First Word -

WELCOME

Welcome back, Dutchy. So good to see you again. Great to see your name on almost every games thread today - feels 'right' again! Back where you belong!





Foundy is the witchiest witch on the planet - look how she was able to solve all your broadband problems in one fell swoop! Just one wave of her magic wand, a few words over the cauldron, and voila - solution at her fingertips! So now your fingertips can stay busy as you dart from one thread to another at rapid pace.





Health update please! How are you now - lots better I hope?



Thank you for your good wishes for February - I can't pretend I'm looking forward to yet another operation, the other one is still too fresh in my memory, and OUCH that BIG needle in my face - sigh - but I'll be glad when it's done. I do hate needles - makes me wonder how on earth people can have tattoos - yikes!



Glitterbag - soooooo good to see you on First Word. Hit the Road Jack - one of my favourites - takes me back in time - happy days!



Children and grandchildren - sounds as if you're in for a fun Christmas! Glad the maternal grandmother problem has been sorted out!

RETURNS

I see Dutchy has returned. Thanks Foundy for your part in this as well.

Need to collect my thoughts and decide on tomorrow, sloppy weather (snow) expected midday. Argh!

Back later...

VERY

Grrrrrr HA! Anyways, just quickly, must go and sell some homes, hopefully!!!!

Thanks you two x

Now don't miss me if I am not here until I CAN GET my INTERNET working again ..... Just at my office... but I won't be back here for 2 days...

Hoping it's the Internet people and be back before...............otherwise, have a fantastic couple of days

x

Thank you Vonny for your awesome welcome back post, feel somewhat guilty now that Foundy is having similar communication problems. If I could drive I would go over and fix the problem, alas my driver's licence has been suspended because of my health problems.

Not doing to badly health wise, feel good within myself but still have problems walking as I run very quickly out of breath. ok around the house but outside is a different story, Determined to make it to Port Lincoln though over Christmas to be with my family. Airline has promised me assistance with a porter with wheelchair and hoist to assist me to board the aeroplane, so I feel confident we'll make it. Can't miss out on all that delicious sea-food can I now? LOL

Weather getting a bit warmer here, looking forward to some days in the high 30's and 40 degrees on Thursday. The English cricketers are experiencing similar temperatures during the second test being played in Perth (WA) presently.

Waves from downunder.

CRICKET

Better not mention it! I don't follow it avidly - thank goodness - if I did I'd probably weep! Ah well, we can always use the weather as an excuse for doing badly! Glad you've been able to enjoy it though!

Yes, poor Foundy - what did you do to her broadband? The poor girl was posting away merrily - goes over to see you and solve your problem - and as fast as you can say abracadabra --- YOU have broadband and she doesn't? A straight swap. Something witchy there - have you been pinching her broom and cauldron?

No driving licence because of health reasons? Tell the truth, you boy racer! You've been secretly pelting round the streets at 150mph - only caught because a traffic camera snapped you one dark night - aha ..... banned for an indefinite length of time.

As for getting assistance to go to Port Lincoln - OOOh Dutchy - you can walk perfectly well - I saw you running round the block yesterday - but you want the drama of being hoisted onto an aeroplane and met by porters - let's face it, you are a closet drama queen! (Aren't we all!)

Weather getting warmer - bah humbug - you can't have hot weather at Christmas - Santa would suffocate in his big red robes, and what about robins in the snow, building snowmen, sledging down hills? (sigh - gosh, I wish we were looking forward to a hot Christmas ........... )

Waves from upover

Giggles never fear foundy is here all be it via mobile phone nothing would stop me from saying hi... Hi ..hi..Hi. . we believe mr naughty boy rawaii may have chewed the cord. Will be changing that when we get home so fingers crossed

WRONG AGAIN
Vonny I genuinely lost my licence because my Doctor recommended it because of my inability to walk. Me a speed maniac, never, I used to be a cop for 38 years and did all the chasing.

