Pencil sharpening

While building Aidan's tree house earlier this week, I used a pencil for the first time in ages when marking the wood, and sharpened it using a Stanley knife rather than a pencil sharpener. I recall Dad's preference for a pencil and how they were all sharpened to perfecting with his pen knife.

Another sporty one

Last night at Cubs I was bowling in a game that's a sort of cross between dodgeball and rounders. "Spread the field, spread the field. We've got a big hitter here," I instructed, waving my arm behind me when one of the older lads stepped up to the crease. Which is what Dad used to say when we played cricket or rounders in the garden or beach.

Two more - and first radio clip

I have a feeling that I'm now blogging to about the same number of people as I broadcast to on hospital radio. Anyway, here are two more:

- "Can I make a suggestion?": usually asked when a suggestion is not required and will be summarily ignored anyway.

- "What time is it on your watch?": as if it would be significantly different if the time was read on anyone else's watch.

Radio clip of the day: Let's go back to 1985. We're on the Radio 1 breakfast show and Mike Read is about to reveal all (well, a bit, anyway) about Paul and John's love lives ...

Grannie Easter special

Here are two that Mum came out with while having a pub lunch on Saturday. I record them on her behalf:

"Does anyone mind if I don't talk for a while?" - said when a meal arrives after a long wait and usually followed by sarcastic: "Oh, yes, we do!"s.

"Complete amateurs" - Dad's verdict on any agricultural personages participating in TV programmes, as actors or professionals.

Letter of the Day: Mum was a prolific letter writing during my university days. Here she is in 1983 talking about Beck and Mitch, Grannie's old fur coat, John's fireworks party and Adam's efforts in the back passage (ooh-err, missus) among other things. Click on the first page to take you to a folder where you can read them all:

Stage connection

Here's a couple I've found myself saying recently:

"Untouched by human hand!" - said proudly when actually to touch the object in question with your hands wouldn't matter at all.

"Come here, you wee bugger!" - said to entice a ball from under a rather low bush often while thrashing at it furiously with a tennis racquet. I came out with this one involuntarily during a game of soccer in the garden with Bertie.

Pic of the day: We've had TV footage, archive audio and letters - and now it's time for the medium of the stage. We went to see Goodnight Mister Tom (a WW2 evacuee drama) in Leeds last weekend. When reading the reviews afterwards I saw this pic of Mr Tom. His quizzical expression in particular reminds me of Pa.



Letter from Beck 1975

Come on, Beck! You've been notably absent from the blog for a while - and if this post doesn't get a reaction then I will be concerned.

I'm now plundering a thick envelope full of family letters dating from the mid-70s to early 80s. Lots of gems from Mum, Beck, John and Pig, many written to me at university or to the family from holidays. To start, click on the envelope below for one of the oldest items: a letter from Beck to me (when I was on a school trip, judging from the envelope) from Sept 1975.

Loads more where this comes from - including various tales of Beck's Ladywood love life, post-Steve c 1981.

Shoe polishing

I polished my shoes this morning for the first time in years and made me recall the zeal and enthusiasm Dad put in to keeping his shoes shiny. Pretty much every morning as I recall, but certainly for church on Sundays, the old tin with fragments of dried out polish and mangy brushes would be brought out. His patented technique of clenching the heel of the shoe between the knees and then vigorously shining the toes by pulling the cloth back and forth at high speed, still works a treat.

Not sure where this sudden burst of Dadisms has come from...