I forgot to mention it but when the lad saw me on Monday he asked me if I had seen the big things on the beach at Skegness. I told him I had seen them on T.V. and asked him if he had seen them. He told me that he had seen them through the window. I presumed he meant the car window.
My mate who came to see me yesterday told me where they were, he didn't bother to go to see them. At least he didn't have a lot to do, what he did was to dismantle my security light ready for a replacement which he will purchase when the price is right.
With it being cold and sunny this morning I went into the garden for a while. It seems some areas have had daffodils in flower. As for here, I notice that the odd snowdrop are just about flowering so they are not so advanced. On January 1st. I set about 3 dozen Broad beans seeds in pots in my greenhouse. I checked them today. Nothing showing , that proves to me that it hasn't been exceptionally mild here. I looked at the base and I could see there is the odd root showing. This means that hopefully they are beginning to grow.
With the sun shining I decided to change my bed and do my washing. I just about managed to get them dry. That will do me for about 2 weeks when the days will be a lot longer and perhaps the weather will improve.
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Took ages
It has taken me ages to find how to increase my font size and this happened really by mistake.
I was messing around and clicked on a button and it showed my history on the web. I clicked to remove what I had been on the last 4 hours and nothing seemed to happen. Another information page came up and near the bottom was a font size. This was set at medium so I entered the next size up which was large. Much better for me because I could also see how I could remove my browsing history which I did.
Yesterday was a nice warm day so I went out in my driveway to get rid of a little stuff that had accumulated on my block paving. I was carried away, so much so that the young lad form next door arrived on the bus from his work placement. He gets home on a Monday and Thursday around 2. 40pm. On Wednesday and Friday it is around 4.20pm. He waited until I went to talk with him. The first thing he asked me was if I would wait for some time as he wished to show me something. I naturally asked him if it was a bus. He concurred so with him sitting on the wall I waited for about 10 minutes or so until the bus went by.
Whilst we were waiting I did ask him when he next had his scooter out to come and let me know so that I could take a photo and then show it here so that those who look can see what I was trying to explain.
Today has been a dark dank rainy day, it is the storm that dumped all that snow along the Eastern side of America with some places getting well over a metre of snow. The general comments were that it would take a couple of days for the main Cities to get back to work. I wonder just how long it would take London to get back to some sort of normality for if they get a couple of inches they seem to be in all sorts of trouble.
Mt mate will be calling tomorrow, the first time this year so we will probably have a good old chat. More soon.
I was messing around and clicked on a button and it showed my history on the web. I clicked to remove what I had been on the last 4 hours and nothing seemed to happen. Another information page came up and near the bottom was a font size. This was set at medium so I entered the next size up which was large. Much better for me because I could also see how I could remove my browsing history which I did.
Yesterday was a nice warm day so I went out in my driveway to get rid of a little stuff that had accumulated on my block paving. I was carried away, so much so that the young lad form next door arrived on the bus from his work placement. He gets home on a Monday and Thursday around 2. 40pm. On Wednesday and Friday it is around 4.20pm. He waited until I went to talk with him. The first thing he asked me was if I would wait for some time as he wished to show me something. I naturally asked him if it was a bus. He concurred so with him sitting on the wall I waited for about 10 minutes or so until the bus went by.
Whilst we were waiting I did ask him when he next had his scooter out to come and let me know so that I could take a photo and then show it here so that those who look can see what I was trying to explain.
Today has been a dark dank rainy day, it is the storm that dumped all that snow along the Eastern side of America with some places getting well over a metre of snow. The general comments were that it would take a couple of days for the main Cities to get back to work. I wonder just how long it would take London to get back to some sort of normality for if they get a couple of inches they seem to be in all sorts of trouble.
Mt mate will be calling tomorrow, the first time this year so we will probably have a good old chat. More soon.
Friday, 22 January 2016
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Correction
On Saturday the young man came to show me what he had bought. It was a sort of scooter which is powered by manpower alone. It looked nice and while he was here he told me he had gone to have a haircut also that the show he was going to was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory not as he had told me previously.
