Gail from Cockatoo Vic AU

Gail, how nice it was for you to stop by. I enjoyed your visit while I sipped my morning coffee.

It is strange to think it is the end of the school year for you Aussies. We are in the midst of ours.

I've taken my head out of the sand and am ready to start thinking about Christmas. Today my husband and I are going shopping for cards. We live about 1 1/2 hours drive from decent shopping, so will make a day of it.

Cheers.

Hi Gail, I'll check out the avatar thing...

Tomorrow is the day - assuming the blood tests and everything are okay. Hubby is working with a woman who had the same op earlier this year and she is telling him horror stories about sleeping for 3 weeks etc. Can't happen! Too much to do!

Hi Gail, thanks for your kind post. I' ve been very busy organizing my new life since I retired last July that I just play a little sudoku every day without using my page any more. We had plenty of strawberries till November this year! At the moment, I'm preparing our Christmas holiday with children and granchildren in the Pyrénées (mountains between France and Spain). That's the 1st time we are all together at this time of the year, the little ones (7 and 2 years old) have never been in the montains in winter and I want to be sure that everything will be perfect!!!

Hi Gail, thank you for the kind wishes. symptoms seem to be getting better but I still feel rough and can't be bothered to do much. I have to be better for tomorrow as Richard and I have been invited out to dinner with friends. Weather here is up and down cold one day then fairly warm the next though I think we are due some really cold times. I hope your lunch with the Melbourne Sudokuist goes well and that plenty of fun is had by all.
Take care and I promise not to cough all over this page.

Thankyou, for dropping in on me and for your kind wishes.
I arrived home from work 30 mins ago to find a big bunch of flowers from my husband, who is away for work, for my 20th wedding anniversary. And now I have a msg on my page. How lovely.
I dont call in to the chat pages much and dont comment so often these days. Usually quickly do a sudoku or two then go to a new site I found to play scrabble on line. Quite addictive.
I am really looking forward to Chrissy this year. Cant be sure why. I usually detest all the hype. Just tricky thinking of present for 5 children. The food for the day is easy in our house. Pancakes with berries for brekky - tradition in our house, and seafood and salads for lunch. Never do the roast thing-too 'northern hemisphere' for my liking.
Really wish I was close enough to Melbourne for the Dec 2nd Sudoku dinner. Hope you all enjoy yourselves, and - MERRY CHRISTMAS! There, I said it. (Feel much better now.) and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Hi, Gail! Thanks for your recent visit to my page! Although it may look like I'm ready for the holidays - I'm NOT! The house won't get cleaned and decorated for another week at least. Right now, I'm spending most of my time coordinating the big Christmas party that my tennis league throws every year. We'll have a DJ (disk jockey) and we've even rented a dance floor (beats dancing on carpeting which we did last year!) and of course we'll eat, drink and make merry! After that, I can concentrate on our personal celebration of Christmas - which will be pretty low key. No travel and just a few friends over for dinner. We stopped exchanging gifts years ago and just send Christmas cards to our friends and family. The holidays are so much less stressful these days, and we really get to enjoy them more.

Hope your Christmas is everything you want it to be! Cheers! Jane

Thanks Gail - for your recent message of encouragement about that unpleasant nong-head.
I don't like moaning - I am not that sort of person. However the siuation is physically and mentally stressful. I really appreciate your Oz response of spiritual generosity.

Gail, the boys are getting huge. The oldest one is up to my bottom lip. He is about to turn 11 and is getting that teenage attitude already. He doesn't realize that I am still one step ahead of him.
As for the holidays, I celebrate Chanukah (also a C word) which starts on December 4. Luckily I am able to strech the celebrating out over the whole month as my nephews won't be home from college until later in the month. Of course, I crash my friends holiday parties. I live and work in a very diverse area and enjoy the season as all people seem to get along and are in a good mood. I wish the good feelings would last all year. Maybe then there truly could be "Peace On Earth."

