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General => The Shed => Topic started by: campanula on December 05, 2003, 23:55:52

Title: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 05, 2003, 23:55:52
is it just me or is anyone else overcome with sheer nosiness about fellow posters. I find myself wondering stuff like what do they do, any children, whereabouts do you live, pets? hobbies? and so on. I often check member profiles but they are so terribly vague. Just thinking I would love to know more about your lives. Any chance of expanding the profiles so people could include more info about themselves. Any thoughts, anyone?
cheers, suzy
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 06, 2003, 00:22:35
I agree, you chat to peeps, get to know their allotments quite intimately, but you know very little else.  :-/  On another site I frequent a thread was started including a list of questions, things like type of bike, colour, what do you use it for...... :o obviously a motorbike site not a gardening site..... but we could do a similar thing here....or peeps could just wax lyrical about themselves so we have more idea of who's who  ::).  

A great idea Suzy...so , you going to get the ball rolling?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Suze_O on December 06, 2003, 00:24:09
Hi Campanula

Or should I say suzy?  Well, that's my name, Suze or Susannah.   So why hide behind campanula?

Thing is, this is the Net, and peeps is little worried bout giving too much of themselves away, 'cos of weird peeps and stalkers etc.

Sad fact, but true.  You will find that most folks on this board, although they have first and last names, they are not the real McCoy.  Only way you can find out about peeps is instant personal messaging  ........

Just a sign of the times I'm afraid.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hugh_Jones on December 06, 2003, 00:39:07
Hello Campanula.  I thoroughly with what you say; we really ought to be more open with one another.

I personally have no objection to revealing that I am young, handsome, have a charming disposition, and am fabously wealthy - due mainly to the fact that, under my real name, I am internationally known as a star of stage and screen. I live in a 25 bedroom mansion in Berkshire, but keep a town house in London, and have smaller residences in Paris, Rome and New York.

I also write silly stories on this Board.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 06, 2003, 00:39:09
I'm in agreement with Suze_O, many are hesitant to divulge too much because of the openess of the forum and there are lots of strange peeps out there .

.............However, if any one wants to send me their vital statistics I will peruse them at my leisure   ;)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 06, 2003, 00:52:50
....... Hugh, thats one of your most unbelievable stories yet!!

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MagpieDi on December 06, 2003, 00:59:32
Quote

I am young, handsome, have a charming disposition


Campanula.............'fraid some people would still lead you up the garden path!!! ::)   ::)   ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 06, 2003, 02:29:21
Hugh, you do make me laugh! ;D  
I agree with above tho, it is somehow nicer to hide under a pseudonym, sometimes in life people feel safer to be anonymous. Plus if you all really knew how boring my life and I am............................................ none of you would talk to me!   hehehehehe ;D  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MagpieDi on December 06, 2003, 02:32:21
Ditto.........Dottie!!  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 06, 2003, 11:38:11
i have a nasty habit of meeting people i meet online in real life so i tend to be the real thing cos it'd be too complicated otherwise!

i will see what else i cna add to my personal profile
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on December 06, 2003, 13:55:25
Hi, It is amazing what personality comes through even just reading from the Board.  Here are a few of my instincts about people. Tim, as I mentioned before comes across as a bit of an elder statesman, who has led and interesting and full life, the sort you feel you could go to with any problem and he would be able to draw on his vast experience.  Lishka, a mature woman, but still of today, spunky and with a great sense of human.  EmmaJane, Youngish, Dynamic,Confident,Quirky could have been a bit of a Ladette in her younger day.

   Jethro, great sense of humour , the court jester, able to laugh at himself but a kindly nature, great company. Hugh, Mature, intellelectual, creative, loves words and playful sense of humour.  Beer Belly, On the outside a real mans man, great to have a drink at the pub with. but with a sensitive side to his nature, loves animals and nature. I could go on and on, but it would take too much space.  I wonder how right I am and also what people think of me from just what I have written?

I was always warned to be very careful about what information you gave out to people on the www, as not everyone is genuine, but I suppose it is tempting when you come across a Board like this, where  you feel that people have become your friends even if it is only in a virtual way
.
It is an interesting question.  Hope I haven't offended anyone by the way, if I am way off the mark.  :D busy_lizzie
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 06, 2003, 14:07:10
Give me a whirl Busy_Lizzie while you've got your crystal ball out .I could do with a laugh on this cold December day.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 06, 2003, 16:53:08
Bb, Likes budgies?!!   ;D  DP
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 06, 2003, 17:30:46
Could be a ploy!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 06, 2003, 17:33:29
Perhaps she breeds them for Budgie-BurgerS!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MagpieDi on December 07, 2003, 00:17:49
Yummy....now there's a novelty!!   ::)    ;)

Love your Xmas stocking!!  ..........bunny burgers next maybe??   ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 07, 2003, 19:45:18
I could get a job on that CV??

Thanks, busy_lizzie - but 'statesman' is FAR too generous. Elder(ly)? Yes. Problems? Yes - loves interfering. Teaching art & picture framing since retiring in 1975. Can't stop! Been around? In the previous 36 years, started by getting shot down in the BofB - then day & night fighters over Europe; Russia, Northern Ireland, India, Pacific, Atlantic convoys, Cyprus, MoD et al.

Well, campanula asked for 'colour'? And I'm not concerned about being tracked down and offended in the few years before I self-destruct. Yes, everyone knows about the Scotch. Great painkiller! 'Specially for the toothache I've got at the moment. Always over weekends?

So - one more bit of 'colour' from exactly 60 years ago - not raked out for you for effect, but on it's way to one of the children's albums. Tim

(http://www.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=5356139a-304a-6a90-45d4-651f2a4cdee0&size=sm)

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ozzy_aka_Pothead on December 08, 2003, 09:57:29
Yo Tim

BofB..... for those who dont know.... BofB is Battle of Briton.... and Tim wuz a dead highy up peep on our side.. and on the naughty side.. there wuz dead highy up peeps too, ad the general idea wu to make the dead highy up peeps into dead lowy down peeps.....

Yo Tim   soz for the bable mate... just remembered a prog I saw on telly... it was abowt the
invention of the ejector seat.. and mahn you just have to take your hat off to the test pilot, think it wuz in 1954 but cant be sure...

oZzY
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MagpieDi on December 08, 2003, 15:26:06
Quote
Yes, everyone knows about the Scotch. Great painkiller! '


Tim .......I also take it for medicinal purposes only !!  ;)   ::)   ;D

Great for closing down the mind when the need arises!!  ;D



P.S.  you must have some amazing stories to tell ........having served in the RAF for many years
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ozzy_aka_Pothead on December 08, 2003, 15:26:08
Yo Tim

Just remembered the first seat was in 1945 and was a spring coil under the seat, then came the gas charged.... bin thinking
... when you was shot down.. how did you get escape? and what speed wuz the plane descending at? Dont know if you get NTL cable were you are but the history channel is well good.

oZzY %)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hugh_Jones on December 08, 2003, 19:24:25
Did you manage to shoot down many Zeppelins, Tim?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 08, 2003, 22:28:49
1. I did NOT mean to hog this patch. But -
2. Love you Hugh!!! And to think that our boys were flying at night without all the instruments that we have taken for granted?
3. Ozzy - funny you should mention seats - spent much time with Martin Baker, bringing in the rocket seats. He liked his 'medicine' too!
4. How? Over the side - straight and level, 160kts, but on fire. The plane went in at Chidham fast enough to bury itself. But it was found because the 8 machine guns surfaced 100 yd further on. I have ammo from the un-fired guns! And other bits that they keep sending me. As though I need to be reminded!!
5. Funny thing - Leslie Irvin, inventor of the 'airchute', was a great family friend - pre-war - and he sent me my gold 'caterpillar' whilst I was still in hospital.
6. Channels? Totally ignorant.
7. Nicotine? Gave it up 20 years ago - replaced it with 'medicine'. Better for the paintwork?! Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 08, 2003, 22:54:24
Heavens, you interesting types don't half make it hard for us boring so and so's.
Nearest I ever got to flying was when I fell down stairs.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hugh_Jones on December 09, 2003, 00:23:15
Just a jest Tim. Still, I did experience some of the joys of aviation when our C.O. (hoping to improve his promotion chances) sent all us junior officers up in a `Wimpey` (Tim will know), complete with parachutes on what we thought was a `jolly` - only to be invited by the accompanying Flt Sgt to jump out at 2,000 ft.  Happily we were all able to resist temptation. But that was a bit later than Tim`s exploits.

However, I would have welcomed Tim and his mates up above on the night in June 1940 when an enterprising Luftwaffe pilot missed the local steelworks by a mile and dropped his bombs on my family home.  It was quite a salutory experience spending a few hours buried and unable to move under several feet and umpteen tons of assorted rubble while the local NFS and a bunch of neighbours dug their way in by hand.   Fortunately we didn`t have compulsory counselling in those days so the trauma was short lived.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: teresa on December 09, 2003, 00:32:14
Oh God days in the WRAF going out on a test flight to make sure the plane was safe to carry passangers.
They needed body weight so a friend and I signed a piece of paper to say if anything happened to us it was not the fault of the forces. The good old days ha ha then came the curcuilts and bumps where they dropped so many feet and regained control and landed with legs of jelly. The good old days.
Tim have you written your life story for your children and grandchildren? My dad has and he was on the other side makes some good reading my boys loved it.
Teresa
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 09, 2003, 02:01:14
Hell, how boring am I!  Truth is, I am an open book!  A ladette in my younger days busy_lizzie...would hope that at 33 I am still in my younger days! (and I do behave more like a 23 year old!)     ;D  But yes, you actually read me quite well - I am cheeky, wouldn't say confident, altho a total flirt,  a domestic goddess, nutty mum of 2.5, and still a ladette!  What more can I tell ya, worked in the music industry for 9 years before becoming a mum and gardened passionately since I was a child thanks to my gramps.  Thats it...what more do you wanna know???
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 09, 2003, 11:36:09
1. How is it that so many folk are up after midnight? Got to finish the bottle I suppose?
2. Noone is boring - only bored  by default?
3. Eric - I fall downstairs these days more often than I fly - family won't allow their 'pension'  airborne!
4. Hugh - makes my (one of many!) disasters seem quite mundane. My Mum got the same treatment in the West End.
5. Teresa - would love to read it. Me? No - several books have snippets in them. New one by Patrick Bishop has the Chidham episode in it. Amongst some things of real interest. And BTW, I think your little r/deer thinks I'm it's daddy?? - Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 09, 2003, 14:45:23
I am a bit mystified by some of the anxieties concerning the many many whack jobs 'out there'. I mean, how manyof you use 'loyalty cards' at the local supermarket.? Buy stuff using credit cards? I just cannot see how a quick biog. of anyone's life is gonna make much difference to privacy. I mean, why should anyone really get worked up by knowing that: I have three children, 16, 21, 26. Work as a landscape garden and designer (having worked with homeless people for 25 years, finally sick to death of the whole corrupt system where many people get rich off the sufferings of the disenfranchised) and like bizarre music by the likes of the Third Ear Band, Captain Beefheart and Stackridge (early days) and (more recently) the Beta Band.
I paint, knit, sew, garden(of course, but that is a comparatively recent obsession/sickness), walk my border collie and live with Reuben,my sweetheart of 20 years. Fave plants - campanulas(No surprise there)
Fave veggies - sweet peppers.
Odd beliefs in tree magic and my all time hero and role model would have to be Winstanley, the English Civil War Digger who liberated Cobham Hill, Surrey - although, William Walwyn, the Leveller comes a close second (did history for my degree at Sussex as a mature student - great days). I believe in keeping close to the earth, the source of intellectual,physical, mental and emotional nourishment.
Really, not that much to get all exercised and paranoid about!
Go on then, tell me more - Although I live in Cambridge now, I was born in Lancashire and consequently, have nosiness as part of my heritage.
Not hiding behind my user name - I always thought that nom de webs were de rigeur!
So, cheers all, Suzy
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on December 09, 2003, 15:25:04
Well! Here I go - me revealing all!  I am in my fifties, married to a retired civil servant.  We have two children, both in their twenties, both living away from home now, but nearby so we see them a lot.  We have one dog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who is very old now and two cats. We have lived in Berkshire and Lancashire for a while but we are Geordies born and bred so came home to Tyneside fifteen years ago.

I have always had a great interest in Complementary Therapies and I am a qualified Reflexologist   (special massage done on the feet ), have practised for about nine years.  Also dabbled in homeopathy, Reiki, Crystal Healing and a few others.  Used to do short teaching courses in Reflexology for the local authority.

I have always loved gardening, and plants and nature.  My grandad had a big allotment, which I remember when I was very small.  My mother and her sister used to go around the streets with a barrow selling his fruit and vegetables when they were young.  Wish I could talk to him now, as I am sure he would have many pearls of wisdom to impart.

In 2001 was suddenly struck down by a Chronic Fatigue illness and at one stage had difficulty walking - was too weak.  Gradually began to improve and though still lacking in any real energy, made this dramatic pronouncement to my family in February 2003 that I wanted to get an allotment.  Everybody thought I was mad, and was aiming too high in my recovery, but I was determined, and with my Husbands' help got one.  It was the best thing I ever did, and I am sure weeding and pottering in the summer sunshine has been a fantastic help to me. Started off not having the strength to do any digging, but by the end of the summer this year was digging away like a goodin'

Next year we have plans for the allotment to be bigger and better.  I have put my Reflexology talents on hold for the moment.  My daughter used to say I was embarrassing as I used to look at those in open toed sandals and bare footers on the beach and try to read their feet - you can tell an awful lot about a person by looking at their feet.  My family has always joked that I should set up a little tent  on the Sands and do "foot reading".  One other quirky thing about me, before I finish, is I collect kitchen whisks and have about 65 of them all shapes and sizes., so if I want to beat an egg no problems in our house for an implement.  Hope that all doesn't sound too boring!  busy_lizzie :D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 09, 2003, 15:35:56
ooooh - you can do my feet any day?
But, seriously, a fascinating story - Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 09, 2003, 16:11:32
not at all b.l.
BTW, I am always curious about what books people read - usually swoop on their bookshelves... so what's yours. I am an avid Sci-Fi reader - phasers set to stun - and loved Robertson Davies books - also, as a gardener and SF fan, John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids - seriously creepy (GM foods!!)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 09, 2003, 16:36:58
wow you are all dead exciting, this is me...

i am 27 and live by the sea near whitley bay. i am happiest growing things (i have the lushest back yard in my terraced street  ;D) and always have since i grew up on a market garden cooperative in lincolnshire. i went to agricultural college in hampshire to study fish farming and worked as a goldfish and koi carp farmer in cyprus for a bit but eventually had to admit defeat - its very hard to be a girl fish farmer.

so i went to university to study marine biology in plymouth where i met my husband (we got married in january). we moved up to the north east 4 years ago so he could do his PhD and now he works at the university devising collision avoidance systems for cars.

i have mainly worked in volunteer management, particularly in mental health but recently gave up work and am currently enjoying 2 months as a housewife while i set up my own business as a photographer and messing about on the allotment.

we have 3 turkish van cats (supposedly swimming cats). i am passionate about formula 1 motor racing and i will read anything and everything. i have a curious reputation amongst my friends that whatever you want to know about i will have a book on it  :D

Jo
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 09, 2003, 19:16:44
hey. legless, in 1988, we went to Lake Van in Turkey and actually saw the cats - they were living in semi-feral colonies around the lake - very odd looking fat cats that milled about scrounging. Had a great time long before any probs with Kurds and Iraq
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 09, 2003, 19:44:35
my mum and dad now live in turkey but they won't let me go to Van (had an opportunity to go with an armed guard next year) but they will take me to see the cats in a zoo in Izmir.

its supposed to be a beautiful part of the country but as you say a bit too troubled to just visit now.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 09, 2003, 20:41:31
You all sound so interesting. So here goes with the boring bit. Born in S.W. Lancashire, went to Sec Modern, then to Grammar School in Wales. Did a years teaching then on to College in Liverpool (where I got a Geordie accent). Taught in Primary schools. Married with 5 children ,2 boys, 3 girls. Now got 6 grandchildren of various sexes and hew. Collect books on Plants and Gardening. Read Terry Pratchett, Anne McCaffrey, Diane Wynne Jones, Piers Anthony and basically any thing printed.
Live on a bit less than an acre of garden in a tiny ex-farm workers cottage in the Midlands.
Even more boring bit. I suffer from agoraphobia (well sort of, its more like extreme stage fright really). Cannot use the telphone, open letters, go out on my own and anything else which requires decision making. But we manage.
More? About a stone overweight, allergic to alcohol, cannot eat dairy produce, or any members of the brassica family(tablets make em all bitter).
Final thing, got a sense of humour which has frequently got me into trouble. Always could see the funny side.
And any way how do camels hump?
Eric
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 09, 2003, 21:09:31
that's a lot to deal with eric, thank goodness for internet communication.

if you can't eat brassicas you wouldn't do too well with an allotment up here - some people only grow cabbages!

i really admire your garden from the photos you've shown us.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 09, 2003, 21:45:20
The new super sweet Brussels sprouts are not too bad, but the old varieties are inedible. The tablets seem to concentrate the mustard oils in Brassicas, especially Spinch beet.  I find lettuce bitter too, but that is not a problem as I don't like the stuff anyway.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 09, 2003, 22:16:54
OMG! - The more one learns, the more grateful we should all be for what we've got - however miserable it may seem at the moment.

We're really getting down to the nitty gritty now?

