chat with her priest and get her passport stamped. All in her own time of course.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Getting aged P on to parish prayer list, check.
Getting priest + home communion to aged P today, check.
Having chat about new care arrangements in place with aged care facility manager today, check.

Gee D, I will keep in mind your suggestion regarding meds other than pain killers, but it will be her call, and her heart is strong according to her doc.

B3 is also in crisis management on the home front - an interesting beginning to a year for us. I suspect by the end of it, the family will be somewhat altered.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thinking of you and your family BL. A friend of mine talks about being the 'sandwich generation' caught between the needs of his children having children and aging parents.

28c again here. I know this is chicken feed for some parts of Australia, but I am not used to it and a nice hailstorm would go down well with me at present. Here in Christchurch we spend winter complaining about "the beasterly easterly" but today it was very welcome. Thank heavens 19c is the forecast maximum for tomorrow.

Georgie-Porgy fat'n'fluffy coped by stretching her length on the new cotton sheets that had fallen off the clothesline. I also put ice in her waterbowl and a couple of frozen slikka pads in the water bucket shared by the neighbourhood cats.

Huia
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
28 is just about perfect for me. Anywhere between 25 and 35 is my comfort zone - although the humidity levels have been quite uncomfortable this week. I did not realise that raised humidity can increase the pain levels in arthritis sufferers - always thought it was cold that made that worse, so maybe this has had something to do with the increased pain levels - especially at night - for my mother.

Twelfth Night, so Happy Christmas to all our orthodox brethren. My sister in Serbia reports that Christmas is very low key with occasional figures of St Nicholas in blue robes appearing in windows. Lanterns and candles, but absolutely no tinsel or flashing lights and Christmas cards are not available because the festival is kept in the same way that all church festivals are kept. It sounds lovely after all the tacky glitz and Santa cultism in the malls here.

My nativity set will be put away today, but I am leaving the fairy lights on the deck up permanently as a reminder that whatever is going on in my family, the Lord of Light shines in the darkness. And Disco Jesus is now on permanent display in my studio!
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Oh dear, Huia – heat and now more big shakes. Thinking of you and our other Christchurch friends.



GG
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
A mag 6.4 earthquake struck Methven in mid Canterbury this morning. There are no reports of damage yet. In my part of Christchurch it was a gentle rolling quake that seemed to go on for ages. With those kind of quakes it's difficult to know when it actually ends, so I watched the water in Georgie's bucket.

Huia
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
6.4?
 

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Posted by Athrawes (# 9594) on :
 
Oh, Huia! Surely they must end soon?! Hoping the damage is minimal and that they stop soon!
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Banner Lady wrote:

quote:

---

I did not realise that raised humidity can increase the pain levels in arthritis sufferers - always thought it was cold that made that worse, so maybe this has had something to do with the increased pain levels - especially at night - for my mother.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Banner Lady:
... Anywhere between 25 and 35 is my comfort zone ...

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25-35 Centigrade???

quote:

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Originally posted by Banner Lady:
I did not realise that raised humidity can increase the pain levels in arthritis sufferers ...

---

A friend of ours who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis says it's much worse when the weather's humid (although very cold weather doesn't do her any favours either).
 

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Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 
Huia,
Thinking of you
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Huia, prayers for you and all others in Christchurch. 6.4 sounds a largish quake to me, certainly one which would be unnerving.

BL, of course your mother should make any decision like that herself if she is capable, and also her wishes should she become incapable of making a decision on her own. Also you should have a conversation with her about Do Not Revive. We (ie relevant family) have done so for my father and Madame's mother. We had also had the conversation with my mother and it was comforting for all of us when the time came to be able to give proper instructions to her doctor and the nursing staff. Madame's father had gone too far down his Alzheimer's path before we really thought of this and I think that made it harder for her and her siblings.

I don't know if you have siblings, but they are an essential part of it. Don't forget a similar discussion with your children about their grandparents before you meet your siblings and then your mother.

Barnabas Aus, we are both arthritis sufferers, and Sydney summers are becoming harder and harder. It's not as bad here at the beach, but home in the weeks up to Christmas was very difficult. Much better west of the divide, even with the greater heat. I thought that up the valley would have been similar. Thoughts for your wife.

There should be several Nobel prizes for those who discover a cure. One would not be enough.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
The humidity lately has affected my (Osteo) arthritis quite badly.

Aches and quite severe pain in many places, I can't straighten fingers stc.

Sleeping is difficult. If I can find what is just right with pillows, covers etc then I sleep a bit. Last night I was awake for over five hours.

Inland dry heat is much better for it. Cudal, Bathurst and similar places. Canberra etc.

I have resorted to a few days of the nasty tablets to calm down the inflammation.

[ 06. January 2015, 01:41: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Darwin is definitely not recommended at this time of the year for those who have difficulties with humidity! 90% at present, temperature about 30 degrees.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Humidity in the mid seventies here over the last week, followed by the thunderheads piling up and what feels like a tropical downpour at the end of some days (warm fat rain, lots of it, but passing quickly). Dry lightning last night, as the rain passed to the south. Certainly not the dry heat of past years.

We are a practical family, Gee D, so Mum has done all the paperwork regarding what she does and does not want regarding revival, paid for her funeral and made TP her executor. She did that both to spare me, and in recognition that as a retired paper pusher, TP would do everything most efficiently. If there is one thing that pleases my mother, it is efficiency. To her credit, she is still streamlining her living arrangements. I spent an hour yesterday removing unwanted paper and bric a brac from her room. The rest of her may be packing it in, but her hands, eyes and brain are fine, and the pointy finger was working overtime....

Yes, piglet, 25-35 centigrade. Like my mother, I don't even get out of long sleeves until it gets to 30! Being able to enjoy the heat is getting more difficult though. I hate going to shopping centres or visiting places with air conditioning as it is invariably turned down to somewhere between 17 and 21. This means I always have a cardigan in my bag, even on scorching days.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Banner Lady:
... turned down to somewhere between 17 and 21 ...

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That's more like it ...
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I agree, Piglet quite comfortable.

Today my middle brother starts the long drive from Miami to New York with two cats in the car He and his partner are moving house again. I worried as he hates driving in snow, although he does have some experience of it from when he last lived in NY,

At the other end of the temperature range, a friend and I are picking up my oldest brother in Picton on Saturday and bringing him back to Christchurch, a 12 hour round trip with 29c the forecast temperature for the day, I hope they're wrong,

Huia

[ 06. January 2015, 19:17: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Best wishes BL. I hope I did not seem to be labouring the points, but things were left too late with Madame's father and he could not take part in the discussions in any meaningful way. While I have no doubt that the right plans were agreed on and put into action a few years down the track, I am sure that he would have liked to be a part of making them.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
They were all good questions to ask Gee D, and it made me grateful that I am not in the dark regarding such matters. My aged P has made it very very clear what her wishes are - including what to be dressed in for the funeral - and this is a great blessing. I hope I am as clear when my time comes. My mother-in-law, on the other hand, simply refuses to talk about any such arrangements, and is offended if anyone broaches the subject of death. But then she is not at peace with either God or herself, so maybe that is to be expected.

Perhaps TP & I should begin writing down all our own wishes, so that our daughters cannot argue over any of the details. When I get some time!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
BL, while I was still in the thick of visits to solicitor post divorce and buying this place, I did all those things. It felt good to know I was making things easier for my sons.

I also drew up identical letters to them with memos of funeral, who needed to know what, bank account details, Ship details and similar. As far as I know, they all filed these away unopened.

Unfortunately a close friend of mine is not well, has no family and does not have anything like this done. His will is old and out of date. His ill health is not helping his brain see that he needs to act now and a group of us is trying to help him. Unfortunately we have only concerns, not authority. He has asked me multiple times if I have done the things we are suggesting to him. He is surprised when I say it was getting on for four years ago.

You have met this friend, BL, in Canberra.
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Mrs BA has both osteo and rheumatoid, with spine severely affected, and she is in much the same situation. If she can find a comfortable position she can sleep, but otherwise is up walking the floor. Some nights it is more comfortable for her to be in a La-Z-Boy recliner, and I will find her there when I wake.
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Sorry for the double post, but the one above got caught up in the maintenance process, and so refers to posts somewhat fyurther upthread.
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas Aus:
Mrs BA has both osteo and rheumatoid, with spine severely affected, and she is in much the same situation. If she can find a comfortable position she can sleep, but otherwise is up walking the floor. Some nights it is more comfortable for her to be in a La-Z-Boy recliner, and I will find her there when I wake.

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quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:

You have met this friend, BL, in Canberra.

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I am so sorry to hear this, Loth. You are a good friend indeed, to keep trying to bring him some focus. There is one resident in my mother's aged care facility who simply refuses to engage with making any such arrangements. Her attitude is that it is someone else's problem to bury her, so she doesn't care a toss about how she leaves her affairs. This makes me even more grateful for my particular P.

Not that I expect I will have to bury her any time soon now - she has rallied with a change in pain medication and yesterday was quite sprightly. It may be a brief respite, but we will soon see.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Thank you, BL . The other friend and his wife whom you also met at the Gallery and another couple all keep an eye on him and keep each other in the loop as to developments. One of my sons is trying to untangle his computer messes and the other two help out too..
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
B1.2 is 9 today. His mother made him his favourite pasta meal and favourite mudcake, which we have all just enjoyed. He decided to dress for dinner and appeared wearing his school tie over a rock t-shirt, and with his usually spiky hair neatly laying flat.

It has been a good evening with much laughter.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Happy birthday to him. It sounds lije a good time was had.

Mine were allowed to choose birthday meal. One chose savoury mince on toast!
 

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Posted by Patdys (# 9397) on :
 
Huia,

I think you were my secret santa.
I will post here as it is a fellow New Zealander if I am wrong.
The little wall hanging sits on the side of my computer monitor, and brings me joy and a little prayer of thanks for its creator daily. Thank you for the smiles and the lightening of my spirit with this thoughtful and beautiful gift.


Patdys
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I think the outdoor area is beginning to retaliate to all the changes made to it over the last few years. The oak trees on our nature strip are in their full green glory, but there is one branch that hangs low over our hedge, just where I have constructed a raised walkway to the letterbox. The branch bobs about wildly in windy weather, and we know to avoid it then. A few days ago TP and I stopped on the walkway to discuss the addition of some edging plants along it. There was hardly a breeze, but just as we agreed on lavender, the branch bobbed down and thwacked me across the side of the head.

"Right," said TP, "I guess we won't be having lavender then"
I rubbed my head and replied "Perhaps instead of the Whomping Willow, we've got the Thwacking Oak." We will both be watching where we stop to talk from now on.

Having paved a large courtyard area and watched how hot it got over the last month, I happened to mention a pergola might be a good idea, as long as it had a removable cover for winter. SIL gave me a portable one to try out, as there is nowhere at their new house for it.

The instructions stated 4 people were needed to put it up.
As everyone has been busy I decided to do it myself early on New Year's Day. I had been congratulating myself over the last few days, thinking that perhaps they should amend the instructions to 4 people or 1 nanna until the rain arrived. One corner of the cover is not as straight as the others, and it fills that quarter of the canopy with water. As it has mostly been raining overnight, pushing a broom head from underneath will empty it quite effectively.

It rained all night last night, so when I got up this morning the canopy was groaning under the weight and I hastened out in my pyjamas to get rid of it before the poles began to bend.
It was so full I could barely push the weight of water upwards. I heaved it so hard the corner of the canopy popped off drenching me with several bucketloads of water.

Please picture BL, at dawn, standing stunned and wet in her pyjamas still holding a broom aloft.

It's like being in a Hary Potter novel around here.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Been there and done that, although with a huge fly over a large tent. At least it's not Canberra mid-winter!
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Banner Lady:
... the branch bobbed down and thwacked me across the side of the head ...

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Could you just lop off the (quite literally) offending branch?
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Piglet, this may not be the only reason not to lop. BL may well like the branch there. However, in many places down here random lopping and chopping is illegal. It requires local council approval.
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Piglet, this may not be the only reason not to lop. BL may well like the branch there. However, in many places down here random lopping and chopping is illegal. It requires local council approval.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
You can lop a branch from a neighbour's tree and put the branch back over the fence, but there are regulations for trees on your own property. Trunk thickness has to be a certain size, but that size means tree is fairly young. We had a large gum tree and applied for permission to lop. Getting permission involved a discussion with an inspector from council, an arborist.

I am not in favour of lopping or cutting down, am a bit of a greenie, but there are times when it is necessary for safety. There have been times also here when permission was refused and the tree later caused harm an dinjury.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
As they are still growing, the branch will get a little higher each year. I'm prepared to wait!

---

The branch won't get higher; trees don't grow that way. The branch will get longer, which may mean that it will hang lower.

Moo
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
The branches are getting longer each year, this is true. But when we arrived 30 years ago the oak trees were the same height as our house. They now tower over it, giving wonderful shade to the corrugated metal roof. The branches from the trunk that we could once touch are now beyond our reach. Mind you, the possum that has moved in has a great time leaping from them on to our roof and back again.

Once a year or so the trees are inspected to see they are not hitting any power lines. I tremble with fear when that happens, because we have seen some dreadful tree butchering in other streets around here and I am hopeful the oaks will not be similarly mutilated. There is a certain symmetry to them that I would hate to see lost. So far so good.
 

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Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
We have the tree vs powerline inspections periodically, too. Over here in NSW we aren't responsible for the cost of pruning/lopping/felling; rather, last time we had trees removed Mum was given a replacement shrub for each tree taken down. These have been planted well away from power lines, of course.

A few years ago we were doing a stretch of harbour shoreline walk, and somewhere between Waverton and Greenwich people had obviously removed a tree from the reserve to improve their view. The local council had responded by hanging a huge banner in the space, highlighting the offence and negating its effect. We were amused!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
This happened near Drummoyne on the river bay walk too. Someone cut down some mangroves which are protected here. A large permanent sign went up , erected by the council. Smack in the middle of the space left by the illegal removal of the mangroves.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I'm really glad that the mangroves are protected, such an important tree/shrub. They are here, too, but in parts of Malaysia they seem to have been decimated.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
We had them at the bottom of the street where I grew up. I found them fascinating. Not so fascinating was the time at low tide when I was down there with dad. I slipped on a large muddy mangrove root and landed partly in mud, partly across muddy bushes.

It was only about a hundred metres home but I was embarrassed to be walking up the hill. Mum was horrified at the state I and my clothes were in. This was well before she had a washing machine, just a gas fired copper to boil things in.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Spot on, Evangeline with your description of what was allowed to happen under the last State Govt. There was a beautiful stand of blue gums on the highway opposite school, which was felled "by mistake". The council is getting tough again on clearing land unless the property is very much in a possible fire zone.
 

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Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :
 
Hallo Shippies. Happy Christmastide and New Year. :-)

I'm going to be staying in Manly in Sydney for a few days and am looking for somewhere to worship on Monday the 19th or Tuesday the 20th of Jan. A eucharist would be preferable but anything will do. The local Manly Anglican doesn't look like it has weekday services nor does it look like anything is on at the Anglican Cathedral in town on Monday or Tuesday.

Any locals have suggestions?

Thanks!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
If you have transport, Evensong, St Johns Anglican, Dee Why, just up the road a bit, has services at varying times most weekdays.

[ 14. January 2015, 02:02: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Another thought would be to catch either the ferry or the bus to Sydney and try St James King Street or Christ Church St Laurence further down towards Central Station.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Or you could catch a bus to St Peter's Cremorne, where you have a mid-morning on Tuesday or early morning Thursday. The sort of Anglicanism you would find throughout the world, very welcoming.

The rector at St John's Dee Why is the only Sydney priest I know of belonging to Forward in Faith and you may feel a bit uncomfortable there. The last time I was there, there was an enormous Roman Missal in a chapel. His wife, a delightful person. is his deacon.

The Cathedral is very evangelical. Rarely does any clergy vest, sermons are long and rather fire and brimstone. You may see a copy or 2 of AAPB lying around, but it is not often used. The local Uniting Church here is rather more formal.

Mid-week services at St James King St are usually held in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Even if you don't go to a service there, it's worth a visit to see a beautiful Georgian church transplanted from a Wiltshire village or somewhere similar, with some outstanding modern glass in the chapel; quite a contrast.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Cremorne is certainly much closer than the city. I quite forgot about them.
 

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Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :
 
Thank you Loth and Gee D. Very helpful!
 

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Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :
 
I have family in Manly and have worshipped at both the local Anglican and Catholic churches. Both are very welcoming and community minded.

The Anglican church (St Matthews, "the church in the corso") takes full advantage of its prominent position on the main pedestrian thoroughfare between the ferry terminal and Manly beach - e.g. on Christmas eve they had a parade of 3 "wise men" on camels going up and down the corso, which certainly pulled crowds in to the three 'Christmas' services they held that afternoon. They are socially quite open by Sydney standards, although they are evangelistic rather than eucharistic, like most of the Sydney diocese. I think you would feel more at home there than in the Anglican cathedral, though the churches mentioned by Gee and L above would be more like Perth Anglican than either.

Likewise the local catholic priest quietly flew under Cardinal Pell's radar and is far more in tune with Pope Francis than Pell in his emphasis and broad-mindedness.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
A friend of mine won a prize for the best Christmas costume at a club picnic this year. A keen cyclist, she turned her bike into a camel with the help of some painted cardboard, made her bike helmet into an impressive jewelled turban, and recycled an Elizabethan style outfit (purple and gold doublet with green hose) into regal riding gear.



The chaplain at my mum's aged care facility is on leave, so TP & I have been leading a morning prayer service there over the last few weeks. We usually do a short bio of whoever is starring in the lectionary calendar for the day. Last week it was George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends. This week, one of the residents took TP aside after the service to show him some of her family papers.

Her father was a doctor; she was a radiologist, trained in London; and her bachelor brother became a psychologist there. Her very C of E family always wondered why he became a Quaker in the 1940's. Only recently (after his death) they discovered that he was gay, and the Society of Friends was the only place he and his long term partner in life and work were able to worship together with no questions asked of them.

I imagine that is not an unusual story, but I have been trying to imagine what this must have been like in the 1940's, particularly during the war. Hard enough to navigate life, staying under the radar in one's family and career; but then add church expectations and the pressure to enlist for one's country - and it becomes an undercover operation that would rival that of any professional intelligence service personnel.

He sounds like an interesting man, and I found it quite fascinating. I learn so much from the over 90 brigade!
 

---

Posted by Patdys (# 9397) on :
 
I learn from my peers too.
obviously not respect though

 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Good on you both BL.

Back home yesterday from a few weeks down the coast. Very peaceful, but real life calls. I have come in to work today to see what's arrived in my absence and to check my diary. No rest in sight here. Madame does not start back formally until Tuesday.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I was about to shower this morning when buzzer from security entrance went. Gas company wanted access to replace the meter for my apartment downstaies. It is reading over three times as much as the meter under sink. Hence bill of over $1400, more than seven times the highest bill I have had here.

I let him in and quickly threw clothes on. I guess he has to check the two meters are synchronised. No one so far. A bit of notice would have been polite.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
You let him in and THEN threw some clothes on?

Maybe there's some truth to all those stories about Metre Men...

 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Maybe Loth's just trying to get that massive bill reduced ...
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
This talk of metre men is making me feel inadequate.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
This talk of metre men is making me feel inadequate.

---

I was talking about Loth's electricity bill; I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Gee D.

 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
You let him in and THEN threw some clothes on?

Maybe there's some truth to all those stories about Metre Men...

---

Two doors, here, BL. I let him in the security door so he could go into room with meters etc, wiring and so on. Then there is my front door. up a couple of floors. As it turned out, he buzzed again about an hour later. My guess is that he went to McDs for morning tea.He hasn't been upstairs at all.

Never mind Gee D. Some have it, some don"t.
 

---

Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
I was about to shower this morning when buzzer from security entrance went. Gas company wanted access to replace the meter for my apartment downstaies. It is reading over three times as much as the meter under sink. Hence bill of over $1400, more than seven times the highest bill I have had here.

I let him in and quickly threw clothes on. I guess he has to check the two meters are synchronised. No one so far. A bit of notice would have been polite.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
You let him in and THEN threw some clothes on?

Maybe there's some truth to all those stories about Metre Men...

---

I did a similar job with the Gas Co for 8 years. On one occasion had a woman come to the door in just a towel and insist most provocatively I come in to check her meter. Another occason, same block of housing flats, I interupted a couple watching porn!! In this instance I had to gain access to ensure the gas was indeed on. They didn't try to hide what they were doing!!
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
When the plumbers came to work on my bathroom they arrived 5 minutes early - we were all lucky it wasn't 10 minutes.

Fortunately I have finished with tradespeople for a while (barring emergencies). The electricians rewired the house, put in a new meter (the old board contained asbestos) and replaced the dodgy wiring. Apparently some wiring from the 1950s was coated with rubber which was beginning to perish. I had suspected this, and am glad I had it done, despite the cost. A fire on top of the quakes would be horrendous.

I am not enjoying this summer so far. I've never had hay fever before and combined with the anti-biotics my doctor prescribed for an infected insect bite, I am feeling miserable and sorry for myself. Fortunately a couple from church have organised 4 day a trip to the West Coast starting on Waitangi Day

There are industrial grade sandflies over there so I am taking all appropriate measures - more antibiotics would not be welcome.

Huia

[ 24. January 2015, 06:09: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Here the electric meters are all placed on an outside wall so they can be read without needing access. Cooking gas is still in cylinders as yet so no need for metering, just wondering when it will be delivered - it's a shame as one of the gas delivery men is quite cute...
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Here the electric meters are all placed on an outside wall so they can be read without needing access. Cooking gas is still in cylinders as yet so no need for metering, just wondering when it will be delivered - it's a shame as one of the gas delivery men is quite cute...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Does that mean that you have to be home so that the internal meters can be read?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
I don't know for sure. Dennis the Menace can probably explain much better than I can.. I do know the two should tallly fairly well.

---

The gas meter under the sink is usually the more acurate one as the one d/s is remotely operated (not sure how) and is subject to inaccuracy.

Having said that, now in reading Loth's latest post,it sounds like the one under the sink could be a 'hot water meter', measuring the amount of hot water used by each customer from a central tank. The amount of hot water used is in conjunction with the amount of gas used by the central HWS. The meter is small, about 3ins or so in dia, could be orange in colour, access to read that is necessary otherwise they guesstimate and they always err in their favour! In security buildings they don't always try to contact customer, I didn't when disconnecting for debt, did the job and buggered off. Contacting the customer under those circumstances was not a good idea!!
 

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Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
I definitely don't have internal meters. My house was completely rewired and replumbed before I moved in, and all the meters are outside.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
TP, being that way inclined, reads our meters regularly and keeps his own records of gas, water, electricity and petrol consumption. He seems to find all this fascinating. But it does pay dividends when something is wrong because we know quite quickly.

Although I could have told him to expect a spike in water usage now we have a teenager living with us again!

A friend who bought houses for each of her children and rented them out until they were old enough to inhabit them has just had a nasty shock. She put tennants into a brand new house a few years ago, and they decided to use one of the bedrooms as a study. The bedroom shared a wall with the main bathroom, and this was where they put their bookshelves.

When they moved out, they discovered the back of the bookshelves and the bathroom wall were covered in mould. There had been a well hidden slow internal leak from the bathroom pipes, and the only way to fix it was for my friend to demolish the wall, rebuild it and install a mostly new bathroom.

Ouch.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Happy Australia day peeps!
 

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Posted by Patdys (# 9397) on :
 
Oi, Oi, Oi.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Is it Australia Day? Here we celebrate Republic Day - the day India threw off the shackles of colonialism.

Good news about Prince Philip, eh?

Happy Australia Day!! to all my good friends there!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
Is it Australia Day? Here we celebrate Republic Day - the day India threw off the shackles of colonialism.

Good news about Prince Philip, eh?

Happy Australia Day!! to all my good friends there!

---

Very good news indeed about HRH, and boundless thanks to our beloved PM for introducing a note of comedy to our national day.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Indeed, Gee D. Along with many others. I wondered if the year had fast forwarded to April 1.

Such sarcasm, Uncle Pete. I will say we are trying hard to do this but you see the actions of the government, one wonders just how much longer.

[ 26. January 2015, 05:50: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
One cartoon has Philip being knighted. The caption says, "Arise Sir Prince Philip."
 

---

Posted by David (# 3) on :
 
Woke up to the news that the entire country had been trolled by its prime minister. Again.

