War and Teeth
OLIVE’S THIRD POST
Good afternoon everyone. This is Olive here. First, I want to thank all of you who visited my blob. Gerard says there’ve been 192,000 visits but that can’t be right.
- Mike
It’s a blog, Ollie. Not a blob.
- Olive
Oh, really?
- Mike
Anyway, blob is fine. Call it a blob if you like.(For those of you joining us for the first time. Olive is 107, lives near Sydney, Australia and I’m Mike, the helper/typist.)
- Olive
Anyway, as I was saying I want to thank all those who have sent me nice messages.
Especially thanks to Maria from Italy, Lorant in France, Chuckles in Texas, Paul from Scotland, Kerri from New York and Ravi in India.
It’s hard to undertand you writing to me from all those countries. I don’t understand it really, to be honest.
- Mike
Don’t worry, they’re having fun. Now, here’s the news about the lettuces.(see Olive’s second post below for this story)
I phoned Johnny Bosco and he said nothing’s changed as yet. But the day after your visit, the TV was there, Channel 7. They picked up the story because of you.
Here’s the TV people at the lettuce patch, and Johnny Bosco in red, explaining how he’s fought to keep his hydroponic garden. He might also get on Alen Jones program.
- Olive
Really?
- Mike
And they’re supposed to broadcast the Ch. 7 story this week.
- Olive
They better. Fancy keeping a man from making an honest living like that! It’s disgraceful!……… So nothing’s changed yet?
- Mike
I don’t think so. This is Nina, you met her, she owns the little shop. Here she’s telling someone, no progress yet.
- Mike
But you noticed when I read you the comments that some of your blob readers are angry too. There’s Paul and Chief Biscuit who are both furious. Paul’s in Scotland and Chief Biscuit’s in New Zealand.
Anyone who feels really strong about it should write to Gosford council, don’t you think?
- Olive
Who would they write to?
- Mike
I found out. To Colleen Worthy–Jennings the Director of Environment and planning, Gosford Council. Her email is colleen.worthy-jennings@gosford.nsw.gov.au. Some people have said this address bounced back. If so, try goscity@gosford.nsw.gov.au. marking it to Colleen’s attention.
- Olive
I hope they’re not rude.
- Mike
They wont be rude, blog friends of yours’d never be rude, Ollie.They’ll just point out that this makes Australia look rather silly.
- Mike
Now, let’s talk about something else. Look at that smile of yours, I am curious about your teeth. You told me you’ve had the same set of pearlies since 1930. Is that true?
Girlie, girlie,
Where’d you get those Pearlies?
You’ve been flashing that smile
for quite a while
and I want to know the story.
- Olive
Too right I have, and they are sooooo comfortable!
- Mike
But how come you had all your teeth out when you were so young? That’s you and Evelyn in Surry Hills, by the way at about that time.
- Olive
Well, I was working at the egg board, candling eggs, and one day this woman working next to me said. “My, Olive, your breath does smell bad!‿ Oh my goodness me. I was terribly upset. Must be a bad tooth, I thought, so I went down to the dentist and he said; “Oh yes, you’ve got a couple of decayed teeth there.‿
- Mike
Just a couple, though?
- Olive
Yeah. So, I said take ‘em out. “What, now???‿ He said. (I was on me lunch hour, yer see.) And I said yes, now! And so he took ‘em out. Then, I said; while you’re about it, you might as well take the lot out.
- Mike
Why?
- Olive
Because I didn’t want to be going backwards and forwards all the time to the dentist. So he said; “Are you sure?‿ Yes, I’m sure. So he took them all out and I fainted twice in half an hour.
- Mike
This was in your lunch time in 1930? It sounds quite unbelievable, Ollie. Are you sure it was in one lunch time?
- Olive
In one lunch time. I was only there once. Anyway, I went back to work and they were horrified at what I’d done.
Then, about a week later I was talking to a neighbour who had a beautiful set of teeth.
And I said; where’d you get your nice teeth? So she took me the the man who’d made hers.
So I told this second dentist my story and he said; “Oh, you poor girl, and you’re only a working girl with three children too. Tell you what, I’ll make you a set of teeth, top and bottom, and I won’t charge you a penny for them.‿
- Mike
Why did he say that?
- Olive
I suppose I felt sorry for me ‘cos I had those three children, and me being single. Anyway, he took the impression there and then.
- Mike
Of your gums?.
- Olive
Yeah, and then he said, “ what’s your address? I’ ll come and take another impression on the weekend.So I told where I lived and come the weekend, up the stairs he ran, good as gold, and took another impression.
- Mike
Were your kids around?
- Olive
Oh, playing somewhere. Then he said, “I’ll be back in two days time.‿ And away he went. Later, I told me mate who lived just across the road, and she cried, “a top and bottom set for nothing? Oh, Ollie you are so lucky.‿
Anyway, in two days, back he came with the two sets of teeth but they were only mock sets.
- Mike
temporary?
- Olive
Yeah, Temporary. And he said; “how do they feel?‿ And I said, they feel wonderful. I could wear these with pleasure. Then, he said, “no you can’t. These are only what we call the fools pair.‿
- Mike
Fools pair?
- Olive
Yeah, the fools pair. Anyway, he took then away and I think he came back four times till at last I could chew and till it didn’t hurt a single bit.
- Mike
you got used to them quickly?
- Olive
Yeah. He was that skilful….you’ve got no idea! And when I smiled he said. “Oh, that smile. You’re different altogether now, Mrs Johnston.‿ (that was me name then) And away he went.I never saw him anymore and these are those teeth. Here’s me soon after they were in and then, twenty years later with the same teeth and my little dog, Mitzie who is just like your Tosca in size, I mean, not coloring of course.
- Mike
But the thing I don’t understand is, why you would have asked that first dentist to take everything out? It’s so drastic.
- Olive
I know that. But I just wanted to get it over and done with. I didn’t want to be going backwards and forwards to the dentist all the time.
- Mike
But why not have those two first teeth drilled?
- Olive
I couldn’t stand the thought of having me teeth drilled.
- Mike
You think the drilling would have been more painful than pulling them out?
- Olive
Any day! There was women in a chair next to me and she was getting drilled and she was in a terrible state, and I thought, Ollie, you’ll never go through that.
- Mike
In those days they did not give you pain killing injections?
- Olive
No, never gave you anything.
- Mike
But didn’t it hurt like billy-oh anyway to have them pulled out?
- Olive
Of course it did. I fainted twice as I told you.
I guess (Mike thinking) there was a very different attitude to false teeth in those days.
Another old lady told my niece that she remembers girls having all their teeth taken out so they could look better for their wedding day, a sort of fresh start in the mouth for married life.
After this, Ollie and I talked about war. I had come across a young guy, an American, who was blogging from the war zone in Iraq and who had love hate feelings about the war.
I noticed too that he was blogging on black. The blog looked very grim but was fascinating, so different to Ollie’s. She’s seen many men go off to many wars, including her son Barnie who was wounded three times in the Second World war.
That’s Barnie caught by a street photographer in Sydney just before embarcation. Then, Barnie after coming back alive.
I wonder what Olive thinks about war? Does she think that men secretly love war as the guy with the black blog seems to do? Is that why we cant get rid of it?
-
At this point a journalist from the Telegraph arrived to interview Olive about her new blog and the lettuce campaign, and there was no more talk of war.
Wednesday, February 28th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
This post is filed under Uncategorized.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
February 28th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
greetings from Poland :). I’ve just read about your blog Mrs Olive in our newspaper. All the best :))
February 28th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Olive, I read about you at Time Goes By and thought I’d pay you a visit. At the moment, I’m having a toothache and thinking how much I hate dentists and their tools! Your pearlies story is just incredible, at least, you never have toothaches.
Keep on blogging, Olive, and I’ll keep on reading.
February 28th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I am not sure how you could have had all of your teeth pulled in one sitting, crikey that must have hurt..I had one pulled and it took nearly an hour!
Please visit my site over the weekend (we are re-launching then) and add your blob(!), it would be an absolute honour.
