this post is closed
Life outside Ambridge
Life outside Ambridge
Life outside Ambridge
Popular posts from this blog
Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments' - Episode 8 Life Outside Ambridge Beach Chairs
My favourite time of the year...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful scene Gary. Looks a bit cold for my raging cold. Am prompted to light a raging fire, just the sort of thing to do after a long walk in the autumnal sun.
DeleteExcept I’m sitting on the sofa feeling sorry for self and thinking about the stoicism of carolyn and Spicycushion.
Get that fire lit stasia! And I'm sure you could allow yourself a hot toddy or two during the daytime - in these horrid times I'm sure no-one on this earth could begrudge anyone feeling under the weather an afternoon of self pampering. And it would ALL fall under the umbrella of "medicinal"...
DeleteAha that explains why my last comment to Carolyn didn't post! Just said that I hope you get better soon and that I realise how painful it must be because years ago my tough farmer father had it and was in utter misery with it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful soothing picture Gary. There is something healing about tranquil streams.
Just noticed the falling leaves. It must have been Emily Bronte's favourite time of the year too because she wrote a poem called "Fall leaves fall" and one of the lines says: " every leaf speaks bliss to me".
ReplyDeleteWater moving over rocks, bright leaves and a chill in the air...... yes bliss.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gary.
Lovely here today too but for me the worst time of the year is coming up shortly.
ReplyDeleteFrom the end of October until approximately Remembrance Sunday we have continual fireworks going on.
Not only is it Halloween and Divali but also Guy Fawkes night (s )
This means constant firework displays.
Percy cat is scared of any noise and suffers terribly at this time.
He squeezes underneath my large desk and hides behind it.
Roll on 12th November.
Have you tried "Feliway" diffusers Lanjan? I've never heard anyone say that they didn't work.
DeleteArcherphile ,the final message on the last blog was addressed to you.
ReplyDeleteRe A Single thread.
GG, that's so lovely. Favourite time of year for me too, fire's crackling away in the grate post - rugby 😊
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary. .
ReplyDeleteI have heard of them so will check them out.
How I agree with Theresa May who in her speech today said “you can’t have a second referendum just because you disagree with the result of the first referendum.” It seems that remainers have done everything possible to prevent the will of the majority from being fulfilled. The uncertainty is so damaging to our country. What a relief it would be if the deadlock came to an end and they just got on with it!
ReplyDeleteI agree Ev. It seems we have become a society of sore losers. ...and not just about brexit..also Scottish independence and the furore when Trump was elected..even though all democratically done through referendums and elections
ReplyDeleteMay I add a contribution to Gary's gorgeous photo..🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍂🍂🍂🍁🍂🍂🍂🍁🍁🍁🍂🍂🍂🍂🍁🍁🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍂🍁🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
ReplyDeleteEv and Autumnleaves -
ReplyDeleteMuch as I may or may not have every sympathy with your statements, I feel that we have come to the almost overwhelming conclusion that these blogs are not the right forum for such discussions. As the administrator for this site I very, very rarely have to step in and gently steer the conversation away from certain subjects. I do not take such decisions lightly. I hope that you understand my position on this and that no offence or slight is meant in any way shape or form.
Sorry Garry you're absolutely right.. hope you enjoyed the leaves at least🐥🐥
ReplyDeleteThank you Autumnleaves, much appreciated - and I love all types of leaves...!
Delete(No political pun intended!)
Oh Gary just love your (moving) Autumn pic. Sheer bliss 🍁🍁🍁🍁
ReplyDeleteApologies everyone. Sheer frustration prompted my post but did not mean to go political, just that this is so important to us all.
ReplyDelete✔️ Understood Ev 🙂
DeleteThank you Ev - I too have been avidly watching events unfold all day. Been multi-screening Westminster, the rugby and things on the PC. Various levels of frustration all round methinks....
DeleteGary just out of interest would my comment on the last page at 12.01 p.m. count as being political ? I am genuinely not sure what is permissible and what isn't.
DeleteYour photo Gary reminds me of a beautiful walk we sometimes take in Glaisdale near me. The footpath runs through the wood with the river at the bottom, it is so clean you can see the salmon jumping as they go on their way to their spawning ground. Nature is so magical.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not just the landscape that's magical..the food that autumn brings is probably the best of the year...roasted chestnuts, wild mushrooms, mulled wine Apple and pear strudel and my favourite ..pumpkin risotto...heaven😊😊
ReplyDeleteI will try the pumpkin risotto as I think my vegetarian son would like it. We always carve a couple of pumpkins for Halloween ( our neighbour with the chickens does really beautiful intricate carvings ) and risotto would make a change from pumpkin soup, although that can be very nice.
DeleteLady R and Lanjan. (from last blog)
ReplyDeleteSorry, been v. busy all day and only just caught up! Changing loose covers on our lounge sofa and chairs, a very exhausting job, wrestling with yards of unco-operative fabric!
No, Lady R, I hadn’t seen about hip & knee replacements being done at The Royal Hants instead of Basingstoke in future. That’s quite a blow. Although we are equidistant to both hospitals, parking is horrendous at Winchester and very expensive. Perhaps they will keep outpatients still at Basingstoke & just send you to Winchester for the actual op.? Funnily enough, I’m going for my hip X-ray on Tuesday for the one year review, but I’m going to Alton (Mr A is giving me a lift on his way to Cardiac Rehab which is opposite the hospital). No car park charges there!
Lanjan- thanks for the warning about A Single Thread. I was going to get a copy to take on holiday but if it as boring as you say, I don’t think I’ll bother. I’d rather take the latest Ann Cleeves set in North Devon. As you say, there must be only so much you can write about embroidery. I didn’t read her other book ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ either, but did enjoy the film when it was on T V.