I suspect a brain injury.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
It really is beyond parody isn't it?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I wonder if he has one? Apologies to other Rhodes Scholars.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
On a positive note, I'm glad Rosemary Batty is Australian of the Year, bringing family violence into the spotlight and changing the way we (don't) talk about it is long overdue.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 


Nope. Not a clue. Maybe I should stand for PM. I seem to have the criteria covered there.

Much sound of merriment from down the end of our street for some hours today. TP went to get milk from our local shop and went that way. He came back reporting that in one of the cul-de-sacs, a group of young men wearing sailor hats had emptied a trailer load of sand to create their own private beach. They were busy playing beach cricket, and every time a local wandered past they all stopped to salute. TP duly saluted back and came back to report it's nice to know good clean fun still exists in Oz in the 21st century.

Happy Straya Day maties. And if you haven't seen the video clip called Straya yet, please check it out. I'm impressed that the maker did it for joy and not for money. It's a ripper, but I can't seem to do the link for some reason.

As I said, not a clue...
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Happy Australia Day (I realise by now I may be a bit late).

I can't quite get my head around the knighthood for Prince Philip - part of me thinks, fair enough, your PM wants to recognise him with an honour and that's the way he thinks it should be done. Another part of me thinks, as Loth's cartoon caption seemed to infer, that a knighthood is a bit of a comedown if you're already a Prince and a Duke.


 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Back to work properly for both of us today, for another year - and what a day to go back. Quite cool and pouring rain as I made my way up to the station this morning, and still going when I was coming back home. Not really January - but then the weather over the break was great.

The knighthood for PP is best looked at as low comedy, but I do wonder a bit what HM thinks of it.
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
I don't know which Australians have or have not got knighthoods but I'm sure there must be a couple of hundred more worthy than Prince Philip.

Now that he has the award, a lot of people won't want one.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I know that all we ever seem to hear about Phil the Greek is his well-publicised gaffes, but ISTM that there must be more to him than that (still working at ninety-something, never-takes-the-limelight etc.). You get the impression that the Queen regards him as a very good egg, without whom her reign would have been much harder, and much less successful.

That's good enough for me - just my 2p.
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
It's off to school today. Biggest (Yr 11) has an introductory couple of hours only at his new school, but will be giving his boater a try out and meeting the Cricket Master. Middle (Yr 10) is doing Peer Support, so he gets to go, while Little Miss has her first day at high school.

Let routine return to the house, and PS3 and unlimited use of mobile devices depart for the term.

mr curly.
 

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Posted by Emendator Liturgia (# 17245) on :
 
BOOK LAUNCH INVITATION

Good morning all: I know this is late getting out, but hopefully some in Sydney are interested and available. The media launch for 'Frock Off' will be this Friday at 2pm at the Union Club in the CBD.

'Frock Off' is the story of how one Anglican priest found himself running foul of the Diocese of Newcastle and which ended up with him being defrocked. It is a account of abuse of power and lack of due process, of how the pursuit of justice can be costly.

For more information and contact details please see here

(mended link - Piglet, AS host)

[ 28. January 2015, 02:44: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:
It's off to school today. Biggest (Yr 11) has an introductory couple of hours only at his new school, but will be giving his boater a try out and meeting the Cricket Master. Middle (Yr 10) is doing Peer Support, so he gets to go, while Little Miss has her first day at high school.

Let routine return to the house, and PS3 and unlimited use of mobile devices depart for the term.

mr curly.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jengie jon:
This link should work.

Jengie

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
I'm not sure how either would go on panama. It's much softer than a boater's straw.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
So B1.1 & B1.2 headed off to their schools for the first day yesterday. Half an hour later B1.1 was back, sheepishly informing TP & I that his year didn't have to start until today.

Take 2, this morning....

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by bib:
Teacher daughter started Monday, her high school child starts Wednesday and the primary schoolers start Thursday. I'm helping with child care for the grandchildren until they are at school. However, the 2 year old is in paid child care. All very confusing!

---

I had a week before Christmas of child minding. Son had booked holidays including those days. However, there was a crisis at work, so he had to go to work. His holidays were re-arranged so he had that week at the other end.

Master 10 basically looked after himself but I was the adult presence. I spent the week sitting gazing through the trees at Brisbane Water.

[ 03. February 2015, 06:48: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Been in the Solomon Islands for two weeks, come home (complete with infection and mild fever of course) and find out that you lot have let the entire country descend into farce!! Up here in the NT we seem to have two chief ministers (or none?), Queensland has lost its government, and Canberra has lost its mind.

When Aussie politics gets bizarre, it does it in spades.
 

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Posted by rexory (# 4708) on :
 
Relatively quiet here in WA!

 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by DangerousDeacon:
Been in the Solomon Islands for two weeks, come home (complete with infection and mild fever of course) and find out that you lot have let the entire country descend into farce!! Up here in the NT we seem to have two chief ministers (or none?), Queensland has lost its government, and Canberra has lost its mind.

When Aussie politics gets bizarre, it does it in spades.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by DangerousDeacon:
... Frying the brains of our leaders ...

---

Doesn't that imply that they've got brains?

As the inimitable W. S. Gilbert put it:

quote:

---

When in that house MPs divide,
If they've a brain and cerebellum, too
They've got to leave that brain outside,
And vote just as their leaders tell 'em to.

---

 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
We live in a tourist cruise ship town. Yesterday Kuruman rang me. XXX and YYY, the former my closest and dearest colleague from my theological and Potty Training days, whose husband YYY knew Kuruman from his curacy days (in a very different part of the country). Though I have seen YYY a few times (he is a priest assistant at a Well Known Melbourne Church) I haven't seen YYY for a couple of decades. They had wandered into my kirk, seen my name on the board, wondered if it was ... and had just an hour before re-embarkation.

It is surely an eschatological foretaste, the way in which such friendships resume where last they pulsed?

(in a purely sororical sense)

[ 04. February 2015, 16:59: Message edited by: Zappa ]
 

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Posted by David (# 3) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by David:
Awesome work, Queenslanders.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tukai:
DD- I would not call Solomon Islands a model of political stability either!

The more so when I see that the many-times disgraced Sogavare is back as PM. (or was he toppled while I wasn't watching?)

---

Absolutely agree - I suppose I just expect better in Australia. The Solomon Islands has tried to move to democracy in just one generation - we have been working on it for several centuries.

Anyway, it makes for a fascinating spectator sport in both countries
 

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Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 
I like it, Zappa.
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Each day is easier as the routine settles in.

Biggest seems to be doing homework every night, made his debut in the Second XI on the weekend, and will be having his first outing playing piano with the Senior Stage Band at a parent do on Friday night.

Middle is easing into school work, but is now in three bands including playing bass in his senior stage band. Much cricket is being played, including making his debut in senior cricket, taking Biggest's spot in 6ths.

Little Miss is adjusting to high school and has made it into the intermediate bands at her first attempt. Netball grading is well underway.

We are exhausted but quite proud.

Church is a shambles, BTW. Trying to ignore.

mr curly
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
This morning my brother fished a funnel web out of his pool and took it for collection to local hospital. Then this evening i read this in SMH. Our damp summer has encouraged them to be out and about.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My brother said these stories surface regularly. Perhaps so, but it pays to be careful in those areas here where they are.
 

---

Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
I am on "pool patrol" for funnel webs every morning at the moment.

mr curly
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:
I am on "pool patrol" for funnel webs every morning at the moment.

mr curly

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
I never realised funnel web spiders liked to have an early morning dip in the pool. You'd think that the smell of pool chemicals would deter them a bit.

---

They loove pools, we used to get them in the bottom of the pool at my parents' place(bushy area frequented by spiders) all the time. You have to be very careful getting them out-they can come back to life and bite you despite appearing to be quite dead. You shouldn't leave pool toys lying around and/or in the water overnight as funnel webs also like to be on them and can bite you by surprise.
 

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Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
When I first moved to Sydney, the bloke selling me my first car told me about how he and his family had seen a funnel web marching across the kitchen floor. His father had the presence of mind to spray it liberally with oven cleaner (having no Mortein to hand). It marched merrily onwards.

So the fact that pool chemicals don't worry them doesn't unduly surprise me.
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
As we Australians love to tell our English and American friends - all our wildlife is deadly. On land (spiders and snakes and boxing kangaroos), in the water (blue ring octopus, sharks, crocodiles), and in the air (swooping magpies). Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!
 

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Posted by rexory (# 4708) on :
 
DD, you forgot the ubiquitous drop bears!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 


I had to Google them, and was quite distressed. Aren't koalas supposed to be cute?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by DangerousDeacon:
As we Australians love to tell our English and American friends - all our wildlife is deadly. On land (spiders and snakes and boxing kangaroos), in the water (blue ring octopus, sharks, crocodiles), and in the air (swooping magpies). Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by David:

quote:

---

Originally posted by David:
Awesome work, Queenslanders.

---

Except for the bit where you nearly elected Pauline Hanson. That wasn't very impressive.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:

quote:

---

Originally posted by DangerousDeacon:
As we Australians love to tell our English and American friends - all our wildlife is deadly. On land (spiders and snakes and boxing kangaroos), in the water (blue ring octopus, sharks, crocodiles), and in the air (swooping magpies). Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!

---

You forgot drop bears, bunyips and yowies!

Sorry, Rexory. I should have read to end of thread before posting.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by rexory:
Saddened by the death of Bishop Barbara Darling this morning in Melbourne. Barb taught us Church History at Ridley.

---

That is sad news.
 

---

Posted by Emendator Liturgia (# 17245) on :
 
May she rest in peace and rise in glory!
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
According to the Dean of Melbourne, her funeral will be on 22 February at 5.00 pm at the Cathedral. May +Barbara rest in peace and rise in glory.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Indeed, may +Barbara rest in peace and rise in glory.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
As ever, our lovely Anglicans hosted a great Shrove Tuesday pancake lunch... Fabulous food, delightful conversation....

In small towns, everyone goes to everything, and admires profusely.

I feel most shroven. And ecumenically blessed.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
For us it's a community event in the park – lots of pancakes, clowns, music, bouncy castle, picnic teas, getting together with friends from the other church or none. A late afternoon party in warm sunshine.
Lovely! (Now I have to get someone to write the story for the parish magazine).

GG
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Over here, the words "Shrove Tuesday", "picnic" and "warm sunshine" aren't likely to be heard in the same sentence ...

Glad you all had a good one.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Here are the proper rituals for Shrove Tuesday (courtesy of Anglicans Online). You will always feel properly shriven if you follow these. This morning looks a day for celebration of Christmas or Easter, rather than Ash Wednesday - clear and cool as I walked to the station this morning, then the bright sun walking up Martin Place.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Here are the proper rituals for Shrove Tuesday (courtesy of Anglicans Online). You will always feel properly shriven if you follow these. This morning looks a day for celebration of Christmas or Easter, rather than Ash Wednesday - clear and cool as I walked to the station this morning, then the bright sun walking up Martin Place.

---

Thank you for this. I was reminded of the saying that one learns someting new everyday.😋
 

---

Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
Thank you, Gee D. I'd lost my bookmark of that page a couple of years ago and haven't been able to share it since.

I had no pancakes yesterday. I'm in Adelaide for work, but I did this evening manage a visit to St Mary Magdalene's on Moore Street. Just what I've grown used to now I'm at All Trains, although I've never seen Palm crosses burned in the service before.

A holy Lent to all.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Miss M is at Westmead Children's hospital today for a rescheduled bone marrow biopsy done under general anaesthetic for children. It was due two weeks ago, but her place was taken by a child admitted as an emergency, just as she had been thirteen months ago.

There is no reason to suspect anything wrong and doctors are very pleased with her progress, but it is always a bit of a worry till results come through.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Please give her a hug from me and tell her that Uncle Pete still prays.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Thank you Uncle Pete. I passed your message on to son who is at hospital. He sends thanks and says he will give her a hug from you. He is still very grateful for support from here and another craft forum to which I belong.
 

---

Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
Did everyone go to church yesterday for Ash Wednesday? We had a full choir for the evening service, but the attendance by the congregation was very disappointing - I counted only 15! The service was very meaningful, but I was sad that so many regulars from church didn't front.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Was in Canberra for a meeting so attended 7.30am at All Trains, a simple, reflective said Eucharist. Vulpior, is the small terrier who joined us a regular?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
and hugs for Miss M. from over here too, Loth.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
We hope your granddaughter's biopsy went well. It sounds a horrible procedure, especially for one so young.
 

---

Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas Aus:
Was in Canberra for a meeting so attended 7.30am at All Trains, a simple, reflective said Eucharist. Vulpior, is the small terrier who joined us a regular?

---

Yes, we have a regular dog. In the choir loft when the choir is singing
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Surely any dog at All Trains would be a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel......
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
We hope your granddaughter's biopsy went well. It sounds a horrible procedure, especially for one so young.

---

Thank you, all seems well. Children get the benefit of a general anaesthetic, adults may not. She has had then regularly, possibly between 12-15 in the last year.
 

---

Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
Prayers for any shipmates caught in today's horrific cyclones.
I note that commentators are calling one cyclone "Marsha" whereas I thought you pronounce Marcia as "Mar-see-a". Whatever its name, I'm sure it has all been very frightening and pray that there have been no fatalities.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I have known several Marcias over the years. All were known as Mar-c-i-a.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Yesterday I fronted up for a couple of potentially serious medical checks. I took some tranquillizers first and arranged a massage afterwards as a comforting experience.

One test later I was told the situation had resolved itself and all was well - whew! I still had the massage though and it was blissful.

I hope Miss M's tests go as well
 

---

Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
I have known several Marcias over the years. All were known as Mar-c-i-a.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by bib:
Prayers for any shipmates caught in today's horrific cyclones.
I note that commentators are calling one cyclone "Marsha" whereas I thought you pronounce Marcia as "Mar-see-a". Whatever its name, I'm sure it has all been very frightening and pray that there have been no fatalities.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis the Menace:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
I have known several Marcias over the years. All were known as Mar-c-i-a.

---

Also why is the media pronouncing Lam as Larm?

---

We are being told it is a Vietnamese name, to rhyme with Vietnam (which can be pronounced Vee-et-nahm).

Fortunately no reported casualties in NT, and for Darwin just rain.
 

---

Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 
Remembering everyone affected by the Canterbury earthquakes today.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I'm going to float some flowers down the river.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
for all affected by the typhoon/cyclone (I'm not sure which is which, but the pictures on the Weather Channel here looked pretty scary).

Hope you're all safe and well.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Evangeline:
The Brady Bunch generation onwards says Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.

---

I'm glad you posted that, Evangeline - we've been getting an advert here for Snicker bars which has that line in it and being British I didn't know what it was a take-off of. Now I do - thank you!

[ 22. February 2015, 02:15: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
A happy birthday to Banner Lady.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Happy birthday from over here too, BL!
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
...and from this little tropical paradise.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
And belated ones from me!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
And even more belated from us as well.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
BL these late wishes are making your birthday
s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Hope it was fun.

Now I want to address a really serious issue between Australia and New Zealand; vicious spiders and dangerous insects - can you please keep them at home. During my childhood the only dangerous spider was the katipo (endemic to NZ and not very common). Now we have red backs and whitetails as well as a fruitfly that has parts of Auckland a no-go area for fruit and vegetables.

Currently my sister in law is in hospital due to a spider bite that caused bad swelling. She seems to be recovering thanks to the 3rd lot of medication, but it has been a painful time for her and worrying for the family as she is far from home.

Insects and spiders are bad enough, I'm just relieved none of those salt water crocs have made it over here - yet.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
Thinking of your sister, Huia.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
And for BL – belated birthday wishes. May it be a birthday month, or a birthday season – why just one day?

Recently I began seeing bright torchlight moving round on the house next door, late in the evening. It turned out that my neighbour had spotted very large spiders on the walls, and he was going out before bed time to find them; not sure whether he sprayed them, swatted them or knocked them down and jumped on them. I bet there are much bigger and more poisonous ones across the Ditch.

GG
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
GG - I've been told that whitetails eat Daddy Long Legs, so if you have a lot of DLL you are unlikely to have whitetails. I'm hoping that's true as whitetails breed well in Christchurch and I have an abundance of DLL.

I used to be quite benign towards spiders, picking them up carefully and escorting them outside, but I am now more wary.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Double posting to say if L's improvement continues she may be discharged tomorrow

And she has nothing but praise for the rural hospital she's in - take a bow Hawera!
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:

I used to be quite benign towards spiders, picking them up carefully and escorting them outside, but I am now more wary.

Huia

---

If the spider that I took outside yesterday was the same one that I took out a few days ago, then I wondered if he was an Indoor Spider. Quite a small, inoffensive fellow. As for the DLLs, they don't seem to be making webs up in the corners of the ceilings, but in floor-level corners, and they're mostly tiny. Maybe they migrate upwards as they mature...

GG
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
A friend was bitten by what the doctor concluded was a white-tailed spider, caught up in sheets dried outside under a tree. His suggestion was that even if bone dry, 10 minutes in the tumble dryer would kill any wildlife there. The bite was extremely painful and it was 6 months or more before she was over it. Symptoms, such as reddening of her face and neck, would recur at irregular but increasing intervals. Finally they all ceased.

The bite from a white-tailed spider does not lead to skin and flesh necrosis - some good news.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Phew - it HAS been a big birthday week, with not much time for dawdling on-line - thank you for all the lovely good wishes.

Sunday saw me at a river baptism for three that happily turned into a baptism for six as some of the onlookers answered the invitation given by the enthusiastic pastor. I took some worship flags along and the wind of the Spirit certainly took hold of it all.

Monday started out on a fun note with TP doing a very cheeky rendition of "Happy Birthday Madame President" in light of the fact I have just been re-elected as chair of an inter-denominational prison ministry group for the Monaro region.

My response was "Thank you, I think!" There are many interesting doors opening before us, and the calendar is looking alarmingly full already. I have eaten much chocolate, had several yummy birthday meals, and had my first experience in a "perception cell" thanks to some free tickets to the James Turrell exhibition at the Australian National Gallery. I perceived that it was a lot like being put into a morgue drawer, slid into a metal cabinet then surrounded by an ethereal light show - hmmm - I wonder where he got that idea from?

More stoles being made, with two friends due for deaconing at the big house on Saturday, so I am hard at work in my studio. Official opening, I have decided will be Lady Day.
Seems somehow appropriate.


 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Nephew rang - L is being discharged today. I'm leaving it for a couple of days before I contact her, to give her space to settle back home - J will ring with any urgent news.

Given that I had just had a health scare based on what I think was a sandfly bite the smaller entities of amongst the animal kingdom have wielded a disproportionate effect on my peace of mind this year.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
I believe that in addition to the Not A Shipmeet™ that I had with FD and C last week (oh and kuruman) I have a minimini shipmeet today, too ...
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
What constitutes a minimini shipmeet?
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
What constitutes a minimini shipmeet?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
What constitutes a minimini shipmeet?

---

When 2 or three are gathered in my name, yea, there am I, also,

---

Depends if they're gathered in Uncle Pete's name. He might be there. Or he might not. In fact, he might be more present in warmer climes, currently.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
What constitutes a minimini shipmeet?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
What constitutes a minimini shipmeet?

---

Is it when everybody arrives in two small cars?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Latchkey Kid:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
What constitutes a minimini shipmeet?

---

Is it when everybody arrives in two small cars?

---

It is when the shipmeet is arranged through a planked shipmate.

---

 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Gosh I miss FD.

Anyhow, got to the Anglican big house for the ordination, and TP & I were promptly given a job to do, taking up the elements for communion. TP was highly amused, and wondered if anyone knew he was a Catholic. I suggested he look upon it as his ecumenical community service for the week.

Today my youngest grand daughter was christened in a Catholic church and we bequeathed her and her parents the huge 205yr old beautifully engraved Cornish family bible, which came down from her strictly Methodist forbears. I am sure certain graves rumbled on the other side of the world, but it went to the only one of my offspring who actually appreciates it. Although her sister did confess to me last week that when they were little, they used to get it out, put slices of fresh bread inside it and sit on it to make communion wafers for themselves.


So I guess it was right to give it to her as it has her bum prints all over it...

[ 01. March 2015, 09:59: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Yes, I miss FD as well and even more do I miss Multipara. I am fairly sure that we know her IRL, not seeing her much these days, but quite a bit 35 - 40 years ago. I have a fairly good idea how she'd deal with some of those posting here - they would not get up until after Christmas next year.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Cranmer's Baggage is missing on the luggage carousel too.

I suppose when matters of faith get just a bit too demanding IRL it is a luxury of time to post on the ship. But if you haven't had a promenade on this deck for a while just remember we remember you!
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Latchkey Kid:
It is when the shipmeet is arranged through a planked shipmate.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
FD is very touched!

No I didn't say that. Poor chap can't defend himself after all. Mwahahah.

---

 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My son went back to his former home last weekend to collect things. A very unpleasant, spiteful time.

I remembered when I did this some years ago. I still remember with much gratitude how FD and Rexory rang me from Brisbane. They both talked to me for quite a while and then prayed with me.

It was a big surprise and gave me confidence for the day.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
I agree Loth. Certainly if I were living in Oz, I would be very pleased to know that both of those guys were in my corner (and when I was visiting, I knew that they were!)
 

---

Posted by Athrawes (# 9594) on :
 
Even if one of them abandoned you half way up the range??
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Athrawes I thought of you a month ago as I was travelling through Arthurs Pass and saw some kea.

I came home to find a slip of paper in my letterbox to say some of the drain covers in the street are being repaired - which I would be quite happy about - if it wasn't happening between 6pm an 6am tonight and Sunday

In addition kerbing and channelling and some patching* over the worst breaks in the road surface will be fixed over the next 4 weeks.

Earthquakes - the gifts that keeps giving.

* It's only patching because my little crescent is not a major road. The Council is too broke to fix all the streets that need it because some overpaid clown failed to insure the infrastructure sufficiently. for which his punishment was a handsome golden handshake following months of "Garden leave".

Huia
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Do you have this same problem in Oz – overseas tourists renting cars then driving way over the speed limit, crossing double yellow lines, overtaking on blind corners, driving through stop signs, and killing people in head-on crashes because they forgot to drive on the left? Numerous deaths on tourist routes down south. Several times members of the public have stopped a car and taken the driver's keys – not a good step really. One young Chinese woman had only recently got her license, had hardly driven since she got it, and at home was still restricted to driving under 40 kph.
All sorts of suggestions: one rental car company shows people a video before they take their car... Other worries are that they can get off a long jet flight and get straight into a campervan and drive off.
Aussie solutions?

GG
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Athrawes:
Even if one of them abandoned you half way up the range??

---

Dear lady, how could I ever forget that? I didn't even know there were that many road trains in the country. Of course, I will always remember my lovely rescuer.
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
Do you have this same problem in Oz – overseas tourists renting cars then driving way over the speed limit, crossing double yellow lines, ...
Aussie solutions?

GG

---

We have crocodiles. They cheerfully eat 'em up.
 

---

Posted by Athrawes (# 9594) on :
 
And the menagerie

GG, We also have snakes and spiders, who take care of any the crocks leave behind.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
When Top Gear did one of their car/boat races in an ordinary hire-car in New Zealand, the car had a sign on the steering-wheel saying KEEP LEFT in big letters, with an appropriately-pointing arrow.

I remember D. talking about someone (I think it was a composer) who was killed in a car accident after driving off the ferry from England to France and forgetting to drive on the right.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
When Top Gear did one of their car/boat races in an ordinary hire-car in New Zealand, the car had a sign on the steering-wheel saying KEEP LEFT in big letters, with an appropriately-pointing arrow.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Athrawes:
And the menagerie

GG, We also have snakes and spiders, who take care of any the crocks leave behind.

---

Well, that's another burning question: how to stop the Freedom Campers who park with tents or basic campervans overnight in the prettiest scenic spots where there are no toilets provided, and leave all sorts of waste under the trees and on the grass.

Yes, Piglet, many rental vehicles do have a big Keep Left sign on the dashboard; it's hoped to get all the rental companies to do as much as possible to better brief the overseas tourists.

Does the UK have the same problems with visitors from the Continent?

GG
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
YES!

Driving down a winding, leafy Lakeland lane with a minibus full of choristers and suddenly finding a French registered 2CV careering towards you on your side of the road can be, erm, interesting! Happily they took fairly swift evasive action - and I'm sure the choirboys already knew the word[s] the adults shouted - but not the girls, of course.


 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My guess is that a minbus full of choristers would easily beat a 2CV. Then again they are tough little things.
 

