Friday 29 May 2009

Friday T-shirts Interlude

Dear Nurse Myra sent me huge 'nudge' earlier "don't forget tomorrow is T-shirt Friday..'
gawd blimey has another month passed at the speed of 'whatever'?
I am so unprepared .........so I reckoned I should do a montage of T-shirts gone by to delight!!!



Saturday 23 May 2009

Monday 23 1983
Exams start
(I was now at Liverpool Polytechnic.. now John Moores University.. studying Business and Finance with Marketing... yes I hated Business studies aged 18 but after 2 years out of education I got an appetite for it. It is quiet amusing as I am doing a Foundation Degree course through work just now (following on from my 'Professional Cerificate in Management ' with Open Unversity and I am actually using one of the books I used back in 1983... 'Understanding Organisations' by Charles Handy ...wow somethings don't change I guess!)

Wednesday 23 1990
Went to Reading to set up new concession
(by now I was travelling the length & breath of the UK... one day Glasgow next day London. It was the best of jobs.. full expense account, company car... full autonomy in where I went and when I did it .... unfortunately in 1991 the company was taken over and I was made redundant. boo hoo! I did have my day in court though and successfully sued them for unfair dismissal... )

Thursday 24 1979
General Studies A'level
Exam in the morning = really difficult (how can General Studies be difficult . I have no idea if I passed it or not!)

Wednesday 25 1977
European Cup Final
Liverpool vBorussia Munchengladbach.(Yoh we won 3-1 tra la la)
I predicted the score
French aural exam in a.m.
German oral exam in p.m (how cruel & tough is that ....2 language eaxms in one day I bet I didn't know my bratwursts from my les saucisses by the end of it !!?)
Went to a part at the Dixieland with 'J' (after this day what else would I do except party lol)
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All is not well with Blogger. I can comment sometimes and not others ... I can post images then I can't. Ok Google what is the crack here? I am even using Google Chrome now and I must admit the service is better than Firefox at the moment. I am tempted to move my blog elsewhere but being a technophobe I am resisting the draw of a sparkly new blog.. but I may yet be tempted. However I am not fully convinced it isn't something to do with my ISP!!!
Poor Gitwizard is also having similar problems.

Well it has been a lovely Bank Holiday weekend oop Norff... the sun has shone and I had my first breakfast of 2009 in the garden :-)
If anyone is interested it is a seedy kinda bread toasted with Philadelphia Light.. a cup of Earl Grey hosted by Olga and a read of a very interesting book accompanied by a cat on the table and puppy on my lap and birds twittering around me :-)

Today I headed to Southport and dropped Teen in the town then gardened for my mother ... she has a most amazingly large garden but not so amazing when you are 78 I suppose and are reliant on your kids to keep it under control.. but the sun shined and I got loads done ( the 'glass back' is complaining a bit tonight but it felt good to be out and doing stuff)

I have a tough week ahead and only 4 days to do what I have to do.. it is like this! ... what I have proposed (I can't tell you what ) .. have asked for comments from many and am having to piece it all together for a coherent paper by Friday.. no pressure !! I guess this is why I am in the job I am and why they pay me .... personally I would rather be in my sandals walking in the sand ... hey ho maybe one day !!

Thursday 21 May 2009

20th & 21st May

Saturday 20 1977
FA Cup Final Liverpool v Manchester United
Liverpool lost 1-2 (poo!)
Bev finished with Dave
He owes me £6.50
Worked from 9.30 - 6.00
Really busy - it was a scorching day

Sunday 21 1977
Sunbathed in garden
Went to Tiffanys
Spoke to Dave he paid me back my money
He is depressed about Bev & he has smashed up his Dads E-Type

(yes it was pink! and the one shown above is a 1974 one up for sale at £49,995!! My word would he have been in trouble back then?)
*********************************

From the diary entries above in 1977 it would seem we were having a heat wave in May.
Today I had to go to Glasgow on business and the weather was glorious. I have been many times to the city and must say today was the most sunniest I have seen it .
I took my camera with me as I always do .. there are a few piccies taken from the train window travelling at high speed over at Twitpics. ( Thank you DP and John C for mentioning naked ladies in the comments it has sent the hits spiralling lol)