Hi Gail, sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. I've been in Sydney visiting my sister and didn't get to the computer. I don't doubt you're proud of your sister - going back to study is no easy feat after so long, but well worth it in the end. Yes, after 30 years it would have been hard for her to go back to nursing (15 years was long enough!!)
I too sat glued to the TV on Saturday night and don't normally watch election telecasts either. It was a pretty interesting night and an interesting result!!
I may see you on the SA page over the weekend, but not today as I am at work.
Take care

Gail, for the good wishes! I have been through a bit of a difficult time with my 16 year old daughter. She started having severe back ache on the 13th November and had to be hospitalised. After X-rays, MRI scans, etc, we now know that it is nothing life threatening -cysts on her ovaries. I've had that before but had lower abdominal pain!! Anyway, since then she has had throat infection, flu and today tonsilitis! Just never ending. We're monitoring and the specialist will check if the cysts are shrinking or not. I aged whilst waiting for all the results!!!
Hope you are doing well and wish you and your family a merry and .
Take care
Helena

Gail, after reading your comments about last Christmas I came to view your photo gallery, but don't see any Christmas photos? Am I missing something? Your idea of Christmas meal sounds lovely. (It's always great when one's kids don't like your fave foods - more for me! For me it's dark chocolate. Yum!)

Hi Gail: Thank you so much for stopping by my page. The wedding is only 15 days away and I am ready for the nut house.

I will come back after the wedding with all the happy and horrid details after the wedding.

Thank you and a Merry Christmas to you and your family. I finally got my husband to let me put up Chanukah lights. They are blue and white and I have a string of dreidels. At least my house can look as festive as the rest of the neighborhood.

Der-ty night before Christmas

Der next night vas Christmas
Der night is vas schtill
Der stockings vas hung
By der chimney to fill.

Der shildren vas snuggled
All up in der bed
And mama in nightgown
And I up ahead...

Vas More...

searchink around
In der dark for der toys
Ve krept around kviet
Not to make any noise.

Und mudder vas carrying
Der toys in her gown
Showink her person
From up her vaist down.

Und ven she came near
Der crib of our boy
Our youngest und sveetest
Our pride und our choy...

His eyes vide open
As he peeked from his cot...
Und seen everythink
Dot his mudder has got!

He didn't even notice
Der toys in her lap...
He chust asked,
"For whom ist dot little fur cap?"

Und mudder said "hush"
Und she laughed mit delight...
I tink I give dat
To your father tonight!

Gail, Thanks for the lovely roses! I actually spoilt myself yesterday - I bought a huge bunch of mixed flowers - lovely yellow and white lillies, etc! Amazing how flowers can lift you UP! Your photographs of the lovely flowers are amazing in your picture gallery - I presume they are from your own garden!
Take care
Helena

Hi Gail! I have missed you guys so much, the chats on the page are so much fun, but it seems by the time I get home from work and if I get a chance to read through the posts, it is too late to get in on the fun. I am hoping that after the holidays things will quiet down a little. Take care.

Hope you have fun today; let me know how sore your tongue is after the party

Hi Gail, Just sending you seasonal greetings.be fore it gets to crazy and busy.So have a safe and Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Oh Gail, good poem!

noice photo of the get together Gail ..

That was a quick upload! Sorry I didn't send in my apologies earlier. Thought of you all when I wasn't snoozing or hanging out the washing.

Hello Gail - I 'phoned at about quarter to one (your time) while I believe you were all being seated at your table. I expected them to have a cordless 'phone but they didn't, so I asked for Angie and ended up saying hello to Rosemary, Col, Lauren, Gath, Cath & Angie, I think that's all. Goodness, and that was before the Wine Festival.

Whoops, I forgot to add, if you come here, Albany Anne's D&G&B&B is open to all except maybe during February & March as my daughter and her family are coming home from NZ and living with me until they get a house of their own. I already had someone from the site possibly coming at Easter but if they still come to Albany, they might book into a motel just up the road and come around for a meal. If you come over this way, if I can't offer you a bed at the time, I can certainly offer you a meal and some laughs!

Oh, I love the poem, priceless!
Goodness, now I'm almost CP'ing on your page, Gail. Sorry.

Dear Gail:
That poem is a treat.
Don't blush too much. It might spoil the perfection of your porcelain complexion.

What a happy looking group! Where's your crown?

Think I'll opt for flannel pajamas Christmas Eve.
Don't want to be showink my person from up my vaist down!!

