General Chat

Just been reading the message board (titles, not the msgs) - and I see Bec & Jeanette got banned from the Atlantic Blue thread for 8 weeks. Jood

Morning Joodlebling, Beautiful here by the Bay at 745am, sun doing its best, Rakeman is out there clearing the footprints out of the sand and 8 giraffes are standing tall. We are off to Jakarta for a week and Thailand for 2 days to recover . . . heehee. Got to use up the Singapore Air points before they expire end of August! Of course Ray will be working in Jakarta, while I contribute to the 3rd world economy. Will be so nice to thaw out, and see my friends - seems ages since I was there last. Yes the silly girls have gone off to join Lems they took the bait dished out by AB, but he has gone also - lets hope he doesnt renew his subs and thats the last we see of the infamous AB, or Mike ar whoever he is. Just checking the mail then off to get ready for another day in the city 'culsha' hot spots Have a good one all cheers luv Laurie

Morning Wattlers. Another sunny day in Mudgee town. Nice bling, Jood and, Laurie, if we keep up with all these countdowns, surely at some point of time one of us is going to blast off, lol. btw, can you think of anything in particular I should for Colleen's baby shower, or should I just spoil her! Trifley, I'm positive you're going to be okay. That's because you're such a positive person (((((hugs))))) Pleased to hear you're going to make it to the Mudgee Meet, Lyn. I think the group booking is probably the way to go, although there are several wonderful b & b's for those who prefer that kind of accommodation. Joodles will be staying with me and I have promised a bed to SuzyQ and Neville if they can make it. If not, I'll let you all know and you can decide who stays with me. Ooo Mary, settlement and the Casino Meet all at once. What a way to celebrate, lol. I know, invite all to your new place to help you unpack! Could you imagine the chaos??????? Hugs and positive thoughts to all the sick ones. I'm off for a little cuppa. Lew Lew xxx

Morning Everyone, Sorry, I have been reading now and then, but not adding. I am due to start my long service tomorrow. I have had such a busy time lately. Work has been hell, i am sure most of you would have heard of the gastro outbreak in Victoria, well i can tell you that that has made my job soooo pleasant lol. So many staff off sick that it has been all available hands on deck. And having my youngest daughter home quite unwell with glandular fever, i feel like i haven't had a spare minute to myself. Then my MIL had to have a procedure, so needed to stay with us for a couple of days as well, (just call me Florence Nightingale). I should be at work today, but have come down with a nasty cold, OH and i were just saying the other day how we had avoided all the rotten bugs going around, think we mozzed ourselves lol. Thats enough moaning. Welcome home Tony and Barb, I think it is my turn for wattlelotto, so will buy the winning ticket later. I hear on the news this morning that someone in Kalgoolie had a good win. OH and I are off to Perth on the 26th and heading to QLD some time after that. Now that we have had a a bit of rain, farming is in full swing again, yeah yippee!!!! At Last. OH was starting to get a bit antsy, now he can chill out a bit. Ok will check in later Take Care Wilson

Morning all Computer still away so adding a quick message on Katherine's computer. Welcome back Tony and Barb - how long until you set off for Nth Qld? Funny thing about the French - my OH found them to be rude and arrogant when he was there years ago. They were OK when we went through on the tour in 2000 but we were with a tour group so maybe they are nice to large groups as they represent lots of tourist francs! Hello to everyone else - am going through withdrawal symptoms without my puter! Hope to have it back later today. Cheers Anna

a late morning hello to you all. not much on this morning due to overdoing it a bit yesterday. All of your tales of travel and intended travel makes me want to 'nick off' somewhere. . I think our relos in the uk have had the heat, its time for them to fwd it on to us in the southern states. i'm sick of remembering to take a jumper. roll on spring. Please don't feel that i have neglected you after joods admission to having my photo. i haven't added addresses to outlook express yet, and i can't find my msn(hotmail) password. so can't even get on there. i like my hotmail address so don't really want a new account. for anybody who speaks to suzi q, tell her she can run but she can't hide. Suzi, only kidding , we don't have to do this if you don't want. love Yvette

Morning all :) from cloudy Chiang mai :) You will be proud of me - I went shopping twice yesterday! (and didn't buy a thing!!!!! Hee hee But i know what i want now - that was just a reccy. Watty is getting out and about but I don't have much free time. Went to the Night Bazaar last night and will go again tonight. Saw some adorable clothes for the grand - daughter :) Not much else to report - I've seen the indide of the conference room more than anything else - AND the dining room of course. I'll be kilo's heavier. Hoprfully all the shopping will melt it off! ~~~~~~~~ to all, Vonny