I didn't spot this building, my colleague did (I was trying to cross the road without being run over at the time) .. but what a superb building it is!
,


Built in 1938 as a hotel it is now apartments the architecture is awesome
It has been a long old day (up at 5 am) but it made a lovely change to travel North instead of South

oops almost forgot if you need a Kilt then thi
s is the place to go

Tuesday 19 May 2009

17th , 18th &19th May

Tuesday 17 1977
I have been made Deputy Head Girl.
Kate is just a prefect (oooo pass the milk meow)
Julie is calling for me @ 7.45am tomorrow
We will reach London @ about 12.15.
We will be home @ about 10.00

My how it has changed I can be in London from Manchester in less than 2 hours now .. phew at least it gets me out of flying down there!!!

Wednesday 18 1977
Going to London
It was great
Went to the Geological Museum, Harrods and various other places
Got home at 10.30 pm

I was taking Geology O'level as an extra ... I used to do it in my lunch time... wow how geeky is that??? I never did sit the exam as it was deemed to be too much with all my other subjects. Shame really as I am fascinated by old fossils ... oh hi DP didn't see you there *snigger*

Wednesday 19 1982
Stayed in (bloody hell that would be a first lol)

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Went to watch the Manchester 10k run on Sunday. What a fabulous morning. Those who ran it I applaud you ... what an effort particularly the complete amateurs who have trained just so they can do this run and raise money for causes dear to their hearts. A very big WELL DONE everyone.
I took loads of photos and I will pop them up on Flickr soon ... I have put a few up on there already ... I wanted to capture the sheer elation and the looks of relief so positioned myself just beyond the finishing line. Teen was a bit 'ooo Mum ! he just threw up ' 'that man is foaming at the mouth' etc etc ... yes indeed if I had just run 10k I think I would be throwing up too lol
Over the loud speaker came these words 'If you are inspired by what you have seen today and want to tale part next year.. visit www. blar blar blar' Thanks but no thanks I still have nightmares from running lond distance at school .. I have always been in the Usain Bolt school of altheltics .. fast and done (He ran 150 metres in 14.43 seconds on Sunday down a stretch of road I walk down every day.. I am going to time myself walking it and will let you know how long it took me!! :-)


Thank you FuelMyBlog for featuring today the photo of deck chairs that were put out for the event on Sunday :-)

Teen left High Scool today. I can't tell you how fast the past 5 years have gone... it was like a blink of an eye.
She was a bt teary leaving but is eager to get to college on the next step of her life.
How sweet this morning. Because we live in the school grounds our house is a stopping off point for Teen's mates. Every morning it is a bit like Piccadilly Station I am up and down answering the door (I should have got them all keys cut!!) I make them cups of coffee whilst they wait for Teen to get ready ...
Anyway this morning one of her mates came to the door with a big bunch of flowers for me ... 'what they are for me ?' 'Yes' she replied' because you have been so lovely and kind to over the past 5 years'

Let's say Teen was not the only one teary today ......they are great Teens & think I will miss them calling ...... the end of an era ... I expect the next stage is them rolling in drunk off the last train (yes we are the nearest to the local train station lol)

Saturday 16 May 2009

Eurovison Interlude

Tonight is the Eurovision Song Contest.

I have been a fan ever since I can recall
(mm the first one I seriously remember was in 1967 'Puppet on a String' sang by Sandie Shaw... I bounced on my bed aged 5 singing the song out loud to the radio. After that I recall listening to it on the radio under the covers as I was supposed to be asleep.)

