July 2016 Chit Chat

July 2nd ?????

 Already???!!!! Hell!! It just turned June!!

Sorry, Italy!
We did you at the EURO in Bordeaux...
Really nervewrecking!!!! I nearly got a heart attack!

 I am not a great soccer fan
But

Hmm sad 

  Happy 4th to all! Be careful if you're playing with things that go BOOM!

Happy Fourth  of July !!!!!!        

http://www.wonderbag.co.za


Another really good idea to help African women

I think I remember Joanna saying she was a big Andy Murray fan. If so she must be a happy bunny that he won Wimbledon this weekend!

A while ago my husband and I talked about the TV series 'Backstairs At The White House' which we both had seen as kids, and he ordered the DVDs so we are able to watch it again (it hasn't been on TV for ages).
It's really interesting to watch, there are quite some similarities to nowadays politics. Did you know that already at the 1920 presidential campaign celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were involved and  campaigned for the candidates? And how important it was who was elected judge at the Supreme Court.
Do you remember this series?

Carolh, I had to google the series because I couldnt recall this story. It originally was telecast in 1979 here in the states and was nominated for 11 Emmy awards. It was an 8 part mini series. But I don't remember watching it. Sadly. Supposedly it was a smash hit back then.

The storyline is similar to "The Butler" which came out I guess about three years ago. Interestingly the 'Backstairs ...' story centers on a maid, Lillian Rogers Parks, who served in the White House for eight administrations (58 years). At about the time she left Cecil Gaines, the main character in "The Butler", began serving his long tenure at The White House.

Yes, Donna,
I watched 'The Butler' a while ago, and when I rewatched 'Backstairs At The White House', there were some similarities. In the series the daughter is at a demonstration for women's suffrage, in 'The Butler' the son participates in a demonstration for the rights of the blacks. Both parents worry for their jobs because they work at the White House. In both, they broach the issue that the black staff members are paid much less than the white staff members, and the only explanation is that blacks can't be paid as much as whites...

Today one of the best German soccer players, Bastian Schweinsteiger (now ManU) and his girlfriend, tennis pro Ana Ivanovic, married in Venice. They married at the town hall, stayed at the Aman hotel and used boats to get from one location to the other, followed by paps and fans.
Does that sound familiar to us?

Very Familiar I hope they had a wonderful wedding day.

I guess we'll see if it turns into a 3-day circus.

Donnamarie wrote:I think I remember Joanna saying she was a big Andy Murray fan.  If so she must be a happy bunny that he won Wimbledon this weekend!  

Thanks Donnamarie.

Yes last Sunday was a very happy day in our house.

Lewis Hamilton, Brit driver, won the British Grad Prix.  Yay.

Andy Murray won the men's final at Wimbledon. Yay.

Portugal beat France in the Euro Footbal Championship.  Yay

The icing on the cake was that my step daughter came 2nd in her
dressage competition, amateur of course, after having a break
from it for over 6 months. YAY YAY YAY.



So yes Donnamarie, it was a happy day here. I was shattered by 
all of the emotion involved !

Brilliant, Jo!

It's been a pretty momentous time in the UK hasn't it?...and all within a couple of weeks!

Joanna - I'm glad you had such a happy week. I hope you have a  million more! 

YAY YAY YAY YAY Joanna!

Carol just saw the pictures from the soccer players religious ceremony in Venice.

Annemarie,
thanks for reminding me, I hadn't seen the pics before.
If anybody's interested, here's an article (sorry, it's in German) with some pics. There were others from their civil wedding on a boat which looked very much like the one George and Amal used during their wedding...

https://www.promiflash.de/news/2016/07/13/basti-schweinsteiger-und-ana-1-offizielles-foto-als-ehepaar.html

The Mail has a ton of pictures of both events.

http://www.people.com/article/truck-drives-through-crowd-in-nice-france

Truck plowed into crowd in Nice France 70 dead believed to be a terrorist attack.

annemarie wrote:http://www.people.com/article/truck-drives-through-crowd-in-nice-france

Truck plowed into crowd in Nice France 70 dead believed to be a terrorist attack.

Watching the news right now annemarie. Another awful attack! Which hate group is going to take responsibility for this one?

If anyone wants to follow-up on this situation we should move it to The Serious Side thread.

I just came back from a welcome party for my niece who'd spent nearly one year in the States. It's unbelievable how much she's changed within this time. Not her appearance which is pretty much the same, except of some pounds she's put in and a different hair color which looks really good in her. But she really grew up, made experiences none of her family or friends have made, and is much more self-confident than before. She built a network with other exchange students, widened her horizon, and I guess that she will benefit a lot from that year. Next year she wants to return to Minnesota to visit her 'family' there.

I've got to admit that I'm a little jealous...

I'm so glad your niece had a good time here. Sounds like she really enjoyed herself. Visiting other counties for a length of time and learning about a different culture is such a great learning experience. So much richer than reading about another country.

I agree 
It is surely really interesting to make such experience in your formative age

carolhathaway wrote: Next year she wants to return to Minnesota to visit her 'family' there.

Minnesota is a great state!  I was born there!!!!

Yay Fava!