Now for something completely different

[NSWP]

21 hours ago, Mareblu said:

I can hardly breathe when Celine sings the haunting theme from “Titanic”.  She sings, in that  rich, beautifully controlled voice, from the heart.  

She needs a few 🥧 though Linda, fatten her up a bit and make her sing even better. Remember the old saying…It is not over until the fat lady sings? 😬

[MicCanberra]

I found the Royle's to be a bit manufactured, shocking and not funny at all

[dillpickle48]

Latest news on Aussie firefighters going to Canada.

The Australian and New Zealand firefighting personnel have been briefed and are now deploying to fires across Alberta, Canada. The #NSWRFS incident management team is currently based at the Alberta Wildfire Martin Fire Base and has integrated with Canadian and American personnel. Our team will bolster this international incident management team, allowing the Canadians to get some much needed rest over the coming weeks. 🇦🇺🇨🇦

[Mareblu]

16 minutes ago, dillpickle48 said:

Latest news on Aussie firefighters going to Canada.

The Australian and New Zealand firefighting personnel have been briefed and are now deploying to fires across Alberta, Canada. The #NSWRFS incident management team is currently based at the Alberta Wildfire Martin Fire Base and has integrated with Canadian and American personnel. Our team will bolster this international incident management team, allowing the Canadians to get some much needed rest over the coming weeks. 🇦🇺🇨🇦

That’s great news, because by news reports, the fires are pretty ferocious.  Sending wishes and prayers to all Canadians💜

[MMDown Under]

That is good news that Canadian firefighters will be able to get some much needed rest.

[lyndarra]

With less than a week to go before flying to Alaska I thought I had everything sorted. Then came the hail storm last Friday. Since then I've been trying to lodge claims (home and vehicle) and trying to get assessors in before I leave.

Damage has not been too serious but at my age I'm not about to start climbing around on the roof checking for cracked tiles. The solar heating mat for the pool is full of holes and will need to be replaced along with the polycarbonate sheeting over the back deck.

My son was lucky. He lives one street away and last Wedenesday he picked up his new Subaru BRZ. He decided to drive it to work on the day of the storm. Where he works (Downer EDI Cardiff) did not get hail and he was able to park the car in one of the huge (train) workshops. My two year old LDV van was in my driveway and felt the impact of hundreds of hailstones.

 

 

[Mareblu]

12 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

With less than a week to go before flying to Alaska I thought I had everything sorted. Then came the hail storm last Friday. Since then I've been trying to lodge claims (home and vehicle) and trying to get assessors in before I leave.

Damage has not been too serious but at my age I'm not about to start climbing around on the roof checking for cracked tiles. The solar heating mat for the pool is full of holes and will need to be replaced along with the polycarbonate sheeting over the back deck.

My son was lucky. He lives one street away and last Wedenesday he picked up his new Subaru BRZ. He decided to drive it to work on the day of the storm. Where he works (Downer EDI Cardiff) did not get hail and he was able to park the car in one of the huge (train) workshops. My two year old LDV van was in my driveway and felt the impact of hundreds of hailstones.

 

 

Oh no!  So very sorry you've endured all this damage.  Best wishes, and I hope this really rotten luck doesn't impact your trip.

[possum52]

56 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

With less than a week to go before flying to Alaska I thought I had everything sorted. Then came the hail storm last Friday. Since then I've been trying to lodge claims (home and vehicle) and trying to get assessors in before I leave.

Damage has not been too serious but at my age I'm not about to start climbing around on the roof checking for cracked tiles. The solar heating mat for the pool is full of holes and will need to be replaced along with the polycarbonate sheeting over the back deck.

My son was lucky. He lives one street away and last Wedenesday he picked up his new Subaru BRZ. He decided to drive it to work on the day of the storm. Where he works (Downer EDI Cardiff) did not get hail and he was able to park the car in one of the huge (train) workshops. My two year old LDV van was in my driveway and felt the impact of hundreds of hailstones.

 

Hope it all gets sorted quickly for you Lyndon. We had to replace the polycarbonate sheeting on our carport roof a couple of years ago after a severe thunderstorm. Fortunately cars were ok and insurance company paid up very quickly.