Kevin
http://www.fuelmyblog.com
February 28th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Hello, I am 10eke from the Netherlands.
Dear Mrs Olive, I am enjoying your weblog very much!
Have a nice day!
February 28th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Hello Olive,
your blog is the nicest one, i’ve ever seen. I hope you write the next 100 years this blog
Greetins from Germany
Alex
PS: You don’t look like 107 years!!
February 28th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Hello from Moulton, Alabama located in the Heart of Dixie, the Southern (and best) part of USA.
I plan to come back often and I’m looking forward to reading all your stories
February 28th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Dear Olive and Mike
THANK YOU for a most enjoyable browse through your fantastic blog. Today you’ve been featured on the Innocent Drinks blog (one of my own favourites) and I found you from my desk here in Dublin, Ireland. It’s raining outside.
Really looking forward to reading more entries. You’re definitely bookmarked in my favourites!
Stay smiling (and when you come to Ireland I’ll buy you a Guinness)
Darragh D.
February 28th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Hola Olive! Soy un chico de Barcelona, y hasta aquà hemos recibido la noticia de su Blog. Queria felicitarla y darle muchos animos desde esta bonita tierra, Catalunya. Que siga muchos años asÃ,y de nuevo felicidades!
February 28th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Hello from Germany again.
Is it true, that Australians walk upside down?
February 28th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
i am from Germany,Respect !!! You are great !!!!Stefan
February 28th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
[…] Riley ist 107 Jahre alt und blogt. In ihrem “Blob“. Sie mag diesen Begriff mehr als Blog. Soll sie doch. Sie schreibt ohnehin nicht […]
February 28th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Complimenti, spero di arrivare anch’io alla sua età con uno spirito così innovativo. Auguri.
February 28th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Hello Oliver
Greeting from Beijing,china
I and my grandmother know your blob from our websites and newspaper,my grandmother want to say “hello” to you.but she can’t reading and writing english She is 84 years old.so i help her just like mike helps you.After reading your blob .We both believe you are incredible and nowmy grandmother also want to have a blob as well.
Have a nice day goodbye Oliver,oh and mike
February 28th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Greetings from Coratia. all the best and more more Post
February 28th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Hello from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Olive, your story of getting your teeth pulled is horrifying and amazing all at the same time! I wish I’d had your courage - but I doubt I would ever find a dentist who’d make a set for free. Weren’t you lucky!?
I hope the publicity the farmer gets will result in him being able to continue growing the lettuces. Thanks to you!
February 28th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
it is so nice when older peoples haves their own blog. i don now i wright bad but i am from zadar croatia and i have allmost 14 years. hi i must go kiss
February 28th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
So lovely to know that you now have a BLOG.
I was a friend of Roy Fox who mike Rubbo also interviewed about being over 100 yrs old. (Tell Mike that Roy’s longtime mate Ivy has joined him in heaven now….)
I watched the documentary that Mike made of your trip to Broken Hill and it was just fantastic.
I think you are such a wonderful true blue AUSSIE shiela OLIVE.
Just a shame the present generation of young people are not as tough and resilient as you…
God Bless you mate. Very proud of you and will be watching your BLOG for updates.. Thanks Mike for helping with this, great idea.
February 28th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
A great blob! very interesting stories and from a different perspective! I got to here through digg and fell in love with the stories. I read the one about the lettuce guy and thought, “how can I help him?” because I know that the hundreds of diggers will send mails to this women from the government I decided to try something different.
I’ll sell shirts. A couple of days ago I found a site that let’s you design shirts so I thought why not sell “Save The Lettuce!” shirts? so I began creating them and found out that the pictures are too small… so if you have the bigger version of them please send them to me.
greetings from Israel,
Ziv Peleg
March 1st, 2007 at 12:10 am
Hello Olive & Mike!
This is a fascinating blog! It’s nice to ‘meet’ you, Olive! You are an inspiration.
Cheers,
Jennifer, Mike & one-year-old Daegan
Massachusetts, USA
March 1st, 2007 at 12:12 am
Congratulations You are a amazing. Have a nice day.
From Croatia.
March 1st, 2007 at 12:24 am
Hello Olive and Mike,
Thanks for your lovely blob postings. I found out about them on TV last night. I work in an aged care facility, and only 1 resident has her own teeth, and she’s 100!
Olive, you are beautiful, and Mike, so are you.
I’ll have to change my name from the ‘Blogmuggle’ to the ‘Blobmuggle’ now.
I will drop an email to the ridiculous Gosford council…
Cheers, Cyndy ;0)
March 1st, 2007 at 12:28 am
Good Morning from Pennsylvania, USA! You are an INSPIRATION, young lady. Absolutely beautiful. I love reading about you. Keep up with it, please!
Have a wonderful day (evening where you are, I suppose)!
March 1st, 2007 at 12:46 am
hello from denmark, its amazing a woman in your age have a blog, keep up the work looking forword to read alot more in your blog
March 1st, 2007 at 12:56 am
Hello from Massachusetts
Olive, what an inspiration you are! Thank you so much for sharing your life and thoughts with the rest of us. I am enjoying reading your blog very much. ^^
btw…I JUST came back from bringing my cat to the vet. He’s having dental surgery today. The cost? Between 200 and 600 dollars (I was told it would be at least 300+ for my cat). I just thought it odd to read about your teeth when I just got back from there. I couldn’t imagine having all my teeth pulled with no pain medication btw (WOW).
Take care and happy blogging
March 1st, 2007 at 1:15 am
Hello Oli and MIke!!
My name is Gisela and I’m living in Argentina.
Nice to meet you!!
I’m learning English, sorry for my redaction
Today I readed in a newspaper about you, so, I wanted say you Congratulations and THANK YOU for teach us you life stile, I like it.
I hope in a future, can to do something of you do.
Do you understand something? I hope yes
Kiss for everyone
Have a nice day
G
March 1st, 2007 at 1:18 am
Hello Oliver
Greeting from Beijing,china
I and my grandmother know your blob from our websites and newspaper,my grandmother wants to say “hello� to you.but she can’t reading and writing english She is 84 years old.so i help her just like mike helps you.After reading your blob .We both believe you are incredible and now my grandmother also wants to have a blob as well.
Have a nice day ! Oliver,oh and mike
March 1st, 2007 at 1:29 am
I’m Czech. Your blog is super. Good luck.
March 1st, 2007 at 1:44 am
Hi Ms. Olive (and Mike)–
I read about your blob on Foreign Policy Magazine’s blog, this morning and want to express my admiration. I’m a twenty-year-old college student in Tennessee, USA, and I hope when I’m 107 years old, I’ll be able to be as active as you are. Have a nice day, ma’am, and I look forward to reading more about your life and memories. –David
March 1st, 2007 at 1:56 am
Olive, you are totally wonderful!!! Please keep at blogging!
But now Mike, will you please stop injecting your own views into Olive’s now-well-read ‘blob.’ What do I mean? I mean this…..
Mike:
“I wonder what Olive thinks about war? Does she think that men secretly love war as the guy with the black blog seems to do? Is that why we cant get rid of it?”
Somewhat like Olive, I wasn’t born yesterday either. And I see what you are trying to do.
Hugs to both of you though,
Mari-Nanci
March 1st, 2007 at 2:05 am
Hello dear Olive:
The Best wishes to you and your family from China!We just enjoyed our Chinese new year,I hope the great luckiness can also bring you from China to Australia.
Your “blob” is verygood!!I love it!Your new life is just begin now.I hope you keep write your blog,because we love it,because we love you!
my English is not well,I hope you can understand what I write.
Give you some Chinses wishes:�如东海,寿比�山,天天快�!
Summer
China
March 1st, 2007 at 2:13 am
enjoy everyday day!
March 1st, 2007 at 2:15 am
Dear Olive,
Thank you for sharing your stories. They have been brightening the grey spring days in Tokyo this week. I’m looking forward to the next installment from you and Mike.
Regards and well wishes,
Kristen
March 1st, 2007 at 2:30 am
Wow 107 years ….. grtz from Belgium !!
