First Word -

Hello Glitterbag honoured to see you here again, your comments are greatly appreciated, love to see that sparkling wit you so often display on the threads. Now I have one more witch to contend with, how do I keep ahead of you pretty witches? Having a quiet weekend trying to settle down again after my hospital stay. 8pm downunder time to put the kettle on for a mug of coffee.
Have a great weekend all.

Hi cherrie, I googled meatloaf in England and it does appear that we don't eat it over here! One American poster said that it was like our Shepherd's Pie but with a different topping?

Shepherd's Pie


The only other meatloaf I could find was



who's a great favourite of mine! Okay, okay - so I have very catholic tastes in music - I find something I like in most genres!

Wow, I can see why you are pretty cross with the old chap who lit the fire that led to so much destruction. Perhaps he had age related dementia and didn't realise what he was doing? Awful for all the poor people who lost homes, and for the flora and fauna that were destroyed. As for the arsonists - well, words can't really describe how evil these people are. I hope they are found and punished accordingly.

Hi Dutchy, you old reprobate Go on, tell the truth, they threw you out of hospital because you were having riotous parties and getting all the nurses drunk! Tut tut - and you're only out five minutes and making sexist comments about poor Foundy's cleavage! Anna - take the Croquettes off him immediately and give him some bromide in his tea - the man needs calming down!

Down boy!!!


And what's this with the 'chicks down under'? You've ruffled some angry feathers there, Dutchy - mother hens everywhere will be gunning for you now!



Good to see you back, despite all that! Stay well this time - and work hard to get well for Christmas and your birthday!

Hi Sturgis, Pain relief on its way to you - clear your 200 cats out of the way so it can land and we can send it by Express Broomstick mail!



Hurry and get the form filling over with



and get fit and well for all the holidays coming up - you have a lot of gifts to buy - better get your skates on and do some shopping. Of course, virtual gifts will be just fine for your friends at First Word!!!



Meantime, here's a liquorice plant to cheer you up - the roots are great for nausea!



What you really need is a bit of warm sunshine - perhaps a day on a lovely sandy beach, looking out to the sea? Or in a peaceful country setting, lying in the grass looking up at the sky? Here's some healing sun vibrations for you - hope they work soon.



Hey, where IS Bill? He's done a Sturgis - vanished into the ether. Come back Bill, Dutchy and Sturgis need you!

STATES

We only have 6 states and 2 territories, not too difficult to keep track off, unlike over there. I have a fair idea of roughly where most of the US states are, but would have to look at a map to know exactly.
As for fires - we don't actually have one at the moment, the one I was ranting about before was last summer. We are all getting ready for this years fire season now, it's expected to be a bad one. Lots of spring rain has got the undergrowth in the bush growing like mad, but just a few days of wind and hot weather dries it out very quickly. Maybe we'll be lucky this year.

G'day Vonny my English Rose, your comments are way off the mark! I paid Foundy a compliment after seeing her photo from Melbourne Cup day, nowhere did I mention her cleavage, not to say I didn't miss that but I feel my comment was justified although maybe a little cheeky in your opinion.

Your comment about the Nurses was about right except the booze, they were a terrific bunch and into a bit a cheeky fun, they were great teasers but to quick for me.

Anna has spoilt me since I've been home, croquettes on my first night and tonight my favourite spaghetti bolognaise.

As for the chicks down under you stop stirring Mother Hen.

MEATLOAF
Hi Vonny,

We have shepherds pie here, but it's not really like meatloaf. Meatloaf is cooked in a loaf tin, like you would use for a cake type loaf, and is a lot more solid, and can be sliced. I've never had it with any sort of topping on it, but I suppose it could have something.
I also love Meat Loaf's music, I've been listening to Bat Out Of Hell in the car for about the last week. I tend to play one cd over and over till I've had enough of it.

No, the old bloke didn't have dementia, he was just negligent.

Hi GB, Cranky Irish? Impossible - a country that offers us Riverdance



the Blarney Stone



pints of Guinness



and lucky leprechauns



and some very beautiful scenery



must surely have some wonderfully happy people!