---

Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
The last gasps of the cricket season. Watching the last game for Middle today. Biggest had last game of the season for his new school yesterday, may squeeze something in back at his grade club next weekend.

Then it's the change of season. Middle and Little Miss are both starting careers as ref/umpire in respective sports, which will be interesting.

As for driving on the other side of the road, it took ages for my normal confidence to return after I got home after 4 weeks driving around Europe.

mr curly
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Spent most of the long weekend renovating our hallway. Despite suggestions a little help would be handy, I was left to my own slightly less than handy devices. After 7 hours of painting yesterday, TP & B1 wandered through to comment on my work.

"Needs another coat of paint."
"You should have filled those better."

It felt like an episode of the blasted Block.

BL. Not impressed.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Threaten to fill something else - what better?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Tell them if they can do any better, they can get on with it.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Miss M's Dad has joined in raising money for cancer research in various ways over the years. Two things he has always done are the World's Greatest Shave and November. I must say I prefer looking at his shaven head to a month of moustache.

This time last year was not long after Miss M's diagnosis with leukaemia. He raised over $2000 and has set that as his goal for this year. Last time I looked he was almost at $800 although the appeal really opened only yesterday.

So this year, he will have no hair, and Miss M now has beautiful curls after hers has grown back from the chemo. She still has at least another two years of treatment and maintenance chemo to go, but the difference in her is just amazing.

His new work is very supportive. They are holding a morning tea for him this morning and his workmates will shave his head. He has also been given permission to email staff with link to donation page.

Link to page is in signature and donations can be anonymous, private or public.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
For those like my family who are not fans of FB, I have amended link in Signature.

That was strange. I thought it should have changed on all posts but it didn't so added this post. It has now changed to new link.

[ 10. March 2015, 23:44: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
Praying for our Pacific neighbours; some islands are being hard hit by the cyclone. It distresses me how much media focus has been given to cyclones on the Australian coasts and none to the Pacific.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I expect Australian media to show a lot of warnings and predictions re impending cyclones on Australian coast. I find it really offensive though when media coverage of cyclones that have hit our Pacific neighbours is really scant and/or focuses on Australian holiday makers-horror of horrors having their holidays cut short and having to wade through knee-deep water-when locals have had their houses and all their possessions destroyed.

On a positive note there has been massive relief efforts by Australia to our Pacific neighbours following tsunamis and cyclones in the past.


 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I saw that, Clarence. Vanuatu badly hit. I have a friend who goes there and also to Solomons regularly.

Son is now on home stretch of his Leukaemia Foundation fundraising, although I think the donation lines stay open for several more days. Last year, with the newness of Miss M's diagnosis he raised much more than his original goal. He has had about 75% of this year's goal donated so far.
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
UK news this morning is all about Vanuatu and there was nothing about Australia being hit at all. But it sounds terrible in Vanuatu - whole islands flattened
 

---

Posted by MrsBeaky (# 17663) on :
 
My eldest daughter lives in the Far North of New Zealand and I've just picked up an email from her. They've been told to prepare for the cyclone to possibly hit them in the next few hours....
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Pictures from Vanuatu were shown on the Weather Channel's "force of nature" slots here today - it looked very nasty.

for the people affected.
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
Vanuatu is a disaster area: Red Cross calling for donations and Cyclone Pam is still likely to cause damage as it moves south.
NZ MetService
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Awful for Vanuatu. Just blustery and wet here.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
A number of my friends were teaching on Vanutu in the fifties and sixties; they'll be distressed.

As for Matarangi (eastern Coromandel), a fair bit of rain yesterday and lasy night at around 10.30 tremendous gale that slammed into the house with loud crashes and creaks of walls and roof, but not for long because we'd just gone to bed and it didn't keep us awake. Overcast and almost calm this morning, with flowers from my various hibiscus scattered around (but plenty of buds waiting to open!)

Have to see if we can give to Red Cross or CWS.

Neighbour's wifi is now on but we have to sit in the car outside his fence to get a useful signal.

for the homeless and the bereaved and all those affected.

For all those who are helping.

GG
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
No weather warnings here, but the only day without rain forecast for this week is Friday - which is the day the school is holding the cross country run.

I don't think it will be enough to help the farmers though.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
When I worked with the Anglican Church of Melanesia, I spent a fair bit of time in Vila, Luganville and Northern Vanuatu. Unfortunately, no news from them since Friday afternoon. Also badly affected were the eastern parts of the Solomon Islands (Temotu Province) especially Tikopia and Anuta which have also been out of contact since Friday.

Many prayers
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
The subconscious speaks. I glanced up to see an election ad for the Libs. It came from a site called "backbaird." My mind read that as "black beard."

[ 19. March 2015, 07:55: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
RIP Malcolm Fraser. Controversial and ambitious in earlier years, in later years wise and reconciled with Gough Whitlam and other foes of earlier times.
 

---

Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :
 
It looks like my daughter will be spending her next semester at the University of Wollongong, near Sydney, Australia. What a wonderful opportunity for her, having never left North America.

She is so excited, as are her mother and I.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Wollongong's an interesting place- founded on coal mining and heavy industry, but the university has a reputation for innovation. The industries brought many postwar migrants to the region, mostly from central and Southern Europe, so that influence remains strong. Just south of the city is Australia's largest Buddhist temple. All of this squeezed between a dramatic escarpment and the Pacific Ocean. My daughter and her family live on the heights of Port Kembla, immediately South of the city, with dramatic views South along the Pacific Coast. I hope your daughter has a great time there in addition to her studies.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by sharkshooter:
It looks like my daughter will be spending her next semester at the University of Wollongong, near Sydney, Australia. What a wonderful opportunity for her, having never left North America.

She is so excited, as are her mother and I.

---

quote:

---

From what I have read, winter in Sydney is more like spring or fall with temperatures, I think, rarely falling close to freezing.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by sharkshooter:
My wife and I are going to plan a couple weeks with her after her exams are over and tour the country. It looks like Sydney, Cairns and Uluru (and surrounding areas) might be the targets. This would allow visits to the Great Barrier Reef and Ayers Rock.

---

Please, Sharkshooter, no more Ayers Rock. For 20 years or more now, it's usually been called Uluru. Much the same as calling your First People Eskimos. And although it's not illegal, please don't climb it either. It is a sacred place for the ancient peoples who live in the area, and to climb it is much worse than clambering over the high altar at St Peter's. It is a stunning sight, as is most of Central Australia. Watching sunset on Uluru is very moving. Nearby Kata Tjuta is worth a side trip.

Neither Sydney or Wollongong is very cold. Where we live can get close to zero at nights in winter, but Sydney itself and Wollongong are close to sea level, and being on the coast also moderates the climate. Think of it as being similar to Vancouver, a bit warmer and quite a bit less rain. Yes, we did have central heating - now converted to air-conditioning after we installed solar generating panels - and it's very handy. We usually use enclosed fires, burning wood.

When you arrive in November, Sydney will be having daily maxima in the mid 20's. In Central Australia and Cairns, the maxima will be mid to high 30's. November would be good in Cairns as it's before cyclone season. Just remember that the land area is just a bit less than Canada and distances between the places you talk of visiting are substantial.

Something your daughter will need to be very careful about: we drive on the left and she will need to reverse her usual practice when crossing a road. It sounds a small point, but several US tourists have been killed when they step from the kerb into the path of a car approaching from their right.

Wollongong is an attractive city, spread out on a narrow strip of coastal land between the sea and the Illawarra escarpment. Plenty of good clean beaches.

Trains to/from Sydney in off-peak are at hourly intervals but probably finish around midnight. They are all double-deck EMUs and would be safe. Outside the area between Newcastle to the north, the Blue Mountains to the west and Wollongong to the south, train services in NSW are very infrequent, probably much the same as you'd be used to in Canada. Should your daughter want to travel to Canberra, she'd need to catch a bus.

Crime rates here much the same as Canada, a lot lower than the US.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Yay - we love having Canucks in Oz because we usually understand each other very well. She'll have a ball, and so will you. Just remember to wear insect repellent.
 

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Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :
 
I had no idea the name was changed - all the tourism pages I visited still call it that.

As to driving on the wrong side of the road , yes, I will over-parent her on that issue. The fun part will be me driving rental cars when we are there. I had a brief experience with that in the Bahamas many years ago. The hardest parts were turning in the city and passing on 2-lane roads.

I expect that we will fly from Sydney to Cairns then to Uluru and back to Sydney, each being about 3 hours. The trains would take up a lot of our time, but the final decision will also depend on cost.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
DH Lawrence lived in (near, then) Wollongong for a while. Just a piece of useless information.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Indeed, Lawrence lived in a house called Wyewurk in Thirroul for long enough to write a pretty poem called Kangaroo there as well as a novel of the same name. I've always thought that the novel has early fascist overtones, the sort of thing which the Futurists were writing in the 1910s.

Back to more serious things for the Sharkshooters: When you arrive in Sydney, you can catch a train from the airport into a major city station, change trains and get one straight to Wollongong. Make sure that you take a seat on the left-hand side of the train and on the upper deck for the best views. Neither will be especially set up for plane travellers, but reasonably quick, and certainly save the problems of getting off a plane, tired and a bit jet-lagged, and having to find your way to a strange destination and driving on the correct side of the road for only the second time.
 

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Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
Flying is the way to go between destinations that far apart. Don't even think about anything else.

You should be aware that the time you are coming is not generally recommended for either Cairns or Uluru; have a read of Trip Advisor's information. However, if those are the places you want to go and this could be your only visit, you don't really have a choice. You should be forewarned, though.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vulpior:
Flying is the way to go between destinations that far apart. Don't even think about anything else.

---

Rooobish (though it's best to allow a day or two to Cairns, and three or four to Uluru ... and have a large back seat or good reclining front ones)
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
There is quite possibly no good time for tourists to visits some sights. I missed out of number one on my bucket list due to air travel and road travel to Cairns being totally disrupted during my February 2011 visit. And Vulpior should remember what happened the day I was driven to the Blue Mountains

Always have backup plans. There was no sun in Australia (nearly) until I got to Perth.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Sharkshooter, Zappa may be very reverend, but don't listen to his advice about driving. Certainly, if you look at a map you can see that if you travel north from Alice Springs, then right, you will eventually get to Cairns. On the way, you will find a few places to eat and spend the night, but..... The car will be knackered, you will be racing to get divorced, and your daughter will never again speak to either of you. The Canadian equivalent would be driving from somewhere in the Yukon to the northern trip of Quebec.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Which has certainly been done, but there are more places to eat or sleep. (But if you are talking of a direct line then Hudson's Bay and James Bay might be an insurmountable obstacle.) But it would be an interesting ride to the Tip. What's a Trip? Although granted that the entire province can be a real trip if you are not prepared for it.
 

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Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Sharkshooter, Zappa may be very reverend, but don't listen to his advice about driving. Certainly, if you look at a map you can see that if you travel north from Alice Springs, then right, you will eventually get to Cairns. On the way, you will find a few places to eat and spend the night, but..... The car will be knackered, you will be racing to get divorced, and your daughter will never again speak to either of you. The Canadian equivalent would be driving from somewhere in the Yukon to the northern tip of Quebec.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vulpior:
Flying is the way to go between destinations that far apart. Don't even think about anything else.

You should be aware that the time you are coming is not generally recommended for either Cairns or Uluru; have a read of Trip Advisor's information.

---

Cairns shows average high around 30 in November - that is not problematic. We try to avoid Phoenix in the summer when the temperatures are over 40C, but will be there in May this year when the average temperatures are about 34C - that's about the top end of comfortable, and have seen that temperature there in February before.

However, we don't really have a choice of the when, and those are areas I really have always wanted to visit, so we will survive.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
If it is very hot or otherwise unfavourable, you can console yourself with the thought that you are not living there.

Vulpior came up from near Canberra to take Pete and me to mountains. The fog began as we were not far on the road and became thicker the higher we went. We arrived at Echo Point and Scenic railway and could see next to nothing. Poor Pete had to buy postcards in the souvenir shop to see what he should have been looking at.
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Home after the penultimate rehearsal for the Wesley Mission Good Friday procession. Sydneysiders should head into Martin Place on Good Friday at 1.30 - it will be good.

Quite tired, though.

mr curly
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
... Poor Pete had to buy postcards in the souvenir shop to see what he should have been looking at.

---

That happened to us when we went round the Burren of Clare in Ireland when we were on our honeymoon: all we saw was a few rather dejected-looking sheep.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
A small service of dedication and blessing for my studio to be a place of prayer & creativity will be held tomorrow night. Some of my Christian friends are rather puzzled that I have chosen the colours and the symbol of the peacock for it.

I have always felt sad that such a beautiful creature should be saddled with associations of vanity. There are ancient nativity scenes with a peacock depicted alongside the stable animals because of the many 'omniscient' eyes and divine colouring. It has been said to be a symbol of renewal because when it sheds its feathers the ones that grow in are ever more beautiful each year. But my favourite association is that it is a symbol of humility, because it carries its beauty behind it, and hides its tail most of the time.

BL. Embracing peacockery.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think a peacock seems like an excellent symbol for an artist's studio - after all, you're going to be producing beautiful things, and a peacock is certainly a thing of beauty.

Once, when we were in the Isle of Man, we saw a splendid peacock strutting his stuff, and being completely ignored by the peahen he was courting. We assured him that we were impressed, even if she wasn't.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
My grandmother (an Australian born to stern German parents) kept them on her farm as watchdogs. Whenever someone came near the house they would screech loudly. This was in the days when the countryside was wary of itinerant workers and on high alert for bushrangers.

She was very proud of her pair of white peacocks and delighted when they produced a family. When one of the chicks went missing she observed that a farm cat was looking rather pleased with itself. So she wrung its neck and performed an instant autopsy to see if it had eaten the chick. It had!

Also interesting is that the peacock is a symbol of uncorruptibility - the ancients thought its dead flesh would not decay, which led to peacock blood having a high black market value as a bringer of immortality, and a ward against evil.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

A small service of dedication and blessing for my studio to be a place of prayer & creativity will be held tomorrow night.

---

How lovely! Having seen some of the beautiful articles done by you, I echo your prayer for the studio and for you.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Look! A new library for Christchurch I was so excited when I saw it that I cried. I have missed having a reasonable sized library to visit since Feb 22 2011. It will be completed in 2018.

I think the design will grow on me and they did use lots of ideas that the public submitted including some that Shippies suggested when I started a thread about it a couple of years ago.

I feel like all my birthdays and Christmases have come at once.

Huia
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I'm not sure that I'd like that design to grow on me Huia, but let's see how the reality is rather than an "artist's impression". Better to look at the contents.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think it looks lovely - I hope the ground beneath it behaves well enough for them to be able to build it.


 

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Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 
For those of us in NSW, 'Vote early, vote often'!!!
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Not quite Dennis - it's "Vote early, vote often and vote for the dead".
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis the Menace:
For those of us in NSW, 'Vote early, vote often'!!!

---

That used to be the slogan in the iffier parts of West Belfast during the "Troubles".
 

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Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Not quite Dennis - it's "Vote early, vote often and vote for the dead".

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis the Menace:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Not quite Dennis - it's "Vote early, vote often and vote for the dead".

---

Thanks, can remember it correctly!! Was tempted to say that to the woman marking my name off this morning but she didn't seem to have a sense of humour especially as it was right on 8.00 and she asked me had I already voted today!!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
who is currently a list MP

---

Which phrase means utterly meaningless to me and I've lived here for about 7 years on and off now!
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
(oh - and Peters appears to be romping in)
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Election in NSW today - there is .05% of the vote counted and already the commentators are filling up all available airtime making predictions.



Wake me up when its over.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Yip. Winston got in.

Amazing that a few months back National had about a 9,000 vote majority, now NZ First have about a 4,000 vote majority.

Zappa, the list thing gets really complicated which is why I think Single Transferrable Vote would have been a better option than MMP, then every MP would have represented an electorate and thus would have been more directly accountable to voters rather than the party hierarchy.

Huia
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
So some sort of an explanation at least on the northland (te tai tokerau) context ... where kuru and I were based previously
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Yip. Winston got in.

Amazing that a few months back National had about a 9,000 vote majority, now NZ First have about a 4,000 vote majority.

Huia

---

As soon as Winston got involved it was (almost) pure comedy: see the droves of cabinet ministers trailing round Northland in support of their candidate, while the PM left before the voting to watch the Black Caps in Oz, so that he didn't have to front up after the almost inevitable outcome. Winston's always good value – and he got us our Seniors Gold Cards. Wonder what he'll get up to next.

GG
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
People here have been quiet this week. We've been at Eucharists every evening, culminating in the Maundy Thursday this evening. An excellent sermon and a very moving service. Eucharist of the reserved sacrament tomorrow morning.
 

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Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
I haven't been to as many services for Holy Week as I would normally as I'm busy looking after my husband who is just home from hospital having had a total hip replacement. Poor fellow is very frustrated by all he is unable to do at present. I'm very tired from all the nursing etc. However, I will be at the Good Friday services of Stations of the Cross and the Good Friday liturgy. I'm also hoping to go on Sunday for Easter Sunday Eucharist. Wishing all a Happy and Holy Easter.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Looking after grandchildren today - so asked the "What is Easter about?" question. God bless the inventive souls who posted this version of scripture portrayed in Lego.

They loved it, and so did I!
Easter blessings, everyone.
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Would be quite happy not to have showers about today. The sound guys won't want to go ahead in the rain, and some of the faithful will stay at home.

For those in Sydney, come into Martin Place for 1.30 start of the Procession of the Cross.

Car loaded with props, dismantled cross and shortly, disgruntled teenagers.

mr curly
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Good luck with the disgruntled. The weekend was always full for Wesley choir. Started with Good Friday procession on. major event at Mission that afternoon and evening..

More on Saturday snd we would be out of house to be at Dawn Service at Opera House, left home at 4:00 to have rehearsals before service.

Missa Creola Kyrie used to send shivers down my spine as it echoed through empty city streets, accompanied by solemn beats on drum from Martin Place.

[ 02. April 2015, 22:17: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Back from a thought-provoking Good Friday Service. As usual some of the Catholics from over the road joined us as they don't have a service today.

We also had a couple of uninvited guests, two fantails flew around the inside of the church throughout the service.

Huia
 

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Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
Too far from town to go into the Good Friday liturgy today, especially as I did a last minute late stay with Jesus at the altar of repose to fill a gap in the roster. Having a rare lie-in.

I will be leading a Stations of the Cross meditation at 2.30pm in All Trains, though. All prepared.
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Exhausting. Such is Holy Week. Evening Prayer for Holy Saturday, Service of the Light at O-dark-hundred on Sunday morning, and an all-age service with baptisms, confirmations etc at 9.00 am on Sunday which looks like finishing at about 6 pm ....

Monday down to Sydney to see Mum & Dad, possibly a short journey north to Newcastle, and then ...

Diocesan Synod 17-19 April, Centenary of Anzac Service at the Cathedral on 19 April, Anzac stuff all week to 25 April, Sunday service 26 April, and then collapse in a heap, please do not disturb, mobile phone off.

Remember, Easter is a Holy Day, not a Holiday.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Exhausted. Three to go then off to southern Africa.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Anyone watching Channel 2 news just would have seen Jugular at a demonstration for compassion at a Perth hospital. Not only seen him but would have heard him to, as he described government lack of compassion.

It may be on the ABC 24 hour news site.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Here is the news item Jugular was speaking of.

I do not know how long the link will work as it is to 24 hour news from WA on ABC. Jugular is not seen in this article, but is mentioned. The news had him speaking.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
I am very proud to have spent the time I did with Jugular and I am very proud of the way he has, and continues, stood up for the poor and helpless.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Large quake - about a 5 . I am OK
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Oh, my dear! Many prayers for you and Christchurch!


 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Sorry, only 3.8 - but not very far away. Thanks Pete - haven't felt one as strong for a while, hence way out on my guess. Sitting in the same place as was for the Feb 22 2011 one so that didn't help. Loud noise too.

I just couldn't bear going through all that again.

Georgie remained asleep in the garden.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Oh, Huia,

from the 3 of us (Dlet is here for lunch today) for you and your fellow residents. Is this an aftershock from the most recent quake, an earlier one, or something quite independent?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
and hugs for you, Huia. Thoughts for you too, if you prefer that to hugs.

[ 05. April 2015, 05:50: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Many thoughts and prayers from over here, too.


 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thanks everyone.

I'm not quite sure why that one hit me as hard as it did, but someone on-line in my suburb commented that they perceived it as stronger than it was, so that left me feeling relieved that I'm not totally losing it (or if I am I'm not the only one ). I've decided that a couple of relaxation sessions with the physio might be a good idea.

It was centred not far from the Feb 22 2011 epicentre so it could have been an aftershock from that. They will continue for a few years, but with less frequency (thank heaven).

Anyway I'm off for a walk - small quakes are less discernable when you're walking.

Huia
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
{{{Huia}}} for you and all the people of Christchurch.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
There was another one this morning around 3am but I was thank goodness because it's a horrible way to wake up. I only found out about it when I went online this morning to check the weather.

Apparently it came from the same area and was a similar magnitude. There is a link between the size of a fault line and the maximum size of earthquakes it can have. When (not if) the Alpine fault has a quake the ground under Christchurch could be rocking for 5-8 minutes I'm told. With a bit of luck it will happen after I'm dead.

Huia
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Off on our yearly farm stay getaway at Wollombi today. Kids are keen, so we'll take it while we can get it.
Hoping to reset the mindset after a very slow start to the year.

mr curly
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:
Off on our yearly farm stay getaway at Wollombi today. Kids are keen, so we'll take it while we can get it.
Hoping to reset the mindset after a very slow start to the year.

mr curly

---

I loved our place, 40 acres of basically bush, caves, rock paintings, leeches, adders etc. Off to left behind Laguna. Am told the pub meals have gone well downhill. Just a warning from several different people.

One good thing about the variation in light here is that it gives me quite a deal to work with on my new camera. Dark cloud, rain, brilliant sun, bright blue sky. Not to mention the lights downstairs at night. Am loving it and its ability to work in various conditions. Will be better when I have more experience with it.

[ 11. April 2015, 02:59: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
One of the most beautiful parts of the world. When I was Parish Priest at Kurri Kurri, Wollombi and Laguna made for a beautiful drive. Especially at this time of year, golden days with the sun playing on the sandstone, the bush and the creeks; and then the velvet of sunset before a crisp night. Enjoy!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
You've got it in one, DD! The loo on our block was well away from the house. Wollombi can be hot in summer. It was a double cubicle long drop we dug ourselves. It faced a hill side which caught the late afternoon sun. There were doors, blue plastic which could be hooked up. Most people didn't and sat with open door to look at the rocks, sometimes wet after rain, wildflower, turpentines etc.

My young sons used to enjoy creeping up on outhouse and surprising occupant. Others more sensitive would get part way down path and throw a small rock on tin roof as a warning of someone approaching.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Crisp nights? Sometimes we would drive up in the morning in winter. We would hear the ice on the puddles crack as we drove over them and it was common to open house and check thermometer to find it below zero inside.
 

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Posted by Macrina (# 8807) on :
 
Huia, you're not going mad. I felt both of the twin 3.8s - one I was sat outside on the grass and unfortunately was awake for the 3am one which (you are quite right) felt a lot stronger than it turned out to be. I had a flash of a moment thinking 'oh please don't be THAT ONE where are my shoes how do I get out' and took a while to get to sleep after.

Silly plates We love you Christchurch.
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Crisp nights? Sometimes we would drive up in the morning in winter. We would hear the ice on the puddles crack as we drove over them and it was common to open house and check thermometer to find it below zero inside.

---

No chance of ice up here in Darwin. But the harbingers of the Dry Season have arrived - the first dragonflies and the first campervans. And then a few months of the weather of paradise.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I have just been on phone to Banner Lady. Her email has been hacked and all addresses used to ask for $1000 as she is strange in London. She is sorry if anyone here received such a request. It is a scam and she has changes passwords.

The scammer wants it sent through Western Union, a dodgy sign indeed.

[ 14. April 2015, 07:32: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Yikes, hope BL is sorted out quickly.
Back after a few days off line. The place we go is in the direction of Finchley track, just south of Laguna. Great weather, quiet, list of reading and sleeping in. And happy kids.
They're all off on church camp tomorrow for 3 nights, so we're going to the Blue mountains for a day and having some quiet time.

mr curly
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I am getting tired of updated autocorrect on iPad. I need to tut. It off. "Strange in London". Very strange. I am sure I wrote stranded in London. Yesterday it corrected me, supposedly, twice on one word. I changed it back to what I wanted and watched. Just as I hit send, it changed it again.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Yes, David was highly amused when he opened his mail to find that I was supposedly stranded in London and in need of money urgently - particularly as I was in the next room. The kitchen is now called "London." I told him not to bother converting it to pounds; Aussie dollars would do!