Hi Jood, yep back on bp pills again, all fine now, yep Faye mentioned about finding me on friends, and YEP we may be on a telly show some of us, still awaiting reply from them, I am on dial up Hi ya Pam, no been a naughty old bag and stayed of Blood pressure pills for a while, wont be doing that again, I tend to get a little lazy when I run out of them and cant be bothered going to the drs, (rabbit stew YUK) thanks for answer re rabbit ban in QLD, thought thats what it might be, as for yelling you can yell at me anytime you want to get something off your chest, thats what friends are for isnt it lol LOL Jill, know what you mean, this old thing is my lifeline to sanity as well, if I didnt have it I wouldnt have met all you nice peeps and my life would seem very boring, well at least most of you try and keep me sane (or is it the other way round) ha ha Ah Jude2, you crack me up, try and do what your told for once eh, then maybe you wont be sreamin for the tech person to come and fix what ever it is ya brokeeed..lol Welcome Tony and Barb, run outa money I see Tony, thats why you sent Barb back to work so early he he LOL, nice bling Jood and Laurie Hiya Lyn, thought we'd might have lost the wattler on the loose for a minute lol nice to hear from you Hello Vonny, dont you go letting us girls down now, have to buy something even if its only small, hope your managing to stay awake in the conference, I used to tend to start nodding off, hee hee very short attention span I have Had a msge from person in Iowa, re family history, so off to look, try to find out if we ar related. Cheers Shaz

Time almost up - there is a cheaper internet option but it is 5 mins away and is raining this morning :) Laurie, you should spend your two days in Chiang mai - It's really a nice place. See you all next Monday evening if i am awake - i was very tired after the trip here. this time i'll be travelling at night thought so might sleep. perhaps :) ~~~~~~~~~Vonny

mumble mumble mumble . . . guess who had to change her plans for today . . . The lovely Ray went off and left his laptop and his mobile phone behind so I had to have a change of plans and be the messenger!! Going to make it very easy tonight to show him the shoes I found in the city yesterday (teehee) they were just begging to come home with me! Ah well, tomorrow is another day - well thats the plan anyway. Von . . . I know . . . I've been there! Touched the old city wall! If all pans out we will be going up the river Kwai on a houseboat with Indonesian friends for a couple of days. All depends on their sons health report from the Drs. Poor Anna - hard when they take the toys off you isn't it !! not long now . . Enjoy your long service Wilson - isn't it always the way the sickies come when your due to go or are on holidays. Must have let yourself get worn down too much. You will enjoy the warmer weather where you are going anyway. It amazing how a little thing like rain can alter a farmers disposition isn't it . . . Going to put old puter back together and see if I can find the info I am missing on there this afternoon - so catch you all later luv Laurie

Arvo Wattlers. Just thought i would share a little of our trip with you when we were in Edinburgh, and will add a little each day of our Holiday in the beautiful Scotland Highlands, and some of the places we visited. Scotland...Edinburgh. What a great part of the U.K to visit. Edinburgh was our 1st night stay at a lovely B&B called 'Morar House' in Barnton, owned by Anne & Ian McClennan.We had found that Ian had relations in Melbourne at Hurstbridge ( which is not to far away from where we live ) They welcomed us with a smile and also a tray of Tea and Coffee and some bikkies bought up to our room when we arrived. The room was very clean and tidy. The bed was double size with an En suite, and potpourri, Pictures of Scotland, and small nick nacks dotted the bedroom. On each of our pillows waited a small chocolate each wrapped up as a kind of welcome gift, and after our long trip from Singapore it was a kind gesture. After a good sleep we woke to a typical full Scot brekkie, and i did try some fried haggis, and found it not to bad for my first taste. (Barb declined) At the Brekkie table there was fruit and also Bananas, as we explained about the wipe out of our Banana plantations in Oz. Ian's ( the owner ) ears pricked up and said he was going to increase the price of the B&B for Ozzie's if we ate them ( Jokingly ) We headed into Edinburgh city on a bus which stopped outside our B&B ( One Pound each ) and after a 20 min trip found ourselves walking the streets and popping into all the quaint shops along the way. Many pipers were playing at various locations around the town, as we headed for 'Grey friars Bobby' monument, as Barb had watched the show and read the book as a child. We entered the Grey Friars Cemetery ( Near Edinburgh Castle ) and just inside was the headstone dedicated by Disney to the little dogs memory. Up a bit further was the Headstone of John Gray, the master of Grey friar Bobby. We walked slowly through the graveyard with our jaws dropped as we read inscription's ( Very clear )and monuments on Crypts of people who had died in the 1600s aged in their 70s and 80s...giving them births c.1500s I Photographed and Videoed all i could find pre 1600 as the History alone that was written on some of these Crypts ( With Skull & Cross Bones & Gargoyles ) carved on them,was a sight i will never forget. Some Crypts were 15ft high and 12 ft wide and walled, and some with black wrought iron gates. Just standing inside some of them bought a shiver up my spine as i looked at the Skull & Cross bones carved into the Crypt walls. ( Real Pirate stuff ) Some Headstones were of People who had been beheaded or murderers that had been tortured, and i couldn't help myself but read as much as possible ( before it got dark )....hee hee. The shame ( unfortunately ) were the numerous destruction of some of the tombs and Headstones by teenage kids who hang around in groups in the Graveyard showing no respect for the History of a time gone by,and that they are destroying. ( little buggers ) We headed for Grey Friars Pub ( Just outside the Graveyard ) and had a bite to eat, and a Beer ( Luke warm ) O'h well..cant please everyone...:>))), but noticed the Men and Women adding ice cubes to the beer glasses, which you would be drawn and quartered if they did that in Oz. Watered down beer is blasphemy...lol We walked through closes and alley ways and eventually headed up the Hill towards Edinburgh Castle ( at the Rear ) and spotted numerous rabbit's eating and playing in the grass banks surrounding the Castle walls. Rabbit warrens everywhere. We climbed the steps and eventually came across the Entrance to where the Military Tattoo is held. The Castle was closed as it was late in the afternoon, so we walked down Castle Hill and the High street, stopping at various shops and locations along the Royal Mile, vowing to return to-morrow morning to enter Edinburgh Castle. Early the next morning we headed for Mary Kings Close on our way up to the Castle, and took a guided tour of the Close. Walking down the steps and back through history into the 17 and 1800s,in and out rooms down the tight dimly lit, smelly ,and damp alley-ways underground, was a great experience as the guide told the story of the people and Mary King, and tried many times to frighten us with loud banging on the walls and voices screaming off into the dark Closes and small lanes of this underground city.Ghostly figures and light shows were going on all around you. Barbs knuckles were white as she gripped the belt on my pants, and stood as close to me as she could get, but i was more interested at the Architecture of the building, and at one stage was reprimanded for not keeping up with the group. ( i wanted to inspect and touch everything )its a Geno thing....LOL