And don't call me a drama queen, my needs are genuine, ask Foundy she'll verify my condition. If I was fully fit I would certainly visit the UK once more and call upon you and Izzie from the "Yabber Liner"

Spare a thought for your cricketing Country men in Perth vonny, it's 10.30am there presently and already 41 degrees! They'll be drinking plenty of that cold Aussie beer I can tell you.

Wow Foundy what an effort of being here, well done, but blaming poor Rawaii for the breakdown in communications is a bit much. Glad you have a beautiful day for your family's Christmas gathering. We'll have a coffee at a foreshore coffee place shortly and do a bit of bird watching.

Waves to all from downunder.

Omg you just told the world you are a cop lols. Lols . I know you have stories a bit like me with being a Pi and mod the things we have caught in our p.ast. Who cares now in this part of our lives And. .... pfttttttt don't tell my sister off xx

Well I bet it works and the puppyyy did eat!!!!! Please don't let me eat my words

JOKING

Oh dear, does my English sense of humour come across all wrong? Sorry!!!

I know you've been very very ill, dear Dutchy, and that you can't walk properly. I get over not being able to walk by making stupid jokes about it Obviously not a good idea in your case - again, sorry

I KNOW you would never speed - and that you were a policeman for many years - quite an important one too, I believe.

I AM a bit of a drama queen - well, it helps me get through pain and so on - I find it better to 'ham it up' a bit, rather than think too hard - guess I shouldn't joke about other people being anything like me!

You must know I think the world of you Dutchy - you helped me for a couple of years on the crossword puzzling threads before guiding me across here at the beginning of this year - I'm one of your biggest fans - ask Foundy!

Hey Foundy, Rawaii is a typical little pup - little horror. Hope you get your cord replaced soon.

Hi Vonny of course I appreciate your sense of humour I'm only giving you back a little of mine, no need to apologise.

Of course I make silly remarks too for not being able to walk and Anna having to drive me everywhere, only way to keep your spirits up.

I'm wondering if I will ever keep my coffee date with Foundy, I feel so guilty as she has been so marvellous for me the whole year, a truly sincere friend.

Now this week I have Hospital appointments every day, all check ups to see if my body is still working properly. So lucky I live almost next to the Hospital, Anna just drops me off and collects me afterwards when I call her on my mobile phone, avoiding all the parking problems.

The rest of the time I'll be sitting outside in the sun doing my favourite Lovatts and other puzzles, just can't leave them alone.

Thank you for your kind words about me Vonny, you're sweet!

Waves from downunder.

TIME

How on earth do you find time to do crossword puzzles AND play word games, AND post on First Word and Yabber Liner ........... ? I've hardly touched a crossword book since I 'came across' to A2K. But you've spurred me on, I might go out and buy myself BIG or Colossus to do over Christmas.



Coffee date with Foundy? Of course you'll keep it, Dutchy. Just have faith in yourself - not easy after all you've been through, but you'll get there in the end. A beachside restaurant sounds so good - you must take photographs when you are there - post them on First Word and let us share ...... lucky you - wish I still lived near to the sea!



Wow, you do have a lot of hospital appointments lined up. As you say, it's handy that you don't live far away. What are parking costs like in Australian hospital car parks? In England they are usually pretty high - doesn't seem fair when some people attend for treatment daily, or visit friends and relatives. It's good that Anna can drop you off and pop back home.

UNFAIR!

Completely unfair there I say! As I clicked on this thread my thought was to use the word TIME. Then I saw Vonny had already grabbed it.

Tired. Cold. Sleepy. Itchy. Bitchy. (like that's a newsflash ) Some darn fool put chia seeds in the blueberry yogurt.
Seeds! Can you imagine the idiocy of this? I am not supposed to eat all those seeds. This goes back to at least 2006 when I was warned against them.

