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elcome to lobal xpress
first issue for April, 2009
Where did March go?

Published by the members of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends for the members of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends about the members of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends. We are everyday people doing extraordinary things on an International Scale on the web! Each of us are unique and there is no one else like us in the entire universe. We have different life experiences, different cultures, different ideas and some of us even speak different languages but "we are family" and we care and love to share! We acknowledge and embrace those special qualities that make each of us the person that we are!

Hello! Welcome to this week's issue of Global Express. I hope each of you survived April Fools without incident .... any stories to share with us -- a special prank that you pulled off or had pulled on you!

Did you enjoy last Friday's issue; I hope so. Thank you everyone for your wonderful submissions making this the best little newsletter on the internet.

Photobucket Welcome to everyone who has found their way into our new World Wide Web Circle of Friends forums on Aimoo.

Remember you must sign in before you can post or read the topics in the various categories. Have fun!

Invitation to everyone to come join in on the entertainment at the new WWWCOF COMMUNCATION CENTER

Aimoo Community = Free Forum Free Message board + Free Chat Room (Flash-based) + Free Image Album + Free Blog + Free Profile + more and more...

Following are clickable links to our members' profiles on Aimoo. Please take a moment to visit them. You will notice that several of our members have their own forums as well and the links to their forums are on their profile pages. How exciting is this! Do be sure please to add each other to your friends contact lists also while you are visiting these profiles.

I can not wait to add your name to this ever growing list so please be sure to sign on as a Aimoo member soon and let me know what your username is!

If you are having problems signing up please email me a username and a password and I can register you from my end.



Countdown to Argentina

Days until I leave for Argentina


Don't forget to check the Birthday Calendar to see when members are celebrating their special days. Please let Bigsis know of any errors in the calendar.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND/OR ANNIVERSARY TO EVERYONE CELEBRATING!!
We look forward to hearing all about your special day.

We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL

Now on to our list of very special days:

If you are not listed in the calendar please be sure to email Jami from Maryland.

April is Poetry Month; Letter Writing Month; Garden Month (celebrate gardening during April - Garden Month); Autism Awareness Month; Humor Month; Pets are Wonderful Month and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.

Special Days in April include:

  • April 6 - Tartan Day - Tartan Day was pioneered in Canada but gained renewed momentum in the United States following resolutions in Congress and Senate recognizing the day of the signing of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath 6 April - as a day to celebrate Scotland.
  • April 7 - World Health Day
  • April 8 - Astronomy Day
  • April 10 - Good Friday
  • April 12 - Easter Sunday
  • April 13 - Easter Monday
    Easter Week by our very own Bigsis Pat

    I googled holy sites and this video came up.  I have watched it all the way through and it was interesting, particularly as I will never see these places, and items in museums, for myself.  So sit back and take a little time for yourself, as we approach Easter.  The video is taken from the book, which I see is available online.



    "The album is a rare historical record of events and does not have a religious inclination. Thus, it addresses all believers such as Evangelicals, Protestants, Catholic and Orthodox alike. The Album�s unique concept lays out historical articles and logs describing generations of pilgrims to the Holy Land. Every article is accompanied by photographs and pictures taken from famous museums and private collections around the globe. One of the main objectives of this Album was to give those who could not pilgrim to the Holy Land, a feeling as if they have experienced it through the stories of exciting voyages contained in the Album. Along with more than one thousand stunning maps, illustrations, etchings, lithographs, and photographs, this album brings you the fascinating stories of these pilgrims and the history of the holy sites from the day they were sanctified until present days in special format�that of a newspaper chronicling Christian history and legend in the Holy Land since the birth of Jesus until today.  The Chronicle of Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Format: 256 pages, coated paper, over 1100 marvelous pictures, 550 new-letter style articles, ISBN# 9789657240007�

    Watch video here:  

    A few pages of the book to flip through here     www.thechroniclebook.com          

    submitted by Aussie Jan.

