Today is a day of absolute pleasure for me. I'll be sitting in the shade of the verandah reading one of my new books; tea will be had in the "good" cups. I'll knit and maybe go out for morning tea with Hanno. I might even do some more research on my family tree. Today is my birthday, I am 62.
It seems like a good day to delve into my own history. So far, I'm back to my great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents Thomas Bond and Grace Cook who were married in Yardley, England on 27 March 1654. I've found two convicts on my fathers side - who came to Australia in 1799, and a soldier who accompanied the convicts on my mother's side - I have a letter he wrote in 1820 when he lived in King Street Sydney. That address is now in the middle of Sydney's main business and shopping centre.
I'm pleased you're enjoying the current simple life series. Thank you all for your comments. I hope you have a lovely day.
ADDITION on 16th: Thanks to every one who took time out to send me their special birthday wishes - I have an avalanche of emails and facebook messages as well as your comments here. I love your messages and appreciate your friendship. Warm hugs to you all.
ADDITION on 16th: Thanks to every one who took time out to send me their special birthday wishes - I have an avalanche of emails and facebook messages as well as your comments here. I love your messages and appreciate your friendship. Warm hugs to you all.
Oooh, happy birthday Rhonda! What a lovely day you have planned :) And tea in good cups is a marvellous treat :) How fascinating to find out about your family history!
ReplyDeleteIt's my birthday in a couple of weeks too - I'll be 30 so I'm (slowly) catching you up... I've been trying to think of a suitably celebratory event, but just keep coming back to what I'm most enjoying at the minute - baking a nice cake, sitting having a cuppa with some friends, a bit of sewing, a bit of gardening...
(I'd love a paddle in the sea actually, but I'm not sure I can bear the 3 hour round trip that involves!)
Enjoy your day, and best wishes for the coming year, I'm sure it will be beautiful
xx
Happy birthday! Hope you have a lovely and relaxing day. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy, Happy Birthday Rhonda! Thank you so much for your wonderful blog. I am enjoying your decade by decade series. I'm in my 40's so I'm looking forward to the next one.
ReplyDeleteTea in the good cups and knitting, what could make for a better day?
Susan
Happy Birthday, Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteDiana x
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, the day you have planned sounds absolutely perfect. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda! Thank you for writing this wonderful, interesting, inspiring and uplifting blog. It is the "cherry" on top of the cake of websites that I check every morning, and I always save it for last.
ReplyDeleteMay this new year in your life bring you much joy, health and fulfilment!
Claudia
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday - I hope its a good one !!! Love and Hugs Babs
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly do make the world a better place. :)
Happy Birthday, the day you have planned sounds absolutely perfect. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!!!! May you have many many more! Thanks for the wonderful blog, as always you're a pleasure to read!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a very very happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure to have that letter. Genealogy is addictive - do you use a program to record it all??
Have a wonderful day!
Love Leanne XXX
Happy Birthday Rhonda and have a great "tea in 'good' cups" day :0)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!
ReplyDeletewell let me be the first to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope your special day is truly magical, relaxing and wonderful!
ReplyDeleteand on a side note thank you so much for inpsiring me on a daily basis!
Jxx
Happy Birthday!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!! I enjoy your blog so much.
ReplyDeleteDeb
Happy Birthday Rhonda! Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteHappy day of Birth to you Ms blessed Hetzel... have a fabulous tea party and Ill see you tomorrow... xoxo Ms Fee
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda! I did a bit of my family tree last year and I like knowing where I came from. Have a very relaxing day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I love your blog, it has made me think so much about my own life and how I live it. All the best on your special day!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda love from The other Rhonda
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL~
ReplyDeleteSounds like a beautiful day~
I too love the good tea cups~
Looking up family history is ssssooo cool!
I am also having a wonderful day!
If I ever make it out you way I'll look you up! We could have tea:)
Warm Blessings,
Georgiann
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHONDA Do forgive me for shouting. Have a lovely day and use the 'good' cups all you want.
ReplyDeletePippa xxxx
Wishing you a very happy birthday! May your birthday be bright and beautiful!
