I'm Jennifer

[Jeniwren]

Hi, I'm Jennifer or Jen :D and I live in the inner city area of Southbank, Melbourne, Australia with my new husband and our Bedlington Terrier, Bride. I also have 2 cats, Boudicca and Oliver. We currently live in an apartment, however my heart is in rural England....especially Minack.

I suffer a chronic illness, fibromyalgia and don't work at present, though I graduated with my BA in anthropology earlier in the year. My husband has a business in the telecommunications industry which along with my illness, is why we're city dwellers.

I first came across Derek's books when I was about 18 and they have held a special place in my heart ever since. I'd always had a "thing" for rural England and Derek's books always made me feel that getting there was more than just a possibility... :D

I never got to meet Derek or Jeannie and regretted this for quite some time until I realised that Derek's books are a never-ending conversation and so he will be chating to us for years to come :)

Jen :D

[gloria townsin]

Jen it's great to "talk" to you 'tho far away in miles - right here in Oliver Land every time you get at touch of the 'Wavelength' feeling. :wink:

[Jeniwren]

Thank you Gloria :D ....it is indeed wonderful to find others and a special place on the net too.

I'm still smiling about finding here after 4 days and I reckon it'll be glued to my face a for a few more to come :wink:

Jen :D

[Linda]

Jen
It really is wonderful to meet you!

Derek was always fascinated to meet people from all over the world and find out what they do...but I wonder how he would feel now seeing just how his lifes work lives on and how we are all still coming together some 10 years later!

Oliver Land and Minack really are as beautiful and peaceful as he describes. Hopefully, with all the photos being posted you can feel a little nearer until you do visit.

Congratulations on the BA! What a fascinating subject.

Linda

:)

[Jeniwren]

Linda I'm loving all the pics of Oliver Land and Minack! I now have one of Oliver Land as my wallpaper on my computer :D

I have a couple of pics of Jeannie and Derek that Pauline was kind enough to send me. I've quite often been asked if they are my parents...I've always felt at a bit of a loss trying to explain the relationship...until I came up with..."they're some extra-special friends of mine" :D

Jen :D

[gloria townsin]

Most remiss of me not to say well done on the BA in anthropology no less - WoW!! :lol:

[Jeniwren]

:oops: Thank you both. It took me 10 years from begining to finish but there was no way I was giving up :) I actually started in archaeology but it soon became obvious that my health was going to interfere and I couldn't find a university out here that taught about English archaeology so I changed to anthropology and surprised people by being quite good at it :wink:

Jen :D

[Kath Mulligan]

Hi Jen

I too am impressed by the BA in Anthropology - well done, especially if you were battling ill health at the time.

Look forward to getting to know you better through the forum.

I am off to Cornwall on 11 November. If I manage to make it to Oliver Land I will think of you while I am there and make a wish that one day you will see it for yourself.

Good luck

Kath

[Linda]

Kath......

don't forget ....we want photos...don't we all!

:wink: 8)

[Linda]

.....oh! err!! and have a loverrly time too!

Love Linda
xx

[Jeniwren]

Photos...YES! they're a must and yes have a wonderful time :D

[Jeniwren]

I've just reread this...my first post/thread...after reading Gloria's thread about our 60th member...I still can't believe it's only 1 year :shock: I really would have sworn it was far longer if someone had asked :? :)

[Kath Mulligan]

Perhaps it's this wavelength thing again. We are all so much alike in so many ways that we have bonded amazingly quickly so that it feels like we have known each other for years.

The way this forum has taken off must have exceeded all Linda and Jeff's expectations, and I know I have said this before, but we all owe them a massive vote of thanks for bringing us all together.

Kath

[Jeniwren]

Goodness doesn't time fly....WOW 2.5 years!

[jane jackson]

I'm finding this fascinating ~ reading posts/threads from the beginning of this Forum since I only joined in March this year. I got the impression that all of you actually knew each other before the Forum started as the conversation flowed so easily. I expect some of you did as in Gloria and Kath but it's really great to have these worldwide friends with similar interests.

Jen, are you Australian? You speak about an english accent and not having so much in common with Australians and yet I seem to think you are. Have you managed to visit Oliver Land since your original post?

Jane:cheer2:

[Kath Mulligan]

Jane, Gloria and I didn't know each other pre-forum. In fact, I didn't know anyone when I joined up, apart from Linda who I had exchanged several emails with through the Trust's Letterbox scheme.

