Monday, May 30, 2016
MONDAY MIRTH
Any port in a storm it would seem. This is definitely a 'smile' one and I hope you will keep smiling through the coming week.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
DID YOU KNOW?
The Temple of Artemis or Artemision, also known less precisely as the Temple of Diana was a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis. It was laocated in Ephesus (near the modern town of Selcuk in present-day Turkey). One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world, it was completely rebuilt three times before its eventual destruction in 401 AD. Only foundations and sculptural fragments of the latest of the temples at the site remain:
The first sanctuary (Temenos) antedated Ionic immigration by many years, and dates to the Bronze Age. Callimachus, in his Hymn to Artemis, attributed it to the Amazons. In the 7th century BC, the old temple was destroyed by a flood. Its reconstruction began around 550 BC, under the Cretan architect Chersiphron and his son Meagenes, at the expense of Croesus of Lydia: the project took 10 years to complete. The temple was desctroyed in 356 BC by an act of arson and was again rebuilt, this time as the Wonder.
The fame of the Temple of Artemis was known in the Renaissance as demonstrated in this imagined portrayal of the temple in a 16th-century hand-coloured engraving by Martin Heemskerck:
Antipater of Sidon, who compiled the list of the Seven Wonders, described the finished temple:
I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, the the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the hosue of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand".
This model of the Temple of Artemis, at Miniaturk Park, Instabul, Turkey, attempts to recreate the probable appearance of the first temple:
A drum from the base of a column from the 4th-century rebuilding now housed in the British Museum:
There is so much more to be found on Wikipedia if you are interested. The pictures above come from there. It is well worthwhile checking it out.
The first sanctuary (Temenos) antedated Ionic immigration by many years, and dates to the Bronze Age. Callimachus, in his Hymn to Artemis, attributed it to the Amazons. In the 7th century BC, the old temple was destroyed by a flood. Its reconstruction began around 550 BC, under the Cretan architect Chersiphron and his son Meagenes, at the expense of Croesus of Lydia: the project took 10 years to complete. The temple was desctroyed in 356 BC by an act of arson and was again rebuilt, this time as the Wonder.
The fame of the Temple of Artemis was known in the Renaissance as demonstrated in this imagined portrayal of the temple in a 16th-century hand-coloured engraving by Martin Heemskerck:
Antipater of Sidon, who compiled the list of the Seven Wonders, described the finished temple:
I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, the the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the hosue of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand".
This model of the Temple of Artemis, at Miniaturk Park, Instabul, Turkey, attempts to recreate the probable appearance of the first temple:
A drum from the base of a column from the 4th-century rebuilding now housed in the British Museum:
There is so much more to be found on Wikipedia if you are interested. The pictures above come from there. It is well worthwhile checking it out.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
WEDNESDAY WISDOM
I think many would agree that the words here are very true. We may complain but.......................
Monday, May 23, 2016
MONDAY MIRTH
This was on the bottom of Ray's email where he sent the poem posted yesterday. The picture is so cute I just had to share it with you. The words? Well, that's a different matter!!!
Sunday, May 22, 2016
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT No 13
You may have seen this before but I felt it worth a repeat. It was sent via email from England by Phil's cousin Ray Pinks. (I first found this cousin of Phil's when doing genealogy and since then, we have become really good friends and he keeps us up-to-date with family happenings).
Just a little poem:
Another year has passed and we're all a little older.
Last summer felt much hotter, and winter felt much colder.
There was a time, not long ago. when life was quite a blast;
Now I can fully understand about "living in the past".
We used to go to weddings, football games and lunches,
Now we go to funeral homes and after-funeral brunches.
We used to have hangovers, from parties that were gay;
Now we suffer body aches and just wile the night away.
We used to go out dining, and couldn't get our fill,
Now we ask for doggie bags, come home and take a pill.
We used to often travel to places near and far;
Now we get sore asses from riding in the car.
We used to go to nightclubs and drink a little booze,
Now we stay at home at night and watch the evening news.
That, my friend, is how life is and now my tale is told;
So enjoy each day and live it up...before your'e too damned old!
Just a little poem:
Another year has passed and we're all a little older.
Last summer felt much hotter, and winter felt much colder.
There was a time, not long ago. when life was quite a blast;
Now I can fully understand about "living in the past".
We used to go to weddings, football games and lunches,
Now we go to funeral homes and after-funeral brunches.
We used to have hangovers, from parties that were gay;
Now we suffer body aches and just wile the night away.
We used to go out dining, and couldn't get our fill,
Now we ask for doggie bags, come home and take a pill.
We used to often travel to places near and far;
Now we get sore asses from riding in the car.
We used to go to nightclubs and drink a little booze,
Now we stay at home at night and watch the evening news.
That, my friend, is how life is and now my tale is told;
So enjoy each day and live it up...before your'e too damned old!
Saturday, May 21, 2016
THINKING ALLOWED
I was searching among words of wisdom when I came across this quote from John Lennon. I had read it before and always thought how much depth of feeling there was in these words. Hope you don't mind me sharing it with you today. I think in this instance John got it exactly right.
