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"longer off topic comments" - Episode 38 Life Outside Ambridge
"longer off topic comments" - Episode 38 Life Outside Ambridge
Whitney Museum Chairs
Life outside Ambridge
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Life in Ambridge
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GG - I replied to your comment in the close post.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I actually wrote him a letter when I was at high school but he didn't reply. The swine!
DeleteReally looking forward to seeing New York again - Spent the summer there in '95 and last went in '98. And looking forward to meeting you of course! Will of course firm up details later...
NY has changed a lot - Chelsea where the Whitney is you will not recognize! The Hi-Line and the walk along Hudson River are not to be missed. Hope for warmer temperatures when you are here. I love eating at the Cookshop. Been there a while, but I still like it. Saw Jennifer Lopez there once with her family.
DeleteAmazement on those who climbed to top of Kilimanjaro.
ReplyDeleteI am back home - this morning woke up to 14 deg F, a 60 deg difference :(
ReplyDelete🥶
DeleteLanjan - just a quick reply to your good wishes re Kilimanjaro - it’s actually my son-in-law, ‘Welsh Dave’, who is doing the climb. Regarding Heathrow, we got him there at the appointed time of 3pm for a 5pm departure but the plane was 4 hours late getting in from Nairobi so he had a very long wait! Just seen a photo on Facebook from his hotel room from where they set off. The mountain looks huge! Well done to your son for making it!
ReplyDeleteSeasider .......how about petit Claire in newholm. It’s off the A171 on the way near Whitby. It’s a nice homeware place in the middle of nowhere with a lovely cafe. Must check opening times. I went a few weeks ago with Mr PtbY on a Sunday....it was shut.
ReplyDeleteHave you been there before cowgirl?
I’m flexible regarding time. What ever suits you two and I’ll probably get there. Always time for coffee and cake. ☕️🍰
Penny Clare. I’m a muppet!🤭
DeleteOpen 9-5 every day bar Sunday. Free parking!!
DeleteI’m open to other suggestions though.
Never been, but the cakes are supposed to be very good, any day bar the 14th this month would be fine by me.It is well signed Seasider so easy to find, just down the road from me!
ReplyDeleteName your day and time, I will be there.
The cafe looks perfect. How does Monday 18th sound? I do have various deliveries and work to organise but hopefully I can keep this free, if it suits you both. 11am? 12 noon? What is best for yourselves?
DeleteAnyone else who wishes is of course welcome but another north and/or south meet up can be arranged in better weather later in the year. I will certainly be travelling up and down a fair bit.
Monday would be fine by me, no problem with either time, will sort animals before I come.
DeleteBugger....you won’t believe it but I’m away staying in harrogate overnight that day!
DeleteI’m free 21,22,23rd
27,29th
April 2,3,4,5,6th.
I’m very sorry. Didn’t realise I had so much on the end of this month.
Hope one of these dates suits you both.
No problem at all. Early April would be good for me. I’d probably choose the Tuesday but if no good for Cowgirl I can manage most of the other dates.
DeleteOk. I’ve pencilled in Tuesday 2nd April at the mo.
DeleteTuesday the 2nd fine by me, just let me know the time.
Delete👍 brill.
DeleteExcellent 🤗
DeleteDoes anyone else watch the Great British Sewing Bee?
ReplyDeleteI love it.
I stopped sewing as it was cheaper to buy, than to make.
I donated my sewing machine to an African charity. The machines are then re-vamped and go to various places, to teach others the art of sewing and help.
DeleteStill knit though, and just love it. Now that is cheaper than buying, as quality is far superior.
DeleteNot clever with my own hands Miriam but love to the watch “The Sewing Bee” . Clever people even so the time constraints really put the pressure on! 🤭
DeleteHow I hate BBC Sounds. All the progs. I downloaded, are now lost. Much prefer i-player.
ReplyDeleteI have been doing an experiment, downloading the same programmes on both apps, and i-player is so much more superior.
Shame it is going soon. 😔
“If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it” I say. All that money on launching Sounds and Archer fans angry because it keeps playing really old episodes, or so I read yesterday by someone famous ( can’t remember who) who is furious regarding just this issue!
DeleteIt was good old Boris’s sister who edited The Lady but have forgotten her Christian name. She is a Johnson though!
DeleteRachel
Delete
ReplyDeleteSchools are complaining that they have no money and parents are having to chip in .
One way where money can be saved would be on school dinners.
When I was at school ,the only choice we had was whether we ate what was put in front of us or whether we didn't
There was no choice and little waste.
Nowadays there must be so much food wasted.
Not too long ago I went to a Reception and although I am not a vegetarian I asked if there was a vegetarian option.
The waitress replied that I could have the meal without the meat!
Back to the schools
Why don't they do one hot meal ,one cold meal and one vegetarian meal?
Agree Lanjan. My primary in the 1950s had no dining room so we had oil-cloth tablecloths which were taken out of a cupboard where they were rolled up and laid over each pair of desks. We then collected cutlery from baskets from our class teacher then waited to be called.
DeleteWe collected a plate and passed along a row of tables where the cooks would have huge saucepans of stew etc, potatoes and another vegetable and gravy if needed. All freshly cooked that morning.
Pudding followed the same pattern.
If you didn't like what you were given you went hungry so everyone ate it up.
Only the children who lived really close to the school were allowed to go home for dinner.
The cost of a meal was about 10d when I was in primary but it went up to 1/- (shilling) when at the grammar school. Again you had what was cooked by the cooks, no such thing as packed lunches.
Everyone had school dinner at primary school, all freshly cooked on the premises and no choice. The dinner ladies - all female - and teachers watched closely and wouldn’t allow anyone to leave their food, so no waste. I can’t say I enjoyed much of it. I went through a period at about 10 years old when I struggled to eat them and my teacher made sit on her table and eat a small portion every day. The portion was fine but her manner was very patronising and unpleasant. I went home for dinner (northern lunch) when I got to secondary school.