Yes, if dates don't clash again, had two over this last weekend & two or three every weekend from now on. To make matters worse a 120th Birthday for 2 (x 60 year old) brother-in laws is in the mix as well.

Great poem, Gail! Looked like you had a lot of fun at your sudoku party! Merry Christmas etc! We're going to Dubbo on Saturday 22nd & staying with Maureen, going out to lunch with M & husband, and Mum & Dad. On Monday 24th we're driving to Wagga Wagga & staying with one of Paul's brothers & having a large Christmas Day with all his family 2 brothers & 3 sisters and most of their kids (~15 or so). Then it's back home on the 26th. After this it's up-the-River for some R&R!

Gail, thank you for the birthday wishes for Amber. The magic cake became a white cake(my mom used to make it for birthdays when I was little) with chocolate frosting, sprinkles and pink M&Ms. She had a wonderful day.
Nice pic of the get together, looks like a great time was had by all.
I thought the poem was funny. Thanks for sharing.

Gail, Thank you for your good wishes for Ethan et al,,,,The poem was geat, I left an inspired message that I can't possibly repeat..the cyberbugs got it, but it was neat..so until my mind can deal with refresh..peace and good will to all of you!

with the storm heading your way - hope it dumps a heap of water on your poor garden! There is nothing like the sound of rain on the roof! I'm waiting for a lull in the rain to get out and weed the vege patch while the soil is moist. We live in one of Melbourne's famous clay belts and the soil is rock hard. With a bit of luck I might get to turn over a sod or two and get some organic matter dug in before it dries out again and sets like cement again.

How many roses do you have? At one stage I had 54 but I've lost a few over the last few hot dry summers.No, I don't have a big garden - just heavily planted and I'm one of those dreadful neighbours who have taken to planting out the nature strip!! I commit every crime that I advise others against -
'DO AS I SAY - NOT AS I DO..'

Glad you had a wonderful day yesterday and thank you for posting the group photo. Picked out yourself, Rosemary and Angie. Is that CP next to Rose? Suggested to Angie that it would be nice to catch up in autumn - perhaps it could be a 'Thank Heavens the Heat is coming to an end' party!! Was going to give you all a ring but didn't quite get there - completely lost track of time!! Hope Angie passed on my regards. We will catch up..

Thanks Gail, will try for a Brissie get-together after Xmas. I didn't push it last time because I didn't know if I was stepping on someone else toes but no one came forward to say there had ever been one here. There must be more interest now, since I joined I've seen 4-5 new members from Brissie and surrounds.

Hi Gail
I haven't tried to do a puzzle yet, but thought I'd drop in to say hello. I feel a lot better than everyone said I would and am glad to be home!
Suzy

rotfl, I thought that towelette was a tampon rotfl! but very cleverly done actually

Loved the poem Gail made me laugh. Its nice to see all the sudokists together and makes me wish I lived a little closer so I could meet you all too. Take care for now xx

No, not worried about being identified. Sorry, not here yesterday after I went home at 7.30. I went to bed at 9 and slep on and off all day, got up at 5.30. The teenager had commandeered the computer and I didn't have the energy to kick him off so didn't log on until today!!

Hi Gail, thanks for posting the picture of the group. It's nice to see that there really is a Gath! I don't have time to get around to everyone's page, so I sometimes guess at the gender of some of our members when you can't tell by their ID or their avatar, so I appreciate being able to see who these people are! Thanks, take care.

Hello Gail, just visiting to say thank you for your welcome note on my page. Nice to see that you had the Sudoku get together last Sunday... must be fun.

I hope the storm didn't REALLY do such a big dump that it washed all your mulch away. We had water coming in from all directions - through the skylight, overflowing gutters etc.... The ground is beautifully moistened and have been having fun pulling weeds. Might get some veges in yet.
Wondering what my chances are of getting some help to spread some mulch over the weekend. I'm sure I can put off the Christmas shopping, cards and cooking a bit longer...

Hey Gail,
Nice to hear from you.
Yes, sometimes the little things get in the way of life.
Bella and I have both lost our mates this year but it's not our time yet so we have a bit of living to do!
Gald I might have brightened your day.
Take Care,
Broni & Bella