General Chat

Hello All, What lovely messages on the thread to day. I would just like to say its been lovely meeting up with you all. You are a great bunch of people. I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas, Hope Santa comes along and brings you all nice things May the New Year Bring Health & Happiness to you all. Love to you all June. xxxxxx

Well I am off to Calgary in a couple of hours so wont be back on the board until after Christmas, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Santa brings you everything your heart desires, (as long as its good for you or NOT ) and may 2005 be a wonderfully Healthy and Happy one. Take care everyone talk to you all next year. Love Marg.

I remember chitlings and pork bones my father loved tripe and onions yuk. We used to get cockles and mussles outside the pub and pork scratchings, my mother used to make us toffee apples when we were little. We always had fruit in the toe of our xmas stockings. My 3year old grandson is putting milk out for Father Xmas and spiderman biscuits The same grandson is going to walk to Scotland to find the snow,his cousins have just come back they told him about the snow. He will get artificial sprayed on the lawn. It is going to be very hot xmas day here, thank you Jim for your poem and Best wishes to you and Mary and to all on this thread and a very merry xmas and happy new year. Regards Pam

Hello all, what a nice poem our Jim your so clever...I dont think I ever ate brains and if I did they didnt tell me what they were, I was always a bit careful at my Nans house you never knew what she would serve up, I remember a visit and I could hear this clinking noise in the kitchen and when I investigated it was coming from a big pot on the cooker, I lifted the lid and it was a pigs head and the teeth where chattering in the boiling water yuk, I realise now she was making Brawn...John I dont think they have taken Celebrex off the market it was another drug called Vioxx same kind of thing, just ask your Dr next time you go..Dee nice to see you back and still not smoking...Hurry back Jan and Rick I cant wait to see what you got for xmas...Marg our weather is cold and dry I hope you didn't get any more snow...Ok peeps take care its back to the cookhouse for me.

I have just had one of my best Xmas presents for a long long time. Reading all the messages on the thread, it is making me feel quite elated. Seriously I mean it. I know I am perhaps the thread joker, but not this time. (shudder) I am as pleased as Punch. (Goose pimples all over) SO AGAIN, HAPPY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL LLLOL Now that Christmas is so near I can't help but shed a tear For all the Brummies, far and near Who do not know that we are here. What they are missing I must explain Friends like I have and I hope will remain The chats we have in different frain Just like riding on a train Friends spread so far afield What a mighty sword we wield People from all over the world Banded together we will not yield So to June , John, Marge and Dee Faith and Brenda, not forgetting Bruce, Jan and Rick, Pam and Ros From Little me I wish you Joy and Health and a life full of glee SEE YOU ALL LATER From a Happy Jim And Joyful Mary C.

Me again, June Thank you for the Lovely e Card, what a lovely verse. I began to think we may be sisters when you started telling the story about your Dad in the cut, it sounded just like one My Dad used to tell us, he was playing with his older brothers by the canal in Nechals area, they pushed him in, they got him home and Mom was out so they dried him and his clothes off, thought their Mom would never know, and threatened dad not to say anything, well of course clothes then needed ironing, not like the wash and wear of today, as soon as his Mom walked in she wanted to know what water he had been in, well of course all the brothers finished up with a clip around the earhole and sent to bed early. Dee great to see you back, we missed you. Now John if I tell you my nails are bright red with silver dots,will your heart beat to fast, well I will tell you truth I had a nice Lilac colour ( I still spell the English way) so settle down . Its 7-30pm so off to watch a little T.V. bye for now Marg.

Hiya All, It's That Man Again! To she who is small (but beautifully marked), thanks for the email. Oooooooo YES, I remember my old gran always feeding us with brain and egg sandwiches. I think the brain was boiled, the eggs were boiled hard, then the two were mashed together to make a spread, we used to love it because it not only tasted nice - it eked out the rations. 8-)))} I went to the Nursing Home (where Margaret lived out her last years) party last Friday, and I was particularly taken by how beautiful the ham cobs were. I complimented the chef with the remark that they were definitly not spread with margarine, as no marg' could taste so good! She replied that "some months ago they had started to use only best butter, as it is too late in the old folks lives to worry about Cholesterol" Now that's what I call progress! With forward thinking like that, I wouldn't mind finishing my days there. There was recently a mention on TV about an anti-inflammatory drug that the Americans think might cause heart attacks. The drug by name is "Celebrex" which I have been taking for some years now. I think it's great as I take just one capsule a day, with other drugs like "Ibuprofen or Volterol" I was always having to take "Zantac" to control the heartburn that the other tablet caused :-Oooooooo} Sorry folks for getting serious. Tonight I had home cooked fish and chips (from the freezer) with mooshie paes - it was yummy ;-))))} I keep fancying pickled herrings (for them with money "Roll Mops") I wonder if I could be pregnant????? Margaret, what colour (color) nail varnish did you use, after your pedicure? Tarrarabit - John.

