WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015

My OH's mother's side were called Smith - makes genealogy searches very difficult, only traced them back three generations, despite some weird first names!

Found a bit more about Uncle - now got his plot number in the cemetery.  He was moved from a small burial place into the mostly Australian ADELAIDE Cemetery, near Amiens!  Thought AQ might like that!

Daughter had to work late after all, but emailed to let me know when they were safely home, and found their electricity back on.  She didn't mention whether they checked the cottage, and I didn't phone tonight as they will be tired after noise of last night and work today.  J has arrived home safe from band practice; I think we all need to lie low tomorrow!  Wind has increased again, coming from a changed direction so not rattling the same things as last night!

Stay safe, everyone.

Off to bed ourselves - hope all are safe tonight and that the winds die down soon. A dramatic ending to the grim stories in France. Let's hope that's the end of that, too.

Evening all:  

OG: Oh my - that really is a thrill. Perhaps you can search Google Earth Long Island, NY for a street with his name?   Didn't AQ mention that she'd been to the French WW1 cemeteries on one of her European travels?

Seems like things have settled down in that country for now; but I wonder if there was any other way to end it without storming that market with the high probability there would be fatalities among the hostages. Still, I don't have all the facts, so no point in speculating....

Glad all are safe in Scotland.

Have a good Saturday everyone.

AQ: There I am, spreading misinformation again.  Good grief; they've really cleaned up Paris since you were there. I could probably say the same for London and my sister was amazed at how much cleaner New York was last October than when she was there a couple of decades back.  I see Rod Taylor died yesterday.  He was a cutie in his younger years. I was only wondering about him the other week; had no idea he was in his 80s! Eeek.   Twelve families? And an award-winning veggie grower in the woodpile no less. Good luck with your quota.  Do hope the weather stabilizes; we have a hint of rain this weekend, then it's back to more sunshine....

I'm on my way to bed, but I just checked the wind speeds in Scotland and England. Looks bad in many places. I hope you all are safe tonight! Thinking of all you folks.

Good Morning, All - I hope everyone is safe after a wild night in parts of UK. Thanks for thinking of us, Diane.

AQ - It occurs to me it would be a hoot if we could find out we are related - my father's family came from Liverpool in that generation!! My father started doing a family tree once but it was very laborious in those days without Internet, of course. I keep saying I'll take up the baton but never seem to find the time. OG - How exciting! Well done!

Hello all

AQ and OG you are whetting my dormant appetite for genealogy. I'd so like to know more about my ancestors.

It's just a wee bit wild here today, nothing much in the way of wind but lots of sleety rainy stuff. I walked to town this morning because I hadn't been there since a few days before Christmas and bought a few bits and pieces in M and S. This afternoon will visit Sheana. I got a nice surprise today, her cousin and his wife sent me a basket of hyacinths. Her nephew overpaid me what Sheana owed me for her Christmas Jumper and said to use it for chocolates for myself and OH as he was sure that Sheana would want to give me something for Christmas!!

Our new neighbour in Sheana's former house has not endeared herself to her neighbour on the other side. Said neighbours granddaughter,perhaps stupidly, parked outside new neighbours gate while she ran into her granny's house for something. New neighbour appeared and threatened to call the (f word) police. Also shouted that she was going to get the council to make the road immediately in front of her house a disabled parking area because her son can't walk very far. I hate to say this but I have seen her son (who has Down 's Syndrome) walking with no apparent problems though admittedly only from the house to the car. She has a driveway, like us---- He may get picked up sometimes to go to a day centre or similar, I don't know. What I do know is that Sheana in her nineties and on two sticks got picked up by hospital transport and similar and there were no problems. I hope that things settle down because not getting on with neighbours can eat into your soul. I know because I lived next door to a very difficult lady once upon a time :-((((

Heather - I'm so glad you got some appreciative surprises! You certainly deserve recognition at least, of your enormous help and friendship with Sheana. I know you have done what you have without thought of reward, apart from knowing that all was right with Sheana's welfare, but nevertheless it is nice to know that others have observed it. You are bang on target with the "neighbours" problem as these things can indeed eat away at your whole existence if you let them. I remember years & years ago on the Jimmy Young radio show, they had a man they named the 'Legal Eagle'. He was so very sensible, and the show dealt with many neighbour disputes. He said that in the course of his legal career, he had had many cases where the whole thing had cost people dearly, not just in monetary terms, when often just an invitation for a coffee and a quick word about the problem could have saved so much heartache.