Slab Square 27/11/13

I took these photographs in Nottingham City centre last night.

Just to think, we had a beach on the slab square a month ago, and now we have an ice-rink?

The once grand Nottingham Odeon Cinema

Can't see any for sale/rent signs on this one?

A few for sale/rent signs on this one?

More for sale/rent signs on this one?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - Nottingham Visit

NOTTINGHAM is preparing to give the Royal Family a warm welcome when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit the city with the Queen.

Residents have spoken of their joy and surprise after Buckingham Palace announced Prince William and Princess Catherine will join the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their trip to the city on June 13.

The Royals will greet crowds in the Old Market Square, before making an appearance on the balcony of the Council House.

They will then travel to Vernon Park, in Old Basford.

Iris Busley, 65, of Skylark Drive, Basford, was delighted at the news of the Royals' trip to the area.

She said: "I'm really gobsmacked. We've never had anything like this in Basford before.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime occasion."

Susan Davis, 59, of Corncrake Avenue, called for everyone in Basford to turn out for the occasion.

She said: "I just think it's incredible. It's just wonderful."

Buckingham Palace announced the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will arrive by train at Nottingham Station, where they will be met by the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge.

The royal party will then be taken by car to the Old Market Square to greet the public, before going into the Council House to meet the Lord Lieutenants of Notts and Derbyshire and invited guests.

They are one of 16 couples in Notts given the honour in recognition of celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year. Mr Starbuck, of Clarewood Grove, Clifton, said: "It's all come as a bit of a shock. We're thrilled they are all coming to Nottingham.

"We will be more than pleased to meet them and welcome them to the city."

A spokeswoman for Sir Andrew Buchanan, Lord-Lieutenant for Notts, said: "We are thrilled with the visit. It's unlikely a visit of this magnitude will happen again.

"It's a one-off, and we are all very excited about it."

The trip to Vernon Park will see the guests of honour treated to sporting and musical performances by children from schools and groups from Notts and Derbyshire.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will leave after this, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will remain at the park to watch more activities.

Nottingham City Council leader, Councillor Jon Collins, said: "As the capital of the East Midlands, it's great Nottingham's playing host to this royal visit.

My response is:

I'm so glad for them both.

It will be a reet-treat for them!

Being a long time resident of Nottingham, being made redundant three times, living for a month on a pension that's less than they pay for a bottle of champagne, recovering from heart surgery, suffering with arthritis, impetigo, and angina, and knowing where to find the cheapest short date foods to buy, will no doubt fascinate them.

I've offered to show then around the places they would not usually visit without their nine full time protection officers and a helicopter hovering above.

Well, you've got to try and help the poor little mites, bless them!

* I can show them the fourteen police station torched in the Summer riots - or rather the six that are still operating anyway.

* The burn marks on the Canning Circus station grab bars still visible as you climb the steps to go into it still bring back memories.

* I could show them the scenes where a party-goer was shot in the head with an air rifle, that's only a few hundred yards to the south of my house.

* Then the pub where a youth was shot and killed, that's just a few hundred yards north of my house.

* The spot where a man sat in a car was shot at by members of one of the  many drug gangs, that's about half a mile from my abode, and on my weekly 90 minute walking route to the hospital for my INR Warfarin level blood tests.

* Take them on my 40 minute walk to town down Mansfield Road, and point out the variety of closed down retail businesses (46), where the 84 year old lady was mugged and hospitalised last June, while at the bus stop by two illegal immigrants one Sunday morning,  the now closed down shop where a lady of 67 years of age was gunned down in a raid and no one has ever been caught for it.

* Let them see the colourful Big Issue sellers as they sometimes get off their mobile phones to actually sell an issue.

* The newly opened outlets in the city centre - the Charity shops, the Bookmakers, the Coffee shops and the 'We buy your gold' retailers.

* The constant traffic jams in the city, where they could increase their word knowledge I'm sure!

* Take them to the Arboretum, where sometimes you can find enough grass to sit on without having to move the used condoms, beer cans (empty), pop and water bottles (empty), half eaten take away foods, fag packets, phlegm, and sick, while they can listen to three or four other peoples music at the same time!

I haven't had a reply to my offer yet!

I recall when I was in E19 Men's surgical at the QMC a few years ago now, and Prince Charles was in a ward to himself above us, with two nurses and a sister in attendance full time - having his 'tennis elbow fixed'!

