who wants to see a great christmas website?

[woofgang]

if you do, take a look at this...christmas eve only of course http://www.noradsanta.org

[Jude123]

Well that made me cry. Just watched the last Upstairs Downstairs. I would never have guessed that the sister Pamela was Downs and had been sent away. That brought back memories for me because in the sixties I looked after Downs syndrome girls and women in a local hospital who had been sent away from home. It was so sad they didn't get any visitors and only had us to look after them. All the children and ladies on the ward were what would have be called nowadays Special Needs. In fact the most dreadful name they had then was Low Grade Subnormal. They weren't all Downs Syndrome. It was tragic. I cried for a week when I first started but then I got a grip and got on with it.
Thanks for listening. going to make me cocoa now and get off to bed.
Have a good night all
See yer later 'gater(s) x

[shaneystar2]

It was a real tear jerker Jude .I was grizzling :)
But I was so pleased when they were altogether at the end and Lady Holland was holding her daughters hand .I hope they do another series .
Sleep tight xx

[Jude123]

'Night Shaney. I'm pleased it ended Happily too xx

[swedeheart]

"Excuse me madam, I'm not pointing a finger but we're a fondant fancy down again"... I saw it, I saw it! Thank you Neti! I agree Shaney, Anne Reid was brilliant, I loved her. She even suggested Swedish mashed potatoes, something about "ornamental crescents"...! Some of the little things reminded me of the old series, for instance the way Pritchard didn't fail to adjust the towel before he delivered the baby. "No need to look, it's not a sight you'll care to remember" ha ha...

I always wondered about Edward and Mrs Simpson, was it a genuinte love affair - they seemed such an odd couple - but I only ever knew it from old magazines.

You will tell me if there's a rerun won't you biddies, would love to watch the first two episodes as well. Oh BTW Windows firewall had a fit at one time when I clicked on one of the American channels so I may stick to BBC from now on... *curtseys to neti who gave me this opportunity*

That's very sad, Jude. I too have worked with some Down's syndrome people. Oh and when I was a child I asked to be allowed to join the kindergarten in our building, my wish was granted but then I quickly asked to be taken out of it again cos it was a kindergarten for Down's syndrome children and I didn't like the way they hugged me every other minute ha ha ha! Mum told me, I don't remember.

[woofgang]

Jude I was an occupational,therapy student in the seventies. The college was attached to a private psychiatric hospital (very good one, part of it was also the regional secure unit) I also did a placement at Napsbury Hospital in London Colney, the original Colney booby hatch. Both places had groups of what were then called ESN residents, also a few old ladies who had been put into them because they had born illegitimate children. Even worse, near the college was a residence for people with quite severe learning difficulties that also did daycare...again, for it's time quite advanced. the girl residents and day attendees used to have to be watched quite carefully in the gardens as men would stop outside and entice them to their cars with sweets for sex. The really awful part was that most of the girls liked it and didn't need much enticing. Several had had more than one abortion. It wasn't then "done" to encourage them to have proper relationships or to manage or help them to manage their sexuality and contraception and the results were tragic. As a nicely bred girl it was quite an eye opener.

[woofgang]

good morning all, pea souper of a fog here. reminds me of my London childhood before the air was cleaned up. Neti I haven't stopped bothering god, walking the dogs is one of my regular chat times.

[LoftyLottie]

Very slowly crawling out of the biggest Slough of Despond that has happened to me recently. Gave into it completely yesterday and hid away from the world with my music. Couldn't even talk to Mr LL. See you soon. xxxx

[netibiza]

Good morning all.

Oh dear Lottie, do take care, have a good rest and come back to us soon!

Thanks woofy, we just keep praying and hoping.

Haven't seen pts 2 and 3 of Upstairs yet, watched the first part recorded on dvd and then rushed to watch 3rd part live, and then realised there was a missing 2nd part, will catch up todya. It's very good.

Out for dinner tonight, so no cooking today yay!!!

