9th April 1980

'blank page' boo hoo

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Yip yip yipeeeee I have finished for Easter. So looking forward to 10 days away from the office.
Have got a pretty full diary on my return though. I even had an invite to a meeting in December today ... DECEMBER!!!??? What has happened to my life it is becoming booked up before I can live it??? .... (mmm note to self start looking for a new job!)

Summer is approaching and I am looking to buy a gas barbeque...I said I never would but I am fed up with trying to get lighters to fire and having the temperature is all over the place .........

I saw this advertisement in my Advantgarde mag from 1980 the other day

click on the photo and check out the prices !!!

29 years later for just over £100 I could have this & for almost £700 you can buy this
My how dear were they in 1980 ??

It feels like a Friday night & I am surfing and chilling.

Indulging some brilliant 'Talking Heads' from the late 70s /early 80s ... superb

8th April 1980

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So Fi passed her driving test. How envious was I back then. There was never any prospect then of me even attempting to take a driving test at 18. I had to wait for my 21st.

I so remember us zipping about in her Mums Citroen 2CV Dolly

Love cars and have just fallen in love with my next 'must have' vehicle... I have always had a soft spot for Volvos ... but this baby is a must
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Just watched a programme on ITV about Super sized kids......very interesting you would expect children of very tall parents to have tall children... then there where those who had abnormlly tall kids due to a growth hormone inbalance.

My teen has been plagued with being taller than the average child. She has through out her younger years been put on the back row with the boys on school photos because she was tall. Also when she had tantrums as a real young 'un I had 'tuts' from folk who thought she was a lot older and shouldn't do that type of thing.

I am 5ft 4" & her father skirts 6ft..... thankfully she seems to have stopped growing at almost 16 and measures a gorgeous 5ft 9".

It got me to thinking that I used to plot her height and weight when she was younger... and at the age of 6 she was the height (and weight) of a 10 year old... she was always off the chart from day 1!!!!


I have now become a 'minimum' ;-)

7th April 1980

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mmmm? not a lot to go on! But I reckon I must have gone to Stafford to see Sam for Easter.
In those days shops etc didn't open on an Easter Monday.
So being in a village the only thing was to go to the 'local'. The 'local' there was very much the heart of the village and 'everyone' went there ....had lunch and chilled out playing pub games such as darts, bar skittles, domino's .. it was a great atmosphere. I do miss that social bit living where I do.

I am pleased to think that there maybe still one bastion of an embargo on shopping in the UK on Easter Sunday?

I do remember in my younger married days in the late 80s that we had invited the in-laws over for Easter Sunday dinner. I (being so unprepared.. no nothing has changed) thought I will nip up to the supermarket and buy all the gubbins for a Sunday lunch that morning.... rolled up to my local supermarket and it was shut!!! I drove 5 miles to the next supermarket .. and that was shut too... then the penny dropped!!

We ended up having pizza out of the freezer!

Only 2 half days left for me to work before the Easter break in 2009.. can't wait (mmmm note to self ... buy 'the gubbins' in early)

It is Tuesday so that means 'sticking and gluing' .. the night class has finished but I am still a woman on a mission to finish the album for my Mum's Birthday (only 15 days to go!!)

Here are the latest 'tings' ... whoops things


I have added a bit of colour to open up the photos from the 40s


this is an interactive page where you can flip through photos


then I had this idea to get all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to write on a postcard and their image is a stamp.......

6th April 1980

Sunday 6

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Yes a big FAT nothing!!!
But quite like the Snoopy post of the day though.