Friday, May 20, 2016
FRIDAY FAVOURITES
This tune has been in my head on and off all week so I thought maybe if I shared it I'd get rid of it out of my head. I've always enjoyed nonsense songs and this one certainly fits the bill. There is a rendition where Ringo Starr sings it with a different band but I prefer the Beatles' singing it so here it is with the lyrics. Once again I made my choice from YouTube.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
DID YOU KNOW?
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is the only one whose location has not been definitively established.
The Hanging Gardens were said to be a distinctive feature of ancient Babylon and a great source of pride to the people. The gardens are believed to be a feat of engineering; an ascending series of tiered gardens containing all manner of trees, shrubs and vines. The gardens were said to have looked like a large green mountain constructed of bud bricks.
This hand-coloured engraving, probably made in the 19th century after the first excavations in the Assyrian capital. depicts the fabled Hanging Gardens, with the Tower of Babel in the background:
Traditionally, they were said to have been built in the ancient city of Babylon, near present-day Hillah, Babil province, in Iraq. The Babylonian priest Berossus, writing in about 290 BC, and quoted later by Josephus, attributed the gardens to the Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar 11, who ruled between 605 and 562 BC. There aare no extant Babylonioan texts which mention the gardens, are no definitive archaeological evidence has been found n Babylon.
According to one legend, Nebuchadnezzar 11 built the Hanging Gardens for his Median wife, Queen Amytis, because she missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland. He also built a grand palace that came to be known as "The Marvel of Mankind:.
Because of the lack of evidence it has been suggested that the Hanging Gardens are purely mythical, and the descriptions found in ancient Greek and Roman writers including Strabo, Diodorus Siculus and Quintus Curtius Rufus represent a romantic ideal of an eastern garden. If it did indeed exist, it as destroyed sometime after the first century AD.
This a 20th century interpretation of the Hanging Gardens:
There is a lot more on Wikipedia about the Hanging Gardens. If you are interested you might take a peek and then decide if the gardens did actually exist.
The Hanging Gardens were said to be a distinctive feature of ancient Babylon and a great source of pride to the people. The gardens are believed to be a feat of engineering; an ascending series of tiered gardens containing all manner of trees, shrubs and vines. The gardens were said to have looked like a large green mountain constructed of bud bricks.
This hand-coloured engraving, probably made in the 19th century after the first excavations in the Assyrian capital. depicts the fabled Hanging Gardens, with the Tower of Babel in the background:
Traditionally, they were said to have been built in the ancient city of Babylon, near present-day Hillah, Babil province, in Iraq. The Babylonian priest Berossus, writing in about 290 BC, and quoted later by Josephus, attributed the gardens to the Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar 11, who ruled between 605 and 562 BC. There aare no extant Babylonioan texts which mention the gardens, are no definitive archaeological evidence has been found n Babylon.
According to one legend, Nebuchadnezzar 11 built the Hanging Gardens for his Median wife, Queen Amytis, because she missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland. He also built a grand palace that came to be known as "The Marvel of Mankind:.
Because of the lack of evidence it has been suggested that the Hanging Gardens are purely mythical, and the descriptions found in ancient Greek and Roman writers including Strabo, Diodorus Siculus and Quintus Curtius Rufus represent a romantic ideal of an eastern garden. If it did indeed exist, it as destroyed sometime after the first century AD.
This a 20th century interpretation of the Hanging Gardens:
There is a lot more on Wikipedia about the Hanging Gardens. If you are interested you might take a peek and then decide if the gardens did actually exist.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
TUESDAY CHAT
It has been a fairly quiet week for me since we had the HWS fixed and boy, are we now enjoying our showers. I tell you the HWS is working as good as it did when first installed back in 1975 and with sunny days the water is boiling hot. That good old sun saves so much money and we don't have to rely on the electric booster very often. It's not a normal solar HWS but one made by a plumber and the solar panels act as an awning over our kitchen window (which faces north). There is a large copper tank in the ceiling which has an electric heating element in it for use on cloudy days.
Phil actually had a couple of jobs he needed to attend to so he didn't get to the op shop for me last week so my pile of rugs is growing. Just finished one yesterday so there are now 8 of them ready to go to Vinnys. Right time of year for rugs so hopefully they will make a few dollars out of them. Just for fun I lined them up on my bed as I folded them and took a photo of them. There are 7 of them here (the zig zag one I made about 30 years ago and is on my bed permanently in colder weather).
We both visited our podiatrist yesterday and now our feet feel very special. John does a great job and always makes sure he checks all is well with our tootsies including feeling the pulses in them and checking if we can feel touches. Have you ever had that done...you shut your eyes and a tiny plastic 'wire' is used to touch the surface of the foot. It is a very necessary test for diabetics as over the years many diabetics have lost their feet or even their legs because of lack of circulation.
The coming week has no appointments listed in my diary so maybe out to lunch one day for a change. The old Rockingham hotel seems to have been taken over and they are now offering quite inexpensive lunches for seniors on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. If the weather stays fine a drive down there may be a good idea to blow the cobwebs away.
I trust everyone else has had a good week and that whatever you had hoped for is happening in your part of the world.
Phil actually had a couple of jobs he needed to attend to so he didn't get to the op shop for me last week so my pile of rugs is growing. Just finished one yesterday so there are now 8 of them ready to go to Vinnys. Right time of year for rugs so hopefully they will make a few dollars out of them. Just for fun I lined them up on my bed as I folded them and took a photo of them. There are 7 of them here (the zig zag one I made about 30 years ago and is on my bed permanently in colder weather).