[Aussieflyer]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

With less than a week to go before flying to Alaska I thought I had everything sorted. Then came the hail storm last Friday. Since then I've been trying to lodge claims (home and vehicle) and trying to get assessors in before I leave.

Damage has not been too serious but at my age I'm not about to start climbing around on the roof checking for cracked tiles. The solar heating mat for the pool is full of holes and will need to be replaced along with the polycarbonate sheeting over the back deck.

My son was lucky. He lives one street away and last Wedenesday he picked up his new Subaru BRZ. He decided to drive it to work on the day of the storm. Where he works (Downer EDI Cardiff) did not get hail and he was able to park the car in one of the huge (train) workshops. My two year old LDV van was in my driveway and felt the impact of hundreds of hailstones.

 

 

Sorry to hear of the damage - certainly. not what you wanted just at this time (or any time, really). Hopefully you can get the main paperwork in etc and maybe your son will be able to help while you are away.

[OzKiwiJJ]

So sorry to hear you got hammered by the hailstorm, Lyndarra.

 

I know what it's like to have a car smashed by hail - we were on holiday in the Yarra Valley one Christmas when a storm came through on Christmas Day. The place we were staying at didn't have a carport so we watched in horror while our car got hammered. Luckily we were able to get the windscreen replaced very quickly so we could drive home. 

[MMDown Under]

15 hours ago, lyndarra said:

With less than a week to go before flying to Alaska I thought I had everything sorted. Then came the hail storm last Friday. Since then I've been trying to lodge claims (home and vehicle) and trying to get assessors in before I leave.

Damage has not been too serious but at my age I'm not about to start climbing around on the roof checking for cracked tiles. The solar heating mat for the pool is full of holes and will need to be replaced along with the polycarbonate sheeting over the back deck.

My son was lucky. He lives one street away and last Wedenesday he picked up his new Subaru BRZ. He decided to drive it to work on the day of the storm. Where he works (Downer EDI Cardiff) did not get hail and he was able to park the car in one of the huge (train) workshops. My two year old LDV van was in my driveway and felt the impact of hundreds of hailstones.

 

 

Such bad timing - Wow that is a lot of hail, with less than a week to your departure overseas.  Your insurance assessor should be able to locate everything damaged by hail which needs to be replaced.  Trouble is all this takes time, so you'll have to give your son authority. 

We had a severe hail storm which smashed all glass windows on one side of our house.  Hail reached the opposite side of the house through the house.  Water damaged all my travel paperwork (no internet then) and like you we were about to leave for overseas (for a year). I'll never forget the experience as people were ringing me at home to lodge insurance claims on their behalf.  They couldn't get through to Suncorp Insurance.  Fortunately, my girlfriend's cousin brought a team of glass workers to Brisbane and they slept on his mother's floor.  Happy ending, my glass got fixed the day of my departure overseas (by my girlfriend pulling rank). 

Bon Voyage for your travels!

[possum52]

20 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

So sorry to hear you got hammered by the hailstorm, Lyndarra.

 

I know what it's like to have a car smashed by hail - we were on holiday in the Yarra Valley one Christmas when a storm came through on Christmas Day. The place we were staying at didn't have a carport so we watched in horror while our car got hammered. Luckily we were able to get the windscreen replaced very quickly so we could drive home. 

Was that about 16 years ago Julie? We had English visitors for Christmas lunch and they couldn't believe the amount of hail along the side of the house when they arrived.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, possum52 said:

Was that about 16 years ago Julie? We had English visitors for Christmas lunch and they couldn't believe the amount of hail along the side of the house when they arrived.

Close. 2012 I think, or maybe 2011. It came through the Yarra Valley late afternoon, 4pm or later. Luckily our family had just left to go back home and avoided the storm.

[lyndarra]

My insurers, Shannons, are on the ball. After informing them that I was leaving Oz tomorrow, they had my Home assessor here yesterday and the car assessor has been in touch and organised for everything to go ahead on my return.

