Late Winter Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

Monika is sadly missed, so much knowledge & kindness lost, but at least her family communicated so we were aware. I note our regular folk sometimes don't post for a bit & I do worry that they are OK, especially since none of us are exactly spring chickens! I was wondering if we could do a little pledge that we will get family to post on the forum to let everyone know? I have asked my Sr-in-law to do this for me if the worst happens. No big deal for her as I keep logged in so she only has to remember my main computer sign in & find the site, but that will be in an envelope just for her should this scenario eventuate suddenly. (Mr is completely computer illiterate).

Not being morbid, but when someone posts on an older thread I always read back a bit to see what people responded & then you see the names from the past & also the birthday's that pop up remind you. Since at this particular time there is so few of us & we are communicating directly more would this be reasonable?

[oldherbaceous]

A very good idea, Westi, I know Cook would let the members on here know, if anything happened to me…

[Shallot Man]

O.H. as I am approaching my 90th summer. Suppose I should mention it to my two children.

[Stravaig]

It's really weird if you don't know if a friend or relative is dead or alive. Do you keep writing or not?

I think it's a kindness not to keep people wondering

I wrote a change of address postcard to my elderly aunt, which apparently she put on her mantlepiece. Then she died soon after so my cousin (her son) emailed me with the news because he'd seen my card.

Several years later we're still exchanging emails weekly/monthly/whatever.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Shallot Man, hopefully we will have you about for many a year yet,

I haven’t seen Tigerburnie on here for quite a while, so sent him a PM but he hasn’t read it yet…..in some ways, just hoping he got a little fed up with the new forum lay out….

[Stravaig]

O.H. as I am approaching my 90th summer. Suppose I should mention it to my two children.

Ooh! Emperor Shallot is nearly 90 and has two children. What a randy old, erm, person. And there's little old me often fed up with being asked if I'm my husband's mother. Tsk.

[Stravaig]

Sorry, Mr Shallot,

I really didn't mean any offense. Just get a bit bored and lonely sometimes. I really didn't mean any harm so please forgive me.

I'll go back to doing my chores now.

[Shallot Man]

Worked in the London Docks most of my life. Been insulted by professionals.

[Stravaig]

Thanks for your good humour, Emperor Shallot.

I'm curious to know what you did at the docks if you'd like to share. I bet it must have changed loads. It's not a part of the city I often go to. Been to Billingsgate (fishmongering school) a couple of times. Fleet Street businesses moved out to Canary Wharf donkeys year ago.

I guess I just have a thing about adults being called children - or adult children. Offspring is fine but it's like an oxymoron (luxury coach travel) to be an adult child.

Anyhoo, you're a loverly jubbly man.

[Primrose]

Maybe we should make it a New Year,s resolution to tune into the General Chat at the beginning of every month on an "I'm still around " thread to say Hello. It would at least let people know we hadn,t popped our clogs yet!

I think it,s sometimes easier to have memories jogged by receiving an email to your IN Box that somebody has contributed to an issue to which you have earlier contributed. I,m afraid it,s sometimes easy to forget how many days have passed without logging in and at this time of year gardening activity is at a pretty low level anyway.

[Shallot Man]

Stravaig. Went into the docks as a boy of 15. [in those days your family had to work their. Wonderful life. The King sent me a brown letter asking if I would join his Army for two years. [ 1951 ] Well., as it was from the King [ George V1] who was I to say no. Volunteered for Egypt . When I came out, containerization was just starting. Finished up in charge of 70 Dockers. [ an education in it's self ] Wonderful life. Problem was my life flashed bye so fast. Trust I haven't bored you all. shallotman

[robo]

A mate of mine taken up with a lady half his age he was in his late 60s at the time before long she got pregnant ( something in the air) when she was on the maternity ward he went visiting ,looking around for his lady the sister got hold of his arm and pointed to a ward and said your daughter is in there both her and the baby are doing well he is in his eighties now and put their son through an apprenticeship who is now running the family business

[Westi]

Not a bad idea Primrose as that's pretty regular. The worst thread to read back on is the 'Funnies', so many familiar names either posting or liking that have now disappeared. I would not be surprised if Tiger got fed up with the new layout, it was kinda inflicted upon us without notice but being a bit stubborn I kept plodding on with it. I hope he contacts you soon OH so you can entice him back!

Thinking on the long term survival of the forum would it be advisable for KG to create a 2nd password feed for us constant users to chat as I do worry that our little communications being away from growing quite a bit, might put off other potential posters. Or move us down to the bottom & add another generic growing Q & A section which we will of course contribute to but within the confines of the question asked??

[Shallot Man]

I for one don't like the new lay-out.

[Stravaig]

Great story, Mr Shallot. Thanks for sharing.

I'm also ex-army but, unlike you, I wasn't invited. I decided to join up because I was fed up of being told what to do at home. Teenagers, eh? Go figure. (I only lasted a couple of years before moving on.)

I once had to transit Egypt on the way from Iraq to Kenya. In Cairo I think I saw about three car crashes in five minutes. Not impressed. This transit lasted several hours and they were well geared up with tourist stuff so you didn't just have to sit at the airport twiddling your thumbs. I went to see the pyramids at Giza, as well as having a lovely meal and a few beers.

Blimey. It might have been nice to see the pyramids but one was immediately swamped by touts trying to sell this that and the next thing. I'm sorry to say that eventually they made me so mad that I shouted at one of them. "NO! I don't want it and you can stuff your f'ing sphinx up your f'ing sphincter."

I hope I don't get banned from the forum for admitting that.

Interesting that you had a letter from King George. It's been Queen Elizabeth for all of my life - and Prince Charles. It's difficult to remember to call him King Charles now. I met him once (in Bangladesh). Very charming indeed. I really liked him.