General Chat

Electricians are here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Morning All

I have been busy here getting things ready for when my son and Family come.. Have been defrosting and cooking lol...Made a trifle also half a jelly as the other half I have made into a vodka jelly for tonight lol...
I have only just dressed and showered not in that order. Had a freind of my youngest son call in while I was still in my dressing gown lol..ended up playing dominoes with his little girl..

We only have 2 bedrooms but they are all staying tonight.. all 5 of them ..Thats my son I mean..

May catch you later ..enjoy the day..

Not my cat..Found this piccie else where ;-)

Mel that is good news for you..

Sparkies left a littlel while ago and I am now up and running.

The wind has got up now and it is raining cats and dogs.

Afternoon Everyone.

Lovely Cake Mel
Thats me finished the last of the food shopping and all my presents are in, just got to keep on top of the house work.

Daughter no 2 will be down later to do some sewing for me want a skirt shortened and 3 pairs of trousers for Sofia need taken up, daughter no 1 is no good at sewing,

Now I'm ready for some lunch and a read at the local newspaper, was glad to see my Mum & Dads memorial was put in , all was correctly spelled,

BBL

Morning all,

Still sorting things out from last night,

While Ros was at hairdressers, I put all the dishes, glass's plates. back where they belong, Emptied the dish washer again!!! Where does it all come from.
Lewis is in bed watching Tele, I'm still in dressing gown. Can't get myself going this morning.

My. Don't some of you have lovely memories of your Childhood Christmas's. Things for you YOUNGER ONES. certainly got better, into the Fifties. I have never told anyone this before, but my FIRST real christmas present was from my girlfriends parents when I was invited for Christmas afternoon/evening It was a zip up cardigan, and a cravat. I was 17 years old. For my 21st from my Mum was a £10.00 note. "go amd buy yourself something" was all she said. No birthday card.!!!

The things, we did get when young never amounted to much. "BE GRATEFUL" you have a home, food in your stomach, and cloths on your back, and a bed to sleep in. We had to make Paper chains from cut up newspaper, painted in what ever colour we could get hold off, some distemper, some Gloss paint. held together by flour paste. We would to to the woods to get Holly. My 2nd eldest brother would come Christmas evening and play games with us.

My Uncle Joe (Mums Brother) would come over from Canning town each Christmad with a SIXPENCE with the next years date on. As there were 5 of us that was 2/6d. a lot of money then.

I think yhis is why I enjoy Christmas so much now. and always managed to get my own two children most of the things the wanted. Then Harvey and Conrad later.

One Christmas the children wanted a Wendy House. So Christmas eve, I bought all the timber and hardboard, battery light. wallpaper and some carpet sample, AND MADE IT, WHEN THEY HAD GONE TO BED. It was so big I couldn't turn it into the lounge from the kitchen, So had to go out of the kitchen door, go round the back and come in throught the Patio door..
Went to bed about 6am.

We always left all christmas lights on Christmas Eve, when we went to bed. In the morning the childred would have presents by the bed. Then get washed and dressed, have breakfast. THEN let in the lounge to open all their presents. I always cried to see them so happy. Then if they had outside type presents. Bikes, pram, peddle car etc, we would go out for an hours walk around the villiage. All the Mums and Dads were out doing the same things.

As Children. Dad would always go the( CLUB ROW)Pedicote Lane and buy day old chicks, amongst them was always a cockerel. He was allowed with the others for a few weeks, then put in his own Large Cage to be fattened up for Christmas. I always remembered he lived on the wall outside the kitchen window.

During the London Blitz,. If dad was in the area that had been bombed, and a Butchers, Grocers, or any food shops had beed damaged. The Men would help themselves to the spoils. So food would always be available during those times..

As much as you could call my DAD a rogue It was always for the benifit of the FAMILY.

During part of the war, he took a gardeners job, at the local Mental Hospital. He would stand behind a certain part of the fence, where mum would meet him. with us in the BIG double ended pram. He would jump over the fence with a big sack of Potatoes. Lift us out of the pram, put in the SPUDS. then put us back. Sitting on top of a sack of Spuds.

I've known him to come home with a rope roung his neck, on one end a leg of pork and thre other, a side of beef. All covered up in his NAVY OVERCOAT.

I had a scarf and £50.00 from Harvey, The "FROZEN PLANET" book and a recharger for my batteries with 2 packs of batteries.from Conrad, for my Birthday.

We have boxs and bags to get into the car tonight/tomorrow to take down to Harvey's for Lewis's presents. He is getting very excited. and he's 13.

Now I have draged you into my pass, you can see why I am so happy to be able to share my Christmas's with my family, and friends like you.

