General Chat

Ouch Frank! I bet that blooming hurt.I remember being put over Dad's knee for a spanking.I think I had a few times when my backside stung lol.Not many though ,and a few clips round the ear.
I do remember my doll going off to the dolls hospital to have her head put back on and a new eye.I wonder if the shop is still there.

I have just put dinner in.It was something I saw on TV this morning.It smells good ,so I hope it tastes good too.

Today was a very strange day weather wise.One minute fog ,then sun,then cloud ,then sun .It didn't seem to know what it was doing.

17.27

Jane, I remember a doll going to 'the Dolls Hospital' when she lost an arm! Think it could have been my father's bench in his workshop!! anyhow she came back beautifully repaired! Whenever I broke a toy, I used to put it on that workbench without saying anything, and sure enough whatever it was came back to my bedroom repaired after a day or two!!! Years later my parents told me how they used to laugh at these offerings!!! I can remember having a Farm with all the animals, again in lead, I also had a Noahs Ark which my elder Uncle made for me plus animals, I really liked that..Later on I had plastic cowboys and Indians, wigwams and bits and bobs, with the post bit to keep the riders on their horses. Our fortunes changed when my mother remarried, and a few more things were available in the shops after the war, I finally got a NEW bike when I was 15! I felt that I had arrived!!!

My first two wheel byke came from Halfords in Gants HIll. It was a Triumph Palm Beach, two tone blue with a white saddle bag on the back. I think it cost £27.19s.6d.

We went to look at a photography exhibition this afternoon at Snibstons which is a kind of museum on the land of an old coal mine. There were some very good landscape photos. It has nature trails around it and we went to look at the snowdrops which are only just opening there whereas ours in the garden are nearly over. We called at a garden centre on the way back where they have some of the walking boots OH wants.........didn't have his size though and didn't offer to get any in!!

I used to think it wasn't fair my sister and brother getting my hand me down toys as they ended up with a lot more than me and they didn't have to wait for things like I did! I had my first 2 wheeler on my 7th birthday, a New Hudson, which I recently learned was a Birmingham company. I never understood the emblem which I think was a man's bent arm clutching a hammer and reaching out of a brick chimney......very odd. It was royal blue with white mudguards and I loved it even though it was far too big for me and had to have thick wooden blocks on the pedals. It was the cause of many sticking plasters on my legs, but oh the freedom to whizz along the lanes to that tick, tick sound with the breeze on your face. (and flies in your eyes in summer. lol) It had to last me till I was 15 when the only way I could ride it was standing up or my knees would catch the handlebars. My parents wouldn't buy me another bike, but a chap who worked for dad took pity on me and brought me his wife's bike which she had fallen off and never used again. I was a gift and I was absolutely gobsmacked at the time as it was a beautiful bike, metallic red frame, semi drop handlebars and deraillieur gears!! Dad spoiled it by by giving the chap a few pounds for it so it was never mine and I had to leave it behind when I got married.

Oh Ann that was a shame. Your parents sounded a bit tough on you!

18.49

OH gone ringing so I think I will wash my hair.

I remember my first 'grown up' bike.It was blue.Can't think of the make but I think it began with a B.Dad had to fix big wooden blocks on the pedals as I couldn't quite reach.My feet would often slip off those blocks and I had some nasty skinned ankles lol Oooh it brought tears to my eyes.

I just tried to look up the old Dolls Hospital in Plymouth.I can't find anything ,but have found a site with some brilliant old photos of the Town.

18.50

LOL Ann,we both had wooden blocks then .I'm thinking my bike could have been a Britton???

Gosh all these memories!!My first bike when I was 8 was a second hand bike that was given to my mother by a friend.I learned to ride a bike on this with the wooden blocks!! my next bike was my Granny's (!) old bike. It was a Sunbeam and had three speed and was pretty nifty! then, finally a NEW bike!! it was a Raleigh, blue, straight handlebars, three speed, and it was MINE!! don't know how much it cost, but it was for Xmas and birthday, and I was told very firmly to look after it, as if anything happened to it I would NOT get another!!! I had fair but firm parents! After I got married I gave it to my eldest cousin, who was tickled pink aged 13!! I think she rode it for years! Does anyone remember playing Jacks?!

6.50pm

New bike !!! what was that. my first bike cost ME 2/6d. it had two wheels handle bars, and a saddle. To stop it you would cock your leg over the back wheel and put your instep of the shoe on the tyre. It always worked. I did loads of miles on that, even went to Woolwich Ferry. to cross the Thames. must have been 15 miles and I was only about 12 years old. Another good hiding.!!!! Even after getting married and cycling to London every day the bike only cost £10.00. You had to be carefull going through Stratford East London as they still had the TRAM LINES in the road., and you didn't want your wheels in them.!!!