DeleteBut aren't school dinners subsided these days for those who need it. For some children - it is the only meal they eat on a daily basis, as some parents do not have the income to provide a healthy + nutricious daily meal for their children.
DeleteThere are my differing thoughts to this discussion/thoughts.
Some schools do free breakfast clubs, so kids can start school with the necessary nutrition.
I remember when School Dinners were 2/11 a week.
DeleteIe 7d a day.
When my children went to school they didn't have a choice either.
I was called in because although my elder son ate virtually everything he refused to eat custard.
Tapioca, semolina, liver, steak and kindney pudding, ...
DeleteTapioca, frog's spawn, hated it.
DeleteMy Mum and her friends used to hide the 'frogspawn' under the oilskin tablecloth. Or store it in their cheeks hamster-fashion and spit it out outside.
DeleteHer aunt, the headmistress, used to sit eating her vegetarian sandwiches whilst they ploughed their way through whatever delights the cooks had served up for the day.
Miriam, I enjoy watching the Sewing Bee as I am interested in what the contestants choose to make, but I am not a sewer. I spent so long making a very simple nightdress at school it didn’t fit when I had finished. I have recently bought some wool as I used to knit years ago. I learned after university as it was a great antidote to exams. I stopped when I moved south as it seemed too mild to wear thick hand knitting. Actually the wool I have now has been taken backwards and forwards on holiday without getting started. I think my northern house might just be the catalyst I need to get started again.
ReplyDeleteI was a good sewer but now not more. I find knitting relaxing, and always wear my creations, as do the younger members of my family, which I do for them, with love.
DeleteJust starting an chunky aran jacket for a Gt.Nephew in OZ, ready for the Autumn/Winter soon to be " down under".
DeleteI get so confused with the seasons there + here.
I knitted a wool jumper with bat wing sleeves out of Wendy chunky wool in the early 1980s
ReplyDeleteShortly after knitting it a top on a bottle of baby bottle sterilising liquid was loose in Sainsbury's Supermarket and a tiny drop of liquid fell on the jumper.
The Manager was standing near by and insisted on giving me compensation.
It was far too much and I said so but she said a lot of work had gone into the making of it so I must take the money.
I managed to sort things out by sort of darning with stem stitch so it didn't show.
I had some wool over so knitted a tank top.
About 16 years ago I unravelled both and made a long cardigan/coat from the wool.
It is in a soft maroon/heathery sort of shade.
I wore it this morning.
It still looks good and receives compliments.
I don't think it owes me a penny.
If we meet at Waterloo in April /May I will no doubt wear it then.
ReplyDeleteI can no longer knit, my fingers are too arthritic, but I can sew. My great niece and nephew both went to school on world book day in dressing up clothes I had made, Peter Pan and a Bear. I usually make them an outfit for Christmas, I could buy cheaper, but the quality isn't there. My G nephew often spends days in his outfits. I make him shirts too as so many boys clothes are so drab.
ReplyDeleteI worked as a lunch aide during elementary and middle school so I can get free lunches. Regular mike was free (and non of that low fat, 2% fat, just regular fat milk) and 5 cents is you wanted chocolate instead. The lunch ladies (that's what I used to call them) would give me a peanut butter cookie, hot out of the oven. They were so delicious. Of course, there wasn't an awareness of peanut allergies then.
ReplyDeleteAnd what's more Ruthy, we never heard of anyone dying of a peanut allergie !
DeleteI can knit and sew, but don't do either very much.
ReplyDeleteMy mum always made her own clothes and even tried tailoring as she aged.
Until Twiggy came along we ' smaller' girls had to buy our clothes from C&A children's department or make our own. I made my own until I got married then I made household furnishings and kiddie stuff. Eventually I gave up.
Until not so many years ago I was still dragging out a huge black sweater that I had knitted when I was seventeen and in my beatnik period. I think it eventually became a cat blanket.
In a knitting box ( still in storage) there is the last thing I knitted, which was for a girlfriend, but which never got sewn together, sometime in the late eighties. With luck I will unpack it in time for it to be sewn up and fit my grandson.
I started an embroidery group in London about twelve years ago. I still get their emails, still going strong. I also started a degree course in Embroidery, but didn't last long.
I'm making dog bedding right now. Taking apart old duvets and remodelling them for Lady to be comfortable.
I do spend a lot of time browsing Pinterest though !
I have just bought a new to me Ercol suite for my work room on e bay, by the time I have finished the new loose covers (next winters project ) you wont be able to tell the difference between my under £400 suite and a new £5,000 one
ReplyDeleteYou are a girl after my own heart Cow Girl.
DeleteWell done.
I'm in awe.. most of my belongings are held together by safety pins.
ReplyDeleteI still knit myself winter jumpers though I find my thumb is getting sore. I envy people who can sew and crochet as I can't do either. I have tried looking on crochet sites for left handed people but can't get the hang of it. My late Italian mother in law was brilliant at all three crafts and made some wonderful clothes for my children.
ReplyDeleteMy sister recommends Crochet Unravelled: https://www.waterstones.com/book/crochet-unravelled/claire-e-bojczuk/9780954829605
DeleteIt has left- and right-handed instructions side by side.
We're both left-handed but I knit and crochet right-handed. I found the book very straight-forward although I didn't finish it. I still prefer knitting because I can knit without looking while I'm travelling. (Although moss stitch in a dark car can be a challenge!)
Thank you. I'll have a look.
DeleteMy husband and I both wore home made clothes for our wedding. His mother (an excellent seamstress) made his suit and I made my dress. It was all we could afford!
ReplyDeleteI made my own wedding dress.
DeleteThe stress levels whilst making it nearly caused the dress to end up in the bin and the wedding to be called off!
