Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year To All.

Post 386 ~ ~ ~ Monday, 31st December, 2007.

Hi Everyone ~~ I hope all is well with you all and that you are having
a restful end to 2007. We have only 5 hours left of 2007, so we will
soon be into the New Year. I hope it will be a very Happy, Healthy
and Prosperous one for us all.

I have spent a few hours cooking a leg of lamb with roast vegies and
beans and a great way to cook cauliflower and broccoli that my 'chef'
grand-daughter, Kate taught me. You boil the two vegies until almost
ready to serve. Remove from saucepans and place them in a casserole
or large dish. Make some white sauce and pour over them. Then grate
some cheese on top and bake in oven a few minutes to brown a little.

My carer lady came today as Tuesday is a holiday, so the house is tidy
again and fresh bed linen. And NO washing for a few days, as I have
done heaps since I got home. And NO cooking for a few days. I might
even catch up with you all, as well as reading heaps of newspapers.
Thank you Jim for your tip on the Lutein to possibly slow down the
Macular degeneration. I Googled it and found out a bit more.

It is interesting to see my Header each day lately. First the photo was really nice,
then it went to about an inch of the bottom of the photo, and today we
have the top inch of the photo, which is better but not wonderful.

I have some more pictures for you below.



Jorja, 9 and a half, cutting the lawns around the house.


Another one of Krissy, Jorja and Nick on the river.



Kate with her puppy, Lily. Kate is training to be a chef at
a lovely winery restaurant and lives in Geelong & does
University courses as well. She helped cook our feast
for Christmas.



This is Joh, with a strange smile on his face. He
spent one day while I was there carting in big round bales
of hay and stacking them with the tractor for his Dad.


Over the Festive Season there have been many lovely e mails and greetings sent
between our friends. Just one last one tonight.

Christmas Recipe.


1/2 cup of Hugs

4 teaspoons kisses

1 cup of Holiday Cheer

1/2 cup of Peace on Earth

1 teaspoon of Christmas Cheer

2 cups of Goodwill Towards Men

4 cups of Love, 1 Sprig of Mistletoe

1 large bag of Christmas Snowflakes

Mix Hugs, Kisses, Smiles, and Love.

Blend in Holiday Cheer, Peace on Earth,

Christmas Spirit and Goodwill Toward Men.

Use the mixture to fill a large warm heart where it

can be stored for a lifetime, for it never goes bad !

Serve as desired under Mistletoe, sprinkle liberally with

Christmas Snowflakes. It is especially good when accompanied

by Christmas carols and family get-together. Serve to one and all !

<><><>

Time for some jokes ~ ~ ~

Rebecca was going on safari in Africa with her parents during summer holidays
from school. She had to have the usual round of injections some weeks before
her trip.
"Please can you put a plaster on my right arm?" Rebecca asked the nurse.

"Why ?" asked the nurse. "You're right handed and so I'm giving you the
injection in your left arm. Why do you want the plaster on your right arm?"

"Because," replied Rebecca, "I have to go back to school afterwards."
"I know," said the nurse. "That's why you have the plaster over your injection
on your left arm, so the other children will know you've had an injection and
so will not bang or bump your left arm."

"If you knew the children at my school," said Rebecca, "You'd know that is
exactly why I want the plaster on the wrong arm."
<><><>

This morning my son asked me if I could tell him what makes the sky blue.
I told him to look it up in an encyclopedia.

At lunchtime he asked me how long it would take to boil an ostrich egg. I
said I didn't know.

This afternoon my son asked me how far away from Earth is the planet Mars.
I said I didn't know.

Earlier this evening he asked me how deep a fathom is in metres. I said I didn't
know, but he could look it up on the internet.

Just before I left to come to this meeting, my son asked me who the first King
of England was. I said I couldn't remember.

Then he asked me, "Do you mind me asking you so many questions ?"
I told him, "Of course not." After all, how else will he learn things if he
doesn't ask questions ?
<><>

When I was on holiday I suddenly saw a large tiger. At first we just stared
at each other --- then it slowly moved towards me. I stood still and silent.

As the tiger got nearer it growled and then roared as it leapt straight towards
me. But I stood my ground and did not flinch.

Then I moved away and went to look at the lions in the next cage at the zoo.
<><>

I once knew an author who changed his name to Biro because
he wanted a pen name.
<><>

The world's shortest book contained no words. Its title was :
All I Know About Women.
<><>


Of course I can keep secrets -- it's the people I tell them to
who can't.
<><>

"Excuse me, do you know how to pronounce 'Hawaii'? " "Is it
with a 'v' sound or a 'w' sound ?
"It's Havaii."
"Thank you."
"You're velcome."
<><><>

When Richard reached 50 he found he always fet tired in the
morning and afternoon, so he went to the doctor for advice.

