The Ladies' Lounge

[GofD]

Did everyone have good holidays? I've always been curious what it's like to have a Christmas celebration in Australia where it's essentially the middle of summer.

Here's where the kitchen stands as of today. We still need to do the tile all the way up the wall around the window, and underneath the cabs on the other two walls. We'll also reinstall the micro-hood thingie.



That first one is our one major modification - we were going to lose that space next to the chimney due to lack of access, so we made access through the top with a hinged countertop.

I have to get back into looking at XF as we're considering a changeover this year. Still need to figure out what to do with galleries as our gallery system is very tightly integrated into our forums, and is essential to our community. hmmm...ponder, ponder, ponder...

What's everyone else doing as far as implementing XF or waiting?

Susan

 

[dieketzer]

xmas in australia is bbqs and beer.
this year it was pretty nice. it wasnt too hot (in melbourne anyway) for once. normally xmas/new year its 35C (95F) or so. there were a few recently that were 40+ (105f+)

 

[Jo.]

That looks great Susan! Lots of storage space too!

I've always tried to get my head around what it feels like being summer at this time of year in Australia... though I'm more interested in seeing what the night sky looks like down there lol. Hopefully at some point, either during or after my PhD, I'll get to find out! There are some great observatories in the southern hemisphere!

The holidays for me weren't so great because I'm still ill. Stupid body.

Still, there's always next year!

 

[Elizabeth]

We had snow Christmas Day at my daddy's which is extremely unusual where he is...last time that happened was in the 1960's. Usually it does snow in Feb/Mar but not in Dec. Here are some photos I took the day after Christmas:


We had about 5 inches altogether. My daddy is in the last few pictures with the Kubota, he had gone down to his chicken coop to get the eggs. My husband is in the second picture.

 

[Kim]

Did everyone have good holidays? I've always been curious what it's like to have a Christmas celebration in Australia where it's essentially the middle of summer.

Here's where the kitchen stands as of today. We still need to do the tile all the way up the wall around the window, and underneath the cabs on the other two walls. We'll also reinstall the micro-hood thingie.

View attachment 8828 View attachment 8827 View attachment 8826 View attachment 8825 View attachment 8824

That first one is our one major modification - we were going to lose that space next to the chimney due to lack of access, so we made access through the top with a hinged countertop.

I have to get back into looking at XF as we're considering a changeover this year. Still need to figure out what to do with galleries as our gallery system is very tightly integrated into our forums, and is essential to our community. hmmm...ponder, ponder, ponder...

What's everyone else doing as far as implementing XF or waiting?

Susan

Hey Susan,

Great looking kitchen you have done really well, Congrats and I am sure you are both very proud of yourselves

Christmas here was nice this year, not too hot, I decided to go with a cold buffet of several different meats and salads and it was really good, and really easy loved it!!!

Did you do your Nibblies for Christmas again? I love that idea too!

That looks great Susan! Lots of storage space too!

I've always tried to get my head around what it feels like being summer at this time of year in Australia... though I'm more interested in seeing what the night sky looks like down there lol. Hopefully at some point, either during or after my PhD, I'll get to find out! There are some great observatories in the southern hemisphere!

The holidays for me weren't so great because I'm still ill. Stupid body.

Still, there's always next year!

To see good night sky you will need to get away from the cities.. I am planning a trip to Broken Hill this year, the night sky is one of the things I am really looking forward to!!! Even here we see a lot more stars than we used to in Sydney, but nothing like out in the dessert!!!

Hope you are feeling better soon Jo

We had snow Christmas Day at my daddy's which is extremely unusual where he is...last time that happened was in the 1960's. Usually it does snow in Feb/Mar but not in Dec. Here are some photos I took the day after Christmas:

We had about 5 inches altogether. My daddy is in the last few pictures with the Kubota, he had gone down to his chicken coop to get the eggs. My husband is in the second picture.

Wow beautiful pics! The snow is amazing to me, never having lived in it!

