Maggie/915

Painting the railings by the Red Lion green and gold to match the bins and flower tubs is great.

Another post that needs studying HPW. Excellent stuff.

Would they apply to any town anywhere ! Even cities could have people feeling the same way.

When is the next meeting Malcolm?

Excellent. Quite an experience.

Interesting man hole in Shieldfield Newcastle walking to 'Peace and Loaf'

Agreed James. Very interesting that Swindon claim him. I think the whole railway age owes a lot to Bedlington.

I have very happy memories of this couple Symptoms. The farmers sister was my friend. She lost her fiancée in the First World War and always said she wished she was in heaven with the angels!

Very interesting Eggy. There is an old machine at Beamish but not sure of the details.

I hope the move to sheltered accommodation and the computer cleaning go well Canny Lass.

These posts need studying HPW and Symptoms. One day I may just have time. Well done on the history content also the practical side of mining and road building.

Good memories Paul. Seems a long time ago. Scrap metal collectors still trail the doors. Not as frequently as charity collectors !

I have vague recollections Paul, of the flowers. Maybe I should have done more conker collecting in childhood. The stone flowers would be now replaced by plastic flowers and photos. Interesting how cemeteries have evolved in other countries. America is interesting but very OTT. Tombs and almost mini houses in French cemeteries. Maybe still the odd stone flower display. A friend went to Jamaica for a family funeral and it was normal to take pictures of the dead person before burial. Our attitude to death shows us a great deal about the living. Over the last few days our Grandchildren have been discussing death. I think it is often a taboo subject.

More today in the News Post Leader on the huge investment in Ashington. Something the leaders of the NCC and Arch are very proud to represent. Just part of the regeneration. New link road and lots of money. Poor old Bedlington. Will we ever get a look in! Come on the three labour councillors representing us on NCC let's hear what investment is available for Bedlington. Not just a simple purchase. Actions speak louder than words.

Publicity for the three labour councillors and Arch. Rather interesting articles first published in the News Post Leader and then in the Chronicle. Labour and Arch seem to want everyone to believe they have been the leading lights in all the negotiations. Maybe they have changed and are truly working to help our town. Long way to go unfortunately.

HPW I am not that fair minded , I would ,like you , stand up and be counted. However there are folks who you just would not want to know. I was travelling with young kids on a Sunday night, someone came close behind lights flashing, I pulled over he went past and I flashed him. His answer was to pull in front of me and slam his brakes on. Lesson learnt let the 'ar------s' pass to kill themselves. The lady who crossed you will have herself to live with. Not an easy task!

I like the BBC. I can even accept their biased viewpoints. Why should we not be allowed to read listen and learn from our own biased perception. After all we all have a 'spin' on every issue and all we can do is agree to disagree with certain individuals and corporations. Education should and does teach us to think for ourselves.

If you go to Hastings you can follow the Robert Tressell trail around the town. If memory serves me well there is a character called Barrington who seeks to convert the many. Have you thought about a name change Symptoms!

Trouble is Symptoms, lots of our generation have crossed the divide. Where once we would have been servants now we own the land or the houses. A relative bought a 'Shooting Estate' of 2,000 acres and besides all the information on numbers of birds killed there was also a 'Shooting Club' coming on to the land. At night they came to sort out foxes! Highland Clearances etc are a horrible side of some of these estates. Re introducing wild animals is worrying ! One grandson was doing Duke of Edinburgh Award this last weekend and some of these animals could put kids in danger. I am not sure of what the answer is ! If our World has entered the extinction phase, we may have a lot more to worry about in the future. Bedlington needs so much and we can only hope help comes along. We have so little power to change things. All we have is a right to an opinion, even if it differs dramatically from others.

I remember going to The Beetle Drives with my mothers sister . Must have been late 50's The pie and pea suppers were also good at the YMCA

I think 'tartan' was banned at some stage maybe after the 'Jacobite ' rebellion. Sorry have not got time to research but 'Kilts and Tartan ' as a threat seems crazy. Mind in a war would the sight of a backside make you scared or laugh. Again should this be a case for censorship.

The car is not bad either. How many 'bloody' photo opportunities can you achieve. What constitutes happiness! Maybe return to childhood with a touch of the 'hard stuff' for medicinal purposes of course.

In South Yorkshire there is a town called Penistone. We like a musician called Ron Sexsmith. Where could censorship begin and end? A friend had the surname of 'Bogg' and changed his surname on having kids. In the NE it is popular to use 'B----er' but many people believe that the term started as 'Begger Off'. These people being a burden on the local town. The interesting thing is who and why people regard certain words as offensive. The American comedian Lenny Bruce had his own spin on the use of certain words. NWA is again perhaps a stab at changing attitudes. In the past we all described a dark brown colour in a certain way that would now be offensive. Should we reclaim the word 'Gay' for being just 'Happy'. So many points where we can agree to disagree with censorship. Predictive text can be hilarious when you are not taking care . I guess we have to maintain our sense of humour.

On the subject of drink . The images appear fine until I attach them!

'Happy Memories ' Going to school in Netherton was a good experience. I cannot remember anyone (adult) walking with us from Westlea. Independence at five. Freedom at an early age. Education can be much more that reading writing and arithmetic .