General Chat

Glad to see you are still with us, Bob.

Hello Bob, glad to see you are still around (or you were last night). Take care of yourself and BH. Dont get too drunk this Christmas. Have a lovely time.

Huia.

Hi Huia

Are you taking "The Mickey!"
It is a very long time since I was even tipsy and I think I have matured since then. I have always likened drinking to sunbathing, Some people get sun burnt every year and others get drunk every week. There is discomfort in both states and for the life of me, I cannot see the point. My reality is if I had to weigh up the modest benefits to society as a whole against the terrible cost for the small number with health, driving accidents, violence and crime I would say that most people could probably do without it quite easily. But that is their decision and I have got a thick enough skin to not worry if I was called a "Wowser". I am not averse for the very special occasions that crop up from time to time.

I am a funny guy and also I tell people who ask, that I gave up smoking at intermediate school age even though there was an American army camp across the road from our school and cartons of Camel or Lucky Strike were the order of the day. Many, even those who should know better, add drug-use in addition to alcohol to make them feel better.

Oh dear, I sound as though I am preaching, but I have seen the effects of alcoholism on others lives to know what example I would rather show to my family and grandchildren. So I don't smoke ever and hardly ever drink.

Now why did I over order for the our recent "Cousins' Party" and what will I do with the dozen or so bottles of wine left over, that would last me years. Maybe there wiil be a couple for the building manager.

Bob

PS "Here endeth the Lesson!" (If it is taken as such. Now I must do something about my tendency to pontificate).

Bob, I was just joking when I told you not to get too drunk. You seem like a far too sensible person to do that. Personally I dont drink as the various alcoholic drinks that people have insisted I try are just not my 'cup of tea'. Every man (and woman) to his taste, as Paddy said when he kissed the cow. I just cant understand people who think that they have to drink large quantities to enjoy themselves. I feel that they must be very boring people. As for smoking, it has always seemed a senseless pastime to me. But then I am probably considered an old fuddy duddy.

Huia.

Hi All

I hope your festivities went well for you and your families. It did for our own and we had a good Boxing Day to follow. One present was interesting. A digital photo frame that you can load past shots on. It took me hours to select out good ones and put on a 2 gig memory stick. I have only half-filled it but it was really interesting to see family looking and being amazed at the shots that they had not recalled seeing before. It will be easy to give a copy to each. We got after many months (my grandson had grown about six inches so it could have been eighteen months) some family shots taken by a professional photographer. His hard disk failed as well as his back-up disk. So with my persistence and explaining the historic nature of the shots, a new 1.5 Terrabyte external hard drive and a forensic computer person we eventually got them for Christmas. It took 5 DVD's (X 4) to hold all the shots for each image was about 95Mb which is large when compared with about 4-5Mb of the average shot taken on a normal digital camera. So the family can select from their own set of images the ones they want to enlarge and frame. I did compile one of the whole family group surround it with a smaller one of each individual family group and have it copied onto a A3 size for each family member.

While I was playing to my age at golf on Wednesday, things were agitated at home with one daughter being called in by the carer for back-up support. BH had another turn. Family are all going away later in January so will have to cross that bridge after seeing how the next few days goes.

Hello Bob, nice to see you are still around. I hope your BH wont have too many turns.

I have had conjunctivitis since 11 October and have been to the doc several times. I even saw the eye specialist who treats me for glaucoma. I have been getting fed up with my eyes feeling mushy and sore so googled and found there was something else that could be tried if normal treatment didnt fix it so went to my doc last Wednesday and mentioned it but she immediately said that it has to be prescribed by a specialist. Because I was in tears she decided I should see a specialist at the acute eye clinic in Greenlane. I had an early lunch and drove there. I had to wait 3 hours to see the specialist since I wasnt an emergency case. He gave me a really thorough examination and then decided I was allergic to one of the substances in one of the eyedrops I have been using for glaucoma. After phoning my private specialist he then gave me a prescription for different drops. I didnt take the old ones that evening and next morning my eyeballs didnt feel bruised when I washed my face and I feel as if the eyes are not so mushy although they are still bloodshot. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will come right in time if not sooner.