 

[Elizabeth]

I've always tried to get my head around what it feels like being summer at this time of year in Australia... though I'm more interested in seeing what the night sky looks like down there lol. Hopefully at some point, either during or after my PhD, I'll get to find out! There are some great observatories in the southern hemisphere!

The holidays for me weren't so great because I'm still ill. Stupid body.

Still, there's always next year!

Jo, I am sorry you are still ill. I hope you get better soon. While not in the same category, I spent the last week "under the weather" with a cold. I did go to my doctor to be sure it was JUST a cold. I didn't want it to be anything else, not with surgery looming on the horizon.

Wow beautiful pics! The snow is amazing to me, never having lived in it!

I can't imagine NOT having snow at some point in the winter. I've almost always lived where we've had all four seasons. But I was 51 before I had my first White Christmas (I'm 56 now) and living in Michigan between Detroit, MI and Toledo, Ohio.

It started snowing about 10PM that Christmas Eve and we headed out to Midnight Mass. This was the Christmas after my Mother died. We came out after Mass and I made the comment to my husband that yes, I knew that the snow was a storm system in my head but in my heart it was a gift from my Mother that year since there was nothing else she could give me. (I am not Catholic but Midnight Mass was a tradition with me for years).

 

[Jo.]

We had snow Christmas Day at my daddy's which is extremely unusual where he is...last time that happened was in the 1960's. Usually it does snow in Feb/Mar but not in Dec. Here are some photos I took the day after Christmas:

Great pics Liz! It's the same here - usually only snows in Feb/Mar if it's going to, but we had snow the past 2 Decembers and in Jan of 2010 too.

To see good night sky you will need to get away from the cities.. I am planning a trip to Broken Hill this year, the night sky is one of the things I am really looking forward to!!! Even here we see a lot more stars than we used to in Sydney, but nothing like out in the dessert!!!

Hope you are feeling better soon Jo

Yeah, I hate living in the city - it just destroys the night sky... though I can see Andromeda with my binoculars from our back garden, but you have to strain your eyes a bit to see it and only on a night when the moon's set. It was awesome at the observatory in Tenerife, and not bad in the desert in Israel. I'd love to see it from the desert in Aus though! I just checked out what your night sky looks like right now, on Stellarium (if you're into astronomy, I seriously recommend downloading it).

Broken Hill looks nice! Can I come?? I hope you have a really nice time.

Jo, I am sorry you are still ill. I hope you get better soon. While not in the same category, I spent the last week "under the weather" with a cold. I did go to my doctor to be sure it was JUST a cold. I didn't want it to be anything else, not with surgery looming on the horizon.

Thanks. I'm sorry you've been ill too. Yeah I'd be worried too if I had some surgery coming up and I got sick! I hope you're completely better by your surgery date!

 

[Kim]

Yeah, I hate living in the city - it just destroys the night sky... though I can see Andromeda with my binoculars from our back garden, but you have to strain your eyes a bit to see it and only on a night when the moon's set. It was awesome at the observatory in Tenerife, and not bad in the desert in Israel. I'd love to see it from the desert in Aus though! I just checked out what your night sky looks like right now, on Stellarium (if you're into astronomy, I seriously recommend downloading it).

Broken Hill looks nice! Can I come?? I hope you have a really nice time.

I love looking at stars, but I am not very knowledgeable about them unfortunately I should find out more about the stars we see here. Thanks for the link will download it.

Broken Hill is the gateway to the outback, a hot dry dusty mining town, that is apparently a lot of fun! My Brother lives there, and is a pilot for the Royal Flying Doctors, so it should be a fun trip! I might even get to go on a flight with them, not sure yet

 

[Jo.]

I love looking at stars, but I am not very knowledgeable about them unfortunately I should find out more about the stars we see here. Thanks for the link will download it.

Broken Hill is the gateway to the outback, a hot dry dusty mining town, that is apparently a lot of fun! My Brother lives there, and is a pilot for the Royal Flying Doctors, so it should be a fun trip! I might even get to go on a flight with them, not sure yet

That's so cool your brother's a pilot for the flying doctors - if you get to go on a flight with them, that would be some experience I imagine!

