Aussies Home Sweet Home II

[aussiefan]

Hi gals,

Thanks for the wonderful BIRTHDAY wishes

Dawn, fabbo Marty photos mate, just the thing I like to get into on my birthday, a good ol' bit of eye candy.

Den, thanks mate for your wishes, love getting into that sort of candy also, chocolate YUUUUMMMMM

BABY UPDATE

Still no movement on the baby scene, looks like no foal or niece or nephew on my birthday unless something happens REAL quick.

Had yummy chinese food for dinner at one of our local restaurants, Mick has spoilt me as usual, God love him

OK, it's time for a cuppa and a piece of my birthday cake. Will drop by again later.

Take care all, love to all mourning the loss of loved ones from 9/11.

cheers, Helen.

[dawn]

Hiya Helen - I just read your comments on the 9/11 thread - you've brought me to tears yet again today! I'm glad you've had a good day today & you've been spoilt on your birthday!

[rockfan]

Helen

[chitowngirl]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HELEN!

Hope you have a lovely day!

[sjjo1973]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSSIEFAN

[IWOmusic]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HELEN!
HAVE A BLAST!!!!!

[henry]

Happy Birthday Helen!!!!

Remember not to do this

While doing this

or you'll end up like this on your birthday!


Hope it was a great day for you.

[cfbj01]

Happy Birthday Helen. Hope you had a wonderful day

[jet]

Happy Birthday Helen


I hope you had a brilliant day.

I just read your post on the horse flu epidemic. My sister in law is a track work rider and brother in law is a jockey in Sydney and they haven't been able to work for weeks now. Its really taking a toll on the family. If he goes interstate to ride he has to buy all new gear (saddles, silks, crops etc) and leave it behind when he comes home...he'd need to spend as much as he earns.

I drove down to Sydney this past weekend and all the way are signs warning people its illegal to transport horses. I did hear last on the news that racing is going ahead again this weekend even though there are still sick horse. When I drove past Grafton racetrack this morning the riders were out working the horses. I really hope they haven't gone back too soon.

Den I didn't realise it was 2am! Sorry ;D ;D ;D The Lindt eclair was just divine and too big, I couldn't eat it all. We had a brilliant time together, drank chards, corona and of course jimmy was there too, ate seafood paella made by Palari, roast chicken by sozl...I wanted my girlfriends to live through the weekend so I didn't cook, just did the dishes! My face is still aching...great practice for 2008. Here's a pic from the ferry, another must do in 2008 if you haven't done it already...tell gaia Manly has good shopping ;D ;D ;D



and the view from sozl's balcony...always spectacular



It was four days of great company and stunning, thought provoking conversation, as is most often the case when conversing with Palari & sozl. Sitting in sozl's kitchen drinking wine while Palari cooked, all of us amazed that we were together once again. All because we stayed up to watch a reality show on television and became enamoured by that skinny white boy.
Well, I had better get moving and do some work if I'm gonna make that Grinspoon show. Call you in a few hours Den...probably be about 2am ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

catch up tomorrow Dawn

Coooeee Ausgals!

[dawn]

Jet - what gorgeous pics! Not fair, when all I can see is grey.

Anyway, looks like you girls had a great time I hope Palari had a fantastic birthday - I left her a message on her myspace page.

[dlh]

Woohoo!! Thanks Jet for the Grinspoon cellcert this morning. I guess you would call it a Dawn moment. While I was *cough* *cough* "working" (responding to a few emails) my cellphone was glued to my ear. I was able to hear 2 fantastic Grinspoon tunes. It was a great way to start ye ol' Hump Day.

Loved the pics from Sydney....the view from Sozl's apartment was breathtaking. Today the drive to work was gorgeous as well in a Midwestern sort of way. Fall is in the air. The rolling corn and soybean fields that you, Palari and Star saw in May on our drive from Lousiville to Chicago are now tall and turning yellow and golden brown. The sky is so blue and clear. It is a relief from the summer haze and humidity. Love it!

