General Chat

Hi Everyone,


I got a new Lappy.........very updated one.

My old one was full of food ..!!!! LOL

So now must cover my keys while eating .......

Pete felt, sorry for me yesterday so first thing this morning he went out and bought me my new lappy....Awwh Bless.

So I'm sitting here experimenting with new keys shining like a new
sixpence.....

Waiting for someone to send me an Email...LOL

Jean ...my neighbour got kicked in the arm a couple of years ago and had it broken ......her life was changed for 6mths as she could not drive or do anything that she used to and boy did it get her down, you have to be careful as you well know.

Marilyn,
Naughty girl for eating near a computer!
Apparently cup cakes are the in thing for weddings now!- so I've been told

Luck-Penny.

The donkey, according to Wikipedia, is a domesticated member of the Equidae family whose ancestors originally came from Africa & he gets a mention in the Gospels on Palm Sunday. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey - a male one I believe. Obviously, the donkey mixes with the top-shelf people.

Well, our donkey didn’t have to travel that far. In fact, he was born & reared about 5 miles away from us & this is how he ended up on our farm enjoying his well-earned retirement years.

Our farm was just 40 acres - a mixture of good & not so good land. My dad had plenty around him to help in the various farming activities - his four sons & one daughter - us!.

Subsistence farming was probably an apt term for such activities on a relatively small farm like ours. Dad never actually handed over cash in payment for the assistance (except perhaps the price to attend the dances or cinema in the local towns) but he did give us a roof over our head, plenty of food & a good education - a good home life & a sound base for our futures. What more did we expect.

He occasionally admitted that he would have preferred to tinker around with car engines & the like - he was very good at mechanics - but, as he was the eldest son of his generation, the family farm was automatically his when grandfather died. Rules were rules & that’s how things happened, Will or no Will.

Anyway, time waits for nobody & we, his offspring, grew up & one-by-one left home to do our own thing. Even the wild animal offspring does the same and, if they are a bit tardy with their departure, might be encouraged otherwise by their parents.

So, there was my dad still hoping to continue running the farm on his own - no mechanisation. When harvesting came around, he would just hire a contractor for a few days with the necessary machinery .

One day, he spotted an advert offering a second-hand tractor for sale at a fairly decent price. So, off he cycled the five miles to see if a deal could be struck - after a bit of bargain haggling.

Now, there’s a word we seldom hear about these days - ‘haggling’. Amongst farmers like my dad, it was the accepted custom that, no matter what an item cost, price negotiations were entered into - i.e. haggling. And so it was between him & the second-hand tractor seller. A reduced price was agreed after much claim & counter-claim. The deal was struck with a shake of hands & money was exchanged. All that was left to do now was to ask for a ‘luck-penny’.

I’m not sure if this practice is still going on but it stems from an old wives tale. Having paid for an item, the seller would usually give you back a few shillings as a mark of respect to the Gods hoping that some goodwill would go with the item purchased - a precursor of the Guarantee, perhaps. The chap selling the tractor to my dad was no rich man either as all farmers claim to be poor - even to this day.

So, he pointed to a little grey & brown coloured donkey in the nearby field & said he would give it to my dad as a luck-penny. The last thing my dad wanted at this stage was a donkey clearly passed his sell-by-date. But, dad had a soft heart & agreed to take the donkey.

So, there you have it. My dad drove the tractor home slowly - his bicycle thrown up the back & the donkey walking beside him - a sight rarely seen in our locality before or since.

It was getting dark by the time dad arrived home proud as punch with his purchase. The poor donkey was very tired after walking those five miles back to our house. Without disturbing anyone in doors, dad just opened the gate to the best pasture field he had & beckoned for the donkey to go in & help himself which he did. Getting his head down to eat the lush grass, the donkey would occasionally stare back as if to say ‘Thank you. This grass tastes lovely”.

To everyone‘s amazement, the donkey spent several comfortable years on our farm, no work expected of him, keeping company with the cows, calves and, of course, Dan - our pony plus Prince, our blind dog. He often stood around uncomplainingly with the other animals, his neat forelegs set close together & his ears pricked. And another thing, he became known by everyone in the locality as ‘Luck-Penny’. That became his new name and why not!

