OLLIE OFF THE AIR
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OLIVE’S FORTY FOURTH POST
Mike
Sadly, Ollie is off the air for the moment.
I don’t know if I should tell you this, but when I phoned her a couple of days ago, I had the feeling it might be the last time I talked to her.
Her voice was weak and breathless and she said she’d had enough
In fact, the only reason I’m telling you this, is becuse it’s no longer true!
We’ve just talked and she was really perky, said she’d walked the length of the hall, and swore the Vicks had pulled her through.
Strangely, I’ve been feeling bad myself, full of aches, sleeping most of the day, and yet when I heard her cheerful voice, I too felt immediately better.
Could we have become so linked, I wondered?
I passed this on to Katya, and she was not surprised at all. “We’ll, of course.” she said. “You’re so involved with her, you took her illness into yourself.”
Maybe. There have been crises before and Olive’s always pulled through. One tough old bird, is our Ollie.
What’s the secret to Olive’s continued membership in the club of life? Vicks and the blog, I reckon
She wont say this, but she does feel the power of the blog.
True, it’s not important to her in the way that it is to our great rival,Maria Amelia, blogging in Spain.
For Maria, who is 95, it seems that her blog has become her life.
Ollie can take it or leave it, the blog I mean. But she very much looks forward to Eric reading her the comments every Friday.
So keep them coming folks, as curious and quirky as possible. (They are more fun for Eric to read like that)
Have a look at the comments. I proposed a competition to someone in response to one comment. See what you think.
The third energizer is probably, our team, Eric and I. As I said, he handles the comments and I invent new angles, new interests to put before Ollie.
I admit that I do like bringing a bit of a shock into people’s lives, and have done so with Ollie, ever since proposing the film about her to ABC TV, four long years ago. (The years are very long after one hundred)
By the way if you live in Australia, that film, All about Olive, will be on TV again on Dec, 19th at 12.30 pm ( think that’s right)
As you may remember, Ollie is not my first film capture of a centenarian.
In 1991, I met Jeanne Calmant. She was 114 at the time when I asked her to be in another film, Vincent and Me.
Here’s Jeanne with the actor, Tcheky Kario
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Jeanne went on to live to live to 122, the oldest person ever recorded.Here are some glimpses of her from my movie, Vincent and Me. …………………….
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……………………………I’m a great fan of Vincent van Gogh’s too. The fact that Jeanne claimed he was “was rough and rude” when she met him, meant we could never really see eye to eye, she and I.
I’m sticking with Ollie, and while she’s off the air, we can catch up on the back story.
Do you remember Francis Sutton ? He was mentioned in the improv. which Ollie did with another centenarian, Cissie Godfrey.
Here’s Francis with granddaughters, Emma and Bronnie.
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……………………….Cissie had fallen for Francis, she’d really been quite attracted to him when he turned up at her hundreth birthday party.
They went off in a corner and played with the idea of going off to London together.
They both had fond memories of walks on Hamstead Heath. Francis was 91 at the time of this plot.
Anyway, we did a bit of play acting about the idea of Cissie running way, with Ollie playing Cissie’s older sister.
In the piece, Ollie forbids Cissie to go off with Francis
Here’s the improv. This was done a few years ago. Olive was 104 at the time, Cissie, just 100,
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Isn’t that great? What excuse do you have, dear readers for being down in the dumps, if so you be, when two old women can have such fun?Shame on you now for not getting on with it, the wonderful business of simply being alive.
Francis is famous in our area for his campaign to save our glorious coastline from polution . We live on the earth’s driest continent and he sees no reason why we should be piping our sewage into the sea, as we do.
40 years ago he started his environmental campaign, He had quite an impact at the time, but drove his wife, Joan, to distraction in the process.
Now, at 94, Joan sadly gone, he’s still trying to get the politicians to listen. I made a film about his fight called; The man who cant Stop.
I’ve also filmed Francis for many other reasons.