We both visited our podiatrist yesterday and now our feet feel very special. John does a great job and always makes sure he checks all is well with our tootsies including feeling the pulses in them and checking if we can feel touches. Have you ever had that done...you shut your eyes and a tiny plastic 'wire' is used to touch the surface of the foot. It is a very necessary test for diabetics as over the years many diabetics have lost their feet or even their legs because of lack of circulation.
The coming week has no appointments listed in my diary so maybe out to lunch one day for a change. The old Rockingham hotel seems to have been taken over and they are now offering quite inexpensive lunches for seniors on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. If the weather stays fine a drive down there may be a good idea to blow the cobwebs away.
I trust everyone else has had a good week and that whatever you had hoped for is happening in your part of the world.
Monday, May 16, 2016
MONDAY MIRTH
Not a lot needs to be said here but hopefully it will bring a grin to your face that may last through the week.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT No 12
I know you all remember this one but sometimes it's good to refresh one's memory.
How doth the little crocodile....by Lewis Carrol
How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale?
How cheerfully he seems to grin
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!
How doth the little crocodile....by Lewis Carrol
How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale?
How cheerfully he seems to grin
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!
Saturday, May 14, 2016
THINKING ALLOWED
As you would know if you read my blog I've been doing a lot of deep thinking lately and I appreciate those who understood why I was doing it and what I was saying. For that my sincerest thanks.
I've also been thinking lately of things that need doing around this place and how things seem to be going wrong and stopping us getting ahead. You will remember our ducted airconditioner died and we had to part with a couple of thousand dollars (plus insurance payout) to have a new unit installed. It is running so beautifully now and so quiet we forget it is on.
Now to our solar HWS. Some of you may remember that because of the faulty flow of the hot water, how I flooded our kitchen and part of the hallway just two years ago necessitating an insurance claim. I probably posted all about it way back on my blog in April/May or June 2014 if you are interested. Cupboards needed replacing plus new vinyl and new carpet. I had left the kitchen and forgotten I'd turned the water on over the sink as it had virtually stopped flowing. It was stupid of me but these things happen in the best of organised families.
Prior to that our solar HWS had a dicky valve that needed replacing. We had called out our usual HWS expert but another, younger man had answered the call and told us the valve couldn't be replaced as they were unavailable. If I remember correctly he suggested installing an electric instantaneous system which we decided against.
Last week it began to get really bad and even the shower wasn't flowing as well as it had been. I had for many months asked Phil to do something about the HWS but as long as we were getting hot water I feel he didn't really see it as a problem. It all came to a head last weekend when I found the water flow would cease altogether on the 3 taps. Phil decided to have a shower on Sunday and I had to laugh (not in front of him of course) when he found himself stranded in the shower recess with no water flowing. Then the hot water came through so he added cold but the hot stopped again and he was having a cold shower. He turned the cold off and nearly scalded himself as the hot suddenly came back on!!!! Me? I managed to have a very good wash thank you.
Needless to say Phil was on the 'phone to our HWS expert on Monday morning. This time Phil spoke to the boss who said "I've got some reconditioned valves. Will cost you $300. I'll ring you back as I'm up on a roof right now". They were in contact again on Tuesday morning. The chap came at 3pm that day and within 10 minutes a new valve was fitted and we are hunky dory again. He is so trusting (he only takes cash) that he told Phil to ring him when he has the cash and he'll come around and collect it. I call that good service don't you? I am so glad it was he that came and not the other chap who I feel just wanted the business of selling and installing a new HWS. I'll stick with the solar which has an electric booster if needed on cloudy days. Not mains pressure but sufficient for our simple needs.
I now have my 2 sets of new windows (in the back verandah and my work room), a reliable airconditioner and a HWS that should keep working for several years. Now, if nothing else goes wrong, perhaps we can think of having some tiling done in the back garden so I don't always feel I might break my neck when I go out there, plus a few other bibs and bobs to make the place a little more user friendly (me being the user in question).
You can see how positive I am being by looking ahead and not looking back. I am sure that dear 91 y.o. had something to do with my present state of mind. (Once again thanks EC).
I've also been thinking lately of things that need doing around this place and how things seem to be going wrong and stopping us getting ahead. You will remember our ducted airconditioner died and we had to part with a couple of thousand dollars (plus insurance payout) to have a new unit installed. It is running so beautifully now and so quiet we forget it is on.
Now to our solar HWS. Some of you may remember that because of the faulty flow of the hot water, how I flooded our kitchen and part of the hallway just two years ago necessitating an insurance claim. I probably posted all about it way back on my blog in April/May or June 2014 if you are interested. Cupboards needed replacing plus new vinyl and new carpet. I had left the kitchen and forgotten I'd turned the water on over the sink as it had virtually stopped flowing. It was stupid of me but these things happen in the best of organised families.
