the McToodles can’t see umra!

[Chris]

We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!

Mrs McT

[Chris]

Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>
> Mrs McT
>
>
>

I’m here again.

Mrs McT

[Mike McMillan]

But I can’t see anyone else! AnyRats about?

--
Toodle Pip, Mike McMillan

[Serena Blanchflower]

On 23/11/2023 09:36, Chris wrote:
> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>
> Mrs McT
>
>

Both this and your earlier test message have arrived here safely! Hope
this one reaches you ;)

--
Best wishes, Serena
"No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves." - Dwight D.
Eisenhower

[Serena Blanchflower]

On 23/11/2023 09:52, Mike McMillan wrote:
> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>
>>> Mrs McT
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I’m here again.
>>
>> Mrs McT
>>
>>
>
> But I can’t see anyone else! AnyRats about?
>

Waving!

--
Best wishes, Serena
Serenity isn't freedom from the storm; it is peace within the storm...
(anon)

[Pete W]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:52:48 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan
<toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:

>Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>
>>> Mrs McT
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I’m here again.
>>
>> Mrs McT
>>
>>
>
>But I can’t see anyone else! AnyRats about?

Peekaboo, I see you <bg> Not much going on at the moment. I've seen
very few posts in the last few days even with the dramatic storylines
of the last few days.
---
Pete.

[Mike McMillan]

You aren’t listening to The Archers, are you???!!! (Shock Horror!)

[Mike McMillan]

My name is Toodles, I’ve been reading this newsgroup for something over
twenty years …. I would just like to say … I haven’t listened to The
Archers for at least six months - But, I could give my abstinence up and
any time if I wished too…

[Mike McMillan]

Serena Blanchflower <nos...@blanchflower.me.uk> wrote:
> On 23/11/2023 09:36, Chris wrote:
>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>
>> Mrs McT
>>
>>
>
> Both this and your earlier test message have arrived here safely! Hope
> this one reaches you ;)
>

Thank you Serena, it did indeed! Very quiet round ‘ere innit?

[Paul Herber]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:52:48 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan <toodl...@virginmedia.com>
wrote:

>Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>
>>> Mrs McT
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I’m here again.
>>
>> Mrs McT
>>
>>
>
>But I can’t see anyone else! AnyRats about?

Waves, but I am also on Eternal September.


--
Regards, Paul Herber
https://www.paulherber.co.uk/

[Paul Herber]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:31:19 +0000, Paul Herber <pa...@paulherber.co.uk> wrote:

>On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:52:48 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan <toodl...@virginmedia.com>
>wrote:
>
>>Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>>
>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I’m here again.
>>>
>>> Mrs McT
>>>
>>>
>>
>>But I can’t see anyone else! AnyRats about?
>
>Waves, but I am also on Eternal September.

and I couldn't reply until I changed the ’ to an ' in the subject line.

[Pete W]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:18:37 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan

<toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:

>Mike McMillan <toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:
>> Pete W <pe...@never.here> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:52:48 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan
>>> <toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>

>>>>> I?m here again.
>>>>>
>>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> But I can?t see anyone else! AnyRats about?

>>>
>>> Peekaboo, I see you <bg> Not much going on at the moment. I've seen
>>> very few posts in the last few days even with the dramatic storylines
>>> of the last few days.
>>> ---
>>> Pete.
>>>
>>
>> You aren’t listening to The Archers, are you???!!! (Shock Horror!)
>>
>
>My name is Toodles, I’ve been reading this newsgroup for something over
>twenty years …. I would just like to say … I haven’t listened to The
>Archers for at least six months - But, I could give my abstinence up and
>any time if I wished too…

I am! I'm a sucker for punishment <g> I've been around for a similar
length of time. Very infrequent poster though.

If it's the "Rob and Helen" storyline that's keeping you away then it
might be safe to return soon.
---
Pete.

[krw]

Otherwise occupied but spent most of yesterday listening to an absurd
week of radio.

Shiv appeared out of the ether briefly and a vicar spent a Sunday not in
church.

