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... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
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gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 17 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes Teddy was a constant companion for me, donated by my brother, he was 5 and didn't need Teddy anymore, Mother told him.

I have just spent the last 3 hours helping a local agric. machinery company moving their stuff onto the showground, but couldn't get away for ages as the wife insisted that I had a bacon butty, then served 2 others before me so I am all behind now! I am planning on finishing the move today and doing the tidying up tomorrow with complete Grexit on Monday-when the sparks will/may fly! I might even get a result on Sunday, but I doubt the opportunity will arise though I will work on it. I plan to help take the show apart as the man has a serious problem with his back-I told him to get a trolley for his wallet!

Sorry you all seem to have computer woes abroad. I thank the Heavens for the Library girls who get me out of so many holes that I dig in the screens here.

Our benefits system operatives need updating, Cassandra, to learn to treat people as though they are not subhuman, but valid and valuable members of society. Some beneficiaries do no doubt take the mick, but for many they are often humiliated by some of the office staff. I was in my early 60's when I got made redundant-no choice there then, and they were not nice to me, only one man who I now see at his little unit making model trains and selling on the internet, was very good to me however, and I always hoped to see him but I got the dragoness a few times. I asked if she enjoyed belittling people? Not the best move, but she avoided me thereafter! I was lucky as I am the sort not to waste money unless I have got it to waste and as we had nothing when I was a child, I realised that if you want something you have to save for it, if you can justify it. To turn someone to a job and say that's it is not nice. My current boss said to me if you need money ask the girl I have sanctioned a couple of hundred to be paid back on your pay cheque next month if you need it. Good boss-likes me because I don't bother him. That poor woman has to eat fresh air for 2 weeks MR.
I must go and move!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 17 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Unfortunately our government is all for austerity, particularly for those in need and vulnerable, but never themselves. Sooner or later the electorate will wake up to this, but goodness knows when. We have had several people over the last few years come to food bank in this situation, and it is so stupid. The Jobcentres claim that you can ask your employer for a loan, but nobody wants to start a job doing that if they have been out of work for a while. The only time you might get away with it is if you are a key worker, and then you would have come from another job anyway.

We had our volunteer group yesterday, and had a productive day. The active group cut up some sycamore and ash poles and loaded them on the truck and it was pretty full too. The less active group had a look at fungi. We managed to tentatively identify some, but some we had no idea. I hope one of them is going to take a picture and get an ID on one that looks a bit like a flint, but in the early stages can have yellow on it too.

After that, husband and I went up the yard with the loaded truck and unloaded it, then after lunch I made another spoon, this time with an oak leaf on the end. Husband managed to put the tractor back together, and it all seems to work all right. We then cut up the wood and dumped it by the charcoal kilns. We have some Scouts coming on Monday to have a guided walk round the woods, and then to do some conservation work, loading the kiln. We have offered them the chance to come and see it lit too, but that will be about 7am on Tuesday morning, so not sure how many takers there will be.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 17 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well asking your future employer for a loan is a great way of highlighting your vulnerability and inviting bad treatment I would suggest - management these days is taking full advantage of high unemployment figures and does not treat staff all that well as far as I can see. I am lucky with my cleaning job as I have made sure they know I am unable to take holidays as I am unable to find anyone to relieve for three or four nights (ie, they won't be able to find anyone to replace me if I walk). Not that this discourages the bloke who gets rotated in as relief staff and who feels obliged to make his mark by demanding services not usually offered.

History Room today and a sunny day so I sat in the sun instead of huddling over the heater. And quite a crowd today - 15 in all. Including a group of 12 loosely related people who had got together to come weed the graves on the family plot.

It will be our AGM tomorrow and I will be attending if only to avoid being nominated for a position on the Committee in absentia! I will be trying to make mine a short stay as I am back in there again on Tuesday and there are limits!

MR, I have been invited to a 'secret' FB group (12 members) run by a friend in northern NSW. She runs a bulk 'warehouse' in the UK and buys in stock which she passes on at cost. Do you want an invite to join it? she chooses interesting fibres (well, to me) including shetland, some plant based fibres (but only ones that do not use bulk toxic chemicals etc) and so forth. It is all very informal and no purchase pressure - just speak up if you spot something you like. Not to be mentioned on other pages as she seriously undersells the other suppliers.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 17 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

New hard drive ordered. Once it arrives the old drive will be cloned onto it. Question is whether this will happen in time for me to write longer book review, two different, shorter versions of the book review, web site entry about peaches, web site entry about corn - all before we leave early Friday morning, away for a week. Some images are on hard drive but need re-sizing and naming, others are still on camera card. Life sure got interesting.

