tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65868017662171141482024-03-05T15:06:49.633+00:00Discussing topics to do with Ulverston and the surrounding area. Encouraginng each other to be assertive is something that is very important to me!
Relying on others can be very frustrating. People using their own initiative can often achieve far more. Self belief is important!
We llive in a town where this already happens so much . It will be natural for us as to do this more and more..Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.comBlogger2177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-68704809942540927142014-11-08T18:13:00.001+00:002014-11-09T13:55:53.386+00:00GreetingsYes this blog is still running!<br />
<br />
SO what next?<br />
<br />
Specially for someone who loves his food:<br />
<br />
How about fried eggs -home grown- , streaky bacon, black pudding fried tomatoes and thinly sliced potatoes.<br />
<br />
At least that's something to be getting on with !<br />
<br />
Best wishes<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE : Google are placing safeguards against robots on comments that are beyond my control<br />
<br />
<br />
My apologies.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-52503532327234896882014-10-03T02:29:00.000+01:002014-10-03T02:31:10.027+01:00Beware, don't clap. When we lived at The Falls, just outside Ulverston, we lived in an old farmhouse built in the seventeenth century, with its rose growing outside the front door and two feet thick walls.<br />
<br />
The field, that one drove in through was owned by people in the town .<br />
<br />
One morning , looking out of the front of the house, there was a large working horse on the front lawn outside . It didn't belong there, but in the field we drove in through to reach the farm, so my immediate reaction was to shoosh it off back to where it belonged.<br />
<br />
What did I do?<br />
<br />
I opened the front door and clapped loudly. Result : two very deep holes about a foot deep in the lawn as the horse took off at speed with its back legs. It had a lot of weight to shift quickly.<br />
<br />
So if you see a horse on your front lawn, speak to it quietly and ask it to leave slowly!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-14925763823938886362014-09-23T17:55:00.000+01:002014-09-23T17:55:29.523+01:00It's nearly time to bring the spikelights out again<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2pxy1YEImoDGeKr6Fk0HTOucAon08HKCqSYFYmcx_dwpZvMltPk7Mp8uLpVYq71KFud_GSeHla0oP-GYNtnY-nz1Bw_OGfjeqIVOsBwqdRSZ2yvcy883jH0EHwMZbhiYeqXfvlGOXrGt/s1600/railings.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2pxy1YEImoDGeKr6Fk0HTOucAon08HKCqSYFYmcx_dwpZvMltPk7Mp8uLpVYq71KFud_GSeHla0oP-GYNtnY-nz1Bw_OGfjeqIVOsBwqdRSZ2yvcy883jH0EHwMZbhiYeqXfvlGOXrGt/s1600/railings.tiff" height="497" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken from<a href="http://www.myulverston.co.uk/railings/" target="_blank"> The Railings, Ulverston Web Site</a> where it all started<br /> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Preparations are now underway for another Candllit Walk up Gill Banks, Ulverston on Halloween - October 31.<br />
<br />
Have a look at the Facebook Page for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/candlelitwalk" target="_blank">Ulverston's Candlelit Walk</a>. You may want to join in with the activities there.<br />
<br />
Only on Saturday, thanks to the snipping team , the 'Underwater the Sea Shadowscreen' masterpiece was created.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-59395918397921975302014-09-17T20:58:00.000+01:002014-09-17T20:58:33.059+01:00Some positive thoughtsMore and more of my active friends are avoiding reading or watching the news<br />
<br />
This strikes me as a very positive approach.<br />
<br />
Too often the news is seen as a form of entertainment.<br />
<br />
Those that care about what is happening feel dragged in by the media into wanting to do something to influence the result. In reality they know that all their efforts will have little to no influence on the result.<br />
<br />
We all need to choose to do things that avoid frustration and have a reasonable chance of success otherwise we will become depressed.<br />
<br />
For me I am learning to focus on the real people around me and not on things that are so distant. People that I meet in the flesh and can relate to directly. People that live in the same street or close by. People I see and can talk to almost daily or at least weekly. The ideal people for me are those that I can work with in some activity or other. In this way one can get to know what people are really like. Too often talking can seem empty unless they result in positive actions. Talking can reveal great differences in opinion which is fine as long as these opinions are not rigid.<br />
<br />
Sadly there are some people who are absolutely sure they are right. These are the people who on the broad scale cause wars, when both sides are completely sure the other side is wrong.<br />
<br />
By getting to know others personally we can come to like the qualities of a great variety of people who all have their different strengths and weaknesses.<br />
<br />
If we respect each other and admire the qualities of those around us then we can feel good about each person. This doesn't mean that we need see all their views and actions as positive from our point of view. What we can do is focus on the qualities,<br />
<br />
These are thoughts that I am seeking to put into practise.What are yours?<br />
<br />
I love the quote attributed to Saint Francis de Sales:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="copy-paste-block">
"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering you own imperfections"<span><br /></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-57148446676813886682014-09-10T08:53:00.003+01:002014-10-03T21:49:13.439+01:00My first kiss?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I dare you" Philip whispered. It was very early in the morning just after dawn. He should have been facing the other way in his bed, but he was not used to talking out of the back of his head, so he preferred to break the school rule:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All boys must go to sleep facing the far end of the dormitory lying on the right side of their bodies ( a posture that endures with me to this day- the one I am most comfortable with).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This rule was intended to deter chatting amongst the thirty - three rows of ten- boys in this long room with its five large windows left open whenever possible with their wooden shutters that could be closed in poor weather. We were sleeping, after all, in one of the four dormitories of Hunters Hill Open Air School, Blackwell, just to the south of Birmingham, near Bromsgrove. I was ten, preparing to move back home and enter if at all possible King Edward VI Five Ways Grammar School.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miss Maguire had her small bedroom immediately next to the dormitory so that she was handy to deal with any misbehaviour from her 30 charges.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">" Dare you" Philip whispered again." I dare you to go and kiss Miss Maguire."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My what a challenge for me, a well behaved ten year old to kiss Miss Maguire, my favourite teacher, while she slept in a room next to ours: one I'd never been in before, so had no idea where in the room she slept.