She’s gone
THE SEVENTY SECOND POST
Mike
It’s happened, friends. Ollie left us last Saturday morning (July 12th.) at around six am.
We’d seen her just the day before, Katya and I, and, as I worked on post 71 earlier today, I did not know she had already gone.
I don’t know the details yet, but I imagine it was a very peaceful passing. She’d seemed to asleep when we saw her and I guess that sleep just kept going on till the final moment.
Even so Katya and I are stunned, not because her death was unexpected, but because she was such a large part of our lives.
……………
………………
It’s funny to say this, but doing the blog with her, doing all the typing, the photographs, the movies, has been a big part of my life this last year, something that many friends couldn’t quite understand.
“Why all this effort for an old lady? they’d ask, “Are you in a hurry to age yourself?” (Me being 70 this year)
Quite the contrary. Olive Riley’s been keeping me young.
Her example says; if a woman who left school in 1914, can embrace the internet in her 106th year, what is there you can’t do, friend?
John McCain should take note. He’s not Internet literate yet, apparently
My parents both died tragically young, Dad at 59, and Mum at 65.
As I passed their death dates, I had the feeling of having reached the family age limit, of being on the downward slope. That is till I met Ollie.
I’d talked to thirty other centenarians before I came across this amazing person, the encounters all part of research for a documentary on why so many people now live to one hundred. None came close to Olive.
…………….
………………..
I was gob smacked by this dame with a memory like a hard drive. At 104, Olive was able to remember conversations she’d had in 1908 and bring them to life. Amazing!
I knew I’d not only found my film star, but I that I’d been given a reprieve from worries about following my parents.
Post Olive, there’d be no sense of having an age limit, no downward slope for me!
I mean, how could there be when your friends with a woman who dances the Can Can on her 108th, birthday!
………………..
………………….
Many others, have been energized in their own ways by Olive’s story.
There was one day in January 2008 when the blog had 350,000 visitors. That’s a lot of curiosity!
These last few days this blog has crashed, unable to carry the load. The news of her death, a world wide story.
Looking back over the last eventful year, I know it’s been mighty strange for her, this blogging or blobbing as she often called it.
Ollie was a straight forward soul. She had her football team, the Swans. She loved dogs…. That’s our Tosca. Her own Mitzie, never forgotten
……………………
…………………..
She liked Aussie pies
………………
………………
and usually she tolerated me, fed up with blobbing only rarely.
……………..
………………
Ollie was also a good friend to others in her nursing home, especially if they were going through roughs spots as was P…. .
……………
……………
All of that was normal but then came fame.
Who can blame her for never fully understanding why people around the world came to think of her as family?
………………
…………….
Here’s a woman who’d lived a rather quiet life. For her first 100 years, no one paid her much attention beyond her family, and then suddenly she’s a hero, suddenly she’s loved all over.
How strange it was for her, thrilling and scary too
She became a hero not just for other oldies struggling to understand the internet, but for their children too, folks who dearly want their own parents to stay as alert and interested as Ollie.
Many hope that keeping active with a blog as Ollie’s done, might be the answer to their old people avoiding becoming Alzeihmers victims, and maybe they’re right.
Almost to the very end Olive was sound in memory, even as her children, 20 years younger, were not so lucky
If you look back through the thousands of comments we’ve had, you’ll see that her power to inspire comes up again and again.
“Thanks so much Ollie, for inspiring my parents to get active,” says a typical comment, ” You’ve helped them overcome their fear of computers., dear Olive.” is a typical comment.
The irony is that in the 15 months the blog was going, Ollie never actually worked at the computer, never actually posted a blog story herself.
We took shots of her at my computer but she was faking it. Doesn’t she look naughty?
…………………..
…………………
“I have got vision,” she used to say, when asked how much she could see, meaning she could see something out of one eye.
But it was not much, this vision, and there was no way she could type, select photos, or do any of the things a hands-on blogger must do.
That’s where I came in.
It was Eric Shackle’s idea that Olive blog. He’d discovered Maria Amelia doing the same at 95 in Spain. (Maria is now back enthroned as the world’s oldest blogger, and very pleased she is too!)
Eric convinced me it was possible for Olive to blog if she wanted to. So I explained as best I could what a blog was.
“It’s a sort of diary that people around the world can read.” I said. She was doubtful but prepared to be the story teller if I did the work.
At first, we used up stories left over from the film I’d made with her, the ABC doc. All about Olive.
Some we told again to our new audience, our favorites like the ink flick story.
Apparently being naughty in class, Olive was made to sit in the front row of the Broken Hill primary school. A big mistake on the part of the teacher, Mrs Gillings.
“Oh, Old mother Gillings, I got square with her,” said Olive with relish.
“When she came past, I’d dip me pen in the inkwell, and I’d flip a drop on the back of her dress. I did too, many times! She had black dots all up and down her dress.”
…………….
………………………
Soon, the blog evolved and became more of a conversation between us, and not just about the past but about what interested us today.
We got into some local causes Ollie cared about, like the fate of Jonnie Bosco, the hydroponic lettuce grower, his business unfairly shut down by Gosford Council.
They said he could grow lettuces in the ground, not on frames above the ground. “What nonsense,” growled Olive.
…………………
…………………..
We thought Johnnie might win his battle with the bureaucrats, as you can see from Ollie’s triumphant pose….
But he lost even though, I suspect, Ollie spun Nina’s wishing wheel for him.
It was a good wishing wheel. It should have worked especially since Nina’s shop was just next door and sold Johnnie’s lettuces.
………………..
………………….
We used the blog as a search engine too, finding the Queensland cattle station, Culloden, on which Ollie had worked in the thirties as the station cook. Here’s an old photo of the homestead we found
…………………….
And then, what a thrill. We found a picture of Olive herself with her kids, Barnie and Evelyn, on the Culloden property.
The kids worked too. Barnie was a rouse about and Evelyn served at table. It was a rather posh cattle station, apparently
……………….
………………….
Mid 2007, Katya, my wife, came into the picture, becoming Olive’s friend and a story sparker, bringing her Russian background, her interest in music and Matrioshka dolls to the blog
……………….
………………..
Olive’s fame spread, and whilst the Australian broadsheet press never warmed to her, put off I suspect by the fact that she didn’t type herself, the foreign press loved her and made her a blogsphere star.
Good morning America, The BBC, AP, the Spanish press and the Italians, all did stories on her blog, usually tagging her as the world’s oldest blogger.
Jay Leno wanted her on his LA show, thinking she’d fly over for the taping. We had to regretfully explain her situation.
With 80 million blogs in the world, Olive’s was ranking 7000th. as 2008 began.
The thing built and built. We always knew when a story had been published because there’d be a rash of comments from that country in the days following.
Iceland was hot for a few weeks, then Argentina, then Croatia, Ollie’s fame was jumping round the globe like a bush fire.
The US was always her biggest fan base probably because there are professional blog boosters there who pick up and promote the blogs they like.
A blog arbiter called Kim Komando took a shine to Olive’s stories and the American readership jumped astronomically as a result of Kit’s comments.
The same happened when Ronnie Bennett with her famous blog, Time goes by, discovered Olive and enthused..
Ronnie has recently done a piece for the Wall St. Journal on the elder blogger phenomenon, mentioning Olive’s blog.
Considering how Olive disliked Rupert Murdoch, whose room at a Sydney hotel she once cleaned (”He was very polite, then. A nice man, then.“) perhaps I shouldn’t mention this.
Then again, Mr Murdoch might read this and become the man of peace Ollie said he should be.
(Murdoch promoted the Iraq war in his papers, predicting that oil would drop to $20 a barrel. He got right, didn’t he? )
With our mix of past and present, there was never a lack for the next post even though the main attraction, Olive herself, was confined to a chair in Woy Woy.
That coastal suburb, an hour north of Sydney, is the place funny man Spike Milligan ungraciously dubbed; the biggest above ground cemetery in the world.
What I wonder would Spike make of graveyard Ollie being invited to the launch of YouTube Australia?
Yes, YouTube wanted Ollie at their opening bash because by that time, late 2007, her blog had become a sort of a blog-amentary, bursting will film clips.
We ran clips of her singing, clips of her story telling, and even a clip of her eating oysters at the local pub, all of which were hosted by YouTube. of course.
Sadly, she could not travel to their Sydney launch, but I filmed her greetings and took the clip along for projection.
Her message thrilled the young media types at the launch, even though it showed she was struggling to understand what this “tube thing” was.
“The best of luck with your tube,” was the nub of her message. “I hope it gives you great satisfaction”
You can find her greetings on the blog or youTube itself.
Its all been quite fun, given that this is a lady who never used a telephone till she was twenty, and saw her first plane at Broken Hill when already a mother. Some confusion about tubes is to be expected, surely!
As Eric likes to point out, when Olive was born, Queen Victoria was still on the throne of England, and and Australia was not yet a federation.
Olive had no great philosophical thoughts on life to offer the blog. She was stumped on the secret of her longevity, though we tried quite hard for clues.
She was a devout person, though, and her Christian beliefs gave her strength and comfort.
She was lucky in having wonderful ministers of her church nearby. They’d come to her room to give her communion.
……………….
…………………….
katya is Russian Orthodox and one day we took Olive to Katya’s Russian church which she enjoyed, as did Father James.. That went into the blog of course.
………………….
What we have not touched on in the blog, a her political beliefs. Olive was a staunch Labor supporter, and believed fervently in trade unions.
She never tired of telling me how the Mine workers Union, in Broken Hill, not only struck for better working conditions (and won), but kept the peace, disciplining violent or errant husbands, not to mention handing out food and blankets in times of need.
Son Barnie was born the day the long general strike of 1920 ended.
She almost had him on a steam tram resulting not only in a healthy baby, but one of her best blob stories. (On the Steam tram)
As for unions, ” Fair go, mate” could have been her slogan though I never heard her use those words.
Olive always rooted for the underdog.
For the pit ponies from the mines who came up each weekend for a rest, eagerly awaited by Olive and friends, and, years later for Jack Lang, the 30’s labor politician who took on the big British banks. Jack, she loved with a passion.
……………….
…………………
Lang was a polarizing figure, but Ollie would have done anything for the man, for the big fella as they called him.
All of this was not surprising since, all her life, she was a working class girl.
Born in Broken Hill on Oct. 20th 1899, she was the youngest of twelve children, someone forgotten in the large family, cursed with a mother who was fed up with having kids and who hated her, or so Ollie said.
…………….
……………
At 15, Ollie was working in local pubs, serving meals and getting hopelessly mixed up, she told me, always confused as who had ordered what.
She’d be spinning around the room yelling, “Ey! ‘oo ordered the steak ‘n mash?….Goodo! Now, ‘oo do these snags belong to, then?”
(See her blog story about the horse who turned up at side window of the pub every afternoon for his beer. )
Later, fleeing an abusive husband with three kids in tow, Olive went to Adelaide and became a cook, a cleaner and later an egg candler.
She was one of those forgotten women who daily held thousands of eggs up the the light, searching for imperfections in the white globes, cancers and other nasties. (Brown eggs were a rarity then, she told me)
Most of her later working life she spent as a barmaid, and we have not even begun to tell the stories of the curious customers she dealt with, of how she handled foul language, or the drunks at the six O’clock swill.
