Today
My nephew Mark and his wife are on their way from Canada to spend a few days with us and to celebrate a family wedding. Becky & family and my sister will arrive by the weekend.
So I've been laying in supplies. Among other items were two bottles of pomegranate juice. "I remember when I first had pomegranate juice," I said to Paul.
In My Day
It's New Year's day 2006 and we are waking up at Marks' house after a long and jolly celebration the night before that involved a murder mystery, dancing and much champagne.
As we surfaced and started the clear up, we realised that there were a number of half-finished bottles of champagne, that still seemed to have a bit of fizz.
There seemed to be nothing for it. "We need Buck's Fizz!" I announced. I don't know what I was thinking; maybe I thought that a few dog's hairs might do me good.
Hindy found a small quantity of orange juice that would barely cover a round of Buck's fizzes. My sister Carol joined us and held out her glass. Gradually we finished the champagne, working our way through Mark and Hindy's supplies of fruit juice. Eventually we reached the pomegranate juice. Dark and rich in flavour it brought our morning's (maybe it was long past morning by this time; I don't know!) imbibings to a satisfactory close. We all returned to our beds, happy that we had done our duty and hadn't left any champagne abandoned in forgotten corners.
If those bucks of yore had had pomegranate juice I feel sure that our range of juice-laced fizz would have been much enhanced much earlier.
Although I don't insist on my guests adding champagne to it.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Ducky
Today
Much excitement today at Carmen's ability to recognise and say the word "duck". She loves the Muppet "Rubber Ducky" song and enjoys playing with her ducks in the bath, so it's not surprising.
In My Day
My mother always said that my first word was "duck" and I loved to play with my ducks. We had a garden full of chickens, geese and ducks (a remnant of war time efforts to be self-supporting, I believe). So I probably saw them from my vantage point in the big pram; the big pram being where I, along with most other children of my generation, spent a lot of time.
We didn't have many toys back in the post-war years, so I don't suppose that the ducks had much competition. But I apparently couldn't bear to be parted from mine.
Sometime later, I first encountered penguins. I logically made the connection between my beloved ducks and the fact that penguins are upright and spindly and called them "pinducks" - a name that was used by the family for years.
Carmen is visiting this weekend and we have a flotilla of ducks, who actually say "quack" quite a lot, swimming on the stream, so we are watching out for her reaction when she sees the real thing. I don't know whether she'll graduate to "pinduck", despite having a photo of a penguin on her bedroom wall.
Much excitement today at Carmen's ability to recognise and say the word "duck". She loves the Muppet "Rubber Ducky" song and enjoys playing with her ducks in the bath, so it's not surprising.
In My Day
My mother always said that my first word was "duck" and I loved to play with my ducks. We had a garden full of chickens, geese and ducks (a remnant of war time efforts to be self-supporting, I believe). So I probably saw them from my vantage point in the big pram; the big pram being where I, along with most other children of my generation, spent a lot of time.
 |
| Me inspecting new-born geese |
We didn't have many toys back in the post-war years, so I don't suppose that the ducks had much competition. But I apparently couldn't bear to be parted from mine.
Sometime later, I first encountered penguins. I logically made the connection between my beloved ducks and the fact that penguins are upright and spindly and called them "pinducks" - a name that was used by the family for years.
Carmen is visiting this weekend and we have a flotilla of ducks, who actually say "quack" quite a lot, swimming on the stream, so we are watching out for her reaction when she sees the real thing. I don't know whether she'll graduate to "pinduck", despite having a photo of a penguin on her bedroom wall.
Sunday, August 03, 2014
Night Life
Today
So sad to see Eastbourne Pier go up in flames. There was a chorus of regrets and memories from many people.
"My first visit to a nightclub was on Eastbourne Pier", remembered Becky.
In My Day
In 1989 Lizzie and Becky went to stay in Eastbourne with my friends the Levetts. I'm sure that they had lots of fun together and on one occasion, paid a visit to the night club on the Pier.
Lizzie and Becky went with friend Frannie. Becky hadn't gone to Eastbourne equipped for clubbing so my friend Beverley lent her a dress (probably an LBD). Hair was washed, makeup applied and the girls set off on their jaunt.
The rules of the club were strict; no entry to under 18-year olds, which explains why Lizzie, aged 16, Frannie aged, 15 and Becky bringing up the rear at age 11, were able to get in with ease. Becky hadn't reached her full 6ft in height by that time, but she was tall and elegant and Beverley's dress, which I suspect was rather too short for her, added to the impression that she was older than she actually was.
At this distance I shan't ask how they managed to wangle their way in, nor how they entertained themselves while they were there, since they are all safe and well and I didn't know about it until afterwards. If I had known, would I have prevented it? Probably not, as I have always been laissez-faire about this sort of thing.
It remains to be seen what attitude her parents will have should Carmen want to go clubbing at age eleven.
So sad to see Eastbourne Pier go up in flames. There was a chorus of regrets and memories from many people.
"My first visit to a nightclub was on Eastbourne Pier", remembered Becky.
In My Day
In 1989 Lizzie and Becky went to stay in Eastbourne with my friends the Levetts. I'm sure that they had lots of fun together and on one occasion, paid a visit to the night club on the Pier.
Lizzie and Becky went with friend Frannie. Becky hadn't gone to Eastbourne equipped for clubbing so my friend Beverley lent her a dress (probably an LBD). Hair was washed, makeup applied and the girls set off on their jaunt.
The rules of the club were strict; no entry to under 18-year olds, which explains why Lizzie, aged 16, Frannie aged, 15 and Becky bringing up the rear at age 11, were able to get in with ease. Becky hadn't reached her full 6ft in height by that time, but she was tall and elegant and Beverley's dress, which I suspect was rather too short for her, added to the impression that she was older than she actually was.
At this distance I shan't ask how they managed to wangle their way in, nor how they entertained themselves while they were there, since they are all safe and well and I didn't know about it until afterwards. If I had known, would I have prevented it? Probably not, as I have always been laissez-faire about this sort of thing.
It remains to be seen what attitude her parents will have should Carmen want to go clubbing at age eleven.
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