I went to have my haircut last week and the Barber informed me that he was closing again soon but only for 5 days. He was going to Malaga with I think his Wife to look for a suitable place where he can start up his new Business next year. He said it would be March at the earliest next year when he would leave and what he was looking for was a restaurant large enough for him to split it in 2 parts. One being a Coffee Bar and the other a Gents Hairdressers. He then told me that the Air Fare was only £50 to fly there and back again. No doubt he will tell me more when he gets back here.
I rung up the guy who does my motor this morning after going to the Co-op to get a few things. I had a coupon with 1.50p off my next purchase if I spent £10. He was pleased to hear from me as he is mad on steam and loved it last time when we had a chat about the Railway. Unfortunately for him he arrived late so today he told me that he would get the car to have it's MOT an hour earlier than usual so he could have an hour or so with me talking about steam engines.
The weather has been rather cloudy and cool this year, the only difference these last few days is that it has been cold rather than cool. At least the mornings are at last beginning to get a little lighter each morning. More soon.
I went to have my haircut last week and the Barber informed me that he was closing again soon but only for 5 days. He was going to Malaga with I think his Wife to look for a suitable place where he can start up his new Business next year. He said it would be March at the earliest next year when he would leave and what he was looking for was a restaurant large enough for him to split it in 2 parts. One being a Coffee Bar and the other a Gents Hairdressers. He then told me that the Air Fare was only £50 to fly there and back again. No doubt he will tell me more when he gets back here.
I rung up the guy who does my motor this morning after going to the Co-op to get a few things. I had a coupon with 1.50p off my next purchase if I spent £10. He was pleased to hear from me as he is mad on steam and loved it last time when we had a chat about the Railway. Unfortunately for him he arrived late so today he told me that he would get the car to have it's MOT an hour earlier than usual so he could have an hour or so with me talking about steam engines.
The weather has been rather cloudy and cool this year, the only difference these last few days is that it has been cold rather than cool. At least the mornings are at last beginning to get a little lighter each morning. More soon.
Friday, 15 January 2016
Snow
Yesterday we had some snow, needless to say it was cold also the winds got up and was gale force at times.
The doorbell rang around 3.45pm. It was the young man from next door,he could not get into the home where he stays. He was a little wet so I told him to take the waterproofs off. I also noticed his glasses were steamed up and wet so I took them off him and cleaned and dried them for him. We went into the T.V. room and watched T.V. He then told me he wasn't going to work on Monday, he was smiling as he told me. I asked him why, expecting him to say he had to go to the Surgery but that wasn't the case. He told me he was going to London. Naturally I expected it to be with one of the support organisations but that wasn't so. He then told me that his Carer and her husband were taking both him and a much more severe person who they look after to London. I asked him what they were going there for and he told me they were going to see Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. He then told me they were going early Monday morning and coming back on Wednesday. No wonder he was smiling as it meant he wasn't going to work for a few days. He had told me a few days prior to that his Support worker had asked him if he was ready to leave there and live on his own. He told me he had told her that he was not ready and would not be ready for another 2 years. I could understand it as his carer certainly looks after both of them and takes them out regular.
I have been eating my apples on a regular basis, one or two each day. I have though been throwing several away as they had gone rotten. I guess I have enough though to last me until the end of the month so I mustn't grumble. More soon.
The doorbell rang around 3.45pm. It was the young man from next door,he could not get into the home where he stays. He was a little wet so I told him to take the waterproofs off. I also noticed his glasses were steamed up and wet so I took them off him and cleaned and dried them for him. We went into the T.V. room and watched T.V. He then told me he wasn't going to work on Monday, he was smiling as he told me. I asked him why, expecting him to say he had to go to the Surgery but that wasn't the case. He told me he was going to London. Naturally I expected it to be with one of the support organisations but that wasn't so. He then told me that his Carer and her husband were taking both him and a much more severe person who they look after to London. I asked him what they were going there for and he told me they were going to see Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. He then told me they were going early Monday morning and coming back on Wednesday. No wonder he was smiling as it meant he wasn't going to work for a few days. He had told me a few days prior to that his Support worker had asked him if he was ready to leave there and live on his own. He told me he had told her that he was not ready and would not be ready for another 2 years. I could understand it as his carer certainly looks after both of them and takes them out regular.