  • April 18 - Pet Owner's Day
  • April 19 - Car Free Day
  • April 20 - Volunteer Recognition Day
  • April 21 - Birthday of HM Queen Elizabeh II
  • April 22 - Administrative Professionals Day
  • April 22 - Earth Day
    Earth Day Page by our very own Bigsis Pat
  • April 23 - St. George's Day - England's National Day. St. George is the patron saint of England.
  • April 24 - Arbor Day
  • April 25 - Anzac Day (Australia / New Zealand) marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
  • April 30 - Queens Day - Holland - Koninginnedag
Do you have any dates to add?

Photobucket

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

Here are the TEN FINALISTS for the photo contest "The Sky is the Limit".
VOTE HERE
You are allowed one vote and the contest closes Easter Weekend.

Voting is free and completely anonymous - no forms to fill in and you can vote even though you didn't send in any photos!!!. Though I hope you do for the next contest eh!

The next contest is already open, and since half the world has just come into spring and the other half into fall, the title this time is. "Nature's Wild flowers, Hedgerows and Bugs". Look forward to getting loads of entries!

Daphne from Argentina

News From Argentina

Sylvia (Daphne's sister) from Dorset, UK sent in a note saying: If you want to make a good first impression on someone, give them a steaming cup of tea or hot chocolate � having a warm drink in our hands helps us to feel more positive towards a stranger, triggering a host of positive associations in the brain. Physical warmth helps us see others as warmer people and causes us to be warmer, more generous and trusting.

Daphne from Argentina tells us that she has been busy making a half circle, half calf length skirt for this Saturday as their dance group has its anniversary festival and all the members have to take part in two pieces we have all been practising. The skirt is plain cream and matches an embroidered shawl I had brought back from Spain. She was hoping to have some of the flowers from the shawl copied and embroidered in a slanting branch onto the skirt, but since that is not one of her arts, it'll have to wait for another moment.

Meeting People on the Internet

As I was sitting watching the computer tech set up my computer for all my business needs he asked me if I ever heard of ICQ. Being new to the computer world altogether I naturally said no. He had explained it was a chat room to meet people. I said "I'm really not interested in doing that." I had heard so many stories about that sort of thing. (This was back in the 80's). After several more minutes of talking with Alan I figured ok, hook me up. I can always delete if I don't like it. From that moment on, my life changed forever.

I naturally had to start investigating right after Alan left the house. I clicked on the different people and started my own profile within the sight as well. I guess I found about 6 people to chat with within a week. I was in my glory. One was from Maine, male single and lonely just like myself. 2 others were women, bored housewives one from Yugoslavia, where my Grandfather was born. Another from Kansas named Lonnie One was not too far from me but was Black origin, male and young man.(in his mid 20's) and then there was a child just looking around ICQ who quickly left because he wanted kids his own age to chat with.

The Black man was very sweet, yet I was concerned because of his race. I was not prejudiced just scared to date outside my own race. (Yes, I was actually looking for a male companion to start dating as I had been alone since 1979 when my marriage fell apart.)

The black fellow and I were very open and he seemed quite honest with his responses to me. I asked him why would he be interested in a white woman, and one who was divorced and much older than he. He didn't know. Just wanted to see what white women were like because he was disgusted with his own race. Had just come out of a bad relationship. And of course anyone knowing me well, would already have guessed I took him under my wing as a mother would and made him see that he was way too young to be making any rash decisions yet. To give himself a chance and if when he was older then he could venture to see if a white woman is an option. He actually listened and started dating more black females his age and we lost touch. I do hope that guy found what he was looking for. He had an awful lot going for him. He had brains, and was going to college for a Masters in Education.

Then there was Bill from Maine. What a trip that ended up being. He was a smooth talker, said all the right things, and had me falling hard for him. Of course I was still quite the skeptic and had to introduce him to my best friends Anita and Joanne online. They were more skeptical than I was. And eager to see what made him tick. So over the months we all played head games. Ended up he wanted to get hooked up with Anita in the end.(That my friends is another whole story for a later date)

The two female friends and I remained friends on here for a good while until I moved out of state to Kansas. My computer went bad and I not only lost her email addy but also anyway to refind her.