THE DONKEY (by G.K. Chesterton)

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

Dermot, you should write a book about your childhood, if you did, I'd buy it. I can picture everything you talk about........ even though I've never heard of a Luck-Penny

When you were young, did those houses in Knock always look so clean? The plasterwork (or whatever it is) on the houses is painted white or cream and it looks very clean. It looks the same in the area where you lived, the properties are kept immaculate.

Do you think what the visionaries saw was exaggerated over time?

Rita, it must be a great relief for you to know that all the cancer has been cut out. Your son can look to the future now. It's a relief for all of us, I'm so pleased he came thought it alright.

Marilyn, did you manage to eat last night? Has the pain gone yet?

Mo, isn't it great when a baby is a good feeder? Brings a smile to our faces and makes us happy.

Jean, what are we going to do with you? Did you like hospital food so much that you want to go back?

Hope it's going OK for Linda, maybe she'll finally get a treatment that'll work. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Linda.

Cup cakes at a wedding, Pat, ........ really?

No Shelly yet?

Hope it's not still cold, damp and frosty for Cath and Maddie, it's sunny here.

Where's Stephen? Stephen, you're another one who should write a book about your life........... I'd buy that one as well.

Not much point me writing a book, about my childhood........... nothing happened!!

Not sure if all the cancer has gone yet Pauline they took the one in the kidney out but he will have to have a check upto make sure it isnt anywhere else but they said it looks good.

I just had fish and chips for my dinner and I am so full i think I might burst in a minute

Pauline every one has something of interest happening during their growing up period.? you just have to scribble notes add little things then you will find your add to them . and it makes interesting reading. whether it is something that happened at school . or while you were on holiday.?
when I read what people have written on GR I think yes that happened to me or I recall something like that and I often think I had better not say as people will think yes here she goes again but I could fill a big book with little things that grew .into a book

Rita

Rita, fish and chips yum!
One of my old nieighbours told me this thing about cup cakes for a wedding.
Dermot, i liked your story about the donkey. Being a townie the only time I can remember seeinga donkey was in 1993 on Skegness beach!
i'n glad it's the week-end!

Pauline I am on a diet but didnt want to refuse fish and chips from the shop. I have once a month usually but it is twice now. Lol

I like donkeys they have a donkey santuary in Norfolk Red Wing when I lived up there some friends ran a boot sale every sunday to help them I use to help them when one was off sick or on holiday they made a lot of money for them.the amount use to be published in the local new paper.

They did the same for Grey hounds when they retired.

Rita

Good evening everyone.

Rita, it's good to hear Mike was able to let his wife know he was o.k, by giving her the thumbs up.
I hope he has had a comfortable day, and that the prognosis is good.
Well done Mike, you done well, we are all as proud of you, as mum is.

Ohh Marilyn, you lucky girl getting a new laptop. Pete spoils you rotten, and I am jealous, can I borrow him for a few weeks purleeze.
Hows your mouth, or should I say gums today. Has the gum started to heal yet.?

Thank you Dermot. It's amazing the things in life,we have never heard of before. A luck penny is a brilliant idea,and one I had never knew about.
A wonderful tale of your little donkey, who became a part of your family.

Pat, they have donkeys on Blackpool beach as well. When we have been there in the past, I have felt so sorry for them, having to be paraded up and down the beach with screaming brats on their backs,in all weathers.

I wonder if Jean is o.k, after her kick from the horse yesterday.

Shelly, hows your blisters. You can take it easy tomorrow,but not that easy that you sit on your bum all day, excercise excercise, thats what you should be doing.

Pauline, how was your Aunt yesterday when you visited her. In good health I hope, bless her.

Still no Stephen. Come on Stephen, it's the weekend and you should be enjoying yourself. We need you to lead us astray, as you normally do. lol

Linda, how did you get on today love.?

