Hewitts

Are you still out there?

Re Back issues   I live in Sydney, Australia and if there is anyone in my neck of the woods who would like about 50 back copies free, let me know

Hewitts is excellent, and I have no words to express how much I enjoyed our morning at Bondi Beach!  (quote) Well SB when are you coming back down under so we can do it again!  Hoping to do a trip in 2007, so moules et frites at your beach or fish and chips at Bondi which ever comes first.  Meanwhile email me how you and your lovely family are. I have also met the lovely Elaine of "Grannys" in Provence and Peter of the Languedoc page.  So for a down under forum member I am not doing too bad!       

Will someone put in the FAQ section a step by step procedure for posting photos into message posts.   Thanks[ :)]

No this is not a stupid question.  Flies are the most annoying thing about an Australian summer,  I think we are the most fly bown Country in the world.  I think the most sensible thing to do is fit fly screens, and I am posisting a do it yourself link.  Of course it uses Australia names and equipment in its discription, but any DIY handy person will get the guist. Security lockable fly screen door fitted  along side your external doors are the answer.  They can be locked at night and you have the security and the breeze. Not sure if you can get them, but by the numbers  form members posting that they are driven mad by flies and mosies I think this could be a good business opportunity for someone with a bit of initiative, come to think of it door to door salesperson.  Sorry couldn't resist that. There's no flies on me!  Well its Winter init! http://www.bunnings.com.au/site/files

 I have just read an article in today's paper which struck a cord with me, having just spent three weeks in Western Australia on holiday with a couple from Bedford and another couple from Wales (living there for a long time, born in England). "People may hate national stereotypes but the fact is that all of the Englishmen I meet - including those who I like - whinge.  They winge about the taste of the beer, the temperature of the beer, the price of the beer and the size of the glasses in which the beer is served.  I notice that this doesn't lessen the huge volumes of beer they drink. and they aren't happy about a number of other things apart from the beer, too, but unforunately I'm only writing a magazine article, not a 75,000 work book." Barry Divola - Sunday Life - The Sun-Herald Magazine Our three weeks holiday was spent listening to it's too hot, it's too cold, it's too expensive, there is too much on the plate,  ad nauseum.  We loved Western Australia but we were glad to get home, we'll go back on our own someday.  We have known the couple from Wales for forty years or more, but for some reason they now could winge for England and the other couple, I just won't go there or I'll be writing a book.    

But Wen aren't we also thought of as wearing corks on our hats,  and lying on Bondi Beach all year round, heavy drinkers, sports mad um come to think of it tomorrow is Anzac Day, we are off to the beach, will have a barbie, drink some beer and wine, don't know about the corks on the hat, give me some aeroguard anyday, but will probably watch some footy!!!

Friends of ours have tradional farmhouse in Dordogne with swimming pool, farmhouse sleeps 6 - 8, converted barn sleeps 4.  Nearest village Rouffignac.  Email me for full English contact details. Available May, June and one week in July and one week in September

[&] I don't know the answer to this one other than it takes time for things to change. I have lived in my suburb of Sydney for 30 years and when we first moved in, it was the fashion to have huge dogs mostly Afgan Hounds; go to work; open the front gate and leave them out all day until you return in the evening.  Our house has the only nature strip (strip of grass) and of course I spent everyday removing dog shit. There was even a shop selling a Tshirt with "Balmain Dog Shit capitol of the world" on the front. I am not sure why or when things began to improve.  Certainly after I threatened people with scooping it up and putting it outside their houses helped and the time I threatened the local real estate agency responsible for letting a house two doors up to tenants with two german shepherds, who were specifically bought down the street to the grass to perform every morning before they went to work. I told the real estate agency they either did something about it or I would put it on the doorstep of their shop.  "You can't do that" "Watch me". In our suburb and all over Sydney there are now collection boxes in parks with plastic bags supplied and fewer and fewer dogs on the street, but as I say this has been a slow turn turnaround over 30 years. It is now unlawful with a reasonably heavy fine to have a dog loose on the street, if picked up and no collar it is taken to the "dog pound", if walking a dog on a public footpath it must be on a lead. The turnaround must have been a result of complaints from residents, parents using playgrounds, which are now mostly fenced off, to prevent dogs with or without owners, getting too close to the equipment to deposit their little parcels and also a general case of being more environmentally aware. Attitude comes into play here too and there is a great Australian saying when decribing something difficult "it's like pushing shit up a hill with a stick" and I think the expression could well be applied to the current sistuation you are all talking about in France.  If everyone who is upset about it starts picking it up, like I did so many years ago, others in your village, hamlet might follow your trend and general awwareness builds that it is not environmentally friendly to leave it, and who knows in 30 years you too may be dog shit free.  I should be lucky  to live that long I hear you say. [:)]      

 Whilst visiting the world ice skating championships in San Francisco where we had all event tickets we were seated next to a Canadian couple who had a daughter the same age and the girls got friendly.  After the event they corresponded and my daughter went to stay with the family in Rocky Mountain House.   During her stay she visited the University of Calgary where the daughter was studying.  In the common room a girl came up to her and said I think I know you.  I was an exchange student at your school in Sydney last year!   After my daughter returned to Sydney, and the Canadian girl had spent a holiday here, she sent us a letter from Canada telling Imogen how one day at Uni she heard an Australian accent.   She asked the girl do you know Imogen Hewitt.  Bearing in mind the size of Australia, the distance from Canada and likelihood of this girl knowing my daughter imagine the surprise.  Yes I do I train at the same ice rink.  Turned out this girl was on a scholarship as a speed skater and trained with my daughter who at the time was quite a good figure skater!!   On the same trip we visited the Grand Cannon.  Leaning over the rails to oh and ah at the view guess who was walking past but the girls’ head mistress from Sydney who had been on a conference!!!   So yes indeed it is a small world and getting smaller!

[quote user="Alcazar"] <<She phoned him at home - and her first words of the conversation were "where are you">> Ha! My wife once got lost, and even had a mapbook with her. She phoned me, desribed what she could see, and asked, "where am I ?" I kid you not Alcazar   [:$] Oh I can relate to that , so him indoors thought he would buy one of those GPS jizzmos for me so that I couldn't lost.  Of course it is in his car and has been since purchase and he now spends entire journeys shouting at it  that it is going the wrong way.  So now I am still lost because if you don't know where you are what is the use of a street map! and the GPS thingo is in his car where it has become his new boys toy entertaining him endless as he trys to trick it every step of the way by insisting on going the way he would have gone anyway!!!  [/quote]

[:)] It took a couple of urgent emails but have a new password and am back.  I particularly like the difference in loading speed, it was so slow before and that was with broadband, goodness knows the frustration level of those with dialup used to be. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New year from Eleanor in Sydney [:D]  

[quote]In my (sheltered) life I have yet to meet an American (or an Australian for that matter) who can speak English but I suppose there is a first for everything. John not[/quote] Yeh well like everyone in the UK speaks good English like don't they!

I have been reading this thread with interest and have decided I must be thick or perhaps it is because I live upside down in Oz. I understand the scams about send me your banking details and you will received a million dollars, but how are these phoney bookings trying to get your money if they have to pay you for accommodation? I wonder if they ever do get someone to send their bank details, I suppose you never hear about it because the participant would be sooo embarrassed to have fallen for it.

Well all I can say is "Good on 'yer" Lynda and Richard. I think you are very brave, and full of the "get up and go" which I have learnt to love about Australia and Australians.