Beau and Monique, Dogs, Dog, Travel, Australia, Photos and Pictures

Creator of Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo

John McCallum, the man behind the children’s television show Skippy, died aged 91 on February 3, 2010.The Australian, who also acted in films of the 1940s and 50s, was best known writing, directing and producing Skippy, The Bush Kangaroo from 1966. An Australian, John was born in Brisbane in 1918 and began his career in theatre in London. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and worked with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and the Old Vic. His theatre work both in the UK and Australia continued through the 1950s and into the 60s, while much of his big screen work involved working with his wife, Googie Withers. Then the Nine Network in Australia booked 91 episodes of Skippy over the three seasons, the popular show with the catchy theme tune being syndicated around the world and sold to 128 countries. The show is still shown in Australia to this day. In a recent interview, he said: “Lee Robinson came up with the idea of a boy and a kangaroo. It was really his idea. And we worked on that – I wanted to call it ‘Hoppy’. “He said, no, Skippy. Skippy had a better ring to it for the children. And so three or four of us put in $5,000, we made a pilot, took it round the world, sold quite a few countries, including England.” In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to drama and theatre. He was survived by his wife.

Ja, onze puppies zijn pup af, of nou ja Lady en Noelle wel, Kira mag nog een maand van de puppie status genieten. Kira is ondertussen gesterilliseerd en binnnen kort moet ook Noelle er aan geloven. Wat was het moeilijk om Kira bij de dierenarts achter te laten. Ze keek me aan met een blik van “Waar ga je heen ” Hey vergeet je niet is, totale ontredering in haar ogen. Moest in de auto toch wel even een traantje laten hoor, maar vermaande mezelf met de woorden, doe niet zo gek, je kan haar vanmiddag al weer ophalen.  ’s middags, toen we haar gingen halen moesten we eerst wat dingen doorspreken, wat ze wel en niet mocht, na de operatie. Kira zat in een kamertje dicht bij de balie en kon ons horen, en begon eerst zachtjes te jammeren, toen lichtelijk te blaffen alsof ze zeggen wou, “ik ben hier hoor “!!!!! Wat was ze blij ons te zien en wij niet minder om haar te zien. Alles goed gegaan, gelukkig. De eerste 2 nachten met haar en Noelle onder in de woonkamer op een matras geslapen, want o jee wat als ze ’s nachts aan de hechtingen gaat zitten likken of zo. We hadden haar een oud t-shirt aangedaan, staart door de hals en 2 extra gaten gemaakt voor de achter pootjes. Maar ze is er die hele week niet aangekomen, dus dat t-shirt hebben we de 2e dag maar weg gelaten. Wel werd ze steeds ongeduldiger, ze wou naar buiten en ver wandelen en dat mocht niet, de eerste 2 dagen alleen ff plassen en vanaf de 3e dagrustig een klein blokje om. Wat je bij Kira dan rustig kunt noemen, want buiten is ze echt niet rustig.  Na 8 dagen gingen de hechtingen eruit, ze liep weer even vrolijk bij de dierenarts naar binnen hoor, wel ff blaffen naar de dierenarts, zo van Ja jij was het…. Het was allemaal heel netjes geheeld en mocht ze weer lekker wandelen en spelen. Aangezien mijn oudste dochter op zichzelf is gaan wonen is Lady nu natuurlijk ook het huis uit. Als Susan moet werken dan komt ze wel overdag logeren, en dat elke dag weer feest, alsof ze mekaar jaren niet gezien hebben. En Noelle, onze kleine, lieve rustige Noelle, moet dus binnen kort. We moeten het wel een beetje plannen zodat er een lang weekend tussen zit, in verband met rustig aan doen en buiten wandelen. Is toch fijner als je dan zelf thuis kunt zijn. Ze is onze kleine happy chappi, als er iemand binnenkomt dan pakt ze haar balletje en loopt er heel blij mee rond. Kira verwelkomd iedereen met een luid geblaf, zij is een echte ondeugd.  Binnenkort kom ik wel weer met een nieuwe opdate.

Santa Claus
A long time ago, a bishop named Nicholas lived in what is now the country of Turkey. No one knows much about him. There are stories that he often helped children in need. Many years after his death, Nicholas was made a saint. In time, he became the patron saint of children. After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas dwindled, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placing treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged.

Christmas Tree
In 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religous play depicted the story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The Christmas Tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert from his native Germany. The famous Illustrated News etching in 1848, featuring the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle, popularized the tree throughout Victorian England. It was brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans

Mistletoe
Mistletoe was used by Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter. The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward of evil spirits. The plant was also seen as a symbol of peace, and it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace. Scandanavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed under the mistletoe had the promise of happiness and good luck in the following year.

Holly, Ivy and Greenery
In Northern Europe Christmas occurred during the middle of winter, when ghosts and demons could be heard howling in the winter winds. Boughs of holly, believed to have magical powers since they remained green through the harsh winter, were often placed over the doors of homes to drive evil away. Greenery was also brought indoors to freshen the air and brighten the mood during the long, dreary winter. Legend also has it that holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth. The pointed leaves were said to represent the crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross and the red berries symbolized the blood he shed

Poinsettias
A native Mexican plant, poinsettias were named after Joel R. Poinsett, U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to America in 1828. Poinsettias were likely used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations. One legend has it that a young Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the Christ child. He gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church. Though the other children mocked him, when the leaves were laid at the manger, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch. The bright red petals, often mistaken for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the plant.

The Candy cane
It was not long after Europeans began using Christmas trees that special decorations were used to adorn them. Food items, such as candies and cookies, were used predominately and straight white candy sticks were one of the confections used as ornamentation. Legend has it that during the 17th century, craftsmen created the white sticks of candy in the shape of shephreds’ crooks at the suggestion of the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The candy treats were given to children to keep them quiet during ceremonies at the living creche, or Nativity scene, and the custom of passing out the candy crooks at such ceremonies soon spread throughout Europe. According to the National Confectioner’s Association, in 1847 German immigrant August Imgard used the candy cane to decorate a Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio. More than 50 years later, Bob McCormack of Albany, Georgia supposedly made candy canes as treats for family, friends and local shopkeepers. McCormack’s brother-in-law, Catholic priest Gregory    Keller, invented a machine in the 1950s that automated the production of candy canes, thus eliminating the usual laborious process of creating the treats and the popularity of the candy cane grew. More recent explanations of the candy cane’s symbolism hold that the color white represents Christ’s purity, the red the blood he shed, and the presence of three red stripes the Holy Trinity. While factual evidence for these notions does not exist, they have become increasingly common and at times are even represented as fact. Regardless, the candy cane remains a favorite holiday treat and decoration.

Christmas cards
A form of Christmas card began in England first when young boys practiced their writing skills by creating Christmas greetings for their parents, but it is Sir Henry Cole who is credited with creating the first real Christmas card. The first director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, Sir Henry found himself too busy in the Christmas season of 1843 to compose individual Christmas greetings for his friends. He commissioned artist John Calcott Horsley for the illustration. The card featured three panels, with the center panel depicting a family enjoying Christmas festivities and the card was inscribed with the message “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.”

Christmas Stockings
According to legend, a kindly nobleman grew despondent over the death of his beloved wife and foolishly squandered his fortune. This left his three young daughters without dowries and thus facing a life of spinsterhood. The generous St. Nicholas, hearing of the girls’ plight, set forth to help. Wishing to remain anonymous, he rode his white horse by the nobleman’s house and threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were fortuitously captured by the stockings the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry.