It's "no thanks" to a cruise from me too, Frank. There's a limit to the amount of walking round you can do on a ship, and one bit of sea looks very like another to me... plus you can't get away from People. The annoying ones, I mean - quite a lot of people are all right really...
Good news. We've had regular visits from Mrs Woodpecker this winter, but not seen Mr since the autumn; this morning she appeared with a very smart-looking but timid male, hopefully her new mate.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Lovely memories Frank - what is Turnip Snagging please?
Most cruises are not for us either. Being held 'prisoner' on a huge boat with several hundred strangers - many of whom are hell bent on eating and drinking as much as they can - no thanks
At least that seems to be the type of cruise my SIL goes on.
Have considered one of those much, much smaller more intimate affairs with interesting lectures and excursions (history, gardening, wildlife etc - ie interesting for us - but probably not to those who just want to "See the Sights" and buy souvenirs). But they are horribly expensive and still seem to involve dressing for dinner and communal dining.
Nah! - a cottage in Torridon featuring seafood and single malts - or a tour in our little motorhome is much more our cup of tea!
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Ooops - meant to say "Congratulations" to Chicklet.
You'll miss her Chicky - but it will be a wonderful experience for her.
My niece managed to land herself a job in Sydney at the end of last year which came as a huge surprise to us all. Initially a 6 month contract but she has a 2 year Visa.
She now has to decide whether to use her sensible head and start building a managerial career with this international company. Alternatively she can use her 'life's too short head' which will involve lots of travelling in that beautiful country, picking up casual & agricultural work where she can.
I think the second option may win...
Hope Dove's enjoying her day at the seaside - it's persisting down here
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Sorry Lily but I have quite enough to paint here. Pantry has had its second coat on the back wall but I've started on other walls now as our hybrid plumber/electrician is due next week to plumb ina new sink and provide connections for the dishwasher. meanwhile I need to empty our kitchen to get that painted ready for the new one due to be installed in the latter half of March. Can'ts tart till next Wednesday as Possum is common for a long weekend.
Meanwhile, I've been told the polytunnel will arrive tomorrow so plenty to keep me busy for ages..
TB - can't her sensible head work at a serious job with proper income to fund her fun head on long weekends and holiday trips to the other parts of Oz?
I don't think cruising is for me either really and not just because OH gets seasick.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I must apologise for not reading your posts since early this morning, so I didn't see Chicky's exciting news. She won't need sun block in July - probably keep her winter clothes out from now til then. There's no land mass between Adelaide and Antarctica to break the gales. Cheerful, aren't I? Please keep in kind that she would be welcome to contact me if she has a mind to do so. Not that we are close, but I'm happy to help in any way that I can.
Frank, I didn't get it, so no offence here.
we had that pastie eating footballer on our news as well, but I don't get the problem. It's all above my head - this football stuff.
Wonky, thanks for hoping I would not be hot shopping. Your wishes didn't work, unfortunately, I spent as much time as I could in Woolworths in the air con, until Hubby had finished his chiro appt. I think it was in the low 30s today, but tomorrow (well today now at 1am) is supposed to reach 36 or so.
Dove, I meant to say yesterday that I think mrs next door has merino sheep. Not sure though. She gave me some fleece a couple of years ago to try to spin, but it was really difficult, super fine to card and spin. It's still in a pillow slip in my craft room. Must have another go at it one day.
as usual, I've forgotten everything else. Night all.
We always grew a field of Turnips mainly for animal food in winter, we would lift and store them by hand. You grabbed the top shook the muck off and with a short sickle (curved knife) snagged the leafy top and root off. We would lift some and leave some unless it was too wet then we would lift the lot, it was water rotted them not the frost. We would prepare them for the animals by dropping them in a big hand operated machine that diced them then mixed with some grain feed them to the animals in the barns.
The funny part is I did enjoy the Troopships The first one the Empress of Scotland was a liner, we were last on so got a top deck with Bunks sixteen to a mess deck in which we slept and ate, the bunks folded to the wall and Mess tables and long benches dropped down, the food was collected Navy style in containers and shared out between 8 men per mess table, it was good filling food and plenty of it.