We both have a fatal love of Australian meat pies, a fast food which is particularly bad for you, but often quite delicious, depending on the pastry shop they come from.
Olive loves pies too and often hides behind dark glasses when she’s out surreptitiously sampling them, as is the case here.
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At one point, I had the foolish dream of setting up an Auusie pie franchise in Canada where Katya and I then lived.
On one of my trips back home to Aussie land, I roped Francis into my research.
Here, he’s doing some taste testing for me at the local pie shop. This tape dates from 1989.
You’ll note that, as the clip ends with a violent storm brewing up outside Francis’ house, words of gloom fill the TV news.
That’s what you can expect if you eat Aussie meat pies. Storms and upheavals
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…………………….Surprise, George Bush dominated the news that night. But it was the first President George Bush of course.
By the way, we are really worried that you might be tempted to try these pesky pies.
I don’t want to be responsible for what could become a crippling addiction, so I’m sharing with you my second pie tasting test.
The clip below will surely turn you off even the idea pies forever.
The two munchers are the sons of my cousin, Gina, Francis’ daughter.
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Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 at 8:16 am
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49 Responses to “OLLIE OFF THE AIR”
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November 7th, 2007 at 8:42 am
Hello Olive and Mike,
I just found out about Olive’s blob today as I am home sick. I am starting at the beginning and reading every entry.
I live in California and don’t eat meat pies because I don’t eat meat. But when I did, some 35 years ago, I made some of the best Cornish pasties around.
I am enjoying Olive’s blob very much. The most wonderful thing about it, next to Olive of course, is that you have made these videos that bring it and Olive to life for us so very far away.
I hope that Olive continues to blog (or blob) for many more years and she can count me in as one of her many fans!
I have a blob too, and I am going to write a post about Olive on there. I actually found out about Olive via Maria Amelia’s blog, but since she is Spanish and none of it is in English, I won’t be reading it.
I will be sticking with the funniest and oldest blobber around!
Cheers to you both and thank you to Mike for doing this for Olive because you in turn do it for us.
many warm hugs!!
Jana
November 7th, 2007 at 8:52 am
o my god wen i read first phragraph i felt i m going to die
oh my god tnx god she is ok
I didn’t mean to scare you that much, Fatima. But given Ollie’s age, one has those fears of course. And she does look much more frail than she did. She is so much more robust in the improv. clip for example, done three years ago. Mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Oh I forgot to add, get well soon Ollie!!
November 7th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Tell Ollie that I came across Maria Amelia recently, but not to worry, my ardor and allegiance are only to Ollie. I’m not interested in some youngster. Besides, I know I would have more fun hanging out with Ollie, eating meat pies and tippling a few pints and maybe taking a turn around the dance floor.
Well, Big fella, we owe Maria Amelia a debt, you know. When Eric found her blog it inspired him to challenge me. Why don’t you help Olive with a blog? And this is the result. Mike the Helper
November 7th, 2007 at 9:00 am
I wondered. I am thinking of Ollie with such affection - and you too. Thank you for the gift of this blog, this record of an amazing life. What gifts you both have given us all.
And you never know, with our Ollie!
Indeed, one never knows. She has given me several scares but she always bounces back. Mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Glad to hear you’re feeling better Ollie!
November 7th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Ollie, it is such good news to hear that you are getting better! I swear by Vicks, too. Did you know that if you put Vicks salve on the bottoms of your feet at night, you won’t cough? It’s true (but you have to sleep in socks)!
Kenju, that is Bizarre. Is it really true? You’ll have everyone doing it, you know! Mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Ollie…glad to hear you are feeling better. Vicks really is a wonder drug. When my kids were little I would rub it on their feet…and then put on big thick socks. They always got well quickly!
I have three kids…one by birth…and two who are gifts. My daughter is 25. She lives about an hour away with her boyfriend. They both have corporate jobs in San Francisco. My other two kids are sorta step-kids. They lost their own Mom to cancer when they were very little. They are now 19 (girl) and 17 (boy). Sometimes I say I am like their fairy god mother…without the wand and all that glitter. They may not be children of my body…but they are children of my heart and will always be part of my family.
