Thursday, December 06, 2007

WHO IS THAT OLD GUY IN THE MIRROR ?

They say that you are getting on when you are glad that the phone is not ringing for you, well that has already happened and suddenly, yesterday it was, I became 59. Another big 0 approaches and a third of my life is almost over, I continue to grow old disgracefully.

My oldest daughter is an incredible 32 yrs. Old, my wife bought me a book where she once bought me football boots and the kids bought me more books, that will be a surprise to some people who read this, I read a lot, the Tory press is a good source of fiction.

I remember the coronation where we were all given a brand new silver shilling at a street party I should really send that shilling back, they can’t buy me.
I remember telling my children that I couldn’t count the number of jobs that I have had and they were amazed, leaving school in 1963 meant plenty of work and the swinging sixties, we moved around and did seasonal work, that’s where a lot of the jobs were and we had a great time, I worked as a singing waiter in Blackpool, honestly I did, I was fearless then.
It was better pay than being an ordinary waiter and if you were smart like me you learned all the regional favourites, - maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner - I belong to Glasgow - Blaydon Races - Ilkley Moor Bataht etc. the free drinks and tips rolled in.

Cuba, Vietnam, South Africa, Chile and the descent in to barbarism under Thatcher politicised a lot of us and some of us have carried it on, can’t stop now can I ?

It’s been interesting so far and I hope to carry on for a long time yet I still think of old age as being someone who is 15 years older than me and I am reminded of a literary character created by James Joyce (based I think on his father) who greets a friend with the words “thank god we’ve lived so long and done so little harm” bring it on.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Terry. Make sure that all your presents are above board and legal- you don't want to do a 'wendy'.

Rumbold

http://www.pickledpolitics.com/

Simon Fawthrop said...

"I remember telling my children that I couldn’t count the number of jobs that I have had and they were amazed, leaving school in 1963 meant plenty of work and the swinging sixties, we moved around and did seasonal work, that’s where a lot of the jobs were and we had a great time"

But I thought you socialists didn't class these as real jobs?

Simon Fawthrop said...

"I remember telling my children that I couldn’t count the number of jobs that I have had and they were amazed, leaving school in 1963 meant plenty of work and the swinging sixties, we moved around and did seasonal work, that’s where a lot of the jobs were and we had a great time"

But I thought you socialists didn't class these as real jobs?

Anonymous said...

Terry
There's a rumour that the Party bought you a canoe for your 59th - say it isn't so.

Anonymous said...

Terry,

I don't know whether to be impressed or dismayed, nonetheless I'm flabbergasted, a third of the way through at 60, 180 will be a great innings. I'm glad I'll not be around to see it.

Anonymous said...

Belated birthday wishes!
I never knew you were only 4 years older that me!
Mo

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 07/12/07 Wendy has never done anything dishonest but I will say this, no amount of donations from any source are as tainted as money from Brian Souter.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(The Great Simpleton) 07/12/07 - explain.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 07/12/07 - the guy you allude to is about to be awarded the capitalist of the year award

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Monboddo) 07/12/07 - It’s also a good score at darts.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Mo) 09/12/07 - it seems much more than 4 yrs.

Anonymous said...

'Wendy has never done anything dishonest.'

Councillor, she has ADMITTED breaking the law.

Anonymous said...

More like the decent to barbarism under Bottler Brown....

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(rabbie) 12/12/07 - I don’t accept that someone doing something wrong in your name without your knowledge is dishonesty on your part.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 12/12/07 - I disagree.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

great simple - explainton

Simon Fawthrop said...

Terry,

Seasonal jobs are, by definition, short term and without the protection that socialists seek. You said you enjoyed them but I'll bet if you look back you were in a "hire and fire" regime, poorly paid and with poor working conditions.

Are you saying you are more than happy for those circumstances to exist now?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(The Great Simpleton) 13:27- read it again, I said I had a great time, I didn’t say I enjoyed the work. I particularly didn’t enjoy being helped to keep up by a 10 Yr. old French gypsy girl when planting potatoes in Jersey, in February.

I take it your last question is rhetorical.

Simon Fawthrop said...

Terry,

The fact there were plenty of seasonal jobs allowed you to have a good time. Enjoying the work is a secondry benefit.

The point I was making in would you deny you children to have the opportunity for a good time that you had?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(The Great Simpleton) 10:04 - I would not like my children to do a whole lot of things that I did, but that’s a long story and anyway my youngest is 28.