Journal Entries
30 years
Posted Oct 2, 2020
I am making an exception to my usual radio habit of listening to Radio 4 over the Internet today. The local radio stations are celebrating 30 years of German unity. Memories of the events of 1989/90 still never fail to reduce me to floods of tears, along with the corny tunes of those amazing times.
And I'm not even German
Oh, wait a minute - I am now. Nearly forgot.
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Latest reply: Oct 2, 2020
Flying today
Posted Mar 2, 2020
Off to England again. It's very quiet at Baden-Baden Airport. No doubt it will be busier at Stansted. This afternoon I shall be in Cambridge; will be passing 2legs' house.
I don't really go many places with crowds these days, which is fortunate with this new epidemic starting.
I'm not one to be pessimistic, but I can't help thinking of the scene in the airport at the end of "Twelve Monkeys".
The Germans have a word for talking about worst case scenarios like that: "Den Teufel an die Wand malen" (painting the Devil on the wall)
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Latest reply: Mar 2, 2020
Some kind of record
Posted Dec 13, 2019
Last week I flew to Stansted and back for the umpteenth time this year. Our mother's house has now been handed over to a new tenant. But there is still a load of stuff from the clearance at my sister's house (in fact, you can hardly get in through the door).
I only had hand luggage and was, as usual, through passport control etc really quickly (in both directions)
And now I have just landed at San Francisco and by some miracle have got through immigration and customs in even quicker time than Stansted.
My son who has come from San Jose to meet me, only left home just after I landed after he had to wait 2 1/2 hours for us last time we came here.
So now I am sitting outside SFO with a coffee and due to meet my newest grandson very soon. He was born on Tuesday.
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Latest reply: Dec 13, 2019
Number four
Posted Dec 9, 2019
Just got a Whatsapp this evening from my son in California informing me that my 4th grandchild - 2nd grandson - has been born.
Just as I'd sent all my Christmas cards. Now he'll not feature in the family newsletter till next Christmas.
I'm flying over on Friday to help look after him and his elder brother. Looking forward to it!
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Latest reply: Dec 9, 2019
Spam!
Posted Aug 9, 2019
With a view to putting together an obituary for my mother for the local paper, I have just re-read her "Memoir" which she wrote some years ago, covering her life up to when I was about 4 (she assumed that I would know what happened after that, I think)
Anyway - I thought I would share some of it. Maybe I'll save the rest for NaJoPoMo in November.
But for the time being, here is an excerpt, describing life in a girls' boarding school near Walton on Thames where she had been evacuated with the rest of the insurance company she worked for. They were twelve typists to a dormitory, and by this time (1941-42) there were practically no men left working in the company, and the girls were taking over the men's jobs. Outside working hours they had to find their own amusement - and they were very inventive!
The memoir is very matter-of-fact in tone, but my mother's humour twinkles through on occasions. She was about 21 at this time.
So here goes:
- No Spam smiley!
By this time with only girls left (and a few old men to keep an eye on us!) we were finding our entertainment more and more in the town. I had got to know Barbara in the Claims section and she became friendly with Eric who lived in the High Street. There were, of course, very few men around but there was a Royal Army Ordnance Corps billetted in Weybridge and they would come over to spend an evening dancing. As they were around for a few weeks, we got to know some of the regulars and found some really good dancers among them - even in their army boots!
Barbara and I did the refreshments at the dances, which consisted of tea or cold drinks and Spam sandwiches. Eric used to buy large Catering tins of Spam and we practically lived on this tasty addition to our diet, either in sandwiches or fried with bread or anything else that was available.
And here's another gem from the same page:
We did manage to find some changes in the monotony, however, like finding a baker's shop in Hersham where they sold delicious doughnuts. They were so fatty and sugary that they were sold in greasproof bags.
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Latest reply: Aug 9, 2019
You can call me TC
Researcher U154942
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