Hallo all: Happy New week.
Well, what can I say? I can't even do stupid links these days; no idea why things aren't linking but life is too short to fret about it....
Rita is doing her knee exercises, which aren't the best part of her day, but she'll get there we know.
OG: I've taken the liberty of copy/pasting your anniversary dinner menu for all to enjoy vicariously: "Had a great meal at a country house hotel not far away. Even the bread rolls were wonderful - fresh-baked and therefore really crisp, not hard (I can't usually eat what are normally referred to as "crisp" rolls!). OH started with soup while I had a terrine of roasted vegetables; we both had beautifully roasted pork loin, with a theme of peas running through it: pea mash, pea puree and mange touts, as well as roasted root veg and garnished with a wee "haggis bon-bon" (breaded haggis). OH decided in sticky toffee pud to follow - pleased I didn't as it had a fig in the middle which I would not have liked to find in there! I had the most wonderful chocolate fudge cake ever - so beautifully light, whereas I usually find it very heavy. J is out at a barbecue this evening so it was nice to have a meal out on our own but without leaving him out." All sounds yummy (though not sure about the breaded haggis).
Brenda: I too am wondering how many floors up your son and DiL are in their new apartment. Have you started looking at airfares yet? OG has info on the Canada cake on last week's thread.
bjane: Hope you're too busy to post for all the right reasons. Take care; good to see you.
Margo: Hope you feel up to dropping in this week. Is your sister still popping by? Hugs to you.
Earth to Diane! Please call home. :-))
Fountain is behaving itself as I type; it usually goes about three days before pooping out. Am prepared for investigative antics next time.
Have a good Sunday everyone.
Diane – Welcome back. I missed you. BTW my OH is madly jealous. He has been waiting for the last week for his Windows10 upgrade. His latest news - it could be days or weeks. Yeah, I know, we live at the end of the world.
Victoria trip continued. Day 9. Off to Halls Gap in the Grampians. A visit to Brambuk, an aboriginal cultural centre, where we were treated to damper, jam (native fruits – quangdong and rosella) & wattle seed cream, followed by a drive to see a scar tree or canoe tree as we name them in our state. Long ago the aborigines removed a large piece of bark to make a canoe. Then off to another site where some climbed to see some rock art. I’m glad I stayed in the bus, as it poured with rain, the venturesome came back dripping wet. Back to the centre for a talk & demo on native artifacts – coolamon, weapons, didgeridoo – and films. Lunch in Halls gap township, than back to Stawell where we had ¾ hour wander in town centre. It was so windy my beanie threatened to blow away! The rock art here (and scroll 3-4 to right to see pic of the site). Other Aussie bush foods here. My flickr pics.
Evening all: Granddaughter and Ms.D en route to our house so will catch up tomorrow!
Clare: Please give Helen pat on back for good showing!
Have a good time with your family, Annette!!!
I'm off to look at AQ's links and pics.
Everyone have a good Monday.
Good Morning. Everyone.
Here is a message from Margo, to you ALL.
" I am finding it difficult to control my emotions at the moment. So worried and have just now had a call from the cancer clinic to go for another blood test before chemo as my platelet level has dropped. That will be done this afternoon and then we will have to wait until the results are back before chemo can start. Trying so hard to keep positive but as you can imagine I feel even more stressed now. "
Good morning -
Thank you BRENDA for the update from MARGO. I wish there was something I could say that would make you feel better, MARGO,but as it is, I'm sending many, many cyberhugs to you and to your OH (if you'll allow me to do that!)
Hello, All: I'm back in civilisation again! Well, at least, that's how I feel as we are rather cut off when away, although our mobile phones usually get a signal. I took two mobiles with me, as I have a new smartphone now, and found that I had somehow left the charger for my original one at home, which is the one I use to contact Brenda - and although I had bought one of those new fangled emergency charger gadgets, guess what?! It doesn't fit mine.....
The saga of how I'm getting along with the smartphone could fill a book, so I won't start now....
Just had a quick peek at the above posts and am so very pleased to hear about Helen's success, Clare - wonderful! You must both be so proud. I know you have said that she loves her riding, so she must be riding high now!
Margo: My dear, of course you are feeling both up and down at present. Please try not to worry too much, often things do not turn out to be as bad as one thought. And you know that there's a whole crowd of us here, all rooting for you! Cheerleaders United!! {{BIG HUGS}}
Another quiet day on here. It has become quite humid although there is a breeze. Just been food shopping and taken clothes and bedding to the charity containers. We had a long chat with our son and his wife yesterday, as they gave us a live tour of their new appartment. It is on the 11th floor ( so, yes, Penny will have to keep her legs crossed LOL ) The flat is much large with three bedrooms, so there will be somewhere for us to stay. Included is a central gym, tennis courts and a swimming pool. It was so strange to see their furniture, now in Singapore. Penny recognised my voice, so was barking at the computer. They then had a terrific thunderstorm, which we could watch from their verandah. It is a long weekend of celebrations, in Singapore. this week. 50 years of Independence. Son said that they have been rehearsing every weekend since he arrived there, including fireworks. Penny has not been happy about it all !!
