Of course, I can't make head nor tail of this new-fangled Vista, nor can I trusty wireless printer.
But it's nice to have somewhere to run when appalling 'gardening' palls.
13 comments
:
Anonymous
said...
Bloody hell! I thought we'd seen the last of you (:)) Did you hear the one about the old aristocrat, who when asked at the airport "Did you pack this bag yourself, Sir?" replied, after a pause, "What an astonishing idea!". S
And one of my diminutive aunts on the Ho Tung side, over to Blighty for some family gathering, emerged from whichever grand West End hotel and, from her 4' 11" grandeur instructed the uniformed doorman to summon her a cab. The uniformed turned out to be a strapping policeman who, nevertheless, meekly stopped the first hansom to hove into sight and opened the door with a flourish and a wink at my cousin without whose witness this legendary tale would never have been preserved.
My greatgrandmother, from Oldham cotton spinners, had the money but would never take taxis in London, but when she was in her 80s and I in my 10s, in London where she'd married (and been widowed long before)into the world of arts and writers, we'd travel together on doubledecker buses which she'd expect to drop us more or less exactly where she wanted to go. Often it worked, in those days of open doored buses and persuadable conductors. I still prefer buses to taxis - and enjoy the ride from Corfu town to Ano Korakiana and sopmetimes on up to Spartillas (what a cycle down to the sea on my folding bicycle stored in the hold!), especially for the constant chatter and help for a stranger.
Wonderful Wells sahib coming in and completing this thread's nap hand. Yes indeed, two old fogies rambling ... Sesame Street had two splendid fellah in the dress circle barking away. Dammit the memories are sparking: great granpa and ma lived in a huge house in Kowloon Tong with servants that gave lip etc. One day, GGP and I had come over on the Star Ferry and hailed a rickshaw and gramps hauled hisself in and i made to clamber aboard aside him and the blighter hoisted the yoke and made to make off. GGP hollered at him and the fellah had the cheek to say he thought I was a beggar boy who'd been pestering him for cumshaw. This is absolutely true. I know i was black as a pickaninny and scrawny but i never thought i'd attained exalted status as looking like the chosen folks. I think great gramps said summat to that effect, that i may look like a ragamuffin and that was up to my parents, but i also happened to be his great grandson and for the purposes of the journey, I was to be included. side note: when i went back there to work in 1983, the distance from the ferry to the house was huge. dude, those packmules earned their pittance.
Class hm? My Greek bro-in-law studying at LSE was coming back from Paris in the 60s where we'd enjoyed a sibling weekend. Customs said 'Sir. Why have you got so many watches with you?" (pre-chip wristwatches, except Newmarks, were dear). He replied, bemused, "One for Monday, one for Tuesday..." He told me recently me his folk came to Corfu from northern Epirus in the 19th century and were relegated to Kanali as Albanians. His side of the family send us generous and much appreciated food parcels from Geneva several times a year.
13 comments :
Bloody hell! I thought we'd seen the last of you (:)) Did you hear the one about the old aristocrat, who when asked at the airport "Did you pack this bag yourself, Sir?" replied, after a pause, "What an astonishing idea!". S
my mother said that once, coming thru heathrow from london. all our packing was done by our faithful cookboy Chen.
So it's not an urban myth.
And one of my diminutive aunts on the Ho Tung side, over to Blighty for some family gathering, emerged from whichever grand West End hotel and, from her 4' 11" grandeur instructed the uniformed doorman to summon her a cab. The uniformed turned out to be a strapping policeman who, nevertheless, meekly stopped the first hansom to hove into sight and opened the door with a flourish and a wink at my cousin without whose witness this legendary tale would never have been preserved.
My greatgrandmother, from Oldham cotton spinners, had the money but would never take taxis in London, but when she was in her 80s and I in my 10s, in London where she'd married (and been widowed long before)into the world of arts and writers, we'd travel together on doubledecker buses which she'd expect to drop us more or less exactly where she wanted to go. Often it worked, in those days of open doored buses and persuadable conductors. I still prefer buses to taxis - and enjoy the ride from Corfu town to Ano Korakiana and sopmetimes on up to Spartillas (what a cycle down to the sea on my folding bicycle stored in the hold!), especially for the constant chatter and help for a stranger.
nice one. this thread seems to be growing useful legs.
Missed you. Welcome back.
You guys are great, two exiled aristocrats mumbling on about the eccentricities of class. Is that the BBC news theme I hear in the background?
Wonderful Wells sahib coming in and completing this thread's nap hand. Yes indeed, two old fogies rambling ... Sesame Street had two splendid fellah in the dress circle barking away.
Dammit the memories are sparking: great granpa and ma lived in a huge house in Kowloon Tong with servants that gave lip etc. One day, GGP and I had come over on the Star Ferry and hailed a rickshaw and gramps hauled hisself in and i made to clamber aboard aside him and the blighter hoisted the yoke and made to make off. GGP hollered at him and the fellah had the cheek to say he thought I was a beggar boy who'd been pestering him for cumshaw. This is absolutely true. I know i was black as a pickaninny and scrawny but i never thought i'd attained exalted status as looking like the chosen folks. I think great gramps said summat to that effect, that i may look like a ragamuffin and that was up to my parents, but i also happened to be his great grandson and for the purposes of the journey, I was to be included.
side note: when i went back there to work in 1983, the distance from the ferry to the house was huge. dude, those packmules earned their pittance.
nice thread!
Class hm? My Greek bro-in-law studying at LSE was coming back from Paris in the 60s where we'd enjoyed a sibling weekend. Customs said 'Sir. Why have you got so many watches with you?" (pre-chip wristwatches, except Newmarks, were dear). He replied, bemused, "One for Monday, one for Tuesday..." He told me recently me his folk came to Corfu from northern Epirus in the 19th century and were relegated to Kanali as Albanians. His side of the family send us generous and much appreciated food parcels from Geneva several times a year.
Another good one. Certainly worth being woken @ 0435hrs to moderate. The beat goes on.
Corfucius
Where are you?
You have gone silent.
Have you watered your lap top again?!
Thanks for concern. Distracting friend from NY staying, proving ... distracting. Puter sort of fallen into perspective.
Post a Comment