General Chat

Cor ,blimey you bunch,can't say as i like the new layout,and agree with J a and a few others,if it ain't broke ,lol.
Even the family tree section takes some getting used to,and the background colour euuuuuck disgusting .
Off to town today ,to try and find a new dining set,the boss has at last agreed with me ,that the one we have now is far rtoo big and heavy,for us.
Seems we have come up witjh a new Larner Family in oxford ,whereas the wifes tree starts in ireland and northumberland it's gonna be interesting to see if the two families have a common root.
My My,it's freezin' here again Mary,and i would even put up with a little of your rain ,if it was asa warm as yours he he.
Yes old friend we will be taking the new camcorder,and my little digital camere ,so a few nice picckies are on the cards.
The cat has plonked her bum right in front of the puter screen,a hint that she hasn't been fed lol,so.i will see you all later.Fred.

hi from barrie oh I don't like this new look took me ages to find the site as you say if it is not broke don't fix it, bye for now dorothy

Well this will be a learning curve!! If you click on last post it takes you to the first post and then click again and it seems to take you to the last post.

There is an old saying....if it ain't broke, don't fix it....hmmm!! maybe GR should have paid attention to that?

I managed to get my snail mail cards sent and plan on starting the ecards this weekend....I have over 50 to send...how can that be?? Have not put up the tree yet and as each day goes by I feel less like it. Nobody is coming to visit so why would I bother....well for me!!! must get at it!!

Good to hear from everyone. Keep well and not too busy.
Lesxx

Darn it cannot get to last psoting
JA

Hi all We have had some lovely warm days..(sorry Fred.) but not enough rain for my liking...

Not long now to the trip Fred.. I hope you and Liz enjoy it and really relax and eat up big...Dont forget to take the camera and we want photos please..,,

We are going up to Orange to the daughters for Christmas and John wants to drive so that we will have a car while up there.. I dont like the idea as it is a 41/2 hour drive .. but never mind..I will take my new lappy so I can log on whenever I like and dont have to battle the grandies for a turn on the puta..lol..

The Wattlers have the Sydney Christmas meet next sunday , and that is a hour drive away but I have my Tom Tom now so shouldnt get lost..I hope...hee hee hee..

I suppose you are all busy with your Christmas shopping, but I dont have to do anything till I get to Orange on or around sunday week,,

Hope all are well and those eyes are on the improve Edith..

Love to all

Mary xxxxx

Morning peoples ,just a quicky today [he he ,i should be so lucky ]ouch.
Off to town this morning ,paying a visit to the bank,then off to find the wife a pressie,i think i will buy her one of the new cam corders,half the size of her old one ,and much lighter to carry and use.
I have seen another Sony that i like the look of with built in sound,and a mini disk in ,instead of tapes,so the pictures will be really sharp.
The old one i will take to a charity shop for resale,it's the size of a house brick ,and just as heavy but is in a carry all,with five spare tapes and two batteries,so i reckon someone will buy it.
Brekkie today will be the two remaining Warbertons crumpets ,with the remainder of the beef paste from yesterdays tea.
This laddie,i don't know where he puts it all,i reckom he is going to be as big as his dad,16 and a half stone of farmer lol.
I made him roast pork yesterday ,with brussels ,sweede ,cauli' and broccoli,home made apple,sage,and rosemary stuffing,with small yorkshire puddings,and he STILL asked about tea two hours later lol.
We have plastic plates for the freezer and mic,with tops,so that i can freeze what's left and use it at a later date ,so this gives me at least one cook free day a week,just the ticket when i feel like a lazy day [which is often]
We Fly from Manchester on the 10th of Jan' Mary,and the wedding is midweek so i'm told ,so we will have a few days to relax in some gentle sun before we come home again.
I suppose i had better go now ,and feed boss cat before i get attacked for not being quicker ,she is a real delight now,lying in wait in a passage ,or,lurking between chairs ,coming out as you pass ,with a yowl,and wrapping her legs around the nearest of yours he he,but ,never with claws extended,and she spends hours on my knees each evening..Catch you all later ,Fred.

