not sure what to write about

but it was good to see you at the drinks last Wednesday and I thought I would say hello at least and tell you something about the weekend. Went to look at a few horses.. rode two.. the second was really lovely.. big trot and lovely comfortable canter. Will maybe get a picture .. well I will for sure if I buy it.

Of course the best part of the weekend was .. well it rained.. how good is that. I now have some green grass. And getting longer green grass as we speak.

But to stamps, I have not bored you with that topic for ages... have I :-) there was an auction in New York a few days ago.. and I wanted to reassure you that I was not the high bidder on £2 black and rose stamp that set a new world record for an Australian stamp. I didn't say I was not the seller either .. did I.. but I have to be honest.. I was not the seller :-)

and finally, I had this stamp (scan) sent to me.

A rather lovely stamp because of the brilliant artwork and engraving. Rather unlike todays wallpaper stamps, Enjoy .. best wishes.. Michael

Ice Queen at 333

Well it was fantastic to see everyone (except those who didn't show of course, not pointing any fingers at MG, GR or CLS who at least has made his excuses). Oh and AS I passed on your thoughts on GR's parentage to him but he just laughed.
I'm really pleased to be staying in touch with you all, what a great bunch of people we are if I do say so myself, and I hope that enough vino was provided to M as an incentive to organise another get-together in the not-too-distant future :)
In other news, for those of you who weren't there to get a card, the newest excitement in my life is that hubby has bought himself a business and he's now an Ice Carver. So guess who gets to do the back office work, including putting up a website. Have a squiz (shameless self-promotion follows) at www.icesculpture.com.au. Feedback appreciated (especially if it's positive). So if anyone knows anyone in the wedding or catering or events industries, please put in a word for us.
Meantime, keep on keeping on, and I'll see you all at the next one. SD (now known as The Ice Queen ha ha ha).

Hope drinks were fun and my apologies.....

hey guys - my apologies for not being able to make the drinks last night. My wife had been sick the past 2 days, so being a caring husband I worked from home yesterday so I was able to tend to her needs (ie. drive her to doctors, feed her, etc). I tell you when I work from home I ended up working later then I do when I am in the office! Hope there are a few photos taken from last night posted somewhere on the net.........

password changed.. thanks George ( pass word = navy007)

hello.. I went to the Bank... had lots of money for drinks tomorrow night.. then I was mugged..... my daughter now has the money.. so you will have to buy me a drink.. :-)

see you at 333 George... and if you are reading this and dont know who we are but still want to join us.. just look for the really beautiful people :-)

cu M

New post from my Google account without using Michael's secret password "ILoveStamps"

OOPS!! I gave out Michael's password, now he's going to have to change it ;-)

The trained monkeys have suggested that Michael can add anyone with a Google or Blogger account to the bisspeople Blog contributor group. Once you are in the group you will be able to post, just like I am doing now.

Of course, access doesn't infer usage as we all know from the GSSR report numbers - 14,000 created 4,000 viewed!

Hope you all are having/had a great weekend like we did.

Cheers,
George

I am guessing no one can write anymore.. other than me.. since you dont have my Google password.. I have a highly trained team of monkeys working on a solution.. many of them ex C employees and one of them I believe is still there on a consulting basis... they haven't found him out yet.... will keep you informed.. and may even have a solution on Wednesday.. is that motivation to turn up at 333 George with a pocket full on cash to buy me a drink. :-) cu.. M

how many valentines day cards..?? or roses???

hello.. if you are reading... I will buy drinks next week 21st at 333 George ..for the person who got the most Valentines day cards.. hee hee.. and the person that got the most roses.. like do we care.. :-) I am safe on that one.. no show !!!

and no one sent me a card.. like do I care .. YEAH.. of course I do.. :-)

I will try to see what I can do to let others post.. with this new google blog or whatever I was forced to sign into, it seems I have removed the ability for you all to sign in.. sorry.. not my doing..

and I cannot let you have access to all my other blogs.. now can I... :-) all of a sudden they are accessible from one sign in.. awesome power of a google ID

just post comments until I get this resolved.. best wishes.. hope to see you on 21st...