Helen was behaving oddly and the cause of her oddness some child called
Gideon could not even be bothered to talk. Some guy she was with
sounded as if he was too ill to be on the wireless.

And there was a party for some Irish lad called Rugrat who was so boring
he could not even be bothered to put on fancy dress or speak at his own
party.

The waste of airtime over this week and the previous week (which was
worse in many respects with Alan amongst others acting out of character)
makes me long for the days of the Beetle who was never this bad.

--
Kosmo Richard W
www.travelswmw.whitnet.uk
https://tinyurl.com/KRWpics

[Tony Smith]

On Thursday, 23 November 2023 at 09:36:06 UTC, Chris wrote:
> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>
> Mrs McT

The null comment.

[Mike McMillan]

There are also the Horrorbin takeover plots, and as for that
Nocasha…Ambridge seems to be a Yoof magnet too!

[Mike McMillan]

The Beetle was bad - but after her, it became atrocious!

[Serena Blanchflower]

Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
Titchener grandchild.


--
Best wishes, Serena
Dreaming, I dreamt that life was all joy. Waking, I found that life
demands service. Serving, I found that joy is in service.
(Rabindranath Tagore)

[Pete W]

Interesting. If your feeling turns out to be correct, what is the
legal postion, does the family of the father of a child gave any legal
claim over that child? I wouldn't have thought so, but then I'm no
lawyer.
---
Pete.

[krw]

Well Helen had decided that the child ought to have knowledge of his
father despite all the money spent on non-contact orders and suchlike so
even if it is a bad idea for the spawn of the devil to have contact with
the family of the devil and their develish ways judging by her recent
decision making she will decide that she knows best and that there
should be regular contact.

After all ever since the SoC decided that there needed to be this story
it has destroyed the ambience and strayed ever further from reality.

[Clive Arthur]

On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>
> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
> Titchener grandchild.

In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would get
the lot, whatever that is, I think.

There's certainly room for mischief-making from beyond the grave.

--
Cheers
Clive

[Serena Blanchflower]

Under the circumstances, I don't think they'd have any realistic chance
of winning a case to gain access to him but they could certainly make
Helen's life hell while they argued for it. A more likely long term
issue is if Rob has left any significant property to Gideon, in trust,
with, maybe, Miles and Helen as trustees.

We've also been told that Miles doesn't have children, so it's possible
that the farm in Hampshire, or a share of it, may also go to him.
Again, if this is in trust, it will be a long term anchor to the past.


--
Best wishes, Serena
It was such a lovely day I thought it a pity to get up. (W. Somerset
Maugham)

[Serena Blanchflower]

On 23/11/2023 13:25, Clive Arthur wrote:
> On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>
>> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
>> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
>> Titchener grandchild.
>
> In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would get
> the lot, whatever that is, I think.

Yes, he would.

>
> There's certainly room for mischief-making from beyond the grave.
>

Which is the reason we can be pretty certain Rob won't have died
intestate.

--
Best wishes, Serena
Whenever I get the urge to exercise, I lie down until the feeling
passes. (Robert Hutchins)

[Vicky]

Let me know when. Please.

[Nick Odell]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:25:11 +0000, Vicky <vicky...@gmail.com>

I thought last night's two-hander between Jim and Helen was very
touching and very sweet. So much so that I made a point of listening
to it again this afternoon.

Nick

[carolet]

On 23/11/2023 15:01, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
> On 23/11/2023 13:25, Clive Arthur wrote:
>> On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>
>>> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
>>> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
>>> Titchener grandchild.
>>
>> In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would
>> get the lot, whatever that is, I think.
>
> Yes, he would.

I am now trying to remember whether Rob adopted Henry. If he did (and
the adoption still stands), then intestacy rules would surely divide the
lot between the two of them.

>
>>
>> There's certainly room for mischief-making from beyond the grave.
>>
>
> Which is the reason we can be pretty certain Rob won't have died intestate.
>

--

CaroleT

[krw]

On 23.11.23 16:53, carolet wrote:
> I am now trying to remember whether Rob adopted Henry.

No - he told Henry at the time of the kidnap that Henry was nothing to him.