We took some of the first married families out to the middle east and beyond, I could not take my Accordion so took a Harmonica, we formed a band and entertained the lads and lasses, we had some right good knees up sessions. Getting the bunks down one night there was an announcement, "Any one who can dance will be welcome in the main Salon there are ladies here short of partners. Yup heard that one before we will end up moving pianos or something. Twice more the Tannoy called and we took no notice, that was officer territory we did not mix. The SSM came into the mess you get your uniform on you can dance and get up there, he managed to get four of us and what a shock we got, ATS WAAF WRENS and WVS plus Married women going out to meet their husbands, I knew about them having been put on Guard to keep the men off their deck, I had given up when it turned out to be the opposite. Friendships were made Dance partners lined up, we had four dance nights to a live band from the Crew, it turned into a good time for us young unattached lads. Was on quite a few different ships round the Med and back home then the Ferries to Germany Holland and Belgium, we did a lot of crossings, the trips into and out of Hamburg were always the best for food and entertainment.
Daughter and Hubby do Dance cruises, costs them a fortune in evening wear Pamela says you cannot wear the same dress twice??? why not my underwear lasts a years then i wash it whether it needs it or not.
BL - I think it's a reference to 100 years / battle of Verdun etc etc - but maybe I'm wrong.
Thanks for explaining 'turnip snagging' Frank. My father was evacuated to Retford during the war and I think he spent time helping with potato harvest etc. It's several years since he died but I don't remember him speaking too fondly about helping with agricultural chores
Sounds as though you had some fun on that troopship!
I don't get the thing about taking lots of clothes on a cruise either. I think I've worn the same dress to the last 3 weddings I've been to. Hate shopping for clothes and would happily live in scruffy comfortable gear all the time if I could get away with it. I do wash it more than once a year though.
Reported that list of what appear to be Spam links....
Last edited: 22 February 2017 15:00:19
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Posts
It's "no thanks" to a cruise from me too, Frank. There's a limit to the amount of walking round you can do on a ship, and one bit of sea looks very like another to me... plus you can't get away from People. The annoying ones, I mean - quite a lot of people are all right really...
Good news. We've had regular visits from Mrs Woodpecker this winter, but not seen Mr since the autumn; this morning she appeared with a very smart-looking but timid male, hopefully her new mate.
Lovely memories Frank
- what is Turnip Snagging please?
Most cruises are not for us either. Being held 'prisoner' on a huge boat with several hundred strangers - many of whom are hell bent on eating and drinking as much as they can - no thanks
At least that seems to be the type of cruise my SIL goes on.
Have considered one of those much, much smaller more intimate affairs with interesting lectures and excursions (history, gardening, wildlife etc - ie interesting for us - but probably not to those who just want to "See the Sights" and buy souvenirs). But they are horribly expensive and still seem to involve dressing for dinner and communal dining.
Nah! - a cottage in Torridon featuring seafood and single malts - or a tour in our little motorhome is much more our cup of tea!
Congrats to Chicklet, 3 of my happiest years spent in OZ
Hosta when I see folk behave like that I always mutter sotto voce "you will be old some day too"
Obelixx when you are nearby we have several little bits to be painted, e.g. Gableend, eves, fence??
Hideous weather expected tomorrow so taking the car tonight to Ed Airport for DIL poor girl has lost her mum and needs to get there for arrangements.
A A Milne
Ooops - meant to say "Congratulations" to Chicklet.
You'll miss her Chicky - but it will be a wonderful experience for her.
My niece managed to land herself a job in Sydney at the end of last year which came as a huge surprise to us all. Initially a 6 month contract but she has a 2 year Visa.
She now has to decide whether to use her sensible head and start building a managerial career with this international company. Alternatively she can use her 'life's too short head' which will involve lots of travelling in that beautiful country, picking up casual & agricultural work where she can.
I think the second option may win...
Hope Dove's enjoying her day at the seaside - it's persisting down here
Eh?
Sorry Lily but I have quite enough to paint here. Pantry has had its second coat on the back wall but I've started on other walls now as our hybrid plumber/electrician is due next week to plumb ina new sink and provide connections for the dishwasher. meanwhile I need to empty our kitchen to get that painted ready for the new one due to be installed in the latter half of March. Can'ts tart till next Wednesday as Possum is common for a long weekend.