Good thing about looking at the stars is that you don't need to be knowledgeable to enjoy looking at them. Though it is really awesome when you look at a nebula or a galaxy or seeing the moons of another planet!

If you ever get the chance to look through a telescope at something in the night sky, just don't expect to see anything like you see in the Hubble pictures lol.

These are some images I took while on a field trip during my undergrad degree in the Canary Islands, using a 1/2 metre diameter telescope:

Jupiter - there were 4 of its moons just off to the side but not in this image

M13 - a globular cluster, which is basically a ball of very ancient stars

M51 the Whirlpool Galaxy

M57 - Ring Nebula

Saturn

 

[Kim]

That's so cool your brother's a pilot for the flying doctors - if you get to go on a flight with them, that would be some experience I imagine!

Good thing about looking at the stars is that you don't need to be knowledgeable to enjoy looking at them. Though it is really awesome when you look at a nebula or a galaxy or seeing the moons of another planet!

If you ever get the chance to look through a telescope at something in the night sky, just don't expect to see anything like you see in the Hubble pictures lol.

These are some images I took while on a field trip during my undergrad degree in the Canary Islands, using a 1/2 metre diameter telescope:

Jupiter - there were 4 of its moons just off to the side but not in this image
View attachment 8856
M13 - a globular cluster, which is basically a ball of very ancient stars
View attachment 8857
M51 the Whirlpool Galaxy
View attachment 8858
M57 - Ring Nebula
View attachment 8859
Saturn
View attachment 8860

Fantastic pics Jo I would love to see them up close like that!!! I have looked at the stars with a telescope, but only a relatively small one, and it was in the city so not great.

I am really looking forward to my trip now, will go in Autumn or Winter this year, as it is just too hot out there right now, I also want to invest in a good camera as there is a lot to photograph out there, and some spectacular sunsets etc.

 

[Jo.]

Fantastic pics Jo I would love to see them up close like that!!! I have looked at the stars with a telescope, but only a relatively small one, and it was in the city so not great.

I am really looking forward to my trip now, will go in Autumn or Winter this year, as it is just too hot out there right now, I also want to invest in a good camera as there is a lot to photograph out there, and some spectacular sunsets etc.

It's really exciting to see them up close in a telescope - though it was freezing up there on the top of the mountain above the clouds trying to point the telescope at the target objects - it's manually operated (other than the tracking) and you need 3 people to manouvre it!

So you'll be going fairly soon then - how exciting!! I hope you get some awesome pics ...and when you come back you can post them so we can see! I love watching sunsets.

 

[Elizabeth]

Ladies, I won't be in much for the next two weeks. My surgery date approaches. Actually it's scheduled for bright and early Monday morning. I have to be there at 6:30AM. And altho I am taking my laptop and iPad and iPhone, I probably won't feel much like being online much. The laptop is going because I can watch movies on it. I'll be in there til Wed or Thursday.

If my husband is any indication, it will be another week before I feel like much. Btw, he's doing great. In the last month he's lost 36 lbs. He was a 44 inch waist just before surgery, on Wed we went to Goodwill (a Thrift store) for "new" clothes for him and got some 38"s, some 36", and a pair of 34" cause he's heading down fast. He got in the 38" and wasn't far from getting in the 36"s. He was wearing 40's that he had and they were baggy on him.

Liz

 

[Kim]

Ladies, I won't be in much for the next two weeks. My surgery date approaches. Actually it's scheduled for bright and early Monday morning. I have to be there at 6:30AM. And altho I am taking my laptop and iPad and iPhone, I probably won't feel much like being online much. The laptop is going because I can watch movies on it. I'll be in there til Wed or Thursday.