So 29 years ago it was Easter Sunday ... 29 years on it is an ordinary Monday .. yuk!
As there was blank diary entry back then I will tell you about my 'none' Easter Sunday in 2009

Got up at 6.45 am
Fed the cats and walked the pup
Had a shower
Whilst getting ready for work flicked on the TV in my bedroom
Heard 'blar blar blar... Rome ....' blar blar blar'
Did they say Rome ?? My Teen is in Rome !
I turned around to look at the TV screen and saw the guardia and rubble
My heart stopped.. there had been an earthquake in Italy

I texted my teen 'R U ok?'
reply 'yes, why?'
I texted 'there has been an earthquake'
reply 'yes I know I felt the tremor.. it was fun'

My heart started beating again... but felt such sadness for those who who were not so fortunate
(of all the places around the world that my teen had decided to visit without me, on her first ever flight it had to be somewhere that had an earthquake... note to self must do seismic research before she jets off in the future!)

Set off for work at 9
20 minutes door to door .. everyone must be on holiday!
Had 3 Telephone conferences today.. about 3 different subjects .. I know now how Worzel Gummige must have felt!!
All in all I have done business with 40 people 'virtually' today
Home at 5.30
Walked the pup
Ex rang re Teen
Rang Mum
Hel rang
Scanned stuff
Blogged

FuelMyBlog have decided they want a T-shirt designing .. my old boy PC is pretty poor at graphic stuff so had to use pencil and pad (not exactly the back of a fag packet but close)


the words could be substituted by ....

'Everyone is a mad fuel scientist, and life is their lab'
or
'If I don't blog to empty my mind, I go mad' ... a slant on Lord Byron
or
'Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you FUEL' .. a slant on Aldous Huxley
or
' Better Fuel with the rest of the world than to be wise alone'.. slant on Baltasar Gracian

31st March 1980

Monday 31
Got up at 8.10
At work for 9.00 (how did I do that then? I love a leisurely get up and off to work these days .. saying that we didn't have the internet that draws you before work.. saying that too it was not until recently that I used to log in before work .. I do it even more so now as we are barred from looking at our external e mail accounts .. plus I shower and hair wash daily now .......)

The manageress & one of the staff were ill today
Quite busy with orders coming in
Phoned Sam at 12.35 but no body answered the phone
Home at 6.15
Fi phoned
She came round with Hels for 1/2 hour
Got my photos from my birthday back = good (erm my birthday was in January!! .. my how times have changed with digital and not having to send to Truprint.. can't believe they have survived the digital age )
Phoned Sam
He has been promoted at work
Watched the 'Fox'
Bed at 10.10
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Disaster!
Just turned the page onto April and there is nothing there ...... skipped through more pages and the 1980 diary is not complete .. just sporadic ramblings here and there through 1980 !!
Dam and blast what am I going to do???

Considered for this post what change there had been in the top spot in the UK music charts but
The Jam was still number one with 'Going Underground'.
I need to get on and do some serious 1980s research ......

Meanwhile I found my A'level Cookery display photo

The theme was 'The use of citrus fruits' and the menu was....(it all sounds so yuk!!)
Orange & date tea-ring
Grapefruit and orange cheesecake gateau
Mackerel with orange stuffing
Lemon curd

Pissaladière & tomato stuffing (hee hee I remember making this and I had no idea what anchovies were at the time. I bought a tin of them and laid them on top thinking eeeeeww!!)

(sorry can't alter the font on this bit so it is in your face slightly!!)

I showed the photo to my Mum .. she reminded me that it was my Grannies bowls that I used and the coffee set she had in the 70s ... that coffee set is in a box in my shed just now)

Nowadays I am wondering about what was the wine on offer on the photo ??? lol

oh as an aside it is my dad's 88th Birthday today... however, he only got half way through to the age of 44 ...

Iffyton High Street .. in a town near you!!!

In March FuelMyBlog asked its viewers if they would like a free t-shirt. A free T-shirt? Erm of course I would.
The T-shirt was to come from Uncle Iffy at Iffyton High Street.

I followed the links and came across a virtual high street with great graphics. It looked so exciting.

Imagine then my deep disappointment because of having a severe internet headache and a connection slower than the slowest snail ever ....I could only view the 'Street' but couldn't interact with it all.