Hope everyone else had a fantastic Hump Day


Time for a little more decorating......how about a few from Joe's Feb 2006










*chink* *chink*


Den

[aussiefan]

G'day all,

Firstly, just have to say a BIG thank you to you all for making my birthday so special. I received many lovely emails, phone calls, texts, myspace posts, horsey forum posts and MC.org posts, it was hard to keep up with them all, you all made my day. I had a lovely relaxing day with cake a few drinks and a lovely evening out for dinner with a few pressies thrown in. Thank goodness it is only once a year

Jet, this horse flu is horrible business, even tho Victoria is a non infected state at present it has hit us almost as hard as NSW and QLD. All horse events (except race meetings which are held under strict bio security & most of them phantom meetings (no public allowed) and only local horses allowed) such as local shows, large breed shows, Melbourne Royal show, Agricultural shows, pony club meetings, hunt meetings, riding for the disabled, breakers & trainers, riding schools, tourist horse riding parks, showjumping and pre Olympic trials have all been cancelled til the end of October. This is mainly due to Insurance Companies telling show and horse committees that they are not covered if an outbreak occurs at their event and they have to go into lockdown (no horse or horse vehicles allowed to leave for 30-50 days)) All venues that hold horse events have been closed down for complete disinfection and are not allowed to re open until the virus is under control in all states. They are losing thousands of $$$$ as is everyone else in the horse business as you say jockeys, strappers, instructors, farriers, vets, horse dentists & chiropractors, saddleries, feed merchants, you can't even sell & send second hand gear thru the mail. If you take gear into an infected area you are not allowed to bring it out unless totally disinfected, but as you would imagine, you can't disinfect all items properly therefore most items have to be destroyed and lots of horse gear you can't disinfect without totally destroying it, like leather saddles, it kills the leather, therefore they are also thrown out. So much waste.

We now have all border crossings between NSW and Vic manned 24 hours a day. This isn't stopping some totally moronic idiots trying to smuggle horses across the border in non horse transport vehicles such as rent a trucks, furniture vans etc. Most have been caught and fine and charged but some got away with it before the borders were fully manned and it was just a dob- in system. They don't realise that it only takes one sick horse and the whole state will get it as it is so contagious. Tasmania, even tho separated by Bass strait has banned all interstate horses until 2008 from entering. You can't even sell any horses at present as the movemant ban is on, let alone the breeding season, don't get me started there. Most mares will probably stay barren this year and next year there won't be nearly as many foals on the ground unless you have your own stallion on your own property. It is a major dilemma. Some of the Aussie TV personalities who own horses have been getting on the TV the last few days and pleading with the government for more assistance top the people who have been hit so hard $$$ wise. Also trying to get the word out to the general non horsey public who don't understand how contagious this thing is. Unless you are horsey and jump on the web to a horsey site or the DPI governement site you have no idea what is required if you are in a horsey area. This is the real threat to other non infected areas.

It just takes a pizza delivery person to drive onto an infected horse stud and spread the virus in the car tyres after he leaves or someone stopping to pat an infected horse over the fence by the roadside and then driving off and patting another horse 30 miles away and spreading it on their clothes. So easy!! We need the general public fully informed but the government hasn't even bothered to run newspaper ads, TV ads or anything to stop all this. Let alone the people who try their best to disinfect but forget about their car, clothes, dog, shoes etc. Even in Vic without the virus my farrier came yesterday to do 4 ponies feet and he has to shower and change clothes between each property just in case it is here and not detected yet. He had 9 properties to go to yesterday and ran out of clothes! He said he doesn't have that many showers in a week usually!! Not good water wastage wise either as we are all still on water bans and the extra showers must be making a big hole in dams if all Vics are following the rules correctly. just can't wait til it is all over but I fear the worst is still to come with the warm weather just around the corner. With now over 5000 horses infected and over 2500 suspected infections and nearly 600 properties in FULL quarantine and the first deaths now rolling in (approx 30 deaths) of which some were very fit race horses it is getting very serious indeed. This doesn't include the amount of mares that have aborted foals (MANY). So sad.

OK, on to a happier subject. BABY UPDATE

Nothing yet I am getting impatient, I want my foal on the ground ASAP so if the virus hits Vic he/she is as old as possible to fight the bug. Many young foals have also died due to being to young to fight the virus.

Michelle, my sister, is now overdue and had another scan yesterday to make sure all is OK, baby is fine, weighs now 9lbs 3 oz. Michelle is less than happy and can't wait to get rid of her big fat belly (her words, not mine). She is very uncomfortable to say the least. Every time my mobile/cell phone goes off I expect it to be her saying I am in labor, but not yet, so the race is really on Go CAT. ;D ;D ;D ;D

OK, will check back tonight, hope you are all doing fine.
Love to all, Helen.

[dawn]

Hiya Helen - thanks for the updates - 9lb 3 oz - ouch! Maybe it's a good thing that I don't seem able to have little uns! Hope the foal is born soon for you with this horrible virus around, we've just had yet another break out of foot & mouth - just 5 days after we were declared clear Must be a nightmare for the UK farmers.

