Genealogy Chat

Everyone busy again I guess. Thank you to Ken for keeping us afloat!


It's very wearing with lots of visitors around so it's good you're able to put your feet up for a bit Sue.


I managed to get into town to do some shopping for Christmas yesterday but ran out of ideas after a short time. Grandchildren have so much anyway these days and what do I know about computer games? Not a lot!


Grandson is only interested in computer and football so I will have to ask his dad to get something on our behalf.


My granddaughter is of an age where she obviously likes to choose her own clothes, so gone are the days when I would see something cute and frilly for her! Over to her mum this time.


My daughter is 40 at the end of the year but I think I have her sorted for both Christmas and birthday. No party or anything, just a family meal together.


OH is hard to buy for so it's thinking caps on again.......


I will be glad when it is January!


Hope Robert is safe from this windy weather, all tucked up in his little shell.


Haven't seen Josie for a bit..........~~~~~~~~ waves and hoping she is okay.


Anne will be meeting herself coming backwards no doubt. Hope some more friends pop in soon.


Love to all. Cx.

Hi Everyone

A lot of visitors this weekend , this is my first chance to use my computer.

It is warming up and all our Perth rellies come down from time to time for free beds for the weekend but we do enjoy there visits,very full on though.

I am just sitting back this afternoon watching a one day cricket game,really looking forward to the Ashes against England it should be a great series.
I hope the Aussies do well but I am not that confident with the side we have.

Check in tonight

Ken thankyou for the Nudge up please feel free to join us .

Suex

It was a crack ..... horizontal across the outer surface of the tooth ...... he fixed it right away

no anaesthetic ............. he said you only need anaesthetic if he has to drill away decay (no decay), or if the surface has to be abraded so that the filling material will adhere (the crack already provided that roughened surface)


so in at 1:00pm, out about 30 minutes later all fixed up.


PLUS the desk girl has now set it up with the insurance company so that the client pays the deductible and the dentist gets reimbursed .... previously we had to pay all the bill and then get the reimbursement


so I only had to pay about $55 instead of $175+ (or ca £25-30 instead of ca £80-90).




Sid (cabinet maker) removed a little more of the veneer panelling, and now thinks that opening in the wall was not a window, but a built-in, foldaway ironing board .................... all the rage in the 1950s .......... and back in style again now!


He's busy bolting cabinets to the wall, and to each other ............... but will have to shorten the length of the sink cabinet by 2 or 3"


The electrician sunk the power box into the wall, and we pushed the stove back a full 4" or so!



s
xxx

I caught that one Frank.....cheeky! I can see I will have to borrow Sylvia's rolling pin again. Mind you, that's if she can find it after all the upheaval in her kitchen.


Are we having a kitchen party when you're done and dusted Sylvia? Hope the dental visit went okay and wasn't too expensive.


My OH is going for his flu jab tomorrow - I'm not eligible to have one from the docs, but can have it through my volunteer job at the hospital.


Lots of housework today plus some ironing, so I may go up and have a read soon whilst OH watches the Mentalist!


It's been dull, wet and grey here all day - very miserable weather indeed but at least it isn't freezing. Am thinking of getting a snow shovel soon - just in case! The spade we have is too heavy for me to use it for long - it must weigh a ton.....!

Quick browse before bed. Love to all. Cx.

Hi all


we stayed at a couple of Premier hotels in 2008 ...... and were very impressed with them.

Clean, comfortable, friendly staff, restaurant attached, even provided a hairdryer! And very reasonable


The best surprise was the Jurys Inn Heathrow .... I found it on expedia.ca, and took a chance on reserving for our last 2 nights in England because of its location and price

It was very close to Hatton Cross Station, so we could get into London on the spare day, and it was on Hoppa Bus route for getting to Heathrow.

I think we paid about £45/night .... I checked today's special rate, £55


Big room, clean, comfortable, nice bar with bar meals available, and a restaurant

I would now check out others in the Jurys Inn chain in future.