Winchester is definitely my favourite place to shop. It has lots of little individual and specialist shops and not all National chains as in Basingstoke. I usually sit in the Cathedral close with a coffee for a break half way through. The only drawback is the very heavy parking charges if you don’t want to walk a long way into the city centre.
Just back from a day in Danby in North Yorkshire moors - talk on 19th century art and a gallery exhibition. All wonderful but best bit was autumn colour, despite fog on way out and a downpour from the blackest sky on return journey. New blog picture rounds it off nicely.
ReplyDeleteHope everyone with colds, aches and pain etc can tuck up in front of those fires with something warming tonight.🥃🍯🔥
Quiche for supper - pumpkin, leek & bacon!
ReplyDeleteThere's a glut of wild mushrooms in Charente this autumn - folk are coming to blows in the woods, it's mayhem ..
parsley, I am far too scared to even think about picking wild mushrooms. Even with a guide book I wouldn't do it! One of those things I would like to do but in reality probably never will. Like skydiving. Or nude modelling...
DeleteI agree Gary mushroom picking is a dangerous and even fatal pastime. Here in northern Italy ther are mycologists in every piazza during mushroom season to check free of charge everybody's harvest. .in the old days every village had its own expert contadini whose knowledge was passed down from generation to generation but my god when those mushrooms are good they are sooo good!,!!!!
DeleteEspecially with polenta😊
DeleteAgree, experts abound here, as do lots & lots of little stalls popping up at the side of the road - much safer!
DeleteAs Mr Nuts says “all mushrooms can be eaten, but some only once!”🤢
Delete🤣
DeleteLanjan and Archerphile, I have not read Tracey Chevalier's most recent book, but I have read some of hers. The one I most enjoyed was about Mary Anning, the woman who discovered many fossils around Lyme Regis. Her expertise was not fully recognised in her lifetime (being a 'mere woman' 😱), but I believe that after her death her name was given to one or more of her discoveries. It is thought that the tongue twister 'She sells sea shells on the sea shore' was written about her. I wish I could remember the name of the book.
ReplyDeleteJust googled it ...
DeleteRemarkable Creatures.
Archerphile please don’t take my word about the book .
ReplyDeleteYou may love it.
More people seemed to like it on Amazon than didn’t.
I am reading the biography of Queen Mary, our Queen’s grandmother who died before the majority of bloggers were born.
It is over 600 pages long but I am finding it very interesting
(It is our Reading Group book of the month which is why I am reading it)
Remember Ackenfield ?
ReplyDeleteJust listened to Ackenfield 50 years on.
A very interesting documentary.
LanJan, one of my earlier memories is of Queen Mary leaning out of the car at Trooping and taking my hand and saying hello. I was probably about four.
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered why she did it, but it is very clear in my memory.
I would like to read the Chevalier book about embroidery, and the Mary Anning.
I rarely eat mushrooms but don't think it is to do with having been poisoned when a child. I was picking other things not mushrooms, but it was thought I must have touched some and when putting fingers in mouth poisoned myself.
I do remember being very ill.
Several people picking them on the common this evening.
Archerphile 4.27pm reply under your post
ReplyDeleteJust checked AP reply not there 😡
ReplyDeleteAnyway The Ortho teams from both hospitals about to meet to discuss, so early days but agree with all you posted re Winchester.
Janice (11.39) - I think we would all agree that what you posted on the previous blog was just plain common sense combined with informed insight! I do however agree that it can be confusing sometimes as to what is "acceptable" to write when it comes to certain subjects on these blogs, but am cheered immensely that no-one has ever truly stepped over any "line".
ReplyDeleteI am of the firm opinion that we are all intelligent adults on this site and we all know how to conduct ourselves accordingly - but sometimes, just very occasionally, there are some subjects that could be raised that I think we all instinctively just know could cause passions to be inflamed - and not in a good way! I like to think that these blogs are a happy "safe" place - there are more than enough other places online for heated debate and petty point scoring. Today was an incredibly rare day, and just thought it was for the best not to facilitate a discussion that anyone tempted to take part in (including me!) may regret afterwards. We all know how easily it can happen on other sites, and it NEVER ends well for anyone involved...
Not that I think any of us would wish to be bland and unable to broach subjects that are important to us, or feel unable to argue the toss about various issues that may have been brought up. Many a time that's when the blog gets really interesting! I think we are fantastic at all getting on with each other on the whole, and we don't have anything to worry about in the slightest. Hurrah for us...🙌
✔️✔️
Delete🇫🇷 Allez les Bleus !
ReplyDeleteLovely pic Gary. My favourite time of the year too. I love those bright chilly mornings then the blaze of a fire going in the evening.
ReplyDeleteAs someone once said (no doubt one of you will remember who) I don’t think in polite conversation that religion or politics should be a topic of discussion.
So agree with you Gary on how this blog is used.
Debating getting up today. What with coughing and headache I think it would be a much better idea just to stay tucked up.
It’s pathetic compared to how others are suffering but I’m with stasia, feeling sorry for myself. 🤧
On a brighter note, I did manage to watch strictly last night. David James....as bouncy in the jive as a lead cannonball! 🕺🤦♀️
I agree ptby stay tucked up, and it is not pathetic at all. We look after our cars mechanically and should respect our bodies similarly!
DeleteRest and sleep make for the best recovery. So here’s to you and all current suffering bloggers - take care! 💕
Yes poor David Jive definitely not his dance and extra hard at 5’ 5” tall 🙄
Oops 6’ 5”
DeleteMrs P ,9:17pm .