Recently, I showed her parts of the film, Caddie., based on the book of the same name, which tells the story of a Sydney barmaid in the 20’s nicknamed Caddie.
“It was just like that,” she said, though she claimed she had no fancy man like Caddie.
There was one traveling salesman who brought her a china horse each trip, she told me, passing them over the bar to her, galloping his porcelain ‘prezzies’ through the spilled suds.
But he was just a nice man, she said, but not a boyfriend. Her love life was a subject that was somewhat taboo.
Hers, was a view from the footpaths of the 20th. century, not from high places. She wasat Jack Lang’s rallies but never joined any push.
She was on the Sydney Harbour bridge when Simon De Groote cut the ribbon, pre empting the opening of that famous bridge, but she took no part
Life did not sweep her up into great events. Nor did she feel she was living in epic times, though the end of the Second World War, and son Barnie coming home from that war, wounded three times, were thrilling moments.
Barnie’s death, six months ago, rocked her. Here are Barnie and Bonnie, the youngest, in uniform.
……………..
……………
Here’s a photo she especially loved, Barnie rolling up to her 105th birthday. “Ullo Luv,” he growled.
……………………..
………………………
Now she’s gone. We still can’t quite take it in, Katya and I.
Nor can Eric either, Olive filling an empty place in his life, I suspect.
They’ve been very good friends this last year, Ollie and Eric, he reading her the comments each Friday, a session that she so much looked forward to.
……………….
……………….
Oh, I forgot to mention that Ollie loved her native Broken Hill . Filled with a fierce pride for her home town, she was.
When we took this Pic. of her looking down on the town, it was of a person who’d come home.
……………………….
………………..
When we took this one, she was at the fun fair, arguing for a ride on the dodgems, God love ‘er!
………………
……………………..
And when I took this sunset snap in nearby hills, she said; “Ah, communing with nature. How nice”
………………….
…………………..
Earlier this year Ollie heard something big was afoot near Broken Hill . I was dispatched to find out what was going on.
I discovered that there were plans, well advanced, to build Australia’s biggest wind farm not far from Broken Hill.
Olive got quite excited, wanting to know all about windmills, a technology in which we lag far behind Europe.
……………..
……………..
Wouldn’t it be great, I thought if Ollie was to become a patroness of this project?
They could even put her on the payroll for a nominal amount, making her the world’s oldest wage earner. That’d make a blog story!!!
I contacted Epuron, the company building the giant complex (Two billion it’ll cost) and they were intrigued, indeed ready to give her a role.
But then my trip to Europe with my daughter took me away for two months, and the chance was lost. I arrived back just one day before she died.
What a pity. Ollie would have loved to help put wind farms on the map, and last year she could have done it, not moving around of course, but from her room, she could have beaten the drum and rallied the troops.
But it was not to be. Our scheming days are over.
…………….
………………….
It will be sad to stop this blog.
I may do another post or two, news of interesting things found on my trip, things I was planning to tell Ollie about.
What do you think? Do you want that?
Anyway, both Olive and I are happy that you enjoyed her blob so much.
You showed us you did, day after day, with your comments.
So, from both of us, I thank you.
Right, Ollie?
……………….
……………..
Mike Rubbo, Sunday night, July 13th 2008, Avoca Beach.
rubbo@aapt.net.au
It’s happened, friends. Ollie left us last Saturday morning (July 12th.) at around six am.
We’d seen her just the day before, Katya and I, and, as I worked on post 71 earlier today, I did not know she had already gone.
I don’t know the details yet, but I imagine it was a very peaceful passing. She’d seemed to asleep when we saw her and I guess that sleep just kept going on till the final moment.
Even so Katya and I are stunned, not because her death was unexpected, but because she was such a large part of our lives.
……………
………………
It’s funny to say this, but doing the blog with her, doing all the typing, the photographs, the movies, has been a big part of my life this last year, something that many friends couldn’t quite understand.
“Why all this effort for an old lady? they’d ask, “Are you in a hurry to age yourself?” (Me being 70 this year)
Quite the contrary. Olive Riley’s been keeping me young.
Her example says; if a woman who left school in 1914, can embrace the internet in her 106th year, what is there you can’t do, friend?
John McCain should take note. He’s not Internet literate yet, apparently
My parents both died tragically young, Dad at 59, and Mum at 65.
As I passed their death dates, I had the feeling of having reached the family age limit, of being on the downward slope. That is till I met Ollie.
I’d talked to thirty other centenarians before I came across this amazing person, the encounters all part of research for a documentary on why so many people now live to one hundred. None came close to Olive.
…………….
………………..
I was gob smacked by this dame with a memory like a hard drive. At 104, Olive was able to remember conversations she’d had in 1908 and bring them to life. Amazing!
I knew I’d not only found my film star, but I that I’d been given a reprieve from worries about following my parents.
Post Olive, there’d be no sense of having an age limit, no downward slope for me!
I mean, how could there be when your friends with a woman who dances the Can Can on her 108th, birthday!
………………..
………………….
Many others, have been energized in their own ways by Olive’s story.
There was one day in January 2008 when the blog had 350,000 visitors. That’s a lot of curiosity!
These last few days this blog has crashed, unable to carry the load. The news of her death, a world wide story.
Looking back over the last eventful year, I know it’s been mighty strange for her, this blogging or blobbing as she often called it.
Ollie was a straight forward soul. She had her football team, the Swans. She loved dogs…. That’s our Tosca. Her own Mitzie, never forgotten
……………………
…………………..
She liked Aussie pies
………………
………………
and usually she tolerated me, fed up with blobbing only rarely.
……………..
………………
Ollie was also a good friend to others in her nursing home, especially if they were going through roughs spots as was P…. .
……………
……………
All of that was normal but then came fame.
Who can blame her for never fully understanding why people around the world came to think of her as family?
………………
…………….
Here’s a woman who’d lived a rather quiet life. For her first 100 years, no one paid her much attention beyond her family, and then suddenly she’s a hero, suddenly she’s loved all over.
How strange it was for her, thrilling and scary too
She became a hero not just for other oldies struggling to understand the internet, but for their children too, folks who dearly want their own parents to stay as alert and interested as Ollie.
Many hope that keeping active with a blog as Ollie’s done, might be the answer to their old people avoiding becoming Alzeihmers victims, and maybe they’re right.
Almost to the very end Olive was sound in memory, even as her children, 20 years younger, were not so lucky
If you look back through the thousands of comments we’ve had, you’ll see that her power to inspire comes up again and again.
“Thanks so much Ollie, for inspiring my parents to get active,” says a typical comment, ” You’ve helped them overcome their fear of computers., dear Olive.” is a typical comment.
The irony is that in the 15 months the blog was going, Ollie never actually worked at the computer, never actually posted a blog story herself.
We took shots of her at my computer but she was faking it. Doesn’t she look naughty?
…………………..
…………………
“I have got vision,” she used to say, when asked how much she could see, meaning she could see something out of one eye.
But it was not much, this vision, and there was no way she could type, select photos, or do any of the things a hands-on blogger must do.
That’s where I came in.
It was Eric Shackle’s idea that Olive blog. He’d discovered Maria Amelia doing the same at 95 in Spain. (Maria is now back enthroned as the world’s oldest blogger, and very pleased she is too!)
Eric convinced me it was possible for Olive to blog if she wanted to. So I explained as best I could what a blog was.
“It’s a sort of diary that people around the world can read.” I said. She was doubtful but prepared to be the story teller if I did the work.
At first, we used up stories left over from the film I’d made with her, the ABC doc. All about Olive.
Some we told again to our new audience, our favorites like the ink flick story.
Apparently being naughty in class, Olive was made to sit in the front row of the Broken Hill primary school. A big mistake on the part of the teacher, Mrs Gillings.
“Oh, Old mother Gillings, I got square with her,” said Olive with relish.
“When she came past, I’d dip me pen in the inkwell, and I’d flip a drop on the back of her dress. I did too, many times! She had black dots all up and down her dress.”
…………….
………………………
Soon, the blog evolved and became more of a conversation between us, and not just about the past but about what interested us today.
We got into some local causes Ollie cared about, like the fate of Jonnie Bosco, the hydroponic lettuce grower, his business unfairly shut down by Gosford Council.
They said he could grow lettuces in the ground, not on frames above the ground. “What nonsense,” growled Olive.
…………………
…………………..
We thought Johnnie might win his battle with the bureaucrats, as you can see from Ollie’s triumphant pose….
But he lost even though, I suspect, Ollie spun Nina’s wishing wheel for him.
It was a good wishing wheel. It should have worked especially since Nina’s shop was just next door and sold Johnnie’s lettuces.
………………..
………………….
We used the blog as a search engine too, finding the Queensland cattle station, Culloden, on which Ollie had worked in the thirties as the station cook. Here’s an old photo of the homestead we found
…………………….
And then, what a thrill. We found a picture of Olive herself with her kids, Barnie and Evelyn, on the Culloden property.
The kids worked too. Barnie was a rouse about and Evelyn served at table. It was a rather posh cattle station, apparently
……………….
………………….
Mid 2007, Katya, my wife, came into the picture, becoming Olive’s friend and a story sparker, bringing her Russian background, her interest in music and Matrioshka dolls to the blog
……………….
………………..
Olive’s fame spread, and whilst the Australian broadsheet press never warmed to her, put off I suspect by the fact that she didn’t type herself, the foreign press loved her and made her a blogsphere star.
Good morning America, The BBC, AP, the Spanish press and the Italians, all did stories on her blog, usually tagging her as the world’s oldest blogger.
Jay Leno wanted her on his LA show, thinking she’d fly over for the taping. We had to regretfully explain her situation.
With 80 million blogs in the world, Olive’s was ranking 7000th. as 2008 began.
The thing built and built. We always knew when a story had been published because there’d be a rash of comments from that country in the days following.
Iceland was hot for a few weeks, then Argentina, then Croatia, Ollie’s fame was jumping round the globe like a bush fire.
The US was always her biggest fan base probably because there are professional blog boosters there who pick up and promote the blogs they like.
A blog arbiter called Kim Komando took a shine to Olive’s stories and the American readership jumped astronomically as a result of Kit’s comments.
The same happened when Ronnie Bennett with her famous blog, Time goes by, discovered Olive and enthused..
Ronnie has recently done a piece for the Wall St. Journal on the elder blogger phenomenon, mentioning Olive’s blog.
Considering how Olive disliked Rupert Murdoch, whose room at a Sydney hotel she once cleaned (”He was very polite, then. A nice man, then.“) perhaps I shouldn’t mention this.
Then again, Mr Murdoch might read this and become the man of peace Ollie said he should be.
(Murdoch promoted the Iraq war in his papers, predicting that oil would drop to $20 a barrel. He got right, didn’t he? )
With our mix of past and present, there was never a lack for the next post even though the main attraction, Olive herself, was confined to a chair in Woy Woy.
That coastal suburb, an hour north of Sydney, is the place funny man Spike Milligan ungraciously dubbed; the biggest above ground cemetery in the world.
What I wonder would Spike make of graveyard Ollie being invited to the launch of YouTube Australia?
Yes, YouTube wanted Ollie at their opening bash because by that time, late 2007, her blog had become a sort of a blog-amentary, bursting will film clips.
