Kathy from Valrico, Florida, USA

Hi Kathy, thanks for dropping in a while ago!
There was something I thought of while we were away that would interest you but at the moment it's gone right out of my head!!! I hope I remember what it was, because I think it was interesting!!!

Hi Kathy - I've remembered!!!!
While we were Up-the-River one evening (when we had no visitors) I was watching the A(Australian)BC news & there was an update on the Elephant story!
The Keeper has recovered & is back at work & it was the 'fault' of a couple of young females who were 'on heat'. The adolescent elephant was getting his first dose of testosterone & was trying to get through the fence to the young ladies' enclosure!
He is being moved to Dubbo Zoo - out west in country NSW, where they have a lot of space. It's a fabulous zoo! I'm not sure if all the elephants were going or just him - I was trying to cook dinner as well as listen to the report!!!

Thanks for the news about Jane, too!

I've found the link:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-15/zoo-blames-elephants-sex-drive-for-zookeeper-crushing/4 466216

Lucy Melo, the keeper, sounds American (or maybe Canadian).

If you sent a private message to Maria/Portugal asking her if she's the Maria who wants to join sudoku facebook it might help?!!
http://sudoku.com.au/UserPage.aspx?Go=E18-9-1962&UID=21303

Kathy, thank you for keeping us in touch with Jane, and vice versa. It is very kind of you ♥
She is never far from my thoughts.

That's interesting about Lucy Melo - I couldn't make out if her accent was American or Canadian, but it's probably a bit of both! I just thought she'd been conversing with Australians long enough to change the accent a little!!

Hi Kathy, thanks for visiting. I have put up 3 more waratah pics, including a yellow one. They are usually red, but there are variants including orange, pink and white

Hello Kathy. Thank you for helping me celebrate my Birthday - you're a great friend!
I know you'll soon be busy with another friend!

Hi Kathy. Thanks for your suggestion. I have had a TENS on my knee when it was replaced, but not since. My big trouble is the adjustment my skeleton and muscles have had to make after 30+ years of protecting the knee that has been replaced. The physio is trying really hard to find which bit is driving the maladjustment. I was going well until I fell over in a shop last year and every thing got shunted out of place again. I'm doing ok, but I do get frustrated. The TENS machine may be an option in the future.

Kathy, the Lady in the Snow's official name is Pomme de Neige and originated in Canada. It is a very crisp, sweet eating apple with incredibly white flesh. Here's a link with more information.
http://www.woodbridgefruittrees.com.au/woodbridgefruittrees/apples/46-pomme-de-neige.h tml

Re the ladybird photo: It certainly is a Ladybird, Kathy. It's a beetle rather than a bug. Bugs suck and their young are small versions of themselves. Beetles chew and have a lava stage. I only found that out the other day when I was told the Metallic Shied insect is a true bug because it sucks the nutrients it needs through a feeding tube. That's the bug on the blackberries photo.

There are lots of different Ladybirds. Here's a link to ones that have been discovered in Tasmanis, including the common spotty one.
Kathy, the Lady in the Snow's official name is Pomme de Neige and originated in Canada. It is a very crisp, sweet eating apple with incredibly white flesh. Here's a link with more information.
http://www.woodbridgefruittrees.com.au/woodbridgefruittrees/apples/46-pomme-de-neige.h tml

Hi Kathy, yes Mum's birthday is on the 20th of March and Cailin's is today the 26th of March.
Yes Narrelle is my firstborn and David is her hubby.
Thanks for making me check through the photo's I need to change Dillan's, he has a new much nicer girlfriend.

Hi Kathy, just dropped by to thank you for visiting my page, but more importantly to say I hope all goes well with the upcoming birth of your grand child.

A BIG Congratulations to you, Rob, and Kyley and all the family on the safe arrival of Chase Foster Martin. Glad all went well.

Hi Kathy. My birthday isn't til July. When opportunities like these eagles come up I could really use a better camera. I'll appreciate it all the more when I get it. I guess the eagles and all their friends will be back. Though this is the longest they have stayed for a number of years. I think their territory is around 40 kilometres, so they spend most of their time where the hunting is good.

Hi Kathy. That's an amazing photo of Chase. Incredible that he didn't wake up while he was being moved and rearranged!

I posted some comments to add to your comments on my pics. ( That's a very lumpy sentence - sorry!)

Good evening Kathy. I am on Facebook, but not so much for my stuff, but more for following the younger members of my family in particular my niece, who has followed her love to Norway. I am also part of a movement that is attempting to improve the quality of public discourse, particularly with reference to increased respect for women. These last couple years in Australia there has been a lot of disrespect and nastiness from radio and newspaper shock jocks and male
politicians directed at our female Prime Minister. It's fine to disagree with her policies, but not to denigrate her as a person. I love Facebook for the positive things that can be achieved, but I am also wary of it from the nasty way it can be used. I also like it for local information such as the ABC page today. Hope this makes sense to you. I guess I don't like the increasing disrespect towards women that is becoming prevalent in Australian society and through Facebook I can help do something about it.

First, I just want to say aww. I love newborn photo shoots.

Second, we know that Azariah is hesitant around people and crowds so we try to do big events when they first start to minimize the people there. Hubby said it was getting pretty crowded when they left.

