Memories of another lifetime
After visiting few Pound & Poundland shops I drove back to my place from Squires Gate (home of the Sandhills) where I had lotsa fun as a kid sliding down those massive sand dunes and just beyond those sandy hills the beach is very flat and when the tide is out it becomes a sand yacht racing pitch and in itself is very entertaining to watch.Going North towards Cleveleys I passed the Star pub adjacent to the Pleasure Beach which was one of my first pub visits courtesy of my late boss George ( I was 15!) Alex Higgins used this pub to practice his magnificent Snooker skills earning him the nickname Hurricane Higgins.Next memories came flooding back as I drove past the Pleasure Beach where I spent a lot of my misspent youth,especially in the Fun House that consisted of various contraption that tested our speed,agility and know how skills.Sunday was always the best when drunks came into the Fun House and attempted to negotiate a massive rotating barrel and of course they fell about losing change out of their pockets !We were very skillful at negotiating the barrel and could run thru quickly whilst picking up loose change (in those heady days we had scams that kept us with money in our pockets,thank goodness mobile phones weren’t invented then) The Pleasure Beach is crammed with lots of rides and amusements that kept the huge crowds busy and spending lots of money,Sadly the Pleasure Beach charges for entry into the area these days and lacks the crowds of yesteryear,wonderful,wonderful days tho. Riding down the very windy promenade (our playground as kids) I noticed how thin the crowds are for this time of the year,in the 60/70,s the promenade was packed with holidaymakers who now seem to favour overseas holidays .Blackpool I have now heard is the Gay capital of England and weekends here now attract large groups of people celebrating Stag & Hen nights in the bawdy pubs ( and yes I like them too) 2 Cinema,s and great pubs were favourites in days of yor,sadly all gone to make room for more amusement arcades.Blackpool Tower is still a magnificent sight and boasts one of the best Ballrooms in the world,spent a lot of time in there too playing hide n seek in the massive Aquarium (now gone to make room for more amusements) The Zoo had all sorts of worldwide animals in there BUT looking back it was extremely cruel to keep them in very small cages just for entertainment ! Stanley Holloways Albert the Lion is a good listen from those far off days…..more to follow tomorrow
Elvis Bless Him was on top form tonight
My nephew has a pub in Preston and weekends are brilliant there! this weekend Saturday was NO exception Elvis and his girl backup singers wee in town and what a show it was !! The pub was packed to the rafters and I met so many wonderful people.Bar staff were dressed in the era of the 60,s and looked magnificent ( I wish I could still look good in drainpipes,quiffed hair,brothel creepers and finished of with a natty shirt n tie )Ahhh happy Daze.Needless to say lots of cider and Baileys was consumed by myself and we had least 10 family members in attendance all having a Ball.We ambled out of the pub at 1 am and home to my lovely new bed ! Sunday morning and a few family members turned up at my sister in laws who makes the biggest Pommie breakfast I have ever seen (so many people turned up we had to eat in 2 different sittings.Lots of paperwork to complete so off to my niece Jenines for printer use.I was that knackered organizing my lovely brother (72) to shift a huge treble and double settee up 2 flights of stairs I stayed in at night watching Beauty and the Beast ( thoroughly enjoyed it too!) Once I have really settled in photo,s will be added to this blog D day is looming for house sale and then I will start thinking HOLIDAY (needed to re energize) I originally thought I,d regret coming back to UK but as it is said “Perish the Thought”
What a busy week etc
After signing reams of paperwork I am now settling in my new home,already made friends with the lady below who was kind enough offer cups of tea and a few kitchen items,great start.The flat is hugs and thank goodness for my wonderful niece Jenine who has single handidly set my power & gas up!! Old Motor is ticking over nicely and I am making some good friends and life is looking good (ie I,m not bored) Positive vibes from the hospital Radio and have to fill in more paperwork ! Bought meself a new bed ,fridge pots/pans and other stuff,Ann would be shocked to know I’ve done so much shopping ! My legs are starting to hurt a tad with all this stair climbing.Went to do a big food shop and at the check out I discovered I,d forgot my wallet ! Embarrassing to say the least ! told the shop keeper I would be back in 10 mins ( I was) but he had re shelved every item !! so much for trust.Having some interesting pub nights and I now travel on the buses quite easily with my free bus pass.Tonight we off to see Elvis and have a beer or few.Still getting used to me phone just wish people would stop asking for me number !! House hopefully on track altho a wee bit embarrassing telling the Notary Public how a costly mistake had been made,hopefully all back on track then I can start thinking HOLIDAY.Perth is a must around Nov/Dec and with luck Kirstie will travel with me after she has calmed down after her positive exam results WELL DONE KIRSTIE XX
Windy or What?
Gales were full on during the night ,the wind was howling,rain was very heavy and I love it !! First off this morning was a medical review at my new Doctors,medications have changed,weight is good,Blood pressure she is happy with AND they have taken me off Diabetic meds!!Took the obligatory bottle of pee along and just awaiting those results,Once again went to the Notary and hopefully had papers signed that should have been sent to me with all the other material,all done now and will be sent off tomorrow all in all including post to Australia it has cost me 230 pounds!! (bed money) Hopefully that finalizes the house sale in Australia.Off to the Movies tonight no doubt followed by a Cider or few!After all? I am celebrating my health news.Weekend promises to be good too we are all off to see Elvis (really) more on that from the venue.Changed me phone to 3 and cant get on it for a couple of days,Tomorrow will be spent bed/furniture looking ready for my new flat on Thursday.It was fantastic seeing the Irish Sea at its tempestuous best,reminded me of my childhood when we used to dodge the mighty waves (never once thinking how dangerous it was!)
oh no !!! NOT THE BLOODY NOTARY AGAIN !