We ran clips of her singing, clips of her story telling, and even a clip of her eating oysters at the local pub, all of which were hosted by YouTube. of course.
Sadly, she could not travel to their Sydney launch, but I filmed her greetings and took the clip along for projection.
Her message thrilled the young media types at the launch, even though it showed she was struggling to understand what this “tube thing” was.
“The best of luck with your tube,” was the nub of her message. “I hope it gives you great satisfaction”
You can find her greetings on the blog or youTube itself.
Its all been quite fun, given that this is a lady who never used a telephone till she was twenty, and saw her first plane at Broken Hill when already a mother. Some confusion about tubes is to be expected, surely!
As Eric likes to point out, when Olive was born, Queen Victoria was still on the throne of England, and and Australia was not yet a federation.
Olive had no great philosophical thoughts on life to offer the blog. She was stumped on the secret of her longevity, though we tried quite hard for clues.
She was a devout person, though, and her Christian beliefs gave her strength and comfort.
She was lucky in having wonderful ministers of her church nearby. They’d come to her room to give her communion.
……………….
…………………….
katya is Russian Orthodox and one day we took Olive to Katya’s Russian church which she enjoyed, as did Father James.. That went into the blog of course.
………………….
What we have not touched on in the blog, a her political beliefs. Olive was a staunch Labor supporter, and believed fervently in trade unions.
She never tired of telling me how the Mine workers Union, in Broken Hill, not only struck for better working conditions (and won), but kept the peace, disciplining violent or errant husbands, not to mention handing out food and blankets in times of need.
Son Barnie was born the day the long general strike of 1920 ended.
She almost had him on a steam tram resulting not only in a healthy baby, but one of her best blob stories. (On the Steam tram)
As for unions, ” Fair go, mate” could have been her slogan though I never heard her use those words.
Olive always rooted for the underdog.
For the pit ponies from the mines who came up each weekend for a rest, eagerly awaited by Olive and friends, and, years later for Jack Lang, the 30’s labor politician who took on the big British banks. Jack, she loved with a passion.
……………….
…………………
Lang was a polarizing figure, but Ollie would have done anything for the man, for the big fella as they called him.
All of this was not surprising since, all her life, she was a working class girl.
Born in Broken Hill on Oct. 20th 1899, she was the youngest of twelve children, someone forgotten in the large family, cursed with a mother who was fed up with having kids and who hated her, or so Ollie said.
…………….
……………
At 15, Ollie was working in local pubs, serving meals and getting hopelessly mixed up, she told me, always confused as who had ordered what.
She’d be spinning around the room yelling, “Ey! ‘oo ordered the steak ‘n mash?….Goodo! Now, ‘oo do these snags belong to, then?”
(See her blog story about the horse who turned up at side window of the pub every afternoon for his beer. )
Later, fleeing an abusive husband with three kids in tow, Olive went to Adelaide and became a cook, a cleaner and later an egg candler.
She was one of those forgotten women who daily held thousands of eggs up the the light, searching for imperfections in the white globes, cancers and other nasties. (Brown eggs were a rarity then, she told me)
Most of her later working life she spent as a barmaid, and we have not even begun to tell the stories of the curious customers she dealt with, of how she handled foul language, or the drunks at the six O’clock swill.
Recently, I showed her parts of the film, Caddie., based on the book of the same name, which tells the story of a Sydney barmaid in the 20’s nicknamed Caddie.
“It was just like that,” she said, though she claimed she had no fancy man like Caddie.
There was one traveling salesman who brought her a china horse each trip, she told me, passing them over the bar to her, galloping his porcelain ‘prezzies’ through the spilled suds.
But he was just a nice man, she said, but not a boyfriend. Her love life was a subject that was somewhat taboo.
Hers, was a view from the footpaths of the 20th. century, not from high places. She wasat Jack Lang’s rallies but never joined any push.
She was on the Sydney Harbour bridge when Simon De Groote cut the ribbon, pre empting the opening of that famous bridge, but she took no part
Life did not sweep her up into great events. Nor did she feel she was living in epic times, though the end of the Second World War, and son Barnie coming home from that war, wounded three times, were thrilling moments.
Barnie’s death, six months ago, rocked her. Here are Barnie and Bonnie, the youngest, in uniform.
……………..
……………
Here’s a photo she especially loved, Barnie rolling up to her 105th birthday. “Ullo Luv,” he growled.
……………………..
………………………
Now she’s gone. We still can’t quite take it in, Katya and I.
Nor can Eric either, Olive filling an empty place in his life, I suspect.
They’ve been very good friends this last year, Ollie and Eric, he reading her the comments each Friday, a session that she so much looked forward to.
……………….
……………….
Oh, I forgot to mention that Ollie loved her native Broken Hill . Filled with a fierce pride for her home town, she was.
When we took this Pic. of her looking down on the town, it was of a person who’d come home.
……………………….
………………..
When we took this one, she was at the fun fair, arguing for a ride on the dodgems, God love ‘er!
………………
……………………..
And when I took this sunset snap in nearby hills, she said; “Ah, communing with nature. How nice”
………………….
…………………..
Earlier this year Ollie heard something big was afoot near Broken Hill . I was dispatched to find out what was going on.
I discovered that there were plans, well advanced, to build Australia’s biggest wind farm not far from Broken Hill.
Olive got quite excited, wanting to know all about windmills, a technology in which we lag far behind Europe.
……………..
……………..
Wouldn’t it be great, I thought if Ollie was to become a patroness of this project?
They could even put her on the payroll for a nominal amount, making her the world’s oldest wage earner. That’d make a blog story!!!
I contacted Epuron, the company building the giant complex (Two billion it’ll cost) and they were intrigued, indeed ready to give her a role.
But then my trip to Europe with my daughter took me away for two months, and the chance was lost. I arrived back just one day before she died.
What a pity. Ollie would have loved to help put wind farms on the map, and last year she could have done it, not moving around of course, but from her room, she could have beaten the drum and rallied the troops.
But it was not to be. Our scheming days are over.
…………….
………………….
It will be sad to stop this blog.
I may do another post or two, news of interesting things found on my trip, things I was planning to tell Ollie about.
What do you think? Do you want that?
Anyway, both Olive and I are happy that you enjoyed her blob so much.
You showed us you did, day after day, with your comments.
So, from both of us, I thank you.
Right, Ollie?
……………….
……………..
Mike Rubbo, Sunday night, July 13th 2008, Avoca Beach.
rubbo@aapt.net.au
Sunday, July 13th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
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July 14th, 2008 at 12:20 am
I’m so very sad to hear this news Mike, and there are millions of people all over the world that are going to miss her! There arn’t many people that can say that are there?
Thankyou for being such a good friend to her!
God bless her!
Karen UK
July 14th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Goodbye Olive. Thanks for the memories.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:45 am
I am sad for your loss, but still retain a great joy at having found Ollie through your work. What a long and wonderful life, even for someone not famous. It does indeed give hope and joy and a goal to the rest of us. Thank you for your efforts on Ollie’s behalf. I fully expect to be reading your blog, or whatever we have then, 30-some years from now (When I am in my 70s).
July 14th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Just heard the bad news on the radio, i’m so sorry to hear she is gone… I hope with all of my heart that she will be happy in heaven!!
July 14th, 2008 at 1:57 am
Simply beautiful Mike. It has been a true privilege to read and live Olive’s stories through you; I look forward to going back through the archives again and again, so please don’t delete the blog any time soon. May Ollie rest in peace.
July 14th, 2008 at 3:27 am
A very strong hugh for everybody that made Olive happy in her last years.
He made the same for us.
From Argentina, sincerely.
P.
July 14th, 2008 at 3:30 am
Oh, Mike, I’m so sorry to hear that.. Ollie was a magnificent dame, and I’m sure she’s regaling the folks above with tales of her time down under.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:32 am
I am so sorry Olive is gone! I just discovered your blog last year, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I lost my mother 1 year ago on July 10 at 101 years old. I think she and Olive would have really liked each other. If I’d known anything about blogging I would have done Ruth’s story, as she was as alert, full of memories, laughter and love as Olive was. I thought I had already cried my limit on the anniversary of Mom’s passing this week as I watched - several times - the slideshow my daughter put together: http://www.photosbydiane.com/slideshows/grandma/iframe.html - but then I read about Olive. Farewell, dear lady.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:47 am
My condolences, Mike. You did a good thing for Olive, keeping her last few years as interesting and alive as her first 100. We should all be so lucky to find such a support system. You also did a good thing for the internet, widening the scope to include an under-represented segment.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:04 am
[…] oldest blogger in the world, Ollie, died yesterday and I am not sure why but it breaks my […]
July 14th, 2008 at 5:08 am
I’m really sorry. I loved her blog and I was really glad to be able to read about her life. Thank you so much for your work on it, with her - this was one of the best journal I have read online.
I hope you will continue to blog yourself.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:11 am
I knew it would happen some day but tried to hold it off in my mind. Olive has certainly earned the right to move on. Please continue to chat with us for a time until we take in and deal with our loss. I am so thankful for the fascinating time this encounter has been. Love from Marylu in Sarasota FL
July 14th, 2008 at 5:30 am
Mike,
So sorry for your loss. Olive was an inspiration to young and old all over the world. My grandmother and I talked frequently about the stories on the blob. She has thanked me numerous times for linking to Olive. Her at 72 and me 28 both have taken so much from your blogging her stories. Thank you!
July 14th, 2008 at 5:32 am
I’m so sorry to hear she is gone. Thank you for helping her blog, Mike, and in so doing sharing her with the rest of us.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:15 am
We were so sad to read about Olive’s death. She was an amazing woman who reminded me a lot of my Grandma. I love the DVD you sent & felt we knew Ollie even better after that. She’ll be missed by many people she never met which is a pretty special thing I reckon.
Helen & Carolyn
Linlithgow, Scotland
July 15th, 2008 at 11:23 am
a big kiss!
from Argentina!!!
July 16th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
This news is sad for all of us who were enriched by reading Olive’s stories, seeing her pictures & videos, and being encouraged by her example. Mike, your great efforts in facilitating all this remain a continuing blessing to you, and to Katya; and also remembering Eric, Christine, and Amber, and friends and carers.
You have put together in this post such a rich reminder of Ollie’s life.
Thankyou, and God bless you.
[It would be so good if the Blob could remain - and if you’re able to add some accounts of your own travels &c.]
July 16th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Olive’s family,Mike,Katya and all those who loved her.
As a blogger I’m amazed and truly inspired by Olive!She is an example for all bloggers.
I will be reading her posts this summer one by one, but yes, sad that this beautiful blog is now finished.
RIP, beautiful lady.
Barbara
from France
July 17th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Rest in Peace
:*
Poland- Szczecin
July 17th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Goodbye Ollie… Thank you for all.
I’m really sorry and I would send a virtual embrace for this beautiful lady.
Sara
From Italy
July 17th, 2008 at 12:32 am
This post was the first time I’d ever heard of your Olive, Mr. Mike. She seemed like a grand lady and I’m glad you loved her well enough to share what was special about her with the world. Now I’m going to go back and read all I’ve missed but, before I go, on the strength of this post alone, I would say you should not stop Olive’s blog. It is as much yours as hers and the story continues even now. There’s much to tell.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:02 am
I want to share my condolances (even though I can’t spell it) with Olive’s family. I love how she was internet literate at 108, because it’s important to keep with the times! I loved reading about her life, and she’s changed mine. Thank you, Olive. We love you.