Since I read SO MUCH about you…I thought I would tell you a bit about myself.
Mike….I hope you are using your Vicks and feeling better too!
take care,
katherine.
Katherine, thanks for touching and fascinating glimpse into your life. What a good thing you’ve done, to take on those two who lost their Mum. They must love you very much.
Also, you story that you’ve shared with us is exactly the sort of thing which is going to fascinate Ollie when Eric reads these comments to her on Friday. (He is always with her on Firiday mornings for the weekly comment read)
So, I’d urge other readers to send us stories too, if they feel inclined . its food for our old dear. Mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Hi Ollie,
I’m glad Mike found you some of the magic Vicks. I hope he bought a lot of it. I just got back from a trip to see another young lady in my life - my 88-year-old aunt! She fell and is in the hospital, but is doing better now. Maybe you helped her too with your Vicks. You should open that bottle every day and let a little of it out into the world, like a bit of sunshine or a smile to help make everything better.
Rosemary - from North Carolina, USA
What do you mean Rosemary? Do you mean that your Aunt is onto the Vicks to, or just the idea of it? Mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 11:26 am
boy, your title scared me!!! I’m so glad that Ollie is feeling better. Hugs from Massachusetts!
-Jennifer
November 7th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Dear Mike ..
So glad that Olive is okay ..
:)
Ollie looks great in her dark glasses!!
Take care ..
Yeah, the certainly add something. But make her look a bit too severe for my liking. Next time I’ll probably add Ollie in her Napoleon hat. Mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Ollie, I’ve so enjoyed your stories and songs that I hope you’re not “off the air” very long. As we say in Japan, “o-daiji ni!” (Take care of yourself!)
Mike, you take care, too. Thanks for sharing the clips from your other projects here. They are interesting glimpses.
Glad you liked the other clips, Kristen. With Ollie incommunicado, we have to turn elsewhere for material. mike the helper
November 7th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
I just found your blog via a link on someone else’s and I’m thrilled to bits. My biggest ambition in life is to live to be 100 years old, and where better to look for inspiration than here.
I hope that Vicks rub works and look forward to reading many more stories from the life of Riley.
I don’t know Vicks is really the secret, Tiny. But being interested in everything certainly is part of the story. mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 12:11 am
Hi Olive…so glad to hear that you’re feeling much better!!! Concentrate on getting well. We worry about you!
November 8th, 2007 at 2:51 am
I haven’t stopped by for awhile, but you have been on my mind. Glad to hear the Vicks is working. I enjoy so much reading about your life adventures.
{{hugs from the US}}
Thanks Linda, Mike the Helper
November 8th, 2007 at 3:22 am
Hello
I am from Denmark and have great joy by folling this great blog. I am so happy that you are ok again. God i wish i could buy those vicks her in Denmark.
I miss them a lot.
I lived in SA … Christies Downs as a child and remember them well.
Lot of love and happy thoughts i send to you.
Love Jeanette
Hi Jeannette, did you live in South Africa or South Australia when you had access to Vicks? Mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 3:46 am
Hello Ollie and Mike!
When I saw the title of the blog today, my first thought was “OH OH!”, then was relieved to see that Ollie is better and getting her strength back! You go girl!
As I was reading, I saw the mention of Maria Amelia and I had JUST got done reading this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21645225/ “At 95, Maria Amelia Lopez is one of the world’s oldest bloggers. Due to cataracts, she must dictate her entries to her grandson. She says the blog puts her in contact with a younger generation.” (I hope the link works.) I said aloud to my husband, “OH NO SHE’S NOT, OLLIE IS! He pointed out to me it said “one of”, so I settled down. hahahaha
Reading on your Aussie meat pies reminds me of the ones that we can get in Upper Michigan. They are called Pasties and it’s ground meat, onion, potato, vegetable and seasonings put into a pie crust that is then folded over and sealed, then baked. One can get them fresh and eat it right then, or frozen and then bake them at home in your own oven. The history behind them is that the Michigan miners would eat them for their lunch down in the mines. The wife made them from the left overs of supper the night before. They are very good and filling!
