GOOD ON YOU, MARIA AMELIA
THE SEVENTY FOURTH POST
Mike
I am still trying to decide what to do with Ollie’s blog.
…………………..
…………………….
The words, In memory of Olive, have crept into the picture area. (see above)
Those words might move down into a more prominent place.
If they did, the blog would be given over to the best of any interviews you might want to send to us.
Many of you have said you’ve been inspired to talk to your own old folks as a result of reading Olive.
Well, if we get interesting interviews, plus photos, I’ll try posting them. That could be a new direction for the memorial blog. Ollie’d like that, I know.
Here, for example, is par to fan email from M. in Serbia which got me thinking along these lines.
She writes..
“My friend’s grandmother is 94 years old, and I was listening to her
very carefully, since I read your posts.
She told me a few things about WWI and WWII. They were really bad times in this part of world.
Two of her older brothers, and her father were killed in WWI, and her oldest son in
WWII.
Her husband were captured by Germans, but he made it through.
She also was first woman in her family who went to school. Her older
sisters didn’t go to school but they learned reading.
My grandparents are not alive any more, and now I am sorry because I
didn’t asked them more about those times.”
Eric will have to be involved of course if we go that way since Olive having a blog, was his idea originally.
In the meantime, he’s just sent me a clip about Maria Amelia Lopez , the Spanish elder blogger.
Before Ollie began blogging with my help, Maria Amelia, helped by her grandson, Daniel,was the world’s oldest blogger.
Ollie took the title away from Maria Amelia for just over a year, from Feb . 2007 to early July 2008.
Now Maria has the crown again, and is revelling in it, as one can see from the clip below.
Maria’s more engaged in the concept and execution than was Olive, which is not surprising since Ollie was 12 years older, much less mobile, and unable to see much at all.
Ollie bought very special things to her blog, humor, often self deprecating, and access for readers to very touching moments in her life.
Everything about Olive was somehow uplifting and inspiring, and now Maria Amelia keeps the message going.
“Don’t be afraid, live life to the hilt and to the very end.” they are telling us.
“Live generously too, celebrating others’ achievements whenever you can.”
Most of the time, we all do our best.
Ollie did her best and Maria Amelia, with her keen interest in all who write to her, is doing the same. Wonderful women, both.
In a late post in this blog, you’ll find Ollie sending greetings to Maria Amelia, even attempting some Spanish.
Here’s Maria Amelia, thanks to Reuters.
………………….
…………………….
And here’s Ollie in one of her moments that I find the most touching.
…………………
………………..
I am still trying to decide what to do with Ollie’s blog.
…………………..
…………………….
The words, In memory of Olive, have crept into the picture area. (see above)
Those words might move down into a more prominent place.
If they did, the blog would be given over to the best of any interviews you might want to send to us.
Many of you have said you’ve been inspired to talk to your own old folks as a result of reading Olive.
Well, if we get interesting interviews, plus photos, I’ll try posting them. That could be a new direction for the memorial blog. Ollie’d like that, I know.
Here, for example, is par to fan email from M. in Serbia which got me thinking along these lines.
She writes..
“My friend’s grandmother is 94 years old, and I was listening to her
very carefully, since I read your posts.
She told me a few things about WWI and WWII. They were really bad times in this part of world.
Two of her older brothers, and her father were killed in WWI, and her oldest son in
WWII.
Her husband were captured by Germans, but he made it through.
She also was first woman in her family who went to school. Her older
sisters didn’t go to school but they learned reading.
My grandparents are not alive any more, and now I am sorry because I
didn’t asked them more about those times.”
Eric will have to be involved of course if we go that way since Olive having a blog, was his idea originally.
In the meantime, he’s just sent me a clip about Maria Amelia Lopez , the Spanish elder blogger.
Before Ollie began blogging with my help, Maria Amelia, helped by her grandson, Daniel,was the world’s oldest blogger.
Ollie took the title away from Maria Amelia for just over a year, from Feb . 2007 to early July 2008.
Now Maria has the crown again, and is revelling in it, as one can see from the clip below.
Maria’s more engaged in the concept and execution than was Olive, which is not surprising since Ollie was 12 years older, much less mobile, and unable to see much at all.
Ollie bought very special things to her blog, humor, often self deprecating, and access for readers to very touching moments in her life.
Everything about Olive was somehow uplifting and inspiring, and now Maria Amelia keeps the message going.
“Don’t be afraid, live life to the hilt and to the very end.” they are telling us.
“Live generously too, celebrating others’ achievements whenever you can.”
Most of the time, we all do our best.
Ollie did her best and Maria Amelia, with her keen interest in all who write to her, is doing the same. Wonderful women, both.
In a late post in this blog, you’ll find Ollie sending greetings to Maria Amelia, even attempting some Spanish.
Here’s Maria Amelia, thanks to Reuters.
………………….
…………………….
And here’s Ollie in one of her moments that I find the most touching.
