General Chat

Hands up here for trolleybuses. They ran to Chadwell Heath (where we lived) from Aldgate (East London) when they would turn round in the triangle formed by the High Road, Station Road and Wangye Road before they were off back to Aldgate. Routes were 692 through to 695, serving, C H, Barking Barkingside etc. and I even believe they went to Fairlop. I have a lovely big limited edition print here of the range, plus tickets and other memorabilia that my grandson bought me for my last birthday.

Carmel is a little better this monring except she has chroinic indigestion - don't know how you get that when you're hardly eating! Anyway, I got the pestle and mortar this morning and ground the oats for the porridge into a fine powder, that seems to go down a treat with one of those little yogurty bottley thingys that shes likes. Back having a rest at the moment looking white as a bleached sheet. I'll keep you posted.

Going back to the 'treats'. There was a little shop on the corner of Whalebone Lane and a side street near our school where we would stop off on our way home for the 'cheap treat' of what in austerity days was called an 'ice lolly' They used to put some cordial and water in a cup, put a stick in it, freeze it and we would buy them as ice lollies. The only thing was that after you'd sucked them a bit, all the flavour was gone and you were left with just ice! We didn't seem to mind anyway and there was nothing else, not even ice cream.
Back down Whalebone Lane on the corner of the High Road was our nearest sweet shop and it was rightly called 'SUNSHINES', funny how we remember these little details. Who remembers those little sherbet thingys, with a liquorice straw going through the package so you could suck up the sherbert? Even today, my favourite is sherbert lemons.Like Liptons and the United Dairies being in the same parade of shops. Or 'up the top' as my Mum would say when she wanted me to run an errand.

Off to wash up, C Y A L

Oh yes, Ann - the jellies are made and I'm wiaitng to slip them into the fridge.

Ironing all done. Shirts, T shirts, hankies, tea towels, Sheets and pillowcases.

Just had coffee and my mate on toast.

Watching the Lord Mayors Show. I'd like a pound for every time i've walked those streets. Brings back lots of memories. Have swtood outside the Mansion House and seen the QUEEN a few times over the years. Never been to the show thoughI

Think it has stopped raining Jane, but very cloudy.. Don't think it's a walking day today. Are you off to town later ??? It was a regular trip when I lived there to go to the Market and get the veg etc. Is it still there ?? I bet it has changed a fair bit since 1975/6

I will rummage through the Freezer to see what meat we are going to have tomorrow. Got all the veg yesterday, as Ros dosen't like Morriso## veg. But gets all her meats there,and my FISH.

Must ring her to bring me some fish for tonight. She will have her Chinese as usual.

Oh sugar Frank, I didn't realise it was the Lord Mayors show - too busy being nurse etc!!!

Oh sugar Frank, I didn't realise it was the Lord Mayors show - too busy being nurse etc!!!

Those trolley buses could shift but they were silent,people couldn't hear them comming.
Often in the town centre they would detatch from them over head wires and conductor had to get a long pole and put them back on the wires.

Both the trams and the trolleys used to run to a garage up Weatgate Road.Many years later this same garage premesis became the site of Reg Vardy Toyota franchise.

Talking about conductors when I was a youth I found some of the clippies quite a turn on.

My dad was a bus conductor so whenever we got on his bus we never paid a fare.
Yes David, Ann and I aren't far behind you in age, I was going to call you a young whipper snapper but looked it up and it's not very complimentary :-0

Well done with the Omelette William, I'm not a very good cook, my omelettes look like someone's thrown up in the frying pan, still tastes alright though.

I never liked those aniseed balls, much prefer chocolate, do you remember the Fry's chocolate bar, where each segment had a different centre. I remember the sherbert with the liquorice stick, my fingers always turned brown from pulling the stick out and licking the sherbert off it.

I bet you can heave a big sigh of relief now Jane, great to have the kitchen like new and no more workmen traipsing about, I hate having people in, I can never relax.

Will pop round tomorrow to my friend ...........my partner in crime in Tenerife ........... brought back a bottle of wine which has been chilling in the fridge so will take it round and we can both have a good old moan about the weather here and wish we were back in Tenerife.

