Removalists,Boredom and Solitude
Got a welcoming message from my Australian Removalist informing me they would be here in the morning and they were bang on time ,however,they came to access the site for delivery suitability and if a clear run was in order ! He drove from Manchester to do this and said it was suitable and the Office would be in touch for actual delivery ! Monday seems like a plan, I must admit tho the office staff ( whom I shall call Chris coz thats his name!) was a delight to chat with and he lives on a street in Oldham my Sister in Law did ( Copster Hill Road) Talking of coincidences my taxi driver lives on Belmont Ave 3 houses from where I lived ( Blackpool Pop around 150,000 ) This move is a massive change of life for me and whereas boredom,solitude was setting in Hervey Bay the change around has been brilliant,I am meeting people old and new,virtually got the freedom of Lancashire and Cumbria by virtue of my FREE bus Pass,altho my flat is 2nd floor it is comfortable and have 2 neighbours directly below me (lovely Ladies) I have a good pub life (Thurs/Fri/Sat and sometimes Sunday) with great friends who go to Benidorm twice yearly ( I wont make this years trips due to me being in Perth WA) Cost of the 10 day trip to Benidorm in March is around £200 and that includes meals !! Still on the look out for a car and came very close to buying one BUT at the last minute people advising me to lease one on account of regular reliability (apparently the way to go for people my age!) In conclusion altho I have loved Hervey Bay there is nothing there for me now and my Australian home will be in Perth as for my Blackpool move? I should have done it when I got the warning signs and NO I dont miss the Sun but I do love the lovely wet,windy,stormy days that are part of my home towns make up…Happy Daze
STOP PRESS ! apparently the Bus Pass can be used throughout the UK with local Bus Companies …Its getting better daily..
VAPING the NEW Smoking Habit
Since being back in my hometown Blackpool I have noticed VAPING shops that seem to be everywhere in shopping centres. I got interested in their concept by observing people with what seemed loke huge clouds of smoke ( vapor?) coming out of their mouths and noses.Apparently it is the “new” healthy way of of smoking! There are around 2.6 million smokers in Australia and up to two-thirds of them will die as a result of smoking. In some States e cigs (electronic cigarettes) are banned and yet some consider them to be the “healthy” way of smoking.The pub I go in (UK) allows customers to use these machines but it is not the norm,most pubs now have outside smoking areas ( I am an ex smoker and my olfactory senses are fairly good and sadly I can smell a smoker easily quote …Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the water vapor produced by an electric device called vaporizer (or E-Cigarette). The new way of smoking was invented ( for use of a better word) by Chinese man Hon Lik,who devised this new addiction in memory of his Father who died of a smoking related cancer disease. I plageurized this paragraph from a Give Up Smoking page and after reading I have to wonder why people still smoke?
A vape or vaporizer consists of a mouthpiece, battery, cartridge, atomizer or cartomizer, and circuitry with a sensor. A cartomizer is a modern replacement for atomizer that combines an atomizer and the cartridge into one unit. The cartridge contains the e-liquid or e-juice, while atomizer has a heating element, usually a thin metallic coil that is heated by the power generated by the battery. When a user takes a drag on the mouthpiece, the battery heats up the coil, a cotton wick absorbs e-liquid from the cartridge and when it gets in contact with the coil, which is hotter than the boiling point of the e-liquid, it naturally turns into vapor. This vapor is then inhaled by the user that reaches his lungs and is then exhaled. The e-liquid usually consists of PG/VG blend, nicotine, and flavoring.