All 'seems' to be Bill Whizz at the moment but the connection is not constant (grrr Sir Branston Pickle) ... however, I have been able to have a good fossick around the site now and it is tremendous.
I have even met Uncle Iffy (ok virtually) and oh how he reminds of me of certain other bloggers .. barking mad in true British eccentric style ... wonderful :-)

Due to my blip on the internet I was allowed another chance to order a free T-Shirt (thank you so much FMB and Uncle Iffy x)

With the help of my teen we studied the site and we selected the one we both liked ... ordered it in a size that would fit us both & off the order went.

Yesterday I got home from work. Teen was out and on the dining room table was this


HuH???

ArHHH! I know what was innit oops in it

The T-shirt had arrived (in spiffing clickity quick time I must say) and had been claimed (so much for getting one that fits us both. I have no chance !!)

I texted teen 'where are you? luxx'
Reply '@ trfrd cntr. T-shirt is ace. CU l8r. Lu loads xx'

A quick translation..... she was at the Trafford Centre.

She bounced through the door at 9 pm and was so excited.

'you'll never guess Mum!'
'I expect not! What?' I replied

'I got asked twice where I had got my T-shirt from. Firstly some 'randomer' girl stopped me and said' I love your T-shirt. Where did you get it from?' I told her my Mum got it off the internet. She asked what site but I told her I didn't know' she said

'Iffyton High Street' I replied

' Like I would remember that??... Then I went into Republic and the girl behind the till said 'cool T-shirt it is so individual, I would love one like that, where did you get it from?'

I butted in 'ermm My Mum got it off the internet'
'yeah that is what I said and I didn't know from where from!!' she added

Kids hey !!

But be proud indeed Uncle Iffy your t-shirts have hit the streets of Manchester and have not gone unnoticed... it really is a great product and if this one is anything to go on I will be ordering more ... but could you do me a favour? Could you send me some business cards and I will make sure Teen hands them out with each enquiry.

She is off to Rome on Sunday and the now 'fav' T-shirt is off to Italy with her .. I will give her a note as to where she got it from should some one say 'Amo la vostra camicia in cui lo avete comprato' (not that she would have a clue what they actually said lol







Iffyton T Shirt

Fanzine IX... OFFICIAL 'DP' DAY April 1st

Page1

Welcome back to the long awaited Fanzine ...

& Happy Daddy Papersurfer DAY !!!!!

I can only apologise on behalf of my IS provider Sir Branston Pickle for this huge 'hump' in publishing anything....... Fanzine Editor has had both hands tied behind her back and struggles daily (Harry Houdini would be proud as would Nurse Myra ;-) ) to publish the simplest of posts.

However, not being one to dwell on the negatives of life..... here is Fanzine IX (9)

A quick reminder of past issues of the Fanzine for your perusal....
Issue 8 November 2008 ~ DP has a significant event
Issue 7 June 2008 ~ an insight into DPs life
Issue 6 May 2008 ~ the Papersurfer family tree
Issue 5 April 2008 ~ the secret laboratory & long lost family members
Issue 4 April 2008 ~ Official DP day & celebration memorabilia
Issue 3 March 2008 ~ the Oscars & Gertrude
Issue 2 March 2008 ~ DP runs for Presidency
Issue 1 February 2008 ~ Introducing the phenomenon that is Daddy Papersurfer

As editor of your favorite Fanzine I do have a responsibility to find out just what the 'phenomenon that is Daddy Papersurfer' has been up to.

Last year to escape the heat of the papersurferazzi he took refuge in Surfugal.....this time he has tried to avoid the publicity (& escape the secure gated community) by moving to a remote cliff top residence somewhere in a secret location on the South Coast of England.

It didn't take me long to track him down though ... Phyllis from his previous local woolshop was very helpful indeed, after I had the inspiration to tempt her to loosen her tongue by offering her some jellied eels and liquor.