[Sam Plusnet]

On 23-Nov-23 9:59, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
> On 23/11/2023 09:52, Mike McMillan wrote:
>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>>
>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I’m here again.
>>>
>>> Mrs McT
>>>
>>>
>>
>> But I can’t see anyone else! AnyRats about?
>>
>
> Waving!

Drowning!

--
Sam Plusnet

[Sam Plusnet]

Bequest conditional on a name change to Gideon?

--
Sam Plusnet

[Sam Plusnet]

On 23-Nov-23 9:36, Chris wrote:
> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!

I have this weird feeling that someone is trying to communicate with us
- but there's no-one there!

It's all very spooky.

--
Sam Plusnet

[Sam Plusnet]

On 23-Nov-23 9:37, Chris wrote:

> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>

>> Mrs McT
>>
>>
>>
>
> I’m here again.

There it goes again!

--
Sam Plusnet

[Serena Blanchflower]

On 23/11/2023 16:53, carolet wrote:
> On 23/11/2023 15:01, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>> On 23/11/2023 13:25, Clive Arthur wrote:
>>> On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
>>>> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
>>>> Titchener grandchild.
>>>
>>> In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would
>>> get the lot, whatever that is, I think.
>>
>> Yes, he would.
>
>
> I am now trying to remember whether Rob adopted Henry. If he did (and
> the adoption still stands), then intestacy rules would surely divide the
> lot between the two of them.

No, I'm pretty sure he didn't. IIRC, there was talk of him doing so but
then he learned, probably from Alistair, how rigorous the assessment
from social services was, and he decided he didn't want to go through
with it.


--
Best wishes, Serena
I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells (Dr. Seuss)

[Chris J Dixon]

Pete W wrote:

>If it's the "Rob and Helen" storyline that's keeping you away then it
>might be safe to return soon.

Unless they borrow from a well known regal drama (AIUI) and have
ghostly reappearances.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham
'48/33 M B+ G++ A L(-) I S-- CH0(--)(p) Ar- T+ H0 ?Q
ch...@cdixon.me.uk @ChrisJDixon1
Plant amazing Acers.

[Serena Blanchflower]

That does sound all too believable. He'd probably want him to be a
Titchener, as well as being Gideon.

--
Best wishes, Serena
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke
of luck (Dalai Lama)

[Penny]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:40:13 +0000, Nick Odell <nicko...@yahoo.ca>
scrawled in the dust...

>I thought last night's two-hander between Jim and Helen was very
>touching and very sweet. So much so that I made a point of listening
>to it again this afternoon.

It was well done.
Good old Jim, just what Helen needed.

What no one needed was Adil being pathetic again.
--
Penny
Annoyed by The Archers since 1959

[Clive Arthur]

Far out!

--
Cheers
Clive

[Vicky]

BTN

[John Ashby]

Accepted though close to being witty without the cringe.

john

[Mike McMillan]

Whoosh?

[Nick Odell]

You had to be there, Mike

Nick

[Sally Thompson]

Serena Blanchflower <nos...@blanchflower.me.uk> wrote:
> On 23/11/2023 18:20, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>> On 23-Nov-23 13:25, Clive Arthur wrote:
>>> On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
>>>> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
>>>> Titchener grandchild.
>>>
>>> In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would
>>> get the lot, whatever that is, I think.
>>>
>>> There's certainly room for mischief-making from beyond the grave.
>>
>> Bequest conditional on a name change to Gideon?
>>
>
> That does sound all too believable. He'd probably want him to be a
> Titchener, as well as being Gideon.
>

IANAL but I don't think such conditions are enforceable.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK

[Vicky]

On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:27:57 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan
<toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46479/not-waving-but-drowning

[Mike McMillan]

I’ve heard of ‘Not waving but Drowning’ but BTN?

[Vicky]

On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 18:28:08 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan

<toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:

>Vicky <vicky...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:27:57 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan
>> <toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:
>>
>>> John Ashby <johna...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> On 24/11/2023 12:11, Vicky wrote:
>>>>> On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:20:46 +0000, Clive Arthur
>>>>> <cl...@nowaytoday.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 23/11/2023 18:16, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>>>>>>> On 23-Nov-23 9:59, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 23/11/2023 09:52, Mike McMillan wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>> I?m here again.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> But I can?t see anyone else! AnyRats about?

