General Chat

Patricia ( or may I call you Patricia! )

Toys, T O Y S ! Frank and I, we're talking serious stuff here. When Frank sold the Ford Pop he'd bought for £25 and re-sold it for £40, that was entrepernurial (that right???). Blimey, if Alan Sugar reads this he'll be offering hima job.... What we thought was 'cool' then, is now 'classic', collectable and worth a mint. No-sir, Mam, toys they aint. Although I have a little plaque on the door of my den here, (which houses my vast model vehicle collection,) which reads. "The main difference between a man and a boy is simply the price of their toys".

Must relate a tale to you about our Sunday. Carmel suggested we take our time, have a look in at the vast car boot sale at Measham, then toddle along to Ashby de la Zouch and have lunch in a pub she'd earmarked on and earlier visit last month. OK, we did the car boot, load of tat, just bought some plants for the garden, back to the car, off for lunch. We wish!
We got to Ashby, the pub was charging an arm and a leg for a Sunday lunch :-(, so we thought we'd look elsewhere. Ah, the market hall cafe, cuppa and sarnie :-), that would do. Market Hall cafe closed :-( OK, another pub offering Seniors Sunday lunches at £3.95, sounds good to us :-). In we popped only to be told by the lass on the bar, they weren't doing food as it was too hot :-( ! Don't people eat when it's hot??? OK, we're onto plan D - go to the Te*co up the road, pop in their cafe, get a cooked chicken, make for home. Te*co; no cafe, no cooked chickens :-( . By now the time was getting on and we opted for one of their plastic sandwiches and a swig out of the pop bottle. So we made our way leisurely home down the A444, and decided to stop off at our own local Te*co. As it was 3.30pm, they were pricing down food and selling it off. So we had a basinful of that and went home and put the kettle on. Not sure what is was that we finally rustled up for our meal but as my dear old Dad would say, it looked more like a dogs dinner!!
So in future, on hot sunny days when we don't want to cook, the moral is stick to a local pub that we know IS open and DOES sell food. :-) :-) ;-)

Dinner today - hmmmm, watch this space . . . .

One for Mandy. Yes the bubble car was certainly novel. At the time I did a part-time insurance round and one winter it snowed by the bucket load. I had to make a call that was in the country (you can soon get into 'the country' from here). I was trying to make my way down hill on this single track lane with high sides. You can imagine, I had litlle control because the single rear wheel had the engine to one side. I ended up like a toboggan, sliding down out of control, with the back wheel literally pushing the back end to the front. Well, the bubble car ended on it's side with me trapped in it. Luckily, they had a folding canvas roof (who's laughing???) so I had to open that and crawl out thay way. A chap in a nearby house saw me and came to my aid, we managed to get my bubble car into his drive and I had to phone the office for someone to come and pick me up. The car wasn't driveable because the battery was housed under the seat. When I opened the roof to climb out, snow got on the terminals and burnt the wiring out. It was like one of those movies where you see the guy light the fuse on the dynamite and scarper. Only, I didn't scarper, I had to pull the wiring away before it set fire to the car completely.
Needless to say, the bubble car didn't stay long in my posession after that. BUT, we did need something roomier anyway because infant No2 was on the way.

Herein endeth the lesson.......

William .Is that you in the pic with motorbike?
What a lot of trekking about you had to do just to get grub :-S :-SFancy that pub not doing food because it was too hot.I've not heard that one before.

Frank that's a good idea to put a notice on the front door.Now why didn't I think of that :-0
We have had Kites and Buzzards floating around here too .I could watch them for hours .The Buzzards get so high up you can barely see them sometimes.How lovely on a hot day just to glide around on the thermals.So peaceful too.

It is our 31st anniversary on Wednesday.I don't think we will be going out as Chris will be working until fairly late.We tend not to really do anything much on anniversaries .maybe a takeaway might be an idea.

James dinner is just about ready to dish up.(Now I will have to organise myself to do 2 sittings every night :-S)

Pat I hope Mocha will be ok in kennels.I hated putting Chester in as he was very unhappy :-( so he goes to a lady who takes in dogs in her own home.
It has worked very well .I always had a cry when I left him when he was little ,but then once we were on our way I was fine.It's a bit like taking your child to school on the first day lol

Phew! it is still baking.Fans on overdrive here in the lounge.Chester is lying underneath one looking rather weary.Just like me .Not that I am lying .I am sat right in front of the big one.
Must dish up James' dinner now .He can do his own food to take to eat in the night.I bought a Baguette for him to fill.

Evening everyone,

Another scorcher !! when i got in the car this morning it said 32 degrees !! went down to 29 as i drove along .