Hi Everyone. From a very cold middle Canada.
The temp this morning was -22 with a windchill!!!!!!!!!
I'm sure even the bears have gone into hiding now.
Not much snow so driving is not too bad.
My eye is so much better now, I can see very clearly. In fact there is a lot of dust I'd rather not see as it means work hee hee.
Now I have to get the cards out and get the place cleaned up for Santa's arrival. Don't do any baking as we are all too "fluffy". My granddaughter uses this term in the stores when she is shopping for clothes and the sales people always give her strange looks , that is until she runs her hands down her ample body. !!!!!!
Enjoyed talking to J.A. she was enjoying a quiet day.
Hope she has a great time at the meet with her fellow Wattlers.
She promised to give Mary a hug for me. !!!!
Hi Fred as usual you are busy,busy,busy. Please let us know when you '"really" retire.
Have made your potato and leek soup twice so far this winter. Will try another to-day to take the chill off.
Must get some work done so I can catch up after being lazy for so long.
Take care all and always make the very best of the day ahead. Edith XXXXXXXX

~~~~~~~~~~~~~all
Teresa you sound busy as usual hope all is well health wise with OH
thanks for the lovelyy phone calls Edith and VP, just the tonic I needed, bless you both. So pleased the eyes are getting there Edith. Vp, the pinny sales are great, just the beginning!

Love reading about what people are doing
Take care and may each one of you have blessed weeks

Wondering how you are doing Sylvia
JA

goodmorning well it is still cold in barrie but no snow as yet to-day though it is all around I can put up with what we have but hope we don't get any more, I am mailing some of the photo's that I took in calgary and canmore over to my life long friend in bury lancs so she can see where my sister is living, anne has been on a coach tour of canada and the states about 20yrs ago but did not get to see the rockies, sunday is the concert at the gryphon theatre that the church is putting on, the theatre is at georgian college so much talent in the church body they do small skits lots of great music and carols and some comedy we are going as a family to the 3pm show, my son and the oldest grandson are missing it bryan has a hockey match and had missed three games due to a foot injury, then we will all have supper at andrew and lindy's, lindy's mom has just returned from ethopia on some teaching children to read so it will be interesting to hear all about it. my daughter in law's sister and her husband work for aid groups ie. one for the united nations via canada and the other a german aid group at the moment they are in lewes england and fly hither and yon, but I think they are returning to live in canada in the fall of 09 they have lived in africa for many years in mozambic I think I spelt that right well must pop out to the shops bye for now dorothy

Well,another weekend here ,and only 19 days to go before the whole brood descends on the house lol.
Not a bad morning here ,but it's very chilly ,and i have the heating on early.
We have had the first pension payment of my three little private pensions,and what a godsend they are going to be[bless you mum ,for nagging me to take them out] even though we could bearly afford them on the low wages we had all through our working lives.
For the first time ever since getting married ,we are comfortably off and no longer have to watch EVERY penny,and ,thank the lord ,the morgage is finished too,this Christmas is going to be Jolly all right.he he.
It would be better still if the oz colonials would spare us a little warmth and sun,but i don't expect they will ,after the welsh hammered them at the rugby [ouch] but i can't say much ,seeing as both the local rugby team ,and football team are sooooo dismal,lol.good job it is that i still support Wycombe wanderers [my old team from childhood] they are doing great.
The snow has almost gone now ,but it would be nice to have some more over the holiday,just to say we have a white Christmas.
We have decided to start putting a little money aside to renew our bedroom furniture in the spring ,along with a new carpet,but that won't be until the makover is complete,because i won't be decorating the walls now until spring ,it's too cold to have the windows opened all day to dry paintwork.
Both of us have streaming colds[whose bright idea was it] to go shopping on the bus last week grrrrr[ruddy women] ,again he he.
Well,i am going to do myself a couple of crumpets for breakfast ,with lashings of Marmite on,just the thing for a cold morning.
I was going to have smoked Mackeral,but the wife wouldn't be pleased ,because i can't open the door or window to get rid of the pong ,he he.
Catch ya later peeps Fred.

Hi all... We have HOT today.. in the 30c already and its only midmorning..Think I am a winter girl now.. In the old days I would be down and into the surf by now,,How things change..