Mel, As a teenager Gants Hill was know as the seven ways. there was actualy seven road off that roundabout. I lived just down the road from there when I first got married. Aldborough Road, Newbury Park. What was the name of the big park in Ilford ?????

I remember having a Tricycle ,if you turned the handlebars to quickly it tipped over !!

I had a Raleigh bike , i'am sure it came from Cur*y's ,it had the little bag on the back ,and a tool kit !! Oh the smell of your first bike .

My friend had a Scooter ,i never had a Scooter so i loved going to her house to play on hers .
And i remember her big brother had one of those little engine thingy's that ran on Methylated spirits ,i remember the stink !!!

Mel, have PM'd you ,could you do a look up for me please .

7.07

I spent hours and hours playing Jacks Liz.I remember when I was in my first primary school a Jack slipped down a drain grill.Because I was the one who had the thinnest fingers I was picked to poke my fingers down through the grill to hoick the Jack back up.You should see my fingers now.'sausages' lolThere is no way I would be chosen today !!.I remember buying Hannah Jacks when she was little and her being so cross with me because I kept playing and wouldn't let her have a go lol.

Evening all
Thanks for your info on dummies. I can understand now.

Went with my girls and Sofia to visit a friend of daughter no2 today called Karen,
Karen still is best mates with daughter no2 and they used to go to walk to school together.

Karen has just had a baby girl last Thursday called her Amy weighed in at 7lbs 6ozs, Amy had masses of black hair, and she is sooo tiny.
Karen turned 23 at the beginning of January and already has a little 2 1/2 girl called Megan.
Sofia was not all that bothered with the baby, untill it was my turn to give it a cuddle then she did not like that. and came up and started to squeeze the baby and push my hands away and the started to cry,
This is the first time Sofia has seen a real baby and I think there was a bit of jelousy going on. she was quite happy when Karen took the baby back.

I Can't remember when I got my first real grown up bike, but do I remember my roller skates, red with siler wheels took ages to get my balance on them.

Just e-mailed you some childhood pics.

I remember my first grown up bike. I was about 13 , both my younger sister & I , had to save our £1 pocket money every week to buy it , a blue folding bicycle , because our parents would not buy A bike for us. I couldn't tell you how much they were though , I have alot locked away in my head !
Good night all , sleep well .

Poor little Sofia made it clear she did not want to share Granny with another baby then. Did your skates adjust with a sliding bit in the middle Fiona, held with a wing nut thing you had to tighten? I had some like that and they would come apart if you hadn't tightened them enough.........more grazed knees and plasters. lol

The Ancient Britain prog is on again tonight at 9pm BBC2 with the Coast presenter, Neil ? Very good last week.....anyone see it?

Hi Ann
Yes thats right and if the nut thing was not tightened it would go slack and you would fall off. yes many a time I would come in from outside crying and complaning with skinned knees and sore palms. I had roller boots as I got older they were much better.

Those roller skates would start off at some small size that you just got fitted into and then halfway down the road they would suddenly become gigantic lol.then because you were strapped in your foot got twisted but you couldn't get out of the darned thing.It was grey coloured bits that went over the foot with red laces.Didn't those skates make a racket !!!!!!

I can jut picture Sofia's face Fiona with you holding another baby!!!! lol

21.03

Fiona you look like Gypsy Rose Lee lol.Who is the cowboy????.
That is one sturdy trike you had.That bit at the back .Did it open?

Jane
The cowboy was called David Slater, he was the little brother of my friend Yvonne and when Yvonne came round to play , David would always tag along. they just lived round the corner to us.
Not sure about that box ? thing on the back of the bike Jane , can't remember if it opened or not,
I am wondering why I was on my bike all dressed in a party frock, I seem to remember mum liked to put me in pretty dresses more than trousers.
It a shame really most little girls these days are dressed in Jeans or joggy bottoms, I think Sofia has only one dress and I have seen it on her twice.
Christmas day, and my dad's funeral when she came to the tea after. They grow out of there clothes so quick, daughter no 1 has just put a box of Sofias clothes in the loft,
I'm off to the hairdresses tomorrow to get my hair coloured and cut. will just be my luck it will be pouring down it always does when I'm going to get my hair done.

Well I'm of to watch a bit of TV before going to bed
chat again tomorrow.
night night
xxxxxxxxx

Off to bed now.
Ann I have just watched Ancient Britain.Thanks for mentioning it,Brilliant!
Night Night xx