~Liz From Utah
July 17th, 2008 at 2:14 am
And so good night, Olive, and thanks for the memories.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:18 am
Our condolences to the family. The story of Olive and her weblog has travelled around the world. What an inspiration!
We took the liberty of celebrating her life with a small homage in our website here in Argentina, in Spanish.
Terry & María
July 17th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Since it was the first time I visited the blob , it was so strange that I immediately “fell in love” with this old kind lady as I saw her lovely smile. She made me feel so warm just like my grandmother. I’m so sorry to hear this. Hope she will rest in peace.
And thank you for all the things you have done for her, Mike. God bless you too!
From Vietnam with love.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:38 am
I am reeding the post, and i am crying… But she is in Paradise now, so I am trying to not cry again…
God bless Olive!
July 17th, 2008 at 2:42 am
Sincere condolences.
It`s very sad that she´s gone.
But it´s wonderful, that the had such a long life and good friends, like you.
Mike, I hope you will continue this blog with stories from your trip.
The blog will be a nice commemoration of a wonderful person…
July 17th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Olive Riley… you are in our hearts!
Pray for us…
Best regards from a friend (Romania)
July 17th, 2008 at 3:34 am
What a remarkable woman. I’m sad to see her go…
Robert
San Antonio, TX US
July 17th, 2008 at 3:37 am
i know this news feel very sorry.
feeling is so bad.
she likes my gradma.
“hope you go to Heaven, and happy everyday.”
July 17th, 2008 at 3:40 am
She was beautiful.
The rest of us will go after you soon..
God Bless Her. forever
July 17th, 2008 at 4:07 am
I was so surprised by the news about grandma.
I don’t know what to say and how to comfort you.
My heart is shattered.
Goodbye Olive.
Kwon youngsu
South Korea
July 17th, 2008 at 4:17 am
Thanks so much to all of you who’ve left comments and to the hundreds more who kind left words on Eric’s temporary blog while this one was overloaded.
The funeral is today in a few hours. I’ll probably take some photos and share the saying goodbye with you.
You know, I’ve been thinking about why it is that Olive touched so many people. Her stories were marvelous of course, her turn of phrase, her amazing memory, all of that has been part of her appeal.
But I think there’s another reason. I suspect that it’s because she seemed to defy death so exuberantly.
We all fear to die of course, and we hope it won’t be soon. We hope too that there wont be a terrible running down period where our faculties go, our mobility, our minds.
Everything about Olive said; ‘For heaven’s sake stop worrying about THAT!. Look, here I am way out ahead, further out than you ever thought of going, and the water’s just fine. Nothing to be scared of!
There were lots of things I wanted to tell her about our trip.
I said before I went, “Now Ollie, make sure you wait for us. (Katya was in Russia visiting her Mum and got back just before. She too had lots to tell)
I want share some travelers tales with you.”
Well, he did wait. She died one day after my return and just a few hours after katya and I’d been to see her.
She was really tired. A chest infection gripped her. She wasn’t eating, refusing all food except jelly. She said to one of the carers. “I just want to get up to heaven.”
And so she did, dying in her sleep, very early Saturday morning
We always talked and joked about death, Ollie and I. Before we made the movie, we discussed, for instance, whether she’d survive going to Broken Hill, involving an overnight journey in a train that staggers along on one of the jolt-iest tracks in the world.
She said, “Well let’s take a chance. It’d be a pretty good way to drop off anyway.”
“Well, Ollie, some people are saying I’m crazy to take you on such a jaunt.Indeed, irresponsible. Would you mind signing a paper saying that you won’t hold it against me if you die?”
She cackled at that one and proceeded to take over when we got to Broken Hill just to show who had the most energy.
if you’ve seen the film, you’ll know she starts to direct the recreations we’d set up, especially the one where she recalls scrubbing the back of her one armed Dad.(Not a one armed bandit, but coal miner with a very dirty back)
She was so pushy that I gave her a co direction credit on the movie (All about Olive) and wrote to the Guinness records people, asking them to list her as the world’s oldest director, but nothing came of it.
Oh well, I can see I’ll be telling Ollie tales for years to come.
Thanks again for being her friend.
Mike the helper
July 17th, 2008 at 4:45 am
A sad day, but what a remarkable life. Thinking of you Mike and friends/family. RIP Olive.
Liz, London
July 17th, 2008 at 4:52 am
just read about olives passing what a remarkable lady the web has just lost a
wonderful true story teller may you rest in piece olive
old irish proverb may you be in heaven olive before the devil knows your dead
July 17th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Goodbye Olive, it was nice reading about your life.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Oh, Mike. I’m so sad for you and Katya, and all of Olive’s friends and family. It’s like the end of an era; the closing of a door into the past.
I would love to hear about your European Adventures and any other Olive stories yet unshared. She was a bright light that spread onwards through this ‘blob.’
She’ll be missed. Very much.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:15 am
RIP Ollie .. your stories will be missed.
Ottawa Canada
July 17th, 2008 at 5:22 am
My condolences.
July 17th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Farewell dear Olive! I’ll miss your messages!
July 17th, 2008 at 6:55 am
RIP. your blob remains 4ever
July 17th, 2008 at 6:59 am
She will keep on blogging in all of our blogs
Kisses
Paula
July 17th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Thanks ollie………
you’ve richened my life and others too i expect so i wanted you to thank you for that.
Goodbye
July 17th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Mike
We were so sorry to hear of Olive’s passing.
Please accept our sympathies at this time.
Thank you for introducing to us to Olive, you shared a great adventure together.
All the best to you.
July 17th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Mike said: What do you think? Do you want that?
Yes.
Olive gave me a new lease on life also. I am less than a third her age but Olive still having her marbles at 108 was an antidote to all the news about alzheimer’s and senility.
Thank you Mike for making it possible for Olive to have been the world’s oldest blobber.
Spike Anderson
Woy Woy
July 17th, 2008 at 9:16 am
So sorry to hear about Olive passing away! What a wonderful life that was!
Big hugs and take care!
July 17th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Mike & Katya…I am so sorry for the loss of a friend. The world mourns with you.
We’ll miss you Mother Riley.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Olive, thank you for sharing. I hope to see you in heaven someday!
Mike, thanks for your hard work on this, and for your emails keeping me posted on the blog. The two of you have blessed me tremendously through this blog. Please keep in touch.
God bless.
Bubba
July 17th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Mike, if you can make the time occasionally I’d love to re-read some of the older stories about Ollie. Perhaps you could revisit some of them in new posts, and weave your own travel stories through them? I’m sure Ollie would love you to continue “blobbing”, but I understand you have other obligations as well. I hope the funeral wasn’t too difficult for you and Katya, and of course for all the other friends and Ollie’s relatives. These times can be very difficult, but the fact that Ollie seemed to go quite peacefully and was happy to go should give comfort.
All the best from Sydney Australia
Christine.
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/
July 17th, 2008 at 10:31 am
From the pictures, one could easily tell that she had lived a happy and joyful life. God bless her.
Rest in peace, Olive!
July 17th, 2008 at 11:37 am
I am deeply saddened at the loss of dear Ollie. She was such a joy to read about and to watch on the videos. I know everyone will miss her, especially those at Woy Woy and you, Mike and Katya.
I hope that the services were as sweet as she was and had lots of joy in them as Olive did in herself.
You were a grand woman Ollie!!
I will miss you a lot.
Love and sleep sweetly dear Ollie.
Jana from California
July 17th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
World’s Oldest Blogger: Ruhe sanft, Ollie Riley…
Olive Riley starb schon am 12.7. 2008 mit 106. Ihr über 70-jähriger Blogassistent (sie war fast blind) berichtet in ihrem Blog..
Wir halten fest: Das Bloggen für Ollie hielt ihn jung.
…
July 17th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I only just discovered this blog when I read about the story on an Aussie blog I read regularly. I was disappointed it was down but have persevered, determined and curious to have a read. I look forward to trawling back thru the posts and think it’s quite an amazing story
> From Johannesburg, South Africa
July 17th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Оли просто удивительная женщина.
This is very sad.
Rest in peace..
> Almaty, Kazakhstan
July 17th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
We all will miss you. RIP
July 17th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
A very sad loss.
RIP Ollie.
I hope Ollie enjoys looking down at the many people from all over the world who knew her slightly and will miss her greatly.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
231 Comments -
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 231 Newer› Newest»
Nik said…
I only recently discovered Mrs. Riley and got a thrill out of reading about her and Australia. I was saddened to read of her passing. My condolences.
Nik
California, USA
July 13, 2008 1:33 AM
Christine said…
Oh Eric, I’m so sorry to hear Ollie is gone. She certainly had a good innings though, and was very “with it” until almost the end. Thankyou for sharing her with the rest of the world,
All the best to you too,
Christine in Sydney
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/
July 13, 2008 1:54 AM
craggles said…
I was touched by your life story and it is sad to hear of your passing…a full and wonderful life
Thanks Eric for allowing us to keep in touch
July 13, 2008 2:24 PM
ausxser said…
RIP Olive…..sing happy songs….
July 13, 2008 3:17 PM
LTuros41 said…
Hugs to all of us that will miss Olive and the stories of her life. Olive, may you live on in peace and joy.
Linda
New Jersey
July 13, 2008 3:51 PM
Patty said…
Bless you Olive, what an amazing life. Be at peace now, rest, shhhh.
July 13, 2008 4:05 PM
“Grendel” said…
Olive will be missed by all woh knew her, and even by those of us who only knew her through her writing online.
A great loss to Australian blogging and to bloggers the world over
July 13, 2008 5:43 PM
Don Keast said…
Olive’s passing is a great loss not just to her many friends, but to anyone who saw Mike Rubbo’s inspiring documentary. A woman of wonderful spirit and humour.
July 13, 2008 5:57 PM
Nunyaa said…
Rest In Peace Olive. Sincerest thoughts and prayers, you will be sadly missed.
July 13, 2008 6:09 PM
小泽 a.k.a. DSvT said…
Rest in peace…
May all the joyful follow you all the time~
http://www.alifebe.com
July 13, 2008 6:28 PM
bohol-today said…
my condolences to the family… from winston-philippines
July 13, 2008 8:01 PM
Lyle said…
Hi Mike/Eric,
A sad day for the Peninsula and the community at large. She certainly enjoyed life to the end.
I can’t access the AllAboutOlive website to read what is written there, but Peninsula News received an email about her passing and we would like to follow it up.
I know that you both played a large part in Olive’s life towards the end, so my condolences to you both.
Rest in peace, Olive.
July 13, 2008 8:52 PM
Saurabh said…
Rest In Peace Ma’am.
my condolences
July 13, 2008 8:53 PM
Ryan said…
Long live Olive’s magnificent spirit and human achievement. Rest in peace.
July 13, 2008 9:04 PM
Our Precious said…
Sorry to hear abt Ollie’s passing. Our condolences…
Thanks, Eric. You’re an angel
July 13, 2008 9:32 PM
firdaus.a said…
Rest In Peace mam.