After a physical examination and answering all the doctor's
questions, the doctor said, "You've been over-exerting yourself
sexually. You say you have sex at least twice every night. I
suggest you give up sex one night a week -- say Wednesdays."

"Oh," said Richard, "I couldn't give up sex on Wednesdays --
that's the night I do it with my wife."
<><>

I've given up trying to see a film at the cinema. Last night I
bought 5 separate tickets and still I didn't get to see the film.

Every time I bought a ticket and went towards the theatre
a stupid man took my ticket and tore it in half - - so I
bought another one. Then he did the same to that one too.
<><>

The most reliable method of determining a baby's sex is
childbirth.
<><>

A few quotes to close with ~ ~ ~

Love your neighbors, but don't pull down the fence.
~ ~ ~ Chinese Proverb.

I am not young enough to know everything.
~ ~ ~ James Matthew Barrie.

I keep six honest serving- men
(they taught me all I know)
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who, ~ ~ Rudyard Kipling.

A man isn't poor if he still can laugh.~ ~ Raymond Hitchcock.

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it
from themselves. ~ ~ ~ James Matthew Barrie.
<><>

Time to close folks. I hope you all enjoy New Year's Eve if you
go out to celebrate it. The excitement for me tonight is to
take down old calendars and put up nice new ones. It doesn't
take much to amuse me !! Take care my friends and a very
Happy New Year to you all. Love and Best wishes to all.
Cheers, Merle.

Post 386 ~ ~ ~ Monday, 31st December, 2007.
<><><>




13 comments:

Renie Burghardt said...

Hi Merle,

Kate's veggie casserole sounds delicious! Have to try that.

Your family pictures are beautiful! Thank you for sharing them. Love the Christmas Recipe. Haha about the worlds shortest book. That probably applies to a lot of men!

As always, I enjoyed the visit. You bring sunshine to us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, dear Merle.

Love and good wishes,

Renie

Patty said...

Dear Merle
Love the Christmas recipe. Also your veggies sound pretty good will have to try that some day. Since you will soon be ushering in the New Year, let me wish you and your family, a very Healthy, Happy New Year. See you next year. Your blogging friend, Patty

Hootin Anni said...

Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2008 Merle.

mreddie said...

Always enjoy your photos, still seems strange for you folks having the hot weather down there. The Spice and I are not much into celebrating, we just enjoy life as it comes. Hope your New Year is the best ever. ec

Mountain Mama said...

Hi Merle and a happy New Year to you.
Your pictures are great. The one of them in the water made me shiver. It's really cold around here and swimming is the last place anyone will find me!
Have a good week and take care.
Hugs

SMA said...

Happy New year Merle!
All the best for 2008!
Bless you!
Sma

Gattina said...

It's always a joy to come here and see the summer ! Nice family pictures ! Last year we were in Egypt and there it was warm too always 25 - 30° so we had a nice Christmas too.
I also wish you a happy New Year and especially a good health !

Carole Burant said...

Dearest Merle,

So glad you're back home safe and sound:-) I've so enjoyed catching up on your last couple of posts and loved seeing all the photos. Glad you had such a lovely Christmas with your family!!

My mom has macular degeneration and takes tablets with lutein in them as advised by her eye doctor.

New Year is a time for celebration of love, of life, of friendship. It's the time to thank God for wonderful friends, and to bring to their lives as much magic as they bring to ours...so here's celebrating our friendship and praying that its magic continues forever. Happy New Year to you and yours dear Merle! xoxo

Janice said...

Happy New Year, Merle! Love the Christmas Recipe, and as always you bring a smile to my face! Many blessings to you in 2008!

Gledwood said...

Hey I should have thought of that one myself "Biro" because I'm needing a pen-name!

Those photos were wonderful. I've only just learned to post up photos on mine. But haven't fathomed how to get them centred and spread out through the text like yours... ho-hum I'm sure I'll learn in time.
I can't ASK anyone as nobody TO ask everything I do has to be done by trial and error which can be faintly disheartening if you know what I mean

ANYWAY I've decided 2008 is far superior to 2007 already. I can feel it in my cocoa!

Take care Merle


:->

ChrisB said...

Hello Merle
Wishing you a very Happy New Year
Chris and Embee

Lady Di Tn said...

Wonderful photos. What kind of tree is behind Jorja?
I would loved to have known the joke floating in Joh's head which caused that smile.
It was 13.8 degrees here this morning so it was nice to warm up by the photo you posted.
The last of the company leaves today so I need to go see them off.
Peace.

audrey` said...

Dearest Merle

Kate's recipe sounds very yummy.
Thanks for sharing it with us =)

Christmas Recipe is so true.

God bless you abundantly, my friend.

(((HUGS)))