Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

vivatifosi

Thinking about where we live. Imagining that Hoddesdon in Herts, or Truro Cornwall, or Newmarket in Suffolk, or Dumbarton in Scotland.. imagine that that town closest to us no longer existed.

Such was the impact of going over the top in the Battle of the Somme. That was the loss of life in a single day. Now think of the population of Leeds no longer existing. That's how many British and Commonwealth troops lost their lives at the Somme.

We live in turbulent times, but how lucky are we that we didn't have to face such horror. I am staggered by the numbers.

Lest we forget.

Pyxis

Well said.

Pyxis

2 minute silence........


7.30 am

Pyxis

"The Poet As Hero"
BY SIEGFRIED SASSOON


You've heard me, scornful, harsh, and discontented,
Mocking and loathing War: you've asked me why
Of my old, silly sweetness I've repented—
My ecstasies changed to an ugly cry.

You are aware that once I sought the Grail,
Riding in armour bright, serene and strong;
And it was told that through my infant wail
There rose immortal semblances of song.

But now I've said good-bye to Galahad,
And am no more the knight of dreams and show:
For lust and senseless hatred make me glad,
And my killed friends are with me where I go.
Wound for red wound I burn to smite their wrongs;
And there is absolution in my songs."

Source: Cambridge Magazine (1916)

GDB2222

How do Virgin Trains function? They took us from London to Edinburgh and back, and they never once asked to see our tickets.

ivyleaf

Thank you Pyxis, for the poppies and the poem. I'm glad the poppy plants I bought two years ago have decided to come up resplendent this year after I'd thought they'd died.

Pyxis

ivyleaf wrote: »

Thank you Pyxis, for the poppies and the poem. I'm glad the poppy plants I bought two years ago have decided to come up resplendent this year after I'd thought they'd died.

You're welcome!


I know the pic is stretching the thread. I'll delete it later.
Or could look for a smaller one...............


Edit............swopped it for a smaller one.

silvercar

GDB2222 wrote: »

How do Virgin Trains function? They took us from London to Edinburgh and back, and they never once asked to see our tickets.

Seriously? No ticket barriers at Kings Cross? or Edinburgh?

silvercar

Pyxis wrote: »

2 minute silence........


7.30 am

I'm silent at 7.30am most mornings.

SingleSue

The end of the first year of youngest's level 3 BTEC today. At the start he was predicted Merit, Merit, Merit and the college's expectations were pretty low for him, today he is predicted Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* having completed all the units so far with a Distinction.

He has also in that time won round one of his tutors who mistook some of his tics for messing around (although there was also some messing around, he is only 18 after all) and was quite off with him, now the tutor is completely convinced with youngest's potential and is bigging him up at every opportunity, giving him extra work and has today confirmed that youngest is right at the top of the year group and ahead of everyone else.

I couldn't be prouder, youngest has worked so blooming hard in his time at the college, firstly to put right all that went wrong in his GCSEs (ending up with A*, A in a subject he didn't even like and had no interest in plus also getting his maths after 6 weeks at the college) and then to be so focused in this last year to defy all the predictions.

He went to a uni day yesterday and although he is scared about the next step, he is so so looking forward to it....going to cost me a fortune in blooming uni visits though before he makes his final choice (he had 4 in mind before yesterday, now he has 9!)

Sorry if this comes across as boasting, I can't help it....so proud.