Now to The fellow from Kansas, Lonnie. This is a whole chapter in itself and as you read earlier, I did say I moved to Kansas. So until next week folks I will leave you with your imagination......

Miz Jami from Maryland, USA

I felt like a little rest and relaxation today (Thursday, April 2nd) so I sat down for a few and thumbed through the local newspaper and was glad I did.

There was an announcemtnt about a new, local online directory which I found most interesting. If you wanted to have a look click here. It has good potential and certainly makes searching a lot easier -- at least the results displayed are local.

The second thing that really caught my interest was an article about PDO - Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Now isn't that a mouthful; no wonder it is shortened to PDO!

It has been suggested that here on the west coast we could be experiencing the start of a cooling trend which some climatologists say is responsible for periods of chilling temperatures and snowy winters every 20 to 30 years. Similar in some respects to the warming trend known as El Nino, PDO has two phases: cool and warm. It does appear (based on the last three winters of heavy snowfalls and freezing temperatures) that this region has flipped to a colder phase. Interesting I thought.

Warmer weather is in our forecast for next week so lets hope Spring finally does arrive .... will just have to wait but I will keep you posted!

Sharon from Vancouver Island, Canada

Report from the Land Down Under


Last year was the first we heard about a walking group in our town, so we went along over Winter, and there were up to about eight in the group.  It petered out when we went away in September. It is under Community Health, and Jan from that group got in touch and took Shirley and I to a leaders training day in December. (Barry was invited but did not attend).

We are starting again next Tuesday morning at 7.30am, and I recieved a big package with all the forms and my  my nice red shirt and hat (free), ready to go. There is other merchandise as well, and as we complete a certain number of walks, we get vouchers to obtain more items, such as a spray jacket etc at a discount, so I'm hoping this incentive will encourage more people to join in. Last year when we walked, our organiser from Community Health was not aware of this side of things, and we were not enrolled in it. 

I'm hoping my ankle will be up to it, when I was at the doctors on Monday he said I had a mild sprain, but that I would recover fully in time. We are meeting at a rotunda in a park, so if I go and do the paperwork and don't walk, Shirley should be there, and Barry enjoys the walk too.  Last year Barry used to walk ahead with the faster walkers, and Shirley and I brought up the rear. 



Here is the link to the website. 
Aussie Jan. Please take a moment to visit my Seniors Living Life forums.

Some of you know that I was making a wallhanging for the expected baby grandson of a dear friend. He arrived on 31st March, ... 9lbs 11oz, and his name is Ben and they very kindly sent me a photo today.

Here is a pic of the wallhanging panel.

Bigsis Pat wants to visit her Art by Patricia blog.

Pat reminds us to be sure to also check out the

  • March Trivia Pages and
  • all the Vital Statistics sites are now available and can all be found in The Directory

  • The April Trivia Pages are now ready --- please click on the picture to be redirected there and enjoy!

Recipe Corner

Members Favourites

All that will be left is a smile!

Fresh recipes and Recipe links are continually being added to our Circle's very own unique cookbook World Recipes where I have just added some 50 more recipes sent in by members of WWWCOF. There are several "cookbooks" in there, General, Regional/seasonal, Mexican, Oriental, and within those, recipes set out in many categories. If your recipe isn't in there I will be happy to add it for you. It has its very own search engine, so you can find things according to ingredient, origin, category etc.

THIS WEEK I CONTINUE WITH OUR EASTER RECIPES. We have several in our cookbook, and there is room for many more, if anyone has any for us to add.
WWWCOF Seasonal Regional Favourites
Easter Eggs
These eggs are dyed in the Greek style, take ten minutes in the preparation and 15 minutes to cook. Decorating eggs is a charming tradition that all members of the family will enjoy - and they take no time at all. Source: Better Homes & Gardens- Australia, presented by Daphne

