28th August

Tuesday 1979

Got up about 11.30

Went into Stafford

Bought Bryan Ferry single 'What Goes On' and subbuteo balls

Went for a walk 1/2 way to Hixon

Stayed in all night

Played Mastermind

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Yesteday my teen got her GCSE results. I knew she would do ok but we were both concerned she would get a poor mark in Maths. She, like I, has always stuggled with her Maths, there have been many tears (mine as well as hers) over the years when trying to do the homework set.

Her predicted grade was a 'D' but with extra booster classes and some hard revision it could be a 'C'. The first Maths exam she says was 'solid' ... in Teen speak that is really difficult. The second one wasn't as bad she thought.........

So she toddled off to pick up her results this morning. I was on tenterhooks until she got back home.....

"ok what did you get?"

" Textiles 'B', English Language 'B', English Literature 'C' ...."

"Brilliant but what about Maths?" I interrupted

"Mathematics .... Oh...... I got a ......... 'B'!"

"A what?"

"A 'B' "

"A 'B' ? OMG...."

"Yeah I know ... I will never have to Maths ever again!! Do you want to hear what else I got??"

I am as proud as Punch... a 'B' in Maths ... wow!!

All in all she got 6 Bs (MATHS, Textiles, English Language, History, Health and Social and IT Creating Computer Graphics) and 5 Cs English Literature, R.E., Science, Additional Science and IT Design and Produce Multimedia Products.

Getting her Maths and English at grade B means that she can do the 4 A'levels she has chosen (Textiles, Graphic Design, Media Studies and English Lit/Language combined) and not have to forego any to resit them.... phew!!!

So she hadn't forgotten my pledge of money in all the excitement... in fact she tried to inflate each grade by a fiver lol... nice try... It cost me £85... which was quickly converted into a pair of jeans, some new shoes and a belt... I think she still has some 'well done' money left though... ...

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Can you believe that this is the last Friday in August already... someone is definitely speeding the world up. The way the weather was last night it felt like November... gales and driving rain ... fabulous NOT.

On a sunnier note as it is the last Friday in the month it is also 'T-Shirt Friday' sponsored by the lovely Nurse Myra over at Gimcrack.

I only bought this T-shirt a couple of weeks ago .. it was in Next's sale for a ridiculous £5... loved the madness of it .....there is so much going on ........

Other T#shirty people ..... GITWIZARD, GNUKID, SILVERSTAR, SLEDPRESS, RENALFAILURE

25th August

Saturday 1979

Got up at 10.30

Sam played footy (football or soccer depending where you live in the world)

They lost 4-1

Went to the Woolpack

Then we went to Tillington Hall

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It is Nurse Myras Birthday today .. well it is in the UK .. it could be tomorrow or yesterday depending on your time zone. If you have never visited Gimcrack then you have never lived .. take a deep breath and take a look ... dear NM is an education on a daily basis and lovely with it ;-)

Happy Birthday Nursie xxxx

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I am having a maxed out week this week. I am only in work three days but am having to work 9 + hours per day to get everything in a state of readiness before I finish for 7 working days (bloody hell I didn't sign up for this !!).. just feeling at the moment that everyone wants a piece of me and there is not enough to go around (roll back the 70s when life was a doddle)... it will pass when I walk out the office doors tomorrow..

Teen is getting her GCSE results on Thursday,,, so it is going to be either tea and sympathy & shopping or celebration cakes and .. yes shopping. Shopping or should I say 'retail therapy' is cure all (darn it...I have just remembered (Teen won't have forgotten this) I have pledged £5 per grade C, £10 per grade B, £15 per grade A and £20 per grade A*.. eeek!!)

For the next 11 days or so I will be popping in and out of 'interweave' world whilst catching up with folk around the UK and hopefully testing out my Sketchers as well.

Those lovely people at FuelMyBlog sent me a pair of expensive trainers to test out. They (the trainers) claim to assist you in loosing weight, toning muscles, aligning your spine etc etc (I have nt had time to watch the DVD that accompanies the shoes).... mmm dubious me that is me thought 'no way!!'. But I tell you so far so goody they hit the mark on my back pain. I put them on and the pain is minimalised hugely, it was instant ....it is like walking on rocking marshmallows plus I am taller ..