ReplyDeleteQueen Mary came over in the book as a really lovely person as you were personally able to see
The book is said (by whom? ) to be the best biography ever written.7
My next 600+ page book to read is the story of the Lyons family of Tea and Corner House fame.
Gary, Thanks for your gentle steering of this blog away from the rocky waters of political debate. I think the Archers have been following your example, no topical inserts there either, which actually I don’t mind.
ReplyDeleteRe Books
ReplyDeleteI read a synopsis of the Queen Mary biography which looked really interesting, so think I will get it for my holiday Lanjan, instead of The single thread. The synopsis seemed to be full of those little interesting details that are normally left out of mainstream Royal biographies.
I remember Queen Mary from my childhood and thinking she always looked very upright, stern and forbidding!
I was given “Manderley Forever”, thé biography of Daphne du Maurier for my birthday. I shall take that away as a holiday read too. Her book “Rebecca” was one of the first adult books I read as a teenager and du Maurier has remained one of my favourite authors ever since. I shall enjoy reading about her and her harem-sacrum life instead of her novels.
The most surprising book I read this year was “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine”. I bought it only because it was top of the best sellers list for so long that thought I should try it out.
I struggled to get through the first two chapters, convinced that it was not my type of book at all. But I persisted and soon couldn’t put the book down, completely caught up in the story of this very unusual woman. The twist in the story was such an unexpected surprise and I finished by hoping there will be a sequel to her story. I lent the book to my daughter-in-law who also loved it, read it from cover to cover in 2 days, and it’s now doing the rounds of the ex-pats in Dubai!
Archerphile,there is an unexpurgated edition of a book which is called “The Quest for Queen Mary”.
ReplyDeleteThe author of the biography published the notes he made after visiting the people who knew Queen Mary .
It is a hoot.
In that book her true feelings about certain people (even members of her family ) are mentioned.
Along with Janice, your post Gary is full of good sense and understanding of the community we have on here.
ReplyDeleteWe can intuit the differences between us from our posts much of the time and steer clear of insulting or upsetting each other most of the time.
I think we all wish to remain a civilised and happy Group and your recent gentle steering us back onto the usual course was timely and acceptable to all concerned.
Thank you.
GG- strange post on the other blog. 😖
ReplyDeleteThanks parsley - just back from a drive through the majestic West of Scotland countryside and have deleted it immediately!
Delete👍
DeleteI have just arrived home from a wonderful, exihilirating, but cold, day out at Chester Zoo with Little Sis + her hubbie. These live in Norfolk and came for the have a week-end, to join in with a friends reunion, friends for 55yrs (we met up very young, still in primary school).
ReplyDeleteI have digressed - the zoo was wonderful, especially with all the autumn colours - there were definitely autumn leaves, suddenly in abundance.
All 3 of us, thoroughly enjoyed the zoo, as we were 3 adults, who were not worrying about grand-kids, grand-neices + nephews etc. As such we could spend ages looking at so many species, be they minor or major. I was so pleased that I saw the new 3 month old, baby Bongo calf -
Delete(a rare Kenyan antelope).
We were thinking about going to a safari park today Miriam. Don't think I could "do" an actual zoo. They always remind me of prisons too much. I once got quite upset in a zoo in Lyon looking at some poor big cats that were in enclosures the size of a back garden. (I hadn't paid to go to the zoo - it was in a public park beside our hotel. Stumbled in completely by accident.)
DeleteChester is, to me, but then I know it well, so different. It was originally called, the zoo without bars, and so much care is taken, that the many species, have as a much natural habitat as possible.
DeleteZoos certainly have a job to do in conserving endangered species and generally in our country welfare is very good. There are tigers in the zoo here on the island mainly rescued from circuses abroad. When you think back how cruel it was to see animals like this performing. When I was little my parents took me to the circus and at that time I did enjoy seeing the elephants, lions etc but didn’t like the clowns as one of them was bullied by the others! I still don’t like clowns finding them a bit creepy!
ReplyDelete20 odd years ago Washington dc zoo had 2 pandas which were given as a gift from China. As you know pandas were until very recently an endangered species ( may still be) anyway I know that experts there were doing everything possible to have them procreate and after many years and many disappointments they finally succeeded. However I m very uncomfortable with having polar bears and penguins living in confined spaces in 30 degree Celsius.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing one of those pandas in DC years ago Autumnleaves. One of the hottest days I have ever experienced in my life. So uncomfortable, but the important thing is I saw a panda! 🐼🔆
DeleteAs for circuses...my mother told me that the only time she and my dad took me to a circus was when I was 3 years old at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. They said never again because they had to watch the circus while I sat with my back to the ring for the entire show trying to eat the programme!!!!
ReplyDeleteGosh Ev, you and me both, I hate clowns. Very very creepy, and suspect too.
ReplyDeleteMy feelings about the latter aspect may possibly have something to do with Jimmy Stewart in 'The Greatest show on Earth' my favourite film from my childhood, all about the circus.
I loved the circus as a child, and we have a circus that is based here in Stroud. I have been to one performance of the first season when I came to live here, but have not been again. I found a modern circus just too ' beige ' I think.
As for Zoos, I love them though like others I hated seeing the animals cooped up and clearly going mad, pacing back and forth.
I would have loved to share my delight with my grandchildren but their dad is an ecologist and V.V. Anti Zoos.
Well done Andy Murray. ...what a comeback!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am also a great hater of clowns. They are (to me) so creepy and "scary".
ReplyDelete“Great canal Journeys” tonight what a bitter sweet programme! All the “West” family together again and such beautiful scenery.
