I've just noticed the date of my post yesterday. I posted that on Friday, California time, yet Blogger "remembers" that I live in Australia and has used the date and time there. I'll go back and change that and will have to remember to change the date and time each time I post while I'm here. Or I could change the settings to West Coast time, but that might change all of my previous posts too. Hmm, better not to fool around with that.
I am not spending much time on blogging (as if you couldn't tell!) as although now I have access to Dad's computer, he has one of those ergonomic keyboards that causes pain in my arm and shoulder! So I'm keeping my time at the computer to a minimum and haven't been visiting many of your blogs. I'm sure you understand, but expect me to be back in full swing sometime in November. I don't have a set date for my return because I.................
am............
retired!!! Yippee! Still exulting!
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Friends across distance and time
Yesterday and today were important milestones in communicating with old and new friends.
Yesterday I met up with a woman I had been friends with in high school and had not seen since graduating in 1963. I had tried to find her on the internet a couple of times over the years, but only found her last year through a web page associated with her place of employment. We started corresponding, and when my plans for a visit to the U.S. were firming up, we made plans to meet. Laurie drove 4 hours to meet me and yesterday was the day! We had a long lunch, with lots of talking, with more emphasis on what we'd been doing since graduation than reminiscing about our high school years. I took that as a healthy sign of where we're at, and it was a thoroughly relaxed and enjoyable time together.
Today I had my first blogger buddy phone call. Sue lives 15 hours' flight time from where I live, but when we started talking it was like (warning: cliche coming up) we had known each other for years. I am not one for long phone calls usually but we would have talked for about 40 minutes. I could picture her face when talking to her, was happy to hear that her hubby has recovered so well from his op, and knew that when we had to end the call and I looked at my watch that, yep, she needed to pick up the grandkids. Our blogs let us share the little things in life and feel, as Sue put it, the "connection".
Long live the internet!
Yesterday I met up with a woman I had been friends with in high school and had not seen since graduating in 1963. I had tried to find her on the internet a couple of times over the years, but only found her last year through a web page associated with her place of employment. We started corresponding, and when my plans for a visit to the U.S. were firming up, we made plans to meet. Laurie drove 4 hours to meet me and yesterday was the day! We had a long lunch, with lots of talking, with more emphasis on what we'd been doing since graduation than reminiscing about our high school years. I took that as a healthy sign of where we're at, and it was a thoroughly relaxed and enjoyable time together.
Today I had my first blogger buddy phone call. Sue lives 15 hours' flight time from where I live, but when we started talking it was like (warning: cliche coming up) we had known each other for years. I am not one for long phone calls usually but we would have talked for about 40 minutes. I could picture her face when talking to her, was happy to hear that her hubby has recovered so well from his op, and knew that when we had to end the call and I looked at my watch that, yep, she needed to pick up the grandkids. Our blogs let us share the little things in life and feel, as Sue put it, the "connection".
Long live the internet!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
A MIL story
It was such a wrench seeing the MWC and MIL drive off yesterday (in addition to worrying about them finding their way across the Bay Bridge and to the airport - the MWC does NOT have a sense of direction!). They are both such good companions and I think we made a jolly threesome.
MIL is really amazing for her 84 years, she is very outward-looking, interested in other people and places, and is especially interested in history. It's so easy to have conversations with her as she's always interested in what other people have to say as well as being able to tell a good story herself.
I have to tell one MIL story now, it became our theme for the rest of our trip together. Last Friday night we decided to go to Nob Hill to a couple of the fancy hotels for drinks and then dinner. Started at the Mark Hopkins Hotel and went to their bar "Top of the Mark" which has the most superb views of the city. MIL wanted to try a different cocktail from her usual gin and tonic, and she rather fancied the one with gin AND vodka, garnished with berries. But it was the name that was the decider: it was called The Hanky Panky. We had a bit of a giggle about this, especially when ordering it from the waiter. It turned out to be delicious, according to MIL, and had rather an impact on her. So when we started talking about where we were going to go for dinner, we were considering a few places at the Fairmont Hotel, just across the street. At this point, the MWC came up with a statement that was rather ordinary ("Well they're sure to have at least a very nice coffee shop"), at which MIL and I looked aghast. But MIL indignantly said "After having a hanky panky I'm NOT going to any bloody coffee shop!!" This tickled us no end, and of course we did not eat in a coffee shop but in a very nice restaurant in the sumptuously restored Fairmont Hotel. I may go back to try a hanky panky myself, but it just wouldn't be the same without MIL and the MWC.