I have had a good turn out in a large double cupboard in the front bedroom , there was still lots of sons stuff in there ,he doesn't want it so it's going !!
I filled five carrier bags with books, there's also some old games and bits and bobs ,they will all go to the charity shop , only trouble is i have to hump them there !! it's no parking outside the shop , so will have to park on the car park and make a few trips .

Ann, thank you for the photo's , didn't you pick the right week to go away ,the trees and plants are beautiful ,every where looks so green ,not sure what the fish are ,Jane might be right about the photo ,it could be a Sea Anemone .

William , what a performance you had trying to get some thing to eat !! i always thought that the pubs make most of their money on the food !! you must have been famished when you got home .
I seem to remember the bubble cars tipped over quite easily didn't they ? ,good job you could get out of the roof !! it must have been like slalom race,picking up speed as you went down hill.
I love your stories , keep them coming .

Everyone has wedding anniversary's !! ours will be on the 5th June ,36 years !! where has the time gone.

We had Pasta tonight ,will be back to salad tomorrow if its still warm .

Hope Fiona's ok , we haven't heard from her for a day or two.

A quick 'Yes, it's me on the Vespa scooter' for Jane.

Gotta scoot :-D - we're actually going to eat some real grub AT HOME!!!
Yummy

William, an old schoolfriend of mine had one of those Isettas. Hers was red and I remember being amazed how the steering wheel was attached to the door when you opened it. You were very lucky you managed to get out of yours when it tipped over.

My sister had one of those Bond Bugs for a while. I think they were all that bright orange colour weren't they. I remember when she brought it to show me in the mid 70s. When she went to go it wouldn't start as the battery was flat! I remember jump starting it from the battery on our Simca. I also remember the Simca needing a new battery 2 weeks later!! :-S

Mel will remember OH talking about travel to Eastbourne in his dad's Reliant Robin with just a thin bit of foam to sit on in the back!! If it got scratched his dad would pop to the nearby factory where they were made and they would get them out for him.I'm sure he said there was no reverse gear either and that someone would have to get out and push it backwards.

People did used to travel good distances on motorbikes and scooters. OH's great aunt and her husband would travel from Eastbourne to Hinckley on their scooter and then go back again the same day! Imagine that for a daytrip.

I remember riding in a local lad's Morris 8 as a teenager when he would give me and my friend a lift. You could see the road underneath through the holes in the floor. He was quite a character and a good sort and looked the image of Harry H Corbett. I remember he often seemed to be skint and would call in for petrol and have half a gallon!! Imagine that now!

Well cannot please everyone can I it is a shame if people take offence of my threads have seen much worse at times on here but get your point Jane did not mean to offend anyone .I am sure I did not mention any Paki when Genes removed my message about the Johnnie Depp film I adored was that advertising then because we all mention things we see and do. I rather think my thread was removed because I replied to Franks text about the bank phoning him . It happened to Shell and she worked at the bank. I said more than that. However not arguing lifes too short and where is freedom of speech. However this what do you remember from childhood so respect there ways and would not want to ruin things for our
Mel who started the whole thing off. But we do get a few new people who do not care about offending us .

So glad you have had lots of cards Kim but it was my ho who opened that
card not me and I kept it until my birthday still have it on my computor.

Ann so glad you had a nice time on holiday and you and your husband are refreshed now. would love to see your photoes.
I agree with you some foreigners do not mind what you call them most of them I know are too busy making money and running a business.
We have been invited to a Jubilee thingy next Tuesday someones party.
Nice to have your interesting threads again.
Kim have a lovely birthday when it comes I hope you feel well enough to enjoy it. Waiting in the post office did not matter but I needed the loo and was getting worried. Also my bus was due and did not want to miss it did not have the car and it only runs every hour the bus to our place

Michelle Amanda took two bottles of water with her and drank them lunch time and it was the many steps she had to climb that made her hot and faint the escalator like I said was not working. the poor girl had been in some meeting in a real hot room all day
Bubble cars William my friend had a bubble car until it was stolen many years ago and found upside down on a rubbish tip. We had a blue Reliant
and I must find the picture of my relatives giving us a push it refused to move one day being made out of fiber class it was light.

Ann, that's a good post, dug up lots of memories for me, that'll get the tales flowing from my end. The Bond Bug's WERE all orange, I have a Corgi model of one here in my collection. Bond Cars (originally Sharps Commercials) were originally in Preston but were bought over by Reliant at Tamworth. I once drove one of those Bond three wheelers with a 2 stroke engine under the front bonnet, that was the worse thing I ever drove and was glad to get out of it.

Back to the Isetta, yes the steering opened out with the door, but that was preferable to the Heinkel where the wheel stayed in position and you sort of had to juggle yourself around it. I've got loads of Reliant tales as I owned many different models and went everywhere, not a mishap at all. So I'll add some of those if you are all interested.