  • Eggs
  • Sachets of Greek Easter-egg colouring from a Greek deli
  • 2 50ml white vinegar for each colour
1. Place eggs into a heatproof bowl and cover with hot tap water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes (this will prevent the eggs from breaking in the boiling water).
2. For each colour: dissolve powdered dye in one cup of boiling water. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Pour over dye, add extra water so eggs are covered in water. Simmer over medium to low heat for 15 minutes.
3. Add vinegar and simmer for one minute. Remove from heat. Using a large spoon, carefully remove eggs from dye. Allow to cool.
To make patterns, tie string or good quality, thick elastic bands around the eggs. Remove after cooling.
To make the coloured eggs shiny, wipe them with an oiled cloth.
If Greek dyes are unavailable, use food colourings from the supermarket but to ensure deep colour, use plenty of vinegar at the end of cooking.
Instead of colourings, you can use natural dyes from vegetables. For example, boil beetroot, then colour the eggs with the cooking water, or try red cabbage, blueberries or strong coffee.
Use different eggs for different effects. Tiny quail eggs look great coloured.

Cherry & Almond Flan
Yield: 6 Servings
Sent in Sylvia, UK. Recommended for Easter. Recipe source: Dorothy Gouse Hospice Care calender 2007
  • 345gr/13oz. Shortcrust Pastry, Sweet
  • 125 Gr/ 4 1/2 Oz Butter
  • 125gr/4 1/2oz Sugar
  • 2 Eggs, Beaten
  • 125 Gr/ 4 1/2oz Almonds, Ground
  • 1 Teaspoon Almond Essence
  • 425gr/15oz Can Cherries, Drained
  • 285ml/ 1/2pint Cream, Whipped
  • 2 Tablespoon Amoretto Liquor
  • 55 Gr/2oz Almonds, Toasted
Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas5. Roll out pastry, line a 23cm/9in loose bootom flan tin.
Cream together butter and sugar, add beaten eggs.
Spoon into lined pastry tin. Place Cherries on top and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and set.
Whisk together cream and liquor until soft.
Serve tart with a sprinkle of toasted almonds and amoretto cream

The extensive kitchen help section has also grown! And there are tips and hints on just about everything from Alcohols in cooking to "Why didn't I think of that" type tips: Cookery Tips Again if you have anything you would like added, or if you want info on anything that isn't there, just let us know.


For now I'll leave you wishing you all a VERY HAPPY WEEK and Happy Anniversary to all members of WWWCOF
Would love to hear from you all, with your comments and suggestions about the WWWCOF sites I manage for the group.

Daphne

Click on any of the following to be taken to that section of the newsletter. If you can come up with any icons for the sections below I would sure appreciate you sending them to me. Please notify me of any broken links.

In this issue ...

Do remember please to email the members who have contributed to this week's issue to say hello. Great way to make a new friend!


Bragging Rights

Hello all I have missed all of you. I have been so busy the last three weeks I haven't had much time for the PC. Tried to do this the first of the week & lost it all. It didn't post & I was mad because I had typed all this & it was just gone. So will try again. To start with I had 20 people at my house on the 13th-15th for a surprise Birthday Party for my brother-in-law. Below is a photoshow hope you can view it click here

Today we had a pink & purple potty put in our front yard. Pictures will explain. click here

We have to pay $15.00 to send to someone else.

Well this is a little bit of what has been going on in my little corner of the world. I have missed all of you. Hope to get back on track next week. Hugs to all Linda Lou from Alabama, USA

Coffee & Chat

Hi Everyone: We have our very own private and special chat room on Aimoo. I look forward to chatting with you on there. It is available 24/7 but you must be a member of the WWWCOF Forum on Aimoo to access it.

Daily scheduled chats have been set up for the following time each day.

  • 4:00 pm Eastern Standard time
  • 1:00 pm Pacific Standard
  • 5:00 pm Argentina
  • 9:00 pm in Great Britain.
  • 8:00 am NSW, Australia. DST (the next day)
Come join us for breakfast, lunch or dinner -- depending on which corner of the globe you are in.

Remember to log in to access the chat room!

Coffee & Chat
World Current Times & Time Zones

You can make someone's day by simply sending a little note in for publication.