To be fair, I was long-term ill on top of all the usual wedding nerves. And the dress *did* get made (with Mum's help to add an extra panel because I'd sewn the piping seems too wide), the wedding *did* go ahead, and we're still going strong : )
As some of you may know from the old BBC blog days, I am a very enthusiastic and dedicated knitter. However, most of my knitting has always been for the various grandchildren. The English ones are now too grown up and sophisticated to want to wear grandma-knits and the boys in Dubai don’t need jumpers!
ReplyDeleteSo, what to knit now? I recently finished a king-size throw for our bed, which has been a boon on cold nights. Mr A has dozens of pullovers and sweaters. So there is just me...and I have never knitted for myself as when I was very large, hand knitted garments looked awful.
Any suggestions for a new knitting project to keep my arthritic hands flexible?
If you'd like something small, you could try glove puppets.
DeleteI knit them for the Christmas shoeboxes. Lots of patterns here:
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/occuk/occ-knitting-patterns/
My husband's Mum used to knit him lovely jumpers - one of tem is still going strong years later. The only one I've knitted for him, after several hints, was Action Man sized (on purpose, I should add!) ; )
I knitted some small animals for my granddaughter and ended up doing them for all of her class of 26 plus the teachers. I did enjoy it but can only knit in the winter months as it is too hot in the summer.
DeleteArcherphile - A couple of hospitals in my area have started a project of hand-knitted or crochet blankets in bright colours. Someone has discovered that individual brightly coloured blankets have improved the well being of elderly patients especially ones with dementia. One reason is that it helps them to identify their own bed when they have to leave it for the toilet so it doesn't cofuse them and amazingly it also has reduced injuries from falls because they believe that the patients can see the edges of the beds better.
DeleteThe blankets are made from new wool (hygiene reasons) and when the patients go home they take their blankets with them.
My sister and I are knitting 6" squares which will make a patchwork blanket when sewn together. We used to do this many years ago when our Grammar school had a competition between forms as to who could make the most blankets which were then sent to the East End Mission (in London.)
I bought a large spool of wool from Aldi for £4.39 and I reckon I will get at least 10 squares out of it. We'll see!
Perhaps there is a Home or hospital in your area which does the same?
Going back a bit, to the comments about schools being so short of money:
ReplyDeleteI was shocked to hear, on the news this morning, that our government are going to give £400,000,000 to Syria, a country that has been at civil war for 8 years.
It was going to be £200, 000,000 but has now been doubled
Yet we cannot afford to give more money our schools, or our police.
I’m sorry if I sound uncharitable but I stongly feel that such a huge sum, or even just part of it, should be spent on giving our schools the money they so badly need and the police the resources they need to fight the rising levels of knife crime.
I am not a particularly political person, have no strong allegiance to any political party, have voted for different parties throughout my life according to the circumstances at the time, but I feel this decision is wrong. Our own country’s needs should come first.
I shall now get down from my soap box.
I so agree! You hear of corruption in these countries and some living the high life while others starve. It seems wrong to dish out large amounts to other countries while some parts of our own economy are struggling. We went to India a few years ago and the poverty was chilling but alongside there was obvious wealth and you wonder at the contrast and how the elite can’t see the misery around them. We decided we could do little about it but on our return we took up sponsorship of a little girl in Patna. She is now 12 and is being well looked after by World Vision. From her photos she is very much healthier than the poor little scrap we started off with!
DeleteI’m with you. I’m sorry but we should look after this country first because it’s going to the dogs. I’m not political either really. I just know that it should be charity begins at home at the moment.
DeleteConsidering India had a space program.....we should not send them any foreign aid. They should look after their own.
I sound heartless but really spend the money on our nhs, police and schools.
Off me soap box now.
Ev and PtbY - thank you for responding to my post in like vein. I was very dubious about mentioning this huge donation to Syria on here in case it caused offence.
DeleteBut I was so furious when I heard about it on this morning’s Today programme, after listening yesterday to a head teacher, on the same programme, listing all the things her school cannot provide for their pupils due to lack of funds.
In particular, that she only has £1.50 per pupil, per year to spend on science equipment !!
✔️ Agree with all of the above
DeleteA small atonement perhaps for the civilians killed by the air bombardment in Raqqa etc.
DeleteRuthy, those chairs look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteBut they need some cushions to make them comfy. Perhaps CowGirl and Mrs P could sew some.
After CowGirl has finished her Ercol suite, of course, and perhaps made cushions for my Ercol rocking chair which has given up hope of me making any ...
Archersfan,I have an idea for you.
ReplyDeleteGoogle "St Mungos woolly hat day."
I don't know if they do it every year but in 2014 I knitted woolly hats for homeless people from the pattern you can download .
I used to love home made knitted jumpers and assumed my sons would too until my elder son when still at junior school asked me if he could have a "cotton " jumper by which he meant a bought machine knitted one.
Before he was born I knitted two ply woollen vests for him.
Took ages to knit.
Perhaps wearing them put him off hand knitted clothes.
My Mum used to be very jealous of a girl in her class who had lovely knitted jumpers. (My Granny didn't knit.) Funnily enough, this girl hated them and wished she could have shop-bought ones!
DeleteMum used to make all my sister's and my dresses when we were growing up. They were lovely, don't know how she found the time.
LJ - you have reminded me of when I knitted many cotton string vests for various men in my life.
DeleteThen of course there were the crochet dresse of the sixties.
One of my husbands aunts was brilliant at crochet, so I got her to make me my white crochet dress, which I wore in Paris.
I was mobbed by Parisian men and my photographer husband just laughed and snapped away !
I had always claimed that if I did have children ( I never wanted any ) they would not be dressed in pink or blue knitted baby clothes.
They weren't !
If it was knitted it had to be in yellow, but that same aunt crocheted navy blue dresses and romper knickers that I designed.