Have a dental appointment in about 90 minutes ....... thought I had something stuck on a molar last night,

but nope ........ it feels like a horizontal crack! OH says that's what it looks like.

Called dentist about 10 am, appointment at 1:00pm ..... and I don't even have any pain!!


It is basically a push-in appointment, so I doubt he will do any treatment, if indeed any is needed


but it's comforting to know that they will push you in!


Of course ............... I'll have to pay for it!!



s
xx

Tabitha, Premier Inn are a slightly more upmarket version of Travelodge, slightly more expensive and you must book for at least 2 nights which is no use to me for my meetings in London. I stay the night before because early morning travel from up here in Geordieland is not always dependable and I travel home after the meeting. Although I claim the cost back, being a Scot, I don't like spending money (even other people's money) where I don't have to!!

Afternoon all

Good news Sue about your "neighbours" - we shoudl have a party to celebrate

Frank - i am so surprised you got away with that one

Sylvia - nice to hear you have found a few surprises in the Kitchen.

Still quite tired & its soooooo busy here

I have my flu jab at 2 this afternoon - nearly forgot

We have a new system at work & its the wrong time to get this sort of thing working as we don't have time to play with it.

Fancy a trip down south Frank - I am sure you will get the hang of it

Robert - i am registered with Premier Inn - same sort of thing - never found one that cheap though - best i had was £29 per night - now thats my sort of price.

Susan - Premier Inn & travel lodge are all over the country also Campanille have now arrived - they are wonderful in France

Have to go as a tad busy at the mo

Take care all

Hi Everyone

Boys are not gone yet ,I hope it is not too long .

I am wondering now if they will still have there 21st party there,the agent said no to it but these kids only care about themselves and we are scared they may have one last party just to get up us.

Sylvia ,what a lovely surprise to find an old window opening,that is the best part of renovating you never know what you are going to find.
House in OZ are all new so no old things to find ,we have built four ourselves,no history to them though.

Sarah nice to hear from you and welcome also IGP glad you droped in .

Robert is Travelodge all over the UK,it is handy to know when you are traveling around the Uk,we thought of hireing an RV over there to save on hotel rooms but your idea sounds better.
You must all be getting cold by now,sister in Yorkshire says it is freezeing up there .
Don't think we will be using the Aussie airline to come to the UK they seem to being having a lot of problems latley since they farmed out maintanence work overseas,serves them right for trying to be cheap.

A bit of rain this morning at least we got the garden watered for nothing.

Catch you all later tonight.
Love to everyone.
Suex

oh yes


yesterday's surprise in the kitchen


remove part of the wood veneer panelling .................. to find the bottom part of a window opening!


It's on the other side of the archway from where we found a door way many years ago!



We had already decided that we will try painting the wood veneer rather than taking it all off ..... as we didn't know what we would find underneath it!



s
xxx

Hi all


we're having some lovely weather again, 2 or 3 days break between storms


It's sunny and warm during the day (up to about 13 / 14C), and down to about 5C at night


IGP ....... C is quite right. We're not using cowboy workmen.

They've all been very responsible ....... only the cabinet maker is not with a company, but he is a craftsman and has done some beautiful work for us!


We're waiting for the electrician to drop by to do the dedicated line for the built-in dishwasher



Anne ....... we're going to take the chance to get rid of even more than we did when we emptied the cupboards!

Actually, we have mainly drawers now, of various depths, but all about 24" from front to back ..... there's even a couple suitable for storing pans


That is going to be the fun bit ..... deciding what is going into each drawer!


Sue ......... great to hear that the boys will be moving ........... hope that "soon" is not too long!



Take care everyone


s
xx

Oh dear Cynthia, I fear Saint Jude Thaddeus will have his work cut out with that request..

.................Patron saint of lost causes ;)

oooh Anne....it sounds like you hd a great time. What a shame you have to go back to the office!



Sue, glad your noisy neighbours will soon be on their way. Don't get heatstroke now will you?


I'm sure Sylvia's workment aren't cowboys IGP - if they were, they would soon be despatched I'm pretty certain!