Sunday started with the usual massive Breakfast again and then I decided to give me motor a run and headed of to Cleveleys Beach,messy where extensive flooding systems are being built necessary to stop the roads flooding in Winter to my right the Barrow (ship building area) can be seen by the very extinct volcano hill and which is also the gateway to the lake district (approx an hours drive from here) Across the Irish Sea about 2 oclock lies the wonderful Isle of Mann where cats have no tails,famed for the motorbike TT Races and the Flag depicts 3 legs!,Did a quick photo shoot and then off to the parents graveside to see how their head stone can be cleaned up,and the after a great dinner of Pudding,Chips & Peas I went off to the pub which in itself was very entertaining with a very drunk lady having fun !! We watched her stagger into a taxi (one refused to pick her up and she was “bundled” into the second one) The talk was again flowing as we all sat and watched the Manchester Bombing Show and that in itself was very emotional BUT those bastards will never win and the world is rid of 3 more of them courteous of our wonderful British Bobbies! Another cracking good night gone so quickly.It is now Monday and to use the vernacular its pissing down ! and I have further instructions from Australia MORE paperwork is required for our house sale and yet again needs to be signed by the Notary !! and also sent to Australia in an express addressed cardboard envelope )and not by any means cheap!) BUT on a high I have been accepted as a flat tenant and will move in Thursday .Mate of mine brought in some very old B&W photos for me to put on FB in an old members group I am in and will hopefully bring some happy memories back for some.In the near future I will start to add pictures as I settle into my new home.Lots of family & friends have offered help with my move,problem is I have another 50 pages of contractual stuff to check out..Oh Happy Day
Worra day/night!
First up and i went into town to send off final (hopefully) papers for house settlement and a quick look around furniture shops,nothing doing but once the flat agreement papers are signed I will start looking in earnest. Lovely niece Kirstie took me shopping for a pressy for Alice (niece) 21 st and lotsa shopping in Poundland (heaven all them bargains for a quid) Around 7 pm we wandered off to my niece Alice’s 21 and it was a great night only dampened by the ice cold biting wind.Met up with more relatives and friends from my past,There was even a bouncy castle used as the night went on and lots of alcohol consumed by the younger generation.There was even a photo Booth and hopefully will get pics to add later on.Whilst waiting outside for me Taxi a lovely young thing insisted she wait with me till it arrived.I commented on how Ive never seen sparkly blue eyes she had, apparently its fashionable to wear coloured contact lenses!! The party was alive and people were trying to light the earth fire and it was hilarious watching all the experts trying to fire it up .The Taxi took me to my new local The Queens and I sat with a large group while talking about nothing important when news of the London murders at it again I immediately got in touch with my boy who lives in London and uses the Bridge regularly,fortunately he is safe Time to put a stop to all this and get it sorted How dare these scummy bastards snuff out innocent lives for a belief.1 pm homeward bound with an almost perfect day,,sadly ending with yet another atrocity
Notaries,Bollox,more Notories and the Queensland Team
Talk about panic!! Papers for the sale of our house in Australia have to be in before June 22 and what a stressful day this was !Papers came thru from Oz and around 50 of them printed out.Took the lot to the Notary (never heard that word before but its one I wont forget!) Checking the papers he found a small discrepancy SO I had to contact my partner in Hervey bay (9 pm their time) After lots of discussion and late lawyer time over there it was sorted and I have to say I was at panic stations BUT papers finally back and off I went to see the Notary again.5 signatures and a rubber stamp of him cost me 80 quid !! Papers scanned and sent back to Australia for verification,SUCCESS!! During all this I had a call from Estate agent verifying a flat I am interested in NO rush there it will be next week when I get to sign up.Everyone here so nice and kind offering to help move in (ermm 2nd floor) Fish n Chips for tea and my car seat covers have arrived making my 300 quid car look like a 320 quid car!! Thanks J&D Stress,strain and pressure were starting to lower especially after sinking a few pints of cider and getting in with a lovely crowd of people I have known since childhood On a sad note I am informed of an illness in Hervey Bay and it is concerning to me,fingers crossed all ends well. Next few days will be spent looking for beds (I,m a fussy bugga and need new) Sleep came very easily after a somewhat traumatic but happy ending day ..
Factories/Team work & Motors
Caught the bus into town using my free bus pass and bought toffees(lollies) for the kids and a special cardboard envelope to send hopefully final papers off to Australia.Took my motor for a drive to the Keman Factory (my niece/nephews business making Roller Shutters) having a cuppa with their workforce staff whilst Darren put oil and water in my Motor.After dinner took my car to Team 1’s house and they did a @makeover@ on my motor,cleaing from Boot to Bonnett,Darren fixed broken stuff while me n Jenine cleaned it up (it was absolutely filthy when bought hence the cheap 350 quid buying price!) We discovered it must have been “stored” as it was green in places! For a 17 yr old car it has done 82000 kms.I will give it a good run around in coming weeks,bit of a quiet day really……..
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 