We eventually got to the Castle and we suplied ourselves with the headsets given out, showing and telling the story of the Castle by pressing certain numbered locations on the headsets ( bit of a self guided tour )which explains all locations.The Scot military boys band were marching up and down all over the Castle playing Scottish songs. I was interested in the Armoury room, which was full of Swords, Hatchets,Battle-axes and medievil armour of battles gone by.It took us half a day to see everything, and we then headed back to the City do what everyone else does. ( Shopping ) Tony Oz...:>))

Thanks for sharing Tony, - its on my to do list now! You sound like Ray - had a terrible time getting him away from the Armoury displays in Windosr Castle. I was starting to get worried that he was getting some ideas ! lol luv Laurie

Great to hear from you again Vonny - you get out and bend that plastic. .. If you arent sure how to, get hold of Tony's Barb, she's an expert. Although lovely and sunny this morning, when I went up the street, - where the shops are, there was no sun, only a biting wind - everyone was huddled into themselves. A bit cloudy now though, sun is still around but so damn cold inside. .. Im told its going to be fine for the next few days which is good, as I'll be away. Tony - I been there I been there - wonder if the people you stayed with were the ones we had - I can't remember their names, but I couldnt understand them either. They told us of a pub to eat at just around the corner a bit -oh sure - about half an hour's walk later we were looking for this Pub 'The Leading Nun' - I think it was actually called 'The Lady Nairn' (couldn't understand their accent!) - but we also went to the place where the tattoo was held, walked right up to the top. They were placing the scaffolding out for the next Tattoo. Also - Edinburgh is the place to get all your bdm certificates - enormous place. I'm surprised you didn't go there. Or maybe you did - in a later msg?? Nice to see you back again Jood

Afternoon All, I have sent the winning numbers to Trifley to post to everyone, I don't have email addy's for everyone. Fingers crossed all. Loved hearing about your travels Tony, looking forward to the next instalment. Everything crossed Wilson