Hi Marge, Poor little chicks, going back to the oven. I remember my dad telling me a story from when he was a young boy. It was a Sunday and he was in his Sunday best and he had on his new boots. Some of his mates where larking about coming home from Sunday school and they came by the cut (Remember Marge the one that ran under Rockey Lane) ? Well they pushed him in so you can see he was wet wet. He got home and his mom was out so he put his boots in the oven to dry. He forgot them and next morning his mom found them all curled up toe touching the heel. So he had a right good clout round the ears. All for now Tat Tar June

Hi Everyone, June your tale of the Chickens and the stoves reminded me of a couple of things, when I was a kid my Dad came home from a football game with some baby chicks he had bought somewhere , they where really small so to keep them warm my Mom put them in the oven in a box next to the fire, left the door open, but one of us kids thought we would keep them warmer and shut the door, after a while Mom noticed the shut door, poor little Chicks where cooked. the other story was neighbours we had when my kids where ltlle had chickens, but their Mom always kept a wrapper from Safeway for a chicken, so when a chicken showed up on the table and the kids asked if it was one of theirs, she would show them the wrapper and say I bought it at Safeway see. My Oldest son one day, told me he thought their Mom was telling them fibbs , because they didnt have as many chickens in the pen anymore. Guess you can fool them for a while. Well John as for getting your stocking filled with a cutie keep dreaming, you never know what Santa will bring. Jim, think I agree with Mary, its the smell of all these foods that puts me off. Well Bye for now Marg.

Hi our Jim. Just had a smile re your message. When we lived in Vicarage Rd we had a black grate. The fire. was in the middle and an oven each side. My mom would put her herrings into a dish and pop them in the oven for my dads supper. I would clear off as I did not like the smell. Now you leave that duck alone. That brings back some thing that happened to me when I was about 8 years old. My dad got hold of 4 hens and me being me I looked on them as pets gave them all a name and loved them to bits. They did not tell me that they would end up on the Christmas table. I was out when the deed was done. Then on Christmas day there was Bandy Legs on a plate. I just took one look and fled up stairs in tears. No way was I going to eat her and I have never eaton a bird of any kind since that terrible day. A friend of mine in Wigston used to have a pet Goose and she would take it for a walk with a collar and lead on it. It was an odd sight, but every one round here got so used to seeing them together they did not take any notice after a while. All for now. Tat Tar June.

Tis I Tis ME. what a day this is rain, rain and more rain. we had a duck come in the garden and was sheltering under a bush. Poor thing I took my umbrella out for him, he will look good on the table on boxing day YUM YUM. John I am with you Black puddings is right. When we lived in Blackburn Lancs there was a stall in the market selling Hot Puds. They were boiled and you ate them with vinegar, delicious, and they warmed you up on a cold winters dayYUM YUM again. Sorry never came across Chickady Snitch during my navy days. John Mills is at this moment in time singing a cleaned up version of the Tattooed Lady, I remember the naval version, not for our ladies delicate ears!!! June Funny you should mention brains on toast. My late Granddad always had a special cup in which my Grandma cooked his Sheeps brains in. In the kitchen of the house they lived in was a fire range with hob and oven and always in the oven there was this cup. He introduced me to brains on toast when I was quite young and I have liked them ever since, but Mary thinks it is terrible, so I have not had any for a long time. Probably there is an EU regulation against selling them now. Another thing my GD had was an onion boiled in milk. He swore it was the best cure for a cold. Has anbody tried soft herrings row on toast? Grilled lightly under the grill a delight for tea. YUM YUM What a yummy read this all is puts Xmas fare to shame. Can any one else come up with food from the past that they enjoyed? Could be funny. Back to black puds Mary has just told me she had never had a fried pud til she came to live in Brum. They always ate them boiled. Hoping this gets thro Ok I will have to close now. Hope to get back on to-morrow. LLOL for now Hungery Jim and Slimming Mary C.

