General Chat

Anne, I know exactly how you feel with your family living SO far away. Our Son, daughter, SIL and now their three children live 3 1/2 hours away from us, they stayed near Oxford,and we came down to Somerset nearly 20 years ago!! It is now thought (by our nearest and dearest!) that it is time that we made tracks, in a manner of speaking!! It would be nice to be a proper family again and not just flying visits, and a crisis EVERY Xmas!!! Jane, I think it was Ronnie Knight?! I could be mistaken though! What a 'Crew' they were!!! Think of it, you might have married one under different circumstances' Saved by the Bell', I'd have said!!!!

I think Reggie Kray was Barbara's boyfriend, but she married a Ronnie Knight who was one of the Great Train robbers. I read something recently that Patsy Kensit wrote a bout her father spending time in prison and being connected with the Krays.

Do you not know your birth nephew's name Jane? Like has been said, it would probably have been in the local papers and you could search for it at the local records office.

The caterpillar picture was published in Garden News Jane.........sadly no prize!!! lol

I'm glad your OH's op can still go ahead Liz, I know what it is like when they cancel an op.......all that psyching yourself up for it twice is not good!! It will soon be done now and he can get on with recovering from it. It sounds promising on the house too, especially as you have an eye on a suitable property as well....fingers crossed for you!!

1.35pm
I'm back in doors in one piece.!!! Have stacked the wooden posts from the run, got rid of all the plastic roofing into the skip. Was going to start digging the run area, but thought better of it, another day tomorrow.

Ronnie Knight was married to Barbara Windsor.. He wasn't a Great Train Robber, It was the Brinks Matt Robbery. They lived just outside Frengerola (if that how it's spelt.) I was out there with a few friends, when he was doing up a restaurant opposit the bar we used. It was his birthday and loads of his gangster friends came over to celebrate with him. At that time he was married to SUE. I have a photo somewhere with her sitting on my lap giving me a kiss. One of his mob, a real hard Bast##d told me of stories that I can't put into print, It would make you hair curl !!!! and give you nightmares. He had more money and gold I have ever seen at one time.

Mel knows about the Krays, she's mentioned them before. I sometimes would go to the "BLIND BEGGER" in Bethnal Green for a couple of pints, and his crew of thugs were often there. But when they became famous, it was better to stay well away from that area.!!!!

Liz, Glad you have some good news about the operation, and the house, wouldn't it be nice to be sold up and gone before the "Neighbours from Hell" return.!!!!

Have just put the heating on, turned very cloudy and looks like rain, will get my book out for an hour before they get back.

BBL

No I don't know his name Ann .I think it was John,he is the son of a B Sister called Flora.I don't know what her married name was.I don't like to ask Peter (B Brother),as he might think I want to look up his criminal past too lol.I don't think he would be too keen !!
I think John stabbed someone to death.
I reckon I would have fitted in well with a load of criminals lolol.But yes I had a lucky escape and wouldn't change a thing.

It is really cold now.The fire is roaring away,but as it is a big room it doesn't really make a huge difference without the central heating.I hope the chap can sort it when he comes.

In the paper there is a bit about the Bone Crypt in Rothwell.It is going to be open for visitors on Sundays from Easter until September.I went some years ago to see it,and might go again.It is fascinating.Lots of skulls and thigh bones going back centuries.SPOOKY!!!

Trust you Frank to have a Gangsters Moll sat on your lap .I bet you enjoyed every minute lol

Afternoon everyone,
No frost this morning ,just rain, now we have a little sun.

Mel, is it your new mattress making your hip achey ,to soft or to hard a mattress can make a difference as to how you lay in bed.

Jane , i've got a box of short bread i keep looking at lol the trouble is one piece leads to another !!
Have a go with the owl photo ,you never know you might win ,its a lovely photo, is there a prize ?

Oh Ann, i know what you mean with all the papers ,we shed a few now and again ,we keep thinking of buying one of those little galvanised bins to burn some in ,it takes for ever to shred them ,the shredder heats up and turns itself off !!!

I remember my dad used to have all his papers on a hook !! in the cupboard every time a bill got payed it went on the hook , some bills on there were donkey's years old !!!

Mind what your up to Frank !! don't go and knock yourself up again.

Liz, fingers crossed you get an offer on your house ,wouldn't it be good to have moved before your troublesome neighbours return !!

I've got a huge chicken cooking in the oven ,have put lots of Garlic and lemon inside ,so should make it nice and tasty ,we'll have it cold tomorrow as we have sister and BIL coming tonight and we're having chinese takeaway .
Kate seems a little better ,she has a bit of colour in her cheeks today ,although she still has a chesty cough.

Cuppa time i think .
2.10

2.20pm

Thought I must pass this on, I had a book of Jokes and one liners for christmas, I am sitting here all alone having a B##### good laugh.

"A group of OAPs on a bus trip,to the seaside. One old woman goes up the bus to the driver and complains " someone has molested me" thinking she was a bit senile he sent her back to her seat. Then another woman came with the same story, likewise he sent her back to her seat. When a third woman complained he thought he had better stop the bus and check up. He walks back up the bus, and finds an old man on his hands and knees. What are you doing down there asks the driver. "LOOKING FOR MY TOUPEE" "three times I thought I had found it, but when I grabbed it IT RAN AWAY.

Hi All
Very cold, and foggy here.we've been shopping this morning , we were both too tired last night to go to Mor**sons so decided to go first thing this morning.
I have bought a ready made callender which you can attach your own photo's to so I now have Sofia on every page lol

Anne I have PM you.

Mandy , I have shortbread still in the biscute box , I bought it to take next door on New Years Eve, but I was not feeling all that great on the night so we never went out so the box it was never opened, probably still be there at Easter.