I am slightly suspicious that someone is masquerading as the Outlook security team - as I changed my password only this morning after a request from them to do so. Sigh.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Both Dlet and my secretary say that a great advantage of Apples is that you get little spam and that they're hard to hack into. I don'y know if that's right, but so far no-one from Nigeria (or London, or anywhere else for that matter) has sent me anything like that.

Enjoy the Blue Mountains Mr Curly. Lots of good eating spots all around the place. It's a couple of years since we were there, but the last lunch we had at the Botanical Gardens place at Mt Tomah was very good and right for lunch as well - too many places give dinner sized servings at lunch, the last thing you want if you have to drive home.
 

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Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
From a guy called Richard Lance, on Facebook...


Will some kind shipmate PM Banner Lady, or post on the Aussie page on All Saints, that her mail has been hacked and she's (or rather the hacker) telling folk that she's marooned in London and needs $1,000 wiring via Western Union.

And I hope that Banner Lady is not marooned in London!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I rang and BL told me much as she has posted here. I have seen several versions of this scam..

Apple computers can be hacked, infected etc. not as easily as a PC. I love my Macs.

Good to hear from a former shipmate.l
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Well it is an apple iMac, Gee D, and every morning when I log in, my password has been changed by the gremlin in the UK doing this. I have reported it, but unless someone in my address book actually sends money to the address quoted in the email then apparently no crime has been committed. I have changed what I can to no avail, so the next step is to close the account entirely. My sincere apologies if this infection has spread to any of you - it is a bastard of a thing to have to deal with. I had a friend, who is a therapist, ring me yesterday most apologetically because she thinks it probably came through her address book to me. She has just had a nightmare of a week contacting her many work & Christian contacts trying to hose it down. Please take swift action if you need to. Sigh.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The people who perpetrate computer scams are a total pain in the ar$e. I clicked on a link to a recipe on Facebook on my w*rk computer and the resultant "ransom" thing took about a week to sort out. The scumbags wanted $500 or something like that to put it right, but it's not my employers' policy to pay up (quite right too), so the geekery department had to put it right (and in fairness they were very nice about it).

I reckon these days most people who see anything that mentions any large sums of money in their e-mails will give it a very wide berth, especially if they know that you're not where the scam says you are.

I hope you can get sorted out soon.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Echoing that from here, too. These things are a total pain.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Echoing that from here, too. These things are a total pain.

---

Another type of scam on Fair Go tonight: people who groom susceptible oldies and con them out of their life savings. Tonight's example a chap (don't know what exactly he'd promised; I came in late) who got $60,000 out of an old girl before her son found out what was happening. The offender got off in court (!!!) but in the end the bank refunded her $40,000. The bank has an officer whose task it is to watch out for this kind of scam, and Age Concern try to keep an eye on it.
I think anyone who tried it on with me wouldn't get very far. Wouldn't it be your first step if they offered to do some garden maintenance or whatever, to ask for the name of a satisfied customer who you could speak to? Or say if something needed doing you'd get a recommendation from a friend?
But I suppose the most vulnerable are those widows whose husband had always handled the money. Not the case in this family!

GG
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Banner Lady, have you seen the security thread just started in The Styx? It seems to me, none too bright in these matters, quite a coincidence.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
GG, that kind of swindler always seems worse to me, targeting the vulnerable. Being a woman living alone I have also had them attempt their to scam me. I never buy from people who door knock and once turned down a reputable company who were following up on some routine maintenance the previous owner had organised - until I checked their credentials with friends.

My good news is that the driveway is finished!

Still awaiting the completion of the fence.

[ 16. April 2015, 21:11: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That must feel good, Huia. Worth the wait as my mother would have said?

As to scams, I answered mobile last night to find someone supposedly from a well known, reasonably large ISP wanting to sell me a great deal for $5 month. Far too good to be true and it was only a PC that was part of the deal. I finally said the number she had called was on do not call register and she very promptly hung up.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Loth that must feel really satisfying to see off a scammer like that.

I have killed my smart phone. Last night I decided to treat myself to a hot chocolate drink (guilt free - very low fat and made with stevia rather than sugar). Just as I was relaxing and feeling sleepy I knocked it over, taking out not only the phone, but a library book I just picked up yesterday and necessitating stripping the bed and remaking it. I was with myself, but I did what I could and made a fresh drink. Then I downloaded the book on my kindle.

So today I will visit my favourite bookshop, and try to replace the library book (the library don't charge if you do this, whereas there is an extra cost of $15 for processing if you don't).

I won't replace the phone as I can't hear it ring anyway. Back to a simpler version with a louder ringer and a loudspeaker.

Huia - Domesticdisasters'R'us

[ 17. April 2015, 20:16: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Doublethink. (# 1984) on :
 
I have a waterproof mattress protector on my bed solely to manage my serial spillage of bedtime hot drinks - you are not alone !
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I never try having a hot drink in bed; I can't get comfortable to enjoy it (same reason I don't read in bed), so if I want hot chocolate I have it just before turning in.

Mmmmm ... hot chocolate ...
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
First grand daughter sleep over tonight. Chez Banner will be cramped but happy to embrace this milestone.
Lots of craft time in the studio planned.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Oh, and I saw MM at the Church With the Pond yesterday. He is now doing a law degree in Sydney and commuting to Canberra each weekend to fulfil his Musical Director responsibilities. I'd say he is just a tad busy!
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
First grand daughter sleep over tonight. Chez Banner will be cramped but happy to embrace this milestone.
Lots of craft time in the studio planned.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Thinking of you all with such nasty weather - just don't send it over here please.

---

Apparently we have decided to be greedy and hog it all to ourselves. I think.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I made it in this morning catching the train. It ran more or less on time, much as usual. With great foresight, the clerk got busy early through the afternoon yesterday and organised a fleet of hire cars to get us home. I was dropped off at Chatswood to meet Madame for dinner, and my car then went on to deliver a couple of others to the bosom of their families further along the line. I have no idea how the trains are running as the website is clogged.

Certainly a wild night, and the work of the SES and other emergency services in the conditions is something for which we as a community must be enormously grateful. Those poor people at Dungog, though....
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I agree with Gee D about the work of the SES. Apparently they have already answered 7900 calls and the the need goes on. My DIL worked with SES for quite a long time. She had most of the qualifications, roof work, big trucks, radio, flood relief, emergency power repairs and more. I used to babysit as my contribution to the effort. She had to stop as she took on a new job which would not allow time off for such volunteer work.

Grandson has a day off school. His school, Point Clare, has no power and several trees down with more threatening to topple. I guess he will go to work with his dad if there is transport. There wasn't yesterday, neither bus or train. I guess that also means son is still without power after waking to no power yesterday. If he can get to work he can charge phone etc.

A real doozy of a thunderstorm here last night which lasted for hours with amazing thunder which I at first thought was a series of explosions.
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Still raining on and off up here. Travel to and from Maitland and Cessnock almost impossible due to road closures. Car washed off Cessnock Rd just outside Maitland this morning with two people believed inside, not found yet.

Some of our parishioners have been without power since 3.45am yesterday. Our OLM and his wife have a tree through their kitchen roof, which fortunately didn't initially penetrate as they were sitting there when it fell. Local primary school closed until water supplies can be restored as falling tree has ripped up the watermain.

Daughter had text message last night that water has entered a storage unit in Horseshoe Bend at Maitland due to a blocked drain in neighbouring street. Proprietors organising free skips for tomorrow to dispose of damaged gear, but don't know if we'll be able to get through.

Others across the valley much worse off, so we are praying for them, and will give practical assistance where possible. Samaritans office in Cessnock was surrounded by floodwater yesterday, don't know if it was inundated.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Saw pictures of Dungog. Incredible!. Yes, power is out over a large area. I am sure many people are working where possible, alongside RFS and SES volunteers. Ausgrid's site is not helpful.

Barnabas, I remember you mentioning the Bardwell Park Earlwood area some time ago in a storm. Did you see the pictures in SMH of water over railway tracks again at Bardwell park. lapping at platform edge. Last time, the club next door was also flooded, refrigeration was ruined. Lots of stored wine suddenly became cleanskins etc. It took them months to empty and clean. I hope they changed things then or they will be doing it all over again.
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Thinking of you all in the south. My former parish in the lower Hunter has taken a bit of a battering, with some of the parishioners forced to evacuate to higher ground. Meanwhile, up here the Dry Season seems to have arrived - low humidity, south-east wind, dragonflies.
for Newcastle and the Hunter
and much as I don't know how to do this
for Sydney
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
If you are on FB, there is an aerial video of some of the flooding around Maitland. Water everywhere. Do 't have link here.

Son on Central Coast could get to work at Gosford where he was able to shower and charge things like phones. He has been told his area will probably have no power till weekend. It is almost 48 hours since it went out.

Both schools for children were shut but will hopefully open tomorrow..
 

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Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :
 
Daughter in Manly reckoned it was a good thing they had all their camping gear to cook as the power was off there for most of a day and night and their children sent home from school. She took thermoses of hot tea to neighbours who were less well prepared.

We know all too well what it's like, as power, piped water etc would go off for a week or so in Fiji after a cyclone.

On another note, are the Marama and I the only ones fed up with endless Gallipoli commemorations and their TV coverage for which the allegedly skint government has spent more than $300 million?
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
No, apparently "ANZAC Fatigue" has been diagnosed by the media gurus.

At least the terrible weather around the Hunter has given a different focus for a while. A few weeks ago we sold two distinctive pine bed bases with drawers underneath each one to a young family relocating to the Upper Hunter. I can't help thinking about them, and hoping they are okay. I half expect to see the beds floating down a street or splintered into dam debris when I look at the news.

It was so wild and windy here yesterday I had a migraine all day. I never do well in the wind, but this was a particularly vile one that left me nauseated. A minor discomfort knowing what others were going through - glad things are much calmer today.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Sunshine here today but cloud coming back. Forecast thunderstorm this morning, a sort of last hurrah for this weather.

No school for grandchildren on Central coast for this week. One school has been flooded, the other had trees fall on demountable classrooms. Both are still without power.

Son has been told another five days before power is restored. They hope it is earlier, but could well be that time. Ice and candles are like hens's teeth. He has several bbqs and is now picking up bush sticks from yard and road instead of using charcoal. He managed to get to work at Gosford yesterday where he could have a shower and charge phone and laptop.

Power went out at 3:00 am last Monday morning and it may well not be restored till much that time next Monday..
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
for those of you affected by floods, storms etc.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Someone mentioned axe murderers and shipmeets. Not all on internet are such.

I belong to a very large site for knitters and crocheters. One person in a group to which I belong has just moved to a few minutes from son. She has been without power for same length of time.

Her husband will be away next week and she is a bit apprehensive in case there is a repeat performance or something similar of current chaos. Over the group in forum we have arranged an exchange of phone numbers and he has told her to ring any time. She knows no one in area. Strange thing is that they bought the house from parents of a workmate of son. Son did all the negotiating for his parents who were not well. Not only someone from same place but they work together.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My son is cooking with gas as the ad and saying go. There was a mercy mission mounted from Sydney to Central Coast . We bought new gas ring and gas bottle, ice which is hard to find, some food staples which can be cooked in one pot dishes on gas ring.

It is sunny here so things may dry out a bit. Son is still without power and it could be Monday or Tuesday before it is restored. He says it is difficult, but thery are all unhurt and house has no damage. Messy with branches etc, but no damage.

Schools for his children are still closed. One has no power, the other has no power but has trees on toilet block and a couple of classrooms and some branches of other trees are dangling dangerously.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
The one useful thing that the wild wind did for us was to clear our street of a couple of tonnes of autumn leaves. Normally they all blow on to our side, as this side of the street is slightly lower. But today all is calm and the street is squeaky clean - as are most of the trees!

I remember how awful cleaning up after a flood is - and the need for houses to be re-wired and re plastered after they have dried out. A smelly and expensive process. May all find help when they most need it. I expect a lot of older residents will use this as the signal to find residential care, their possessions having been forcibly downsized. May they find that too.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Praying for all in Christchurch and surrounds. 6.3 quake reported by SMH.
 

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Posted by Macrina (# 8807) on :
 
I'm okay down here in Chch, actually logged in to check on Huia the quake was centred up near Kaikoura so actually quite a ways from us. Wellington and the rest of central NZ will have got a good dose too.

It was my first felt big distance quake so I had a sense something was not quite right before the up and down really got going. Lasted 10-15 seconds of noticeable shaking and then a good while longer of rolling down here.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
You have better info than originally posted where Christchurch was first place mentioned in paper over here.

[ 24. April 2015, 05:41: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Bannerlady that sounds devastating. for all those affected. I hope some Kiwis come over to help in the clean up. I remember how Australian urban Search and Rescue were amongst the first to help out in Christchurch

The quake today was intense -somewhere between 6.2 and 6.4, and lasted around 20 seconds. Because it was deeper than the Christchurch sequence has been it was felt widely throughout New Zealand. So far the worse damage reported has been a slip in a short tunnel south of Kaikoura. No one is reported to be injured, although things fell off shelves in the Kaikoura area.(about 2hrs drive north from Christchurch). Also trains in Wellington, Kaikoura and in the Alps were stopped while tracks were checked.

Apparently it was felt by many people in Christchurch. I was on a bus that was driving down a really bumpy street so I was totally unaware of it until I heard the news . I buses.

According to the news this may be an aftershock of an earlier quake, but deep quakes tend to have fewer aftershocks according to a seismologist on the news. Another seismologist has predicted that Christchurch has a 53% chance of an aftershock of magnitude 5 or bigger. This percentage will drop over time but the aftershocks will continue for decades

All of which reminds me I must see about my emergency kit, especially the water supply.

Huia
 

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Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
All of which reminds me I must see about my emergency kit, especially the water supply.

---

Ha, I was thinking the same thing. Like you, I was travelling so didn't feel it - although I was driving in the first of last year's Seddon quakes and I thought I'd blown a tire, so must depend on the kind of quake. Glad to hear you're OK.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Lest we forget
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Gallipoli on all channels all day, so you can take your pick. I just watched two young Kiwis (a Maori g-grandson of a soldier and great-grandaughter of Colonel Malone – who I hadn't known anything about till this month) and a couple of young Turks (she a g-granddaughter of the longest lived survivor) meeting and making friends, taking flowers to Ataturk's friendship memorial, dining together. Very moving. Time to take a break.

GG
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
About a thousand or so at our local service this morning, remembering the 8,200 odd from Australia and 2,000 from NZ who died in the débacle of this badly planned operation, doomed always to fail. All 4 of us (that includes Dog) were there, and had coffee afterwards with Lothlorien's brother.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Not the only dog either from what my brother said.

My most moving Anzac March memory was in a very small town in Central West. More village size. It had a cottage hospital and a war memorial as well. We were at friends. About twenty men, including ex Mr L who had never done such a thing before, lined up. They marched down the dusty main road,accompanied by half a dozen stray dogs. There was a short service and the gathering adjourned to the pub.

Lest we forget.
 

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Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
They say that the Canberra Dawn Service attracted 1/3 of the population, and similar in Alice Springs. I reckon we had an equivalent number of the local population in Bungendore.

First time at the gunfire breakfast, complete with instant coffee (yeuch) and a tot of rum (vast improvement).

Lest we forget.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
It was good that the weather here was fine for the Dawn Parade and that the Bridge Of Rememberance has been repaired.

I haven't been to any ANZAC services, the closest I've got to the Last Post was painting the letterbox, but I have been remembering a couple of Great Uncles.

Uncle Len lived in Christchurch and was gassed in France. He wasn't expected to live long when he came home, but he was still riding his bike around the city into his late eighties. The second, from Wellington took to his scrapers when conscription was announced and sailed off to the South Island.

Huia

[ 25. April 2015, 02:33: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
My church has a big ANZAC weekend art show. Given that the local Anglican priest retires next week, we decided he could do the services, as a swan song, and I would spend most of the weekend at the show, working, and talking to folk about ANZAC issues. It as been interesting. I bought two paintings....

The show is fabulous. The world is cold and wet here.... Autumn leaves dance across the lawn in the wind. I it all seems very suitable for the season.
 

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Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
An exhausting couple of days. Officiated at the Dawn Service here (which is the only service): told I made national TV - I suspect as a five second grab! Huge attendance - about 10,000 people.

The reaction to Anzac Day is interesting, and quite varied. Some of my congregation have significant reservations (some of which I share) - but for me, as someone who served and saw the sacrifice made by some, it has a different feeling again. By the end of the Day, the emotions leave me exhausted.
 

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Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
I played the organ for an Anzac service at a local nursing home. We were in the middle of the 'traditional silence' when an old chap yelled out "where's the rum?". I'm afraid that was the end of the reverential silence and we all collapsed into giggles.
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Our little town attracted somewhere approaching 2000 to the Dawn Service, and about the same to the mid-morning commemoration. That amounts to between 35 and 50% of the population depending whether you count the neighbouring villages or not. It was an amazing response, especially the number of children and adolescents who respectfully participated.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
I was somewhere between Johannesburg and Auckland for all of ANZAC Day, though saw some of the coverage of it in the QANTAS Club rooms in Perth. it struck me as totally AAC Day with no mention of the NZ bit, but that's life I guess. I was too jet-lagged to take much notice and to be honest it was a relief not to have to worry about it for once ... some of the Ministry of Funny Walks stuff was fun, though.

Not my favourite festival. Redgum (anachronistically) and Ralph McTell summarise my response to the day. I grew up in the era of The One Day of the Year attitudes and though formally I engage in the activities I'd prefer to be at home with a good book. Or in the sky above the Indian Ocean, cattle class for 40 hours of flying and queuing and transit lounging* (we started at Lusaka).

Which is not to say I am a Pacifist. I'm not, quite, and I hugely admire the bravery of those who fought.

*By the way ... I rate Perth as the worst Transit lounge in the western world. Fortunately Kuruman could wangle the Club access on the back of her membership of the Air New Zealand equivalent. So we watched the poor people and I felt suitable guilty as I swallowed Boags and Wynns Coonawarras ...

One more ... (anachronistic too) ... because this is amazing and seizes the ambiguity with words far greater than I can achieve.
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Belated thanks from a Pom, who recognises the part Australians and New Zealanders played, and he price they paid, in two world wars. A special mention for all who served in RAF Bomber Command which would have missed some of its bravest and best.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
In the thick of it here in Canberra. B1 went to her first dawn service and remembers looking down at the 120,000 filling Anzac Parade and thinking "that's about how many didn't come home to their families". As the mother of two sons, one of them newly in cadet uniform, it affected her deeply. This is a Good Thing, in my book. The solo didgeridoo, bagpipes & bugle also will be etched in her memory forever.

I spent the beginning and the end of the day with my mother, who I knew would be doing a lot of reminiscing. Glad I did, as out tumbled stories I had not heard before. I had never heard that her youngest uncle joined the Snowy Mountain Light Horse Brigade. He then went through Gallipoli & France before being demobbed in the UK and bringing home his British war bride. I knew about all her cousins who served in WW2, and that my father was at the bombing of Darwin serving as a military MP, but the WW1 connection was new to me.

I will therefore remember the 100th anniversary as adding something of significance into our lives, despite all the hooha and sloppy sentimentalising of much of it. Big brickbats to Prince Charles's speech writer and his tiny violin while neatly sidestepping any acknowledgment of Britains role in making something even more dreadful than it needed to be.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Oh, and Zappa, my great uncle when he joined the Light Horse - he was only 19.


 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
This block of units is rectangular in shape but apartments are around the outside only. The middle is open to the elements. Gardens on all floors and walkways. All well equipped with fire hoses etc and in addition to smoke alarms in individual units, there are wired in alarms every two units along the pathways.

All very comforting but one alarm played up yesterday. Mid afternoon it began to scream. This went on for several hours. Fortunately not the one outside my door although that has happened in the past. It stopped for a while and then began again, but intermittently. Sometimes it screamed for thirty minutes, sometimes ten. All night. Even with my hearing aids out, I could hear it. I feel somewhat ragged this morning, although I did sleep some of the time.

Possibly caused by a short circuit from dampness. It is wet yet again here. . Possibly a cockroach or spider inside.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I hope tonight is quieter for you Loth.

Today was beautiful so I went over to the Port where there is a market on Saturdays. I hadn't been there on a Saturday since before the quakes, and the market, which used to be at the school is now in the main street and much bigger. (The school was badly damaged so was demolished and is being rebuilt).

Lyttelton is more of a producers market than the other one I go to and next time I plan to go prepared to buy venison, today I contented my self with buying a rosebush - it's Freesia, a yellow flowering bush that was Dad's favourite. The seller even delivered it.

Huia
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Huia, that's lovely. My sister bought a Peace rose which was Dad's favourite and a Mr Lincoln for memory of Mum. She planted them in her place on mid north coast. She is almost on seaside, just a road back. This was just a few months ago and despite sea salt and humidity, they are thriving.

The original Swanes nursery was at the bottom of our street on river banks. When Swanes moved to Dural and moved their rose business to inland NSW, Mrs Swane told him to take whatever he wanted before the place was bulldozed. Dad had the most amazing rose garden.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I am sure there is a Swane's nursery in Goulburn. The roses there are amazing - they have a Rose Week there with many activities for rose lovers.

B4 has a somewhat different floral idea for remembering her family. Next week she undergoes a 3 hour tattooing so that various symbols depicting her family will be permanently inked on her thigh. This involves an anchor, swallows, ribbon, locket, keys and various flowers and leaves.

I have taken to calling it her 'Sailor Tat'. And no. I do not understand why any fair woman would do this to herself. I must be getting old!
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
There's a girl in our choir (well, I say "girl" - she's in her late 30s) who started getting tattoos a few years ago and seems unable to stop; she started with a few leaves and a ladybird on one arm, then added more foliage to the other, then dragons on her legs, something or other on her back ...

They're beautiful designs (she's an artist and designs them herself), but I wouldn't want one*.

I have an awful feeling that she may only stop when she runs out of skin ...

* Just as well, as D. would probably divorce me if I did.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

I am sure there is a Swane's nursery in Goulburn. The roses there are amazing - they have a Rose Week there with many activities for rose lovers.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas Aus:
The small country school of which I was principal had a rose garden planted with a different rose for each principal since it opened in 1921, and thus became involved in the Rose Week which used to occur in Singleton.

Through this event, Ben Swane visited the school about 15 years ago and gave the children a masterclass in the care of the roses, from managing pests such as aphids to correct pruning technique. He charmed them all.

---

A curmudgeonly old rascal. Very knowledgeable about roses.

Swanes at Dural was just down the road from mum and dad's place and my BIL worked for Swanes for many years. For a time he and my sister lived in a flat on premises. As I said earlier, we knew them from Ermington originally. He has an immense knowledge of roses and loves to share. I can imagine him with a school.

[ 03. May 2015, 06:23: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
It's a bit hard to match a rascally curmudgeon with a man who charmed children.

Val Swane used have a TV show, and Elwyn lived not that far from us - house now torn down to make way for one of those ugly blocks of units on the highway. We did not know her well, but by chance ran into her at an Alliance Française brush-up class.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
A many faceted person. Lots of different angles to him.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
My paternal Grandad was a bit like that Loth, it wasn't easy to live with, especially in the last couple of years of his life when he moved into our house.

I am going to have to get someone fit and strong to weed my garden and dig holes for the roses. About a week ago I bought a couple of patio roses, another yellow one and one called Black Jade, which I had not seen for sale in the South Island before, despite looking especially for it. It's a very dark red, and can burn if it's in full sun.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
For the people of Wanaka, who have had a very shallow 5.8 earthquake. (If you live nearby shallow ones are the worst).

No reports of anyone hurt and bottles in the pub didn't fall off the shelves. It was felt in Christchurch, but I was on a bus (again) and didn't.

Huia - thinking if hiring a bus to live in
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:

Huia - thinking if hiring a bus to live in

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:
I will soon have three teenagers in the house. It will be three years before that life threatening situation abates. It's bad enough with two.

Getting to escape to full time work for 6 weeks is a relief. Job interview for a permanent role next week as well.

mr curly

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Mr Curly, at least the end's drawing nearer.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
I meant your end. If you're old enough to have 3 teenagers, how much more life do you have ahead of you?