Good Morning All. Brenda, I was on MSN last night but only stayed on till 11 pm our time. Had trouble with my wooly hat it kept slipping down and I ended up with my Tiara round my neck. LOL. I will be on to night just in case you can get on. John so you are thick as well laughter so with me that makes two of us. ha ha. Now do you remember BRAINS ON TOAST ? again my mom used to have this. Marge I am as good as you I can turn my computer on and off and get on some of the web sites and email as well. So we are both doing well laughter. To all the other friends on the site please try and find time to say hello. I did have a nice greeting from our Janet down in Devon. I have asked her to come back on the site but will have to wait and see. All for now have to go into Wigston will be back later on. Tat Tar June xxx

Hiya! It's That Man Again! Yes June, it was and still is Black Pudding to me, (but then I'm thick, being born so near to the Black Country!) ;-))))} Had a very nice but sad email from Gillian, to reassure me that I didn't frighten her off as her maiden name is Smith. First day of winter was just like spring - except it was damned cold. The sunlight coming through the front window, beautiful bright shafts of sunlight picked out in the blue haze caused by my burning full English 8-(((} Margaret, any chance of a piccy of those pedicured feet? lol (which gives me an idea! If I hang a pair of nice shear nylon tights up, on xmas eve, I wonder if there will be a nice lady (well, she doesn't have to be nice really, as long as she has the body of an Angel and the mind of a Marine)lol, filling them when I wake - WOW, that WOULD make a Christmas to remember!) Which brings back more memories, early in my married life, we bought a Goblin Teasmade, so that when we awoke in the mornings, there was a steaming hot cup of tea waiting. ;-)))))} The body's gone, but the memories linger on! Mommy Longlegs is noticeably absent! I wonder if Jim frightened her of when he asked how she got her monika? Jim (sorry, Sir James) did you ever hear the saying "Chickady Snitch"? I used to know an ex-Naval Officer and it was his favourite farewell. ;-)))))} Tarrarabit - John.

Hi There everyone, sun is shining and allsright with the world. Sorry Bruce you also lost me on the technical jargon, good job someone knows how all this works, I just know how to turn this thing on and off and find a few websites. John all those specialty??? foods , my Mom, Dad and older Brother all loved that food, I just inherited the high Cholestral it causes, and yes June we always called it Pigs Pudding. cant get any of that stuff in Canada, my Son In Law Kevin from Pelsall is over in England right now and am sure he is just pigging out on everything right now. talked to them on the webcam this morning, said it was sunny and mild in Telford,off to Pelsall for a couple of days in the morning, my three little Grandsons are really enjoying the trip, been to Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, while they are in Telford they are near the Iron Bridge so am sure they will get another history lesson there. They are also going to a Pantomine, never see those here either so I am sure they will be fasinated with that. Well off to have a pedicure, make my feet look good for Santa if he calls and sneaks a peak. well bye for now Marg.

Here's hoping!! Thank you all for your ideas and help. Bruce your comments are way above my knowledge of the Modem world, could be the fact that at my age(81), my brain is getting worn out. I am at the stage where I don't know the difference between url and green cheese. So in case of further troubles I will take the opportunity to wish all my friends and their families A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR (HIC)!! From teetotaller Jim and His Sober Wife Mary C. LLLOL. Fingers crossed does it work.

Good Morning All you nice people. John I had to smile re the Chittlings and the Pigs Trotters, I was not into them at all. But my mom loved them. Re the Black Pudding, I have never called it that I only know it as PIGS PUDDING. did any one else call it that ????? Marge Glad the party went well and the 2 ladies at the age of 84 having a good time.. Some of the older ones can give the youngters a good run for there money. Bruce Sorry dear you lost me with your last mail, with all your high technology I must be thick laughter. Jim I hope you sort your self out and please dont get bashing your computer. Off now to see if our Brenda is on MSN. Take care all. Tat Tar June. xxx

