Random Thoughts Showing 15,751-15,800 of 17,689

[Linda]

Good for you, Bobby.

[Sherry]

Thank you, everyone, for the reassuring comments about knee replacement! I'm so looking forward to being able to tromp through ancient sites to gather background for my Roman series. There's no substitute for being on the spot to get a feel for a setting. Fingers and toes crossed for Monday!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

How's those fires in California. Wow. Didn't this just happen late last year or early this year? And then there was a heap of rain and mudslides?
California is copping it lately.

[Marilyn]

Terri, it not good. The wind has eased off a bit but the fires are far from contained. The winds are due to kick up again tomorrow (our Sunday) and blow through Tuesday. Both PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and the 101 Highway are closed to all N/S traffic. The interstate 5 is still open for N/S travel and a couple others if your goal is San Francisco or San Diego. Either way, it’s not good. I am dumbfounded that the entire town of Paradise in Northern California is completely gone. The entire town. Gone.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I saw the satellite images of the fires. Absolutely gobsmacking. Also saw the satellite images of where Paradise was. It is just awful.

[May]

Worried about so many lives being burned out...

[Andy]

For those in the UK you may already be aware of https://www.pagesofthesea.org.uk/ which was run today at beaches around the UK.

My hometown Weymouth was one of those beaches & as Weymouth had close ties with the Anzacs in WWI (Weymouth had 100,000's of Anzac casualties pass through the town for treatment) our chosen portrait was of

Sergeant Stanley Robert McDougall V.C. (23 July 1890 –07 July 1968)

Stanley McDougall was born in Tasmania to Susannah and John McDougall. He became a blacksmith, but enlisted in August 1915, joining the 47thInfantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. Sent to the western front, he fought at Pozières, Messines and Broodseinde. In March 1918 at Dernancourt, Sergeant McDougall repulsed a German attack that had breached the allied lines. Single-handed, he charged the enemy’s second wave withrifle and bayonet, killing seven and capturing a machine-gun that he turned on the rest, causing more casualties and routing the advance.

Then he fired on those that had already reached the allied trenches, until his ammunition ran out, when he seized a bayonet and killed three more men and an enemy officer. He then used a Lewis gun on the enemy, killing others and enabling his comrades to capture 33 prisoners.

Eight days later, at the same place, this non-commissioned officer won the Military Medal for taking over his platoon when its commander was killed. After the war became an officer with the Tasmanian Forestry Department, later performing outstanding work fighting bushfires as inspector-in-charge of forests in north-east Tasmania. He died at Scottsdale in 1968.

[Andy]

I watched it starting but unfortunately there was no vantage pts to take any overhead shots :( although I have since seen a film (on the news) shot from helicopter of the finished work & will post here when I come across one as it was really quite special. 20MT square hand etched portrait

[Mark]

Andy wrote: "For those in the UK you may already be aware of https://www.pagesofthesea.org.uk/ which was run today at beaches around the UK.

My hometown Weymouth was one of those beaches & as Weymouth had clo..."

What a great man. Thanks for sharing Andy.

[Andy]

They had all the names of the chosen engraved into the beach alongside small impressions of them as well.

Plus we had Billy Bragg read a poem and do a song was quite moving and well received

[Andy]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...

Someone flew overhead before the tide came in :)

[Bobby]

Linda wrote: "Good for you, Bobby."

Thanks Linda. 10 days into recovery and most of the pain is stiffness. Lots of bruising but am told that's normal.

[happy]

Time really flies when you start adding years

Tomorrow is time to put the Christmas lights up before next weeks projected storms

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

That is beautiful Andy and thankyou so much for sharing that. And sharing Stanley Macdougall's story.
I had no idea about all of this. The beaches in the UK and ireland where the casualties came etc..

very moving.

My Great Grandfather was an ANZAC (my grandad's father) he was shipped to Gallipoli but was one of the lucky ones and came home.

[Andy]

Terri wrote: "That is beautiful Andy and thankyou so much for sharing that. And sharing Stanley Macdougall's story.
I had no idea about all of this. The beaches in the UK and ireland where the casualties came e..."

No worries. I came across the Anzac connection a little while back after reading a lot more history books about my local town Weymouth so was pleased to see it was featured on the sands.