Our son came up from Rotorua on Christmas day, arrived just on lunch time so after unloading his ute and having lunch we went to visit Phil. He was awake and walking around, if you can call it walking. He was moving slowly and carefully, keeping his hands on the walls and furniture, but it is the best I have seen him in ages. I later took 4 photos of him sitting beside Peter. When Peter and I got back home he immediately got out his mower (he doesnt like ours) and mowed all my lawns, then used his weed eater to trim the edges and sprayed some weeds and long grass. He was up early next morning doing more tidying up outside, before his sister arrived with her youngest daughter. He also changed the filters on our water line. I had thought I could probably do it but just as well I didnt try as he found that Phil had left out some bits for each end of the filters. I seem to remember ages ago Phil was going to throw those bits away but I told him not to just in case we needed them some time. So Peter was able to use them, although one piece was missing, but we found a plastic bottle lid that fitted, and now I can stop drinking all the bugs that have been getting through! At least I now know how to change the filters if I have to when Peter is not here. I felt guilty about him working so hard when he came up but he is like his dad, doesnt like sitting still for too long. He is the best son I have! (dont have any others, so I can say that).

Huia.

Glad your eyes are "looking" much better Huia.
I'm beginning to think your son came gift wrapped when he was born, he is certainly a treat. Would that they were all like that. Now you don't have to worry about your water or your lawns for awhile. Happy that Phil is looking better - and it is better that he is cautious in his moving about rather than toppling over.

Bob - my youngest SIL likes a few beers or a wine or two or more but he is on medication and he has taken this very seriously indeed. He loves my trifle but because it contained cream sherry - he decided that he had to be content with the Mississippi chocolate mud pie I made and fresh fruit and ice-cream. So looks like he will just be a fizz-kid for the New Year's celebrations. And I will admit to finishing off one of the bottles of wine myself when I got up at 2.30am and watched Bridges of Madison County - I could not sleep and had always thought I would like to see the movie and the drink was nice and cold from the fridge.

Cheers
Norma lounging under the Kowhai tree (now where was my book?)

Huia and anyone else around lol

Before I forget, here's info about Watakaka, a sort of hoya I think!

Common name: Sneeze Wort, Cotton milk plant, Green milkweed climber, Green wax flower, Sneezing silk • Hindi: अकड़ बेल akad bel, हरणडोडी harandodi, नकछिकनी nak-chikni • Marathi: हरणदोडी harandodi, नखसिकणी nakhasikani • Tamil: கொடிப்பாலை koti-p-palai • Malayalam: velipparuthi • Telugu: దూదిపాలతీగ dudipalatiga • Kannada: ದುಗ್ಧಿವೆ dugdhive • Bengali: tita kunga • Oriya: dudghika • Assamese: খমল লতা Khamal lata • Gujarati: માલતી malati • Sanskrit: हेमजिवन्ती hemajivanti
Botanical name: Dregea volubilis Family: Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed family)
Synonyms: Asclepias volubilis, Dregea formosana, Wattakaka volubilis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sneeze Wort is a stout, smooth, hoary, or mealy, woody vine. The leaves are ovate, or somewhat rounded, 7.5-15 centimeters long, 5-10 centimeters wide, rather leathery, rounded or pointed at the base, and pointed at the tip. Flower cymes are axillary or interpetiolar, and umbellike. The flowers are green or yellowish green, about 1 cm across, fragrant. The follicles long, turgid, longitudinally ribbed, and velvety until mature. The seeds are elliptic, concave, smooth, shining, sharp-edged, and crowned with very fine, white, silky hairs. Flowering: April-September.
Medicinal uses: The leaves are much employed as an application to boils and abscesses. The roots and tender stalks are considered emetic and expectorant. The young roots are cut and the exuding juice is inserted into the nose to cause sneezing.