I think my birthday greeting was 1 of the 100 that the gremblins got, as I didn’t see it listed when I went back and checked after I read what happened, so please pass on to Ollie my wishes of good health and many more birthdays to come!
Mike, you’re doing a fabulous job on the videos. Keep up the great work, even though it takes up a lot of your time; but then, what would you be doing with those “about 30 hours” if you weren’t doing this for Ollie?
You two take care and blessings to Ollie.
Sandy (Wisconsin, US)
Sandy, Fascinating about the Wisconsin pasties. They originally came from Cornwall, I’m sure. that where the best pasties are. Cornish pasties are amazing .
One spring I walked though Cornwall and has a Pastie at many a small wayside pub. I’ve always meant to do such a walk again. On the cliffs of Cornwall with the bright yellow gorse in flower, it was Heaven.
Yours and ours , for we haver pasties too, are off shoots of the British / Cornish tradition . Mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 5:31 am
So glad to hear Ollie’s feeling a bit better…and you too Mike. That Vicks Formula 44 is some powerful stuff. I remember my mom giving that to me as a little kid…boy, did it taste horrible. I remember trying to cough into my pillow at night so my mom wouldn’t hear me…but she always did and always came in with a big dose of Vicks. I’ve never had it since and hope to never have it again.
If you 2 need to take some time off, we’ll all understand. Sometimes you just gotta take it easy so you can recharge your batteries.
Eric
Eric, Ollie loves the flavor, or so she says. When I wnt to see her yesterday, the stuff had disappeared, Confiscated? Mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Well, no, my aunt isn’t taking Vicks. I don’t think it could cure her ails, but wouldn’t it be nice if it could? By the way, Vicks (the rub-on-your-skin kind anyway) used to be made right here in Greensboro where we live and sometimes you could smell it in the air. I’m not sure where it’s made now, but I haven’t smelled it in a long while, so I suppose they must make it somewhere else now.
That’s just about the strangest piece of news we’ve had Rosemary, that you could smell the Vicks in the air. We love it! Do you miss the smell by the way? Also, did everyone avoid coughs, being dosed through the air? Mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 8:54 am
I’m so glad to hear that you are feeling better Olive….thank goodness for the Vicks !!!!
I love the picture of the pie Mike and Olive looks like a film star in her dark sunnies….
I’m looking forward to seeing Olive in her Napoleon hat…
best wishes Kim
Napolean hat coming soon, Kim. Since there must already be more than 100 photos of Ollie on the blog since we began in Feb, I’m thinking of running a competition to see which photo of her people like best. The best commentary on a favorite photo could win a high resolution copy of their favorite. What do you think? Mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Hey Ollie,
My teacher told me that you were the oldest blogger in the world! I was so excited! I really like your blog!You really motivated me! Hope you can check out my blog too someday!
Hi isabelle, I left you a comment on your excellent blog. let me know if you don’t get it. So glad to have some younget visitors like you. Tell you friends to come to and I’ll try to answer them as I did you. Mike the helper.
November 8th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
This is my first coming your blog,I am a chinese young man ,when i come into your blog ,i feel it is very wonderful ,i will ofen come to your blog,http://hi.baidu.com/beckhalone THIS IS MY BOLG!WELCOME TO MY BLOG!
November 8th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
This is my first coming your blog,I am a chinese young man ,when i come into your blog ,i feel it is very wonderful ,you are beautiful!
We will have a post relating to china especially very soon. Beckhalone. Please watch out for it. Mike the helper
November 8th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Hey there,
Boy that title sure did scare me a little! Phew! I’m glad Ollie’s getting better though!