Websites our members would like you to visit

TerryLynn, from Nanaimo, BC, Canada

Dorothy from Ontario, Canada


Lena from Ontario, Canada

  • 'This Video will make you laugh OUT LOUD !!! Open when you have some time. Almost 8 minutes of play to bring back some good old memories. Once you watch the video (link below), click on the "Next" button (below the video screen) for "the tribute to Art". Kids tell the truth, the way it is to them....no games, no lies, just sweetness with honesty and integrity.

    click here for the video

    Check out all the other Music after that. Country - Elvis - Gospel - 50's - ETC. Lotsa stuff in here.

  • Wait for this wmv to load. Perito Moreno Glacier, absolutely beautiful, amazing! This is an every-four-year event that has gone on for centuries. Absolutely amazing! This clip is of the spectacular South American glacier, The Perito Moreno Glacier, which breaks up every four years like clock work, give or take a week. There are photographers from the four corners of the earth that come to southern Argentina and literally camp out at the glacier site in order to get the actual breakup on film. The individual who filmed this did a marvelous job.

    click here for video clip

Billie from Tennessee, USA:

  • Bird Loves Ray Charles

    I don't have an ounce of rhythm in my body but this bird sure does. This Cockatoo dances like there is no tomorrow. I get the feeling it takes him a while to wind down too, because he was still going when the music stopped.

  • Water Leak Problem - Jennifer and Jim kept getting huge water bills. They knew beyond a doubt that the bills weren't representative of their actual usage, and no matter how they tried to conserve, the high bills continued. Although they could see nothing wrong, they had everything checked for leaks or problems; first the water meter, then outdoor pipes, indoor pipes, underground pipes, faucets, toilets, washer, ice maker, etc, all to no avail. One day Jim was sick and stayed home in bed, but kept hearing water running downstairs. He finally tore himself from his sick bed & went to investigate, and stumbled onto the cause of such high water bills. Apparently this was happening all day long when they were not at home. Knowing that few would believe him, he taped a segment of the 'problem' for posterity!
  • If anybody can figure this out � please let me know! < HREF="http://www.regiftable.com/regiftingrobinpopup.html"> click here




    IN THE NEWS

    ALPR - Automatic Licence Plate Recognition

    License plate scanning in Canada - coming soon to a police department near you!

    This will give you an overview of some of the new technology the police will be using in the near future.

    Make sure you watch it to the end as it is very enlightening for ALL, and the licensed drivers.

    Not surprised just amazed!

    Dorothy from Ontario, Canada

    Geek's Corner

    The Circle's Computer help site has many useful tips and advise on getting the most from your computer:
    Alphalist There are an incredible number of useful articles there to help you get the best from your computer or put things right that aren't working too well. Perhaps you also know of some trick we could all use, so send it in and get it added.

    I wish all of you a VERY HAPPY WEEK and I would love to hear from you with your comments and suggestions about the WWWCOF sites that I manage for the group. Daphne from Argentina

    Our Furry / Feathery Friends in the Spotlight

    OUR FEATURED PET STORIES OF THE WEEK:

    Date Posted:03/30/2009 21:51 PM)

     

    March 25, 2009


    submitted by Aussie Jan. Please take a moment to visit my Seniors Living Life forums.

    Hoping you have a Great week and weekend. Miz Jami from Maryland, USA

    Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
    Anatole, French Novelist

    Sometimes successful adoptions are difficult, but they are never impossible. Just a week ago, Kitty Cat Paradise was searching desperately for someone who could take in a deaf cat whose owners could no longer care for it. The cat's owners were going to euthanise her if Kitty Cat Paradise did not find a home for her quickly, and nobody wanted that to happen. Thankfully, somebody answered the call to provide a loving home.

    When Dale heard that this cat may be put to sleep, he contacted Nancy, the director of Kitty Cat Paradise, and said he wanted to give the cat a good home. He went to the home of the previous owners of the cat, who had previously been unnamed. When Dale took her her home, she cowered in her cat carrier, too frightened to come out and see her new home. Dale placed Sage, as he named the cat, on his sofa and watched her breathing heavily. She was still very nervous. He offered her a blanket and a toy mouse, but nothing seemed to calm her down. After a while, Dale decided to sit still and hold Sage, petting her and letting her become accustom to him. This method seemed to relax her, as she started to purr and lick her new owner, and finally was ready to explore her new home.