---

I did detect the double meaning. I want to kick them out of the house pronto so we can enjoy what little time we have left together!

mr curly
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I don't think there's a Knox Father's knitting group yet, but you could set one up.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Remind me again why I do this job?



Oh, whatever.
 

---

Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
I don't think there's a Knox Father's knitting group yet, but you could set one up.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
I don't think there's a Knox Father's knitting group yet, but you could set one up.

---

I'd rather join the Knox Fathers' Drive Fast Expensive Cars Group. Don't want to waste any precious time in traffic.

mr curly

---

I assume you would like a lovely eye catching bright red fast expensive car? Nothing like showing off to thepolice.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Of course Loth. Everyone knows red cars go fastest (except the red diesel Skoda my oldest brother sold in 1980).

Huia
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Skodas in 1980 were lucky if they went at all ...

Very old Skoda joke:
"Can I have a hub-cap for a Skoda?"
"Certainly, sir, that seems like a fair exchange".

We've just bought a red Nissan Micra, and while not in the "expensive fast cars" category, it does seem to go quite nicely.

And it's very cute.

[ 08. May 2015, 13:34: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
It pays to persevere. Many months ago I received a gas bill for $1400 for one person.

I complained several times, and just after Christmas which was several months later, it was discovered meter in meter room was registering several times more than meter in apartment. I was told it would be replaced and that reconciliation could take a while.

Today there were half a dozen emails in my inbox.Covering over a year. First one started at over $2000 credit and others showed adjustment s from that. Result? I am still in credit for almost $2000.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Great news, Loth.
 

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Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
Red's not my colour.

mr curly.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Glad your hearing aids have shown up Huia. Am I wrong in recollecting that you chose a purple pair to make them easier to find, and perhaps less likely to look like a tit-bit to a ravenous cat?
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Our turn to have the floods. Son teaches physics; his school was closed at 1.30; he loaded the three kids into the car and they made it home, normally about 20 minutes, at 5.45 by a much more circuitous route. Roads home after work were gridlocked for miles; the three main roads north were blocked and so was an alternative route; trains stopped running and so did buses; people from across the harbour being without their usual buses hoped to go on the harbour ferries, which scrapped timetables and just kept going. The Council kept the central library open for stranded workers to shelter in and many went back to work 'to sleep under my desk' as one said. People interviewed on TV were remarkably good humoured, and one man stepped back from the ferry in favour of a desperate woman who was going home to pick up her toddler from his creche.
I'm off tomorrow to parish camp up the coast, which has shared the deluge with the city; we still don't know whether the roads will be closed again or whether the camp will be flooded, as the Met Service say there's another similar rain band bearing down on us.

GG
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I've been listening to the news and thinking of Wellington GG. I heard of one man who walked from the city centre to Wainuiomata. He must be incredibly fit, in all the years I lived there I never walked over the hill, though my youngest brother thinks nothing of cycling over it.

Here we had one clap of thunder, a cloudburst and that was it, but I'm stocking up on soup for winter and making sure my wee gas burner has sufficient bottles of gas.

I've just caught up with an article published in the "Press" entitled, Christchurch quake survivors and the long road to mental recovery It's absolutely brilliant as it explains some of the causes of less expected effects such as the overwhelming tiredness. It's weird, but I tend to forget there were 4 large quakes in a space of a year as well as the aftershocks which are still happening. No wonder my brain is scrambled.

I hope the people of Nepal get support as they cope with the after effects of a stronger quake in a country that is poorer, has had more deaths and has a less developed infrastructure.

Gee D, yes the purple helps. Mind you so many of my stuff is purple that it could become a problem in itself. I'm lucky in not having a dog as they are more attracted to them than cats. I'm working on not panicking when I lose them as once I calm down I am more likely to find them.

Huia
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
That's the system which was hammering Tasmania, GG! On libraries, one of the branch libraries near Newcastle was deliberately designed to be a flood refuge, elevated on piers above the 1 in 100 year level, and fulfilled that role in the 2007 Pasha Bulker storm.

We are just now beginning to dry out. The main road from us to Maitland reopened last weekend, and the post-flood miasma of rotting vegetation now spreads over the landscape.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I love the idea of the library as a flood refuge.

Barnabas Aus I hope the miasma goes as the drying continues.

Today I had planned planting daffodil bulbs in front of the fence, but I would only achieve a muddy mess so it will have to wait.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas Aus:
That's the system which was hammering Tasmania, GG! On libraries, one of the branch libraries near Newcastle was deliberately designed to be a flood refuge, elevated on piers above the 1 in 100 year level, and fulfilled that role in the 2007 Pasha Bulker storm.

We are just now beginning to dry out. The main road from us to Maitland reopened last weekend, and the post-flood miasma of rotting vegetation now spreads over the landscape.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
I meant your end. If you're old enough to have 3 teenagers, how much more life do you have ahead of you?

---

I did detect the double meaning. I want to kick them out of the house pronto so we can enjoy what little time we have left together!

mr curly

---

Yes, but they come back, with interest i.e.: grandchildren. We did get two years to ourselves out of the last 36. Good luck with that!


 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I finally planted the daffodil bulbs in front of the new fence This is after getting topsoil to replace the dirt scooped out by the digger they used to demolish the fence.

Actually I have gained some enthusiasm for sorting out the front garden since the fence has been replaced and spent yesterday digging out about 3 square metres of twitch/couch grass. There is more to come.

I had forgotten the lovely feeling of being tired after physical work, which is so much nicer that being mentally exhausted. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, which means my muscles will have a chance to get some rest.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

More to come?

---

There is almost never an end to pulling couch grass out, I have found. Pulling it out is very hard on the fingers too. I would no longer try it if I had a garden instead of a balcony. My fingers ache quite enough from arthritis without adding weeding couch to the causes of pain.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Well I'm feeling out of the loop. Do I see our very own Lothlorien is now an AS host?

When did this elevation to greatness happen Loth?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Officially in the last couple of days.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Hi Loth, I read your post last night about the sore fingers and felt smug. ... I woke up this morning and ... ouch! So today I concentrated on soup making rather than gardening.

The new Bus Exchange is now expected to open this coming Monday - transferred from last Monday due to a computer glitch. Which does not augur well.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
One advantage of balcony garden is few weeds. Lots of dandelions where I think seeds are blown here. But I hate couch grass with a passion.

Arthritis this year has been really bad. Fingers on my right hand have a permanent curve to them, as well as the bumps and odd shapes from arthritis.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
There is only 1 way to get rid of couch from garden beds. Dig very deeply straight down all the way along the edge between the lawn and the garden. This means at least a half metre if not more, and the aim is to stop further growth. Then get up early one fine still day, and put protection around any plants you want to keep. We find cutting cartons in half and then opening them up is very effective. Having done that, spray with glyphosate, preferably one of the concentrates, and halve the recommended amount of water you use to dilute. Leave the protection in place for a day or so. Make sure that there are no blue tongues or any other wildlife in the area you are treating. It may take a fortnight, but you'll get rid of it for at least a year, more likely at least 2. If you cut down deeply every 3 months or so, you'll have better long term success.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Some of you may remember Eucharistica Fantastica who snuck around the decks for a while (though I note only posted three times: he and Furry Friar were part of the discourse for a while, though). He was at the Holy Mysteries at my pad this morning. Great to see him and looking well.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Glad to see AS in such safe and sensible hands.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Yea and amen - great to have Loth in the Hosts' Enclosure!
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Thank you, both in the Styx and here.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Brilliant positioning of news items on TVNZ's home page.

Top one was about the flow of New Zealanders from Australia to NZ had increased (it has been the other way for years).

Item underneath said that, of all the nationalities deported from Australia for committing crimes, New Zealanders were the largest group.

I don't think they were meant to be linked.

Huia

[ 25. May 2015, 09:52: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Huia, I still laugh at the saying that the flow of New Zealanders to here increased the IQ of both countries.

I have just put some quinces on to poach very slowly in the oven. Am waiting for the wonderful aroma of quinces cooking to fill the place. I can't remember if son likes them or not, but he is having some R&R after custody and property settlements tomorrow. He will be in Leura in the mountains for the weekend, so I will have quinces all to myself.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Quince season is a good time of the year. A batch a week in the slow cooker while it lasts. Madame thought that we might try spiced quinces this year with some of the early ones, as an accompaniment to a Persian Lamb dish.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I think I may try quince paste. This lot tastes wonderful and has the right amount of sugar for me in it. Tart, but not too tart to eat.
 

---

Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Quince season is a good time of the year. A batch a week in the slow cooker while it lasts. Madame thought that we might try spiced quinces this year with some of the early ones, as an accompaniment to a Persian Lamb dish.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
He has gone up the Blue Mountains to wind down a bit.

---

I trust he will have better luck finding it than I did!
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
It is the station below where we went and he is a mountains veteran. No problem.

[ 29. May 2015, 12:35: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
The Christchurch Art Gallery is re-opening in December after being closed for 5 years They are going to feature local art in a 3 month display.

Also the Catholic Cathedral is to be partially retained. (the Catholics have had less public pressure about their Cathedral than the Anglicans have and if there has been any in-fighting it has not been made public).

Things are beginning to move more quickly.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Good news, Huia. Are you still waiting for your local bus service?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
That does sound as if things are moving in the right direction, Huia - long may it continue!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
No, the bus service is brilliant, purple buses every 15 minutes during the week, and half hourly at weekends and red buses going to the Port or the mall with a library every hour. Locating the bus stop has been a challenge though as its been moved a number of times due to ongoing road/footpath/sewer/ultra fast broadband works.

The road workers are very aware of safety and if there's any doubt about the best way to go, offer an escort through the mess. One even stopped the traffic to allow me to cross the road. Drivers seem to be better and merging with other traffic than allowing pedestrians to cross the road).

I have hopes that they will be totally finished in a couple of weeks, but I'm not sure I am being realistic.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Caught up with Rowen briefly as she hurtled through Canberra towards Sydney. Hope the weather there is kinder than it is here at the moment. Brrrr. First day of Winter has arrived with cold winds and rain. Heavy frosts last week and more expected this week. I have friends who work with the homeless, and I really feel for those sleeping on the streets when it is minus 6 overnight. B1.2 had his first stint of sentry duty outside on one such night. He stuck it out but was really not well the following day. On the plus side, the bush he was guarding did not suffer at all.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
It is not pleasant here either, BL. Wind is picking up but there has been some rain as well.

I am currently minding Master 11 who most likely will be a step grandson later on. They were here yesterday and he sounded like a seal which had smoked all its life. School would have sent him home. His mum, a lovely person, works in day care centre and loves her job. However, she would miss a day's pay if she kept him home and she is not exactly well paid. So I offered to mind him. He slept on lounge last night. Son gave him some medicine early this morning and he is still sleeping. She will pick him up around 4:00. He and his sister are pleasant and polite, but we hardly know each other.

Much to each other's displeasure, he is in same class, same school as Miss M. They believe each spies on the other, although they get on well enough.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
Caught up with Rowen briefly as she hurtled through Canberra ...

---

I've never met Rowen, but I'm having a vision of a lady in full clerical fig., with a flying umbrella like Mary Poppins.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I am sure she has an umbrella, but it would be inside the enormous four wheel drive with all the extras like winches, wet weather gear, extra clothes etc which she needs to get around her enormous bush parish.

I'e had several mini shipments with her and Duo Seraphim when Rowen has been in Sydney. Good fun but a while ago now.

[ 01. June 2015, 00:45: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Oh my goodness, piglet, your description is spot on! How amazing .......
Banner Lady could vouch for this!


We had a lovely dinner and chat.

[ 01. June 2015, 06:05: Message edited by: Rowen ]
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Yes, yes, Reverend Poppins describes Rowen perfectly. AND she sings serendipitously...cue music for Super-calla-fragilistic-expialla-docious...

Please imagine this: a picnic inside a magically painted motel room, complete with carousels and dancing penguins. It was a wondrous happening when the weather outside was so bleak and dreary. May the magic continue for you, Rowen, no matter which way the wind blows.

[ 01. June 2015, 08:22: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Either Piglet has Powers (which could be exciting) or she is associating with too many clergy (which may or may not be exciting, depending on the individuals involved ).

The penguins sound amazing.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Probably the latter, Huia - organists' wives do tend to meet more members of the clergy than may be good for them.

The appearance of dancing penguins does, however cast questions on the contents of the flask in the picnic-basket ...
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 


Dear, dear piglet. There will always be dancing penguins when discussing life in the church.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
On the first day of winter I went out into the admittedly rather weak sun, and there were the first golden blossoms on he winter flowering kowhai.

Absolute joy!!

GG
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Just had 12 hours of below freezing temps here with minus 6.5 the overnight max. Currently the 'feels like' temp is minus 10 so it is a tad chilly. There is snow along on the Monaro highway, and all those snow bunnies rushing to the alps for the Queen's birthday weekend this week will be very happy.

This little penguin just wants to fly north. Sigh.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Being a rather brainless, northerly piglet, I find it hard to reconcile the ideas of "snow" and "Australia". When I was growing up in the 1970s we had several visits from sundry Australian cousins*, some of whom had never seen snow, which seemed very exotic!

* All Brits have Australian cousins who visited them during the 1970s.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Almost midday and we have reached 7 degrees. TP is complaining it's a heat wave.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
Almost midday and we have reached 7 degrees. TP is complaining it's a heat wave.

---

Banner Lady, I have asked on the Eagles and Turkeys thread that they stop sending snow. Hopefully it may warm up a bit, although I am not so sure of that.

[ 02. June 2015, 03:03: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
3pm and 13c here, which isn't too bad given the time of year. I remember one winter here when anything over 10c was reason for celebration. I have just done a huge sort out of clothes and given that the coldest weather is after the shortest day I need more warm pants. On the other hand I could probably supply a family of spiders with socks, but only if they liked purple and black.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Birdbath was frozen the whole day. Not that the birds were about. If I had wings I wouldn't hang about here either.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Thanks, dear Banner Lady, for your kind thoughts.

I am attending a consultation in Sydney, hosted by my denomination, as it discusses remote and rural ministries, like what I do.
Huge resourcing issues. Will my part of the UCA exist next year? What will I be doing? How will remote and vulnerable people cope without clergy. I know some regions have other denominations therein, but not mine.
Most attendees are cold. Some of us are enjoying the warmth!
Anyway, day two has ended. We are tired. No major decisions yet. Just, um, stuff.

I would appreciate prayers!

[ 03. June 2015, 09:15: Message edited by: Rowen ]
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Piglet, on my overseas trips, or when hosting friends from other countries..... I have to explain, patiently, about snow in Oz. Otherwise, I am not believed! And me, a minister.....
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
All those upside down tea parties possibly don't help...
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Long weekend here in NSW for Queen's Birthday. Son is away at his church's camp and I was looking forward to a weekend by myself. However, he caught a cold from a friend's daughter and has now passed it on to me. My nose is like a tap with a leaky washer.

Fortunately yesterday I made a big pot of good mushroom soup, so that is lunches taken care of.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Being a rather brainless, northerly piglet, I find it hard to reconcile the ideas of "snow" and "Australia". When I was growing up in the 1970s we had several visits from sundry Australian cousins*, some of whom had never seen snow, which seemed very exotic!

* All Brits have Australian cousins who visited them during the 1970s.

---

I didn't see snow until I went to Europe at the ripe old age of about 23-put my head out the hotel window and saw little flakes falling from the sky. I later went skiing in Australia but decided it was a hopeless hobby for an Australian-I'd much sooner spend the time and money lying on a beach.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
An announcement from the Metrological Service that June is expected to be a good month for skiing.

I hate snow - it's cold and wet and when it melts the river at the end of the street rises alarmingly. It's OK when it's on the Southern Alps looking pretty, but not on my street or in my backyard.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
I had to share:
My little group of 13-year-olds doing language history found that 'liturgy' and 'orgy' come from the same Greek root.
Just one of those things.

GG
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
/\ ... my work is looking up
 

---

Posted by Patdys (# 9397) on :
 
In prayer of course.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Zappa, I love seeing your Broken Moments link come up in my RSS feed. Thank you for posting them.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
My sister lives in Ravenshoe. Needless to say there were a flurry of family phone calls after the explosion yesterday.

She and her husband were in the hardware store down the street when it happened. Sadly many of those hurt were the local respite care group who were taking their "carees" out for lunch.

Many passers by were blown off their feet, and managed to pick themselves up to get home under their own volition. The initial casualty list may therefore be a bit conservative as the shock and the burns take their toll.

Lord have mercy.


 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
The whole affair sounds really dreadful and lots of nasty injuries.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Zappa, I love seeing your Broken Moments link come up in my RSS feed. Thank you for posting them.

---

 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
The whole affair sounds really dreadful and lots of nasty injuries.

---

I feel for the fireman evacuated to Brisbane. My sister said that all that was left of the shirt he was wearing was the collar around his neck, and his back was terribly burnt. It will be a long slow healing process and I hope reasonably straight forward, for his sake.

At least he will be guaranteed to get good support.

So many small businesses went to the wall around that area after two major cyclones hit them successively that it is very cruel to see one of the survivors taken out like that. I hope the family managing the cafe can recover.

In other much cooler news, I have made a pointy hat for a pointy man this week, and am now working on the cathedral banners for the big shindig to install him this Saturday. It will be cold, and I am hoping for no black ice on the road for the drive up.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
More sad news from Ravenshoe, and I expect not the last. Wondering if the 82 year old was the aboriginal lady whose children picked her up and carried her to the local doctors surgery because in the confusion of the aftermath they were not told where the triage points were situated.


Pointy hat a success but have now learned never to trust when bishops elect try to explain colour schemes to you. Having been told cope was an "off-white, light cream colour" I made the mitre in a traditional cream and gold.

Cope was red, white and blue with silver clasp in very modern design. At least the hat matched the very traditional gold and wood staff.

I will be picking up the leftover cope material tomorrow to create a mitre that will go with it. And no doubt somewhere along the line he will come into possession of a traditional looking cope to go with the hat. Old copes do tend to get passed along....
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
More sad news from Ravenshoe, and I expect not the last. Wondering if the 82 year old was the aboriginal lady whose children picked her up and carried her to the local doctors surgery because in the confusion of the aftermath they were not told where the triage points were situated.

---

Dreadfully sad news and how it much it will affect a small community like Ravenshoe. Fancy reaching 82, then die like that.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
From what my sister tells me the community is still in shock. Like most country townsfolk they are a laid-back, humorous and practical bunch who know their neighbours and would give the shirt off their back if it would help. Most of them have coped with mill closures, mine closures or natural disasters recently in their lives. Ravenshoe used to be a timber town. They are nothing if not resilient - but this has really depressed many.

For those still in critical care survival is not necessarily the best option, but as Gee D says, it's a terrible way to go out. I was glad to hear the mayor applying to the Queensland government for travel funds for the families affected. I guess everything that can be done is being done, and it is now just a footnote in the news - like the tremors in Christchurch.

But the community is deeply affected, and will be for a long time.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
BL,prayers for the community as well as those actually caught up in the event. Such things always have an effect on small rural areas.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Wet. Very wet here. Tank is full to overflowing and TP has ordered two more. Expecting that as soon as they are in we will not see rain for many months, because that is the natural way of things.

B1.2 is very organised. I was engrossed in writing a report at the computer this morning when he announced it was time to go to school. He was dressed, breakfasted, had made his lunch, his bed etc.etc. I glanced at the clock and it was indeed a quarter to the hour. Time to go.

So we headed out the door, I waved him off at the corner, and came back in to a very quiet and sleepy household. TP emerged for his 8am cuppa and was unimpressed that B1.2 had gone to school an hour early under my supervision. Fast retrieval of child followed, and TP is now considering whether I am showing the signs of early on-set dementia.

BL. Bad nanna.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
You must have been up early, BL, to have made a mistake like that.

Lucky kid to get lift to school. Back in the days, I used to leave at just before 7:00 am to walk to bus, to get bust to station and train to Hornsby, then walk to school. We had to walkin lines, which took longer than if we had just hurried from station.

We also had to keep eye out for the old woman who complained about us. If she was on other side of the road, she would cross road as our lines came into view, just so she could complain.

Of course, back in the days, we were barefoot and had done our homework by candlelight the evening before.

[ 18. June 2015, 03:26: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Y

Lucky kid to get lift to school.

---

School gate is less than 20 metres from our driveway. Morning routine is simply to make sure he crosses the road safely! He was waiting outside his classroom not even wondering why it was so quiet when I got there.

TP has declared it must be time to buy Master 9 a watch.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
A friend of one son lived a similar distance from school. He too had no watch but was always late.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I passed through Wellington on Monday. I took my hat off for a moment and my brain froze. It was 3c when I got back to Christchurch and much warmer. Thinking of using the fridge as an extra heater

Huia-from the Library
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Huia, I hope the library is heated. I guess part of your rates go to upkeep of library.
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
Whilst here, I'm worrying about being cold at 15 degrees.

On the other hand, my version of hot is 38.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
A few weeks ago, our local BBC station claimed that the temperature at the Suffolk Show was a "scorching" 19 degrees.

As if ...
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
My goodness Clarence, anything over 25c is getting uncomfortable for me

I was posting from the library because some numbskull took out my connection with the internet and my landline phone. I suspect the people laying cables for ultra fast broadband who managed to bury my water toby a couple of months ago. The broadband may be ultra fast but their laying of cables isn't and they wield small diggers as thought they were weapons of mass destruction.

Now I have been re-connected my life has improved greatly.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
My goodness Clarence, anything over 25c is getting uncomfortable for me

I was posting from the library because some numbskull took out my connection with the internet and my landline phone. I suspect the people laying cables for ultra fast broadband who managed to bury my water toby a couple of months ago. The broadband may be ultra fast but their laying of cables isn't and they wield small diggers as thought they were weapons of mass destruction.

Now I have been re-connected my life has improved greatly.

Huia

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
... '* is an asterisk; Asterix is a Gaul'...

---

Love it - Quotes File!

[ 30. June 2015, 16:14: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
A scorching 6 degrees celsius maximum expected here today in Canberra. BRRR. I am looking forward to being in Adelaide over the weekend where it will be ten degrees warmer even though it is closer to the Antarctic.

My mother turned 97 yesterday. Her former bridge partner (my godmother) turned 100 this year - she still plays bridge for four hours at a time at her local bridge club. One of them was a State Master and the other a Regional Master and they are both still very capable of organising their own affairs. A darn good advertisement for bridge, I would say.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Happy birthday, Banner Mum!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Indeed, a Very Happy Birthday to her. Not on the Ship much these last couple of weeks - but good to come back for this anniversary.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Just looked outside and it's snowing. Good thing my main job of the day is making chicken soup in the crock pot. Georgie-Porgy is stretched out under the flow of the heat pump, which is set on 16c. Think I need to put on another layer. The idea is not to get cold as it takes longer to warm up.

Forecast is for snow to stop this afternoon _ here's hoping!

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Chicken soup on agenda here too from the bones of the baked chook we had.

There is a warning of another very cold snap in next few days over here, so plan some more soup. Sydney is forecast for coldest temps in thirty years, it may cross the Tasman.

A bit of self promotion here. I cleaned out the last of the packages of meat from my freezer. All used. It looks strangely empty now. However, slow cooked lamb shanks were just right for dinner last night. A couple of glasses of red for son and me to send a very stressful day on its way
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Roast dinner last night, so today will simply be some kind of slow cooked casserole with the leftover beef and veg. B1 has been getting out and about on the dating circuit lately, as her children are away for the week, so she won't be here for leftovers.

It is kind of weird to be back in the position of wondering if she'll be okay and what time she'll be home - she's in her mid 30's; but I guess it just goes with being a parent. I can't pretend not to care, though I do try to keep it to myself.

NB: This is usually interpreted as 'Mum doesn't care' by the offspring. Of course, if I comment on anything then I am reminded that they are adults, and I need to stay out of it.
Interestingly if their Dad comments, then its just Dad being a concerned Dad, and they appreciate it. Must be a girl thing.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
Whilst here, I'm worrying about being cold at 15 degrees.

On the other hand, my version of hot is 38.

---

Anything under 30 is cold. It's 8 here. At 12.50 p.m.

[ 09. July 2015, 00:51: Message edited by: Zappa ]
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Cancel that. 6°C. With severe southerly taking it down to a "RealFeel®" of 0°


 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
0C is way warm. I might wear a jacket that day.