Hi. It's That Man Again! Thank you June, Margaret and Faith, for your very warm welcome back. I feel most honoured ;-))))} I am very glad that I am not so conversant with technology as you seem to be Bruce, I might also be sad. You said recently that you served your National Service in the RAF, that means that you were in when they were "needing 'em, not feeding 'em" I had to do three years to get in, then it was only to service and install guns, polish B29's so that they could be returned to the Yanks in the condition they arrived in. Oh, and fill sandbags to stem the floods at St Mary Magdelen in '54. 8-(} Jim (sorry, Sir James!) The lady you mentioned - the one from Italy - I think her name is Gillian who used to come on the previous thread, the one who didn't last very long. She took umbrage because I said that Ferrari was Smith in English. I hope I didn't frighten her away 8-(} Been talking a lot lately on the BC board, about Pickelets, Sweetbreads, Black Pudding and Chittlings, and Pigs Trotters Gray Paes and Faggots - god my mouth's waterin! Anybody know where in Aston Cheepside is? No talk lately about broomsticks, I bet it's bad flying weather. Shortest day of the year today, and the first day of winter, not long now to the lighter nights. Jim (sorry, Sir James) have you tried entering GR through your history on "e"xplorer? That's the way I sometimes go when the board's playing silly buggers ;-)))))} Tarrarabit - John.

Hi Jim --- join The Unhappiness Club. The trouble with Genes is it has tired software that is user unfriendly, quirky, and in some aspects downright wrong. Its proprietors have never seen what other operators do. They are in an ivory castle and whilst isolated, the world is passing them by. For an example of message boards par excellence they should visit http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/ or Microsoft's own chat rooms. Even the dreaded censored do it better. On checking this back later, before re-editiing, it auto-deleted censored yet again. In fact I now see it auto-deletes y a h o o --- see if that beats its censor. Specifically, it cannot remember your settings e.g. first or last order to display messages. It cannot tell you who is on-line in the chat room, not even how many. It does not comprehend the difference between a toggle to invite switching and a display of a statement of a condition. It cannot keep you signed-in. It cannot enable shortcuts to take you direct to a page. It cannot display new chat on your screen without you continually refreshing or hitting f5 which is a calamity of a kindergarten error on their part. It won't respond to the Back Button in some of its applications so if you try to close ther page, thinking quite reasonably you are in a sub-page, it then closes you down altogether. ADSL can do all of this properly, and run a real-time chatroom as well, telling you who is signed-in. It can do all of this without advertising banners, slogans, popups etc. It can do it on free subscription, not a stunning £7-50 a year --- which only gets you full & adequate access to Genes, not Friends. The reason you cannot find your latest posting, my splendid Brummy pal, is that you might care to select display latest first and then you have to scroll and scroll and scroll past the Pamela sea of white. I have been to general chat to discover I am the only one in it. If you go to any halfway decently constructed chatroom you will KNOW this because the who-is-here pane SHOWS you. The worse the chat room, the more the visitors give up, the smaller the number visiting, a deadly downward spiral. I am afraid I feel I too am in it. I hate Y a h o o but it is at least free and anybody can set up a site, maybe even one for "Unhappy from the Black Country" let alone "Disgruntled of Tunbridge Wells" --- Bruce +++

HI1 JIM HERE I AM GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF THIS SITE. IT HAS DONE IT AGAIN, LOST MY MESSAGE FOR TO-DAY. SO IF THIS DOES GET ON THE THREAD I AM SORRY BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING. I HAVE STILL NOT HEARD FROM THE ORGANISERS SO WHAT MORE I CAN DO I DON'T KNOW. NEVER SAY DIE IWILL TRY AGAIN TO-MORROW. LLOL UNHAPPY JIM AND SYMPATHETIC MARY. C

Hello everyone ! Still no sign of our new internet link at home but we're hopeful it will be working before xmas. To make matters worse my work link has been down all day so I've had to borrow someone else's PC to get on :-((((((( Welcome to Bruce and John it's nice to see you back on here. Faith - thank you for the snow - it arrived on saturday night and there was rather a lot of it. I noticed it just as we were going to bed and had to wake Jan up to show her - she was sooooooo excited lol. We went into the back garden in dressing gowns and slippers for a closer look. The cat sat on the doorstep refusing to come out and looking at us like we were mad. As if !! Rick.xx