Robert, the few times I have been in a Travelodge, I have always found them just fine for what I needed. Is your shell waterproof?


A very busy day today - hithering here and there. May need an early night to regain my beauty!!


Love to all. Cx.

Neighbour has just had cowboy workmen i all day, driven all over my verge several times despite me asking him nicely at 8;45 this morning to ask them not to do so.

Hope your worktop installers are better than his were.

Thank you, Rootgatherer and Susan, have tried to thank you before, but am being a bit slow, finding my around this.

John and Sarah Batt were my Great Great Grandparents, am sorry I posted and then left, but am back for an hour.

I really do appreciated the information you have given me, you may find my thanks popping up in different places, because I didn't realise I had to press the purple reply button. I have just spotted that on the post that you wrote Susan, so thanks for that and the My Thread - again I would have been loss.

THANK YOU Sarah x

Tabitha, register with Travelodge. They have Sales 2/3 times a year and will e.mail you to let you know when they will start.
I usually know a few months in advance when my meetings in the City will be and I take advantage of the sale prices and stay in either Liverpool Street or Kings Cross.
Cheap but clean and all I want really is a bed for the night.

Hi Everyone

It is very hot here in Western Australia at the moment,so unseasonal for this time of year.

We usualy wash all the gutters and windows around the 1st of Dec sort of a spring clean but this year it is so hot early we have been doing our Spring clean now.

Perth has had 35c today and we were not much cooler down South ,will have to get the bathers out.

The boys next door won't be there long ,I had a phone call from the Agent today telling me that she has had agood talk to them and she will not be renewing there lease that the lord I don't know how long I could have put up with them.

Anne we live very close to Oh Mother and she has jobs for him everytime we visit she is 90 and does alot for herself,we try to see her at least twice a week.
All the Oh's family live in Busselton ! poor me ! no really they are all very nice people.
You sound very tired after all that running around,I recomend a large glass of red wine.

I had better get back to the windows,the OH will wonder where I am.
He is off work until Monday no jobs to start .
Suex

Just to finish off - after that very long essay - my feet hurt & then the train had a fault & we all had to stand - packed in like Sardines.

I got off at Gatwick & caught the next train to Brighton - otherwise I would have had to have a 40 min bus ride as the original train went to Lewes.

I am now very tired but have a full days work here (hopefully not too much walking around) - hence the early drop off & car ride to work. As well as having to write up a detailed report on the hotels & restaurants (much more than I did for you a couple of A4 sheets)

Hey ho hey Ho its off to work I go

Have fun everyone - take care

Sylvia - and now the fun starts - don't envy you the repacking of the cupboards

Cynthia - you lead such an exciting life - now I know where my mother-in-law gets her ideas form - everytime we visit - "ah just a little job for John to do" the time before their rollerblind broke - so guess who ended standing half on a window ledge (I have small feet 3 and a half) and half on a step ladder trying to glue a very small bit of plastic back so the chain won't slip. I also have small hands & long fingers so just the person for the job.

Well in work early today as OH threw me out of the house & car early as he has an early lesson. Either I go then or end up walking to work in the damp (only 25 mins all downhill) and I get time as I am not being paid to do a quick message to you all. (well it should have been a quick one - 30 mins or more later)

Robert believe me - If I had to pay I would be in a travel lodge & eating at macdonalds or Garfunkles in Leicester Sq - how on earth do you get one for £9 - please tell as I need to do some work at the London Metropolitan Archives - last time I tried to book a travel lodge in London it was £49 a night (which is good for London)

We had a long walk down Oxford Street, regent street - looked at a few restaurants along the way & then went to Fortnum & Mason - straight to the Chocolate & sweet department . If anyone has children or grandchildren who like doing models - just the thing - an enchanted cottage in a box - everthing you need to make a chocolate biscuit cottage - icing - sweets, Licorice windows, coconut snow & a sweetie Santa to stick in the chimney - it was lovely - you could wrap it up & they can make the cottage on Christmas day & have it for tea. The whole package cost £35. Which shared over 2 or three children was a good investment - a few hours of fun & they can eat the finished item after the photos have been taken.

