I'm wondering how many folks send snailmail greeting cards these days. I 
send them to our immediate family and to certain relatives and friends, but 
our kids don't send them to us. Instead, they make telephone calls to us on 
the day of the occasion.

Personally, I've always loved receiving greeting cards.
They can be bought for 50 cents at the Dollar stores.
I think it's a nice gesture to show that one cares.
It's possible that the kids don't send them because they know we save all 
their cards. And, as the cards accumulate, they get put in boxes. Then the 
boxes are stored away and the kids probably see them as just more "stuff" 
they will have to sort through and throw away when we "croak" (as DH says). 
(g)

How about you?
Do you send greeting cards to your kids?
Do you receive them from your kids?
If so, do you save them?
---Sea

"~~seadancer~~" wrote
> I'm wondering how many folks send snailmail greeting cards these days. I 
> send them to our immediate family and to certain relatives and friends, 
> but our kids don't send them to us. Instead, they make telephone calls to 
> us on the day of the occasion.
>
> Personally, I've always loved receiving greeting cards.
> They can be bought for 50 cents at the Dollar stores.
> I think it's a nice gesture to show that one cares.
> It's possible that the kids don't send them because they know we save all 
> their cards. And, as the cards accumulate, they get put in boxes. Then the 
> boxes are stored away and the kids probably see them as just more "stuff" 
> they will have to sort through and throw away when we "croak" (as DH 
> says). (g)
>
> How about you?
> Do you send greeting cards to your kids?
> Do you receive them from your kids?
> If so, do you save them?

Hi Sea.
I love to both send & receive cards - be they paper ones or electronic.  I 
always send cards to the kids (& G'kids).....since my daughter has been with 
her hubby I rarely get a paper one from her - SIL thinks it's a waste of 
money.  She does occasionally give me one from all of them that my 
G'daughter has made though - & yes, I keep them.  My son hasn't given me an 
Xmas card for about 4 years but then he still lives with us so I s'pose it 
would be silly - mind, I still pop one under his door every Xmas Eve!
Mostly I have kept the handmade ones from the children although I have also 
kept the odd bought one because they made me laugh/were a bit special.

Madge X

"Madge X"  wrote> Hi Sea.
> I love to both send & receive cards - be they paper ones or electronic.  I 
> always send cards to the kids (& G'kids).....since my daughter has been 
> with her hubby I rarely get a paper one from her - SIL thinks it's a waste 
> of money.  She does occasionally give me one from all of them that my 
> G'daughter has made though - & yes, I keep them.  My son hasn't given me 
> an Xmas card for about 4 years but then he still lives with us so I s'pose 
> it would be silly - mind, I still pop one under his door every Xmas Eve!
> Mostly I have kept the handmade ones from the children although I have 
> also kept the odd bought one because they made me laugh/were a bit 
> special.
> Madge X

Hi Madge. Your situation sounds something like mine.
Years ago the kids gave me cards, but they don't do it anymore,
except for an occasional special one. Of course the grands
do make special greetings for me. I had forgotten to mention that. (g)
Thanks for your reply.
---Sea

In message <g4qivv$lge$1@news.datemas.de>, ~~seadancer~~ 
 writes

>I'm wondering how many folks send snailmail greeting cards these days. I
>send them to our immediate family and to certain relatives and friends, but
>our kids don't send them to us. Instead, they make telephone calls to us on
>the day of the occasion.

Write? You're suggesting that English kids should actually pick up pens 
and write! This the era of the SMS!

HPPY BRTHDY GRNP!

The modern SMS kid has reinvented the practices of ancient Hebrews and 
the Phoenicians. For their abjad they decided that vowels were 
unnecessary. Hence the expression about the screaming abjads.

Earthsearch 2 on BBC Radio 7 every evening this week.