ReplyDeleteTears in my eyes for dear Timothy West and his feeling of loneliness now that Prunella’s dementia is progressing not helped by her hearing problem.Such a lovely couple and we will be sure to enjoy this series which sounds as though it will most likely be their last!
Just finished watching it Lady R. In total agreement with you!
DeleteTried to get it on my IPad but gave up as too difficult to access.
ReplyDeleteDisappointed.
Yes, it was such a gentle, beautiful trip along the Oxford to the very pretty village of Cropredy and onwards to the big marina. I particularly enjoyed it because that was the marina our daughter bought her narrow boat from back in the summer and the route (in reverse) that they used to bring it down to Newbury.
ReplyDeleteI felt so sorry for Tim, that he has ‘lost’ his best friend, the love of his life with whom he has shared so much with but now with whom conversation is very difficult. Alzheimer’s is such a cruel disease and I felt very upset for him but also realised that this could happen to any of us too.
Mrs P How was your holiday?
ReplyDeleteAre you and Lady coping with the soft muzzle ?
Alzheimers is at last, getting far more attention, than previously.
ReplyDeleteI admire both Prunella Scales + Barbara Windsor, but mostly their Hubbies, in that they are allowing the media, to follow them, at this awaful time.
It is bringing more awareness.
This is similar to the many HIV/Aids campaigns, highliting the situation + problems.
To add.
DeleteMy paternal Granny went "senile". It was one of those things, that was just accepted, as part of the ageing process. There were no medications, help, nor understanding, at that time.
It is great to see how things are now changing, with research and meds. to try to slow this awful condition, down.
I have just learnt that the primary school, I attended from 1964 - 1966, is to be demolished very soon.
ReplyDeleteThere is an open day, on Wends. to allow past pupils to go and see it, for the last time.
It will be fascinating to see it again, without the desks, with inkwells in which were filled by the ink moniter, into which pens were dipped! How times have changed.
I will take the team photo of myself in the school netball team (was GA) in 1966.
Aah Memories.
My primary school was demolished years ago and the house we lived in was too and the site is now part of ASDA car Park! I do envy others who can walk down memory lane! We had the inkwells too and stick pens to dip in them. The boy behind me liked to dip my plaits in them! As I had blondish hair it did show up! We were never allowed to use biros throughout school years as ink pens resulted in neater writing. Nowadays it seems you don’t need to write by hand but just type it in on your computer! Yes, times really have changed!
ReplyDeleteI had to do itallic writing, with the appropriate nib, in my dipping pen. I wonder why now. It was hard to adapt when I went up to Grammar School, as itallic writing, was not liked.
DeleteLuckily a new, larger and modern primary school, is going to be built on the same site.
DeleteYes Ev plaits and little boys are a disaster waiting to happen. When one of my
Deleteolder cousins was at primary school her mum was worried when she didn't arrive home so went to look for her and found some naughty boys had left her tied to the school railings by her very long plaits and she couldn't get free.
Three generations of our family so far has attended the local primary from when it was first built in about 1920, and it is still there just expanded outwards a lot. We had a lovely cook and if it was hot in summer she gave us tinned fruit for dessert and then mixed the leftover juice with water and froze it in trays and broke it up and brought it out to us in the playground.
DeleteWe used to have to make "socks" for our desks and chairs with pieces of newspaper and elastic bands so they wouldn't scratch along the floors
ReplyDeleteMy worst memory of primary school, was the free milk. This was left stacked in crates outside, until the afternoon. It was fine in the winter, but in the summer (with full sun on it all day) it was awful, but we had to force it down.
ReplyDeleteSchool dinners were great though esp on a Friday when it was fish pie + mashed pots. followed by chocolate sponge pudding, with chocolate sauce.
Yummy.
Yes the milk was disgusting even in winter I think it was left to curdle in the heat.
DeleteSchool dinners at primary school were a lesson in self sufficiency. Each head of the table of eight was responsible for bringing the heavy tray from the kitchen loaded with plates and and hot metal containers of food ...remember we were about 10 11 years old at the time and had to serve the food too
And the custard always had a thick skin on the top...believe it or not there was always someone at the who loved this and the rest of us were always more than happy to let him have first serving of custard. Fridays yes best day of the week...fish and chips and blancmange for dessert.
that milk 🤮 & as for those school dinners 🤮
Deleteour bus fare was 11/2d a "three ha'penny one" please!
DeleteI don’t know how we got to chatting about primary school but my mother was appalled when on moving to Lancashire I wanted to have a pair of clogs which made a lovely noise when walking along the school corridors.
ReplyDeleteA girl called Evelyn had a lovely pair of navy ble clogs that I converted.
My mum who worked in a shoe shop ( in Knightsbridge no less) before her marriage ,refused my request.
I didn’t convert the navy blue clogs .I converted them!
DeleteDoes anyone remember " Singing together" on the radio at primary school?
ReplyDeleteloved it.
DeleteOh yes, it was brilliant! Learnt so many songs I'd never ever have found and can remember the words even today ! Still sing some, but only when I'm on my own! Talking of accents , Vince isn't Brummie, he's Black Country. Listen out for "Bab"!
DeleteLoved Singing together, broadcast througha loud speaker in our village primary school classroom. The British Grenadier, The Minstrel Boy, Men of Harlech and all those songs they sing at Last night of the Proms!
DeleteI think about 2 or 3 years ago radio 4 did a programme about Singing Together and how it brought music to parts of the U.K. that didn't have the possibility of having a real live music teacher. They had excerpts of song that were all time favourites and of course it was lovely to hear the voice once again of William Appleby.
DeleteHappy memories.
My best memory of primary school is the milk in bottles in the crate inside the fire guard. The fire would be roaring to keep us warm and the milk, frozen in the bottles would warm up and the frozen top of the milk would rise. I think I probably thought it was magic.