Last week it began to get really bad and even the shower wasn't flowing as well as it had been. I had for many months asked Phil to do something about the HWS but as long as we were getting hot water I feel he didn't really see it as a problem. It all came to a head last weekend when I found the water flow would cease altogether on the 3 taps. Phil decided to have a shower on Sunday and I had to laugh (not in front of him of course) when he found himself stranded in the shower recess with no water flowing. Then the hot water came through so he added cold but the hot stopped again and he was having a cold shower. He turned the cold off and nearly scalded himself as the hot suddenly came back on!!!! Me? I managed to have a very good wash thank you.
Needless to say Phil was on the 'phone to our HWS expert on Monday morning. This time Phil spoke to the boss who said "I've got some reconditioned valves. Will cost you $300. I'll ring you back as I'm up on a roof right now". They were in contact again on Tuesday morning. The chap came at 3pm that day and within 10 minutes a new valve was fitted and we are hunky dory again. He is so trusting (he only takes cash) that he told Phil to ring him when he has the cash and he'll come around and collect it. I call that good service don't you? I am so glad it was he that came and not the other chap who I feel just wanted the business of selling and installing a new HWS. I'll stick with the solar which has an electric booster if needed on cloudy days. Not mains pressure but sufficient for our simple needs.
I now have my 2 sets of new windows (in the back verandah and my work room), a reliable airconditioner and a HWS that should keep working for several years. Now, if nothing else goes wrong, perhaps we can think of having some tiling done in the back garden so I don't always feel I might break my neck when I go out there, plus a few other bibs and bobs to make the place a little more user friendly (me being the user in question).
You can see how positive I am being by looking ahead and not looking back. I am sure that dear 91 y.o. had something to do with my present state of mind. (Once again thanks EC).
Friday, May 13, 2016
FRIDAY FAVOURITES
Phil reminded me of this person this morning. He was listening to one of those radio stations where they play oldies and he heard this one by Stan Freberg. I am not sure if any of you has ever heard of Freberg but he did some very funny stuff. This was made back in 1957 and I hadn't realised political correctness had begun way back then.
There is quite a lot of Stan Freberg to be found on YouTube which is where I find everything I post on my Friday Favourites. I hope you will listen through this and have a laugh along with me.
There is quite a lot of Stan Freberg to be found on YouTube which is where I find everything I post on my Friday Favourites. I hope you will listen through this and have a laugh along with me.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
DID YOU KNOW?
The COLOSSUS OF RHODES is a statue of the Greek titan-god of the sun Helios, erected in the city of Rhodes, on the Greek island of the same name, by Chares of Lindos in 280BC. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was constructed to celebrate Rhodes' victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus 1 Monophthalmus, whose son unsuccessfuly beseiged Rhodes in 305BC. Before its destruction in the earthquake of 226BC, the Colossus of Rhodes stood over 30 metres (98 feet) high, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world. This is an artist's impression as depicted in 1880.
Construction began in 292BC. Ancient accounts, which differ to some degree, describe the structure as being built with iron tie bars to which brass plates were fixed to form the skin.. The interior of the structure, which stood on a 15 metre (49 foot) white marble pedestal near the Mandraki harbour entrance, was the filled with stone blocks as construction progressed. Other sources place the Colossus on a breakwater in the harbour. The entrance of the old harbour of Rhodes seen from the embankment inside:
The statue stood for 54 years until Rhodes was hit by the 226BC earthquake when significant damage was also done to large portions of the city. including the harbour and commercial buildings, which were destroyed. The statue snapped at the knees and fell over onto the land. Ptolemy 111 offered to pay for the reconstruction of the statue, but the oracle of Delphi made the Rhodians afraid that they had offended Helios, and they declined to rebuild it.
The remains lay on the ground as described by Strabo for over 80 years, and even broken, they were so impressive that many travelled to see them. Pliny the Elder remarked that few people could wrap their arms around the fallen thumb and that each of its fingers was larger than most statues.
In 653, an Arab force under Muslim caliph Muawiyah 1 captured Rhodes, and according to the Chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor, the statue was cast down and sold to a Jewish merchant of Edessa who loaded the bronze on 900 camels. The Arab destruction and the purported sale to a Jew possibly originated as a powerful metaphor for Nebuchadnezzer's dream of the destruction of a great statue
The same story is recorded by Bar Hebraeus, writing in Syriac in the 13th century in Edesesea. (after the Arab pillage of Rhoes) "And a great number of men hauled on strong topes which were tied round the brass Colussus which was in the city and pulled it down. :And they weighed from it three thousand loads of Corinthian brass and they sold it to a certain Jew from Edessa" (the Syrian city of ). Theophanes is the sole source of this account and all other sources can be traced to him
This is an artist's conception of the Colussus of Rhodes from the Grolier Society's 1911 Book of Knowledge.
Modern engineers have put forward a plausible hypothesis for the statue construction, based on the technology of those days (which was not based on the modern principles of earthquake engineering), and the accounts of Phil and Pliny who both saw and described the remains.
There is much more information, and discussion, about the Colussus on Wikipedia if you are interested in learning more about this magnificent edifice.
