Paul McCartney

I cannot let the opportunity pass without mentioning 'The day I met Sir Paul McCartney.....

This how he looked then....just so handsome !

We were in a stream 0f traffic driving along a congested street in Liverpool city.

It was 1964 I was a very happy teenager and had fallen in love with the guy I was to marry three years later.  We drew alongside a very smart, silver Aston Martin DB6 and who should be driving it but Sir Paul McCartney. I nearly passed out, he was so handsome. He wound the window down to speak to me, I spluttered to him, "I absolutely love your latest record, 'I want to hold your hand". He asked if I would like to hear it, then pressed a button on his 6 track tape recorder and played ' I want to hold your hand'. Then he proceeded to sing along with recording.

I bet there's not many girls can boast that they were personally serenaded by Paul McCartney. His father was sitting alongside him, smiling proudly.

Although, I'd seen The Beatles perform live at The Cavern  years before, they were just a talented, local band of boys and didn't have the pazzazz that  they'd achieved by 1964. 

Paul with the Beatles in 1964   

 

 

During the heady days of the sixties they used to sing a song called Penny Lane.

Long before they recorded it, Paul  was sitting in a Bus depot waiting for John to arrive. Whilst he was looking around the environs, he started to write the lyrics for the song, which was recorded later.

 It is a song I very much relate to because it's a place I know well as it's not far from where I live now.

 

 Here are some of the lyrics that a very talented young Paul wrote whilst waiting for John Lennon, little knowing what lay in store for them.

 

I unashamedly say that, I am one proud person  to have been a part of Sir Paul McCartney and the Beatles phenomenal rise to fame!

 

Here a few lines from that touching little ditty......

 

In Penny Lane there is a barber showing photographs

of every head he's had the pleasure to know

And all the people that come and go

Stop and say hello

 

Behind the shelter in the middle of a roundabout

The pretty nurse is selling Poppies from a tray.......

 

Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes

There beneath the blue suburban skies

I sit

Penny Lane,

Paul as he performs today.

 

My sincere thanks to the patient Denise for devising Abcw and Roger for his painstaking efforts in his administration of Abcw.

Trubes and Paul McCartney
Trubes

Octopus and an Odd Ode

In it's raw state I love Octopus, the first time I tasted it was on one of our many holidays in Turkey. I know, in it's raw state it is most unattractive, but when it's prepared and cooked, it is most delicious.  

  It takes on a pretty pink and creamy hue, the flavour of griddled Octopus surpasses most other seafood delicacies, (that is, in my humble opinion)!

 Altinkum in Turkey is where I  had my first experience of Griddled Octopus, we dined in a simple little Locanta on the edge of the beach, we saw the fishermen out in their brightly coloured boats in the morning, hauling in their catch which included our dinner!

 

The stunning beach at Altinkum.

 

 

 

 

 

Now an ODD ODE!

 

The Owl and the Pussy Cat.   By Edward Lear.

 

The OWL and the Pussy-cat went to sea

In a beautiful Pea-green boat

They took some honey and plenty of money

Wrapped up in a five pound note

The OWL looked to the stars above

And sang to a small guitar

"O lovely Pussy O Pussy my love

What a beautiful Pussy you are

You are,

You are!

What a beautiful Pussy you are"!

 

 

Pussy said to the OWL "You elegant fowl!

How charmingly sweet you sing!

O let us be married! too long have we tarried:

But what shall we do for a ring?"

They sailed away for a year and a day,

To the land where the Bong-Tree grows.

And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood

With a ring at the end of his nose

His nose

His nose

With a ring at the end of his nose

With a ring at the end of his nose.

Nonsense Poetry

I love  Nonsense Poetry.

Amongst my favourite writers of Nonsense verse are Ogden Nash,  Edward Lear and the highly acclaimed Liverpool poet  Roger McGough,  ( part of my subject matter for the letter M).

 There are many more, indeed too many to write about so, I have picked Ogden Nash the American journalist and poet.

 

This is one of my favourite poems by him, he was such a wordsmith he mixed his words with occasional hilarious insight almost turning his work into a parable.

Consider the auk

becoming extinct because he forgot how to fly

Consider man who may become extinct

Because he forgot how to walk and learned how to fly before he thinked! 

 

 

Good-by  Now or pardon my Gauntlet .

Bring down the moon for genteel Janet;

She's too refined for this gross planet

She wears garments and you wear clothes

You buy stockings, she purchases hose.

She says That is correct,

and you say Yes.

And she disrobes and you undress.

Confronted by a mouse or moose,

You turn green, she turns chartreuse.

Her speech is new minted freshly quarried

She has a fore-head you have a forehead

Nor snake nor slow worm

draweth nigh her ,

You go to bed, she doth retire.

To Janet births are blessed events

And odours that you smell she scents

Replete she feels when her food is yummy

Not in the stomach but in the tummy.

