Gardening

That was the today's task.


Collecting shallots pulling off dried paper-like outers and readying them to dry out in the greenhouse.
Weeding the bed they had grown in; cutting back ferns over-growing the tadpole 'ponds', discovering that there are still some tadpoles that have yet to become frogs.


Took courgette plants from the greenhouse, dug holes for them, took off the male parts, planted, pegged with sticks and fed with pelleted chicken manure and some fish, blood and bone.


And, we've just had sufficient rain to bed in the plants quite nicely.

Down memory lane?

I took a subscription to 'Find my past' a few weeks ago and it has been well worth it. Part of the fun has been learning how to search and what to search for.
There are no surviving relatives for me to ask, as far as I know, so I've been relying on memories,
The 1911 census is a treasure trove with far more information than it would seem at first sight.


Yesterday, I decided to look back thro' OH's family and what a contrast to mine!
His revolve around the local area, and the only difficulty is that over the years the boundaries between Lancashire and Cheshire have been rather fluid. Also, take a place like Appleton and typical of good Olde England you find several places of that name in a small area.


It took a bit of what might be called loosely detective work to locate the particular Appleton. Over time the registration areas changed and I was surprised to find Widnes under Prescott. Then I found an Appleton in Widnes as opposed to the various other Appletons near Warrington.
This is when a land search can pay volumes.


Then there are Directories: Kelly's and Pigot's and Gores being the most famous. A word of warning, this research can be most time-consuming especially if you like reading for the sake of reading.


By contrast, my family led quite different lives. OH's included a  master baker, a warehouse-man at the Wire Works, Wire drawer, Foundry labourer, fustian cutter and iron worker. Warrington was world famous for its Wire Works and the rugby team began as the Wires.


In my family I found folk working in calico mills, dye works, print works, cotton mills:
throstle spinner
cotton spinner
cotton weaver
cloth bleaching
sewing machinist


Go further back in time and there are carters and farmers. Then, later on someone became an Alderman and Mayor. Both men and women worked for a living.
At the beginning of the 20th century they went hither and yon; some into Yorkshire, some to Lancashire and Cheshire, whilst others remained in Derbyshire.


It's also been fascinating to trace the homes folk lived in and to see who were their neighbours.
The search continues...

Not for me

SE England is apparently gearing up to go OTT and crazy for the high jinks looming this weekend.
Some several hundred miles NW there is a different attitude.
I'm getting fed-up of receiving e-mails for companies pleading for orders Before this weekend and preferably a.s.a.p.
Why? 
There is a consensus that those games will cause massive interference and disruption to all forms of transport whist they take presidence.
An article in today's Guardian
'What London Olympics could learn from the Manchester games' made me smile.


The city council have been making money from the stadia they built for 2002...£millions.
As the saying goes...they are 'laughing all the way to the Bank'.


"Lessons should have been learned – notably, getting an end-user for the stadium tied up well in advance. The council did a deal with Manchester City FC to move from its Maine Road ground – gifted to the council for housing – eastwards across the city to a 48,000-seat stadium, with the athletics track removed. When stadium capacity exceeds 32,000 – as it does at every home game – the council shares ticket proceeds." Guardian 24/07/2012


Oh, and another problem of the 2012 games apart from the security debacle, transport mayhem and London-centric media outpourings...
'They' have claimed sole ownership of all Olympic-type logos and nomenclature.
So. I must not use anything even faintly resembling suchlike images.

Yesterday...

God-daughter looking very happy on her special day.

Salford Uni convened at the Lowry (graduation)

Happiness abounds...

Followed by a celebratory meal...