 

---

Posted by Athrawes (# 9594) on :
 
Wash your mouth out, Uncle Pete!
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Our "RealFeel®" of 0° has declined to a "RealFeel®" of -4°now ...
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I know what you mean Zaps - mid-afternoon here and only 29.1C!!!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
0C is way warm. I might wear a jacket that day.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
... they had never been so cold in their lives as they were living in Dunedin ...

---

Reading about the cold winter you're having got me thinking about latitudes. Dunedin is at 45°S, which is a couple of degrees closer to the Equator than where I live in Newfoundland (47°N), and considerably closer than where I grew up in Orkney (59°N), but to a northerner like me, Oz and NZ seem as if they should be at least warm, if not actually hot (they're in the "soft South" after all) ...


 

---

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :
 
Unfortunately a direct climate comparison by latitude is misleading because of the Great Southern Ocean, which allows cold near Antarctic winds (and the accompanying huge waves!) to go round the globe without impediment. Hence 50 deg S feels like 60 deg N !
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
And it has a name. The Antarctic Vortex has hit. Here in Canberra it is rainy and colder outside than in my fridge, remaining so for most of the day. Last night the Australian Alps experienced 'thundersnow'. Don't that sound impressive?

Anyway, its all fine as long as the electricity is running. Chez Banner is having a lazy day cozied up inside after the big family party here last night. B1.1 turned 14 and it was the first time we've managed to get all his first cousins (on our side of the family) together with their parents. Interestingly after years of being a mostly female household owing to our 4 daughters, we had 8 male and 8 females present last night. Photos were taken.

it was good.

 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I know what you mean Zaps - mid-afternoon here and only 29.1C!!!

---

I had to attend an adult baptism at an unnamed parish nearby this morning. What a flaming joyless, directionless, vacuous shemozzle. If that's Anglican liturgy (and it often is in NZ) then I'm off to Rome. Ugh. Why would anyone get out of bed for such a turgid pile of directionless upchuck?

Apart from that it was okay though.

(Actually to be fair I believe the previous vicar was liturgically correct but a tyrannical bully so probably this guy [and his wife who insists on pawing me whenever she sees me ] are a welcome change. But still).

But holy mosquito farts, I hope I never have the misfortune to go back.

[ 12. July 2015, 03:08: Message edited by: Zappa ]
 

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Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
It's kinda cold in the Victorian Alps, down here on the Snowy River.
Brrrrrr.

Heating high everywhere, church this morning especially.

Funny thing at church. Over morning tea, folk discuss what they will most remember about the service, as time goes by. Last week was my children's talk; this week my apparently amazing benediction.

Not the message! I have to laugh!
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
So what did you say at benediction!

Ultimate comfort food for this weather and I had all ingredients to hand. Moussaka and a couple of glasses of merlot. Tasted amazing, even if I did forget the tomatoes. Béchamel sauce was really good. Leftovers tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Leftovers are often better than the original Loth.

A beautiful 8c here today, mind that was after a heavy frost. From the comfort of a warm bus I saw scantily dressed people running in Hagley Park . I had 4 layers of clothing on, 2 of which were merino, as well as a beanie and was comfortable.

I was so glad I went to church today. The Minister decided against preaching on John the Baptist, because of the recent beheadings in the news and instead talked about "the Sin of Separateness" which was fascinating. Also there some children whom I discussed books with. Good to meet some readers who can discuss books intelligently - there is hope for the next generation

Huia
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Leftovers are often better than the original Loth.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
... If that's Anglican liturgy (and it often is in NZ) ...

---

If you ever feel the need for a spot of Cranmer's Matchless Prose™, pop over here.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
So what did you say at benediction!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
... If that's Anglican liturgy (and it often is in NZ) ...

---

If you ever feel the need for a spot of Cranmer's Matchless Prose™, pop over here.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
... If that's Anglican liturgy (and it often is in NZ) ...

---

If you ever feel the need for a spot of Cranmer's Matchless Prose™, pop over here.

---

I have re-introduced said prose at my other centre - who love it and I love it! My (imperious voluntary) colleagues will attempt to garrotte me when they realise, for they unilaterally banned it because they felt it was not modern or kiwi enough. No consultation of course. We only do that if we know the outcome.

By and large NZ Anglicans have me pining for Rome. Mumble-bumbled amalgamation of the worst of a-liturgical worship with a few inane liturgical gestures thrown in out of place at random intervals because there is a faint memory that we used to do that sort of stuff.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
I have re-introduced said prose at my other centre - who love it and I love it! ...

---

Good on you!

Many of the clergy now in senior positions here were trained when the BAS* first came out, and was being aggressively pushed by the PTB, and have never really used anything else. Most of them find that the Prayer Book is a breath of fresh air when they come to the Cathedral.

* Book of Alternative Services, known not very affectionately as the Bloody Awful Service book.

eta: I'll stop being Eccles-ish now.

[ 13. July 2015, 13:48: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
When asked to lead an ecumenical devotional service at the local nursing home, I used the morning prayer service from the Anglican prayer book.

It is the service my Catholic husband reads every morning. Everyone over the age of 80 recognises all the parts therein and can say them without reading if necessary.

I had one diehard Salvationist who objected because she didn't like "liturgy" or rote prayers. When I pointed out that her Salvation Army service had both she denied this vehemently. But she had to concede she did know what "the order of service" would be each week and what version of scripture, psalm and song would be used.

She eventually came to appreciate how I ran the devotions, because of the quality contained in the liturgy - unlike many of the ad hoc attempts by others on the roster. I often get more coming to the Morning Prayer service each month than show up for what is offered on Sunday at the nursing home.

A good case for liturgy, IMHO.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
GG I am resigned to my heating bill going sky high over winter, due to hot baths which I love. The shower doesn't really cut it, probably because of the low pressure hot water. I am investigating a showerdome not only to keep down the steam in the bathroom, but because it keeps the heat of the water in the cubicle, thus maximizing its effect.

I am glad that I had insulation installed. I didn't think I was eligible for any kind of subsidy, but when I mentioned being asthmatic I discovered that I was.

Uncle Pete - I'm not a "miserable sinner" - at the moment I'm quite a happy one.

The sun is shining here

Huia
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Our electricity bill is reasonable, as we've installed some solar generating panels. Probably we're still behind on the capital cost vs income saving equation even with the subsidy which then applied to the installation (does it still? I haven't bothered to check.) but we have the warm inner glow that we've done the right thing. It's probably also made a small addition to the value of the house. The gas bill for the winter quarter will be heavy, as we have gas heating as well as the enclosed fire. Then there's the extra cost of heating the colder water. Maybe we should look at the costs of converting both to electricity.

Madame and I are having this week and part of next from work. Usually it's only a week mid-year, but we felt we deserved a bit longer this year and we were both able to juggle things. It may be colder here than in the city, but it was good not to have to be walking up the hill to the station in the dark, cold and rain on Monday morning.

[ 15. July 2015, 00:36: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

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Posted by Emendator Liturgia (# 17245) on :
 
Given the comments herein about liturgy-lite services (well, at least from the kiwi side of the fence), I thought it appropriate to extend to one and all in or visiting Sydney on the day, a warm invitation to our 2015 Feast of Title celebrations, which is being held at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Granville.

The Anglican Communities of Our Lady are now 5 years old (well, 5 years and 6 months, to be accurate). In that time we have grown from one to five communities, and by the end of the year there will be another 2.

The liturgical celebration is on Sunday, 2nd August at 1.30pm. There is a Solemn Choral Eucharist at which the preacher will be Geoff Officer (chief of Operation, Catholic Diocese of Parramatta); the choir is from St. Alban's Anglican Church, Epping; and the soloist will be John Coombs on the welsh harp.

While the music is still being determined, I can assure everyone of hearty singing, memorable choral pieces and maybe even something different - along with bells, smells and champagne afternoon tea with savouries, gateaux, tortes and other assorted sweets.

I will be only too happy to email an invitation to them: just PPM me with the address.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
No coffee! Big blackout through Fivedock apparently. Not my suburb, but blackout must be wider than reported.. I have gas to heat water but grind beans fresh as needed. May postpone my hostly run round All Saints for a while till power comes back on. Am using iPad but need a hot drink.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
40 years ago, when I worked in a children's home, I had a hand grinder but for some bizarre reason the kids vied for the honour of grinding the beans - and being a kind man I let them do it.



Power cuts can be a pain here but these days are less frequent - a friend visiting from UK told me that there the company can be fined if they haven't given sufficient notice.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
We have had a couple of violent thunderstorms this morning. Apparently there was a fault in a substation. Have now remedied the coffee situation. Another low weather system is due to hit the East Coast again, bringing more violent and cold weather. Snowing west of Sydney again this morning.
 

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Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Cold oh cold on the Snowy River.... Mind you, the name kinda tells you what to expect.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I like those names that give fair warning.

There is a road that branches off State Highway 1 in the North Island called Cemetery Road and the sign under it says "No Exit".

Huia
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I am very glad that I took this week off. It was another morning that walking up to the station in the cold, wet and windy weather would have been extremely unpleasant. As it is, we're sitting in comfortable chairs, the fire's burning nicely, some good reading out, and Madame made a pot of tea 10 minutes ago. Life can be good. Not so good when I have to go and fill the wood box, or we head out later on to shop, but we're enjoying this in the meantime.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My brother is already out shopping. He has overridden the temperature controls for the heating so house is warm to return to. It is very cold down here, wet and starting yo get windy..

Am about to make a coffee in an attempt to wake up.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Macrina, prayers and best wishes on your day from the 3 of us.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
What a lovely morning after the last couple of days. Ever so much warmer than it has been, and sunshine. I am not sure how long it will last as there are clouds around, but a welcome change. Coldest winter days lately in 44 years.
 

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Posted by Macrina (# 8807) on :
 
Gosh sorry I am late and didn't see this *blush* thankyou GeeD and associates for the good wishes
 

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Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 
Buried f-i-l's ashes this morning. Weather forecast was for bitter wind and potentially horizontal rain.

However, like the man in question, we had the unexpected - beautiful sun, no wind, and although it was cold, it wasn't bitter. We sprinkled Glen Morangie over him and drank to his peace.

RIP Jack.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Prayers for you, your partner and for Jack - may he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Macrina, the "us" are Madame, Dlet and myself.

[ 19. July 2015, 04:30: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom:
Buried f-i-l's ashes this morning. Weather forecast was for bitter wind and potentially horizontal rain.

However, like the man in question, we had the unexpected - beautiful sun, no wind, and although it was cold, it wasn't bitter. We sprinkled Glen Morangie over him and drank to his peace.

RIP Jack.

---

A lovely man. I see him, and the twinkle in his eye.

RIP Jack

GG
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Prayers ascending for you and your partner, APW, and for the soul of Jack.

Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Specially for Piglet New Zealand's best-loved pig. Now living with a kind friend safe from people who only know 'they taste good'.
GG
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Piggy Sue - love it!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
What an adorable little piggy!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
As I watch very little TV, I missed that advert. It could almost put me off eating bacon for life - nah, not really. I'd be more impressed if Vodaphone sorted out the many interruptions to the service I've had, however that being said, my last conversation with one of their technicians was very helpful.

Good day planned here. A long postponed birthday lunch with a friend (from May!) and a hopeful 14c temperature forecast.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Enjoy the lunch. A balmy 14°! Lovely although last night was much warmer than it has been for weeks and I found it hard to sleep.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Enjoy your 14° - it's warmer than we're having here at the moment, and we're (technically anyway) in the middle of summer ...
 

---

Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
Specially for Piglet New Zealand's best-loved pig. Now living with a kind friend safe from people who only know 'they taste good'.
GG

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
All welcome for dinner. Slow cooked shoulder of lamb with masses of rosemary and garlic. It has been on for hours and the aroma is making me hungry.

Unfortunately, it is just on 5:00 pm, so I will have to wait some time yet.

---

Sounds good. Pity we live so far apart!!

We have spent the afternoon cooking too. 2 doz scones in freezer, one pot of vegie soup, one pork casserole in slow cooker and chilli con carne. Nothing like a damp winters afternnon to do some cooking.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That all sounds good too. I don't expect much in the way of leftovers. The shoulder was quite big, over two kilos, but there will be plenty of people to eat it. I would like enough left for a small shepherd' s pie.

Oven on saves turning heater on, although today in Sydney has been fairly mild.
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
We've both had so many health issues this year that the hospital is almost a second home, so we're currently tucking in to Meals on Wheels. My only real cooking has been two batches of biscuits to welcome two new families to our little street, and this week I ran out of last year's marmalade and after two days of shop marmalade I got three grapefruit and made enough for a few months. Usually we'd be getting free fruit from a friend's tree at Matarangi and making enough to sell for Christian World Service, but here we are stuck in the city.

GG
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That's no good, GG. I hope there may be an improvement as spring approaches. It's hard when you feel you should b elsewhere.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
All welcome for dinner. Slow cooked shoulder of lamb with masses of rosemary and garlic ...

---

I'll be right over.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I blew up the microwave last night. I don't actually use it that much but it is useful for heating the milk for hot chocolate. So last night I had cold chocolate as well as a cold house as I has to air the kitchen to disperse the smoke to avoid setting off the smoke alarm. Having achieved that I went to bed at 8pm At least I had a good book.

The sun is out and there's a farmer's market at the Port so I'm going to put on 4 layers of clothing and venture out. Last time I went there I bought a yellow rose in memory of my father and roast chestnuts, being sold to fundraise for Nepal so I never know what I'll come home with.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Sounds lovely Huia. The market , that is, not the microwave. I don't use mine much but it is definitely handy for heating milk.

Lovely day here, as was yesterday and fairly mild. Till tomorrow when another icy blast is forecast.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
I blew up the microwave last night ...

---

D's late boss killed a microwave trying to make porridge in it - served him right!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
The sun is out and there's a farmer's market at the Port so I'm going to put on 4 layers of clothing and venture out. Last time I went there I bought a yellow rose in memory of my father and roast chestnuts, being sold to fundraise for Nepal so I never know what I'll come home with.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
A lovely part of the world and an area where I could happily live.

My sister and I sometimes peruse the real estate sites finding places we like. Last week I found two out that way. An enormous place at Borenore, looking back to Mt Canobolas. Well cared for, pool and tennis court and some land with it. Under two million. Billiard room, ball room, various other rooms. In Southern Highland it would have been three times that.

The pub at Manildra was for sale, enough for us each to have a suite of rooms but also to be able to come together. Plenty of rooms for guests. That one was under $400,000. You know what that would have bought in Sydney with median house price now over a million.

---

In the process of selling our parent's house - mum is now in a nursing home, and dad needs to move to something a lot smaller. Originally bought by them as newlyweds in a small outlying semi-rural Sydney suburb in 1958 for 6,000 pounds. Wahroonga has somewhat changed since then, estimates are 1.6 to 1.8 million. Out of my price range by a magnitude of ten! Suspect it will not be bought by a first-home buyer.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Madame grew up in Wahroonga, I in Warrawee, the next station south. Our grandparents all lived in the same general area. In the 50s, both were certainly much smaller than now, but I would not have said semi-rural even then.

A hard time for your father, but with that sort of money he should be able to buy a smaller house, or a unit close in to Wahroonga shops, and have plenty left over.

[ 28. July 2015, 11:46: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I grew up not far from Wahroonga and although I was a child of the 70s I agree semi-rural is a bit of a stretch even for the 1950s. It's been suburban since pre-Federation, with the railway line linking it to the city in the 1890s, large blocks of land with substantial houses but suburban none the less. (History of the local area was drummed into us at school for some reason.)
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Around what is now North Wahroonga, and along Fox Valley Road had some orchards. I can't now remember what was in the area east from Hornsby Hospital. The expressway made major changes there and really cut it all away from the rest of the suburb.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Something went funny with the last post. I had included:

Some very attractive streets just vanished; houses in others must have lost considerable value by reason of the manner in which the expressway went through.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
The area I grew up in was "in the sticks," according to my grandmother. It was on the edge of West Ryde. The whole area has now moved further west towards PArramatta. There was a dairy at the top of the street. That site is now an exclusive brethren hall. Our freshly washed kelpie used to go there to roll in a cow pat to get his proper scent back.

There were a couple of market gardens and two doors down was a poultry farm. On those occasions where mum decided the celebrations called for a chicken, one of us would go down. Some poor chook was grabbed, had its throat cut, was cleaned and dressed and we would carry it back home. Chickens were reserved for Easter Sunday roast and the occasional birthday. They were expensive. We also bought fresh milk from there, just milked from the cow. Collected in billy every morning and stored in an ice chest which we had till a fridge was bought.

Dad grew all our vegetables and had a wonderful flower garden too. Swane's nursery was at the bottom of the street and when they moved, he was allowed to take whatever he wanted from their house garden.

The builder doing our place and several others, went broke and disappeared. Dad finished the house in his time after school. He was a teacher. When we moved in, there were outside walls, a roof and not much else. Mum had to queue for nails etc and for such things as sinks, baths. This was a time of post war shortages. If the bath was bright purple, it was still accepted as who knew when another would be available.

There was the outside, non- sewered dunny and that gave us a fear of being there when the dunny man came each week to change the pan. No real chance of it, but the fear was there.

There were a couple of large brick places, but mostly small fibro houses. We played in the street and in the paddock out the back. I scrambled in the mangroves on the river bank at the bottom of the street. Not wise as they were both slippery and muddy.

[ 29. July 2015, 00:17: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm glad to hear that in someone else's childhood chickens were a luxury. They seemed like a very occasional treat when I was growing up, but I suspect it may have been more because my dad wasn't particularly fond of chicken. I have no idea how expensive they were (relatively speaking), so I don't know if economics had anything to do with it.

It's funny how these things change: we can buy a freshly-roasted chicken in Costco for about $8 (about $8.40 Australian), and it'll feed the two of us for two or three meals (plus the home-made stock that goes into casseroles, soups and whatnot).
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Piglet, I didn't even like chicken much. It was known as Rowley's rabbit to me, Mr Rowley being the owner of the poultry farm. I discovered at High school that my friend ate underground chicken as she did not like rabbit. Rabbit is now quite expensive down here, around $30 the last time I asked.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Chicken was definitely luxury for us in the 1950s in UK - lamb, pork or beef were the general Sunday Roast items. Having been a non-meat-eater for three decades and more I have no idea of current prices either here or in UK.
 

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Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
St Ives had heaps of market gardens into the late 60s, I remember reading an article a few years back that claimed St Ives could never really be considered UNS because it was associated with plebeian things like market gardens. unlike salubrious places like Killara and Wahroonga.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I would love a purple bath Loth, but I can imagine it wouldn't go down well at the time.

Chicken was really expensive here when I was growing up, but is now the cheapest meat (apart from the odd "special". My mother never cooked it because (she claimed) "It looks like roast baby." I don't think Dad liked it either.

I know Mum's family ate a lot of wild rabbit, so much so that when a fussy chicken loving Grandfather visited their mother somehow tied up the rabbit to resemble chicken. He is reputed to have said it was "The best damn chicken I've had in a long time".

Today I hitched a ride with some friends to see the seal pups playing under a waterfall in the bush at Kaikoura, several hours drive from here. I was very disappointed that none were playing in the pool, although several were lying in the bush nearby. Still they are wild animals and are not there for our convenience.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Evangeline:
St Ives had heaps of market gardens into the late 60s, I remember reading an article a few years back that claimed St Ives could never really be considered UNS because it was associated with plebeian things like market gardens. unlike salubrious places like Killara and Wahroonga.

---

There was always a bulge eastward to include the area along Mona Vale Rd to Cowan Rd, and Pymble Golf Club in any definition of the UNS. The rest of St Ives has always been doubtful territory....... These days, the SMH refers to such places as "leafy Naremburn" as being on the North Shore - wrong first about its being leafy, and then about being on the North Shore.

[ 29. July 2015, 08:55: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Well, it is north of the harbour. however I agree with you about the use of North Shore to Naremburn. This sort of use is spreading but seems to me to be relatively recent.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Out of interest, where is Naremburn, then? And should I be describing Cremorne as somewhere other than LNS?
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Naremburn is probably best described as north of the Bridge. Cremorne is definitely Lower North Shore, as are the suburbs in the general arc from Lane Cove/Riverview through to Mosman. But not North Shore pure and simple - that does not start until Boundary St Roseville - or perhaps William St.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Ah. This is familiar to me from London, where the borders of my so-called "golden postcode" stretched several miles into neighbouring postcodes, according to the estate agents.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Evangeline:
St Ives had heaps of market gardens into the late 60s, I remember reading an article a few years back that claimed St Ives could never really be considered UNS because it was associated with plebeian things like market gardens. unlike salubrious places like Killara and Wahroonga.

---

There was always a bulge eastward to include the area along Mona Vale Rd to Cowan Rd, and Pymble Golf Club in any definition of the UNS. The rest of St Ives has always been doubtful territory....... These days, the SMH refers to such places as "leafy Naremburn" as being on the North Shore - wrong first about its being leafy, and then about being on the North Shore.

---

UNS is a state of mind more than geography. St Ives is more north shore than it is northern beaches but it's certainly not Killara or Roseville. It's hard to give it a geographical description if not UNS. Large swathes of Turramurra are pretty doubtful too-north and south Turramurra and even west Pymble and East Gordon are just not U

I did see Gladesville described somewhere as LNS which I thought was a major stretch.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
And at the other end of the scale apparently there are still farmhouses you can rent for $1 a week in the outback. These are in country towns that are keen to get more families in their area so that their local schools doesn't have to close. I thought that this scheme was all done and dusted 5 years ago with the reality tv show following 10 families doing a tree change. Other country towns around Oz followed and there is still a website where applications can be sent. According to the rentafarmhouse site 6 families did make a successful change to remote living during the first (and only) show about it.

I am amazed the scheme is still chugging along. Must be some success stories in there I guess.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Gladesville is a riverside suburb, certainly not LNS save in the mind of an estate agent or journalist. No suburb with North, South, East or West in its name is on the North Shore; as someone once said, even the placement of Roseville is open to debate. (I would not, but Gordon's lucky it has North Shore suburbs either side.) Off from these serious matters to do some work.
 

---

Posted by Mr Curly (# 5518) on :
 
As someone who has lived for many years in a place that can be identified at a pinch as Pymble, rather than West Pymble, I'm now proudly embracing my inner "West". The proximity to the North Ryde business park is having fabulous effects on property values.

When I lived in Turramurra and attended Macquarie University, the joke at the expense of my fellow students who had graduated from a grammar school GeeD and I are familiar with was that they hadn't ever traveled as far west as crossing De Burgh's Bridge until O-week.

My grandfather and the generation before worked market gardens in Chatswood, down Fullers Road. Later, they were early settlers in St Ives - his three pear trees are now on the footpath of the widened Mona Vale Rd at the corner of Douglas St. Grandmother's name adorns the St Ives Bowling Club honour board - including 5 times Ladies Singles Champion.

mr curly
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr Curly:
As someone who has lived for many years in a place that can be identified at a pinch as Pymble, rather than West Pymble, I'm now proudly embracing my inner "West". The proximity to the North Ryde business park is having fabulous effects on property values.

When I lived in Turramurra and attended Macquarie University, the joke at the expense of my fellow students who had graduated from a grammar school GeeD and I are familiar with was that they hadn't ever traveled as far west as crossing De Burgh's Bridge until O-week.


mr curly

---

As someone who went to a certain College of similar religious outlook to said Grammar school, believe me, the joke wasn't at their expense they loved it. " I've only been into a public school to vote" was something said to much chortling amongst old school chums at Sydney.

When the hell did Ryde become inner west? "tis outrage!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Yes, Inner West used finish around the viaduct between Lewisham and Summer Hill. It now seems to go at least to Homebush, if not Parramatta yet.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
LOL, yes well as somebody who lives in a riverside suburb on the other side to Gladesville I will just remind you all that according to Sydney Ferries (and they must be the authority) all ferry stops up to Abbotsford are "inner harbour" so I can say I live on the harbour thanks very much
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My turn to have a dig at others. My suburb was western suburbs up to about mid 1970s. It then assumed mantle of inner west. Not far as the crow flies to the old marker Gee D mentions at Summer Hill. Property has risen amazingly even in the four years since I bought this apartment. I would almost certainly get about $120,000 at least over what I paid were I to sell now. However, even more inner west has gone up even more. I bought here as I liked the place, it had various advantages and was a reasonable price leaving me comfortable and able to use money to help others.
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Actually Loth seeing you here reminded me, there's a choral evensong on at 3pm on 9th August at St Bede's in the harbourside suburb of Drummoyne , if that's near you, you might be interested. I see St Docs still doen't have a permanent rector.

