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All Quiet .. on the Western Front
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Hi all.
Like Scammell wheel nuts, Graham.
I think I'm losing it a bit, not sure if we are talking ornithology here or possibly something to do with the Montgolfiers
or, could even be Bill's Mother in law.
Speaking of which, one landed on the eldest son's back lawn, a
balloon that is not a mother in law, at 8 - 30 in the morning about
three weeks ago. I hasten to add that he lives on a farm and the 'lawn'
is a couple of acres.
Getting back to the birds, we visited them last night and all the
time we were there a green woodpecker was thoroughly investigating the
cracks between the flagstones on the patio, terrific view through the
french windows. Unfortunately none of us had a camera, shame.......
Whilst this was going on the women folk were more interested in some wedding photos they were looking at.
Incidentally we've had the sister in law staying with us for the
last week. Couldn't move in the car park for bloody broom sticks!!!!!
Ah well, got to go.
Sticky.
PS. I think the brown tits seen in Spain were probably sparrows.
July 25, 2010
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Or possibly cranes! Graham
July 26, 2010
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I do like the cut of your jib Graham !
July 26, 2010
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Ooooooh! You are awwwful! Graham
July 26, 2010
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I'm afraid you've lost me guys !!
July 26, 2010
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Sorry Sticky. Sparrows was the company near Newbridge
that used cranes. I think some Tech chaps had apprenticeships with them
in the 1960s. Stothert & Pitt made cranes too. Graham
July 27, 2010
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Back to the vegetables then lads .. Still picking the rasberries and beans .. lawns are looking a bit sad
though, perhaps it will start raining at night soon, (don`t really want
to spoil the bike-riding time). Haven`t been out on it for ages, but did
venture out this morning to the local Tesco for some milk. Went into
the Bank to pay in and the young girl on the counter said " anyhting
else I can helsp you with?". I said "yes, but it wouldn`t be
appropriate", she regained her composure and laughed, as did the rest of
the queue.
How many of us (U.K. based) are thinking of going to
Kemble Airfield to see the Fairground, lorries, cars & bikes (rumour
has it there may be a steam crane of two .. plus there`s always the
possibility of the odd shag.)
Mush dash, have to put the kettle on ... have fun
July 27, 2010
(Edited July 27, 2010)
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That sounds like my brother-in-law's humour! He had to
have an injection in his backside for a minor op at the RUH. Young nurse
pulls aside the curtain of the cubicle, syringe in hand, where he is
lying without his pants on. "Only a little prick!" she states.
Brother-in-law responds, "My wife never complains!" Absolute hysterics
and she retreats up the ward. Ten minutes later Rosa Klebb appears with a
giant hyperdermic with a fixed expression...! Graham
July 27, 2010
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Hi all.
I was with you Graham, right up as far as Rosa Klebb and I'm afraid
you lost me there. Who the hell is or was she? I would have understood
Hatty Jaques!!!!!!!
Regarding the cranes, I knew perfectly who Sparrows were also
twigged the implied association with Bill's 'Cut of the jib'. It was Stu
that was all at sea, as it were. Caused a bit of a chuckle though.
Can't imagine how we arrived at your brother in law's bottom from the original thread about twitchers.
Oh, I don't know though.
Glad you are looking forward to the show, Bill. I attended the last
committee meeting prior to the event, last night, and it's really
looking good. Any of our readers that may be in the slightest interested
should visit the website on www.steamextravaganza.comThere will be lots of birds there including falcons, harris hawks,
owls etc. I don't think there will be any tits though, not even brown
ones............
Don't forget to visit the beer tent on Sat evening for live music. and steam.
Have fun.
Sticky.
PS Great photos, Rich, both the tractors and the band. I will admit
to a soft spot for the Fordson N though, shame it's on steels and not
rubbers.
July 27, 2010
(Edited July 27, 2010)
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Apologies again. Rosa Klebb was the Smersh agent in
Fleming's James Bond books. She had poisoned daggers in the toes of her
shoes. 'From Russia with Love' I think! In the book she was a grim
character. Hattie Jacques would be better.