You might like this too Terri

http://weymouthanzacs.moonfruit.com/

[May]

Andy, thank you for sharing this story... what an incredible remembrance!!! Literally puts faces to the story!!!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Thanks Andy. So touching that the locals there have done this. Then AND now. I wonder if my great Grandfather was there after getting shipped off the beach at Gallipoli.

[Andy]

It would explain why they hold an Anzac day commemoration there every year which i've been along too & never really questioned why they had one before.

[happy]

Thnx for those photos Andy

Well I spent the day on the roof and the Christmas lights are up. Much to Mrs Happy's disappointment I WILL NOT turn them on till Thanksgiving Night.

[Renata]

Quite right Happy.

[May]

I’m with Mrs Happy!!

[Andy]

12 days of Xmas! And Im sticking to it! :D

[Dawn]

Aww, something so small to make Mrs. Happy HAPPY!! and you won't do it??

That's sad. :(

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Poor Mrs Happy.
Bah Humbug. ;-)

[happy]

Dawn wrote: "Aww, something so small to make Mrs. Happy HAPPY!! and you won't do it??

That's sad. :("

Well, she was down visiting the grandkids Friday, and I did leave them on till she got home :)

I turned them off when she walked through the door

Maybe I'm just old fashioned (or just old) - but the Christmas season shouldn't start until after the Thanksgiving leftovers are put away.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

You know the saying "it's happy hour somewhere"?
The rest of the world doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving. So, you could think of it like "it's Christmas light turning on time somewhere in the world". :-D

[Allison]

Dawn wrote: "Aww, something so small to make Mrs. Happy HAPPY!! and you won't do it??

That's sad. :("

But that electric bill ain’t small 😜


I’m on your side, Happy!!

[happy]

Terri wrote: "You know the saying "it's happy hour somewhere"?
The rest of the world doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving. So, you could think of it like "it's Christmas light turning on time somewhere in the world"..."

or, as I like to say when I arrive at work - It's midnight somewhere, can I go home now? (I work swings)

[Renata]

Hmmm. Divisive it seems. In our old school New England home Xmas rules were rules. No decorating until after Thanksgiving. Can’t control the stores though. Fond memories of my parents snorting in mutual disgust. Wish I could shake that and get with the pre Xmas program lol!

[May]

Same NE rules in my house... ready to go on Friday though!!

[Marilyn]

Thanksgiving, to me, is a holiday that can be celebrated anywhere, anytime, by anyone. It may have started as an American holiday but I don’t think it should be restricted as such. Thanksgiving means to be thankful wherever you live or whatever religion. Christmas, however, is a religious holiday. I am personally not in favor of Christmas trees or lights till December 1st. It’s bad enough with the merchants putting up decorations before Halloween. Growing up, our tree never went up before Dec..15 but those trees were real and a fire hazard had to be considered. That’s my 2 cents (or pence) anyway. PS: Outside lighting is beautiful but VERY expensive.

[Dawn]

We put up our real tree around December 1st. And according to the Fire Chief I work with, as long as they are watered...not a real big hazard. It's when they dry out that it becomes an issue.

I've switched to entirely LED for outside Christmas lights and it's no longer expensive at all. And I can put up way more lights than before too, as it no longer taxes my electrical system!!

And we can resolve this Thanksgiving thing......have it in October....like your enlightened northern neighbour!! :D

[happy]

We've switched to LEDs also, both indoor and outdoor, except for a couple of strings of old fashioned Bubble Lights that go on the tree.

We also have a "real" tree that goes up the first weekend in December. We have enough tree decorations that Mrs Happy is thinking about a second tree (It would go in the family room in the basement)

I realize that the Thanksgiving thing is arbitrary and the late November date a US thing, but it's what I grew up with and DANG IT, Christmas should wait until the leftovers are put away :)

That said, I've already started my Christmas movie watching with the 1951? version of "The Christmas Carol" Alastair Sim plays Scrooge :D

I'll end up watching several versions of it during the Christmas season - Including a live performance at one of the Play Houses around here.

[happy]

May wrote: "Same NE rules in my house... ready to go on Friday though!!"

I will start putting stuff away in preparation for decorating on Wed, I've got he day off.