Glad you had a great birthday & loads of messages to catch up on.

Den - I did like the phrase "Dawn moment" so basically, that'll be turning up for work & doing nothing! ;D ;D ;D ;D I feel my fame is growing throughout the world! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Glad you're doing well and thanks for the pics

[aussiefan]

I have just logged and and guess who I am online with?

MARTY himself and just ME.

Have PMed him to see if we can chat

Helen

[aussiefan]

Bummer

He never answered me and is now offline.

I was so excited to see my name and his next tot it in red

Geez, I am easily 'turned on"

OK, deep breath, now back to normal.

BABY UPDATE
Still nothing happening, how boring
Both mums to be feeling very fat and uncomfortable but still holding on.
My sister Michelle will be induced if no baby by the 22nd.
Cat, who knows, never foals on time so it is just wait and see.


Den, my gorgeous Indi mate
Thank you so much for my package and wonderful birthday pressie. Such a lovely book Wish you were here ti give you a big hug

Dad LOVED his stamps, he sends hi thanks.
Mum said you are wonderful and she enjoyed her card and whatever you wrote, she thought it was very special. She still talks about your visit and can't wait for you to come back. She loved your company and so did I by the way

Mick has gone home (to St Kilda) for 5 days and I miss him already. It is really weird that since I keep having these loss of consciousness turns I feel safe when Mick is around and now that he has gone home for 5 days I don't feel as safe. Even tho mum and dad are here I wish he still was, I am getting dependent on him which is bad. I have never felt like this before and have always been independent and handled everything by myself but now with the drugs I am on I can't drive, work etc so I am homebound. He is my shoulder to lean on and cry on if I need it.

OK, lovely day but time to feed the ponies and get ready for dinner. There won't be any foal born tonight, still no milk in her bag yet. So bummed, I want this foal NOW I am impatient aren't I

Catch you all later, have an AWESOME weekend.
Cheers, Helen

[aussiefan]

COOOOO EEEEE Den, I see you are online.

I just gave Epic the biggest hug for you now I am covered in white horse hair ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

She so needs a good brush, summer coat coming thru and woolly winter coat falling out, what a grub she is, but just gorgeous at the same time

Hel

[aussiefan]

Right, thats IT !!!!

Each time I have jumped online today a great person to chat to has been there but as soon as I leave a post or PM them they are gone.

Do I have some contagious online disease or summin"

I think i will just have to stick to lurking for the time being

Gonna go sulk now as no-one wahts to talk to me

Bye

[dlh]

Howdy Helen! Glad your package arrived safely and that your Dad liked the stamps. The Singapore stamps are of course from Gael from a rescue package she had sent me (the package was loaded with more Tim Tams... : ;D ;D ;D ;D!)

Jet is the one that introduced me to the book I sent you, Friends to the End the true value of friendship by Bradley Trevor Grieve......along with another box of Tim Tams.... (they are in the freezer as I speak all ready for the ol' Tim Tam Slam this Fall..... ) I am such an admirer of good photography and cinamatography. .....mainly because I am so bad at it and know it does take a gift to do it right. So many of the photographs and captions are so true about friendships....others just put a smile ones face .

books.google.com/books?id=DYfC5iz6UGgC&dq=&pg=PP1&ots=JypLbc65NF&sig=AhQ4BnnwCOb3fz2Be0tL4_glPpU&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3DFriends%2Bto%2Bthe%2BEnd%2Bby%2BGreive%26btnG%3DGoogle%2BSearch&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title#PPP1,M1

Aaaaaaah yes, friendships I am looking forward to next year and getting back toghter as well. Can't wait to give your mum and dad a big hug and Nettie a big pat. I miss them all.


A toast to our dear sweet and somewhat -of -a -stinka -Marty
Thanks Marty for bringing us all together.





Den

[cfbj01]

aussiefan said:

I have just logged and and guess who I am online with?

MARTY himself and just ME.

Have PMed him to see if we can chat

Helen

Hi Helen

That was nice to hear you were logged on when Marty was.

Take care.

[aussiefan]

BABY UPDATE

My sister Michelle has been having contractions for 12 hours, but still no bub yet, VERY exciting for us, she is probably in huge pain.

Will get back to you as soon as I know more, we are all eagerly awaiting the news from the UK, so hard when we are so far away from her

Cat, still no foal yet, maybe tonight as major storms are predicted for here and lots of foals come in bad weather, don't know why but it just happens that way.

Bye for now, catch yu all later

Cheers, Helen