General Chat

These days, political leaders are only brave by proxy. They just instruct their armies to fight for them.

And then there is this wonderful poem; wouldn't Life be Positively Glorious if everyone did as it says. . . .

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.


With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann

What a lovely poem Miah, I hadn't read it before now, but it is really thought provoking! Here's a snippet that I saw this morning which I think is relevant to the world we live in!

True happiness consists not in the mutitude of friends,
But in the worth and choice.

I agree lovely poem...for a laugh a few one liners relating to family trees

Genealogy isn't fatal, but it is a grave disease

My family tree needs more wood and less sap

Genealogists climb trees

Genealogists dont die they just lose their roots

Having children is hereditary, if your parents hadn't any, neither will you

Genealogy, the only hobby where dea people can excite you !

and lastly for now from Mark Twain

Why waste your money looking up your family tree, just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you

And as Basil Brush said BOOM BOOM !!

Oh, nigglynellie, I agree with you 110%. One cannot have a multitude of friends, really. Surely those folks would be acquaintences. It takes time and care and nurturing to have a really meaninful friendship. I think.

AND My family tree needs more wood and less sap -- this is my tree for sure : )

Only a Genealogist regards a step backwards as progress.

I am going to have to think hard about my next entry, I really enjoyed the Geanealogist pieces. The joy of finding someone is really delightful. My OH is always telling me I talk to the dead, well they can tell us so much!!

I thought I would like to share this with you all. It's called 'The Mirror', by A.A.Milne.

Between the woods the afternoon
Is fallen in a golden swoon,
The sun looks down from quiet skies
To where the quiet water lies,
And silent trees swoop down to trees.
And there I saw a white swan make
Another white swan in the lake;
And, breast to breast, both motionless,
They waited for the winds caress.....
And all the water was at ease.

A rat can last longer without water than a camel.

The Genealogists Disease

Warning this condition is very contagious to adults of a certain age !!!

Symptoms continual complaints as to need for names, dates and places. Patient has a blank expression and sometimes is deaf to spouse and children. Has no taste for work of any kind, except feverishly looking through records ofifices, libraries and of course Genes Reunited. Frequents strange places such as cemetries, ruins and remote desolate country areas. Has strange faraway look in eyes.

treatment.Medication is useless. Disease is not fatal, but gets progressively worse. patient should attend Family History Workshops, subscribe to Genealogical magazines, and be given a quiet corner of the house where they can be alone.

The usual nature of the disease is-- the sicker the patient gets, the more they enjoy it !!!!!!!!!!!