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You're on" I stated nervously.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got out of bed in my pyjamas and crept gingerly to her bedroom door. It was a terrifying challenge . But then I really liked Miss Maguire. She gave me extra tuition after school in Maths, a subject that was to become my best subject throughout my life. Fist at school and then on after that at university.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After what must have seemed hours to Philip, I summoned up the courage to turn the door handle and enter forbidden territory. It would be a very gentle kiss - my lips just touching her cheek and my teacher would never notice as she slept so would never know . Then, I would have complete my dare without waking her and being discovered. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was in. I could hear her regular breathing so I could tell where she slept. Her head was just discernible on her pillow in the very early morning light.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Panic: I had a big unexpected problem. Only the top of her head was visible- her face was under her blankets and sheet.This wasn't going to be easy at all. By my definition. a kiss involved my lips touching skin and not just hair. I'd come this far I wasn't returning to admit defeat.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing for it but to very slowly draw back the covers so that some skin would eventually appear. I worked very slowly to achieve my goal a fraction of an inch at a time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly, the sleeping body reared up. Time to achieve a quick exit as the bedroom light flashed on.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Come back immediately" was the demand. I stopped dead in my tracks and considered. No name had been used.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Come back who ever you are". Yes I could escape unknown. Trouble was: I was honest to the core and would get found out anyway. Best to go back and face the limelight. I re-entered into the now blinding light - I was at the mercy of my teacher.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"So Dellow. What did you want? What were you doing ?'</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A very sheepish quiet voice replied very hesitantly "I, I , I, was just trying to kiss you Miss."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Silence -while Miss Maguire took in the situation.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Go back to bed".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I left wondering what would happen to me in the morning.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philip awaited my return wide eyed "You were a long time: I thought you'd chickened out" I had failed my bet - never-the- less there was obviously admiration in his voice.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I returned to the safety of my bed and took up my correct position on me right side ready for sleep. Thinking what will happen next . . .I quickly dozed off. Miss Maguire hadn't appeared too upset after all.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next day school continued as normal : not a word was said about what had happened. Philip kept the story to himself. We were mates after all.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miss Maguire took no action.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did I get get some rather curious looks from the other teachers? I asked myself. Or was Miss Maguire keeping her little story to herself?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to the tuition from my favourite teacher I went on to do well at my grammar school. Sadly a school devoid of any female teachers. It was a boy's grammar school after all.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-91217566643919813402014-09-09T05:49:00.003+01:002014-09-09T05:51:59.708+01:00Something to ignore and erase<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you get an email like this:</span><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alerttext" style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: bold;"><br />
<br />
YOUR E-TICKET(S) ARE ATTACHED TO THIS EMAIL, SENT TO<a href="mailto:gd@tygh.co.uk">gd@tygh.com</a>. Please print ALL PAGES of the PDF file attached to the email and bring them with you to gain admission to the event.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; font-family: Helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The attachment requires that you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, please click <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html" title="CLICK TO DOWNLOAD ADOBE ACROBAT READER">HERE</a> to download and install this program.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; font-family: Helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr class="header" style="background-color: #73a2d6;"><td class="headertext" style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;" width="40%">TICKETS</td><td align="left" class="headertext" style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;" width="10%">QTY</td><td class="headertext" style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;" width="20%">TICKET TYPE</td><td align="right" class="headertext" style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;" width="10%">PRICE EACH</td><td align="right" class="headertext" style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;" width="10%"></td><td align="right" class="headertext" style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;" width="10%">TOTAL</td></tr>
<tr class="content" style="background-color: #ebf3f6;"><td class="contenttext" rowspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top"><span class="contenttextmain" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Peter Pan</span><br />
Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre<br />
Tue 23 Dec 2014 - 7:00 PM</td><td align="left" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">3</td><td class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">Early Bird - Price A</td><td align="right" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">18.00</td><td align="right" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top"></td><td align="right" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">54.00</td></tr>
<tr class="content" style="background-color: #ebf3f6;"><td align="left" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">6</td><td class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">Early Bird Child Under 16 - Price A</td><td align="right" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">15.00</td><td align="right" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top"></td><td align="right" class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" valign="top">90.00</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; font-family: Helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="contentpadding" colspan="4" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr height="10"><td class="contenttext" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><em>Ticket Information</em></td></tr>