-- 
James Follett

On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:40:33 +0100, JF wrote:

> In message <g4qivv$lge$1@news.datemas.de>, ~~seadancer~~
>  writes
> 
>>I'm wondering how many folks send snailmail greeting cards these days. I
>>send them to our immediate family and to certain relatives and friends,
>>but our kids don't send them to us. Instead, they make telephone calls to
>>us on the day of the occasion.
> 
> Write? You're suggesting that English kids should actually pick up pens
> and write! This the era of the SMS!
> 
> HPPY BRTHDY GRNP!
> 
> The modern SMS kid has reinvented the practices of ancient Hebrews and the
> Phoenicians. For their abjad they decided that vowels were unnecessary.
> Hence the expression about the screaming abjads.
> 
> Earthsearch 2 on BBC Radio 7 every evening this week.

You're a bit late JF, Earthsearch 2 was on every evening last week as
well. It is being broadcast in 10 episodes this time.   :-)

-- 
You¢re only young once, but you can be immature forever

"JF"  wrote
> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>I'm wondering how many folks send snailmail greeting cards these days.
>> [snipped]
>
> Write? You're suggesting that English kids should actually pick up pens 
> and write! This the era of the SMS!
> HPPY BRTHDY GRNP!
> The modern SMS kid has reinvented the practices of ancient Hebrews and the 
> Phoenicians. For their abjad they decided that vowels were unnecessary. 
> Hence the expression about the screaming abjads.
> Earthsearch 2 on BBC Radio 7 every evening this week.
> James Follett

SMS? I found the answer at:
> http://www.acronymfinder.com/Short-Message-Service-(cellular-phone-text-messaging)-(SMS).html
I thought it stood for "Send Mail to Mother"!

abjad? I found the answer at:
> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abjad
Why "screaming"? Couldn't find the answer to that. (g)

Earthsearch 2? Found info at:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthsearch_II

At any rate, JF, you've made a good point, relating our current SMS to 
abjads.

And you're right that the kids are no longer in the habit of writing with 
pens or pencils. Either am I, for that matter, although I do it, even though 
my handwriting has deteriorated.

I assume that GRNP is "grandpa". (g)

This all reminds me of "Speedwriting":
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedwriting
It's good for note-taking.
---Sea

On 07/07/2008 19:06, ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
<SNIP>
> abjad? I found the answer at:
>> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abjad
> Why "screaming"? Couldn't find the answer to that. (g)
<SNIP>
> ---Sea 

I thought it was "screaming abdabs":-
<http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm>

-- 
wtwjgc (Joe)
<http://partnerpage.google.com/welcometowakefield.org.uk>
Main website:- <http://wakefield.110mb.com/>

In message <g4tm1j$e9v$1@news.datemas.de>, ~~seadancer~~ 
 writes
>"JF"  wrote
>> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>>I'm wondering how many folks send snailmail greeting cards these days.
>>> [snipped]
>>
>> Write? You're suggesting that English kids should actually pick up pens
>> and write! This the era of the SMS!
>
>SMS? I found the answer at:
>> 
>>http://www.acronymfinder.com/Short-Message-Service-(cellular-phone-text
>>-messaging)-(SMS).html
>I thought it stood for "Send Mail to Mother"!
>
>abjad? I found the answer at:
>> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abjad
>Why "screaming"? Couldn't find the answer to that. (g)
>
>Earthsearch 2? Found info at:
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthsearch_II
>
>At any rate, JF, you've made a good point, relating our current SMS to
>abjads.

As my Aussie friends will tell you. I give good drum, missus! 
  Jim Follett

"wtwjgc (Joe)"  wrote

[Note: JF wrote: "Hence the expression about the screaming abjads."]