My Condolences…
July 13, 2008 9:47 PM
ery said…
Rest in peace mam …
July 13, 2008 9:56 PM
Arman Efendi.S.Si said…
Rest In Peace mam
villaofbali.blogspot.com
July 13, 2008 10:49 PM
Marlene Manto said…
What an inspiration! I’m going to be like Olive and never be afraid to try something new. Rest in peace Olive.
PS: The original blog address still doesn’t work.
July 13, 2008 11:34 PM
The Guru said…
Rest in peace. Sincerely my condolences.
http://blabtech.blogspot.com
July 13, 2008 11:37 PM
Comment deleted
This post has been removed by the author.
July 13, 2008 11:44 PM
Other Lisa said…
Rest in peace, after a long life, well-lived. I hope I have a fraction of her grace and clarity if/when I reach my old age. My condolences to her family and friends.
July 13, 2008 11:46 PM
Joshua “MauiTrader” Hayes said…
God bless you, Olive. I only today found out about you but as someone that blogs for a living I find it wonderful that you did it at your age. Hopefully, I will meet you in the after life. Aloha from Maui precious! I hope to meet you in the future.
July 13, 2008 11:58 PM
M Kilany said…
I wish I saw this blog earlier, she writes with so much grace and love…
Life seems alot more fun, when you look at it from her writing…
July 14, 2008 12:07 AM
Lisa said…
Bless you and RIP from a fellow blogger.
July 14, 2008 12:13 AM
Belle said…
I just discovered this blog after it become the headline on today’s Yahoo! site. My condolences to Olive’s family and friends. Though I never have the chance to know her personally but i very much enjoyed what she had shared here. Will be looking forward to her blog as I am having problem to view her original blog.
July 14, 2008 12:13 AM
Teresa said…
I am sorry for your lost. She seemed to be a kind woman.
July 14, 2008 12:17 AM
garsky said…
still can’t believe it…world’s oldest blogger….wish to know but it’s tool late..bless you…
July 14, 2008 12:27 AM
garsky said…
still can’t believe it…world;s oldest blogger….how i wish to meet her….but it’s then too late…so long…
July 14, 2008 12:28 AM
VanLori1952 said…
Dear Olive in Heaven:
I hope you enjoyed my Happy Song especially sung for you this morning. As always, it relieved the morning fibromyalgia pain, until my pill kicked in. You have given me this method to cope and I will eternally be grateful to you for that. Will miss your posts terribly. Losing you is like losing my grandparents all over again. I will miss the history lessons, your great outlook on life and you. RIP, for The Life Of Riley was well done.
July 14, 2008 12:29 AM
duststar said…
oh i am sorry to hear that
http://www.panyuye.com
July 14, 2008 12:36 AM
Dog Days said…
I’m sorry I missed out on the experience of knowing Olive. I just learned of her death on Yahoo. Rest peacefully, dear woman.
July 14, 2008 12:36 AM
Gift said…
I just read about Olive on Yahoo! and i wanted to share my condolenses as a fellow blogger. R.I.P
July 14, 2008 12:39 AM
Bhalchandra Pujari said…
May she rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 12:50 AM
Bola said…
May her soul rest in perfect peace (amen)
July 14, 2008 1:12 AM
Comment deleted
This post has been removed by the author.
July 14, 2008 1:18 AM
Sandeep said…
Rest In Peace Olive Riley.
Condolences to the family.
Its a great loss to bloggers the world over.
Sandeep Roy
India
July 14, 2008 1:26 AM
Spike said…
Goodbye, Olive. I will miss you.
Spike Anderson
July 14, 2008 1:27 AM
Zhang said…
Greatest respect to this lady. Though I’m livin’ in China, Ollie’s become a legend. Farewell.
Zhang
Beijing, China
July 14, 2008 1:38 AM
Cookiemouse said…
What an amazing lady. It was very moving to read about this. I am 57 and Olive has given me hope that maybe I’m only halfway. Bless you, Olive.
July 14, 2008 1:39 AM
Sgt Oinky said…
an real inspiration…thank you. see you sometime when i’m done here
July 14, 2008 1:53 AM
Baino said…
Eric Like Nik I too am a newcomer to Olive’s blog but found her compulsary Saturday morning reading. So lovely. I hope the glitches are sorted out and the blog remains a testament to her because to me it was living history. Very sad and my deepest condolences to all her family. What a life! I’ve just downloaded Mike’s documentary, what a wonderful tribute to a lovely lady. She will be missed.
July 14, 2008 2:04 AM
Wendy said…
I never knew about Olive until today. I took my partner down to the Fisherman’s Wharf at Woy Woy for his birthday (from Newcastle), and we had amost peaceful and happy day.
I only wished I’d known about her before today, she sounds like a great great lady. RIP Olive
July 14, 2008 2:05 AM
Vyolet said…
RIP Lovely Olive.
Joy
Peace
Vyolet
July 14, 2008 2:23 AM
est said…
走好。
est
China
July 14, 2008 2:34 AM
DANTORRECILLA said…
R.I.P.
July 14, 2008 2:41 AM
Leo Raj said…
rest in peace olive.
hope you are fine up there. take acre and do enjoy your happy songs.
sutheshkumar
malaysia.
p.s.- i m sorry only to notice this great blog now.
July 14, 2008 2:42 AM
ellessdee said…
you have moved on to the great beyond and became a sentry to watch over us…oh just have fun wherever you are my dear. love
July 14, 2008 2:43 AM
karin.kehl said…
I only read about Olive’s blog today . I would have loved to get to know her and to correspond with her.
Rest in peace, Olive! My condolences to family and friends.
Karin
Switzerland
July 14, 2008 2:55 AM
Don said…
rest in peace. You will be missed.
July 14, 2008 2:57 AM
Tombstone said…
Dear Mike, Eric, and all, I was so sad to hear of Olive’s passing. Thank you Mike for introducing Olive to the world, and Eric, thank you for holding down the fort while Mike was away.
I will miss the stories about her life, I think what I loved best about her was that she wasn’t a push-over, and she was full of spirit!
Much love to all of you, and Mike, once things settle down, maybe it will be time to start a blog telling us all about your adventures!
Miss Rosie from Tombstone
July 14, 2008 3:05 AM
WoNoJo said…
She will always be remembered: http://friendfeed.com/rooms/oldestblogger
July 14, 2008 3:12 AM
Ariel Blazé said…
Rest In Peace Olive.
God Bless You..
My condolences to the family..
July 14, 2008 3:20 AM
Jim said…
What a wonderful woman! What a wonderful life!
July 14, 2008 3:24 AM
MOI said…
RIP Olive. You are inspiring. What a life you must have lead. My deepest sympathies to the family.
A fellow Blogger
July 14, 2008 3:24 AM
S said…
R.I.P Olive , thank you for sharing your memories with us
Thanks to Mike and Eric as well for making it possible
http://www.woy-woy.com
July 14, 2008 3:25 AM
Katia said…
May we all still be blogging when we are 108!
As of today, I am starting to sing.
Here is to you, Olive!
From a Fellow Blogger in Brooklyn!
July 14, 2008 3:27 AM
Anna said…
Hay Mike and Eric
And everyone else who was near Olive. I have followed her “blob” for a time now and I have loved reading about her and her life. What a wondeful life, she has been here for over a century, it’s amazing.
Now she has gone to the finell rest and I hope I can someday in another life come to meet this women. She has touch many humans with her stories. I will miss her
Rest in peace Olli
Anna, Haparanda, Sweden
July 14, 2008 3:32 AM
Dave Anderson said…
love the fact she sang happy songs…puts life into perspective
July 14, 2008 3:41 AM
ccm said…
Unfortunately for me, I had find out through stuff.co.nz when I read the title “World’s oldest blogger makes final post” I just stopped. Something told me to check the blog, but then I had to read the news article first.
RIP Ollie. I will definitely miss reading your ‘blobs’. I loved reading it, and it was one blog that I checked out regularly.
I hope you’re having a great time singing, and reading all the lovely comments on here, Ollie.
Chu May
Christchurch, NZ
July 14, 2008 3:43 AM
jurassicpork said…
What a sweet, splendid slice of world history she was. We’ll never see her like again.
RIP, Oliie.
July 14, 2008 3:50 AM
Daphne Wayne-Bough said…
A Brussels blogger salutes you ma’am. In the blogosphere, there is no such thing as age. Chocs away, Olive.
Daphne
July 14, 2008 3:57 AM
Aditya said…
I can’t say anything,
Peace for you mam,…peace fo all of you who love her
me, Aditya-jakarta
July 14, 2008 4:02 AM
Kookaburra said…
Please accept my condolences.
I am sorry to have found Olive after her passing.
May Olive Rest in Peace.
July 14, 2008 4:17 AM
mahfudh said…
Olive, a life well lived. I hv just got to know about you from news on the internet and got to read some of you bloggs from erics temporary blog. You were simply amazing.
Rest in peace Olive and may happy songs be sang for you
Eric thanks alot for the good work.
mahfudh
from kenya
July 14, 2008 4:23 AM
Andrea said…
I never knew this lady, and read about her passing this morning. It saddens me that she is gone. I have faith that she is up there giving god something to laugh about. She will be missed. Lots of love, hugs and warm feelings for her many friends, family, and fans.
~Andrea
July 14, 2008 5:10 AM
Comment deleted
This post has been removed by the author.
July 14, 2008 5:11 AM
Lee Novotny said…
May her soul rest in peace…. condolence to the family
July 14, 2008 5:12 AM
Daphne Ling said…
Dear Mrs Riley,
May you rest in peace. You have had a great long life that most can only dream of.
To Eric,
I’m sorry for your loss, and my deepest condolences to you and all who cared for Mrs Riley. I will be posting a short note on my blog about this.
Best wishes,
Daphne Ling, Malaysia
(www.daphneling.blogspot.com)
July 14, 2008 5:12 AM
Reb said…
Sad for the world, but Olive has gone on to a happier place. Many blessings upon her and her loved ones. All the best people are leaving!
July 14, 2008 5:13 AM
bibliobibuli said…
what a lovely woman, and what an inspiration especially to those who might also tell their stories on a blog. the youtube video moved me to tears.
July 14, 2008 5:13 AM
Josh Frontier said…
RIP Olive Riley…
too bad I didn’t discover your blog in earlier..
Joshua
Philippines
July 14, 2008 5:31 AM
esofthub said…
Rest in Peace Ms. Olive Riley.
She was an inspiration to all bloggers from all walks of life. Condolences to her family and friends from the Korean peninsula. Roy
July 14, 2008 5:34 AM
Tina Trivett said…
Eric…It is with tears streaming down my face, that I write. I am so sorry you lost a good friend. Ollie was such a gentle soul, who touched us all. I for one, will miss her terribly.
Olive the Adventurer
Olive Riley is a wonderful gal
At the age of one hundred and eight
She tells the world her interesting tales
And the world just thinks she’s great
She keeps a blog with the help of Mike
She even makes videos
She sings her songs so beautifully
Australias darling rose
A horse who drank beer, a schoolyard fight
Whatever the story may be
She’ll make you smile, she’ll make you laugh
Dear Olive, how we love thee~
July 14, 2008 5:36 AM
aNarki-13 said…
Rest in Peace.