[ 30. July 2015, 08:41: Message edited by: Evangeline ]
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I just saw a news report of an earthquake in Australia. 5.1, but reasonably deep. At least in NZ we grow up knowing they are a possibility. I hope everyone is OK (my knowledge of Australian geography is abysmal, but Bundaberg was named as a place where buildings were evacuated).

Huia - in solidarity with the shaky continent.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Evangeline:
Actually Loth seeing you here reminded me, there's a choral evensong on at 3pm on 9th August at St Bede's in the harbourside suburb of Drummoyne , if that's near you, you might be interested. I see St Docs still doen't have a permanent rector.

---

Thanks. I think that is gathering for birthday for first granddaughter who turns fifteen next week. All five grandchildren are now in double figures. Help!

Mind the mangroves down in your Harbourside location.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
I just saw a news report of an earthquake in Australia. 5.1, but reasonably deep. At least in NZ we grow up knowing they are a possibility. I hope everyone is OK (my knowledge of Australian geography is abysmal, but Bundaberg was named as a place where buildings were evacuated).

Huia - in solidarity with the shaky continent.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:

There were a couple of market gardens and two doors down was a poultry farm. On those occasions where mum decided the celebrations called for a chicken, one of us would go down. Some poor chook was grabbed, had its throat cut, was cleaned and dressed and we would carry it back home. Chickens were reserved for Easter Sunday roast and the occasional birthday. They were expensive. We also bought fresh milk from there, just milked from the cow. Collected in billy every morning and stored in an ice chest which we had till a fridge was bought.

Dad grew all our vegetables and had a wonderful flower garden too. Swane's nursery was at the bottom of the street and when they moved, he was allowed to take whatever he wanted from their house garden.

The builder doing our place and several others, went broke and disappeared. Dad finished the house in his time after school.

There was the outside, non- sewered dunny and that gave us a fear of being there when the dunny man came each week to change the pan. No real chance of it, but the fear was there.

---

My dad was a teacher who loved building, and build more than one holiday bach. He also saved the solid old kauri school desks that got thrown out in favour of lighter modern furniture, and made himself a beautiful golden desk that must have taken two men to shift.
Early in the war time we lived in a small settlement not so far from Mt Egmont; the outdoor dunny (long drop) scared me because it was on the side of the house facing the mountain, and Dad had explained to me the difference between an extinct volcano and a dormant one so what Egmont if blew up when I was out there?
Nobody dreamed of eating chicken, it was beef or mutton, hogget if you were lucky. I'd walk down to the other end of the village to get a billy of fresh milk from the farm; there was a safe with mesh walls on the cool side of the house to keep meat, milk etc cool.
Dad was also a passionate gardener. Later in the war time, at a larger school, he laid out a quarter acre (I suppose) in squares of one rood, pole or perch allotted as gardens for pairs of standard five and six kids to grow veges for the War Effort.
Dad had won medals from an early age for rifle shooting, and sometimes shot a rabbit in the school horse paddock (yes, really) for dinner. The light must have been fading one evening when he wounded a bunny that fled into long grass and cried. He did kill it and Mum cooked it, but she and I wept into our stew while Dad tucked in to his.

GG
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
When I said their house in Wahroonga was in a semi-rural area, I was not exaggerating too much. It was built on an orchard, and my child hood memories include paddocks with horses (this is the northern end of Westbrook Avenue), remnants of orchards, and a large nursery at the end of the street.

But now ... top end MacMansions.

Mum will now never get back to the house to say good bye, her condition is far too gone. But I think for her, home was never Wahroonga, but the black soil plains of Narrabri where she was a child. She wants her ashes scattered at Mount Kaputar.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
MT Kaputar is a beautiful place. My sister and her husband were National Park rangers for quite a while there in the 70s, I think. They lived onsite in a cabin there.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I got the North Wahroonga part right then. The views from Jubilee Oval are fantastic, perhaps more now than then as I have the feeling there's been some clearing to limit fires reaching the ridgetops. Very quiet and your father should get a good sum for it. A friend of my father recently moved into e 3-bedroomed unit at the UPA at the top of Ada Ave and speaks well of that. Nowhere near as expensive as many of the commercially built ones, and it may suit your father if he has hearing aids that can come out at night. Close to shops, transport, and easy for you on trips to see him. I don't know the deal there. The Grange at Waitara is a retirement village where the units are all strata title and the owners corporation runs the retirement village services. No attached nursing home attached though.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Happy birthday, Rowen. Have a great day.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
What Loth said - many happy returns!
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Thanks folks!
I had a great day. My Asian guest cooked yummy Chinese food for a dinner party. Gifts were appreciated.
Cold and wet..... But what else could I expect?

Today is much more so!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
That kind of guest is always welcome Glad you had a great birthday.

Today the temperature reached 21c A clear day and a warm Nor'Wester. I went out walking for an hour, which should be a good kick start to my exercise programme. I really need to get fitter because my GP is making threatening noises about a medical condition and my flippant comment of "You've got to die of something" doesn't impress her at all.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
... Today the temperature reached 21c ...

---

Call that "winter"?

In July there were only 4 days when the temperature reached over 20°, and it's meant to be summer here ...
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
That's just it Piglet, 21c is usually a summer temp - a warm day in summer. We've had snow to sea level later than this. (OK, only a few days worth).

Huia
 

---

Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 
It was warm enough yesterday to light our wood BBQ and sit out in the garden in just shorts. Cooler today. A t-shirt is needed.

LKKson2 is now getting established in a suburb of Tokyo with his Japanese girlfriend. Hope to visit there sometime next year.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
We have just accepted a good offer for the family home and found a wonderful apartment for Dad at North Turramurra. Unfortunately, we needed to exchange contracts now, because our powers of attorney for mum will soon cease to have effect. We are getting towards the end of the long goodbye, and I will soon be back in Sydney.

But for a few days, after being with family and then a very good Deans' Conference in Adelaide (hello Zappa!), back in Darwin enjoying the warmth of the Dry Season.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That's hard, DD.

If your dad likes going out for coffee, my brother could recommend Replay at Turramurra. That is his afternoon coffee shop. He walks up and has other places for his morning and weekend purchases.

Will you have to pack up a house or has that been done earlier. That packing is also hard.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Seconding Lothlorien's brother in recommending Replay. That's a real favourite of ours, and of many living in our street and the connecting one. There are said to be a couple of good ones at North Turramurra, but we can't speak of them from personal experience. What we can speak well of is a restaurant there, well known, which is very much on the pricy side to eat there, but does vacuum-sealed foil packs of some of the main courses they offer, for $15 - all they need is poaching unopened in boiling water for the time set out on the pack. One of those, something to have on the side, then a tossed green salad followed by a piece of fruit makes an excellent dinner with very little demand on time. Just check their website for details of the full range - some sides are also available.

Another very pleasant place for coffee in good weather is at a well known nursery in Eastern Rd - probably your father knows of it already. Only cakes etc to eat, nothing savoury, but the coffee is normally good and the location relaxing and enjoyable. We go to the butcher nearby, who is excellent, and there's a small supermarket in the row of shops also. But plenty of shopping at North Turramurra as well.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
OK, will give Replay a try. Always on the look out for a good coffee shop when I visit Sin City. At this stage, back down on the Red Eye on Monday morning.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
I just saw a news report of an earthquake in Australia. 5.1, but reasonably deep. At least in NZ we grow up knowing they are a possibility. I hope everyone is OK (my knowledge of Australian geography is abysmal, but Bundaberg was named as a place where buildings were evacuated).

Huia - in solidarity with the shaky continent.

---

We are not immune but nothing like Christchurch. Thirteen people were killed in a quake in Newcastle some years ago. That is around two hours drive north of Sydney. Earthquakes, fairly minor also in mountains to west and southwest. We felt a few tremors about thirty years ago. Others in Victoria and quite a few in WA. Probably more places, but these come easily to my mind.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by DangerousDeacon:
... (hello Zappa) ...

---

 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I hope you both had a good trip to Adelaide and ensured ongoing prosperity for the local vignerons.

DD - I had forgotten until Zappa's post that you were now in Darwin and not driving down from the Hunter. When you do get to try Replay, it is in William St Turramurra, just at the western side of the station. There is a turning circle there and Replay is the other side of that. You may find it easier to park on the eastern side, either in Rohini St or the carpark out the back and walk across - a bit of along way around to try to park on the west.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Hi Gee D - yes, no longer a quick trip down the F3 / M1 or whatever the current code name for the Newcastle Freeway. But I will certainly be in the vicinity of Turramurra next week.

Whilst the Deans certainly sampled the stocks of South Australian vignerons, I suspect it was only a minute part of their sales!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Enjoy your coffee - you won't see me there mid-week though. Don't forget to check out the nursery I mentioned as it may be easier for your father to get t0 and from and also for closer parking.

The reports I hear say that several superannuation funds in SA have had a very comfortable top-up - none of it due to you, I accept!
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by DangerousDeacon:
Whilst the Deans certainly sampled the stocks of South Australian vignerons, I suspect it was only a minute part of their sales!

---

... and I wagged that part of the conference anyway.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Ah Zappa, someone had to be the responsible leader of the Australasian Church, and I doubt that it is I!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
We came out of church on Sunday and it was snowing. Fortunately it stopped soon after, but it's still really cold (4.3c but it feels like 1c right now). I just hope the forecast is accurate as it looks like this will be the coldest day this week.

I am wondering how many layers of clothing I can wear and still be able to move

Visiting skiers welcome.

Huia
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Mum died peacefully this morning, with the funeral to be held in the local Anglican church early next week. In life and in death we belong to God.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Holding you all in the Light at this tough time, DD.


 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Sorry to hear about your mum, DD.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
So sorry to hear this. Prayers for the family.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
 

---

Posted by Emendator Liturgia (# 17245) on :
 
Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord, and let light perpetual ever shine upon her.

DD, prayers for the repose of her soul and for the consolation of all those whom she loved and who loved her in return.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
My sympathies too
 

---

Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Sorry to hear this DD. Prayers for you and family.
 

---

Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 
My thoughts are with you DD.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
With you and your family, DD


GG
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
for DD and family
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Adding our prayers, DD.

I assume the funeral is at St Andrew's rather than at St Paul's. Madame may be able to get there, even if I cannot -are there any firm arrangements please?
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Sorry for your loss DD.
 

---

Posted by Athrawes (# 9594) on :
 
So sorry, DD. losing a parent is hard.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
DD - I have found the notice in today's SMH. I certainly cannot get there, barring something totally unforeseen. Madame is normally at the factory on Monday but may be able to get back. Keeping your mother, you and your family in our prayers.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Likewise, DD.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Lovely night last night at local pizza place for my birthday this week. I get to have two celebrations as some family could not make it last night. We are well known at the place which is only a minute or so to walk from my former home and we have been going since the place opened many years ago. We always get great food and good service.

A pleasant evening had by all.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
A happy birthday from us.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Birthday blessings from me too, Loth. At least the week looks like getting warmer as it goes on!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Happy birthday, Loth, and enjoy your second party!

eta: if Loth has two birthdays, should we be treating her with a little more respect? You know - curtseying while we type, that sort of thing?



[ 16. August 2015, 02:29: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
You mean you don't already?

Belated Happy Birthday Loth, ma'am.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
You mean you don't already?

Belated Happy Birthday Loth, ma'am.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Happy birthday, Loth, and enjoy your second party!

eta: if Loth has two birthdays, should we be treating her with a little more respect? You know - curtseying while we type, that sort of thing?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
I like that idea Loth - you can spread out the celebration.

Huia curtsies, falls over, picks herself up and backs out of the room.

---

Watch out, Huia.. Backing out of the room could cause another fall.

Thank you for the good wishes, all of you. I enjoyed last night and will enjoy next Friday. Life has been somewhat grim here lately and it was good we all enjoyed ourselves.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
As our family grows we often enjoy "Birthday weeks" with each other. Glad yours has brought the family together to enjoy some good things, Loth.

We have four family members at present who may not see their next birthdays so they enjoy every moment of the ones they do get to celebrate.

On Saturday one of my daughters decided to come over with her children, who have been sick most of the winter so we hadn't seen them for awhile. Another daughter decided to visit with her kids so the cousins could play together. The eldest daughter and one of her sons were already here and my youngest daughter decided to drop in with a belated birthday present for one of her nephews. At one stage all the kids and all my daughters were happily chatting/playing in the eldest cousins bedroom. I walked in to make the tenth person in the room, stopped just inside the doorway and thought "Hey, look what I did!"

Well, with a little bit of help.

It was a good feeling. So often as parents we are lurching from one emergency to another, so those 'restaurant' moments are great when you get them. Enjoy your second birthday, Loth, you deserve it.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
I have a friend who celebrates a Birthday Month, and why not, indeed?
My celebration this week was our occasional Cuzzies' Lunch, ten of us this time. One who recently moved down here has specialised in keeping track of remoter cousins and she's calling in people I'd never met, which is fun. One I once knew well hasn't been able to come in case his wife wandered off and got lost but she is now in care so he comes with their foster daughter; our 'matriarch' comes in a wheelchair with her daughter looking after her and she does recognise us all with a bit of help. And we're looking forward to seeing more of the next generation.

GG
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
A great idea to gather like that,GG.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
I am spending a week in a remote area, just below Mt Hotham Ski Resort. There has been no Protestant minister here for a year, so I am pottering about, being generally religious and kind.
I popped up into the snowfields yesterday, just to look. Much snow.
Where I am staying, no snow. Just very very cold!
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Rug up well, Rowen.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Clothes and bedding especially selected!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Wow! Keep warm Rowen.

Thank goodness the trip I'm making to Wellington in September won't be as cold. My brother just sent a text saying his current house doesn't have insulation. The fact that we were brought up in an uninsulated house several streets away seems to have escaped his memory.

Still I've got used to have heat pumps so will take 2 hot water bottles and a hat to wear to bed. Also their cat doesn't share the bed so of course it will be colder.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
... their cat doesn't share the bed so of course it will be colder.

---

"BYOC" - bring your own cat.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Was surprised to learn that "Humpytown" still existed in Melbourne in the 1960's. To think of people raising children in unheated humpies along the Yarra in a Melbourne winter simply dumbfounded me. I knew that back in the mid 1880's South Melbourne was known as "Tent Town" - but assumed it was because Melbourne was still being built.

Maybe I simply thought of tin lean-to's as an outback scenario rather than a central city one.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Piglet last time I did the BYOC said sweet wee Princess rocked up to one of the resident cats and bopped him on the head. He, being of a friendlier disposition looked at her as if to say, "Why did you do that?"

How she would manage with Nina, my nephew's cat who is as he says, "Totally insane" I would hate to think. She will just have to go to her usual place, which will be a bit of a shock to her as it's under new management


Huia
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Funeral for mum went well - as she wanted, a traditional Anglican funeral. The minister even wore surplice and scarf, though no cassock (such is Sydney, of course). So a good service, then refreshments at the family home, with the refreshments also being the "house cooling" (as opposed to a house warming).

Dad seems in better spirits now, and even looking forward to the move into the retirement village. So as for me - QF 846 SYD-DRW tomorrow. Thank you for all your prayers at this time.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Glad to hear it went well, DD - prayers continuing for you and your family, especially your dad.


 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Prayers for your dad, DD, facing two large changes in his life at the one time.

Surplice and scarf? I attended one wedding where officiant had Hawaian shirt, chinos and Birkenstock sandals.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
B1 flew to Sydney yesterday on a work delegation. The wild party girl of yore was looking very corporate management when I dropped her off yesterday. It is amusing to listen to B2 instructing her on the do's and don'ts of power dressing for women - including the importance of the 'right' accessories. (Understated, simple, expensive apparently.) A smart piece of carry on luggage was borrowed.

I watch it all in wonder. Mostly wondering where this path is taking them, and what the personal cost will be.

DD, I hope the house matters are settled quickly for you all.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Prayers for your dad, DD, facing two large changes in his life at the one time.

Surplice and scarf? I attended one wedding where officiant had Hawaian shirt, chinos and Birkenstock sandals.

---

Sounds like you may have met our beloved, lamented FD.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I have met him, Pete, but we had dinner and coffee. Not a place for clericals.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Surely Biretta and Soutane are always appropriate whatever the occasion.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
WW, as DD notes, this is Sydney after all.
 

---

Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 
for DD
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Prayers for you all DD.

I went to a funeral at St Andy's, as it's apparently now to be known, about 7 or 8 months ago, and the Assistant Minister took it wearing a suit and red tie - red for a funeral! At St Sanity you would have got cassock, white stole, white frontal and paraments, crucifer in alb.....
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Spring appears to have sprung this morning. If is very mild. Lots of smoke from RFS hazard reduction burns, I can see it swirling in the air.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
No idea what the funeral arrangements will be for my niece's husband. I suspect a celebrant, and the poem Gone Fishin' will feature.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Beautiful spring-like day here. I looked up from the readers I was processing to see a mother duck and 11 ducklings wandering over the grassed part of the playground eating insects and left-over playlunch. I think the mother duck must keep an eye open for when the children go back into class. The daffodils in the raised gardens around the school are blooming too. I'm trying not to get my hopes up yet though because I remember one year we had 3 days of snow at this time.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Mild here too, Huia. The cherry and apricot blossoms have just begun to pop. A damp weekend expected.

I hope its a good cherry season this year. I do love 'em.

Taught B1.1 how to cook rissoles last night. Earlier in the week he was in a winning soccer team and was famished after playing 5 games in a day so I dished up 'boy food' in large amounts. (Snags, rissoles, mash & veg). The end result was a request for more of the same in the future. As I rarely get into the kitchen these days, I decided the best way round this was to teach him how to do them himself. The closest thing to a bbq we own is a tepanyaki grill but I figure that any boy who can work a bbq is going to be a hit with his mates AND the girls!

I'll let you know how that goes.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I have a grandson who usually plays several games ever Saturday. Representing NSW in a comp soon. He too learnt basic cooking do he could get something to fill him up. He is in year 11.

Several grandchildren have learnt from both me and their dads how to cook. The fifteen year old regularly cooks dinner for them several times a week. Her dad likes good food so she is being well trained. Her younger brother helps his dad and now makes biscuits etc from my collection of recipes.. He made Anzacs the other day and misread the amount of butter needed. So that was a lesson in fixing mistakes. His cousin is good too and enjoys cooking. We let her do things here. Her mum can't be bothered.

Show him how to tidy up too.

[ 21. August 2015, 23:34: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
... Snags, rissoles, mash & veg ...

---

What's a Snag?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Snag =sausage
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Whereas S.N.A.G in the nineties meant Sensitive. New. Age. Guy.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Ah (**sees lightbulb**). Sounds delicious.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Some are, some aren't. Depends on the butcher. We bought some years ago in a South Coast tourist town. Ours were stuffed full of fat. Those that didn't explode shrank considerably.

Friend who also bought some which were refrigerated till next day ground green sausages when they unwrapped the parcel. Quite dishonest, taking advantage of the holiday crowd.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
The smokehouse down the road is selling salmon sausages

I night try then if I'm feeling experimental.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
The smokehouse down the road is selling salmon sausages

I night try then if I'm feeling experimental.

Huia

---

quote:

---

Some reference to it here.

---

quote:

---

an old-fashioned Sydney low church prayer book service - strictly followed the AAPB, and the 1662 before that, priest in cassock, surplice and scarf, robed choir, with plenty of large vases of flowers around and a pair of candles on the altar

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Better than the alternative of board shorts, thongs and Hawaiian shirt for less formal occasions, changing to leather sandals for a serious service, such as a funeral. From the little I know, Rev Michael Stead will fit into the pattern set by Bp Rob, and will look after his stole parishes with consideration. He and his present parish are definitely in an Anglican tradition, not the anti-Anglican one of Abp Peter and the Moore College clique. I'm prepared to bet almost anything that his atonement teaching was on PSA lines though.

---

I have been known to wear tropical shirt, baggy shorts and sandals when leading services - but with an alb and stole on top


And thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Back in the Top End now and back to work.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
I thought I would update you with my ministry situation for 2015 and on into the future... If you don't mind....

Last December, we were told that severe financial constraints would majorly affect the ministry of the UCA organisation in which I work. It places ministers in remote, rural and disadvantaged parishes. It was likely all such placements would finish at some date this year. This process began in March, and we were all on tenterhooks. As were our parishes.

There have been a series of major conferences this year, and intense discussion, and states and regions got involved. In July, it was determined that for the rest of 2015, I would spent one week a month in the neighbouring parish, bereft of a minister for many months. (Same organisation). Then the situation became tough, and a final meeting was held this month... And Lo.... We got a break. Different shape to my parish, but nevertheless the remote ministry will continue. The big town will be taken away. I will spend two weeks on one side of the alps, and two weeks same side but more northwest, by the snow, from 2016 onwards. A few more remote areas under my care, in NSW. Two manses to live in. New possible ways ahead. A very big patrol, about the size of Tassie.... But at least we will exist. Lots of details to be worked out... But I am happy. My mountains folk are happy. The big town is sad.
Life is a challenge, but it is exciting.
Prayers welcome.

It has been a tough year, personally, as we carried the burden of potentially closing everything down.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That sounds like a hard time of uncertainty. Such a vital ministry.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Rowen, that's a huge area, but it's good to know it's covered rather than deserted. Also it must be good to have a bit more certainty about the future.

for you and your ministry.

Gravity sucks. Somehow I managed to fall over twice yesterday once down my front steps onto the concrete drive and the second time inside onto carpet. I only have minor bruising but definitely felt a bit delicate, so I decided I needed cheering up. I went into town to see a photographic exhibition of finalists in a completion run by NZ Geographic magazine.

It blew me away. I knew it would be good, but it was stupendous, especially the time lapse photography from the Volcanic Plateau (in the middle of the North Island) and also a sequence of an ancient tree in Pukeora Forest. I felt like I could reach out and pick a leaf.

I think I might go back again tomorrow.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
The exhibition sounds wonderful, but please take care. Two falls in one day is two too many.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I agree with Loth, so Huia please take it gently.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Yea and amen - you don't want to do yourself any more mischief.

Rowen - that your new ministry works out for you (and your parishioners).

[ 28. August 2015, 01:20: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My iPhone seems to have died overnight. Working last night. Totally dead this morning. I tried to do a reset and restore this morning, but it refuses to open an eye at all. I have sent SMS to guru sons, one of whom has a commercial account with Apple. Could go through him, or order online this morning and have it brought to door tomorrow. I have benefited from their generosity three times in past. Perhaps it is time to buy my own.

One son suggested a reset trick which I had already tried unsuccessfully. Tried again a bit longer and all works now.

[ 26. August 2015, 22:26: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Rowen, with prayers for the future of ministry in the remoter UCA parts of the world.

And for Huia, I realise that gravity is part of the natural order of the world without which we could not exist - but hopefully no more uncontrolled descents ...
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Huia, that's a bit worrying - one very year or so is OK, but not twice in a day. Perhaps you should have a chat to your doctor.

Prayers and best wishes to Rowen in this change, a great challenge but also one with the positive aspect of bringing ministry and pastoral support where otherwise it would be lacking.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Thanks, folk, for your supportive words.

Incidentally, it is not just the UCA folk who I meet. No other clergy go out there, rather sadly, so I "do" all sorts!

Vacation begins... I write from a bed in a motel in Melbourne. Two weeks off, with friends
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Have a wonderful time and enjoy yourself.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
YaY, enjoy your break Rowen.

I think I may have tracked down the reason, which is a bit complicated as it involves new medication that is taken at a different time from the old (which I am still taking), but is in the same "bubble" in the packet. The pharmacist and I have agreed that the new before breakfast pill goes in its own bubble and the after breakfast ones goes in the (relabelled) lunch bubble. The same thing happens at tea time, but as I am more wide awake and have fewer meds then it's easier to deal with.

I will go and see the doctor if either this doesn't work or gravity beats me up again. The
Green Prescription exercise class I'm doing includes exercises for balance which I am also following and later next month I'm investigating a Tai Chi class.

Huia

[ 28. August 2015, 07:13: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Huia, I let my GP put me down for the hospital exercise physio but it's been such a long wait that I'm going to my usual physio instead. Hospital, free but across town; local free initial assessment then $100 for ten sessions, but ten minutes in the car
.
As for the medications, there are so many that I have a little chart, and keep one copy in my ice cream carton and one in my wallet. When you're admitted to hospital and they ask what meds you're taking, if you hand them the box and the list you should see their faces light up!

