Aussie Readers discussion

Decided to get up, make a cuppa and read :)

Jools, If it's not a rude question, are you old enough to remember 14th Feb 1966?

Good morning all! We were way for the weekend and missed the latest round of storms in Sydney. Came home to a flooded garage (again) and towels and buckets all over the laundry floor where the roof leaked. Our gutters just couldn't cope with the amount of water coming down In the deluge. Still, not much to complain about when you see all the damage to houses in other areas. Must be time for the rain to stop and let us get on with summer.

Hi Marianne, we were still in the UK when Australia changed to decimal so I don't remember it but do recall the UK changing to decimal new pence and new pounds around the same time.

Marianne wrote: "Jools, If it's not a rude question, are you old enough to remember 14th Feb 1966?"

Lol...I'm old enough to want to forget it! ;)
In retrospect I wish it had come sooner as I was really struggling with maths (arithmetic) and then they go and change everything which just frightened me more as I thought I would have to start from scratch!! I would rather have gone to the dentist!!

I woke at 3! Its 4 now. I bet I fall asleep when its time to get up!!

Marianne, great round up and I for one am glad it happened. I remember the backs of the notebooks!

On another note, we watched Finding Nemo last night, it hasn't aged a bit but I can't believe it was released in 2003! All the aussie accents have made me homesick again, god it was funny. Such a great script.

The change to decimal currency didn't happen in the UK until 1971. I certainly remember it:)

...and yes I remember the times tables on the back of our exercise books, we used to have to sing them out loud at the start of class everyday. I can still sing most of them!! ;)

Good Morning Carolyn, Ace and Phrynne :)
Our garage got flooded as well Carolyn, still it gets a good clean out whenever that happens. We spent a lot of yesterday dragging stuff out and pushing the squeegee thing around to get the excess water out.

Morning all:)

Morning all :)

Glad I was up early, our neighbours are getting a new driveway and the tradies arrived at 6am and started...very noisily...getting things ready for the concrete to arrive. Now, after waking all the neighbours and getting them to move their cars around, they are all sitting on their hands waiting for the truck to bring the concrete ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶
......they've decided to hava a maccas break uuurrrgh!!

@Marianne I was just born when decimal currency came in, but pounds, shilling and pence felt familiar to me as it was always in family stories. What the use of a Guinea was always confused me!

I remember Abbott was muttering about going back to measurements in feet and inches, I was horrified - I still haven't got metric under my belt.

Sounds like a few of us were up around 3 and 4 but I was reading my book and didn't come near GR. Will say good morning to all now.
Annoying tradies there Julie.

Morning all.

February 1966?

I was just about to make my grand entrance into the world.

Not sure when the metric system came in, but I imagine doctors surgeries and the like took years to update their scales because I still don't understand kilos in relations to stones. And when ever I have my weight taken, I have to ask 'What's that in stones?" to understand if how heavy I am.

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Glad I was up early, our neighbours are getting a new driveway and the tradies arrived at 6am and started...very noisily...getting things ready for the concrete to arrive. Now, after waking all the..."

Haha! They've obviously studied well at the Aussie school for tradies!

Carolyn wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "Glad I was up early, our neighbours are getting a new driveway and the tradies arrived at 6am and started...very noisily...getting things ready for the concrete to arrive. Now, afte..."

Three hours later and still no sign of the concrete arriving...still sitting on they're hands telling loud stories to one another...they might get another day out of this job! ...Oh here it comes...

Marianne wrote: "Decimal Currency
I was on the way to Mum’s today, thinking about the introduction of Decimal Currency. Next month, the day after the Melbourne get-together, in fact, it will be FIFTY YEARS since th..."

Brings back memories - although I wasn't in Australia for the change, I was in England when they were talking about metricised the pound which started after I left. So 100 pence would became a pound instead of 120 pennies. To her dying day my Nan was convinced the government of the day had 'stolen' 20 pennies per pound from her savings account.

Sharon wrote: "Morning all.

February 1966?

I was just about to make my grand entrance into the world.

Not sure when the metric system came in, but I imagine doctors surgeries and the like took years to updat..."

I am fine with kg for my weight - but calorie count not kilojoule count - and when babies are born I need to know their lbs to judge if they're a big baby or not - just telling me how many kg it is doesn't help - I have to convert :)

Sally906 wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Morning all.

February 1966?

I was just about to make my grand entrance into the world.

Not sure when the metric system came in, but I imagine doctors surgeries and the like took..."

Funny, because I under stand what a pound is in relation to a kilo, just not what it relates to stones or how kilos relate to stones and tons, which might be a good thing, cause I hate to find out I way a ton

So, as far as I understand it, a pound is about 450g, a kilogram is about 2.2 pounds and there are 14 pounds in a stone, which would make a stone about 6.3kg.

I also think about babies in terms of pounds, however if someone was to tell me a baby was 3.5kg, I would just multiply roughly by 2 to work out bub was an OK weight!!

No idea about tons or tonnes, Sharon!

Having a rather wild hailstorm here right now.........

Oh no Marianne! Take care:)

I still have trouble with metric height. If someone is described as being 1.7m I have trouble visualising whether that is short or tall but if you told me they were 5ft 6in I'd have no trouble at all. Weird isn't it?

Marianne wrote: "Having a rather wild hailstorm here right now........."

Someone needs to tell Mother Nature we've had enough of those this year!

the front door mat was covered in hailstones. might post a few piccys tomorrow...

It looks as though we might have another storm approaching us too. Yes - I can hear the thunder now. Unbelievable!

We've kinda gotten over our stormy weather but don't hold me on that....Certainly been a few rough days where that is concerned.


Today was my first day back at work...I had to attend a professional learning day about lifting practices...It was awesome! I came back with so much info and things I'll remember and can pass along to others. Tomorrow I was meant to have off but I've been called into work..So it is a full week of work this week!