>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Waving!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Drowning!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Far out!
>>>>>
>>>>> BTN
>>>>
>>>> Accepted though close to being witty without the cringe.
>>>>
>>>> john
>>>>
>>>
>>> Whoosh?
>>
>>
>> https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46479/not-waving-but-drowning
>>
>
>I’ve heard of ‘Not waving but Drowning’ but BTN?

Well far out is where he was and slang jokey and he dies.

[J. P. Gilliver]

In message <ksc6o5...@mid.individual.net> at Fri, 24 Nov 2023
18:01:41, Sally Thompson <thompson....@gmail.com.invalid> writes

IANAL either, but assuming the suggestion is some bequest that was only
granted if the name-change was implemented, my thought was that it could
probably be done, but would need careful writing to ensure the recipient
didn't just change his name to get the bequest, then change it back
again immediately. The only way I can think of it would be a drip-feed
bequest.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"The great tragedy of science, the slaying of a beautiful theory by an ugly
fact. - Thomas Henry Huxley

[Sam Plusnet]

We would need to take a charabanc over to uk.legal.moderated, and pepper
them with these questions.

They might be able to come up with some terrible post-demise
mischief-making that we haven't thought of.

--
Sam Plusnet

[Serena Blanchflower]

Like you, IANAL, but I'm sure you're right. Even if you weren't able to
simply ignore such condition, I'm confident that it's a term that the
court would be happy to strike out. Either way, and especially with
Miles stirring things, as executor and trustee, it would greatly add to
Helen's angst.

--
Best wishes, Serena
Exercise is bunk. If you are healthy you don't need it. If you are
sick, you shouldn't take it. (Henry Ford)

[Clive Arthur]

On 24/11/2023 18:28, Mike McMillan wrote:

<snip mildly humorous quip>

>> https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46479/not-waving-but-drowning
>>
>
> I’ve heard of ‘Not waving but Drowning’ but BTN?

I just love larking.

Much as I'd like to be considered for the award with the concomitant
(thank god for spell chequers) large cash prize, I understand that
entries are limited to ten per person, and that doesn't make the grade.

I do love that poem though, especially because I'm not sure why.

--
Cheers
Clive

[Sam Plusnet]

On 24-Nov-23 20:45, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
> On 24/11/2023 18:01, Sally Thompson wrote:
>> Serena Blanchflower <nos...@blanchflower.me.uk> wrote:
>>> On 23/11/2023 18:20, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>>>> On 23-Nov-23 13:25, Clive Arthur wrote:
>>>>> On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
>>>>>> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
>>>>>> Titchener grandchild.
>>>>>
>>>>> In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would
>>>>> get the lot, whatever that is, I think.
>>>>>
>>>>> There's certainly room for mischief-making from beyond the grave.
>>>>
>>>> Bequest conditional on a name change to Gideon?
>>>>
>>>
>>> That does sound all too believable.  He'd probably want him to be a
>>> Titchener, as well as being Gideon.
>>>
>>
>> IANAL but I don't think such conditions are enforceable.
>>
>
> Like you, IANAL, but I'm sure you're right.  Even if you weren't able to
> simply ignore such condition, I'm confident that it's a term that the
> court would be happy to strike out.  Either way, and especially with
> Miles stirring things, as executor and trustee, it would greatly add to
> Helen's angst.
>

A court might strike it out, but in true Jarndyce v Jarndyce fashion the
value of any bequest might be entirely swallowed up by the cost of
litigation.

--
Sam Plusnet

[John Ashby]

Stevie Smith.

john

[Serena Blanchflower]

I think that, if I was Helen[1], I might prefer that to either accepting
Rob's conditions or allowing the Titcheners to benefit from the bequest.