But boring Eric? Non- sense! And thanks for your spiel. Sorry if my e-mail was unfortunately near the knuckle.  - Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 09, 2003, 22:25:26
 Well , if you can't beat them............
 Here's my meagre synopsis.......
41yrs young (though don't look it), live in sunny SE london. Major confession now, I don't have an allotment, but do have a large veggie plot, with a large flower garden ...... jack of all trades ...Have one little girl, nearly 7, who is garden trained, and a great help. Recently seperated but currently working things out.
 Just awaiting results for an Open University BSc,Hons, did 2 modules to complete degree started before marriage and children interupted, Life Sciences with a twist of environmental policy.Disasterous Exam in Oct, so might have to retake.
Apart from gardening, I dabble with watercolours, do needlepoint and listen to radio 4. I also smoke and drink! Reading tastes include anything from aga sagas to Hemingway, Wilkie Collins is a particular fave.
In my previous life, worked as a theatre nurse, but don't miss work at all; I'm far too busy .......
Well that's me, you can all wake up now!! ;)

By the way Robin is my real name and I've heard all the jokes and I hate getting christmas cards with red-breasted birds on them!!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 09, 2003, 22:44:36
- a rolling stone may gather no moss, but it certainly picks up some fascinating information?

Well done suzy! - Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 09, 2003, 23:11:03
OK, OK, here is mine.
Born in 1962, so that makes me 23! (Sigh, I wish!) Have 2 girls ages 14 (going on 40) and 11, (going on 30) And of course they are both beautiful! Have a husband from Bermuda, and we lived over there for 13 years until 5 years ago, when we returned to East Sussex. My lottie was my saving grace when I returned, working the soil certainly helps sort things out! (I still dream of beaches and palm trees occasionaly!)
Family all think I am mad, and laugh when I say I am just nipping up to the lottie, they know I will be gone for hours!!
Trained as a hotel manager, but hubby does the same and does not make for good family life both working 88 hours a week! So decided to give up work and become a domestic goddess, and enjoy all the things I love, my family, cooking, gardening, entertaining, drinking chardonnay, sewing, making wine, gardening, drinking, cooking, crafty stuff, sitting on the computer.....shame I HATE cleaning!! (but so long as the weather is bad it gets done!) I now work part time as a gardener during the mornings, nothing exotic, just taking care of other peoples gardens, but long to find something else to get my teeth into!
Read anything, when I get the time. last thing was "lovely Bones".
We have an aquarium full of tropical fish, a pond full of goldfish and 2 Guinea Pigs. (used to have 2 tame rats, called Gin and Tonic!! ) Would have Dogs n cats but I am allergic to animals. :'(
Rambled on enough methinks!!  You all still awake out there?????
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 09, 2003, 23:21:19
  Well DottieP, the same vintage as me ......... boy wasn't it a good year  :-/
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 09, 2003, 23:33:39
Marvellous, and improving with age!! ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on December 09, 2003, 23:47:20
You all sound lovely people and fascinating lives, Tim, Eric, Jo, Doris P, Robin, Suzy - Good to meet you all! Hope I haven't missed anybody out.  I am sure it would be a pleasure to massage all of your feet.  :D busy_lizzie
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 09, 2003, 23:57:34
You aint seen my feet!!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Suze_O on December 10, 2003, 00:03:08
No

But you ain't seen mine.

Prehensile i have been told.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 10, 2003, 00:25:24
What a hideous thought. A mass foot massage. Yuck!!!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 10, 2003, 01:09:31
Well, as you have all been so thorough, thought I should maybe fill in a few more gaps...... and bore you all rigid!
We have 2 kids, Jessica 4 and James 3.  Met the love of my life, Mark,  on a canal boat holiday, where he swept me off my feet and stole me away from another!  :o  We live in Essex, altho I am half Surrey and half Devonian, so have an odd accent.
I drink...anything that doesn't taste of aniseed :-X, am an ex smoker, and am constantly on a diet!  Thrilling so far huh!  Learnt to ride a motorbike this summer. Will garden come rain or shine, by torch light if necessary - I am passionate about it.  Knit, sew, read anything at all, love cars, especially vintage ones, motorbikes, and pints of ice cold beer !   ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 10, 2003, 09:08:42
message deleted!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: jethro on December 10, 2003, 14:30:47
Well here goes,

Born on  jan 2 1957, went to school eventually, left at 15 years old, with 7 'a' and 11 'o' levels, you younguns won't know what they are  ;D . Started work as a bricklayer served a 5 year apprenticeship achieved an OND and HND then worked everywhere, (have trowel will travel) 3 years in Canada as a site agent for my uncle, loads of work in London and surrounding areas (only trouble was nobody understood the geordie accent),Scotland for 2, then went into training when City and Guilds changed to NVQ. This was due to an accident (got 2 pins and a bone graft in my right shoulder)and have been doing this for 18 years. I travell all over the country delivering an assortment of courses to different companies.
I have 2 'kids' number one son (Simon) is 22 and doing his masters at uni, number one daughter (Vicky)is working (thank god) but still spending my money. When she was born had 'the snip' to make sure no more came about.
At the last count we have 5,000 books at home (more than the local library) ranging from the ' ABC of Communisim' to 'The story of PI', but i must admit that i prefer humour like Terry Pratchet.
I recently bought a Harley Davidson (no relation tough luck, you see my middle name is Davidson) and i am currently turning it into a trike, (no licence) so what with that  the allottment and 'other' interests i am very active.
So that's about it (boring or what) apart from my weird sense of humour which usually gets me into trouble (ask the police). My drinking has had to be cut down due to diabetes, high cholesterol, angina  etc so now i'm down to 20 pints a night with the occasionaal bottle of jack daniels thrown in. I also smoke around 20 tabs a day or some other foreign substance, which is just for medicinal purposes you understand.

Right that's definetly it, talk to you all later.


Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: jethro on December 10, 2003, 14:33:03
OOOpppsss forgot, i live in a little town near Durham.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Tenuse on December 10, 2003, 14:50:05
I'm 33 and very secretive.

;D

Ten x
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 10, 2003, 19:00:29
- can we try bribery? Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Tenuse on December 10, 2003, 21:57:50
I may reveal more, for a stout parsnip.

Ten x
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 10, 2003, 22:15:44
Oh Yes, this is more like it!!!
Boring....I don't think so.
I LOVE to hear other people's stories - absolute meat and drink to me. Thank you for turning into real people!
I should say that my experience of internet communication has been severely limited and I have been completely fascinated to notice my feelings towards all of you - I am a desperately shy sort (Palustris, I also have the phone and letter problem) and never, in a million years could I imagine being so forthcoming.
Keep em coming!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 11, 2003, 00:07:22
I am what I am. I just embarrass myself by admitting it and then have to hide away until the blush has gone down and the memory faded.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 11, 2003, 09:26:58
- but the tail's still wagging?
And what about  the quirky smile? = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 11, 2003, 10:17:38
the weird thing i find is when you meet internet people in real life, you've never met before but you know so much about each other conversation is instant! i'm out on the toon on friday with a bunch of girls i met on a wedding planning forum in fact!  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 11, 2003, 11:15:52
Would be funny to put us all in a room and see if we recognise each other!! :o  (Well, we would EJ and Jethro!)
That would be a good Christmas quiz, post a photo and everyone has to guess who it is just by looks!! Mind you wouldn't be dificult cos our profile names would be next to us.duh!  DP
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hyacinth on December 11, 2003, 12:14:02
...agree with Legless...how was it for you, Tim??

We'd met on the Beeb lottie board and Stephan (Cleo) had come up with this nifty solution to us exchanging email addresses, and last year (god!how time flies) I went to meet Tim and his family.

And I don't recall any awkward silences  ;D ;D ;D - Lishka

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 11, 2003, 14:57:20
- when a chatterer enters your life,  no need to struggle for conversation!! Long may it continue = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Margaret on December 11, 2003, 22:46:27
OK all,following on from Lishka's announcement that she has met Tim,who else has met anyone else on here? My claim to fame ::) is that I have met Cleo,as we live very near each other.He gave me a strange looking vegetable and we just recognised each other instantly( I was carrying a goldfish in a jar).  ;D ;D ;D

Only joking folks.But we really have met and he was very generous again with some sort of greeny cabbage.Very tasty!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hyacinth on December 11, 2003, 23:19:27
Quote
- when a chatterer enters your life....
 :o :o :o - you've performed the impossible, Tim..rendered me speechless!! ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: gavin on December 11, 2003, 23:31:26
Hi all,

A daft unworkable idea - or? ? ?

How about a get together sometime?  Meeting for real in some allotment shed somewhere?  The only reason I offer the idea is that our allotment shed is a burnt out ruin!!!!!

All best - Gavin
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: ina on December 12, 2003, 00:02:29
Or in Tim's greenhouse, it's big enough.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hugh_Jones on December 12, 2003, 00:43:43
Not a good idea, Ina.  Just think what all those alcohol fumes would do for his next years tomato crop.  Besides, if oZzY lit up one of his hand-rolled we`d all be arrested.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 12, 2003, 00:46:53
Would be great to meet peeps, but we allotment far and wide!  Something to think about tho....
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 12, 2003, 00:52:19
Several would be called for North, South,East and West.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 12, 2003, 00:52:45
.I'm free to meet anyone, anytime, any where....... Will now change my name to martini!!!
.......... seriously though if anyone wants to meet up on a visit to "the big Smoke" then give me a shout.

Met up with someone from the beeb board at Hampton Court last year ...... very successful.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 12, 2003, 00:55:17
so where abouts are you R.R. ?  I met a pal from the gardenweb website at chelsea this year and then went and visited her at her home in Cornwall.  Great making new chums!!   ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 12, 2003, 01:49:48
.......... in limbo betwen dulwich and peckham.......
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MagpieDi on December 12, 2003, 01:55:36
I'm happy to meet up with absolutely anyone

..........................as long as he's in uniform!!  :o  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hyacinth on December 12, 2003, 01:57:50
Quote
Several would be called for North, South,East and West.


ahem!!! An wot about the midlands then? Got everything Birmingham has...more canals than Venice ??? a mess of motorways,  and a thumping big ferris wheel at the mo, which gives you a commentary of what you're looking at in French!!....tries to con you that you're looking at the Eifel Tower when what you can see is the Post Office Tower...

"Oh no it's not!..."
"Oh yes it is..."

Bloody cracking, our Council. ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 12, 2003, 01:58:08
...we back to them firemen?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: ava_banana on December 12, 2003, 11:41:58
........errrm, Hi there everybody........

......I hang about in the back ground quite a bit and enjoy reading the postings.........but don't often have  alot to say......you all seem so knowledgeable......

.......anyway....I am a 36 yr old bloke........3 children 8,4 and 3 (but the 8 yr old lives with her mum).......

.......Work in London as a printer.......enjoy the outdoor life..........used to play a lot of Rugby......do hill walking......adventure training that sort of thing.......got my Private pilots licence when I was 17, but haven't kept it up (if you know what I mean )......

......met this wonderful girl on holiday......four days later she moved in.......now married with two young'uns......excellent stuff......

....I don't know a lot about gardening.......but my wife does, so I just do what I am told....... :)

....will happily be lounged on by women of all ages in the Panto......and have been known to wear a uniform if the need arises !

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 12, 2003, 11:48:57
Sorry, DP - my uniform is now in a small museum in Cardiff. And it would need a little alteration I guess? = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: minerva on December 12, 2003, 15:32:53
Well i thought i would join in, i am a 33 year old , 34 at christmas (not good for pressies),, i live in Bath come from Cheshire where my family still live, have an ancient art buisness; www.heliosgallery.com which is based in london but I run the mail order from Bath, spend too much time on the computer fiddling with my website, and far too much time on the M4.  My obsession is my allotment i adore being out in the fresh air growing veg, I hate being indoors and in London would love to have a horse and a small holding but my otherhalf, who is Danish  Is a very sensible sort of chap who thinks we should concentrate on making money, we live with our rescue dog, 1/2 staffy 1/2 whippit Minerva. so there you go any questions on ancient pottery!?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: mysticmog on December 12, 2003, 16:31:59
All about me....

I'm small and loud, have more hobbies than you can shake a stick at and wish a standard working week was 3 days long, so I could spend more time doing the stuff I love to do.

I'm loving this allotment malarky, and can't wait to actually grow something.  I used to be a hippy/traveller person and lived on a farm and have worked the fields in Lincolnshire, so have some idea of gardening, but mostly that involved digging things up, not much planting....

I'm doing my first 10K run next week, and am doing a 1/2 marathon nxt year, am attempting to write a book about Easter Island, am v interested in Shamanism and love red wine

Oh yeah, am single and 33....

M xx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palefire on December 12, 2003, 19:02:55
Known as Sue on the Beeb. Born 15 March 1973 and I am a typical Piscean. Dreamy, (would be)artistic, calm things down when they get too heavy, want to be a Tolkien elf, part time Goth, Mum of one 4 going on 14 year old self proclaimed fairy princess, have no allotment, but a few sq feet in the garden is a decent substitute. Have strong opinions that ofeten get me into verbal or keyboard fights, but the less said about that the better. Personally legal only substances (soz hash fans!), but even gave up smoking 8 years ago and only have the occasional tipple. Love Tolkien, Rice, King. Herbet, Peake's "Gormenghast" Trilogy, Weiss & Hickman, Feist and other Sci Fi/ Fantasy writers. Like embroidery, reading, eating chocolate, live gigs. Music - Popular classical, Gothic, 80's electric, Industrial and Alternative heavy metal, Traditional metal, glam, some prog - not too experimental! Believe in Mother Earth that we stand on, live on and eventually return to, but (don't want to offend anyone here) I do like a lot of the religious stories and I used to like spending time in churches to think.

Boring? Not really. I have calmed down a lot, but I still live half my life in a dream world. Also want to be a Final Fantasy character at some point! (PS2 game)

Love, Palefire

xxx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 12, 2003, 21:12:19
Are you in Whitby then Palefire or are there other Goths?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 12, 2003, 21:57:19
- nice site, Minerva = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 13, 2003, 14:54:36
what an interesting lot we are
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on December 13, 2003, 17:00:52
Room for one more Suzy?  Have just spent the last half an hour reading all your stories.  What an interesting lot you all are.  Really impressed with Tim and Hugh's stories! :)

I am sixty-something (but 21 in the mind!!).  Born in Muswell Hill, London and moved to Hertfordshire as a baby and have lived in this county ever since, except for a short while during the war when I was evacuated to Wiltshire to live with my cousins.  Married when I was just 20 two children (one of each) and one grandson (16).  Mad about animals, especially the wild ones and horses, have two dogs and two cats.  Spend alot of time training the dogs and enjoy going to the shows, where we have had quite a bit of success.  Used to dance and sing on the stage when I was young (not professionally though).   Worked as a secretary in an insurance company and then as a legal secretary until I retired at 60.  Very hard work but it earned a crust!  ??? Still love moving to music.  Go to a dance aerobics class once a week which keeps the old endorphins (if that is how you spell it!) going.  Hobbies, gardening of course, making knitted dolls, listening to music of all kinds.  Don't have much time for reading - should do really, it would probably broaden this addled old brain of mine!

By the way EmmaJane, was the person you met from Cornwall called Jan by any chance.  She is one of our gardening Beeb friends?

Well I think I have bored you all enough for now.

Pat
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 13, 2003, 19:33:48
Hiya Pat, nope, her name is Dawn and I met her through Gardenweb not the Beeb.  Never really did the beeb thing so when you are all chatting away about it, I feel all left out  :-[.  Poor 'ickle me.  ;)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 14, 2003, 01:13:21
yep, i missed out on the beeb board - altho sounds like a bit of a stiffneck job
suzy
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 15, 2003, 19:56:26
A lot of work has gone into this slot - how do we create a 'shortcut' to it for future reference? = Tim

Oh, a bright thought at 2 am - we can always 'Search' for it??
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 15, 2003, 19:59:35
i was wondering that too - i think we can just bookmark it. will try and report back.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 15, 2003, 20:20:24
yep, it works but there is probably a better way. i just click on favourites and appropriate buttons...obviously not a techie but, it appears,there are plenty out there.
I am so pleased that people have made such an effort and it is all fascinating stuff. I am a bit taken aback by this whole bulletin board thing - i am a bit shy and anti-social in real life but i find it very easy to communicate on this site. i even feel a bit supported,like you do with your mates but we know so little about each other. It is a phenomenon which continually surprises me - i haven't any coherent opinions yet as i am still bemused - i look here first thing in the morning and also right after work!! Of course, we are all desperately withdrawing from growing stuff and need to keep feeding our gardening addiction but still.......
amazed :-/
suzy
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palefire on December 15, 2003, 20:42:37
Quote
Are you in Whitby then Palefire or are there other Goths?


Nope, I'm roughly 100 miles roughly West of there in a place called Hadfield (No, not HaTfield!!) where the BBC Comedy Noir "The League of Gentlemen" was filmed.
I think if you put me next to a full time modern Goth, they would probably call me a part timer. I can't go the whole hog because of my job and it wouldn't really suit me anyway!!

Campanula, Dan might make it a sticky topic if you ask him - this will keep it at the top of the list.

Love, Palefire

xxx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Tenuse on December 15, 2003, 22:47:34
Oh that's what a sticky topic is! I thought is was one where people were arguing...

doh!  ::)

Ten x
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Garden Manager on December 16, 2003, 00:38:09
Just to let you all know, I will be adding my background here shortly.  Watch this space.

