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_POSTEDBY cat -

Greetings, Habs. I jumped out of an aeroplane today at 14,000 feet to celebrate my 60th birthday. John put the video on YouTube but it was blocked by Sony Music. It's on my Facebook page, but I know most of you don't go there. So here's another way for you to look at it, if you want. Click here and open the file. Yes, it was very, very scary. There were seven pages of forms to sign and initial. I read them quickly and words such as "kill," "death," "malfunction," "lawsuits," etc., jumped out at me all over the place. Then I had to watch a 15-minute video which explained all the forms again. Then I had about 20 minutes of tandem instruction, then a plane ride that went on for ever and ever. Occasionally, one of the jumpers would just open the plane door and jump out. A bit like getting off at different bus stops in the sky? The free fall lasted for just over a minute. The air was cool and wet. Then the parachute opened at 6,000 feet (whew!) and we floated for about six more minutes as the air became warmer and dryer. The landing was easy. Really the instructor did all the work. It was so scary that I signed up for a second jump at half price. John might do it next time. Or I might wait for my 70th birthday. What a great year to turn 60! Wish I could be over there for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Long live the Queen!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

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_POSTEDBY cat -

Please note that it is possible to view and add comments on articles by clicking on the article title in the top left.

Friday, February 10, 2012

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Domain move

_POSTEDBY cat -

Habershons.com has been moved to a new server. It's a long story, but let's just say that it will cost less. John has run into all kinds of glitches and is fixing them when time permits. Hope those of you who came by on Tuesday morning enjoyed the sniffer module. That's gone now. And no, I don't know what a sniffer module is, but it sounds fun. Hoping that the chat box will be back soon, too. The photographs could be a problem. These things just take time.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

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Articles: Iron Lady

_POSTEDBY cat -

We went to see The Iron Lady this evening. Meryl Streep was brilliant, and has to win an Oscar. Not sure what to think of the movie, though. It focused more on Thatcher's current state (Alzheimer's/dementia) than her career. I'd have liked to have seen more of the latter. On the other hand, the whole thing was very moving.

Gonna have to sleep on this one.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

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Articles: Dental implant

_POSTEDBY cat -

Upper right molar, next to where a wisdom tooth might be. Am I the first Hab to get a dental implant? Had the tooth pulled five months ago and missed it an awful lot so decided to go ahead with a replacement. The initial appointment involved drilling into the jaw bone and placement of a titanium screw.

YUK YUK YUK

The surgeon was great, though. He took a a good ten minutes to numb the area, and I never felt a thing. He sent me home with prescriptions for antibiotics and pain killers. I've made a huge pot of leek and potato soup and am waiting to see what happens when the Novocain wears off.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

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Bikram Yoga: 2011 numbers

_POSTEDBY cat -

In 2011 I took 269 90-minute hot yoga classes. Lifetime total: 2312 (first class was March 21st, 2003).

In 2011 I taught 250 Bikram yoga classes. Lifetime total: 875 (first class was December 28th, 2007)

I've been practicing occasionally at a non-Bikram studio near our house. Bikram Yoga will always be the best yoga for me, but sometimes it's good to get away to somewhere quiet where nobody knows your name. I talked about this place a year ago. The kinks I mentioned have been ironed out. The instructors show up on time now, and the room is hot hot hot! The sequence of postures is different and it's a tougher workout. Very few savasanahs and those are short. Also, there are a couple of hip-opening poses that I love, Eye of the Needle and King Pigeon. Taking a class at this studio gives me ten extra minutes on a weekday morning. Very valuable!

So, Habs, another year has gone by. How many of you have tried a Bikram class? They're popping up all over the place in England.

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

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Articles: Fair Fares Protest at St. Pancras

_POSTEDBY cat -

Nothing like getting a a few quotes from David when there's trouble on the trains. I think you hit it right on with this line, David:

‘The problem is that commuters are not natural demonstrators . . . They are mostly business people who don’t have time to protest.'

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

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Articles: Property of Mervyn Fudge

_POSTEDBY cat -

Have any of you ever seen anything like this? I suppose you've probably had enough of quizzes for now, so I'll just get on with it and tell you that it's a percolator. Not only is it a percolator, but it's THE percolator that resided in the Directors' dining room at J.J. Habershon & Sons Limited. Here's the full story from Angela Power (lifted from the Message Book):

My late Father, Mr. Mervyn Fudge, worked at Habershons' as an accountant in the 1960s. I am hoping that you may pass on this message to one of your relatives who was involved with Habershons' Rotherham. They may be interested in this item that I am going to tell you about. When my late Father left Habershons’ he acquired a most impressive looking coffee percolator that was regularly used at lunch time in the Habershons’ Directors dining room. The coffee percolator has some special significance within the steel industry as being (and this is where I need some answers as I am somewhat vague) the first, cold rolled steel and there was some connection with Sweden I think? I was only about 10 years old at the time and didn't take much notice of its importance. However, I would like either some more information about it if anyone in your family remembers it. It is made of stainless steel, with a little burner underneath to heat the water. It is still in working order. We used to use it at Christmas time as it was quite an extraordinary piece of equipment and made the most peculiar noises, which would have family and friends in fits of laughter. I have added a photo but not sure if it will transfer to your website [it didn't]. I can send you a photo via email if anyone is interested [she did]. I really feel it belongs in a museum or with the Habershon family.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this very odd message!
Kindest regards,
Angela Power.

(sigh) Where's Dad when we need him? Can anyone shed any light on this percolator? What's its history? And I wonder if anyone remembers Mervyn Fudge (such a great name for an accountant)? Angela advises that he was born in 1923.

Angela, if you read this, thank you so much for coming by Habershons.com. It makes it all worth it. And Habs, check out her website, Angela Power, Beauty Therapist and pay her a visit if you're in the Bromsgrove area!

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

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Articles: Hab birthday

_POSTEDBY cat -

Happy birthday, Charlie!

Sunday, January 01, 2012

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Articles: 2011 Quiz Results

_POSTEDBY cat -

From Antony:

Greetings, Habs!

This quiz proved a bit of a challenge! Apologies from me, your Quizmaster, Antony Mason (brother of Libby). You won't ask me again any time soon - but you don't have to: the Masons did not have any Habershons among them, as their usual Habershon contingent had scarpered to Australia!

Some of the questions were admittedly fiendish... Most of others seemed to me to be more or less within range... Heigh ho!

Anyhow, you can see a full list of the questions, answers and explanations by clicking here.

And now, here are the results of the Eighth Annual Habershons.com Quiz

There were four entries:

In 4th place, with 14 points, The Houston Habs (they had 7 participants, which knocked 3 points off their total).

In equal 2nd place, with 17 points each, The Castle Carey Habs (8 participants), and the Emsworth Habs (5 participants)

And the WINNERS for 2011... [overlong pause, as seen on TV]... are.. [another pause]... The BEDFORD HABS with 22 points (4 participants).

Congratulations, Bedford Habs! A £10 Amazon Gift Certificate on its way to you.

Yes, well done, Bedford Habs. Their team consisted of Paul, Pamela, and two bridge players. They were playing in a tournament in Chester at the time.

Thank you, Antony! We Houston Habs loved the quiz, even if we didn't know the answers.

And now we need a volunteer for next year's quiz.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

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