March 1st, 2007 at 2:31 am
Hi Olive!
I.m from California and read about your site on Kerri’s. (from New York)
I loved reading your tooth story.. I am going to relay it to my Grandpa who is almost 99. He’s had trouble with his false teeth for years..
Keep blogging. You have so much to share with us!!
March 1st, 2007 at 2:43 am
Hello dear Olive:
The Best wishes to you and your family from China!We just enjoyed our Chinese new year,I hope the great luckiness can also bring you from China to Australia.
Your “blob� is verygood!!I love it!Your new life is just begin now.I hope you keep write your blog,because we love it,because we love you!
my English is not well,I hope you can understand what I write.
Give you some Chinses wishes:�如东海,寿比�山,天天快�!
Summer
China
March 1st, 2007 at 2:45 am
Dear Olive, it’s a pleasure to read your blog.
A big thanks to you and Mike for writing the most interesting posts in ages.
Best regards from Sweden.
March 1st, 2007 at 2:48 am
hola muy bueno blog.
Apesar de tener 107 años te ves re bien chau
March 1st, 2007 at 2:50 am
Hello Olive!
Greetings from New York, USA. I think it’s wonderful that you’re sharing your stories with the world through your blog. I look forward to reading more about your life!
March 1st, 2007 at 2:55 am
Hi, Olive!
I’m Patricia, an EFL (English as a Foreign Language)teacher. You are really AMAZING, girl! Congratulations!!!!
Love from Argentina,
Pat
March 1st, 2007 at 2:58 am
Hello Olive.
I’m from Denmark and I read about your blog in a Danish newspaper. It’s name is EkstraBladet and it is the biggest newspaper on the Danish internet.
They wrote about you and your blog, because you are the oldest blogger they have ever heard of. :megreen:
Here is the link, so that you can see for yourself.
http://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/erhverv/epn/article275838.ece
I love your blog, please keep it going! It is a wonderful idea. Hope, you are fine and well.
Love from Denmark,
Ellis
March 1st, 2007 at 3:02 am
Hello Olive:im from Argentina and we love your blog its great! its on the newspaper today!!please read http://www.minutouno.com
March 1st, 2007 at 3:04 am
Hi Olive, and Mike, I’m in New Jersey, USA. Hope you don’t mind me sharing your blog with my friends!
March 1st, 2007 at 3:25 am
Hello Olive and Mike…
Welcome to the blobbb-universe! It’s nice to read about You, Olive!
All the Best
Evan in Denmark
March 1st, 2007 at 3:37 am
Hello from Florida. I love your blog. You’re becoming quite the well-known lady.
March 1st, 2007 at 3:43 am
HY! IT IS FASCINATE BLOG.
I’M NOT FROM AMERICA,AND I DON’T SPEAK ENGLISH VERY GOOD THENCE SORRY FOR ERRORS.
I WISH YOU LUCK OLIVE, BYE!!
March 1st, 2007 at 3:45 am
pozdrav!
March 1st, 2007 at 3:48 am
Greetings from Croatia :] It’s very nice to see that many old womans and man too providing itself on the Internet via web based blogs.
So have a nice and very long life!
Cheers.
March 1st, 2007 at 4:10 am
Hello Mrs Olive.
What a delightful website. You’ve inspired me to setup something similar for my grand parents. I’ve always enjoyed stories from peoples lives some of my favorites were told by my great grand father during the holidays. His tales from his youth working on a farm really inspire me to simplify my life.
Take care!
Eric
25 years old
Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
March 1st, 2007 at 4:27 am
I don’t know how you lived through having all your teeth out at once - and without anesthetic, too! You must be one tough lady. I’m enjoying your blog.
March 1st, 2007 at 5:11 am
Dear mrs. Riley, thank you so much for your wonderful blog. I enjoy your stories, like yesterday’s one about the man who gave you ‘a top and bottom set for nothing’.
I linked you on my own blog, hope you don’t mind.
Love,
Marina
(The Netherlands)
March 1st, 2007 at 5:32 am
Hello, from the United States!
March 1st, 2007 at 5:44 am
Hi, my name is MaÅ‚gorzata and I’m polish girl : ).I’m 14 years old.I live in Poland on? small country. I have just read about you in polish blog ! You are 107 years old ! Congratulations and good luck !( I’m sorry for fauls? mistakes? defects? - I don’t know : >) Bye ! - MaÅ‚gosia
March 1st, 2007 at 5:45 am
Hi Olive, Your blog (or blob if you prefer) is a great read! I’m sure you have seen a lot of fantastic things in 107 years, and I look forward to hearing about some of them!
All the best, from Vancouver Canada!
Aaron
March 1st, 2007 at 6:05 am
Greetings from Uruguay (South America)
Mrs Olive thank you very much for spend you time with all of us.
Your blog or blob as you call it is very interesting. I don’t have grand mother or grand father and it is a very way to remember them.
Regards,
Karen
March 1st, 2007 at 6:23 am
Hello from the US. What a lovely blog you have and what an interesting person you seem to be. Thank you for sharing your stories with us around the world.
March 1st, 2007 at 6:28 am
hello, olive and mike!
it’s been such a surprise and pleasure to come across your blog!
my very best…to both of you!
greetings from croatia.
March 1st, 2007 at 6:32 am
Olive mis más sinceras felicitaciones por tener el ánimo a los 107 años de integrarte al mundo de esta manera. Es algo admirable una persona con tanta energÃa y dinámica, para pasar por encima del concepto generacional que dice que los seres humanos nos quedamos estancados en algún momento de nuestra vida y no incorporamos los siguiente progresos y cambios de la sociedad.
Realmente eres un ejemplo de vida a tener presente.
Con aprecio
Carlos Cáceres Durán
March 1st, 2007 at 6:43 am
Dearest Olive you are hysterical! As long as you keep “blobbing”, I will keep reading. I am a married 31 year old mother of twins in California.
You are very lucky to have Mike documenting so many stories about your life. My grandmother was born in 1900 and she passed in 1992. She lived with my family for several years and I regret not writing her life stories down somewhere. She loved to tell stories about her life, as it seems you do too. Keep it up! It’s a very enjoyable read.
March 1st, 2007 at 6:43 am
Wonderful Blog and so nice lady can,t bee right 107 years old.
Greetings Kirsten
Denmark
March 1st, 2007 at 6:43 am
Hi, Ms Riley. I’m known in the “blobbing” world as the SmockLady. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m in the US. I love that you said blob instead of blog; we’ve referred to it that way at our house too. I look forward to coming back and reading more.
March 1st, 2007 at 7:00 am
Hello again, Olive! This blog is so good! Reading your story I have felt as if I was a little girl who listens to her grandma’s life stories near the fireplace. Congratulations for such a wonderful site. You are truly an inspiration! Kisses from Spain. Much more stories to come
Monica
March 1st, 2007 at 7:14 am
Hello from Kentucky, USA! Found you through a friend, and I love reading your memories. Please keep writing. I’m going to add you to my blogroll so I’ll know each time you post, and all my friends can read your posts, too.
March 1st, 2007 at 7:15 am
Hi Olive - what a wonderful story about your teeth! How lucky you are to have such a motivated and creative family, that they set up this blog for you.
So all the best to you, and I’ll keep coming back to hear more about you ‘down under’.
Cheers from Nova Scotia, Canada.. the world capital of christmas trees, pirates (historically, thank goodness) and what we lovingly call our craggy, ‘meat-grinder’ atlantic ocean views…
March 1st, 2007 at 7:40 am
Good evening! I just wanted to say you’re absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen such a blog in my whole life
It’s just fantastic. I’m planning to become a regular visitor if you don’t mind 
Greetings from the middle of Poland
March 1st, 2007 at 8:23 am
Hello,
I read about your blob/blog on a Dutch site about computer-news tweakers dot net, they wrote an interessting article about your blog, so I thought, let’s read it;)
I would like to say that I really like your text and Ãt’s great that you have a weblog, this way people all over the world can read your messages, keep going this way, I will come back here more;)
Greats from Leon (Holland)
March 1st, 2007 at 8:32 am
I can’t describe how dear are you!