I have been eating my apples on a regular basis, one or two each day. I have though been throwing several away as they had gone rotten. I guess I have enough though to last me until the end of the month so I mustn't grumble. More soon.
Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Dark
Yesterday I was late up, so late that I misses the young man next door. He likes me to wave to him as he goes to work at soon after 7.45am.
This morning I decided that when I woke up I would turn on the radio. I didn't turn on the radio yesterday because I thought it was too early. The reason it was dark was it was pouring with rain and my garden was standing in water and the driveway was more or less flooded.
So this morning on went the radio. It was soon after 7.00am. After the news it started to talk about education and the main problem was where you lived depended on the sort of education you got. I then started to think of my own education which is only basic. This is how it was in my days.
I went to an Infants School both for boys and girls when I was 5. It was for children from 5 to 9 years of age. When I was 8 I, together with the other children was moved to what most would call it a Boy Scout's hut. It was actually a small place to pray, a C of E Church. It was made of wood. there were 2 classes divided by a large velvet curtain. There were no desks only chairs and each was given a cloth satchel to put our books and pencils in. We didn't think anything of it and at the age of 9 was then moved to a Juniors School. Schools from then were segregated Boys going to a different school to girls. This was a good way from where I lived and we youngsters had to walk over the main A1 road also known as The Great North Road. I guess it was a little over a mile to the new school. This was not so great during the harsh winter of 1947 but we just got on with what we had to do.
At 10 all had to sit the 11+. Some were just 11 but most were 10 years old. If one was successful one was then moved to either the Grammar School or a new concept called a Secondary School. If one failed all then one stayed on till 13 years of age then moved to the new Comprehensive School which was mixed, both Boys and girls. They had to leave school at 15 years of age.
I managed to get to the Secondary Modern School at 11 years of age. It was nearly 2 miles from my home but we were so poor I had to walk there every day. At 14 my Parents did manage to get me a second hand bicycle which I was over the moon with.
At 14 years old the Careers Officer( a Lady) came to talk about careers and suggested that we consider leaving school at 15. This way we could help with some income as most families were poor. It would be another 10 years or so before my Parents could say they were not destitute.
I must tell you this. Many years later after I had been in business for well over 10 years and feeling a little better off, I once said to my Mother, my Father had passed away several years before. I just said that I still considered myself Working Class. My mother then said"I consider myself Poor class." I just laughed and told her I couldn't talk sensibly to her but it does give you some idea how things were in post 1945 years.
Anyway the Careers Officer interviewed us individually and when it came to my turn I told her that I wanted to work on the Railways and eventually be an Engine Driver. She seemed pleased that I had made my mind up as to want to leave at 15 and start work.
I guess originally there would be a total intake of some 60 boys. It those days term started on about September 4th. If your Birthday fell before that day you could leave. If however your Birthday fell after that date but before January 1st. the following year one could leave at Christmas. The same applied at Easter so that for the last few months there were only about 15 of us left.
Out of the original 60 or so pupils only about 6 decided to stay on for O levels. There was a small room where they studied. If they got their O levels and wished to take A levels then they had to go to the Grammar School for a 2 year study.
So as you can see, Education was not all that important in my youth but almost all of us managed well enough and have had a reasonable life style and we seemed contented with our lot.
It was not easy as in 1947 winter my Sister who was 4 years older than me, we had to go to the coking Company to get a bag of coke to put on our fire as there was a strict ration of coal. We of course couldn't carry it to our home, we took a pram and got one of the men to lift it on the pram for us to push uphill to our home, about 3/4 of a mile. Not too bad when the paths were clear but we had snow on the ground for several weeks. It must be remembered that my Sister was at the oldest 14 and me at the oldest 10. The coke didn't give out much heat but it was better than nothing at all. More soon.