ReplyDeleteMy worst memory I am still ashamed of. So won't tell !
I can also remember us all lying on our little beds in nursery class.
I went to nursery class when I stayed with my aunt in Kidbrooke.
I could take you there today.
CowGirl - I am not ignoring you.
ReplyDeleteWill answer soon.
Thanks for asking.
Mrs P, Kidbrooke...just around the corner (or it will be when I head back down tomorrow).
ReplyDeleteI hated those milk bottles. I spent so long at break time trying to choke the stuff down that my teacher suggested I bring a note from my mother to say I can’t drink milk, then she could exempt me. I still remember the relief, and I rushed the note in the next day. Also I got my play time and she got her coffee break. Everyone happy.
And on the subject of plaits, a cousin had one of hers cut off in school by the boy sitting behind her.
DeleteThat's a real shame. I expect her mum had to cut the other one off to match.
DeleteWhen I think of my first school (called a private kindergarten, back in those days) I mostly remember the smells.
ReplyDeleteThe lovely smell of plasticine and wax crayons. (I was told off for chewing plasticine!)
The sour smell of the slightly gone-off milk which had frozen whilst in the yard and then been stuck next to the turtle stove for too long to thaw out.
The smell and dreadful stinging of the iodine they slapped on any cut or grazed knee.
The nasty smell (later found out to be unwashed clothes and body) of the fat Dutch boy who bullied me and turned my tricycle over in the driveway so I couldn’t ride it home.
The delicious smell of home baked biscuits when we’d been allowed into the kitchen for a lesson on baking, usually gingerbread men.
The dusty smell in the little library in the attic where we could choose books to read at home.
And finally the damp, musty, mouldy smell on the first day of term when the one and only classroom, a long wooden shed in the garden, was opened up for the first lesson, having been closed and unseated during the holidays.
Happy (mostly, apart from Hans Phaff) days!
I started the "primary school" memories by telling about it about to be demolished....but I have found it so interesting reading other thoughts and memories. The main memory seems to be about those little bottles of milk.
ReplyDeleteI also recall, the bottles in the "top crate", were often attacked by birds, and some poor kid, still had to drink it via a straw.
Current food hygene rules wouldn't allow it today - but then there is no free milk.
Oh yes Miriam you certainly opened the floodgates there. I didn't realise I remembered so much but it's as vivid as though it were yesterday. .the sounds and smells. Just thinking about Thursday afternoons running to the newsagent for the weekly issue of the Bunty.💖
DeleteThe first Bunty had a free ladybird ring and was in great demand so much so that I went all over Crewe to get a copy! I know I got the ring in the end but can’t remember how - maybe a swap as we often did then! We all had a tin box of beads for some reason and there were many deals done in the playground to swap one or another! One of my playground memories was when I was ten and my friend who lived across the road told me my mum had had a baby boy( I was having school dinners while she was in the maternity home). I had wanted a sister so was not best pleased and was even more disgruntled when his name wasn’t my first choice! I love him now though and he has two boys of his own!
DeleteYes you certainly opened the floodgates for many of us Miriam as Autumnleaves has said.
ReplyDeleteArcherphile your memory of the many smells is amazing.
The Dutch boy reminds me of the ' dirty red head ' girl in my junior school who went Hop Picking in the Kent Hop fields during the holidays.
She was naughty and was moved to the front of the class and sat next to me for one afternoon.
A few days later we had the school nurse attend and I was sent home with a note.
My mum became extremely agitated and it must have been Thursday early closing, because we had to get the bus to the next district to get to a chemist and buy a ' special' shampoo.
I had my hair washed three times that evening.
To rid me of the knits caught from the ' dirty red headed girl '
I can still feel that metal comb scraping my scalp.
Do you remember the Nit nurse who inspected our heads and for some reason our fingernails? I remember trying to get dirty bits out of them while waiting in the queue!
ReplyDeleteOurs used to come about 3 or 4 times a year and affectionately call herself Nutty Nora the Nit Explorer.
DeleteMy mum would literally scrape me and my sister's heads whenever nora (not her real name..don't know what it was) was due to come around with a bone comb and a newspaper to catch any little buggers that were lurking around
Yes she was also called Nitty Nora, the nit explorer, in my school. Luckily I, nor my 2 sisters, ever had that problem. We were just lucky, but then we had short hair cuts, not quite a pudding basin cut , but not far off.
DeleteDo you think it was the same woman? Boy she got around if it was😁😁😁
DeleteI bought the Judy magazine rather than the Bunty. This was only if I could from my 1s a week pocket money, after going to the sweet shop, 5 sweets for 1d. "Black Jack" chews, aniseed balls, lemon sherberts, chewy worms, "flying saucers", and so on. This was mid/late 60's, which now seems so antiquated.
ReplyDeleteDare I mention PE in a white vest + navy-blue knickers? Perhaps a memory too much.
DeleteFlying saucers were my favourite sweets as a child. I still like them!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember 'potato puffs' , a crisp-like snack? I loved those too.
And Smiths crisps with the salt in the screw of blue paper?
Another food memory from primary school - school dinners, mashed swede. I didn't know what it was and the girl next to me said it was squashed snake.
DeleteI've never eaten swede since!
Sherbert fountains, frying pan lollies and love hearts
DeleteI do remember potato puffs, because I was given a packet as a prize for finishing my first Janet and John before anyone else in the class. Would be a very unsuitable prize today - all that fat and salt. (Don’t think I’ve repeated the coming first too often since).
ReplyDeleteArcherphile I loved your smell recollection - very poetic.
