alisoncc

I remember my Mum doing my sisters hair, and everytime she found a nit she would crack it between two of her fingernails. Put it on top of one and press down with another. You could actually hear them go.

Not sure whether my parents used this or just us kids around the Medders. Also not sure whether it should be mentioned in polite company, but we always referred to a comb as a "Bug-rake". Says a lot done it.

Ah, the days when all that foreign stuff - rice, macaroni, vermicelli, etc were only good for puddings made with milk.

All of our senior NCO's and older officers have served during WWII, it had ended only fifteen years before I joined, so they saw their task as preparing us to fight WWIII. The Soviets at the time were incredibly aggressive in pursuing their route to world domination, so anything was possible. This was the era of the Cuban confrontation and the U2 spy planes - no satellites then. Remember watching the first, Sputnik, going over when in the desert. The new "transistor" technology was only just getting going, most of the equipment I trained on used valves - triodes, pentodes, etc., so operation

As we are on things military thought I might share a story with you. For anyone who has ever watched the Major Sharpe and Hornblower DVD's they would be aware that there was strict chain of command in the British forces. Not just a chain of command but it also encompassed communications. Thus an enlisted/conscripted/press ganged man could only address a junior NCO, and a junior NCO could only talk to a senior NCO. NCO being non-commissioned officer. A senior NCO could talk with a junior officer and a junior officer could speak with a middle-ranking officer, etc. etc. All the way to the top.

Did eight years in the RAF, during the particularly nasty periods of the Cold War - early 1960's. Contrary to the beliefs of many, for those on the front line at the time, it was for real, as in "war". All would be familiar with the Battle of Britain and other WWII events, but how many really knew what the Cold War was all about? At the time when Krushchev and Breznev would have had no hesitation in annihilating the whole of Western Europe, the only thing stopping them was the prospect of the USSR being hit by the West in a similar fashion. It was called M.A.D. - Mutually Assured Destruction.

Penny bangers with a lump of plasticine moulded on to the end as a weight. Light the fuse, and when fizzing drop into the Memorial Gardens fish pond. Then collect all the stunned fish in jam jars to take home. Worked a treat.

Reindeer experts say, that both the male and female of the species have antlers. It is also a fact that most Does retain their antlers until spring when they give birth, whereas most Bulls drop their antlers by early December.

I am reliably informed that male reindeer (Bucks) shed their antlers in Winter whereas the Does don't. So if Santa's reindeer have antlers then it means that what we have is this fat guy in a red suit being hauled around the sky by a bunch of girls.

For those who aren't rapt in the Christmas season:

It was meant in the nicest of terms.

You have a problem with that?

That's original. I'll pass it on to my mate Charley Dickens. He might be able to use it somewhere. :)

Only seven weeks to go, so a Christmas thread is due. Can't possibly have a Christmas thread without a traditional poem. T'was Christmas day in the workhouse the snow was raining fast A bare-footed man with clogs on came slowly running passed. He turmed a straight crooked corner to see a dead donkey die He took out his penknife to shoot it and it kicked him one right in the eye.

They fly over on their own. You just have to catch them.

Carni, ½ Kg of fresh, never frozen, Australian king prawns, purchased yesterday and eaten in their entirety today. Don't eat cakes, choccies, sweets, biscuits, etc. etc. but do enjoy my seafood. One of my little treats when I need a bit of an uplift. I would send you some, but they would be a little bit funny by time they go there. So all I can do is send a photo. Next time it will before I eat them. Lived for quite a few years in Cairns, Far North Queensland. Used to go down to the fish docks where the prawn trawlers land their catch. You could buy prawns fresh off the boats, and sit on the

All that was left. Wonder what the poor people had for lunch?

Summers Street - we were the Cooks, and had the Tootins next door and the Luptons on the other side. The family across the street that moved out when their son drowned in the canal were the Priests. The shop next door to the Luptons was run by the Parry's.

Don't get a choice here. They just contribute a percentage of your electricity and gas bills. F'instance I got $10 off an $85 gas bill and $36 off a $266 electricity bill. Not much, but better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick.

And they aren't long enough. Proper wellies go up to your knees at least. Mid-calf ones are poncy.

Still running the same version of the forum software as previous - IP.Board 3.4.5. There is a security upgrade outstanding, but it hasn't been implemented as yet. Offered any assistance I can to Mick by email, but no response as yet. So no idea what is happening.

We wore wellies, or took our shoes off and went barefoot. Still got a pair of black ones with red rims. Black ones mean I am working class. Our class superiors wear green ones, and littlies of indeterminate class wear pink, blue and yellow ones. Seen pictures of the Queen and Philip wearing green wellies.

Yes, but all we are getting right now is one - Winter. Washed and put away all my Winter jumpers five weeks ago, then took them all out again.

There's a good sprinkling of Notts people down here in Oz. Think there are a couple over your side too. Welcome from a Victorian based Notts kid.