Just...................whatever

Now thats a xmas to endure! Sorry to hear about the suicide. Thats always hard.
Not so bothered to hear about the morgue bit as I suspect like most folk in the care biz you know there's nothing much special about a corpse. (And three of them- thats crying out for leaving them in the morgue sitting posed round a table like they are playing poker!! At the very least warrants a 'gottle of geer' gag or two.)

Only too true, Petty, only too true... I had a murder Boxing Day. Felt nothing. No point concerning oneself with strangers. If it weren't in Bendigo it'd be somewhere else. How many people can one sincerely care about without actualy going silly in the head?

Edit: Just remembered. A good mate died on the 21st. Funeral on the 30th. It'll be a Huge Police Funeral. He was popular. Played cardboard boxes and rattled bells and things on several of those songs you were sent Petty. Still not sure if I feel anything. Will no doubt on the 30th, especially after an ale or three. Wrote a song already. Queer business. What face to put on. What feeling to feel.

Greiving is a funny old bugger, it hits you at the strangest time, after my mum died I felt nothing for a year, I mean numb from the neck up, I starting getting panic attacks, I thought I was an unnatural freak of a daughter not to feel anything, and then one day I went into a perfume shop and caught a scent of the perfume she always wore and it all came crashing in that I would never see her again, it was terrible, I think your brain tries its hardest to protect you from getting unhinged by blocking it out.
sorry about the downer...
Hey Orwell i didnt know you were fuzz, my dad and my brother are fuzz too, my dad is retired now tho, and my brother is a Detective for the Met, my dad can get shoes to shine like the surface of the sun, he once did that to my waxed Dock martens when I was going through my 80s Annie Lennox phase, I was not chuffed at all.

I'm an accidental copper. Had a nursery business (plants, that is) that went arse up back '89 and so I had a few largish debts and no job. Joked to my Missus that I should join the police force (as you get paid to train) and two days later decided I would give it a go. I had never ever contemplated joining up. Until then I had had a dual attitude to cops. (1) Gee I admired them, what a difficult, pressurized job, and (2) Boo! the Police State!* Opened my eyes up AFTER joining, on a lot of things! One was, cops are "individuals" - amazing revelation. Whole variety of ideas are held for a start: some feel feelings (well, most), some have odd concepts, some read The Hobbit, very very few like the idea of shooting anyone (and of those who end up doing it, very very few are left unscarred), and some are Liberal airy fairies, and some are actually "fairies" (or "horses hoofs", if you prefer, not that there's anything wrong with that!), and some write songs and fairy stories.... this is not an exhaustive list, I know. And no doubt you'll tell me, "Well, you silly type person, of course cops are people too." But I was a 32 year naive type person when I first joined up. I hoped Narnia or Middle Earth truly existed somewhere, and if I could have got there, I would have lived in a hollow tree and fought Witches for a living, though I'd still have had a guitar to play of an evening.

I'm not sure, Mrs Figg, if I should be pleased for you that you have relos in the job, or sad?

Seems people here have "serious" jobs. Maybe Forumshire has become a place of escape, not dissimilar to Narnia or Middle Earth, except Forumshire is far saucier as a rule, through no fault of mine (I hope to find Benny Hill here somewhere, sooner or later), and sometimes quite thorny (though things have become more silly more often of late, far less serious than was once the case, but never mind).



*I was quite disappointed actually. I kind of hoped I could make people do what I wanted them to do, but people are wilful, naughty and disobedient, and only rarely does the Law allow me to hit them with a truncheon. (Indeed, I never have, which is a shame!)

Found out yesterday the woman i had been working with for 10yrs husband died on Boxing Day. Worst thing is
he retired from work at xmas, so he didnt even get to see one day of his new life. That really does suck.
Some times i wish i did believe in god so i could tell him what a lousy job he's doing

I don't believe in God, but it doesn't stop me calling Him (or Her) a prick. It's amazing how many people drop off the perch shortly after retiring. Mind you, it's amazing how often people you never think of dying that die with amazing suddeness, and them years off retiring. God works in mysterious ways (the non-existent bastard!)

Fortunately for me Orwell i left school in the days that if your not 5 foot 10 or taller then you couldnt join up, so like most
dwarves i worked down the pit (coal mine) Lucky for me i came over here, cos a couple of years later dear Maggie had
them all closed down.

Orwell wrote:I don't believe in God, but it doesn't stop me calling Him (or Her) a prick. It's amazing how many people drop off the perch shortly after retiring. Mind you, it's amazing how often people you never think of dying that die with amazing suddeness, and them years off retiring. God works in mysterious ways (the non-existent bastard!)

chris63 wrote:Fortunately for me Orwell i left school in the days that if your not 5 foot 10 or taller then you couldnt join up, so like most
dwarves i worked down the pit (coal mine) Lucky for me i came over here, cos a couple of tears later dear Maggie had
them all closed down.

Well, Odo firmly believes all dwarves should work (and live) down mines and tall people should carry rods to keep them in line. He calls it "Evolutionary Respectability." That "Maggie" sure sounds like a witch. Mind you, I suppose the Greenies would approve of her closing down those mines. What a topsy turvy world we live in!