Do I always listen? Sort of. If there are sesame seeds on a roll, I scrape most off. Occasionally a knife is used to slice off all of them at once.
Eggplant (aubergine) is infested with seeds, not too much a trouble though since they are all centered and easy to carve out. Same as is done with a cucumber. Tomatoes are a bit dicey. Actually dicing is the best way to handle the tomato. Seeds are about in nearly everything but in yogurt? And chia seeds? Those idiot things which create those absurd Chia-pet and chia-head gift things found in discount stores? What are they attempting to do, create a chia-stomach? Not mine thank you very much!

So I ate the walnuts which were with the blueberry yogurt.
Oh don't look alarmed, The seeds and walnuts were in a compartment apart from the alleged blueberry yogurt. Personally, I did not see a blueberry in there and had to mix it with another container which did have blueberries.

Blueberries are known for helping maintain a youthful appearance. (lord knows how bad I'd look if it weren't for them.

Pain became tolerable, itch somewhat tolerable. More wound caring tomorrow and a doctor on Wednesday. Should be interesting.

Snowed yesterday and stayed brutally cold most of the day. Wait, it remained brutally cold the entire day and into the evening. Then the familiar sound of ice pelting the windows and then the temperature crept up out of the low to mid 20's and into the 30s. Now up to a sweltering 39 degrees (Fahrenheit as always). Nice thing is most of that snow and ice get to vanish quicker.

Vonny, about your surgical date, keep in mind that the 13th is to me at least just about the best day of the month. Love 13s. My niece, my aunt, countless others I know, all born on the 13th. My niece was Friday the 13th and she grew up into a sweet, charming and beautiful young lady. The aunt was born on the 13th in the year 1913. Clearly 13 is very good to people. You will not be an exception to this, your procedure will go very well. (a positive frame of mind might be what really helps you, more than my gibberish about a number. Although, numbers are very important to us all.)

Have a few errands to tend to. (clean laundry might be interesting).

Hope all are well and minding our leader the Boss Mr.Dutchy.


Back later...

Love. ...

I can feel the love...

Bought the wrong cord, too short lols. Will be going back to the shop and find a longer one and see if that is the solution; ) soooooo still on mobile. .

Coffee... dutchy I do what I do because I want too but, we WILL have COFFEE rome wasn't built in a day

Morning all. Von miss ya. Sturgis wish I could stop the itching but don't you hate buying something that isn't what it is meant to be! !!

Glitter I haven't forgotten hopefully be back properly later today

SUPERFOOD

I'd never heard of Chia seeds before you mentioned them today - wow, sounds as if you have a seriously bad reaction to them.

I googled them to see just what they were, and came across a report by the BBC in March, 2012, saying that in the UK, the seeds are only currently allowed for sale as a bread ingredient, but over the next few weeks, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes is poised to allow chia seeds in a wide variety of products including baked goods, breakfast cereals and nut and seed mixes.



Another item about them was in the Huffington Post, dated June 2013, saying the little seed — which comes in either white or a dark brown and black colour — also has a huge nutritional profile. It contains calcium, manganese, and phosphorus, and is a great source of healthy omega-3 fats. As an added benefit, chia seeds can be eaten whole or milled, while flax seeds have to be ground before consumption in order to access their health benefits.



I must keep an eye out for them - add them to butternut squash on my shopping list

Blueberries? Well, at least I am familiar with them. Delicious - but they do stain the lips somewhat.



I have mixed feelings about the 13th - common sense decrees that it isn't any better or worse than any other day of the month, but one inherits these fears and suspicions, and my mother was seriously triskaidekaphobic. I think some of her anxiety about the number filtered its way down to me! Plus the fact that I have one friend who is so afraid of it that she stays indoors and will not go anywhere or take any non essential decisions on that date.



I am trying not to think about the operation - I've only just got over the one I had in April! I've had more than my fair share of operations - four years of them on one leg - but no way can I recall a needle like the one they stuck in the side of my face - ouch! That really hurt! Oops, mustn't think of it ..........