I followed her directions and stumbled across the man himself. I managed to capture this photo whilst lurking in the hedgerow ( DP will you cut down that bloody Hawthorn bush I am still picking out the thorns)


Surely he is not doing domestic chores readers & 'WHAT IS HE WEARING'?

However, I suppose it is a slight improvement on some of his past wardrobe choices

or this when he stole the lovely Sylvie's identity!!!



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Page 2
Whilst surfing the 'safety net' last week I came across a reference for

I'd never heard of Joke 90? Intrigued I had to investigate as it surely had DP's DNA all over it ... I paid my money and today I received an annual through the post.
It looks a bit 'doctored' but what does one expect when paying only 99p for a vintage 70s annual?


Inside it indeed has information about DP and a chap that guides him .. I wonder who Ian really is? .. could it be John C, GitWizard, Kevin or is it Dear Frac in disguise.. maybe it is Diane as there is a reference to Dorset?? (fantabulously great disguises gals if it is either of you)



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Page 3

DP has become a man of letters of late. I suppose this is symptomatic of being a little more mature in dog years.. your Fanzine editor has letters formulated in her head about things that upset/bug her (I have a great one for Sir Branston Pickle) but she still prefers the verbal explanations to date ... just give me time... there is a lot... ok there is a little you can learn from his rants

For those of you who have missed out on the marvellous ramblings contained in DPs letters.....the links are here
day 1...Dear Old Lady
day 2...Dear Young Man
day 3...Dear Young Mum
day 4...Dear Local Council
day 5...Dear Car Park Attendant,
day 6.....very silent!!! mmmm yes DP can't count... & yes fanzine readers you heard it here first !!!!!
day 7..Dear Market Stall holder
day 8...Dear Boy Scout
day 9...Dear Packaging Companies
Day 10 ... Dear 10 items or less Cashier

In response to DPs letters and the fact he is who he is, the Fanzine office floor has been stacked with mail, these past few months.

I even found this poor lost soul hidden beneath the weight of mail ...
She had posted herself over from across the pond in the hope to meet the phenomenon. She looked very pale and her cups were flat when I dragged her out ... but after a beer and a chocolate brownie she soon perked up.

I am not entirely convinced that DP hasn't sent a few of these letters himself because of his recent furtive flurryings with his quill.....time will tell but to date I have not had time to wade through the bulk.

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Page 4

Fanzine Letter Page

[If your letter doesn't appear here please feel free to publish them in the comments section of the Fanzine or send them freepost to me so I can feature them in the next exciting edition]

Dear Fanzine Ed

Long ago I managed to unearth the identity of Daddypapersurfer, through no fault of his.

That was some time after I had gone through a number of situations in which the 'Ol Git' had been there for me. Bearing his sage words with total lack of knowing what he meant, he always knew what to say to create a feeling of empathic caring.

If there would be one thing that someone could teach me that would be the strongest tool in my life in dealing with other people, it would be his wisdom.

Since wisdom can't be taught, I guess I'm stuck with reading the guy's stuff. It's either that or go cannibal chopping him into cutlets for dinner.

He's really the only person I know online I would ever aspire to be more like in certain qualities I want to develop more in myself.

...should a chocolate covered DP be sprinkled with confectionary sugar...or cinnamon?


Love D.E. Ranged

Dear D.E.
WB to the Fanzine. I do declare it was your vision that actually sparked off this wonderful Fanzine ... way back here in Fanzine I.
Us fans of DP (scattered widely across the globe) thank you from the bottom of our ... bottoms ;-)
DP really is an ..... ermm?? what is the word??? oh yes an example to all of us.
Where would we all be now without his daily Old Git words of wisdom and flimflam? .... lying on a sandy beach in the Bahamas perhaps or drinking fruity cocktails on a balcony soaking up the warm Mediterranean sun or sat at our PC's wondering what was missing?

