Mum's turn!!

Well I s'pose it had to happen ..... Mum wants to take over my blog for a day. I gave it a lot of thought and decided I had to let her have her way. If I didn't she'd get all narky and wouldn't do my typing for me so I'll give you a bit of a run down on it and then hand it over to her.  I bet she says something about missing some of the  crafty blogs a few of your Moms did a while back. I've noticed your Mom's have been a bit quiet lately. Thank the Lord, I say, but Mum thinks differently! Anyway to get to the point ..... I've got a new mate C.L.W. Step. He's a real good bloke. You can find him here if you want to check him out:  

https://www.blogger.com/profile/17364713435574660430 

Crikey ..... she did it ..... she's tried before and failed. Every so often the old Secretary comes good, aye??   

I was getting to know Chester( (that's his name) and thought at first he was from New York city but turns out he is from New York State not the big smoke. Mum got all excited when she heard he was from New York state and wants to tell you about an experience she and Dad had there once. Boring said I but she wants to tell you so ..... in advance ...... Sorry!!!!!!! She'll ramble on..... she ALWAYS does. It might take a while to get to the New York state bit ...... Sorry, again!!!!!!!! Crikey ..... here's a few more. You're sure going to need 'em.    Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry sorry!!!!!!!!

C'mon Charlie .... that's NOT fair!!  I don't ramble that much .... DO I???????  Ok ..... I'll try and keep it short.

I'm not quite sure where Chester lives but I do so want to tell you about an experience my husband, youngest daughter (Jenni 11years) and I had in 1988. Jenni had been pestering us to take her to Disneyland for quite a few years and my husband decided that we would take her and have a bit of a look around other areas whilst there. 

Our Jen at Disneyland.  Rotten camera but Mum wanted to show you that she was there. Well Jen was!!

We had NEVER been to the States before. I'm a home body and it takes a lot to get me to go across the street let alone across the world. My husband planned everything as I turned into a grouchy monster, moaning and complaining all the time that we would all die and stating that the United States was full of crooks and  was just wall to wall concrete anyway and nobody in their right mind would want to go there.  Not very nice, I know, but it was my way of saying ...... I didn't want to go ..... I was scared!!!! Well ..... I went. Once I was on the plane my attitude changed and I decided that I would enjoy myself regardless and enjoy myself I did. How wrong was I about the U.S. We visited Disneyland and saw a lot of California and other parts of the west coast and then flew from Seattle to New York city. We spent a week there before hiring a car and heading upstate toward Niagara  Falls. OMD ..... the countryside, everywhere we went, was so beautiful. Where was all the concrete I had heard about and as for the people ..... OMD how wrong was I. The kindness we were shown, EVERYWHERE we went, EVEN in the big smoke, was unbelievable!!!!  We walked from one end of New York city to the other. We went on the underground and not once did we feel as if we had anything to worry about. People stopped and talked to us, gave us directions when we were lost and generally made us feel oh! ...  so welcome. But to get to the upstate New York thing. After leaving the city we didn't really have plans. We just knew approximately where we wanted to go so just headed off  and stopped when we found somewhere we felt looked nice. Our first stop  on our way to the falls was in a small town called Mount Morris. As we drove in we couldn't believe how beautiful it was. The homes were all so well cared for and there were American flags flying everywhere. We decided we would stay the night and drove around, slowly, taking it all in and looking for somewhere to stay. Whilst driving along we stopped a gentleman, who was out for an afternoon stroll, to ask him if he knew of any accommodation in which we could stay. He talked to us for a while and said we mustn't leave Mount Morris until we had seen a particular part of it. I can't remember the name now ..... it was a long time ago. He wanted to show it to us and to do this he would have to get in the car with our young daughter in the back seat. We were a bit dubious but decided to take the risk. How pleased were we that we did. He took us all over the place and showed us all sorts of things we would never have seen without him. He also told us where to stay and told us to go to Jo's diner for dinner that night. Jo's diner?  We thought that sounded a bit dubious too but decided to give it a go. What a wonderful night we had!! Jo, the owner, was the nicest bloke and made us feel so welcome. We had a lovely meal ..... in fact we had three courses each. Jo wouldn't have it that we miss out on sweets. Apart from one other table, at which a gentleman sat by himself, we were the only diners there. Jo sat with us and talked, non stop, the whole time we were there. The gentleman at the other table didn't say a word to us but after he paid Jo for his meal he came to our table, put his hand on my husband's shoulder, and said "Don't judge all Americans by the ones you see in Australia" and he left.  We were a bit puzzled but Jo told us that he was a bit of a loner and a bit weird but a good bloke. At the end of the night when we went to pay for our meal Jo told us that there was nothing to pay as the gentleman had paid the bill for us. There were 3 of us and we had 3 courses each. Not a small bill. We were lost for words. We asked Jo for his name and phone number or address but he said he didn't know where he lived. He only came to the restaurant occasionally and always sat alone, said nothing, just ate and left quietly. What to do???? I felt dreadful that I couldn't thank him. I asked Jo for pen and paper and wrote a very long thank you note with our name, address and phone number and said if he was ever in Australia to contact us. We NEVER heard from him. We also NEVER forgot his kindness and always have wonderful memories of our short stay in Mount Morris. This was not the only act of kindness shown to us on that trip. We were invited to the holiday home (in the Adirondacks) of a couple we met in a restaurant in New York city for a barby or cookout as they called it but we couldn't go. When we arrived home to Australia we received, in the post, a beautiful book on the Adirondack ranges from this couple and every few months we would receive another beautiful  book on another area of the States from them. They were older people and we kept in touch with them for many years. After visiting Niagara falls we traveled all over the place and what a wonderful time we had. We also went to Canada and enjoyed every minute of that as well. I must admit I was VERY pleased to arrive home and we have not been back since but what wonderful memories I have of that trip and the beautiful countryside and the wonderful people we met. AND Mount Morris  will always be very special to me. One day we will return. 

How was that Charlie?  Did I ramble too much? I kept it pretty short, I think?  Ok ..... not short enough, aye? Sorry everyone!!

Crikey ..... thank goodness that's over, aye?   I won't bore you anymore by my ramblings. I'll just add a few pictures and pretend it's wordless Wednesday. 

Our Jen and our Lucy on graduation day!! Lucy was such a little puppy Mum and Dad couldn't leave her home alone. She ate those tassles!!

My new lookout point ... any great whites out there?????

A new friend I met at the beach. Stella ..... we have a great time running and wrestling.  She's a great looker, aye?? It's platonical though!!

Dad was playing golf the other day and stopped playing to take a picture of this little bloke. His Mum is relaxing on the fairway. This bloke must be looking for Dad's ball. It ended up in there somewhere!

Wanna run ... Love, Charlie.