Your name makes you sound like a neighbour, though. From the grandparents?

I can trace lineage back to the BCE times, but origin is in northern Germany. My grandfather's name on the other side is Sitter, and anyone with that name, I'm related to. On my father's mother's side, my ancestors are from Prussia.

Hmm, impressive. What do you think will have brought your family to America?

That's easy, the Franco-Prussian war.

A boat brought my family to America. I already told you the story of my grandmother stealing a ticket.

Of course. Silly of me.

George's immigration story is one of the best I've ever heard. Somebody should write a book about your grandmother, George. Tim, his grandmother lived in Poland, and one day found a ticket in her post box. She had no idea who it was for, but seized the opportunity, and came to America. Just like that! Isn't it amazing?

It is nothing short of incredible. I wonder who the ticket was originally for. In her place I'd Probably have done the same thing. It would make a good book, but an even better movie.

Then she married a guy who tried to make a living as a bootlegger, but he was an alcoholic so he never made a profit. One of her daughters (my mom) married a bookie. People in my family don't have any problem with being on the margins of the law. Considering how she came to this country, I think we got it from her. It's not the sort of uplifting immigrant story America likes to hear.

I think that the outlaw type background is more common than most people would like to admit. My mother's maternal grandfather kidnapped her maternal grandmother. and forced her to marry him. After having two kids, she got a divorce, and custody of the kids. You guessed it, he kidnapped the kids and moved out of state. You would not believe how deep this story was buried. Suffice it to say that I was 30 before I came across a rumor about my great grandfather being a kidnapper. His sister was so notorious that they STILL talk about her. Whenever an older person in town wanted to know who I was, I would just tell them that I was Baby Doe Tabor's great nephew, and they knew immediately who I was talking about. Of course this just mortified my mother.

What colorful ancestors! George, have you ever wondered about the person for whom the ticket was destined? Like, did she do them a favor by keeping the ticket, or was she responsible for some great tragedy?

Some questions are better left unanswered, I think. Also that, if she were responsible for some great tragedy, she could not possibly have known it at the time; I don't think anyone could have known what was lying ahead for Poland.

She was given an opportunity and she took it Who is to know if the ticket would ever have found it's owner?

Exactly, and what a waste that would be! It might even have saved his grandmother's life! So, Tim, what other interesting family members do we have? ha-ha! Love that kidnapper story - though it can't have been too funny at the time! I also hereby ashamedly admit that President Kruger was my great great great grandfather...ugly, ain't it!

Baby Doe Tabor, my great grandfather's sister, scandalized the city by sleeping with her husband for some time before they were married. Then they went west and settled in Colorado either Durango or Silverton. Anyway the house is a museum now. Her husband was Diamond Jim Tabor. For more interesting people, my mother's father's first cousin was the man who tried to blow up Hitler by placing a bomb in his bunker. Hitler had no sense of humor, and, promptly had him executed. Claus von Stauffenburg was his name. Forgive my ignorance, but who was President Kruger?

and there is a restaurant named after her in Denver (not the house you're speaking of)

Thank you, I didn't know that. Her husband, at one time, was one of the wealthiest men in the US. Then the country went off the silver standard and He went bust.

AMAZING, Tim! And who are you going to be known as to your great grand children? Pilot Tim? President Kruger was the first Afrikaner president of South Africa - also one of the people to inspire Hitler in his undertakings, through his excellent example of racism and cruelty...

I don't know how I'll be known to my great grand-children. I hope I'll not be thought of as some stuffed shirt conservative. If I'm remembered as a radical of some kind, I'll be a success. I'll say this for president Kruger: Whatever he did that led down the path to your birth, went a long way toward compensating the world for the cruelty he visited upon it by other things.

Good morning Riette. I trust you slept well. By the way how was the shopping trip yesterday?

Gosh, that felt like a minute ago, and yet I have to say - good evening, Tim! The shopping trip was great; we bought a load of ice cream, because it's my and the girls' favourite food - and then it started snowing! It was heavenly, and the girls were shrieking all the way home! So we had our ice cream, baked a mountain of pancakes to warm us up afterwards, then put up the christmas tree - I figured I HAD to take the opportunity of the first snowfall. I was fun, and nearly all the soft toys are sittin in the tree, looking quite perplexed!!! It took us ages to do, and so this afternoon we started making decorations for the rest of the house. Sounds very boring, I'm sure, but this is one of my favourite times of the year, and this will be my first proper christmas in Z�rich - we usually fly to Namibia on the 24th, and celebrate at mums with the decorated palm trees. So this will be a nice (cold!) first for me! And what have you been up to today?

Good Evening, Riette! I'm glad you enjoyed the shopping trip, and the snow. I actually went out and bought a pick-up. My bicycle was stolen, and I. was spending so much on bicycles anyway, that I decided to get a regular vehicle. Then, since I don't need the bicycle as my primary transportation, I can get a much cheaper bike. How do you decorate the palm trees? I am not familiar with the custom. I will be celebrating Christmas late this year. As an experiment, my family has decided to celebrate Christmas the first week in January. I've been trying to talk them into this for some time. Since we all fly in, the savings in airfare alone, are significant. Add to this, the fact that everything is on sale. Gifts and decorations cost much less. And we avoid the holiday traffic! Plus, the weather here in December is usually pretty good. And January gets pretty nasty. A good time to go to a warmer climate.

