Ausydnestan -Jobless Australia.

Due to the constant problems with the internet availability in Country NSW Strayer, the  distant Asian country of the former USSR Ratshitasstan has offered their commiserations stating they are on an equal footing and seriously considering to adopt the morse code if things become worse, and to complete its sympathy wish to become sister states-referring to us as Ausydnestan.
And to make matters, even more, worse it seems that any voice communication with future Australia Govt call centres will be answered by a voice from Amritsar Mumbai or Dacca. Employees at Call centres in India will receive only 10% of the wages of those in   Ausynestan- Alias Australia.

For the past three months or more I have been plagued by the internet. despite calls to my provider and technicians calling at our office. It is down at the moment like it has been half a dozen times or more today. I shall post this at the first opportunity.

Hope springs eternal.  Vest.

 

WORDS FOR WEDNESDAY BY VEST

And now for something completely different, all done in the best possible taste. and 99% true.                                                                Vest's words for this week are.
                      Dumped. Welcome. Incident.Sounded.Ended. Unaware, or and.
                      Moving. Attended. Responsible. Smell. Arrived. Window.
This story starts at around the same month I was on leave from my ship after the war in 1946 and follows the Albert Story.from last weeks ' Words', It then recalls earlier years.

My Foster Parent, who I referred to as Aunty had for a decade or more been enamoured to a  local farmer a Mr Turner. I had observed from an early age about when I was six or seven the strange secret meetings of this pair of lovebirds.

Auntie’s former beau Mr Turner had dumped Auntie Parker when aged fifty-three and married the shop lady, a frumpy but more frisky forty-year-old, who was the mother of Joyce my former skinny dipping friend, who became a GI Bride and was shipped off to the USA shortly after the war ended. Auntie still living in hope, attended the dance and booze up at the village hall in Chalgrove; where I had arrived earlier, to collect my fifty pounds welcome home money generously supplied by  those who were not veterans, The combined smell of beer body odour and kerosene lamp oil; was battling for supremacy over the stench of tobacco smoke. A dreary old band was playing ancient country yokel music, it was then I saw through the haze the familiar faces of (now married) Ernie and horse face Maggie Bellman, sitting next to their eleven-year-old twin daughters. It must be assumed then, it was Ernie who was responsible for the input of beautiful genes to their daughters who surprisingly looked quite pretty. Auntie remarked that I was probably aware of the time when Maggie conceived in the hayloft in 1933.

 Shortly after I spoke to Ernie about the incident and we had a good belly laugh. Ernie told me that if I had not given the game away on that fateful day in the hayloft, he would probably still be single. It was at the time back in 1933 during the last days at the farm cottage before moving to monument road.
During the last few days at the cottage, I had caught chickenpox and had to stay away from school. The lady next door attended to my needs, being that Auntie Parker had taken the bus into town. I had been told she was staying overnight with Uncle Robert in Oxford. However, from my bedroom window, I had seen Auntie sitting on the bus, but why was she sitting next to farmer Turner?

The cottage or Whites farmhouse was some 400 years old and harboured many mysteries. I had arrived there in the middle of 1931 as a five-year-old with my six-year-old brother. One day while alone in the back bedroom the daughter of my Foster parent heard me talking and wondered whom I was having a conversation with.  when I replied that it was a funny looking man with a large hat with feathers and buckled riding shoes they were aghast at my reply, the fact  that I would have had little knowledge of what they presumed was a spectre from the Civil war days, a Cavalier during the renowned battle of Chalgrove field on Thursday the 18th of June. 1643. It is of little wonder that the family were moving to a more modern residence.

I remember well that afternoon two years later while I was resting, the same day that Aunty and Farmer Turner were seen on the Bus together  I heard two distinct voices through the wall of my bedroom,. It sounded like they were coming from the hayloft. After a while, I crept downstairs and out of the back door. and by standing on the rain tank, I could see through the crack in the timber siding. Big Ernie Bellman was making love to horse-faced Maggie Sherbrook! Being only seven years of age, I was unaware of the significance of this tomfoolery. 'How dare they use our house for their skylarking."

 I crept around to the front of the barn and quietly squeezed through the barn door. I moved the ladder to the hayloft and put the bar down on the barn door, closing it tightly with the pin. My carer, Mrs, James who lived next door, saw me near the front door and scolded me for being out of bed. I told her what had happened. Shortly afterwards, a large number of villagers gathered around the barn door and a cheer went up when Maggie and Ernie appeared rather sheepishly, making all manner of excuses.

 I had begun to earn quite a reputation around the village. The following day, I got a smack from Auntie when she returned from her frolic with Mr Turner, I told her they were only doing what the Billy goat does to the Nanny Goat. However, Aunty's holier than thou attitude was wrecked in the village when local lad 'Ginger Spicer' - Ernies friend, revealed he had seen Aunty and farmer Turner at the same time he was in the Randolph hotel in Oxford when he was Courting the local butcher's daughter.