My wife says I have a
'butterfly' mind! Now is that a new thread? My kids say that I just
never grew up! Bearing in mind that I did not leave primary school until
I was 51 perhaps they are correct! Must put the next Kemble on my
diary. That is the weekend to stay off the Kennet & Avon near Sydney
Wharf as I will be attempting to steer a barge! Graham
July 28, 2010
(Edited July 28, 2010)
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After 32 years at the chalk face I've issued my final whole-school detention.
Have
worried about life after regular paid income but you guys give me hope
in extemis, "bird" watching, alternative energy projects, mobile
homing etc. My other half seems to be unimpressed with by my
plans, listing a thousand and one items for attention on top of cooking
and cleaning - me thinks one of the problems associated with marrying a
woman much younger than oneself!
Any tried and tested water-tight excuses to avoid years of domestic drudgery would be much appreciated.
Mike
July 28, 2010
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Congratulations on your arrival in the real world Mike.
There is life outside the staffroom! One of my biggest pleasures was
sitting on the terrace of a New Zealand friend's house, with another
newly retired teacher I trained with, one November, drinks in hand. (The
New Zealand chap was a Head until last year (66) to make up the pension
years that did not count from UK) We recalled that Christmas event
rehearsals were a thing of the past! So one tip is to travel, then the
chores are left behind. My other wheeze is writing! "Must finish this
article/chapter/book today dear. Can't stop!" Then as the e-mail 'pings'
I write nonsense to the many contacts (including the ones here!) who
pop up. A major hobby helps this ruse. It looks as if anything goes.
Once I had an allotment. Chatting with the old boys on the field was out
of the house. Trouble was nothing grew so her indoors got suspicious,
and that was that! Graham
July 28, 2010
(Edited July 28, 2010)
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Hi All
Yes, congratulations Mike and welcome to the rest of your life. You
do realise that you have opened a hornet's nest as far as retirement is
concerned. You will get all sorts of advice and how to change a wheel
on a Massey Ferguson, how you locate long lost canals and with a bit of
luck how to make your own cider!
You are now entitled to be forgetful, partially deaf and have
occasional aches and pains that prevent you from doing DIY
(ask Bill!). I started retirement at 48 and now at 62 am an expert
in the field. The Government must be mad thinking people want to go on
working for ever!!! You will find there is not enough time to do all you
want to do and also complete some of the chores that will be assigned
to you, take note of first statement regarding ailments!! Good luck
friend, the real secret is to stay happy, healthy and prosperous.
My lovely wife Sue is ten years younger than me and they do say you are as old as the woman you feel!
I have really enjoyed the photos Rich, my only diappointment is
that I cannot remember seeing you play. I am sure I must have
somewhere. Perhaps now you could tell us a few tales of life on
the road and meeting and playing with the supergroups of the time.
Have fun in the sun, cheers.
Steve
July 28, 2010
(Edited July 28, 2010)
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Hi Mike and all.
I think that Graham and Steve have said it all really.
I'm afraid I can't offer any further advice from experience as I am
still in harness at 66, partly by choice and partly for financial
reasons althougfh the time is rapidly approaching when I reason that it
will be advisable to wind down a bit.
I'm not prepared to comment on Graham's 'Butterfly mind', but was
interested by the fact that he uses the excuse of being a master
wordsmith to escape the chores. I've often thought that being able to
offer a few articles for publication would be nice when I do eventually
retire. A few words of advice would be always appreciated.
It's getting late again so must go.
Have fun.
Sticky.
July 29, 2010
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Hi All, this is interesting. The object is to retire from your job
and not your life. You certainly need plenty of interests and
things to do so you don't get under your wife’s feet. I have a
younger sister who is a teacher and I kind of think, she has never been
in the real world, school, uni, and school is how I see it. No
offence guys, but thats just me. Always around kids and kids can
be so cruel and difficult in their relationships with each other and
teachers. Remember when my kids were at school and one of the
teachers was nickname 'Grannie' she was a 37 year old with grey hair and
about 6 years younger than me. Anyway must go, have the same
painter and decorator doing my ceilings as Bill. Ken
downunder.