With best wishes for a speedy recovery for Rob.
I hope he's making a big improvement and all is going well for him.
Thinking of you, Kathy.

Kathy, I've been away for a few days and must have missed something. News about Rob? My thoughts are with you and Rob, as clearly from reading others' comments, there has been a medical concern. So very sorry to learn that you're going through a stressful time, and wishing I could somehow ease your burden. Take care and give my best wishes for a speedy recovery to Rob.

Kathy, my thoughts are with you and Rob at this time. It sounds like he is in good hands.

Thinking of you both today and hoping all goes well for Rob xx

Hi Kathy. I haven't been checking this site for some time, so I've only just learned of the torrid time you and Rob have had. I'm sorry I wasn't aware sooner so that I could express my support for you both. However, it's good to learn that Rob is making good progress and that the future is looking brighter for you now. I hope that his good recovery continues and that you can return to enjoying your full and busy life. My very best wishes to you and your family - including the new grandbaby. Funny little parallels between us continue, as he was the same weight and length at birth as my own first baby. It's a strange world!

A belated Happy Anniversary to you both! And so good to have you safe and sound. A collective sigh of relief, that's for sure. You've been in everyone's thoughts. Bless you both!

Kathy, I am so happy to hear of normal activities and plans with your name attached!
As far as I know, there are already preliminary 'plans in the works' for a SE Michigan Sudoku Meet on July 14. Yippee!!! Nancy is a good contact person at this point.

So very glad that all seems to be stabilizing at your end, Kathy. What a scare, but yes, you certainly were lucky--some creator with a loving heart was looking down on you both. Now it's time for healing and rejuvenation so you can both be global explorers once more.
Thanks, too, for your support of this very tough career road I've taken. When traditionally published, most of the promo work was done for me (and precious little of that) but now that I'm running the show, it's a delicate balance, finding time to market as well as write. Things should settle down soon (I hope) as I get into this new groove. Nice that you passed the news on to Celia--that's how this gig goes, one reader at a time! I'll continue to keep you and Rob in my prayers.

Cathy, it is really good to have you back posting. I'm glad Rob is progressing well and offer my best wishes that he will continue to improve.

Hi Kathy! No my hubby's problem was not as life threatening as Rob's. 4 weeks ago he had a bike accident (couple of ditsy teenage girls thought it would be funny to wave a towel like a toreador in front of him. Well the towel caught on the wheel and he was thrown over the bike) in the numerous x-rays the ER docs took one showed an anueurysm in the artery leading to his spleen.

Three more trips to the ER and seeing a half of a dozen doctors later, hubby got an operation to correct the aneurysm. Now he's just recovering but it's the inactivity that's driving him bonkers. I have to sit on him and think of other activities to distract him. I'm sure you're having fun there, too!

I'm getting a workout since I go walking with him to make sure that hubby doesn't overdo it! The bike is padlocked, too! I get the 'you don't trust me?' look!

Hi Kathy!
So glad Rob is improving! Sorry I didn't get involved when the 'trouble' started - getting organized for our trip away! My thoughts were with you in my prayers, all the time, though! Even got as far as St Anthony in my prayers!

Fabulous photo!!
We had a great (exhausting!!) holiday totally organized by my husband. Some photos will appear on my page when I finally get sorted - I think you said Rob took about 9000 photos on your Russian trip - I've taken just a few more than that, so I don't know when they'll get to my page!
Anyway, still have you, Rob & family in my prayers!!

Hello Kathy, and I so hope all goes well today. I was going to say that I would keep my fingers crossed, but that wouldn't be very practical (imagine the typing then!!), so I will keep you both in my thoughts. Bluey

Hi Kathy!
In answer to your question in my gallery the other day here are the details!
Newcastle is about 2 hours drive north from Sydney.
NSW, stands for New South Wales and also Newcastle, Sydney & Wollongong - the 3 largest cities in NSW & they sit along the Coast from north to south: Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong!!!

Fabulous family photo, Kathy!!!

This is copy & paste message about the Sudoku Easy Jigsaw Problems:
They went wild after one of Gath's changes. If you go back in the beginning (15th May 2005) & check the photos in the archives you'll find that the only jigsaw is the torso in the black jumper with the white coffee cup, you'll find that photo as the jigsaw on every Easy Sudoku page up till the 12th of January this year. I did comment on this earlier this year, but I'm usually commenting when no one's around!!!
I'd say the photos we're getting are the ones from the Easy pages that don't have a home any more! And the off sized ones are possibly the very early reward photos for finishing the Sudoku!
So I think we just have to accept that the Easy Sudoku jigsaw is going to too big or very small, more frequently than being a good size!!

Chase sure is a cutie! And I can see why you enjoy him so much...Just look at that smile and his wonderful gaze.

Hi Kathy. Thanks once again for checking out my garden pictures. There is still a lot to do. The native garden will need a huge overhaul. The paths have all disappeared, it's full of weeds and a big trim up is needed for the plants! We have been here for 19 years, having moved out from Launceston.

I love the photo of Chase. What an adorable little bloke!

Hi Kathy!
Thanks for visiting my gallery, & thanks for the comments, too!