Whitey Grandad

The longer he doesn’t play for us the worse he gets apparently. He played the major part of a season that saw us promoted.

From Heritage to Outrage

I had a wireman technician called Peter who worked for me over about fifteen years. He was ex FAA and had served on HMS Eagle and one of the Leander class too. He came from near Malvern.

Does it have large sideburns? A few years ago we were on a post cruise trip from New York to Charleston and on the way we spent a night in Gettysburg and we did a battlefield tour next morning. Knowing what I know now I would have chosen to stay there longer but my wife would only allow me ten days altogether. I did managemto squeeze in a couple of hours at Antietam though and ten minutes at Harper’s Ferry.

I was at my unit in Hamble when she came home and we went down to the shore to watch. I remember it being a very hazy day.

I took and passed mine in about 1962. Mind you, this was in Dovercourt next to Harwich where cars were only ever used on the occasional Sunday.

My dear wife and I went down to Lee on Solent on Good Friday evening to watch her leave. A very sobering moment. I was also in Portsmouth Harbour when Invincible came home. I was in my Mirror Dinghy. It was a beautiful late September day and I launched her up Fareham Creek but there was no wind and I had to row the first couple of miles. Down at the Harbour it was bedlam with boats everywhere churning up the water and she came in later than advertised so I slowly sailed down to the Harbour entrance and saw this big ship coming at me with fire tugs spraying all over the place and everything that could move racing to keep up with her. I thought she would come in at a stately few knots but she must have been doing fifteen or so. I decided to nip behind a couple of catamarans that were anchored just off where Gunwharf Quays are now situated and dropped my sails in the hope of protection from the swells. She was soon alongside with all the festivities and bands playing, a sight that I shall never forget. Later, as I was working my way back up the Creek her Sea Harriers took off whilst she was tied up alongside. I didn’t know they could do that. Then they did a circuit of the harbour in a farewell salute and headed west towards Yeovilton. In this photo I am off her starboard side hidden by the funnel.

I always enjoy listening to Shelby Foote. I have the full set of Ken Burns’s Civil War and must have watched it through five or six times. You learn something new every time you view it. I do hope you read Suetonius in the original Latin? 😉 I still have my pocket edition of ‘De Bello Gallico’ by Julius Caesar. I used it in my Latin classes at school in the early 60s. It only covers part of the war but gives an insight into his thinking. He comes across as full of himself.

Such people won’t last long.

Just in case anyone ever forgets 😉

Both, to be honest, but mainly during games. He has a talent for marking space.

How on earth can they wipe out your credit? That’s your money they’re talking about here. Im looking forward to the moment when they call me 🥳

This has to be a joke, right? Always goes missing when needed.

I’m just waiting for the head butt for confirmation.

The similarities are uncanny.

Only if he is resurrected.

But wasn’t he the best manager in Europe at the time?

I don’t disagree

It should be an automatic technique. Maybe billiard table pitches have spoilt too many players. Those of us who played Sunday League know that just getting some contact of the ball can be difficult at times.

It’s ‘only’ nine goals at the moment but if by some miracle we made up those 7 points that gap would be closer. Nah, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

He was looking at the goal and not the ball. It’s a fundamental football rule that you should always keep your eyes on the ball. You should see your laces hit it. Or boot, at least. He swung his boot through where he thought the ball was going to be. At his stage of development this is a basic.

We’re only seven points behind them so these six points would put us only one behind. Oh hang on.

Well they are best mates.

Phew! That’s ok then. For a while there I was worried.

If you don’t have any Crème Eggs just stuff ordinary eggs up there. When they eventually come out nobody will know the difference.