England and Wales

This blog is about our recent trip. It may take me awhile to complete so I will do it in sections.

We left home on 5th September to fly Etihad Airways to Manchester. One of our neighbours kindly dropped us off at the airport and after about three hours we were up in the air heading for Abu Dhabi. I cannot for sum reason sleep on planes. On the other hand as soon as Tony sits down he is asleep. To past the time I go to the toilet several times, watch movies, play games or go for walks up and down the plane knocking people trying to sleep as I pass. Luckily a friend was also travelling on this flight so I was able to go and have a chat with her. Fourteen and half hours later we arrived in Abu Dhabi. We had a 2 hour wait there so I put my feet up and tried to take a little nap. The next 7 hour trip was not too bad and we arrived in an overcast Manchester to be greeted by my brother-in-law, Barry. We regimentally marched out to his car (Barry was in the army for 10 years - the red berets) and made the 15.9 miles to Macclesfield where he lives. This was to be our base.

After a couple of days rest and a visit to Old Trafford to fill some orders we had received from people wanting Manchester United gear, we headed off to Wales.

Barry has a large static caravan in seaside resort and town called Llandudno in

Wales. It has a large bedroom with onsuite. another bedroom, a bathroom, eat in kitchen and lounge. What more do you want. This was to be his last trip there as he is now in the process of selling it.

Wales was a bit bleak to start with but then it brightened up and we ventured off along the promenade and a walk in the town. That night we had dinner at a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant. The following day we went to Caernarfon Castle, a medieval building in Gwynedd, North West Wales. The Castle was used for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969. We spent a couple of hours there climbing up the stairs to the turrets and through the tunnels and then had a wander through the town which is enclosed but a wall. A bit like York actually. When we entered one of the shops a couple of locals began to speak Welsh although they had previously been speaking in English. Apparently they tend to do these when tourists are around. Welsh is a Celtic language and is more closely linked to Breton than either the Scots or Irish Gaelic. It has been used as a written language since AD600, which makes it one of the oldest languages, especially when you consider that two of the most widely used European languages - French and German - were not used until 300 years later.

We were going to stay in Wales another day but when we woke up the next morning it was

raining and the forecast said there was a strong wind on the way so we packed up and headed

back to Macclesfield. That night we had dinner at the Rising Sun, just up the road from Barry's place. In fact during our whole stay we would have eaten there about 6 times.

The weekend and the next two days were spent visiting family and friends and of course, church. The first week I went to St Edwards but they didn't remember me from last time so the following weeks I went to Saint

Albans.

Next Blog..... we leave for Scotland and there's trouble ahead.

8 Days in Phuket

Now Phuket is not a place Tony and I would have chosen as a holiday destination. His brother on the other hand loves it and goes there nearly every year and keeps asking us to go there with them. We finally relented due to the fact his brother paid for Tony's half of the holiday as a present for his birthday. I was quite happy to go to get away from the cold and into warmer weather if it was only for 8 days. I really feel the cold now; must be something to do with getting old.

After nine and half hours we arrived in Phuket and were taken by car for another 3/4 hour ride to our resort at Patong Beach where Tony's brother and wife were waiting for us. It was about 11.00pm (Phuket is 3 hours behind Sydney) and I was feeling rather tired as I can't sleep on plane

At Reception they gave us towels and a bowl of water. I wiped my face with the towel and dipped my fingers in the water. The receptionist said "no no you drink that". Didn't I feel a "right fool".I didn't like the taste of the sweet water anyway and would have preferred to wash me hands in it. We then proceeded to the bar where we had cocktails and I had my first Mai Tai. Cocktails are very cheap so we made the most of them during our stay.

The Amari resort (First photo is of the Hotel) is set up on a hill above the beach where the Tsunami took place in 2004.You would never know anything had happened as everything has been rebuilt. Except for the Tsunami sign post letting you know where to evacuate to just in case.

Some of the sights we saw were:

The Giant Budda

Sitting serenely atop a quiet hilltop in the center of Phuket - its presence a stark contrast to the unrelenting hustle and bustle of the hectic resort island surrounding it - is a towering and partially completed giant Budda.
Measuring in at 150 feet (45 metres high) and 80 feet (25 metres) across its base, this cross-legged colossus, its body layered with Burmese marble tiles, can be seen gazing down benevolently from many vantage points across the island’s west coast. Known to locals as the Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha, it seems to glow with an almost ethereal brightness whenever the sun emerges from behind its dense tropical cloud cover.
This monumental statue is being built to attract both tourists and devout Buddhists alike, plus of course as a constant reminder to locals of the supreme divinity of the enlightened one.