Evening everyone,
Rita I hope Mike is on the road to a full recovery and feeling more comfortable.
Dermot lovely tale about the donkey. I have always wanted one but sadly garden is too small. I just love animals.
Rita our greyhound is from a rescue centre in Birmingham, shes adorable and we couldn't be without her. At first she was quite reserved but now she is mad as a hatter!
Linda I hope hospital visit went ok and Marilyn how is the sore mouth.
Had some succes with my troublesome Irish ancestors today and received lots of useful info which I now have to sort through. Have been stuck with this part of tree for months so am very pleased to have some new info to get stuck into.
Jean hope you are ok after getting kicked, must have been very painful.


Cath xx

Evening All. Doing me Dixon impression.

Right, hope I wont leave anyone out.

Dermot, thanks for the monologues, they are great fun.

Rita hope your son is feeling better.

Jean hope your aches and pains are easing.

Shelly, buy some gel insoles from Boots.

Marilyn, hope your gums are 'skinning over' and the pain is easing.

Mo your lovely grandaughter is giving you pleasure.

Stephen where are ya?

Hope all went well for Linda today.

Pat and Cath keeping well.

Pauline, hope Brent is getting out to his club, and you are walking the bracing Sunderland coastline. Not like me, I perished.

If I have missed anyone, sorry. I am trying to type and look at the previous posts at the same time.

going boss eyed. lol

See you later

Maddie
x

Maddie,
Im always leaving people out, sorry. I still cant remember whos who!!

I hope all have had a good day (and not too cold). Its been very cold here and the easterly wind made it feel even colder.
Stephen you and Fluffy Paws are very quiet, what are you up to?

Cath xx

Evening all...

I'm up my tree.......

Been doing some successful findings of lost relly's.

Found my dads cousin in Spain owner of properties...Wow girls we are all off to Spain soon ...LOL

Got my grand daughter here for the night......such pleasure is she.

Now going to run her bath as has some smelly's to use up !!

Grandson on the Moors doing a trek of 13miles then sleeping in a TENT !!!!!!!

He'll freeze .......poor sod I'll be awake all night thinking about him.

Marilyn,
your grandson must be made of strong stuff! Brave lad, its got really cold again, hope we dont get more snow.

Cath xx

evening iv be looking after the baby all day i even had him last nite as his mum went to her sisters for the nite

my other daughter her 8 yr old son won his school quiz his only in year 3
any way he was serpost to of gone to another school to repersent his school
but it got canceled as the quiz master of off sick
but it will be taking place at a later date

granson is what thay call gifeted and talented
he won the school quiz out of all the years that was 3/4/5/6

cath dont wurry about all how names i done alway menshion every ones name like you i forget hows how

rita you could of shared you chips with me

mo plisters seem fine now but iv not done eny walking to day

marilyn kids that age love camping bet his haveing a great time
but glad im not there i dont like camping

Am I the only one still up.

Bet Shelly is still prowling around.

Very cold in London Town. If I cant see the BT Tower I know it is really cold, as the fog comes down. lol

Sleep well people.

Maddie
x

Hi Maddie and all who aren't yet in bed
Well went shopping this morning Tescos for the food then M&S for a treat, had some vouchers from Christmas burning a hole in my purse. I got 3 nice tops mainly for the next holiday,but a lovely tuquoise blue one that I will probably wear next week for son's 30th celebration.
After lunch into Windsorfor the hospital. Well after waiting for over an hour, the consultant was running late !!!! I am signed off, unless I have more problems. No new growth of hair and no improvement. As it is alopecia and loss on body ie arms too and eyebrows less likely to repair/ regrow. It is another autoimmune disease just like the thyroid(underactive) and diabetes too. So I will need to be careful and try to loose more weight seriously.
As my brother and family live near the hospital we popped in for a cuppa and ended up invited for dinner. We enjoyed a lasagne with him and his family and had a good chat and listened to some music too.
Well off to bed soon
Catch up in the morning

Linda :o) XxX

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Tea or Coffee

Porridge or Cereals, Fresh Fruit Juice, Grapefruit Segments, Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Blackpudding, Mushrooms, Toamatoes, Hash Browns, etc. Toast or Morning Rolls.

