During the 50’s we owned a series of cars but the most idiosyncratic was, without doubt, the Morris Minor 1000. Sitting with the driving seat fully back I found my knees were somewhere near my chin, so the matter of using the clutch caused my knee to make the little signal arm come out and… Continue reading Belfast 61 to 69, A Minor Divergence and the Topo
Random Thoughts, 43, Faith Healing
As a teenager I was sent to the Christian Science church Sunday school, and was taught that matter didn’t exist, everything that occurred, occurred in our own minds, and was a figment of our own thoughts. If you analyse that, you will realise that there is no way that you can disprove it, theoretically. Practically… Continue reading Random Thoughts, 43, Faith Healing
Random thoughts 41, Crazy Priorities
If you are of a queasy nature, I suggest you move on to the next paragraph as I am giving some lurid descriptions. I have previously mentioned that I have had skin cancer on my ear, and that it will be 30 weeks between the time I first reported and the time of my operation.… Continue reading Random thoughts 41, Crazy Priorities
Random Thoughts, 40, Odds and Ends.
Filling leisure time in retirement.This is not the first time I have written concerning the aged. I have been very fortunate, I have a number of interests, I still have most of my health, and I still have Sophie. So many of my friends are no longer here, or in homes, and so I have… Continue reading Random Thoughts, 40, Odds and Ends.
Belfast 1951 to 60 in order, Swimming
I become an arm-waver. You know the sort of thing, ‘put this,’ pointing to the right, ‘over there,’ waving at the left, ‘put that ‘ and so on. On the day in question I wanted work done on an outlet, which had become useless through the installation of the wretched cattle-walk, over which, as far… Continue reading Belfast 1951 to 60 in order, Swimming
Belfast 1951 to 60 in order,Art
I have dabbled in crafts all my life and at one time was prepared to accept the opinion of experts as gospel, in spite of knowing that artistic criticism is inevitably subjective, but that is all a thing of the past and came to an end in the YMCA Camera Club one evening when I… Continue reading Belfast 1951 to 60 in order,Art
Belfast 1951 to ’60 in order, The Runway Job and other Memories
On the runway job I learned of the problems of labour relations. We had to build up a big workforce and as we were a Government Department, and in Northern Ireland, we were walking on eggs all the time. Politicians were looking over our collective shoulder and, to our complete amazement, asking questions in Westminster… Continue reading Belfast 1951 to ’60 in order, The Runway Job and other Memories
Random Thoughts 39, Treasuring Leisure Pleasures.
I will be posting one or two essays about the changes Ireland has gone through since I first came to live here, and want here to drew attention to the tremendous changes that have happened to our holidays, be they just a day out, or six weeks on the continent. My daughter’s experience makes the… Continue reading Random Thoughts 39, Treasuring Leisure Pleasures.
Belfast 1951 to ’60 in order, Hendaye, France.
I was employed once again and Sophie was teaching so we decided we would have a holiday on the Continent. We would fly to Paris and let the train take the strain to a place called Hendaye, in the Basque country, on the Spanish Border. Sophie was helped in her teaching by a French assistante… Continue reading Belfast 1951 to ’60 in order, Hendaye, France.
Random Thoughts 38, Dishonour, Removals.
On the 21st of September, 07, the Daily Telegraph published an item which stated that The Inland Revenue, which I assume means Gordon Brown, are proposing to levy inheritance tax backdated for seven years. I am hoping that this is yet another flag being run up the mast to see who salutes it. To even… Continue reading Random Thoughts 38, Dishonour, Removals.