So for your viewing delights I looked up who won in relation to the years of my diaries I still have & oh and where we came


22nd March 1975
... Winner was Teach-In from the Netherlands with 'Ding-a-Dong'

we came 2nd with the Shadows with 'Let me be the one'. Oh do listen to it ... it will be in your mental jukebox all day lol

oooo on that day I 'went to Mud concert it was great. I love Les Gray'.. .. .. loads of Tiger Feet dancing I expect

7th May 1977
.... top spot went to L'oisseau et l'enfant' by Marie Myrian from France ..we came 2nd with Lyndsey de Paul & Mike Moran 'Rock Bottom'

Oh that was the day I saw 'Our Kid' in Liverpool

Just had to show this one .... a typical 70s rubbish promo video ... but it is great lol

22nd April 1978
... Winner Isreal with "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" by Izhar Cohen & Alphabeta.. we came 11th with CoCo and "
The Bad Old Days" (complete rubbish!! but I will give Cheryl Baker some credit she was persistent)

On this day I worked from 10.30 - 6.15.. my mate Bev was in a nark with me.. Sam came round and we had a 'good time!!' (don't ask!!!!!)

19th April 1979
.. Winner Israel (again) with 'Hallejah' by Gali Atari (isn't that a game?) & Milk & Honey.. we came 7th with Black Lace and 'Mary Ann' (not surprised there at all ... that was rubbish too)
I got up at 10.00. Went to town & bought £3s worth of material to make a jacket

24th April 1982
.. Gosh Germany won with 'Ein bisschen Frieden' sang by Nicole (a tra la la la along with type of tune!) ... we were 7th with Bardo and 'One Step Further'

Went to a jumble sale... watched a football game Formby v Hyde (4-1 to Hyde).. partied at Mikes (mmm I wonder if it was a Euro Party?? Probably not)

23rd April 1983
.. Luxembourg won!(do they ever win anything??) .. Corrine Hermes (I had a Hermes scarf once and I cut it up for dolls bedding!!) ... we came 6th with 'I'm never giving up' by Sweet Dreams

Nothing in the diary except a reminder for my Mums Birthday !

5th May 1984
.. Winner 'Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley' (wtf!!) by Herreys from Sweden!! we came 7th behind this with 'Love games' by Belle and the Devotions

Superb EuroTrash !! God our song must have been complete pants !!!
Nothing in the diary let me think? .. May 1984?... ah yes! I was about to sit my final exams in Business and Finance with Marketing at the now John Moores University ...


15th May 1993
... Winner Ireland with Niamh Kavanagh & 'In your Eyes'... we came 2nd with a fellow Scouser Sonia with 'Better the Devil you Know'

Nothing in this diary for today but I do know I was way heavily pregnant with teen with only 4 weeks to go :-)

So tonight me and Teen will be watching it ... & ordering a take away ... more about that in another post.
So good luck Jade ... I think you may need it

Thursday 14 May 2009

Birthday ???


The card you see
Just like me
Is sitting at the computer

It is ready to go
But don't you know
I am so unorganised to send it

Wishing Happy Birthday
every inch of the way
To the lovely Blog Mistress

Olga if you are looking in can you pass on my Birthday wishes to your gorgeous Blog Mistress.... I know she is way, way busy scalping folk in Booty Skwul but maybe you could give her a nudge.....

For you Birthday Gal ...... a little song I came across.... could this be Blog Mistress putting on an English accent (like Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins)

Wednesday 13 May 2009

11th, 12th & 13th May

Wednesday 11 1977
We may be getting a phone through my brothers work (can you imagine not having a phone?)
The 4th Year boys went to Woodvale airfield (obviously they thought us gals wouldn't be interested ... suppose they were right!! No make up and fashion to be had there)
The Red Arrows were there (I get do an 'ah!' feeling when I think of the Red Arrows, I have seen them so many, many times whilst growing up...I certainly am humbled by how skillful these guys are. I so remember the first time I saw the red, white and blue smoke and thought it was magic!)

In 1975 there was a partial eclipse (according to my diary!)

Thursday 12 1977
Watched Top of the Pops
Sketched on school field (it must have been a sunny day as this was rare to be able to go out and have a lesson on the field)
Played rounders after school
My back is hurting (ahh yes .. so young to have a crook back that has plagued me ever since ... gawd 32 years tsk!!)

