h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The school fair sounds lovely,especially the wooden toys!!!They always make me think ofchristmases when poorer children got very little,apart from a wooden toy that dad had made (not that i ever only got a wooden toy).There'ssomething special about them!!!
I hope you don't mind my asking,but was life very different in boarding school??
I always have the impression that it was a lot stricter than ordinary junior school.

well, I went to boarding school for secondary, not junior school, so I don't really know about a comparison.

Boarding school was strict in lots of ways (enforced bedtimes, tv viewing and going out of the grounds) but no more than you would expect I think. (now I can see it from the point of view of a parent rather than a misunderstood teenager who wants to go down town on a Saturday afternoon )

Christmas was nice there, each dormitory picked a theme (Winnie the Pooh and stuff like that). We were given massive rolls of paper (the dormitories house 22 girls, and had really high ceilings) to make paintings on. We all joined in - each dorm trying to spy on the others, and keep their own designs secret - and the grand unveiling was a lot of fun. Then when we broke up for the Christmas holidays the pictures went to the local children's hospital.

Of course, there was bullying of a type that doesn't happen at day schools, but it was dying out in my time so I think it's not so bad now.

I've always been curious because we hae a friend ,in his sixties now,and he has suffered two nervous breakdowns.He blames them on the fact that he was sent to boarding school,and removed from a stable home enviroment,when he was about 11.The whole experience seems to have affected him badly,and he does talk of bullying having some influence on him,but as you say,looking at the experience from an adults point of view is different.
You appear to have affectionate memories ,he never has.

I feel for him, really. I have some horrible memories, and was terribly homesick for a lot (if not most) of the time.

However, it wasn't all bad. But, I believe that my bad reaction, awful teenage years and a total refusal to play along with A-levels (which has had a real effect on my life) is at least in part (probably up to 50%) due to being away from home.

In hindsight, and having looked at exam results from that time, I would have been better - despite my parents' misgivings and experience with my brother - at the local Army school. My brother, btw, loved the school but wasn't a schoolich type of kid. He did really awfully at boarding school too.

Unfortunately neither of us will talk to our parents about this - because they are now regretting the decision they made in good faith and in the full belief that it was the best thing for us. They missed us awfully, and missed out on a lot of things in order to make their contribution to the school fees.

Having said that: I think we have to make the best of what we have and so I try not to dwell. I'm not doing badly, and if I would get my backside into gear I'd do a lot better.


Has your friend ever spoken to anyone about it? Is he on h2g2? We could chat if he wanted.

He is slightly eccentric Sho,and doesn't have a televison,computer or telephone,not that NOT having these things makes him eccentric!!He has spoken of some experiences to us,but never having being in the position to understand we haven't discussed it in depth.He never married,and has little contact with his family,but i get the impression that e has discussed it with someone after his first breakdown.We have known him for twenty years,but he has always bee quite a private person until recently.
It seems that when he does talk about his time at boarding school,it brings back bad memories,...he never talks about it with any affection,and blames it for everything that has gone pear shaped in his life.
It souhds as though your parents feel guilty for the years you spent there ..maybe his did too,but never told him so.
It really just shows that our childhood experiences affect the rest of our lives a tremendous amount,and maybe kids aren't as resiliant as we tend to think.

But I think that boarding school, whilie it might be a contributing factor, isn't the whole story.

still, he probably deserves a even if he wouldn't want it.

and now back to other happy stuff: I've just had a teddies tea-party with my Gruesomes. I remember my mum doing that with us when we were little.

Hi Sho ,i think that might be the problem,i bet he doesn't know what a real is.