    Dale reports that every day Sage is more comfortable with her surroundings. He is constantly aware of how her deafness effects the way she takes in information, so he makes sure to approach in a way that she will not be startled. Overall, after just a short week in her new home, she is loving her new life. She plays with her toy mouse daily and loves to splash around in her water bowl. She enjoys laying in the front window and taking in the sunlight. Dale is very happy with the adoption as well, as he describes Sage as an intelligent, playful, and affectionate cat.

    Kitty Cat Paradise is happy to have arranged such a successful adoption. The organization looks forward to finding more wonderful homes for other great cats in the future.

    Dale is now a volunteer at Kitty Cat Paradise.

    written by Lori-Anne Malonson, volunteer at Kitty Cat Paradise

    Submitted by: Nancy from Gresham, Oregon, USA; Executive Director of Kitty Cat Paradise, Portland, Oregon

    Kitty Cat Paradise Your Local Community No-Kill Cat Shelter Bowling Fundraiser

    We've all heard the distressing stories on the news about pets being abandoned by their owners because they could no longer afford them. It hasn't been pleasant to listen to and I'm sure we've all wished there was some way we could help.

    Now there is the perfect opportunity to do just that by attending a Bowling Fundraiser to be held Sat., April 4th, 2009 at Noon Location: 20th Century Bowl located at 92nd and Powell. Portland, Oregon

    This fun event is limited to the first 40 bowlers so be sure to get your name in early! Price is $15.00 plus two items off the Donation Wish List ( Kitty Cat Paradise) or a flat fee of $20.00.

    This nominal fee includes 2 games of bowling, rental shoes, pizza and soda. Sound like fun? RSVP at Kitty Cat Paradise to reserve your place. Kitty Cat Paradise is hosting the event and the proceeds will benefit this no-kill cat shelter that will soon be opening. Kitty Cat Paradise

    Recognizing Cruelty: How Can You Tell if an Animal Has Been Abused 1. Recognizing Cruelty: How Can You Tell if an Animal Has Been Abused?
    April kicks off Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month; but you can't fight cruelty if you don't know what it looks like. ASPCA animal cops and behaviorists share insider tips on how to tell if a pet has been abused and what you can do to get that animal the help he needs.
    Read More... 

    		•

    Everyone can use a prayer! Please click on the image above to see the brand new Prayer Requests Page

    ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER -

    Please email Charla, from Florida, USA with any Praises, Requests and/or UPDATES Thank you. May God Bless Each One and Have a Great Week!

    Garden Site

    Jeanette from the Land Down Under's roses.

    What is Quilting?

    Quilting is the stitching which holds the three layers of the quilt 'sandwich' together while forming a decorative design. Quilting can be done either by hand or machine.

    Hand quilting is usually done in a quilting 'hoop' or on a quilting 'frame' using special needles, called 'betweens', and quilting thread. The stitches are usually executed with one hand; the other hand kept underneath the quilt to feel for the needle. A hand quilter prides his/herself on making small, uniform running stitches. It is more important, however, that the stitches be straight and uniform than they be tiny. Either way, these stitches must go through to the backing, preferably to be the same size on the bottom as on the top.

    Machine quilting is usually done on a regular sewing machine, using a 'walking foot' to help all the layers feed smoothly though the machine. 'Freehand' or 'free motion' quilting is done with a 'darning foot'. Machine quilters will often match the threads to the fabric that they're quilting. Invisible monofilament thread is used when matching is not possible.

    The design that is created by either method is visible as a 'shadow line'. Each method creates a different shadow line. Hand quilting yields a dotted, puckering line, while machine quilting, although faster, gives a straighter, finer line and a harsher look. Hand quilting seems softer and more dimensional than machine quilting. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, in terms of speed and results, and its very vocal advocates.