Huia, I am glad your son is so good to you and has shown you how to do the filter too. Bet things look better with the grass mown and weeds treated. Was it nice having your daughter visit too?
I am glad Phil was moving about and that you could get some nice pics with Peter, you should have got him to take some of you and Phil together too. Maybe next time eh?

It's good that your eyes are a bit better now and glad you got things sorted quickly. Now take care of yourself and hope the New Year comes in gently for you.

Norma,

Sounds wonderful, under a tree with a book, and wine to finish off too, now if I had all that and a portion of the Miss. Mud Pie, I would be in heaven!

Happy New Year to you all

love and hugs
Lizxxx

No wine for you Liz unless you stay indoors - can't have you wobbling around on the ice again.
Gave my grandson a scooter for Christmas - he skinned his upper foot - as I said on another thread - I never thought to chuck in a packet of plasters - they are a must at his age (8) he went home all stickied up.

Am very dirty and scruffy have been doing my edges but some of them are tougher than my edger so my dad's old carving knife has been put to good use doing the trimming. (I'm a bit rough around the edges as well)

N.
xx

Norma, I rarely imbibe so no need to worry about me. I felt as if I had drunk a couple of bottles of wine when I got up after my fall, needed those two people to steady me to walk home lol The ice and snow have gone now thank heavens!

Enjoy your gardening, and hope your grandson is ok once he has had some practise on the scooter. I have the scar to this day from when I borrowed my brother's scooter and came off trying to ride up a dropped kerb quite a way from home, went back with a chunk of flesh hanging off my shin and leaving a bloody trail in my wake. That was over 50 yrs ago and the scar still shows! Does your grandson have the knee and elbow pads from skateboarding as he could use those, my son had them and wore them for other games too.

Night all, time for me to sleep

Lizxx

Liz, I dont think that Watakaka is a New Zealand plant (in fact I would be prepared to lay a bet on it). I dont think I would want one in my garden as it doesnt sound very nice. There are some members of the milkweed family which are rather nasty, or the juice of them is. And some of them are terrible weeds.

Norma, my son is the best birthday gift I have ever had. We share a birthday. He will be half a century old in 15 days time! I wont say how old I will be, I have lost count. Phil will be 80 a week before that, on the 4th Jan.

Today I felt so much better than I have felt for a long time. I even felt like doing the washing and tried to do some mending until my sewing machine jammed. I suspect it is for the knackers yard. Last time it was repaired I was told it wouldnt last much longer and parts were hard to get. If new machines are too expensive I will have to use my mothers treadle machine. Only problem is it doesnt do zigzag. :(((

After lunch I drove over the hill to the valley and walked up to the dam and down again. I havent been for a walk for ages. I have been so lethargic. I suspect I was depressed over the state of my eyes. In fact I know I was.

Better be off to bed soon as I want to visit Phil tomorrow.

Huia.

Hi All

It is not even New Years Eve and yet the language is already so colourful. What with "Mississipi chocolate mud pie" (Pronounced as my niece did when we first visited Alabama in 1986 "Can I have another piece of Pah?), "Sneeze Wort" with of course its "ovate leaves", one "a bit rough around the edges" (and we can all say "Amen" to that), the preferred not to be imagined combination of "emetic and expectorant" hopefully with its effectiveness coming at different times, and finally the word that I think has a completely different meaning "Watakaka". This actually is what Mrs Clarkson said were the first words emanating from young Jeremy's mouth "Wot a car car!" and as the famous late Bruce would say "Didn't He do Well?"

On the question of help around the home, our doctor says "This is the time when you find out how good you were as parents". Nuff said! Not quite for I said to one daughter that BH was the best mother she had ever had. That that is really "Nuff said!"

Bob

Got the book (now where was the Kowhai tree?)

I didnt get to look at sewing machines except through the window, as most shops are shut today (Mon 28th). :((((

Phil was awake and speaking fairly well when I visited but after a while his voice got quieter and his speech more slurred. I think he was getting tired, in fact after 30 mins he fell asleep so I came home.

Huia.

So did you find yourself a sewing machine today Huia?

Mt Eden is a small hill when you put it to next to Ngauruhoe or Aorangi.