<tr height="10"><td class="contenttextbold" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;">Circle/A 35-30 (6) , Circle/B 33-31 (3)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ignore this email.<br /><br />The criminals are at it again and have come up with a new idea to try and catch us out again.<br /><br />My overiding principle: there is no such thing as a free lunch - be wary!<br /><br />The down side is that we will become suspicious of genuine offers of help from our friends</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; font-family: Helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="contentpadding" colspan="4" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-16418164386400020682014-09-08T06:37:00.000+01:002014-09-08T06:37:03.662+01:00Real three dimension people<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>109</o:Words>
<o:Characters>623</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Flash Multimedia Education</o:Company>
<o:Lines>5</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>765</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>11.518</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotShowRevisions/>
<w:DoNotPrintRevisions/>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People are finding out, more and more that instead of being a
help, technology is getting in the way of a rich enjoyable life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following article describes the life of someone who works from
home. Sounds ideal doesn’t it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However what has happened is that he rarely sees anyone face
to face. All his contacts are remote:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>through the telephone or using his computer. This deprives him of the
rich human contact that one gets from actually being in the presence of another
person where communication comes in so many ways: visual - body language, with little revealing gestures that are so expressive: sound
– tone of voice,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> and something that is possible only
this way: touch – maybe a hand shake, a gentle grasp of an arm or all the way to a
full blooded body hug.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ever since humans evolved, over the last hundreds of thousands of years, face to face, physical presence has been the way we have communicated. Now in the only the last hundred years our technology has robbed us of this emotionally rich way of living together. First the telephone, then television, now by the computer : the use of email and more recently Facebook.</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He writes:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://Is a decline in face-to-face contact leading to a decline in our well-being?" target="_blank">Is a decline in face-to-face contact leading to a decline in our well-being? </a> </span></h3>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="storyTop " style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm writing this on Wednesday lunchtime. The
only face-to-face interaction I've had since Sunday is a 30-minute
appointment with a physiotherapist who diagnosed me with tennis elbow."</span></div>
<div>
<span class="storyTop " style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="storyTop " style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and continues:</span></div>
<div>
<span class="storyTop " style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="storyTop "> "... </span>I can do most of my work from home, and over the years I've chosen to continue doing so, figuring that the
wealth of electronic communication available to me – email, text, social
media – keeps me sufficiently connected with others for me to feel
vaguely human. But when the workload grows, I certainly feel that
absence of real interaction, and I know from experience that it can't be
assuaged by <i>having a stilted chat with a DHL delivery guy.</i></span></div>
<div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"</i>a study this week that found a strong correlation between a decline in
face-to-face contact and a decline in our well-being. Engaging with
people face-to-face, they say, has a deep and profound effect upon us
that's related to our status as a social species. Social media, it
appears, isn't that social at all, coming in for particular criticism
for its "insidious negative effects".</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Electronic communication by text has come in for all kinds of criticism
this week. A chiropractic physician voiced his fears over the increased
incidence of what he terms "Text Neck", a condition where the practise
of hunching over a phone is resulting in the first few bones of our
cervical spine bending forward in an unusual way. Then there were
arguments over a study into whether instant messaging has a pernicious
effect upon children's spelling and grammar skills; the study found that
this was absolutely not the case, but many still equate the use of
shortcuts, emoji and abbreviations to be causing untold damage to our
brains.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I totally agree. My recent experience of having had a stroke has made me very appreciative of direct contact with real people. People that live in our lane, people that I've got to know well well over the past nine years that I've lived back here. They are all, in their very different ways, very supportive. They really care about me and value my friendship, and have rallied round to do things for me at every opportunity: support that would never be available if I only knew them by email or by Facebook. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"if we can be of any help: pop in and get us at any time"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We in Ulverston, because of our limited size of some 12,000 people, can get to know people so easily.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have the great advantage over large towns things like Market day when chatting groups of two and three down the street are so common. Our schools enable parents to first get to first get to know each other. Many walk with their children, meeting up with other parents on the way. Then those close to small parks like Mill Dam Park develop their contacts into the rich friendships that many of us enjoy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have something special here in Ulverston: lets keep it that way. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Small is beautiful.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-40697179391851809872014-09-03T22:10:00.000+01:002014-09-03T22:10:37.365+01:00A time to be silentIf its something I've learnt from older wise people (and I have known one or two):<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
It's their ability to be silent when it counts</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Now is my time to learn to be wise.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
. . .</div>
Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-5478417448052913612014-09-03T11:24:00.000+01:002014-09-03T11:24:12.024+01:00Tax collectors are good?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Police are good? Politicians are good? . . . . . </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We had a day out to visit old haunts yesterday. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The sun was out. The clouds in the sky looked beautiful.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Tourists were of course being welcomed with open arms in the Lake District: for some the last day of the school holiday.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At Grasmere church, visitors were being welcomed in as many as thirty different languages.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Presentation was paramount at the Ginger Bread Shop. There was a steady flowing queue to see and buy a product sold all over the world by two young women dressed in traditional costume in this minute establishment.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At another promotional shop. It would follow that everyone is good from the bags on sale at the ultimate feel good gift shop in Touristland at Grasmere, in the Lake District.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXvv45upLCGp8e5ar6TeQTR7fIjC70lQqnqj764x9W1sQ-UZ0yiqZ5I0v5WD2fdAMT-htqQQSUWuqgMfGhFbSbrKtLf0cEadA2le40-72hWyznHTamY8yYxzELwXm8USdCZ_kuIQZnDeZ/s1600/3.1.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXvv45upLCGp8e5ar6TeQTR7fIjC70lQqnqj764x9W1sQ-UZ0yiqZ5I0v5WD2fdAMT-htqQQSUWuqgMfGhFbSbrKtLf0cEadA2le40-72hWyznHTamY8yYxzELwXm8USdCZ_kuIQZnDeZ/s1600/3.1.tiff" height="256" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFxya-_UWVE3-KlAS0fC4PoIw_aXOcC9woFiy8V_nIB8elrA3s5SnXHly72eH-JMTt_ErXrlAc825R8Z045R_5MuT_ZJStTwIAfheMKf9I4JxY0F7cuT6qVi6e8iGBCvBDT_FXoLPMvGq/s1600/1.1.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFxya-_UWVE3-KlAS0fC4PoIw_aXOcC9woFiy8V_nIB8elrA3s5SnXHly72eH-JMTt_ErXrlAc825R8Z045R_5MuT_ZJStTwIAfheMKf9I4JxY0F7cuT6qVi6e8iGBCvBDT_FXoLPMvGq/s1600/1.1.tiff" height="320" width="236" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAuhluB7hs2ewGHu2TB4elvZhinw5OpXrC7BYz1MRkJPE36XS3keFJ_xhaahTHbHWWNDTZV6xTCTI7Paf_JHKN7bUhOy4ZMKCKvKOIcknRs923RwdQqXTHWnQnJxbqv1GuhHGqfAmW3l2/s1600/1.2.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAuhluB7hs2ewGHu2TB4elvZhinw5OpXrC7BYz1MRkJPE36XS3keFJ_xhaahTHbHWWNDTZV6xTCTI7Paf_JHKN7bUhOy4ZMKCKvKOIcknRs923RwdQqXTHWnQnJxbqv1GuhHGqfAmW3l2/s1600/1.2.tiff" height="320" width="236" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTdKEz2xv0qREiH4-rJhR56FmoS30SF-adrkNX0A0w9Vv66DGQUpOooQR8rrR6ssos7TwpC0DQP1jqZCCbhB5cfZPGsYAWas-oq1-gd66baheubOg5B8jk72Twr8XIY3ilXJiR5xWgsX6/s1600/1.3.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTdKEz2xv0qREiH4-rJhR56FmoS30SF-adrkNX0A0w9Vv66DGQUpOooQR8rrR6ssos7TwpC0DQP1jqZCCbhB5cfZPGsYAWas-oq1-gd66baheubOg5B8jk72Twr8XIY3ilXJiR5xWgsX6/s1600/1.3.tiff" height="320" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyH_eKbFMiyNEa08hXTjeerLXKESKNAJbb68wpHFIikyZcTyh40NnMr0OEopsSEonF-bheyo7ThE2BJ4ZGFV8OWd8_4vgaZ-Gq-80z-CgCuRIdEPYi5tfPa02UvGkJol2gwvQ25XtEVzhg/s1600/1.4.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyH_eKbFMiyNEa08hXTjeerLXKESKNAJbb68wpHFIikyZcTyh40NnMr0OEopsSEonF-bheyo7ThE2BJ4ZGFV8OWd8_4vgaZ-Gq-80z-CgCuRIdEPYi5tfPa02UvGkJol2gwvQ25XtEVzhg/s1600/1.4.tiff" height="320" width="239" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlofiP73ONIHffw6TLkd_uSQCOzr2mBrbV5CusEOaF0uCBh8NcPnabAKgMZpOE7jWuSU9AtpcEodRy69XFVdegLhHkcjfz7vqYg-XR47QYZ8WGJGxyz-wrpDFI9o9QY9PffbL7h2F3CheF/s1600/1.5.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlofiP73ONIHffw6TLkd_uSQCOzr2mBrbV5CusEOaF0uCBh8NcPnabAKgMZpOE7jWuSU9AtpcEodRy69XFVdegLhHkcjfz7vqYg-XR47QYZ8WGJGxyz-wrpDFI9o9QY9PffbL7h2F3CheF/s1600/1.5.tiff" height="320" width="242" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41MckHEUre_H7mjMJJNgZtPeZ11lz1TBKp-EC7VGYlAWMDiSWvKU4_ZMs9-UxOyJAXmcJ2QbMMaKsSYa0MUjzok76avEGCQZZ_vl_Sot3eo5ReM8qWD-5fJ2Nu-fU4wu_w5d67bBs-RHL/s1600/1.6.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41MckHEUre_H7mjMJJNgZtPeZ11lz1TBKp-EC7VGYlAWMDiSWvKU4_ZMs9-UxOyJAXmcJ2QbMMaKsSYa0MUjzok76avEGCQZZ_vl_Sot3eo5ReM8qWD-5fJ2Nu-fU4wu_w5d67bBs-RHL/s1600/1.6.tiff" height="320" width="239" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
A teacher , nearby misread the following bag at first glance as Teachers are GOD<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHnBeAv0mSa-JWae-PE7rlWwehdW586L2Lc4psXZNCAhXOnD8tS6BIE2V37o5BlGteoA6ur5Gr2z4phMdtY5ERWrnqj9eoZ6DHWSjYNrCfo2OWe7ntdEqg4yvdCrfg0cS3xxtPdIWGKat/s1600/teach.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHnBeAv0mSa-JWae-PE7rlWwehdW586L2Lc4psXZNCAhXOnD8tS6BIE2V37o5BlGteoA6ur5Gr2z4phMdtY5ERWrnqj9eoZ6DHWSjYNrCfo2OWe7ntdEqg4yvdCrfg0cS3xxtPdIWGKat/s1600/teach.tiff" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
She commented<br />
<br />
"How appropriate"</div>
Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-916050411390183422014-09-01T07:25:00.001+01:002014-09-01T07:25:25.091+01:00EncouragementTell me someone that doesn't like to be encouraged for what they've done.<br />
<br />
It works like magic.<br />
<br />
So why is punishment used so much?<br />
<br />
Doesn't it just lead to resentment and hostility?<br />
<br />
If you want a student to arrive early for school, I found that when I was teaching, encouragement worked extremely well.<br />
<br />
I reasoned. Why not help the student want to come to school?<br />
<br />
So, rather than scold them for being late, I welcomed them when they arrived with a big smile.<br />
<br />
I was able to do this because we had a very caring Head who also was very positive ( he was the reason I chose the school in the first place). We started school with a form period of twenty minutes before assembly. This enabled me to check over each of the form members, visually, one by one each morning to see how they were emotionally and spot any potential problems for instance from bullying. We would discuss form outings. (We were doing this during an Ofsted inspection: a trip to see the Musical , Grease in central London. The Ofsted report stated that one of the forms was discussing their trip to Greece in their form period: It just shows how reliable these reports really are!)<br />
<br />
Chioma Anyanwu was one of these. She was highly intelligent but cause endless problems in her classes when I took the for over in year 8. She was good at sport and went to a netball club after school and was a natural leader. so I went along to this and praised her for all her efforts there. Very soon she started arriving at school on time. Encouragement really worked.<br />
<br />
When she was given an after school detention given by another teacher of picking up litter :she refused. So I was able to get the Head to immediately talk to her and we reached a compromise: she would pick up litter with me doing it as well but with her wearing rubber gloves to keep her hands clean. It worked.<br />
<br />
Chioma went on to do well in her studies, going to our six form and on to University - one of the few from this particular school then ( Hainault Forest High School in North East London now <a href="http://www.theforestacademy.org/" target="_blank">the Forest Academy)</a>. She was a capable young woman with a supportive but overworked single mother, a nurse, with several other somewhat resentful children.<br />
<br />
Giving children merit stickers at the beginning a class to all these who were settled for the lesson with equipment ready and sitting quietly and attentively within thirty seconds of being admitted to the class, worked beautifully for the younger classes, Thus setting a good habit for the rest of their lessons later on in future years.<br />
<br />
Now I will make a point of congratulating a train conductor as I leave the train if he has been helpful and friendly as he does his job. His response:<br />
<br />
"Thank you , you made my day"<br />
<br />
It is so sad that our society chooses by contrast to use punishment as a way of changing people's behaviour and rarely encourages on the spur of the moment with a "Thank you". Most of the time negative attitudes don't work but lead to resentment and hostility in the future. Focusing on groups of individuals, listening to them and being encouraging , does.<br />
