Signing out now, leaving hugs for the night owls.

ooooooooo EL - coat and man gorgeous love per una stuff - hinted at a coat I wanted for Christmas today

night EL skylark squiggle, yogi

good morning Very foggy here! Hope it clears as the morning opens up, I have a little festive mission later today.. Speaking of..! Following Skylark's very helpful post about Birthdays having snowman wrapping paper, I took a detour after an early finish from work yesterday. Only to discover that Birthdays has gone all wasn't lost though, there was a whsmith in it's place And sure enough, I had the choice of 2 snowman wrapping papers! Aaaaand, I bought some gorgeous Rudolph paper for next year, because he is my theme for Xmas 2012 (yes, I know I'm mad lol) Mr summer is going mountain biking so I'm going to watch my first festive film of the year (I think El might approve of this one)... Holiday Inn! I have to admit, I prefer it to white Christmas! Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday, with good weather and lovely church services

Good morning everyone

 

Summer, I hope you enjoy your film - it is good and of course is best known for introducing the most famous Christmas song in any film.

 

Talking of Christmas, at one time, it was not unusual for Santa to be in a blue costume:

The idea that the red costume was the idea of Coca Cola is an urban myth The idea had already been used and according to Wiki, the first time was in 1902 on the front cover of an American magazine called Puck, the Amercian equivalent of Punch in the UK (which ceased in 2002).

 

And here it is:

Good morning everyone, a nice bright morning here, hope it is for you too.  So glad you managed to track down the snowman paper Summer and I think you are wise to plan ahead with the Rudolf paper for next year.

 

I think its about time I started to watch Christmas movies I do love a good Christmas movie, Santa doesn't look right in blue does he?

Squiggle, I agree, Santa doesn't look right in blue. I would guess that the blue is to signify the cold of snow. The idea of Santa being a jolly rotund person came in less than 200 years ago, so the image in blue shows a more serious Santa.

Thanks for posting that pic El, I've heard of blue Santa but never actually seen it before. I do prefer him in red

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the one's we used to know.."

Delightful I'm now going to watch White Christmas! I love Vera Ellen's dancing in this *leaves tray of assorted hot chocolates for buddies*

Morning all x
Glad you got your wrapping paper Summer, enjoy the film x
I am still bah humbug, but working on it!
No Downton tonight
Have a nice day whatever you are doing

You might want to try Garrow's Law on BBC1, the third series starts tonight. Legal drama set in the late 18th century. It's inspired by a real barrister William Garrow and is based on real 18th century court cases. I assume though that Garrow's personal life is fictional rather than factual.

Thanks El, yes i will give that a look. You say its the 3rd series, i cant recall hearing of it before x

Good afternoon everyone.  It has been a lovely, bright autumn day, so far.

Glad you managed to get your snowman wrapping paper, Summer. You are being very organised, buying your Rudolph paper for next year.

My Yogi took me to the garden centre, and en route, he offered me a peppermint chew sweet. He waited until I had popped it into my mouth before laughing and telling me that they stick to your teeth like glue. When I asked why he hadn't warned me earlier, he said he hoped it would keep me quiet for ten minutes. Cheeky monkey!!

I had been passing heavy hints that I liked a nativity set which they happened to sell in the garden centre we visited today, and he bought it for me. So I have forgiven him for the sweetie incident.

I love Holiday Inn and White Christmas, Summer - in fact, I love most Christmassy film.

Virgin have two new channels atm, which just show Christmas themed films.

Yogi what a sauce your hubby had luckily he made up for it by that nice gesture.  Don't forget the crib stays empty until Christmas Day!

He is a cheeky monkey, Squiggle - but he does make me laugh.

I won't forget to keep the crib empty until Christmas Day.

Garrow's Law does coincide with I'm a Celebrity each series which is why you may not have noticed it.

 

William Garrow is played by Andrew Buchan. His legal assistant is played by Alun Armstrong.

 

In the 2 previous series, Garrow had fallen in love with Lady Sarah Hill (played by Lyndsey Marshal) who is married to Sir Arthur Hill (played by Rupert Graves). The relationship between Harrow and Lady Sarah has remained strictly platonic, but when she gave birth to a son, Sir Arthur Hill refused to acknowledge the son as his, claiming that the baby was Garrow's. He threw his wife out, and brought a case against Garrow for adultery. Another barrister, Silvester who had previously been Garrow's adversary in court, defended Garrow and in the end Hill was shown to have been hypocritical and lost his case against Garrow.