July 14, 2008 5:51 AM
R.I.P SOULFLY TRIBE
July 14, 2008 5:58 AM
Maari said…
RIP Olive, my deepest sympathy to all who knew her.
July 14, 2008 5:59 AM
Beneath_the_Mask said…
Goodbye Olive… Rest in peace, you will be missed..
July 14, 2008 5:59 AM
Comment deleted
This post has been removed by the author.
July 14, 2008 6:04 AM
ಬಾರೋ ಓಗಾನಾ ! said…
We mourn the death oh the grand old lady. Our condolences.
venkatesh, California, USA.
Please read : http://www.sampada,net/
July 14, 2008 6:05 AM
tymmbrr said…
I just read about Mrs. Riley and I wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss. What a sweet and beautiful soul who inspired happy songs all over the world! Hugs- Joyce, Denver Colorado
July 14, 2008 6:08 AM
Muddy said…
I never had the privilege of knowing Ollie, but only read about her passing in the newspaper and then discovered her blog. I’m so very sorry to hear that the world has lost such a remarkable woman. How I would love to have known her! My deepest condolences to you, Eric, and all those who were lucky enough to be part of her life.
July 14, 2008 6:08 AM
Pashmina said…
Olive is Alive. Dream in peace.
July 14, 2008 6:13 AM
Mike Sabandijas said…
Good Bye to the one of a New Kind.
she was doing almost at the end something she do with passion.
Thanks Eric and Mike.
July 14, 2008 6:20 AM
Knoppix!® said…
Rest in peace Olive!God bless your patient soul.
July 14, 2008 6:26 AM
Sergio Montini said…
R.I.P. Olive, Brazil will miss you online…
Sergio Montini
http://www.sergiomontini.com/blog
July 14, 2008 6:30 AM
Pattilou said…
I am saddened by the loss of a woman who had the marvelous curiosity and liveliness to adopt new technology at a late stage of life. But I am sure she died a peaceful, fulfilled woman. Here’s to Olive!
July 14, 2008 6:36 AM
Busy Mom said…
I am so sorry.
My condolences to Olive’s family and friends.
July 14, 2008 6:56 AM
文伟 said…
I am sorry to hear the news.
I am sure that you will receive blessings from all over the world.
Farewell.
一路走好！
Together
Shunde,China
July 14, 2008 6:59 AM
jay said…
rest in peace =)
July 14, 2008 7:06 AM
animexcraze said…
They say every ending is a new beginning. The journey of dear Madam, Olive Riley has ended here, but she’ll forever live in the hearts of the people who loved and cherished her.
May she and everyone who misses her be in peace.
July 14, 2008 7:12 AM
liane said…
we all have her wings wrapped around us. rest now freind
July 14, 2008 7:13 AM
avatar_of_cunning said…
I’ve just discovered this blog through the BBC News website. My condolences to all who knew Mrs Riley.
July 14, 2008 7:28 AM
Beth said…
I heard of her today… she’s lovely.
July 14, 2008 7:29 AM
DinkyDi said…
Only recently found out about Olive and read some of her blob posts. What an amazing lady. A true Aussie.
Rest in peace Olive.
Deepest sympathy
Diane
Melbourne Australia
http://www.ThinkAndGrowRichSuccessClub.com
July 14, 2008 7:31 AM
simpleton said…
I just learnt about you few minutes back, but indeed a great inspiration for anyone looking forward to start new things, you showed that age can’t be a barrier to do something new. R.I.P Grandma.
July 14, 2008 7:34 AM
Eowyn said…
I only wish I had known about this wonderful lady sooner. We are all enriched by her.
Prayers go out to those who loved and cared for her, and helped keep her young through blogging.
July 14, 2008 7:36 AM
renaldy said…
she may have left this world, but she will always be living in our heart,rest in peace.
-renaldy
July 14, 2008 7:39 AM
provocateurx said…
My condolences to you and your family.. I’ve only recently heard of Olive, but I enjoyed the entries she’s written, it seems she has lived a very happy and fulfilling life. Truly a great inspiration for us young ones here!
- Jaye
July 14, 2008 7:41 AM
Rajeev Edmonds said…
I came to know about her just 5 minutes back through feed of some other blog.
My condolences for the oldest blogger on the globe.
Rajeev Edmonds
New Delhi, India
July 14, 2008 7:43 AM
snippetsnscribbles said…
Just got to know about Olive’s sad demise. Its indeed an honour to know that at her age she was actually so interested in writing and keeping herself connected with her thoughts. Amazing zest for life!
May her soul rest in peace forever.
-Snippetsnscribbles
India
July 14, 2008 7:49 AM
Jamie’s Girl said…
Olive, Honey. You are a dear. You not only brought us to the world of Australia, but you brought us to another generation, something that is rare for the selfish generation of now!
Miss you babe, and enjoyed you. I know God has taken you into his arms to narrate many times in Heaven!
July 14, 2008 8:02 AM
Brizz said…
Olive, it is great to see someone as positive as yourself in this day and age. I hope more people like you can spread the positivity like you do.
Brizz
http://fivepositivethings.blogspot.com
July 14, 2008 8:08 AM
sunshineforyou3 said…
What a lady you were Olive!!! So sorry to hear about your passing. Rest in pease dear lady! I only hope that I can be half the lady you were…..and that I can keep singing those happy songs! God bless us all!!!
July 14, 2008 8:12 AM
olu said…
Hope you are in Peace, wherever you are.
God’s Blessings & Thank you.
July 14, 2008 8:16 AM
Renzokuzen said…
i just read about Ms.Olive in yahoo news and altho i might be no one, but by reading part of her blog (cause i cant access into http://www.allaboutolive.com.au), i feel so sad yet happy at the same time. I’m happy because she was loved by many and lived happily until the end. The part where she sing her last song really touched me…condolence, Mr.Mike.
July 14, 2008 8:26 AM
BERKNSTOX said…
My thoughts are with you and yours during this difficult time.
What a wonderful woman she was.
July 14, 2008 8:45 AM
Redneck Mommy said…
May Olive rest in peace and may her loved ones find peace and comfort in her memory and the love she shared with them.
I discovered Ms. Olive’s blog a while back and have been enthralled ever since. I hope that I can one day live to be half the woman she was.
Thank you all so very much for sharing her with the rest of us. She touched the life of this grieving mother far away in Northern Canada.
July 14, 2008 8:52 AM
DayDreamin’ said…
A friend of mine emailed me a link to Mrs. Riley’s blog && every sentence I read reminded me of the stories MY Grandmother would tell us kids about her life(she was born in 1918)! Those r some of the best memories I have of my Grandmother…sitting in her lap, listening to her talk! Many condolences!! Sing Happy Songs!!!
July 14, 2008 8:57 AM
leanasidhe said…
Olive, I was touched by your life story, and I am glad that you took the time to create a blog and share those entries with us.
Eric & Mike, thank you for sharing some of her recent entries with us. I can’t access her older ones right now (probably high traffic overload).
Rest in peace, Olive.
July 14, 2008 9:02 AM
:kvilla:ISHS1954 said…
Wow, one cool woman Olive was. She outlived my grandmother by 5 years. Peace to you, Olive.
July 14, 2008 9:04 AM
Mary said…
Wow. I would have loved to read Olive’s blog… I just learned of her passing today.
May the light of her life and legacy continue. Best wishes to her family and friends.
Mary
North Carolina, USA
July 14, 2008 9:08 AM
foufymaus said…
I’m sorry to hear about Olive, She was such a wonderful lady. I truly enjoyed her stories about Australia. Thank you Eric and Mike for helping her share her stories with the world.
July 14, 2008 9:14 AM
Butterflie927 said…
I just stopped by after reading an article on MSN about Mrs. Riley. I’m sorry that she is no longer with us.
Please keep these blogs up and running. I want to have the chance to read each one. Such history that is told in first person.
My grandmother would have been 110 years old this year had she been able to live so long.
Thank you so much for the work you have already put into these priceless records you have already managed to save.
Trudie L.
Butterflie927
Ozark, Alabama, USA
July 14, 2008 9:23 AM
GiiveItUp said…
RIP Olive.
My condolences to her friends, and family.
July 14, 2008 9:23 AM
shyAnubhOgaru said…
for Tributes please :
http:sampada.net/
July 14, 2008 9:29 AM
Lorin said…
Awww , God Bless Olive. How lucky her family & friends were to have known her. May she be singing and blogging away in Heaven.
Lorin Ryle
July 14, 2008 9:32 AM
Lorin said…
Awww , God Bless Olive. How lucky her family & friends were to have known her. May she be singing and blogging away in Heaven.
Lorin Ryle
July 14, 2008 9:35 AM
Jonathan Rich said…
~ Jonathan Rich
Rest in peace, Olive. All my prayers. By all accounts you were a very good woman. God will be pleased to have you sitting beside him
July 14, 2008 9:46 AM
Jason’s Dad said…
Goodbye Olive. You will be missed. Rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 9:54 AM
Mommytojacknjas said…
so sorry to hear this :() how sad
she seems like an amazing woman!!! so sorry i never got to know her before!! found about this on aol!!
Rest in peace olive.
elizabeth
Missouri,USA
July 14, 2008 10:02 AM
Kit Brookside said…
Requiescat in Pace, dear Olive! Prayers for the repose of your soul as well as peace and consolation for your whole family.
July 14, 2008 10:23 AM
Donwalk69 said…
Blessings from Virginia. I hope one day I’ll be lucky enough to hear one of her happy songs face to face!
July 14, 2008 10:24 AM
Francesca Fine Jewelry said…
Rest in peace, Olive. You’re singing with the angels now.
July 14, 2008 10:30 AM
baby daisy said…
i only recently discovered this blog, and i loved every entry. my own grandma would have been 105 this september, and to read olive’s passages felt like hearing stories from my grandma again. she touched a lot of people’s hearts. may she rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 10:34 AM
Ron Burgundy said…
Ollie’s blob always made me smile. And I often felt more appreciative of what we have to enjoy, speaking as one of those of us who didn’t have to toil daily to get through the daily chores of years gone by.
I will miss Ollie, but I will always remember and have warm, sweet memories of her. Perhaps in that fine “someday in the future” we can meet in a better place and raise our friendship to a higher level. One without so many miles between us, where we can reach out and actually hold one another’s hand.
Thanks to Mike and Eric for introducing me to Ollie. My life is richer because of you three.
Success in all you do!
Ron Hyer
Bountiful, Utah, USA
July 14, 2008 10:37 AM
PORN - MADE IN NYC said…
Rest In Peace.
My Condolences
Marvin
NYC, USA
July 14, 2008 10:38 AM
PORN - MADE IN NYC said…
Rest In Peace.
My Condolences.
Marvin
NYC, USA
July 14, 2008 10:38 AM
Rose DesRochers said…
Eric, I just heard about Mrs. Riley today, but now I’m looking forward to reading about her life.
My condolences to her friends and family.
May she rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 10:48 AM
me-and-my-dolls said…
rest in peace Olive, after a long live. a last kiss from zürich (switzerland).