They certainly don't have any health and safety regulations on Phuket. No safety harnesses or hard hats. Even around the Budda where people walk there is no safety rail.

The main religion on Phuket, as in the rest of Thailand, is Buddhism.
Although we did manage to find a little Catholic chapel up an alley in the back streets.The priest was Italian and the Mass was in Italian. Although when he found we were English

he translated the sermon for us.
Thai Muslims make up approximately 35% of Phuket's population, and many are still concentrated in the area around Surin Beach where the migrant Malays originally settled. Despite the smaller number Thai Muslims make up approximately 35% of Phuket's population, and many are still concentrated in the area around Surin Beach where the migrant Malays originally settled. Despite the smaller number of Muslims, mosques actually outnumber Buddhist wats on the island.
of Muslims, mosques actually outnumber Buddhist wats on the island.

Pan Yee Village -MuslimFishingVillage

This villiage is all on stilts in the water next to a big rock Island. The first settlers were the Malay people. The people in the village rely heavily on tourists. There are markets and numerous restaurants. It even has a school.





The most popular mode of transport on the Island is by bike. We were amazed to see how many people they fitted on one bike. Whole families would pile on to the bike. with babies up front.

We also visited the sleeping Budda which is in a cave with lots of monkeys around.

Phuket is an Island that is only 48 kilometers from south to north and 21 kilometers from east to west. That makes it easy to get around and see the entire island in 1 day if you so wish.
To hire a car with driver for the day on Phuket was only 800 Baht (about $25). The picture is of our first driver and car.

As you can see by the expression on my face I was not impressed with the baby elephant putting his trunk around my neck. I must admit after seeing the film "Water for Elephants" I had a lot of empathy for them.

Another place we visited was Pung-Chang Cave.

It was interesting to go through the cave to see the rock formations. We got into the carubber float which seats 4 passengers together with one guide in front and a paddler behind. Next, we move onto sitting on bamboo rafts before wading through the rest of the way. We were given miner styled headlights for us to view the rock formations in the cave. The cave is also called elephant cave as there was a rock formation which looks like a white elephant.

Here we are on James Bond Island, where 'The Man With The Golden Gun' staring Roger Moore and Christopher Lee was filmed in 1974.

All in all we had a fantastic time. The weather was 34c each day. The company was great.

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On another note, we are off to Belmont (near Newcastle) for 2 days tomorrow with our dancing friends.

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One Quiet Sunday Afternoon

Mother's Day at Mean Fiddler

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Having a nice quiet weekend at last. It's good when you have nothing on and you can just potter around and don't have to venture out if you don't want to. I have felt unwell for the last four/five days and this free weekend has made a difference. I don't know what was wrong but I just didn't feel like eating; the thought of food made me ill. I had no energy and didn't feel I could be bothered doing anything, and this isn't like me. I even missed two days at the gym. Come to think of it the instructor did work me rather hard last time I was there and then I got ill maybe that had something to do with it. Anyway I am over it now and will be back there tomorrow. I think the spaghetti on toast Tony gave me was the start of my improvement. I haven't had that since I was a kid.

Stepdaughter Catherine, her half sister Amanda and the twins were over from Perth this week. Catherine stayed with us on Sunday and Monday nights (luckily before I got sick). We spent Sunday at a crowded Manly as it was beautiful weather. Monday we went to Redfern Oval as Catherine wanted a hoodie at the Souths shop (yes another Rabbitoes fan) and it happened that the Souths team were training at the oval. Catherine was like "a kid at Christmas" taking snaps and talking to the players. After taking numerous photos with the players we finished up at the coffee shop for lunch. It was good to see Catherine so thrilled with it all.

The rest of the week Catherine and Amanda had to help out at the Home Show at Darling Harbour. Stepfather, George has invented the Boyer Safety Door which will help prevent terrible injuries suffered mainly by children catching their fingers in the door. They are trying to get it out there on the market. If it takes off Catherine's brother, Craig, would like to run the business.

This week as follows:

Monday - free day ...cards tonight Northmead

Tuesday - Tebbutt Lodge ..bring photo of Pinto.

Wednesday - Lunch at The Entrance with

Taffy & Pat, Bernie & Fay. This

will consist of fish and chips on

the beach.

Thursday - Babysitting Day ......no cards tonight

as Rolf and Christa have gone

overseas for six weeks.

Friday - Free day

Saturday - Lunch at a Pub in Camden with

Terry & Janet, Margaret & John,

Malcolm & Barbara.

