Hi Old Hywel,
"Tidy mun!" For some reason, that reminded me of Barbara's first dog, who she called
TAFFY That was a great name for a dog on Penang. But imagine shouting
"Taffy, come here you little ******!" when walking through a park in Swansea.
Barbara was born in Swansea. Her father's garden backed onto what is now DVLA's car park.(Annoyed Barbara ... it was
her bluebell field) Her ancestors seem to have owned half the local pubs, including the Abercrave Arms, who used to provide staff, to Craig-y-Nos (Google) when Edward (Prince of Wales) was visiting Adelina Patti (famous opera singer before WW1). Craig-y-Nos later became a TB Sanatorium, and looked after Barbara's father when he was 19. He claimed to be one of the two patients to recover, (but the other bloke was walking round the grounds, while waiting to go home, and fell in the river ... died of pneumonia). FIL used to recount how the matron used to tour the wards accompanied by her bulldog. He couldn't decide which was the uglier. The last I heard, the house was in private ownership. I think £1,000,000 was paid in the 1970s
Completely OT ... My mother was a nurse at the Coombe Woods TB Sanatorium near Croydon. One year she sent one of the doctors a home made Valentine's Day card. The heart shape was cut from a kipper. Doc said he knew who had sent it, and would get HIM back. That doctors gave me a pile of Motor Sport magazines, to while away the two months i spent in Croydon General Hospital - fractured lower epithisis (sp?) of left femur, which meant I was plastered from my big toe to my lowest rib. Every 16 year old lad should spend Christmas (mistletoe, etc) in a ward full of trainee nurses.
Whatever, Motor Sport, Bill Boddy, the release of Genevieve (sp?) soon after, and I was hooked.
602
PS. The generous doctor was Dr.Clive Poulson, who used to race an Austin 7 Special. Did anybody know him? He has a lot to answer for.
PPS. Just in case anybody has read this far .... probably 30 to 35mph on a bicycle ... and an unlit street lamp. OK, I had been looking over my shoulder, turned back to find the lamp post about three feet in front of me. I don't remember the impact. I do remember employing my newly learned swear words. It seemed appropriate. ****** hurt! Feet were six inches apart when my knees were touching. Mum said they drained 100cc of blood from my swollen knee. Is that good?
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