I will post a full post about them in the near distant future

20th August

Monday 1979

Got up at 8.00

Lesley gave us a lift into Stafford

Got the 9.30 train to Liverpool

Worked 12.00 -6.00

Went to a silver party

Mar bought me a silver ring

Ordered 2 lipsticks

Phoned Sam at 11.15

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Thank goodness it is almost the weekend.

I had a long, hard day yesterday. I drove up to Scotland and back in a day (456 miles) and I was on the road for 9 hours all together... it should take about 6 to attend a 3 hour meeting.

The weather was hell. Most of the journey was driving in torrential rain with so much spray you couldn't see the car in front even when they had lights on..... I tell you I cannot believe (well yes I can actually) just how many wallies drive in those conditions with no lights on and at high speed... eeejits !!

It was worse than this as at 3 o'clock in the afternoon as it was like nightfall...... what made it even doubly worse was I phoned Teen from the Lake District and asked if it was raining... she replied 'no way Mum it has been one of the hottest, sunniest days in Manchester ever!!!'....... grrrrrrrrr :(

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I have had a man than 'can' here this tea time..... and 'can' he certainly did. I have a new cable box that works super duper and guess what?? The internet connection trouble I have had on and off for ever was due to my connection in the box outside my house...... grrrrr to the smart a**es who kept telling me it was my computer ..... and a big thank you to Ivor :-)

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& finally for today ... my cuz in Oz posted this on her Facebook page and I just had to share it. I am not religious but I never take a pop at peoples beliefs ..... but this is unbelievable ..... it did make me giggle ......do click on the link ... I beg you lol

17th August

Wednesday 1977

Dentist 3.15 (I am at the dentist tomorrow !! spooky )

Elvis died aged 42

Packed for hols

Tributes to Elvis Presley on TV = very moving

Went to 'new boyfriend's' house 8.30 - 11.15pm

He gave me a cross (huh??)

Watched a film about pop music in 1968 = very good (mmm I wonder what it was??)

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Wow it is 32 years since Elvis left the building! I do remember that day as my eldest brother was so upset as he was huge fan.

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I decided to have the day off work today ... I had spent the weekend decorating at my Mums house.. came home and was knackered. I had done no washing and needed to catch up on my housework.

Things are going well with converting the conservatory into a studio after a visit to IKEA this evening... managed to get a work top and legs for £31 and pink (yes Teen had to have pink) swivel chair for £19. I want glass shelving but they were £15 a throw.. no way I am paying that!!

All I need to do now is find a man that can to fit a radiator in there and fit some warmer flooring than the pathetic attempt I did at tiling it..... oh and I need to construct the work table and swivel chair.

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Being a Brit Friday night is traditionally 'chippy' night. The night when you don't cook but trot along to your local fish 'n' chip shop for tea (there are those who take their own plates 'plate it up' and toddle off home with their fish, chips and mushy peas ready to go!!?).

Having 'chippy' on a Friday tea is a recent thing for me as I can't 'do' batter as it makes me throw. But Teen is an avid fan (mmm she has learned this from staying at mates on a Friday night)......

We had 'carry out' on Friday.

Is it me or does the the image on the carrier bag seem a bit wrong?? smiling condiments spurting red stuff at a fish that will soon be eaten and it is smiling too!!!!!

12th August

Friday 1982

Had 1/2 day off work

Made a silk mini skirt and camisole top

Went to the Railway in Ainsdale for a drink

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I am sure there must be photographic evidence of the outfit I made somewhere. It was made out of grey shot Thai silk.. my brother had been out to Thailand and brought me the fabric back.

I have for years made stuff (cutains, bridesmaid dresses, ragdolls, suits... etc etc) although not so much in recent years.

Teen is taking Textiles at college so I am about to turn my underused conservatory into a studio complete with clothes mannequin so she has somewhere to work ... oh and me too [I hope]!

I was at Mums last week sorting out stuff for her and I came across an old sewing machine.

It was my Nanas. Mum told me how Nana used make all sorts on it from dresses to curtains, for her and anyone who asked her to make things. It must have been tough as it is a hand powered sewing machine.. no treddle and no electric!

I now have it here at home..... Mum remembers that it was bought before she was born and it was second hand. In the lid is written in pencil '26/04/27'.. I am guessing that is when my Nana bought it.