July 29, 2010
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Ken is probably correct about teachers. Having only
worked on the production lines at Fry's Chocolate Factory & Wills'
Tobacco Factory (No.1 Bedminster) as a student in the 1960s I have no
experience. In 1997 when I finished there were only 7% male teachers in
primary schools and about 55% in secondaries. The word 'vocation' no
longer seems valid. No tangible results from 31 years as an
educationalist (except an infantile sense-of-humour) but when I think
how we respect those teachers at the Tech I can but hope. Being
incarcerated in a room with up to 40 children (5 to 11) for 5 hours a
day, 195 days a year, does not seem popular among chaps! In the 70s-80s
my neighbours would be carrying their newspapers (and sometimes golf
clubs) to their (free) firm's car in the mornings and were always home
before me on Friday afternoons. I sometimes wished I was in the real
world!
The pleasures are minor. One summer a new bar maid appeared
in the White Horse at Biddestone. I thought, I remember you as an 11
year old, and sure enough as I ordered my pint she said, "Are you Mr
Priest?" I briefly wondered whether to lie, but then said, "Yes, and you
are Fiona!" "It is all your fault!" was the response! She had become so
enthused with my lessons on Ancient Egypt that she was reading
archaeology at university. No money in it (hence bar work) but my
reaction was "Yes!" Graham
July 29, 2010
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Thanks guys for the advice and good wishes.
I've
got lots in hand, the archtypical book (3 Chapters in, plus a rough
draft), supporting reading amongst a bunch of weak Year 5 boys,
mentoring and assessing post grad teachers in training, wedding
photography, shed clearing (x2), shifting a concreted-in greenhouse,
complete reading all 93 P.G. Wodehouse novels, cycling the whole length
of the Kennet and Avon Canal, becoming a J.P., train travel across
Canada, replacing a rusting bathroom radiator, and that's just for
starters. However also on the cards are getting used to driving a
Dyson and working out the geography of our local Waitrose.
I'll keep you posted on the balance to be struck between the two.
Mike
July 29, 2010
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Steady Mike, apart from all the DIY, travel, etc,
it sounds as though you'll be doing more than when you were working. I
entered semi retirement about 8 years ago, had to get a job to get some
time to myself, things got so bad I've now got two !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously though good luck and enjoy it, to be honest we started to
travel about 4 years ago, 6 months after I had a minor heart attack, we
enjoyed it so much we haven't been able to stop, after Central Asia the
first year we've now been to China twice, a country I'd recommend to
anyone, taking a bit of a sabbatical this year, (only going to Turkey),
before hoping to go to India next year. I suppose what I'm saying to one
and all, and I'm sure Steve would agree, is get out there and enjoy it.
Just remember there are only 24 hours in a day, hahaha.
Stu
July 29, 2010
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Hi all.
Mikes proposed assignments all sound OK to me but I'm worried about the proposal to learn the geography of Waitrose.
Doesn't he realise that the words 'Geography' and the name of any super store are mutually exclusive!
There is a basic layout diagram, but this information is handed
down from mother to daughter exclusively, not the realm of mere mortal
men. Furthermore the layout appears to be infinitely variable by
the week. However, the female of the species appears to understand this
and seem to be guided by some inherent intuition. Believe me, Mike would
be better off searching for the Holy grail. My advice is quit whilst
you are ahead.
Just go in there, if you have to, and mill about aimlessly like all the rest of us!!!
As I had a quiet day at work today I took the day off. I know that
I'm going to be working continuously once I get to Ireland so thought I
would take advantage of the situation. Had a progress report from the
office apparently the lorries are still at the port in Dublin, the Garda
would not let them travel during the day, they have to move tonight.
Another setback, this job has been cursed right from the start, I now
travel to Ireland on Tuesday.
Got to go now it's getting late again.
Have fun.
Sticky.
July 29, 2010
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Hi John, sorry to hear that you have to work next week,
hope you will be home for some of the weekend at least and we can meet
up again.
Regarding shopping, I don,t know which is worse, sitting
outside in the car wondering how much she is spending or pushing the
trolley around after her.
I have had a fair bit of practice at this
and know that it is sometimes better to go to the garage shop or even
the little corner shop than wander into the likes of Tesco or Asda if
you only want bread and milk, the bakery is always at the furthest end
of the store beyond the "home and wear" and all the rest of the slow
sellers, bunches of flowers, magazines, make-up, and even after that as
you come to the checkout there is a drinks cooler, chewing gum,sweets,
chocolate and all sorts of insurance and phone/internet deals,if Tesco
ever think about selling cut price cars -look out.
July 29, 2010
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