The Ship is a fount of knowledge. All these years I had believed the farthing bird was a robin. Now I also remember it was considered clever among very young people to suppress the 'h' in farthing.
I dug one up in my garden a few months ago. I know there is some way of making it shiny again, does anyone know?
The Ship is a fount of knowledge. All these years I had believed the farthing bird was a robin. Now I also remember it was considered clever among very young people to suppress the 'h' in farthing.
I dug one up in my garden a few months ago. I know there is some way of making it shiny again, does anyone know?
Pop it in coke a cola for an hour then polish it with a cloth.
Last time in hospital with a broken arm they did a return home assessment. It was funny given that I had a broken arm, they were quite concerned about whether I could get on or off bed OK and whether I could walk up and down stairs. Not nearly as concerned about whether I could put clothes on or wash myself.
All right I broke it going downstairs but that was because I misjudged the end of the stairs.
This is because if you can’t wash and dress yourself, it’s fairly easy to put in temporary home care to assist you with these tasks (many local authorities will offer this service free of charge for up to 6 weeks). But if a carer has to assist you out of bed or physically support you on the stairs, he/she may well injure their back. And it’s a very expensive option to put in a temporary stair lift if you don’t need one long term.
I'm just too young to remember farthings, but I'd always imagined the little bird to be a sparrow - from the Biblical quote about two sparrows being sold for a farthing.* You learn something new every day!
[tangent]
* there's a carving of two sparrows on the choir stalls in St Magnus Cathedral, which I assume does refer to that verse.
[/tangent]
So many people not recognising a wren has made me feel old - it's realising that the farthing has not exised, even as a memory, for most folks that has suddenly brought it home to me.
Sad to think that the little Jenny Wren, and its distinctive cocked tail is rarely seen scuttling in the hedge-bottoms nowadays.
I regularly see wrens in the hedges round here, so they are still around. The RSPB site says it is the most common UK breeding bird.
And I knew it was a wren on the back, even though I was born several years later.
The Ship is a fount of knowledge. All these years I had believed the farthing bird was a robin. Now I also remember it was considered clever among very young people to suppress the 'h' in farthing.
I dug one up in my garden a few months ago. I know there is some way of making it shiny again, does anyone know?
Pop it in coke a cola for an hour then polish it with a cloth.
I regularly see wrens in the hedges round here, so they are still around. The RSPB site says it is the most common UK breeding bird.
And I knew it was a wren on the back, even though I was born several years later.
We have had a brood hatch somewhere nearby, as I've seen fledglings in our garden recently.
The Ship is a fount of knowledge. All these years I had believed the farthing bird was a robin. Now I also remember it was considered clever among very young people to suppress the 'h' in farthing.
I dug one up in my garden a few months ago. I know there is some way of making it shiny again, does anyone know?
I have spent part of this morning setting up a small photograph album of pictures from my son's recent wedding, which I shall be carrying around in my bag for the foreseeable future and showing off at every available opportunity. People mostly show such things on their phones these days but, yeah, I'm old.
As an aside, when son and DiL had their second child, they told their first they were to have a new baby. First child started referring to the fetus as a little birdie. When second child born, she was named "Wren." Wren is four years old, now.
Or that you just have a tendency to have friends older than yourself, they were so much more interesting when I was younger having lived that much more.
It's when you'd really like to have a cat, but don't because it would likely outlive you.
That exact comment was made in a conversation the other day about our new found cat and her kittens. A friend pointed out that you may think the cat loves you and depends absolutely on you, but in fact s/he doesn't give a damn as long as the next bunk is as comfortable as yours. So if you really want one, put out the "Cat wanted" sign anyway.
Before I home a cat (wife already has one) I would want to ask if someone else in the family or among the circle of friends would be willing to be the god parent for the cat, just in case I do pass on before my furry friend.