ReplyDeletehappy birthday to a celebrated lady- you are inspiring and your reminder to use the good stuff is welcome- thanks for your motivation- from one of your lurkers- mindy in KY
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to you, Rhonda. Tea in "good" cups is especially warranted on your special day.
ReplyDeleteCheers ~
I hope you have a perfectly lovely birthday, Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteBarb_in_GA
Happy Birthday to you! My goodness, has it been a year???
ReplyDeleteLOL It is passing so fast. I hope today is beautiful for you.
Joyce
Happy Birthday!!! I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing, memorable day, full of love and laughter.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday dear Rhonda. I'll have a cuppa with you in my good china at around 10 am.
ReplyDeleteA very happy birthday to you. Enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Rhonda! I hope you have a wonderful day, enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday. Enjoy this day to the fullest. We're all glad all the great and great great and so on grandparents produced you. Happy happy Rhonda day.
ReplyDelete~Cassandra
Happy Birthday Rhonda, Have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteTracie
Happy birthday to you Rhonda, enjoy your day Judy xx
ReplyDeleteA very Happy Birthday to you Rhonda , and I Hope this year is filled with all good things including using the good cups ;-)
ReplyDeleteSheila
Happy birthday Rhonda - I hope you have a wonderful day :)
ReplyDeleteBirthday Blessings Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteI pray the coming year is filled with many wonderful things for you.
Catherine :)
Birthday greetings being sent your way. Hope you have a great day with with the love of your life, Hanno. Put your feet up, enjoy the book and that cup of tea. I'l think of you up there in Qld on this beautiful Autumn morning.
ReplyDeleteBlessings Gail
Hey, happy birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day.
Happy birthday Rhonda!! Hope you enjoy every single minute of it!! I love your blog and the all the ways you have helped me in my life and home. Sounds like you have a great day planned. ~~enjoy it all!!~~ blessings and luv from Kentucky!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I hope you've had a lovely day. So interesting to hear about your family history. I'm back to the late 1700's with mine - it's fascinating isn't it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda
ReplyDeleteSounds like a perfect day
Best wishes
Lisa
Happy Birthday !!!!! I hope you have a great day and enjoy your birthday cuppa. I have recently had a change of policy regarding the 'good cups'. I have spent years saving them but now I use and enjoy them. After all every day is someones birthday LOL.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Eileen in England.
Happy Birthday Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteHope that you are having a wonderful day filled with all the things that you love & hold dear! ♥
Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoy your day.
ReplyDeletex
Hello Rhonda-jean
ReplyDeletehappy birthday and good going for your family tree. love what your doing best rachel plymouth devon england
Happy Birthday :)
ReplyDeleteHugs from Cait
Happy Birthday Rhonda. Hope you have the best day ever. Your blog is one of my favorites and I read it every day.
ReplyDeleteKathie in South Carolina
Happy Birthday Rhonda....enjoy your day.
ReplyDeleteOh Rhonda....Happy Birthday....I wish you for a beautiful year ahead filled with happiness, lots of love and laughter. Very interesting family history, isn't it wonderful knowing more about you and your name. Breaking out the good cups is always fun and something we should do more often. Hugs, Heather
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteCella
Happy Birthday Rhonda! Enjoy every minute of your special day!
ReplyDeleteIsn't family history fascinating! It's so addictive once you get started. We recently found out our ancestors were convicts sent to Australia too (for stealing food).
Have a beautiful day!
Rhonda--Happy Birthday! Enjoy your lovely day :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda!!! I know you will have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteI am off to bake some Failsafe bread and biscuits. Then time to get dinner on. Homemade Pizza.
So I will also have a lovely day. :)
Cheers Damaris
Happy Birthday Rhonda, I'll leave you to enjoy your special day and give you a call tomorrow to sort out a time to get together for some knitting tuition, Sonya
ReplyDeleteDear Rhonda! Happy Birthday! I think you will enjoy it in the most pleasant way, just as you like it!
