Tree Sheila from Deniliquin NSW

You are not dim at all. I meant a note to me. I noticed after I sent my reply, that you had sent the post about the eggs and not Rayray. I was trying to correct my mistake. Clumsily, it seems.
Sometimes my fingers are typing merrily away and my brain is elsewhere! Actually, it happens more than sometimes! Sorry for the confusion.

TS: Be thankful you have family to spend time with. I only have my mother left & she me - and our time is best spent on the phone - 700 miles apart. I do have a SIL - she lives in Maui, Hawaii & currently is in Louisiana visitng her son (my only nephew) - that is a real long ways away.

TS: While I have no children & my sister died young, I have lots of cousins that I am close to, however the closest is 100 miles away.

After my husband died, I moved up here - didn't know a soul. That has definetly changed over the years I've been here - with my volunteer work and Church.

As for my Mom - love her dearly - it is best we are 700 miles apart - we drive each other crazy when we are together - so the phone is best. When Dad was alive, I would drive down every other month and visit (for three years) - letting her take a trip to get her act together (Dad was in the VA Hospital) - she was in her 80's working, taking care of the house, yard, finances, visitng Dad, etc. So she needed the week to 10 day break every other month. She is a travel agent & travels all over the world - soon will be 86 and still working. I'm retired and doing the volunteer thing. No desire to get back into the Corporate World.

Hello Sheila - I've finally got back to you from the other day. You mentioned a photo of one of those lovely little fellows that I hear outside my house all the time (do you think anyone will know what I'm talking about???)Yes, I'd love to see the photo.

Hello Kate - thanks very much for this little fellow.

Hi Kate. I thought I'd stop in and see how all is going now. Hope you are coping. Good to see you posting so much and staying in contact with the 'international' friends you have made. Take care and stay smiling!

Hi Kate -- I'm so happy that you dropped by my page and that you enjoyed my photos. Please feel free to visit any time.

My husband and I enjoyed our trip to Australia so very much. We met June/Epping and her husband while we were there which was great fun. They kindly showed us some sights we would not have otherwise seen.

Today we were talking about what we liked best about the trip and we both agreed on 2 things. One was that we got to "know" the Southern Cross. We don't see it up here in the Northern Hemisphere, and for some reason it was very meaningful to us. The other thing that moved us was the spirit that you Aussies have.

Cheers.

Hi, Kate!
Thank you for visiting my page, and for wonderful words about pictures there.
Some of them are mine, and those, you liked the most unfortunately aren't. I saw them on one Ukrainian site and even posted link to it yesterday, but it seems that nobody was interesting in it, but they (pictures) were so impressing that I decided to post it on my page to share this beauty. And look, it did worked out, you saw them.
It is o.k. to ask any questions. We are learning wile looking and asking.
So, as you can understand, I have no idea, if they were digitally enhanced or not. Some of them look very real.
We don't have many clouds around here, in Egypt specially summer time. But if I would have time, I could watch clouds and waves forever.
And as it is my first visit to your page, I'm leaving for you and your guests a big plate of oriental sweets. and some flowers.

Hi Tree Sheila, I've dropped in to say hello. I was a bit confused for a while; thought I was on my page! But I'm not, obviously! None of those comments relate to me except by name! Looks like I'm not only contradicting you on puzzles but also taking over your page. Don't know what to say now!! The scribbly gum was a total accident; I missed seen your comment. If I'd seen it I wouldn't have said anything! Today, well we have had a long billed corella & the little ones flew over my daughters house a lot! Here's a jar of my calamindin (cumquat relative) marmalade & a bunch of lavender from my garden to say I'm sorry!

Thanks for dropping in Tree Sheila. I know what you mean about living up to a husband's reputation! I've never been to Deniliquin but I feel I know the place because my father's spent a bit of time there & I've heard a lot about it!

Gday Tree Sheila, its been a while since I last dropped in. I don't think you had the pics up last time I was here. Your neck of the woods looks beautiful. You have some great photos.
I hope this note finds you well. Take care.

Hello Kate - your photos are beautiful, the flowering gums and others are brilliant, you put mine to shame.
Hmmm, I'm thinking of going to get my hair cut tomorrow, and coloured, shampooed, streaks, a manicure, and anything else I can think of having done!
I wonder if they'll have the windows cleaned while I'm there.

Maaate! I took the plunge and put my mugshot up, now its your turn!

Hey Tree Sheila, good luck to your daughter. I hope the effect is all she could ask for. I LOVE your photos...brilliant. Such a beautiful place and the photos themselves are excellent

Hi Kate. My thoughts are with Liz, you and her family. I'm sure all will go well. How amazing it will be for your daughter when all is finished.

All the best wishes and hopes for your daughter's surgery. I believe it is like a miracle when the first sound is registered. Holding your hand while she is in surgery.

