Christmas is coming!

[Russ Kennedy]

On local Radio Newcastle yesterday........The Forestry Commission are having problems at Hamsterly Forest in the North East of England. Folk have decided, why buy a Xmas tree when you can pinch one straight out of a forest. The Commission decided therefore to install a camera to catch the thieves, low and behold the thieves pinched the camera and the tree(s). So not to be out done, the Commission installed another camera and it doesn't take a genius to work out what happened next.....they pinched that one as well!!!! Welcome to the North East.......the mind boggles!! You have to laugh don't you?
Merry Xmas everyone!!!!

[Robin Ellis]

Russ,

Brilliant, and now they are going to have a camera to watch the camera to watch the camera to watch the ..................

Here, in Argentina, we also have our fair share of "commission types".
Christmas here is the height of summer and day time temps of between 32 and 40 degrees centigrade are the norm. Our farms are kept alive by canals of melted snow from the Andes and each of us takes it in turn to water using huge sluice gates that divert the flow into irrigation ditches on our farms. We are in what is known as "the southern oasis" and without this water we would be a desert - the Dakar rally last year passed an hours drive from our house.
But human nature being what it is, people from the nearest town all drive out into the country, have a barbeque and swim in the canals and irrigation ditches. Can't blame them really as there are no swimming pools or lakes here. Every year 1 or 2 people get a bit drunk and drown.

So what did the local commission decide to do?
Yes, you have it, shut off the water in the canals for the Christmas and New Year - let thousands of farms loose all their crops/vines/pigs/cattle/horses etc through drought.
Latest news is that the canals suppyling our area will have water, but 2 rivers feeding another area are to be dried over Christmas.
So, only half the farms dry out, but there is still over 80 miles of canals for people not to drown in.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone on Merchant Navy Net

Robin

[Stan Carter]

Hi robin,, dare I ask, how come you came to settle in the andes, while most of us choose the more attractive and exotic parts of the world.
regards,stan

[Russ Kennedy]

Thanks Robin, You've just about got it spot on......the latest on the Xmas tree front is that the Forestry Commission have installed another camera, but this time it is linked to a computer to record the images.......so now they can see who steals the camera.........?????????? Watch this space!!

[Robin Ellis]

Hi Stan,

Of course you can ask - someone has to live in the grotty places ;-)
I see that you are from Ottowa - which must be a great place to live in too.

Well, I fell in love with a lady from Argentina and promised that one day we would return to live there, probably when I retired.
For 8 years we took my annual leave in Argentina and travelled all over looking for places we might like to live in. We were on the way south when the bus stopped in a small town and we both fell in love with it. Possibly because of the cleanliness, the fact that the streets were visibly policed and in the evening the main square was full of families with children just out walking and enjoying themselves. And no graffiti or litter in the main square either.
So, a few years later we came back and bought some land some way out of the town that had not been farmed for 17 years - no drinking water, no electricity, and in a bit of a state, a bit remote, but a great location. The plan was to wait until I retired, then build a house, create a farm and vineyard to keep us busy in our old age. But in the end I resigned my job and left 9 years before pensionable age.

Why? The government controlled company I worked for imported an American manager to show us how (not) to do things. He in turn brought in many very, very highly paid staff, including his wife, and set about changing how we operated.
The management style was not to my liking, and that is why I resigned, put everything we had into a container, and headed west.

Another major factor in leaving the UK early was that the quiet country town I lived in was changing. It was no longer safe to walk back from the pub late at night and the local police refused to do anything other than fine you for parking or for speeding. But enough of that!

So I am far busier than expected as I now have another 6 years to go for my pension - and we have had to work like mad to earn money from the farm in order to be able to live - until I retire for real

What do I miss about the UK? I can't get any curry powder here

The scenery is great here, but life and work is hard and the weather can be serious and in huge quantities. But we love it, and for that we are very lucky and very grateful.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Well Robin, you followed your heart and your instincts, which takes courage, and from your description it sounds like you made the right choice. So we wish you and your good lady all the luck in the world, as it sounds like you've already got all the hard work you really need. When the vinyards are fully productive and you've finished trampling the grapes we'll all be over to help you drink the results of your hard work and courage.

Dreams can come true, but they are hard work at times

All the best

Ivan

[Lou Barron]

Is it funny how the right women can change a mans way of living and into a strange countryto live

[Robin Ellis]

Thank you Ivan and Charles for your posts, they were very moving. "Her indoors" says hello too.

Many unexpected problems popped up on the way, but in the end they have made the hard work more satisfying.

And finding this site has been a huge bonus for me. I see the humour in so many posts, and read with amazement the help that has been given to people searching for father's/grandfather's service records. You are all a really decent bunch here.

Trampling grapes - well we planted 2 and a half acres of grapes in 2010 and this year we will get our first, but partial harvest.
Next year will be the first year of full production - so book your passages, and whip off your socks, because I will need a lot of trampling as we hope to have enough grapes for around 5000 bottles of wine.
And those who trample get to sample the finished product too

[happy daze john in oz]

Only 5000 hic bottles hic, hic, might not be hic, enough for this hic lotLOL
You sound like a man of conviction stick with it and in the end you are rewarded.

[Stan Carter]

Hi Robin, many thanks for the great update, you have to be congratulated for finding the perfect utopia and following your heart. I found the best thing we, as seamen, had the good fortune to visit many lands and places that we liked and fell for. which made it much easier to move and settle.
best wishes to you and her that has to be obeyed.
regards stan.