[Jude123]

I'm sorry you feel so low Lottie. Hope you feel better soon and come back to us. spring is just around the corner and days are getting longer. xx
Woofy I pray to 'whover is looking after me' when I'm walking along. I look around and see the countryside and the birds and think how lucky I am to be able to see it all.
Times have changed haven't they for people with special needs and psychiatric problems. When I left the small hospital I went to a large Psychiatric one and was on the admission block which opened my eyes to the problems that some people had to live with.
Have a good meal out tonight Neti.
Hope everybiddy else is ok and that you have a good day.

Kit you have email.

I'm off to town now for a look round and see what they have in the sales if there's anything left.

Later 'gater(s)

[Robinia]

Morning all...it's so dark I've got the bloomin light on here. I laughed at woofy's fog memory because my first thought when I went out in it was 'This is just like a late November school day'.. haha..it's not nice but somehow very atmospheric.

Sorry you feel gloomy Lottie, hope it lifts for you soon..most mornings lately I get that falling feeling when I wake up & wonder what I'll have to deal with that day. Usually, by the time I'm showered & dressed I'm past caring, if 'whatever' happens I'll just have to deal with it. In my life it's not so much 'Different day, same sh1t'...more like 'Different day, different sh1t'...
(oh lordy, here we go, the lights just flickered, I kid you not, haha)

You all remember Upstairs Downstairs very well, I only watched it in fits 'n starts, those were busy years. :o)

I think there's a register somewhere with a note next to my name which says 'don't bother arguing'. I've got to send something back I'd ordered online & they wanted me to go to the PO & pay p&p...excusez-moi??...They're sending a courier...haha.

I've contacted the Ed & I'll be able to keep my AB name btw! Not sure if that applies to all or because I'm a part of the furniture around here...
....yes, yes, I know, shuttit....more like a pile of old sticks.

[Jude123]

Hi all back from town having spent the princely sum of £9. ( Vanity Fair with Depp on the cover and a pen refill) We were evacuated from Westfield because of a fire alerts and I saw a bus home so I go on it..

[netibiza]

I didn't see the original Upstairs etc so this is new to me.

[swedeheart]

Afternoon all, I'm sitting here waiting for my hair to dry so I can go out and pick up MY MOBI:D I'll probably spend the next week pestering AB with questions everybody else was asking fifteen years ago, but this is my first one so I have no idea about what goes where or why.

Lottie hang on, you've got us.

Oh Jude well done, you got Vanity Fair. You're a woman of action!

A courier, no less. Oh you biddies do keep sending things back. Jude with the ring and now Robi with the... the... the http://i52.tinypic.com/1583sx4.gif >>>>>>>>>>>> ha ha ha ha ha ha hahhhhaa, I'm gonna have to re-apply my eye make up ha ha ha ha....! >>>>> Sorry Robi I just couldn't resist...! I had saved the gif with no plan of who to "apply" it to and you just walked right into it, sorry:)

[Robinia]

<drums fingers, kitapult at the ready, whilst waiting for tinypic to open Kit's link>

[swedeheart]

It's animated, may take longer (but not this long:) Clear your cache...?

[Robinia]

.....AND FIRE!! > > > > > > > > > ● ● ● ● ●

hahaha, tis funny, but no, it's two small paraffin heaters. Thought they might be ok for outside passage & lav (mine & neighbour's) but the wick winder on one's faulty, fiddly & very flimsy.
your clip's on youtube...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyWuMLv_AH0

[swedeheart]

Oh I hadn't checked YouTube, thanks:) He never suspects a thing, I would have liked to be there when they showed the footage to him. I once saw a homemade Christmas video - and in Sweden we do light a lot of candles indoors in December - where family members were seated on a sofa and all of a sudden the cat walked past on top of the back support right behind their heads - and the tip of the cat's tail was on fire!! They never noticed either.

[Robinia]

aah, bless...poor moggy :o)

Yes I'd like to have seen his reaction to the playback too, haha...they obviously did it on purpose, I wonder if he'd have cracked if he'd turned around at that moment? :o)

[netibiza]

Poor mr N went to work this am and found the door to the apartment kicked in, so he came home and home the English owners in England, then had to report it to two different Police, the Locals and the Guardia Civil, he's been there almost all day form-filling, and no he's not a suspect, after all they do know us!!

Have just seen "Just William" the new one, and it's lovely, just like the original!

[netibiza]

*and PHONED the English owners" d'oh