Teresa Yes the house is empty when the brood leave home..but ours used to come and go for a few years but now are settled.. So it was time to downsize and especially as John could not cope with stairs we had to sell and move..This little 2 bedroom and study unit is ideal for us and the kids can still come a stay if needs be..who needs the housework at our age..not me..Hope Bob is keeping well...

Veronica You got a chaufers cap to.. I thouhgt I was the only one..lol..Hope Keith is improving each day..

Dorothy. Funny how the things we miss from home always taste better when you get them overseas..When we were overseas if we found a shop that sold Aussie stuff we were overjoyed and bought up big...must be the homing instinct in us.hee hee hee..

Dianne You are good.. I dont make my christmas cake any more.. I like the idea if soaking it though in grog..should give it a good taste,hee hee hee...I now support a charity that sells them and kill 2 birds with one stone..

Christine Get the bread maker.. its great,, I used to babysit the grandies and son in law used to pay me with a loaf of Daddys home made bread..Its lovely and much cheaper than bought stuff.. It never stayed around long enough to get stale...lol

Edith Hope you are improving each day,,have you started you christmas shopping yet.. All our grandchildren want money as they like to have something to buy things they see while on holidays..It is also a lot easier for us so we dont complain...lol.At Christmas the kids have 6 weeks school holidays so it is a great time for families to go away for a break..

Fred.. When is the wedding..must be getting near,,I bet you are getting excited and Liz will want a new outfit to wear ,,Hope you are taking her shopping before you go...hee hee hee...Liz do you want me to send over my broom handle ..or do you have a good one...hee hee hee...How is the decorating going,,a busy time for you both...

Les.. Hows the sewing.. are you raking in the money yet..and needing a holiday..???lol

Well have a nice weekend all and keep smiling..

Love Maryxxxx

Hi Everyone,

I am still around, just not doing much in the way of genealogy or anything else except work right now. We are so busy and short staffed in the Christmas shop that I am doing extra shifts just to fill in the gaps.

We are all well, had son David's birthday on the 2nd (27) and Michael's on the 3rd (30). Then Bob's birthday is on the 9th. Then I think I can finally think about Christmas!

Angie went to Toronto at the beginning of October with the intention of possibly moving there. She came back at the end of Oct saying it was too expensive to live there. So, last weekend she moved out of our house and into a shared apartment with a friend. The house seems so empty again! I think we will probably move into a smaller house next year as we now have four empty bedrooms.

Dorothy I am glad you enjoyed your time in Calgary. I live not too far from McKenzie Town. In fact we were over there last weekend looking at show homes.

Veronica, I hope Keith continues to improve. What a worry for you.

Hello to the rest of you. I am off to work, got the late shift today.

Teresa

hi veronica thanks for the address for the british store I agree the small tins of baked beans are great the lady who runs the shop near me brings in baked goods on a thursday and they go fast as well as soups I especially like the ox tail one, plus biscuits and jams and lots of candies and pickled onions. when I was in calgary my sister took me to the british shop in mac kenzie town but I was surprised how marked up the prices were compaired to here in barrie I did not buy anthing.thanks bye dorothy

Hi all

Dorothy - The store is called Kings Cross and is at King & Cross street in Dundas, just behind a restaurant called "The Thirsty Cactus" I believe that the lady owns a store in Newmarket as well.

It is quite small but cramed with stuff. Keith & I go shopping quite regularly we love the small tins of HP baked beans, they taste so much different to the ones in other grocery stores and then of course their is the chocolate!!! she has a local baker who makes stuff for her from English ingrediants but you have to be quick to get the stuff on the day it comes in. She also imports Ayrshire bacon and Irish sausages as well as a limited supply of other meat stuff. I forgot about the tomato paste in a tube, I must ask if they can get it for me.

I can drop a ton of money everytime I go in their.

Fred - can you come and do some decorating for me!!!!

Off to take Keith out to do some errands - on with the chauffers cap again - but perhaps he will pay for lunch for me today!!!

Veronica in Dundas

Quick entry peeps from a very cold ,snowy Newcastle upon Tyne .
Still busy putting the finishing touches to the ceiling in our bedroom ,so we can reoccupy it this evening.