[1] and, possibly, depending on the size and nature of the disputed bequest

--
Best wishes, Serena
Q. When is it unlucky to see a black cat?
A. When you're a mouse

[Rosie Mitchell]

Clive Arthur <cl...@nowaytoday.co.uk> writes:

> On 24/11/2023 18:28, Mike McMillan wrote:
>
> <snip mildly humorous quip>
>
>>> https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46479/not-waving-but-drowning
>>>
>> I’ve heard of ‘Not waving but Drowning’ but BTN?
>
> I just love larking.

It wasn't Philip Larking it was Stevie Smith.


"They tuck you up, your mum and dad"


Rosie

[Chris]

Mike McMillan <toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:
> Serena Blanchflower <nos...@blanchflower.me.uk> wrote:

>> On 23/11/2023 09:36, Chris wrote:
>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>
>>> Mrs McT
>>>
>>>
>>

>> Both this and your earlier test message have arrived here safely! Hope
>> this one reaches you ;)
>>
>
> Thank you Serena, it did indeed! Very quiet round ‘ere innit?
>

McT relies on me but even I stopped short of a couple of Rob scenes where
it was all about Jack.

Mrs McT

[Mike McMillan]

As mentioned ⬆️ upthread somewhere, re-running from Day One in 1954 would
be very much in line with Auntie’s policies of repeat - repeat - repeat -
until it lies flattened, flogged and dead on the ground. By this means,
they could probably save a packet on staff, production, actors,
scriptwriters and …. well, shirley any mature listener from 50 years ago
will be past complaining, won’t remember it anyway, or is pushing up the
cow pats. There I have just saved Auntie an absolute fortune - whaddya mean
Umarts - you want a share in my extortionate fee?

[Clive Arthur]

I thought that was Clarrie Larkin, doing her Pam Ayres impression?

--
Cheers
Clive

[Sam Plusnet]

There should be plenty of opportunity for concerned friends and family
members to butt in and offer their two pennerth.

If the bequest was to be, say, some percentage of the net estate, the
actual value might be known for a while.

--
Sam Plusnet

[Kate B]

On 24/11/2023 18:01, Sally Thompson wrote:

I had a friend at university who inherited quite a lot of money from an
aunt or uncle, on that condition. He accepted and carried on playing the
piano to great acclaim, only with rather more of a safety net than most
professional musicians.

--
Kate B

[Rosie Mitchell]

Clive Arthur <cl...@nowaytoday.co.uk> writes:

> On 23/11/2023 12:05, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>> Although I have a feeling that it may be superseded by the Miles (or
>> possibly, Bruce) storyline, as Rob's family want control of the only
>> Titchener grandchild.
>
> In the admittedly unlikely event that Rob died intestate, Jack would
> get the lot, whatever that is, I think.
>
> There's certainly room for mischief-making from beyond the grave.

I only discovered a couple of years ago that my father died intestate in
1977 – nobody ever said anything about it and I assumed (since I'd seen
an earlier, unwitnessed, draft of a will) that he had left everything to
my mother. It surprised me because for one thing the value of his estate
was very small considering what he had been earning in Canada, where
he'd gone with his employers for two years not long before and taken Mum
with him, and the value of the house in Reading. Also that he'd done a
lot of sorting of other financial and other affairs in consultation with
my sister and her husband, but not a word to me. And thinking, in
retrospect, not only that sister and hubby were able to put down a deposit on a
house within months of his demise, but that the great rift between
sister and Mum happened round about the same time [1]. I will now never know
what that was about since Mum is dead and sister thoroughly estranged.

I'm pretty sure that a deal was done between my father and my
sister/broil before they went to Canada. For one thing, part of the
arrangement was that the family house in Welwyn GC was put up for
renting out without any consultation with me – it was presented to me as
a fait accompli – leaving me with nowhere to go to in the university
vacations. I know I could have stayed in Liverpool on my own in a damp
student flat with the students union providing a skeleton service, but I
didn't think that was fair – would you? Some kind of arrangement was
made for me to stay with sis/broil in their council house but since sis
made it abundantly clear that I was there under sufferance (for one
thing I was expected to take my evening meal early with toddler-nepling
and then make myself scarce for the evening I very strongly suspect that
this arrangement was bought. Probably this involved the "gratuitous"
gift of a big Grundig radio-cassette player (a big deal in 1974) but
probably a great deal more than that. Incidentally, they were able to
get a council house because Welwyn GC ran one of those ghastly schemes
to keep people with dusky skins out by limiting council houses to those
with one or both sets of parents already living in one and broil's
parents lived in one. I do remember in my A-level year having to sleep
on the sofa so that they could get more "points" by claiming we were
"overcrowded" – my bedroom having been commandeered for nepling,
naturally.