ReplyDeleteNothing like drinking tea from the good cups : ) and no better day to do it on. Happy Birthday Rhonda. x
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to you Rhonda. You deserve a fantastic day. My family on my mother's side came from across the pond. They came from around London I believe Lambert was the surname. Hope you had a great day.
ReplyDeleteHave a very happy birthday, Rhonda Jean! Sounds delicious, spending it the way you describe. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteCheers - Joolz
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my 'other' mother. Thanks for all the great advice and help you have shared with me over the past few years.
ReplyDeleteTake care and enjoy yourself.
cheers Kate
Happy Birthday Rhonda! Enjoy your special day.
ReplyDeleteColeen
Happy Birthday Rhonda,may your year be special and give back to you what you give to others!I will say cheers when I have my morning cuppa and think of you.Enjoy your day.
ReplyDeletexo Linda
Good morning Rhonda dear, happy birthday! My Mum is an expert on family history, I can let you have her email address. Enjoy your special day!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda!!!
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes
Erika (Gold Coast)
xo
Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Rhonda! Enjoy your day. Would love to see a picture of your GOOD teacups with your lovely tea. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTracy (Brisbane)
Happy birthday! You are a delight and it's good to have you back daily again.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday. And family history is so fun. I found that one of my mother's great-great aunts was the first to have electrical wiring in her house in the town my mother grew up in (Back during the time of Thomas Edison). No one was brave enough and she was an elderly woman living alone and said "I'll do it."
ReplyDeleteEnjoy you're birthday.
Sandy
My Best Wishes for a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteHope this year of being 62 will bring you much joy and some lovely surprises!!
Hi Rhonda, Wishing you many more happy tea times. I'll be 63yo next week so we are fellow baby boomers. Thank you so much for sharing your many loves with us. You are tallented writer and communicator and I feel blessed to consider you a friend. Happy Birthday from South Carolina- Carol Green
ReplyDeleteHello Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! yes a cup of tea out of the good cups sounds just great. Simple things hold such great pleasure. How wonderful that you have found out such a lot of family history so far back.
Wishing you a lovely birthday Rhonda, and many more. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to the lovely Rhonda! Hope you are having the best day. It's always the simple things isn''t it. Since arriving in NZ my birthday is always spent at my favourite beach with hubby and the dogs for an hour then on the way home stopping off for the treat of fish and chips from a cafe right over the water. I would far rather do this than go to a posh restaurant or something!
ReplyDeleteTea in the 'good cups' - yeh!
xx
Hapy Birthday Rhonda spoil yourself and have a blessed day.Carole
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda! Wishing you a very special day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you are in a happy and peaceful place in your life.
Becky K.
Wishing you a very Happy Birthday. Enjoy your day. x
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Rhonda! Thanks for sharing your 62 years of wisdom with us. I place a lot of trust in your advice, it's always spot on.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Angela
Happy Birthday Rhonda! I hope you enjoy yourself. You deserve tea in the "good" cup.
ReplyDeleteMyra
Pittsburgh
Happy Birthday, I hope you have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteNic xxx
Many happy returns of the day hope you have a lovely time and too have tea in good cups is devine my hubby turns 60 in 6 days time
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful birthday Rhonda.
ReplyDeleteFamily history is so much fun to find, happy hunting :)
OX Karyn
Happiest of birthdays to you!And yes, absolutely, use your very best china.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have had a lovely day, and a great birthday!
ReplyDeletehappy birthday Rhonda ..... hope you have a lovely day.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Manola :)
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteI love to have tea in "good" cups!
Hope your day was lovely!
Happy Birthday! May you have a wonderful and joyous day! xo m.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda and here is to many more to come!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope that when I turn 62 (I am currently approaching that big 40!!) I have the same peace and contentment that you seem to have in your life.
Have a lovely relaxing day and thank you once again for your wonderful inspiring blog!!
Happy Birthday Rhonda Jean! Your plans for the day sound wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda Jean - I'm sure your day will be so special for you. Thank you for coming back - I've missed you too.
ReplyDeletePatricia in North Queensland
Wishing you a very happy most wonderful birthday Rhonda!!!!!