Construction began in 292BC. Ancient accounts, which differ to some degree, describe the structure as being built with iron tie bars to which brass plates were fixed to form the skin.. The interior of the structure, which stood on a 15 metre (49 foot) white marble pedestal near the Mandraki harbour entrance, was the filled with stone blocks as construction progressed. Other sources place the Colossus on a breakwater in the harbour. The entrance of the old harbour of Rhodes seen from the embankment inside:
The statue stood for 54 years until Rhodes was hit by the 226BC earthquake when significant damage was also done to large portions of the city. including the harbour and commercial buildings, which were destroyed. The statue snapped at the knees and fell over onto the land. Ptolemy 111 offered to pay for the reconstruction of the statue, but the oracle of Delphi made the Rhodians afraid that they had offended Helios, and they declined to rebuild it.
The remains lay on the ground as described by Strabo for over 80 years, and even broken, they were so impressive that many travelled to see them. Pliny the Elder remarked that few people could wrap their arms around the fallen thumb and that each of its fingers was larger than most statues.
In 653, an Arab force under Muslim caliph Muawiyah 1 captured Rhodes, and according to the Chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor, the statue was cast down and sold to a Jewish merchant of Edessa who loaded the bronze on 900 camels. The Arab destruction and the purported sale to a Jew possibly originated as a powerful metaphor for Nebuchadnezzer's dream of the destruction of a great statue
The same story is recorded by Bar Hebraeus, writing in Syriac in the 13th century in Edesesea. (after the Arab pillage of Rhoes) "And a great number of men hauled on strong topes which were tied round the brass Colussus which was in the city and pulled it down. :And they weighed from it three thousand loads of Corinthian brass and they sold it to a certain Jew from Edessa" (the Syrian city of ). Theophanes is the sole source of this account and all other sources can be traced to him
This is an artist's conception of the Colussus of Rhodes from the Grolier Society's 1911 Book of Knowledge.
Modern engineers have put forward a plausible hypothesis for the statue construction, based on the technology of those days (which was not based on the modern principles of earthquake engineering), and the accounts of Phil and Pliny who both saw and described the remains.
There is much more information, and discussion, about the Colussus on Wikipedia if you are interested in learning more about this magnificent edifice.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
TUESDAY CHAT
Sunday was Mother's Day and Phil and I drove up to daughter and son-in-law's place for afternoon tea. Two granddaughters and 3 great-granddaughters were also there so the two men were outnumbered 6 to 2. (C told us her hubby was sick at home with man flu...her words not mine).
We had coffee and scones and cake and it was quite a delightful few hours. G/daughter A and I lamented the fact that our football team is not doing well this year but most of the talk was lots of fun. K+B gave me a frangipani plant so now I have 9 of them. We gave her a Bunnings voucher as she is always buying something for their garden and, of course, she has a much larger frangipani collection than I have.
Over the weekend I sat and read what I had posted on Saturday and then chatted with Phil about it all.
We both talked about things past and how fortunate we both were to have been together for so long and have such great memories of past events in both our lives.
It was then we realised how many people never made it to a great age and in other cases, because of illness or accident, those that did continue to live were unable to partake of, and enjoy, many of the past-times we took for granted.
Yes, we are indeed fortunate. We will never be wealthy as far as money is concerned but money doesn't make for happiness and neither of us goes in much for material possessions to any extent. No, our happiness is in having each other, our little family and, even though our health is not wonderful, we can still both hear (reasonably well), see, talk, walk (well, Phil can anyway) and get on with our daily lives, albeit slowly.
I feel it did me good to get off my chest all I said on Saturday so I beg your forgiveness in posting what may have sounded a list of grumbles. Old people do that at times when feeling frustrated at their restrictions, so you have to tolerate them the best way you can.
While all this was going on EC sent me a wonderful email featuring a 91 year old woman and it was quite inspiring. I feel she has an advantage over me as she is a poet but that shouldn't make a difference as we must accept ourselves for what we are. The website is
https://www.facebook.com/newshour/videos/10154180279098675/ Whether you will be able to access this website I have no idea but it is well worth the effort. (River...I will email it to you as I am sure you will enjoy it. It is only quite short so not time consuming.)
We had coffee and scones and cake and it was quite a delightful few hours. G/daughter A and I lamented the fact that our football team is not doing well this year but most of the talk was lots of fun. K+B gave me a frangipani plant so now I have 9 of them. We gave her a Bunnings voucher as she is always buying something for their garden and, of course, she has a much larger frangipani collection than I have.
Over the weekend I sat and read what I had posted on Saturday and then chatted with Phil about it all.
We both talked about things past and how fortunate we both were to have been together for so long and have such great memories of past events in both our lives.
It was then we realised how many people never made it to a great age and in other cases, because of illness or accident, those that did continue to live were unable to partake of, and enjoy, many of the past-times we took for granted.
Yes, we are indeed fortunate. We will never be wealthy as far as money is concerned but money doesn't make for happiness and neither of us goes in much for material possessions to any extent. No, our happiness is in having each other, our little family and, even though our health is not wonderful, we can still both hear (reasonably well), see, talk, walk (well, Phil can anyway) and get on with our daily lives, albeit slowly.
I feel it did me good to get off my chest all I said on Saturday so I beg your forgiveness in posting what may have sounded a list of grumbles. Old people do that at times when feeling frustrated at their restrictions, so you have to tolerate them the best way you can.
While all this was going on EC sent me a wonderful email featuring a 91 year old woman and it was quite inspiring. I feel she has an advantage over me as she is a poet but that shouldn't make a difference as we must accept ourselves for what we are. The website is
https://www.facebook.com/newshour/videos/10154180279098675/ Whether you will be able to access this website I have no idea but it is well worth the effort. (River...I will email it to you as I am sure you will enjoy it. It is only quite short so not time consuming.)
Monday, May 9, 2016
MONDAY MIRTH
Once again I am hoping to bring a smile to your face that hopefully will last through the week:
I thought it rather good but apologise if it is difficult or too long to read.
I thought it rather good but apologise if it is difficult or too long to read.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT No 11
DADDY FELL IN THE POND by Alfred Noyes
Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And when there seemed to be nothing beyond,
Then
Daddy fell into the pond!
And everyone's face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
"Give me the camera quick, oh quick!
He's crawling out of the duckweed!" Click!
Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked, as if they were daft,
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
Oh, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond
When
Daddy fell into the pond!
Well I got a laugh out of it so hope you do too.
Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And when there seemed to be nothing beyond,
Then
Daddy fell into the pond!
And everyone's face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
"Give me the camera quick, oh quick!
He's crawling out of the duckweed!" Click!
Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked, as if they were daft,
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
Oh, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond
When
Daddy fell into the pond!
Well I got a laugh out of it so hope you do too.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
THINKING ALLOWED
Last Tuesday I was chatting about my outing to buy gifts for our great-granddaughter and how difficult I find it getting about in the shops etc. During the week I began to think of the things I loved to do which are now beyond me, and other things as well.
All senior members of my family are long gone as are most of my closest friends. I wasn't a member of a large group but the friends I had were very precious to me. Consequently, I don't get out much now and am so grateful for Phil always being there for me and my family help me keep going.
It is not only people I have lost but so many abilities I once had:
From a young age I swam a lot in the Swan River (it was clean then) and at Mandurah when on holidays there. I don't like public swimming pools so my swimming days are long gone.
From my teen years on I always loved to walk. When I was 15-18 I walked home from the office nearly every afternoon and that would have been a good 3 miles or more. Going for a walk was often a pasttime we did just for the fun of it. In our later years Phil and I would drive down to the Swan River and often walk for several miles on a cool, balmy evening. Now, as I said on Tuesday, I have trouble walking to our mail box at the front gate.
From age 15 I loved to dance and would attend various tennis club dances at least once as week and usually twice weekly. I remember about 40 years ago getting up to dance with Phil and found my back tended to be rather too painful so not a lot of dancing from then on. I really missed that.
I used to love sewing, making nearly all my daughters' clothes when she was younger (and two wedding dresses for her as well as a gown for her 21st party) and also some clothes for my son and work shirts for my first hubby. I can still use the sewing machine but can't use the scissors and even have problems holding a needle to hand sew. Any cutting has to be handled for me by Phil when I do such things as taking something up cos it's too long for me. I've shrunk a few inches and trousers I buy these days are always far too long.
I loved doing cross stitch but that again has has to be abandoned as the needles are too small for my now clumsy hands to manage. I have some pieces I'd dearly love to finish...perhaps one day....somehow.
I used to do a lot of knitting but that is a thing of the past but I am determined to keep on crocheting so I can continue making rugs for Vinny's to sell. It can be painful but it is something you can put down for a few minutes and then pick up again. These are more rugs going to Vinny's this week.
I've mentioned before how I loved to work in the garden...planting, pruning, weeding, digging holes etc and now I can just go out and admire my frangipani which Phil looks after for me and that's it for me. I can hold a hose when needed so I guess that's a plus.
Why have I listed all the above 'bads'? I guess it's because as I sat and thought about it all I realised how much fun I've had during my life so instead of regretting what I can no longer do I feel grateful to have been given all these extra years to enjoy what I still can do, albeit it rather slowly. I have a wonderful little family. I know they are busy and I'd love to see more of them but Phil and I are always included in family 'dos' which we both enjoy so much.
At 84 why should I complain about what I can't do but relish the wonderful memories I have and look forward with joy the remaining time left to me. Yes, life is still good in our little old cottage with a great husband and a beautiful little cat....and my frangipani.
All senior members of my family are long gone as are most of my closest friends. I wasn't a member of a large group but the friends I had were very precious to me. Consequently, I don't get out much now and am so grateful for Phil always being there for me and my family help me keep going.
It is not only people I have lost but so many abilities I once had:
From a young age I swam a lot in the Swan River (it was clean then) and at Mandurah when on holidays there. I don't like public swimming pools so my swimming days are long gone.
From my teen years on I always loved to walk. When I was 15-18 I walked home from the office nearly every afternoon and that would have been a good 3 miles or more. Going for a walk was often a pasttime we did just for the fun of it. In our later years Phil and I would drive down to the Swan River and often walk for several miles on a cool, balmy evening. Now, as I said on Tuesday, I have trouble walking to our mail box at the front gate.
From age 15 I loved to dance and would attend various tennis club dances at least once as week and usually twice weekly. I remember about 40 years ago getting up to dance with Phil and found my back tended to be rather too painful so not a lot of dancing from then on. I really missed that.
I used to love sewing, making nearly all my daughters' clothes when she was younger (and two wedding dresses for her as well as a gown for her 21st party) and also some clothes for my son and work shirts for my first hubby. I can still use the sewing machine but can't use the scissors and even have problems holding a needle to hand sew. Any cutting has to be handled for me by Phil when I do such things as taking something up cos it's too long for me. I've shrunk a few inches and trousers I buy these days are always far too long.
