working at it slowly

(((((((Far Far family)))))))

I just went into town to the bigger post office - the one that doesn't shut at lunchtime - I forgot that the fair is here - it was crazy. Fairground food does not smell nice but it still made me hungry.

Just looked in---so sorry to hear about your FIL, FarFar. It's a hard time, but good that your FIL is not in pain and MrFF and the boys have been able to see him. Thinking of you all

((((((((((((FamilyFarFar)))))))))))

Bon voyage, Your Meldiness. Have fun and come back safe, I don't believe ANY of us could live up to the expectations of the GPO if anything happened to you!

Nogs, like the others I think your lumberjacking activities sound pretty scary. Maybe launching ducks isn't such a bad idea, even to the sound of jazz!

Pippi, LOL at your daughter. I still remember the moment C1 said to me despairingly, 'Oh Mum, I'm turning into you!'

Belated HBD to MS!!! XXXX Hope he enjoyed the treat of a homemade cake. I think that's such a nice thing to do for someone, and anyone who's too proud to eat pacakge mix risks getting a cake in the face!

Podds, people must love turning notes in to you---at least they know the spelling won't be held against them!)

Flibs, congratulations on your new home. But don't wonder you're confused and worried by all these different diagnoses. Hope you manage to get some consistent advice that makes sense.

DL, maybe this is what 'all the fun of the fair' is about???

Westie, do report back on the Bond. We are contemplating going with the 5 of us for a Christmas outing.

Bizzy times here in Exeter. Walked miles yesterday seeing the new buildings at the uni, then dumped the male Chugs and went to (yes, you guess it Melds!) M&S for the inevitable annual underwear-buying spree. We were rather tired by evening as C1 (from Oz) and C2 (from NL) both sms'ed us at 4 am to say Obama had won the election. C3 was mooting yesterday against Oxford---he and his partner both won, so very pleased. Today Mr C and I took the bus to Rosemoor, big RHS garden about an hour and a half from here. Soooo beautiful! Now catching our breath, but I'm determined to get to Evensong at 5.30 (Sluggie: it's the Byrd setting). C3 has just arrived so gotta go. xxxx

DL - I learned ITA too! That's why we can read Podd's post. I 'read' number plates, but Mr P can't see it!

Westie's been roped into the new James Bond? Do you get a white coat and hideout under a volcanic tropical island?

The pictures have changed since you last went - you don't have the National anthem at the end now, and the Pathe newsreels have gone too

Norty Pippi being rude to grandad WAISTer 

Chuggs, take that back.  Up here in Oxford not even the swans are moot.

What ever happened to Pathe news?  I need to know what happened at Mafekin.

Jenni, I do have a big checked shirt and, even better, I get to have chaps hanging off my legs.

I have your attention now Waister babes.

I should have mentioned that the ducks being launched are, in fact, bronze.

We have a couple of dinner guests tonight so I'll be on sommelier duties whilst HL works her magic on the Baby Belling.

 

Room for another two at the table, Nogs????

Pippi, what's ITA??

Byrd evensong splendid. There is nothing in the world more perfect than Evensong in an English cathedral.

Initial Teaching Alphabet. It was a phonetic alphabet that used some odd symbols to represent sounds, and was meant to get you reading quickly. Apparently children found it hard to move on to 'real' words/alphabet and lots couldn't spell. It didn't do me any harm, but then I would probably have been a good reader and speller anyway!

Looking back now as a teacher, it could have worked for me as I did what was intended - started to read quickly, then moved on. I imagine for those who struggled with ita (it was in lower case - I don't think they had capitals!) it would have been a matter of relearning to read all over again.

Trendy 60s education ... country's gone to the dogs ... (where's Spence and XB? they might have learned this too - XB was in the same LEA as me, though I wonder if it was school or area policy in those days?)

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ita.htm

I can't remember how I was taught to read !!