Yesterday afternoon Mr Jam Lord and I went to a local farm stand for their first ever corn fest, benefiting two local fire companies. One company was selling wine, and beer (on draft) from a local micro-brewery. The other was barbecuing ribs (delicious! and messy to eat), pulled pork on a bun, chicken quarters, hot dogs, and two "sides" - grilled corn on the cob (corn provided by farm), and cucumber & tomato salad. Soda or water included with meal. Pony rides for the children, live music, some games and face painting etc. A couple of large tents, tables, chairs - very comfortable setting. Oh, also a number of fire engines were there, which the children surely enjoyed. Very enjoyable time.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 17 6:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds like a nice idea to have a family get together to weed the plot in the cemetery. Did they come in to stand up straight after that or to find out about the local or family history? I would be interested in your group, but not sure if I would buy anything. If she imports mainly from the UK, would she be able to divert anything I ordered to me direct, as it seems a bit silly to re-import from Aus, and may also get customs on it.

Jam Lady, hope your hard drive arrives in time for you to get things going. Is it for a desk top, or a lap top that you can take with you if all else fails for deadlines? Your corn fest sounds lovely. Are your fire brigades private companies then? I am glad to say they haven't tried that one yet here. We used to have it, in fact a lot of old houses in towns have 'fire marks' which are small plaques stating which fire/insurance company was responsible, but that died out in the 19th century I think.

We went out to the Devils Punchbowl at Hindhead yesterday to do one of their walks. It was a lovely day, and we went right to the top of Hindhead Common on the trail we took. We could look right out north and east from there, and on the other side, a bit lower, over to the west. We then dropped down into a series of sunken tracks, some of which could be very old, and down past what might have been a hammer pond. These were a series of ponds down a valley to supply power to an iron works or trip hammer to convert the cast iron to wrought iron. There are a lot of them on the sandstone to the north east of us where they also get iron in the sandstone. The furnaces were powered by charcoal which was made from the local coppice.

On the other side of the ridge, in the Punchbowl itself, there are broomsquires cottages; men who made besom (witches) brooms, so nice to go to a place where traditionally they made some of the same products that we are still making. Is there a female equivalent of the term 'squire' as I make them and have never come across a suitable title.

When we got home we did a bit in the garden. Husband mowed the lawn and main path down into the vegetable garden and I transferred some more wood chippings from one compost heap to the one he is using for the grass. Hoping it will heat up well and give us some good compost.

Today I am giving some visiting Scouts a guided walk in the woods, talking about conservation, and then they are going to come and help us fill the kiln.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 17 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes, it was when she mentioned the UK 'warehouse' that it occurred to me that might be an option. I will message you here website address (for the warehouse) and 'invite' you to join the group.

My cunning plan for the AGM was thwarted and I am now President. Still it could be worse - at least I am not the Secretary or Treasurer.

During the meeting my phone rang and I put the call on hold. Imagine my surprise when I returned the call to discover it was Council wanting to know about the Parattah Hall. I pointed out I have not been involved for years, but gave them a name for someone who may know who the current president is.

Psychoneighbour decided today was a good day to do a not-terribly well controlled burn off on her property. Luckily the fairly stiff breeze was not blowing my way as it got away from her at times. And some did proceed onto my place, but I just stood at the window and watched to ensure she got it out (with the fire brigade on speed dial). It would not have threatened the house, but could have burned the shed that the generator is in at present.

Our Deputy Prime Minister has just discovered he has dual citizenship. This means he is ineligible to stand in Parliament. But since the government has only a one-seat majority and two other parliamentarians have similar clouds over their heads, they seem happy to let him continue in the role until the courts rule on the subject. I am rather hoping they have upset the courts sufficiently with some of their other antics that they will rule against them. Fingers crossed.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 17 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Working onward towards our departure on Friday. Doing what? Making jam, since the computer issues have put constraints on some activities. Mistress Rose, I would not bring the laptop. Cannot exactly do the web entries as laptop does not have the necessary programs. What I use for HTML is not installed on laptop and is probably out of date anyhow. What I am doing - will be interesting to see if it works - is writing myself a lengthy e-mail with the longest book review, including the coding. IF it works as I hope (crossing fingers makes it difficult to type) I might be able to do a copy-and-paste into Arachnophilia and it will all be good for final tweaking and upload.

Did write the brief version of the book review for the mushroom society (they want it for the upcoming newsletter before our September fungus fest) as a straight e-mail, no coding. Gave them the e-mail address for the PR person at the publisher and gave page number + description of the pictures to ask for. Be interesting to see how it all works out.

Awkward to do peach picking and corn fest until I can see the pictures.

Fire companies are - not by neighborhood but each has a district. Some are all volunteer. Others have paid firemen. They often have fund raisers in the form of dinners - Quakertown fire company, who did the barbecuing at the corn fest - has had an Octoberfest for several years. Mr Jam Lord and I are planning to go.