St Martin's Lane hotel is very bright (in places) and FUNKY & WEIRD - check out the website
http://www.stmartinslane.com/#/home/

The rooms are very white and minimalist - frightened to walk on the carpets - very relaxing lighting but noisy lifts (weird pop music playing in them but low purple lighting)- Very strange seating as well.

Asia de Cuba http://www.stmartinslane.com/#/explore/?id=asiadecuba

Very bright but relaxing - our table was by the far photo column. We had a sharing menu - everyone picked a dish & we all had a bit to try (I didn't do the fish & shellfish) The Braised Oxtail Spring roll was amazing & the Ropa Vieja of Duck a whole new experience on the Aromatic duck pancakes, I hear the Scallops & Calamari Salad were to die for, I tried the salad dressing yummy.

We then did the same with the main course (very nice wine as well) & as much mineral water you could drink.

Honey-Rhum glazed pot roast of Pork was so tender & I could have eaten a whole Cuban BBQ chicken yummy as well as the Lamb & Steak - the fish dishes went down well also.

We didn't think they would give us dessert but they did. We only had 3 between us. Bay of Pigs (one of the largest Banana splits I have seen with Waffles in the shape of pigs ears sticking out the top of the 8 or 9 scoops of Ice Cream). We also had Mexican Doughnuts - I asked to try the Coconut invasion (I like Rum) I am so glad we shared it between 9 of us - there is no way i could eat one on my own - well maybe if I hadn't had anything else to eat. 1 slice of the cake was large enough for me & the ice cream wow. We left there at 3:30 very full up

If you have a very large appetite and a larger wallet I would certainly recommend it.

Then off to Knightsbridge and Harrods - Harvey Nicholls has not done their windows yet which was a shame and on to the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. What a wonderful hotel - still very Victorian in design but service wow. http://www.mandarinoriental.com/london/

The rooms were amazing & the carpets you just sunk into them - we had the opportunity to visit the Royal Suite - what an experience - the terrace overlooks Hyde park - fantastic view - what a wonderful bathroon - the whole ground floor of my house could fit in it & have room for a party as well (& I meant Just the size of the bathroom not the suite) . All I can say in the words of old Craig Revell Horwood - A - maze-ing darling. Its a bargain at £12,000 a night thats around $19,400 Canadian or Australian dollars a night or £24,900 New Zealand Dollars a night.

In Scottish terms a lot of Whisky & Haggis Frank & Robert.

Then we were taken for Afternoon Tea in the new restaurant - Sandwiches, fresh Scones (cream & Jam) Madelines & so many fresh cream cakes & pastries (it was 5:00 only 90 mins since our last meal) - fresh juice, tea & as much Champagne as we could drink - well we tried our best (ended up taking home a few doggy bags to eat on the train)

They looked after us so well - We had a long walk back to Victoria as there was a Tube strike

Hi all


someone somewhere suggested using some tape ....................... for your sink pipe of course! :)))


Cabinet maker is returning in about 2 hours ...... he and OH will install the cabinets in the kitchen! WOW!



still no sign of the counter tops though!

Went to the store yesterday and bought handles for the drawers and cupboards. We needed 22, so decided to buy 2 extra

This mroning I spotted a cupboard OH hadn't counted ....... good job we bought 2 extra!!



s
xx

Lucky old you Anne......could do with a good trot round some celebrity haunts myself.....any spare places going??


Sue, shame about the carpet. Try googling for ideas. What a worry with your neighbours, it must be so difficult for you. Hope you get it sorted soon.


Now, where's our Evelyn these days?? I also wonder how Reece is doing as the long nights may be very difficult for her.


Very busy yesterday and was glad to sit down last night. Nothing exciting today, just a trip to the docs, Tesco and then some ironing. Oh....and I also cleaned my oven. We have a leaky sink pipe joint thingey so have cleared out all the junk under there so that my son can see what he thinks....he doesn't know that yet of course.....you heard it first!!


Off for a browse. Love to all. Cx.