There'll be lots of fireworks going off around here on Tuesday for Diwali, usually much more than the 5th November.

I'd better get back to my sewing now, had a longer lunch break than intended, always the way when I get on this computer.

Hi Everyone,

I see you have the jellies in hand William......my favourite flavours are blackcurrant and rasberry. I hope Carmel starts to feel better soon. I expect it will take a little while for the swelling on her poor tongue to go down too.

I don't remember seeing trolley buses or trams, although in Leicester the tram lines were still down in places when I moved here and lots of the streets were still cobbled. I remember as a teenager it was a nightmare picking your way across the cobbled streets in your stilletoes!! :-0

I didn't sleep too well last night after having a bit of a shock. I was looking through some obituaries on line and stumbled across one for my ex husband who apparently passed away only a matter of months ago in February this year aged only 66!!! Donations to Macmillan were asked for so I assume it may have been cancer. I had such a mix of feelings about it, as we were together for 25 years which is a long time. We divorced over 20 years ago and things were not good towards the end and I ended up scared of him (6 foot and built like a rugby player!) but like most things there was good as well as bad. OH was shocked too and sat and chatted to me about it for ages......he is very good like that!!! :-D

Oh Ann.I'm not surprised you had mixed emotions seeing your Ex OH's name in the Obits.As you say you were together a long time.But how lovely of your OH spend all that time talking things through with you.I take it you were no longer in touch.

Well I don't know what else can go wrong in this house :-S..........Another pipe dripping,and some wet around the stopcock :-S :-S.I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone today.
Then we got a whiff of a burning kind of smell and my tumble drier had overheated.I couldn't touch the back of it (where I guess the motor is) as it was red hot .So now I will have to look for a new one.

I then went to the garage to get some petrol and there must have been a spillage of diesel as I was sliding all over the place.My boots kept sliding of the pedals and so I had to take them off and drive home in my socks to get more boots before I went to Tes** and Curr**.My car now stinks of diesel :-S :-S
What is the best thing to clean all the diesel off my Boots???????

Most go and get the casserole ready for the oven....I am so behind this afternoon :-| :-|

My late unle John,Aunt May's husband was a plumber and gas fitter but prefered to drive for a living.He had a spell driving corporation buses.
If you got on the bus he was driving you got a fast ride home.

David ,you might have fancied my Birth Mother .....She was a Clippie on the buses in Greenock..One of my Birth Brothers middle name is Blakie (like the chap in 'On the Buses').I think she must have been 'easy' as she had 8 children by 6 different men.Two of my Birth Sisters were fathered by the Milkman (apparently).My B Mother sounded a very friendly sort of gal ;-) ;-) :-| :-S........I never met her,but if I had I'm sure I would have been fascinated ,especially as she knew the Kray Twins and (that scene) when she moved to London..As I have said before ,I had a lucky escape by being adopted :-D :-D

James has suddenly felt hungry for the first time since his anaesthetic yesterday.He fancies some Mushrooms and bacon on toast,so I will go and do that for him now.

My great grandfather drove the first horse drawn tram from South "Woodford to Woodford Wells, Woodford Green.

Jane you must really be fed up with all that has gone wrong lately. Now the tumble drier needs replaceing. Have you had it a long while?

Got a sore throat again tonight. Think I am in for another cold.

Ann it must have been a shock to see the Obit. he was'nt very old either. A bit unsettleing for you. Still you have that lovely Gordon now and he sounds so careing and loving.

Cleaned the chickens out today as I am getting 6 new ones tomorrow. They are only down the road a little way and are X Waitr*se free rangers. I did'nt want too many more and these will bring me up to 15. Last year I had so many eggs I had to throw some out as they were'nt selling.

Chilli for dinner tonight and I have already cooked it so I only have to do the rice.