This morning I decided that when I woke up I would turn on the radio. I didn't turn on the radio yesterday because I thought it was too early. The reason it was dark was it was pouring with rain and my garden was standing in water and the driveway was more or less flooded.
So this morning on went the radio. It was soon after 7.00am. After the news it started to talk about education and the main problem was where you lived depended on the sort of education you got. I then started to think of my own education which is only basic. This is how it was in my days.
I went to an Infants School both for boys and girls when I was 5. It was for children from 5 to 9 years of age. When I was 8 I, together with the other children was moved to what most would call it a Boy Scout's hut. It was actually a small place to pray, a C of E Church. It was made of wood. there were 2 classes divided by a large velvet curtain. There were no desks only chairs and each was given a cloth satchel to put our books and pencils in. We didn't think anything of it and at the age of 9 was then moved to a Juniors School. Schools from then were segregated Boys going to a different school to girls. This was a good way from where I lived and we youngsters had to walk over the main A1 road also known as The Great North Road. I guess it was a little over a mile to the new school. This was not so great during the harsh winter of 1947 but we just got on with what we had to do.
At 10 all had to sit the 11+. Some were just 11 but most were 10 years old. If one was successful one was then moved to either the Grammar School or a new concept called a Secondary School. If one failed all then one stayed on till 13 years of age then moved to the new Comprehensive School which was mixed, both Boys and girls. They had to leave school at 15 years of age.
I managed to get to the Secondary Modern School at 11 years of age. It was nearly 2 miles from my home but we were so poor I had to walk there every day. At 14 my Parents did manage to get me a second hand bicycle which I was over the moon with.
At 14 years old the Careers Officer( a Lady) came to talk about careers and suggested that we consider leaving school at 15. This way we could help with some income as most families were poor. It would be another 10 years or so before my Parents could say they were not destitute.
I must tell you this. Many years later after I had been in business for well over 10 years and feeling a little better off, I once said to my Mother, my Father had passed away several years before. I just said that I still considered myself Working Class. My mother then said"I consider myself Poor class." I just laughed and told her I couldn't talk sensibly to her but it does give you some idea how things were in post 1945 years.
Anyway the Careers Officer interviewed us individually and when it came to my turn I told her that I wanted to work on the Railways and eventually be an Engine Driver. She seemed pleased that I had made my mind up as to want to leave at 15 and start work.
I guess originally there would be a total intake of some 60 boys. It those days term started on about September 4th. If your Birthday fell before that day you could leave. If however your Birthday fell after that date but before January 1st. the following year one could leave at Christmas. The same applied at Easter so that for the last few months there were only about 15 of us left.
Out of the original 60 or so pupils only about 6 decided to stay on for O levels. There was a small room where they studied. If they got their O levels and wished to take A levels then they had to go to the Grammar School for a 2 year study.
So as you can see, Education was not all that important in my youth but almost all of us managed well enough and have had a reasonable life style and we seemed contented with our lot.
It was not easy as in 1947 winter my Sister who was 4 years older than me, we had to go to the coking Company to get a bag of coke to put on our fire as there was a strict ration of coal. We of course couldn't carry it to our home, we took a pram and got one of the men to lift it on the pram for us to push uphill to our home, about 3/4 of a mile. Not too bad when the paths were clear but we had snow on the ground for several weeks. It must be remembered that my Sister was at the oldest 14 and me at the oldest 10. The coke didn't give out much heat but it was better than nothing at all. More soon.
Friday, 8 January 2016
Sowing seeds
Over the last week or so I have sown a few seeds, not direct in the garden I might add, the ground is far too wet for that. I did sow 3 dozen broad bean seeds in pots and put them in the greenhouse to germinate. While the young man was here the other day I got him to set a couple of tomato seeds and I have left them to germinate on the window sill.
Yesterday I noticed a few potatoes were chitting so I set about a dozen in the polytunnel and 2 only in the greenhouse. I don't like setting too many in the greenhouse for if they get blight they will spread it to the tomato plants.