It's been a year of endless medical issues for both of us so we've decided that we have to have a couple of weeks' 'mental health' break at Matarangi and if any of them want an appointment they'll just have to postpone it. Since however urgent an issue is you go on a 5-month waiting list (except for cancer, when they pull out all the stops) a couple of weeks can't make a lot of difference.

GG, grateful for having the house cleaned (roughly) once a fortnight, and meals on wheels, but determined to carry on with meaningful activities like making marmalade for CWS, producing the parish newsletter, and a bit of lay preaching – both our suburban church and the congregation at Whitianga are without ministers.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Just back from the Far South NSW coast where 8 different church and community organisations banded together to host a prison ministry training workshop. It was a taste of heaven to have such amazing unity and goodwill. The rep from Victoria was blown away, as they are finding it very difficult to get team members in Kairos, Cursillo, Emmaus or Gideons in her patch. Many correctional centres these days can't run church services either, because of lack. The South Coasters were joking that they may need to become the Far Far South Coast and include Victoria!

So prayers for all like Rowen who are the only clergy type person for many in need. May God bring alongside you the community support you need too.

[ 30. August 2015, 22:03: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
An astute observation from Miss M who was here for the weekend. She is very set in her ways and has strong opinions about many things, especially food. Add in the effect chemo has on her tastebuds and there are lots of things she won't eat.. She is not a morning person, so breakfast is a problem. Bacon and eggs on Saturday went down well, and son bought weetbix as a change from porridge which she does eat.

She was eating it and saw me watching.

" I didn't think I liked it till I tried it," was her observation.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Still remembering Miss M. in my prayers - how's she doing (apart from being able to eat, which is obviously a Good Thing)?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Her levels, tested every two weeks, are basically OK. She is on oral chemo and is at home. This has been a cold, unpleasant winter down here and she has had a few colds because immunity is low. That has meant two weeks off school each time.

When I think of what she was like a year ago, I am very grateful for progress made. Oral chemo will continue for some time yet. Research has shown that if it is given for short time, then there is a much greater possibility of a relapse than if given for longer. Her hair has grown back and the pancreatitis and diabetes associated with last year's chemo has gone. As have the joint pains.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Loth, good to hear about Miss M - may she continue to do well.

I'm going up to Wellington tomorrow. The forecast is for rain every day I'm there still it should be a couple of degrees warmer.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
That is good news Lothlorien.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Good news about Miss M. - long may that continue.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
... I'm going up to Wellington tomorrow. The forecast is for rain ...

---

You'll have to take your Wellington boots ...

I'll get my coat.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Hi Loth ... good news ... may I pass it on to my cathedral team who are praying for her?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Certainly Zappa. I mentioned to my son last week that you were still praying for her. He was very touched and thankful.
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
For Miss M

And for Rowen in her challenging and exciting country ministry

 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Thank you!
I am currently on a fortnight vacation.... Lovely fir me!
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Certainly Zappa. I mentioned to my son last week that you were still praying for her. He was very touched and thankful.

---

There are still many of us here who are praying for her, and we won't stop til you tell us to and maybe not even then.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Yea and amen.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
We are grateful for faithful friends and their prayers.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I am home

Most of my visit was hard work but on Thursday when I was in the Library I saw a poster that said ,Sirocco the kakapo was visiting Zealandia, which is a bird sanctuary in Wellington. I never thought I would see a kakapo so close up but it was wonderful.

I'm glad I had planned one day for myself while I was there.

Now back to everyday life and Georgie-Porgy who has been yowling since I picked her up from the cattery.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Dangerous Deacon, when does your father's move go ahead? I was thinking (prompted by our eating this evening at the restaurant I mentioned) that it's about 6 weeks now since he found the place at North Turramurra.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 
Hi Gee D! Dad moves next week, all going well so far. He is much improved both in health and mental attitude, so a bit of dining out sounds likely. I had a look around the North Turramurra shopping centre when I was last there, looks like a couple of good cafes.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I'd imagine that the cafés are pretty good. From time to time we drive further out Bobbin Head Rd to a nursing home, and the cafés at Nth Turramurra always seem busy. The restaurant we went to last night is very good, but at the upper end of the market. Check out the site for menu and wine list. They have an associated bar, where the food and drinks are much more reasonably priced.

St James Turramurra will be looking for a new rector - are you interested? Both ++ Glenn and + Chris say that they encourage diversity in the diocese.

[ 06. September 2015, 10:59: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
It would seem a sensible thing, if one were changing ends of the candle for a time, to swat up a little about the cultural differences before getting there. This would avert a lot of faux pas....like the Sydney-sider who gave thanks at his induction for the 'beautiful scarf' when presented with his first stole. A necessary bit of kit in these parts, but it did cause comment. There are books y'know. And deans/archdeacons/vergers who will happily take one through the vestry for a quick lesson in robing.

Any suggestions as to what to learn, or who from, if swapping from high to low?
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
A quick chat to the wardens or nominators should sort things out. I would expect the nominators to have raised the question of vesting and other liturgical matters, bells and smells, with any candidate. Not sure who you mean by vergers - I haven't seen one in any Australian church AFAICR. At St Sanity, you would also be able to talk with the Senior Lay Assistant or the Master Server.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I believe some cathedrals still have vergers. And "Master Server" is a new one to me. Someone with a wicked sense of humour made up that title!
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
We have a verger: although he came off the pay roll before I got here, he is still verging at reduced hours.

Some nasty do doos in my parish seem to be showing signs of settling down ... in the way that I would like them to. I may yet have a job tomorrow and tomorrow.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We have a Dean's Verger and another verger who stands in when she is unavailable. They are voluntary, ceremonial posts: the Dean's Verger leads him in procession, and the other one verges the preacher to the pulpit, and leads the elements bearers up to the altar rail. There used to be a full-time verger whose job was keeping the place clean (and who didn't generally do the ceremonial stuff), but that post ceased to be over ten years ago.
 

---

Posted by DangerousDeacon (# 10582) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
I'd imagine that the cafés are pretty good. From time to time we drive further out Bobbin Head Rd to a nursing home, and the cafés at Nth Turramurra always seem busy. The restaurant we went to last night is very good, but at the upper end of the market. Check out the site for menu and wine list. They have an associated bar, where the food and drinks are much more reasonably priced.

St James Turramurra will be looking for a new rector - are you interested? Both ++ Glenn and + Chris say that they encourage diversity in the diocese.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Depends where you are. Have a look at places like St Albans, Epping or St Lukes Enmore and other similar places.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
... I love it when there is finally a 2 in front of the temperature number ...

---

... and I love it when there stops being a 2 in front of the temperature number ...

GG, hope you have a nice, rejuvenating break.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Yes, GG, have a good rest - and make sure that none of the problems follows you as you travel. Is marmalade making not like knitting, sewing or making cumquat brandy - a bit of a task, but such a break from usual activities as to be restful?
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I just googled a medicine I was prescribed about 4 weeks ago and note dizziness is a known side effect which may account for my falling over. The trouble with just getting blister packs of medication is you don't get the patient information that is usually available in the packs of medication. In addition it's possibly the culprit with the various other small things.

I seem to be prone to bad side effects of medication, along with not actually making the connection about what might be causing the new problem. I think a visit to both the Doctor and Pharmacist this week is indicated.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
... Is marmalade making not ... restful?

---

I don't know about marmalade making, but I've just had my first go at chutney-making and while it wasn't exactly onerous, it took a hell of a lot longer than I expected* - it didn't seem to want to gel ...

* The recipe said 2-3 hours of simmering; mine took more like six.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
We aren't really chutney makers, brandying or spicing cumquats and tangelos being more within our limitations, but that does seem an extraordinary time. Perhaps being late in the season has some sort of impact on the time necessary.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Possibly Granny Smith's contain less pectin than Bramleys - I'll be seeing moonlitdoor this week and try to remember to ask him, he is a veritable fund of info like that.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Supermarkets here sell pectin if needed.* The riper the fruit, the less pectin it contains. Lemon juice can help. As Gee D says, that time seems excessive. Did you have the right amount of liquid, if any, added? Plums are very juicy.

We don't have the range of apples and I would have used granny smiths, but sour ones. Quite a range of sweet apples, but not much in the tart taste type.

Gee D, brandied peaches are very good but more for a dessert than anything to keep a long time.

* The pectin marketed here is called Jamsetta and comes from Fowlers Vacola who make bottling supplies for fruit, jams etc. You may have to do a bit of research to find what is available in your locality.

[ 13. September 2015, 08:25: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I always intend to brandy some peaches, but never actually do it. I think one of my brothers would appreciate them as a present.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
TP's first big lemons off the lemon tree are heavenly. The aroma actually fills the kitchen when he cuts one open. Rhubarb is cheap at the moment - so he is making lots of rhubarb and apple to freeze. We have some planted, but it is not moving much yet. Bought peaches and mangoes for the first time this season - a sign that things are improving weatherwise. Woohoo!

[ 13. September 2015, 21:35: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
A few months ago, I planted a dwarf lemon tree. My balcony has two enormous rectangular tubs on the outside of the balcony wall where they can't be used as steps to climb on. All four had originally been planted with lillipillis but they died in two pots.

I have now picked three superb full size lemons. More are on the way. The dwarf lime I planted is not as happy but still grows. I have now forgotten the name change for the lime but I use leaves in Thai dishes.

[ 13. September 2015, 23:00: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Possibly Granny Smith's contain less pectin than Bramleys ...

---

That was my thought too, WW - we really don't seem to have an equivalent of Bramleys here, and GS seemed like the best option. The other factor is that I haven't got one of those wide-topped preserving-pans; I used the biggest pot I have - a pasta cooking pot with the drainer thingy removed.

Gee D - I don't know that it is all that late in the season here; apart from anything else, we got very little summer to speak of (and precious little sunshine) until the start of August, so the whole ripening process might well have been somewhat buggered-about.

Nothing I can do about it now anyway: it's all bottled up in jars, labelled and stored in a Cool Dark Place as per instructions, and all will be revealed in mid-December ...
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Yes, GG, have a good rest - and make sure that none of the problems follows you as you travel. Is marmalade making not like knitting, sewing or making cumquat brandy - a bit of a task, but such a break from usual activities as to be restful?

---

quote:

---

Did you have the right amount of liquid, if any, added? Plums are very juicy.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kittyville:
Tony Abbott to the back benches, DV. I have no love of Turnbull, but Abbott is a shocker in all and any respects (and I'm a constituent of his).

---

I would say that I have a grudging respect for the way Australians remove their leaders. In the UK we've had a four month election for Leader of the Labour Party (in opposition), and the Liberal Democrats (now merely 8 MPs) took about three months to decide who would lead the remaining few. But in Canberra, Turnbull has removed Abbott and put himself in charge in about 12 hours, AFAICT. No campaigns, no debates, just a quick knife to the back (or the front seems more popular) and it's "The PM is dead - Long live the PM!"

(Clearly, our own Julia Gillard didn't make sure that Kevin Rudd was completely dead, as he came back from the grave to her kill off. Not that it did him much good, as he was political worm food as well within a few weeks.)
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Now that was a surprise to me, but then my knowledge of Australian politics is miniscule.

The temperature is forecast to reach 20c here today mainly due to a Nor'west wind. Spring is sprung. I'm loving the light in the mornings, but Daylight Saving, which (I think) comes in October will put paid to that for a while.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Hi ho, hi ho...Tony Abbott had to go. Orfeo said in February to tune in again in springtime for the second and probably successful push. Writing has been on the wall for some time - but spare a thought for us here in the National Capitol. There will be nothing else on local news but comment, counter comment and dissection for the next week unless some global disaster happens to put everything back in perspective.

I do wish people would remember the party can choose whoever it likes to lead - it's not like a president has been shot. Get a grip, folks.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Not just in Canberra though, BL. Here ad nauseam.

I knew Turnbull in his Bar days, but have barely seen him since. He may well no longer be the man as I knew him, as he clearly has the support now of a majority in the party room. Did not know Abbott at all, and as he's not our local MHR, I'm unlikely to meet him now. There are bits of a Jesuit education that do not seem to have reached him.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
The procession of Australian prime ministers is almost worthy of Israel and Italy
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Almost as bad as the French in the 50's.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
The winds of change are certainly blowing strongly in Canberra today. Strong gusts have blown all the cherry blossom away, leaving the streets littered in pink and white confetti - presumably carpeting the way for the incoming PM.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I rather think he would like to have petals strewn for him to walk upon.

The headlines suggest that he is changing nothing!!!! Why all the angst, let alone the cost to the public purse of the meeting if nothing is to change.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Well, sometimes the best cure is to be given a large dose of what one really desires. I expect he will not find it possible to change much at all. I'm guessing one needs a strongly combative personality to be a productive politician. We shall see soon enough.

Amused that even the rainbow over parliament house yesterday morning featured in the news.

Hmmm... rainbows and flower petals. I'm now looking around for the unicorn.....
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
The procession of Australian prime ministers is almost worthy of Israel and Italy

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by bib:
I think Tony is deserving of thanks and honour for his time in the high office of Prime Minister. Why must Australians be so vindictive of such people? We seem to enjoy cutting down the tall poppies, but fail to nourish them.

---

Probably because he was vile and hateful, rejoiced in and cheered on the spectacular collapse to infighting of the Labor Party, acted as cheerleader to the Murdoch lynching of Julia Gillard, then whinged about his own character being assassinated (that was rich, even for Tony), had an immoral and probably illegal asylum seeker policy that made me feel ashamed to be Australian, was backward looking - and belligerently so - on coal, climate change, windfarms, women in the workforce, women in politics, same sex marriage, the monarchy, wanted to hollow out public goods such as health, universities and schools, was about as economically competent (even with his blatantly ideological economic "rationalism") as a five year old with too many Snakes Alive and not enough hours to eat them all, called Rupert Murdoch (one of the most despicable human beings still somehow alive) a "Great Australian" (he is neither), and was about to send our planes to bomb the living shit out of Syria, a captain's call.
That's not even an exhaustive list. But that's why most of us are very happy he is gone, amazed we survived him, and wary that nothing will change with Mal.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
We're getting close to Purgatory territory here, and have been for a few days now - please be aware, everybody.

Thanks.

WW - AS Host
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Ah well - survived a camera up me bum and don't have to have another for three years
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Glad to hear it, Zappa.
 

---

Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :
 
In response to hostly prompts I have opened a thread in Purgatory on Austrlian Politics
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Thanks Tukai.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Cool again this week. More snow falling in the Australian alps. I expect Rowen will be shivering in her shawls.
 

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Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Rowen shivers a lot.
Rowen despairs of ever taking off the winter warm bedding and using the summer warm bedding instead. Yes, we refer to the summer doona and blankets as warm necessary bedding.
Rowen owns two overcoats, the winter and summer....

We DO have a tiny hot summer but it is short.
Will the El Nino affect it this year? Who knows. Our winter is longer and colder than normal.

21 at church today. First day back after vacation. Nice to be welcomed.

[ 20. September 2015, 01:59: Message edited by: Rowen ]
 

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Posted by Dark Knight (# 9415) on :
 
Lovely to catch up with Foaming Draught, Clarence, AdamPater, Jimmy B, Evensong, and rexory yesterday at Chez Pater. I was pretty unwell, and probably sat there looking like a stunned mullet most of the time, but it was still great to see so many shippies, and to celebrate Evensong's birthday.
And something about football teams making finals ...
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thanks for posting that Dark Knight, for some reason I was thinking about Jimmy the other day, wondering how he is and whether anyone had seen him.

We have gone back to winter weather here too and next weekend our clocks go back an hour, so it will feel like winter again getting up in the dark, but at least the evenings will be lighter. Hopefully it will mean Georgie-Porgy holds off waking me until 6a.m, which would be a bit more civilised.

Huia
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Dark Knight:
something about football teams making finals ...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Huia:
Thanks for posting that Dark Knight, for some reason I was thinking about Jimmy the other day, wondering how he is and whether anyone had seen him.

We have gone back to winter weather here too and next weekend our clocks go back an hour, so it will feel like winter again getting up in the dark, but at least the evenings will be lighter. Hopefully it will mean Georgie-Porgy holds off waking me until 6a.m, which would be a bit more civilised.

Huia

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quote:

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Originally posted by Dark Knight:
Lovely to catch up with Foaming Draught, Clarence, AdamPater, Jimmy B, Evensong, and rexory yesterday at Chez Pater. ...

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It was indeed a very good event. And FD, Clarence and AP came to Eucharist at my church Sunday morning, followed by a superb brunch. And Mass at AP's Church in the evening. A Ship-intensive weekend
 

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Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Huia:
Thanks for posting that Dark Knight, for some reason I was thinking about Jimmy the other day, wondering how he is and whether anyone had seen him.

We have gone back to winter weather here too and next weekend our clocks go back an hour, gso it will feel like winter again getting up in the dark, but at least the evenings will be lighter. Hopefully it will mean Georgie-Porgy holds off waking me until 6a.m, which would be a bit more civilised.

Huia

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Back or forward? I identify Daylight Saving as the time when yo,u say at 7am 'Of course it's really only 6o'clock'. I'm taking the service on Sunday so I'd better get it right!

GG
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I would say that clocks go forward. Happens here shortly.
 

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Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Spring forward, fall back - was the rule I was taught. Over the Labour Day weekend here, I think. So weekend after next.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I wondered about that - in the northern hemisphere it's "spring forward, fall back", but because I can never get my head round these things anyway, I thought maybe it was the other way round down your way.

I'm really rubbish at geography and that sort of thing ...
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thank heavens the computer and cellphone do their own changing or I would end up 2 hours different from the rest of the country . I hate the actual change and the first couple of weeks, but I'm OK with it after that.

Huia
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I love daylight saving and the long warm evenings it brings, where it is still light enough to be outside at the end of the day.

Mornings are always cool in these parts, and I guess it sucks if you are a sports fanatic who trains at dawn, but I am looking forward to the time change very much.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Agreed, BL - but also some of the early daylight saving evenings when it's still fresh but also bright and clear until late. For safety, we now check the time on our phones before changing the clocks.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Better: spring forward into spring, fall back into fall. But it's evil and makes the baby Jesus Cry.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I have always enjoyed the longer evenings, such as they are down here. Last year I did not enjoy it at all. I never seemed to quite get used to the change.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Although I'm aware that many people think it's unnecessary here in Newfoundland* I'm actually quite happy when the clocks change. I think my internal clock is programmed to expect a change in October and March and I'd miss it if it weren't there. Maybe it's because I grew up in Orkney (latitude 59°N) where the change made a difference, particularly in the winter.

Obviously I prefer the one where you get an extra hour in bed ...

* There's one province - I think it's Saskatchewan - where they don't change at all, and I can't quite get my head round that idea.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Yes, it is Saskatchewan. Apparently when DST was being debated there was a strong farming lobby which pointed out that cows, etc. don't understand DST.

Since then, it has remained a minefield for even the people who know this. I once woke up a ninety year old woman to thank her for her donation of a book at what I thought was 0900 her time. It wasn't.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
There was a small farming settlement in NZ called Awarua where they refused to change their clocks many years ago for much the same reason. Georgie-Porgy, being a Cat Who Knows Where Her Food Bowl Is has no objection to being fed an hour earlier, but it's a different story at the other end when I have to graduate the time.

Huia
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Georgy will be waiting, Huia , because clocks go forward. Can you adjust her time over about a week by being a bit later every couple of days? Then the extra hour will be taken up.

It is cold here. Changeable spring weather. Last two nights have been down to around 6 degrees. Howling gale and driven rain. Yesterday we had rain but no clouds overhead. Then the rain moved on and the clouds caught up.

Typical funeral weather. There is a funeral at Rookwood which I should attend tomorrow. I am fighting off stuffy nose although I don't think it is a cold.

I may not go. Miss M and her sister will be here over weekend and I do not want to pass on anything to her with her lowered immunity.

Brethren service to be conducted in All Souls Chapel which amuses me. Service booked for 90 minutes, then half an hour at graveside which is super short for brethren. Then time at the café.

I have just done some research. All Souls Chapel used to be All Saints but name was changed.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Queensland, a tiny pocket of New South Wales, and the Northern Territory have the good sense to eschew clock fiddling.

[ 24. September 2015, 08:42: Message edited by: Zappa ]
 

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Posted by rexory (# 4708) on :
 
And WA
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I think I'm more muddled than I usually am re clock fiddling (I like that description Zappa) because the Doctor changed my diabetic meds and confusion is labelled as one of the side effects. Not that anyone warned me I just went round in a daze wondering what was wrong with me. It's difficult when you live by yourself and there's no outside observer.

I usually break G-P into the new timing gently, otherwise toes get bitten.

Loth I hope you're feeling better soon.

Huia
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
My only experience of the vagaries of feline body-clocks was an occasion when we were staying with my sister, and sleeping in the same room as her cat.

My nephew, who was the Keeper of the Can-Opener, was working very early shifts and had to get up at five in the morning. Smudge, having heard (or perhaps sensed) his footsteps on the stairs, clambered inelegantly over the sofa-bed in which D. and I were trying to sleep, and shot through to the kitchen ...

No sense of timing whatsoever.
 

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Posted by Dennis the Menace (# 11833) on :
 
We have had many cats over the years, all gone now. The last one would go out every night for a scratch at 9.30 without fail. When it came time to change the clocks either back or forward, she would adjust almost the next day. It still amazes us now after 6 years she knew!!
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
B1 has to travel to Brisbane today for work. Not daylight saving here or there, until the weekend, when she arrives back and it changes here. She will readjust for here, then mid next week she has another 10 days of work in Brisbane, where she will readjust to non-daylight saving, and then back here where she will have to adjust her schedules again.

She is not good with keeping to schedules at the best of times, so I will be looking on with interest during the next fortnight! I expect TP & I will be doing a fair bit of morning 'encouragement' to get people out the door on time for work, planes, school etc.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Been there and done that BL, especially with son #3. Best way we found was to put on CD from hated singer. Put player well away from his bed. Turn up volume really, really loud and leave the house. Tammy Wynette worked really well at getting him awake.

He missed an exam twice at uni where he did not wake in time. He had set two alarms and slept through both. A doctor then gave him a certificate so he could do exam, citing sleeping difficulties.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Been there and done that BL, especially with son #3. Best way we found was to put on CD from hated singer. Put player well away from his bed. Turn up volume really, really loud and leave the house. Tammy Wynette worked really well at getting him awake...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Tammy Wynette counts as cruel and unusual punishment ...

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... along with all Country & Western singers.

I've just realised that the clocks here go back the morning of the day we're heading across the Pond, which should be interesting. We'll "gain" an hour of sleep on the Sunday morning, then "lose" the night by travelling east. I'll be interested to see the overall effect on our zonked-ness levels* once we get there ...

* We both find that jet-lag is worse going west to east, and we're like wet rags for a couple of days afterwards.

[ 01. October 2015, 03:45: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I see an obituary today for Faith Patterson, long time principal of St Catherine's School for Girls at Bronte. I was there on boarding staff the year her fiancé was killed in a car crash. She was on leave for months.

Her staff were always supported by her in public but she could be caustic in private and we all did our best to stay on her good side.

She was a graduate of my alma mater, HGHS, although many years before me.

Sunday evening was a casual meal, taken in staff sitting room instead of dining room with boarders. All other night but Sunday, staff and boarders dressed more formally for dinner. I still cringe at the glare I received one evening. Cake was hot from the oven. Unfortunately, one piece fell apart on my teaspoon and splashed noisily into my cup of tea. Not an experience I would want to repeat.

[ 01. October 2015, 04:00: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Your right, Piglet. Flying from in an eastward direction is still much worse for jet lag, even with the lie-flat seats to help get a better sleep.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Gee D:
... even with the lie-flat seats ...

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I'm afraid we can only dream of lie-flat seats. Or we could, if we could actually get to sleep ...
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
You darn Aussies are posting memes on Facebook telling people the clocks go forward next Sunday in South Australia. I want you to stop it RIGHT now. You're confusing the unaware in the Northern Hemisphere.


 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

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Originally posted by Gee D:
... even with the lie-flat seats ...

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I'm afraid we can only dream of lie-flat seats. Or we could, if we could actually get to sleep ...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
You darn Aussies are posting memes on Facebook telling people the clocks go forward next Sunday in South Australia. I want you to stop it RIGHT now. You're confusing the unaware in the Northern Hemisphere.

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