Mine was the best dressed baby in the Chelsea Kings Road.
Thanks for the suggestion Lanjan. I will do just that.
DeleteAnd I have also heard that our hospital needs tiny clothes for premature babies.
I shall be able to use up some of my mountain of left-over yarns 😊
As did my Mum for us 3 girls, plus for herself and jumpers for Dad. That's how I learnt to knit + sew, so could help. She was a wonderful Mum, along with learning cooking tasty meals on a budget.
DeleteArcherphile, the Embroidery group that I started in London and still going strong now do 'chicks', presumably for Easter for Trinity Hospice.
ReplyDeleteAlso I've noticed over the years, that the shops in Teaching Hospitals, have hand made neo - natal knitted clothes for the prem babies.
Perhaps you can research what might be required in Winchester or Southampton ?
Or how about knitting small jumpers for your local food bank.
I donate some good but no longer wanted clothes which are not good enough for a charity shop, to Oxfam, via the container in a Supermarket car park.
DeleteThese are of use after a disaster eg Grenfall, when many are left with nothing. Wonderful knits would be welcomed to sell in their retail shops or go elsewhere wherever needed.
What about mens jumpers to go to The Salvation Army, to help the many homeless on our streets.
We were typing at the same time Archerphile !
ReplyDeleteThere you go, your local hospital needs your needles to be busy.
Oh dear. Sorry to be disagreeable, I think the overseas aid is great, but could be more, we are the sixth wealthiest nation in the world, the NHS and schools' poverty has been manufactored by our austerity-loving politicians, I think David Cameron started the downward trend. I agree that that public services need more money, (my son is a fire-fighter), and as a nation we can afford it AND foriegn aid.
ReplyDeleteSorry but I have to disagree. I would so much prefer monies going into the NHS, so cutting waiting lists for procedures (I have been waiting for nearly 9 months now), providing homes + shelter for the homeless, food + heat for those on the poverty line - be it senior citizens or families. Many have paid taxes to HMRC for years but can then end up with nothing. Why should the UK subsidise other countries, when our own has so many problems?
DeleteSoap Box is being put away for the short term.
Must add my 9 month wait for a procedure, has been from the initial GP referral,(June 2018) but have had interimn hosp appointments. Its been long, and has affected my life dramatically as am a single home owner.
Delete.....plus the last time I was able to go to visit family, was on Dec. 30th.2018
DeleteHopefully this will change soon.
I think I'd rather put up with the problems of this country than be stuck in a refugee camp. Charity does indeed *begin* at home; but it shouldn't end there. The people our aid goes to help are fellow human beings who largely didn't choose to get caught up in conflict / drought / natural disaster, etc. Yes, there is corruption sometimes at high levels and this needs addressing. But in the meantime, people are dying ...
DeleteOf course, if we weren't spending a fortune divorcing the EU there might be more money available for home *and* abroad.
Weddings. 4 weeks today my niece + partner will marry in Melbourne OZ, where they live. Sadly no family members have been invited - so there will be no parents, siblings, to enjoy + witness this wonderful event. Guests are just friends from Sydney, Tonga + Melbourne. Many family members are very upset - but bride + groom are doing things how they want. So be it.
ReplyDeleteAt least Tom + Natasha had family with them, on their Wedding Day.
I appreciate how you feel Miriam. My son and French daughter in law (the ones in Dubai now) had such difficulty in trying to arrange a wedding in France that both sets of family could attend, that they decided to go and married in South Africa with no family in attendance! I was heartbroken not to be there on their big day. We could have afforded to fly there but nobody else in the family could, so it was thought best we shouldn’t go.
DeleteThey had a marvellous day, phoned us immediately after the ceremony(I was in buckets!) and sent loads of photos - but it was not the same as being there.
It's hard when this situation happens. I just hope that someone does a video, and then posts it, so all those in UK can see the wonderful event.
DeleteI use Google Chrome. I have seen an urgent post, in that this needs to be updated ASAP - as hackers have a way to access the excisting Google Chrome. so gaining personal data. My worry is is this - if I update, will this then be detrimental?
ReplyDeleteNot sure what to do, but I do have an expensive security data protection enabled.
Any help would be appreciated.
Shouldn’t like to advise, Miriam. I only use Google Chrome for accessing this blog, nothing else. I have not had a post about it. I should be very cautious in case it is a scam. Could you perhaps Google to see if there have been any negative/warning reports?
DeleteTry Firefox instead : )
DeleteHave also seen that, can't comment, still dreaming of Mrs P's 60's dress!
ReplyDeleteLots of us had them Parsley.
DeletePerhaps Ruthy can find an image on the internet !
You have made me laugh.
I’ve read about chrome in the daily mail. Personally I think it’s another scare tactic. I checked my chrome and it was already up to date.
ReplyDeleteI’m just gonna carry on as usual.
My thoughts also. Thanks for your reply.
DeleteI had a blue knitted dress and a white crocheted dress when I was a teenager in the sixties, loved them both. Brings back many memories!
ReplyDeleteI think my most favourite ' clothes ' memory was my Schiaparelli Pink Plastic Mac circa 1957.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I have retained a vivid memory of me standing in the early morning drizzle on Beckenham Park/ Southend Lane railway station waiting for the train to Holborn Viaduct.
I was fifteen, and working in the city.
Archerphile, something popped up on my screen this evening, that might suit you.
ReplyDeleteKnitted boobs for breast cancer sufferers.
I can't copy it on here but I would think you could google it.
I will try myself and report back.
Found it.
ReplyDeleteKnitted knockers
Hilarious. I know it’s serious but it made me laugh.
Delete"Found it. Knitted knockers."
ReplyDeleteQuote of the week MrsP! So beautifully random - if, like me, you sometimes read from the last comment up!