I was having a hernia repair done, when they found I'd got cancer of the bladder, so attended to that for me.. bless them.
When Princess Diana arrived on a visit, with her armed protection officers, they were admitted through a fire door to avoid the awaiting press - someone shouted out in great admiration - "Oh... it's Lady Di, and all the staff ran to the window to take look down at her... unfortunately for me, the auxiliary nurse  was taking out my drainage tube from my penis at the time, and as she shot off to get a view of the royalty, she caught and dragged the tube with her foot, and I was covered in blood and in great pain!


I bet nothing like that would happen to Charlie!


Angry? Me?


Well?.... 

Advice Accrued for Others

Here They Are:

* The ability to lose things, animal, material and imaginary!

* The ability to get the wrong end of the stick!

* The ability to avoid winning any raffles, games, lotteries, hearts, or even coming as high as second!

* The ability to lodge oneself up the noses of all around you!

* The ability to be the only one out of 16 lads walking down the promenade at 0600hrs in the morning, who get bitten by the lone wandering mongrel dog the attacked!

* The ability to be injured and immobile, and still fall off of the hospital trolley!

* The ability to fall asleep on the bus and wake up at the local Bus Station depot, unsure of who got the bigger shock, you or the poor bus cleaner!

* The ability to get peoples names wrong, and/or forget peoples names on a regular basis!

* The ability to misplace hearing aids, spectacles, remote controls, memory sticks, camera, pens, and spoons!

* The ability to end up with odd socks at the launderette!

* The ability to take your 5 morning medications at night, and your 6 evening medications in the morning!

* The ability to go into a room, and forget more often than not what you went into that room for!

* The ability to ring the wrong number on the telephone!

* The ability to be completely ignored at Bank queues, Business office queues, Job Centre queues, Hospital queues, Shop counter queues, Inquiry desk queues, Café queues, Pub queues, and by the general public!

* The ability to lose total and absolute control of all and any emissions of wind from your anus!

* The ability to scare people horrendously when you smile and say ‘Good Morning’ to them!

* The ability to lipread wrongly!

* The ability to get on the wrong bus!

* The ability to maintain your life of sorts, despite your constant failings and depression!

* The ability to tell the truth - this will get you nowhere, I know, it just confuses the bosses and politicians!

* The ability to want to help others - a futile quality!

* The ability to eat however much one puts on the plate!

* The ability to almost see your feet looking down passed your ever expanding bouncy belly!

* The ability to walk past a Barbers shop without noticing his prices!

* The ability to remember things from years ago!

* The ability to forget things that happened an hour ago!

* The ability to enjoy using carbolic soap!

* The ability to realise that the adage ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is valid!

* The ability to realise that ‘Old age people are measured as an economic liability and a social burden!

* The ability to realise that ‘Old age is a mental attitude as well as a physical problem’!

* The ability to become a sociopath, and enjoy it!

* The ability to realise that:  When you live by yourself, all of your annoying habits are suddenly gone.

* The ability to understand what W. Somerset Maugham meant by ‘An unfortunate thing about this world is that the good habits are much easier to give up than the bad ones’

* The ability to accept and dwell in ones missed opportunities!

Fizz windshields clean with cola

When it rains after a long dry spell, a dirty windshield turns into one big mess.

Get rid of streaks and blotches by pouring cola over the glass.

(Stretch a towel along the bottom of the windshield to protect hood paint)

The bubbles in the cola will fizz away the grime.

Just be sure to wash the sticky cola off thoroughly or your cleaning efforts will end upattracting dust and dirt.

Advice From A Retired Husband

A word to the wise. For all those who are retired and those who hope to retire. I suggest that you pay close attention to Bartholomew Utterwaithes tale.

It is important for men to remember that, as women grow older, it becomes harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping as when they were younger.

When you notice this, try not to yell at them.

Some are overly sensitive, and there’s nothing worse than an oversensitive woman.

My name is Bartholomew.

Let me relate how I handled the situation with my wife, Terri.

When I retired a few years ago, it became necessary for Terri to get a full-time job along with her part-time job, both for extra income and for the health benefits that we needed. Shortly after she started working, I noticed she was beginning to show her age. I usually get home from the golf club about the same time she gets home from work.

Although she knows how hungry I am, she almost always says she has to rest for half an hour or so before she starts dinner.

I don’t yell at her.

Instead, I tell her to take her time and just wake me when she gets dinner on the table.

I generally have lunch in the Men’s Grill at the club so eating out is not reasonable.

I’m ready for some home-cooked grub when I hit that door.

She used to do the dishes as soon as we finished eating - but now it’s not unusual for them to sit on the table for several hours after dinner.

I do what I can by diplomatically reminding her several times each evening that they won’t clean themselves. I know she really appreciates this, as it does seem to motivate her to get them done before she goes to bed.