I loved doing cross stitch but that again has has to be abandoned as the needles are too small for my now clumsy hands to manage. I have some pieces I'd dearly love to finish...perhaps one day....somehow.
I used to do a lot of knitting but that is a thing of the past but I am determined to keep on crocheting so I can continue making rugs for Vinny's to sell. It can be painful but it is something you can put down for a few minutes and then pick up again. These are more rugs going to Vinny's this week.
I've mentioned before how I loved to work in the garden...planting, pruning, weeding, digging holes etc and now I can just go out and admire my frangipani which Phil looks after for me and that's it for me. I can hold a hose when needed so I guess that's a plus.
Why have I listed all the above 'bads'? I guess it's because as I sat and thought about it all I realised how much fun I've had during my life so instead of regretting what I can no longer do I feel grateful to have been given all these extra years to enjoy what I still can do, albeit it rather slowly. I have a wonderful little family. I know they are busy and I'd love to see more of them but Phil and I are always included in family 'dos' which we both enjoy so much.
At 84 why should I complain about what I can't do but relish the wonderful memories I have and look forward with joy the remaining time left to me. Yes, life is still good in our little old cottage with a great husband and a beautiful little cat....and my frangipani.
Friday, May 6, 2016
FRIDAY FAVOURITES
I may have mentioned previously that I am a long-time fan of Mario Lanza. Here is his beautiful rendition of Moonlight Serenade complete with words. I know many of you prefer modern-day music but do pause for a minute or two and listen to this magnificent voice. YouTube is providing me with some beautiful music these days that I can listen to when on my computer doing other things, such as playing Scrabble or working on my 'farms' (and that is another story).
Thursday, May 5, 2016
DID YOU KNOW?
The TAJ MAHAL is an ivory-white mausoleum on the south bank of the amua River in th Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628-1648), to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 42-acre complex. which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated walls.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 rupees (US$827 million). The construction project employed some 20,000 partisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". Described by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as "the tear-drop on the cheek of time", it is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal atracts 7-8 million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the world (2000-2007) initiative.
Mumtaz Mahal was a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. The Imperial Court documented Shah Jahan's grief after the death of Mumtaz Maha as illustrating the love story held as the inspiration for Taj Mahal.
Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves. Hence the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were put in a relatively plain crypt beneath the inner chamber with their faces turned right towards Mecca. Mumtaz Mahal's cenotaph is placed at the precise centre of the inner chamber on a rectangular marble base of 1.5 by 2.5 metres. Both the base and casket are elaborately inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. Calligraphic inscriptions on the casket identify and praise Mumtaz. On the lid of the casket is a raised rectangular lozenge meant to suggest a writing tablet, Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side and is the only visible asymmetric element in the entire complex. His cenotaph is bigger than his wife's, but reflects the same elements: a larger casket on a slightly taller base precisely decorated with lapidary and calligraphy that identifies him. On the lid of the basket is a traditional sculpture of a small pen box.
I would suggest checking out some of the beautiful tiling, calligraphy etc shown on Wikipedia. There is far too much for me to show here and it is well worth looking at the sheer beauty of it all.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 rupees (US$827 million). The construction project employed some 20,000 partisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". Described by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as "the tear-drop on the cheek of time", it is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal atracts 7-8 million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the world (2000-2007) initiative.
Mumtaz Mahal was a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. The Imperial Court documented Shah Jahan's grief after the death of Mumtaz Maha as illustrating the love story held as the inspiration for Taj Mahal.
Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves. Hence the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were put in a relatively plain crypt beneath the inner chamber with their faces turned right towards Mecca. Mumtaz Mahal's cenotaph is placed at the precise centre of the inner chamber on a rectangular marble base of 1.5 by 2.5 metres. Both the base and casket are elaborately inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. Calligraphic inscriptions on the casket identify and praise Mumtaz. On the lid of the casket is a raised rectangular lozenge meant to suggest a writing tablet, Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side and is the only visible asymmetric element in the entire complex. His cenotaph is bigger than his wife's, but reflects the same elements: a larger casket on a slightly taller base precisely decorated with lapidary and calligraphy that identifies him. On the lid of the basket is a traditional sculpture of a small pen box.
I would suggest checking out some of the beautiful tiling, calligraphy etc shown on Wikipedia. There is far too much for me to show here and it is well worth looking at the sheer beauty of it all.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
TUESDAY CHAT
This past week began with a very busy Tuesday as No 3 great-granddaughter was celebrating her 4th birthday on the 26th April. Her mum (my granddaughter "C") had private messaged me on Facebook and had sent pictures of games and books she had found in her BigW. I checked our closest store online but nothing showed up so more searching further afield.
Found several items at Myer and as I had a $100 Myer voucher that Phil had given me Christmas, 2014 which would expire this coming December, Myer sounded the place to shop. (I still don't why he chose Myer as I don't shop there but he was desperate as he'd not bought anything for Christmas and birthday, so last minute decision).