Yours blog, upsss… sorry, blob 
is one of most interested blob which I ever read. btw. 192,000 visitors, wow, that is really huge number. Congratulate! - Lijep pozdrav from Croatia!
March 1st, 2007 at 8:36 am
Ollie, you look fantastic. You are a straight shooter in a world filled with people smiling in your face while attempting to stab you in the back.
Be well and God Bless!!!!
Bryan
CWO4 US Marines
March 1st, 2007 at 8:55 am
Hola Hermosa Mujer!!!
La saludo desde Argentina, espero que sepa español o que alguién se lo traduzca.
Soy Entrenador Personal y la voy a tomar como ejemplo de VIDA para todos mis alumnos.
Muy buena vida y ha sido un placer conocerla
Fernando Melo
March 1st, 2007 at 9:02 am
Hello!
I’ve enjoyed reading this ‘blob’! Thanks so much for sharing.
Greetings from Norway!
–
Fred
March 1st, 2007 at 9:15 am
Dear Mrs. Riley,
My name is Fabio Sabba, and I work for a brazilian magazine called “epoca”. We are writting an artcile about your blog, and we would like to know if you have any high resolution pictures of yourself that you could send us.
+55 11 3767-7020
March 1st, 2007 at 9:19 am
Hi Olive
I Knew your blog and I liked so much.
Congratulations.
Come to know my blog:
http://sensiveldesafio.zip.net
Kiss
I hope you.
Célia Musilli
Londrina - Brazil
March 1st, 2007 at 9:23 am
Ms. Olive!?!! The word is getting around the internet and the world about you. I love you already and must continue to read more.
You’re an amazing wonderful women, with a lot of spunk! I love spunk!!!
Well, it’s nice meeting up with you, and I’m another one from TEXAS USA—right on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico!! Just 5 minutes from the beaches!!
G’day!!! And Mike, you’re a doll for introducing us all and helping with Olive’s blob!!!!!
March 1st, 2007 at 9:34 am
hi granny!!! you have a cool blog and very good friend mike…i read something about you on one web site and i thought i should go and see that blog… by the way i am from croatia…bye bye
March 1st, 2007 at 9:36 am
Hello from snowy Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This is a wonderful story, and I’m happy to have read about your life so far, Olive. Thanks for sharing. Both my nanas had their teeth out very young, and now I know probably why! And also, hello from my three year old daughter, Clara, with whom you share a birtday, only 104 years apart!.
Tiffany
March 1st, 2007 at 9:39 am
From our blob to yours… this is the best thing I’ve read all year. I’m off to add this to my RSS reader.
March 1st, 2007 at 9:42 am
Hi Olive…I never cared for the word “blog” anyway, I much prefer “blob”! lol Oh dear, I was cringing at the thought of you having all your teeth pulled out at once, without any painkillers! OUCH! What a beautiful heart you have, inside and out. You’ve made me smile and for that I thank you:-)
March 1st, 2007 at 10:05 am
Hi Olive. Greetings from Ecuador, South America..!!!
March 1st, 2007 at 10:10 am
My name is Agnes. I’m from Poland. I’m seventeen years old.
Twoje notki są bardzo ciekawe mają w sobie taką niezwykłą głębie, która sprawia, że nie mogę poprzestać na jednej notce, lecz mam ochotę przeczytać wszystkie. Twe notki napełniają moje wnętrze takim spokojem i wielkim optymizmem. Zapraszam też do mnie na http://www.scherlyn.blog.interia.pl , pozdrawiam (:
March 1st, 2007 at 10:29 am
What a brave lady you are!! I had one wisdom (back tooth) pulled and it took them 30 minutes and was a very bad experience…I just can’t imagine…
So glad you are blobing!!!
March 1st, 2007 at 10:32 am
Hello from France !
It’s a great idea to make this blog, I think it’s very important to tell stories from people like you.
I have many aged neighbours who have a lot of stories, they tell me about but I don’t have enough time to put it in a blog.
I’m a web developer and I think that the future of the web will be make with your own part.
Thanks, have fun, and continue to taste beer, it’s great !
-
matthieu
March 1st, 2007 at 10:56 am
lovely!!!! just absolutely lovely!!
cheers form singapore!
March 1st, 2007 at 12:12 pm
Hello from BC Canada. How lovely to find your blog this afternoon. You are an amazing lady.Thank you for sharing.
March 1st, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Hello again Olive,
Thanks so much for the mention on this post. I feel honored
It seems you’ve become a celebrity almost overnight! Isn’t it wonderful to know that people admire you so much, and are interested to hear your stories?
I truly hope that Johnny gets to keep his hydroponic lettuce garden.
My goodness, what an ordeal you went through with your teeth! It’s hard to imagine the pain you endured.
I loved seeing your wonderful pictures. Barnie looked very handsome in his uniform. How thankful you must’ve been to have him home and alive!
Mike is doing a super job helping you write your “blob”
Keep enjoying yourself Olive,
With affection,
Kerri (in NY)
March 1st, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Hello
I’ve just read your “blob” . You’re young lady . Do you know ” VietNam” ? I hope to see you in my country- VietNam . Wel come to VietNam.
Greetings from VietNam
March 1st, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I am so enjoyign your blog and this si great for people to read to give them encouragement that youa re never to old to try something new, Olive what is your secret to a long life, lots of good friends good food and drink anything else?
Ann from Cardiff, as for the lettuce , the council need a good kick up the you know where, the world is going nuts love, keep it up god bless you my dear
March 1st, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Hi Olive,
I really enjoyed reading your site. I think I would have fainted more than twice if I had all my teeth pulled out at once! Having four wisdom teeth out at the same time was enough for me!
My Grandma had all her teeth pulled after she had her second child (my Dad) because they had started to go bad. She always had a wonderful smile and so do you!
I’m so glad that you are keeping busy and getting to take some trips to visit family. Family is the most important thing in this world.
My Grandma passed away when she was 86 due to cancer in her pancreas, but she was such a wonderful lady, full of live and had so many friends. I hope that your days are filled with all those wonderful things as well!
I wondered if you would write about what things were like when you were a little girl. I never really got around to asking my Grandparents or Great-Grandparents what it was like and now I regret it. I love to hear stories about the past.
Keep smiling that wonderful smile!
March 1st, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Hi from Hong Kong!
I sent an e-mail about the lettuces. Heads should roll.
March 1st, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Hello Olive,
I also prefer “blob” as Fredrik and Pea! Hope you are bursting with health and vitality for keeping “blobbing”…
Greetings from Vietnam!
March 1st, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Hi it;s Maria again from Argentina, and I would like to tell you are in another newspaper!! also the link its: http://www.perfil.com.Congratulations!!
March 1st, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Hello Olive,
I was just wondering, what sort of music you like to listen to?
Love,
Courtney from Illinois
March 1st, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Dear Olive,
My name is Katie,I am from Vietnam. I really like your blog, i see it very nice, happy and you tell everyone about your life. I hope you have more happines, healthy and specialy you always smile.
Thanks Mile that you help Olive to write manythings about Olive.
Katie
March 1st, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Dear Olive ~~ What a courageous lady you are and
were all those years ago. That second dentist did a wonderful job and all free. Bless his heart.
I would love to read stories of your earliest menmories and how things were when you were young.
And when you married, had family etc. You have a
wealth of knowledge to share with us. And thank you so much for sharing your stories. It is amazing how many people from other countries have warmed to you. Keep up the good work, and Mike also.Much Love,Merle
in Australia.
March 1st, 2007 at 8:37 pm
lovely to read! I love the photos…
keep blobbing!
much love, mollie
March 1st, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Hello Olive ! I’m Michael from Brittany, France.
You’re probably the youngest granny i’ve ever seen !
I saw a link to your blog in a french one and I enjoy reading your story.
i’ll certainly be back soon to read more about your life.