They call all these small hills in Auckland Mounts and I am always amused at them being called discreet volcanoes am never sure whether there is 49 in total or 49 plus Rangitoto. And I am sure when I was at school we were taught that we lived in a city of 60 volcanoes so where did the other 10 or 11 disappear to - they were certainly discreet about it as I didn't notice them going anywhere.

We had that millenium discussion in our household and I am inclined to agree with you and quite a few others but the powers that be decided otherwise. Now I don't know whether 2000 - 2009 is the decade or whether 2001 - 2010 will be the decade. I think they just grab the first bus that comes along and go with that.

Wattakaka - has two ts a twining climber - and not one of our natives.

Persey/Norma

Huia

What did that old song say "Oh the sewing machine, the sewing machine, the girl's best friend!" It is quite surreal that you are telling us you are getting in touch with one on Friends Reunited. Being a singer are you going for a Singer or are you looking at those models that do everything except bake the bread. The treadle will probably do all that you require and who wants to zigzag anyway? To which you are going to reply, I am sure, " I do" for that is what the pattern requires. What do men know about girls' best friends anyway.

Norma (under the Kowhai tree)

I have the answer for those vanishing Auckland "Mounts". Winstone's quarried most of them for much of the concrete infrastructure around this city. Which brings me to the point of saying "Hi neighbour!". At school we were told that Rangitoto was a dormant volcano and was the last to erupt 700 years ago but of course that must be about 800 years (give or take a year or two) ago by now. Now the cat is out of the bag! But how did Mt Eden crop up?

I had noticed on TV people talking of the end of a decade so I suppose if it is on TV1 we have got to believe it. I find it difficult to know the day of the week sometimes let alone those very important questions in life which to me are merely dots of no great account in the millenia.

Well I am off to pick up UK relatives to take them to have an early game of golf and our daughter will bring BH and we will all have lunch together at the clubhouse.

Fore!

Bob, Mt Eden cropped up on the thread 'Where were you on 31 Dec 1999'. Norma was up that small bump on Aucklands horizon. I was in the Domain (another volcano!) singing, but not (for me) celebrating the arrival of a new millenium but the beginning of the last year of the millenium. Of course all of it is purely academic. Many people think Christ was born a few years earlier than 1AD, and the calendar has been messed around with over the years, and other religions have different years anyway, but based on our current calendars I insist that the 2nd millenium didnt end until the end of the 2000th year. And the first decade of this millenium wont end until the end of 2010.

Must dash, off to the Greenlane acute eye clinic for a check-up and want to look at sewing machines first. And pick up the millions I won in lotto on Saturday night (Yeah, right, flap flap oink oink).

Huia.

I must learn to read from the beginning of the sentence Bob - I thought oh no what as Winston done now and then realised we were talking Winstone Concrete. Well I think they got rid of two of the kings and Three Kings is really only one king now.

I am still thinking about them being discreet - like if they do erupt they will blush and say pardon.

I 'spect Huia has got her sewing machine now and is raring and ready to zigzag with the best of them. My mixer blew on 24th - I had just beaten up a creamy mixture for the Mississippi article - and had said to hubby - this thing is really on its last legs (had it since 1974) and then I put pie in oven turned mixer off at wall and was on my PC when he called me - what a smell - I thought my pie was burning but no here was mixer smoking away - so had to open all the windows and put the thing outside. So I too shall be appliance shopping very shortly.

Norma...

Well we had a great morning at golf with recently met UK cousin and wife (we have a great grandfather in common). After lunch at the clubhouse with our son and eldest daughter and BH, we took them for a drive down the North Shore beaches down to Devonport. to illustrate why Kiwis are so blessed with beaches and possibly why they are so relaxed and then back to their motel. We are looking forward to having a meal together with the wider family before they return to the UK . It is great to find new genealogical info for the family tree but nothing surpasses the warm face-to-face contact with real live people.