ReplyDelete(((HUGS)))
Debbie
central Illinois
Happy Birthday to you, Rhonda, and many happy returns!
ReplyDeleteA most joyous birthday from the high plains of Nebraska USA
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda. I hope that you are having a fantastic day!
ReplyDeleteI too enjoy researching my family history. It's been really interesting to get a glimpse into where I came from...or at least where my gene pool came from!
Hi Rhonda Jean,
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful day, and enjoy your tea.
I was 52 on Sunday, and I had a tea party, my family here in Denmark enjoy it when I make tea. I baked a chocolate cake, made a pyramid of sandwiches, and used the best blue and white china.
I had a great day, and I hope you do too, I enjoy reading your blog early in the morning,
Jean D
Happy Birthday wishes sent from Oregon.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Yvette
Happy birthday Rhonda! It's 5.40 am in the UK and there are already 99 'Happy Birthday's' in front of me. I haven't posted a comment before but I've been reading your blog for some time. Have a lovely peaceful and relaxing day :-)
ReplyDeleteHI
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY
Rhonda,
I HOPE YOU HAVE A LOVELY DAY AND A NICE YEAR AHEAD....
Happy Happy Birthday Rhonda! :) Tea in the 'good cups' is a MUST .... after all, our life is happening NOW not only on special occasions :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda! I've been following your blog now for a few months and I really enjoy what I read. May you have many more years of blogging and simple living pleasure :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda. Hope you have enjoyed your day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda! I hope you had a lovely morning tea out with Hanno and enjoy those "good cups" :-).
ReplyDeleteSusieq.
Happy Birthday Rhonda. Hope you have had a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda, may you have many many more to celebrate!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda Jean! Enjoy the day!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
HAPPY HAPPY Birthday Rhonda - wishing you many happy returns of the day,
ReplyDeleteJeni :)
Happy Birthday Rhonda! I hope you have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteMy dear old Dad always told me that the tea tastes better in the "good cups" Enjoy.
Love and hugs from Sharon xx
(SE Qld)
Hope it is not to late to wish you a happy birthday Rhonda. I'm sure you had a lovely time sipping tea from the 'good cups' - this is what my mother called her china tea cups, she would say whenever we had guests 'Use the good cups Ann' and would cringe if my father brought out tea in mugs which he often did!
ReplyDeleteI have recently unearthed my own family history and found out that my heritage is not entirely English as my great grandmother was from the Fairbanks family of America/Canada. She came from a very wealthy Nova Scotian family and I'm intrigued to find out more about her life! It is quite fascinating isn't it especially when you discover unexpected facts about your family history.
Happy Birthday! Rhonda Jean!
ReplyDeleteHope your day is wonderful and filled with what you love most.
diane
A very Happy Birthday Rhonda. Enjoy! :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda!!!
ReplyDeleteMeant to say that I live a couple of miles from Yardley and it's changed a bit from 1654!
ReplyDeleteKim
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Have a wonderful day. xxx
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely birthday.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the inspiring blog you write.
Wishing you a happy birthday Rhonda, and thanks for making the time to write this fantastic blog :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have had a lovely day Rhonda. May the days ahead be filled with good health & joy. Well done with discovering so much about your family history. from Jenny McH (Melbourne)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda. Thank you for your inspiration everyday.
ReplyDeleteHoping your day was magical.
Happy Birthday! Have a lovely relaxing day - you deserve it. Isn´t it amazing how the interest in researching family histories has exploded? So many resources are now easily available via the Internet. My husband is up to his ears in it and having a great time. He has traced a Swedish relative to Australia. Interest seems to be confined to the older generation though. Fairly natural perhaps. I am leaving that task to my husband but I have often wondered how it can be that most of us have no idea about the names and lives of our ancestors. Such a pity.
ReplyDeleteMay the coming year be filled with contentment - and good health to you both.
Ramona
Sweden
Happy Birthday Rhonda.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing well with your family history,I wish I could say the same.