<br />Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-80713318531235018202014-08-31T05:38:00.000+01:002014-08-31T05:46:56.253+01:00Ulverston Lantern FestivalIs here again.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Theme: What's under Hoad</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN54oC_9J6mZ-_1NPhPDaZ2eCX2SIe7TLgnEFzLjX1DzGjDlVx54nP5XJ2gvvIVA3uill5R8L4XnQs0JWPILoklurJbwh6HETUFpEUjqc1MDI_kabf_K8qJR3Y1TG9_-W7eH7PR9pWMcHj/s1600/hoad.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN54oC_9J6mZ-_1NPhPDaZ2eCX2SIe7TLgnEFzLjX1DzGjDlVx54nP5XJ2gvvIVA3uill5R8L4XnQs0JWPILoklurJbwh6HETUFpEUjqc1MDI_kabf_K8qJR3Y1TG9_-W7eH7PR9pWMcHj/s1600/hoad.tiff" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
<br />
The organisers are working hard as usual. Though there was some doubt about it happening this year. But Gavin Knott has stepped in as Treasurer and I assume with the usual impressive involvement of the scout troop who have in the past led one of the processions with a gigantic creation.<br />
<br />
Every year there's a new crop of children eager to join in this wonderful event. I'm always amazed at the creations that emerge from people's living rooms, cunningly created so that the large lanterns can emerge through restricting door ways and windows and the final version put together outside.<br />
Apparently it's been going 32 years now. I still remember some of the early events, instigated by John Fox and Sue Gill of Welfare State when the events in Ford Park were spectacular with some superb Firework displays. Now their children in turn have their own children though still very young. John and Sue usually still play their saxophones as part of Blast Furness in the procession.<br />
<br />
Thus children who first got carried away at the excitement of the procession are now parents of children also excited at the prospect of joining in themselves. No wonder that the procession continues year after year.<br />
<br />
Leaflets abound. In case you haven't seen one:<br />
<br />
Lantern kits are available now from<br />
<br />
The Coro<br />
Laurel and Hardy Museum<br />
The Book shop in the Market Hall<br />
and Costa Coffee<br />
<br />
Lantern Making sessions are great fun :getting ideas from other people of all ages:Every day Sept 5th to Sept 12th in the Lantern House.<br />
<br />
The time table for the four processions are on the leaflet:<b> </b>basically starting at five minute intervals: from 7:45pm at Croftlands Community Centre, then the Parish Church, then the Auction Mart Yard and last from Hill Foot Hotel at ten minutes later at 8.05pm<br />
<br />
For updates <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheUlverstonLanternFestival" target="_blank">Ulverton Lantern festival can be found on Facebook</a><br />
<br />
<br />Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-81904080578166593552014-08-29T21:05:00.002+01:002014-08-29T21:05:59.150+01:00Daniel BarenboimThank you<br />
<br />
Superb musicianship.<br />
<br />
Makes all our problems fade into insignificance.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-2100650715072287362014-08-29T14:22:00.001+01:002014-08-29T14:22:35.381+01:00It's a lovely day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">remember this? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Had to throw the LP - gone to Oxfam- so bought the CD which has just arrived</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0KfLWMoObRg" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">love the pictures.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wistful.</span>Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-42692777016482680532014-08-29T00:15:00.001+01:002014-08-29T00:15:53.280+01:00Blog statisticsI'm sure you will be aware that Google Analytics provides information on the different people that look at a blog.<br />
<br />
It is very gratifying that so many of you continue to look in to read what I am writing. It's good practise for me of course as I learn to express myself in writing: at school I found English my most difficult subject, preferring Maths by far (It used to take me a whole weekend to write an essay starting on Friday evening, continuing on Saturday and finally being forced to finish on Sunday). In fact I still have some quite good pictures I drew and painted for fun just to avoid writing my very demanding essay. I was an only child without the distraction of siblings and television- very few families had one. I also took my studies at school very seriously!<br />
<br />
I get quite a lot of ideas for postings from the people I talk to and from emails I receive.<br />
<br />
The numbers over the past four months since my stroke are steady and in fact rising up towards 500 people (now at 441) with as many as nearly 60% returning visitors (58 in fact) who have made 1,439 pageviews in the last month.<br />
<br />
It is a puzzle why so few people comment. This may be that the kind of people who read this blog prefer not to be identified with their views as the internet is quite exposing to people who value the opinion of those around them. I also now refuse to publish negative and abusive comments (something I used to do, thinking it revealed the kind of negative people that were around).When I talk to people in 'real life' they freely admit to having read what is written here yet I get the impression that they are the kind of people that would rather not share their views in public. They tend to be people who have very busy lives without feeling the need to write about what they do.<br />
<br />
There is perhaps another group of people who prefer to use Facebook where topics of the kind discussed here are not shared. Facebook I think is quite different and much less serious and more fun and chatty. Personally I find it quite addictive. In fact I get drawn in to making inappropriate comments and find it difficult to follow if I don't keep 'looking in' on a daily basis. There are too many other things to get on with such as answering emails and taking live to people I meet : something I far prefer to do.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-18997222521521109252014-08-27T15:40:00.000+01:002014-08-27T15:40:04.790+01:00Wisdom<br />
<div style="display: inline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone very wise originated this thought.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has at least two versions of unknown origin:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God give me
strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the
things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.</span><div style="display: inline;">
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="display: inline;">
<h1 class="topictitle">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">God grant me the SERENITY to<br />
accept the things I cannot change;<br />
COURAGE to change the things I can;<br />