Bruno Brendle
July 14, 2008 10:51 AM
desert dirt diva said…
so i feel really bad because had i known of this blog i would of been reading it, my great mother was 91 when she passed and i loved to listen to her stories, olive lived it sounds like a great life….if you could send me her original page i would love to read what she wrote,
I am very sorry for your lose.
vicki
July 14, 2008 11:06 AM
Dian said…
Rest in Peace ma’am
You’ll be missed
My condolences
July 14, 2008 11:22 AM
jesus-h-biscuit said…
We should all be so lucky as to remain as sharp, incisive, and full of life at any age as Olive Riley did. To say she will be missed somehow seems a huge understatement.
July 14, 2008 11:27 AM
Paleo Pat said…
Rest in Peace.
July 14, 2008 11:30 AM
me and my dolls said…
Dear Olive
Be at peace now,and rest.
Bruno Brendle
last greetings from Zürich (Switzerland)
July 14, 2008 11:31 AM
CaliforniaGrammy said…
I’ll bet you’re dancing with the angels, Olive.
July 14, 2008 11:47 AM
hike said…
Happy trails filled with happy songs dear one and thanks for sharing the adventurous stories of your past.
Peace and many blessings my friend.
May you, your family and friends around the globe feel this outpouring of love to make this transition one of celebration and for each of us to find more compassion to help make this world a better place…
“Love Ya” ~*~
July 14, 2008 11:51 AM
ShockMe said…
I only recently found this. My condolences to the family from Brandon, Mississippi, USA. I intend to read all previous posts once the site is back up.
July 14, 2008 12:04 PM
Carolina said…
What a delightful lady — I’m so sorry I missed her time here.
Hopefully the other site will be up soon.
Best wishes to her family and friends,
Carolina
Alabama
July 14, 2008 12:06 PM
jGrrl said…
May God bless Mrs. Riley and know that she was an inspiration to many.
July 14, 2008 12:53 PM
Gabriel said…
Very sorry to hear about Olive’s passing. She and her family will be in our prayers and thoughts.
Gabriel
Waterloo, ON - Canada
July 14, 2008 1:37 PM
Sol said…
RIP
To respond click here
July 14, 2008 1:37 PM
orcore said…
unfortunately I have just discovered this remarkable lady today and must say that I am deeply touched by her love for life. and am deeply saddened that she was introduced to me after death. I have just finished reading through tears the comments so many have left and only felt compelled to leave my own.
May your century of love last eternal and the happy songs never end.
Your new found freind who will never forget,
Jammie from Winder GA
July 14, 2008 1:46 PM
Writer on Board said…
Sweet dreams, Olive.
July 14, 2008 2:05 PM
Tina said…
Rest in peace, Olive. Blessings from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
July 14, 2008 2:15 PM
politiques USA said…
hwhvRIP
Steven from Houston
July 14, 2008 2:35 PM
pato2747 said…
My condolences, Eric, and all the relatives and friends of Olive who are reading this. Good thing is, she left peacefully.
Also, the blog is down because lots of people are coming in from everywhere. You should advice to stay away from the blog for a few days until the dust settles.
July 14, 2008 2:37 PM
Cari said…
R.I.P. Olive
July 14, 2008 2:38 PM
Hannu said…
Rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 2:42 PM
Lucas said…
I am really upset
Estou muito triste
July 14, 2008 2:43 PM
hammertime said…
The site is currently down, but I have added a blog post today. Hope all is well, and god bless.
July 14, 2008 2:53 PM
arturobojorquez said…
Mis más sinceras condolencias a la familia de la Sra. Riley y a la comunidad bloguera por la pérdida irreparable de una mujer que representa la capacidad de las personas de la tercera edad para accesar a las novedades tecnológicas que ofrece el mundo moderno.
Arturo Bojórquez
Mexicali, B.C.
July 14, 2008 2:58 PM
Gabo said…
Gracias por todo, desde muy lejos geograficamente, pero desde muy cerca en el corazon.
July 14, 2008 3:20 PM
The Highwayman said…
My condolences and respects to all of her family. I regret not even knowing about her until learning of her death.
May she rest in peace till the resurrection!
The Highwayman
July 14, 2008 3:25 PM
Movva Sri Harsha said…
Wish I could have known about her before today. My deepest condolences.
July 14, 2008 4:10 PM
CLF said…
RIP Olive.
July 14, 2008 4:19 PM
Amarilis said…
I am really very sad to know that Mrs. Riley passed aaway.
Rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 4:21 PM
Rafael Baroni said…
vá em paz!
brazil
July 14, 2008 4:35 PM
Beyond the Rockz said…
We have a link on our site to Ollie’s and just learned of her passing. We’re so sorry. Thank you, Eric, for bringing her world to ours. We will always remember.
Al and Caroline
beyondtherockZ.com
July 14, 2008 4:49 PM
Nelson Piedra - nopiedra said…
Mis condolenscias desde Ecuador.
Nelson Piedra
July 14, 2008 5:03 PM
Devonshire Dumpling said…
Thank you for sharing your memories Olive, what an inspiration you were.
July 14, 2008 5:17 PM
Christine said…
Eric, I’ve posted a little about Ollie on my own blog at
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/
and linked back here so people can pop in and post a message too.
I’d also like to send condolences
to Mike and Katya, and all Ollie’s family and friends. Also to the staff at the nursing home, my deepest sympathy and good wishes to you all.
Christine in Sydney.
July 14, 2008 5:17 PM
bacpro620 said…
I just discovered Mrs Riley also and was sadden to read about her death. I cannot to enter allabouteve as it still cannot connect. I hope the problem is solved quickly.
July 14, 2008 5:18 PM
Katly said…
What an amazing woman, she will be missed around the world I’m sure. My condolences to you and Olive’s family.
July 14, 2008 6:03 PM
FxDi@mOnD said…
My condolences from Portugal to Miss Riley. All bloggers from Portugal and Brasil already know there history and she’s loved by is amazing life history.
All the best to the family.
Paulo Faustino
July 14, 2008 6:22 PM
hannah said…
Eric, Mike, and family,
It is so sad to hear that Ollie passed away. I hadn’t checked on the blog for a week and was shocked to see the post. I will miss reading the lovely stories from Ollie on her blob. Thank you Mike, and Eric, for taking the time to record these special memories of Ollie’s to share with the world! She won’t be forgotten.
Hannah
USA
July 14, 2008 6:40 PM
schwabby said…
I only heard about Mrs. Riley today. I am saddened to hear that she has passed but thrilled that she has left such a legacy behind. I hope the blog will stay up for quite a while so I can go back and start at the beginning. I have enjoyed the little bit I have read on just the first page.
Thank you for helping Mrs. Riley share so much with the rest of us!
July 14, 2008 7:01 PM
schwabby said…
Will there be a book about Mrs. Riley and her blogging, as well as her blog? I would buy it…..
July 14, 2008 7:02 PM
kassy said…
My condolence to Mrs.Riley. She’s such a woman of might and love.
July 14, 2008 7:07 PM
81duz1d0 said…
R.I.P. Olive.
You can be gone, but your posts will last forever in the internet.
- 81duz1d0 (biduzido), Programmer, Brazil.
July 14, 2008 7:16 PM
the Razzler said…
Oh gosh.. I am so sad!!
A message for Olive..
Though we’ve never met, you have always been my inspiration to be strong, to live life to it’s fullest!
We love you so very much.. Olive!!
We’ll continue to sing happy songs..
May your soul rest in peace!
July 14, 2008 7:18 PM
Shaan said…
Sad to hear the news about olive
My condolences.
Shantaram
pune, India
July 14, 2008 7:34 PM
Anatolevich said…
RIP
July 14, 2008 8:45 PM
Rod Landaeta said…
Condolences from Venezuela… The world has just lost a great blogger.
July 14, 2008 8:48 PM
Bubba said…
Eric, Mike, and the rest of Olive’s friends and family: I am deeply saddened by your loss…and ours. Olive gave me a new perspective on life, badly needed.
May God bless you all and comfort you during this time.
Bubba
July 14, 2008 9:00 PM
Khunvirya said…
May she rest in peace!
July 14, 2008 9:06 PM
Texas 1st said…
I read about Miss Olive late last year, and was not able to find her blog until I saw the story today. As I read the stories, they touched me very deeply, and bring back memories of listening to my Gramma Lee tell her stories of growing up in the Oklahoma Territory, USA. It was a sad day when she left us. And it seems a sadder day still now that Miss Olive has left.
Mine and my family’ thoughts and prayers are with you all. Miss Olive seems to have reached out and touched the whole world. I’m glad she touched me…
July 14, 2008 9:22 PM
Connie said…
I wish I had known about Olive before today….What an inspiration! I daresay I won’t be the only person to post about her on my own blog.
July 14, 2008 9:29 PM
Alireza said…
i found out about you and your intersting blog in an iranian newspaper! God Bless you
Alireza Ashtari (IRAN)
July 14, 2008 9:30 PM
Your Man said…
The Death is the second begining Point. Farewell~
See you soon in Next World!!
July 14, 2008 9:42 PM
Kaushik said…
Its funny coz i just decided to start blogging day before yesterday and i got the news of Oliver’s passing yesterday.
Being the world’s oldest blogger is no joke.
I’m sure she will be deeply missed. My condolences to everyone close and dear to her.
Kaushik
Dubai,UAE.
July 14, 2008 9:51 PM
Chris McLeod said…
I was saddened to hear of Olie’s passing, and will deeply miss her “blob.” I just recently discovered it, and became very fascinating. It’s odd, because this morning I was trying to access the blob - and could not - in the back of my mind, I actually thought to myself “I wonder if she has passed on..” and then didn’t think much else about it.
Then tonight I was reading political news on the Huffington Post and read about her passing. Kind of coincidental I suppose.
She lived a great life, and will be deeply missed in the blogosphere. She has made a permanent mark, and for that I’m grateful.
July 14, 2008 10:51 PM
Patty said…
I’m sorry to hear of Olive’s passing. She sounded like a wonderful women to raise her children on her own, worked hard and had a great gift for storytelling. I hope to read more about her and only wish I had discovered her ‘blob’ sooner. Thanks for sharing her writings and thank you to Olive for sharing her stories with the world!
Peace and Happy Songs Always!
July 14, 2008 10:55 PM
M said…
Sympathies to everyone who knew Olive. I just caught the news online, and though I’d not heard of her before, I know her loss will be felt by all. I’m glad to read she was comfortable to the end.
Mark in Oregon, USA
July 14, 2008 11:22 PM
zhanetta26 said…
I just found out Ollie’s blog…it is very sad that we will not hear such thrilling stories of hers((
My condolences.
July 14, 2008 11:34 PM
seta said…
I will say for the legend blog
i’m sorry for my false from all about my blog and I can always remember for you
July 14, 2008 11:34 PM
GK said…
A star has logged off the blogosphere, gone exploring new galaxies. Leaves behind her blob, a song, that transcends time, and space. Zippity doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
July 14, 2008 11:39 PM
Sailin Gudhka said…
My condolences. At the age of 108 she is an inspiration to all bloggers like us. May her soul rest in peace.
July 14, 2008 11:50 PM
k.raveendran nair said…
I’m sorry and rest in peace. May GOD bless you
July 14, 2008 11:51 PM
CONNIE’S THOUGHTS FROM THE HEART said…
I was so sorry when I heard about the death of ms. OLive. She was a great inspiration to me. She left us much and I will miss her. connie from texas
July 14, 2008 11:54 PM
imNARET said…
Stay in peace. God raise her soul.