Patricia
Have a wonderful birthday and enjoy your books! Has Hanno baked you a cake?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely way to spend your birthday - best wishes x
ReplyDeleteOut of lurkdom just to wish you a very Happy Birthday, filled with joy, peace, and laughter!
ReplyDelete~ teresa
Happy birthday Rhonda, sooooo glad you're back. I enjoy you're blog and look forward to it daily. You are so inspiring to me and many others as well. Enjoy this special day!
ReplyDeleteCarol
I hope you have a fabulous birthday, full of contentment and wonder! I look forward to reading your blog every day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteVictoria
Well, happy birthday! I hope you enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteA VERY Happy Birthday to you! I hope you have/had a wonderful day (I'm in TN, USA, so the time difference!)
ReplyDeleteWhen my children were growing up I tried to instill in them the pleasure of having and using nice things by serving their morning juice in the "nice" glasses, using the "good" dishes, having nice bed and bath linens, etc. Even though we were by no means "well off", (I was a single, working Mom,)I thought it important for them to experience such things. So "ta in good cups" hit home with me.
Blessings-Kathy
Happy Birthday Rhonda !!!!
ReplyDeleteI just want you to know how much I have appreciated your Blog over the last 3 years. I will be 60 in September and I found your blog when we set up housekeeping in a camper while we cleared some land and started our new homestead. We are now in the house and working on the outside. Our first garden will be ready to plant in a week or two. You have inspired me to not get discouraged. At our age we are a bit slower than we anticipated we would be at accomplishing our goal. ;o) But I can't wait to see where we will be in another 2 years. Thank you for sharing.....FYI, I am making my first batch of Ginger Beer right now! ;o) Best wishes from Virginia, USA
Happy Birthday, Rhonda! Enjoy your special day and it's treats.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda, I hope you have a wonderful peaceful and restful day.
ReplyDeleteEmma xx
Have a wonderful day. Like my mom always says, tea tastes better in "good' cups.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all the work you do on this blog and for being a kind of a mentor to me and to others. You have great and practical advice and I always look forward to reading your daily posts.
Margaret
Happy Birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda. Enjoy and know we are wishing a lovely day for you!!
ReplyDeleteCathy
Happy Happy Birthday - such a day to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy Birthday Rhonda and I'll raise my cup of tea to you here in England. :-)
ReplyDeleteJulie
x
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful year, and I hope that today is as lovely in your part of Australia as it is here in Oregon!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day!
wow how great to find all of that out about your family.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda, have a fabulous day!
Happy birthday, Rhonda! I hope you have a lovely, enjoyable day.
ReplyDeleteRachel
Feliz cumplianos Rhonda! From your amiga in Yuma Arizona. :~)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Rhonda, hope you had a wonderful day and many more to come. Thankyou Thankyou for this wonderful site. Lots of Love JoyK (WA)
ReplyDeleteHappy, happy borthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda Jean! Sounds like you have an enjoyable and cozy day planned :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Rhonda. Have a blessed day.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed reading your blog.
happiest of birthdays to you! hope you don't mind, but i think it's fabulous that you've lived my entire lifetime twice, plus two years!! so much for me to look forward to as I peek over this hill of thirty. thanks for always being an inspiration, my original "simple living" inspiration. don't know where i'd be today without you and all that took off for me from your one path!! my life is so much different than it was 2 years ago!! hugs!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday! I hope you had a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to you Rhonda from me in Indonesia, have a most great times (^,^)
ReplyDeleteA belated happy birthday (I'm just now catching up in Google Reader). :)
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and I were just talking about taking the time to brew tea and drink it from pretty china cups. It makes us take the time to stop and enjoy the process.
A belated happy birthday from me -- I've been on holidays. Hope you had a lovely day with lots of cups of tea.
ReplyDeleteA belated happy birthday from me -- I've been on holidays. Hope you had a lovely day with lots of cups of tea.
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday. Tea in good cups and family history sounds like a wonderful day. I am doing our family tree on my mother's side and it is HARD! No way to search internet for ancestors in small Palau but it is fun to see all the connections. Best wishes for the upcoming year.
ReplyDelete