yes christmas does have a way of doing that doesn't it! I don't have much planned but even without much on it often takes me by surprise.
Cate's Diary
- Thread starter Cate
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Cate
Long term member
Hi, Llama & Liza. I had a strong reaction to fragrance yesterday( including a diffuser) in town & will have to stay home for a couple of days to recover. I think I will have to wear a mask from now on, whenever I am in an enclosed space. I thought I would see how I was this morning but just texted an apology for lunch today.
It’s cold here this morning. Where is summer?
It’s cold here this morning. Where is summer?
overlandflyer
Well-known member
hope you don't mind a geographic question, and i'm well aware that these are three separate countries, but is there any way, as in a world perspective, you guys refer to Australia, New Zealand & Tasmania as a group?
oh that sucks. Hope you recover quickly.Sounds like you are having the kind of spring/summer we had this past year...ours was cold and wet and I didn't know when to plant the warm-loving plants and then didn't bother as it was so odd and off!It’s cold here this morning. Where is summer?
Cate
Long term member
I'm getting there, thanks Llama. A couple of days at home, breathing in our crisp, cold air is really helping.
I don't mind at all, Flyer. You probably know as much about our geography as I know about the US. I think most Americans assume we know what the abbreviations for each state are, but in truth, I have to look them up almost every time. I remember my BIL (in Baltimore) showing me a "World Atlas" that was almost all of the US, with about 30 pages for the rest of the world. We didn't study American history or geography when I was in high school. I loathed British history. We should have been studying our own history in-depth & then maybe there would not be so much racism towards our first nations people.
Sorry, I got up on my soapbox then.
Tasmania isn't a country, it's an island state of Australia, but we talk about ourselves as being Tasmanian first & foremost, rather than Australian. Anyone would be easily mistaken to think it was another country. We "go to the mainland" & many people say, only partly in jest, "Oh, you're from Australia." I feel very much Tasmanian, although I wasn't born here. I have lived here for almost 37 years. When customers in our bar used to say "Oh, you're not from here. You're not Tasmanian." I would retort that I was Tasmanian & I chose to live here. Australians don't really feel that they are grouped with New Zealand, although most of us have a soft spot for New Zealanders & used to be able to travel backwards & forwards more freely between the 2 countries. Historically the 2 countries were allied in war. We also have a soft spot for Canada. We actually haven't ever been to NZ as we always felt it would be very much like here in Tasmania, but we might one day.
I'm definitely getting there, thanks, Liza xo
I don't think I mind really, so long as we do get some summer sometime. It is weird though.
I only got about 5 hours sleep last night & watched the Morocco/France semi-final at 6 am this morning. Morocco played really well & I feel it's a bit of a shame they didn't get through. The final will be very exciting & we will get up at 2 am on Monday, our time to watch it. Messi is the most skilful football player I have ever seen.
I managed 2 walks with Arch(picked up some lemons & banana passionfruit from a neighbour up the other end of the street & 2 chats with R, our younger son, had a delivery of a couple of Christmas presents & have been pottering about doing some housework in instalments. I have enjoyed the day. I'm quite happy with how the hampers are going. I keep finding things & adding them.
overlandflyer
Well-known member
thanks for the info... probably the most interesting part... yes, i bet if you asked most people here, they'd likely say Tasmania is a country... sure does look that way on most maps. about the group thing... i suppose it's that ... at least what i remember being taught, that Australia and Antarctica are the only continents that only contain one county. here we can talk about North America... Canada, the US and Mexico. though i have a feeling if plate tectonics were discovered earlier, continents would be better off defined by those boundaries. would be weird to think that SoCal wouldn't be a part of the rest of the U.S., though ...
Oh that does sound like a very lovely day!