How very original! Where will you be celebrating? Palm trees are decorated in more or less the same way as traditional Christmas trees - we use them, because they are as ALL OVER as pine trees are here. I love Christmas in Namibia, because it is middle of summer, and we go swimming in the sea, and sleep under the stars and corny stuff like that.

I will be celebrating Christmas with my parents in South Florida. Actually going swimming in the sea and sleeping out under the stars, sounds great, not corny at all. In Florida, where there palm trees all over, they still decorate evergreens.

Where in So. Fla? I spent my teenage years in Ft. Myers, on the SW coast. I used to go for Christmas every year when my mom was alive, but I haven't been back in 5 years. I loved going to the beach at Christmas time.

It truely is a small world!!! I'll be in Bonita Springs, just outside Ft. Myers.

Man, it's BEAUTIFUL there. That stretch of beach is great, but it's a lot more developed than it used to be. Used to be (and I'm talking 15 or so years ago) you could park on the side of the road and hang out on an undeveloped beach. Lot of condos and resort hotels there now at Bonita Beach. Bonita Springs used to be a little town. I hope it still is. The growth and development of the Ft. Myers area really turned me off and made me never want to come back after I left for college. Like I said, I have litt e reason to go there now that mom's gone.

My parents live in one of those developments that you abhor. They have preserved the barrier beach untouched and they run a boat out to it each hour during daylight.

Indeed what a small world! And to think you two would've been enemies 60 years ago!

it's quite possible.

Are you a philanthropist?

No, I'm not. If I had the money, I probably would be. When I've had the money in the past, I was. But, not currently, no. Why do you ask?

For some reason this site was not showing up on new postings. Riette, I am curious. Why did you ask if I was a philanthropist?

You speak like one.

Riette: Why would Tim and I have been enemies 60 years ago? I don't get you. Autumn: Last week you asked if I wondered if maybe my grandmother was responsible for some great tragedy because she stole a ticket to America meant for someone else. (Didn't see the post until today.)I don't know, but I'm sure she busted up a relationship. Maybe it was a man sending a ticket to his girlfriend. Maybe for years and years she said, "That bastard! He promised he'd write me!" Then she moved on with her life. Who knows if it was good or bad.

What could happen is this. Georges mom was responsible for George being in Austin. George gets a ticket to the UT game on Friday. The game is in the last quarter and a small, blind, disabled child comes up to George and asks him to take him down closer to the field so he can catch the last play of the game. Tears streaming down his eyes, George picks up the child. Oh, and by the way, UT is down by 6 points to A&M and Ricky Williams needs only 5 yards to break the all time college scoring record and it just happens that UT is on the 6 yard line, goal to go to win the game. George rushes down to the sidelines with the small child, he falls and the child limps out to the field just as the ball is being snapped to Major Applewhite, the UT Quarterback. He hands it to Ricky who is sweeping wide left. and just as he is about the dive in to the end zone the small child steps in his path and is crushed to death, the ball comes loose, UT loses the game and Ricky fails in his Heismann bid. All because of that purloined letter years ago.

No, what would happen is this. I am shocked and dismayed that a disabled child is allowed to roam around a football stadium unattended. I call security and let them take care of the child. When the kid's guardians come to claim him they are charged with child neglect and reported to Children's Services and jailed. I am praised for being a good, upright, morally responsible citizen who Did The Right Thing. And the world is a little bit better for it. All because my grandma stole a letter 89 years ago. Puts the cap on a hard-fought Longhorn victory. Ricky hears about my selfless actions, and while celebrating his new college football rushing record, gives me the keys to a new car and pays the rest of my mortgage. Oh, did I mention the disabled kid's neglectful guardians were Aggies?

No, and you didn't mention the part about them pouring champagne over you in the locker room either.

George, I meant that 60 years ago, you would have fought on the Polish side, and Tim on the German side most probably.

Riette, 60 years ago, my relatives were on the German side. My branch of the family was over here, over 100 years ago. One of my relatives, tried to blow Hitler up with a bomb. Hitler, having no sense of humor, had him executed.

It was a highly hypothetical statement. Hope I haven't offended either you or George.

Riette, you would have to go pretty far to offend me!

My family's motto is: "Get out while the getting is good."

A good motto, I'd say! A family of adventurers! Tim, I've guessed that about you - but I don't want to try too hard either!

Riette, just don't worry about it. I'll know that it wasn't meant in malice and that is all it will take to get over it.

Okay, I won't worry then. What have you been up to today?

Spent the morning trying to get Laura ready to go to her parents' house. After I got her straightened out, I came back to town and got on the computer.

And did you have any interesting conversations? Like with the milkman or the postman - who took your cheese to the wrong place?

No Riette, not with the milkman, or the postman, but with this incredible young woman, whom I just tried to call back and her line was busy.

And why do you think THAT was? Perhaps she was talking to you already!

No Riette, she wasn't. but I'll leave the line open for a half hour or so just in case she calls back.