Vicks is good. lol. I love that stuff too! We had it in Malaysia and in NZ.. Though I must say I don’t see them as much anymore.
Chu May
November 8th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Hells bells, Mike, that first paragraph of yours give me a fright. You tell Ollie that she needs to keep on with that Vicks 44 (has it got alcohol in it…very life giving, that…lol.
I had another look at the last post and saw Katya’s lovely pictures…did she do the whole lot…you know, the paintings and writing the words? What a talented wife you have…they’re beautiful.
Love to Ollie and I’ll end with what we say to my mum (who, at 88 is a mere youngster by comparison)…only the good die young!
Cheers!
Robyn, I’ve been exagerating the Vicks issue a bit. Ollie is not addicted to the wtuff. I bouth ehr th last bottle which was about 8 months ago. But it is comforting for her.
Katya will be pleased that you noticed her pictures. She’s tried to have her little book published with no success. But she’s glad she got published on the blog at least. Mike the helper.
November 8th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
I’m so glad you’re not sick! I saw you on the news so I visited your blog. Many of the teachers at my school have posts about you on their blog. By the way, you should go to http://clustrmaps.com/ to get this really cool map which shows where people have visited your blog. Sign up and copy the html code to your sidebar widget. Happy blogging!
Carrie (fellow student fan)
Carrie, I do know about these maps. I’m a bit nervous about them. Is it really easy? Mike the helper
November 9th, 2007 at 3:12 am
I’m glad to hear that Ollie’s feeling better! I was worried about her! This is the time of the year for people to be getting those seasonal aches and illnesses. Here in Germany it’s starting to get cool and dreary, not so much fun. I’m sure the season changes in Australia are much more mild than up here in the north! I have been lucky that I have not gotten sick yet (or that my 2 year old hasn’t either!) but I swear by Vicks too. I always make sure we’ve got both the liquid kind and the Vap-O-Rub to put on our feet at night. Makes you feel so much better in the morning!
I hope your illness is short-lived too Mike! Feel better soon!
This is turning into a Vicks commerical, Erin, all over the world. Is that good or bad, I wonder? Mike the helper
November 9th, 2007 at 6:15 am
Dearest Ollie,
I absolutely love your page. It’s inspireing and so delightful to read. I have two children, both girls. They are Rylie (5) and Kayleh (1). I’m a single mom who goes to college and works. Just by reading your page today, has given me hope. Thank you very much from the deepest part of my heart. I wish you well!
Ollie will so glad to hear this, Wreynn, and today’s the day. We have reached Friday already and Eric will read to her soon. Your life sounds full and hectic, Wreynn, but even the most stressful situations are more easily handled when you head is in a happy, hopeful, place. Mike the helper
November 9th, 2007 at 7:13 am
Just caught up with your news Ollie. Sorry to hear you’ve been poorly and I hope you’re back to your old self again now. Vicks is a longtime favourite in our family and I was interested to hear the tip about rubbing it on your feet. Fortunately we can get it here in France but there are lots of favourite remedies that we have to stock up on when someone comes from England.
You take care now.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:36 am
If you need me to send you some Vicks VapOrub let me know. We have plenty of it in the Southern US.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Congratulations from Brazil!!!
November 9th, 2007 at 11:44 am
I think that’s a fantastic idea Mike…..the winner could have their own favourite Olive Poster :):-X Kim
Indeed. I’ll work on it , Mike the helper
November 9th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
I just read your page and sent a copy to my mum, who is 95. She’s full of stories but with no outlet other than my sister and me… and we’ve heard them! I’m hoping she’ll be inspired by Ollie and will be willing to do her own blog. She lives by herself and isn’t able to get around as much now… Any words of wisdom to get her started?
That’s exciting, KT. She is going to need a lot of help most likely unless her fingers are still nimble enough to type and she’s ready to learn how to do it.
Indeed, if she does, she’ll be unique most prtobably because Both Maria Amelia in spain who’s
also 95 and Olive, are helped with tyring and posting.