In 1978 I was taking my German translation exam and it was hard. Afterwards we all went to the pub..... (my Teen had her first GCSE today Religious Education .. she thought part of it was tough.. she came home and got into her PJs and chilled ... my what a difference!!)

Tuesday 13 1982
Played snooker in the snooker club (well what else would you play in a snooker club??)

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I had a lovely drive down to Hereford and back on Monday. The sun shone and only encountered 2 tractors and one very annoying lorry driver who was trying to make me overtake a cement lorry that was going 40mph instead of 50 on single lane windy roads!! So thank you the man from DB Plastics Ltd for making 10 miles of my journey 'interesting' to say the least you wally!! (yes I have decided I will name and shame, I think that driver needs to listen to the soothing music on their website!!)

Oh there was another blip on the journey. I was driving along listening to Radio One, as I said the sun was shining but I noticed just how much roadkill there was I passed... badgers, pheasants, rabbits, foxes, etc .... when suddenly two bunnies appeared at the side of the road frolicking around as they do and one shot out in the road in front of me. I swerved but Thumper got a huge thump from my back wheel..... so sad :(

Driving back from a shopping trip in Warrington this evening Teen flicked through the radio stations to Key 103 and we came across this ... 'DP's Happy Hour' .... surely this is an oxymoronic statement of the man himself does he have a happy hour??? Answers on a postcard pwwwease!! lol

On an even lighter note... somethings just make you laugh out loud in public and this card did it for me this evening whilst in the supermarket ... superb (as I am having a busy old full on week)

Saturday 9 May 2009

8th, 9th & 10th May

Sunday 8 1977
Went to Tiffany's
Bev was drunk ... she had been drinking 'Breakers'
Tried to sober her up
Phil Watton = minus moustache & beard = looks quite nice

Tiffany's was the nightclub that was at the end of the road where I lived. Quite handy really ... no taxi's required! It does amuse me that on a Sunday night it was under 18s disco but the bar was open patrolled by bouncers .. not a problem to determinded under 18s!!! A while ago one of the DJs left a comment on here (Eddie)

Saturday 8 1982

Went to see Spandau Ballet at the Empire = very good
Went to a 'gay party' afterwards = terrible
Gilles Viellneuve killed at Belgium

Spandau Ballet .. wtg I have been a fan for years ...Tony Hadley .. Corrrr!!


the 'gay' party was the doing of a mate of ours who was working as junior reporter at a Wirral newspapaer (mm I wonder if he knew Bill Blunt??)... he had an invite to a party so we all trolled along


Tuesday 9 1978
French Oral practice (need I say more tee hee)

Monday 10 1982
Start work
In S&R II = very boring
Sam came round

my oh my yes I did a temporary posting as a civil servant at the lowest grade possible. It really was boring beyond belief... filing cancer death cards in drawers how soul destrying was that .. I survived it by working with women who were probably the age I am now (who were great fun) and my transistor radio with an ear piece in (no ipods in them days!!).. it was a turning point as I knew I had to get more qualifications and not be a civil servant ever again .. I did that but life (recession) is cruel ... at least I am way higher up the ladder now .. the grade I am now back then was like god ..never seen and only a rumour... lol
*******************************

Went back home today to take my old mar shopping for paint for her lounge/diner.. I succeeded on the ceiling paint choice but the walls may take a while longer!!
Teen tells me that it had not rained at home today but on the NW coast of England there was storming gusts of wind and horizontal rain ... we got soaked!!
A busy old week ahead next week.. Hereford on Monday, Birmingham Tuesday (mm my NVQ 4 classroom event for which I have done nil work for !!) , Wednesday a mega meeting all day, Thursday having the troublesome tooth out .. then it is Friday and the weekend again yip yip yipeee.. thank goodness!