Keep having fun
March 1st, 2007 at 9:47 pm
I’m Virginie from France. I hope you’re doing fine today. It’s great to have the chance to read about someone’s life. Thank you for shearing all those stories and photographs. It’s interesting! You’re a great person. I feel alot of respect for you, in every way.
Love from France
March 1st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Welcome to the blogosphere! Just found you at “Time Goes By” by Ronni Bennett in the U.S. Hope you keep blogging with all the rest of us Elderbloggers.
Am especially interested in what you have to say as my Mom was born in 1899, also. If she was still here I’d be encouraging her to have a blog like yours. BTW I also was born on October 20th which you and I must agree is a very special date.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:16 am
Hi Olive,
I came from Vietnam and currently living in Oz and I found out about this blog from an online news site.
When I was a boy my dad took me to the dentist whom I always told to stick the needle into my teeth coz I thought it was less painful
… Yet you did it all without any pain killer. Amazing!
Keep on blogging and being happy!
P.S: My first post in a blog site ever!!! I’m not a blogger but I just feel great to write something here… I’ve never done it before.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:42 am
Hello Olive from Prince Edward Island Canada.
Im so glad I came across your blob (love that) and a big thank you to Mike for doing this for you.
I have to comment on your teeth story and say how strong of a person you are to do what you did back in the 1930 and with no injections. OUCH! this past tuesday I had to have a tooth (yes only one) pulled and had to have three injections to numb it up enough for me and im still having discomfort. i think about having them all pulled also sometimes because i always seem to have problems with my teeth but i cant stand the pain after having one pulled…and im only giong to be 40 soon. strong lady you are.
hope you are doing well today and love the pictures you (mike) posts on the blob.
thinking of you in PEI and big hugs coming your way.
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:06 am
Wow, You are amazing. I love the lettuce post. Keep blogging - i am from Bangkok, Thailand.
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:47 am
Hello Olive…I must say I was shocked when I found your blo(b)g…It’s very nice to see a person who has so many years and still enjoys in life…thank you for sahring your experiences with us and I wish you to live 107 years more…greetings from Croatia
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:06 am
Hello Olive! I’m Primoz (primolus in greek)from Slovenia-Europe.I hope you’w blogging as list long as your’s age.Keep finding small joy’s in your life with your loved one’s!It’s nice too see smile on your face!
With respect,Primoz
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:08 am
Hi, Olive! I just stumbled across your blog and I absolutely love it! Your story about having your teeth pulled when you were a single mom of three touched my heart. I am raising four kids alone here in Alaska, and I don’t have the time or money to fix my teeth. I have often wished I could have them pulled and have implants put in- just to be done with it!
I love your blog because I miss hearing the stories from my great grandparents’ time. It’s so important to share your experiences and insight with the world. You are a treasure.
March 2nd, 2007 at 5:44 am
G`Day Olive
You`re truly an amazing person. I still can`t believe the story about the teeth.
I wish you all the best for your future.
May god bless you.
Miriam from Basel (Switzerland)
March 2nd, 2007 at 6:03 am
hello there! I am from northern British Columbia, Canada. I am so glad that I found this blog! I am so happy that you are doing this for Ollie, and I love that you are keeping her busy! what wisdom we can learn from her!
March 2nd, 2007 at 7:07 am
Great old Lady Olive,
I am living in Germany. I´ve got the link to your ´blob´from my doc.Thanks a lot to you and Mike for getting more courage for my own life.
My goodness,I am astonished!!!
Good bless you!
In the hope of reading a fourth post in the early future I send you lovely gretings!
Bye
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:25 am
If I were ever captured in a war, all the enemy would have to do to make me talk is show me a PICTURE of a dentist’s chair. I’d spill everything I knew, plus some stuff I didn’t, just to be sure. You’re amazing, Olive.
Aloha from San Francisco,
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:32 am
It would be a terrible shame to give up good local lettuces. Locally grown food is the best! I’ll be planting a few lettuces in my own garden in the next month and I’ll think of you Olive. Loved the pictures of your son in WW2, and you in the pool with your great grandson. keep blogging and be an example to us youngsters (I’m 47 and feeling ‘old’ until I read your blog!)
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:34 am
Welcome to the Boboshphere!
We are so happy to have you among us.
I love your Blob!
Huggles and Love from North Dakota!
We are just south of Winterpeg Canada.
Keep on Blobbing!
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:34 am
Hi Ollie, Good on you for agreeing to do your blog and kudos to Mike for organising it all. I saw your film recently (I’m in Adelaide) and I loved it. I’m still getting over the fact you had all your teeth pulled out without any anaesthetic!
Keep up the blogging.
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:15 am
Hello Olive and Mike,
Love your blob. Keep sharing.
Best wishes
from West Hollywood, California
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:39 am
Oh, Olivie, I just laughed and laughed about your ordeal concerning your teeth. I still have all my teeth and I am rather partial to them. I would sure hate to lose them. I probably would not be as brave as you were. I hope all goes well about the lettuce. I had so much fun visiting with you. You take care, until we meet again. Connie, from Texas USA
http://connies-thoughts.blogspot.com
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:44 am
Hello from Boulder, Colorado, Olive!
I am so enjoying your blog and hope you keep it up. Thanks for sharing your stories, and the pictures are beautiful.
Linda
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:43 am
Olive and Mike,
Thank you.
Please keep sharing.
Please keep fighting for the lettuces.
Don in Bradenton, Florida, US
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:50 am
Hello from Virginia, USA -
Thank you Olive for making the internet a warmer and friendlier place. Australia must be a wonderful country if it has people like you and Mike in it.
Keep blobbing and maybe someday the world will truly be a global village.
Cheers,
Alan
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
I love your blog, Olive! Your son, Barnie, was very handsome.
Your dentist must have been talented; you still have a lovely smile. I hope the silly rules will be set aside so the lettuce farmer can keep growing in that nice location. Thanks for warming a cold winter day in Nebraska, USA. I will visit again to find out what you have to say next!
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
Ollie,
Great blob. I’ll be adding you to my RSS reader; I look forward to hundreds more posts; your stories I crave.
And, yes, I can imagine you’ll get a quarter million visitors… Andrew Sullivan linked to you, and he has quite a following… I’ll link, and you’ll get one or two readers…
Peace.
/s/ Peter
from Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:18 am
I’m delighted to come to know of you, Olive, and wish you the very best. I recently sent my mother a book of interviews titled “How to Live to One-Hundred”. I plan on sending her a printout of your blog as she will enjoy that. She is 88 and living alone. I hope your neighbor’s lettuces are saved. Wish you well, Marie in San Francisco
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Hi Olive & Mike! OMG keep blobbing away.If only we could get some politicians to do the same thing.Maybe we could understand them better.You are one fascinating lady.Looking forward to your next entry.Cheers, Sharon.
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Hello Olive!
I am from south China and i know your blob from the website.
I love you blob ,please keep it going! It’s a great idea. I give the Chinese best wishes to you:“ç¥?您ç¦?如东海，寿比å?—å±±â€?
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Ollie, I love your blob. You keep talking to Mike, let him do the keyboard work and I’ll keep reading.
Look forward to seeing you on Channel 7.
As for the petty bureaucracy in Gosford…pathetic! Talk about quashing enterprising workers and the total idiocy of the ban…where to they get off?
Have a good weekend.
Cheers!
March 2nd, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Olive, you amaze me..you were strong then and I see that you are strong still…Can’t wait for your next post…
March 2nd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
what a lovely blob.
and save the lettuce, indeed.
e~
March 2nd, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Dear Mrs Olive,
Your blog is the nicest one i have ever seen. And you’re admirable to young people like me.
I bless you with my best wishes.
Keep up with your blog because we still want to see it ^_^
Greetings from Vancouver, Canada.
Amy
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Your story reminds me of my first visit to a dentist when I was 15 in 1959. I’d had toothache for about 6 months and walked around with a bottle of ‘oil of cloves’ (toothache drops) in my pocket. On my first visit, I also told the dentist to take the lot out. Fortunately, he only took the top and four bottom ones out. They did use anasthetic in those days and I’ve never regretted getting them taken out.
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Hi!