Wasnt sure whether to do this or not, but having read other profiles I feel I dont want to be left out.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 16, 2003, 01:07:41
me too! tenuse. sorta like snippy or tetchy or nowty...or even a bit dodgy (maybe rude).
go on then Dan, do it, do it! pleeeeese
suzy
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 16, 2003, 21:39:55
Palefire - oh, great - I thought it was something that didn't progress.

Suzy - a sheep's heel biting animal - shy??

Richard - well??  = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: BikerBob on December 16, 2003, 21:43:58
Anyone interested can look at one of my sites which might keep you interested for five minutes.
Click into
http://bikerbob.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
and be entertained. Might even interest Emma Jane and Alishka with bikes and gardening !!
You`ll also need to like the Beatles music I`m afraid.
Bob
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 16, 2003, 21:51:32
Hey nice one Bikerbob and welcome to the site.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 16, 2003, 21:59:59
BRILL!

God bless the Navy - they got me to Russia and back - and Canada and back- ('41-'42). And I steered a destroyer into Weymouth on radar!!

Brave & beautiful partner, but I'm very worried about your foot on the table in another pic?? =  Tim

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: BikerBob on December 16, 2003, 22:03:37
Thanks Tim, since then my leg has improved no end and now walking almost normal, use a stick now and again but the compensation should be good, when it eventually comes through.
RN was a good life but much different to what it is these days with a Rum ration and no women on board !?
::) :P
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hyacinth on December 16, 2003, 22:06:21
hey! nice site, Bob...and there I was, looking at your bean poles and admiring your soil, singing along at full volume (both speakers and me ;D) to 'Imagine' - when my b. neighbour banged on the door for me to be quiet :'(

well....I got news for him....

SHAN'T, so there!!!


...back to your site, then, to 'imagine' some more..  ;D ;D - Lish
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: BikerBob on December 16, 2003, 22:18:02
Thankyou Lish, glad you enjoyed the experience !! :-/
Off to watch tele now otherwise my other half will think I`ve deserted her !?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 16, 2003, 22:20:53
Sorry, Bob - hadn't read the bit about the accident before I remarked on what I thought was not a foot on the table - trying to be funny again! = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 17, 2003, 10:33:20
May I pick up the Turkey trail for what I think is a nice little story?

In 1960 we visited Izmir, Gaziemir and Eskisehir, checking on the flying standards of the airforce.

We were introduced to one of their youngest pilots who had just landed in his F100 (?), with his 'wingman', from a very testing 'operational' sortie.

But no chance of 'had a tough day at the office, darling' when he returned home to his lovely young wife -

- she was his 'wingman'. = Tim

PS - Wonder if Canli Balik - that wonderful fish restaurant -  still operates up the Bosporus on the right?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: BikerBob on December 17, 2003, 12:37:37
Sorry Tim, too young for those activities as I joined after the war, and enjoyed travelling the world "showing the flag" as they say, so all very enjoyable. Never been to Turkey though, went to more exotic places like the Caribbean, USA and Ceylon amongst others. So when you went to Turkey was the year I was demobbed !!
Bob   :D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 17, 2003, 13:25:55
Turkey?  Not YOU, Bob - SUZY!! = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on December 17, 2003, 16:31:04
Hi Bob,

Great site, love the pics and the music.  Some of the photos I couldn't get into though and why is some of your site in a foreign language?   ???

Sorry about your accident but glad to see you are getting around ok now. :)....Pat
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Hyacinth on December 17, 2003, 16:50:49
Oz, I've just read this & I'm crying...how does life go on after that? :'(  where's the sense and where's the justice? I'm so very very sorry. Can't possibly imagine how I'd cope if bad things happened to my son. ...absolute bloody nightmare for you both and a particularly dreadful, dreadful time of year - Lish
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: BikerBob on December 17, 2003, 17:07:20
To Pat re my site - it`s like that because it is still under construction and an ongoing project. The foreign language is latin which has to be deleted to input other content as and when I get the urge!! Glad you enjoyed the site anyway will try and fix the pictures not loading in due course.
Ozzy - what a bummer. A very very sad experience of life, and yet another saga of how the judiciary fail to meet our expectations and give us the wrong decision or the wrong punishment to fit the crime. It seems to favour the criminals now rather than the victims. I`m surprised Ian Huntley did`nt get away with it after all, or  like Van Hoostraten on a technicality.
I wish you well and hope Christmas will be kind to you in someway.
Bob :-/
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 17, 2003, 17:13:51
ozzy, i am so so sorry. i don't have any other words sorry.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 17, 2003, 17:14:48
Oz, what can I say, not much really.  A senseless waste which  words cannot describe.  Thinking of you oh tall and strong Oak tree - you know we all live for your babbling, even though I really don't understand it sometimes and Ava has to translate  :-/.  

Love
Emma
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: jethro on December 17, 2003, 18:02:42
Sorry Oz, what can anyone say to that, you know we are all right behind you man, and if you feel the need to talk give me a call and i WILL come and help, or try to.
I know it's hard but keep on trucking.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MagpieDi on December 17, 2003, 18:22:47
Oh Ozzy...........deeply, deeply touched.

Your friends are all here for you, just post whatever and whenever you feel the need.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 17, 2003, 18:29:14
Puts some other folk's 'troubles' into perspective?

We shall remember that with lasting sadness. = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: ava_banana on December 17, 2003, 19:20:11
....Ozzy..........what can we say..... but I can barely understand how impossible it could be to come to terms with that..

......sorry just sounds a small word when I type it, just hope you have learned to live with it.....

......thanks for letting us see a bit more about you......(and no I don't think we see you as a wayne cur......) it is very, very interesting to see all the different characters who come here and share their lives....and you are certainly one that gives us a high SMILE-TO-POST ratio.....

Thinking of you and yours......
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: budgiebreeder on December 17, 2003, 19:40:12
Not many people know the pain Oz thank God,but I too know it for I have lost a Son.Not under the same circumstances therefore I know that yours must be even deeper than mine.Time does help but not a great deal.Keep in there is all that I can say and if you do want to talk,talk I never could.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on December 17, 2003, 20:01:46
Oz,  Have just read your posting and like everyone else I am so sorry you have had to endure such pain in your life.  Please know that we all (I am sure) offer you our Support and Sympathy during your bleak times.  

I am so pleased you have found gardening a solace and completely understand why.  There is something very healing to the Soul about working with the soil.  Every Good Wish,   :)  busy_lizzie
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on December 17, 2003, 20:58:02
Ozzy,

We haven't 'spoken' before but I have always read your zany messages with interest, and you have  cheered me up on many occasions. :)

What can I say that hasn't been said by all the others.  I am so sorry for your loss and hope that coming out and talking about it has helped to ease your pain a little.

Pat
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: gavin on December 17, 2003, 21:32:41
Ozzy - can add nothing to the other messages, except another inadequate "I'm sorry"; and a thank you for sharing it.

Gavin

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 17, 2003, 21:32:55
Ozzie, big hugs and big kisses...Dottie P
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Palustris on December 17, 2003, 21:55:00
How very inadequate is the written word. Sorrow is easily wriiten, but it does not come close to how both Anne and I feel. I have to admire your immense courage in sharing your pain with us. It is a very hard thing to do (as I know full well). All I can say is thank-you. I ll have to post as I cannot see the screen.
Eric and Anne
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Ragged Robin on December 17, 2003, 23:06:51
Ozzy
Wow what to say, we love you and are here for you.
Can't find any more words
  Robin xxxx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: eileen on December 17, 2003, 23:49:20
Hi Ozzy,

Like the others I don't know what to say to you about the loss of your son Jamie. It is just too difficult to find anything that comes near to the shock and sorrow I think we all feel at the moment.

Since joining the boards I have always looked forward to your posts to lift my spirits when I'm down. I hope that our messages have done for you just a little of what you have done for myself and others. You are so obviously 'one of the family' over here and I would feel privileged if I could ever have even half the love and respect that the others here clearly have for you.

Murder is one of the hardest things in life to cope with especially when it happens to one so young. If only you could have had closure on the matter.
You are an amazing human being Ozzy, one of a kind, thankyou for sharing your feelings with us and for simply being YOU.

We'll all be thinking of you on Chritmas Eve with love. Eileen.



Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 18, 2003, 00:16:28
oh no!

Oz, so brave to talk about your deep sorrow. hoping so much for you and your sweetheart to find some peace and joy together.
words simply cannot do justice.
my thoughts are with you and yours.
hugs, suzy xx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Margaret on December 18, 2003, 00:24:24
Ozzy,you are so brave to have had to live through such a nightmare.I have had some very bad times in my life,but nothing comes close to what you have suffered,and puts my current problems well into perspective.I only hope you can gain some comfort from all these messages from the people on here who really are the most wonderful group of understanding and uplifting human beings.You have cheered all of us up;and made us smile.I just hope we can do the same for you.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: oZzY on December 18, 2003, 02:54:01
Yo peeps

I iz a bit botaxed at the mo, but thank you all so much, for your kind words.. I love comminghere, I love being around other gardeners  and I have so much love and respect for you all, itz unreal...

I just could,nt go on hiding, hope that make sense.. you peepsreally have made a dif this year  and I feel very priviledge to know you all in such a big world.. god you guys are the best.......

oZzY

and I feels sooo much better now, thanks xxx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: oZzY on December 18, 2003, 08:59:17
Yo peeps

Again a big huge thank you and this has really helped big time and you peeps are the coolest on the planet.  I walked out of my job 2day... lifes to short and the work very stressfull.. I may
go back but my gut sez stay away  
and take some time out.. maybe some voluntary work in the new year.... oh and sum daytime TV :):):)


OZzY %)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on December 18, 2003, 09:57:20
hey ozzy! well done, i did that about 3 weeks ago and its such a huge weight off my shoulders, i have to get some part time work in january to pay the bills but hopefully i will have plenty of time to do some gardening and voluntary work etc as well, i've compared it to teenagers going travelling - except i'm not going anywhere - just taking some time to do the things i want to do.

there's nowt much on daytime TV though  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Doris_Pinks on December 18, 2003, 10:42:57
Aaaah but there is this site!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: campanula on December 18, 2003, 19:51:59
hey, well done OZ

i left my job after 25 years of running hostels for the homeless - i just couldn't be part of such a horrid system where vast amounts of money is made frompeoples unhappiness and helplessness. Everyone (in Cambridge at least) sees all these hostels and drop-in centres and clinics and think the homeless have it made - so not true. They do not want to be stuck in a foul hostel which costs £240 per week where they can be chucked out at the drop of a hat - they do not need to be patronised at a useless rehab clinic......sorry,mustn't rant.
my point is, you have made a decision which has to be better than suffering stress and grief. Yep, do a bit of voluntary gardening or summat - i started doing that and now make a living doing what i love (only a small living tho' but my needs are few and can easily be met with a bit of space and a selection of seeds).
Go for it - daytime TV is rubbish tho'.
cheers, suzy - thinking of youXX
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on February 28, 2004, 16:23:58
DAN - I don't recall seeing YOUR profile??

And your centres of expertise - beyond the obvious one!! = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: kenkew on March 05, 2004, 09:51:22
How do I place a pic on my profile from my hard-disk rather than from a URL? Also, how do get my location pin to show on the map? mmm. OK, I'll work it out. I did it before, just that the grey matter gets greyer by the hour...See? I did it. Now, how do I post a pic here...>
or here....> frin'stance?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: eileen on March 05, 2004, 13:44:39
Thought it was about time I added my bit.

I'm 53 (although for some reason I keep telling everybody I'm 54  ???) My real name is Eileen although it would be nice to have a change once in a while - maybe Snowdrop - my favourite flower. Quick look in the mirror - no - maybe not after all!!

I'm married to Ian and have three children Duncan (31) David (25) and Laura (21). None of them live at home now (thank goodness) but we see them regularly.

I'm an ex veterinary nurse. I still 'keep my hand in' by treating injured wildlife and (hopefully) releasing them back to the wild afterwards.

I live in a 17th century conservation village where all the houses in the main street are either A or B listed (mine's B) it's lovely and quiet here.

I don't have a lottie but do have 1/3 of an acre of garden which is totally organic and set out with wildlife in mind.

I love my garden, painting, sewing, photography, DIY, puzzles and my computer.

I'm now registered as disabled because of a surgeon's mistake whilst replacing one of my knees (had both done) but it won't, and doesn't,

 keep me down.

I used to enjoy horse riding but can't do it now - pity.

I have a good sense of humour, love to help others out if I can, am t. total but smoke (bad, bad Eileen) that's about it.

All pretty boring stuff really compared to you lot but hey I like being boring!


EILEEN.

 
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: jethro on March 05, 2004, 15:41:16
Hi eileen, good sense of humour? you'll need it on this site  ;D , SMOKING, ah a fellow sufferer,  :-\ smoke 25 a day myself (rollies) sometimes with added ingredients  ::).
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: kenkew on March 05, 2004, 18:56:18
Naughty, naughty Jethro. Stay away from the black pepper inserts! Any ideas on my above question?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: eileen on March 05, 2004, 21:17:10
Hi Jethro,

Only ten a day for me. Don't smoke in the house or car as no-one else in the family has the habit. That's why I only smoke ten a day ;D In winter I'm down to two or three - too bloody cold and wet to stand out in the garden just for a f*g.

Really like the folks over here - my sense of humour seems to be as good (or bad) as everyone elses  ;) ;) but it helps to be a little bit mad too I hear. Now that counts me out as I only bay at the moon when it's full.  ::) ::)

Cheers Eileen.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Carol on March 06, 2004, 00:08:29
Well I have spent some time reading others profiles so I fell safe enough to add my bit.
I was born in Galashiels, Scottish Borders and lived there until I married in 1967.  I married Ian who was in the RAF.  We left for Singapore  RAF Seleter (Tim) in 1968 and spent 2 half years there.  I did not like it one bit, hated it and was sent home ill after 2yrs 4 mths.  We returned to the UK and to RAF Wattisham in Suffolk where I enjoyed 3 yrs.  I took up work again as a Secretary and then Ian posted again but to Scotland.  He was posted to RAF Leuchars in Fife so we lived in Monifieth Nrr Dundee and then we bought the next house in Dundee.  We lived there for 7 yrs and during that time I worked as a Secretary to Electrical Enginers.  This firm moved from Dundee to Edinburgh so I decided to follow them.  By this time hubby had left the RAF and was now an oil Engineer with Shell UK working off shore.  We bought the next house in Inverkeithing in Fife and lived there for a further 6 yrs.  I was still working with the same firm.  So after receiving a long service award and gold watch I decided to chuck it.  I had decided to move home to the Scottish Borders but hubby said NO unless he could build the house.  I said OK build a house.  We moved into Berwickshire in 1989 and the work started.  Hubby done all the work apart from the brickwork and roof.  All the interior and exterior work was his.  He is a clever bloke....  I helped with the painting, outside and inside.  Garden came next and then a pond was built.  A big one.  
I have integrated well into this village.  I am a Session Clerk in the Church here.  I am a Family Historian and that kept me sane for a number of years while going through lots of family illnesses and so on.  For a time I spent lots of spare time recording headstones in the old churchyards with a group of women.  We had great fun and very interesting work.  I saw a ghost once.  I was also Secretary for the Borders of the Family History Society.  I am a School Governor as they say in England.  My present hobbies are helping hubby drink cappachinos and eat scones.  We have taken up walking and have a caravan.  We used to get holidays but  now just get 4 or 5 days away at a time because I am a full time carer to my Mother.  I am an avid Bird Watcher.  In fact Birds are very important to me and feed them before myself in the morning.  I will drive miles to see something.  I like everything that is round about me.  The countryside, trees, hills, rivers just all I see.  I am content with my lot.  I have a good husband and should be grateful for everything.   Husband has retired at the age of 55 and we hope we enjoy many happy years.   Pretty dull life I dont really know.  But grateful.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 06, 2004, 07:07:52
Eileen - so sorry to hear about the 'miss' - wife had a new one last year &, thankfully, she can now do the weeding again, after 2 years!! I imagine you wouldn't want to try again after all that?
 = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mimi on March 06, 2004, 12:08:29
WoW  what an interesting bunch you all are.  Makes my life story seem very mundaine in comparison.  Im 48  a Taurean and very typical of my sign Im told.  Have been married twice to Jerry, the love of my life for the past 27 years.  We have two girls, eldest is 24.  Sarah is a leiutenant in the Royal Logistics Corp.  Bex (Rebecca) is the youngest and is 20.  She is at the moment travelling around New Zealand and due home around end of June. I miss her very much and cant wait for the day that she is home. My husband Jerry was a seaman when I met him and stayed at sea until we moved to Wales about 20 years ago from Cheshire. He then became self employed and restored vintage motor cycles for the next 10 years before returning to a life in the Merchant navy.  I am a scouser and still have a lot of family living in Liverpool and visit often.  I am a nurse and work as a ward sister in a small community hospital, where I  care for patients recovering from strokes and various other problems. I love my job very much but hate the way things are in the NHS at present. We moved to our present home 20 months ago to put an end to the 70 miles a day I used to have to drive from our last home.  Did it for 16 years and had had enough.  You did read correctly when I said that I have been married twice to Jerry.  My father had a massive coronary 36 hours before I was married and therfore missed the big day.  20 years later we found out that he had cancer and wasnt sure how things would go so we rearranged a renewal of our vows so he could say he had been to one of my weddings. :D We had a quiet service where we married. Just Mum Dad Jerry and I  and our youngest(eldest was unable to come from collage)  We all enjoyed the day so much that the following year Mum and Dad (now fully recovered)decided to do the same and retake their vows.  What a very emotional day that was.
My garden was a small part of a field and only grassed when we moved in.  Most people start with the decorating and settling in..... not me  lets get digging the borders and plant some of the 300 pots of plants I had brought with me,from the last house.  I love gardening and have recently taken an allotment at a new site on the shores of the Menai Straites. Although I have never had a go at veggie growing the help and advice available on this site will make things a lot easier I am sure. I have a strange sense of humour and can be a bit smutty at times.  Like most of you this has got me into trouble more than once but hey lifes to short.  How could I forget my little girls...we have two adorable standard longhaired daschunds Missy is nearly 5 and Poppy is 5 months old and a handful at the moment.  Last but not least is Tinky the cat.  I spend a lot of time on my own, with most of the family away here and there, but am very happy and content with my lot. All I can say is thank God for MSN messanger and the Internet.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: rosebud on March 06, 2004, 13:16:47
HI mimi what a lovely story of getting married twiceto the same man beautifull.  glad all is well in the family.
Well here goes!!quite boring really when i read other peoples stories.
I am Mary.  Have been married to the love of my life and my soulmate, since i was twenty.  I have 3 children 40 37 36. 3 grandchildren the eldest who completely turned my life around for the better.can you love somebody to much? :-\.  I am a scorpio
and often told very true to my sign (oh dear) i do not like to be messed with ummmm :D.I live in Essex have lots of friends one of which is frommy teenage years . i was born in Yorkshire and proud of it lived there untill i was 5 years old then lived in the east end of london untill i was 16.  I was a nanny for 7yrs and did allsorts of jobs
untill i went into catering for more years than enough very hard work. I have quite bad Angina looking at bypass at some stage next year or whenever it is needed.  GOOD things i have a nice garden back and front which keeps me very happy and busy. I love the wildlife birds in particular.  i have a lovely happy family, a treasure of a husband and i have made some lovely friends on this board.
 :D ;) :). I have done a 2yr course at college on floristry .  I have now started a computer course with LEARNDIRECT so i can enjoy my puter more,Computer course is free which is a bonus.
I am 5ft 5ins dark hair  could loose some weight diabetic so i have to watch it.  well thats boring old me i`m afraid. Rosebud.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: eileen on March 06, 2004, 21:52:13
Hi Tim,

I see the surgeon in a couple of weeks again to review the situation, fingers x'd he'll be able to do something this time around to sort the foot out.

