Chat about whatever you like: the weather, good stuff, bad stuff, family or pets! Showing 18,901-18,950 of 26,036

[Kathryn]

I recorded the movie of Sarah's Key when it was on Sat night and am watching it now. Terribly sad, but well done so far. I think it's a little different to the book, but it's a long time since I read it.

[Leonie]

Marianne wrote: "An update: tomorrow, hubby will have a TOE (trans oesophageal echo) with a cardioversion. This will hopefully fix the problem, but no guarantees. Next step, if this fails or if he reverts, is ablat..."

That sounds like fun for him - hope it all goes well, the cardioversion is successful and he avoids the ablation.

In other news, it's been raining here :)

[Veronica ⭐️]

Look what I've found on Facebook. Im assuming this is our Julie.How exciting to have your review featured ( well part of it)

https://www.facebook.com/SimonSchuste...

Hope the link works.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Thanks Veronica! I found yours, Carolyn's and mine too, on the link they gave:)

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Veronica wrote: "Look what I've found on Facebook. Im assuming this is our Julie.How exciting to have your review featured ( well part of it)

https://www.facebook.com/SimonSchuste......"

Oh wow :0 who put it there .. Simon Schuster?
I'm not on Facebook so don't see any of that .

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

I know NetGalley put a little badge next to my review saying 'Featured' but I thought it just meant on NetGalley. They also put one on my review of Lyrebird Hill last year.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I didn't know that happened either Jools! Not sure if Net
Galley or S & Schuster do it...

[Veronica ⭐️]

It was on Simon & Schuster's Facebook page

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Veronica wrote: "It was on Simon & Schuster's Facebook page"

Ooooh!

[Marianne]

Leonie wrote: "Marianne wrote: "An update: tomorrow, hubby will have a TOE (trans oesophageal echo) with a cardioversion. This will hopefully fix the problem, but no guarantees. Next step, if this fails or if he ..."

Thanks Leonie!

Really, it's raining?
I'm having to put old towels at the bottom of all the south-facing doors.....

[Marianne]

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Veronica wrote: "It was on Simon & Schuster's Facebook page"

Ooooh!"

Fame!!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Don't like this weather at all. It's been blowing a gale and pouring rain all night. We've got no power and I have no idea how long it's been out either. The noises and banging outside are scary and I hate to think of the damage which is being and has been done around the place.

I hope everyone else is safe...

[Marianne]

Yeah, I'm over it too!
I hope everyone's staying warm and dry.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

It's scary! So damaging and destructive..we have towels padded too Marianne. Take care..

[B the BookAddict]

☼♄Jülie wrote: "I know NetGalley put a little badge next to my review saying 'Featured' but I thought it just meant on NetGalley. They also put one on my review of Lyrebird Hill last year."

That's what happens, before you know it, your internet footprint is all over places you've never been. Another good reason not ever to use your surname etc.

May all be relevant with all the major server hacking which has been going on recently.

[Carolyn]

Veronica wrote: "Look what I've found on Facebook. Im assuming this is our Julie.How exciting to have your review featured ( well part of it)

https://www.facebook.com/SimonSchuste......"

Woohoo Jools! Isn't that exciting?

[B the BookAddict]

The 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been announced:

For distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Awarded to All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, an imaginative and intricate novel inspired by the horrors of World War II and written in short, elegant chapters that explore human nature and the contradictory power of technology.

Finalists: Also nominated as finalists in this category were: "Let Me Be Frank With You," by Richard Ford, an unflinching series of narratives, set in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, insightfully portraying a society in decline; "The Moor's Account," by Laila Lalami, a creative narrative of the ill-fated 16th Century Spanish expedition to Florida, compassionately imagined out of the gaps and silences of history; and "Lovely, Dark, Deep," by Joyce Carol Oates, a rich collection of stories told from many rungs of the social ladder and distinguished by their intelligence, language and technique.

[Leonie]

And very wet here too! And we have thunder and lightning as well. And sirens. And dogs huddling on the bedroom floor.