If urged some novel step to show

You say like this, she says, Like so

Her dear ones don't die but pass away,

Beneath her formal is longeray

Of refinement she's a fount or a fountess

And that is why she's now a Countess

She was asking for the little girls room

And a flunky thought she said

 the Earls room.

 

My thanks to the epitome of niceness Denise, for devising Abcw and to Roger our nimble Administrator for keeping us going. 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M is for The River Mersey and Roger Mcgough

Life goes on day after day  hearts torn in every way

So Ferry 'cross the Mersey 'cause this land's the place I love

and here I'll stay..........

The above lyrics to a well known sixties song performed by Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Liverpool people are passionately proud of their city and for good reason.

 Dare I mention The Beatles again? Gerry and his band and used to play along side them in the early days when the banks of The River Mersey was awash with Music.

The Mersey is  70 miles long and spills out into The Irish Sea to mix with the Mighty Atlantic Ocean. For centuries the port served as the second largest dockland in the UK where traders earned their millions whilst the dock workers were paid a pittance which, in more recent year caused a lot of industrial strife.
 Eventually the Container ship came to the fore and the docklands became derelict, until Margaret Thatcher's government invested large sums of money and they have been regenerated into a wonderful development of apartments, shops, restaurants and a marina,
 There is an arena where a host International stars perform and a large exhibition centre. All this is housed in The Albert Dock (pictured below).

 

Liverpool has a host of creative writers, many first appeared during the cultural renaissance in the sixties.

 One aspiring poet was a chap called Roger McGough. Roger was my form tutor at college, he was a terrific teacher and I learned so much from him. To appreciate poetry and the classics, modern literature, even contemporary writing too! This was very much frowned upon by the 'establishment'.

Roger hosts a wonderful programme on BBC Radio 4 called  Poetry Please, where listener can request reading of their favourite poems.

He writes quite a lot of quirky satirical stuff, he reminds me of Edward Lear another of my favourite writers

Here is one of my favourites from Roger.

We're the Mafia cats

Bugsy Franco and Tony

We're crazy for pizza

with hot pepperoni.

We run all the rackets

from gambling to vice

On St Valentines Day

We massacre mice

We always wear shades

to show that we're meanies

Big hats and sharp suits

And drive Lamborghinis

 

We're the Mafia cats

Bugsy Franco and Toni

Love Sicilian wine

And cheese macaroni

But we have a secret

(and if you dare tell

You'll end up with the kitten

at the bottom of the well

or covered in concrete

And thrown into the deep

for this is one secret

you really must keep). 

 

We're the Costa Nostra and

run the scams and the fiddles

but at home, we are known as

Mopsy Ginger and Tiddles !

 

. 

My thanks to the magnificent Denise for devising Abcw and also to the masterly Roger for administrating this marvellous site.

K is for Kindness and a King,

Good King Wenceslas.

This is one of my favourite Christmas carols that I enjoyed singing at the Christmas carol service at the local Parish Church.

Good King Wenceslas last looked out on the Feast of Stephen

Where the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.

Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.

"Hither page and stand by me if thou know'st it, telling. Yonder peasant who is he?  Where and what his dwelling" ?

"Sire he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain, right against the forest fence, by St Agnes Fountain".

" Bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither, thou and I will see him dine, when we bear him thither."

Page and Monarch forth they went, forth they went together, through the wild wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

 

"Sire the night is darker now and the wind blows stronger, fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer".

"Mark my footsteps, my good page,

 tread thou in them boldly, thou shall find the winter's rage, freeze thy blood less coldly".

 

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted, heat was in the very sod, which the saint had printed.

 

 

 

Therefore, Christian men be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing.

 

This legend is based on the life of saint Wenceslas  1 Duke of Bohemia in Czech (907-935)

As an act of piety he would deliver alms around churches and gave generously to the poor, including widows and orphans,

He was considered, not a Prince but father of the wretched.

The holy Roman Emperor Otto posthumously conferred his regal dignity and sainthood posthumously in recognition of his dedication and KINDNESS to lesser mortals than himself.

Sadly he was assassinated by his evil brother Boleslav the Cruel in order to seize his title.

St Wenceslas is recognised as the Patron Saint of Czech.

 

 

my thanks to the  Denise Nesbitt  the keystone of Abcw and equally to Roger our knowledgeable administrator . 

Kindness and a King

K is for Kindness and a king

The wretched back.

Due to a reoccurrence of my  back problem I have not been able to participate in abcwednesday, sitting upright for too long is torturous and typing on keyboard whilst lying down is nigh on impossible!

So sorry I can't get around to read all the interesting articles but will be back as soon as possible,

best wishes,

Di.x

Happiness from the heart !