After having acknowledged Aunty's remark about the loft incident, and  Aunty is in a merry mood, and stating " they must be taking turns to wear a bag over their heads" It was then that Maggie came over and kissed me - while I closed my eyes during this frightful experience she told me she was pleased to see me after so many years. Maggie, I thought; had a lot to thank me for and I believe she realised it

The accent of one's early years lives on in our mind.and in our heart as it does in our speech.

Vest Daily Gaggle.




I

My Friend Albert.

                                Words for Wednesday, July 18. 2018
 Cheerful. River. Children. Sunday. House. Age. Or and. Demise.Noise.Point. Idea. Above. Year.

                                             Remembering Albert, an old friend..
   
  Old Albert as few of us young lads from the neighbouring village referred to him was a cheerful and helpful person. Most Saturday mornings we would find Albert fishing in the river Thame not far from where it enters the Thames at Dorchester on the Thames in Oxfordshire. It seemed to some, that Albert was an ordinary working person, However, my own judgement was otherwise, Although his dialect was slightly different than local his superior brand of fishing tackle suggested he was 'Well off 'so to speak

I was about nine years of age when Albert took the time to instruct me on how to catch that elusive Jack-Pike; a large predatory river fish, by tying a hook and line around a frog and allowing it to swim in an Eddy of a river bend

 But these Halcyon years of my youth faded to summer vacations from then on from my wretched boarding school at ten point five years until Joining the Royal Navy At a tender age of 15 years and Five months And like many other children became a crew member of a large battleship one year later.

It was during the Second World War in July1944 I had arrived home on leave from my ship which had returned from the Mediterranean and was refitting in Liverpool in order to form the British Pacific fleet later that year.

Chalgrove my home village was agog with activity, A British company had built an airfield within about 100 yards from our back garden. The noise factor was intense. So without much ado, I discovered my brother's aged Motorcycle which had a small amount of fuel to which I added a quantity of paint thinner.- It Roared to life after a few kicks then shortly after I  set off with my Fishing Tackle; praying this mechanical beast would make it there and back from the river.

Being it was a Sunday it was fairly quiet except for a shout" Is that, you Les". An old Guy in his Sixties or more appeared. It was old Albert. he seemed pleased to see me again. I told him I intended to go to the lock keepers house to visit his daughter although much my senior Pearl was perceived to be a little above my station, nevertheless, we were good friends.

Albert placed his hand on my shoulder and say's " I'm sorry to disappoint you Les but the family have moved away, but to where I have no idea. You see the lock keeper had a complete breakdown on hearing of his sons' demise on the Battleship Barham last year.

I was fortunate to meet Albert on that Sunday when the summer rain arrived unexpectantly he said we should go to his house for lunch, it was not far as he had walked there but now hitched a ride on the pillion of the motorcycle - we were nearly there when the fuel ran out. We then wheeled the Bike to his amazing waterfront home.

It was discovered that a fuel line was the problem with the bike so It was arranged for it to be fixed and refuelled the following day on a Monday.

My fishing friend who apart from knowing him as a regular guy on the river bank; had a lovely home, We had lunch in a unique and interesting dining room where the walls were painted with beautiful murals in a panorama  of rolling hills and babbling streams, with winding roads which meandered through pleasant meadows, tiny houses dot the landscape and a small white church with a tall steeple.

That is the church I attended as a boy, up north a bit, Laughing he say's" I sat through many boring sermons in that church with my parents, they are long buried in its cemetery but in memory I go and stand by their graves and to hear them speak to me as in days gone by. it helps to sit here and return to the untroubled days when my life was new and fresh, it does something for me, it gives me peace.

It was several years later after WW2 when I revisited the area, to call on old Albert. Sadly old Albert unknown to me had retired from his business - shoe manufacturing in Northampton. and was living on borrowed time even when I first met him. His kind old body lies buried in the cemetery of that little white church with the tall steeple.

 I visited Alberts lovely home by the river, now occupied by a family with several children playing happily in Albert's lovely garden.

Kindly words are a honeycomb, sweet to the taste, wholesome to the body.

Vest Daily Gaggle.

Yesterday My 92nd Birthday.

I received cards and telephone wishes from family members, plus two cakes and it seemed like hundreds of calls on my hardly visited the Facebook page. now under control by my son Chris. Thank you Facebook friends. Also yesterday I renewed my driving licence, my local RTA complex seemed more humane since its upgrade last year and the people behind the desk more friendly opposed to what was formerly like a visit to the Gestapo headquarters. shortly after we had lunch at a cafe followed by a free haircut at 'CUTS Are us. I had filled the previous7 slots over the year.
 My Son Chris bought me a new keyboard for my PC and a new reading lamp.
I now intend to shower early and also have an early bedtime. I am becoming a trifle tired. I shall post "Words for Wednesday" soon . after this. See you all later on "WORDS". Love you all.

Vest Daily Gaggle.

ON THIS DAY 16th Of July.

                                                      On this day, the 16th of July.

The year 622. The beginning of the Muslim Calendar. Prophet Mohammad flees from Mecca to Medina.

The year 1945. The first Atom Bomb test takes place in the New Mexico Desert/.