My last cat was from rescue, and she was 10 years old, so I felt I had a chance to outlive her, and I did. She had been at the shelter for 9 months. She lived 4 more years. I was 76 at the time. She was my last kitty.
My last cat was from rescue, and she was 10 years old, so I felt I had a chance to outlive her, and I did. She had been at the shelter for 9 months. She lived 4 more years. I was 76 at the time. She was my last kitty.
From the sounds of it, you miss her. We lost our last dog ten years ago. We still miss him. Everything is a little more lonely without our faithful friends.
But how much that is the loss of old friends that would never be replaced by new.
The only way to avoid such loss would be never to have had such friends and our lives would be so much poorer because of that it is not worth contemplating.
We were at the wedding of one of our daughter's school friends yesterday. It was lovely to see the group of friends, now quite scattered, delighting in being back together, full of the joys of life and giving it laldy on the dance floor.
And then I looked round us, the parent generation. The group of people who took turns to ferry them to Brownie sausage sizzles, netball practice, and Guides. Together we watched school plays, supplied snacks for study sessions, and hosted sleepovers. And we looked...old.
Last Monday my son, grandson and I went to Caerphilly Castle. My son has sent me a photo of myself and grandson eating ice-cream; looking atit I thought, "Hmmm, not too bad really for 71"!
I am feeling old when one of my students (arriving straight from high school) whom I taught during the first year of my doctoral studies turned 55 last week.
So many people not recognising a wren has made me feel old - it's realising that the farthing has not exised, even as a memory, for most folks that has suddenly brought it home to me.
I grew up with "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat", and the version I knew went to farthings after halfpennies. I don't think I've ever seen a farthing, but I've always known what one was.
It took several years, however, for me to understand that "tuppenny rice" referred to the cost, and not to the variety.
Little depressed today. I had been taking a woman slightly younger than me to dialysis a couple times a week for the past two years. Recently she seemed to be fading. Today, when I went to pick her up, the assisted living facility where she had been informed me she was now in a skilled nursing across town. I dutifully went to pick her up there, but the skilled nursing people told me she was in a hospital. This could be it for her. Going to miss her if it is.
Today I was visiting my sister in her care home. One of the staff asked if I was older or younger. I could have felt insulted that she even asked, as I look much younger, though in reality the difference is only 18 months.
I’ve never had that problem as my 4 sisters are between 6 and 12 years older than me; the eldest still refers to me, hopefully endearingly, as a ‘child’. I am 56.
It is a problem as you age - that people you have know all your life start to die. And it really does bring it home.
Sorry for you.
Yes, this.
We've lost several friends over the last three years and then in the last nine months my youngest brother and my husband's sister in law.
Some over the age of 80 but sadly most considerably younger (my brother was only 62).
This is something I dread, with 7 older siblings (well, my twin is 20 mins older ). I have already lost a sister in law (age 50) and brother in law (age 67) in the last 2 years.
My father died at 64 so I was rather apprehensive when I was approaching that age. However it was a hurdle I successfully negotiated; I am now 71 and feel in pretty good help.
Incidentally my father was born as long ago as August 1910, so only a couple months after the death of King Edward VII and (more relevantly, as my family is German) during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Not so sad as losing contemporary friends or loved ones, or living with your own intimations of mortality: Actually, this is a sort of intimation of mortality. It happened to me this morning, and brought this thread to mind.
Minor annoyance for pre-boomers which is a major catastrophe for us #204: Dropping the soap in the shower.
Family photo on FB this morning. That very old woman in a wheelchair must be my cousin V, faint as is the resemblance to the lively, dark-haired girl I grew up with. I wonder if she would recognise me?
I was showing my sister ( 82) some old family photos yesterday and realised that all previous generations have died. She is the oldest living relative I have.
My cousins are all a bit younger than I am.
When you are given a ride to the county fair by a senior service, and they put a tracker button on you in case you get lost. Truth be told, the fair was very large, and it would be easy to get mixed up about where the van was parked.