I guess th fist thins is that she’s going to have to love what we are doing with Ollie. If she goes back in the posts, she’ll find lot’s of Ollie’s stories. I esp. like “On the Steam tram.” Also “catch the ragman.” Her pearlies story is very good too.
As for blog templates, the one we use is wordpress which seems very good. You will need some help as to how to do it, though, unless you are close and i can explain it face to face.
Keep us posted. Where ar you by the way? Mike the helper
November 9th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
The maps aren’t too hard to install. All you have to do is tell them your email address and right down the url of your blog for your account name. Then check your email for your password and login and copy the first html code. Copy it into your sidebar widget and there it would be! There are also instructions and things to find out. I’m sure it would be easy for you, your blog is so pretty! I certainly wish mine was as good as yours!
Carrie
P.S. Isabella who commented is my friend and she is a really big fan of yours, she even has you on her blogroll!
November 10th, 2007 at 2:37 am
This is my first time to this blog and I have enjoyed my visit here! I’ll definitely be back again to catch up.
Get well soon Olive!
God bless
November 10th, 2007 at 3:19 am
Glad to hear that Ollie is feeling better. I didn’t include a story of my own but here is a short one.
I am 52 and was a Veterinary Technician for over 25 years. I injured my back on the job in 2000 and had to stop doing what I loved the most, working with animals.
I went back to school at age 45, and graduated in April of 2006 with three degrees, one in English, Art and Liberal Studies. Now I am getting a bachelor’s online and plan on teaching part time.
My side jobs are building web site, and tutoring seniors on the computer. One of my clients is 90 years old and one is 85, mere babies by Ollie’s standards! They are so much fun to work with.
My web site is at http://indigomoonarts.com/
and my blog is: http://indigomoonarts.efx2blogs.com/
Come on by and say hello some day.
I am so glad I found Ollie’s blob. I have been here daily since to read updates.
Please tell her hello for me from California.
I have a 27 yr old son and a 20 yr old daughter too, but I live alone and I love it.
cheers Mike and Ollie!!
many get well hugs to you!!
HUGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Olive will love to hear this, Jana. I read what happened to you at the medical clinic. Did you send the photo, by the way. I think I would. I assume you’ve seen Sicko? It’s almost a scene from that movie. Mike the helper
November 10th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Dear Olive, I started reading your blog and I love it. You’re such an inspiration. I have the treasure to have three of my grandparents alive to a high age, my fathers mother to 98, my mothers father to 95 and my mothers mother is still alive and will be 95 in December. I love to hear them tell about old times and another way of thinking and living. Two of them have passed away and my grandmother lives far away, but they are always close to me in my heart.
Lots of love,
Josephine, You familu certainly lives to old ages, Josepehine. You must find Holland very warm after Sweden. Why did you move? Mike th helper.
November 10th, 2007 at 7:07 am
oh, I forgot - I’m from Sweden (where my family is), but I live since 2002 in the Netherlands.
November 10th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
OMG! I was a little behind on blogging. I read the last post, then this one, and I almost started to cry. Fortunately I kept reading. Mike, you had me scared there! I am glad Ollie is feeling better, and I certainly hope she (and you ) will continue “blobbing” for quite some time. Btw, I had the same response as Katya - of course you and Ollie have become that linked. You are so involved with her and care so deeply that you felt bad when she did. Take care, both of you!
Yep! both fighing fit now, Christina. hve not heard from from you for a while, so it’s nice. Mike the helper.
November 10th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Ollie, I wish you were with us at the Casino in Langley, BC today. They make the most delicious meat pie, well actually Ollie, it was a chicken pot pie, but it was so tastey. I would have loved it if you could have sat and talked to my mom who’s 86. You two sharp women would have had a lot to talk about.
So glad you are feeling better. We found out about your blog in The Province, one of BC’s major newspapers. Don’t worry about Maria, Ollie. You’ve got her beat!