Joodle. Didnt get to the BDM's in Scotland mate. I have only a smidgin of Scot in me, and only a very small twig at that. We only had a cuppla days in Edinburgh, and as it was our first visit to Scotland there was so much to see in such a short time. It is a very large City...as City's go ( as you know ) and we walked and walked our little pegs orf. So much to see...so little time, but it was a taste of things to come for future reference, and if i could go back, i wouldnt hesitate. The history alone, would have taken me a month to see, and still would only have touched the surface. Laurie. Loved the Armoury in all the Castles i have visted, and it took me all day in Buck Palace and Windsor Castle just to see it last year, while Barb ventured off into other places. I was dissapointed i couldnt see any blood on the swords.....LOL Tony Oz..:>)) Orf wif there eads...i say...:>))...Ice in Beer..tsk tsk...Blasphemy ps. Id'e have made a great King....lol pps. Hi Joy...:>)) Yes, we visited St.Pauls in London. It was on the Sunday, and a mass was in service. They close off the Crypts on Sunday as it is below the main Church service.We were told it was closed as not to disturb Sunday mass, as to much noise from visitors disturbs the going on upstairs. We walked to the entry ( near the gates to the Crypts ) and they were closed. There was a girl ( Kelly ) who was an official ( near the entrance ) and we had exlained we were from Oz, and it was our last day in England, and we were dissapointed it was closed. I walked off into the shop to but something, and left Barb to talk to Kelly.....:>))) 5 min went by...and Barb came up to me and motioned me to come quickly. Kelly had done us a favour....:>)) she opened the Crypt gates...told us not to make a sound, and let us have 10 min alone to venture inside. We saw the Nelson and Duke of Wellington plus many others that had been damaged by the great fire of London, so that finished our last day off nicely. Got some great Photo's at the Crypt for our Album. Tony Oz...:>))

Good Afternoon, Tony that was a very interesting travelogue, more please. Laurie, didn't you say that you were also going to Perth? I'm a lucky girl as well, I have a photo of Yvette, and soon I will have a figure like hers. I just have to do as I am told. Promise I will Yvette. If you can go to so much trouble for a stranger then so can I. Jood, I just got an email with nothing on, the email that is not me. something about awwwwwwww. Laurie, I am not sure about the new swimsuit. With a slight alteration it would be suitable for some girls too. The straps would cover the little bits. Wouldn't want to get caught up on a hook in it. pmsl. Wonder how long it will be before they are the fashion here? Wilson, where in Qld will you be, could be another excuse for a meet. Lew, please don't hold that room for us, not sure if we can be there, if we do come we can arrange accomodation. Had a real estate agent here this morning, but think it will be a while before we try to sell. There are a few things need doing to the old place, a new bathroom is most important and the floor in dining and kitchen. It is old vinyl and we are in the process of taking it up and polishing the lovely hard wood floorboards. Our homes are always a work in progress. Then we have to decide where we want to move to. Hope all the sick wattlers and family members are feeling better, there are too many of you to mention sad to say. Will email you Trifley. Following up on what Lew said about Telstra. My friend who lives in a northern suburb of Brisbane has just had to go with Telstra because no one else could help him. It is the same here. I get extra MB's because we are Telstra Country but I am beginning to think that they are cheating me a bit. Also if you are not a Telstra customer, you go to the back of the list for any repairs. We should get a dossier on them. Well I have gone on long enough, catch up later Luv SuzyQ

Yes, I agree, it was lovely to hear all abart Scotland. Its so histerical - I mean historical. .. When you leave are Scotland to go into England they have a piper playing on the side of the road. (probably playing 'will ye no come back agen' pmsl Thats why I love the UK because of its history, thousands of years old. My family were supposed to have been decimated in the Battle of Culloden, but I can't work out why I am here if that was so! .. We stood in the battle area just where my particular clan would have fought. .. It was an eerie feeling, I can tell you. Sorry Suzy Q - the email I sent, I must have thought was a file attachment, it wasnt - it was in the body of the email and I deleted it. Also I didnt realise there was more than one picture, - you have to delete sideways - very strange! Anyway, not to dectract from Tony's story, I am looking forward to the next instalment (and by the way - just what sort of stuff was in Barb's 31.5kg case????? - you sure you didnt stuff some of the armory in there Tony?) Jood

Thanks for the first instalment, Tony. I love history and swords and armour. Are you a Bernard Cornwall fan. He writes about Sharpe and it's been made into a tv series. If not, try and find one of his books, I think you'll love it. My time in Scotland was too brief. Unfortunately was travelling with BMW Testing Team at the time, so we were always on the move. Good to hear from you Wilson. We were all starting to get a bit worried. Good news about the rain. We're still desparate for some. How ya goin' SuzyQ and how's me Idle Mate? Move to Mudgee. That would be fun! What you up to Trifley. Haven't heard much from you. Are you okay? Not stressing about the cyst thingy I hope (((hugs to you))). Anyway, I'm off to start another book. This one's by Thomas Keneally called Victim of the Aurora about an ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. On second thoughts, as I'm going in January, perhaps that's not such a good idea, lol. Chat soon Lew Lew xxx

just popping out to get essential items eg bum fodder, milk. also got to deliver some pamphletts for new pool. suzi and jood - you both got different photos. jood got one that my son had just added to my hard drive. also got the email with nothing on . maybe its a camouflage shot or a nude photo? love yvette