When you are given a ride to the county fair by a senior service, and they put a tracker button on you in case you get lost. Truth be told, the fair was very large, and it would be easy to get mixed up about where the van was parked.
Oh my. I mean, it's good idea and everything, but still.
My "oldness" story is when I happen to realize the year someone was born and notice the sweater I'm wearing is older than they are. To be fair, I have several hooded sweatshirts with the year as part of a logo and these have lasted because I am sentimental about the event. It does make me chuckle a bit inside when I think of how old most items in my wardrobe are.
Comments
I dug one up in my garden a few months ago. I know there is some way of making it shiny again, does anyone know?
Pop it in coke a cola for an hour then polish it with a cloth.
This is because if you can’t wash and dress yourself, it’s fairly easy to put in temporary home care to assist you with these tasks (many local authorities will offer this service free of charge for up to 6 weeks). But if a carer has to assist you out of bed or physically support you on the stairs, he/she may well injure their back. And it’s a very expensive option to put in a temporary stair lift if you don’t need one long term.
[tangent]
* there's a carving of two sparrows on the choir stalls in St Magnus Cathedral, which I assume does refer to that verse.
[/tangent]
Sad to think that the little Jenny Wren, and its distinctive cocked tail is rarely seen scuttling in the hedge-bottoms nowadays.
And I knew it was a wren on the back, even though I was born several years later.
I tried that, it didn't work!
We have had a brood hatch somewhere nearby, as I've seen fledglings in our garden recently.
Overnight smeared with ketchup can help.
Just had my gastrologist tell me I will not need to worry about this anymore.
That exact comment was made in a conversation the other day about our new found cat and her kittens. A friend pointed out that you may think the cat loves you and depends absolutely on you, but in fact s/he doesn't give a damn as long as the next bunk is as comfortable as yours. So if you really want one, put out the "Cat wanted" sign anyway.
People make this argument, it never seems to stop folk having children though.
The children can presumably look after themselves once grown, but orphaning a cat would trouble me more.
From the sounds of it, you miss her. We lost our last dog ten years ago. We still miss him. Everything is a little more lonely without our faithful friends.
The only way to avoid such loss would be never to have had such friends and our lives would be so much poorer because of that it is not worth contemplating.
Have a look at this @Firenze
The Cinnamon Trust https://share.google/V5bOU181wcuhXcTH7
And then I looked round us, the parent generation. The group of people who took turns to ferry them to Brownie sausage sizzles, netball practice, and Guides. Together we watched school plays, supplied snacks for study sessions, and hosted sleepovers. And we looked...old.
There are other considerations too tedious to rehearse.
I grew up with "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat", and the version I knew went to farthings after halfpennies. I don't think I've ever seen a farthing, but I've always known what one was.
It took several years, however, for me to understand that "tuppenny rice" referred to the cost, and not to the variety.
Of course there might have been a more expensive variety on sale in more exclusive areas.
It is a problem as you age - that people you have know all your life start to die. And it really does bring it home.
Sorry for you.
Yes, this.
We've lost several friends over the last three years and then in the last nine months my youngest brother and my husband's sister in law.
Some over the age of 80 but sadly most considerably younger (my brother was only 62).
It is hard indeed.
Incidentally my father was born as long ago as August 1910, so only a couple months after the death of King Edward VII and (more relevantly, as my family is German) during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Minor annoyance for pre-boomers which is a major catastrophe for us #204: Dropping the soap in the shower.
My cousins are all a bit younger than I am.
My mother was born in 1909.
Oh my. I mean, it's good idea and everything, but still.
My "oldness" story is when I happen to realize the year someone was born and notice the sweater I'm wearing is older than they are. To be fair, I have several hooded sweatshirts with the year as part of a logo and these have lasted because I am sentimental about the event. It does make me chuckle a bit inside when I think of how old most items in my wardrobe are.