I will take the opportunity now, in case I don't get on here later and I shall be off to my daughters in the morning,to wish all my friends a very happy christmas <3 and a bright and healthy new year <3

It's been fun reading all the different stories of our childhood christmasses. It didn't do us any harm Frank not having money for lots of presents and goodies, it made us more enterprising with whatever we had or could get hold of and as all our friends and neighbours were in the same situation we didn't feel like we were missing out although growing up in the fifties we probably had more than you growing up in the forties. It's great to be able to spoil the family now.

Well it seems we have all been Busy bees today.I didn't dare turn on the computer until I had done most of what I needed to get done.I am now ready for a well deserved Cuppa.

That was a lovely post Frank.You soppy old date you <3,and Mel that was a whopper of a post from you this morning.
Great that you are now all done and dusted with your solar Panels.That must be a huge relief .

Maureen Have a wonderful Christmas with the family (if you aren't back here before you go.




Fiona.You are lucky to have a daughter who can use a sewing machine.I wouldn't know where to start these days.I just remember using Mums old singer

:-S
It's going to be very cosy in your home Pat with all your visitors :-D

It is so dark here .WE have just had some dreadful rain and wind. :-S :-S

Off to clean the bathroom now so BBL

AFTERNOON BUSY BEES ----------

FRANK YOUR DAD WAS NO ROUGE--I'M SURE IF TRUTH BE KNOWN
WE OF THAT GENERATION HAD A LOT OF THINGS THAT FELL OF THE BACK OF A TRUCK ;-) -- AND WE STARTED RECYCLE--AS ONE CHILD OUT GREW A TOY IT WAS PAINTED(BATTLESHIP GRAY) COMPLIMENTS OF SHIP YARD AND PASSED ON SAME WITH CRIBS AND WHAT EVER COULD BE FIXED---- OUR DOLLS WOULD BE MADE FROM LARGE WOODEN JUTE BOBINGS WITH A WOOLEN SOCK PULLED THROUGH CENTER AND A FACE STITCHED ON----- SKIPPING ROPE MADE FROM
PART OF SHIPS MOORING ROPE----I THINK OUR MUMS OR GRANS INVENTED CANDY STRIPES USE UP ALL THE ODD BITS OF WOOL TO MAKE OUR SWEATERS. LOLXXXX

TO ALL WHO WILL BE ON THE ROAD DRIVE SAFE AND A HAPPY XMAS :-) <3 <3

All the very best Maureen, Have a lovely time with the Family.

Ros bought a roasted Chicken from Tesc# this morning, so we will pick at that with salad and warmed up roasties.

Been a terrible afternoon, Rain lasting agaist the windows. Heating on, Ros asleep in the armchair, Lewis on the computer, and me on the Sofa, watchikng T.V. PEACE ON EARTH>

Evening all

Maureen have a lovely time with your family at Christmas.

Raining here and very cold. finished my ironing and tidied up back bedroom for MIL coming to stay with us just after Christmas. OH will take her home before he has to go back to work in the New Year.

Jane , The sewing machine we have is a Brother, I wouldn't know where to start with it, I haven't used a sewing machine since I was in high school in sewing class, OH or daughter no 2 use's it mostly,

I still have my grandmothers singer machine (Mums Mum) in the loft in dad's old house it was given to my mum when gran died, but was never used after that,
Daughter no 2 finished Sofia's little jogging trousers and I have pressed them, hope they will be ok.

Better set table for dinner, not sure what OH is cooking tonight,

THE TANK

Here’s another of my true stories, hope you enjoy it and crack a smile.
As it's Christmas Eve eve, I thought this was a good time to share it.