I often wonder what it takes to make different people happy.  After having had a bad fall three weeks ago, I was seriously convinced I may not walk again. My back was already damaged with multi facet disc bulge with five discs out of place.

 I was hoping surgery would be the answer but was told it was too risky and could cause further damage, so, a course of pain killers and physio was prescribed and up until three weeks ago I was managing, quite well getting around, by using my walking aids indoors and my motorised chair out of doors. 

Then came the unexplained fall, I just remember Ian kneeling by my side,  the Para Medics arrived and helped me back onto my chair. Apparently my Blood Pressure was extremely high! My GP changed the BP medication also the Oramorph and MST intake.

The increase of the Morphine caused much HILLARITY, as I giggled and sang the day away. Youngest daughter came to help hapless Papa look after crazy Mama. All was well when I snoozed off into a drug induced sleep but then came the cabaret, apparently I sang every song from every show ever performed on stage. I think that was an exaggeration but it sure made them HAPPY listening to Mama's performance !

So............. What makes me HAPPY ?

I'll tell you what makes me really HAPPY !

Health restored to normal,  as near as normal as can be, so that I can enjoy the love and humour of my darling husband who helped my recovery from a frightening fall, I really thought my number was up!! 

Last but not least the heartfelt love I feel for our three wonderful daughters and son's in law, together with our four 'happy go lucky' grandchildren......

Not forgetting the unconditional love I get from my little cat Chloe who sat by my side for three weeks until I was able to get up out of bed and resume life downstairs. She would only go downstairs to get her food and have a 'tiddle' then, return to my side,  upstairs on the bed! 

Heartfelt thanks to the humorous Denise for devising 'Abcwednesday' and the honourable Roger for  keeping the hyperbole in perspective,Trubes

Dickens.

Charles Dickens




    The one story that so captivated me,  all those years ago was a story called.....                        'A Christmas Carol'.

                 

 It was a Christmas Ghost story. There was a film made about it in 1951 and my sister Norma, took my brother Clive and I  to see it, at The West Derby Cinema,  in the village where we lived.

 What a fabulous film it was too, it was screened in black and white, which made it more realistic, particularly in the 'ghostly' scenes!

 I think we spent most of the time hiding under our coats because it was so scary.

 

 

  My sister, who was eight years older, used to read it to my brother and I in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The underlying theme of the story was about a Miser called Ebenezer Scrooge,  Scrooge's meanness, and in particular, the way in which he treated poor Bob Cratchit, his Articled Clerk.

 He made him work very long hours in the office, which was very cold and damp he knew Bob had a large family to feed yet gave him a pittance to live upon.

 However, Scrooge was to have an Epiphany. 

On going to bed on Christmas Eve, he fell into a deep slumber, and had the most frightening dream  which illustrated his meanness. It pointed out how his life would be if carried on being so mean and it was not a nice picture.  He was visited by ghosts in various  forms, including his former partner, Jacob Marley.  I won't go through the whole synopsis as I feel most of the readers will already have read this enchanting story. if you haven't I implore you to do so.

Some illustrations to help with the story line,

The Ghost of the Christmas Present

Marley's ghost

The Ghost of the Christmas Present    
              




Christmas at The Cratchits

Bob and Tiny Tim dashing home for their Christmas

 

                                                   













The magnificent St George's Hall Liverpool

and 

Charles Dickens

Entrance

Magnificent Main Hall 

Charles Dickens used to give  readings of his works in the Small concert hall. They were called 'The Penny  Readings' and insisted that people were charged just one penny to enable even the poorest to attend.

 

He used to travel to Liverpool from London to give readings in the magnificent St Georges Hall. He loved Liverpool and said 'excepting London, it was his favourite city'. He was also quoted, as saying that  'Liverpool is a city that has a love affair with words' and described it as 'that rich and beautiful Port' !

As it is my quest to keep my beloved city in the picture of this round of Abcw  I am trying to keep a link between each post. I could have written so much more about Charles Dickens and Liverpool and will when the next relevant letter appears.

My sincere thanks to the Delightful Denise for Devising Abcw and also to the dashing Roger for administrating Abcw so diligently

 

 





 

 

Cathedrals Churches and Choirs

 When I was a youngster I loved going to Church, my local Church was called St Christopher and played a pivotal part in the community where I lived.

It was known as the Church of the Children, for very good reason too, There were so many activities for children to participate in, from Brownies, Girl Guide, Life Boys, Boys Brigade, Youth club and my very favourite pastime was singing in the Church Choir.
 

 

 The main Church Building.

The chancel leading up to the altar with the Choir Stalls either side

It was a bright and airy Church which was very welcoming particularly for Children.. There used to be an annual Summer garden party with a Rose Queen, picked by the Children of the Sunday   School.