I met Gloria, Janet, Joan, John and Mim for the first time at Memorial Weekend 2007, having chatted on the forum for a few months prior to that, but it was amazing how we all instantly felt comfortable with each other. Gary commented in his Radio Cornwall interview how he walked into the room at this year's get together and instantly felt he had found 20 new friends - that's exactly how I felt on my first visit too. And each year since, it has got better and better. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly genuine, lasting friendships are made on this forum, and they are friendships that I really cherish and appreciate.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Our first Memorial Weekend/AGM was to have been in 2006 but sadly we lost my Mum on the 9th of March and the funeral was a couple of weeks later, so there was no way I was in any state to go to Cornwall, although I longed to be there for it's comfort and healing.
During the following year I posted on the forum more and more and found it helped me through that year, yet when we approached the Morrab Library in March 2007 I was a bit aprehensive I have to admit. We had briefly met Mim and John when I had the timerity to knock on their door but on a face to face basis, knew no-one else. But as we were shown into the library room allocated I immediately spotted Kath...just knew it was her although I'd never met her or seen her photograph. Everyone else there was friendly and interested in the log books and archives which got us all talking and, in my case, hoping my remarks about what I was reading were o.k. with everyone. The AGM was a chance to meet many other FOMS members. It was at that meeting that Gerald said he didn't really want to continue as Secretary and later I offered to be his side-kick if he would prefer to carry on, but he wanted to hand the job on and take over the role of our 'Cornish, local Tangye Rep.' which he does extremely well, which is how I came to be Sec.
The following two AGM/Memorial Weekends have built on lots more FOMS friends for us and it has now become a real treasure in our lives. The wonderful atmosphere at all the events is tangible and long may it remain so. No-one needs to feel like the 'new' boy or girl as everyone is a welcome member of FOMS - it's by being a member that we can help the Chronicles come back to the foreground and Derek and Jeannie's name thought about and remembered for as long as possible. The Chronicles are too wonderful to be confined to dusty shelves and all generations can benefit from reading them.
This forum is a Wonderful Home on the Web for Minack and a great recipient for our thoughts, hopes and dreams. It's been a source of comfort for several of us when things have been less than great. So long may it reign and long may people on the same 'Wavelength' keep posting and making friends here.:)

[Jeniwren]

I'm finding this fascinating ~ reading posts/threads from the beginning of this Forum since I only joined in March this year. I got the impression that all of you actually knew each other before the Forum started as the conversation flowed so easily. I expect some of you did as in Gloria and Kath but it's really great to have these worldwide friends with similar interests.

Jen, are you Australian? You speak about an english accent and not having so much in common with Australians and yet I seem to think you are. Have you managed to visit Oliver Land since your original post?

Jane:cheer2:
Hi Jane, yes, I was born here in Oz. And as of yet I haven't been to Oliver Land. When I planned my trip to England last year I wasn't sure how I'd go travelling alone (I have fibromyalgia) and getting down to Cornwall alone seemed too much to ask, especially as I don't drive. I wan't very active on here either & didn't want to "intrude" to ask if there was anyone who could help me.

The English accent is an oddity, both my parents died when I was young so I have no real memory of how they spoke but it's extremely unlikely that either had an English accent....but I've had mine since I was at least 12...I was stirred at high school about it...so I'm a bit self conscious about how I sound.

[gloria townsin]

Jeni - please speak up another time, if we had been going to Cornwall while you were here we would have done our darndest to fit you in the car.......so another time let us all know, there's no harm in that and no-one would mind I'm sure.

[Linda]

Its it amazing how we all came together as we did and still do!
Our love of the books and what they are about is what draws likeminded people together and this is at thh heart of why we all chat so easily and the impression is given that we have known each other...friendships are then truly formed and when you meet in person you would never guiess you havent been meeting each other for years before...

says she who hasnt yet met anyone!

No Jane I havent....but i feel like I know everyone and have known them for donkeys....I dont think for a minute I would feel strange at a face to face meeting....in fact it would be good to chat without having to type and make so many spelling mistakes....I can actually say THE.....and not as I keep typing it TEH!....

I always tell everyone who joins about the genuine frienships and how friendly everyone is...and its good when they find it so....come on all those who just sit and read the posts each night wondering whether to join, it really is friendly and you really will enjoy yourself.

A big thank you to you all for joining and making the forum what it is!
:whoo::dance::whoo:

:hug: to you all!

[Jeniwren]

Jeni - please speak up another time, if we had been going to Cornwall while you were here we would have done our darndest to fit you in the car.......so another time let us all know, there's no harm in that and no-one would mind I'm sure.
Thank you Gloria.....there's no way I'll sit back and hesitate now...as soon as I know when we're next coming home everyone here will know immediately ;) :)