Remembering Hilda

Remembering Hilda

remembering

Hello. Not another yoootooob vid, had to post this. Jean Alexander who was known to millions as Hilda Ogden has passed away, aged 90. She played a big part in my growing up years, I was an avid watcher of Coronation Street, every Monday and Wednesday at 7.30pm. Everything stopped in our house, we all sat down to watch.

Jean was a fine actress, Hilda was a national institution, loved by millions. Have a nice rest now Jean, you will never be forgotten.



Back later.....

Bliss

Bliss

books library remembering

Hello. It's thanks to my sheddie friends Oliver and Adele, for telling me about this latest article in Good Woodworking magazine, which features both our sheds. I am not in the habit of perusing magazines of any kind, let alone one about woodworking. I might flick through the odd trucking magazine, but only to get a free read before putting it back on the shelf. However, I was in town today and spent £4.50 just to get a copy of this for my scrap book. 

Next to mine was a picture of Oliver and Adele in front of their Shed of dreams. I am so pleased they won their category. They put a lot of work into that, it looks fabulous.

I had a quick whip round Aldi for a few bits and bobs. The main reason for going to town was to get the magazine, have a look at a new exhibition in the Arts Centre, and choose some books from the library. This is what I found.

The cats are all in for the night, Heidi has had her tablet, and I am not going to do my three miles tonight because I am going on an eleven mile walk tomorrow. I have a glass of wine, and I am going to sit in a comfy chair and enjoy the books. My idea of bliss.

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your weekend. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Two days later

Two days later

friends reflections on life remembering

Hello. I'm trying to keep myself occupied when inside I want to weep buckets. Anyone who has lost a pet will know all about it, and judging by all your comments, most of you do know what it's like. The poor little chap couldn't go on any longer, his arthritis got worse, the fatty lump in his tummy got bigger, he was going off his food, he became deaf, and was getting very confused. He woke me at 4.30am on Sunday morning in a distressed state, trying to bury himself under my duvet. I knew then he was telling me something. As I had to go out on Monday I felt it was unfair to keep him hanging on until Tuesday. A lady vet and her assistant  came at 12.45 and I held him supporting his head and he fell asleep in a second or two. He knew I was there with him. He now lies in the garden. 

I have skimmed through all your comments, to read them brings on more tears. I will have to go back to them later when it is not so painful. Thank you all very much. One day I will tell more of Rocky's story, but for now I need to try and get on with keeping busy. 

Yesterday me and Janet set up our stall at Epworth Show, to raise money for the rescue cats. It was very busy and our sales went very well, we were please with the amount taken. I sold all the shopping bags, and chatting to the customers was a welcome distraction to take my mind off things. At the end of the day I dropped Janet off and I didn't want to go home, but I knew the cats would be pleased to see me. 

I took a few photo's at the show, I love the shire horses. 

Vintage tractors.

I used to drive a small truck like this Bedford, loaded with doors and window frames on the back.

A good show of vintage cars.

Do you know, I never got to drive a Renault Magnum, it was the tallest cab in Europe when they first came out. .

Two young ladies performed acrobats on the back of their horses while they walked around the show ring. Everyone was eager to meet them and pet the horses. 

This chappie was telling the audience all about his sheep. The sheep were busy eating the whole time.

Boy was it hot in the produce tent, like a sauna, couldn't stand it in there for very long.

I've been pottering around the house this morning, doing all the little jobs that usually get left. Anything to fill the time. This afternoon I went to pay the vet bill, and I went to Great Outdoors to buy some new walking boots. My feet have got used to walking in soft trainers and feel like they have spread out a bit, so I need a boot with a wider fitting. Found some, now I need to wear them around the house a bit, then do some shorter walks of around four hours and build it up to longer walks.

Going out for a walk now, almost the end of the month and I am on target reach 666 miles. How are you all doing with your walking? It is helping to calm my emotions. I did a second walk on Sunday night quite late because I wanted to tire myself out before I went to bed. It worked.

Thank you for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Lots of love xxx

The day I met William

The day I met William

fun garden remembering

Hello. Hello. Another busy day, Crafty Club, and in the garden. My neighbour is going to put a fence up between us so I have cleared the weeds from my side. Also taken down a bit more of the lilac, only two more trunks to go.

