Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[Steve F]

1 hour ago, gvallee said:

Thank you all for your kind words.

 

Unfortunately I will not be able to make it as I am fully booked house sitting until March but I am working on giving them contacts to help them. 

Perhaps there will be opportunities on another project. This offer was rather short notice (January). 

 

 

Can't hubby do the job in the meantime?

[gvallee]

1 hour ago, Steve F said:

Can't hubby do the job in the meantime?

 

Not impossible but not desirable. These are high end properties and we presented ourselves as a couple. I feel we have responsibility to stick to our commitment. Next one has 3 dogs and chooks. The current one has only 2 dogs but it still requires 2 persons to walk them as one is unmanageable on walks.

 

Most of all, I feel that the film company might not be too familiar with Australia, so has unreasonable expectations. They supplied a list of target animals/insects they want to film. Filming will be in 2 locations, one in the tropics (during the Wet, do they realise?) and one in the Red Centre, several thousand kms apart, 3 days each. They seem to think that you jump off the plane, drive a short distance outside town and wildlife turns up on cue. Reality could not be further than that. Distances are enormous and it takes time and adequate vehicles to spot wildlife. Even David Attenborough borrowed animals from wildlife centres and filmed them in a wild setting. It's also out of the blue and at short notice, including Australia Day public holiday. Good luck with flights!

 

I supplied them with a comprehensive list of organisations and people who might be able to help them. 

 

I was just mentioning the offer to show that anything can turn up in life. It was all the more surprising that it happened through Alamy. 

It's also a coïncidence that hubby was the author of an older Lonely Planet guide to Japan.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by gvallee

[Betty LaRue]

A feather in your cap to be offered, Gen. It does sound like a losing proposition with unreasonable expectations that could have caused you a lot of stress trying to meet. Good luck to them when they have to face the reality of Australia.

Still, wonderful thst you were noticed! 🏆

 

As far as the Ridgeback dog…she really sounds fierce and somewhat scary. My brother-in-law had two Chow Chow dogs once. A black one and a red one. He had to keep them separated. One got loose once and attacked the other when I was over. I was about 9 years old and witnessed the most gosh-awful dog fight I ever saw. I stood there screaming.
My sister & I were the only ones there. She tried to separate them with a broom before they killed each other. That didn’t work but when she turned a hose on them directly in their faces, that did, because they choked on the water.

I had a hard time trusting big dogs after that, and after my other sister’s German Shepard, who knew me, and whom I had petted & fed, leapt for my throat out of the blue until his chain stopped him a foot away.

Give me lapdogs, please.

[gvallee]

33 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

A feather in your cap to be offered, Gen. It does sound like a losing proposition with unreasonable expectations that could have caused you a lot of stress trying to meet. Good luck to them when they have to face the reality of Australia.

Still, wonderful thst you were noticed! 🏆

 

As far as the Ridgeback dog…she really sounds fierce and somewhat scary. My brother-in-law had two Chow Chow dogs once. A black one and a red one. He had to keep them separated. One got loose once and attacked the other when I was over. I was about 9 years old and witnessed the most gosh-awful dog fight I ever saw. I stood there screaming.
My sister & I were the only ones there. She tried to separate them with a broom before they killed each other. That didn’t work but when she turned a hose on them directly in their faces, that did, because they choked on the water.

I had a hard time trusting big dogs after that, and after my other sister’s German Shepard, who knew me, and whom I had petted & fed, leapt for my throat out of the blue until his chain stopped him a foot away.

Give me lapdogs, please.

 

Thank you Betty. Yes I was most surprised. I accumulated my Australia wildlife pictures over 10 years, driving many thousand kms in various habitats. Apart from well known bird reserves, you stumble on wildlife by chance, sometimes very unexpectedly. Having a target list is even more difficult than just being happy with any animal.

 

That Ridgeback dog has just been given a Xmas present: a fabric flying duck. It has an elastic under its head, you pull on it, let go and it flies. It's hilarious, she loves it. 

[Steve F]

11 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

Not impossible but not desirable. These are high end properties and we presented ourselves as a couple. I feel we have responsibility to stick to our commitment. Next one has 3 dogs and chooks. The current one has only 2 dogs but it still requires 2 persons to walk them as one is unmanageable on walks.