and WISDOM to know the difference.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></h1>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Serenity is an old fashion word which has now changed its meaning. For 'God'I would substitute my own reasoning and conviction.</span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my present state of mind, suffering from severe lack of sleep after my stroke, it has great pertinence.</span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="display: inline;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Battles, I would normally have taken on, must be left to others to fight in their own way. Their fresh approach may well succeed in the long run. Succeed in a way I would have never achieved.</span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I for my part need to focus on getting better and if necessary, letting my opponents winning battles over issues I feel very strongly about . Another wise quote comes to mind:</span><div style="display: inline;">
<div>
<div style="display: inline;">
<h1 class="topictitle">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">'m looking forward optimistically to being fighting fit again in about six months to a year, but this is not for me at the present time.</span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></h1>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-37898234475294036022014-08-27T06:11:00.000+01:002014-08-27T06:11:38.283+01:00Reflection<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stopping to reflect is such a powerful thing to do.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It keeps us in touch with our emotions: the very essence and core of out being.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isn't it easy to get swept along into living at a mad pace? Swept along ,thinking we have found what is important to us, without having given any time to reflect why we're pouring all this energy into what we're doing?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We miss the feeling of calm by being in touch with the person we are.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this poem:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">What is this life if, full of care,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">We have no time to stand and stare.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No time to stand beneath the boughs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">And stare as long as sheep or cows.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No time to see, when woods we pass,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No time to see, in broad daylight,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Streams full of stars, like skies at night.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No time to turn at Beauty's glance,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">And watch her feet, how they can dance.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">No time to wait till her mouth can</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Enrich that smile her eyes began.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">A poor life this if, full of care,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">We have no time to stand and stare.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Helvetica;">Leisure by W.H.Davies</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Perhaps we need to pause and learn to stop and stare a lot more.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Doing it will help us discover what we really want out of life.</span>Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-66497488189544920892014-08-26T14:01:00.000+01:002014-08-26T19:05:17.945+01:00Common sense: Where is it?An extraordinary tale from Ulverston's Recycling centre.<br />
<br />
Is it time to start breaking petty rules made by bureaucrats?<br />
<br />
For my part I've started. They can take me to court if they want to!<br />
<br />
Tom visits the Recycling Centre with a broken glass shelf from his fridge to get rid of.<br />
He sees an identical shelf in a fridge there. "Can I have it?" He asks.<br />
<br />
"Nope. No one is allowed to take anything out of here. They're our orders from the boss"<br />
<br />
"Couldn't you just look the other way then?"<br />
<br />
"No, I lose my job. There are CCTV cameras up there."<br />
<br />
"I thought this was a Recycling Centre. Clearly it's not"<br />
<br />
So next time let common sense prevail take it without asking or perhaps say "Prosecute me then":<br />
<br />
<h3>
Is it time to break the silly rules so that umcommon sense prevails?</h3>
<br />Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-34618665959148935522014-08-25T09:46:00.002+01:002014-08-27T06:19:27.392+01:00Remaining positiveIt's the only way to be.<br />
<br />
Getting angry with things around us, can often trigger off more anger back, setting off a vicious circle that escalates. The stuff that wars are made of.<br />
<br />
People like Lawrence Conway with his vicious way of dealing with happy people that are having a great time together Mill Dam Park, need to be pitied and ignored whenever possible.<br />
<br />
He has now made himself and the actions of his staff, the laughing stock of people around them. I'm sure that his actions has brought the people of Ulverston even closer together to resist outside interference from people who are so out of touch with us here.<br />
<br />
At some point Conway and his team will be looking for employment. Will they want someone like these?<br />
<br />
"Don't let the buggers get you down " is an expression I hear more and more these days. Buggers appear to be raising their heads left right and centre these days. So What - we can get used to dealing with them and just getting on with life.<br />
<br />
We need to have a good laugh and get on enjoying the lives interacting with the great people close to us : people we get to know well at places through places like our park.<br />
<br />
So what's going to be our next project there that we can do together.<br />
<br />
How about buying soft toys and dangling them from the trees for the children to come and find?<br />
<br />
There are a few other positive ideas floating about. Things we can all do together<br />
<br />
How about you, have you got some ideas? Something worth considering rather than getting dragged into feelings of resentment.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-29575372704894178162014-08-23T08:53:00.000+01:002014-08-23T18:21:39.385+01:00Lawrece Conway: Communites, in these times are essential<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the fact that I have been told to keep out of this. (The families concerned know that because of my stroke and my sensitive and vulnerable state of mind, I need to stay out of the the situation that has arisen at Mill Dam Park). However for my own sanity I must speak out here on my blog: it has always proved to be my safety valve for what I feel strongly about.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a night , full of outrage, I see no alternative but to speak out here.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It concerns the high handed and vindictive actions of Lawrence Conway, who is a Chief Executive of SLDC. He is clearly out of touch with the communities in his area</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Background: a thriving local community</span></h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mill Dam Park community of hard working Mums and Dads have suffered an enormous shock to their enjoyment of their Park; one they use almost daily.Over the past four years they have invested a lot of precious energy in making the park into their very own space for meeting and enjoying and encouraging their children to play. Anyone who visits the Park becomes immediately aware of the friendly and supportive nature of the people who use the Park. In fact because of the picnic tables , paid for a in some cases built by this communityPeople are encouraged to chatas they watch their children plating with others in the Park .All the flowers are there because this same community have either put them in themselves or helpful supporting gardeners have kept the beds stocked with an increasing number of perennials. The local Guides were responsible for planting the annuals that are there now. They were donated by David of the plant stall on the market who has given about 400 plants to the park every year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In short there is a probably no better organised group of parents and supporters in a Park: like no other park within South Lakeland District Council. It attracts users from as far afield as Lindal, Pennington, Haverthwaite and Bouth.