I really enjoyed reading about Tasmania. Agreed on what should be taught in history lessons! It's sad to see racism so rampant. Even one of my colleagues who lived in Australia for a while made very racist remarks about the indigenous people there. Granted, she didn't have a good experience with the ones she met, but I guess it's sad how quickly casual racism can spread. She didn't know any better, I think.
overlandflyer
Well-known member
my first job was as a golf caddy and unlike Caddyshack, the movie, the biggest difference at my club were the caddys... they sure weren't all white teenagers... in fact i was a minority. so i'm glad that at a very early age (14) i learned that good caddys as well as the lazy a**holes i hated being out on the course with came in all ages, shapes, and colors.
Cate
Long term member
Thanks, Llama, Flyer, Liza & Em.
I think I'm still half asleep, after having a good catch-up sleep last night. I think I only woke once & slept for 8 hours.
We're going to lunch today with A/M & I/T so that M gets to know T a bit better before our trip away next March. I'm so glad to have made a new friend in T. She's such fun & so caring. Also, her husband is lovely. It's always good when you really like both people in a couple.
I think I'm still half asleep, after having a good catch-up sleep last night. I think I only woke once & slept for 8 hours.
We're going to lunch today with A/M & I/T so that M gets to know T a bit better before our trip away next March. I'm so glad to have made a new friend in T. She's such fun & so caring. Also, her husband is lovely. It's always good when you really like both people in a couple.
So good to have nights like that!
Oh yeah for sure--so good to get on well with both of them!
Cate
Long term member
Thanks, Llama & Liza. We had a pleasant few hours, but the meal was ordinary & we were almost the only ones there, which was weird so close to Christmas. After running a small country pub for 18 years I can't say I'm a big fan of them these days. The lunch achieved the purpose of M getting to know T a bit better. They're very different, but that's ok. M was a tad grumpy I thought.
The pub also had a strong cleaning smell & it didn't do me much good, although I did have another good night's sleep. I'm going to go to the market this morning but will stay outside & take Arch.
The pub also had a strong cleaning smell & it didn't do me much good, although I did have another good night's sleep. I'm going to go to the market this morning but will stay outside & take Arch.
Cate
Long term member
That thought hadn't even entered my head. I mentioned what you said to my sister & she said she wouldn't be surprised. I like sharing my friends & want them to get along. T is more like me. We get along like a house on fire. I'm not going to overthink this, but you may be right & M may be used to my undivided attention.
I had a really lovely time at the market. It was very sociable & I got lots of shopping done. I got the perfect park in a shady corner under a tree near everything so could leave Arch in the car (after walking him around first ) with the windows down enough to leave him in short bursts & take my shopping back each time & he had lots of social interaction with other dogs & kids. I caught up with some nice people including a couple of my favourite women from golf. We now don't have to go shopping again for any presents & we have enough food to last until later in the week.
G had a lovely day at golf & played well, so it was a good day.
Sorry to hear the smells were at it again. I could see M being grumpy about "having to" socialize with someone she doesn't know well in order to spend time with you, even though that wasn't at all what your goal was. I try to be good about meet-ups that include people I don't really know yet but I need "safe" meet-ups in between in order to be able to stay relaxed. Bad introvert habit, probably, but the brain needs what it needs.
Cate
Long term member
You do make it sound compulsory, Llama, which of course it wasn't. We visited M & asked her if she thought it would be a nice thing to do so that she could get to know T before we share a house for a week. It just didn't work out great, mainly because of the way everyone sat. I had to lean forward & around T to actually talk to M, so it was awkward. It's done now & probably wasn't such a good idea.
I had a really nice day yesterday but G & I are going to spend today at home maybe doing some gardening. The place really needs brush cutting.
I had a really nice day yesterday but G & I are going to spend today at home maybe doing some gardening. The place really needs brush cutting.
That does sound like a really good day!
That's too bad it didn't work out super ideally but it does sound good for everyone to meet before sharing a house for a week. Could have just been an off day for M, or the circumstances or whatever that made her a bit grumpy...hopefully it won't necessarily mean they won't get on well sharing space for a week.