 

Most of all, I feel that the film company might not be too familiar with Australia, so has unreasonable expectations. They supplied a list of target animals/insects they want to film. Filming will be in 2 locations, one in the tropics (during the Wet, do they realise?) and one in the Red Centre, several thousand kms apart, 3 days each. They seem to think that you jump off the plane, drive a short distance outside town and wildlife turns up on cue. Reality could not be further than that. Distances are enormous and it takes time and adequate vehicles to spot wildlife. Even David Attenborough borrowed animals from wildlife centres and filmed them in a wild setting. It's also out of the blue and at short notice, including Australia Day public holiday. Good luck with flights!

 

I supplied them with a comprehensive list of organisations and people who might be able to help them. 

 

I was just mentioning the offer to show that anything can turn up in life. It was all the more surprising that it happened through Alamy. 

It's also a coïncidence that hubby was the author of an older Lonely Planet guide to Japan.

 

 

 

Fair enough Gen, lots of reasons not to take up the offer there. They sound quite naive about filming. Still good to get the call up though. Good luck with the dogs!

[Ed Rooney]

 

So you decided to feed that hound instead of reach down into a hole for a sleeping  inland taipan? It's a lot less exciting capturing signs and statues but at least they don't bite. 

 

Any action on your visa? 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Ed Rooney

[gvallee]

35 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

So you decided to feed that hound instead of reach down into a hole for a sleeping  inland taipan? 

 

Any action on your visa? 

 

😆😆 

 

Going slowly through the hoops. It's not easy to be a grey nomad, we do not tick any bureaucratic box. Going from one hurdle to another. It's emotionally draining. It's panic, action, phew passed, next obstacle, panic, repeat.... All through the Christmas season when things are slowly shutting down. We expect to hear the definite decision by the end of January. 

[Betty LaRue]

Sun is shining, it’s 4 degrees F but we are expected to get up in the 20s today. Still well below freezing but should hit the freezing mark tomorrow or a degree or two above. Snow on the ground is still holding fast.

I’m enjoying my 2nd cup of coffee and am watching the news on TV.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays everyone. 🎄🦌☃️🎁🎅🏻

This is my deceased husband’s birthday. Growing up, my family opened presents on Christmas Eve after dark, with the tree lights beautiful. That was our tradition. When I married, this changed so hubby, at his insistence, would feel he had a birthday celebration separated by a tiny bit from Christmas. I got it. I mourned the change in my tradition because on Christmas Day I had to hit the ground running early to get the turkey on, make the stuffing, bake pies, etc. then usually load up the car with more gifts, food & our three children for the trip to my mother’s every other year. Opening gifts took valuable time away from that, but it had to be. I ripped open things then tore off to the kitchen with no time to savor my gifts.

The funny thing about it all is if you had asked my husband in January what he got for his birthday and what he got for Christmas, he couldn’t remember which was for what.

I feel sorry for people born close to or on Christmas. I'm sure they feel cheated. Mine is Dec. 2 & that is bad enough, coming shortly after Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday in heaven, Bob. If you were here, I’d have made your favorite dessert, Chocolate Heaven, for you.

Edited December 24, 2022 by Betty LaRue

[gvallee]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Sun is shining, it’s 4 degrees F but we are expected to get up in the 20s today. Still well below freezing but should hit the freezing mark tomorrow or a degree or two above. Snow on the ground is still holding fast.

I’m enjoying my 2nd cup of coffee and am watching the news on TV.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays everyone. 🎄🦌☃️🎁🎅🏻

This is my deceased husband’s birthday. Growing up, my family opened presents on Christmas Eve after dark, with the tree lights beautiful. That was our tradition. When I married, this changed so hubby, at his insistence, would feel he had a birthday celebration separated by a tiny bit from Christmas. I got it. I mourned the change in my tradition because on Christmas Day I had to hit the ground running early to get the turkey on, make the stuffing, bake pies, etc. then usually load up the car with more gifts, food & our three children for the trip to my mother’s every other year. Opening gifts took valuable time away from that, but it had to be. I ripped open things then tore off to the kitchen with no time to savor my gifts.

The funny thing about it all is if you had asked my husband in January what he got for his birthday and what he got for Christmas, he couldn’t remember which was for what.

I feel sorry for people born close to or on Christmas. I'm sure they feel cheated. Mine is Dec. 2 & that is bad enough, coming shortly after Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday in heaven, Bob. If you were here, I’d have made your favorite dessert, Chocolate Heaven, for you.