Am hoping my meeting in Singleton gets cancelled so I don't have to drive in this weather.

[Dale]

Brenda wrote: "Dale wrote: "Bucketing down here. Wasn't the day to have to get flu shots. But changed and warm inside again now. We had one of those bizarre drivers on Satuday night. Thunderstorm, bucketing rain,..."

And seem to get worse when roads are wet, Brenda. Hard to figure.

[Dale]

Brenda wrote: "Thanks Veronica! I found yours, Carolyn's and mine too, on the link they gave:)"
Congrats to all you featured reviewers.

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Marianne wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "Veronica wrote: "It was on Simon & Schuster's Facebook page"

Ooooh!"

Fame!!!"

Lol, hardly....a triangle is born! :)

[K]

I've been watching the new series of Poldark. What a good show! I will have to read the books, now. And Aidan Turner is a bit of alright, too. ;)

[Carolyn]

Made it into work today but it is very wild and windy out there. If I had a choice I would have stayed home in bed! Our garage flooded but thankfully no leaks in the house.

[Marina]

It's the kids' first day back at school today, poor things! They looked like wet birds huddled together on the bus stop fluffing their feathers. I had to go out to a meeting last night, Leonie, and that was bad enough. Hope the weather improves soon!

[Sally906]

Just rang my mum - she lives in Redhead Newcastle - she lost power about 2 am and is still off - but she has a gas stove so has had her cup of tea and porridge.

She is not happy as she is terrified of storms and is not a reader so is working herself up into a state.

My sister lives by the lake and is going to wait for a lull and drive over to get mum and bring her over to them. I am not happy about this as they are saying for everyone to stay off the roads unless an emergency.

[Veronica ⭐️]

Sally906 wrote: "Just rang my mum - she lives in Redhead Newcastle - she lost power about 2 am and is still off - but she has a gas stove so has had her cup of tea and porridge.

She is not happy as she is terrifie..."

Oh Sally, your poor mum. I think you could class picking her up as an emergency.

[Sally906]

Oh the family can class it as an emergence and we are :) - not sure about emergency services - still she is 86 and a tough old bird - but she has a real pyhscological(sp) fear of storms which makes her worse.

She has found the colouring in books that my grandchildren left there last time they visited and is sitting at her dining room table with a flask of tea - a lantern and colouring in!

[Leonie]

Here in the Upper Hunter it looks like the weather has eased a bit (or at least for the moment), but the rain total for the last 24 hours was well over 80mm in our rain gauge which is currently overhung by a tree.

Newcastle and further down the valley look like they're being drowned right now, and there's still strong wind warnings all over every kind of media. Brenda, I hope all of you Lower Hunter people are still OK!

[Dale]

Sally906 wrote: "Oh the family can class it as an emergence and we are :) - not sure about emergency services - still she is 86 and a tough old bird - but she has a real pyhscological(sp) fear of storms which make..."

Glad to hear she has found something to foil the interim, Sally. Hope your sister stays safe picking her up. Storms can be frightening.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Our power has just come back on - having a cuppa now! The damage in the area is astronomical - check this out - http://www.theherald.com.au/story/302...

Our grandson's school has been closed, so he hasn't returned today. The University has closed; first time in I don't know how long. Many businesses are closed, power lines down, trees over cars and through houses, damage, damage everywhere! Terrifying and they say it will get worse this afternoon! 130kph winds...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carolyn wrote: "Made it into work today but it is very wild and windy out there. If I had a choice I would have stayed home in bed! Our garage flooded but thankfully no leaks in the house."

Our daughter's place of work let her know not to come in - too dangerous to drive!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sally906 wrote: "Just rang my mum - she lives in Redhead Newcastle - she lost power about 2 am and is still off - but she has a gas stove so has had her cup of tea and porridge.

She is not happy as she is terrifie..."

Our son drove to work, then home again (no power at work) but said the damage/trees down etc is astronomical!