When my father died my partner and I were living in a tiny rented attic
flat in Hull. We didn't qualify for a council house anywhere and got sod
all help from my parents!

Here endeth this rant.

Rosie

[1] Not long before Mum's mind began to disintegrate, she told me that
the roots of the rift were in August 1968 when, once again due to Dad
working abroad, his family were given a two week holiday in
Amsterdam. This didn't cover broil since they weren't married yet but it
seems my sister had demanded that he come too, so Dad paid for him but
not for a separate room for him (he shared mine, which clearly satisfied
neither of us, and parents were too prissy to let him share with
sis). Anyway there came a day towards the end of the holiday when things
had obviously been said either before or after breakfast when I was out
of the way. The plan was to go to Zandvoort for the day, but sis was
like a wet Monday morning (it was Friday, and I think it may have been
sunny) on the train. The only memory of Zandvoort I have (apart from
walking uphill from the station to the seafront) is of me (just turned
14) standing near the sea wall not knowing where to put myself as
broil-to-be (21 I think, I've never been quite sure to be honest)
shouted angrily at Mum, presumably about how badly she treated her elder
daughter. I didn't catch what was being said, I didn't want to know
then, but I have a theory: sis (aged 19) wanted to go off with broil to
do their own thing but mum had told her no because she didn't want me to
be unhappily trailing after mum and dad on h[is|er] own. The funny thing
is that had she been open with me I'd probably have agreed with sis but
she wasn't, so all I got was the sense that I wanted to be anywhere but
there. And even now I can't imagine in a million years why a young man
would want to shout so angrily at his girlfriend's mother. I wouldn't
have dreamed of it, would you?

[Nick Odell]

Or, as Alan Silitoe used to say, Jack all.

Nick

[Nick Odell]

On Sat, 25 Nov 2023 15:24:41 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan
<toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:

>Chris <chris.m...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> Mike McMillan <toodl...@virginmedia.com> wrote:
>>> Serena Blanchflower <nos...@blanchflower.me.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 23/11/2023 09:36, Chris wrote:
>>>>> We are here, I saw my test message fly away, but not come back!
>>>>>
>>>>> Mrs McT
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Both this and your earlier test message have arrived here safely! Hope
>>>> this one reaches you ;)
>>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you Serena, it did indeed! Very quiet round ‘ere innit?
>>>
>>
>> McT relies on me but even I stopped short of a couple of Rob scenes where
>> it was all about Jack.
>>
>> Mrs McT
>>
>>
>

>As mentioned ?? upthread somewhere, re-running from Day One in 1954 would

>be very much in line with Auntie’s policies of repeat - repeat - repeat -
>until it lies flattened, flogged and dead on the ground. By this means,
>they could probably save a packet on staff, production, actors,
>scriptwriters and …. well, shirley any mature listener from 50 years ago
>will be past complaining, won’t remember it anyway, or is pushing up the
>cow pats. There I have just saved Auntie an absolute fortune - whaddya mean
>Umarts - you want a share in my extortionate fee?

You might have saved Auntie an absolute fortune but in the process you
appear to have invented a new, German form of punctuation.

Nick

[krw]

On 25.11.23 15:24, Mike McMillan wrote:
> As mentioned ⬆️ upthread somewhere, re-running from Day One in 1954

1951 I believe. I am not sure much original exists pre the mid-80's -
although I assume the scripts are held somewhere.

--
Kosmo Richard W
www.travelswmw.whitnet.uk
https://tinyurl.com/KRWpics