As for being a bit of a witch on First Word - don't worry about your qualifications - all shapes and sizes, temperaments, nationalities, gladly accepted into the fold. Foundy is the total witch - she can give you basic flying lessons - provide your own broomstick please Mainly, the duties involve keeping Dutchy and Sturgis in their places when they start being too bossy - sending healing vibes to them when they need comfort - and generally having an enjoyable time!



Hey, what does a prickly glitterbag look like? Sounds a bit painful! The only image I could find was of a Prickley Mountain Bag - guess you'd have to add your own glitter!



Dogs - you have dogs! Hurrah - pictures please - if you are ever able to upload/download or whatever it is we do to put our darling pooches onto First Word. Can't have too many!

I stand corrected! Apologies my dear Dutchy - for once you didn't refer to Foundy's cleavage! It was your mate, Sturgis, who said it - shock, horror!

Bahahahahaha... I know shock hey Von Sorry Dutchy, had too

LORDY, gone half a day and the chat is on... MORNING......

ADELAIDE (Sturgis)



Looks a wee bit dreary but the best photo I could find, we are known as the City of Churches as you can see, part of one of our beautiful Churches. Adelaide is a "small" City compared to the rest of Australia but I think that is why I call it home... A bit more like a Country Town as you escape North/West/East or South...

Sturgis, I am glad that your general health is good but worried as you are in a lot of pain and the redness has increased... What are the Nurses saying in this regard? You can't live on pain killers and have you tried heat bags? I KNOW I sound like a Mother But concerned.

Ms Glitter, 20 months old did I read that right? I can't wait to be a Grandmother, though I doubt we will see the bubs that often by then, David's daughter is 15 and a half, a long way to go, but it will be lovely.. PS I am 3rd generation Irish, with a bit of Swedish and Spanish blood, off course an Aussie



I think the glitter on her eyes looks lovely Von has helped you on A2k, bless Von. Dutchy was the one that helped me.. It's great that with one click people are there for you, I like that about A2K.. I read your post last night and smiled, your sense of humor, prison language made me lightly giggle but that was until I read it was 3am lols.. Then I was thinking GO TO SLEEP

Will definitely PM you in time about some silly thing or the other that I don't want to share here Thanks for the offer.

Dutchy

The Eagle has landed So pleased you are home, Anna always spoils you but I know you spoil her back too, such a beautiful couple you are, although she takes the micky out of me as much as you do, but that's to be expected after all she's lived with you TOO LONG Spag Bol... No one does it better huh

Save some for the next door cat



Notice she is black? Yes, she. Watch it, I'm training her to be the Witches eyes

BAT OUT OF HELL!!!

Cherrie, there is something about that song huh? It's going to play in my head all day now. My brother actually met meat loaf when he was a teenager. He had attended his concert and was leaving the grounds and Meatloaf called him over to the fence.. No apparent reason, started chatting and gave him an autograph.. Made my Brother's day back then, as it would



I LOVE Shepherd's pie. Dutchy it's a bit like spag bol, Sturgis it has mash potato on top I'm a mashed potato freak though ....

ECHO





Took me a while to work out how to up-load from photo bucket myself, we're happy to help if you need it anyone.... But ECHO.. Pictures of our animals we can never get enough of.. Unfortunately, as you know, Bigsy the cat and Ruby the cocker spaniel are no longer with us, both gone with the last 4 months but then there is little Rawaii.... We got, 4 months ago... still a little **** zu

Long day today but should be good, 5 open inspections of homes for sale.. Gotta sell one more today... We went to Mitre 10, garden shop and outdoor centre, and picked an awesomely cheap gazebo.. We were going to sand back and varnish our outdoor settings but we don't have time with work and all and it would have cost 1/2 this price so we can afford this, and so, I need the sale to add in some comfy furniture to fit...I'm gonna do it toooo!!





Thinking the 4 seater and the bar table with 4 stools. Have 11 all together here for Xmas, so that should do it ...

(disclaimer - I am not advertising Mitre 10) I know no one there, no one, I swear....


Warm weather coming up yay!~

ERRORS

It's my day for being wrong Firstly, accusing our dearest Dutchy wrongly - yes, it WAS Sturgis who said to you
I stand corrected! (And I think the dress was just fine, Foundy, not too low at all).