[Dale]

Sounds dreadful, Brenda. Stay safe all up in that area.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Leonie wrote: "Here in the Upper Hunter it looks like the weather has eased a bit (or at least for the moment), but the rain total for the last 24 hours was well over 80mm in our rain gauge which is currently ove..."

It's still blowing an absolute gale here Leonie! Incredibly wild... and the incessant rain seems like it will never stop!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

We were supposed to go to the assessor about the car this morning. They rang to let us know not to come in as they had no power either and it was too dangerous anyway:)

[Marina]

Brenda wrote: "Our power has just come back on - having a cuppa now! The damage in the area is astronomical - check this out - http://www.theherald.com.au/story/302......"

Wow, what a mess! That's a lot of roads closed. No wonder they want everyone to stay home.

Sally, I hope your poor mum's okay. Good on her for setting herself up with some colouring in. That's a very soothing activity.

[Suz]

Sally906 wrote: "Oh the family can class it as an emergence and we are :) - not sure about emergency services - still she is 86 and a tough old bird - but she has a real pyhscological(sp) fear of storms which make..."

Bless her! Did they get to her? Everyone is having a bad time, but here in Sydney I'm lucky to still have power, so all good here, just freezing. Thinking of all you guys with no power etc.. hope it's over quickly.

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

I am so happy I live in Adelaide, we never get the major extremes like you lot do.

[Leonie]

Brenda wrote: "Leonie wrote: "Here in the Upper Hunter it looks like the weather has eased a bit (or at least for the moment), but the rain total for the last 24 hours was well over 80mm in our rain gauge which i..."

It's pretty calm here now. I've tipped 62mLs out of the rain gauge to add to the 30mLs I tipped out last night. The radar looks dreadful south of us, though, but it's all moving west and seems to be missing us now.

Stay safe inside Brenda! (And all others in the lower Hunter!) As we used to say in the Pilbara during Red Alert cyclone phases (courtesy of one of our Chinese members- thanks Li Leng!) - "You stay indoor until all clear!"

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

We most definitely are Leonie!!! Thanks...wish it would just blow out to sea:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Four houses have washed away and three elderly people have died in Dungog! :(

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/302...

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Brenda wrote: "Four houses have washed away and three elderly people have died in Dungog! :(

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/302..."

That's shocking Brenda!!

[Carolyn]

That 's dreadful Brenda. You guys in the Hunter seem to be copping the brunt of the storm and it doesn't seem to be moving away. Lots of stories of trees down and roof damage in Sydney but we haven't been hit to the same extent.

[Zoey]

Wow, sounds like a lot of you guys are having some terrible weather :( and here I am complaining about the cold mornings we are having. I think I will keep our -1c frosty mornings at least we get a beautiful sunny (if a little cool) day after it :)

[Leonie]

It's mainly the lower Hunter now, I think. I'm Upper Hunter, but apart from a fair amount of rain, we seem to be missing all the winds - too far inland probably. Dungog looks dreadful.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I've just filled the thermos with boiling water - this is going to intensify and not ease for at least another 12 hours they said. I just emptied our rain gauge which was full - 165ml - and I don't know how long it had been full for!!!

[Leonie]

Brenda wrote: "I've just filled the thermos with boiling water - this is going to intensify and not ease for at least another 12 hours they said. I just emptied our rain gauge which was full - 165ml - and I don't..."

Wow! Over 165mL? Amazing! Sit tight!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Leonie wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I've just filled the thermos with boiling water - this is going to intensify and not ease for at least another 12 hours they said. I just emptied our rain gauge which was full - 165m..."

I know - it blows me away!!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

We are now being asked to conserve water: "Hunter Water is now urging customers to conserve water until Ausgrid can restore the electricity to its pumping stations and reservoirs."

Apparently sediment and animal faeces etc is being washed into the dams...

[Carolyn]

Ugh! That sound horrible Brenda. I'd fill a few containers now ( and boil before drinking). Of course that's the opposite of what they want you to do! At least those with rainwater tanks will be happy.