Back to the jam making - I did get a couple of quarts of blue plums. Last night I pitted, cut up coarsely, tossed with a little sugar and refrigerated. Will head out this morning to see if I can find ripe elderberries. If yes, I'll simmer and juice them (their tiny seeds get stuck in my teeth, annoyingly so) for a plum elderberry jam. Regardless of elderberries or not, I do have a small bottle of St Germain liquour, which will be added.

And the white peaches I picked last Thursday are now ready to be turned into white peach with lavender jam.

Also, a friend is having surgery on his fractured leg - if he's lucky they can pin it. Otherwise it is a partial hip replacement. So I need to cook a couple of meals for him and his wife (she's a good friend from garden club and knitting, doesn't like to cook, and besides, better she spend her energy in cossetting him.)

So you can see from this lengthy missive that I am getting used to the laptop. But I will be SO HAPPY to get my PC back, and with a blazingly fast solid state drive too! I'd put the relevant bits of this message in the IT matters section but that's too complicated for me. So if one of our computer gurus strays over here my situation might be good for a chuckle or two.

Off to look for elderberries. Of course, I'll bring my camera. Lordy knows how many images of who knows what are cluttering it up by now.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 17 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

As you say, President is slightly better than treasurer or secretary Cassandra, but not much. I am Chairman of our Trefoil Guild, and I find I have to co-ordinate things rather more than I am keen on. Luckily one of the Vice-Chairmen, while being rather self effacing, is a very good background worker and had everything under control for the next meeting that I was rather worried about. I didn't realise how slender a majority the party with the politician with dual nationality had, as I have been just noting your FB posts on those politics rather than reading them fully I am afraid. Enough politicking in the UK without going deeply into Aussie politics too I am afraid. Look forward to hearing about your wool group. Also, glad your neighbour didn't manage to burn anything on your property.

Jam Lady, I hope your computer is sorted soon. You certainly seem to be making the most of your time. Our elderberries aren't ready yet. We are in the middle of the blackberry season, but rowan are ripe now by the looks of it, and we have had Mirabelle plums for a little while. I nearly always use a laptop, as I don't have a desktop computer of my own, but sometimes use my husbands if it is more convenient.

Gave the Scouts their walk round the woods yesterday, then they came up to the kiln site, had their lunch, and helped us fill the kiln. It was the fastest we have ever filled it, which was really good. The small ones trotted backwards and forwards between the log pile and the kiln, and we put the logs in, with help from the Scouters and one of the older Scouts. Luckily one of the Scouters was very tall, as we managed to build the kiln well up above the top of the ring, and he was able to put logs directly on the top, then help son get the lid on top. Husband has gone up to light the kiln now, and will be back for breakfast when it is lit and going properly. Today will be a minding the kiln day for me, so I will probably make another spoon or some more spatulas and butter spreaders. Will take a book too. Let's hope it goes better than last time and we finish earlier.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 17 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Haha - the pyromaniac has had another go today - presumably before the wind picked up or she would have burnt down half the village!

There are benefits and disadvantages to the Presidency. There is a lack of will to make decisions despite the frequent comments that we must get around to it. So today I had Steph in and we went through about 6 levels of shelves out the back and threw out copious amounts of empty folders past their use-by date, empty picture frames, christmas decorations and so forth with the result we now have several empty shelves and some empty boxes into which we can store stuff.

Part of what we found belonged to Graeme who you might remember died a few years back now. His family came from Ireland and he and his sister were the last of the line. As a consequence we have inherited all manner of things, some of which are rather (very) valuable. The less valuable (though no doubt expensive at the time of purchase) things include a pin-striped suit and tails, stiff shirt fronts from Moss Bros and various other signs of 'good connections'.

We have put the valuable stuff to one side so we can see if there is someone who might like it - photos of several generations, a miniature portrait (unframed) and so forth. Definitely too good to go on display unless behind glass.

We also inherited a large proportion of his office so I rang the relevant government department and have arranged for them to collect that lot as it is covered under the Government Archives Act and so we shouldn't have it. That said, we have pinched various rubber stamps that are just local town names or property names, a home-made stamp stand and various government posters of which there were multiple copies. These are now safely stowed away out the back pending the arrival of the officials.

If we can keep this up, we will have shelves so we can declutter the displays, and so be able to circulate items in and out for more interest for returning visitors.

I was particularly thrilled to find a modern movie poster of no particular merit as I was wanting something for the back drop of the 'going to the movies' window display I will hopefully be able to mount on Thursday.