I haven't posted these pictures before, so now is as good a time as any. Remember when they came to do the filming of the summer house for Shed of the Year. William is getting miked up by the sound man. 

The director waiting to get started.

I had to move my car out of the way so they had room to set up the camera. There were two vehicles packed to the roof, with six people and all the equipment.

Here is William doing his first takes, strolling down the street.

No, I'm over here William, not that house.

After an hour or so it was time to get the kettle on. As you can see, I did buy a box of tea bags. What was left over have been donated to the Crafty Club. They were a great bunch to work with, all smiley and jokey, we had a laugh.

That's a nice photo. As well as being drop dead gorgeous, he is also a very friendly chap.

The camera had a very long arm and could reach up high over the whole garden.

One last picture before they left.

It was a fab fun day, thankfully very sunny, just perfect. You will see the results of the filming on Friday the 19th, so don't forget to tune in to Channel 4 at 8pm. I shall be going to watch it live at Janet's house. Oooh, now I'm getting excited to see my summer house on the telly.

It's 9pm and I've still got to do my walk, better get on with it.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

They should be ashamed

They should be ashamed

reflections on life remembering

Hello. I haven't said much about the referendum and the bloody aftermath which has been unfolding in this last week or so, but now's the time. Today is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, commemorations are taking place throughout Britain and France. The bloodiest battle ever in Military history took place, almost 20,000 British soldiers were killed on the first day. These men gave their lives for their country, a country that is now torn apart by a bunch of nasty, self obsessed bullies that will do anything to claw their way to the top.

The way our political so called leaders are behaving is an embarrassment to the country. They should be ashamed. We had a referendum, the people voted, and since then all hell has broke loose. Tempers have been boiling over and  the verbal punch up has been gathering momentum ever since. Our so called cabinet ministers who are supposed to be familiar with the democratic system have been scrapping among themselves, showing their true colours.  The media has been delighting in all this mayhem and is guilty of whipping up hysteria resulting in vicious name calling which has descended into bitter arguments more reminiscent of pack animals ripping their prey to shreds.

It seems every politician is a target for name calling and derogatory remarks about their appearance. That is called bullying, which then permeates right down through the pecking order from top to bottom, and ends up gaining momentum littering social media. Shouldn't they be setting an example by acting in a civilized manner? They should be ashamed.

Pessimism, doom and gloom, and glass half empty is a sure recipe for failure. Pessimism cripples ambition. Bullying destroys confidence and creates a hierarchy of self obsessed individuals, who are blinded by their own personal ambitions, oblivious to the wider picture. There is no room for this behavior in politics. You were voted in by the people to serve the people. We look to you for guidance, you are erasing any respect we had for you.

The country has a window of opportunity to build a better Britain, but will it happen? I doubt it, they are too busy squabbling among themselves. I want to slap their stupid backsides. I want every politician to apologize to every colleague they have hurt with their condescending and patronizing remarks. For goodness sake get your acts together. How can we look up to our leaders when they are no better than a bunch of kids in a playground fighting over the football.. They should be ashamed.

Uploaded ten years ago. Let's not forget.



Thanks for popping in.
Best wishes, Ilona

Can I have your autograph please?

Can I have your autograph please?

reflections on life remembering

Hello. I was looking through some old diaries tonight and came across an autograph book with entries from 1960 to 1964. Did you have one of these? I used to go round all my school pals asking them to sign it. I bet the youngsters of today don't know what one is, what with the internet and emails and social media sites. We used to have pen pals, written letters sent back and forth in the post. Now they look at a screen and check Facebook and Twitter. 

We collected autographs from our friends, now people collect celebrity autographs in the hope that they may become valuable one day. 

When I left school in 64 I didn't keep in touch with any of my school friends, except one, and Carol is still my best friend now. Everyone went their separate ways, some went to college and most got jobs, I didn't know anyone who went to University. It's easier to keep in touch now, they all have mobile phones .Can you imagine the youngsters of today collecting autographs, ha ha. No, I can't either, it all seems so old fashioned now.

