General Chat

What have you been buying, Sue?

Some shopkeepers call me 'Love', or 'Dear'. :-0

We went to some markets up in the highlands. Oh dear......I've been rather naughty :-0

Bye Sue - Hope both of you enjoy your drive - take care.

I must be off as I need to get ready for our outing. We are dropping in on Joel's rugby game for a few minutes.

I hope you and the Duchess manage to get some sleep tonight, Tec <3

~~~~~~~to everyone looking in <3

It is amazing how these companies hold governments to ransom. It was discovered here that the company that is moving to South Wales are having the move financed by the Welsh Government. That didn't go down very well locally, but apparently the Welsh government were told if they didn't subsidise the move they would pull out of South Wales as well. Which did rather put the government over a barrel.

Ford are closing plants all over the world, many in Europe are closing. The Japanese have told Britain that if we were to leave the European Union they would close their plants in the North East :-0

It's devastating when factories close in small towns. Not far from where Carole lives there is a large Ford car factory. They are finishing up in 2015 and that will mean the area will suffer unemployment and also from related businesses. Now our Holden factory is threatening to move offshore if they don't get more subsidies from the government. I wish it was practical to tell them to go but of course it means more people without jobs. Very disappointing :-(

I do find this weather exhausting Sue - everything is an effort, so just doing what I have to at the moment. As you say, the decorating can wait.
Though sitting here with two walls stripped, and two not is a bit bleak :-D

Sounds like your area would do well with tourism if it was promoted properly. Sounds like you have a lot to offer. I don't think I ever got to where you are, though I do remember going quite a way south of Sydney a few times.

Because this area has only tourism and farming, there is an effort to promote the area. We get quite a lot of European tourists here, German, Dutch, Belgian etc.
The Americans and Japanese don't seem to come anymore though.

The little town I use for shopping suffered a blow recently when the one and only factory announced they are closing and moving to South Wales where their parent company is. It means 120 people out of work in an area where they won't find another job. Many have mortgages etc

Hello Tec - you are finding the humidity very draining but the wallpaper stripping and decorating can wait for cooler weather. Just do the necessary things to keep the household running and rest.

We are going for a drive up into the highlands today. There is a big market once a month and a few nice little towns in the area. Always a nice drive.

We are getting more and more tourists here although I don't think we do enough to attract the visitors. Our industries are on the downturn so we need to do more. It's so quick and easy to get here from Sydney so there is no excuse. We have some lovely beaches and seaside towns and our small city has very good restaurants, hotels, two good beaches and a harbour.

Hello,

Sue it was a little cooler here today, but still very humid. We are forecast some rain tomorrow, but humidity will remain high.
I am still unable to get on with decorating, stripping walls etc, just coping with what has to be done.
Had to go to town again today and it was very busy with holidaymakers now that school has finished.
This area gets increasingly popular with tourists as each year passes, which is very good for the local economy, as there is little else.

Hi Sylvia - here in Australia people in retail and other jobs dealing with the public are starting to say 'ma'am' and 'sir' when dealing with customers. I don't mind it - it sounds very courteous but it does make me feel old :-D

Hope everyone is dealing with the heat. It's quite chilly here but sunny.

most southern US men will call a woman "ma'am" ............. not "mam"


it's the way they're raised.



We stayed in a university residence about 6 weeks ago, and the local professional Canadian Football team was staying there for training camp ............. not soccer, but Canadian rules, much like American rules football.


There were all these gorgeous men .................. most 6' or taller, most well over 200 lbs. The ones from the southern US states all held the door open for other people, stood back,, and said in their soft accent, "ma'am"

Ask them a question, and the answer was "Yes, ma'am"!

When I was in the shop I had a book on "Cobber Kain" so from then on when I hear the word cobber I think of him.. and yes Berona WW2..

Edgar James Kain DFC (27 June 1918 – 7 June 1940) was a New Zealand fighter pilot. Nicknamed "Cobber", Flying Officer Kain was the first RAF air ace of the Second World War, and also the first recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross in the Second World War. During the Battle of France in 1940, he scored 17 confirmed kills. He was a household name in Britain in early 1940.

Persie... goes off singing, "Well I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee" ;-)

I have never heard anyone use the name 'cobber' since WW2, unless to mimick the 'old Aussie'. When I was young, both men and women used the word 'cow' - as in "you silly cow" - but once the British war brides began to arrive, and were highly insulted by the use of that word (it had a much different meaning in the UK) - it disappeared out of the everyday language. Later, came 'you silly drongo' - that lasted for a while, but once we got TV, I noticed that we were using words which English and Americans were using. Now, the TV or cinema movies seem to dictate the current trend everywhere.

Hey Persie, I love that cover pic, good choice my friend :-)

I nearly fell over when this young man called me that, I actually laughed, but he said that was his upbringing. He was from Alabama.

We waited for sometime for someone to call us cobber when we were in Australia... and the other one OH was waiting for was for someone to say scuse I.....
I didn't know that was Australian, I had a cousin that always said that and then she didn't even know any Australians.

Love the names Linda... Maia's best friend is Esme and I have always thought it a lovely name and I have known a few Jades.. all nice so very good choice. I have an Esmée in my tree born 1897.. she is a spouse of one of my relatives.

Nice to see you Carole ma'am... xx (that cover pic on genealogy page was one I suggested to group)


Persie

Hello Sue and Berona :-)

Linda, I have sent you a PM :-)


I love listening to different accents. We recently had an American visitor,its funny how you "listen" to each other talk. I was actually blown away with how well mannered this young man was, he was actually calling me "Mam" and Ive never been called that ever lol

Whenever we visit the UK someone in the family will invariably ask me to say "g'day, mate" or "cobber". I never talk like that - in fact no-one I know says 'cobber'.

Sylvia - perhaps you have picked up more of a Canadian accent than you realised :-D

Popped in to see if anyone has been and to also say how nice the baby's name is - and now both little girls have a second name which is a colour as well as a pretty name.

Sylvia - your comment about the accent took me back to our last trip to England. We hired a car and drove up to Cheshire, staying overnight on the way. When we were a couple of hours away, we stopped to call my sister in law and let her know when we would arrive. When she answered with 'hello' - I only said two words - "Hello, Tess?". There were a couple of seconds silence, then she shrieked with excitement and said "Oooooh! - it's just like watching 'Neighbours'!!".

Hello everyone,

Diane, Thanks and I have answered your pm <3

Hi Tec, I'm well thanks and surviving our winter. We had snow close to where I live the other week and I could feel it in the air. Today is lovely and sunny and I have just opened up all the doors and windows to let in the fresh air :-)

I love baby sisters new name Linda, welcome to the world Esme Jade <3 I wonder if Eve will keep calling her new sister "Baby Sister"

Time for another coffee :-)

Carole x

Hi Sue, and everyone

It's still hot and sunny here ............... although it is a little more comfortable, at around 25/26C. It seems that we are going to get a few more clouds over the weekend, and the temperature will drop a couple of degrees ................ but still no rain in the forecast through to Tuesday next week.


Linda ................. what a lovely name they have chosen for "baby sister"


I got a surprise yesterday ....... we have a friend arriving in a couple of weeks. She's from NZ, but has been travelling in Europe since April. She just phoned to check in with us ................................


but I answered the phone with the usual "Hello" ........................ there was a short silence, and then she said

"Oh, I wasn't expecting such a Canadian accent"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


That's the first time I have been accused of having a Canadian accent! :-0


Take care, everyone




s
xx