As far as having a Real Tree and keeping it watered, Yrs and Yrs ago, Mrs Happy found an automatic waterer that uses a 2 ltr pop bottle. You fill the bottle and invert it into the waterer and refilling as needed. It's suprising how much water a tree uses in the first week or so after putting up. Most yrs it seems like we are refilling the bottle every couple of days. After about 3 or 4 weeks the tree stops drinking and we take it down about New Years.

I save all my pocket change during the yr to pay for the tree. Most yrs I'll have $100 or so and what doesn't get used just goes into the general Christmas fund.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Do you US folk who have Thanksgiving a month before Xmas, get sick of roast turkey????

For Christmas we do the baked leg of ham and the whole roast turkey. But you get sick of eating leftover turkey pretty quick afterwards. I think if I was living in the US and eating turkey for Thanksgiving in November I'd be over turkey come Christmas time. lol.
Perhaps you guys are seasoned turkey eaters because you grown up with a November/December glut of roast turkey meat in the house.

[happy]

As for me and my house - we have ham and Prime Rib for Christmas. Turkey is just for Thanksgiving. And yes I do get tired of turkey :)

I never get tired of ham or prime rib :D

[Jane]

Since my husband and I are empty nesters the two of us usually treat ourselves to a dinner out. If we go to a restaurant that has lamb, I usually have that. Otherwise I may or may not stick with turkey.

[Allison]

Terri wrote: "Do you US folk who have Thanksgiving a month before Xmas, get sick of roast turkey????

For Christmas we do the baked leg of ham and the whole roast turkey. But you get sick of eating leftover turk..."

I think turkey for thanksgiving and ham for Christmas is the norm here. Easter is also ham. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten turkey outside of thanksgiving!!

For my family’s Christmas dinner (thanksgiving is ALWAYS turkey) since there’s so freaking many of us, we usually order a sub platter. Couple of years we did huge pots of spaghetti.

[May]

Thanksgiving IS turkey.... actually several of them: there are 30 of us this year. However, Christmas is open to the host’s interpretation & preference... I think pans of lasagna would make for an easier Christmas dinner!

[Gretchen]

We're making pizza at my house for Thanksgiving. The children outnumber the adults this year so they were allowed to pick what they wanted.

The wine is the most important part anyway.

[Mark]

Do our Canadian and Australian members have boxing day off? Like us in the UK.

Was talking to an American visitor at work today and they asking me about it.

[Mark]

It's the 26th of December.

[May]

Gretchen, I totally agree... the wine is the constant menu item!!!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Yes, we have Boxing Day, Mark. A public holiday here too.

Best known in Australia for the Boxing Day cricket match!! A long tradition in our country and all the cricket fans in Australia get to have Xmas one day and then chill out with a fat belly to watch a day of cricket Test Match the next day. Ahhhh..perfect...:-) (unless you're cheering for the Aussies...who do a lot of losing these days).

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

We've got to have the big juicy turkey and big juicy leg of baked ham centre of the table come Xmas. We also do a rolled stuffed roast loin of pork too. haha. Usually only four to eight of us for Christmas so there are bucket loads of leftovers for watching Cricket test matches the next day. :)

[Renata]

Turkey for Thanksgiving, absolutely. Ham and Prime Rb or if I’ve saved my pennies, Beef Tenderloin. And yes, good wine and planned leftovers!

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I usually do do steak and salad for Christmas lunch. And have the fridge stocked with good quality cold meats for Christmas dinner and meals on Boxing day.

[happy]

We don't have a big dinner on Christmas Day - our family's feast is Christmas Eve. Food on Christmas Day itself is piecing on leftovers :)

It's a good thing I got the lights up last weekend, the forecast is for rain and snow all weekend starting Thanksgiving Day.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I did think I saw something about bad weather hitting the US somewhere for Thanksgiving.

[Dawn]

Yep to Canadians getting Boxing Day off too. Best known for shopping, though Black Friday sales are fast taking over, even though it's not our Thanksgiving.
Canadians don't do cricket at all. Nor do we have that Thanksgiving football thing, not that we don't watch but it's not associated with a holiday. As far as I can figure....Hockey season just keeps expanding until it goes all year.