ReplyDeleteThank you Seasider. And it’s all absolutely true. One sniff of a pack of plasticine or a Crayola wax crayon takes me back 70 years in an instant. And I can still remember horrible Hans Phaff pulling my plaits and pinching me in the playground, as if it were yesterday!
DeleteIt’s amazing to me how those memories of junior school remain so vivid, maybe our younger brains formed stronger images. Even as a young adult I was intrigued by the intensity of those memories, when I was 18 I went back to my old school & climbed over the wall into the playground, it was just getting dark on a summer evening and it was weird,, some of the landmarks of the playground had gone, and of course it all looked tiny.
ReplyDeleteMy daughters at the grand ages of 20 & 21 often reminisce about their prep school when they’re together, and some of the stories are quite enlightening, it always surprises me how effectively they could hide things from me, although in fairness there are quite a few anecdotes in my past that I have preferred not to share with parents, partner or children.
Loving all these vivid memories of junior school days.. aniseed balls, sherbet dabs, black jacks & fruit salads..
ReplyDeletewe had a really strict teacher in the 3rd year, tall, iron grey hair, everyone was absolutely terrified of her.. 10 years later sat down on the bus next to this sweet little old lady, white hair in a bun, gardening shoes on, of course it was her!
We had a fierce lollipop lady who was also a dinner lady. Everyone was scared of her.
DeleteBut I went through a stage of taking my knitting to school for play and dinner times (nerd that I am). Mrs M approved of that so I was always in her good books : )
Then at secondary school the head of home economics was an absolute dragon. ('Though another teacher later mentionned it was all an act and she was actually quite lovely.) Anyway, Mum used to go in to help with the 'child care' bit of general studies - so I was in her good books too.
Incidentally, I still have, and use, my school cookbook which I'm sure she originally compiled. All the basic techniques and they never fail. My flapjack is basically the school recipe plus apricots. It's very popular but I keep the recipe a closely guarded secret these days!
What a kaleidoscope of school memories succinctly written. I concur with many of them!
ReplyDeleteNeither of my schools exist anymore - both demolished in the name of housing. One was situated at the top of a park so no doubt the properties there were well received for their location 🍂🌿🍁
Archerphile I trust all went well for you (& Mr A) at your appointments yesterday. Hip X-ray completed so that you now just await your follow up call. It was a gorgeous day, it was our day to meet friends for lunch that we have retained from the relatives group I started at my mums Care Home many years back (and continues after the deaths of all but one relative still in care) it was the more enjoyable for such wonderful Autumn sunshine.
Yes, Thank you Lady R. Alton really has a lovely little hospital. Very small, no car park fees, very friendly staff. I was Xrayed within 5 minutes of arriving with no appointment and the lovely radiographer let me go behind her screen see the X-ray. I was amazed at this huge, very long lump of metal in my leg, but so grateful for it.
DeleteRegarding the Cardiac Rehab unit at Alton (behind the newly extended sports centre) -
Mr A has been going weekly on a Tuesday morning since his quadruple heart bypass back in 2002 - 17 years now! They have a medically supervised gym and create an exercise routine for each individual patient both before and after any heart op. or for anyone with a heart problem. A bit like the hip school I attended, they also run information sessions for anyone needing a heart procedure or operation and explain exactly what will happen and about recovery and aftercare. Mr A is convinced his regular attendance at the gym is what has kept him healthy and fit for so long after his operation.
How lucky you are. This sounds a wonderful and caring place.
DeleteGlad all went well.
I still loved mashed swede (with a bit of black pepper + butter), particulary if put in a dish in the oven, so it gets a slight crisp topping. I also often cook swede with pots, both mashed together, for a shepherds pie topping. It's a great way to get the kids to eat a vegetable, without them knowing it.
ReplyDeleteI bet Gary loves "neeps + tatties".
Lost your bet Miriam!
DeleteI don't like turnips and I don't like potatoes...
What do you then eat with your Haggis, on Burns Night?
DeletePerhaps you don't like it also.
I love Haggis, but then I did live for 4 years in Aberdeen and then had family living in Scotland, at a later stage.
Alternating slices of liver with thinly sliced Swede baked in the oven plus gravy and mashed potatoes is nice.
DeleteAlso Miriam, as you enjoy cooking, I have just been introduced to the kind of little cakes made in the Philippines, called Puto and made with a rice flour batter with sugar and meringue stirred in and then steamed. The texture is interesting, more spongy than our cakes, and with a strip of cheese placed on top before cooking so it melts a bit. I have been surprised at how sweet and savoury are mixed in the same dishes, e.g. sweet mango with salt and chilli powder sprinkled on top. It seems a very different way of eating.
My first day at school was wonderful, my mother left me at the gates and Miss Agnew took us to the classroom. She settled us at our desks and then handed out little red velvet bags tied with a gold string. Inside were a variety of chocolates and sweets. The next day we got down to learning how to read and write. She was a lovely woman.
ReplyDeleteWhen my sister died about five years ago I went back and was given a tour by the head. I always remember her teacher giving me a letter to take home to my mother in which she said my sister was the cleverest child she had ever taught. Within a couple of years she was the terror of the school. I tried to disown her so when asked if she was my sister I replied, no.
To my amazement it was still the small school I had remembered.
I too visited my infant / junior school in South London many years ago now.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten that visit but Stasias memory has jogged mine.
I asked if I could look around and the current head came and talked to me.
I seem to remember she asked if I could return and speak with the children about my time there post war.
I didn't go back again. Don't know why.
I think this was the same occasion when I had visited my childhood home, which had been a new housing estate in 1947, only to find it had been demolished.