I love gardening but am finding it a real strain as I have to weed 'giraffe drinking style' nowadays!! Not a pretty sight  :o  Still life goes on and I get most jobs done in my own funny way.

I keep my secateurs tucked into my leg brace and the crutches come in handy for a variety of jobs - just don't tell the NHS on me please!!!

Eileen.

Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 15, 2004, 10:05:15
So much effort has gone into this thread, with such interesting result - don't you think it deserves  to be a locked subject??
I know I touched on this ages ago, but it's even more worthwhile now? = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: aquilegia on March 15, 2004, 10:38:58
It's about time I did mine really...

I'm 28, live on the London/Essex border. I'm a half-Maltese, vegetarian semi-Buddhist/pagan. I've been married for five years to my best friend/soul mate (NGOH). We met at university 10 years ago. It's not been easy (I won't go into details there), which has made us even closer.

After working for five years in the area I studied at university, I realised last year that it just wasn't the career for me, so left, spent six months gardening, riding and doing a lot of meditation/self-therapy and am now much much happier, despite the cut in salary (I'm earning half what I did a year ago). I now work in admin. Dead easy, doesn't stretch me by any means, but it gives me time to think about and do what I love, and I'm not making rich people richer, but actually helping people.

We bought our first house two years ago, so I've only really been gardening since then (although I did help mum and gran out as a kid). My passion/enthusiasm for it has grown far faster than my knowledge! The rest of the time I spend riding, reading, watching films and generally enjoying life!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 10:49:46
 8)

Hmm....im crap at this sort of thing
Thats actually me in the photo...I went thru a spell of taking a gas mask to work (in the city) thats me larking about at a barbque at a pub..(altho i reckon i scared a few people witless !!)

Im 32...and am a geek for an investment bank.
Hate technolgy ironicly...hence the alottment i scare with "srumpyjack" (my old flatmate).

Im 6ft tall and about 12 and a half stone. I got shortish blond hair and blue eyes.

I like reading, playing the guitar crapply, digging, whacking, thrashing, cutting and bashing (not people !)

I live near Kingston In Surrey.

And apparently i fancy Emma Jane ?!?!? (according to my fellow lotmenter)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 10:51:57
Oh...and i SHARE an allotment...not SCARE one..

Sorry !!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 15, 2004, 11:01:07
er - fingle - I'm 6'4" - keep off!! - Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 11:21:05
and ?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 15, 2004, 11:36:15
- and where's your picture?? = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 11:43:32
Its my AVATAR

<------Here !!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 15, 2004, 11:52:28
OH!! = Tim

PS - sorry to break up the thread - I'll keep quiet! = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: eileen on March 15, 2004, 12:04:41
No piccy at all Fingle just a red cross in a box!!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 12:07:26
(http://www.hpphotos.com/sessions/619371683419/34437688lg.jpg)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on March 15, 2004, 12:49:28
No piccie for me either Fingle :(  
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on March 15, 2004, 13:26:44
No piccy here either.

And you do huh!?!?!?!  ;D :o
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 14:11:17
oh i bloody give up  ???

EJ....its my lottie chum winding me up
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: cleo on March 15, 2004, 14:12:35
I had not really noticed this thread before.

I am 50,a failed academic,then a failed civil servant-but doing quite nicely as a `kept man`

Been known to flirt a bit but deep down inside my secret fetish is growing tomatoes.

Stephan.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Fingle.... on March 15, 2004, 14:25:44
The HPPHOTO site everyone was touting is cack !!

you have to send people a link my mail to give them access...

Is there anywhere you can simply store pictures you actually want the whole world to see ???
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 15, 2004, 15:24:18
With respect,  may I suggest that we keep this historic site for profiles, and discuss posting images under the 'computer/internet' heading?? See you there? = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Shirley on March 16, 2004, 19:07:47
Having read all your profiles, thought I would add mine.  Just coming up to retirement age, so hope to cut work to part time (more time for gardening).  Born and brought up in SE London then after I married moved around a bit finally settling in Central Scotland in the early seventies.  Have one daughter who is 40 (she'll kill me for telling you that).  I run a small company which does printed circuit board design ???  My husband of 41 years is not a gardener, but watches the gardening programs to tell me what I should be doing and what I am doing wrong.  Use to have a private pilots licence until it became too expensive so now enjoy walking up the hills instead of flying over them.  
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 16, 2004, 20:34:59
 Shame about the PPL - used to have one, but the family wouldn't let me use it on them! After 36 years flying!  =Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ava_banana on March 17, 2004, 12:51:49
Blimey, hadn't realised this was still going.....couldn't remember if I had posted, and had to read through 11 pages.....(yes, I had, but it was back in December)....

Richard.........I quote...
Quote
Just to let you all know, I will be adding my background here shortly.  Watch this space.

Wasnt sure whether to do this or not, but having read other profiles I feel I dont want to be left out.


c'mon.......spill the beans....... :)

...oh, and PPL, used to have one of those....just couldn't afford to keep it going.....will have to restart it one day ..........
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on March 17, 2004, 13:09:09
Oh great, as if I don't have enough to wrroy about with him on the motorbike every day...now he threatens to start flying planes again. I'm going to need to sit in a dark room and rest....  :-\
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on April 17, 2004, 11:54:57
I live less than a mile away from Mimi  ;D who works at a community hospital with two of my husband's cousins. 'Tis a small world!!!!

For Christmas, my hubby, Robin bought me a Shed - well, the wood for one and he is still working on building it. He is currently outside painting the wood with cuprinol before making it into the door for the shed. Hopefully, soon, another of his cousins will help him bolt the shed together. Unfortunately, Mimi and I aren't on the same allotment site. Mine is near the community hospital. There is a small "farm" - well, stables for a couple of horses and a cow which we are allowed to have the manure from. There aren't as many stones in my plot (poor Mimi - I have seen some of her stones - well, building rubble).

Me, I am a full time mum of one - his nickname in mIRC chat is MultiBonzo (or just Bonzo) and he is a vegetable defoliator/helper. He said my cabbages and onions needed transplanting, so pulled them up but then left them on the surface for me to find a couple of days later (too late to rescue). Bonzo is only 2 and a half years old.

Before that I was an Open University student, after not fully concentrating on my studies at a red brick university. I was married before and basically, that was not good for my studies - I got a third class honours. I moved around the country trying to get a work that would use my degree. Schoolmates who didn't go to uni are doing a lot better than me - one ended up being a departmental manager (maybe higher) in WHS, and me, well, not had any work that used my degree - sometimes I think going to university was a complete waste of time.

Not a lot I can say after that....
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on April 17, 2004, 13:07:28
SO glad that someone resurrected the thread - I STILL wish it was a locked one?? = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Chaz Hunter on April 17, 2004, 13:46:33
I've only just spotted this thread so its only fair that I add my profile ;)
i was born in Holyhead, Anglesey in 1952 but grew up in a small village in Suffolk, went to Grammar School then  college...married at 21 but lost my wife to cancer 6 years later..decided to join the army for a fresh start, served in N.I., Germany, Belize and was selected to join a Special Forces Cadre a month before the Falklands War kicked off (thanks a bunch..I'm sure they knew in advance >:( )
In 1985 I joined the Avent company (formerly known as Cannon Babysafe) as an engineer, stayed there until 2000 when I fancied a change..so, I moved to Holland where I lived in Zevenaar (nr. Arnhem on the German border) and then in Middenmeer (North Holland). While I was there I found I had lung cancer and was fortunate to get treated straight away (cost me dearly tho' had to pay for it :'(), I'm now in remission and living in Tamworth, Staffs, I no longer work (incapacity) and so have plenty of free time :).
Apart from my lottie, my interests are, writing poetry, watercolour painting, diy and the internet.
That's about it really, just want to add that this is a brilliant site and I'm so lucky to have found it!
Chaz
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on April 17, 2004, 20:25:20
The unpleasantries of life seem to be very unfairly distributed. = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mimi on April 17, 2004, 21:06:06
Tim, I couldn't have said it better.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Garden Manager on April 17, 2004, 22:29:04
Blimey, hadn't realised this was still going.....couldn't remember if I had posted, and had to read through 11 pages.....(yes, I had, but it was back in December)....

Richard.........I quote...
Quote
Just to let you all know, I will be adding my background here shortly.  Watch this space.

Wasnt sure whether to do this or not, but having read other profiles I feel I dont want to be left out.


c'mon.......spill the beans....... :)

...oh, and PPL, used to have one of those....just couldn't afford to keep it going.....will have to restart it one day ..........

Yes Yes i havent forgotten. Only just realised this thread had been revived (didnt fancy tailing through all the pages to find it). Hovever it is late and i am tired so It will have to wait until i am NOT tired and can remember straight!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on April 20, 2004, 13:44:48
Next time you lose it, use the search button - a really worthwhile thread?? = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on May 11, 2004, 08:48:35
I know - I do go on about it - but if so many folk have contributed, surely it is worthwhile? Would hate all that
effort to be lost.

BUT - the POINT of this note is to say ISN'T IT GREAT  to see so many new names on the board.

Wouldn't it be nice if they too were to put faces to the names?? = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Bionic Wellies on May 11, 2004, 11:54:56
Since finding this site I have been following the discussions/topics with great interest - I intend to try out some of the ideas presented here, they sound just the job.  Anyway, since you all seem to be keen to get to know the peeps that are out there ....

Born in '57 in Swansea (S.Wales) making me a little more than 21 years old  ;).  My first love was gardening (my parents' relatively small town garden) and then along came computers.  Found it quite difficult to decide between horticulture and computers as a degree - computers won - went to Portsmouth and latter to Poole.

Our college building housed computer, maths and psychology students and two strange rooms full of shelves with books on them - libraries, I think they call them.  (have loads of books now on many subjects).  Anyway, weird psychology students used to come down to our common room to select victims (I mean ask for volunteers) to take part in their experiments - have been married to one of them for 24 years now - some experiment!

Have 3 sprogs; Ist (son) is just finishing degree from drama college, 2nd (daughter) is about to jump ship this autumn to go off to university, 3rd (daughter) will sit A-levels next year and in 18 months intends to depart for a student life too.  Golly, what will we do with ourselves - PARTY.

Actually ... we are looking to throwing in the towel @ work (I'm a software engineer looking after some bits of a large network run by a news/media company) and get a smallholding somewhere (we are that advanced in our planning).  I am currently setting up a web site of the things we are doing and our experiences - will try to keep a diary as part of the site.

Have had an allotment fo 20+ years and have tried many different veggies - always willing to have-a-go at anything - some have been really successful (and I have continued to grow them ever since) others, less so (Alan hates turnips - Yuck! - The only good turnip is a squigged turnip  >:()

Anyway - A great site, made up of great people - keep up the banter.

-- Alan
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on May 11, 2004, 13:30:05
Well done you!!

Smallholding ?- like to make money?? Have you read 'How to make Money from an Acre'? Trouble is, so much is now imported so cheaply that it's a bit of a challenge. Was seriously considering doing it on retirement - with a guaranteed market on my doorstep. Thank God I didn't - the RAF left!!

Or do you mean allotment?  = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 11, 2004, 18:18:15
Ooooo so jealous, tis Ava and my dream to one day jack it all in and vanish back to the Devonshire homeland, take on a small holding and live the good life!  Maybe one day..............................[dream mode off]........................
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on May 12, 2004, 10:44:36
You can all ask me whatever you want I'll tell you no lies!

Honest, trust me, I'm not a doctor!

 ;) :D ;)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on May 12, 2004, 10:54:20
EJ

I think a lot of folks would love to throw it all in and lead the good life.  I know Sophie and I do, Teaching (Sophie) seems to be so hard these days and I really feel for her what with all the hassle teachers get these days.

i never remember being as bad as the kids are these days, the worst I ever did was spray my french teacher with silly string (but it was charity week and stunts like that raised money) I would never have dreamt about carrying knives and stuff to school.

And construction (well to coin a phrase its interesting but same sh1t different place, just glad I'm in management rather than on the tools)

It seems the older I get the more I love the land I came from (the Lakes) however we definatley would go up there to do what we are doing now it would definatley be out of the frying pan into the fire.

Smallholdings are the way forward however I think France or Italy will have more of a pull on us.

Heres hoping.

Thought for the day: "Never stop dreaming".

 ;) Les
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: MrsFrog on May 16, 2004, 22:36:02
Hi everyone!

This is a brilliant thread, had also been dying to know more about all you lovely people!

My interest in gardening started in 1976, when my parents (dad: self-employed inventor, mum: sculptor) having no horticultural experience/knowledge whatsoever decided to embrace "The Good Life" and move from a city centre apartment to a derelict Elizabethan ruin in the country, complete with orchard and well (we only discovered the well when my brother fell down it, hairy moment!). We lived next to a wonderful couple, Bill and Jodie, who had dedicated a large part of their garden to vegetables. Mum decided that the future lay in herbs and goats milk, so set out a herb garden, and cajoled my dad into rebuilding the stables for the goats. Having got carried away with a new project, the fact that she'd ordered 3 British Saanen and an Anglo-Nubian called Kerry, Tania, Lucy and Tegs completely slipped mum's mind and the day they arrived was a bit hectic, was totally unexpected and the goatsheds were still uninhabitable, so where else to put them but the dining room! (It was empty, and with loads of straw made an ideal "temporary" home). This was, unfortunately, not as secure as it could have been, and on several occasions over a period of approx 18 months (the sheds weren't ready for a long, long time) all 4 escaped into Bill's veg and caused all sorts of havoc, which led to me helping him replant many veg, many times (!), cultivating a love of vegetable and herb growing (Kerry loved the witch hazel in particular, fought hard to save that little shrub from goat attack many times!) that persists to this day!
I now live a thankfully thoroughly normal life, I'm 33, full time mum, married to the most patient guy in the world, have 3 children of 12, 8 and 3 who have taken after my parents and are completely mad, a garden that's 25' x 25' and an allotment that is my sanctuary!

Looking forward to hearing loads about everyone else!!

Lisa (who's not really nosey!)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 16, 2004, 22:39:17
Still waiting to hear all about you Richard.  ;D ???
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 06, 2004, 13:32:10
I must be mad?? I thought that the profiles were worth saving. So  - I printed them off.
I won't ask you to guess how many pages. Don't try it! 64! = Tim

btw Campanula - did you notice that you have caused 3888 views? Could be a record?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on June 06, 2004, 23:00:28
And the thing is Tim, still sooooooooo many members haven't contributed...(and that includes you Richard!).  Thing is, it doesn't have to be much, just something so we know the kinda folks you are and what else is in your life apart from spuds, tomatos and greenfly!  ;D
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ken (69) on June 11, 2004, 11:04:23
Hi everyone..not sure if this is the place to introduce myself. Am new to this board but know some from the beeb. Was an auditor for 30years then 20 years jobbing gardener.Plus two years in the Army stationed in Edinburgh (where my clever nephew now teaches asprofissicks) Am an experienced gardener but not a qualified expert.Have been lurking for a while, and look forward to posting, although it;s going to take a year to learn these emoticons :-\
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on June 11, 2004, 11:10:17
Hi Ken,

Good to have you here - look forward to hearing all about your garden and maybe seeing a photo or two :)

Pat
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 11, 2004, 12:01:39
Ken - don't waste time on that - I've never used one & don't intend to!! Just say your thing.  = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Garden Manager on June 11, 2004, 13:23:06
Well its a long time overdue i know but i have now decided to take the plunge and give you a potted profile of myself.