The cost is around A$800 a year with machine starting at around $40….. and finally
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“Vaping is at least 95% safer than smoking.”Public Health England”
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Vaporizers are many times less harmful than traditional tobacco cigarettes, and vaping can even help smokers quit.American Heart Assoc outweigh its “potential” harms. Vaporizers are the first genuinely new way of helping people quit smoking that we have seen in many years. Royal Coolege of Surgeons
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Exhaled vapor has lesser volatile organic compounds than the normal exhaled breath, let alone exhaled smoke.Spanish research
Queenstown,Dogs and Pubs
Pub life is alive and going well and I,m getting to know more and more people.Our “corner” is very popular and we have a core group of around a dozen (more added every week) Molly the dog has been crook ( sick ) but has come good and the eve of her owners returning from Turkey.I have added a picture that was a couple of streets away from where I was brought up and the area was known as Queenstown and reputed to be a tough area,I am friendly with a ex resident ( Queenstown was demolished a LOT of years ago ) I tease him on how he used to beat me up as a nipper when we cut through the area to use the playing fields (he didn’t really) On the bottom left is the post office I used to go for my mothers family allowance and food coupons ! Top area (tip of the triangular building) was a shop selling all kinds of Curtains,sewing instruments etc and is well known even today after all those past years Georgie Blackburns.Since they were demolished in the 60’s High rise flats were built and they have also been demolised and anew housing estate is currently under way.Picture provided is from Terry Diveney also known as ‘Nipper’ The group I sit with are mostly Blackpool lads and out discussions on the past are very interesting (should write abook maybe)
Pommie Weather and Loving Families not Forgetting Molly
I am still on dog watch with Kirstie and poor old Molly is missing mam n dad.Yesterday was nice and warm and alcohol free !1 Went into Victoria Hospital due my pending work as a DJ to sort Police clearance out.Staff are very helpful and assured me that is the LAST of the necessary paperwork !! Today I had Ebat gadgets delivered and went for a cup of tea with Molly and she is very pleased with my company!! Made an appointment with the lovely Marie (mother of my grandchildren) and her man Nigel.Parked up at the local Pub and the heavens opened up !! Not wishing to miss our meet up in the local chippy I got saturated on the short walk,the very friendly lady staff offered to wring my shorts out (nahhh)We got down to business and Marie & Nigel witnessed my signature on my newly drawn up ( but legal) Will.Life is moving so fast I felt a need to do one.Encouraged by the Wiil I am now doing my own Eulogy ( morbid yes BUT absolutely necessary,who knows what tomorrow brings) Nigel has kindly offered for me to go next Cricket match at Trafford Park and YES I will go.Back home I bought some heat pads to place on my tortured legs to alleviate the pain ( I think its deep heat infused to large pads) No effect yet so methinks I might have a wine to help things along ! Oh alright then maybe a bit of cheese on Ryvita with a coupke of midget onions thrown in. Short messages from my second son went down well followed by a lengthy Skype chat with my eldest daughter who is still very excited with her pending Christmas visit.Next few days I might get stuck into some photgraphy weather permitting and of course put on this very Blog.Coronation St about to start so this Blog ends NOW
Just another Blackpool Day
Had some banking to do so I meandered through town and wouldnt you know it? forgot me camera again ! Sun is shining and the only clouds in view are the man made ones (jet streams) Using yet again my free bus pass I went into barclays Bank and tried my ING account withdrawal,ALL numbers were correct BUT somehow my card has been swallowed !!! Not in danger tho and not scammed as it was inside Barclays Bank,fortunately I am not dependant on that particular card thankfully. Guitarist Busker with his support dog ( busker is genuinely blind) was in full stride and a great guitarist,I will buy one of his CDs next time in Town. Down the road a bit is an Athlete who has won medals for Britain in 100yds hurdles,his “busking” trick was to run at 20 mile per hour and leap thru a designed square of sharpened spikes onto another hurdle that was in flames,the trick lasted seconds and that was it ! Next I had some loose 2p change and lost it the Coin Tipping Machines !I spent last night at mt brothers house my niece and myself are taking it in turns to feed and exercise the dog (who has only one eyeand ageing) the poor old thing spends most of its life sleeping but still loves a bit of attention.Wore me new Doc Martins into town and me feet are killing me !!
