Would you agree that we were probably more naive in those days?   I know I was, anyway.
So my first kiss was when we were on holiday at Jaywick  when I was 14 - and I remember his nose dripped!   He also groped me as well, and I  didn't know what to do.   
I told Mum when I got home, and I reckon she told Dad,  who I always suspected had a little  word in that boy's ear,  as he never came near me again!


I remember never liking my school days,  and was glad to leave. We could leave at 15 in those days.
My first job after leaving school was an apprentice hairdresser,  but the old bat who owned the shop just used me as slave, rather than teach me about hairdressing, so I broke the apprenticeship and left in the end.   I remember she threatened to sue me for doing that!   

I remember riding the donkeys on the beach every year, and helping the donkey man take them back to their field at the end of each day.   I still love donkeys to this day, and have supported the Donkey Sanctuary for years.

When I was about 12,  I used to ride a lot, and one day I brought a gorgeous puppy home from a litter born at the stables.   Dad wasn't pleased  -   but Mum was, and they kept him all his life. 

When I was about 16,  I met my first husband-to-be.    We got married when I was 18!  But it only lasted for about 10 years, although we still stayed friends for life.  Sadly he died about 6 years ago now.

But I think the worst year I can remember was around  2000-2001.
I was going through a very difficult and traumatic divorce from my second husband.  It nearly broke me  (mentally).  
 On top of that my Mum developed terminal  Cancer,   and then one of my beloved dogs died, too.  
I was trying to hold down my job,  plus deal with all the legal stuff, plus taking Mum to all her hospital appointments, and then the worry of finding somewhere else to live and all the legalities of that too, all this on my own as well,  it nearly cracked me up.     I couldn't cope with that again.

(Sorry if that's too gloomy . .  )

They were the good old singers weren't they,  who could actually sing and make good music. More love songs too.

One thing I can't stand nowadays is that 'Rap'  stuff.
Tuneless,  monotonous,  and boring.    Not exactly a tune anyone would whistle whilst they're working, is it.

Do you know, that's  just made me think . . . .  when did you last hear a workman whistle?
They don't seem to do it these days, do they.
I used to do be able to do a superb, ear-splitting  'fingers in mouth'   type whistle when I was out with the dogs,  but it doesn't come out right anymore.   

Quote from: Scrumpy on Yesterday at 05:22:57 PMI nearly went online to buy a Tens machine..
I .. for one moment.. thought I was going to get help with sleeping..
Sleep problems seem to be a very common problem. . . 
Especially as we age..

Yes,  I agree Scrumps.   Quite a few people say the same.
I wonder why it happens though ?   

In today's paper apparently some people reported seeing him doing a strange sort of  'War dance'   before he climbed the fence.   They said it looked like he was   "psyching himself up."

So does my council.

I remember the first boy I had a crush on.. I was eleven..
My first kiss.. eleven.. same boy..
My first ride on the back of a motorbike..
 What do you remember?

I leave it to the wind to decide...

Although Marge and I have worked in Saudi Arabia in a military hospital, I don't know much about their military.  You don't seem to hear about any of their forces and certainly not wars, so this is rather interesting.
Obviously, they have lots of money, so I'm sure they can afford the best equipment.  The patients we have dealt with didn't seem to include any big, scary sorts, so I'm not sure what their armed services are exactly like.  However, I feel that as they can afford anything they want, they should wipe the floor with the Hooties.
Fortunately, although they are a muslim nation, they certainly don't give the impression of being anything like the troublesome muslims we now seem to be importing.  I wish them the best.

Quote from: Dextrous63 on Yesterday at 01:35:30 PMThanks for explaining JB.  Touch wood that she'll be allowed to drive soon. 🤞🏻

I hope so, because she won't let me drive now.  She thinks I'm going doolally!

Simon and Garfunkel