Next - apologies to cherrie - I looked in a cookery book today when I was out shopping, and what did I see a recipe for? You've guessed it, meatloaf! I'm amazed - firstly that I've never heard of it, and secondly that I should find it today of all days, when I'd been talking of it earlier on First Word! Apparently it's made of minced meat (or ground beef as they seem to call it in America), and various other ingredients, then moulded into a loaf tin as cherrie said. Ah well, we live and learn!



and here's a young Meat Loaf



How is little Rawaiii now? Still a cone head or doesn't he need it now? Bless him, he always looks so cute in photographs.

Megan has a boyfriend! First dog she's wanted to play with since Harvey died in January. He's a little Boxer puppy - only three months old! He's smitten with her - plagued the life out of her until she gave in and started to play with him - amazed that, at nearly eleven, she still wants to run round and play, but F says she looks out for him when they go to the park - I guess she's been lonely without her brother.

He looks something like this -



I've been meaning to ask you - do you get a television programme called I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here? We get it on commercial television every autumn - supposed to be set in the Australian jungle! Jungle? Looks pretty dense vegetation, but not exactly jungle - but perhaps I'm wrong - yet again - not my day! Sigh!

MEAT LOAF

I have watched you talking about Meat Loaf over a number of posts and kept thinking we got this here because I have it sliced on my sandwiches. Then suddenly it hit me, we call it Leberkase here, literally translated as Livercheese. You can buy it from all small good sections in the Supermarts. It is from German origin and looks like this as a 'meat loaf'.

TEXTURE

Yours looks more like liver pate - which I love! Gorgeous smooth texture. It doesn't have the rather coarse texture of some of the meat loaves I've seen online. Mmm - we're all going to be experts in meatloafology before we're finished!

I googled it and Wilkipedia says -

About this sound Leberkäse (help·info) (German, literally means 'liver cheese'; is a specialty food found in the south of Germany, in Austria and parts of Switzerland, similar to bologna sausage. It consists of corned beef, pork, bacon and onions and is made by grinding the ingredients very finely and then baking it as a loaf in a bread pan until it has a crunchy brown crust.[/quote]

The ingredients sound similar to, but a bit more sophisticated than, the more mundane minced beef of the English meat loaf I saw in a recipe book today. I must make a version of meat loaf, but incorporate the ingredients of Leberkase in it - wow, bet it's delicious!

HEHE Von got a selected answer Hehe...

Dearest Danny, I also love Liver pate And, I thought you were Australian? (giggles) hey, I can take the micky out of you, you owe me like 3 or something by now, doing it to me xxxxxx

Grandbaby Glitter is 2 and a half. This child never forgets anything, and she's at the stage where she tells you stories about things that happened during the day. We sat with her about 2 weeks ago, and her parents find it almost impossible to get her to go to sleep. Rookies, rank rookies. I put her to bed at 7:45 and she fell asleep in 5 minutes. Young parents negotiate and plead with their children to cooperate, Grandmother Glitter expects children to behave. They will behave if you are the authority figure. I raised my son, 2 nephews (one was incredibly defiant unless he had to deal with Aunt Glitter) and the glitterbags are of the generation raised by parents who had no qualms whatsoever reminding us who was in charge, and neither do the Gbags. Don't get me wrong, we play games and grand dad helped her build a fort with our sofa cushions so we love it. But I expect age appropriate behaviour. My grandmother used to tell the story of when I was a 4 year old and discovered the power of tantrum. I would get under her dining room table and bang my head on the back. My mother would get so upset worried that I bash my tiny brains in, but my grandmother said, leave her alone, when it starts to hurt, she'll stop. My grandmother was a wise women. We lived in Iceland until I was about 4, I was the first child and I'm sure I got away with a ton of crap until we moved back to the States, my Grandmother set all that nonsense straight. And she was lovely, certainly not a harpy, just a tad more experienced and smarter than a four year old.

Aweee the terrible 2's Isn't it amazing how smart some of these little ones are...

That's true Glitter if you are too soft they don't listen but authority works I am trying this on my 2 year old (Maltese ****-zu) I'm not winning yet, may still have to take him to Puppy School, in all the years I have had pets they are all so well behaved, he listens but only to a couple of commands the rest, he ignores

It's a good combination, authority and love and games.. My Grandmother was my rock... Miss her even today.. As you should.