Tree Sheila - a well known talk show host over here had the implants done several years ago. It worked out quite fine for him. His doctors said that he, had a higher level of success than others. He has said that while it is not perfect, it is much better than before. All of a sudden he began losing his hearing, very quickly. It made it very difficult to take phone calls on air, when you can't hear. That is why he went for the implants. He is glad he did.

I'll pray for your daughter, that the recovery will be quick and ever improving. Put your trust in the Lord to see her through any outcome.

Tree Sheila, my thoughts and prayers are with you during the surgery and recovery. I, too, have known of two such surgeries, both quite successful. Only the best for you and your lovely daughter. XO

Hello Kate - all the best to your daughter. I hope her operation is successful and everything goes alright.
Cheers
Anne

Adding my best wishes to those for the success of your daughter's operation. It will make so much difference in her life.

Hi, Kate. All the best for your daughter. I have met one person who's had an implant. He's a friend's brother in law & stayed with them when he had it. He's from Dubbo. It took a bit of getting used too, but I think things are going well now, except his wife still talks very loudly to him!
My father used to stage through Denilaquin when he used to visit cousins in Hay. An Aunt of my husband lived in Denilquin for many years. Some of her kids might still be there. I met one at Paul's mother's funeral (in Wagga Wagga), but they live down the south coast somewhere. His Aunt was Mercy Maver & the cousin's name was Warren! Paul's parents moved to Wagga when he started boarding school in Sydney. Before that they'd lived in Newcastle. His mother & Aunty Mercy were from Stockton originally.

Tree Sheila~wishing your daugther liz all the best and the operation will be a success
my thoughts and prayers are with her

Tree Sheila...For some reason unknown to me, this is my first visit to your page....I just want you to know that you and all of your family are in my prayers. I'm sure your daughter will be happy with her choice and the surgery will go well. I have enjoyed your pictures, you have a beautiful family and your flowers are wonderful. I see that you have many warm memories to help you past those hard times when it seems so hard to be alone. Hold fast to your faith, and to the love you have, as your daughter under goes surgery. Take strength from your memories. Know that your hubby would be cheering you and your daughter on as you go through this surgery and recuperation period. May peace find you all.

Here goes - For some reason that only God and genetics knows, both my children, Liz and David, were born with perfect hearing which deteriorated rapidly in both of them when they were about 4 years of age. Liz's hearing loss was the worse, but they are both classed as Profoundly Deaf. The saving grace was that by this age they had learnt a great deal of speech and had good vocabularies and so they have been able to cope fairly well in the hearing world. Liz married a man who was a Rubella baby and has been totally deaf since birth. David's married a hearing girl. Liz has a baby daughter who so far has no hearing problems but of course will be very carefully monitored.
The cochlear implant is a wonderful Australian invention which involves implanting a device in the skull which somehow can receive sound waves and send these directly to the brain via the cochlear (the part of the ear where sound is processed). The deaf person has to learn how to interpret these new, and very different noises, which takes quite a few months. Not all deaf people are candidates, only those who have had some hearing at some stage of their life. My dear son-in-law, for example, cannot have one for this reason. My daughter always resisted it and says she gets on OK as she is (was), but since having her own child she now wants to be able to hear her and talk to her, although the little tot is picking up sign language very easily.
The only downside, apart from the normal risks of surgery, is that any residual hearing in the ear that is hooked up to the implant is destroyed forever, so that if the implant fails for some reason the person will be worse off than before. However, this operation is now quite common and is being performed every day, so I shouldn't feel concerned. Can't help it though.
I always think that in another 10 or even 5 years, stem cells will be a breakthrough in curing deafness.
Thanks again everyone, for your good wishes.

Best wishes for your daughter. I can imagine how you feel just knowing any type of procedure is being performed, whether simple or complex is always a concern for a parent. Our prayers and thoughts are with you and we will be interested in your daughter's progress over the months ahead.

Its all sunshine and lollipops from here for both of your kids. Congratulations to your daughter for her courage in trying this path, knowing all the risks, and to your son for getting the job he wanted. These are all wonderful, positive things.
All the best to you and your family
Gail

Glad to hear that th surgery went well. I will continue to pray for her healing and continued improvement. Being able to hear her daughter will be a great blessing to both and her husband even if he can not hear her.

Kate - I'm pleased to hear that your daughter's surgery has been successful. I hope everything continues to go well for her.

I'm so happy that your daughter's surgery went well. Now she can have music! Consider the possibilities - Mozart, Willie and Jamiriqua (sp?). And birds and waterfalls and coyotes! And trains and - - -

I am really pleased that the 'op' went well. Also, thanks for the explanation about the invention of the cochlear device. I have heard of work towards artificial sensory detectors that instigate perception, but this is the first case I have encountered that demonstrates successful practical consequences.

I am so happy that your daughter's surgery went well. What a change it will make in her life!
My daughter is an OR nurse working with a team that does cochlear implants. The success rate is very impressive. It's wonderful that Liz is one of the success stories! Blessings to you all...

Was glad to read that your daughter's surgery went well. Our niece works as an interpretor for a local school district and has a few students who have had this procedure. Will be sending positive thoughts your way as Liz heals.