Well done Laura! Good to hear:)

Marianne wrote: "the front door mat was covered in hailstones. might post a few piccys tomorrow..."

None further south Marianne.

Thanks Brenda :)

@ Michael - Oh that's so frustrating and upsetting too :/ Hopefully tomorrow there might be a chance of some news?

Michael wrote: "Hopefully I will get some indication about what is going on before Friday or I will be very miffed. Grats on being back at work Laura. :)"

Hope you hear soon - and it's all good!

Good luck Michael!

Fingers crossed Michael.

Michael -hope you get to know what's going on before then!!
Thanks..felt a bit odd being back..Wednesday will be the real test..that's when our children go back.

Michael wrote: "Hopefully I will get some indication about what is going on before Friday or I will be very miffed. Grats on being back at work Laura. :)"

Michael, wouldn't it have been better to hang on to your long service leave in case you did lose your job? Then, that pay would be extra money in your hand to tide you over till new work came along.

Julie, those tradies are clever. usually council laws prohibit works before a certain time but nothing can stop them from 'getting stuff ready'! Annoying, isn't it?

We've had no storms here, just heaps of gorgeous rain which we really needed.

B the BookAddict wrote: "Julie, those tradies are clever. usually council laws prohibit works before a certain time but nothing can stop them from 'getting stuff ready'! Annoying, isn't it?

We've had no storms here, just ..."

Yes, so that they can knock off at 2pm. As soon as they finished the concreting the rains came down! Not sure how it fared?

Michael wrote: "Hopefully I will get some indication about what is going on before Friday or I will be very miffed. Grats on being back at work Laura. :)"

Good luck Michael. Hope you hear soon, nothing worse than waiting for news about your job. Fingers crossed.

Carolyn wrote: "Michael wrote: "Hopefully I will get some indication about what is going on before Friday or I will be very miffed. Grats on being back at work Laura. :)"

Good luck Michael. Hope you hear soon, no..."

All the best Michael, I hope you get some good news soon.

Michael wrote: "Hopefully I will get some indication about what is going on before Friday or I will be very miffed. Grats on being back at work Laura. :)"
I hope you hear soon and Laura, hope you are enjoying your young charges.

Michael wrote: "B the BookAddict wrote: "Michael wrote: "Hopefully I will get some indication about what is going on before Friday or I will be very miffed. Grats on being back at work Laura. :)"

Michael, wouldn'..."

I hear ya Michael. I wish they would let us choose our own training courses based on individual needs/goals :(

Hey there everyone :)
So I just got back from my specialist and have to go in for surgery...he was slightly concerned bc from my last surgery I have now got a black disc which is basically a disc in my spine is dying...kinda freaking out ATM as go in in 2 weeks time...and now to add to my stresses my health fund won't cover the surgery fees...now I'm having to organise change of private insurers which is the last thing I want to be doing! But if I don't then that adds thousands on top of the surgery!!
Sorry for the rant :( majorly stressed!!!

Queen of Randomness (AKA Kristen) wrote: "Hey there everyone :)
So I just got back from my specialist and have to go in for surgery...he was slightly concerned bc from my last surgery I have now got a black disc which is basically a disc i..."

Strange that health fund won't cover the op. What reason did they've? You don't need extra stress at this time.

Dale wrote: "Queen of Randomness (AKA Kristen) wrote: "Hey there everyone :)
So I just got back from my specialist and have to go in for surgery...he was slightly concerned bc from my last surgery I have now go..."

I No right Dale...They explained that i wasnt sufficiently covered under my insurance. Even after explaining to NIB previously of my current circumstances and the requirement for future Back surgery, they informed me many times that a Mid Cover, would be all I would require for this surgery. Thinking that I have been sufficiently covered, I find out today, that I am actually not covered at all for spinal fusion.
After then contacting NIB Customer Service, I was told that I would have to wait 23 days for my cover to be updated, which I was informed would be covered under continuity of cover. Yeah I now no thats a load of rubbish.
I now have been told that I have to wait until March to have my surgery, otherwise I will not be covered and will receive no money back. I will now be up for thousands of extra dollars just because NIB couldnt wave a 23 day period. What a way to repay lifelong customers right?
Mum Contacted HCF and they were shocked and appalled that NIB wouldnt wave this period...
I advise that you all check your insurance coverage, so you dont end up in the same pickle!!

Queen of Randomness (AKA Kristen) wrote: "Hey there everyone :)
So I just got back from my specialist and have to go in for surgery...he was slightly concerned bc from my last surgery I have now got a black disc which is basically a disc i..."

So sorry to hear Kristen. I do hope you can get everything sorted and it all goes well:) Good luck!

Queen of Randomness (AKA Kristen) wrote: "Dale wrote: "Queen of Randomness (AKA Kristen) wrote: "Hey there everyone :)
So I just got back from my specialist and have to go in for surgery...he was slightly concerned bc from my last surgery ..."

That is appalling Kristen. Spinal fusion is what I had a few years back and we got all covered for hospital and a certain amount back on doctors . We are with Westfund. Our optometrist's secretary told us recently she is also with them as you get more back from them than any other fund. You are in my thoughts Kristen. Hope you can find a solution.

Hi Everyone!

I've just got back from two weeks in Japan - what a beautiful country! Looks like everyone's been pretty busy while I've been away. I'm just catching up on all my Goodreads notifications, which looks like it might take some hours.

Kristen, I hope it all gets sorted out for you!

Leonie wrote: "Hi Everyone!

I've just got back from two weeks in Japan - what a beautiful country! Looks like everyone's been pretty busy while I've been away. I'm just catching up on all my Goodreads notificati..."

Welcome back Leonie.

Thanks, Sally!