I’m very happy to see so much greetings sent to you from all over the world. As you can see, you became also in Croatia popularï?Š
I would like to thank Mike for this wonderful and unselfish idea of making your blob. I think you inspired a lot of grandsons and granddaughters in the world to do the same or something like that for their Grandparents in order to give them a reason to stay among us.
Thank you both!
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Hi, Olive and Mike keep on “blobbing”
best wishes from Merrylands NSW…
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Hello Olive
It’s an absolute pleasure to read your Blob, your a wonderful woman with so much life to share and I am looking forward to checking in daily to see if there are any updates. I am so inspired by your sense of fun, courage and mortality, that I am going to put your blob on to my favourite craft site and community, as I just no that all my online friends on there would like to share your stories too.
Take care, be careful and hopefully hear more stories soon.
Love and hugs
Jane in Shropshire UK.
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Olá sou brasileiro muito legal o blog creio que deve ser de o da dona mais velha da internet com todo o respeito
Bye bye
Adriano
March 3rd, 2007 at 12:07 am
Hello - and welcome to blobland.
You’ve just proved one of my favorite sayings, “You’re never too old to have fun”
Best of luck with blobbing, and I’ll check back in later.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:07 am
Hello Ollie and Mike,
Great idea to creat the blob. Congratulations. Ollie, I suppose you have incredible histories about you, about life to tell us.
Best wishes from São Paulo (Saint Paul), Brazil.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:45 am
You are amazing person and i like read your posts…Just don’t give up!I believe in you…good luck!!!
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:57 am
Hello Olive and Mike!! Greetings from Virginia Beach, Virginia USA. I read your blob for the first time this morning and I really enjoyed your stories. I hope the lettuce guy does alright. I’d love to come visit Australia and drink a shandy with you! I can’t wait to hear more from you and Mike. Both of ya’ll take care and keep on blobbing!
Christine
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:26 am
Hello from Russia! You are having unique age and looking nicely! Much health to you!
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:00 am
Dear Mrs Olive,
just heard about you on polish tv and i’m so fascinated by your blob (blog)! please continue writing here - please let us hear your story.
in any case: i wish you all the best from heart and may you live another 107 years!!!
best regards from Berlin
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:25 am
Ollie, What a wonderful name, it was my grandmothers name, Olive and she was called Ollie.
I enjoyed reading your blob. I think it is wonderful that you are involved with the lettuce and with the internet. I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to say howdy to you so here I am. Hello from California, USA. I will return to your blob so I can read about your current events. I look forward to reading them and love viewing your picture. And your teeth are fantastic. Hugs to you, CherokeeCandy
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:18 am
Dear Olive,
I read (part of) your “blob” with greatest pleasure and amazement! You must certainly be a one-of-a-kind granny!
Incredible! I hope you will keep amazing me and the rest of the world with your stories for years to come!
Good luck at you down under!
Respectful regards,
Rita, Netherlands
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:28 am
heiio
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:53 am
Hi mrs Riley,
My name is Niek and I’m writing from the Netherlands. I must say I have tremendous respect for you. By the way, I like your pictures to! You’re pretty handsome for a woman of your age! I read about your blog in our newspaper, and I thought it would fun to make a visit to it. So I did and I’m impressed about you and mr. Mike! Now I’m going to stop with this reply, I wish you good luck with your blog and many years to go!
Niek
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:10 am
What a delightfull blod, blob, blog!! :):)
So nice! Bravo bravo longue vie à vous!
Greetings from Paris (France)
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:17 am
Waouhhhh, Olie, you’re really becoming famous! I heard about your “blob” on the French national radio, I guess you’ll be getting loads of mail from here now too.
I must say you sound much nicer than Jeanne Calment ever was, she was fun to listen to, all the more so as she was shap-tongued (have I invented a word here?), but I don’t remember seeing her smiling the way you do.
Thank you, Mike, and you both take good care of yourselves,
é
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:21 am
Hi Olive,
I love your blog. I’m thinking of setting one up for my grandpa as he likes to use the computer (he’s 85).
My dad (who’s now 60) had all his teeth out when he was 20 something. It seemed to be the done thing if you were likely to need lots of things done. Getting them all out was cheaper.
Looking forward to reading more.
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:25 am
hello olive
This weblog is really fantastic, the colors are splendid
Long life with this “blogWomen”
john
french
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:34 am
Olive you are great(and you also Mark)! I am from Bosnia and Herzegovina and I love your all stories,and just keep writeing!
Dario, Bosnia and Herzegovina
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:51 am
Je suis sûre q’il vous reste encore de bonnes années devant vous.
Vous êtes formidable.
March 3rd, 2007 at 6:07 am
Greetings from France : Keep on swinging, Olive ! We are proud of you
Lionel
March 3rd, 2007 at 6:36 am
Nice to meet you Olive. I think you are awesome and so is your blog. I’m in New Jersey, by the way. Great to know you!
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:27 am
hello olive! i stumbled across your blog through a friend of mine’s website. i will definitely be dropping an email to the gosford council. my grandmother and grandfather actually live in Gosford. which is funny considering i’m in nashville, tn.
keep on posting!
rachel from TN
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:45 am
Hi
Nice blog
Cool
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:46 am
Dear Olive, Greetings from Alaska.
What a wonderful idea to share your life with us through this blog. Thank you. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:01 am
Hello Olive! I’ve been reading your blogs and thoroughly enjoying them…..thankyou so much and please keep it up!
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:46 am
Dear Olive,
Your blog is great. I truly enjoy reading it and hope to read many more posts in the future.
Regarding teeth since you spoke of yours. I had lots of work done on my teeth when I was a child. All my wisdom teeth taken out too. I don’t think, however, I could be as brave as you were Olive to have all your teeth removed at one sitting. You had courage to do that!
With all good wishes to you Olive and regards to you too Mike,
Michael Flessas
(Writing from Sweden)
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:59 am
Hello Ms. Ollie and Mr. Mike,
My husband sent me over to your site (he posted a comment earlier-Peter Stinson), and I have to say that I have enjoyed what I’ve read so far! Your story of having your teeth pulled made me think of my mother’s story of losing her teeth. It happened the night before my wedding, and her teeth don’t fit properly, so she took them out while she was driving in a taxi-cab. Well, she couldn’t find them later and searched all the taxi companies in the city without luck. She attended my wedding without her teeth. Two weeks later she found them in the pants she wore that day. It’s amazing that you’ve kept the same pearlies for so long! I look forward to reading more of your stories!
Jenny Stinson
Portsmouth, Virginia USA
March 3rd, 2007 at 9:10 am
hello riley!!!.I`m watching your story in polish tv.This ist very good idea,greetings from Poland!!!
March 3rd, 2007 at 9:17 am
Hello Olive,
Hello from Belgium!
It must have hurt like the dickens to lose all your teeth in one go, but if it worked for you, then it worked for you. Congratulations.
How many dogs have you had? I lost one in June and it’s like it was yesterday. Does it ever get any eaier? Right now, I can’t bear the thought of getting another one only to lose him or her, too.
Sorry to hear about the bell driving you mad–but it was funny, too.
Keep up the wonderful news. You are an amazing person, enjoying life and relatives and swimming and campaigning for hydroponics. What a wonderful life! You inspire me.
March 3rd, 2007 at 10:42 am
hi you two, you sound much more familiar than my relatives who live very close to you; please tell Johnny that we would love to grow his hydroponic lettuce in our little garden … of course we can’t predict neighbors reactions and financial impacts on wednesdays street market lettuce sells down here, but it could become a crosscontinental anthropological experiment! love, Daniela, São Paulo
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:26 am
Hello Olivia & Mike,
Ow my I thought when I discovered that a 107-year old had a ‘blob’ (I found out about your ‘blob’ on a Dutch website called waarmaarraar.nl)So I came here to go see for myself and I must admit I really, really enjoyed it and admire what you, Olivia are doing.
I can’t get my grandmother, who will turn 75 next tuesday, to buy a computer and mail with me so I truly admire your guts Olivia.