Oh yes Ann, the reverse on Reliant's. At the time, you were allowed to drive 3 wheelers on a motor bike licence as long as the reverse was 'blanked off'. They were not always blanked off, (I never had one that was blanked off) but eventually that law was repealed because a lot of people had nasty accidents trying to man handle them into a reverse position. So, I have now admitted to breaking the law all those years and not getting caught. I hope that doesn't jeopordise my status on GR! Actually, it made me a better driver and much easier to go from a motor cycle licence to a car licence. It's a bit daft when you think I could drive a tractor on my licence, but to h*ll with that!!!!

William you can call me Patricia but I go by the name of Pat

I remember my granddad having an Austin 7 which had a cranking handle..And also remember when the pop out indicators became illigal and my Uncle adapting the car..in my teens my boyfreind at the time had a lambretta and belonged to the lambretta club and crash helmets were compulsery..

Ann may I see a couple of your holiday photos please ?
Goodnight all :-)

Well it has taken me an hour to catch up on your posts.

Morning All and Evening KIm,

Dull here today but not too bad warmth wise.

When I worked for the PDSA our secrtary had a Reliant Robin in bright yellow. She used to travell the 25 miles from Southend to Redbridge every day. She was quite a large spinster lady and in the winter she would be all wrapped up with a heavy coat and scarf wound round her neck. Did they have heaters in them as I seem top remember they didnt or if they did they were not up to much.

I liked the vespa's better than the lambretts's but my passion was motor bikes and all the leather gear that went with them. I had leatherette jeans and a leather jacket with my name on the back and many studs. I could even tell which bike was coming up the road by the sound of them. You could never mis the sound of a good old Triumph Bonaville. Mum's dad had one of the Velocet bikes like the police noddy bikes. Remember those?? pale grey and very uninteresting, looked a bit like a small tank with it's square lines. Grandad gave it to one of my boyfriends and the first thing he did with it was to take off the windscreen bit.

Oh had layed soem of the new decking when I got in from shopping yesterday and it does look nice. We also ordered to more fence panels from Holsworthy and when Oh picked them up this morning they are different to the ones we have already and shorter too so he is going to do one of his things to break up in between with other wood to tye them in. They also have a smaller trellis bit on the top!!!!

Wrote this ages ago and forgot to post it as oh asked me to do something!!!!!!!! :-( :-( :-(

Morning all.

All these two wheel tales. I never had two wheels. As I said MY first car was 1947 Ford Prefect. Many after that.

William, I did become a Motor Trader in 1969. and stayed in the trade till I retired in 2003 Apart from a spell when I owned the Post Office Stores in the Village. Stil miss the hagling and bartereing. Made many friends over the years, and sold cars in the families of many customers. I can honestly say I could go into any pub and see old customers, and never feel, I don't wany to speak to them because I stuffed them up with a dodgy motor. !!!!
Even when I retired I was offered a job, anytime I wanted to do a day or two. I would be welcome. After my Stroke, I couldn't drive, so that went out of the window.

The cloud seems to have burnt off now, and it's getting warmer. I was awake most of the night, and up again by 5.45 am Going to sit in the armchair with my book, and let my eyes close if they want too.

Ros is out with Carolyn for most of the day, so I can lelax as I want too.

Trust you are all well, and enjoy your day.

Morning Folks,

Much cooler today, has been really hot & sunny all week (was 27 yesterday Phew !!!! , too hot for me to sit out at the beginning of the week because of my cold but the last couple of days I have been feeling much better, and managed to sit in the shade under the brolly,
Today the temp is just 19 and its quite cool , I have all the windows open as the house is feeling so stuffy,

Headaches are still here but easier to manage, taking 1 Nur*fen every 4 hours and that is helping me cope, just a matter of waiting till they go on there own.

Builders are doing well and hope to have all the foundations finnished by Friday, it's a huge hole, OH wants to fill it in with water and use it as a swimming pool ;-)lol

Daughter no 1 & family arrive home today from Italy, weather has been ok but not as warm as we have had it but, daughter has had a cold so she says it's just as well as she was having problems breathing and as she is expecting she can't take any meds for it, the doctor in Italy perscribed an vapouriser which has sea spray sort of mixture daughter said it was wonderful much better than the decongestions we have over here and it is safe for babies too.

Looking forward to my cuddle with Sofia, missed her :-)

Morning All,

Sunny here again this morning but there is not the slightest bit of breeze so I've come inside now to be cooler. OH wasn't too good when he got home last night, splitting headache and iffy tum, then I started to visit the white friend!!! It was dehydration with OH as he hardly drank anything yesterday, was out in the garden all morning, then sat in a meeting in a hot room last night. We are both ok this morning though, but rather than dash off to do his mum's garden, OH has decided to do it after they have done the hospital trip so he can take his time with it in the heat. He has also taken a bottle of water with him! :-D

William that was interesting about the Reliant's reverse, I never knew about that. I think FIL had 2 or 3 Reliants in all.......will ask OH when he gets back. I trust you enjoyed your home meal after all that trouble trying to eat out. Like you, we have been surprised sometimes and gone from place to place too.