Hi Fiona.It's blooming cold here too ,but no fog.I keep looking at this fish and stuff that I need to make a start on but it is so cold in the kitchen without the heating I keep putting it off.But needs must and as it takes about 3 hours plus in the slow cooker I had better get moving.

Mandy top prize is £100 and then so many at £25.I don't think my pic would be a patch on others,but I do love that Owl.I will have a look in the paper later and see how I go about sending in the photo.

Frank ,that made me Hoot lol.

I'm pleased Katie is a little better today.It must be miserable for her.
Right I am now going to attempt this recipe!!!!!.Wish me luck !

14.45

Just heard from the Gas chap, he will be here in about 10 minutes .So cooking on hold for even longer lol

Oh yes Frank, it was Ronnie Biggs in the Great Train Robbery and Ronnie Knight was involved in handling money in the other wasn't it. I'm getting my Baddie Ronnie's mixed up!! lol Was it a good idea having a gangster's moll on your knee!! You might have ended up in a mess in a back alley!!!!!

Glad you came in before you knocked yourself up in the garden. There's always tomorrow.

Jane I take it Flora's b surname was different to yours then? I've never heard of the Bone Crypt at Rothwell. Just googled it........very spooky as you say. It says the poor gravedigger who found it fell into it and was so affected he lost his mind!!!!!

Mandy, we have 2 shredders in here at the moment, 1 knackered and 1 nearly knackered.......they both jam up even with 1 sheet of paper. lol I've only just found out you are supposed to oil them with special oil every time you empty them. OH says we need a bigger one, but some have metal mesh bins and the dust comes out on the floor, others don't hold much.......can't decide!!!

Frank!! that's a good one lol

Fiona,have a little bit of shortbread with your coffee now and again , might help to put a little of your weight back on .

Jane, that's a nice little prize £100 ,go for it someones got to win !! and the judges may not go for the best photo ,not that i'am saying your isn't good ,oh dear digging myself in a hole here LOL you know what i mean .
3.08

Hope you don't need to do this Jane !!

The Gas Man Cometh - Flanders and Swann

'Twas on a Monday morning the gas man came to call.
The gas tap wouldn't turn - I wasn't getting gas at all.
He tore out all the skirting boards to try and find the main
And I had to call a carpenter to put them back again.

Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.

'Twas on a Tuesday morning the carpenter came round.
He hammered and he chiselled and he said:
"Look what I've found: your joists are full of dry rot
But I'll put them all to rights".
Then he nailed right through a cable and out went all the lights!

Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.

'Twas on a Wednesday morning the electrician came.
He called me Mr. Sanderson, which isn't quite the name.
He couldn't reach the fuse box without standing on the bin
And his foot went through a window so I called the glazier in.

Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.

'Twas on a Thursday morning the glazier came round
With his blow torch and his putty and his merry glazier's song.
He put another pane in - it took no time at all
But I had to get a painter in to come and paint the wall.

Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.

'Twas on a Friday morning the painter made a start.
With undercoats and overcoats he painted every part:
Every nook and every cranny - but I found when he was gone
He'd painted over the gas tap and I couldn't turn it on!

Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do.

On Saturday and Sunday they do no work at all;
So 'twas on a Monday morning that the gasman came to call...

Yes I know all about the Krays and their followers.

Ronnie Knight's mum lived at the top of my road when I lived in Redbridge. I often used to see them when they visited his mum.They had a silver merc.

My first hubby was a minicab driver, we owned the firm and he used to take the gansters around to their clubs and wait for them and bring them home again. Once he had to go to the Sombraro in Ilford and they told him to wait outside with the engine running. This he did and they came out with the till!!!! Jumped in the car and said DRIVE. The till was dumped over a bridge somewhere, can't remember now but probably somewhere in the river Roding. Other times they would take him into the clubs and he would have a meal in there whilst waiting and they provided it free.

We bought the minicab office from Dick who was to do with the Krays. Another real rogue but he was lovely to me and I used to be on the phones in the office with my son who was then about 7 months old.

Oh very good Mandy.

Suddenly all the frost has melted here but it still feels freezing and the heting is belting away too.

I have'nt even thought about dinner tonight. My car would'nt start this morning so I have'nt got the papers.

15.49pm

Ann buy the mesh one and put it in a bin liner when shredding.

Well I don't know what happened to my post that I thought I posted.It has vanished lol
Loved the poem Mandy!.My poor lovely gasman called Chris got soaked when he undid something.It was like a fountain lol.He has got things going again but we have to wait for a new bit.Hopefully Monday or Tuesday.While he was here he pointed out that there is a flat tyre on Hannah's car.

Ann I just had a look and see my B Sisters surname at birth was Moore.Her full name was Flora Dawson Moore.She died sometime in the mid nineties in her 40's.I think she has the one son called John.I don't know what her married name was (if she was married).London is the only place I know of .She was born in Greenock.

Finally I have everything in the slow cooker.I can relax now and let things go with the flow .SMELLS OF FISH HERE lol

Still have'nt got anything out the freezer for dinner yet!! It shall have to be some chicken in pastry with a cheese and broccoli sauce frozen pie thingy.

Half a shoulder of lamb for tomorrow as I shall get it out now!!

Jane I have sent you some pictures.

16.56

Once upon a time a princess was sitting beside a pond, by her castle.
Suddenly a little green frog hopped on to her lap. He looked up at her and said: ' An evil witch cast a spell upon me. But one kiss from you, and I will turn back into the handsome, charming prince that I was and then can marry and set up house in my castle with my mother where you can prepare my meals, clean my clothes, bear my children, and forever feel grateful and happy doing so'.

That night, while feasting on frogs' legs seasoned in a white wine and cream sauce, the princess chuckled to herself and thought: I don't think so...........................................

17.13