Please keep on blobbing !!!
Greetings from Holland
Esther
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:26 am
Hi Olive, lovely to read about your life. From your photos you appear to be a redhead. I was wondering whether that was your hair colour when you were younger, or whether you decided to go red in recent years?
The stories of your teeth remind me of my aunt, who got her false teeth as a wedding present.
I hope you continue to share your memories of early days with us all!
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:53 am
Gee, and I was complaining yesterday about having to put silver in my fillings instead of white because my insurance didnt pay for it….
I love your “blob” Olive and have linked it up to mine.
March 3rd, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Hello Olive!
How amazing is your blog!
I loved it!
God Bless You!
My name is Ângela and I live in Brazil in South America!
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 pm
The pictures compliment the wonderful words and wisdom. Keep up the good work.
March 4th, 2007 at 2:48 am
Hello Mrs. Riley! So nice to read about you on your blog :o) I found my way here from a link on someone else’s blog and thought I would stop in and say hello from New Brunswick, Canada.
I really enjoyed the meat pie story, and it made my mouth water, especially since it’s about noon here right now (I’m getting hungry!).
I wish you all the best, and I’m going to bookmark your blog and come back and visit with you again.
March 4th, 2007 at 3:53 am
Hi Olive,
What an incredible life you have had! I found your blog through someone elses blog and have been reading! You are so amazing. Very brave lady to have your teeth pulled all at once like that!! Ouch!!
I am in the USA, the beautiful state of Kentucky!!
I’ll keep reading!! God Bless You!
Rachel in Kentucky
March 4th, 2007 at 6:00 am
greetings from los angeles, california!
I just wanted to tell you that I love your blog, and I’m definitely going to keep reading it. I was so happy that my friend, josh, showed it to me a couple of days ago! thank you for sharing your stories!!
March 4th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Hello Mrs. Olive! What a fabulous blog - I am enjoying every word. Especially the photo of the pies! Oh my! I haven’t had pies like that since I was small and used to visit my grandparents in England. Cornish pasties and plain beef and mushroom pies are my favourite! Yum!
I found this blog through The Ultimate Blog Party; the brain-child of 5 Minutes for Mom (www.5minutesformom.com).
I have bookmarked your blob, Mrs. Olive, and will continue to come back and read, and read, and read.
Happy days!
We dont really understand the ultimate blog party to which we are invited. But we will try. Mike the helper
Sarah in Canada
March 5th, 2007 at 6:43 am
Dear Olive,
I couldn’t help but notice that you haven’t had any visitors yet living in Morocco. And so I wanted to be your very first! I also wanted to tell you something a little special about me: I have 9 nine peacocks in my garden! They bring a little magic to my life every day!
Dear Mayram, you are indeed the first from Morocco. And the image of your 9 peacocks is really amazing. Can you send Olive a photo? Mike the helper.
March 5th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Dear Olive
How wonderful to read your blog! Of course we’re interested in you and your tales - keep them coming for us, and keep enjoying your life.
On teeth, my Mum is 76 this year, and had all her teeth removed when she was 25. She’s had dentures since then and is only on her second set. I’d love to have my teeth removed, but the dentists now prefer to save as many as possible.
I’m also going to email the government about that lettuce farm. Hopefully, Olive, you’ll get your wish, and something will be done if enough of us complain.
All the best
Diane, in the UK
Diane, I don’t want to put words in your mouth, if you have not written already to Gosford council, point out that Australia used to be thought of as clever innovative country, but this silly decision suggests just the opposite. or someting like that. Mike the helper
March 5th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Dear Olive;
thanks so much for sharing your life and things with us.those meat pies looked wonderful,it made me so hungery Ill eat after I get done leaving this comment.God bless you my dear Ill be back.thanks mike for your helping her.have a great week.
March 5th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Dear Olive,
I love your blob. The last one about the meat pies sent me into total starvation! When I was young, my grandfather and grandmother used to take me to the Tam ‘O Shanter to dance for the paying crowd of Fish and Chips and Meat Pie consumers. The meat pies were my payment for doing the Highland Fling in the parking lot (which was quite gravelly). Once I began to dance in earnest and compete all over the states, the very best part of the day were the meat pies and pasties if you could get them. On a recent trip to Canada, I convinced my husband to try them both and as soon as he had one, we would look for a new bakery and try their lot and then on to the next! It wasnt hard to belive that my soul-mate also loved the pies, but I’ll tell you, he can outlast me now! I have searched the internet looking for a good recipe, because NO ONE will give theirs out! I’ve heard of family secret recipes but meat pies are the best kept secret recipe ever! My gran is now a spry 88 and she canna get meat pies where she lives, so when she comes up next time, we will try them out ourselves! Get ready rolling pin and lamb!
By the way, I do love your blob, it is the very best. Congrats to your scribe for being very attuned to your family history! Our scottish family went to Canada, South Africa and California. My grandfather always wanted to go to Australia, but my gran put her foot down and said NO MORE MOVING!
My best to you,
Lisa
Puyallup,(pronounced pew-all-up) WA, USA
Dear Lisa, what stories, what images come to mind, reading you comments.! Do you have any photos of yourself dancing. We could put them up perhaps. Also, note there is a sort of competition going tlo see who can made the first edible Aussie style pie inspired by Olive’s story. Mike the Helper
March 5th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Dear Olive,
It’s really nice to read memories from somebody who have seen so much!
keep on blobing (who am I to say you’re wrong? let’s say BLOB, from now on!!)
Althought I saw another comment from Brasil, the guy wasn’t nice enough to write in english, so I think I’m the first one to send you the brazilian greetings.
best regards,
Hermes from Brazil.
Thanks, Hermes. Mike the helper
March 6th, 2007 at 6:48 am
Hello Olive from Edmonton,Canada ..I just came across your blog while reading the daily news and thought to visit.
Its very nice to seem someone your age posting online and putting a smile on my face today, I especially enjoyed the story of your teeth
Thank you and take care!
March 6th, 2007 at 9:00 am
Hi Olive,
I’m 26, and from Wisconsin, and I just found your blog. I admire your bravery, and will endeavor to be just as courageous in my life from now on!
Thanks for your great stories and for sharing your inspirations
Janice
March 6th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Hi Olive,
Great blob! I enjoyed reading your stories they are great! I would love to hear more and ones from when you young and through out the years of your life! i can’t believe you had all your teeth out at the same time without anything pain meds! OUCH!
Heather
March 6th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Nice advantures from a young lady..
I enjoyed the stay at your place..
Greetings from Holland
March 6th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Hi.
I’m from Croatia and I have (only) 13.
I find your blog because it was your picture on a tittle page of Croatian blog editor.
Your blog is so interesting, but you know that.(haha)
You don t need to ansewer me. enjoy in your life as much you can!
Angela.
Dear Angela, Olive answers you because you are the youngest commenter so far. Thanks so much for writing. Mike the helper
March 7th, 2007 at 5:34 am
Greetings from Germany. It is wonderful to read your blog.
March 7th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Dear Olive,
I just realised from the comments that you are actually famous and on various TV stations across the world. I stumbled onto your blob by looking for some inspirational blogs for my Mum who is going to retire in a few days.
She writes wonderfully and has lots of stories to tell, however I guess she’s in a difficult spot right now and doesn’t feel like writing.
I won’t keep you too long, and I am sure Mike’s mouth hurts from reading all the comments.
Just a heartfelt thank you and my best wishes from Toronto Canada (too bad you couldn’t get those meat pies going in Quebec, I would have driven their next weekend to find one).
Susanne
Maybe your Mum will get hooked, Susanne, if we keep going. It’s a lot fo work but fun so far. Mike the Helper.
March 7th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Hi Olive, I’m I loved reading about the different things in your life!! My Grandma just turned 85 and has some fantastic tales to tell about her life and moving to Australia from Scotland. Keep up with the “blob”! Cherie from South Australia.
March 7th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Dear Olive,
you are so much fun.
I hope the lettuces get saved.
