Been looking at our family history lately and found this wonderful postcard from a "Concentration camp" (now called to avoid confusion and grim associations an Internment camp) which presumably features my Great Uncle or Grandad and of course a small model harbour. This maritime model village was made presumably by the inmates to fill the endless hours of captivity in rural Northants!
I find the whole thing fascinating and way more valuable than more normal heirlooms. Click on the pic for more details.
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Thursday, 2 September 2010
time
More of my nephews are going to "big school" this week the eldest is off to what we use to call "sixth form" college. It's all a bit wistful (for me and my bros mainly) but exciting (if trepidations) for them. I'm sure they will thrive and it's all part of the big adventure. They will soon be old enough to write this (only 22!)
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Never a bad day if it's street card day!
a loaf of seedy bread, some fizzy vimto, a jammy ring and the four diamonds!
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Tracking down Billy Casper.
Wonderful few days up Yorkshire seeing the folks . Me and A&;B went for a wander and found out that basically their house is surrounded by the filming locations for Kes. I'd seen the ruin where Billy takes kes its nest many times from the M1 but it was good to see it up close.
One thing that was pleasing is that the film locations are virtually all in the same small area and Billy's walks can almost be done in real time and almost in order.
Some things have changed almost all the pits and factories seen in the film have gone. In fact its salutatory that if Billy did follow the lumpen Jed down the pit. He and his brother would ten years later be out on strike facing more time above ground looking for work.
Watching the film again that evening we decide to find some of the other sites and with the help of this site we found the field where billy flew Kes (which you can see from A back window). Sadly the council/school in their wisdom has put up a huge fence round the site to curtail modern day Billy gaining access (although some kids seem to have snuck on). Pleasingly we aslo saw a pair of Kestrels on the power lines on the field rest ready to go hawking for for their dinner over the grassland and surrounding recently planted scrub.
Thwarted in photo op we were heading home when we bumped into a living breathing Billy Casper; well his 50 year old self. A fascinating guy who filled us in with all the local walks and history. Apparently and I'm choosing to believe this story as a kid he actually showed Barry Hines (a teacher at his school at the time) the nest site used in the film!
So a wonderful day with excellent weather, we are hoping to get some pics of Billy's school which is being closed this term to move to another site, so we we will hopefuly be able to snap the famous showers and footy pitch as well!
One thing that was pleasing is that the film locations are virtually all in the same small area and Billy's walks can almost be done in real time and almost in order.
Some things have changed almost all the pits and factories seen in the film have gone. In fact its salutatory that if Billy did follow the lumpen Jed down the pit. He and his brother would ten years later be out on strike facing more time above ground looking for work.
Watching the film again that evening we decide to find some of the other sites and with the help of this site we found the field where billy flew Kes (which you can see from A back window). Sadly the council/school in their wisdom has put up a huge fence round the site to curtail modern day Billy gaining access (although some kids seem to have snuck on). Pleasingly we aslo saw a pair of Kestrels on the power lines on the field rest ready to go hawking for for their dinner over the grassland and surrounding recently planted scrub.
Thwarted in photo op we were heading home when we bumped into a living breathing Billy Casper; well his 50 year old self. A fascinating guy who filled us in with all the local walks and history. Apparently and I'm choosing to believe this story as a kid he actually showed Barry Hines (a teacher at his school at the time) the nest site used in the film!
So a wonderful day with excellent weather, we are hoping to get some pics of Billy's school which is being closed this term to move to another site, so we we will hopefuly be able to snap the famous showers and footy pitch as well!
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Dick's dish isn't going down well
"when we said keep it simple, we were thinking scallops and pea puree!!"
Not really sure why the BBC was cooking Lunch (or dinner as its called) for the pupils and staff of Harrow school tonight the headmaster was apiece fo work.
Not really sure why the BBC was cooking Lunch (or dinner as its called) for the pupils and staff of Harrow school tonight the headmaster was apiece fo work.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
These foolish things....
As always it had the "headbit" missing (as they always do!the volunteer didn't seem too concerned about this as they always are) and then with some inevitability I started to flick through the vinyl. A few lps in I found this gem. Mr Ferry apart from being a depressingly stylish cove is the king of a good cover and so with wonderful synchronicity I took him for a spin for the princely sum of...... 20p.
Here's Bryan looking bored and wonderful
As to what other "foolish things" will remind me of the rest of August 10th:
- well some damp podgy pigeons pecking at a puddle
- my first blackberry: surprisingly sweet
- a stern woman in a meeting with "jo,jo,jo" tattooed vertically inside her left wrist
- & my shopping list of "Milk & Bleach" which must be a great lost pub rock song.
Anyone else got any other "Foolish Things" ?
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