The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

monnagran

Nursemaggie, she must have bobbed down and up again like a cork.

I have never been able to swim but no 5 year old ever left my class in the school with a swimming pool without being able to swim a width.  It would never be allowed today.  We were pretty gung ho in those days.  I'm sure I've told you about our exploits in that swimming pool before.

VJsmum

I grew up by the sea and we used to go 'swimming' in what we called the coalwash - which sounds awful but was just the sea.  I used to go with my brothers - i'd be about 5 and they'd be 8 and 11.  Not sure whether they could swim - I couldn't.   Mum didn't seem worried about it though.  

We discovered my DS could swim when he jumped in the swimming pool on holiday aged about 3 or 4;  we were fussing with towels and bags and suddenly *splash* and DD yelled "J's in the pool" .  We watched him dog paddle to the surface and fished him out (i am well known for not panicking in a crisis - it's a gift!).  He was a bit shocked but otherwise unharmed.  Though swimming is the only sport he isn't keen on

pollyanna_26

As a child living a few miles away from Liverpool I used to envy the intrepid youths and some girls who would travel to what was known as The Scaldy. It was actually part of the Leeds Liverpool canal system but the Tate and Lyle sugar factory used to discharge copious amounts of hot water from processing into the water. I never dared go with them. The fact the girls swam in their vests and knickers didn't bother me but the knowledge Mum would skin me alive if she ever found out did

I've never really been an alcohol drinker but on my 18th birthday I got roaring drunk Some of us ended up in the pitch dark in a boat on the river mersey I jumped into the water for a dare had a swim around and then got caught by the strong , shifting tides. Luckily I was hauled back into the boat coughing and spluttering. it's. probably one of the most stupid things I've ever tried the Mersey is not a river to mess with.I remember trying to creep indoors with my coat over my dripping clothes and mum calling through to the hall to ask if I'd had a nice night.. Yes thanks mum I replied but I really need my bed. I shot upstairs stripped off hid the evidence threw my nightie on and got into bed praying she wouldn't come in.

She came up to bed and called good night I mumbled night ,night and fell into a deep sleep. Next morning I had a thumping headache but mum never knew of my exploits. It's one of only a few tales of my youth I never told the offspring. Living a short walk from the Irish Sea it wasn;t wise to tell them as that is a wild and stormy sea and only a fool would do as I did.

pollyx

Pyxis

Lucky escape!

Both from the Mersey and from your mum! 🥴

missychrissy

nursemaggie said:

I guessed you fell in monna. My dd beat you when she was 19 month old. We were on holiday, I had her dressed in her cosy and her water wings on. She undid the dressing room door  lock  and ran out to the pool. I was naked so could not follow her. She just ran and jumped in. It was 15 foot so a bit more than you. Fancy putting the ladies changing room at the deep end.  Apparently she went straight to the bottom and came straight back up laughing, she was surrounded by men who had all gone to rescue her.

My second son was like that. He used to just jump in (no floats or anything) and presume someone would pull him out. Fortunately someone always did.
Funnily enough I had a dog once that was exactly the same. My 6 month old Great Dane launched himself off the riverbank into the river Wear. The bank was so steep we couldn’t reach him to pull him out so we had to walk about 2 miles downstream, with him swimming and following us, til we reached a place where we could reach him and pull him out. Always careful around water after that.

Nargleblast

Thought I would resurrect this thread, seeing as we are now allowed to have more people meeting in the Garden! How is everyone? I have a busy week at work with shifts, a study day and a meeting day, but from this coming weekend I have 11 days off. The list of stuff to do while I am off gets ever longer.....

shanks77

Good thank Nargle. I have been busy at work too no furlough for us. Very jealous of the thought of 11 days off bliss hope you get a chance to relax xx

Nargleblast

I have no plans for a holiday this year so after tomorrow's shift I will be on staycation for 11 days. The garden should keep me busy, my mangetouts, courgettes and runner beans are taking off. I am waiting for flowers to develop on them. The lavender is starting to flower so at some point I will make a batch of lavender oil.

The big thing next week is Monday 29th. The first anniversary of my OH's death. It seems a hundred years ago, so much has happened in that time and yet it's here already. Time is strange. I won't plan anything too demanding for that day, I will just go with the flow and we'll maybe drink a toast to a unique man who was part of my life for 22 years.

Today I will go to the wholesale butcher and greengrocer a few miles away to stock up on stuff, then get petrol afterwards. That, plus doggy walk, will be the sum total of excursions today. 

monnagran

Nargle, was it really a year ago?  It seems like just a few months and I can still feel the shock when you told us what had happened.  Your plans for the day sound great.  Being remembered with love and respect and a lot of humour is all we could wish for.  Well done you.

Not loving this weather at all.  I want to hide in a darkened room, not too far from a cooling fan.  If you are a sun lover I hope you are able to enjoy it.

VJsmum

Hello all
Crikey Nargle - i can't believe it is nearly the anniversary of OH..  I think that sounds a most excellent plan.

I am still hopeful of a holiday at some point - probably September.  We are considering a canal / river boat in France which will keep us very self contained apart from an odd bit of shopping.  For once, we would drive via Le Shuttle so, again, self-contained.   And, we likes a boat!  My next deadline for thesis corrections is September 4th - all has to be done and dusted by then so it would be a good time to go and everything should be quieter.

Had a nice day cycling with OH yesterday and plan to work under the umbrella in the garden today.  In different circumstances, I'd have been at Glastonbury today and i'm missing it very much, especially as my FB and twitter timelines are just full of others also missing it.

Stay safe and, in the words of the Fonz, stay cool!