Now i can relate to the teddy bears picnic,although i can't ever recall having attended one as a child,but i recall having been to lots with my children,and grandchidren!!
We once had one in the grandchildrens wendy house,which was like a minature log cabin,and ALL the teddies ,and dollies were invited.The only problem was that the girls were having beans on toast

Hi Smurfles,Sho,I LOVE reading your stories.Thankyou so much Smurfles for inviting me to ask my Mam if she'd contribute to this thread,I just know she'll be thrilled when I ask her.Your all such wonderful people.Speak soon Love Pinky xxxx

Hi pinky.nice to see you again.
Older people have so much stored in their heads,and it's lovely to listen to some of the stories they have to tell.
My mother in law talks about the days when she was in service,and when she only got a "shilling" wage,and how she had to send money home out of that.......i think she realy begrudged it,she didn't have a good home life.
My mother used to tell us about having to still give my grandma money towards household bills after she maried,and how my dad said she shouldn't still have to pay "board"when she was married.!!!And WE thought we had it hard in our teens.Look forward to hearing from you

Hahahahahhaha I do read this thread with pure delight Smurfles,truly.I leave feeling I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth hahahahahha How lucky we are ! My Mam makes me laugh when I try describing being 'on-line' to her.I tried explaining the different 'threads',her reply and I quote 'They should all thank their lucky stars they've got so much thread ! When I was a girl,you were lucky to see a single strand,nevermind a whole reel !...unquote ! You see my problem I hope ! hahahahhaha Love to All Pinky xxxxx

It is hhard to explain how the site works to someone older,especially when they don't understand modern technology.I must admit i wish i knew more about how the site works,but i am trying to learn!!!!
You'll have to show your mum pinky!!

Hey! Smurfles, That reminds me of the time when my Mam was in the hospice and the world champion snooker was on TV. I spent hours explaining all the rules of the game and everything else about it to her, thinking she was taking it all in
Then just before I left, she shouted "There! he has done it again"
When I asked, she said "Every time that young lad puts a coloured ball down, that nasty man with the gloves keeps putting it back up again"

I gave up, and went away
Smudger,

Oh that's quite cute though!

So, I have another memory to share. When I was a wee lassie (from age... 8 to about 12) we lived in the housing estate attached to a barracks in Windsor. (Combemere bks, near the Great Park, not Victoria Bks near the castle)

This was early to mid 70s. Every morning we would be woken by the poor laddie bugler playing the revallie at 6am. (at least we, unlike the soldiers, didn't have to dive out of bed and do PT and stuff, although I think my dad would have liked us to).

Then in the evening, when I was in bed and should have been long asleep (but reading under the covers with a torch) we used to get the last post at 10pm.

Of course I'm reminded of this because I've been watching the remberance day parades from the Cenotaph today.

Hi Everyone,such lovely stories as always.I'm going to get my Mum to have a look one of these days,promise.Love to All Pinky xxx

I really can't watch the remembrance day parades,Sho,they always upset me,but we DO and always have observed the silence.This year i was on the phone with my daughter,when it struck 11,but we both fell silent,and i'm glad that they remember that from their childhood.
My mother wasn't young when she married,and i am the eldest ,born when she was 33.When we used to go visit her in the care home and they were having entertainment,i used to love joining in with all the old war songs.....and i knew them because i was brought up with them!!!Surprising that she forgot so much,but never the words to the old songs .

I have attended many armistice day parades both as a serviceman and a civy, but the coldest one ever was that one I wrote a Snippet about in Portland, where they made is wear summer uniform
I cant attend any more now, because I cant stand for very long, or even sit for that matter, but I do still watch it on TV.

I remember we used to take the blind ex servicemen to the parades when I was in the Navy, and I had this blind bloke in a wheelchair who was a right character. He got out of his chair, and marched up & down the ranks as they were all ready for the march off, and I had to explain to theyoung officer in charge, (who he had just pulled up for having a squint tie)that he was in fact blind typical forces humour
Smudger,

I don't watch too much of the parade, because it really makes me

I like the sound of the blind Navy guy though - typical forces humour. I love it (actually, I miss it a lot)

Ah! it can still be found Sho, if you visit any of the ex service web sites Especially the one I use! as it is not regimental by any means, but is full of us old timers? Well in fact a lot of them are not Old really
To be honest, I go there every night, as it really cheers me up, to be amongst that kind of folk once again
Smudger,

no, I don't have a lot of time for visiting too many webbies - I'm a full time working mother of two wee ones so time is... well, short

Ah! well, just thought I would let you know about it any way
A working Mum with two little uns Eh!, I can imagine you wouldn't have a lot of spare time, if my two Grandbairns are anything to go by

They come in here like a tornado, and leave the place looking like it had been hit by one
Smudger,