GG - I always read from the last comment up. Good for 🧠 to have to reconstruct events backwards.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mrs P - I remember, now, hearing about these some time ago. I’ll look up the pattern.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure what Mr A’s reaction will be when he asks what I’m knitting and I reply ‘Knitted Knockers’! 😂
Re the discussion on the other blog about Mrs Dale’s Diary, I listened to the episode on u tube from 1958. It was interesting to hear the characters speaking in that clipped and very posh accent. When did we lose that way of speaking? Maybe in the swinging sixties! During the early part of her reign it was exactly the way the Queen spoke in her speeches, very different from the way she speaks today. I find it difficult to listen to and take seriously now but we must have accepted it in the 50’s. How interesting that these changes creep up gradually over the years! The episode was followed on by a vintage TA where the characters including good old Walter were gathered in The Bull and had a sing song. I wonder whether the current actors could rise to that occasion! Jack Archer was the landlord and I was reminded about how much comedy Walter brought to the program.
ReplyDeleteDid Uncle Tom sing his famous ´The Village Pump’, by any chance?
DeleteNo, he sang “when Jones’s Ale was new” requested by Walter Gabriel. There was also a quartet involving Christine, Doris, John Tregorran and someone else and a young man, Jimmy Grange I think who sang with a guitar. I don’t remember him but by 1958 we had TV at home and no longer list need to TA. It occurred to me that Ruthy might have difficulty understanding Walter Gabriel as I had to concentrate!
DeleteOh AP I will be singing The V P all day now 😂
ReplyDeleteMe too Lady R. Wish I’d never mentioned it now! 🎼 🎹 😲
DeleteBoth my father and younger son worked in The City Mrs P.
ReplyDeleteI think you were working there mid way between when they were working there.
I should have added that my father was not in Banking but started working in Paternoster Row near to St Pauls Cathedral at the age of 14 .
ReplyDeleteOn the Friday before he was due to leave school (his bithday month was July) the Headmaster apparently came into his classroom and told him to go home and tell his mother that somebody from Hutchinson's the publishing house had come in to ask if the school had anybody suitable for work as an office boy and he had been selected.
He started work the following Monday and loved it.
At the time of my Pink Macintosh, when I left Holborn Viaduct Station ( now a tube station) I had to walk through Spitalfields Meat Market.
ReplyDeleteI would take a very deep breath and hurry through as fast as possible to avoid the smell and the catcalls and wolf whistles.
How would today's flakey fifteen year olds cope with that baptism by fire I wonder.
I worked then in a printers in Clerkenwell.
My dad was also in the city as a foot courier with P&O.
My next job was as a trainee telephonist at The Lino Company 4 Old Bailey.
Sometimes dad and I would travel home on the same train.
We were not on the trains involved in the Lewisham disaster, but we were involved as all trains in South London were stopped that evening and we were tipped out into the peasouper fog and had to walk.
I remember standing at a bus stop in Catford, already having walked some distance, and the pavements swarming with people walking from different directions but all away from the crash, and wondering where my dad was, because I did not know whether we had been on the same train that night.
Mum probably worrying about where we both were, and no mobile phones in those days.
After a hard day's listening to football and eating all the leftover treats from our "Film Club" night, I am soaking in a bubble bath listening to 3 hours on 4Extra of BBC archive recordings of Sondheim interviews, anecdotes & excerpts from his shows. Mmmmmm. Life is good...
ReplyDeleteRangers or Celtic,Gary or shouldn't I ask.
ReplyDeleteA Liverpool connection with both.
Nominally Celtic Lanjan, but don't really follow Scottish football to be honest. Have got far, far more interest in the English premiership!
DeleteGood for you Gary.
DeleteMe too.
Good for you Gary.
DeleteMe too.
Mrs P, what wonderful news of Lady. Thank you for keeping us informed of progress.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I will ever be able to let Misty off the lead, she is such a chaser and like many daxies very stubborn. Gazza my last rescue dog was a chaser too, but I managed to sort him and he could walk through a field of sheep with his nose in the air! one of the rams currently in the field I wlak in stood up to Misty, not that I let her get hurt, but she seems to have forgotten it.
Lady is trying to ' rush' the cat now CowGirl. But she does respond to NO ! In a very strong voice.
DeleteBut for all I know she may well turn out to be a chaser.
I do hope not as a dog never off lead will not suit me at all.
I hope to get her to the vet this afternoon.
We have sheep in the field nearby, and next to the walkway, private drive, where I take her for her wee. But I do not go near them if they are at the top of the field.
She is more interested in getting her nose into the badger path !
Now I have her Mrs P I just have to try and work it out. Ido have a large garden where she can run.
DeletePerhaps making a little progress as she did stop chasing the cockerill, (otherside of the fence ) when I shouted NO this afternoon. Hope the vet visit OK
Over two mile walk there and back and perfect all the way.
DeleteWe had to cross the railway line too.
Let her off lead on a very steep path uphill, and we met two donkeys.
One the largest and most beautiful donkey I have ever seen with a magnificent coat.
She was very very good at the vets and took it all in her stride including having dew claws trimmed.
The worst part was the cost ! !
Bought an Adaptil collar. Hope it works.
Good luck with even a little progress. Better than none.
Adaptil collar hasn’t worked with Gypsy but she is rather neurotic! Will be interested to hear how Lady gets on with it! Good to hear about your progress and hope Puss isn’t too put out!
DeleteI put it on her at about seven this evening Ev.
DeleteShe has slept since, apart from eating her supper.
About to take her out for bedtime wee wees and a try with the car.
( tempting her in to it )
So we shall see.
GOOGLE CHROME NEWS
ReplyDeleteI have found out quite a bit about the Google Chrome ‘bug’ this morning from an advice email service I am signed up to.
Firstly, it is only known to affect Chrome users on desktop computers, not tablets or phones.