We did not know we’d made it into the Province, Allyson. That’s pretty good! As for the pie and chat, Ollie wishes she could make the date, I’m sure. Mike the helper
November 10th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Hi Olive
I check in regularly with your blog and love reading about you. I am a trumpet player/teacher in NYC and I have several students from Australia. I have spoken with all of them about your blog and they read it also. Love to you, Olive!!!!!
Laurie, you are definitely our first trumpet player. How about sending us a clip for the blog. Or post yourself on Youtube and we’ll copy it onto the blog. Mike the helper
November 10th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Way to go, Olive! I read about you and just had to stop by. It never fails to amaze me how people of all ages have discovered blogging. And your posts, and Mike’s, are so very interesting and a lot of fun.
You are an inspiration, Ollie, to people everywhere, that age does not limit you. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
I would also like to send you a copy of my most recent bestselling novel–Whale Song–as a ‘thank you for being you’ gift. I hope you will accept it. If you email me, we can arrange this.
Take care!
Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
author of Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention
that would be wonderful Cheryl, I’ll send you an address separately. Mike the helper
November 11th, 2007 at 12:27 am
And hi again!
I just had to blog about you blogging.
I hope you don’t mind that I linked to your picture. I love it!
Olive on Cheryl’s blog
November 11th, 2007 at 4:36 am
Mnoho dalsich dobrych dni u obrazovky Vam preji z Cech …. Josef
November 11th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Glad you’re rejuvenated, Ollie. I keep Vicks by my bedside and dab a bit in one nostril on occasion at night as my sinuses will stop up — “keeps my head open” as I like to say. Also, when I was a child my Mom rubbed Vicks on my chest, then safety-pinned a square of outing flannel to the inside of my pajama tops that rested over the Vicks-covered chest area. I think my body heat released the aroma/fumes which I inhaled enabling me to sleep despite the worst of colds.
I wonder what other medical remedies you’ve successfully used over the years before we had all the new pills, liquids and concoctions?
Those pasties one of your U.S. Michigan readers mentioned are really good — a hot meal in winter and for skiers to eat. My husband and I first tasted them there on our honeymoon over forty years ago. We were so enthusiastic about them we fantasized about starting a restaurant chain to sell them other places. Part of the attraction was the pastry is folded over the meat, etc. and you can hold them in your hand, carry them around, much like a sandwich. If your meat pies taste anything like the pasties, they must be good. Wonder if they’re anything like what we call “Pot Pies” — can use any kind of meat in them we like, but they are in miniature pie tins.
Hi Jorad, yes pies are closed and eaten in the hand. Did you see the video of my two second cousins eating them at the end of the last post? It can get pretty messy, esp if you dont actually like the meat filling, which turned out to be their case.
We are similar in that I had dreams of launching Aussie pies in Canada when I was living there. It would have worked but iIm not really a busnessman but a filmmaker and now a blog helper. But I got quite obsessed at the time with [ies in Canada in the early nineties. Homesickness, I guess. i did endless experiments in the kitchen. I was convinced that the pies I remembered had some spice ingrediant. Katya though it all pretty wacky
There was a local health food shop on St. Viateur on Montreal with over 40 bulk spices in hoppers. I bought tiny quanties of each and with endless lists, tried many hundreds of combinations, only to come to the cnclusion that the slow stewing of the mince meat and creation of a rich natural gravy, were the prime taste appeal, though I do remember that Cardimon added an interesting extra something .
Mike the helper
November 11th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Hi Ollie and Mike
I don’t know how I actually found your blog, but here I am and it is superb. I tried to start one of my own ‘Annie’s Blog’ http://foreveryoung-annsblog.blogspot.com but don’t seem to be getting on very well. Ollie has hopefully given me the inspiration to continue, perk up my site and myself to put in something interesting.