July 15, 2008 12:08 AM
Paulo Freixinho said…
My grandmother has 93 years but never sat in front of a computer!
Rest In Peace Olive Riley!
Descanse em paz Olive Riley!
Paulo Freixinho (Portugal)
July 15, 2008 12:43 AM
Brandon Lim raWks said…
I read the newspaper and recently, i then knew that olive riley passed away, I was stunned about the world’s oldest blogger passing away, My Condolences.
Brandon Lim (13)
Singapore, Singapore
July 15, 2008 1:14 AM
barbara said…
I’m very touched to read about Mrs Riley and her blog.
I’m of course a blogger & I salute this incredible lady.She is a living example that one is never to old to try things in life.
Rest in peace,
Barbara
France
July 15, 2008 1:24 AM
Colin Randall said…
Peace to Olive, bon courage to her family and friends……I discovered these pages only on reading of her death, but took pleasure in paying my own small tribute - and reproducing her marvellous account of washday in the early 1900s - at my own blog Salut! (I originally made that a hyperlink, but decided on reflection it would be inappropriate).
Colin,
UAE
July 15, 2008 1:54 AM
Cindrella said…
“MAY ALMIGHTY GOD GIVE HER PEACE & REST IN HIS ARMS”
MY HEARTY CONDOLENCES TO HER NEAREST & DEAREST ONES
July 15, 2008 1:55 AM
Cindrella said…
“MAY ALMIGHTY GOD GIVE HER PEACE & REST IN HIS ARMS”
MY HEARTY CONDOLENCES TO HER NEAREST & DEAREST ONES
July 15, 2008 1:56 AM
dad2059 said…
Happy Trails Olive and may you always have the North Star above you and the wind at your back.
*salute!*
July 15, 2008 2:15 AM
Iris said…
Rest In Peace and my Condolence From New Zealand
July 15, 2008 2:35 AM
Beamer said…
Sorry to hear of her passing. May Gods love gently wash over those she leaves behind.
Beamer
July 15, 2008 3:16 AM
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 231 Newer› Newest»
Oue dear friend Olive Riley passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 12. She will be mourned by thousands of Internet friends and hundreds of descendants and other relatives.
POSTSCRIPT. Mike has just told me that many people are having trouble accessing Olive’s blog. Let’s hope it’s only a temporary glitch. He sends his thanks to all the bloggers who have sent message of condolence through this temporary blog.
Mike says he will approve and post all messages so far sent to him, as soon as possible. Keep trying to access the site, but the problem may take a day or two to fix. So please be patient!
My tribute to Olive Riley has just been posted at http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=383146&rel_no=1&back_url=
posted by ERIC SHACKLE at 11:47 PM on Jul 12, 2008
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July 17th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
ANTES Q NADA MUCHOS SALUDOS DESDE ARGENTINA ES UN EJEMPLO DE VIDA PARA TODOS NOSOTROS.AUN SIENDO JOVENES NOS DESANIMAMOS POR CUALQUIER COSA.. ELLA CON SU EDAD ES UN EJEMPLO DE VIDA.. SALUDOS Y BESOS DE CORRIENTES CAPITAL ARGENTINA… GRACIAS X SER UN EJEMPLO…. BESOTES A TODOS….
fcolopez@hotmail.com write me..
July 17th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Hi Mike ~~ I did try to send you an e mail earlier, but it came back as all was over-loaded. It is sad that we have lost dear Olive, but glad she went so peacefully. And she will be with her loved ones, Barney and Emma etc. My sympathy to you and Katya and the lovely nurse who took her to see Barney just before he died. Your last two posts were great and I hope you will leave the blog up. I hope “they” put her teeth in for her, such a dear lady and a real character, and much loved. Condolences and I hope her funeral was a celebration of her life. And not too sad. Love
and best wishes to you and Katya & her family and
friends. Mere.
July 17th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Hi Mike, I am really sad that we have lost this precious lady.
It was me who phoned you and told you about my friend Roy Fox after you had been on ABC radio asking about 100 yr olds plus who were still active. This journey with Olive started at the same time as you met up with dear old Roy.
I now have another dear friend who is another lady like Olive, rather fiesty, she is almost 102 , she is in an aged care facility with my Mum and I talk with her every day . You would love her too.
I hope the funeral was a true celebration of this GREAT lady’s life, please let us know how it all went . Take care Mike,thank you for letting us enjoy Ollie and her BLOB over the past years. Regards Judith….
July 17th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I was in fear to read this new every time I open this blog. So it happened. Expected but sad. Somebody (me) will miss her from Italy.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Mike, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I found Ollie’s blob a number of months ago and have enjoyed reading the stories, I found myself checking for updates often. Ollie and her stories will be greatly missed. Thank you Mike for all the time you spend and hard work to share Ollie’s stories with us. Farewell Olive, you are in our hearts. Take care Mike.
My condolences , Nina – Victoria BC, Canada
July 18th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Just R.I.P Olive. Have a nice “life after life”.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:06 am
I heard this on the news last week and had trouble getting into her site, I was sad to hear of her passing but it sounds like she had a wonderful life. God bless. Matt in Kirkland,Wa
“May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.”
July 18th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Flowers to you, Olive!
R.I.P.
JAC
From Brazil
July 18th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Je mi velmi líto, že zemřela nejstarší bloggerka =o( O těchto stránkách jsem se dozvěděl teprve z televize, ale rád si tento deník rád přečtu - pokud dobře rozlouskám angličtinu! =o) Upřímnou soustrast, ovšem Olívie jistě zemřela šťastná a díky tomuto deníku neupadne v zapomnění!
S pozdravem Martin
July 18th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Mike,
It’s great what you’ve done for Olive.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Dear Mike,
I will miss Olive. She was an inspiration. I hope you’ll leave the blog up so that we can re-read Olive’s stories and I’d love to hear what you were going to share with Olive about your trip. My condolences to you and Olive’s friends and family.
July 18th, 2008 at 11:09 am
My sympathies to you, Mike, and also to Katya and Eric and all the other wonderful people who shared time with Ollie and loved her. I feel so lucky to have known her through the blob, and it makes me smile to think of her singing “pack up your troubles” such a short time ago after moving to the shared room. We can all learn from her marvelous attitude - what a wonderful lady she was. I think I’ll print a picture of her from the blob and hang it above my desk to remind me of her.
We’d love to hear about your travels, Mike, and any other Olive stories that haven’t been told yet.
Rosemary in NC, USA
July 18th, 2008 at 11:26 am
I am sitting here in tears over the loss of Ollie. Her wonderful personality and upbeat spirit could always brighten my day. I will miss hearing Ollie’s stories of life in the early 20th century and learning so many wonderful bits of history and culture from Australia from her (and you Mike). God Bless You Ollie. Rest in Peace…you are now reunited with your dear son Barnie.
July 18th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Sending warm wishes and condolences your way. I enjoyed checking into Olive’s *blob* on an almost daily basis. I will truly miss reading about her endeavors.
July 18th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I am so sad to hear that Ollie is gone. I am a Broken Hill jounalist and have been following her blogs for a while now. I wish I could have told her how amazing she is, perhaps I could email God and have har waiting at the gates when I get there. Until then, I will make sure this windfarm is to her liking and endevour to keep her spirit alive in her home town xo.
July 18th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
The news of her passing are of mixed emotions. I only have recently known of her; but was immediately struck with her stories. The Modern Day yaya for all. Her energy is with all of us and may she have enternal peace. Thank you for the missives, thank you for the insight to such a wonderful soul. Gold bless……………..
July 18th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I just discovered her today, only to find I’ve lost a dear friend that I never got to meet. The world is poorer for losing this spicy, humoress lady, and not just because of her age and astounding memory. She’s my kind of gal!
I hope she doesn’t rest in peace; I hope she’s kicking up her heels, talking the ears off her new friends, and watching over us all.
You showed us how to live, Ollie.
Elizabeth Miller
AuntieBa@comcast.net
July 18th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
god bless you mom,after u leave the world i get you and your blog,but you alive in minds,as an iranian i say:”you are mom of all bloggers” rest ,rest,in your evrlasting home,in our minds!
bye mom,wish you all the best
July 19th, 2008 at 1:46 am
rest in peace and say hello to my mom of you cross her some where over there.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:29 am
I just read Ollie’s first blog (Feb 2007), which read at the end: “Madame Jeanne Calmant of Arles, France … lived to 121, the oldest person ever recorded. She’s still in Guinness as the oldest actress, and only died, rumor has it, because her carers at the old folks home decided to cut her off from visitors when she turned 119 and she died of boredom two years later. I’ve never forgotten that. Jeanne died of boredom! We’ll make sure that never happens to Olive …” could this actually have happened to Ollie during the last few weeks of her life in the nursing home? Re-living her life through this blog gave her spiritual strength. Ollie gave us the secret to longevity: It’s not what you eat or how much you exercise as most believe, but to surround yourself with people you love and who lift you spiritually; to continuously keep in contact with friends and family. Forever Ollie … you go girl!!!
July 19th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Goodbye Miss Olive. We all shall miss you. Heaven has gained another angel now. I have so enjoyed reading your stories.I live in the heartland of America, but you have felt like a friend.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Thank You for sharing the memories with us. I just recently was shown this site and I have really enjoyed reading. She was someone I would have loved to have been able to sit and talk with. I hope you will leave the site up because I have not finished reading.
July 19th, 2008 at 4:13 am
Dear Mike,
Thank you for sharing Olive’s life with us! She was an inspiration to so many people all around the world! I hope you will continue to blog and share more stories about her. She was such a wonderful lady!
July 19th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Thanks for everything.
July 19th, 2008 at 6:55 am
I will miss her!
Good bye Ollie! :-*
Lucie from the Czech Republic
July 19th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Mme. Calment died at 122,not 121…the carers stepped between her and the public after she was exploited to sell a rap CD.
I am sad to hear of young Mrs. Riley’s death…perhaps old Mrs. Riley (born Flora Beatrice Ogilvy,nicknamed Bea…now Australia’s oldest person,born October 13th 1896) might be able to pick up blogging where she left off?
July 19th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Apologies,the elder Mrs. Riley’s (not normally used) first name is Emily,not Flora.
July 19th, 2008 at 10:26 am
so sorry, Mike and all! She will be sorely missed. Thank you for doing this blog the past 15 months!!! She will always be remembered!
Blessings & prayers for you & your family,
Jennifer
(Massachusetts)
July 19th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I didn’t know the dear grandma’s story until today , I read a piece of news from a Chinese website.
Well, I think I would try to read all the stories. I am touched by them.
I am sorry to know she has gone.
愿她安息. 我们会记住她留下的一点一滴.
July 19th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I was terribly heartbroken to hear of dear Olive’s passing. Having followed her “blob” almost from the beginning, I was always eager to check in to each new posting for the marvelous stories, photos and videos. I was so looking forward to October 20th, to wish her another happy birthday as I would be celebrating the 1st anniversary of my second marriage, a special day I felt honored to share with her. I wrote you the story about how my husband (my 1st husband’s uncle) and I got together, Mike,