Birthdays ,Anniversaries and the Good Life
This weekend has been full on hectic! My younger brother celebrated his 70 th Birthday and the party was a real old fashioned good fun night.Young ones mingled with we oldies and told great stories,I met people from my past and we just sat drinking,eating and reminiscing on the good ole days.Nephew Brian who is a qualifed chef made the superb food that everyone enjoyed BUT the Lancashire hotpot (with red cabbage & beetroot on the side) was to die for,he is so skilled.We oldies got together discusing how our lives had worked out,the number of tablets we each take daily,how our bodies ached in places we used to play,all in all a lovely evening.Bros was due to fly out next dayto Turkey so I got a lift from my lifelong pal Pat and finished the night off in the Pub !! At around 2 am I finally managed to get to bed..I,m living like I was a 20 yr old..Such Fun…The Flat I am in is lovely,sadly it is on the 2nd floor,therefore after Christmas I shall be looking for ground floor premises.
Suck on a Fishermans Friend,Fleetwood and Fish n Chips
Today I took a ride (freebie) ont the Blackpool Tram into Fleetwood passing the Fisherman Friend Lozenge Factory and it is HUGE !Tablets started life in 1865 as a liquid.Fleetwood is a (was) Fishing town that harboured lots of Trawlers until the 70,s ( as kids we used to catch the train to the Docks,sadly the railway ceased to be years ago and will be told in a future blog)My first Father in Law was a stoker on the Trawlers and my sister in laws dad and brother also worked on the boats) Back to Fishermans,most of the liquid was sold in bottles but were not suitable for trawlers and consequently made as a Lozenger and now available n over 150 countries and worth over 165 million pounds, selling 5 BILLION Lozenges a year !! employing around 300
As a great Trawling town dating back to the 1830,s the fishing industry went into decline in the 60,s and is no longer used for the Trawling industry.We caught a train from Blackpool to Fleetwood s kids in the 50,s (Railway has also gone now) The town is still lovely and the ferry will take passengers across the River Wyre to Knott End ( will be discussed in future Blogs) I tried the Fish n Chips at a favourite Cafe I have come to know on previous trips BUT the price ( Pensioners Special) was a wee bit steep at 7 quid ! (Fish/Chips/Tea/B&B) My childhood memories came flooding back as I walked up and down Fleetwood prom and as time passes,memories may be included in future Blogs.Life is better than I thought right now and I will say IF people want to throw Stones,please do,but, be prepared for them to be thrown back
Blackpool Sandhills and a Murder
Today I visited an old playground of mine at Southern end of Blackpool.It is difficult to apprehend the size of theses hills from photo,s I have taken,however, they go back a long way and are full of steep valleys as a young person hide n seek was a regular game and as we grew older a bit of a kiss and cuddle would be the order of the day from what we thought was away from public viewing.The flat beach leading from the hills is used for world class sand yacht racing and is fairly solid and goes for miles without bumps etc.Piers were common in the earlier years of Blackpool history and a dip in the Ocean (Irish Sea) was thought to be very therapeutic,sadly St Annes piers are in decline and the once mighty jetty has been permanently separated from the pier (illustrated) Whilst researching the Dunes history I came across a murder that was committed in 1919 and makes for an interesting read and I have plagiarized the below story
On Christmas Eve 1919, what the Lytham Times referred to as “The fashionably attired body of a beautiful woman” was found by John Edward Gillett who was walking on the shore on the Sandhills about two hundred yards north of the Manchester Convalescent Home off North Drive.
This was the body of Kathleen Elsie Breaks (see picture from the St Annes Express) of Bradford – the face and head werecovered in blood and there were signs of a struggle. Subsequent to the discovery of the body two children stumbled across a revolver in the dunes which contained four spent cartridges and two unused bullets. Although it was initially thought that the victims’ wounds were caused by stabbing further investigation showed that they were in fact gunshot wounds and one bullet was found in the body.