Being just a youngster of 70 (on 24 December!) I haven’t done too much, but did live for over 30 years in Penzance, Cornwall where the pasties are absolutely yummy. The miners wives apparently used to make their man a traditional meat pasty to take down the mine for their lunch BUT the end of the pasty, instead of being filled with meat and vegetables, was filled with jam or some other sweet filling, so they had a first and second course in the same hand. Incidentally, the Cornish pasty should always be eaten in the hand, never on a plate with a knife and fork!
Glad you are recovering Ollie, look forward to reading lots more about your amazing life.
Love Ann X(from Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK)
Ann, that’s fascinating. It just the sort of titbit of info. we relish to get. Ollie is going to love it, pasties with two flavors and that they must be eaten in the hand.
By the way folks, do remember that Fridays are the ritual read day, the day Eric reads to Ollie of the comments of the week. So get you comments and stories too, for it’s the most fun for her when there are stories or information like Ann has provided.
Ann, I had a look at your blog. It’s well written and fulls of quirky observations which should charm readers. I loved your attention to detail, the supermarket stories, for instance.
But, have you looked at what someone has to go through to leave a comment on a google blog like yours? I went leave a comment, and, as always with google blogs, was stumped. They are really comment unfriendly. I’m not going to sign up with google just to leave a comment, and i don’t want to remember yet another password.
I think you’ll find this a real barrier to comment, unless I’m just not understanding how to do it.
We used wordpress which is much more user friendly.
The second thing you are going to have to do is to learn how to upload photos. Its a bit daunting at first, but once you get it, it adds so much to the blog.
You’ll need a reasonably good digital camera and give some thought as to how to shoot. I suspect that you’d do great detail photos of nature, places etc.. Have a look back through Ollie’s photos and see how I compose shots.
A Another tip, I never use a flash. They produce hideous photos. Not using flash, means you have to hold the camera steady indoors, and be resigned that you’ll need to take 5 or 6 photos to get one in focus
Maybe I’ll put this on the blog.Others might be interested.Mike the helper
November 12th, 2007 at 9:52 am
[…] friend Mike says she’s not doing so well. Please keep her in your […]
November 12th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Well, Ollie and Mike — Look what I found through a Google link that just popped up on my screen when I read Mike’s comment in my email. Check out this link ’cause sounds like some USA cities have Australian meat pies: http://www.australianbakery.com/
The pasties I ate those many years ago were fresh and hot, I think. Sounds like the pies you speak of can be eaten without re-heating. Hm-m–m
Do health care workers, elders and others get flu shots yearly in Australia as many do in the USA? How about periodic peneumonia shots (every five years, I think)?
Thanks Jorad. I just wrote to that pie company, teling them about Olive and our love of pies. Our pies do ave to be eaten hot, and preferably fresh. I’m sure Ollie gets the shots she needs. Mike the helper
November 13th, 2007 at 3:14 am
Thanks for your reply Mike. And hello to Ollie, as I know she is back on track again, having just read her ‘blob’ today (12 Nov).
I was very pleased at your kind remarks, but did you look back and see that I have already uploaded some photographs of a previous trip in our ‘van’? It does seem a pity that it is not easy to leave a comment, I did wonder why I had not received any. Will look into it.
I have discovered that I came to Ollie’s blog via Lost Cousins, family history site. They had an article about her in their online newsletter. Ollie’s blog is a newsletter, no, epic story, in its own right. I don’t believe that I would be among her Lost Cousins, but it would be exciting to find out that I was. So far I have uncovered ancestors who went to Greymouth in New Zealand and Prince Edward Island in Canada, but none to Australia (so far that is).
Keep up the good work Ollie, You look amazing and I want to know what you are doing next (as well as the oysters) - I want to go for a balloon flight for my 70th (during next year’s balloon flying season). What about it for your 109th?
Love Ann X (Wales, UK)
Hi Ann, we go no phots here from you. Good to hear about the Los cousins connection, We are going to post a story on that soon. A balloon flight? A major problem would be getting the balloon to land nearby. Ollie does not travel far anymore. I’ll aske her. it would be excitig for sure. Mike the helper