I was collecting Felise up from School last Thursday and she telling me who some of the children were. She pointed to this girl who would have been in about Year 5 and said " I like her. Her name is ..... and she is Spanish. She speaks Spanish but I can't understand what she is saying."

When Catherine told Felise her cat is named Stirfry she said "O, like the fried rice". She does make we smile she is so precious...........

The Year of the Sixties

Everybody seems to be turning 60 this year. We have had 3 invitations to 60th parties so far.... and once more they are all dress up parties. This seems to be the "in" thing. It is ok with me as I am used to this dressing up having work at I C Frith. However, Tony is not so keen. Anyway we have turned 2 of them down as they will be interfering with our footy and this comes first. They were also both on the same night. The one we are going to is "the rock and roll era". So I thought Tony would make a great Elvis or Bill Haley and I could go as a "Bandstand" dancer. Of course they now have shops were you can go and hire the outfit rather then go to the trouble to make it.

I did however make Jake's Easter hat this year. Of course, it was to grand to win any prizes. Next year I will have to make sure he plays some part in the making too.

On Easter Sunday we had our normal Easter egg hunt and the Easter bunny had miraculously left some goodies in the front garden. which the children quickly found. Weather wise it was the best day of the 5 day weekend. Monday, we were not so lucky. Instead of taking Felise and Jake to the Easter Show we took them to the Moore Park Family show which is a lot smaller but better for the "littlies" Jake wasn't impressed by the dressed up ducks walking around. He thought they should have been locked in a cage. He still is uneasy around animals that are just allowed to walk around after the goat incident when we were on holiday at Nelson Bay. We managed to get some rides in, visit the baby animals, munch on some lunch and buy a couple of show bags before the rain came down. April had the highest rainfall since 1943.....before my time so I don't remember.

Due to the unpredictable weather at the moment, our Mother's Day picnic, which has now become a tradition, is not on this year. We have decided to go the Mean Fidler for lunch instead ie if we can book a table at this late stage. Otherwise we will take our chances at the Castle Hill RSL with the rest of the mob fighting for tables.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SON, DAVID TODAY.

We won,t be seeing him until Sunday as he has a heavy work load at the moment. Enjoy your Day David.

Attached of the shower bugs

I don't know where March went to but I now find I am in April and it is now getting cooler. Footy season's started and this will keep us busy for the next 5 months. So far I have been to see the Tigers play Warriors at Leichhardt (son, David and I have season tickets for Leichardt games) and the Rabbits play at Gosford. While at Gosford I took the opportunity to meet up with my old school friend Dale and her husband John. They took us to a restaurant with an art gallery and Japanese Gardens attached at east Gosford. I didn't know that it existed but it has been there about 15 years. We had an enjoyable afternoon catching up on all the latest news of the families.

I have finally got rid of the bugs in the shower. Everytime I would turn the water on to shower these minuet flying insects would attack me. They were like little grey specks and when you squashed them with your finger they would just be like a bit of dust. I certainly showed them what Mortein was for.

We had a couple of lots of visitors stay during March. Bill and Beryl from Port Macquarie were going to a Wedding at Liverpool so they stayed. Also Fay and Bernie from Fassi Fern near Newcastle stayed and we went out for dinner with another couple from Fairfield hospital as they were all ex employees.

Granddaughter Felise had a Grandparents day at her school last week and unfortunately we had already made plans for a senior citizens lunch and show. I was so disappointed as Felise had told everyone her grandparents were coming. Even her mum was unable to get time off work to go. When I asked Felise the next day how the morning went she said she cried because no one was there for her. However, when I took her to school one of the mother's came up to me and asked was I her grandmother and was I there yesterday. I guiltily said no. She said I just wanted to tell you that she was the best dancer there. She said all the other little ones where looking around etc but Felise was focused on what she was doing. I felt so proud of her. It reminded me of the time my daughter, Melissa got up at preschool and sang Do Re Mi in front of an audience. I felt proud then too. Actually I have felt proud many times when my children where growing up......and very proud of each of them now.

We dined at Zacs last month with David and Amanda and Jan and Burne. We also have another dinner at Zacs this month with Peter and Gina. I think if it wasn't for my brother and us Zacs would be closed by now.

The case of the missing egg

I was saddened to hear about the earthquake disaster in Christchurch. We were only there in September 2009, a year before the quake they had in September last year and now another one with some many people killed and injured.

We took this photo of the Cathedral in the Square and now it is in ruins. The hotel we stayed in was the Grand Chancellor one of the tallest buildings in Christchurch. It has structural damage and they are expecting it to collapse and have cordoned off 2 blocks around it.