OK so I am 26 and live in Dorchester in Dorset.  i first got into gardening properly when i moved to my current home about 7 years ago, the garden was overgrown and neglected (having been my paternal grandparents house) and much larger than than we'd had previously. I have gradualy become more and more interested in gardens and gardening and have recently been to college to study horticulture with a veiw to taking it up professionaly. This is my second choice career, having originaly studied Law on leaving school, however i later realised it wasnt for me. I prefer to be outdoors not stuck in an office all day!

My greatest influences in gardening have been my maternal grandfather who had a large garden in Bournemouth i visited regularly as a child, my mother who is a keen gardener (My dad is not!) and Alan Titchmarsh.

My main leisure interest outside gardening is following horseracing, particularly National Hunt (jumping) which takes place mainly in the winter.  I regularly attend meetings at my nearest course at Wincanton in Somerset.  This is purely for the spectacle as i do not indulge in betting/gambling.

My other spare time activity is my involvement in the Air Training Corps, in which i am a volunteer supervisor/instructor. I have always had an interest in the military and aviation, and after 6 years as a Cadet i have progressed to adult staff being first a Civillian Instructor, then more recently appointed to a uniformed post for which i had to pass an interview. This does not mean i have joined the RAF, but I will be wearing its uniform when on ATC duty. This i am proud to do.

Well i think thats about it. If you have any questions, please sent me a private message or if relevant start a new thread in 'The Shed'
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ava_banana on June 12, 2004, 00:24:01
Nice one Richard, thanks for the profile......

Also well done on the ATC bits......I have a certain amount of experience there myself....and must say I really did enjoy it.

Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 12, 2004, 09:14:15
At last, Richard. Long live the ATC. Keep them at it.

I just have to add this bit of 'bull' - of which I am very proud - even though it hangs sadly in a wardrobe. Our version of the motto was 'it's quicker by bus'! = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Garden Manager on June 12, 2004, 23:20:48
Nice one Richard, thanks for the profile......

Also well done on the ATC bits......I have a certain amount of experience there myself....and must say I really did enjoy it.



Care to enlighten us Ava?

I must say its a small world
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ava_banana on June 13, 2004, 23:21:10


Care to enlighten us Ava?

I must say its a small world

Small world indeed.

Err.............how far do you want me to go......it kept me busy outside of school and work for many years.

Joined aged 13.........
Had some brilliant times as a cadet (Flying Scholarship, International Air Cadet Exchange to Canada, Sailing courses etc  ;D  ;D)
.....rose through ranks to Cadet Warrant Officer  8)

Applied for my commission, was successful, went into uniform, rose to Flight Lieutenant, commanded a number of Squadrons (and one D/F)...

Used to do a lot of adventure training (Abseiling, Rockclimbing Instructor etc, etc).....

Really enjoyed my time...........but found that with a young family you don't have time for everything.

It gave me, and taught me, an awful lot.!!

How about you?


Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 14, 2004, 05:56:32
So now we know where the handyman bit comes from! And the vroom vroom ?

D/F Ava?? All I can think of is detached flight. = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on June 14, 2004, 08:55:25
It seems there are a few of us around.

I was an active member of 2192 Sqn (Appleby Grammar School).

Joined also at 13 rising through the ranks to CWO unfortunately moved away and didn't carry on as a civi etcetera.  

Took part in the DoE Award Scheme.

Flew Chippies at RAF Leeming and achieved my glider solo at Salmsbury (think thats how it was spelt), also captained Cumbria and North Lancs 1st XV (to victory 3 years on the trot), captained the North West Region (again for 3 years however only Northern Champs once) and played for the Corps (receiving my Blue) against the RAF colts.

Not forgetting all the summer camps to various RAF bases within the UK and luckily Germany and Cyprus.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, hope it is going from strength to strength.  I think a couple of years after I left 2192 became a D/F of Penrith Sqn Which were the Lees Trophy winners, under the guidance of my ATC mentor, rugby coach and all round good fella "Choc" Siddle...........

Take care all

Les.



Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ava_banana on June 14, 2004, 09:11:36
Yes Tim, D/F ........... Detached Flight (a unit without a permanent squadron number, almost a "Squadron-in-waiting").

Les, I too used to play for my Wing and Region (East Essex and Central and Eastern England at Rugby). I used to do the same in Athletics (shot putt and 100 mts)...although don't think I can manage it nowadays... ::)

....ahh summer camps......and Germany....I was lucky enough to go to Gatow in Berlin.....a real experience..

 8) 8)..........happy days........

Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Garden Manager on June 14, 2004, 10:49:47
All i can say is: WOW I wasnt expecting to discover such common ground as that when i wrote my profile.

Yes I have certainly gained a lot from my years in the Air Cadet Organisation, some as a cadet but far more as adult staff.

5 years with my school's CCF (RAF) section, including camps at Waddington and Benson. Then 18 months cadet service with Dorchester (2182) ATC (including camp at Stafford) before becoming a CI in 1998. As I said in my profile I have recently 'gone into uniform' in the new rank of Adult Sergeant, which has been in place less than a year after a reveiw of the Corps.

PS. AVA: Your ATC CV is very similar to an junior officer I work with currently. Joined at 13, rose to CWO, then a commission a couple of years ago and is a qualified outdoor education instructor. Hasnt got to sqn command yet, but if he sticks with it it is only a matter of time.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on June 14, 2004, 12:15:08
Ava, my best camp was like you to Germany but to RAF Laarbruch, at the time two of my ex cadet mates were serving there with the RAF regiment (from memory I think it was 22 Sqn) and I managed to spend 3 days on section with the reg.  Fantastic!!

Even got as far as joining the RAF.  Went to Biggin Hill for officer selection, changed my mind from planes to helis.  Passed everything then busted my cruciate ligament playing rugby so that carear went out of the window.

But as a believer in fate, I wouldn't have met my beautifull wife, and have the gorgeous daughters I have now if I'd have made it.

So unlucky RAF you missed out on getting me!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 15, 2004, 07:02:43
Sorry to have missed you! = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: TrailRat on June 20, 2004, 11:43:50
New to this site and so I thought I would add my pennyworth in.

I'm 22 and was born and bred in North London, Enfield. Had a mad child due to small problem that took 6 child pyschologist, 4 counsellers and a special boarding school to fix. I want to thank my parents for putting up with me during this time. Managed to pass all my GCSE's with an A. I am a self confessed nerd and I continue to try and expand my knowledge. Since leaving school I have done many things, I am skilled computer engineer, a talented confectionary baker, self taught carpenter and all round tech head. My hobbies include reading, movies, carpentry, computers, modelling, electronics, robotics and of course the MTB. Mountain biking is where I get my alias from because I like to ride low and dirty. I will read anything and everything and have a habit of reading really fast. Most say its not possible to read as quickly I do and understand the book. I don't have read all the words to understand the sentence, thats the easiest way to explain it. My other interest include alternative medicine, recycling and all thing beneificial to our enviroment. Not been to see a doctor since I was able to make a choice but a few "spills" have forced a visit to the hospital. I have poor circulation which means my feet are always cold, even in our recent tropical climate. I love to tinker with everything just to see how it ticks. Had so many jobs but I am currently settled as a Yardman for civil engineering company. As I am always broke, I'm always looking out for ways to save or make money. In result of that I am looking for a carpentry apprentiship and P/T TV/Film extra work. Got a lovely partner who I met in 2002 whilst working as a baker in our local supermarket. This febuary just gone she said yes to being my wife, but wedding not planned for a few years yet. Hoping to get into competions on the bike in the future. I think that's it.

TrailRat
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 21, 2004, 09:35:17
Great - no need for Google any more!!

(Childhood I trust?) = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: TrailRat on June 21, 2004, 18:10:09
Yeah sorry I did mean childhood.

 ??? didn't catch the google comment or was that a private joke  ???
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ken (69) on June 22, 2004, 17:32:16
Hi Trail...I did a few routes in The Lake District when MTB first came out.Frightening.Burnmoor Trail and South Wasdale to Eskdale Green.Still have the bike and rigged it for touring.Have you done Coast to Coast.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: TrailRat on June 22, 2004, 18:49:29
Done hadrians wall, quite a backgarden that fellows got. ::) sorry old joke. Done quite a few in the lake district but couldn't name the trails I prefer forests and quarries. Love the drops.  ;D Done the devils climb in south wales but that was road work. Last June I rode back from Rome to London for charity.

check out www.rometothedome.com , i'm in there somewhere in that photograph at the back. Standing next to a W i think. No coast to coast as yet but I want to do LEtJOG.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ken (69) on June 23, 2004, 15:28:14
Congrats Trail. Saved it to look at later.Some trip. I did the endtoend in93 from John O Groats Scottish Hills more manageable than in Cornwall.With all these Sustran routes probably could do it off road nowadays. P.S. Richard and Tim..I was in the RAF (for 1 day) at Cardington Bedfordshire. The md said "we can't take you, you're deaf. "I said "pardon".
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: CotswoldLass on June 25, 2004, 22:47:23
Well of course I'm sure you all recall the old RAF interview...'repeat after me.. Air, Hair, Lair' ...Yah hallo old boy welcome to the RAF!!

Sorry, much respect have I, my beloved is an officer with the khaki mob..

Hello to the light blues!

Love CLxx
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on June 26, 2004, 12:46:42
Cardington? Used to pass the 'balloon sheds' in the 30's on the way to school.

Eskdale? Every year for the last 30 years - THE PEACE!! - brother-in-law's home. = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ken (69) on June 26, 2004, 17:30:32
Cardington, Tim. Neville Shute the author rings a bell.Didn't he work on the balloon that caught fire..Eskdale....know every mile.Was walking thru Penny Farm or Penny Hill Farm ,near Doctors Bridge,when BSE shooting started.Have stayed often at Wasdale Hall and the hostel near the pub.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on July 06, 2004, 11:53:28
Multiveg may be able to grow vegetables, but can't fly a glider (K7 or K13, was a back seat passenger in a K4) in a straight line.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: ken (69) on July 07, 2004, 14:36:55
I tried gliding at Perranporth, Multi. Go up by winch and ride the wind off the Atlantic.Then at Cambridge Airport when towed by a Tiger Moth.Part of the course was..tuck in your tie..wind up the prop.."contact"...swing...fire...back off.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 09, 2004, 14:22:56
Hello All! I've just spent a while reading about you all, and felt that as you have been so open, I should tell you a bit about myself.

I was born in Bromley, Kent in 1967 and after school went to college where I learned secretarial skills. Worked my way through jobs and eventually became a PA. Met my husband through work and a few years down the line we are now married and have Little Plocket - daughter. Relocated to Staffordshire which was brilliant for us. Daughter 3 in October and divine! Now I'm a full-time mum, have put on weight (but don't worry about it) and love life and gardening. Have a tiny garden but I adore it. Created it from scratch when we moved in nearly three years ago. I love cooking, reading, gardening (of course), art, my friends and my family. If there is anything you want to know about me just ask and I might tell you!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: tim on July 11, 2004, 18:15:51
Nice to know. = Tim
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on July 13, 2004, 11:36:22
Plocket - I was born in Bromley as well, and the potato (well, any plant really) defoliator (and unripe currant picker) will be 3 in October as well!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 13, 2004, 18:57:21
Hum! My little one isn't too bad at the moment. So we were going through the same thing at the same time hey? 23rd October I had her! How about you?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on July 14, 2004, 08:25:42
Plocket & Multi,

Oh the joys of the young ones.... our eldest was 3 a fortnight ago, and she seems to have grown up over night so to speak.  The tantrums have died down to almost non existent (touch wood), however our other daughter will be 2 on 10th October and boy can she throw a tantrum already......  If she is not happy the first sign is her bottom lip will quiver and then she will drop to the floor on her knees with her hands and arms stretched out in fornt of her as if she were praying to mecca and screeeeeeeeam.......  

We wouldnt be without them though they are so funny....  This morning in fact the door handle to Elise's (youngest) bedroom failed so I had to force the door open.  It took 3 attempts to shoulder it so I could get into to her... you can imagine the noise I was making and I would have thought that for a nearly 2 year old it would have been quite scary..... for Elise oh no she is a law unto herself.  When the door opened I was greated by my ickle darlin sat quietly in her cot watching the proceedings and her only comment was a comical, "oh oh" (teletubby style).....  It brought a warm smile to myself and all Sophie could do was laugh...... kids eh?

Take care all

Les n Soph
 :)

Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 14, 2004, 08:33:13
10th October - the date of my birthday as well!

Hum - the joys (?) of parenthood. Mine is coming out with some classic lines these days - "I can eat onions when I have a big mouth" - where did that come from? "No" is her fave word at the moment but the tantrums aren't too bad.

I think she realised mummy was boss when she got in a right strop with one of her toys and I said that I would put it in the dustbin if she continued trying to destroy it. She carried on so I bunged it in the dustbin. She laughed and said that she wanted to go in the dustbin too, until I explained (roughly) what happened to rubbish!!!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on July 14, 2004, 23:08:40
The potato defoliator's birthday is the 16th October.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on July 15, 2004, 08:28:29
Looks like we should all be having a joint birthday party sometime in October then.

I'll bring the jelly (and some special jelly for the adults!) and my girls will make some fairy cakes and chocolate crunchies......

All are welcome....party time! :D :D

Les
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 15, 2004, 10:52:27
Oooh! I love a party...

(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v286/plocket/Smilies/Beer.gif)       (http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v286/plocket/Smilies/Smilie_Band.gif)       (http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v286/plocket/happy23.gif)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on July 15, 2004, 11:57:23
Love the icons............
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 15, 2004, 12:18:19
Look at http://www.planetsmilies.com/ - I save them in Photobucket.com

(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v286/plocket/Smilies/Grab.gif)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on July 15, 2004, 13:13:27
Number one son will be thrilled - he will be 4 on 21st October.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Les_Woof on July 15, 2004, 13:33:46
The more the merrier.... the merrier the more :P
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 15, 2004, 13:47:04
Lots of Lovely Librans!!! LOL!!!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: carloso on July 18, 2004, 16:29:41
errr 42 16th october !!!!!!!!! yeah librans rule  8)
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Sarah-b on July 21, 2004, 11:54:02
Thought I'd join in on this one as my birthday is in October (4th). Also I was around the same region as Plocket - born in 1968 in Woolwich, but went to school in Chislehurst, Kent. Now have moved to Bucks and we have a 1 yr old and 3yr old (will be 4 very soon and have to plan pinky party for her).
I work part time as a technical writer and spend "spare-time" on the allotment. I have out a post on one of the other boards about amusing young children on plots - as some good ideas could really help our veg.
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 21, 2004, 12:21:02
Hi! Did you go to Farringtons by any chance?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Sarah-b on July 21, 2004, 12:29:45
Hi Plocket - nope, not posh/rich enough. Went to Beaverwood just down the road. How about you?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 21, 2004, 12:43:10
Went to Farringtons Junior School for a couple of years and was bl***y miserable (bullied) so after 11 went to Ravensbourne School for Girls - and Multiveg went there too! Oh and I am not posh!!!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Sarah-b on July 21, 2004, 12:49:11
Sorry - didn't mean to imply anything!
I didn't know anyone who went to Ravensbourne.
I was back in that area at the weekend visiting friends - drove past my old house on Mottingham Road - seems much more built up round there now.
Plocket - you've left the area haven't you - how about Multiveg?
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Plocket on July 21, 2004, 13:37:19
Oh bless you! I was just mucking around. But I'm still not posh!!! (My parents believed in a private education and sunk everything into that - fat lot of good it did me!!!)

Mottingham Road? I went out with a guy who I think lived in a flat on Mottingham Road!  And my brother went to Eltham College. I'm now in Staffordshire, and have been for about three years. You will have to read back a bit to find out about Multiveg I think!
Title: Re:personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on July 21, 2004, 13:39:02
I am now in North Wales, Sarah, less than a mile away from Mimi.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: TULIP-23 on January 31, 2005, 22:38:03
Hoi Campanula

I think a bit of Wisdom a bit of Commonsense
a lot of Trust and working with the people you  know

Should anyone ask:
Im 60 year Old Happily Married with Four Grown Children
Moved to Holland 15/16 years ago Married inJuly 40 years

Love Fishing with a Pole not so muich a rod.

Really love my Motor Kawasaki ZZr 600 1993

New kid on the Block thanks to Ina's Directions found my way here.
Just returneed to Gardening after a very Long Long time.
really intererested in making new friends and contacts via the E mail  System.