 

Merry Christmas to you Betty! 

[Ed Rooney]

8 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

Going from one hurdle to another. It's emotionally draining. 

 

The heartless bureaucracies of Mexico, Spain, and Ireland defeated this grey nomad, even with my Irish citizenship and my EU passport. 

[gvallee]

8 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

The heartless bureaucracies of Mexico, Spain, and Ireland defeated this grey nomad, even with my Irish citizenship and my EU passport. 

 

I hear you. Let's not mention those documents in French which have to be translated by an official translator and certified by a Justice of Peace about to go on his Christmas holidays in 20 minutes... 

[John Mitchell]

I just discovered that Dec. 27th is National Fruitcake Day. Too bad it's apparently only in the USA. I love fruitcake. Hope everyone has a happy holiday season (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, whatever). Here's to a saner year in 2023 with an end to the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine.

 

 

[gvallee]

9 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

I just discovered that Dec. 27th is National Fruitcake Day. Too bad it's apparently only in the USA. I love fruitcake. Hope everyone has a happy holiday season (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, whatever). Here's to a saner year in 2023 with an end to the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine.

 

 

 

A very Happy Christmas to you John. Keep warm!

[John Mitchell]

8 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

A very Happy Christmas to you John. Keep warm!

 

Thanks kindly. A vous aussi. We've been experiencing an "arctic outflow" here for the past few days, with cold temps and lots of snow. However, the rain is back in full force now, so it promises to be a more normal, soggy Vancouver Xmas. ☔🎅

[Allan Bell]

13 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

I just discovered that Dec. 27th is National Fruitcake Day. Too bad it's apparently only in the USA. I love fruitcake. Hope everyone has a happy holiday season (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, whatever). Here's to a saner year in 2023 with an end to the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine.

 

 

 

Does that refer to the lovely cake or something else. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?)

 

Allan

 

[wiskerke]

6 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Does that refer to the lovely cake or something else. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?)

 

Allan

 

haha!

2022 The Fruitcake Year.

 

wim

[John Mitchell]

10 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Does that refer to the lovely cake or something else. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?)

 

Allan

 

Take from it whatever you like. Everyone gets to celebrate National Fruitcake Day in their own way. It's gender, politics, and religion-neutral. I like my fruitcake with nice cuppa hot tea. 🫖

 

 

Edited December 25, 2022 by John Mitchell

[Rebecca Ore]

Finances got real squishy.   Some help from friends and then my small press publisher is going to do a collection of stories that weren't in the earlier collection, for a royalty advance of $1200.   Very very good news since I owe my helper the rest of the Christmas bonus and some addition money.

 

I've been paid for all the stories when they first came out in the past, so this is unexpected money.   Yay.   Aqueduct Press is the publisher.  

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

13 hours ago, Rebecca Ore said:

Finances got real squishy.   Some help from friends and then my small press publisher is going to do a collection of stories that weren't in the earlier collection, for a royalty advance of $1200.   Very very good news since I owe my helper the rest of the Christmas bonus and some addition money.

 

I've been paid for all the stories when they first came out in the past, so this is unexpected money.   Yay.   Aqueduct Press is the publisher.  

Wow that's great news 😄what is the name of the book please ?

 

Carol

[Rebecca Ore]

3 hours ago, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

Wow that's great news 😄what is the name of the book please ?

 

Carol

 

Don't know yet.   The press is Aqueduct Press in Seattle.   I found one story they didn't have on their list and will be getting it copied as PDFs as soon as possible.   "Collected Ogoense and other stories" maybe.   Ogoense are fish in West Africa in the Ogo river drainage.  

[Rebecca Ore]

9 hours ago, Rebecca Ore said:

"Collected Ogoense and other stories" maybe. 

 

I think we've confirmed that as the title.  I signed the contract electronically tonight.  

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

9 hours ago, Rebecca Ore said:

 

I think we've confirmed that as the title.  I signed the contract electronically tonight.  

Ok, many thanks for the info, appreciated😄

 

Carol

[Ed Rooney]

 

Good luck with your book, Rebecca. 

[Rebecca Ore]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Good luck with your book, Rebecca. 

 

Thanks. 

[spacecadet]

In my other life, my screen début in a music video- unless anyone can tell me how to embed, a link will have to do

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxuHu0844yo

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by spacecadet