Thursday 7 May 2009

7th May


Saturday 7 1977
Went to Liverpool with 'J' and her sister
Bought a bag, a patch to put on it, art equipment, ribbon and a sketch book
Saw my Auntie Joyce and cousin Doll and her 2 kids in Liverpool
Saw 'Our Kid'
**************************************

It was definitely the fashion in 1977 to put patches on everything (we were in a fabric shop on Monday (buying material for a blind for the bathroom & buttons) & I pointed out to Teen the patches on a rack and said 'hey look patches, you could get some and decorate your clothes'... I got 'that' look that only teenagers can give ... 'I guess not then?' I will give a her a couple of months at 6th form and she will come round lol

In 1977 I can guarantee it was probably one of these patches
I am 99.9% sure I chose the peace fingers that day
...
In the Jackie Annual of 1977 they encouraged 'patching' to brighten up your clothes.. I must say I have tried hand patching and quilting and it is quite laborious to say the least

This brings me nicely onto a programme I came across this evening 'Kirstie's Homemade Home' on C4.... Kirstie Allsop is doing up some home in Devon by hand .. buying discarded furniture and painting it, distressing it also making curtains et al from remnants of fabrics .... oh and there is knitting too. Bugger I have been doing that for years .... why am I not famous??

My vision is to open a fabric shop with workshops for those who have not been taught to sew/knit/ make do as they were growing up (my teen has certainly not been taught to cut out a pattern and make a garment, where as I was taught it and can make most things).. along with a coffee shop where artists can display their wares ... I have not the money to do do this but in this time of recession I think it is the way forward. mmm I wonder should I be on 'The Apprentice'?

Oh almost forgot 'Our Kid'... a Liverpool group discovered on 'New Faces' in 1976 ... a one hit wonder but my mate Annie Mouse has never forgiven me for seeing them back in '77 although I have no recollection of it .. apart from when is written in my diaries !!!

Wednesday 6 May 2009

4th, 5th & 6th May

Tuesday 4 1982
HMS Sheffield sunk

Ah of course we were in the middle of the Falklands War in May 1982. It started on 2nd April and the Argentinians surrendered on 14th June .. a 74 day war which saw the loss of almost 1000 people across the forces of Britain and Argentina & 3 islanders.

I don't really recall much of the politics surrounding the invasion of the Falkland Islands but I do remember later that year visiting Spain and this 'Howard & Hilda' type couple who refused to eat anything prepared by the Spanish as they told us that the Spanish sided with the Argentinians and 'they will put glass in your sandwiches you know!'
What tosh ... we just wondered why the hell they had gone abroad with such ill judged theories in the first place... anyway we had a great time and the sandwiches were so crunchy lol

Thursday 5 1977
Did German homework
also did French
I've got ulcers in my mouth (ouch)
French homework = hard translation

Glad to say I passed both o' levels in the 2 languages I took. Love languages as an adult I have done a 6 month intensive Greek course (I had to go to Greece to work for a couple of weeks... a tough call but someone had to do it) and I have done a short Spanish course. The most amazing multi- linguist I have come across was an old guy and his wife we met when we were on honeymoon in Petrovac in 1989 (great photos on the link taken around the time I was there). They were from Belgium, he could speak 16 languages and she spoke only Flemish. She was a botanist and gathered loads of wild herbs for me to bring home... amazing. I think the next project maybe for me to brush up on a language (maybe English would be a start lol) or do a new one??

Saturday 5 1978
Worked 10am - 6pm
Got to work at 9.30 but they didn't need me til 10.00
Went to the 'Brick' with Bev and played pool
Got home at 6.35
Sam came round at 6.50
Went to the Natterjack (pub) = quite good
Got home at 11.15

I was 16 then and in pubs ... my Teen of a similar age has no desire to go to pubs... how strange?? (but how marvelllous too!!)

*************************************
Gosh with my lack of 1980 diary I have missed 2 changes of number ones.

Blondie with 'Call Me' was number one for a week on 26th April and dexys Midnight Runners took over the top slot for two weeks from 3rd May with 'Geno'

I saw Dexy's in concert but I so wish I had seen Blondie 'back in the day' as she was a bit of an idol with me





btw I have not forgotten the rock contest .... just have had no time to do/think coz of being maxed out at work (London, several working groups and project boards,reports, meetings to organise in fact meetings coming out of my ears, staff appraisals to write etc etc). After next week when I will be more maxed out than I am now there is a window of 'ahhhh peace' in my diary ... so watch this space ....