Me and a few mates at work



Bet you cant guess which ones me

That photo reminds of the "The Seven Little New Ozhobbits." I read it in The Book of Wholesome Tales, I'm sure, when I was a lad. I didn't know you were one of them. Let me think, I used to know all their names. Oh yes:

Bruce,
Nev,
Jim,
Mick,
Kev,
Jonno
and Chris.

And they emigrated from Manbreaster in Angleshire. Oh Sweet Eru! It all comes back. It was in the days of the Wicked Witch of the North - Maggie Thrasher.

Oh those were the days. Proper stories they were back then. I wonder if the Archet might republish?

I think its because I have relos in the job that I dont have a "sensible" job, I went to a really strict Catholic convent school, full of people who were sensible, at home everyone was sensible, even the weather was dour and sensible, no fun at all, so I escaped, mentally and physically, became the arty farty black sheep of the family, and legged it hard and fast to a country where the weather is happy and smiley and the imagination can fly oer t hills with the spring Swallows. ever since I was 10 years old, when I read the poetry of Browning where he said, when I am dead, open up my heart and writen on it shall be the word, Italy. I knew I had to be here and when I leave to go back to Anglehobbitland for a visit its like I am leaving my soul behind.

Shouldn't that be 'red" sheep? "Black" sheep being such a cliche and all? Is there any chance you're my Soul Mate, Mrs Figg btw? Your story appears to be the same as mine, except, like most hobbits who reside in a similar mental landscape, I never escaped physically, for all that I do pretend to come physically to Forumshire as compensation. (Hey! You lucky bitch! You live in both Tuscany AND Forumshire. Lucky, lucky bitch!)

I'm with Chris here, he had a 10th ring for sure and he passed it onto Maggie, who grasped in her tightly closing claw (she nicked my milk aswell! drones in deep Dwarvish .............."Maggie Thatcher - Milk Snatcher!"

Orwell I thought you had happy smiley weather in Oz though? that has got to be better than getting a mouldy er police helmet in Manchesterhobbitstan?

Yes, Mrs Figg, but isn't the sunlight always greener on the other side of the hill?

What's winter like in Oz? I know from gcse geography that places in land have really hot summers and freezing winters. The UK is an exception 'cos of that North Atlantic Drift thing. Is it pretty mild then? Or freezing. Obviously it's one of the hottest places in the world in the summer

Orwell that must be the Rayleigh Scattering Effect, but that makes things bluer on the other side of the hill. When I look at hills I sometimes wonder if something magical is happening beyond the hill and then when I get beyond the hill I turn around and look at the hill I just came from I wonder if something magical is happening back where I came from. I wonder why stuff in the distance always looks mysterious.

Oh Mrs Figg, you speak in such poetic ways. So - what you're saying is - "Orwell stay where you are and see everything renewed through the Raleigh Scattering Effect". Is that right? Or are you saying that I should come to Tuscany and bonk you on the couch? Could mean either, I guess?

Btw Mrs Figg, I hope you don't mind me treating your every utterance as patently interpretable! (I also hope my Missus doesn't chance upon this post! )

crikey Skippy whats that you said?, theres a strange Ozzy fella sittin on the couch, and hes naked apart from his sox? gee Skippy youd better hop over to play with your little friends, herhhumm I may be some time.

Somebody stop me!

(I'm off - back later ---- my sweet Tuscany Figg! )

I am so sorry for your loss Mrs. Figg. Ally I hope you get a job right away that gives you a good wage and you like.
And for all of you that feel pain for yourself or others I am very sorry .
Each Christmas I remember more and more family members that died on Christmas or the week. This year it is to remember my closest brother and dearest friend Nelson who was maybe murdered for his estate and while he was grieving for the loss of his wife who died following surgery. And my little sister Barbie who could not fight the cancer anymore. This year three days before Christmas my eldest daughter who had a little one when she was just a child really showed up and gave the gifts to her little one, the one I tell you about. She told her 'here you go and I am leaving and moving far away and I probably won't see you again. 'I could not breathe and the little one collapsed . She begged and pleaded and screamed and D just pushed her away and left. And went about six hundred miles away and would not tell us where. It was the worst three days of my life. I am worn out. And the little one has been having about ten or more panic attacks a day. It is terrible.
But, I don't celebrate Christmas for what good things can be mine, but for the One I personally believe came into this terrible world to bring hope and peace and joy, whatever circumstances we find ourself in. And because I believe with all my heart that that same One hung on the cross in my place and did not spare himself I can hope always for better things and know that he walks with me. I believe God gave us freedom of choice and we choose all sorts of things that steal , kill and destroy our own lives and if he tried to stop us from these choices we probably would complain and curse him. So even though I could barely breathe Christmas day and tears streamed down our faces for so many reasons every now and then, when we went to mass on Christmas eve it was all the dearer and more meaningful to us because we believe fervently the scripture that says; He was well aquainted with grief,.'
So I will go on hoping each Christmas that others will find that peace and hope . But I in no way belittle the terrible grief and sadness so many of you here have suffered. You are all so dear and it hurts my heart to read what you have suffered.

Leelee I am very sorry to hear about your sadness and I am glad you have found the strength from somewhere to continue to have so much optimism, I wish you all the best for the New year.

I am so pissed it's not funny. Good to be among good friends - even if I have never seen them. No, I don't get pisssed often, hardly ever nowadays. Friends die, you can't believe it. I've still got you guys, though. 2.41am.