It had been a very respectable place to live, but in the seventies had become a 'sink' estate, and had been replaced by neat little houses with front gardens.
Archerphile 3.09pm.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your detailed reply to my query. I agree wholeheartedly re Alton Community Hospital. I used to love the day a week that I volunteered there at the then “ Limes Day Centre” for dementia sufferers (before my mum had it) and we really did have some good fun times together also if the weather was lovely we would walk in the grounds then sit down in the garden and chat with our clients.
Rehab was started by Dr Bethall and as you say is a superb facility. Having met you (briefly) and Mr A we were amazed to read of his quadruple by pass all of 17yrs ago he certainly looks good now! 👏🏻
Dr Bethall also instigated the other volunteering that I did which was to visit people in their homes. This initiative cut down dramatically on Dr / District Nurse visits as the company worked wonders.
I had my lady (88yrs ) to her death at 99yrs. Unfortunately soon after the backing for the group was withdrawn and it was disbanded and by then we were deeply involved with my own mum taking her out from her Care Home and starting a relatives group there for us to chat and have some laughs too!
Interesting to see your X-ray at the point of having it taken and as you wrote a miracle of surgery for which you are most grateful 🤗
Miriam 3:34 - my mam used to mash pots & swedes together , I used to spend an age picking out all the nasty yellow bits....🤮😀
ReplyDeleteMiriam - 4.00pm
ReplyDeleteI love veggie haggis!
All this talk of childhood antics reminds me that I haven't really grown up in a lot of ways. Just back from the cinema where I saw Shaun the Sheep : Farmageddon! It was brilliant. If you have any young un's that you could take, take 'em! Or just go yourselves...🐑🐑🐑
I have many young un's in my family. The 2 closet are 5yrs + 8yrs. I so appreciate the idea.
DeleteI will do this, as they are now on half-term, and it's all child-care, gratefully received.
Oops meant...very close, not closet...
DeleteYes it was good . Four of us, all adults who like animation, went on Sunday. Loved the visual pun of the bull in the China shop!
DeleteI too do mashed potatoes and swedes and love it.
ReplyDeleteMy son in law always does mashed parsnips with Christmas Dinner.
Lady R: 7.06 last night
ReplyDeleteFirstly, apologies to our fellow bloggers that Lady R and I seem to have a personal conversation going on here, about people and places we both know. Please scroll on by if it is of no interest to you!
Yes, we are very grateful to Dr Bethel, a lovely man. It was he who saw Mr A before the operation all those years ago and screened him for inclusion in the cardiac re-hab scheme. It is very comforting to know that the staff at the centre keep such a close eye on both pre and post-op heart patients and monitor their progress in the gym, something that wouldn’t happen in a commercial. Apparently Mr A saw Dr Bethel at the centre yesterday, he is still around though must be in his 80’s now.
Archerphile to close our discussion just a quick remark to say how good to hear Dr B still so keenly involved in his scheme 🤗
DeleteAbsolutely no wish to bore other bloggers but I admit to being totally interested in all that I read here regarding others lives - certainly much of it makes fascinating reading.
Complete change of gear tonight after Shaun the Sheep yesterday - off later to see the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra perform works by Peter Maxwell Davies, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius! Life's rich tapestry and all that....
ReplyDeleteGary. We are going to see Farmageddon this afternoon. Glad to have your recommendation.
DeleteEnjoy! And you should stay until the VERY and of the credits for a little added bonus...
DeleteLove Sibelius, & I always stay to the end of the credits... geek... 😊
ReplyDeleteNot only do I stay for the end of the credits......
ReplyDeleteI complain if they are cut short.
If you have ever been involved in film making you know how important all those ' names' have been in the complete work that you have just experienced.
Eh Parsley ?
And yes Sibelius too.
N'est-ce pas.
DeleteLady R. I'm with you there all the fascinating bits of information we pick up on here helps to draw the picture of those we are conversing with.
ReplyDeleteYou two feel as comfortable as you like in your ' private' conversation.
🤗 thank you Mrs P you have summed things up nicely ⭐️
DeleteGary ,Peter Maxwell Davies was a few years older than me but was at school with some friends of mine(Boys’Grammar School in Lancashire I was an the Girls’ equivalent in our small mining town )
ReplyDeleteWhen he wanted to study music I am told the headmaster apparently tried to dissuade Max as he was called, because it was a subject for girls.
One wonders if he ever got a "proper job"..!
ReplyDeleteI have given in!
ReplyDeleteI have today programmed my HW + CH to now come on both morning + night. I went out today at 11.00am and it was still only 12C outside, and it is due to get colder over the next few days.
Back to my knitting, I am doing an aran jacket, in the 6-12month size, for my latest grand-nephew (now 3 months) but he is "chunky" as his grandad described him.
I have a grand-niece due on January 8th, so I am looking forward to knitting for a girl, a big change in my family.
🐏🐑🐏🐑🐏🐑 Baaaaaaaaaa.
ReplyDeleteAnd what was the bonus at the end of the credits Stasia ?
DeleteA short update : 3 weeks on, still shingles nerve pain, but less; overshadowed a week ago by an impacted bowel, one visit to the Urgent Care clinic at a local hospital.on Sat. + visit to Dr. on Tues. resulting in a breakthrough ( literally !) yesterday- huge relief - NEVER want to go through that again !! Caused by shingles stress on lower part of body, & a med. to aid sleep, which didn't work, btw, & can cause constipation. As I have IBS anyway, obvs. A prime candidate....unfortunately, only a short sleep ( the nerve pain), so am hoping for better tonight, because sleep is what I need more than anything else.