I'm glad I've still got mine, reading through the names I can picture what my friends looked like. And all the rhymes we used to write now seem ancient. At the age of 15 I was still a skinny kid. I thought I was grown up, but ha ha, I hardly knew anything about the birds and bees. I was very slow when it came to chatting up boys, I hadn't a clue.

looking at some of these little verses, I think we were all in the same boat. We thought some of them were a bit naughty, a bit rude. Got to laugh now.

I went to pick a rose
A rose so sweet and tender
I went to pick another
And BANG went my suspender

Good girls love their brothers
But I so good have grown
That I love other girls brothers
Far better than my own

Mary had a little lamb
She also had a bear
You often saw her little lamb
But never saw here bear

Ilona is a good girl
She goes to church on Sundays
Prays to God to give her grace
To kiss the boys on Mondays

Mary had a little cow
She milked it with a spanner
The milk came out in shilling tins
And little ones a tanner

I love you much I love you mighty
I wish my pyjamas were next to your nightie
Don't be mistaken don't be mislead
I mean on the clothes line, not in the bed

We all sat down on some nice soft grass
The softest we could find
But Ilona sat on something soft
The cow had left behind.

I didn't like actually going to school and sitting in class, but I did like my friends, and lunch times in the playground. We were a group of silly giggly girls, and if any of us had a crush on a boy and we told our best friends, the whole school  knew about it. Of course we wanted the secret to get out in the hope that the boy would fancy us and ask us out. Never happened to me though, the boys I fancied just laughed.

My how times have changed, I bet that doesn't happen now. They are all texting each other, no need for face to face chatting up. These days you can chat to somebody online, get really friendly, then dump them when you are fed up, without ever meeting them. Crazy world.

It's been a lovely day, I've been sat in the summer house sewing. The picture is coming on nicely.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

There's a bit more life left in the shelves yet.

There's a bit more life left in the shelves yet.

experimental food garden healthy eating make do and mend recycle remembering vegetarian

Hello. Hope you're not getting too bored with the garden posts, but the sooner I get it done the sooner I can move on to other things. Today the wooden shelving got a makeover. The bottom is rotten so the plan is to saw that off. First I removed everything from it, and tipped it over to lay on it's front. Then I removed the shrink wrap from around it. I think Mayze is stalking Heidi, they are not the best of friends and mainly give each other a wide berth. 

Here we go, the last bit is getting the chop. I've peeled back the plastic backing so I can get at the wood. I knocked a few nails in where some of the joints were a bit loose.

The next thing to do is encase it in fresh shrink wrap. To do this I laid it on it's back and went round and round several times. There is a brick under each corner to raise it off the ground so I can take it right to the edge at the back and front which will keep the rain out. Shrink wrap is like a gigantic roll of cling film, it's very strong.

Next I laid out a base of bricks for it to stand on. The ground is not flat so I put some compost underneath to level it.

This is the before picture, it's leaning crazily. 

This is the after picture. A bit shorter but much more stable. I now need to paint the garage wall above it to blend it in. I hope I've still got some paint left. I've put some sheets of strong glass on the top, the cats are bound to climb on it so it will stop their claws from tearing it to shreds. Mayze will be happy that her bed is still there. .

I did a small lunch today, this is on a tea plate. I can't stuff my face in the middle of the day when I have got physical work to do. I needed protein so I zapped a Quorn fillet in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it, then I cut it into pieces and put it in a small pan with a splash of oil. Next I chopped up a couple of spring onions, I find scissors do this job better than a knife, opened a tin of chick peas, half in this, half in the fridge, and washed and cut up four mushrooms. Chuck it all in together with a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese, and a teaspoon of vegetable granules. Stir while cooking for a few minutes. It was chuffin lovely. You could serve this as a dinner with potatoes, pasta, or rice, or salad. 

This is why I have a big car, it doubles up as a van. Off to the tip again to get rid of this.

Bit of a climb to lug it up the shiny new steps, but I can manage. They have a non slip surface so not much chance of falling. There is a man to help if anyone turns up with larger items. 