> ~~seadancer~~ wrote [and asked]: > <SNIP>
>> abjad? I found the answer at:
>>> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abjad
>> Why "screaming"? Couldn't find the answer to that. (g) <SNIP>
>> ---Sea
>
[Joe wrote]:
> I thought it was "screaming abdabs":-
> <http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm>
> wtwjgc (Joe)

Thank you, Joe, for the URL to World Wide Words which explains
the meaning of "abdabs".
> http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm

Reading about the difference between "abjads" and "abdabs" is
giving me the "screaming abdabs"! LOL

From that article, I've gathered the following bits of information about
abdabs. They don't seem to be related to abjads.

MY ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENT SPELLINGS:
Both words begin with "ab".
There is no 'j" in abdabs.
One word ends in "abs".
The other ends in "ads".
This could be a major problem for a dyslectic person! LOL

Excerpts from the World Wide Words article about "abdabs":
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"To give someone the screaming abdabs (or habdabs) is a British expression 
for inducing an attack of extreme anxiety or irritation in someone.

"Eric Partridge, in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, says 
that the screaming abdabs was a late 1930s expression for an attack of 
delirium tremens...

"... Gordon Paterson ... remarked that 'In my homeland of Dixie (aka the 
southern USA), the term abba-dabba is a common one with strong negative 
overtones denoting persons of such limited capacities that they are unable 
to properly form words.'

"Jonathon Lighter suggests an origin in an old ragtime song called Abba 
Dabba Honeymoon ... Its refrain went:
'Aba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab,'
Said the Chimpie to the Monk,
'Baba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab,'
Said the Monkey to the Chimp.

" ...the similarity between the abba dabba of the title and abdab is too 
striking to be ruled out as a possible source.

"The link between meaningless monkey chatter and the sense Mr Paterson gives 
is obvious enough. It's possible to imagine it giving rise to a meaning of 
delirium tremens through a mechanism such as Jonathon Green proposes."

Excerpts above are from: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab,
Baba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab !!!!!!!
You've given me the screaming abdabs! LOL
---Sea :)

"JF"  wrote
> ~~seadancer~~ writes <snipped>
>> At any rate, JF, you've made a good point, relating our current SMS to
>> abjads.
>
> As my Aussie friends will tell you. I give good drum, missus! Jim Follett

What does "give good drum" mean, JF?
I can't find it online.
Someone speculated that it means:
""I enjoy yanking peoples chains"." LOL
See the words at: http://myreader.co.uk/msg/1400102649.aspx
(Scroll down almost half the page.)
Interesting conversation there. (g)
---Sea :)

On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:38:11 GMT, ~~seadancer~~ commented


> "wtwjgc (Joe)"  wrote
> 
> [Note: JF wrote: "Hence the expression about the screaming abjads."]
> 
>> ~~seadancer~~ wrote [and asked]: > <SNIP>
>>> abjad? I found the answer at:
>>>> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abjad
>>> Why "screaming"? Couldn't find the answer to that. (g) <SNIP>
>>> ---Sea
>>
> [Joe wrote]:
>> I thought it was "screaming abdabs":-
>> <http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm>
>> wtwjgc (Joe)
> 
> Thank you, Joe, for the URL to World Wide Words which explains
> the meaning of "abdabs".
>> http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm
> 
> Reading about the difference between "abjads" and "abdabs" is
> giving me the "screaming abdabs"! LOL
> 
> From that article, I've gathered the following bits of information
> about abdabs. They don't seem to be related to abjads.

JF was composing a pun using two obscure words.

While the explanation was etymologically interesting, it spoiled the 
joke. 

-- 
Ali
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/my.web.pages/ Don't go there.
UPS/FUNTO June stats: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/my.web.pages/stats/
Five years' statistics now available.