Let me take you back to Christmas 1942. It’s war time of course, a time of rationing and austerity, no sweets for us kids. There were no toys, all metal, including railings, have gone into munitions. Not a lot of fun, but what you’d never had you never missed.
Our family had been ‘bombed out’ of London’s East End. After a brief period of evacuation on the Essex coast for my Mum, elder brother and myself, we moved back to the Essex suburbs to a house my Dad had found for us. The place was called Chadwell Heath. It was at the terminus end of the trolleybus route from London’s Aldgate.
As I said, my tale starts Christmas 1942, a seven year old boy like myself didn’t have a great deal to look forward to. Dad worked shifts on the LNER railway and commuted up and down to Stratford daily. Mum worked locally at a leather goods factory. She was the one who was to make this particular Christmas special for me.
Each Christmas, her firm held a party for employees children and it was my first year to attend. I don’t recall much about it except the end of the party. At the end there was a raffle, each child had a raffle ticket pinned to them and the numbers were drawn out and you got whatever was assigned to that number. It wasn’t a big deal, maybe an apple or orange, a colouring book or something some had made.
On this occasion the star prize was a beautifully home made large wooden tank. I knew what tanks were from all the pictures in the newspapers, or the Pathe newsreels, so my eyes lit up on this one.
They pulled the number out last, I recall it well, it was number 65. I looked down at my number and was disappointed to see it was 56! No one shouted to claim it but a little girl next to me said “It’s you, you’ve got number 65”.I then realised I’d been looking at it upside down and quickly shoved my hand in the air and made my way forward.
The tank was a beauty, must have been 18 inches long and filled my arms. I don’t remember much more of that afternoon, I was in seventh heaven and the envy of every other boy. It was a big object for a little boy, the body solid wood, the turret swivelled round and the gun was made of a metal tube. The wheels were cotton reels with a canvas track and wood cross pieces for grip. The tank was camouflaged and really did look a treat.
I was so excited as Dad helped my home with it that Christmas Eve, and talked of nothing else but the tank. I brummed it up and down the hall carpet, and over every obstacle that lay in front of it. The rest of Christmas meant little to me – the TANK had arrived.
However, the tank also made me unpopular on Christmas morning. Our next door neighbours were good souls and made sure we got one of their chickens for Christmas dinner. But with the tank on my mind, I couldn’t sleep and had to share my excitement with everyone. At 7 am, I got up, lugged the tank round to next door and rapped on their knocker. No sir, I wasn’t going to let them miss out on my good fortune. After knocking a while a voice called from an upstairs window – “Who’s that, what’s wrong?” called sleepy Mr Walters. I proffered up my tank saying, “It’s me Mr Walters, look I’ve won a tank”. Needless to say he didn’t share my enthusiasm and suggested I come back later – much later!
It’s funny how things isolate themselves and stick in the memory. I recall the tank soon lost its interest proving too big to play with and was later relegated to the woodshed. In fact I’ve no idea what finally happened to it. But one things sure, I’ll never ever forget winning THE TANK.

HI WILLIAM--
JUST ME SHIRL IN CANADA OR TRACEY ON HERE--
WHAT WAS OR IS YOUR OCCUPATION? :-) YOU DO WRITE WELL

Still chucking it down here :-S
It's steak and saute potatoes for us 2 with mushrooms and some other veg.I cooked my Gammon today with coating of Honey,Brown Sugar and Mustard and have taken the Turkey out of the freezer.I always worry if it will defrost in time :-S :-S.Made a savoury tart thing with yellow peppers,red onion ,Chorizo and grated cheese.I'm hoping that maybe Hannah and Sarah will have that tomorrow when they arrive.They aren't in for dinner as they are off out to one of Hannah's friends for a Buffet.I think they will get here about 2pm.No idea what time James will be back from Jess's.Probably the evening.

The Gas man was supposed to be coming this afternoon to fit this grill thing or whatever it is but he has been held up with some difficult job ,so is now coming on the 6th Jan.That suits me fine.

So are we all ready?I just need to get some butter and some of Chesters favourite nibbles.I'm bound to have forgotten something as I am totally disorganized :-|

Fiona .Last Christmas day was a terrible day for you ,losing your dear Dad.
I hope this year you will be able to enjoy all the festivities .


Anyone going to the Boxing Day Sales????? ...........Not me ,that's for sure lol

Hello it's Me with an L on the end.

I don't get it Mel :-S :-S

Another great Christmas story William.I never knew what happened to some of my favourite toys either :-S.I do still have Big Ted although he looks a bit Moth eaten.He sits in my little wicker chair that I had as a present when I was about 3.My Btm is too big to fit in it now :-(

It says on the turkey info to defrost it in the fridge.I don't have any room left ,so will it be alright left in the garage ?

Gosh it has been siling down here too and the wind is so strong most of the bantams spent all afternoon in the garage. They will get a surprize when oh finally finishes the doord and gets some hinges that are going to hold them on!! :-(

Two bantams were round on the lea side of the porch and the rest were under an old garden table I feed the birds on. The big girls were all in the chicken house until I went in with their corn and then they were all round my feet. Me getting stuck in the mud trying not to tread on their feet. They peck my wellies when I go in their run. :-)

Glad you are all ready now for a good Christmas. I was going to make sausage rolls and more mince pies this afternoon but did'nt get anything done. Just sat at pooter and played a few games of cards.

Chilli tonight for dinner so thats nice and quick. I want to see The Young Victoria on replay tonight as I just found it part way through and last night I watched The Young James Herriot final part. Did any of you lot see those programs. Would make a good new serise for us. Better than the rubbish we get most nights on the box. Hav'nt those selling channels increased or is it me??? :-|

JANE THINK ABOUT IT---''ME'' WITH L ON THE END!!!!!

ME+L == MEL :-S :-S ;-) ;-) <3 <3 :-)

oh has just cooked me some chesnuts. They were lovely....... :-) :-)