I've had some comments come through from Alison, another enthusiastic new reader who is lost in the bowels of the blog. I'm sure she will turn up here soon, she says she is reading five months of posts daily, so by her reckoning she will have caught up by the summer. She's recently taken early retirement, is de cluttering, and has got the sewing machine out. Sounds like she will fit in just fine here.

It's been a very sad day for the people of Brussels who have been caught up in the terrorist attacks. I can't begin to imagine how anybody can recover from losing friends and family in such horrific circumstances. Those who are injured will carry their pain with them for the rest of their lives. My heart goes out to all who are affected. Tears in my eyes as I write. Lots of love and best wishes to the people of Brussels. xxx

Thank you for popping in. We'll catch up soon. xxx

I went to a party.

I went to a party.

friends reflections on life remembering

Hello. Well well, it's 22 years to the day when I sat down to dinner with Edwina Currie, at the Lady Truckers Women of Achievement Awards Presentation Dinner Dance. The idea for this event came to me when I saw an article in a transport magazine about an awards ceremony in London for top people in transport. There were twelve photographs in the article and only one women among the suits and ties. I thought it wasn't fair, it should have been more balanced, where were the women? 

Only one thing to do, I decided to organize our own awards ceremony for our fantastic Lady Truckers. I wrote to Edwina Curry to tell her of my plans, she lived not far from me although I had never met her. I needed the support of a well know person which would enable me to approach possible sponsors. Edwina wrote back and said she could arrange it for us to have the event in the Terrace Bar at the House of Commons. I was amazed, I would be able to get lots of publicity for our club. 

Sadly I had to write back and decline the offer, it wouldn't have been very practical for us, where would the Lady truckers park their trucks? I wrote back and thanked her, and said I had chosen a hotel in Leicestershire and she was very welcome to come. I had a letter back accepting the invitation, whooopeeeee, I was dead chuffed. 

I set about looking for sponsors, I wanted £100 for each of the seven winners in each category, plus a cut glass engraved goblet. The seven runners up were to get £50 each. The day kicked off at 12noon when the ladies began arriving, some of them pulled into the car park in their trucks, their sleeper cabs being their bed for the night. My ex boss at Leicester Heavy Haulage sent his driver with their newest truck to put on display.  

Here are the seven categories that the women could enter for, and the sponsors providing the prizes. The United Road Transport Union were the main sponsors, they paid for the souvenir brochure layout and printing costs. The ladies had to prepare their own entries, produce a folder with any information that might help their bid for a prize. Photographs, certificates, magazine articles, statements from employers and friends. I found four people who held top positions in large national transport firms to judge the entries, and sat round a table with them as they made their choices.

I sold advertising space in the brochure. One of the pages was bought by the company I had learnt to drive a lorry with. J. Coates is still going now, and has expanded to several depots all over the country. I worked for them for a while as an agency driver. 

The other people in this photo are the Truckfest Team, Live Promotions. They were very good to us over the years and gave us free space at the truck shows for our club stand. The URTU was also supportive, inviting us to share their marquee when the weather wasn't so good.

I hired a Radio Derby presenter to be master of ceremonies and announce the winners. A friend of mine made a big cake in the shape of a lorry, and I was presented with a silver engraved tankard as thanks from the members for getting them all together. It was a belting night, one that will stay in my memory forever. 

Here are some of our members having a good time at the shows. I remember most of their names, Wendy, Alison, Jenny, Linda, Annette, Anita, Jane, Margaret, Soo, Elizabeth,  and Sarah, 

I've still got copies of the magazine articles we were featured in. We were in all the truck magazines, and had a six page article in Marie Claire, the top women's magazine at the time. Local newspapers also printed the story. Just as the media have pestered me over the last few weeks, they also did then. I remember doing several radio interviews, usually going into Radio Derby studios to be linked up down the line. I even spoke to Radio 702 in South Africa. They rang me on my mobile as I was travelling down to Shepton Mallet for a truck show, and I had to go into a truck stop to ask if I could take a call on their landline.

I was so busy at that time promoting the club. I loved my job, and running the club added another dimension to it. I became a campaigner for women in transport, I made a lot of friends, and it also became my social life. I like to take a trip down memory lane sometimes, I have got so many good memories.