Slightly modified by GF but attributed to H..J.Tucker

CINDERELLA

I guess you think you know this story.
You don't. The real one's much more gory.
The phony one, the one you know,
was cooked up years and years ago,
And made to sound all soft and sappy
Just to keep the children happy.
Mind you, they got the first bit right,
The bit where, in the dead of night,
The ugly sisters, Jewels and all,
Departed for the Palace Ball,
While darling little Cinderella
was locked up in the slimy cellar,
Where rats who wanted things to eat
began to nibble at her feet.
She bellowed, "HELP!" and "LET ME OUT!"
The magic fairy heard her shout.
Appearing in a blaze of light,
She said, "My dear are you alright?"
"ALL RIGHT?" cried Cindy. "Cant you see
I feel as rotten as can be!"
She beat her fist against the wall,
And shouted, " GET ME TO THE BALL!
There is a disco at the Palace!
The rest have gone and I am Jalous!
I want a dress! I want a coach!
And earrings and a diamond brooch!
And Silver Slippers, two of those!
And Lovely nylon pantyhose!
Thereafter it will be a cinch
To hook the Handsome Royal Prince!"
The fairy said "Hang on a tick."
She gave her wand a mighty flick
And quickly, in no time at all,
Cindy was at the Palace Ball!
It made the ugly sisters wince
To see her dancing with the prince.
she held him very tight and pressed
Herself against his manly chest.
The Prince himself was turned to pulp,
All he could do was gasp and gulp.
Then midnight struck, she shouted "HECK!
I've got to run to save my neck!"
The Prince cried " NO! ALAS! ALACK!"
He grabbed her dress to hold her back.
As Cindy shouted "Let me go!"
The dress was ripped from head to toe.
She ran out in her underwear,
But lost one slipper on the stair.
The Prince was on it like a dart,
He pressed it to his pounding heart.
"The girl this slipper fits" He cried,
"Tomorrow mourn will be my bride!
I'll visit every house in town
Until I've tracked the maiden down!"
Then rather carelessly, I fear,
He placed it on a crate of beer.
At once, one of the ugly sisters
(The one whose face was blotched with blisters)
Sneaked up and grabbed the dainty shoe,
And quickly flushed it down the loo.
Then in its place she calmly put
The slipper from her own left foot.
Ah-ha, you see, the plot grows thicker
And Cindy's luck starts looking sicker.
Next Day, the Prince went charging down
To knock on all the doors in town.
In every house, the tension grew.
Who was the owner of the shoe?
The shoe was huge and frightfully wide.
(A normal foot got lost inside)
Also it smelled a wee bit icky.
(The owners feet were hot and sticky)
Thousands of eager people came
To try it on, but all in vain.
Now came the ugly sister's go.
One tried it on. The Prince screamed "NO!"
But she screamed, "YES! it fits! WHOOPEE!
So now you've got o marry me!"
The Prince went white from ear to ear.
He muttered, "Lets get out of here."
"Oh no you don't! You've made a vow!
There's no was you can back out now!"
"Off with her head!" the Prince roared back
They chopped it off with one big whack.
This pleased the Prince, He smiled and said,
"She's prettier without her head."
Then up came sister number two,
Who yelled, "Now I will try the shoe!"
"Try this instead!" the prince yelled back,
He swung his trusty sword and SMACK-
Her head went crashing to the ground,
It bounced a bit and rolled around.
In the kitchen, peeling spuds,
Cinderella heard the thuds
Of bouncing heads upon the floor,
And poked her own head round the door.
" Whats all the racket?" Cindy Cried
"Mind your own bizz," the Prince Replied.
Poor cindy's heart was torn to shreds.
My Prince, she thought. He chops off heads!
How could I marry anyone
Who does that sort of thing for fun?
The Prince cried "Who's this dirty slut?
Off with her nut! Off with her nutt!"
Just then all in a blaze of light,
The magic fairy hove in sight,
Her magic wand went Swoosh and swish!
"Cindy!" She cried "Come make a wish!
Wish anything and have no doubt
That I will make it come about!"
Cindy Answered, "Oh kind Fairy,
This time I shall be more wary.
No more princes, No more money.
I have had my taste of honey.
I'm wishing for a decent man.
They're hard to find. D'you think you can?"
Within a minute, Cinderella
Was married to a lovely feller,
A simple jam-maker by trade,
Who sold good homemade marmalade.
Their house was filled with smiles and laughter
And they were happy ever after.

Roald Dahl

The best thing about the future
is that it comes only one day at a time,

Abraham Lincoln.

The happiest time of life is between 70 and 80
and I advise everyone to hurry up and get there as soon as possible.

Joseph Choate

Age is not important unless your a cheese.

Rita :D

Rita, Age is just NOT important!!!!!

Agatha loved the Cinderella poem, hadn't seen that one before typical Roald

oh it is sooooo nice to come to such a pleasant thread....jl

Friendship consists in forgetting
what one gives.
And remembering what
one receives.


Rita

Apparently these were all found in the 1881 census

The wife,mother and daughter of James Christmas were all named Mary

Frank Guest was listed as a visitor

Harriet Goodhand was a domestic servant

The following families all lived in the same street, William Lovegrove, Henry Dearlove and William Darling

A woman called Rose married Robert Garden

Emma Boatwright married a seaman

Mr Thorn lived in Rose Cottage

Robert Speed was a bus driver

Robert Robb a detective

Phoebe Brain a scholar

One womans birthplace was listed as "in a stagecoach between Nottingham and Derby"

John Pounder was a blacksmith

William Scales was a piano maker

Twin 4 year olds name Peter the Great and William the Conqueror

And some strange occupations Dirt refiner, hoveller,moleskin saver, piano punch,sparable cutter,spittle maker, tingle maker and whim driver

Interesting I thought

I have just been reading through 'Poems of our Time' and have come accross this one which I would like to share with you all. It's called:

The Fields are Full, By Edward Shanks.

The field are full of summer still,
And breathe again upon the air
From brown dry side of hedge and hill
More sweetness than the sense can bear.

So some old couple, who in youth
With love were filled and over-full,
And loved with strength and loved with truth,
In heavy age are beautiful.

Me and my OH!!

Again I thought that I would post this:-

Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as long as it is nourished
with kindness and sympathy.

A lot of truth in that me thinks!!!