Having Steph as my partner in crime means I am reasonably protected from potential backlash from hoarders, but really, nothing was thrown out that might be of any interest to anyone. We have also started a 'garage sale' heap of superfluous stuff that may have some value to someone.

We have also started to stockpile Queen Elizabeth portraits and memorabilia pending the day.

I am, however exhausted and I imagine Steph is too. She is going back tomorrow to sooth ruffled feathers and sort through some of the paperwork we felt warranted a closer look. I will be putting my feet up at home, haha

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 17 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Blackberries coming out of my ears I think I keep picking and eating as I go to the house.

The move should be completed by the weekend. I haven't got much left in the caravan-food, a bed and a few bits and pieces mostly packed, but am not hurrying, and he has been leaving me alone for a day or so, even being polite when our paths cross-first time he has been civil for some time. I have a few bits to tell you when it is all over but don't want to elaborate until I have gone!-no plans to jeopardise what I want!

I hope the computing sorts itself out for you Jam Lady. I don't understand how they operate and am grateful to the librarians who get me out of my self induced problems.
I hope the pyro maniac in Tas. is kept out of the way once the weather changes to hot or you will lose the whole island, Cassandra!

The local show that I went to on Saturday was ok I went to help set up in the morning with my friend and to help take down at about 4pm-which lasted till 7pm as they were imbibing in tongue loosening alcohol
meaning that they were not clearing up as fast as I wanted!

My boss offered to lend me some money if I needed it MR, when I started. I didn't ask for any or need it, but I thought it was good of him to offer if I was in need, but no wife and family to support, and I live frugally anyway. I am not noted for wasting the hard earned, though I do indulge in an ice bun now and then! I hope some of the scouts came to the lighting ceremony for the kiln, and also to help with unloading, for the experience of getting dirty!
Did the broom squires make the brooms for the witches or did the witches make their own brooms?

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 17 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Computer is back home, hooked up. Fast! I'm happy. Also busy catching up.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 17 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds as if you had a very constructive day Cassandra. I need to do that in our house, but it is rather a big task, and a lot of the stuff is husbands, so would be asking all the time if it could be thrown.

I need to pick things again today Gregotyn. I tend to freeze my blackberries, then use them for jelly and wine later. Another job I must get round to doing.

We got the kiln fired quite nicely yesterday and it finished by about 6.30pm. The Scouts came up to look at it, and we showed it to them glowing gently from the vents and smoking from the chimneys. We also showed them other jobs we were doing. They have invited us to their 'Camp banquet' so we will probably go covered in charcoal as we hope to unload the kiln that day.

I made some oak leaf pendants and did a lot of work on another spoon. It needs finishing as the wood was a bit stringy. I will have to try to finish it when it has dried a bit. The pendants need to have some veins pyrographed on them, a hole drilled in them, then a bit of cord knotted through the hole.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 17 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It being cold and windy today I have spent my time having an argument on FB about the date of Australia Day. We presently celebrate it on the day that the first Governor raised the British Flag on the coast of NSW. This, quite reasonably, offends our First Nations people. I proposed in the group that we should in fact be celebrating it on the day we became a nation - ie 1 January 1901 when the States Federated. I even gave them the option of 3 March being the day in 1986 when we became independent of Britain. But no. They weren't having it. So I showered them with facts to contradict their assertions (eg that Australia was called that back then (it was formally named in 1804, and that was solely in reference to the land mass, not the colonies) and so forth, but to no avail. I sometimes despair about the logic that drives this sort of nonsense. People seem to prefer favourite fictions rather than deal with facts. Sigh.

Oh well, I will be having fun in the History Room again tomorrow and will find out how horrified the Wednesday volunteers were about my efforts.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 17 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

if there is a name for it by what name did (tasmania) or do the first nation peoples call the whole continent/island group?

where we live, continental and global geography would all be considered mother earth by wolf clan but specific locations have names


is there any especially significant "date" that would be a good time for a party for everyone?
maybe something like cherry blossom day based on a natural cycle? spose that might be a bit tricky considering the range of climates but there must be some thing that could fit the bill.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 17 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It was often called Terra incogita on old maps, but Tasmania was Van Diemans Land for a long time. Not sure if the whole continent had a name at that time though. Old globes are sometimes dated by whether Australia is marked as it wasn't discovered by Europeans until the 18th century.

As you say Cassandra, most people prefer their 'favourite fictions' to facts. I must say that I always check if someone tells me something that is against what I was taught as a child, but as more is being found out about history etc. some things are now regarded as completely wrong. For instance, at one time it was thought that pre-Roman, the UK was pretty well void and without form with savages running around in skins rather than a very civilised society with a wide range of plants.

Had a busy day yesterday, but not very downsizery. Went shopping, did the washing and baked biscuits, so was really tired out by the evening.

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