Canny lass

Thank you! It was a bit different this year. 31 years ago I was fooled into a hard morning's work clearing snow, followed by a sauna, followed by a roll in the snow, followed by a brown, foul-smelling and foul-tasting drink served in a small glass. It was revolting - but it didn't half put a glow inside my chest. I was lead to believe that this was normal and customary practice on birthdays celebrated during the winter. Talk about being naive and gullible - It was six years later when I learned they were taking the mickey! By that time, having recovered from the shock of the first experience, I'd started to enjoy the procedure (and even the drink - the sacrifices one makes) and ever since then I've thrown myself voluntarily into the snow with gay abandon every January 13th with the exception of one snow free year when I threw myself into a lake (3 degrees centigrade). Never again! Snow, believe it or not, is warmer! This year we are again without snow so I had to make do with the sauna and the drink (well - it might have been two) following which I spent a quiet and relaxing day doing basically nothing. I've had a hectic month with an extremely ill OH so doing nothing was absolutely wonderful!! OH is making a remarkable recovery so we'll make up for lost time when he's properly on his feet again. Thanks again for your kind birthday wishes.

Where's Wilf?

The year is 2019 The date is January 1st This planet is Earth. I offer this information from the kindness of my heart to all those who may be wondering this morning. Happy New Year everyone (and Happy Birthday 3g).

Thanks Eggy! Mines not working either.

I hope my OH hasn't heard about this or I'll be getting it for Christmas! Ever the romantic!

From the frozen North - a very Merry Christmasto everyone.

Don't know about the qualiity of the singing in that video but the dialect was music to the ear!

Could be 'The Road Not Taken', Maggie. (Robert Frost)

I would just take that as a compliment, Malcolm! You're clearly doing the job too well and it's ruffling a few feathers. Keep up the good work!

.... that must have been one of them bonny coloured, chequered bath towels that they sold in the pit canteen.

Sometimes it does refer to the actual 'open and close' type of gate but not so often. It all depends on when the name was given.Citys and towns became walled in to protect the inhabitants and to allow some control over who could enter. (Why am I reminded of America ?) Naturally those walls needed the odd opening to allow entry and exit. Of convenience these openings were placed over the existing roadways - then called 'gata'. Over the years the word gata/gate was eventually used for the door itself. A sure sign that the road and not the door is being referred to is when you see the words 'within' and 'without' in the street name either side of the opening. Oldgate Within, Oldgate Without or Bondgate Within, Bondgate without are two of the most common I've come across. As miners use 'gate' when referring to the roadways in the mines, you can be assured that it's been in use a long time.

Great news! Not so great news!

... or take more water with it, maybe.

November 16 2010, according to The Journal: http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/local-news/jobs-boost-bedlington-wetherspoons-prepares-4444986

Thanks, Rigger! This is a long överdue and very welcome addition to the material available for research today. I'll be using this quite a lot!