Wednesday 9 September 2009

The Day I Met Judy Gardland

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As you will know from my previous entry, today is my Birthday - 09/09/09. I hope that this unusual date will be very lucky for me in the coming year to my next birthday. My beloved Mike gave me the most wonderful present. I had not been able to wear my wedding ring for quite a few years as it no longer fitted me and I had never had an eternity ring and he knew I wanted one. So here is the present that he gave me, not one but two beautiful rings:-

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I also received a beautiful bunch of flowers:-

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Now, to the heading of this posting. It was many a long year ago that I was to encounter this star. It is an experience that I have never forgotten. Of course, I looked very different back then. My hair was much longer and it was curly and auburn in colour. It was also in the days when I could get out and about.


We were on holiday at the time and came across this new attraction. Of course we just had to pay our money and go inside. I had no idea then that I was going to meet and get closely acquainted with Judy Garland.

Mike had his video camera with him and got some film, although it is very short. It has remained on that tape throughout all the intervening years being viewed now and then. However, VHS tape does deteriorate. No matter how well you store it, no matter at what temperature and even if you hardly view, tape will eventually destroy itself just as it has done with many of the old movie films.

Until quite recently it was impossible to transfer VHS tape to disc and then onto your computer and put into a format that you could view on a journal. Thanks to hours of hard work from our Dean, he has managed to single out that piece of film, and put it into the correct format.

So now I can share it with you all. Do you want to see Judy Garland and myself? Are you ready? Then here we go:-






O.K. I will come clean. For a bit of fun I led you all up the garden path. Yes it was Judy Garland but not the Judy Garland. That Hollywood star had left us twenty years before but the keepers at this newly established wildlife centre had named her that because she was the star attraction!

I have never been frightened or worried about snakes although I might not be so keen on the venomous kind. In fact I find them fascinating and beautiful creatures. I had another type of snake around my neck many years previously when I was still at school. I would dearly have loved to have brought Judy back home with me!

The film was taken at a place called Tropiquaria in Somerset. As I said, it was only recently opened when we visited but they had great plans for it and those plans have come to fruition. It has since gone from strength to strength, been given an award and has a wonderful collection of exotic creatures and much for children to do.

It was an experience that I truly loved and will always remember. As far as I know and as snakes are long-lived creatures, Judy is still there and many will have held her since I did. If you want to know when the film was taken it was in August 1989.

Well, the family will be over later so I had best away and make the most of my birthday. Another year older and deeper in debt as they say.

Until the next time, dear friends and readers.


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32 comments:

  1. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday, enjoy your special day. Nice to see the film clip of you and Judy Garland - I remember that hairstyle well! lol. Lots of Love Becky, Dean, Nathan & Daniel XXXX

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  2. A very Happy Birthday to you! What a delightful experience you had with JUDY. I love how you were able to get the film on for us to see. What a good time you all must have had there. I hope your day is full of Sunshine and Smiles!
    'On Ya'-ma

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  3. Wishing you a very happy birthday and many many more to come.

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  4. A very happy birthday to you Jeannette and what lovely gifts from Mike. (They certainly broke the mould when he was born!) I don't know how you could pose like that with a snake! Made me shiver. Loved the hair by the way, you were a little stunner back then (well still are!)
    Eileenx

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  5. Wishing you a Very Happy Birthday.

    Charlene

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  6. A very Happy Birthday darling. Glad you like the presents. I love you with all my heart. Despite all the problems we have encountered across the years, I would marry you all over again. In my heart always. God bless you and many happy returns. P.S. I do not even mind you calling me "him indoors"

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  7. !!!!!!!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!
    too funny about Judy...loved the video...love hearing your voice...the gift Mike gave is beautiful too!
    !!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!
    XOXOXOX

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  8. =) Happy Birthday =)!!!
    I love your ring set!! How nice of Mike! Happy Birthday, too, honey!! May you have a wonderful year! I loved watching you and Judy. I'm not afraid of snakes either. I used to be, but my son owned a couple of them and I made myself get over my fear. There are sweet, calm creatures. Again, happy birthday!! Oh, one more thing, I would be delighted and honored if you would plug Joy in the Rain. Glad it is making you laugh =)!! Hugs and love, Val xox

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  9. Happy Birthday, love the rings and the flowers are so pretty. Love the snakes.