…………………
………………..
Sunday, July 27th, 2008 at 1:27 am
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13 Responses to “GOOD ON YOU, MARIA AMELIA”
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July 27th, 2008 at 2:36 am
Thank you so much Mike for letting us know how her family is doing. I have been wondering about them & wanting to thank them for sharing Olive with us all.
I loved your antique pictures. I sell antiques, and would have loved to have been to that market. Fabulous things.
July 27th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Olive’s life and blog have made a difference to the world. Thank you for thinking of ways to keep it going.
July 27th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Thanks so much for posting about Olive’s funeral. She has been on my mind much lately. I enjoyed her “blob” so much. I am glad I got to know her for a little while.
July 27th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I knew the news of Olive’s funeral is from Chinese internet news, it is the first time I know about her, Olive is inspiration and I like her story very much! Thank you very much,Olive…
(China)
July 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
God bless Ollie and Maria Amelia, too.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
I received the first notice of Olive’s death in an RSS feed in my emailbox. I think that what you did for her is heroic.
Thank you for being such a caring person.
Cas
I’m hoping that the blog doesn’t disappear. I’d like to go back when time allows and review the posts.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Dear Mike
A very belated note to share at least some of your sorrow, and also to grieve the fact that I missed darling Olive. I’m heading to Sydney in early August on my way to a school 30th reunion and had planned to call in and hoped to visit with her. I’ve only recently found out where you all are – having missed something and assumed you were all still in Broken Hill (I hadn’t got back to you to trace out the Manly art connection when Broken Hill seemed so distant!). On Wed I called a neighbour to wish her happy b’day (also 70, I think) and she reported her husband had given her an iPod. She quipped that she had to keep up with Olive. When I asked her who Olive was, I was devastated to hear that it was ‘our’ Olive and that she’d recently died. I’m a bit of a news junkie and can’t imagine how I missed that news.
Your posting about the shopping trip in Bruges is heart rending and uplifting at the same time. I have a beloved HMV – my ghetto blaster (volume control using socks or clothing stuffed into the opening!) – which I adore playing favourites and downing a few sherries to . . . but your pocket version is too fabulous, your own iPod a la Olive.
I called into Woy Woy about 3 years ago, collecting some bunk beds found on the Trading Post (my youngest niece’s first demand!). When we’d packed them into the car from the lovely family passing them along, I asked them if they knew where Spike Milligan’s parent’s house was as I just wanted to ‘tip me lid’ while I was down there. The woman pointed across the road – it was about 50 mtrs along, and I gather Des still owns it! I feel some connection with that area and finding you and Olive are there was an added bonus. It’s a truly lovely part of the world.
I can only imagine what a gap you find in your life and how much you must grieve the loss of a seemingly ageless and eternal friend, while of course knowing how much she’s enriched Eric’s, Katya’s and your lives – as well as ours out in the ether.
Thank you for being such loving, wonderful friends to Olive and, as I’m sure many around the world are acknowledging: thank you for sharing Olive with all of us. I dips me lid to you, Mike.
Go well, stay well
Clare xx
July 28th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Dear Mike ~~ Thank you so much for the articles about Olive’s funeral and your trip, and her family
and also Maria Amelia. A few of my American friends are enjoying reading The posts you put on for Olive and they are enjoying the stories and videos. I hope
you will leave the blob there because so many are interested, The news of her death was broadcast in the US and the UK. One lady is reading the whole blob from the beginning.
I hope you, Katya and Eric are coping with your personal loss. She was a dear lady who charmed
everyone. Take care, Love, Merle.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
My suggestion: If you have something to say write….it will evolve–or well it will not feel relevant. Noone ever defined what this should be, probably not even Ollie.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:12 am
Yes - please keep on writing. I am sure the blog will turn into something else naturally, with Ollie still very much in mind.
I for one also really enjoyed your photo essays about your corner of Australia.
Best,
J
July 29th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Hello,
Although I don’t know any of you. You’re at the other side of the world (I live in Holland, Europa). I must say ; “The way you write about Ollie is so much filled with love, Is so wonderfull with so much respect. very special.”
August 10th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Hello Mike
I miss Olive so much. Think that o women who I nerver met can have such an inpact on you, it’s amazing. I was so glad to see that you still are writning new posts on the blob.
Hope that you and everyone else is doing well after all. I visit often to just read old posts and look at all the pictures of Ollie. It so amazing to think that she has been around for over 100 years, all that she has seen, think of all thats happend since she was born, how the world has developed, incredible
Love Anna from sweden
October 17th, 2008 at 3:28 am
i just found out today that Ollie had passed on. she was of an age with my gran, who was born sept 18, 1898. even though they were raised around the world from each other, they lived life similarly, from the stories she told me, and the stories i’ve read here. losing ollie is like losing my gran again (she’s been gone for 16 years). i’m happy her family is holding up. good-bye, ollie, it’s been a swell time.