Journal Entries
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle Christmas past.
Posted Nov 25, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle Christmas past.
24. 11 2015
So it's nearly Christmas, season of joy and goodwill, fair enough but how is that supposed to work. The pressure it puts on people makes it anything but that.
Christmas is measured by the amount you are prepared to spend/borrow, the TV is no help showing vast quantities of food huge ranges of expensive gifts, it has got out of hand, the pressure on people is enormous. Its not the same a lot of the love has gone for many people it has been reduced to duty.
My best Christmases as a child was when we stayed with my grandparents in Kent, they were lovely. Sleeping in the attic bedroom that my father used as a boy, I could hear the passing traffic something I could not heat at home another novelty
.
Even in the early 1960's they had no electricity so I had a candle
very exciting, the grown ups had lovely oil lamps polished brass and coloured glass shades.
Their house had an old cast iron range in the kitchen parlour, bright copper pans and no TV (as a youngster that was hard but I soon got used to it) grandad was very entertaining. On Boxingday the cousins came round more gifts, (I still have the Rupert the bear book). In the afternoon a walk to Aunt Tills (Matilda or Tilly) house, an old thatched cottage white walls inside and out and spotlessly clean. And snow Christmas always seemed to have snow. Then home by agreement even at that age I had a small present and had my big one when we returned home, one year it was a Hornby electric train set, excellent, an engine the "Princess Elizabeth" and 3 carriages.
The year before the big present was a bright red bike, and that was brilliant, the milk was still being delivered by one of the last independant milkman and he still used a horse drawn milk cart, and if I followed him on the bike I got to look after the horse as he delivered the milk. Every now and then one of the local women came out to sweep up the fresh manure for the roses.
One thing I do know is that I wish I could go back for a visit.
I do hope that there are many Hoo Tooers that had a good old fashioned family christmas like mine, when they were young. And can have a traditional Christmas and have a proper happy traditional holiday this year as I intend to with family.
Discuss this Journal entry [2]
Latest reply: Nov 25, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle
Posted Nov 23, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle Oldish PC games
23. 11 2015
Someone presented me with a pile of CD games Microsoft originals and others with a question, and asked will they work on a PC/Laptop today?
Well the short answer was No they are to old... 1997 to 2004 the dates I can find on all the original microsoft CD's.
The long answer is I don't know for sure "Age of Empires II" and "War and Peace" are just two of the titles.
So not wanting to be unhelpful I thought some Hootooer out there must surely know. I do not want to experiment and b#####r up my laptop, so what is the answer "will the work"?
Anyone out there know the answer and share their wisdom 
Discuss this Journal entry [8]
Latest reply: Nov 23, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle
Posted Nov 22, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle A Sunday sorting the loft
22. 11 2015
When we last moved we packed our important papers into boxes. This was done so we could take our time and sort and file them again when we settled in.
That was years ago 
so we decided it's about time we finally got round to it, you know those jobs you wish you never started, this was one of those 
.
1999 was the date on the first file, what is the point Quick check and in the shredder, and that was not the first load.
The shredder kept overheating that slowed us up considerably. We found old christmas and birthday cards, vaccination records for pets that are now a cherished memory, old photos, 100's of slides, boxes of negatives what a blessing digital photography is 
.
No its not a quick or easy job, when the novelty wears off, we shall stop and we will start again soon, real soon, just as soon as we can spare the time, if there is nothing better to do ......... one day possibly, if we can spare the time, just after christmas, if we can decide which christmas
Discuss this Journal entry [9]
Latest reply: Nov 22, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle A Sudden change
Posted Nov 21, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle A Sudden change of weather
21. 11 2015
That was a sudden change in the weather to put it mildly (except its not mild its very cold) 
Well I supposed we were warned and we can't complain but talk about sudden, and we are promised worse to come. It must be bad as Prof has reported his PC room to cold to use, and Prof is no wimp.
So its snow from the north! and strong winds! from the west What next?
Its just started so suppose we will have to wait and see if it gets as bad as they say it might.
How is everyone getting on out there I wonder nothing to extreme I hope 
Cold and wet here with patches of sun so not much to complain about as yet but is there much worse yet to come.
Lets hope not we might not see the end of it until March.
Discuss this Journal entry [5]
Latest reply: Nov 21, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle Old English Quiz
Posted Nov 20, 2015
NaJoPoMo 2015 Bobstafford A Message in a bottle Once common old english words A Quiz.
20. 11 2015
English words in use 1400 to 1700
What was an - ABIGAIL
What is - ARMED WITH POINTS
What was an - ASKEW
What was - BEGGARS PLUSH
What was a - BEN COVE
What was - BOBAUNCE
What was a - CANVAS CLIMBER
What was - TO JERK THE CAT
What happened if you - MISS (or missed) THE CUSHION
Its worth a guess 
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Nov 20, 2015
bobstafford
Researcher U3151547
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."