Meanwhile, I've been told the polytunnel will arrive tomorrow so plenty to keep me busy for ages..
TB - can't her sensible head work at a serious job with proper income to fund her fun head on long weekends and holiday trips to the other parts of Oz?
I don't think cruising is for me either really and not just because OH gets seasick.
I must apologise for not reading your posts since early this morning, so I didn't see Chicky's exciting news. She won't need sun block in July - probably keep her winter clothes out from now til then. There's no land mass between Adelaide and Antarctica to break the gales. Cheerful, aren't I? Please keep in kind that she would be welcome to contact me if she has a mind to do so. Not that we are close, but I'm happy to help in any way that I can.
Frank, I didn't get it, so no offence here.
we had that pastie eating footballer on our news as well, but I don't get the problem. It's all above my head - this football stuff.
Wonky, thanks for hoping I would not be hot shopping. Your wishes didn't work, unfortunately, I spent as much time as I could in Woolworths in the air con, until Hubby had finished his chiro appt. I think it was in the low 30s today, but tomorrow (well today now at 1am) is supposed to reach 36 or so.
Dove, I meant to say yesterday that I think mrs next door has merino sheep. Not sure though. She gave me some fleece a couple of years ago to try to spin, but it was really difficult, super fine to card and spin. It's still in a pillow slip in my craft room. Must have another go at it one day.
as usual, I've forgotten everything else. Night all.
Er, sorry Frank, it was Punkdoc who thought he'd upset someone, not you. Still don't get it.
What was that strange post that came on a while ago all about. I must be tired.
We always grew a field of Turnips mainly for animal food in winter, we would lift and store them by hand. You grabbed the top shook the muck off and with a short sickle (curved knife) snagged the leafy top and root off. We would lift some and leave some unless it was too wet then we would lift the lot, it was water rotted them not the frost. We would prepare them for the animals by dropping them in a big hand operated machine that diced them then mixed with some grain feed them to the animals in the barns.
The funny part is I did enjoy the Troopships The first one the Empress of Scotland was a liner, we were last on so got a top deck with Bunks sixteen to a mess deck in which we slept and ate, the bunks folded to the wall and Mess tables and long benches dropped down, the food was collected Navy style in containers and shared out between 8 men per mess table, it was good filling food and plenty of it.
We took some of the first married families out to the middle east and beyond, I could not take my Accordion so took a Harmonica, we formed a band and entertained the lads and lasses, we had some right good knees up sessions. Getting the bunks down one night there was an announcement, "Any one who can dance will be welcome in the main Salon there are ladies here short of partners. Yup heard that one before we will end up moving pianos or something. Twice more the Tannoy called and we took no notice, that was officer territory we did not mix. The SSM came into the mess you get your uniform on you can dance and get up there, he managed to get four of us and what a shock we got, ATS WAAF WRENS and WVS plus Married women going out to meet their husbands, I knew about them having been put on Guard to keep the men off their deck, I had given up when it turned out to be the opposite. Friendships were made Dance partners lined up, we had four dance nights to a live band from the Crew, it turned into a good time for us young unattached lads. Was on quite a few different ships round the Med and back home then the Ferries to Germany Holland and Belgium, we did a lot of crossings, the trips into and out of Hamburg were always the best for food and entertainment.
Daughter and Hubby do Dance cruises, costs them a fortune in evening wear Pamela says you cannot wear the same dress twice??? why not my underwear lasts a years then i wash it whether it needs it or not.
Frank.
Frank, ha ha!
Why is punkdoc apologising?
I'm just having a quiet moment while grandchildren are playing outside.
BL - I think it's a reference to 100 years / battle of Verdun etc etc - but maybe I'm wrong.
Thanks for explaining 'turnip snagging' Frank. My father was evacuated to Retford during the war and I think he spent time helping with potato harvest etc. It's several years since he died but I don't remember him speaking too fondly about helping with agricultural chores
Sounds as though you had some fun on that troopship!
I don't get the thing about taking lots of clothes on a cruise either. I think I've worn the same dress to the last 3 weddings I've been to. Hate shopping for clothes and would happily live in scruffy comfortable gear all the time if I could get away with it. I do wash it more than once a year though.
Reported that list of what appear to be Spam links....
Last edited: 22 February 2017 15:00:19