"Ali"  wrote
> On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:38:11 GMT, ~~seadancer~~ commented
>> "wtwjgc (Joe)"  wrote
>>
>> [Note: JF wrote: "Hence the expression about the screaming abjads."]
>>
>>> ~~seadancer~~ wrote [and asked]: > <SNIP>
>>>> abjad? I found the answer at:
>>>>> http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abjad
>>>> Why "screaming"? Couldn't find the answer to that. (g) <SNIP>
>>>> ---Sea
>>>
>> [Joe wrote]:
>>> I thought it was "screaming abdabs":-
>>> <http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm>
>>> wtwjgc (Joe)
>>
>> Thank you, Joe, for the URL to World Wide Words which explains
>> the meaning of "abdabs".
>>> http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-scr1.htm
>>
>> Reading about the difference between "abjads" and "abdabs" is
>> giving me the "screaming abdabs"! LOL
>>
>> From that article, I've gathered the following bits of information
>> about abdabs. They don't seem to be related to abjads. [snipped]
>
> JF was composing a pun using two obscure words.
> While the explanation was etymologically interesting, it spoiled the
> joke.
> Ali

Ali, I doubt if the joke was "spoiled" for the people who "got" the joke.
They either enjoyed it or they didn't, regardless of the explanation that 
followed.

Not being British, I was unfamiliar with the expression "screaming abdabs." 
So I didn't get the joke.

Perhaps an American shouldn't be posting at a British newsgroup.

I am pondering now over who is the spoiler here. (g)
*You* have spoiled *my* explanation, Ali.

---Sea in USA

In message <g4u3dg$751$1@news.datemas.de>, ~~seadancer~~ 
 writes
>"JF"  wrote
>> ~~seadancer~~ writes <snipped>
>>> At any rate, JF, you've made a good point, relating our current SMS to
>>> abjads.
>>
>> As my Aussie friends will tell you. I give good drum, missus! Jim Follett
>
>What does "give good drum" mean, JF?

Sound advice. It's fairly widespread in Queensland.  Jim Follett

"JF"  wrote
>>> ~~seadancer~~ writes <snipped>
>>>> At any rate, JF, you've made a good point, relating our current SMS to
>>>> abjads.
>>>
>>> As my Aussie friends will tell you. I give good drum, missus! Jim 
>>> Follett
>>
>>What does "give good drum" mean, JF?
>
> Sound advice. It's fairly widespread in Queensland.  Jim Follett

Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
I like the way it sounds.
I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.
Perhaps Tyke or Barry can tell us more about it.
Also, I'll ask about it at alt.quotations.
One of the posters there is from OZ.
---Sea

In message <g503s7$7p3$1@news.datemas.de>, ~~seadancer~~ 
 writes
>"JF"  wrote

>>>> As my Aussie friends will tell you. I give good drum, missus!
>>>
>>>What does "give good drum" mean, JF?
>>
>> Sound advice. It's fairly widespread in Queensland.  Jim Follett
>
>Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
>I like the way it sounds.
>I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.

Ozzie slang is very regional. Many of the on-line sources are 
incomplete. I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a willy-willy is 
until it tries to crawl up their skirts.

Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week.
-- 
James Follett

"JF"  wrote
> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
>>I like the way it sounds.
>>I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.
>
> Ozzie slang is very regional. Many of the on-line sources are incomplete. 
> I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a willy-willy is until it tries 
> to crawl up their skirts.
> Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week .
> James Follett

Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
---Sea

On 09/07/2008 03:06, ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
> "JF"  wrote
>> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>> Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
>>> I like the way it sounds.
>>> I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.
>> Ozzie slang is very regional. Many of the on-line sources are incomplete. 
>> I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a willy-willy is until it tries 
>> to crawl up their skirts.
>> Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week .
>> James Follett
> 
> Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
>> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
> ---Sea 
> 
> 
Not to be confused with a Wheely Willy:-
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheely_Willy>
:)

-- 
wtwjgc (Joe)
<http://partnerpage.google.com/welcometowakefield.org.uk>
Main website:- <http://wakefield.110mb.com/>

On Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:16:52 GMT, wtwjgc (Joe) wrote:

> On 09/07/2008 03:06, ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
>> "JF"  wrote
>>> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>>> Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
>>>> I like the way it sounds.
>>>> I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.
>>> Ozzie slang is very regional. Many of the on-line sources are incomplete. 
>>> I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a willy-willy is until it tries 
>>> to crawl up their skirts.
>>> Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week .
>>> James Follett
>> 
>> Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
>>> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
>> ---Sea 
>> 
>> 
> Not to be confused with a Wheely Willy:-
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheely_Willy>
> :)

Or even a Willy Warmer :-))
http://www.yourdailymedia.com/i/u/0Ghr7W0v.jpg
-- 
MCC

MCC wrote:
> On Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:16:52 GMT, wtwjgc (Joe) wrote:
>
>> On 09/07/2008 03:06, ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
>>> "JF"  wrote
>>>> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>>>> Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
>>>>> I like the way it sounds.
>>>>> I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.
>>>> Ozzie slang is very regional. Many of the on-line sources are
>>>> incomplete. I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a
>>>> willy-willy is until it tries to crawl up their skirts.
>>>> Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week .
>>>> James Follett
>>>
>>> Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
>>>> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
>>> ---Sea
>>>
>>>
>> Not to be confused with a Wheely Willy:-
>> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheely_Willy>
>> :)
>
> Or even a Willy Warmer :-))
> http://www.yourdailymedia.com/i/u/0Ghr7W0v.jpg

Oh that's lovely lol

Jen

On Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:01:05 +0100, Foxy at Work wrote:

> MCC wrote:
>> On Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:16:52 GMT, wtwjgc (Joe) wrote:
>>
>>> On 09/07/2008 03:06, ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
>>>> "JF"  wrote
>>>>> ~~seadancer~~ writes
>>>>>> Thanks, JF, for explaining about the expression "give good drum".
>>>>>> I like the way it sounds.
>>>>>> I wonder why I couldn't find much about it online.
>>>>> Ozzie slang is very regional. Many of the on-line sources are
>>>>> incomplete. I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a
>>>>> willy-willy is until it tries to crawl up their skirts.
>>>>> Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week .
>>>>> James Follett
>>>>
>>>> Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
>>>>> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
>>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
>>>> ---Sea
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Not to be confused with a Wheely Willy:-
>>> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheely_Willy>
>>> :)
>>
>> Or even a Willy Warmer :-))
>> http://www.yourdailymedia.com/i/u/0Ghr7W0v.jpg
> 
> Oh that's lovely lol
> 
> Jen

I saw them on sale once in Mevagissey in four sizes
Small, medium, large and liar 
<LOL>
-- 
MCC

MCC wrote:

> I saw them on sale once in Mevagissey in four sizes
> Small, medium, large and liar
> <LOL>

lol Of course everyone was buying the "liar" ones ;)

Jen

"wtwjgc (Joe)"  wrote
> On 09/07/2008 ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
>> Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
>>> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
>> ---Sea
> Not to be confused with a Wheely Willy:-
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheely_Willy>  :)
> wtwjgc (Joe)

Aww ... poor thing. An amazing story.
Here's a good picture of him on the cover of book about him:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:How_Willy_Got_His_Wings_cover.jpg
---Sea

"MCC"  wrote
> On Wed, 09 Jul 2008 wtwjgc (Joe) wrote:
>> On 09/07/2008 ~~seadancer~~ wrote:
>>> "JF" wrote [snipped]
>>>> I don't suppose many NSW ladies know what a willy-willy is until it 
>>>> tries
>>>> to crawl up their skirts.
>>>> Earthsearch on BBC Radio 7 all this week .
>>>> James Follett
>>>
>>> Now I know what a willy-willy is. (g)
>>>> http://strikeone.com.au/dustdevil/
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil
>>> ---Sea
>>>
>> Not to be confused with a Wheely Willy:-
>> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheely_Willy>
>> :)
>
> Or even a Willy Warmer :-))
> http://www.yourdailymedia.com/i/u/0Ghr7W0v.jpg
> MCC

Oh, my goodness. "Unmentionables!"
---Sea :)