Royal Escape from the Topic - for off topic chit chat Showing 751-800 of 2,839

[Ellen]

One of my uncles was alive when the Wright brothers first flew and lived to see man walk on the moon. I find that amazing and know it was true for many others.

[Karlyne]

I was thinking of her death in 1957 & forgot that the books were published in the 40s & 30s. I don't feel quite so ancient, after all! I don't have any of hers from my childhood - I think because I had them checked out from the library constantly & didn't (probably) own them. I do have my tattered copies of Louisa May Alcott, complete with my 10 year old self's signature, though, and they make me smile!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: " I'm still going to try to get a right of easement (so people can still use the track) but it's not looking good.

You know the saying "You can't fight City Hall?"

Well you can. I did it. The property has been temporarily withdrawn from sale until the council secures the right of easement.

It was more than a nice shortcut to town. Our street doesn't have a footpath, the storm water drains & street lighting/ telecommunication wiring go down there & it is an alternative exit in an emergency.

I now think even less of our mayor than I already did. & very disappointed in the previous mayor. The council was told four years ago that the govt dept wanted to sell this land & refused to get the right of easement then.

[Teresa]

Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England and fought for them in WW2. He was in the Burma campaign, one of the toughest ones there was. The changes he saw must have been incredible!! He was a lovely man. My mam is his sister. She will be 87 this year and their sister is 93. So if I follow them I should see quite a bit myself. Somehow though I think what they experienced was far more interesting than what's coming.

[Lesley]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: " I'm still going to try to get a right of easement (so people can still use the track) but it's not looking good.

You know the saying "You can't fight City Hall?"
..."

The council is a bit more than disappointing - it is downright stupid when all the infrastructure needed in a emergency (of which the Coromandel has regularly) is on a piece of land that could end up in private hands! Congratulations on winning the battle though -some achievement!!

[Karlyne]

Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England and fought for them in WW2. He wa..."

I feel the same way. What they went through was incredibly tough, full of deprivation and what had to be fear, but what I'm feeling now is a whimpering decline, a sad lack of people engaged in life. I hope that I'm proved wrong, though...

[Karlyne]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: " I'm still going to try to get a right of easement (so people can still use the track) but it's not looking good.

You know the saying "You can't fight City Hall?"
..."

Yay for the battle won! Or at least postponed, right?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "
Yay for the battle won! Or at least postponed, right?
.."

I'm hoping won. I'm not trying to stop the land being sold. Our town is desperately short of housing & we have been lucky to live in a semi rural setting right in the middle of town for so long.

@Lesley - yes!!! exactly. Our area IMO struggles in part because of incompetent MPs in the past & being a "safe" National seat. Other than the present two (who gave me as much help as they could in this matter) Jeanette Fitzsimmons is the only decent MP we have ever had. & when they retire from national politics the incompetents stand for council. :<

[Howard]

My grandmother remembered seeing her first phone, her first radio, her first jet to a different country, and watching people walking on the moon. I don't see that the changes in my life were so obviously life changing.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Howard wrote: "My grandmother remembered seeing her first phone, her first radio, her first jet to a different country, and watching people walking on the moon. I don't see that the changes in my life were so obv..."

Very true. My parents and grandparents generations had it really tough.

So fascinated by your stories as well Teresa. I've just been sidetracked by my own issues. :)

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England and fought for them in WW2. He wa..."

Teresa he sounds wonderful! We lost our lovely neighbors a couple years ago, he had been stationed in the Pacific and worked on the ground crew of the Enola Gay. I'm so honored that we got to know such a lovely couple, especially for our son's sake - he started doing their lawn work in middle school and continued until he left for college. Mr. Bullock shared pictures and memories with our son about his time in the War and that made a huge impression. Truly the Greatest Generation - and I do worry you may be right, Teresa, what's ahead of us won't be nearly as interesting as what they lived through, and dealt with so selflessly and magnificently.

Belated wishes that our friends from NZ and Australia had a great ANZAC Day! I see the fighting Kiwi spirit is still alive and well, go get 'em Carol! Good on you!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England and fought for the..."

Thank you! ANZAC evening we went to the "opening" I guess you would call it of our local monument now being lit up at night. Very moving.

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England and fought for the..."

I hear you, Karlyne; I think also people know how polarized we are as a country right now, and don't want to risk an argument by engaging with each other. I so hope something positive can come of this fearful time, maybe a deeper appreciation for all we have and can share with neighbors here and around the world. :-/

[Susan in NC]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in Englan..."

I'm sure it's beautiful; I still remember seeing the movie "Gallipoli" in college and was haunted by it for a long time, what those young men and their families lost was appalling, a waste of a generation, all over the world. I've read several very good histories of the blunders and nonsense that lead to the outbreak of the war, and they all left me deeply sad and angry.

[Karlyne]

Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England an..."

Speaking of risking engagement with each other, I just watched a hysterical Weather Channel ad based on the premise that people are afraid to mention the weather anymore because it's so controversial. And so small talk as we know it is dead.