How's Liz doing today, Kate. Are you going to have the chance to come down and visit her.
If you do, would love the chance to get together for a cuppa.

Hi Tree Sheila,Dropped in on Gail to leave her a message and saw your comment to her about Liz's surgery. My mother in law had a cochlear ear implant 2 yrs ago [she is now 86]. The regular trips to the hospital for the tuning/turning on of electrodes was exhausting but it has made such a difference. She couldn't hear the kettle turn off, the door, phone etc. A big worry when you live alone in the city - makes you very vulnerable. She was robbed once in the supermarket. She has trouble understanding what you say on the phone but tries to occasionally make phone calls and can now watch TV again. I wish your daughter every success in the learning how to hear process.

Thank you for your wonderful picture gallery. It made me realise that I don't really have any photo's of Deni & surrounds - I'll enjoy showing them to my son - we miss our regular trips up there. All my photos are family or school stuff. It was good to see the Waring Gardens and the Town Hall were I made my debut eons ago! Do you live in one of those lovely homes backing onto the Edwards? We are coming up at the end of December to inter my mothers ashes. It'll be good to see the old town again. It'll be good to think of mum being up there with dad - its not good to think of him all alone now that we have all left town. Crazy the thoughts and feelings you have at times. Hope this finds you well - wish your daughter all the best. Now for another quick flick through your photos and of to bed.

Hi Tree Sheila,Dropped in on Gail to leave her a message and saw your comment to her about Liz's surgery. My mother in law had a cochlear ear implant 2 yrs ago [she is now 86]. The regular trips to the hospital for the tuning/turning on of electrodes was exhausting but it has made such a difference. She couldn't hear the kettle turn off, the door, phone etc. A big worry when you live alone in the city - makes you very vulnerable. She was robbed once in the supermarket. She has trouble understanding what you say on the phone but tries to occasionally make phone calls and can now watch TV again. I wish your daughter every success in the learning how to hear process.
Thank you for your wonderful picture gallery. It made me realise that I don't really have any photo's of Deni & surrounds - I'll enjoy showing them to my son - we miss our regular trips up there. All my photos are family or school stuff. It was good to see the Waring Gardens and the Town Hall were I made my debut eons ago! Do you live in one of those lovely homes backing onto the Edwards? We are coming up at the end of December to inter my mothers ashes. It'll be good to see the old town again. It'll be good to think of mum being up there with dad - its not good to think of him all alone now that we have all left town. Crazy the thoughts and feelings you have at times. Hope this finds you well - wish your daughter all the best. Now for another quick flick through your photos and of to bed.

G'day Kate...You have given me a wonderful start to my day, I'm sorry to tell you that your comment has been the source of my merriment. I'll now try to clear up the confusion. PA is indeed the shortened version of Pennsylvania. Philly, or Philadelphia is the largest city in PA., and I used to live there. Hence, when I visit folks for the first time I often will leave them gifts that have become associated with the city of my birth. I now live about an hour away, in suburban Philadelphia, known as Warwick, in Bucks County.....confusing...rather, but don't let it concern you too much. In general, it seems as if you Aussies have a better handle on our geography then we Yanks have on the Aussie geography. Its one of the many reasons I love this site...we get to learn together with no judgement or pressure. A little known fact about Philadelphia is that it was once temporary capital of the US from 1790 to 1800. Just a little trivia for you to show of your knowledge...lol

I see that I have been very remiss and did not leave you any of the Philly goodies on my prior visit...so here is a big basket filled with soft pretzels, steak sandwiches, Philadelphia cream cheese, Twinkies and Frank's orange soda to wash all of it down...hope you enjoy! I've added flowers too...just because. Hope Liz is healing quickly and looking forward to her next stage of adjusting to the hearing world...quite a challenge, but many rewards.

Gday Kate, just popping in to see how Liz is going. Hope all's well.

Thanks Kate for your kind thoughts on the death of my husband, Geoff. Our Sudoku family is a great one to have at any time and its a family of choice. I'm honoured to be a member, to have so many friends in Aust & across the world who can share in our good times, have a laugh with us and also be there for us when we need guidance, comfort or strength when times are tough such as with your daughter recently. Thank you for being a part of that family. Lynne

For those who don't know, my dear daughter, Liz, had a cochlear implant operation 2 weeks ago. She has been profoundly deaf most of her life and decided it was time to take the plunge and have this amazing surgery. I told you about it and was rewarded with many, many messages of goodwill and hope. Two days ago she had the device "turned on" for the first time. It's early days and she has a lot of learning to do but she is already hearing an amazing lot of new sounds. So much so that by the end of the day she is turning the processor off because it's all just too much. She even told me that in the car on the way home from the "unveiling" she heard her husband snuffling and snorting, and when a motor bike overtook them she could still hear it when it was way up in front of them. Little things like that are real surprises to her. As I said it's very early days, but things can only get better. Again, thanks to you all for your wonderful messages and generosity of spirit.