Eeeyew, Pipps, that looks like it's harder than just learning to read English! I mean, English is hard to learn because it's so irregular, and having extra symbols won't help with that. (Why does 'bear' rhyme with 'fair' but not with 'hear'?)

My mum taught me to read cos she was so tired of me badgering her to read to me

Evening,

(((FarFarFamilly))) difficult times .

Never heard of ITA (or ita, or whatever), it certainly looks more difficult than just learning to read. I find Podds missives perfectly lgbl.

Chuggy, I'm glad you are having fun. We have been having some lovely sunny days here, I hope that you have had similar.

Not sure what photos Meldy needs, I'm sure she will tell me whe she gets back from forn parts .

Am feeing very tired these days, have to stay up til midnight to book next week's aquagym, then be up at 6.30 for this week's aquagym .

(((WIN)))

Sleep well xxx

 

Evening

I think she is requiring photos of the lovely new resident Chez Slugs which has made it a no go zone visiting zone for paws now!!!

I'm off to bed with some mags again - I am finding it hard to get to sleep any earlier than midnight but am always awake by 6am but then feel tired..........silly body!!!!

Sweet dreams all and I'll see you tomorrow

night podds!

I've been dancing And drinking gin and hatching plans involving old men and hammers

at Noggy with chaps hanging off his legs. At least you have some idea of what us beautiful young ladies have to contend with now. And, er, won't the bronze ducks sink??

morning
Back from Edinburgh and the " Bond" movie enjoyed it for what it was

I can't remember how I was taught to read but remember having a slate and a piece of chalk, then I was an inkwell monitor even before I went to the "big" school so I must have done something right but to be honest I used to blot my writing by filling my nib to full.Oh yes those were the days

 

Morning

Oh dear - I see from all the  last night that Daffs and Westie had good nights out on the town   And that Daffs is planning something with Westie.......

Happy Friday one and all

 

Morning

Westie aka the elder one wrote (see)

morning
Back from Edinburgh and the " Bond" movie enjoyed it for what it was

I can't remember how I was taught to read but remember having a filling my nib to full.Oh yes those were the days

 

Oh, just me then

Sounds like a great night Daffs

I'm going on one those eating a little less things, because I need to stop eating cake at school 

Think I'll have a toasted tea cake for brekkie !!

 

 

 

Morning each,

Our dinner last night was great fun.  HL excelled herself, my wines were spot on too.

I remember my education being thrashed into me,  We went from hieroglyph to Latin to English in my day.  I remember those inkwells too.

We had lots of repetition and rote.  It actually stood me in good stead when I took police and law exams as I was able to recall vast tracts of acts of parliament.  These days I can barely recall my name though.

More coffee then a shower.

Morning

Learning to read using ita was probably more memorable as no-one else in your family had a clue as to how to read it  - so you were on your own. Had a looky on line about it and discovered that it was an experiment which was abandoned some years before I did it - nice to see my school was so cutting edge !?

Any monkeys with those brass ducks Noggy?

Yes Sluggie - a picture of Alfie is required

(((((((Far Far family))))

I have a man coming to replace my skirting - oooer

If anyone wants a place in Keyworth Turkey Trot - half marathon near Nottingham 9 December message me - I'm definitely not doing it - not run for ages 

Happy Friday

Lovely offer DL, but no thanks

I'll pass too DL thanks - I actually ran for the first time in 3 weeks this morning and I suspect that that will do me nicely until Christmas now 

morning all

I'm not betting my usual amount of running either - feel a bit sluggish (sorry Sluggy)

I learned to read using ITA too - my school must have been behind the times too then, I though it was abandoned because it tought poor spelling - but I know I was reading fluently very early, but may well have been like that anyway

FIL update - he really perked up yesterday so much that the docs gave him some antiobiotics. but he has now refused them himself so I guess he feels he's had enough, my concern now is that I would  hate this to drag on for weeks. I think the boys are OK but Mr FF is looking pretty down (not surprising)

My lovely boss told me this week he is leaving  my mad boss made me swear today - all in jest