(I'd post the link but I probably would not be able to, not being technologically advanced...)

[Teresa]

Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in England and fought for the..."

That was lovely for your son Susan. It's marvelous when the young can actually talk to someone who has experienced these life changing things. My Uncle didn't talk much about it. However, when he heard I had an interest in the history of the wars he told ME a few stories. He asked me an opinion on something that happened in the jungle and I thought it was so sad that this was still on his mind and bothering him after all those years.
I think it's terrible that they are considering, over here anyway, about making history an optional subject in school!! How will people know where they came from or what their families and countries went through? Awful decision.
Sorry for the small pamphlet I've written :0

[Kim]

Susan, a theatre we went to when we were first married in Washington, D.C. did double features on weekend afternoons. One Saturday we saw Breaker Morant and Gallipoli on the same day. I cried myself out that day, a hot, humid fall day when we were seeking air conditioning.

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of hi..."

I'll have to watch for that commercial, I think humor is invaluable for building bridges! You sound as technologically savvy as I am...;-)

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Isn't it marvelous how one person can experience so much. My Uncle died last September. He was 100 years old. Born in Ireland, he spent most of his life in Englan..."

He's always been comfortable talking to older people, he's kind of an old soul, and he's a history buff so loves to hear their stories! When the kids made their class presentations about their service projects and Patrick showed his picture of our neighbor standing by the Enola Gay, he was shocked the other middle schoolers didn't know what it was and the teacher had to explain. That's why yes, I would be appalled at dropping history from the curriculum, Teresa! Especially such a rich history as Ireland has...

[Susan in NC]

Kim wrote: "Susan, a theatre we went to when we were first married in Washington, D.C. did double features on weekend afternoons. One Saturday we saw Breaker Morant and Gallipoli on the same day. I cried mysel..."

Oh I know, both movies are heartbreaking!

[Susan in Perthshire]

I am appalled that anyone should think dropping history is a good idea. I have always loved History and it was my major subject at University. I then taught it, along with Politics, for several years. I always tried to make it as enjoyable and interesting a subject as possible - because I think it is so important that everyone has a thorough grounding in what has shaped us. To disregard the cultural, political, religious, , social and economic factors which have resulted in us being where we are makes no sense to me at all. What is crucial is that kids are taught the requisite skills to analyse and judge what is written about current and past events. Someone once said ""History is what the victors write down". Even historians have an agenda: and that will influence what and how they write. In an era of fake news and deliberately false news, it is even more vital that young people know how to research and discover the truth. For me, a love of history is a love of people. We might not all share the same history but as long as we are all able to learn about the past - the more likely we are to understand what is going wrong today.

[Teresa]

Very well put Susan in P!!!

[Teresa]

Very well put Susan in P!!!

[Susan in NC]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "I am appalled that anyone should think dropping history is a good idea. I have always loved History and it was my major subject at University. I then taught it, along with Politics, for several yea..."

Hear, hear, Susan, I minored in history but they were my favorite classes; I always think of those who say history is boring, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it!

[Critterbee❇]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "I am appalled that anyone should think dropping history is a good idea. I have always loved History and it was my major subject at University. I then taught it, along with Politics, for several yea..."

Completely agree, Susan! I majored in History.

How do people justify removing history from the curriculum? Are they planning on having one village elder remember all of history to serve as a reference when the council has to make decisions, like in The Giver by Lois Lowry?

[Teresa]

I've certainly started something here. Ten years ago when my daughter was doing her Leaving Cert, myself and four other parents had to fight for our daughters to be allowed to do history for the exam. The school said they hadn't enough pupils interested in doing the subject so weren't putting it on the curriculum. Eventually they were allowed to attend the history class in the local boys school. It will be a sad sad day if they do make it optional. I love history myself. Can't get enough of it. I left school early but I've learned a lot myself by reading. History is SO interesting. In fact I think at times I spend too much time in the past!!

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "I've certainly started something here. Ten years ago when my daughter was doing her Leaving Cert, myself and four other parents had to fight for our daughters to be allowed to do history for the ex..."

Oh, I don't know...the past seems rather appealing these days!

[Teresa]

Yes Susan it does. Oh for a time machine :):)

[Susan in Perthshire]

Teresa wrote: "Yes Susan it does. Oh for a time machine :):)"

I have always loved Time Travel stories - book, film, television: and Susan and Teresa - I absolutely agree that there are times now when I really wish I had access to a Tardis!

[Louise Sparrow]

Totally agree.

Have any of you read, The Chronicles of St Mary's by Jodi Taylor? They're about time travelling historians, (not for kids). They get a bit off topic sometimes but the history seems to be well portrayed, I think you might enjoy them.

[Susan in NC]

Louise Sparrow wrote: "Totally agree.

Have any of you read, The Chronicles of St Mary's by Jodi Taylor? They're about time travelling historians, (not for kids). They get a bit off topic sometimes but the history seems..."