With best wishes from Victoria, Canada
March 8th, 2007 at 4:12 am
hi. I found yoru blog through someone else’s. I just want to say that you are amazing. What is your secret to live so long? You are an amazing lady. Keep blogging and I will keep reading.
No secret, Candy, that I know of, says Olive. But she does eat very little and experiments with rats (ugh) prove that if you cut their intake by half, the animals live a lot longer. Depressing news, eh? Actually, I eat a lot less now since meeting Olive and have trouble with restaurants who always give far too much. Once it in front of you, there is a tendency to eat the great pile of food they provide of course. I used to love those road side diers in thre States with their montains of pancakes, massive hambrugers ewtc. Now if ond the quantity revolting. But takes a strong will to resist. Olive picks at her food like a bird.
Roy Fox and I (h’;s the one who used to eat slowly) had an idea for a device which we were going to call Roy Fox’s Patented life Extender and which we were going to sell for 20 bucks with his picure on it. What was it? Well, first I planned to time how long it took him to eat his average meal. I knew already that it was about three times as long as it takes me. Then, we were going to manufacture a timer, actually an hour glass which took the same time. The idea was that you’d sit down to your meal at home, up end the hour glass with the first bite and then make sure that you did not finish till all the sand had run though. Roy thought it would be great fun as a novelty item. We were going to give the proceeds to the surf club of which he was patron. But then he died. Mike the helper.
March 8th, 2007 at 4:43 am
Dear Olive,
this blog is excelent!
Kind Regards,
Bernardo P. Medina Moura
P.S.: From Portugal
March 8th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Regarding blog post No. 4 and tracking down Olive’s old friends from Culloden, isn’t the internet an amazing new tool? New friends and tracking down old ones we might never have otherwise found.
With all the other things we can do online, I wonder every day how we got along all out lives without it.
March 9th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Hello, Ollie!!!
You are one fascinating woman! And so very strong to have all your teeth yanked out on a whim! You have made me wonder about my own 3 year old daughter, Olivia who seems to constantly have bad breath. She just had extensive work done on 6 of her teeth because of decay. She had them filled though, and one crowned.
So glad to have found your blog. I am captivated!
That sounds very strange for a child so young. Kristi. Do you have flouride in your water? Normally kids dont seem to have decayed teeth here much any more. Might be some deficiency. Mike and Ollie.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:35 am
What a fantastic ‘blob’! I really enjoyed the read, so I have bookmarked it and will be checking in regularly!
Regards from Kate in Norway (in the northernmost town in the world in fact!)
Tell us more about your town, kate and some phtos too by email. I’ll write to you personally with my address. Mike and Ollie.
March 17th, 2007 at 2:17 am
Greetings from Canada, Olive!
I would love to meet you. You sound so much like my own Grandmother, Mabel…..same fighting spirit, same sense of humour. Her best friend’s name is Olive. How coincidental. She loved a shandy too! however, she NEVER ever found a pair of teeth she was comfortable with. Maybe I should’ve sent her to the land of Oz for a consult.
I will visit you often…….and welcome you to check out my site.
Carry on telling your stories………i look forward to reading them all.
Dana.
I will
Olive is sick today. She complains too that she has not been given her flu shot. She may have forgotten. Hope it does not turn into something. Mike
March 21st, 2007 at 4:08 am
You´re a very actionated women..Hmnm i bet that has gotten you out a couple of sticky situtations.
March 27th, 2007 at 5:47 am
I just discovered your fantastic blog today. There’s so much that is interesting to read (thank you!), but your post on teeth got to me.
My Mum was born and brought up in North Wales (Dolgelley it was called then, but now Dolgellau - Welsh language issues). She had all her teeth out before she was 16. The water there is very soft, so it may be the local residents were short of minerals.
Mum was a daughter of the local baker, and also worked in their cafe. So even in wartime she had much better diet than most - plus there was also the local “produce” (my Uncle, her younger brother, used to travel to the Llyn Peninsula to get rabbits).
Will be watching your blog, I am so happy to have found it. Your memories are priceless.
Best wishes from Liverpool (UK), Maggie
Nice to wake up in the morning to your comments. Maggie. I never tire of reading others versions of Ollie’s stories. I print them off and read them to her each time I see her. Mike for Ollie
March 28th, 2007 at 3:17 am
Hi from Phoenix, Arizona in the US.
I found Olive’s blog listed on digg.com. Olive’s stories are very inspiring.
That’s the great thing about the internet — a place to share stories, to say what you have to say.
Keep up the good work Olive and Mike.
Vince
Thanks, Vince, come again. Mike and Ollie
March 29th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Greetings from Saudi Arabia!
Ollie you are amazing! Thank you so much for your allowing us to read your history!
Best Wishes,
Doc
July 27th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Hello! Sorry for my english, I’m from Poland and can’t very well
When I look at you, you look like my Grandma. She was 95 when she gone out from as… And she was just like you: ever young, ever smiling and loved everyone. And, of course, she told us more and more interested stories from the past. I wish you good luck and loved people around! Only frienship and family could make huma live full of sense!
Anita 33 from Poland
July 31st, 2007 at 10:46 pm
What courage you had to have all those teeth out at once! And the ones you wear now look really good. I can’t believe you’ve had them since 1930!
Ruth, it looks like are starting at the beginning with th teeth story. You have a a lot of reading ahead if you go through all 30 posts. mike the helper.
August 1st, 2007 at 12:24 am
Greetings from Arlington Virginia; word of mouth (actually, word of blob) brought me to your site. I LOVE it! I had an Aunt Ollie too, I remember visiting her in this area when I was little. I wish you the best!
Glad you found us, Allie. Mike the helper.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:23 am
[…] uno de los posts de la Señora Riley, el cual es comicamente precioso, podemos […]
September 10th, 2007 at 7:21 am
My grandmother had all her teeth pulled as a young woman. At the time it was thought they were contributing to a painful arthritic condition in her back. Of course pulling them didn’t change anything with her back but that was the medical thinking at the time….
September 26th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Dear Olive,
I am applying for a travelling fellowship in order to research Method of approach to help our oldies 70-80-90 who have had disappointing introductions to computers. There are so many here who are not on email internet etc. They do not realise how they are going to be cut of from family etc. If I am awarded a travel fellowship for my Project “Computers made fun for seniors= stimulation, communication, information.” can I come and visit. Any other ideas of people who will give me ideas to stimulate others on the other side of the world to you.
Well done olive Keep at you lovely page. Heather
Thanks for message. I’ll email you, heather. Mike the helper
September 26th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
welldone olive great girl. heather
October 21st, 2007 at 12:28 am
Hi Olive
Shirley here from Orlando ,Florida
I have seen hundreds of “blobs”(as you called them)
and your’s is by far the most interesting. I love the stories and hope to read more about your life as a young mother of 3.
Wishing you a Very Happy Birthday
Hope you have many more.
0000xxxx Keep blogging!
Shirley
P.S. I have the news video of your 108 birthday
party on my news blog at http://Odd-news-and-views.blogspot.com
Shirley, a young mother of three. That sounds a handful. And yet you find time to find all those curiosities you have on yout blog.
The two headed turtle was a charming creature I thought. Eric Shackle, our helper, would love some of your items. He publishes an e book as he calls it, full of curiosities> Mike the helper
December 4th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
u r so amazing, and the old stories are so beautiful.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Oh Olive,
you are such a remarkable woman and I absolutely
love your storis. what a fascinating life you’ve had. I most of all love the one about your teeth. that had me in stitches!!!
keep up the blob (blog) !
much affection
Mink UK Birmingham/Oxford
December 10th, 2007 at 7:20 am
hello!!
I’m writing from mexico! i like your stories but you haven’t put one for a long time!! i hope you don’t take too much!! U know? you are 93 years older than me!!
February 1st, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Dear Olive,
Your stories remind me of my grandmother who was born the same year as you. Since she has been gone I have missed the stories. Thank you for sharing yours with us all!
Christy
State of Maine, USA
April 21st, 2008 at 10:21 pm
[…] post that I remember very well, and it is one of her first. She tells the story of how she had all her teeth removed in her lunch