    Read More & Illustrations

    Aussie Jan. who is our Manager of the craft site so do be sure to send any ideas or projects her way.

    Planet Kryzys

    Our planet awareness site, Planet Kryzys has many interesting stories of different aspects of a planet under Crisis. Do please take a moment to visit it and maybe it will remind you that YOUR area has something interesting to offer the rest of the world.

    Lasr week we spoke about trees in general and their benefits to man in many ways . This week we are going to start looking at some unusual trees around the world
    Jan went on her group walk, and someone knew about a sausage tree with enormous fruit that resemble sausages, in the park, only a few hundred yards from where we live. Its real name is Kigelia pinnata, and grows to to 15 metres in its native Africa.
    The blood-red flowers of the tree bloom at night on long, ropelike stalks that hang down from the limbs of this tropical tree. The fragrant, nectar-rich blossoms are pollinated by bats, insects and sunbirds in their native habitat.
    The mature fruits dangle from the long stalks like giant sausages. They may be up to 60cm long and weigh up to 6-8kg.
    Mainly grown as a curiosity and ornamental, both for its beautiful red flowers and its strange fruit. There are also a range of traditional uses for the fruit, varying from topical treatments for skin afflictions, to treatment for intestinal worms. There are some steroid chemicals found in the sausage tree that are currently added to commercially available shampoos and facial cream.
    The tree is a marginal tropical plant but can withstand light frosts.
    It is very rare in Australia.

    Info Source

    There are several stories in there about trees from different parts of the world. Do send in your stories , please!!!
    I would like some information on National/State/ or Provincial Parks members have visited or have within visiting distance from their home, to add to the �parks� section of the site
    I would like some information on National/State/ or Provincial Parks members have visited or have within visiting distance from their home, to add to the parks section of the site
    Daphne from Argentina

    Just for Fun

    If you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up.

    Medical Humour

    Here's a laugh for the day.......... Hugs, Billie from Tennessee, USA

    A CATHOLIC HEART ATTACK

    A man suffered a serious heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery. He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic Hospital. As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions regarding how he was going to pay for his treatment.

    She asked, 'Do you have health insurance?'

    He replied in a raspy voice, 'No health insurance.'

    The nun asked, 'Do you have money in the bank?'

    He replied, 'No money in the bank.'

    The nun asked, 'Do you have a relative who could help you?'

    He said, 'I only have a spinster sister, who is a nun.'

    The nun became agitated and announced loudly, 'Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God.'

    The patient replied, 'Send the bill to my brother-in-law. '

    POLICE HUMOUR

    TOO FUNNY not to share

     

    BELIEVE it or not , 
    These are Nashville , TN 's REAL 911 Calls! 


    Dispatcher :  9-1-1 What is your emergency? 
    Caller: I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the brown house on the corner. 
    Dispatcher:     Do you have an address? 
    Caller:  No, I have on a blouse and slacks, why? 


    Dispatcher:      9-1-1 What is your emergency? 
    Caller :  Someone broke into my house and took a bite out of my ham and cheese sandwich . 
    Dispatcher :     Excuse me? 
    Caller :      I made a ham and cheese sandwich and left it on the kitchen table and when I came back from the bathroom, someone had taken a bite out of it. 
    Dispatcher : Was anything else taken? 
    Caller :      No, but this has happened to me before and I'm sick and tired of it! 


    Dispatcher:  9-1-1 What is the nature of your emergency? 
    Caller:   I'm trying to reach nine eleven but my phone doesn't have an eleven on it. 
    Dispatcher:     This is nine eleven. 
    Caller:    I thought you just said it was nine-one-one 
    Dispatcher:     Yes, ma'am nine-one-one and nine-eleven are the same thing. 
    Caller:    Honey, I may be old, but I'm not stupid. 

    My Personal Favorite!!!
    Dispatcher:  9-1-1 What's the nature of your emergency? 
    Caller:    My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart 
    Dispatcher: Is this her first child? 
    Caller:        No, you idiot! This is her husband! 