There you dont know me but all Ive told you is the right information

Telephoe Number....No
Bank Account Number...No
Visa Card Number.....No
Address....................Sometime in the Future.......Maybe

You see there's nothing there thats going to cause me problems. And maybe you find that a little more interesting to read
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Kerry on February 02, 2005, 18:22:45
been thinking how many new members there are, so thought i would reply to this to add a bit about myself. i know i've been on here for oooooh! months now! but some of you may not know......

i'm 28-live in leicestershire with OH in own house, we moved in 2000. first house together, so first garden that is 'mine'!  (OH is a 'NGOH')
keen on gardening before, but have really been 'bitten' by having my own space.
i grow flowers, veg, fruit-anything really, i love the challenge of it. i will quite happily spend my time outside not inside doing....well....i can always find stuff to potter with out there.

i work p/t, with adults with learning disabilities in a residential home in leicestershire. OH works at snibston discovery park. no children. yet.

if i'm not gardening, i'll probably be reading about it, or planning my seed buying campaigns, or on a4a!

i used to play cello and piano (grades 8 and 5, when i was 16) but have tailed this off now, as i prefer to play in a group, not on my own, it's difficult working shifts.
i love going to the rugby, i'm a season ticket holder at leicester tigers.

my biggest success in the garden would have to be the cauliflowers-yes really! grew one perfect (well, for me) in my first year after reading how they were a very demanding crop!
my most dismal failure would be the cucumbers i cannot keep alive whatever i do!

anyone else........??
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: loz on February 03, 2005, 15:19:05
So here goes with a little about me.

I live in South Lincs on a smallholding, having moved from Luton about four years ago (mainly to accommodate my chickens), with my partner of 9 years.  I grew up in Queensland SA, (where the spiders are a little bigger).

I had my first allotment when I was 8, and went on from there.

I work for a well know mail order seed company in a technical type customer service role, although will be leaving soon to join a competitor.  I'm lucky coz I can talk gardening all day and get paid for it!

I share my home with three horses, hundreds of chickens, five cats and a bracco italiano (a type of Italian pointer), Oh, and I run a cattery as well.

Favourite veg to grow have got to be squashes, I'm trying some festival and marina de chioggia this year.  Favourite perennial has got to be hostas.

When I'm not in the garden or with the chickens, I try to read Jean Auel, Anne McCaffrey or Stephen King, although I do like a good horror film on sky.

Loz
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: NattyEm on February 03, 2005, 22:06:03
OK, here goes......

I'm Emma, 26, live in Weymouth with hubby Keith and our twin girls Eve & Rei who will be 3 in May.

I moved to weymouth in 1999, but I gre up in Ipswich in Suffolk. Keith and I met on the internet, and I discovered Dorset - far more beautiful than Suffolk!

When I'm not being mum (two evenings and one morning a week) I'm either teaching music, playing music, or working with a guy that does website marketing.

I wouldn't say I'm a very good gardener, completely rubbish infact, I could kill grass.  (not couch though it seems, oh well!)  But, I am a  huge fan of good food.  At the moment I get an organic veg box delivered once a fortnight, as does my friend Louisa (fosteri) and we figured it would be far nicer, and much more fun to have a lottie.  So here we are! This time next year the veg boxes will be no more (ha ha).

My current life in pictures can be found at :

Our lottie site (http://www.livejournal.com/users/emloulottie)
My personal site (http://www.nattyem.co.uk) jam packed with photos, mostly of my girls but a few of me (avoid october 04!)

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on February 04, 2005, 09:43:16
Thanks for telling us about yourself Emma.  What lovely photos, your girls are gorgeous (and you're not bad yourself  ;) and hubby - mustn't leave him out :D)
Love the one with the potty on the head and also the scan - really clear photo, fascinating.

Pat
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: NattyEm on February 04, 2005, 12:55:32
awe thanks  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: sandersj89 on February 04, 2005, 19:23:21
Born and bred in Devon from a long standing farming family. Grew up on the farm and left in my late teens to earn my degree in Agriculture and Business Studies.

While at Uni met my wife to be. Left Uni to work in agriculture, first in Kenya and then  in Georgia USA. Decided to return home to be closer to future wife and ended up working in The City in finance. Lived in central London

Married and then moved to Sussex. (Moved house the day after boxing day, completely bonkers!!!!) Still working in finance at the moment but plans affot to move back to the farm to take on the management/running/development.

First child arrived 7 years ago after a horrendous pregnancy. He weighed 800grams, 1lb 12ozs in old money, and needed to stay in hospital for 8 months.

Decided house was not big enough, could not finad anything on the markets so embarked on massive extension of the house requiring builders around for 8 months and us moving out for 6 of those.

Settled back in the house and had a daughter 3 years ago, no problems this time thank god!

Gardening interest is in my blood, both parents are very very accomplished gardeners.  Both ornamental and vegetable gardening.

Other interests include sailing, cooking, country sports.

Jerry
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on February 04, 2005, 20:14:33
GREAT to see that this slot has resurrected itself!! I really do think that it is valuable. = Tim

 Daughter has just had her first child ( the 3rd) over 3lb!! Much sympathy.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on February 04, 2005, 23:26:15
Congrats Tim.

Where abouts in Devon Jerry?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: sandersj89 on February 05, 2005, 09:38:47
Congrats Tim.

Where abouts in Devon Jerry?

Yes, congrats Tim!

EJ, we farm on the South Coast, Halfway between Exminster and Starcross/Powderham.

At present I am not at home but will be moving there to run the place at some point in the future.

Jerry
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on February 05, 2005, 11:57:32
Lucky so-&-so!!

En route to our Riverford box people. = Tim
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on February 06, 2005, 18:55:51
Congratulations Tim.

Loz - whereabouts in south Lincs? My folks live near Spalding not too far from Baytree...
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Carrie on February 13, 2005, 14:18:30
Since I have done a few posts now I feel it would only be polite to introduce myself.

Live in South east London married to an artist and like Nattyem I have twin daughters- altho mine are slightly older - nearly 11.

Did a geography degree- my dream was to get a job as a park ranger in one of the national parks but I'm now a solicitor - how did that happen? :o

Have now had my allotment for 4 weeks. I had  vague plans about putting my name down on a waiting list for years but never got round to doing anyhting about it then 4 weeks ago got an e-mail from a friend in my book group saying she had been offered one and felt it was too much to cope on her own  and did anyone want to help out - I was the only one to say yes - we now have a book group with half the 12 members also being allotment holders!

Am absolutely loving my time up on the allotment - only been digging so far - no planting yet - but it is so satisfying. I am lucky to only work 4 days a week so I can go up for a day mid week as well as at weekends. I'm taking the girls up there in a minute for them to plant garlic and me to do some more digging - happy days

 ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: cookie on February 16, 2005, 21:12:02
 Hi everyone, guess what my role in life has been, cookie might giveyou a clue! grew up in bristol, then moved to teignmouth, married to Barrie with two boys, now 19 and 21.Have always enjoyed gardening and food.Barrie hada heart attack two years ago at 46 so we decided to change our lifestyle. now have an acre to take care of with our job, plus 43 elderly residents who know more about gardening than we ever will. barrie is doing a city and guilds in horticulture and i am doing a r,h,s, general certificate which i am finding heavy going.                                                                                                                                  Jerry, barrie used to work on the estate at powderham, weknow several people there, but I think that lordie has leased all the land, and makes his money from concerts etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Tim, boxes from Riverford are great, also lovely sausages! another friend used to milk on the farm at riverford.                                                                                                                                  We are now living in Ilminster, very happy with our lottie, and much happier with life, it is possible to downgrade and manage on less money! we have !!!!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: sandersj89 on February 18, 2005, 09:38:34
                                                                                  Jerry, barrie used to work on the estate at powderham, weknow several people there, but I think that lordie has leased all the land, and makes his money from concerts


Yes, he share farms most of the land now. The old farm manager never made a great fist of things to be honest and Courtney will be making more now from share farming. No effect required from him either.

You may know my brother too if you have ever used a local vet to Teignmouth.

jerry

Barrie probably knows exactly where our farm is, look in the gallery board and you will see some recent pictures.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Deleted on February 25, 2005, 15:55:22
Hi, I'm new to the board, as well as new to my allotment. I daresay I'll be picking brains here since its my first year of allotment gardening, so here's a bit about me.

Born Cambridge 1962, lived there until 18, went to Design College in Kent, then lived in Guildford. Now live in Greenwich SE London. Run own design business (graphics, web, exhibition, advertising) with partner for past 18 years, and still surviving. Single, living with partner, no kids, 2 cats, 3 nieces, 2 nephews. Family all live around Cambridge, so back there quite often.

So why an allotment? A bit 'spur of the moment'. Talking to a neighbour, who's husband had been asked to help out on someone's newly-aquired allotment, brought back memories of when a student: 4 of us shared a house with a large but overgrown garden. Found lots of seeds in an old shed, and decided a good way to save money was to grow own stuff. Grew loads: Sweetcorn, broad beans, runner beans, spinach, melons, raspberries, radish, courgettes, rhubarb, onion, lettuce, cucumber, garlic, pots - just some of what I can remember.

Got in touch with the council - expecting there to big waiting lists - and was informed some had free but overgrown plots. Visited a site that had free plots, and 4 weeks later here I am. One large, messy, plot, a lot of seeds, and raring to go.

I really enjoy gardening - very relaxing & therapeutic - but living in London I have a modest (albeit lovely) garden, so no room for veg and fruit. Although I have grown beetroot between the bedding plants before now!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Sarah-b on March 02, 2005, 19:02:37
Hi Dawn and welcome to A4A!
So whereabouts in Greenwich? I was born in woolwich and spent a lot of time in that area. It was only in the last few years that my Mum moved over to where I live that I don't ever get back to Greenwich any more. We used to go to the park the whole time. nd I have spent some of my most miserabloe moments in that hospital down there - it's moved now hasn't it - what about the hospital building - is that just standing there like a big old empty ghost building?
Congrats on getting your plot. Mine has provided me with hours and hours of enjoyment, some nice veg, and a few disappointments (but who cares about them - all part of the fun and the learning really).

ramble, ramble,
sarah.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Deleted on March 03, 2005, 08:49:10
Hi Sarah

Don't know if you know it these days, but they have redeveloped all the Woolwich Arsenal site near the river into (posh & pricey) flats, greenwich heritage centre,Firepower museum, etc., and then beside that is where I live in whats known as 'Gallions Reach Urban Village' - so named because they can say 'Gallions Reach, Greenwich' and charge double for everything instead of 'between Woolwich and Thamesmead'!!

Having said that, its really nice here - area has won awards from RSPB for the wetlands development, from Royal institute of Chartered surveyors, and various other environmental bods.

I'm lucky enough to live opposite the canal, so see the swans strutting their stuff this morning - getting frisky with each other now spring is just round the corner, and getting ratty with the geese!

I think they're going to develop the old Hospital site now (I daresay into more flats...). I had the misfortune to be an 'inmate' of the new hospital (QE hospital) 2 years ago. It's  really nice there, except it was midsummer, and while the old one had air conditioning the new one doesn't - so apart from being ill with whatever it was we were in for, they were trying to stop us all from keeling over with the heat as well! So much for improvements.

My plot is just up the road towards Abbey Wood. It's going to be an uphill task!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Sarah-b on March 03, 2005, 20:26:10
Hi Dawn - nope - all that is new to me. Maybe it's time to visit the old place to take a look.
Good luck with the lotty anyway!
sarah.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: loz on March 03, 2005, 21:39:59
Hi Multi

I'm about 15 mins from Baytree (well worth a visit) just outside of Holbeach Drove

I've lived here about 4 years now, and think it is a much understated part of the country

Loz



Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 05, 2005, 19:46:02
Sorry to butt in, but Wife defended the Arsenal with her AA Battery. Glad it's still there.

And, with that, a more truthful photo?? And, for good measure, since others include their sprogs, here's the last but one! One hopes!!

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: simon404 on March 07, 2005, 16:37:30
I'm thinking you all out there only exist for me in my imagination and vice versa but what the hell...My life (what I can remember!): Born 1957, year of the rooster, cancerian. 
Trained as a gardener for Derby city council parks department (7 years), then went to Derbyshire county council as a chargehand (5 years), packed it in when everything became too mechanised. Did a degree in the arts in healing and learning. Went self-employed as a jobbing gardener, have never looked back.
Did the "deep green" thing: lived in a caravan on a farm for 12 years, chopping wood and fetching water. Loved going to festivals: Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Rainbow camps. Threat of eviction led to moving to a dreadful  housing association flat for a year then took the plunge and bought this little terraced house 6 years ago. Allotment through the hedge at the bottom of the garden. 
My gardening mentors: the old blokes on the council who taught me everything I know, especially Alec Cave, UK champion sweet pea grower. Two kids, both grown up now.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: simon404 on March 07, 2005, 20:41:03
Hi Wardy, I've been trying to write a reply but the 'puter keeps crashing and losing it. Will try again in a bit. Cheers for now.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: simon404 on March 07, 2005, 21:14:10
Hi again, bedding designs: at this time of year there would be polyanthus with tulips coming through, wallflowers and forget-me-nots, universal pansies. Later for summer bedding we’d have geraniums, begonias etc edged with  maybe alyssum, with a focus plant taller than the rest, like a standard fushia in the middle and four spot plants between the middle and the corners. The head gardener used to do the designs, we just got to plant them out but it was enjoyable work. We used to grow them all ourselves then too, in Markeaton Park glasshouses, I don’t know if you know it? I’ve got some old photos somewhere, if I can find them I’ll post them in the gallery.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 14, 2005, 17:03:25
ooooo-its very quiet in here..i think you've all gone...prolly gardening.
o well...i'll talk to meself then.
i'm a 47 year old female artist..i live in lincolnshire with me yusband.our lads grown up(sort of,or despite us)hes 26...erm...i like gardening(obviously)......we've had  a shop for 11 years  where we make all our own arty type stuff-mikes a cartoonist-o,and we've got 8 cats.
EIGHT?
yes,eight-thats normal isn't it?
and our house does not smell of wee! >:(
we've just moved out into the sticks where our -ahem!'garden' is a small(very small)rough bit of field....so,this week i will be mostly 'aving bachache!
thats me.
o,and i look like cindy crawford.
and i'm a compulsive liar.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 14, 2005, 19:04:05
awww!and i thought there'd be some tuna if i turned up! ;)

yes-i saw someone from the south of the county-trouble is,lincolnshire is EEEEENormous-like chile-a very long stretch of country!anyway-nice to see you-glad i wasn't just racketing about on me own here! :D
sorry to hear about your backache......lots of hot baths for you i think!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on March 15, 2005, 09:23:42
Which end of lincs are you kitty? My folks live near Spalding.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 15, 2005, 09:31:48
And Kitty - what sort of painting or whatever??

Our elder daughter, of similar age, paints & teaches.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 15, 2005, 17:02:44
hello multiveg!
t'other end-nearlincoln.....well..six miles outsider it..but our shop is right in the middle of lincoln.....spalding end is nice but a leetle too flat for my liking!plent of self sufficient people in the fen areas tho!

hello tim!weeeeeeell..if you click on my sig at the bottom of my post it will take you to an online gallery that i belong to-an if you click on the web sign there it will go onto my own site-i like to bore people completely and thoroughly so i have TWO websites!
i mostly paint wildlife and pussycats-not to everyones taste so i dont expect a round of applause,honest!but its made us(mikes a cartoonist)a good living for the past 25-odd years!..it helps  to sell your work when you have your own gallery/shop,but i wouldn't want to start again in this economic climate-we've had the shop 11 years now.

we've moved aound lincolnshire a bit tried the city for a while-too many students  i'm afraid..so now we are back in the stick s and (hopefully)back to growing a bit of veg.....we did it before and i'm older and wiser(lol!)now!!

o,and i forgot to add in my profile that i am a compulsive reader.....biographies,detective fiction,gardening stuff...you name it i'll read it.
well...almost.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 15, 2005, 17:07:46
i am really REALLY laughing here!
when i wrote in the above posts re;what subjects i painted i wrote the abbreviation for cats.....that kids say- begins with 'p' ends with 'ussy'...and it got changed to girlthingycats........hahahahahah!
let me assure you there are no 'girl thingys' in my paintings!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on March 15, 2005, 18:16:53
Just been looking at your gallery Lea and wow!  Great pics.  now I am not into cats in any way, but I can appreciate great pics, and these are great!  LURVE the badgers and 'In the Garden' and 'The gardeners' immensly.  Such clever folk frequent these boards!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on March 15, 2005, 19:23:12
I would like to echo Emma's comments - amazing talent :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 15, 2005, 20:13:09
aw! thats very kind of both of you! :-*
its really just practice y'know.......
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: North Country Boy on March 18, 2005, 01:52:15
Thought id pitch in as well but not with a full profile more why im doing the whole allotment thing. Ive spent the best part of my life working really hard to get on and better myself. Ive stayed in the same industry for 17 years and am a middle manager in a very large leisure company. I really didnt know any other way than the supermarket until i watched the very first episode of 'A cook on the wild side' i was totally hooked, there was another way, however this other way stayed pretty dormant until the river cottage series came out and i could not contain my urges anymore, i wanted to know all about food, where it comes from and how it was produced, for me and my 3 small (at the time) girls. So i started buying local produced veg grew a few veg in the back garden and stated to become abit more concious about where my food came from. By this time i started to become horrified at the rubbish that was being put into food and the damage that could be done to my children. Also at this time i was worried that my children were being brought up in an uncaring and unknowledgable world where the majority of children think vegetables come from a tin. Thankfully ive now managed to educate my kids to a certain extent that they know where their food is coming from. They know the difference between good food and bad. With a new lottie under my belt and 2 out of the 3 kids excited about it im hoping for a bumper bounty this year and the start of fresh organic food for my children, and myself of course.

PS. im 37, like the odd drink, love the outdoors, i'll go like a train if you stoke my boiler that kind of thing.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 18, 2005, 07:15:56
That's what I like to hear!!