If you do use it on your desktop you need to check you have the latest update ;
Start up Chrome
Click the three little dots menu near the top right, select ‘help’ and then ‘About Google Chrome’
It will tell you if it is up to date and give you the option to update it now.
If it says it’s up to date, breath a sigh of relief, you are OK.
If it’s not, do allow the update, then breath a sigh of relief.
Apparently some Chrome users will have been updated automatically to remove the possible glitch so you could well be OK, but it’s worth checking.
This site I use issues a little, very friendly newsletter each week to help computer users and is written in a very simple language we can all understand. I very much recommend them.
They are published by The Helpful Book Company Ltd. and you can get the newsletters at:
Www.helpfulbooks.co.uk The chap that runs it is Tim Wakelin and he and his wife publish very helpful little instruction books on how to use all sorts of computers, phone, tablets etc . Ideal for non-technical surfers like some of us!
merci AP, all ok, useful info.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the info Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteI only use chrome on my phone so feel relieved. I’ve breathed a sigh of relief!!
Thanks from me too Archerphile. ✔✔✔
ReplyDeleteI saw the alert , but wasn't sure that up-dating wasn't the scam.
I use a desk top, as well as 'phone, so will look into it.
I still use my PC (6yrs old now) as it has a large screen and I much prefer to use a traditional and separate keyboard, with mouse. I did have a lap-top, but prefer the PC (Windows 10). It suits me and means I have to go upstairs to use and so keep computer use limited!
DeleteGlad to have been of help. I checked our desktop this morning and the update had been applied already, presumably automatically. It’s Mr A who uses the ‘proper’ computer, his large fingers can’t cope with my iPad, or a mobile phone - he keeps hitting the wrong keys!
DeleteMind you, it’s me that has to do all the virus checking, updating and routine maintanence - he’s hopeless!
Slightly off topic, but thinking about health issues in Ambridge..
ReplyDeleteJill, I believe has a thyroid problem, diagnosed many years ago and Joe has "Farmers Lung"
My thoughts are :-
Does anyone have diabetes, as all eat many cakes,
Does anyone have rheumatism/arthritis
Does anyone have mobility problems
Does the community shop, the Tea shop, the Bridge Farm shop, GG + LL etc etc have disabiillity access
Does anyone have an obesity problem.
Issues which I think should be addressed, though subtly but might be awarness to others.
Forgot -
DeleteThose with high cholesterol levels, so have to eat a low fat diet ie no fry-ups, pies and so on.
I have just listened to "Just a Minute".
ReplyDeleteWhy do we have to endure Gyles Bandreth - he spoils this wonderful radio programme for me - but that's my personal opinion.
I have never really enjoyed the show Miriam, but I only ever listen to it in passing if Gyles is on it! Couldn't stand him on TV or in parliament but for me he fits Just a Minute perfectly. It's Graham Norton I can't bear...
DeleteOh !
DeleteI enjoy Giles Bs drollery !
So do I, and Graham Norton !
DeleteI like Paul Merton. He recently did one where he said he had been stuck up a mountain with Nicholas Parsons and they had a long romantic evening ending with a kiss! NP was not at all phased by this and commented “ I remember it well!” Of course it was a load of nonsense but Paul lasted the minute and it gave me a good laugh! I also like Sheila Hancock and the general humour being bandied about. The other program I enjoy like this is “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue!”. Mornington Crescent is particularly challenging(!) and I love when they sing one song to the tune of another.
DeleteThat show annoys me so much because someone is being paid for inventing a game we played at Camp when I was in the Girl Guides.
ReplyDeleteWe called it “Just a minute”
Graham Norton was funny in Father Ted but like Claire Balding, I’m now sick of the sight of him! Funny how Claire is an expert on everything and even turned up at Crufts this year! The Papillon who won best in show was a delightful little dog and I also liked the one That came second called Mike and Dave the Boxer!
ReplyDeleteBut she's such an engaging presenter, Ev, loads of enthusiasm, well informed - breath of fresh air. I think she & Mary Beard, unalike in many ways, not least their subjects, have this in common : no ego.
DeleteYes, she is a good presenter, I agree on that but I just get fed up seeing her so much. Give others a chance!
DeleteEv, I so agree. The BBC often seems to do this. A presenter does well in a particular programme, as Clare Balding did with the racing, then they get moved to a different show and before you know what’s happening they are on TV Every 5 minutes until you get sick of the sight of them!
DeleteIt’s like all the programmes about rail travel recently. Michael Portillo did several of his Bradshaw rail journeys in Britain, then Europe, India, USA, Canada; followed by Chris Tarrant doing similar programmes on another channel, and now Tony Robinson has just started the same type of programme on Channel 5.
Some of these are very enjoyable but the format is getting very repetitive.
Michael Portillo is excellent in what he does.
DeleteHe is a great railway enthusiast
I. Just wish he were still an MP
I didn’t watch Tony Robinson’s programme .
As for Claire Balding- she knows about horses and pretends to know about other sports.
She is a good actress .
Perhaps she could become Alastair’s new assistant
In the US we are now on "Daylight Savings Time". When is that going to be in UK?
ReplyDelete31st of March for us in the UK Ruthy - makes a huge difference here in Scotland...
DeleteI love I’m sorry I haven’t a clue. But I just don’t understand Mornington Crescent. Is it really a game or just nonsense. Tried to google the rules but came up with nothing.
ReplyDeleteI do like Jack Dee hosting it but he’s not a patch on Humphrey Littleton.
I particularly like the different meanings of words in the OED and titles of books/songs that would appeal to a certain demographic.
Just not enough episodes in a series for me.
I listen to it in bed (headphones on) but get told off for laughing and waking up Mr PtbY. 🤣
I didn’t understand Mornington Crescent either until I realised it was just nonsense but don’t tell anyone!
DeletePsst, PtbY - Mornington Crescent is just nonsense! But don't tell anyone else...