The dinner went off well on Sunday although I didn't make the eggplant and pasta pie for Gina as I realised there was meat in it. So I made ratatouille instead. Each couple mentioned how nice the other couple were and how easy they were to talk too. It was very hot so rather then make them sit outside and swelter we ate in the air-conditioned comfort inside.

I don't get to do exercises with Tebbutt Lodge crowd now as the Pastor has changed days and now does her service on a Tuesday Morning. We had a farewell morning tea for the old Pastor on Tuesday as he is retiring. While they are having their service I visit the residents that are in their rooms and listen to their life stores and write it down in a book for them.

I also now do lunches which I like. Took in a photo of a friend's upside down orchid as Erwin is very interested in them and has even given me one. However, before I got to see him I heard he had just had a stroke so I hope he is ok as I am rather fond of him.

My audience for trivia is growing.......although I have to explain some of my jokes.

The shirt story David mentioned in his comment goes like this. Tony ordered a medium size South Sydney polo neck shirt as they only had small in stock. However, when he went to pick it up found they hadn't been able to get it. So he tried on the small size and brought it as he thought it would be ok. When he went to the cupboard to hang it up with the rest of his Souths gear he found exactly the same one there in a medium size.

That story is not as funny as the the scotch egg one. I made some scotch eggs for Tony before I left for Nelson Bay so he could have while I was away which he did. On the Thursday night he remembered there was one left and went to the fridge to get it however he couldn't find it and thought he must have eaten it. On Friday morning he left for Nelson Bay. On Friday afternoon Craig rang and asked could he go over to our place for a swim. When we arrived home on Saturday afternoon Tony opened the fridge and there was the scotch egg on a plate right in front of him and he thought he must be going mad. Anyway he then ate it. When speaking to Craig that night he asked did he have a swim and Craig said no they spent the time on the computer instead and that he had found a scotch egg in the computer room and put it back in the fridge. Tony then remembered that he had been speaking on the Thursday to someone on Skye and they didn't know what a scotch egg was so he had brought it in to show them.

He then felt rather ill thinking of the time it had been out of the fridge and he had eaten it.....but he survived.

A funny thing happened on the way to the park.

Photo of Pinto looking rather dejected. He has a dreadful time in the summer. He get this itch and cannot stop scratching. It drives me mad watching him scratch so he must be quite uncomfortable for him too. The vet gives him an injection and then a course of tablets to take which does stop it. But these tablets can cause

some nasty side effects if you keep taking them so it is a no win situation. We do try creams among other things which sometimes ease the situation. It isn't too bad at the moment.

Funny thing happened about a month ago. Tony was taking the dog to the park for a walk as he normally does. He asked me to let Pinto out when he had got the car out. He reversed the car and I came out with the dog but Tony didn't stop he drove off. He was obviously in another world. Pinto and I sat on the front step waiting for him. After some time had elapsed he returned. He hadn't realise Pinto wasn't in the car until he had arrived at the dog park. Is that a "seniors" moment or not?

We have people coming for lunch next Sunday. I used to get uptight and nervous about cooking dinners and worry for weeks before.......who am I kidding I still get uptight and nervous although the difference now is I have the attitude "what does it matter if things don't turn out, it will be tomorrow soon enough". It will just be dinner for six, Peter and Gina, Terry and Janet and Tony and myself. Gina is a vegetarian so I am making an eggplant and pasta pie and Peter and Terry like meat so we will have a BBQ. Gina is bringing the dessert, Janet a rice salad and Tony is cooking the meat so that just leaves me with the entree and a few salads........sounds quite simple.

We actually had rain yesterday which was a nice change. Although hopefully it won't rain this afternoon as we are going to the Charity Shield - Souths v St George, and I don't fancy sitting there in the wet particularly if the Tigers aren't playing. This will be my first NFL match this season but 2nd for Tony as he went to the Return to Redfern game last week. I passed on this and went to a card night at Carmel's (friend from Monday cards) instead. I took along so pastries I had made for nibbles (which didn't turn out quite right of course) and found she was all set up for dinner. I had already eaten beforehand but managed to try a little bit. This turned out to be the hottest night ever recorded and there we were, 20 of us sitting out on the balcony playing cards. I have never drunk so much water. We were playing for the "green shirt" which is a yearly competition and Peter was the winner. I came second but nothing was awarded for that. I did however win one of the lucky door prizes....a bottle of red.

Felise has completed her second week of school and all's going well. This is a photo of her graduation from Cheeky Monkeys at the end of last year.

Craig has found a new unit at Merrylands and moves in next Friday. It is only a 2 bedroom and is a lot smaller then the house he had to vacate because it had been sold. He might have a bit of trouble fitting all his furniture in.