Rosemary's birthday poem

1948, 48, 8 …I have spifflicated the English language, but I hope you do APPRECIATE.

INNOVATE in 1948  …. PROCREATE! INITIATE  !  

Rosemary was born, in the country, into the HAPPY Spurdle family, mum and dad, she also had two brothers, Richard and Jim, who did both MITIGATE and INFLATE her happiness.  

1958 ACCELERATE toward schools! country and city, and Rosemary. Those teachers did EDUCATE

1968 RUMINATE IN BRISBANE

Where the famous story of the brother bought a sheep for $1.00 in order to TERMINATE it in their garage.  However, the meat inspector next door might analyse, chastise and penalize.  And CONFISCATE the beastie from the REPROBATES……So they closed the garage door!

GENIUS!

Meanwhile, Rosemary attended the University of Queensland so Syl’s father could EDUCATE. Thus she did become LITERATE and did GRADUATE in order to VETERINARIATE.

To TERMINATE her graduation, Australia she did VACATE!

Our loss, England’s gain. She plied her Vetcraft and so did educate, exterminate, operate, ligate, prescribe, imbibe, euthanise, surprise and CASTRATE to stop the FORNICATE, or MATE.

And MATE speaking of Chris Twidle……Was it FATE?    no DEBATE.     

In faraway England their nuptuals they did CONSECRATE.

And in Congestone, they settled. Whereupon Chris did UN-DILAPIDATE and RENOVATE a wee dwelling on Poplar Terrace.

Then Rosey did DUPLICATE herself and Heather was born. A late primavera if ever there was one. And then Andrew was born…..to COMPLICATE

1978 MIGRATE TO AUSTRALIA was the order of the day.

They bought a house in Morningside, from an Organ Grinder. And Chris began to RENOVATE and UN-DILAPIDATE. With Andrew in a supervisory role.

1988 Met up with the Lears and our sons did RECIPROCATE.  We had easy Sunday night meals together. Then Elizabeth upped the Anti. Meanwhile the walks, together with Deanne, we had in Bulimba before coffee at OTHELLO’S did EXHILARATE

1998 Regular visits back to the UK would DISCOMBOBULATE Rosemary. For a start, two summers each year. Crazy! Even though intriguing in-laws and children would ACCOMMODATE, there were also boats and Vans to NEGOTIATE. And with the Lears, from time to time, and Deanne, for a year did try to INVESTIGATE exciting foreign places.

For her new career, Rosemary did RELOCATE to TAFE she did her best to NAVIGATE the system and EDUCATE the nurses and the Pet Shop Boys.

In 2008 do not STAGNATE in Brisbane!

With Heather and Andrew happily settled, dispersed, DISSEMINATED it was time to RELOCATE to Maleny, where there are

·        Yoga classes in which to ELONGATE,

·        A lovely acre in which to MEDITATE and VEGETATE.

·        Aqua aerobics to ACCELERATE,

·        GARDEN CLUB, to comprehend and NEGOTIATE,

·        Regular occasions, like this, to CELEBRATE, MASTICATE and LIBATE with MATES.

All to ward off what old age may DISINTEGRATE.

But wait, I hesitate, BUT the Twidles don’t.

Instead of RUMINATING, cryptic crosswords are PLACATING, the ever downward spiral of the DISINTEGRATING bod.

NOW

Let’s not PROCRASTINATE.

And let us charge our tea cups

To VALIDATE Rosey’s life and values,

To AUTHENTICATE all our treasured friendships with her.

And COMMEMORATE in 201 EIGHT

Happy birthday. Rosemary,

From

Ann and Don Lear

Marakech Express

It's going well. I'm glad to hear the sun is out at home.  We've had some rain too.  In fact, Don had been saying that we've  had rain every day on our holiday. - until today.  In fact, we're still on the bus trip with Len and Carol. We're in Marakech.  Snowy mountains to one side and the Saharah desert to the south.  It's warm, but not too hot. It is a beautiful city, gardens everywhere, every kind of tree and flower. The market place is a huge wide town square, crowded especially at night, straight out of central casting:-

  Monkeys,

  Snake charmers,

  Market food tables to sit and eat the food that the hawkers cook,

  Horses and elegant carriages - we had a grand ride!