ReplyDeleteApart from earlier kind & encouraging posts, reading some very interesting posts on this blog has given welcome distraction - especially the recent ones about Primary School memories, stunning knitting feats, & the many posts on books. Thanks to Zoetrope & Lanjan( who didn't actually like it!), I quickly ordered Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures. Really enjoying it ! I rated Girl with the Pearl Earing, but another fell flat, so I gave up on her. In this one, totally back on form, great on period authenticity, place & original characters. Female fossil hunters, beginning of (19, reminded afresh of how restricted women's lives were,
Zilch opportunities to achieve anything but marriage to a controlling male. Grim, but rings true of those times & the rest of that century.
So, thanks to many here for the welcome entertainment, much appreciated !
Hope you get some sleep soon Carolyn! When you read the leaflets it seems that anything can be a side effect of the drugs. Take care!
DeleteI really enjoyed our stories about primary school ..I think we could have a blog just on that..sorry Gary just kidding...
ReplyDeleteWhat was lovely about it was that despite living in different parts of the world, having different interests, maybe different ages and opinions we all seemed to have something in common apart from the archers. I feel personally that it brought us even closer together. Thank you everyone😚😚
Carolyn I am pleased that you are hopefully getting back to normal albeit slowly but sorry to hear about your recent visit to the hospital.
ReplyDeleteThe Tracy Chevalier book I didn't take to was called A single thread not anything to do with remarkable creatures ,Carolyn but since I abandoned that one I started another one which was very highly rated called “The Glittering Hour.”
Well I have abandoned that too -another one about a well to do family which goes back and forth in time.
I am prepared to believe it is me!
I am reading, a very silly and low key, series of books.
ReplyDeleteThese are the "Agatha Raisin" ones, which are just light-hearted, meaningless, but fill a gap for when a quick read, is needed.
Lanjan- Birthday 🎂 due or just missed?
ReplyDeleteEither way many good wishes 🍷 💐
Thank you Lady R.
ReplyDeleteIt was yesterday -same as Pelé and I had a very enjoyable day
Oh Lan Jan - so sorry I didn’t know it was your birthday yesterday - I would have sent a huge bunch of virtual flowers!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you had an enjoyable day and hope the coming year will be just as good for you. 💐
Update on the sea eagles on the island. Not good news I’m afraid. One has died after being seen eating a dead porpoise on the beach and Culver who travelled to Essex and back soon after release is missing. His transmitter has failed so whereabouts unknown. The other four are fine and I expect some losses are inevitable.
ReplyDelete🦅😪
DeleteCarolyn 😘😘
ReplyDeleteLJ 🎈🍾🍰
Glad there’s a little improvement Carolyn. Bet it seems like it’s taking forever. 🤞Spicy that you are continuing to improve.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday for yesterday Lanjan!! 🎉🍰
Had a trying on morning of clothes to see what I could fit into for my next trip away next week. God it was depressing😩
We are doing Niagara Falls, New York and a cruise from there to Bermuda and back. Never been on a ship. Exciting.
Anyway packed 3 pairs of elasticated waist trousers ready for the second week away!!! Decided to say sod it till the new year. Will start a health campaign then. Have packed some gym kit for this holiday. Would put a £5 bet on it comes back unworn!!
We go away Monday so think I shall be out of touch with you all for a fortnight unless I manage decent WiFi in second week.
Take care all annnnddddd “keep blogging” 😉
PtbY - have a lovely and exciting time.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn- pleased to have an update. It all takes time and I'm sure some days are bad, but hopefully more days will be better in the next couple of weeks.
Spiceycushion- we all admire your amazing stoicism, keep on keeping on, there will be an end to it.
LJ - now you are older than me, and for the next six months. ( or is it the other way round ? ) Happy belated Birthday whichever it is.
Janice- I hope your recovery is still improving.
And all others with ailments have my positive wishes.
I second your post Mrs P in respect of your comments to:- Carolyn / Spicy & Janice
ReplyDeletePtby - have a great time ✈️ 🚢 🍽 🍰🍷
carolyn. What an ordeal. I wondered why we hadn’t heard from you for a few days. Sadly many pharmaceuticals cause side effects in the treatment of conditions. Thank you for keeping us up to date. I’m sure many of us worry about each other and would like to offer to help. Instead we can keep each other amused with our thumbs and fingers tippity, tapping on the iPad.
ReplyDeleteSpicycushion. I also send you my best wishes.
DeleteLanjan. Happy birthday for yesterday.🍾💐
DeleteCarolyn - heartfelt sympathy for your latest problem - I know from personal experience how difficult and painful it can be....and the relief when a positive result is accomplished!
ReplyDeleteAre you able to cut down on some of the painkillers yet and use some that cause less problems? I do hope so.
Loving wishes to everyone else with health problems at the moment - keep your proverbial peckers up and know that we are all thinking of you.
PtbY- I’m sure you will love your cruise. I refused to go on one for years for various reasons, but when we finally did, four years ago, I absolutely loved it and really dont want to do any other type of holiday now!
We had a lovely surprise this morning - out of the blue the Fred Olsen Cruise Line phoned us to offer a complimentary upgrade to a much better cabin, in fact a junior balcony suite which will be a lot bigger and more comfortable than the one we had booked. I guess not enough people wanted to do a 14 day cruise in November so they had some spare accommodation and we were the lucky ones to be chosen for an upgrade.
All I need now is for my very dodgy knee to hold out for another three weeks - I have been having a lot of pain with it recently and couldn’t drive yesterday as It was too painful to operate the clutch. Mr A is bullying me to contact the consultant straight away, but I’m not missing my holiday for anything so will wait until we are home again.
Apologies for grammatical error above - “fewer problems” not “less” 🤭
Delete