I have probably mentioned this before so bear with me, but as a teenager I knew 2 brothers, one was a foreman at the quarry and I don't know what the other did. Both of them could be seen riding around the villages on their motorbikes and in their leathers most of the time. Then at the weekends and if they were going somewhere special there would be a transformation and out would come their other means of transport! The older one had one of those huge Mark10? Jaguars and the younger one who would give me lifts if he saw me (he was a bit keen but had yellow teeth :-S) His car was a splendid 1950s Jaguar XK120 roadster in jet black with a split front screen and removeable hard top. He kept it immaculate and there was no rust on it, but I seem to remember him saying the body was aluminium. I think he cleaned it as much as he drove it. I loved it and I remember him driving me up the M1 to Lutterworth and it reaching 130mph. The wing mirrors would move at 120mph. Years later he had it sprayed white, but I preferred the shine on the black. I think you can pay up to about £90,000 for a good one now.....what an investment if he kept it! I wonder sometimes what happened to the folk from my past. I bet we could pass in the street and probably not recognise each other now!!

I have just planted up my 2 tiny wall pots. I have put begonias in them this year as they can stand a bit of drought. I have also planted 2 other pots with NZ bizzie lizzies. I decided not to do baskets this year while there is still much to do to the rest of the garden. I also need to get a junction for the hose from the water butt into the greenhouse. Then I can connect both the water butts at the back to one hose into the greenhouse and the water should last twice as long. :-D :-S

Mel, where have you put the new pond?

Oh has put the new pond down what we call the back garden.

I have taken soem pics and only downloaded themn today, this morning after taking a few more.

I have been cleaning our room divider thing where all my jugs are. Gosh it was filthy and I mustn't leave it that long again. I do wash the things on the shelves but had'nt cleaned the shelves!!

Good to see Fiona posting again after so long. Hope you feel a lot better soon Fiona. Sending you my love <3 <3

Glad you are feeling a bit better Fiona. This bit of sunshine has made us all feel more like it I think. I bet little Sofia will be thrilled to see you too. She will be so full of chatter about her trip. I think I must have missed some posts........what are your builders building?

Ann
we want to exstend(sp) the dinning room and also the kitchen to give us a breakfast room area.

I see Fiona. I got your pics now.....natty little digger and there doesn't look to be much mess. It will be good to have the extra space, I must say I would like a bit more in the kitchen.

I'm all set for going to the school the other side of the city tonight to sit in with another class the jewellery teacher teaches. I can do the bracelet I missed while away last week and it will be good to see what they will be making too. I'll be leaving in plenty of time as it will be peak time for the traffic. I just hope the teacher spots me arriving as I'm sure I'll never find her as it is a big college!

Still home alone, thats two days on the trot. Her hair looked nice from yesterday. Perhaps the pair have found new men. !!!!!

I had a sit and read under the cherry tree. Then the sun went in and has really clouded up. Could see a bit of rain later. I took no chance and watered the flower beds and veg. Greenhouse and patio.

William, A mate of mine had a BOND and would you believe we got 7 of us in it one Saturday night when we went up WEST. You should have seen peoples faces as we started piling out of it. His Dad owned a garage in Ilford and we would go out in allsorts of cars, often BIG American Convertables. Did we pull the birds in those.

Frank, why am I not surprised you were a motor trader, you had such a good start at it.
Regarding your Bond tale, not surprised at anything that happens with a 3 wheeler and I speak from experience. I look back on what I had in my various Reliants over the years and can't believe it now. But, it was true. All will be revealed in due course. You mentioned Ilford, well I've even got a little Reliant tale about that. We were visiting my folks at Chadwell Heath one weekend and had been along to Wanstead to visit one of Carmel's friends who lived there. One the way back, there was a bit of a traffic hold up ourside the Harrison & Gibsons store in Ilford. A young foreigner was walking along by our car when he looked where the front wheel should be thinking it was a 4 wheel car. When he saw nothing but fibre glass front end, his face was a picture of amazement, and he rapidly babbled on to his foreign friends drawing their attention to the front of our car. He probably went home thinking that the front end of our vehicle was on a hovercraft type air cushion.
Over the years I've been to Lands End, John O'Groats and the Outer Hebrides in different Reliant's and never had a lick of trouble. Mind you, having got used to modern cars, having been lucky enough to buy our last five cars brand new, I don't think I'd go back to Reliants again!