I have had for a few years a Pear tree but as I have dentures the pears tend to have little bits in their flesh and they get under my plate so I have, today dug it up. Today was a nice day, one of the few nice days we have had these last few weeks. The Postman told me today that yesterday we had almost 1" of rain. That didn't surprise me as my garden had plenty of puddles.
As for the Pear tree, I have e-mailed the lad next door to see if they would like it, if so he can come round and together we will plant it somewhere next door, if not it will get burnt.
Yesterday I noticed a few potatoes were chitting so I set about a dozen in the polytunnel and 2 only in the greenhouse. I don't like setting too many in the greenhouse for if they get blight they will spread it to the tomato plants.
I have had for a few years a Pear tree but as I have dentures the pears tend to have little bits in their flesh and they get under my plate so I have, today dug it up. Today was a nice day, one of the few nice days we have had these last few weeks. The Postman told me today that yesterday we had almost 1" of rain. That didn't surprise me as my garden had plenty of puddles.
As for the Pear tree, I have e-mailed the lad next door to see if they would like it, if so he can come round and together we will plant it somewhere next door, if not it will get burnt.
Finally for now, a week or so ago I took this photo of my tomatoes, these are the last ones I took off the vine. They were green and my American friend asked me if I used the green ones. I informed him that hopefully they would ripen alright as I left them on the vine until fully formed. I must admit they are smaller than they appear in the photo but I am happy as once more I have a taste of tomatoes this year. Considering I sown the seeds around March last year I am happy. More soon.
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
Another New Year
Well 2016 has arrived and the weather has not been kind, the good thing is that it has not been cold.
I have been under the weather for well over a fortnight but thankfully I am now once more beginning to feel better.
The young man called to see me on Christmas Day morning. I was surprised because I thought they were all going out to have a Christmas meal as they did last year. I think, to be honest it worked out rather expensive so this year the Carer and her Husband decided to have a meal at home.
I did tell him that as he had well over 2 weeks away from work if he wanted to have a meal at mine he was more than welcome.
About a week ago I noticed my security light was acting up and eventually stayed on all night so the next morning, with the rain pouring down I managed to get the cover off and of course burnt my fingers trying to get the bulb out but eventually managed it and so now I have a redundant security light.
luckily my mate rung me up last saturday and I gave him the news about my security light but he told me he would look out for a more modern one and when he sees it he will get it for me and replace it for me.
The young man from next door popped in to see me on Friday last week asking me if it would be alright to come and have a meal that I had promised him. He told me he had been too busy playing with his new games. I told him that it could be on Tuesday this week if that was fine. He readily agreed and so yesterday came and he arrived soon after 11.30am. I had told him there was no hurry but asked him what he would like for dinner. He told me that he would like Roast Beef.
I had bought the Sirloin of Beef in December and I told him he had made a good choice.
Early yesterday morning I got up put the oven on and cooked the beef. I decided to cook a few roast potatoes to have with boiled potatoes, cabbage and garden peas.
when he arrived I had cooked the beef and the roast potatoes were cooking mainly in the meat juices which would give them added flavour. He told me he had been on You Tube watching something so I told him he could go on mine and continue watching. Of course he wanted to show me what he had been watching but although I watched for a little while I had to prepare the meal.
I had told him that for pudding we would have a special desert from Lidl which was a ginger and syrup pudding. It was so sweet that I let him know that the custard I would make would have no sugar in it at all.
He came out just as I was about to dish up. I made him gravy with the remaining meat juices I had told him before hand I would not be making any yorkshire pudding as it would fill him up too much. He readily agreed that he would be too full for any pudding. I served it up and immediately told me that the meat was nice and tender, the gravy was also very nice.
He ate it all up and he finished his dinner shortly before I had finished mine. I then made the custard and re-heated the pudding and gave him a generous portion which he ate with relish and when he had finished he told me it had been beautiful.
I then did the washing up and told him we would then have coffee. I have shown him how to make coffee in the microwave and he loves doing it. He told me he likes my microwave as it is easy to use.
