[School help, Please.]

Someone told me recently that Bluecoat had taken over what was formerly Clarendon College. Does anyone know whether that's true?

['How does your garden grow?']

My cats are all litter tray users. Those who go into the garden (and not all of them do) will come back into the house to use the tray and then go out again. No dirt digging for them.  Cats are very clean individuals.  

 

Then there are the dog owners who allow their hounds to enter my front garden and defecate where they please. Caught one about to do it a few weeks ago and informed the female dog owner that I would pick up the turd and she'd be wearing it as a hat if she permitted her hound to foul in my garden.  It's not the animals. It's the owners.

['How does your garden grow?']

Save it for the irresponsible owners! They deserve it.

['How does your garden grow?']

Didn't see mine last night but the dishes are empty and have been shuffled about in typical hog fashion. They're messy diners!

[Whatever happened to......?]

Sleeping off all the chocolate Easter eggs, @Beekay.  They'll be back when the sugar rush has subsided. 

['How does your garden grow?']

I think they've been out for some time, @MRS Bas food has been eaten and the telltale sign of dishes being moved around. Just haven't seen them until tonight.

['How does your garden grow?']

I am delighted to announce the first hedgehog sighting in my garden of 2024, well two actually. A small hog on the kitchen doorstep: one of last year's babies. A more mature hog further down the garden. Both had dined on cat biscuits plus a few mealworms and are looking very healthy.  Lovely to see them again and here's to some hoglets later in the year.

[Whatever happened to......?]

I used to love Chelsea Girl. It was one of the few shops where I could find clothes to fit me in the 70s. I was between sizes 6 and 8 then. I'll never be that thin again..not with thyroid issues.  Then there were all the shoe shops on Long Row. At sale time, all the tiny sizes (that's me again) were marked down to ridiculous prices. For years, I had boxes of shoes I'd never worn in my wardrobe. High heels. Can't wear those now. Wallis did small sizes, too. I had racks of suits from there for work.  Like a certain Mr Mayfield, I rarely get dressed up now. I think you grow out of it! 

[How's your day?]

Back row  first on the left and third from the left must be pretty closely related to Ben.

[How's your day?]

I got the same result. @Alpha

[How's your day?]

Definition of an optimist: someone who writes a book on atheism then prays that it sells 

[How's your day?]

Even the name 'Easter' has been filched from pre-Christian times:

 

Eostre is the pagan fertility goddess of humans and crops. The traditional colors of the festival are green, yellow and purple. The symbols used are hares and eggs, representing fertility.

[Dogs and other family pets]

A friend of mine has a plaque on her front door. It reads:  If our cat doesn't like you, we probably won't either!

 

She has several mogs, including a Bengal. You don't mess with a Bengal.

[Dogs and other family pets]

That's because you're a lovely bloke, Ben 

[Dogs and other family pets]

2 hours ago, nonnaB said:

grumbled about them all through the meal saying if they were mine I’d have them put down. Well I exploded and asked her if her daughter was noisy everytime someone came in would she do the same thing. I regretted it afterwards

I wouldn't have regretted it.  I have no time for people who don't like animals and all the time in the world for animals who don't like people.

[Lost Buildings of our past]

1 hour ago, Dark Angel said:

Your post re The Holy Grail seems to have disappeared! 
 

Aha!  The plot thickens.

 

I watched a fascinating documentary many years ago about the French 'connection' so to speak.  Riveting subject.

 

I wish people would leave Jerusalem alone. I have always enjoyed singing it, even at school where we gave it voice regularly. William Blake's words are excellent.  Mind you, the hymn I found most fascinating was not Jerusalem but Once To Every Man and Nation, to the tune Ebenezer (I think). The words both fascinated and puzzled me. It always had a faint sense of menace.

[Lost Buildings of our past]

Yes, I've read about this. Quite fascinating.

[Were you at Berridge?]

You must have been with Chandler, then.

 

I've sent you a PM with my email address. There are some questions I'd like to ask you and more photos but it will be easier to do it that way. Cheers @red rob

[Anything Political]

You certainly wouldn't sit on horsehair for long as anyone who has ever endured school Prize Giving at Nottingham's Albert Hall will tell you.

[Were you at Berridge?]

@red rob the photo posted above is the third year junior class of Mr Cook's in 1966/7. Are you on this one? If not, you must have been with Gerald Chandler.

 

Thanks to Letsavagoo for posting.

[Were you at Berridge?]

@red rob  Yes, I heard about Keith Hardy and I'm still in touch with Debbie Noon, Kevin's sister who was in my year.  You may remember Hyacinth Gayle in your year. Also gone, sadly, along with two of her sisters. Also Phyllis Lawlor.

 

I was speaking to Gerald Chandler last night and I mentioned your name. He said it rang a bell but he couldn't remember teaching you.  In your third year of the Juniors, you would have been taught either by Gerald Chandler or Harry Cook. Do you remember which?  I have the Harry Cook class photo, I'll try to find it.

 

Thanks for the names on the earlier photo.

[Were you at Berridge?]

On 5/24/2020 at 2:09 PM, Cliff Ton said:

More photos and details provided by Jill Sparrow.

 

@red rob  a much earlier photo, here. Are you on this one? Teacher is Miss Bowen. She taught me the following year.

[Were you at Berridge?]

@red rob  I thought that was you. I'm beginning to recognise you now. 

[How's your day?]

I feel very sorry for the poor woman. The way the press and social media have behaved is nothing short of disgusting. Would these people like their intimate health issues posted all over scurrilous social media sites for people with nothing better to do to gossip about?  Leave her alone and let her get well.  I know there are many who never seem to cease axe-grinding about the royals and their supposedly privileged lives. Cancer is no respecter of rank or privilege.  The poor girl would probably happily exchange her royal abode for a two up, two down ... and a cancer free body.  I wish her a swift recovery and hope that her children are not lying awake at night worrying about losing their mother.

[Lost Buildings of our past]

Plantfit is certainly real. I've seen him with my own two eyes. Seen the elusive @benjamin1945 too.