DeleteHad the great pleasure to be in the audience for 2 recordings of it last year in Hull. Very funny evening!
Now I feel like a real daft sod!!!
DeleteNext thing I’ll be falling for that lottery win I’ve got in that African country......
Thanks for the tip off though.
Don't worry about it PtbY - It was only when I was in my late 30's that I realised that Groucho Marx's moustache was painted on! How I laughed and laughed!
DeleteReally???😯
DeleteWe went to a recording of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue with Humphrey Littleton as host shortly before he died. A brilliant evening, he even played his trumpet.
DeleteWe went to Tunbridge Wells Assembley Hall to see ISIHAC. It was a great laugh. When we came back to our seats after the Interval there was a kazoo on each seat so we could all join in the play along sing song at the end of the show.
DeletePTBY - Don't worry . It took me a while to 'get' Mornington Crescent and much longer to realise there was no 'Samantha!'
Spicycushion. No Samantha?!? I'm heartbroken ; )
Delete(I was in a school play once and early on I had one *very* small part - I later collected a few slightly less small parts as well. My sole performance would have been:
Boss: This is my secretary Jane
Me (secretary): Samantha!
To add insult to injury, one rehearsal the teacher forgot he'd already cast the part and tried to give it to somebody else : ( )
First time I went on the Northern Line through Mornington Crescent I was very tempted to hop off the train so I could say I'd actually been there!
ReplyDeleteWe send a themed family letter each Christmas. One year everything was related to Underground stations. The last paragraph was Mornington Crescent. Why? I'm sorry, I haven't a clue ; )
😆
DeleteThat is really interesting Old Woman.
DeleteI love the London Underground.
We have a lovely canvas printed map of the Underground hanging up (we also have one of central London)
I make my own greetings cards and last Christmas for my train mad son I did one which was based on the tube map.
So for example Mornington Crescent was Mornington Present,Kings Cross was Three Kings Cross,Hanger Lane was Manger Lane etc.
Since they had to be on the right tube lines it took ages.
I was thinking I could do something similar with places in Britain.
Haven’t done anything about it yet though.
Your map sounds great fun Lanjan.
DeleteMy Christmas cards are printed onto the back of my letter then folded up to make a card. They're usually black on a coloured background then get a bit of gold added into the design. Everyone gets the same. If I tried personalised ones the end-of-the-alphabet friends wouldn't get theirs until the following November!
PS I assume you've come across The Great Bear Underground Map:
Deletehttps://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/patterson-the-great-bear-p77880
No I hadn’t but I have just printed one out.
DeleteI understand what he has done and appreciate I am probably missing the point somewhere but do ,for example the entertainers chosen have some particular significance or were they just any entertainers particularly admired by the person who designed the map?
According to the blurb they range from the obscure to the well-known. I suppose part of the fun is finding stars who can fit on the interchange stations.
Delete😉
ReplyDeleteSo last night I tried to add 3 radio 4extra programmes to my radio list on iPlayer. Didn’t add them.
ReplyDeleteJust tried looking in sounds app and they are there. Looks like iPlayer app has had its day.
I’m going to have a session playing about with sounds app to see if I can get used to it.........looks like I’ll have to whatever.
Back to “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue.”
ReplyDeleteLove the programme .I don’t mind Jack Dee at all.
Years ago I think it was that programme (maybe not) where they had to give the titles of films that were being made as budget films.
My ideas then were “Three coins in a Fountain” could be remade as “A penny in a puddle”and “Little Women “ became “Tiny girls.”
Then there was the category “New Religious Book titles “
My idea was “A room with a pew”
Ok then so I have got an odd sense of humour
Excellent suggestions. 😁
Delete👏👏👏👏👏
Delete'The Three Musketeers' - 'Two Men with Pistols'
'Henry IV' - 'Henry the Quarter'
'Fiddler on the Roof' - 'Penny-Whistle Player on the Shed'
I liked the introductions to various balls. Particularly when Mr & Mrs Gordon-Something-Something arrived with their son Gordon.
Very good,Old Woman.
DeleteBack to cards. I design and print all my birthday cards for family and friends, trying to produce something personal to each person. But is is very expensive for the high quality card and, especially, the printer inks, so I don’t do that for Christmas ones.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago we started getting several Christmas ‘round robins’ from various friends with all their family news. So I started doing the same, until I realised that the friends letters were mostly boasting about their frequent, fantastic holidays, how brilliantly their children had done at school/university and the whole thing had become an exercise in keeping up with the Joneses.
So I stopped. And gradually, one by one, the others stopped too.
Except for one couple, who still send us a 4-page, closely typed treatise on what they have all being doing throughout the year. Each family member gets their own page and it is full of fascinating (!) detail such as how the husband exchanged his driving instructors car for a new model (including its price, colour and numberplate), how many times the wife had to go to the GP with an ingrowing toenail, and what colour their children had repainted their sitting rooms!
Honestly, I am not joking! Their letters have become so tedious that I can’t be bothered to read them any longer, but Mr A still manfully ploughs through (they are actually his friends, from many years back, though we haven’t seen them for about 40 years and have never actually met the children!)
I too make my own cards, but I do cross stitch. It is expensive Archerphile, but people do appreciate them. I tend to make the same one at Christmas, otherwise I would forget who had had what in previous years.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I am making little pictures for Easter gifts for the visiting children.
I made a friend some towels with her name on, on Aida bands, she was thrilled and always manages to put them on display when she has visitors. Such simple things give so much pleasure.
I cant be doing with such things as round robins, if you want to write do it personally.
I'm afraid ours *is* a round robin - I realised quite a few years ago that if I waited to have time to write individual letters our friends would never hear from us.
DeleteHowever, having read too many of the type you mention, mainly sent to my parents, I vowed to ensure we *don't* fall in to that category! The theme helps - we've done everything from Shakespeare titles to footwear to cheese. And I give my oblique sense of humour free range. It must be working because I haven't been disinherited yet.