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Recently the parents were given the pottery that they and their children actually made in the park. They decided to put this pottery back up on the fence where it could be enjoyed by all those using the park. Its presence encourages the feeling that this park is part of an intimate caring community. Putting back the pottery was a joint activity of mothers, fathers and children, with unanimous approval from those that use the park.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Outrage</span></h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet on Friday, to their absolute outrage, they found that their pottery had been removed. They still have not been told who stole thoir pots, but from past actions, the removal was certainly authorised by Lawrence Conway. If it is he, he in possesion of stolen property, the ownership being the people who put the pots up in the parkand the people who made them. He must return them immediately to the pots owners and notify them why he had them removed.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you visit the park today you will witness their fury at such aggressive action being taken against them. Parents have put up notices all over their park demanding the return of their pottery. Whose park is it after all? Are not the SLDC the custodians of the Park for the community to use?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conway and his officers are clearly out of touch with this very active community. This is of course not the first time he has ordered his officers, against their will to remove the pottery. Last time he was ridiculed in the main editorial of the Westmorland Gazette( see below) saying : hadn't he got more important safety issues to be concerned about. He claimed that the pottery was dangerous and hadn't been authorised my a constituted group.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Pottery is clearly not dangerous . Furthermore because of the transient nature of the park users there is no interest in a formal group. Parents are only involved with the Park while their children grow up to five years old (when the children move on to other activities). Besides parents have had negative experiences in the past with power grabbing members of committees who like to throw their weight about. No. The park runs extremely well as it is now . Common sense and spontaneous activities prevail as is found in any small community who get to know each other well.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is needed now is for our local councillors to assert themselves. These councillors are: Colin Pickthall , Helen Inving and Margaret Hornby on the Town Council and Helen Inving their District councillor. SLDC are clearly out of touch. They need to tell SLDC to keep be their noses out and ruining of a very happy and thriving community. It is this community our councillors need to support not a remote Chief Executive.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The press can also help with insightful reporting. It would be a good story for North West today on television.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure the polite views of people reading this article will be listened to by Lawrence Conway: email - L.Conway@southlakeland.gov.uk . I suggest that you insisist on a reply to be sure that your message has been received.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The government is after all trying to clamp down on spurious uses of <a href="http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/national/news/11159938.Health_and_safety_cases_ridiculed/?ref=mnnp" target="_blank">the Health and Safety Issue see:</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
Judith Hackitt, who chairs the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said: "I would urge all decision makers to take a step back and ask themselves whether a decision made in the name of health and safety, is actually just an excuse for something else.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/opinion/comment/10572896.Comment__When_safety_concerns_go_to_far/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the Westmorland Gazette's editorial on 25th July 2013: "When safety concerns go to far"</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"the pottery display does not meet with the council’s approval. He cites health and safety as his prime concern. "</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">" It would be ironic given their safety concerns over the
pottery. A sensible move would be to officially recognise Bugs as a
representative group of the local community so such displays can be
arranged with the council’s blessing and guidance. That way SLDC might
stop itself from looking silly."</span><br />
<br />Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-11728600907053420782014-08-22T09:08:00.000+01:002014-08-22T11:27:41.807+01:00WRVS, you are about to lose a very hard working volunteerThe local WRVS (or the RVS as it is now known since men were admitted), amongst other things run a very much appreciated cafe at the Ulverston Health Centre, at which this volunteer has been helping for three months now. I know her well because I see her regularly and often go over to the cafe for a drink and a chat. Many people in Ulverston, often pensioners living on their own do the same to enjoy a drink and a tea cake at low prices, made all the more enjoyable by the friendly helpers.The volunteers there are a lovely group of people and she gets on well together there.<br />
<br />
This volunteer has in fact she put herself out to help out and does extra shifts when they are short staffed there, in spite of having a heavy work load at home. She enjoys the work.<br />
<br />
The problem is that Head office in London is run by bureaucratic bullies who insist on their mindless procedures are followed. A woman there, by the name of Fiona insists that the two referees for membership ring her to give approval of my friends application for membership. This they tried to do, Head office insist they keep trying.<br />
<br />
At this point my friend is rightly digging her heals in . "No if you want me as a volunteer - and she knows the Ulverston branch is short - you will have to ring them". They are doing you the favour of supporting my application for membership. It's great to see someone sticking up for her colleagues. They are fed up with being bossed about by the bullies above them who come along with 'inspections' when knowing very little of local circumstances.<br />
<br />
Now we have someone who is ready to make a stand. "You give me membership . I have complied with your rules of providing with two references. Now take it or leave it. "<br />