Our weather has been unusually mild again today - 52 degrees F - rare for this time of year. But it's all set to change midweek - high wind and torrential rain is due to hit us - again! Just in time for Christmas? Have to wait and see. And temperatures set to plummet - back to normal then!

chia seeds...

I mix them with juice in the mornings.

sometimes.

they are kinda weird...

They sound rather good - I'm always on the lookout for new 'superfoods' - not to be faddy, but for good health! I eat loads of fruit and vegetables, but I get bored with them - same old, same old Seeds seem to be lacking from my diet. I must see if the chia seeds are being sold in English supermarkets or health food shops.

LOVE

Hit the Road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.... !!

Sounds like some Grandmother is IN LOVE Gia is a beautiful name and little ones give us so much joy, I still remember my niece she will be 18 in a few days, I still remember the little white princess dress I bought her, she loved it... They were all in my wedding as well, as little ones, thankfully I think they won't remember !

I never knew you had a dog also called Ruby.. Still miss our boy, it's only been a couple of months, but Rawaii makes up for it with the smiles and kisses, speaking of Rawaii

HE DID IT!!!
IT WAS HIM!!!
HE CHEWED THE CORD!!!

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful Story Glitter, I think your post got bi-passed waiting for me to reply which was darn hard to consider via a mobile phone ...

Hope this work out well for you now and you get to see the little one as you should, often...

Some catching up to do huh on my side as well

GLAD TO BE BACK!

CORD

Good to see you back Foundy - glad that you managed to isolate the source of your communication problems - in other words, Rawaii! Little horror! But I guess that's what puppies do - chew cords!



Hit the Road Jack has, for some unknown reason, given me another 'ear worm' - I keep hearing Love Shack - do you remember it?



Glitterbag - do you have two dogs, Ruby and Sophie? And is the Weimaraner in your avatar one of them? Beautiful dogs.



Hi Cherrie - how are you getting on with your garden - finished clearing it yet? Dutchy, I think, mentioned a bushfire - I do hope you haven't got any near you. It must be a constant worry in extremely hot weather - and it sounds as if it's pretty hot over there at the present time. Our garden is covered in leaves at the moment - all the trees seem to have dropped theirs at once. Wet leaves too - it's raining heavily right now.



Sturgis - you just had to mention butternut squash on one of the threads, didn't you I'd decided to forgo it for a while (we've had so much of it lately), but seeing it in front of me when I went to post - well, just had to add it to my shopping list. I'm still waiting for a reply to my query about what other kind of squash to try - there seem to be several. Not sure what type I saw in the supermarket, but it looked very similar to the butternut, and it was organic - might try it today.



Dutchy - how are our cricketers getting on over there? Almost scared to ask. It sounds as if the heat has been too much for them? I'm not really a fan of competitive cricket - to me it is still a quiet and pleasant little game played on village greens at weekends - I don't really care who wins as long as it's a good game and the players are good sports!

AWEEE

OMG that looks just like Rawaii, including the little bit where they cut his hair. Though Rawaii is a bittt bigger now and his hair falls over his face, must attend to seeing if he will let "someone" cut it.. Has a problem with his face being touched! Thanks Von... Yep, little ****....Zu cross Maltese bub, did it

MORNING .... ALL

ARTHUR

Thirty years ago on this day a sweet little cat came into the world. He was accompanied by 3 others who went elsewhere. He came to stay with me and was named Arthur.

With this in mind, the food for today should include garlic and liverwurst among other things as he loved these foods.

Arthur departed from here and headed to the Mouse and Bird Catching Haven in 2002 when he was only 18 years and some odd months. No other cat has captured my heart since (although a few have tried and even came close).

I think this shirt says it all (thanks to Mark Twain):


More to say, need to go for now, glad Foundy has the wires back (I think she chews the wires and then blames the innocent Rawaii...must find photos as proof!)

Back later