The two weeks away together were such a success that we've planning another trip soon, but not traveling so far! We're thinking about Tasmania or New Zealand when it gets warmer.
MIL is really amazing for her 84 years, she is very outward-looking, interested in other people and places, and is especially interested in history. It's so easy to have conversations with her as she's always interested in what other people have to say as well as being able to tell a good story herself.
I have to tell one MIL story now, it became our theme for the rest of our trip together. Last Friday night we decided to go to Nob Hill to a couple of the fancy hotels for drinks and then dinner. Started at the Mark Hopkins Hotel and went to their bar "Top of the Mark" which has the most superb views of the city. MIL wanted to try a different cocktail from her usual gin and tonic, and she rather fancied the one with gin AND vodka, garnished with berries. But it was the name that was the decider: it was called The Hanky Panky. We had a bit of a giggle about this, especially when ordering it from the waiter. It turned out to be delicious, according to MIL, and had rather an impact on her. So when we started talking about where we were going to go for dinner, we were considering a few places at the Fairmont Hotel, just across the street. At this point, the MWC came up with a statement that was rather ordinary ("Well they're sure to have at least a very nice coffee shop"), at which MIL and I looked aghast. But MIL indignantly said "After having a hanky panky I'm NOT going to any bloody coffee shop!!" This tickled us no end, and of course we did not eat in a coffee shop but in a very nice restaurant in the sumptuously restored Fairmont Hotel. I may go back to try a hanky panky myself, but it just wouldn't be the same without MIL and the MWC.
The two weeks away together were such a success that we've planning another trip soon, but not traveling so far! We're thinking about Tasmania or New Zealand when it gets warmer.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Hubby and MIL are on their way back to OZ...
...sniff! I'm feeling a bit lost. It was so much fun, and I will eventually get around to posting about it, as well as making a slideshow. We had the most wonderful weather, saw so many things, ATE SO MUCH! In fact, I'm now off to do a walk with my brother to work off some of the calories.
Thanks to everyone who has looked in at my blog and commented. I was feeling quite cut off from my blogger buddies but will now have better access to the internet, now that I'm staying at my parents' place. I'll catch up eventually!
Thanks to everyone who has looked in at my blog and commented. I was feeling quite cut off from my blogger buddies but will now have better access to the internet, now that I'm staying at my parents' place. I'll catch up eventually!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
San Francisco update
Hi everyone! I'm using an internet cafe for the first time, and it's a nice walk from where we're staying. We are having a wonderful time, the weather has been beautiful, and the accommodation... well, have a look at that photo from the previous post, and it doesn't do it justice. It is so comfy and convenient and beautiful. I've been keeping a diary of what we've been doing every day, but I think if I do put it online I'll have a separate blog for it, with numerous photos, or maybe do one of those slideshows. But that'll have to wait until I get back, I think.
I hope you are all well!
I hope you are all well!
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Going offline for a while
Tomorrow my husband, MIL and I are off to San Francisco for a holiday. Tuesday, October 3rd is our 35th wedding anniversary, and we plan to go to the spot in the hills above Berkeley where we were married.We are renting the bottom floor of one of those gorgeous Victorian houses (click on this link to see more photos and info) on a hill in San Francisco for two weeks. Hubby and MIL will return to Melbourne then but I will stay on for another 2 or 3 weeks. It will be a new experience, not having to be back by a certain date to go back to work. Oh, how I am enjoying being retired!
I don't know when I'll be posting again as I won't have much access to the internet, especially during the first two weeks of October, but do please visit my blog again in November. Hopefully though I'll be able to get in a post in the second half of October - we'll see.
Take care, everyone!
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