I do always 'top and tail' them with names and personalised comments. With over 100 to do, this invariably means the second half of the alphabet goes out after Christmas. At least one of our friends now counts this as a Christmas tradition, receiving our letter to read over the turkey sandwiches. She was most disappointed when we said we'd try to be on time the following year. (We were late ...)
Oh, it also helps that we don't have frequent, fantastic holidays and the Joneses left us far behind long ago ...
DeleteThe smaller shoe-dwellers are doing OK though : )
I confine my Christmas letter to one page and leave room at the bottom for handwritten bits. I can’t be doing with long involved epistles of how little Johnnie got all A * s and Kevin swam the channel! It is disappointing to get cards with just love from and names as I do like to hear how their year has gone.
DeleteSorry, as nothing to with the current chat.
ReplyDeleteAm so excited tonight - as my 1st cataract op. is confirmed for Monday morning (but not sure my place on the list) but have to be there for 7.30am so will be setting 2 alarms to wake me up to get my taxi.
2nd cataract op. will be at least 3-4 months later- but will not be a major problem, as vision is still perfect (with aid of a contact) in that eye.
It's all been a long + boring wait, which has really affected my life-style. I can't wait for things to become more normal again, though I know vision will not be 100% as so short sighted. 🤓🤓
Great news Miriam. Will pray it's a complete success.
DeleteThanks, and I know things will be far better after. Onwards + Upwards -it is only a minor procedure, I know, but means a lot to me.
DeleteAll good wishes for Monday Miriam
DeleteHurrah! Looking forward to hearing how well it all went Miriam! If you know what I mean...☺
DeleteBest wishes, Miriam! On TA Jill did quite well with her op! It will make a lot of difference to you.
DeletePleased you have a date at last Miriam. All the best for early rising Monday.
DeleteArcherphile.
ReplyDeleteMany Thanks as I followed your knowledge. My Google Chrome is up-to-date, Phew!
Appreciated your post, which enabled me to find this out.
Again - Thanks a million.
Impending Storm Gareth.
ReplyDeleteKeep Safe All.
Small tree just blown over in the front garden! It is howling in Glasgow...
ReplyDeleteHere in West Cheshire, gales have just started and getting quite "wild" already. Weather warnings are now until late Wends afternoon, but don't need to venture out tomorrow.
DeleteWe had the gale late morning and it rained until mid afternoon. Went out with the dogs early but they did not much enjoy the walk as wind is not their thing! Surprisingly late afternoon the sun ventured out and the wind did drop. Another great day in paradise!!!
DeleteGood luck Miriam with your op. 🤞
ReplyDeleteAll the best for Monday, Miriam. You've had to wait, & it's very tedious, but, my goodness, you'll notice the difference, from all I've heard, after the op ! Will be thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you have got ‘the call’ Miriam, no more waiting hopefully,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to tell you that my next door neighbour had her first cateract operation 4 weeks ago, followed by the second eye last week. She recovered very quickly, despite quite a bit of eye watering and came in to see me today without wearing glasses - The first time in 35 years I have ever seen her without them! She is thrilled to have had both ops done and even the complication of having glaucoma has not prevented her from seeing perfectly again.
Miriam delighted for you I had both cataracts removed in 2013 so know what a difference it will make to you.
ReplyDeleteColours can seem over bright for awhile but such a quick op these days yet still miraculous all the same 👁 🤗
Good luck for your cataract operation Miriam
ReplyDeleteAll the best Miriam.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbour who had the op when she was in her 80s said that after she’d had it done she was amazed to see how lovely and bright everything was.
Good luck for Monday. I hope you are adept with eye-drops. Mr Nuts had one eye done recently, needed a vitrectomy afterwards ( draining of fluid in eye due to a “skin” forming on vitreous humor following cataract op) but everything now fine. Thankfully he still wears glasses as he looks totally wrong without them. His new lens is set for close work, reading/computer so he wears glasses for distance and pushes them up for close work.
DeleteWhen my father turned up without glasses I was really spooked, he’d worn heavy milk bottle thick glasses all my life it looked so weird.
All the best Miriam, my BiL had both eyes done, had also worn thick specs all his life, when we saw them in Melbourne last year I couldn't believe it! No glasses & his face had really opened up - a new man!
ReplyDeleteHope the op goes well Miriam. At last, after all your waiting ☺
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Miriam.
ReplyDelete.
Ruthy - will be in New York from 27th Mar - 01st Apr. Husband has decided to join me as the deal we found was almost too good to be true... If you would still like to hook up for a drink (tea or otherwise!), any day or night and anywhere will suit me just dandy!
ReplyDeleteInteresting experiences about cataract operations.
ReplyDeleteI was diagnosed with cataracts and had both eyes done about fifteen years ago now.
What I discovered was that the black spots did not disappear. I was told they are oil spots and don't go away, and I still find them very annoying.
I developed dry eyes almost immediately.
And I never noticed any change in clarity or colours.
I did see a change in nighttime driving, although it is now becoming difficult again, though not as bad as before the operations.
I have often wondered if I did have cataracts at all, or whether it was something else wrong, and I am now suffering with increasingly sore eyes almost all of the time.
However, not having to wear spectacles all of the time was a joy. I do have them for close work of course.
Thank You All so much - for all your wonderful messages.
ReplyDeleteI know my vision will not be 100% perfect afterwards, but will be so superior to what it is now.
Although anxious am also excited!
Thanks again for your wishes + support. 😻
Have just had a laugh as I have just received an automated message from hosp. reminding me as to hosp. admission for procedure. As if I would forget!!!
DeleteIt is only very minor, and nothing like Archerphile endured last year.
Miriam. Good luck for Monday.
ReplyDelete