Frederick Rothwell Holt from Fairhaven, a former lieutenant in the Lytham Company of the 4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, Territorials , was arrested late on Christmas Eve and charged with the murder by Acting Detective Inspector John Sherlock on Christmas Day. After the breakdown in Mrs Breaks marriage she had formed a relationship with Frederick Holt having
first met him as a member of a party visiting a Blackpool hydro where Holt was being treated for injuries sustained whilst serving in the Army.
The trial attracted a great deal of media attention locally, nationally and internationally. Holt was defended by the mercurial and occasionally brilliant Sir Edward Marshall Hall who had made a career out of cases such as this, indeed the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography claims that “few sensational cases seemed complete without him”. Sir Gordon Hewart, the Attorney-General at the time, acted for the crown.
The court proceedings lasted for five days and the court heard of the passionate letters exchanged between Holt and Mrs Breaks, the claims of Holt’s insanity and details of wills and life insurance policies. On 28th February 1920 a huge crowd assembled outside the Manchester Assize Court on in the hope of gaining
admittance to the final stages of the proceedings of the trial of Rex v Holt. Ultimately Holt was sentenced to death and a subsequent appeal failed.
Holt was hanged at Strangeways Prison Manchester on 13th April 1920 by the public hangman John Ellis. A crowd of 1,000 assembled outside the jail many of whom appeared to sympathise with Holt. The Evening Chronicle of the day commented that, Judging by the expressions in the crowd , the sentiment of all that hushed throng was one of pity for the doomed man”. Commenting on Holt himself, the paper said that, “…….he walked calmly to his death ; he lived almost unperturbed the last few days of his life, eating and sleeping well…………………….he died making no confession of his guilt”
Radio,Food and Should I?
Today I got confirmation that I will be joining Radio Victoria Team to preent a radio show altho I haven,t actually got a starting date for training and hopefully it will b fairly soon and YES I,m excited simply because I love playing music to cheer people up.I have NO regrets leaving Australia as my life seems to be on track and I am enjoying life once again.I am also getting my cooking skills back and that is not to detract from my recent partners cooking ( she was a good cook) BUT I shall have to start cutting down as the weight is beginning to creep up (actually very quickly!!) I really like the flat I am currently in,however,its on the second floor with NO lift ( and yet the weight is piling on !) Carwise I am still torn whether to get a new one ( I probably will by weekend) More partying this weekend as my brother is 70 and his daughter has been married for 25 yrs !! I am on house sitting duty (with less stairs!) because they all off to Turkey next week.Pub wise and all is well I am currently involved in a fun club called the KIT Klub ( Keep In Touch) and we are setting up in the hope of getting lots of members to join us,it is an attempt for lonely pub goers to come and join us and talk about nothing ( I am personally meeting lots of new people and is a long way from the boredom I was experiencing in the lovely,picturesque Hervey Bay (I will not be returning back there but will occasionally return to my Australian Birthday Perth.Mondays,Tuesday and Wednesdays have become my alcohol free days ( so I can justify myself that I,m not an alcoholic!!) I
K.I.T Klub and No Alcohol Free Night
Peter has invented a club aptly named the KIT Klub (Keep In Touch) and asked me to be the Secretary ( I declined) a few people turned up at out headquarters namely the Queens Pub and all we have done all night is reminisce and laugh.There are so many interesting characters in the group and altho I have declared a NO Alcohol free few days the evening just flowed and before we knew it the Midnight closing time Bell wa rung ! Sandwiches were provided by the ladies Darts Team (very tasty too) I have been invited to join the Mens darts team but I don,t want commitment in my life BUT I will sign on and IF I am around and the team is a man down then that is acceptable.Cars are still on my agenda and will let the salesman have a few days ,who knows he may come up with a better offer! After chatting with some of the members we discovered some of us are almost related !! Sad note tonight tho avery good barmaid friend of mine died today,she was landlady of the old BAF Club I was Secretary of..RIP Sheila or Big T as we fondly nick named her xx
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 