  Of course, there's stuff for sale!

The last supper in Còrdoba

Shame we didn't have to many egg dishes in Spain.   There were too many interesting things on the menu vieing for our attention. The last night's dinner was a knockout. We selected various dishes to share. Pigs' cheeks slooooow cooked served with chick peas and grilled lettuce hearts in a rich gravy, Rosemary's favourite, Carol loved the deep fried aubergine  drizzled with cane sugar,and me? I could LIVE on the venison and rice, served in a soupy rice, dotted with meat and lovely mushrooms. Simple, rich and delicious.   I didn't  really even need the meat, the flavour of the soup was great.

Rosie ordered a cod fish and orange salad. Very attractive and good to eat. The plate had small bite-sized of cod around the outside and large slices of orange scattered amongst the greens.

 here was a wedding in an adjoining room.  It was pumping out a bit of noise.  Then I guess it was speech time at the wedding. And that loud music stopped.

There was a "parade passed us of older guests who were leaving.  Happy to escape the noise. 

Really terrific, fun service.  Tony, a stand-up comedian, and our waiter says yes, he will cone to Australia and open a Spanish restaurant and teach people about good Spanish food. I cant wait

Còrdoba morning ramble

Off to the Patios, first thing.. rugged up against the weather, nobody in the streets, which were previously crowded the night before. Whoops, have we been ripped off with these tickets. We finally found the first one, the door was ajar, but no signs of life. Then we found an open patio and the man says the orhers we saw hey are private homes, so you must knock. The patios are not small but are FULL of plants, up to the sky. They look especially charming against the white walls. It is all a blur, we have seen so many. However, what stands out are the walls that are almost completely covered. Those with a set of stairs, those with a verandah, like a little top storey. Secondly, the wide variety and habit of the plants. There are mostly geraniums, petunias but there are many different colours, textures and sizes. The two-toned geraniums look like velvet Some have big flouncy petals like petunias. Some tumble in huge cascades from above, their flowers pointing downwards. There's l9vely hard landscape features, too. Tiny kitchens, just off the patio, wells, complete with bucket and rope. A bamboo pole with a tin attached for watering the high potplants. Lovely old photos. The crowds building like crazy. Then a coffee break, off to the Mesquita for midday mass with Don. In the middle door, full security. "Ir A misa?" Security stopping people with cameras. Scanning continuously, conscientiously. Found the last available seat in the main body. Twolarger seating areas either side with a wide screen TV. Plenty of time to spare before the start.to take in the scenery and the vibe. There was a row with four men, funny. Choir was out the back in the enclosure, where there was a bit of action, Then start with a big procession from the side. Twelve adult altar servers, 4 con-celebrants, including the archbishop, maybe a cardinal, not sure, . He didn't seem important enough,

Habit of the week, from Portugal

Attend to your neck tube

Imagine that some part of your neck can be represented by a tube.  You may choose your windpipe, or your oesophagus or your spinal cord.  Picture it as a piece of flexible tubing, like an exercise cord.  Imagine holding a piece of tubing at the top, and let it drape downwards. Relax and lengthen your real neck and, of course, drop your shoulders, too.

Now picture the tube stretching forward.  This represents the "head forward" posture, and thus putting a kink or bend in your imaginary tube.  This represents the posture when we tilt our chin upwards to lift our head..  No you don't.  Try not to shorten the back of your neck.

This week's habit, lengthen your own neck (tube).  It is a handy cue to better posture, therefore less neck pain.  So it keeps you looking younger, slimmer  and and smarter.