The boss has arranged all the new furniture in the guest room ready for Sean and his new bride,Sarah ,when they come back with us in January,all i have to do in there now ,is put the new headboard on the bed,
The new ,pine one will be going into our room,ready for the spring and decorating [ho hum ] lol,then ,as soon as the decorating is finished ,the boss wants new furniture in there too [ruddy women] he he.
Back later peeps Fred.

hi veronica where is the british store in dundas I would like to pay a visit to it the next time I am in brampton, we have one in barrie and the lady that owns it has just moved next door to the original store and open a british cafe open for breakfast and lunch I hope it does well she is a great gal widowed not that long ago and is great at trying to import stuff for you if she can, she did bring tomato paste in a tube for me I think it is the greatest being on my own I was wasting the stuff out of the small cans as I always forgot to freeze it, did find some when I was in calgary amazing what excites me these days!!! and I can buy balckpool rock that the grandchildren love they think I bring it back by the case when I go over to england!!! well it does not do to tell all my secrets bye for now dorothy

Hi everyone..Gosh time flies .. We have booootiful weather at the moment,,Anyone want some lovely sunny warm weather..Will send some over if you like..
Had a Residents Meeting this afternoon and it went well.. Quite enjoy it as we get to argue a lot.. hee hee hee,,and I am so meek and mild,(not),,I just laugh..We have the Residents committee Christmas Dinner tonight in the restaurant and it should be a good night..Then next week we have the Club Christmas get-together and dinner, so another night of no dishes afterwards.

So nice to see Edith back and hope you are looking after yourself..

Fred. I suppose that you are all ready for Christmas..can you come and do mine to...

Am having a little time of rest and not on the puta to much..Just a bit of ME time..and doing some FH..

Hope all are fit and well and not working to hard..

Love Mary xxxx

I used to make a Christmas cake and Christmas puddings every year. Soaked them both regularly for about a month with what ever liquor I had available . . . sherry, brandy, whiskey - tasted great and was very moist. Now their are only 2 of us at home I don't bother, we have a great British shop opened up in Dundas so I have bought and English Christmas Pud and some Cadbury's selection boxes.

My bread came out great using the Multigrain flour, I flound a recipe for flax bread and used that, it called for honey to sweeten instead of sugar, we have Maluca honey that Keith likes so I used that and it has resulted in a lovely moist and tasty loaf.

I think I will stick to this recipe.

The snow storm we where supposed to have never came our way just lots and lots of rain, but Barrie got hammered again.

Off to watch Escape to the Country - about 3 years out of date but still interesting.

Veronica in Dundas

Good Morning All, hope you are all well. It is lovely to see Edith messaging again!! Slowly does it!!.

Its really cold here today, the frost is thick and white and it really does look lovely, just not very nice to be out in!! This is the sort of weather that reminds me when we were kids and there was no central heating just the coal fire burning downstairs, when we woke on a morning the windows were all frosted up, lovely....
Went Christmas shopping yesterday and I was quite surprised not a lot of people were about, must be this Credit Crunch. Called into poor old Woolworths (maybe for the last Christmas??), I definitely noticed that people were not struggling with lots of bags!!. Christmas cake came out a treat, but my mam gave me a tip to soak a little sherry onto it just before I put the icing on, so I'll give it a go!!! I soak the fruit in rum 1st before making it so it should be quite nice.. Do you make your Christmas Cake Fred? Any good tips??
Still struggling on with my Canadian relative search, hopefully make a connection soon...

Anyway I'll sign off now...Take Care Everyone x

Hi all Back again, thanks for the welcomes.
I can't stay on the line too long, have put the print up to the largest size and it is much easier to read.
Each day the eye is improving so as soon as I can get the new specs(2 weeks) things should be back to normal.
Sending big hugs J.A. Will try and call you next weekend.
We have our annual Seniors Christmas dinner to-morrow night for which my D.I.L bought me a very
glitsy jacket. She tells me "bling" is in, so I will go and have a great time as long as the shine doesn't
blind everyone !!!!!
We have very little snow so far and the lakes are still open. Slow winter here compared to other parts of the province. Must get on with the day,now I can see again I also see what I have missed. Hard to believe the dust is that deep hee hee.
Take care all. Bye for now. Edith XXXXXXX