oh in answer to your culinary question... anything that is chocolate covered just yells for both icing sugar & cinnamon ... oh and topped with hundreds and thousands

Love from your Fanzine Ed x
>^<^>^<^>^,^>

Dear Fanzine Ed
I intend to keep this short and sweat (strike through sweat) - sweet.
I have been a fan for many weeks now. I have been following evereee steps and movements (mainly wind) Daddy P has made since he set his first steps in the blogosphere. watching his progress slowly and cringing many times along the way.
I think I deserve his daily attention - slaughter...(strike through attention)
I will forgive his allusions to Uma...he will soon grow tired of her (she is not even using Twitter)- she is NO contender...
He has been the prey of many highly influential bloggers but I know deep down that I will be the one he will run away with on Technorati ... has to be...I should know...I am a highly influential Uma look alike (in a streched way) with almost perrrrfect English.
If you know who I am - please keep quiet for as long as you can ... he has no IDEAS and that is better that way. sincerely a seriously deluded yet commited follower/ lover on twatter ( euh I mean T-witter)
shuuuush....



Dear shuuuush

Your English is fabulous don't let the fact English isn't your first language put you off influencing the fact we realise here at the Fanzine, you are one ardent fan of the 'phenomenon that is DP'.
As Fanzine Ed I am bitterly disappointed at the lack of response from Uma. She has had a high profile on this 'fab mag' and have we had a hint of twatter? (strike through... and replace with Twitter) no we haven't!

Stay steadfast dear shuuush I am sure it won't be long before he scoops you up and carries you off into his cupboard telling you tales of his adventures of Technotari and the wonders it can bring ...

Love Fanzine Ed x
>^<^>^<^>^,^>

Oi you ... yes you Mr Phenomenonamon!!
I know where you live Guv
The Market Stall Holder

Dear Market Stall Holder
That is so ticketty boo that you know where Daddy Papersurfer lives.
I am with out doubt sure he would love you to pop along to his residence and have a laugh or two over the jolly japes you both shared recently.
Indeed I do believe that he would make you a lovely cup of afternoon tea and bake a few scones which you could enjoy in his English Country garden.
If you do have any trouble locating the exclusive residence please don't hesitate in contacting me.... oh when you do get there do watch out for the Hawthorn bush

signed Fanzine Ed
>^<^>^<^>^,^>

Dearest dearest daddy pee pee poopoo
Why are you not answering my letters, texts, e mails, phone calls?
I have even changed my name by deed poll in the hope you will respond.
You know you can't deny me for ever.
Love and kissy poo poo chuckles xxxxxxx
Uma T Hurman
(formerly known as Arthur Smith, lorry driver from Dagenham)


Dear Arthur ... sorry Uma
I can only apologise as some of your letters may well be in the huge pile on the office floor. Uma I hate to break the news to you and there is no easy way to tell you this but ........................ DP is 'taken' and has been for many years.
I know just now your heart will be breaking but you will find some one who is equally inspiring to you ... someone else that can fill your head endlessly full of drivel and diatribe ... who will tra la la and #tee hee....but only if you just give it some time.

If, however, the pain does not subside in 24 hours I have his address and you can share a nice cup of tea with him and the market stall holder whilst sitting on the cliff edge admiring the view of France (on a clear day)

yours Fanzine Ed


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Page 4
Fanzine free gift for DP DAY ... yes Fanzine readers it is free.
Using the power of ScissorShop developed by the man himself you can wear with pride your Daddy Papersurfer badge ... just follow the simple instructions below






Step 5 ... now you have a sparkling button badge to impress your friends with. We have seen examples at the Oscars as worn by the stars of stage and screen.


Now you to can wear that very same badge with pride.
Expect to be stopped in the street and asked 'where have you have acquired such an amazing product?' ........... just point them over to DPs Fanzine ;-)



Fanzine X (10) due out ... 'when ever' ;-)