MORNING

Was surfing the net, looking up someone, as you do as an Admin/Mod... Came across some amazing rubbish from one poster, edging on men and she's married.. Why do women do that? Or maybe she isn't one really, found it interesting...

Today is Monday NOOOOOOOOO but, but, I think I have sold one property from the weekend YAY outdoor setting here we come

Weather if fining up, can't wait ... Bought some more plants, can't stop me at the moment until I am happy it all looks perfect for Christmas don't we go out of our way when it's our turn and people are coming over? My brain is in over time from ideas. Like loads of different vases with candles everywhere and herbs in them, to gluing candy sticks onto a round old bowl and then putting red roses into it Now that one I am doing

FROZEN

While the Australians carry on about lovely warm weather, I sit here wondering why there is a deep freeze here. It's 10 in the evening and a delightful 26 degrees Fahrenheit. Did not make it over the freeze line today and accompanied by a brutal gusting wind. Supposed to improve in upcoming days which should be nice for Thursday and the Thanksgiving people traveling about. I get a feeling this will be a hard winter in terms of cold. No idea on precipitation although it might be heavy since we have been in a dry spell now for a few months.

Not really adding anything here at present. Decent day, feel moderately good, wound care tomorrow and see what is what.

On the happy side, I was able to get my butternut squash! Yippee! A few years ago it was near impossible for me to locate. Actually, I didn't manage to locate it, gave up and waited several months then it reappeared. Made mention of it somewhere here on this site as well as a few others.

Okay, that's all for now...see there's an addition to the witch line. This does not seem fair to me and Dutchy. Not to worry though, it will all work out.

Say goodnight everybody.

Back later.

FORGOT

Did I write somewhere about a mark in the carpet Sturgis? Not sure. But I forgot to tell you that yes, that was a photo taken on the carpet where Mr Ruby passed... David and I immediately saw a love heart but couldn't capture it on the camera, looking closer I saw the shape of a head, ears, an eye, Ruby.. So did a few people that I showed, here in little Australia. Most bizarre but that's me huh warlock? How you knew if I didn't write that is beyond me, well not really...

You also never answered me as to whether you try wheat bags Cold hurts a lot of things on our body

What are you going to do with the butternut squash, I think we call it Pumpkin? Well a sort of pumpkin we have so many here in Aussie land, I think our mates from Australia here can confirm that .

PLEASE.

Oh lots of Witches, but you're safe, promise.

HEAD WITCH

EVENING all... Whoa 13hrs shift today, arms are not coping... Sleep will help.. David is cooking a chicken and chorizo pasta with "stuff" tonight, phew no cooking YAY.

Took Rawaii for a private walk, now teaching him to sit when we cross roads with treats, worked... Now to teach him we can shave him lols, OMG wish me luck.

I'm gunning for a good day tomorrow And, I'm wishing everyone the same. Till.

TIME

Where does it go to? Never seems to be enough of it. I'm an early riser - up by 6am every day - but I still don't have enough hours to complete everything I want to do. How about everybody else - do you all find your days are too short, or do you usually have time on you hands? (Not you, Foundy, I know you never have a spare moment!



Sturgis - butternut squash - don't know if I'm familiar with it. Pumpkin - is that the same or very different? I had pumpkin pie in an American cafe across here - bit bland, but pleasant enough. Very useful at Halloween, of course!



Glitterbag - you deserve a medal! Children terrify me! Snarling dogs or rearing horses, feral cats or angry geese - none of them hold any fears for me - but children! Help!



Dutchy - how are you now? Haven't seen much of you on First Word since you came back - don't be a stranger, Sturgis badly needs you!

How is the recovery coming along? Getting closer to your birthday and Christmas - I bet you'll be getting some extra special gifts this year - apart from going to see your son and his family!



Cherrie - don't vanish like Sturgis does, please. Lovely to see you here when you do come, and great to learn about Australia - looking forward to finding out more about such a great country.

Monica - how are you now? What happened at hospital - hope you aren't still in there! Do look after yourself.

Bill, Spades, et al - we're missing you.