 

As series 3 starts, Garrow and Lady Hill are now living together as Sir Arthur Hill had thrown her out, but are impoverished.

 

That should bring you up to date and gives some background information as to the main characters.

I have watched the previous 2 series and I must say they are very good, and very different.  Its based on real cases from the time (as EL says) and it really opens your eyes, the poor had no chance of justice.

Having done a bit of research, I now realise that William Garrow's personal life as shown in Garrow's Law is more factual than I had thought.. Arthur Hill, viscount of Fairford was a real person. Hill did father a son (Arthur) with Sarah Dore, though they were not married. Someone called Thomas Hague did suggest in his writings that William Garrow seduced Sarah Dore, but his intent was to disparage Garrow and there was no evidence to back him.

 

Sarah Dore was involved in an irregular relationship with William Garrow (that's Wiki's description). I will not say anything further about this as that might spoil the series in future.

 

William Garrow was pivotal in the development of the defence barrister into the system that we know today. He was the man who introduced what must be the most famous phrase in the legal system:

"Innocent until proven guilty"

There's a lot of reality TV tonight (Strictly, X Factor and IACGMOOH), so I shall catch up with Garrow's Law tomorrow.

Just popping in to wish you all sweet dreams, I'm very sleepy tonight so turning in early Hope you all had a lovely weekend

I am a bit sleepy too so I will follow you I think. Nice to read that Aaron has been reading the Aaron Zingers thread over on DS, he says he can't even remember saying some of 'em, he had a lot of support on the three forums that I checked out daily.

 

Night night everyone, hope you all sleep well and will catch up with you again tomorrow.

Good to hear that Aaron now knows he had lots of fans and support.

Goodnight Summer and Squiggle, sweet dreams.

Leaving hugs for Ros and Velvet.

Nite Yogi   

 

Good morning everyone

 

I saw Garrow's Law last night which seemed to be less effective than the previous series, but that may have been caused by following on from the Antiques Roadshow. Last night's Antique Roadshow was a very special Remembrance one held at the National Memorial Arboretum. Members of the public had previously been requested to contact the BBC if they had war memorial items and family stories attached to them, and some of them were then invited to this program. Although some of the items had some monetary value given to them, for others it was just the story - monetary value was meaningless.

 

The final item was powerful television. Link to that clip (being iPlayer it is not possible to embed it here).

Good morning everyone. Weather is dry atm.

El, I watched the clip and found it so poignant.  I will watch the complete programme on Catch Up.

Morning
Cant see the clip at the minute El, my computer not behaving this morning.
I watched Garrows law and enjoyed it, but felt a bit like i was starting to read a book from the middle, so i appreciate you posting some background , El x

Hope you are all well today

Good morning everyone.  I am posting this with tears streaming down my face having watched that clip EL, I think Hilary was struggling to speak as was the granddaughter.  I would not have seen it because I no longer watch Antiques Roadshow, I used to love the programme but cannot bear the presenter now, I tried watching it with her in it thinking I would only have to put up with her at the beginning and end but she pops up all over the place .

Oh my goodness, i had to give myself a moment before posting.....
Teddy's Letter......... 

good morning I'm going to have to watch that clip from home, the silly site doesn't allow views from mobile devices! For all many stories from the wars are heartbreaking, it's so important that we take the time to see/read/hear them and never forget what happened to everyone affected. My own grandmother walked through London during the blitz to visit her family and saw the neighbours houses had been destroyed by the bombs, how on earth could I possibly even imagine how that felt?!

Teddy's Letter was as powerful any anything I've ever seen on television. As you have had a chance to watch the clip first, the BBC site also published the letter on their website, and so I will now post this for you to read in its entirety. If you haven't seen the clip yet, it's best to read this afterwards.

 

TEDDY'S LETTER:
Croft 2nd May 1942.

Dearest,
It’s now about 7pm, & I have about three hours to wait before I do a slot of night-flying training, so I thought I’d try & do a bit of explaining to you.

When you read this letter one of two things will have probably happened.
Either I shall be home, off ‘operations’ or I shall be missing, that is why I want to write this letter dearest.

I think I had better start from the beginning but if this seems a bit confused forgive me because it seems awkward to explain myself.

Well to start with as you now, I gave up a comparatively safe progressive ground job to become an air-gunner.
I could have got out of it but I hadn’t the 'guts'. Some people may think I’m a fool but I believed that by flying I could perhaps help in a very small way to bringing this awful war to a quicker close.