It's been dry and sunny today, but oh so cold. The ground is still boggy from the heavy rainfall so I haven't been able to get out into the garden. Shopping bags have been made, and more stitching on the picture. Heidi has perked up a bit, she likes it on the kitchen worktop so I am not going to move her. I have had to move my food preparation elsewhere.  

Thank you for popping in, have a good Sunday. Catch up soon. Toodle pip.

Remembering 1989

Remembering 1989

remembering trucking stuff

Hello. Let's do something different tonight. I've been looking through my diaries to see what I was doing on this day, sometime in the past. So, going back to the 9th of February 1989, it was a Thursday. On this night I was sleeping on a ferry boat crossing the channel from Felixstowe to Europort. 

The entry in my diary reads......Start work at 7am. I went to Cliff Hill Quarry which is near the new service area at the junction of the A50 and M1. It wasn't far to go. I had to move a crusher, then I had to take a 50 foot conveyor to Thurmaston, and bring another one back. I finished this by 2.45pm so I went back to the yard to get the lorry ready for the Rotterdam job. 

I was booked on the 10.30pm ferry so I left as soon as I was ready, and arrived at Felixstowe at 7.10pm. While I was waiting for boarding to start I chatted to the driver parked next to me, and he was helpful. Once on board I found my cabin and had a shower. Then I met the driver, Brian, and his mates in the bar. All the food was included and we chatted and played cards. I went to bed just after midnight. We are due to land at Europort at 7am. 

Friday 10th February. I got up at 5.30 am our time and put my clock forward one hour. I had breakfast and got off the boat and headed for Rotterdam. I found the centre OK but then had to park and ask the way, and found the place. 

It was difficult to back inside the building and get under the crane. Loading took all day. It was printing press machinery which was covered in black ink. I had to keep shunting the trailer backwards and forwards to get under the crane. After sheeting my load I eventually got away at 6 pm and found my way back to Europort quite easily. I retraced my route and went out of the city the same way as I went in. 

Back at the port I met up with the same gang and we crammed into Brian's cab to play cards while we waited for loading. We boarded at 10 pm and sailed at 11pm. Shower, drink, and dinner again. I am pleased to be on my way home, all I have to do is get through customs tomorrow. They say it could take ages, we will see. 

Saturday 11th February. Breakfast then disembark at 7.10 am. It took two hours to clear customs. The paperwork was ready from the clearing agents. I saw Ginger on his way out while I was waiting. I drove straight back to the depot at Ellistown Coalville, without stopping, 3 hours 45 minutes. After I parked my lorry I drove home and walked in the door at 3pm. I felt tired so I had a nap on the settee, then went to the paper shop. I stopped in tonight. 

This is the lorry I was driving, but not the load I was carrying. I picked this water filtration plant up from Gloucestershire and took it to Goole docks where it was loaded onto a boat. It was 13 feet wide, 17 feet high, and the total weight was 70 tonnes. The lorry is plated for 75 tonnes gross weight. I had a mate with me and it was a Police escort all the way.

I remember it well, my first trip across the channel in a lorry. I was very nervous about driving on the other side of the road and when I got off the boat I went very slowly so as not to make a mistake. A convoy soon formed behind me, I hope they weren't mad at getting stuck behind a nervous driver.

We went over with empty trailers as we were picking up loads for a British company, to bring them back to Preston. I say we because there was a lot of loads, they stripped the print works bare and removed every last nut and bolt. We were spread out at intervals and went one at a time because there was only room for one lorry under the crane at a time.

The camaraderie at the docks was great, the other drivers treated me as one of them. They knew it was my first time and they gave me lots of useful information. I went back several times for more loads, and also went to Amsterdam and  later on to Germany. By the end of it I was feeling great, now I could say I'm a continental driver. More experience to add to my CV.

Aaaaah, they were good times, Leicester Heavy Haulage was the best job I ever had. It was a brilliant time to be a lorry driver.

Thanks for popping in. Catch you soon. Toodle pip.
PS, don't forget the Jeremy Vine Show Radio 2,  tomorrow at 12.30pm.