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  10. Happy Birthday Jeannette. That was a great video. I loved your voice. You were a beautiful lady. That was great that Dean was able to transfer that over. Great gifts from Mike. No snakes for me though LOL. Hugs, Helen

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  11. A very Happy Birthday Jeannette ,and many many happy returns of the day ,The rings Mike bought you are really lovely ,and what a treat to see you and the snake ,have a lovely day with the family ...love Jan xx

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  12. Happy Birthday! what a great video and cool experience with Judy. thanks for sharing. hugz!

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  13. Oh you tricked me, lol.... How wonderful Dean was able to transfer the video from VHS... we have a DVD recorder but have not figured out how to use it yet.... and how wonderful the video is of you with Judy... I could never hold the snake, lol...
    Have a wonderful, wonderful Birthday!! :)

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  14. Happy Birthday! What lovely rings from Mike.

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  15. Even though it wasn't the Judy Garland I was expecting to see, what a delight seeing you and how happy you were. Have a beautiful birthday Jeannette, hope you have many wonderful birthday memories to cherish in your heart forever.

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  16. I love your beautiful ring and your flowers are so lovely!!!! Happy Birthday!!! That's cool about Judy Garland... you had me going there. LOL
    Lisa in Kentucky

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  17. Hi Jeannette hope you had a lovely day and I send best wishes to you again. Your rings are beautiful clever hubby he knew what you would like. Now the snake that is my phobia I am terrified of them even on the telly so there is no way you could pay me enough to do what you did there. One other thing the hair may be different but the voice is still the same. Love Joan

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  18. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday...and many more! Your rings are beautiful, what a lovely surprise.

    I LOVE the video! You are just so cool and seem as though it is an every day thing to have a snake slithering about your neck!!! Amazing! Judy may very well still be out there somewhere. Thanks for sharing this - I was so looking forward to it!
    xxx
    Lisa

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  19. grrrrrrrrr......you fooled me! but it was all in fun. you are such a beauty, then and now.

    thanks for sharing this with us.....but beware, we might be getting even lol.

    regina

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  20. ok, now on to more important stuff.....
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU......
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU......
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JEANNETTE......
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU......

    AND MANY MORE........

    BEAUTIFUL RINGS....YOU ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A HIM LIKE HIM. BUT HE IS EVEN LUCKIER TO HAVE YOU.......

    HUGS,

    REGINA

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  21. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!

    I HOPE IS FILLED WITH FUN AND LAUGHTER!!

    I LOVE THE VIDEO!! You look so comfortable with "Judy"... I don't think I could ever be that comfortable with a snake!

    Hugs - Julie

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  22. BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES JEANETTE!!

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  23. Happy belated birthday, Jeannette. Your rings are beautiful. And the Judy Garland video was great fun. You do have the most interesting journal. I hope you never stop writing. Linda in DC

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  24. Happy belated birthday, Jeannette. I didn't realize that you share a birthday with my son, Tim. He is 42 now, and I intend to tell him he has to live up to your standard, now.

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  25. Happy belated birthday wishes from me as well, dear Jeannette! I'm still having problems with my router/AOL broadband so I'm on and off the Internet in the last few weeks. It's a real nightmare. Love your rings and your video. Hope you spent a lovely day. Hugs. Ciao. Antonella

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  26. I would have known you anywhere. Happy Birthday across the Pond.

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  27. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! What a lovely hubby you have! You looked lovely in the video, love your hair! I have a ball python snake, she is a lovely creature.
    Hugs

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  28. Jeannette,
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. I KEPT WAITING FOR JUDY GARLAND TO SIT BESIDE YOU AN PET THE SNAKE, THANKYOU FOR STOPPING BY AND LETTING ME KNOW YOU ENJOY MY BLOG. WOW 9-9-09 AND SEPTEMBER AND WEDNESDAY EACH HAVE 9 LETTERS,THIS IS GOING TO BE A BLESSED YEAR FOR YOU MY FRIEND,
    ENJOY, CANT WAIT TO READ ABOUT IT
    JOHN

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  29. happy birthday jeannette.great video.lol.take care,love mort xx

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  30. Dearest Jeanette, Happy Happy Birthday!
    And Congrats on having a great husband how bought you such a beautiful eternity ring and flowers!
    I am so happy you wrote about it!
    I'm so happy to know you Jeanette!
    Love,natalie
    p.s. please come by and write a comment on my tributes for heroes and victims of 9/11!
    love,natalie
    I love your comments on my blog!

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