We hadn't sat down 5 minutes when the door bell rang. I went to see who it was and I could see it was the Carer and her Husband, they had come to see if young Tim wanted to go out with them stay at mine or go and play on his Xbox. He told them if I would have him he would stay at mine while they came back from shopping.
They didn't get back for another 2 hours or so. Naturally I had to put up with more of the game on You Tube but eventually I told him I would find some Police chases on Sky which I did.
He made another drink and we had a small piece of pork pie, soon after 4.15pm. he had a text message saying they would be home in 5 minutes. After about 15 minutes he told me he would see if they had got back. They had and it was then 4.30pm.
I am definitely feeling my age as I was worn out and to be honest was not sorry to see him go. I will definitely invite him again though, hoping that he will not be here for such a long time next time.
Finally he did tell me he loved coming round to mine so that is something positive. More soon.
I have been under the weather for well over a fortnight but thankfully I am now once more beginning to feel better.
The young man called to see me on Christmas Day morning. I was surprised because I thought they were all going out to have a Christmas meal as they did last year. I think, to be honest it worked out rather expensive so this year the Carer and her Husband decided to have a meal at home.
I did tell him that as he had well over 2 weeks away from work if he wanted to have a meal at mine he was more than welcome.
About a week ago I noticed my security light was acting up and eventually stayed on all night so the next morning, with the rain pouring down I managed to get the cover off and of course burnt my fingers trying to get the bulb out but eventually managed it and so now I have a redundant security light.
luckily my mate rung me up last saturday and I gave him the news about my security light but he told me he would look out for a more modern one and when he sees it he will get it for me and replace it for me.
The young man from next door popped in to see me on Friday last week asking me if it would be alright to come and have a meal that I had promised him. He told me he had been too busy playing with his new games. I told him that it could be on Tuesday this week if that was fine. He readily agreed and so yesterday came and he arrived soon after 11.30am. I had told him there was no hurry but asked him what he would like for dinner. He told me that he would like Roast Beef.
I had bought the Sirloin of Beef in December and I told him he had made a good choice.
Early yesterday morning I got up put the oven on and cooked the beef. I decided to cook a few roast potatoes to have with boiled potatoes, cabbage and garden peas.
when he arrived I had cooked the beef and the roast potatoes were cooking mainly in the meat juices which would give them added flavour. He told me he had been on You Tube watching something so I told him he could go on mine and continue watching. Of course he wanted to show me what he had been watching but although I watched for a little while I had to prepare the meal.
I had told him that for pudding we would have a special desert from Lidl which was a ginger and syrup pudding. It was so sweet that I let him know that the custard I would make would have no sugar in it at all.
He came out just as I was about to dish up. I made him gravy with the remaining meat juices I had told him before hand I would not be making any yorkshire pudding as it would fill him up too much. He readily agreed that he would be too full for any pudding. I served it up and immediately told me that the meat was nice and tender, the gravy was also very nice.
He ate it all up and he finished his dinner shortly before I had finished mine. I then made the custard and re-heated the pudding and gave him a generous portion which he ate with relish and when he had finished he told me it had been beautiful.
I then did the washing up and told him we would then have coffee. I have shown him how to make coffee in the microwave and he loves doing it. He told me he likes my microwave as it is easy to use.
We hadn't sat down 5 minutes when the door bell rang. I went to see who it was and I could see it was the Carer and her Husband, they had come to see if young Tim wanted to go out with them stay at mine or go and play on his Xbox. He told them if I would have him he would stay at mine while they came back from shopping.
They didn't get back for another 2 hours or so. Naturally I had to put up with more of the game on You Tube but eventually I told him I would find some Police chases on Sky which I did.
He made another drink and we had a small piece of pork pie, soon after 4.15pm. he had a text message saying they would be home in 5 minutes. After about 15 minutes he told me he would see if they had got back. They had and it was then 4.30pm.
I am definitely feeling my age as I was worn out and to be honest was not sorry to see him go. I will definitely invite him again though, hoping that he will not be here for such a long time next time.
Finally he did tell me he loved coming round to mine so that is something positive. More soon.
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