The bitch - she didn't, did she?? You should chastize her real hard for that.

Riette, I've been thinking of ways to chastize her. At times I have an active imagination.

Does that mean the conventional way is out?

Oh, no, Riette. I've just been trying to come up with additional ways

haven't we all...

So, OK!! Riette, What have you come up with?

Well, you know how I like the bottom thing,,,I also know there's now way to get you to smack them in a million years. So a pinch will do just fine, baby.

Ok Riette! a pinch here and there it will be!

And where woud 'there' be?

Whereever you would most want it, Riette!!

Whenever too?

Wherever, Whenever, However, You got it Riette!

And don't think I'll forget about it either, young man!

Riette, carve it in granite!

I don't have to - it's all up here in the grey area; like a note one the fridge door.

So, no one comes here much anymore... anyone care to speculate as to why?

watching their girlish figures... don't have time to cook... don't have time to eat... don't have time to cook, eat and log-in to tell us about it...

hey WER... where'd you go???

inside...

uh oh... still dark in there?

so much that at times it is very difficult to see to type...

Ooooh! It looks so nice in here now. It's about time cfadm got around to making Food as nice as the other conferences. It is a very special place, and now it is even better with the grey broadloom on the floor. Thanks!

Hello all you food fiends. I am Carys, not my real name, but it allegedly means "love" in Welsh and I like the sound of it. Let me just say that I LOVE food, I really love food. So I look forward to reading onward.

Please make yourself at home. I have a Welsh dictionary beside me and there are others around whose family members can speak the lovely language. Ther is everything from Mangoes to Spam and even more sophisticated stuff than that. Might we know if you are female or male? It is difficult to know when ones uses pseudonyms. Please feel free to wander all of the conferences in Spring. I recommend Geo in particular, but then, I would. It is mine!!!

Marcia it is wonderful to make your acquaintance, virtual acquaintance that is. I'm female. Atleast I was the last time I checked. And if I'm not it is an absolute medical miracle that 8 years ago I gave birth to my son. The funny thing is that Alun (my son) loves both mangoes and spam -- together! He got habit on a trip to visit my brother in Guam. I'm prattling. In my time lurking about here I've grown to love your posts. You seem to be a person that just about everyone would love to have as a friend. I'll check out your conference. Thanks.

I am female with the son to prove it (David). How neat that you are communing with the other conferences! I am on the island with the live volcano which is the greatest non-edible thing imaginable! Aloha dear!

HELP ME SOMEONE - gEO HAS GONE BLANK AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CHANGED.

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE MINDS LIKE MINE ALONE WITH DANGEROUS STUFF. AFTER AMOST TWO YEARS OF WORK...... GEO IS GONE AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO PUT THE FILES. I HAVE COPIED THEM TO ALL THE FTP SITES SPRING HAS EVER HAD AND IT IS NOT WORKING. AARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHH !!!!!!!!!

OK, I managed to bit by bit restore all that is not part of my personal hard drive space wherever on earth that has gone. I have restored as much as I can. It kinda looks neat but I miss my buttons and bars... Nothing personal of course. I helped with the ones up there (verbally only) Kinda looks cool!

Okay...five years later (almost)... Should we all re-introduce ourselves? Where should this conference go from here?

hi, i'm wolfie and i like food......

I'm the GeoNymph and I am curous about many things. Where should this go? Good question. I have the same one for Geo...

Sometimes, I find myself asking if some of the less useful topics in here should just be deleted. They were fun at the time, but I can't decide if they need to stick around. Might help me be a bit more serious and professional, but would it harm the conference?

Have you considered doing a selective (edited) version of the early posts which were off-topic and not all that conducive to thinking of cooking? I know it has been done in drool because I was the one who did it (several years ago). Wolfie? Terry? suggetions? For me, there are simply topics too "painful" (after all these years) for me to read, so I don't read them at all. That is unfortunate. Starting them with more professional comments would be a good thing and would attract more people you want to hang around to post. That friend of mine thinks all we think about is... well, heck maybe it is.

we're just silly and it's ok to have fun. i hardly ever go back to the beginning of a topic to read the whole line....then again, i've been here for a lot of them anyway. a new person might be put off by our silliness. editing would work but would it take a lot of time and effort?

Ok Wolfie, I never thought anyone would go back to see what I had written so long ago on Geo but it HAS been read and in recent months. He did wonder if I did anything but flirt there, but he has also seen the amount of stuff I have put there. I sent him to screwed and babes and he recoiled in wonderment. He as also glad to note in Geo how well thought of I am. *Whew* I'm glad he read long enough to see that.

don't be silly *HUGS* i understand your concern!

He also noted that mine was one of the best cited websites he had seen. He doesn't know that I am just putting the blame for mistakes off onto someone else? Yay Wer. Make this place smell and taste good. We could all use that.

hmmm...

*giggling silently*

Go wer! Hey wer, if you need new access I can set you up. Email me with what you need and I'll get you set up. The server has been moved again and the old server is about to be overhauled. It's getting 4 new 300 gb hard drives like this one. The old 160 gb drives are coming out and going in to archival storage.