Franks favorite program on tonight.... I don't think :-( :-( :-( :-0

No Jane, with no children there was no need for contact........ he did all sorts of sneaky, 'hidden' damage to the house before he left..... even with the best of intentions you can easily end up 'not on good terms'. Frank will know! He did remarry though and despite everything I wouldn't have wanted this to happen to him so young.

I can't believe you have MORE leaks!!! :-S Burning smells too!! I hope something hasn't fallen into the tumble drier electrics while the work has been done.

I can remember at age 5 sitting on the bus to go to school and holding tightly onto my ticket like mum said!! It was such a big step to get on and off. There used to be bus tickets all over the pavement at stops years ago, pink, blue, green and yellow. It would be like fog in the bus at times with all the smoke too.

How many of your siblings were adopted Jane? Doesn't sound like there would be much time for being a clippie with all those children.

Yes Mel, he is!! :-D :-D <3 <3

Who is the 'sinner' Mel!! lol. I would have had eggs from you last year if I was nearer......they are delicious!! I suppose the new hens will have had better lives being free rangers.

Fancy your gt grandfather driving a horsedrawn tram. I imagine they must have been very strong horses that they used.....were they in pairs?`

There seem to be a lot of folk round here with 'throats' or 'sniffles'.

Where is Frank.........totting up his brownie points! :-D

I'm HERE,

I keep my beedy EYE on you lot at all time. In case you are talking about me. !!!
My ears were burning. :-D :-D :-D

Ehen I was called up for National Service. our local bus conductor never took my fare when I was on his bus. There was a collection box for tickets as you got off. But most people just threw them on the floor/pavement.

How nice to get a few more chickens Mel, they will be looked after, we know that.
<3 <3 <3

Jane what's wrong with your pipes ??? You are for ever having trouble with them.

Go easy on the wine Maureen, you know how it goes to your feet !!!! wobbly wobbly wobbly lol lol

I see Ros has turned over to X factor.. It will have to go back at 9.00 pm for The Service at the Albert Hall. I can't make up my mind if I will go to the Church tomorrow or sit and watch Rememberance Service on T.V.

I wouldn't say your Mother was easy Jane.
More a case of men taking advantage without taking precaution,

Well oh has gone off into the study now X factor has finished. I am left in the cold bl**dy kitchen after he has been outside for a ciggy. Wish he would go out of the front door and not let my heat out.

The last lot of chickens I had were from the same place. Last time I had them from a friend of Loraines who kept about 100 so Loraine could still have her gate sales. This year Val can't have them as they need the room for their calves. I did'nt have to pay anything for the last lot but this time they are a £1 each which is very good really.

David I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall so to speak just to see what my B Mother's life was like.
I was number 6 and adopted .A sister died I think just before I was born and then 4 were taken into care.After she moved to London she had 2 more .Peter I am in touch with had a little sister (number8) and he said one day she had just vanished.I think she for some reason at the age of 3 or 4 had been either fostered or adopted.Peter was never told why :-( :-(.How sad it that.

Frank I have no idea what the heck is going on in this house with pipes and water.I feel today as though I have just about had enough of it all :-S :-S.........but we will soldier on :-D.Hopefully soon everything will run smoothly with no more trouble......just in time for Christmas lol

I am just about dead on my feet so will be away to my bed....once XF has finished :-D

Ann I hope you get a better sleep tonight.
I kept Chris awake in the night when I turned on the Kindle and the light woke him up.I think he will crown me if I do the same again tonight.I will just have to read it under the duvet ...like the old days with a torch and book :-D :-D

Night Night xx

Frank ....Luv Sooty and Sweep email

That is sad Jane, but you were lucky as you say! :-)

Frank, I didn't think you'd be far away......we can't get away with anything can we! Love the photo of Lewis and the Sooty and Sweep email is brill.....have sent it on to OH.

We are definately off to the NEC tomorrow, it will do me good.....hopefully we may see somewhere for a bite to eat on the way back, which will be cheaper too!!

Mel, do you find in the summer when you want the doors open......they shut them!! :-) lol.

I used to love those round black and white swirl sweets and those narrow thin bars of all kinds of toffee. Banana, green spearmint one, treacle toffee.....lovely!