That sounds fun!

[Teresa]

I'll def look those up Louise. I LOVE good time travel stories.

[Howard]

I get irritated by something in Jodi Taylor's books that other authors do as well (but more so in hers). There is *no* way the protagonist going to write down everything she writes down.

[Abigail]

You’ve put your finger on the central problem of epistolary (or diary) fiction, Howard! I call it the Shamela problem, after Henry Fielding’s classic spoof of the genre. He wrote it in the present tense, as in “He [the villain] is coming up the stairs! He’s entering my bedchamber! He’s climbing into my bed!” Good thing Jane Austen had the commonsense to abandon epistolary fiction.

[Susan in Perthshire]

Haven't come across Jodi Taylor - but I think Connie Willie's time travelling books(Doomsday, Blackout and Firewatch) are just fantastic.

[Susan in NC]

Thanks, ladies, two new authors to,add to the tottering TBR pile!

[Teresa]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Haven't come across Jodi Taylor - but I think Connie Willie's time travelling books(Doomsday, Blackout and Firewatch) are just fantastic."

I tried this name on an Amazon search and got nothing. What type of books does she write?

[Barb in Maryland]

Teresa wrote: "Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Haven't come across Jodi Taylor - but I think Connie Willie's time travelling books(Doomsday, Blackout and Firewatch) are just fantastic."

I tried this name on an Amazo..."

That's because the author's last name is Willis. Susan in P's note had a typo. She writes SF that is really more of the 'what if?' rather than hard science or space opera. I love her work immensely.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Teresa wrote: "
I tried this name on an Amazo..."

*faints with shock* found her easily on GR. One of her books;

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Yes, I'm surprised as well. GR search is usually horrendous.

[Susan in Perthshire]

Teresa wrote: "Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Haven't come across Jodi Taylor - but I think Connie Willie's time travelling books(Doomsday, Blackout and Firewatch) are just fantastic."

I tried this name on an Amazo..."

Sorry - flipping predictive text!! It should be Connie Willis - I normally check before I post - sorry!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Haven't come across Jodi Taylor - but I think Connie Willie's time travelling books(Doomsday, Blackout and Firewatch) are just fantastic."

I tried this n..."

Oops sorry - I thought you meant Jodi Taylor. Both authors' names were unfamiliar to me.

[Teresa]

Thanks to all for response.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Any of you liked playing with paper dolls as a child?

I've started researching ideas for our town's Steampunk Festival & found this;

http://www.dolldivine.com/mega-steamp...

There is also a Regency man & a Regency lady.

Warning! Seriously addictive!

[Teresa]

I absolutely loved my paper dolls!!! I collected a magazine every week as a child called Bunty. On the back page, every week, they had a paper doll and clothes but the doll and costume were from a different country every week. I had hours of fun with these. Ahh simple times.

[Lesley]

My Mum used to get the English Woman's Weekly which had a double page in the middle of new clothes for the cut-out dolls - Tilly and someone. Every so often there'd be two more dolls to cut out too. I guess that was if your originals had worn out, you could have new ones to replace them. I had a Nestle chocolates tin that I used to keep my dolls and their clothes in, and my friend had a tin with a picture of the Queen on it for hers. We used to play for hours with them. *reminiscing*

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

My favourite was a baby doll that was one of only 2 toys my mother had as a child.

The other was a medieval lord & lady. I used to make extra clothes for them.

[Critterbee❇]

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "Any of you liked playing with paper dolls as a child?

I've started researching ideas for our town's Steampunk Festival & found this;

http://www.dolldivine.com/mega-steamp...

There i..."

That is so fun, I think I could play for hours!

[Karlyne]

Steampunk Festival?!? How fun! My daughter wrote a steampunk novel, loosely based on The Nutcracker, and I keep thinking what an amazing film or ballet it would make! So much fun.

As far as paperdolls - my cousin and I used to cut them out of catalogs and then use patchwork quilts blocks for "rooms". We'd have these youthful Mom and Dad models with dozens of children, and amazing rooms full of expensive furniture and appliances. We always had a blast, and it's still one of our favorite memories!

My mom had a set of Dionne quintuplet paper dolls that I was very careful with when I was allowed to play with them, but I, sadly, have no idea whatever happened to them. The casualties of moving frequently!

[Critterbee❇]

I am planning a paper doll display at the library right now. I have a Tom Tierney book of Famous American Women, (Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman) but may buy one of his historical paper doll books to flush out the display.

I was thinking about making some appropriate backgrounds, from paper (a biplane for Amelia, the UN for Eleanor, etc). What do you guys think? I would love any suggestions on how to display them in a fun and effective way.

[Karlyne]

Critterbee wrote: "I am planning a paper doll display at the library right now. I have a Tom Tierney book of Famous American Women, (Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman) but may buy one of his historica..."

Are you allowed scissors in your library? How fun to pick up some catalogs and magazines and let people cut out their own, too!