Sunday 3 May 2009

2nd & 3rd May

Tuesday 2 1978 (extracts)

Maths CSE paper 2
2 hrs 10 minutes

Start 9.30 am

Sad Cafe concert 7.30

Have failed my Maths exam with flying colours = quite hard (actually I passed got a Grade 1 which was equivalent to a GCE Grade C... I was amazed I can tell you!!)
Sad cafe = brilliant
Played pool in the 'Brick' afterwards
Got home at 11.00 pm

Wednesday 3 1977
Bev went to Liverpool mit Budge (obviously practicing my German )
Saw G, he's had his hair cut it looks ok
Sat with Trace in biology told her I fancied G (I wonder if that was wise??)

************************************
Gawd I have been decorating all day and am bloody knackered. I did the hall at Easter and thus the decorating bug has spread through my veins.
The dining room was last done ages ago in ivory but have never really liked it because it always looked dull and dingy. Now it is white with the alcoves in 'Willow tree' by Dulux .... it is looking better already.
Next it will be freshening up the kitchen and I have decided to turn the conservatory into a studio.
I need somewhere I can put all my art stuff plus Teen is taking graphic design, textiles, media studies and English A'levels at college in September so she will need somewhere to work too. Plus she has been mithering to get the dress makers mannequin down from the loft.

She is quite a beast (the mannequin not Teen ... although??? lol) so she needs some considered space

Oh well off to watch the new series with Martin Clunes trolling around Britain ... it looks promisingly good

Friday 1 May 2009

1st May random years

Thursday 1 1975
Had an argument in art about the Bay City Rollers
Nearly got beaten up (really? I don't think so!!)


Now you see I was Mud fan and didn't rate BCR (although I went to see them in concert dressed in my cropped jeans with tartan on) Mud were great... who could forget dancing to 'Tiger Feet'
Can't resist this..... it has to get your toes tapping :-)


Sunday 1 1977
With Moggie all night (well not all night obviously !)
Only talking
Lent Banksy 10p (bet I didn't get it back)
Bev says Dave fancies me
but I know she is only messing
Worked 1.30 - 4.30
Ange fancies Martin

This so reminds me of my Teen who is a similar age now.... who fancies who? Who is going out with who? etc.... ahh times don't change that much when hormones are involved lol ;-)

Saturday 1 1982
Went to see 'The Gamekeeper' by Barry Hines
Singing in the bar at night - good (not sure if that was me or a singer ??)

Interestingly the entry the day before said I went to a talk by 'McVicar', John McVicar.
In the 60s he was '
public enemy number 1' an armed robber who incidentally had a dead or alive reward on his head. (Do we still have dead or alive tags?? Probably not!)

He did get 'nicked' eventually and was sentenced to 26 years ... in 1978 he was released (
he must have been a good boy mostly even though he did escape a bit).
Whilst in prison he got himself a degree in an " 'ology "and wrote 'McVicar' which was made into a film starring Rog
er Daltrey (which I don't think I have seen).

I don't recall the content of his talk this far on in years but I do remember he was a very awesome, in your face, charismatic speaker.


Sunday 1 1983
Motor racing at Donnington Park
It poured with rain all day (mmm sounds about right!!)

Yahoo it is a long weekend :0) .. I do like May( in one breath) as we have two extra days off ... but in another breath unfortunately I am maxed out at work just now and those 2 days will cause me huge catch up ... gawd I wish people would stop giving me deadlines .... (plus can someone remind me I am in London on Tuesday and need to be out of bed for 5 am!!)

On the cards this Bank Holiday weekend is painting the dining room and getting my teen fitted for her Prom dress (sorry everyone in the USA but I am pulling my tongue out at you and blowing a big raspberry... we never had such a thing here in the UK before just and end of school disco...) The handmade dress Teen has her eye on is £190 gawd I don't think my wedding dress was much more than that?????