General Chat

Dermot
would you now anything about this?

many years ago I took my coin collection to be valued in Norwich.
The dealer asked me where I got the little silver coin (which is a bit bigger than the old silver threepenny piece.) the coin has a hole in the middle. he told me you dont see many of these now they were given to the Irish people who were leaving Ireland to emigrate because of the Potato famine( it was money )I dont think there was much writing on it. I have not got it to hand it is in the coin collecting in the top of my wardrobe.
I have never found anything about it.

Rita

Talking of TV progs. one I've been watching is Great British railway journeys with Michael Portillo 6.30 BBC 2 . Quite good.
back to work now x

I am back from the AGM it went much better than I thought it would.
I had handed in letters I composed to the Head office and the manager.with complaints about them spending our money without explaining to some elderly people on this estate.(. That was not me. ?)
what work they intended doing this year and next.

The Manager said I had miss- read what she had written in her "Intended Work for 2011/12 " I read it again and said no it was clear I had not made an error. George The man I told you was a Dr at Cambridge University was with me and I pointed it out to him . he agreed with me and said they have missed out on the grammar and if they had done that it would have made more sense,

so she said she was sorry about that. I came back with George .he said you dont miss a thing on the items on the AGM and the Quotes I said no I am looking after the residents money.
so all went well.

For those who asked about Neil Oliver who we were speaking off sometime ago ( he does the walking around the cost of Britian series.)
This week" TV Choice" has a photo of him . he is doing a documentary on " A History of Ancient Britian " it is on BBC 2 next Wednesday the first of four .

Rita.

Can't say that I do Pat.

Yes Pauline they are!
Mind you I don't know any Irish Crime writers! do you?

The Irish are indeed good storytellers!!!

happy lunchtime everyone,
It's just goes to show how the world has got smaller. You can fly to the States in about 8 hours.
Rita I hope the AGM went ok. I normally avoid those things like the plague!

Hi all.

Just got back from wheelchair clinic, they've messed up and got son's new chair all wrong, it has to go back again.

Going to read the thread now.

'Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same'.

(From today's D-M.)

morning all
going to pick up my laptop soon i carnt what to have my baby back
hope the man in the shop took good care of it

Awwhh....... that was a good story Dermot, maybe that's what happened to my Irish lot they changed their minds and came to Devon instead......just think I could have been a American ..LOL

Funny my Irish lot stayed in the pubs ....!!

Going to America.

Emigration, they used to say, was the Irish safety valve particularly in the 19th & early 20th centuries - population pressure was released by some emigrating. Current financial & job prospects in Ireland mean that emigration, once again, is on the increase. The Celtic Tiger is badly wounded.

America was the most popular destination in the old days - ‘the land of the free’ as it was called. And fair play to the emigrants, most did pretty well there & didn’t forget their people left behind in Ireland.

The first Christmas card to arrive from my forebearers who went to America came from New York. While the card was welcome & looked beautiful, it couldn’t compare to the picture of George Washington or General Grant on the dollar notes & it would be a poor card if a few dollars were not included. There was a neighbour who would open the envelope & shake it. If a few dollars didn’t fall out, he wouldn’t bother reading the card at all.

But, there were usually some dollars inside & they were used sensibly to provide a few extras at Christmas that the family would otherwise have to do without. It also helped to buy a few extra stock for the farm plus some set aside to pay the passage of the next family member to head off. That’s how it was done - John brought out Tim & Tim brought out Mary.

It was common practice at the time to give a little present to those going away - maybe a crown piece or a half-sovereign. Happy indeed would be the one to receive a golden guinea. As well as that, the girls might be given a wearable - a pair of gloves, for example. And it was usual to give the men a silk handkerchief. You’d see them squeezing the handkerchief in their hand & if it bounced up, it was the real article. You’d see these handkerchiefs the following morning waiving from the train as it went out of sight under the bridge.

In the morning, the horses would be tackled and, anyone who could afford it, would accompany the expectant exile to Ballyhaunis railway station - a long line of sidecars like a wedding drag. One newspaper reporter summarised the scene: “The station was crowded with folk from everywhere. There were some from Aghamore & Knock. There were girls from Bohola & Kiltimagh too. All seemed very lonesome as they bid their leave of their friends & family”.

Lonesome was no name for it. At that time, it would take 8 to 10 days to reach America on rickety old ships. You could feel the motions of the waves under your feet. You would wonder when again these emigrants would be seen in Ireland?

The newspaper report continued: “They would be surrounded on the platform by friends & family. When the time came to board the train, they would say cheery goodbyes to those on the outside of the circle - their friends & far-out relations - plenty of gab for everyone. But, as they came in the circle to cousins, uncles & aunts, the wit & words would be deserting them. Then they’d come to their immediate family with just a whisper of their names.