I've already heard back from the assessor and will be receiving a cash payment for the deck damage. This is due to the fall of the roof being insufficient and will need to be rectified by myself. Its something I have known for some time as my house was built with poor footings over swampy ground back in the fifties. This has resulted in some sinking and moving over the years which was not helped by the Newcastle earthquake (liquefaction) in December 1989. I have had pier work done to stabalise things but will have to lower the outer deck supports to increase fall angle before I replace the sheeting (with colorbond - no more hail holes).

Re liquefaction issue. The council now requires massive, deep piers for all new constructions in my area.

[MMDown Under]

6 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

My insurers, Shannons, are on the ball. After informing them that I was leaving Oz tomorrow, they had my Home assessor here yesterday and the car assessor has been in touch and organised for everything to go ahead on my return.

I've already heard back from the assessor and will be receiving a cash payment for the deck damage. This is due to the fall of the roof being insufficient and will need to be rectified by myself. Its something I have known for some time as my house was built with poor footings over swampy ground back in the fifties. This has resulted in some sinking and moving over the years which was not helped by the Newcastle earthquake (liquefaction) in December 1989. I have had pier work done to stabalise things but will have to lower the outer deck supports to increase fall angle before I replace the sheeting (with colorbond - no more hail holes).

Re liquefaction issue. The council now requires massive, deep piers for all new constructions in my area.

That is impressive service!  I had no idea we had liquefaction problems in Australia. First I heard of it was in Christchurch NZ.

Have a wonderful holiday.  How long?

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

That is impressive service!  I had no idea we had liquefaction problems in Australia. First I heard of it was in Christchurch NZ.

Have a wonderful holiday.  How long?

You'll have liquefaction where you have a soft or sandy base plus water combined with tremors. The water table where I am is about 1m.

7 day Inside Passage cruise on Nieu Amsterdam

7 day Alaska tour Anchorage - Fairbanks.

[lyndarra]

@Blackduck59

I have two free days in Vancouver on 16/6 and 17/6. I fly out 2225 17/6. Tony is leaving on earlier flight 17/6.

My email is CC name @gmail.com.

[Mareblu]

So pleased to know you have it all sorted before you leave.  It was the last thing you needed, but you can leave on your adventure, which sounds just wonderful, more relaxed now.  Bon voyage, happy sailing, calm seas and sunny skies.

[MMDown Under]

Nova Scotia has worse wildfires on record.  The fires are causing air pollution in the USA.

How are the wildfires in the West?

[Blackduck59]

We have one large fire on the north end of Vancouver Island. It is quite close to a small village called Sayward. There are still larger fires in northwest Alberta and some not as large in northeast BC. I'm hoping that they can get the fire in Nova Scotia under control soon.

[MMDown Under]

15 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

We have one large fire on the north end of Vancouver Island. It is quite close to a small village called Sayward. There are still larger fires in northwest Alberta and some not as large in northeast BC. I'm hoping that they can get the fire in Nova Scotia under control soon.

Sorry to hear there is a large fire on Vancouver Island, in addition to BC and Alberta.!

[Blackduck59]

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Sorry to hear there is a large fire on Vancouver Island, in addition to BC and Alberta.!

Compared to the fires in northeast BC the fire on the north of the island is relatively small, unfortunately it is very close to a small village.

[MMDown Under]

I see Princess Anne is making a return visit to Canada on Sunday for the Duke of Edinburgh Commonwealth Study Conference in Banff, Alberta.

[Blackduck59]

18 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I see Princess Anne is making a return visit to Canada on Sunday for the Duke of Edinburgh Commonwealth Study Conference in Banff, Alberta.

 

That will be another low key Royal visit I guess. I think she prefers to just do her duty without fanfare. I think the pared back "working Royals" is a move in the right direction. 

[MMDown Under]

11 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

That will be another low key Royal visit I guess. I think she prefers to just do her duty without fanfare. I think the pared back "working Royals" is a move in the right direction. 

I think Princess Anne is impressive.  She is 72, yet still flying to Canada for Royal duties twice within a month.  I remember seeing in Antarctica a plaque on a tin shed saying Opened by Princess Anne.