I had Phil park on the upper car park so I could walk (with my trusty walker) straight into Myer but had forgotten the lift was way over the other side of the store. To make matters worse the escalator wasn't working so everyone was using the tiny lift (except a few young ones who used the stairs) so there was a queue for the lift.
Finally got to the toy department, had a sit down, and then found a lovely middle-aged lady who knew just what I was talking about and required purchases were made. I was looking for the new shape Barbies which came out this year and they are quite hard to find and a couple still not available. I managed to buy two (*one each) of tall Barbies (they wear flat heels) and the smaller, plump Barbie who is quite cute. Actually I used my store voucher plus another $15 and received a $20 Myer voucher to be used I think in one of theit clothing departments. (This I gave to my daughter as I hoped she may be able to make use of it as it was only for one month).
Off to the lift and another queue and then into the arcade (Garden City) and a long trek to K-Mart for a couple of little books and a card and wrapping paper. I sat for a few minutes before going into the shop and sat again while Phil kindly put the purchases through the check-out. What I would do without that man I can't even begin to imagine.
Then the long walk back to the car with at least two sit-downs on the way. When I got home I was completely......... (here I am trying to find a polite way to say how sore and tired I was)...yes just like that!!!.
Our #2 granddaughter "A" had offered to pick us up and drive us down to Baldivis and home of course, and I accepted this offer as one day we may need a lift and Phil, I think, was quite happy about it even if a few doubts about whether family thought him capable of driving in the dark (and possible rain) on trip home.
We had a wonderful time watching 4yo opening her gifts (*I always give the other one a gift too) and then we all sat down to pizza which was very tasty followed by a piece of delicious ice-cream cake. As Phil wasn't driving we shared a stubby of ale which also went down very well. Not sure which one as grandson-in-law provided it but it hit the spot.
All in all a great day and another lovely family get-together.
The rest of the week, for me anyway, was spent recuperating from the Tuesday walking. I can't walk to our mail box and back without at least a stick and sometimes my walker so how I managed it at all I don't know. Sheer determination to get the little girl the gifts I wanted to buy her.
Found several items at Myer and as I had a $100 Myer voucher that Phil had given me Christmas, 2014 which would expire this coming December, Myer sounded the place to shop. (I still don't why he chose Myer as I don't shop there but he was desperate as he'd not bought anything for Christmas and birthday, so last minute decision).
I had Phil park on the upper car park so I could walk (with my trusty walker) straight into Myer but had forgotten the lift was way over the other side of the store. To make matters worse the escalator wasn't working so everyone was using the tiny lift (except a few young ones who used the stairs) so there was a queue for the lift.
Finally got to the toy department, had a sit down, and then found a lovely middle-aged lady who knew just what I was talking about and required purchases were made. I was looking for the new shape Barbies which came out this year and they are quite hard to find and a couple still not available. I managed to buy two (*one each) of tall Barbies (they wear flat heels) and the smaller, plump Barbie who is quite cute. Actually I used my store voucher plus another $15 and received a $20 Myer voucher to be used I think in one of theit clothing departments. (This I gave to my daughter as I hoped she may be able to make use of it as it was only for one month).
Off to the lift and another queue and then into the arcade (Garden City) and a long trek to K-Mart for a couple of little books and a card and wrapping paper. I sat for a few minutes before going into the shop and sat again while Phil kindly put the purchases through the check-out. What I would do without that man I can't even begin to imagine.
Then the long walk back to the car with at least two sit-downs on the way. When I got home I was completely......... (here I am trying to find a polite way to say how sore and tired I was)...yes just like that!!!.
Our #2 granddaughter "A" had offered to pick us up and drive us down to Baldivis and home of course, and I accepted this offer as one day we may need a lift and Phil, I think, was quite happy about it even if a few doubts about whether family thought him capable of driving in the dark (and possible rain) on trip home.
We had a wonderful time watching 4yo opening her gifts (*I always give the other one a gift too) and then we all sat down to pizza which was very tasty followed by a piece of delicious ice-cream cake. As Phil wasn't driving we shared a stubby of ale which also went down very well. Not sure which one as grandson-in-law provided it but it hit the spot.
All in all a great day and another lovely family get-together.
The rest of the week, for me anyway, was spent recuperating from the Tuesday walking. I can't walk to our mail box and back without at least a stick and sometimes my walker so how I managed it at all I don't know. Sheer determination to get the little girl the gifts I wanted to buy her.
Monday, May 2, 2016
MONDAY MIRTH
Once again my intention is to put a smile on your face which hopefully will last through to Friday.
I imagine there would be some tempted to click on the YES button.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT No 10
Another silly little poem from way back and I am sure it doesn't apply to anyone here:
I dreamed of Heaven the other night, and Heaven's gate swung wide.
With kindly grace an angel welcomed me and ushered me inside.
There to my astonishment stood folk I'd known on earth;
Some I'd known and labelled as unfit and of little worth.
Indignant words rose to my lips, but never were set free
For every face showed stunned surprise.....on-one had expected me!!
I dreamed of Heaven the other night, and Heaven's gate swung wide.
With kindly grace an angel welcomed me and ushered me inside.
There to my astonishment stood folk I'd known on earth;
Some I'd known and labelled as unfit and of little worth.
Indignant words rose to my lips, but never were set free
For every face showed stunned surprise.....on-one had expected me!!
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