They’d say goodbye to their father and, last of all, to their mother. She’d throw her arms around the departing child - a thing she hadn’t done since they were at school. She’d give vent to her cry & this cry would be taken up by all the other mothers on the platform. What an emotional scene to behold”.

And there was a poor widow who worked her fingers to the bone trying to earn the passage to send her son to America - a rowdy buck she wasn’t going to be sorry after; a useless yoke, nothing for him but his belly full of Guinness & whiskey - when he could get it; caused so much trouble that put many a white rib of hair on his mother’s head.

His mother wasn’t going to go to the railway station to see him off but, when she saw how lonely other mothers were, she thought: “Oh, they will think me very hard hearted now if I don’t go & show some concern”. And of course, when her heart wasn’t in it, she overdid her mourning.

She went over to the window of the train - her son John was sitting inside with a girl on his knee & throwing her hands to Heaven, she shouted: “Oh, John don’t go away from your mother. Oh you sweet & divine God sitting up there in your golden cloud, why don’t you dry up the Atlantic Ocean so the ship won’t be able to sail & take my fine son away from me”.

John got up, opened the carriage door & walked out saying: “I won’t go at all, mother”. He went down the town & into the first public house & drank his passage money. You heard some singing in the street that night!

(The Irish are good storytellers too.)

Morning all,

Mo........... do you know if your sons neighbours are renting ?

If so I would try and find the Landlord and complain, or the Environmental Dept in his local council.
Hope he has some good results soon. gosh they need their sleep now after that baby.

Stephen thanks for breckies........Its quite nice here this morning the sun is trying to peep through after a rainy night !

Pauline I got a PINK ball !!

Going out for dinner tonight at my sisters.... hmm ....Lovely thought.

Bath running.....

Jean did you watch the Gypsy program last night ? one thing for sure they all had big boobs !! now that must be in their genes !! LOL... I went to bed to watch it Great .

Morning everyone I am off in half and hour for the AGM I will be away about three hours. it is grey outside looks overcast I hope I dont get caught in the rain

This Noisy neighbours you all know I had trouble last year with this as well as causing a lot of trouble to property.

I called the Neighbourhood watch police one called he was very nice he said he would call on the families not mention my name but say complaints had been made about all this,
He also told me whatever you do dont go out to confort them ,.these days some of the young people carry knives and also could injure me, .
He said just phone this number and someone will come direct.
I never go out now I open the window sometimes and shout at them, they are not small children but in their teens and older.
Now when there is a problem either I or one of the neighbours write it down in a book with the date and what took place. so they know how far it has gone. so far it works.

Rita

Morning everyone, hope you all slept well.
Mo I hope your son can get the noisy neighbour problem solved without any trouble.Cath hope your day at work goes well.
Stephen, just watched weather forecast, it said heavy snow for Scotland tomorrow, hope that isn't in your area.
Rita, did you enjoy your Shepherds pie yesterday hope Mike is still making good progress and feeling a little better each day.
Hope everyone else is ok and has a good day.

Go with God and in good health.
Jeniwren xx

Good morning!
I've just finishing "decking" my friend's desk. She's 60 tomorrow. 60's banner, a pink star shaped balloon, 60's on her deak! the full works!!!!!
Have a nice day everyone x

Morning all
Dark here too.
Ready for Little when she comes except I am now coughing again !!! I knew she would pass it on.

Be back later Have a good day

Linda :O) XxX

Good morning folks, hope you are all well today.
Mo, I hope your son can get something done about his noisy neighbours. We have had problems with neighbours like this in the past and they can make life hell.
Not so cold here today but light drizzle. Off to work shortly but finish at 11 so thats not too bad.
Take care,

Cath xx

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Tea or Coffee

Porridge or Cereals, Fresh Fruit Jiuce, Smoked Salmon on Toast or Bacon Rolls.

Morning all.

Winters Back.

High winds, Pouring Rain, Dark and miserable.

Not looking forward to my trip to work. It'll be a sheep dodging morning, I can feel it. Fine when they are facing you....their eyes light up just like the cats eyes on the road. I don't drive fast anyway so I get plenty of time to avoid them.

Noisy neighbours.........mine go Bah ! or Moo !and sometimes Neigh !

It would be a nightmare to have loud music from someone living next to me. No easy answer apart from informing the Council Noise Abatement guys. Confrontation is the last thing you would want.

Have a good day ya all !

Hi Shelly, hope you are ok.
Dermot and Stephen have put a few very funny jokes on, well worth looking for.
Jeniwren xx