Another symptom of aging is complaining, I think.

For example, she will say that it is difficult for her to find time to pay the monthly bills during her lunch hour.

But, boys, we take ‘em for better or worse, so I just smile an do offer encouragement - I tell her to stretch it out over two or even three days. That way she won’t have to rush so much.

I also remind her that missing lunch completely now and then wouldn't hurt her any (if you know what I mean).

I like to think tact is one of my strong points.

When doing simple jobs, she seems to think she needs more rest periods.

She had to take a break when she was only half-finished mowing the lawn.

I try not to make a scene.

I’m a fair man.

I tell her to fix herself a nice, big, cold glass of freshly squeezed lemonade and just sit for a while. And, as long as she is making one for herself, she may as well make one for me, too.

I know that I probably look like a saint in the way I support Terri.

I’m not saying that showing this much consideration is easy!

Many men will find it difficult.

Some will find it impossible!

Nobody knows better than I do how frustrating women get as they get older.

However, guys, even if you just use a little more tact and less criticism of your aging wife because of this article, I will consider that writing it was well worthwhile.

After all, we are put on this earth to help each other.

Signed,

Bartholomew

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Jim died suddenly on February 7 of a perforated rectum.

The police report says he was found with a Calloway extra-long 50-inch Big Bertha Driver II golf club jammed up his rear end, with barely 5 inches of grip showing, and a sledge hammer laying nearby.

His wife Terri was arrested and charged with murder.

The all-women jury took only 10 minutes to find her Not Guilty, accepting her defence that Jim, somehow without looking, accidentally sat down on his golf club!

St Peter's Gate Nottingham - signs of the times!

A 2011 photograph taken from the side of the Big Issue Sellers outside the  M&S Store, (where one can buy a small loaf of bread for only £1.99) from the bottom the St Peters Gate, the usual signs of Nottingham being present:
The chap having his free drink from the church
The proliferation of For Sale to Let signs on the retail and office properties.
No signs of any Police Officers or CPOs.




A 2012 photograph taken from the side of the Big Issue Sellers on Bridlesmith Gate at the top of St Peters Gate, just up from the charity shop and the famous shoe shop where ladies can buy fashion shoes from only £99.99.


The increase in for sale, lease, & rent signs if notable. The old Virgin, then HMV abandoned store on Wheeler Gate (just out of view at the bottom) is still on offer for rent at only £322,344.00 a year, oddly enough no takers have been found.

A Few more Old Nottingham Transport Vehicles - 2

Photographs of Nottingham - Old & New

An Old advert for Home Ales

Long gone now of course, along with manners, many shops, & honest politicians! 

30th September 2011

Grantham Canal - West Bridgford

I was feeding the ducks!

Nottingham Council House 2012

Tram stop and wires in view

Nottingham Council House 1926
The Open Market, the original trams, ans hundreds of people!

The Meadows - Wilford Grove

As was!

Dr Cooper's surgery on the corner of Wilford Crescent East.

The library just out of view on the right.

I was abiding at 49 Wilford Grove at the time of this photo being taken, from just outside the landlady Mary Gavin, and husband Jack's front door on the left out of view.

In those days I had hair, honour, and hope!

The Meadows - Corner of Kirkwright and Derwent Street

The Cricketers Rest pub on the right, corner of Derwent Street, the railway bridge that carried the trains into Arkwright Street Station, that was positioned on the viaduct above my house.
Many a time, as I played in the back-yard near the toilet and coal houses, my hair was caught fire by the burning embers from those trains, I never knew if I'd done wrong or my hair was alight until the neighbour would stop belting me around the head!
Memories invoked with this photo: Duncan's grocers, Fry's Chip Shop, The Grove Cinema (just before the bridge on the left), Maureen Attaway (an early love), the greengrocers, and when the Billy Smart elephant escaped from the stables, causing havoc and mayhem!


Early postcard of Theatre Royal
With on the right at the back: The Empire Theatre of variety.
Watmoughs Sweet shop of the corner!

The ABC Cinema - Long Row
Once named the Carlton, I think it had another name too, but cannot recall it.
Can anyone help me with this please comment if you can, thanks.
I went to see Carry On Constable when it was on there... oh I'm getting old!

Theatre Square 1962
Can you remember the underground toilets in the middle of Upper Parliament Street? Between Queen and King Street, opposite what was the Royal Mail garage.
with Always an attendant there, polishing, cleaning, checking on the stalls, issuing and collecting the towels, soap, shampoo, proper shaving cream and razors, always for hire for 2d a go!