Norma
When you spoke of Mississipi chocolate mud pie it brought to mind the lovely little film "The Waitress" whose main character had a pie for every occasion. All our mixers and even the bread maker which BH suggested after receiving it as a birthday present that I should learn to use it myself have long since gone to family. I always put the breadmaker on the same level as the ability of researchers to put a man on the moon, they are a fantastic invention. I still recall the joy of taking out a nice fresh loaf, baked over night.

I must be a stick in the mud, for New Year. new decades and millenia do not do much for me. However our Golden Wedding celebration two years ago that was something else as is each of our birthdays a time to celebrate with family. Before Christmas we had a "cousins" party (the nephews and nieces had being talking about such an event for a long time). It was to get together for that reason, meet new arrivals from SA and while others may not have realised, to recognise that significant changes were happening to their aunt, my BH and who knows whether this may have been the last of such family events with her present. C'est La Vie!

Happy New Year later this evening for those in this hemisphere

Bob

Norma, back in about 1970 I had been busy sewing all day (machine in the dining room) and went through to the kitchen to get dinner. After a few mins I heard my machine churning away and thought one of the children must be playing with it so rushed through to see and lo and behold nobody there but the machine was busy stitching on nothing. I hurriedly unplugged it. Apparently there can be a carbon build-up in the foot control, making it work by itself. Or I think that is what I was told. Last year our Gen. group had a garage sale and there was a Singer machine for $20. We plugged it in, and yes it worked so I bought it just in case mine gave up the ghost. When I got home I decided to try it but after a couple of stitches smoke started to pour out of it so I unplugged it and it was tossed out.

Bob, it is great meeting 'new' relatives isnt it. My dads second cousin (but she is the same age as my sister) came to NZ last Feb. She is quite a character. I met her at the airport and brought her here for a sleep as she was going to hire a car to drive down to Wellington and I didnt want her driving while jet lagged. Next day I took her to Manukau to get a hire car and she took off. About 4 weeks later she was back with a couple of days before her plane left so son took me and Phil to pick her up (she was going to spend her last night sleeping at the airport as she was out of money) and went to visit my sister, then brought her back here. Her plane was due to leave on the Sunday afternoon so I took her and Phil to his tramping 'girlfriends' place, then took her to Waikumete to see her gt aunts grave (my gt grandmother). We then went to the airport and after she had checked in her luggage I stood and sang 'Now is the hour' in English and Maori, as she had wanted us to sing it to her the previous day but we forgot. She had tears trickling down her cheeks. She loved her visit to NZ and has sent me a copy of her diary. She tried to email it as an attachment but it was full of computer gobbledegook and she sent it on a CD but I couldnt open it so she printed off all 98 pages (in 3 lots) and posted them.

I wont be staying up late tonight. I dont normally 'do' NY eve. But in the morning I will be saying hooray for a new and hopefully better year. Unfortunately our golden wedding last March was a non-event, just our son was able to come. My bridesmaid was winging over to Myanmar early that morning and my daughter was unable to come and since Phil had no idea what day it was I decided it wasnt worth having a 'party'. I did get Peter to take some photos of the two of us so that I had a current photo to give the police if Phil went missing, not that he knew that was why his photo was being taken.

Phil turns 80 next Monday so I will go to see him, but he probably wont understand what it is about. His speech seems clearer when he is not tired. On Monday I could hear him and understand what he was saying when I first arrived but it became fainter and more slurred until he fell asleep. My birthday (and sons) is a week later, but I wont be 80.

Huia.

I hope you all had a pleasant NYE. Not too hung over?

I still dont have a new sewing machine as the shop doesnt open for another week:((( There is too much stuff sitting on the old treadle machine for me to be bothered to use it. I had bought some squishee cushions to give Phil for his birthday but when I got home and took them out of their bags the label said 'do not wash'. Since they are sure to get dirty I am going to have to make some loose covers for them when I get a machine. In the meantime I have printed A4 size a photo of our wedding and another of Halnaker windmill and put them into frames. Not sure if they can be hung on the wall of his bedroom so I will take a clearfile folder to put them in instead, along with some other photos.

Huia.