Valentines day.. where are my cards!!!!!

Valentines Day....... how many cards are you getting.. same as me eh!!! Oh well.. such is life.. I read that 85% of cards are bought by women.. who are they sending them to I wonder.. :-) not me... that I am admiting to anyway, hee hee

Did you know that the first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [chose] his make [mate].

This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. A treaty providing for a marriage was signed on May 2, 1381. When they were married eight months later, he was 13 or 14. She was 14. Awesome eh!!!

Chaucer's Parliament of Foules is generally set in a supposed context of an old tradition, in fact there was no such tradition before Chaucer. The speculative explanation of sentimental customs, posing as historical fact, had their origins among eighteenth-century antiquaries, notably Alban Butler, the author of Butler's Lives of Saints, and have been perpetuated even by respectable modern scholars. Most notably, "the idea that Valentin'e Day customed perpetuated those of the Roman Lupercalia has been accepted uncritically and repeated, in various forms, up to the present"

If you want to learn the Roman side of things you will find it even more interesting.. well I think so..

who ever, and wherever you are.. have a lovely, loving Valentines day.. Michael

my first video...

wonderful news about the cricket, and today should be just a heart stopping one I think... Something very different from me today.. and while I am shy about embarrassing myself I will do so today because I thought you might like to see what I encountered this morning. By luck I had the camera with me.. my first time using it.. I was filming the bush just for practice .. when I came across this..... I will have to work on my voice and commentary won't I :-) ha ha .. enjoy... two short pieces.. Part I..
then Part II

And yes CLS you are correct about the Penny Red.
Michael

A close game!

I am writing this as I am watching England v. Australia in the 1st Final. Looks like Englad have a chance of winning this one, after being written off for dead previously! Looks like this One Day International series is alive!
MD - thankfully the face is healing up ok. Hopefully by the 21st, there will be no evidence of flakey skin :-)

Just out of interest, do you also have a Penny Red? I recall when I was kid the Penny Red superceeded the Peny Black? Thats about the extent of my knowledge with stamps unfortunately!

CLS

my Penny Black

Hi. well I think I have finally screwed up this blog.. as I was forced to use google account to log in.. and I am not giving you my google password :-)


anyway.. I'll see what I can do to sort this out.. stay with me :-)


CLS.. you wimp.. that is not cold,.. ha ha.. living in Montreal and Toronto and getting various parts of you frozen daily was just the way it was :-) I do of course hope you are fine. :-)



As for something new I hope you like this.. you may never have seen one before,, and I think this one is rather "personal" well MD for me..


Enjoy and hope to see you on 21st at 333 George... have a great weekend.. Michael

back at work and flakey....

hey guys - well am back at work and just about over the jetlag. After spending a week in Breckenridge, it is hard to get back into the swing of things. Then again being a week away anywhere tends to do that to me. Not as much snow as last season but I did manage to get to days of powder at the end. The only negative thing about that was it was INCREDIBLY COLD! -25 with winds is not the most hospitable of conditions! Being exposed to it for 6 hours with some bare facial skin is not comfortable either! Of course I managed to do it for 2 days and the result is part of my cheeks turned purple from the cold.....It was like I had 2 birthmarks suddenly appearing on my face.......Thankfully they are slowly disappearing and the skin underneath is growing nicely. If anyone happens to be snowboarding in -25 degree conditions, suggest you really cover up!

CLS

so you think you know good music...

enjoy.. Michael.. :-)

musings...........

Never sure what to write these days; I saw this and thought it amusing.. and wanted to share it with you... hope you enjoy.. as for life.. well I am not going to India on Friday.. been put back as there is a reason to go later in the month... and lets be honest, twice in one month seems a bit extravagent.. so for all of you (did you miss out ha ha ha ha) who placed duty free orders.. sorry.. delay.... I did go to Melbourne twice last week but that is different.. right !!

Anne. lovely pictures.. thanks for sharing those..

CLS.. are you fine with your car??? !! only you know my man!!!!!!!!!!!!

oops.. dinner ready.. see you on 21st at 333 George.. Michael

Now about the, are you fat, question.. hmmm have to think about that :-)