The year 1969, at 2100hrs GMT. Appolo 11  Starts its journey to the moon

The year 1926.-92 years ago  Yours truly Me, VEST entered this Big World.

This year, Today Approximately 65,753 people in Australia will have a Happy Birthday.?.
.                                                 ----

This post will be available 24 hours earlier due to possible irregular activities occuring.

Words  On Wednesday.

         Words this week are
 Observation. Enjoying. Dining. Capacity. Manufacture Embarrassed.
                                                               Or and
Journey. Business. Baptism.Subject. Loudly. Surprised.

Half of these words were selected at random by a third party. the remainder selected from my story.
                                              Happiness.
My wife and I arrived early at the central station in Sydney for our twelve hours *Journey North to Brisbane, in order to attend our first grandson's * Baptism. It was intended to be a happy and rewarding reunion with family members as well as a comfortable first-class * journey plus *enjoying the scenery along the way.

Shortly after starting our trip my Wife and I  joined other passengers in the *Dining Car and sat across from a husband and wife who were strangers to us. The lady was expensively dressed, as the high fashioned clothes and jewellery indicated. But she was having a most unpleasant time with herself.
Rather * loudly she proclaimed that the dining room was dingy and draughty, the service abominable and the food most unpalatable. She complained and fretted about everything. Her husband, on the contrary, was an easy going man who had the *capacity to take things as they come, although he seemed to be a trifle *embarrassed by his wife's critical attitude and somewhat disappointed too as he was taking her on this trip for her pleasure.

To change the * subject, he asked what *  business I was in and said he was a  Doctor, then he laughed and said: " My wife is in the manufacturing * business". This * surprised me as she did not appear to be an industrious type of person, so I asked the Doctor" What does she *Manufacture" he laughed and replied " My wife manufactures her own misery.

Despite the icy coolness that settled on the table following this ill-advised * observation, I was grateful for his remark, for it aptly described what far too many people do.
On returning to our comfortable Ist Class seats, I fell asleep only to wake some two hours later, Feeling pleased with myself having rested, however, my wife was still snoozing but with a beautiful and happy smile on her pretty face. I feel blessed that today I am not a doctor, plus I have nothing that needs changing. Seems like we will have to take in the scenery on the return *Journey.
Vest. Dailygaggle.com.

Most that one suffers from unhappiness, comes from the tongue
 Words are like bees, Sometimes they have honey, sometimes a sting.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSEY. LOVE YOU"

 Today July 5 is the birthday anniversary of my dear departed Lady - Wife and Best Friend  Beautiful Rosemary.

 Rosemary was born in 1934 and would be celebrating her fun-filled fourth 21st today. Rosemary was an ageless person - Loving - hard to fault - priceless in every aspect.

It was also on July 5 at 2am 1971 on Rosemary's 37th birthday when our family sailed from Southampton on the good ship 'Britannis', a ship carrying mostly migrants to Australia.

                               

                                LOVE YOU ROSEMARY

L

Words for Wednesday .

Words this week provided by Vest,  limited to six words to enable more people to take part
     Mixture. Summer. Footsteps. Warmth. Shelter. Chilly. These words were selected by a third party and used in the following story

                             A late English Summer.!970

   Many of us manufacture our own misery. Of course, not all unhappiness is self-created, for social conditions are responsible for more than a few of our woes. yet it is a fact that to a large extent by our thoughts and our attitudes we brew from the ingredients of life either happiness or unhappiness for ourselves. Our good fortune in being able to send all of our school-aged children to school camp and the three-year-old to grannies for a week. was also a blessing and a sort of contrived happiness.

It was during this heaven-sent break from our lovely children on a bright English summer afternoon, my Wife and I went for a long walk into the woods where we were staying near the lakeside village of lilyponds our favourite weekend getaway in the Chiltern Hills. On this afternoon there was a*mixture of *summer showers and sunlit hours. being far from the * shelter we became soaked, we both looked a mess, then when the rain stopped we hugged each other and as we squelched our way back towards the village only stopping briefly in a sunlit area to rest and allow ourselves to dry out. Shortly after we walked under the trees in the woods; flying insects awakened by the showers hurried us along and later feeling tired we sat down on a lichen-encrusted log for a further rest, there we talked for awhile and then remained silent.

 We were listening to the quietness, the woods are rarely still, there is a lot of activity in progress, but natures sounds are quiet and harmonious, nature was laying its healing quietness on us, we were happy.

Shortly after we arrived at our rented cottage where we were greeted by the live-in help, it had become somewhat *chilly with a light northerly wind blowing. but the * warmth of the cottage interior was comforting and the oldie world aroma of the Steak and kidney pudding warmed our entry.

 That evening we planned to leave early the following morning in order  to visit my childhood village of Chalgrove and other surrounding villages where only * footsteps away were other quaint old-world cottages and the former homes of likenesses of Geoffrey Chaucer and who with Jerome K Jerome lived in more recent times and was buried in the local church in Ewelme. It is a region of Great Britain where history becomes alive.



Let yourself shine, do not compare yourself to anyone else.
 Vest ... back soon.