<br />
"Do you , Fiona at head office with your mindless rules really want to lose a much needed volunteer who has the strong support of those that work with her?<br />
<br />
Note: if you go enquiring at the similar WRVS run cafe at Furness General Hospital in Barrow you will hear of similar heavy handed complaints about the way the bosses outside the area attempt to supervise them from away.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Do we, the public, really want to donate to this charity?</h3>
<br />
if this money goes to pay for incompetent people who boss others about. I suggest we make sure our donations go to support our local groups and not to an organisation that allows power crazy people to dominate. Furthermore our local managers must be encouraged to stand up to this bullying behaviour.<br />
<br />
Surely now is the time for local people in this kind of organisation to assert themselves.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-27294902032504629342014-08-17T21:48:00.000+01:002014-08-18T19:45:05.298+01:00The Joys of Getting Old and "passed it"<br />
<div class="KonaBody" style="min-height: 440px;">
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">W<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">hen you're eig</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">ty, had a stroke and face the possibility of another one any time</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">you're attitude to life changes. You begin to think "What the hell, who cares! Let's have some fun. If I'm not here to pick up the tab for my misdemeanors: Why worry?"</span></h2>
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> Take heed of the message below; so delightfully put by Jenny Joseph. It could apply to me sometime very soon. </span></h2>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Note: Have you seen me scooting across the Supermarket floor on my trolley recently: look no feet touching the floor? This gives new meaning to the expression "Off his trolley"</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Warning!</span></h2>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple<br />
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.<br />
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves<br />
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.<br />
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired<br />
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells<br />
And run my stick along the public railings<br />
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.<br />
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain<br />
And pick flowers in other people's gardens<br />
And learn to spit.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8cACbzanitg" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat<br />
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go<br />
Or only bread and pickle for a week<br />
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.<br />
<br />
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry<br />
And pay our rent and not swear in the street<br />
And set a good example for the children.<br />
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.<br />
<br />
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?<br />
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised<br />
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple. </div>
</div>
<div class="poet" itemprop="author" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/jenny-joseph/poems/">Jenny Joseph</a></div>
Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-22232875337835853582014-08-17T18:23:00.000+01:002014-08-17T18:30:20.811+01:00If you love moving to musicYou can even dance to this: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves by Verdi.<br />
<br />
Incredibly moving music from the past.<br />
<br />
Another confession from my midnight dancing friend.<br />
<br />
No it's not Dire Straits this time!<br />
<br />
I must say I think the facial expressions on this video are superb.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/D6JN0l7A_mE" width="640"></iframe>Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-79060035708702570812014-08-17T18:18:00.004+01:002014-08-17T18:18:48.128+01:00This will get your feet tapping<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or are you past it? Or does other stuff turns you on? But is it any better?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's another tune that my midnight dancing friend used to love moving to.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isn't it amazing how many people used to get carried away with Dire Straits? Literally thousands.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/iAczi8DsqBQ" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She told me how recently she was at a dance when this number was announced and she was really looking forward to getting up for a jig around as she used to at night. However she was mortified to find that an acquaintance came along just as the tune was starting and start to chat mindlessly about this and that- nothing important to her - sadly her whole life had trained her to be very polite to everyone, so that she was the true lady. Instead of saying what she was thinking (in my words "stop yattering on and sit down so that I can have this lovey dance") : she remained patiently sitting down for the chatter to finish. By then the band had moved on to the next number.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes we can be so preoccupied with ourselves that we don't pick up on the inner turmoil going on in the polite person opposite us: a fault that I must admit is mine over and over again. No wonder that some used to people cross over the street when they saw me coming. A fault I'm working on , but have a long way to go.</span>Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-41969953266564386952014-08-17T17:46:00.002+01:002014-08-17T17:46:46.877+01:00I got it firstAnother friend tells me that she and her husband used to vie with each other to read the Evening Mail when it arrived. She would watch out for the paper boy as he came up the street and nobble it before her husband got a chance.<br />
<br />
There was an unwritten rule between them that whoever got it first got to keep it until read.<br />
<br />
We're all children at heart playing and love to play games with our partners don't we. or me it's the sign of a happy marriage ; one that lasts; one with a humour at the heart of it.Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6586801766217114148.post-27141993386981120252014-08-17T17:36:00.002+01:002014-08-17T17:37:31.010+01:00Dancing in the middle of the night<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A friend of mine married someone . She loved and admired him greatly, but one thing he hadn't a clue about was dancing, apparently he had no sense of rhythm. So what she would do is get up in the night and have a little dance in the living room where she wouldn't disturb him.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is one of the songs she danced to:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(it's a lovely video too!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Twistin round the pool Dire Straights</span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DsJ5aYK-S6Y" width="640"></iframe>Geoff Dellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14628988582440925000noreply@blogger.com1