Don't you just love the internet though... with a bit of surfing I discovered (from the serial number) that the machine was made in Clydebank in 1917... in the midsts of WW1 wow! They were making amunition too at the time in the factory too... gawd I hope it doesn't explode!!

What was way interesting ... in this secret compartment

My Mum had stashed a few bits of mine growing up

There is the only badge I got as Brownie ... oh ironic it is a 'writers' badge. I do remember having to do a piece on Liechtenstein and Brownies over there .... mmm hasn't Liechtenstien been in the press just lately .. tax haven and all that.

There was also my 'sixer' stripe .. the wee girls in the front of the photo here was what we wore back then in the 70s (although I didn't have a pom pom on my hat!! thank goodness!)

Hey there is my Prefect badge .. I was also Deputy Head Girl and had a badge for that too .. mm that has got lost in time

Oh and a Sad Cafe bit of merchandise from 1980

Aren't parents great !! :)

& the machine will have pride of place in the new studio ... oh and yes in case you were wondering 92 years later it still works!!

8th August

Sunday 1982

Stayed in all day

Mar took kids to Knowsley Safari Park (kids as in my niece and nephew ... aged 8 & 6 then)

They went home at 7.00

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Never ever ever go to the Safari Park in your own car

After my last post I decided to venture into the Chinese sweets and actually open some... I can only conclude that my brother is trying to see us off.....

It looks a bit like a date and is very sticky and smells awful... the taste was rank.

Couldn't even bring myself to taste these two.....

Oh well only about another 15 to try ... sob ;-(

6th August

Saturday 1977

Injection in spine 9.30 (a Saturday??)

Fi back from Germany

'new boyfriend' came round

I feel really awful after injection

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I have suffered with a disc problem since I was an early teen... mostly it is ok and the longest I have been laid up was 3 months and resulted in an injection in my spine then too in 2006.

At the back of the diary I wrote this :-

" I arrived at the Promenade Hospital at 9.15.

My appointment was 9.30.

I was to have an epidermal injection at the base of my spine.

The doctor arrived at 11 o'clock (so they weren't on time in those days either)

I lay on my stomach and was injected (with a 3" srynge) with somethingin my spine.

I fainted

I had 3 injections in all

At 11.15 I was seated in a chair and I fainted again

Every time I sat up I felt sick and faint

I left the hospital at 12.15 (blimey no recovery time there)

I must stay in bed for a week (I see from my diary I only managed 2 days lol)

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One of my brothers has just got back from having a brilliant holiday in China...... he bought my teen some Chinese sweets. How kind..... mmmmm ??? Very kind but they look way dodgy!!

I mean what the hell is THIS??????

The back of one of the 'sweets' is fabulously translated

wtf is 'thick lquid, tuckahoe... amylum.. notlet...??'

If you can't se this properly it says:-

Validity Period : 6 moths

Keep the method : Room Temperature

Edible Method : Kaifeng is the food

Producyion Date : see the packaging (erm this is the packaging!!)

Sweet anyone??????

4th August

Thursday 1977

Worked 9.30 -10.30 (gosh it wasn't worth getting out of bed !)

Didn't see 'new boyfriend' today but I phoned him

Got a letter off Corrina (my German penpal)

Judy & 'J' called round.

Saturday 1979

Stayed on the beach all day

Went to Sables-d'Olonne in the evening

Had crepe and bier

Bought a ring = dead good

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I was looking for a programme on BBC i player the other day and I came across my shoe with it's other one ...... they must have stolen it too ;-0

This weekend I decided to have a long weekend.

Had a lovely pottering day in the garden on Friday. It felt like ages since I had had the opportunity to do this with the torrential showers we have recently.

The bindweed had taken over the willow fencing at the end of the garden and I have always had this troublesome really spikey/ lethal brambly thing coming through from the field behind my house. For years I have cropped it back but still it persists.

With all the rain it had reched gigantic proportions and ventured to under the garden furniture and it really was huge... so I cropped it back....... only to discover after all these years it is actually a blackberry bush !!!... I have blackberries growing in my garden !! so blackberry and apple pie coming up

My tomato plants are coming on ok too..... not as big as Daddy P's toms but we are further Norff

If you want to see some lovely photos of flora and fauna take a trip over and visit GWs place... ah summer you can almost smell them ...

Oh we also went to Dunham Massey at the weekend ....

Oh and the cat had a really relaxing one too (weekend that is!)