If my husband is any indication, it will be another week before I feel like much. Btw, he's doing great. In the last month he's lost 36 lbs. He was a 44 inch waist just before surgery, on Wed we went to Goodwill (a Thrift store) for "new" clothes for him and got some 38"s, some 36", and a pair of 34" cause he's heading down fast. He got in the 38" and wasn't far from getting in the 36"s. He was wearing 40's that he had and they were baggy on him.

Liz

OH gosh.. good luck Liz!!! Will be thinking of you and sending you Good healing vibes!

Report back when you can!

Good to hear about your Hubby, that is amazingly fast weight loss in a month, gosh!

Best of luck hun!!!

 

[Peggy]

You're in my thoughts and prayers Liz!

 

[Elizabeth]

Thanks both of you.

 

[Kim]

Are boys allowed to read this thread ?
I shaved today.
I dunno if that counts a bit.

No
Good for you
No

 

[Jo.]

Ladies, I won't be in much for the next two weeks. My surgery date approaches. Actually it's scheduled for bright and early Monday morning. I have to be there at 6:30AM. And altho I am taking my laptop and iPad and iPhone, I probably won't feel much like being online much. The laptop is going because I can watch movies on it. I'll be in there til Wed or Thursday.

If my husband is any indication, it will be another week before I feel like much. Btw, he's doing great. In the last month he's lost 36 lbs. He was a 44 inch waist just before surgery, on Wed we went to Goodwill (a Thrift store) for "new" clothes for him and got some 38"s, some 36", and a pair of 34" cause he's heading down fast. He got in the 38" and wasn't far from getting in the 36"s. He was wearing 40's that he had and they were baggy on him.

Liz

Oh wow, I hope it goes well Liz! I'll be thinking of you!

 

[Elizabeth]

Reporting in....

Boy, am I glad to be out of there, too regimented. They were insisting I drink out of these 1 oz medicine cups which would not be an issue except I have Essential Tremors (same disease Kathern Hepburn had) and as you age it gets worse. I can't hold one of those cups still to save my neck. Was spilling most of it on me. So I blindsided the nursing staff and talked to Dr. B and mentioned there needed to be exceptions to rules, and I was one of those. He agreed and gave me permission to use one of the 8 oz bottles instead as long as I finished 1 every hour.

They also didn't want you napping at all, even if you had been up all night. I mentioned about sleep being restorative to the body and they had no answer for that one. Just kept insisting on the 2 oz every 15 min.

I'll get my liquids in at home, but I know my body also needs sleep to heal.

Nice part, I lost 5.8 lbs in 2 days

Liz

 

[Kim]

Reporting in....

Boy, am I glad to be out of there, too regimented. They were insisting I drink out of these 1 oz medicine cups which would not be an issue except I have Essential Tremors (same disease Kathern Hepburn had) and as you age it gets worse. I can't hold one of those cups still to save my neck. Was spilling most of it on me. So I blindsided the nursing staff and talked to Dr. B and mentioned there needed to be exceptions to rules, and I was one of those. He agreed and gave me permission to use one of the 8 oz bottles instead as long as I finished 1 every hour.

They also didn't want you napping at all, even if you had been up all night. I mentioned about sleep being restorative to the body and they had no answer for that one. Just kept insisting on the 2 oz every 15 min.

I'll get my liquids in at home, but I know my body also needs sleep to heal.

Nice part, I lost 5.8 lbs in 2 days

Liz

Hey Liz, glad to hear it is all over and you are home hun

I am sure there is a huge adjustment to be made, but it sounds like you are well on the way.. and WOOT 5.6lbs in 2 days wooowsers!!!! You Go Girl!!!

 

[Elizabeth]

Hey Liz, glad to hear it is all over and you are home hun

I am sure there is a huge adjustment to be made, but it sounds like you are well on the way.. and WOOT 5.6lbs in 2 days wooowsers!!!! You Go Girl!!!

Yeah, losing almost 6 lbs in 2 days was a big boost to my ego esp since I feel bloated from all the liquid I've been drinking.

I'm glad to be home in my own bed too...now, the main project here is to keep kitties off my tummy.