I need to catch up on your posts now and when I hear from Margo, about her tests, I will let you know.
We relaxed and enjoyed our break, although we didn't go anywhere of note except some nice local walks, and to visit my OH's nephew and family, holidaying not far from us, who have just taken delivery of a teeny tiny little pup, a Tibetan Terrier - he is so cute, he looks just like a toy. Of course their young daughters are entranced, but I get the feeling that Mum will have to take on most of the care of the little guy.
I would have liked to go and see the Glaslyn Ospreys but the weather was atrocious for the time of year: We set store by the fact that Sunday was supposed to be warm but although it was a little less chilly, it was still wet! In the end as I said, we did not venture far and twice got wet, once with only our sweaters on as it didn't look too threatening and we were 20 minutes from the car when it started! I consoled myself by dragging my OH off to the Garden Centres and bought some nice picture frames, a plant for a present, and a new harness for Bonnie. She liked it better than the last one so now we are more hopeful that we can cure her of tugging on the lead.
I have to go now and order a new child gate for our hallway, as she can vault the one we have in one bound whenever someone rings the doorbell. I didn't think I would have to but I will have to get one of the taller ones. By the way, she just did her vaulting trick as someone has just been here an hour ago and bought my hammock! I advertised it with a postcard headed "RELAX!" and a big photo of it, which has lured a couple into thinking that they could use it. Pleasing as it was "as new" and I didn't want to just give it away.
Morning all: Just waved granddaughter and Ms. D down the road to daughter's house after nice breakfast with lots of chat from Ms. D. OH has now retreated to the newspaper and I'm flopped with feet up, resting before yoga class this afternoon. Didn't sleep too well as it was very warm last night, but oh well, no biggie.
Brenda: Thanks so much for passing on Margo's message. I'm very glad you and Heather (I think) are in touch with her by phone. I guess houses with actual gardens must be a rarity in Singapore, which seems to be a city of highrises (just spend eons on Google Earth). Can't remember where your son lived before, but what a change!
Diane: Windows 10 got another good write up in the LA Times - as in "finally, windows that aren't broken" or something to that effect. I may have to upgrade - am still running Windows 7 (with no problems).
Rita: Hope the family didn't get washed away in the rain.
Heather: Sounds like your OH needs a week - at least - under the sun somewhere. Maybe time to plan a trip for after the new year (if not sooner)? My UK niece gets very upset with UK summers and my UK nephew and his family just came back from Fuerteventura. I used to flee to Italy every summer... Hate to see local stores close down.
AQ: Wonder why it's taking so long for Windows 10 to arrive in OZ. Love the sound of wattleseed, which, I see is "reminiscent of hazelnuts and chocolate with hints of coffee..." And they make ice cream out of it too. Yum! Wonder how long it will be before qaungdon and rosella start showing up here (if not already).
Lindybird: That was a fast trip. I still don't know all about my alleged smartphone. What we don't know about them fills far more than one book judging from the offerings I see at Amazon.
At this rate, will be taking my afternoon nap before noon....yawn
ANNETTE- enjoy your peace and quiet! It has been a beautiful day here today, so OH has put his emigration plans on hold, temporarily, lol. He is a Scot from generations back,for ever, probably. All the same, he hates the weather here and hates the weather in his 'home' area in Aberdeenshire even more! My dad was the same. Born and brought up in Argyllshire,gorgeous scenery etc but every time he mentioned 'home' (he and my mother moved to Devon before I was born) the next sentence was 'but I don't miss the weather' .
BRENDA- thank you for keeping us up to date with MARGO. I haven't spoken with her for a while, I did ask her to email me re a good time to phone but I haven't heard anything. I think that maybe she can't cope with too many conversations, I know what it is like having to repeat the same thing several times when it's not a happy story that you're telling.
I'm out tomorrow for lunch with middle daughter and Amy. My two other daughters are away, one in Islay and one in Glasgow. My son and family are going to Florida in two weeks time and I feel for middle daughter who cannot afford a holiday. Even if she could, the cost of holiday insurance for Amy would be horrendous because of her diabetes. Or so I assume.
AQ- I'm about to catch up with your pics etc. Thank you for sharing x
Best wishes to all and welcome home, LINDY!!