If your second entry embarrasses you, try 'delete' - though, since you originated the first one, & this was almost certainly not a 'reply', it may not work.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on March 19, 2005, 01:05:21
Hello everybody. I think it's only polite that I should introduce myself.

Helen, born in 1967 in Kingston upon Thames. Adopted and brought up in Newcastle upon Tyne. Now if someone offers a couch I'll tell you more about that,but for instance I've only just sent for my birth certificate to find out who is responsible for giving me life.
 
Scorpio. Born on Halloween.

Done lots of stuff. Worked for a parks dept when I left school.. Washed dishes on Ios,cleaned rooms in Athens. I have seen the Whirling Dervish in Turkey. Lived in Germany for 3 years. Was married to RAF via ex husband. RAF Wildenwrath and RAF Bruggen. (Wilders was just a residence when I was there..96 - 99).
Two children,Boy,born in Viersen Dulken Germany. Daughter 2years Alnwick Northumberland.   Now with partner who I always will refer to as His Majesty or His Madge. Love him to bits. He asked me to marry him during an episode of Gardener's World.

Allotment in waiting. I have been told I am next on the list and I was initially offered a plot with a supposed rat prob,but now I've been told there is another coming up. Have to wait 'til beginning of April.

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 19, 2005, 06:43:18
Hope that's a happy ending.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 19, 2005, 11:08:32
Kitty - been searching for you for days - wanted to say thanks for introducing us to the mini gallery - very interesting - wanted to comment on your own very fresh looking work, but it's gone!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: moonbells on March 19, 2005, 19:20:50
I suppose I'd better introduce myself too, since I've been pottering about the site a few weeks now.

Born 1967 in Derbyshire.  Loved going to help grandad on his allotment and grew marrows every summer for years (except the one where grandad oopsed and gave me a pumpkin by mistake!).

Went to uni in Bristol, then on to postgrad in London, got way too many letters after my name then finally got a job at a NW London hospital as a cancer researcher.  Still there 10 years later.

Met other half in 1997, did everything back to front, buying a house in the Chilterns first a year later and I finally had a garden! Reverse Groundforced it a bit (replaced all the gravel back garden with lawns and a huge flowerbed area) and tried growing marrows and beans in the flowerbeds.  In 2001 a colleague mentioned allotments and I was on the phone in 5 mins and digging five days later. I kept an allotment diary, first just in Word format and then online as my Dad kept wanting to know what I was up to.  It's still going.

Engaged to OH February 2004 (we sort of asked each other!) and married 8 months later after our parents had almost given up hope.  Allotment seriously neglected during the summer as a result - but I'm back now :) though with new hobby - sugar flowers - as I learned while making the cake! Well it's sort-of garden-related!

No kids, one cat (the boss) and a non-gardening hubby. So the daffodil riot that is currently the front garden is all my fault.

moonbells

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: cookie on March 21, 2005, 22:29:33
Hello Heldi, goodluck if you are trying to trace your birth parents.I was also adopted, after both of my adoptive parents died, I decided to do a search. It was'nt easy, but it paid off in the end. I have a good relationship with my birth mother and a half sister, my birth father died before I traced him, but i am in contact with his brother and .family. :) :) :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on March 22, 2005, 10:29:31
Thanks Tim and Cookie for your best wishes.

It has taken me all this time to build up the courage to do this. My adoptive father died a long time ago. My adoptive mother always made it plain that she didn't want me to do it but when my dad died she said that he had said to her that he would have to do it if he were in my shoes. I wished he'd talked to me about it. Anyway now I've only sent for the birth certificate,I have to have counselling before I can see it but I don't know what to do about that,did you have that Cookie? Does the office issuing the birth certificate inform the Local Authority? I'm assuming so as it had on the questionaire, where did I want the counselling to take place? I'm waiting by the letter box everyday for some news,its taking ages it seems ,apparently there is a big demand for birth certificates due to the Beeb tracing your ancestors series!

Thanks again Cookie,you have encouraged me greatly. Its on my mind alot as you maybe can tell. P.S I haven't told any of my adoptive family,only my partner knows.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on March 22, 2005, 11:50:04
while on the subject of adoption, a big weight has been taken off me. My hubby has many aunties. One of them had a daughter (V.) that she gave up. The daughter traced the mother 10 years ago via my mother in law, but her mother had no feelings for her. She has 2 half sisters and a half brother. She kept in touch with my mother in law, and me, and we have met up. Now, V didn't sound like well bunny and has decided that 10 years is enough and she doesn't feel like she has another 10 years to wait. She rang me up Friday lunchtime wanting her half-sisters' phone numbers. I gave them to her but asked her not to ring until this week (it is her mother's 50th wedding anniversary). On friday, I saw her mother and the two half-sisters. She rang one of them, E., on Friday - E. rang last night to say V had rung and was unsure how to deal with things. Should she tell her sister and brother before or after approaching her mother?

Mary - if you are reading this, hubby's cousins that work where you do don't know.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 22, 2005, 17:13:05
o-mulitiveg-that was a complicated but VERY interesting posat!
in fact-they are al interesting posts!
i dontr get much time off from our shop but today.....well-you know how it is.....its raining-you look out of the shop door..see 2 blokes and a dog stumbling along,heads down collars up.....bit cold and dreary out ......shop cats gorn orf to bed.....finished the painting commission that i really needed to finish......make a cup of tea.again.or......PING as light bulb goes on over head-i could just shut up shop for the day-after all-i'm not {{{shudder}}}tescos-no-one wil starve if i close a bit early...and i could do with going to wilkos for some more seeds...then i can go home and catch up on the A4A site-so i did.....and i read all the profiles.....the sad ones and the happy ones .....the daft ones and the serious ones-what a delight you all are!
so-to make sure i keep to  the regs-i shall add a bit more to mine-i listen to radio 4 a lot-been with my beloved lunatic  other half 30 years(child bride!actually no bride at all,we never married,i dont want him to get too comfortable,i introduce him as my FIRST husband-keeps him on his toes!)try to watch as little goggle box as i can-which is not difficult its all cr..er...rubbish really......just moved to the country from the city -and we love it-opened this box and found you lot which is a biiiiig bonus as i am anti social...i like the internet.but i'm not keen on face to face stuff...
what else?
dont smoke ,dont drink, i eat chocolate...i'm overweight undertall and i work obsessively hard at my job...cos i love it...
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: cookie on March 24, 2005, 22:10:41
Hi Heldi, sorry to be so long in replying,but son no 1 is home from uni, and is always using the computor. I started my search with the local social services offices, i gave them all the info that i had from my addoption certificate and any other info that i had gleaned from  my addoptive parents, they sent for my birth cert, and hada chat about how i felt about it, all very low key! They also found out how i had been addopted, which agency etc. i called the agency in Bristol and they said to put all the info in a letter, they wrote backwithin a week to say that all my documents were all on file, and if I went to Bristol they would give them to me. ( they said to take a friend for support). it was amazing what was in the file, loads of info about my birth parents and myself( never knew how much i weighed at birth before!!!) My birth cert gave me a name for my mother, but no name for my father, it also gave my mothers name , address, and profession. this was the starting point. any other info that i can help you with, i would be glad to share if i can work out how to give you my e-mail. good luck, cookie :) :) :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on March 26, 2005, 21:08:38
Hi Cookie!
I'll send you a personal message so as I don't take up too much space on this thread.

Unless everyone doesn't mind. Makes a change bring able to talk about this.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: nitiram on March 27, 2005, 19:35:47
I too am curious about the people behind the nicknames...and the reason why they use such nicknames as some of them are very strange ???..

My name is Joy, have three adult children, all married and left home.( three grandchildren too) My eldest is also a member here and introduced me to the site, she likes to remain anonymous  but I now know her nickname too so can send her messages..she lives miles away from me.

Am a long time vegetarian, love cats, not too keen on dogs though...a born again christian too, but don't let that put you off.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 27, 2005, 19:57:04
If you mean nicknames on the forum, I was figuring this only yesterday.

It's not only disguise - they often sign a real name. Surely, it's that your given name would be the same as several hundred others?? Like there are 3 Tims.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: legless on March 27, 2005, 20:11:32
my username was given to me by some people i met from a formula one forum - we went to the british grand prix and all met for the first time camping together. i wore those trousers that zip off to make shorts - hence legless. i use it on all forums but no-one ever believes me when i tell them it's not about booze!!  :D

although i am currently enjoying my first homemade wine (blackcurrant) from last year. not too bad!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 27, 2005, 20:49:57
mines fairly obvious when you know me...7 cats(no,my house doesn't smell of wee...)and i paint a lot of cats..
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on March 27, 2005, 21:35:24
Mine is because, as Tim indicates, there could probably be lots of "Helen" but not many "Heldi". Boring really, though people keep putting Heidi! I'll wear my hair in plaits and sing in the Cheviots whilst herding goats if it pleases anyone!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: CotswoldLass on March 27, 2005, 22:19:33
Heldi,

To be honest I'm often at the site but have only just looked at your thread.

Those who know me will have read about our fabulous trip to Australia in January to visit the rellies......well, I was adopted as a baby and this was my first meeting with my natural Mum's middle sister, and all her family. I've known them for a few years and since Auntie Pat has helped me through the thick and thin of learning about your natural family, it was fabulous!!

Do contact me directly if you'd like to. There is so much involved. It isn't that I don't talk about it, only that I there is so much else  to so with gardens here!

By the way, my username is simply 'cos it's where I live!

CLx
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: moonbells on March 27, 2005, 23:41:50
I too am curious about the people behind the nicknames...and the reason why they use such nicknames as some of them are very strange ???..

<snip>
Am a long time vegetarian, love cats, not too keen on dogs though...a born again christian too, but don't let that put you off.

moonbells is a second choice name really. Years ago when I first got an email account I chose moonrose as I had a picture of the moon and a potted rose on my desk (neatly combining my astronomy and gardening hobbies).  A few years ago I decided I wanted a .com domain just because, discovered moonrose had already gone (and was a new agey crystal site!) so ended up with moonbells as it was near enough and sounded ok.  Now it's my gardening persona and website :)

Similarly I'm a cat person (have one slightly mad one, persona non-grata tonight after anklebushing me and leaving me with holes in my foot) and am also a Christian.  Not a veggie though unless it's Lent, when I'm strict.

moonbells
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on March 27, 2005, 23:57:00
Don't have a nickname....had some real stinkers at school and am never planning to wander that way again!  It is only you lot that call me Emma Jane, before you, it was my teachers when I was naughty!  Now I am just Emma, Em (but only by mum or nan) or mummy.  Filled in my profile way back when, but to recap, I am a 34 year old mum of 2, a daughter who was 6 last week and a son who is 4, and I am a wicked stepmother to a 9 year old hormonal whirlwind of a young lady.  We live in sunny arid Essex, but I am a Surrey girl, however my heart lives in North Devon where my mums mums family originate and I hope to finish up one day.  (Just in case anyone asks, my ashes please, thrown to the wind on the pebble ridge at Westward Ho! whilst eating a Hockings and gazing at the gorgeous Lundy Island).  I am married to a star who's nicknames is Ava (banana) and he is Essex through and through.  I have 2 allotments which I fill to capacity, a greenhouse and a conservatory, all packed to the rafters with plants. 
KenKew asked where, or when I sleep.  Usually around the witching hour snuggled up with a banana dreaming of tropical islands where the sun always shines and where my darned Banana palm would finally fruit for me!!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Anne Robertson on March 28, 2005, 19:35:42
used to log on to other sites as l.u.m.p but ani  is quicker to type!  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Merlins Mum on March 28, 2005, 21:23:55
Having read all these posts with interest, I think I'll give it a go!
Born in Hertfordshire 56 years ago. Didn't really like school much but my favourite subjects were art and maths.  Youngest of three (always the baby to my mum, bless her), married when I was 21.  Worked in London until we moved to Oxfordshire when my OHs firm moved here.  Don't have any children but have a cat called Merlin (hence Merlins Mum and that's him on the left) and a dog called Toby.  In the past I've had such diverse hobbies as hand set letter press and cake decorating!  Still doing the odd bit of drawing and painting.
I wouldn't say I'm a particularly good gardener but I love my garden and pottering around in it. Wish I was better at growing veg, especially as we are vegetarians.
Was bullied onto A4A by kitty who kept telling me what a great site it was.  Now I can't get enough of it, so thanks kitty.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 29, 2005, 17:13:22
o,merlins mum shame on you! ;) ;D
yeah..right-i bullied her-the fact several people were killed in the rush for her to log in has nothing to do with it!
lol!
kitty ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Merlins Mum on March 29, 2005, 17:39:18
OK OK maybe to say I was reluctant to register would be nearer the truth, but I'm really glad you kept asking me 'have you looked at A4A yet'.
thanks kitty  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 29, 2005, 17:41:59
 - as one artist to another? Good work, Kitty!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Merlins Mum on March 29, 2005, 18:14:54
Yes aren't Kitty's paintings wonderful, so full of colour and fun plus cats, cats and more cats, which is a real bonus for a cat lover like me.  I have to confess I already own a few, paintings that is, I just have the one cat. 
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on March 29, 2005, 18:21:49
you are both very sweet ;Dthanks tim and merlinsmum!
tim...what kind of paintings do you do-and do you miss teaching at all?
must admit-i'd be a hopeless teacher!
kitty
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: nitiram on March 29, 2005, 20:03:13
Love Kitty's paintings...Mine are rather more weirder than hers!!!   

http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/agedartist/paintings1.html
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Multiveg on March 29, 2005, 21:18:53
Ooo we have some clever artists amongst us!

Nitiram - I like your blustery day  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on March 30, 2005, 15:34:54
Not wierd, just different.  Adore Dad's star.  We bought my dad a star, as you do, years back, and now he is up there with them!  Daisies is wonderful also.  Cor, so clever!!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on March 30, 2005, 19:03:00
Nitty - just love those.
Kitty - you'll have your answer as PM.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: nitiram on March 31, 2005, 11:08:40
Thanks for comments about paintings...'Dad's Star' was done after he died , he too is now a 'star in the sky'...Am tryingt o find away of putting more on the site but as the others are huge..ie 6ft by 3ft can't fit them all in the digi camera view finder. Must be a way to cut and paste them together..

I too am an EJ though not since working days..and I get called Nitty too...so Kitty and Nitty  we will be.

Am off to B'rum for the weekedn to view my daughters new allottment...she suggested that I take her the bath we have just removed as it would make a good raised bed, or pond. However, don't think national Express would be too pleased do you?

We have two cats..well one and a  half really as one adopted us..and half the street too, but we pay the vet bills for him
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bunnycat on May 22, 2005, 19:33:42
Hello everyone *shuffles in nervously with hand of friendship extended*

Might as well make my first post an introduction ;D

I'm Bunnycat (Sharon to my parents, Bunn or Bunny to my friends) and that's me in my avatar. I'm 38 and live in Leeds, although I'm originally from Essex.
I met a nice man from Leeds and the rest, as they say, is history :D His name is Lee and he plays drums, but doesn't 'do' gardening!
Don't have any kids, but we do have 2 cats and 2 budgies.
My Dad is the expert gardener in our family, and I think I've inherited a few of his green fingers as Í seem to have reasonable success with most of what I do have a go at.
I've only got a tiny garden, so I'm largely confined to growing things in tubs. The roses and lavender have got the beds.
I've had past successes with cherry toms and strawberries in tubs, and I also grow some of my own herbs, something which I'm hoping to expand on.
This year I'm doing garlic and onions in tubs and potatoes in compost sacks, and I've just acquired some runner beans which I can pop into a tub with a few canes ;D I'm also in the process of growing on a bay tree and a fig tree to go into huge containers ;D

I think I know a few people here already *waves to Maz and Rhibi* but I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone else.
I'm a bit of a novice really.......... :-[

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: honeybee on May 22, 2005, 19:45:10
Hi Bun, glad you made it  ;D

T'is me ......MG, I am in disguise as honeybee here, well i went all airy fairy and got myself a new more befitting name  ;D

Bun you will love it here and get totally addicted, and dont put yourslef down girl, you have great knowledge  :)  ;)  :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bunnycat on May 22, 2005, 19:48:03
Ohhh, hello.........would never have guessed that was you, MG ;D

Been browsing around a bit, and it looks brilliant here ;D

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: RhiBi on May 22, 2005, 19:50:42
Welcome Bunn :-*

You call yourself a novice, I think I'm the only novice round here, I mean you've even eaten something that you've grown, thats something I'll be able to say one day ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bunnycat on May 22, 2005, 19:53:26
You live and learn with this gardening lark, and I'm sure you'll be eating your home grown bits and bobs very soon, Rhi ;D

How are your beans doing?
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kitty on May 22, 2005, 20:38:58
welcome bunnycat!
we've all got different sorts of lotties here-mines me garden-corner of a field ,we moved in in january and its a while since i could do any gardening so i'm sort of starting from scartch...this crowd are sooooo helpful and friendly-pull up a pot and stay awhile!you'll like it!
kitty ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bunnycat on May 22, 2005, 20:58:02
I've heard nothing but lovely things about you all, so I intend to hang around for a while ;D

I'm sort of starting from scratch with most of my little space, too. The gales at the end of last year blew our back fence down, and I was left with a building site after my husband and father in law put up a new one. I decided that starting from scratch with sowing a new lawn and a bit of a revamp was the way to go but it's taking a while, as these things do.




Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: maz on May 22, 2005, 21:20:27
Hi Bunn! *waves and smiles*    ;D

As you can see by my count I dont come here very often.  *whistles*  but Im getting used to the place.  ;) ;D

Theres all sorts of folks here, beginners, experts and everything inbetween, and all very helpful and keen to share info and ideas.   
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bunnycat on May 22, 2005, 21:25:56
Yes, I noticed that you hadn't been in here much, Maz ::)

Not sure there'll be much use for my knowledge of the magical uses of herbs, but I'm prepared to bet that there's pleanty I can learn about my fledgling attempts to grow veggies ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on May 22, 2005, 21:54:31
Hi Bunnycat - welcome :D  I, like you, grow my veggies mainly in pots as I don't have a lottie, also herbs, so I for one will be very interested to gain any knowledge from you ;) :)  They are a great crowd here, I think you will enjoy A4A - look forward to hearing all your news :) :)

Pat
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bunnycat on May 22, 2005, 21:57:54
I'm not too bad on medicinal and magical uses of herbs, although I need to expand on my collection a bit ;D I've not been doing it for very long on either of those scores ;)
I've got mostly culinary ones at the moment, which I enjoy experimenting with.

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Justy on May 27, 2005, 11:20:03
Hi all

Been using this board off and on for a year but never looked in the shed before!  It is very nice and I haven't seen a single spider yet unlike my shed at lottie.

I am 34 with hubby and 4 year old sprog (see avatar!) and live in Worcester.  Have half a lottie as work part time so half is just about right amount.  Love A4A as real sense of community.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: daisymay on July 25, 2005, 13:29:24
Hi everyone, I am still finding my way round this site - there is so much on here is a bit overwhelming.

I am 29, live with my boyfriend in Bedford. We have an 80ft garden which was a wreck when we moved in last october and as of last week a 70ft allotment, also in Bedford at the end of our road. No kids, only tropical fish!
OH is a glory gardener - got interested in the garden in June when it came to planting beetroot and radishes, but was not so keen when I was ripping up bushes and hacking stuff down on cold January mornings! So is just me and my  i-pod half the time, which suits us fine actually  :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on August 26, 2005, 15:44:43
Update for the curious.

No comment.  Except to say out of wellies for a change!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/adrink.jpg
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Roy Bham UK on August 26, 2005, 18:04:27
 :) And very smart too! 8)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Wicker on August 27, 2005, 17:52:08
I'll second that, Roy!  They say every picture tells a story, Tim, but your piccie doesn't tell enough - were you singing, giving a "talk", or telling funny stories (that glass in your hand  :o).  #Anyway you look in fine form and long may you flourish.

Used to love seeing all the pics in personal profiles ..............
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on August 27, 2005, 19:53:37
Nothing so glamorous - just asked No.1 daughter to do a pic as she saw me, in case I should need it.

Dressed up? VERY unusual - this was for the filming of a documentary. Without the drink!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Gardengirl on August 28, 2005, 20:47:39
When are we going to see you on the tele then Tim ;D :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 20, 2005, 21:06:07
Having read about half the pages on this subject (I'll do the next half tomorrow) in the spirit of openness I'd tell you a little bit about me.
I'm a 37 year old Geordie living in Gateshead with 2 boys of 6 and 7, a wife who won't let me have chickens (none of whom have any interest in growing stuff) 2 cats and soon a cocker spaniel puppy. I'm a civil servant, but would really rather be a professional allotmenteer, but unless the numbers come up no chance of that. In my spare time apart from the allotment I've just taken up golf, having just retired from playing football, coach an under 7's football team and am sort of doing a correspondence course in garden design incorporating the RHS general exam as well as acting as an unpaid chauffeur to the above mentioned 2 boys.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 20, 2005, 21:20:20
My proper name's Andy by the way ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on September 20, 2005, 22:02:06
Nice to her about you reedos (Andy).  Good to have another Geordie on the Board.  :) busy_lizzie (Whitley Bayer)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: fbgrifter on September 21, 2005, 23:40:55
reedos>> who u doing ur course with...i'm with klc!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 22, 2005, 22:07:44
I'm with KLC as well, but struggling to find time. My plan is to crack on when the clocks go back instead of reading seed catalogues.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 22, 2005, 22:09:43
By the way hello everyone. Wardy don't tell everybody we are nice they'll all want to come ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on September 24, 2005, 00:53:19
Wardy Wardy Wardy!!! You have commited a most tremendous faux pas! A Northumbrian (where I know you spent most of your hols) would never want to be considered a Geordie!  A Geordie has particular roots and in folklore must have been born within blah blah blah of the Tyne.  Geordies belong to Newcastle not Northumberland. Northumbrians speak in a whole different way and if you are lucky a whole different dialect. Geordieland is not Northumberland..it is Newcastle and the towns that are beside it along the river Tyne. Thinking Wallsend here.

  A Geordie would not consider those from the other side of the water (Tyne)to be true Geordies!  The many accents considered to be Geordie on TV today are infact the accents of Macams, Tacams and Monkey Hangers.

Reedos my OH hails from Rowlands Gill  Gatesheed.  How ya doin mate!?!!

I on the other hand am a total imposter though brought up in Newcastle!!

H x
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 24, 2005, 21:29:02
I know Wardy, neglecting my studies by typing on here !!

Hi Heldi - I'm canny thanks - I know Rolands Gill well, used to cycle down from Whickham as a boy and play in the river, it's a bugger going back up it  :(
And by the way I wouldn't come round to this part of Gateshead and even suggest that they are Makems, you wouldn't get out alive, anyway you can't blame Wardy for not knowing the difference between us, according to the media a geordie appears to be anybody from Middlesbrough to Berwick. Still as far as most of us are concerned anybody south of Lincolnshire is a Cockerney. ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on September 25, 2005, 22:01:51
Heehee!  My mate went out with a monkey hanger for a while. They HATE that don't they! Wardy I am only setting you straight for your next holiday up here. Little background info an all that!


Reedos I did not mean to infer that Gateshead people are macams (heeheehee) only that there are people on tv meant to be geordies but who...erm...aren't! I did say within a certain "blah blah blah" of the Tyne...I didn't say which side of the Tyne !  I mentioned Wallsend because I was romancing about Sting...sorry an all that but I have a thing for Sting !  Phoooaarr!


 
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on September 26, 2005, 01:11:08
oh you can say geordie for wallsend...on the tyne that is.!

Sigh ...Sting......
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: kentishchloe on September 26, 2005, 11:35:49
oops - supposed to be writing letters - instead just spent v long time reading about all you chaps, so here's me:
I'm Chloe married to Adrian 3 years ago on sunny beach in Grenada, carribean island since devastated by hurricane :(
Our son was born 13 months ago and has just lifted his cricket bat for the first time at the St Lawrence Ground, home of Kent county cricket (boy genius ;D)
I've been into plants'n'stuff since i was 16 (so that's nearly 12 years now) and before we moved to kent when i was pregnant i worked for three years in the plant centre at RHS Wisley - a fantastic place to work i'm sure you can imagine. I love to cook.. and eat, i'll read anything, i love movies - new, old, foreign, blockbuster, indie... and i now seem to spend an innordinate amount of time on A4A - if the hoovering doesn't get done i'll blame you lot.
I am delighted to make your aquaintance..  :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on September 26, 2005, 13:38:05
One of my few claims to fame Heldi and Reedos is that Stings, Dad, Ernie used to be our milkman and Sting used to collect the milk money from us occasionally when he was a student.  My sister-inlaw also was in the same class as he was.   :) busy_lizzie
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on September 26, 2005, 17:30:21
Do you remember him very well?  Did he look like a scrawny scruff or was he tastey? Hahaha!



Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Emm P on September 26, 2005, 17:45:00
I am just a stones throw south of Hartlepool.
They can take the joke about the monkey these days - in fact, their museum has all sorts of information about it - and they make plenty of money selling books about the story.
 ;)

And, 40 miles south of Newcastle, I get fed up of being labelled a Geordie.
 :(
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: flower on September 26, 2005, 17:49:19
I live in Durham but i wasnt born here so no way am i a geordie ( still trying to get my head round the accents up here ::))  was born in brum  then lived in west yorks now here in durham :)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Emm P on September 26, 2005, 18:07:55
Durham - as in the City, or the County, flower?
Get yourself into woolly back country - then you really will need an interpreter.
l ;)
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Mrs Ava on September 26, 2005, 18:27:43
Did a spot of work for Sting many moons ago.  He is such a cool man, and sooooooooooooo cute, and there he sat, in a great big aran sweater..........oooooooooo soooo cuddly!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: flower on September 26, 2005, 18:37:14
In the county Emmp and they talk ruddy fast  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: busy_lizzie on September 27, 2005, 12:34:45
I seem to remember Sting (Gordon) was thin and lanky with spiky blond hair.  Ernie used to drink in the Rising Sun Pub in High Farm in Wallsend and we would often sit with him.

I am definitely a Geordie.  I have always believed it was  those born and living around the river Tyne.  The word "Geordie" came about because of Newcastle and the surrounding areas allegiance to King George during the Jacobian uprising.  Whilst Sunderland were aligned to the opposing side.  :D busy_lizzie   
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 27, 2005, 21:37:14
That's what I thought as well Busy Lizzie, I'm a Gateshead born & bred Geordie. Sunderland would be on the other side wouldn't they ?

Funny that Sting guy does nowt for me ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on September 27, 2005, 22:07:41
I remember some blokes where I worked talking about being Geordies. Some of them reckoned you had to be born within 3 miles of the Tyne to be a proper Geordie. I dunno! I'm just repeating what was said.

I just read what I said before...about Geordies being from Newcastle and the towns along the  Tyne and I mentioned Wallsend as a frinstance,sorry Reedos I meant both sides of the Tyne and when I said south of the water I was thinking Sunderland etc...didn't even think about Gateshead. Oops how wars are started eh!I asked OH and he says he's a Geordie so he must be right.  ( Like I EVER think he's right about anything!)

EmmP...my mate's boyfriend from Hartlepool used to get into a right tizzy about the monkey thing...so ofcourse we mentioned it often! 

EJ I'm sooooo jealous heeheehee! 

I know the Rising Sun in High Farm, Busy.

Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Glyn on September 27, 2005, 22:47:53
                              (http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/5903/geordiezebras9rk.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Heldi on September 27, 2005, 22:52:04
LOL !!!  That is fantastic Glyn I love it !  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: reedos on September 27, 2005, 22:55:33
Did you take that in the 3 Bulls after the match on Saturday ???


Very funny ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: fbgrifter on October 01, 2005, 21:36:35
reedos>>  know exactly what you mean.....any free time and its off to the lotment...was nice to set up the drawing board outside when the weather was nice tho.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: mrsnesbitt on October 08, 2005, 09:28:18
I am new here and think my profile looks very boring. I need help in finding out how to add photos etc. I have been described some things in life, but never boring....Help please! ???
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on October 09, 2005, 17:20:45
It always seems difficult at first.

Have a look at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,2633.msg24088.html#msg24088 - & keep your chat over there to keep this permanent board free?

Also search 'posting photos' - there are more aids.

If you're still stuck, e-mal me & I'll try to help.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Paulines7 on December 04, 2005, 17:54:32
I have just been reading through a few of these profiles especially those that mention "Geordies" and "Sting". 

My husband is from Durham and doesn't consider himself to be a "Geordie".  He believes the label should only refer to those in Newcastle itself.

Now Sting lives about five miles away from me and do you know what, he has never asked me round for a cup of tea.  He won't get any of my squashes!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Vez1 on December 18, 2005, 15:25:28
Well I'm also a nosey person so I'll tell you abit about me.

My name is Verity, I am 29 and come from Dundee in Scotland. I am divorced with no kids unless you count my 2 dogs Murphy and Yogi. I took on my first ever plot in April with no gardening experience at all and i now have 2. It has become a bit of an addiction, quite good considering I have been suffering with agoraphobia for 7 years now.
i have been coming here for a little while now and the advice has been invaluable so thank you all.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Glyn on December 18, 2005, 15:44:19
Excellent Verity. ;D
Keep coming.. ;D
;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on December 18, 2005, 18:33:43
Well done, Vez!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: redimp on December 18, 2005, 18:50:12
Nice to meet you Vez.

Next thing is to post your pic in what do we all look like.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: terrace max on December 18, 2005, 19:56:42
What he said + you can ask questions about veg too!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: iain on December 26, 2005, 11:03:26
I have noticed that if you have windows Messenger it shows up when you post topic or reply,  but I have messenger and the icon does not not show.
How is this done any help Would  be brill
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: iain on December 26, 2005, 11:11:14
I have worked it out  ;D
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Derekthefox on December 26, 2005, 18:57:15
ok, you realised it is if you post your hotmail addy in your profile?

This is for the benefit of others who may not have noticed that ...
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: bupster on January 11, 2006, 16:02:31
Hi, all, I've been away over Christmas and the new year so my return to the boards seems like an ideal time to post to this thread:

I'm 32 and was born in London, though we moved to Luton (yeugh) when I was twelve. I moved to Cambridge in 1997 to do my first degree and have refused to leave, even though I did my masters in Aberystwyth (some interesting commuting there  :))

I'm working as a writer and editor in international affairs at the moment, which sounds better than it is especially as the job comes to an end at the end of January and I haven't a clue what I'll do next. I also work a couple of nights a week as a chef in a local pub.

I got my allotment late last August, sort of by accident as I was expecting a long waiting list and it took 3 days! Had never gardened before but had yearned to try for more than a couple of chilli plants on the windowsill. My former flatmate was a vegan, and though an irredeemable carnivore, I did learn to be aware of food and its quality and importance.

Despite my ignorance, lack of transport/tools/any clue as to what I'm doing, I can honestly say that there is nothing that I've done in my life up to now that's given me as much contentment and satisfaction as my plot, even though I've yet to see a harvest from it. I feel I've been pretty lucky in life, and have friends and skills and live in a beautiful city, but until I got the plot I think I felt precarious. Now it's like I'm putting down roots, if you will forgive the appalling pun.

Love this site and the sense of community it engenders. Missed the brouhaha over Christmas but I do hope nothing valuable has been lost. It hasn't as far as I can see, anyway.
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: loulou on January 29, 2006, 08:17:10
iv seen that some of you have put a bit about your  self hope you dont mind if i do the same here gose  im caroline im married with 2 girls emmalouise age 4 abigale age 2 my oh is paul im a cleaner for a shopping center (nights) my oh works for brittish telecom and he is just finishing a web design course i live in manchester last year i grew veg in the garden because my girls love to help and eat what thay grow im getting a lottie very very soon (just under two hours time) so growing lots of thing my kids want my site name is loulou because i am doing veg for my eldest and we call her loulou so hence the name hope iv not board you all thanks hope to speak soon
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: MrsRotavator on February 06, 2006, 21:10:04
Hi Im new hope its ok to post a few details here too

Im 42 live in the worcester area, although thats due to change in the next couple of months and Im heading north to the Leeds area.

No Children lost my two 17 yr old moggie babes this year but will get more when Ive moved.

Im an avid gardener and had an allotment until recently member of two horticultural societies

cant wait to move so i can get back to getting down and dirty lol I miss it already
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: saddad on May 03, 2006, 16:48:54
Hello all,
I'm David but hide behind the pseud Saddad because that is what my lads call me when they see me on gardening sites! Allotment holder for 13 years, treasurer for our private site, Littleover Lane Derby. Everybody hates the treasurer, as I have just got the rents put up by 50%, the chairman is still trying to spend it faster than I can raise it!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: sazhig on May 21, 2006, 22:26:41
I'm Sarah aka Saz, married with one son, 22 months & have just got my first allotment last week. Have never really done any growing before, not even gardening - be prepared for lots of silly questions coming your way!

When I am not planning my lotty I help run a local toddler group, and I have also just started training to be a breastfeeding councillor. I seem to have come over all earth mothery since having our son & am very interested in growing organically as well as trying to scrounge as many second hand & recycled items to keep costs & environmental impact down to a minimum.

Saz
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: Money_Bunny on May 25, 2006, 01:05:26
Guess it's time I posted something here.

I'm 32,typical aries, mum of 2, daughter 10 thinks she's 18, son almost 9 and going through a "he's always right and nothing's fair" phase (actually he's always been like that) and stepmum to 3 boys aged 16, 8 and 4 so you can guess our house rarely gets to lie in on weekends lol.

Live with my long term partner and recently took up gardening. Have an allotment plot, plus 2 gardens at home and about 5 acres that our 4 horses and goat live on.

Currently trying to get back into work after having 2 years off due to illness.

Born in the Newcastle and never lived out of the north east. Now living in Stanley, County Durham as house prices were cheaper!

Hobbies include spending too much time on the net, fishing, camping, reading, cooking, gardening and riding the horses in good weather as my knees play up too much in the cold or damp. Love to socialise but not a huge drinker, smoke too much and love food (apart from celery).

Told I'm quite a challenge as I'm stubborn, confident and opinionated at times - being 5' tall means I have to make up for the lack of height in other ways LOL



Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: tim on May 26, 2006, 17:54:57
Seems a shame to interrupt this stream of information. But so nice to read. Like we're all human beings. Some having suffered more than others. Shame about that. How DO folk cope with all these responsibilities?  Durham is lovely - & quite popular according to this board? Noticed the 'muddy horse problem' elsewhere. Self-inflicted?

My Flight Commander was 5' - none better!!
Title: Re: personal profiles
Post by: jason on June 14, 2006, 23:13:09
U HAVE TO BE AWARE IN THIS DAY AND AGE U CANT TELL WHAT THE OTHER  PERSON IS REALY LIKE, DONT U ALL AGREE
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