    And the winner is.......... 

    Dispatcher:      9-1-1 
    Caller:  Yeah, I'm having trouble breathing. I'm all out of breath.  Darn....I think I'm going to pass out. 
    Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from? 
    Caller:   I'm at a pay phone. North and Foster. 
    Dispatcher: !     Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Are you an asthmatic? 
    Caller:   No 
    Dispatcher: What were you doing before you started having trouble breathing?
    Caller:   Running from the Police.

    submitted by Charla, from Florida, USA.

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    Common Expressions - Origin & Meaning

    A skeleton in the closet

    Meaning

    A secret source of shame, potentially ruinous if exposed, which a person or family makes efforts to conceal.

    Origin

    The phrase 'a skeleton in the closet' was coined in England in the 19th century. Since then the word closet has become used primarily in England to mean 'water closet', i.e. lavatory - a possible hiding place for a skeleton I suppose, but not one with much potential. The English now usually use 'a skeleton in the cupboard', with 'skeleton in the closet' more common in the USA.

    'A skeleton in the closet' undoubtedly originated as an allusion to an apparently irreproachable person or family having a guilty secret waiting to be uncovered. The close-at-hand domestic imagery of a closet or cupboard gives a sense of the ever-present risk of discovery. What isn't clear is whether the origin of the phrase lies in fiction or with real life, so to speak, skeletons.

    The phrase was first used in the early 1800s. The first reference I can find in print is a figurative one in a piece by William Hendry Stowell, in the UK monthly periodical The Eclectic Review, 1816. The 'skeleton' in this case was the desire to keep a hereditary disease secret:

    Two great sources of distress are the danger of contagion and the apprehension of hereditary diseases. The dread of being the cause of misery to posterity has prevailed over men to conceal the skeleton in the closet...

    The dramatic device of a hidden body was used widely in the Gothic novels of the Victorian period. Edgar Allen Poe was the master of such tales, for example, this extract from The Black Cat, 1845 :

    "Gentlemen, I delight to have allayed your suspicions", and here, through the mere frenzy of bravado, I rapped heavily upon that very portion of the brick-work behind which stood the corpse of the wife of my bosom. The wall fell bodily. The corpse, already greatly decayed, stood erect before the eyes of the spectators.

    It has been suggested that the phrase derives from the era of the notorious body snatchers, i.e. prior to 1832, when the UK's Anatomy Act allowed the more extensive use of corpses for medical research. The theory goes that, in a scenario like that of the concealment of Catholic priests in priest holes in domestic houses in Elizabethan England, doctors would conceal in cupboards the illegally held skeletons they used for teaching. There's no evidence at all to corroborate that theory. Concealed skeletons are occasionally found walled-up in houses but they are usually those of unwanted infants.

    The notion of a skeleton in the closet as shorthand for the grim evidence of a murder was widely adopted into the language due to the writings of the popular Victorian author William Makepeace Thackeray. He referred to 'a skeleton in every house' in a piece in 1845 and explicitly to 'skeletons in closets' in The Newcomes; memoirs of a most respectable family, 1854�55:

    Some particulars regarding the Newcome family, which will show us that they have a skeleton or two in their closets, as well as their neighbours.

    A skelton in the closet Whether Thackeray was alluding to actual skeletons or whether he was responding to the imagination of authors like Poe, we are never likely to know. One person he certainly wasn't referring to was the 18th/19th century philosopher Jeremy Bentham - despite his being the best-known actual skeleton in a cupboard. Bentham was hardly aiming to keep his skeleton a secret, as he willed that his body be preserved in a wooden cabinet. It is on public display in University College, London.

    The American expressions 'come out of the closet' or simply 'come out' began to be used in the 1960s and are, of course, direct follow-ons from 'a skeleton in the closet'. As far as I'm aware, no one in the UK has declared themselves as gay by coming out of a cupboard.

    London Chrissie
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    Have a wonderful weekend. I hope to be chatting with you on Aimoo soon and I would like to leave you with

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    Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have.
    ~ Norman Vincent Peale

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