I believed also that by marrying you I was given the right to protect you, I could do this by helping, again in my own small way, is actually fighting in this war.

Well my darling, you know how I became an air gunner, how I went to Ireland on defiant Night fighters, as far as operational flying went this was pretty safe. I considered myself lucky,
I was satisfied too that at last I was doing something, although not much compared with others. Then the squadron started to lose their defiants and air gunner were no longer needed. I tried with the rest of the chaps to become a radio observer but the air ministry said no, so after about three weeks wasted training we were all posted. Two of us eventually arrived here at croft.

Now this is where I have to confess to deceiving you darling, I’ve never done it before, I hope I never have to do it again, I hope you understand that I had to I couldn’t help it.

I wrote to you when I arrived here I said that apart from a few normal changes this station was the same, I couldn’t understand why I had been posted. That was wrong as I have already explained why I was posted.
The main thing was that I didn’t say what aircraft I was to fly in, well they were big four engine Halifax’s, understand darling, I was to fly over Germany of a night & also sometimes of a day. It was the one thing you dreaded wasn’t it? That’s the reason why I didn’t tell you.

I hadn’t the heart darling I love you too much... at the moment there are only two months to go before our baby comes into this world.

I don’t think that it would do you any good, your health, to know what I was doing & too worry as I know you would.
I believe that for this once that what the mind doesn’t know the heart doesn’t grieve you do understand and forgive me dearest don’t you? If anything does happen to me you will know I think that will be soon enough.

Again I could have out of flying but again I hadn’t the gut. If I had refused to fly I would not be a Sgt long but that didn’t worry me the thing that did was the fact that I would be branded as yellow, I couldn’t stand that. You see my point darling?
What could I do? As far as I could see I could do nothing except hope I got away ok.

I’ve got 30 trips to do at the present rate should only take about three months. I sharnt start for about a month as I have to get used to the new aircraft. Taking into consideration all this, hoping nothing extraordinary happens, I should be off flying about September, this is only a rough guess though.

After my 30 trips I shall become an instructor, I shall not be called on to fly on operations again.
30 trips may sound a lot but it’s not really, there are hundreds of chaps that have done 30 trips and volunteered for more, it’s just luck and I am praying I have good luck, not for myself but for your sake, I don’t ever want you to be unhappy darling.
If you do happen to get this letter in unhappy circumstances, which I pray to god you won’t, remember darling unhappy moments often turn into happy ones.

Never give up hope.

There are hundreds who become prisoner’s and are not found for months and months, don’t give up hope until after the war, when you can be certain , keep your chin up, take care of yourself and always keep smiling.

Let the world see that smile that I love so much, whatever happens I shall remember you with your smile beloved, it’s a wonderful and sweet memory.
Have faith in god my darling and remember I always loved you dearly and always will.

You are my most precious possession and I wish I could take care of you as I would like to, but that will have to wait until this war is over.

Well darling I think this is about all.
I haven’t told anyone yet but I think I will tell cis and give her this letter to give to you, I am not writing to mum, I would like you to explain to her if you will darling.

I am afraid this letter is a bit confused but I keep thinking of you and can’t help it, I hope I haven’t missed anything, I don’t think so,
Well darling, to close I want to wish you every happiness forever and I hope I can give you all of it.

I love you my dearest more than anything in the world, remember don’t give up hope and keep your chin up darling. Au revior, not goodbye beloved,

Yours with all my love my dearest
Teddy
xxxxxxxxxxx

A wonderful letter     
God Bless, Teddy  

I scrolled down fast after reading your post El, I'll read the letter after I've seen the clip

That's a good idea . I posted the letter at exactly the same time that you posted about having to wait until you got home before you could watch the clip.

Lol great minds post alike..

If anyone gets a call from this number do not answer, it is yet another scam call...6305295537

Thank you skylark what scam this time?

Apparently, my bank had sent them details that i had being paying too much insurance on a loan, PPI , i think...she spoke very bad English. If i could confirm my DOB she could carry on and take my details, and then deposit £700 in my bank today !  I just said "oh get lost"  I am getting fed up with these calls now 

Good for you, Skylark.

I must admit I'm sick of scam phone calls and emails, too

 

El, thank you for the full transcript of Teddy's letter. It made me cry all over again.

as of your bank would give any information about you to anyone! Thank goodness you didn't fall for it I heard on the news recently that a woman from the north east got scammed out of £27,000- she was told by the "inland revenue" that they owed her £50,000 but they needed admin fees to process it, over 3 or 6 months she sent them £27,000! That's shocking isn't it!