All Calorie Free ! ROFL

Morning All.

Jean
You should fit your horses with soft slippers....the kick wont be so bad then. Kicks and Head Butting.....the horses' favourite way to cause injury.

Rita,
Glad all has gone well for your son. Prayers are powerfull.

Marilyn,
Are you taking a 'gap year' ? Food and drink don't go down well with computers.

Not so much time to be on here just now. A mountain of work has landed on me. Got to have it all cleared before the end of the month. A waste bin would be the best place to get it out of my life quickly.

Hopefully be back on later.

Gonna have a great night with my two bonnie wee grandchildren. Not often they stay. I tuck them in and read them a story from a lovely book of short stories.....'Tales from the Hebrides'.....they love it.

I would love to write a book

, I call it.....'A Life of Sh*t'.......

.and I'd highlight all the rotten things that happen in folks lives. Go right into the gory detail of rat infested housing, poor sanitation, poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual crimes on children, poor education standards, unemployment, low self esteem, crime of all kinds. etc etc.

Perhaps a better name would be.......

' Everyday Life in Modern Britain'

No doubt it would be a best seller.

Hey Ho ! Off I go.

Just thought of a sure fire way to make millions......

Become a Celebrity and write a book.......

' How I Grew Weeds In My Garden'

They get paid for every other bit of Cr*p so why not that ?

ROFL

Good Morning all,
another cold one. Just popping in to say a quick hello in case I dont get back on later, got lots to do today and then going out for a meal tonight with daughter and her partner.
Hope you are all well and special thoughts of Mike for his continued recovery.

Cath xx

Flippin heck - a lot of food there, good thing I am hungry Stephen!

Sorry I haven't been around much folks, am struggling with fatigue, boredom and lots of things.
Had a shock a couple of weeks ago, I usually have lower than average blood pressure which was never a problem. O.h. has a bp monitor cos of his own problems and I got him to check me, I was much higher than usual, and again the next day, so after my counselling session on the Monday I called in to our local Lloyds Chemist and they checked me out too in case o.h.'s monitor was wrong. I had just driven across the city but the poor pharmacist nearly had a fit, I was 200/100. She said I should get o.h. to check it again later on to see if it had gone down, which it had, but not that much. She also said I had to see my doc asap so I had to get up really early next morning and get o.h. to take me as I daren't drive. I managed to pick up the slip of paper that should have been left for doc doing emergency apptmts at 12.30 so at 1pm was still waiting and everyone else gone in. I went and saw receptionist and she got a different doc who was still around to see me, he checked me out and said I wasn't dangerously high but needed some tests done. Next Weds I have to be there at 8.30am with no food etc consumed before hand for several hours to have all the necessary tests including an ecg because of the amount of heart trouble in both sides of my family and of course diabetes and cholesterol checks too. As I have turned into my late Mum I won't be surprised at any results as around this age she developed diabetes and later on had a heart attack which pushed her into insulin dependent diabetes, then she had angina and two more heart attacks, the last one at 79 when she died.
I am really peed off tho as since o.h. got diabetes we have mostly been eating differently to suit his diabetes so I would have thought it would have helped me. I know I am overweight so don't look forward to changing my diet any more than already but it's the lack of exercise cos of the fm, arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome which has stopped the weight coming off. I have weighed around the same for four years now.

Add these problems to the situation I am in and I have felt really low and fed up. Also haven't been able to use the computer so much as o.h. has been around a lot more, overtime is cut at his works so he is home too much for my liking lol


Will keep you posted when I get the test results.

take care all

Lizxxx

Weird, I just saw at least three of Stephen's message and no others, reading back after posting it's different. Don't tell me I am seeing things as well lol

Better get to bed, o.h. only working this morning instead of all day so will get woken up at midday! He plans to do some work on the tank in the airing cupbd and put new washers on taps, no doubt he will forget to fill the kettle before turning off the water!