 The Rose Queen and her entourage would sit on a flat back truck and lead the procession through the local streets. All the Children of The Sunday School would dress up and parade behind The Rose Queen. I was a lady in waiting one year much to my dismay, as I was a bit of a tomboy and preferred climbing trees to dressing up in frilly dresses, but Mother insisted! So there I was feeling a right fool having to wave to spectators as we went by. It didn't help that my brother who was dressed as a Crusader was marching behind the float making derogatory comments about my 'skinny banana legs' and sniggering with his horrid friends!    

 I was so proud to be able to join the Choir when I was thirteen, I had to sit on a wooden chair just to the side of the Choir stalls whilst I learned the psalms and hymns that  were sung at every service. Eventually I was robed in a Cassock and surplice and given the honour of taking my place with the rest of the Choir and walk solemnly down the aisle singing the opening hymn of the service. This was to encourage me in enjoying singing in Choirs for many years to come.

 

Cathedrals.

We are most fortunate in the City of Liverpool to have two Cathedrals.

The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral  which stands with great majesty on St James Mount, overlooking the city and across the River Mersey to the Wirral peninsular and beyond to The Welsh hills

This picture was taken before the building was complete, WW1 and lack of funding then WW2 hampered completion

 

 The completed final part of the Cathedral

The new grand West entrance of the Anglican Cathedral. 

 

The Cathedral was eventually  Completed in 1978 Looking down the aisle from the grand West entrance . I have had the great honour of singing in the Cathedral in a Choir created from schools from all over Liverpool. Two Choristers were selected from each school,  joining the  Cathedral Choir and an adult mass Choir in performing  Claudio Monteverdi's Vespers. The BBC Symphony orchestra accompanied the performance and   The  famous Composer and conductor  Walter Goehr led this mighty recital.

It was broadcast on Radio 3 live. On reflection, this must have been one of the greatest honours in my life. 

 

The Roman Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King.

 

 

The Roman Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King stands at the opposite end of a road called Hope Street.   

The ultra modern Roman Catholic Cathedral  of Christ the King,  is a most unusual building and initially it was slated by the Critics when it was first built. 

The Main Sanctum

 

I am pleased to say that, opinion has Changed and it is now, rightfully, a highly acclaimed place of worship. It is a wonderful building and has a maze of tunnels beneath it forming an amazing Crypt

Apart from it being an alternative place of worship it is used for receptions,

 I think it is spectacularly quite different from any place of worship but it is amazing...well worth a visit.

 

We even have a folk song, sung by The Liverpool Spinners called,

 'In my Liverpool Home'.

In this tuneful ditty the two Cathedrals are mentioned,

goes something like this....

'In my Liverpool home

In my Liverpool home

We speak with an accent exceedingly rare

If you want a Cathedral

We've got one to spare

In my Liverpool home.... tra la laa ! '

 

Crikey ! That was a long post, I hope you all haven't fallen asleep halfway through reading it! 

 

My sincere thanks to the cheery  Mrs Nesbitt for devising abcWednesday and Roger the very capable administrator.  

 

 Cathedrals Churches and Choirs

B for Banking and Beatles

I started my working days at Lloyds Bank Executor and Trustee Company in the magnificent India Buildings Liverpool.

This is the entrance to India Buildings.

 I felt so proud and fortunate to work in such splendid surroundings. Running through the centre of the building was Holt's Arcade which housed several small businesses.

 

Holts Arcade. Wonderful architectural details, just look at that ceiling!

These were truly exciting days for me,

My first job and own bank account, complete with a cheque book  bearing my name.

 Now that I was working I was expected to pay my way in the household. I remember asking my mother should I pay in cash or would she like a cheque....much to snorts of derision from my slightly older brother, commenting that she should take the cash as my cheque would probably bounce..... There was always a little sibling banter between us!

Working for Lloyds Bank gave me many opportunities in life such as going to a city college on day release and taking specialised exams in financial subjects, and furthering my education in several other relevant subjects. I just loved it, I felt so grown up, being able to buy my own clothes, have my hair styled in a posh city hairdressers and going out for business lunch with my work mates, on pay day....Oh how grown up and independent I felt.

I can't possibly talk about this most impressive era in my life without mentioning.....

 

'THE BEATLES'

They were the most talented and famous group to emerge in the sixties and we fellow Liverpool people had a front row seat watching their meteoric rise to International fame.

 After watching them perform in local clubs and town halls around Liverpool, we all knew they were something very special. They used to play at a cellar club in the city called

'THE CAVERN'

My very best friend Barbie and I used to dash out at our lunch break every Friday to watch many of the talented groups that were around, including The Beatles.

These were such heady days that I shall never forget, the Beatles played such an important part in my life.

When The Beatles made their triumphant return to  Liverpool, after taking the world stage by storm, our boss at the bank let us leave work early so that we could see them arrive at The Liverpool Town Hall for a Civic Reception with Mr and Mrs Mayor.

On the balcony at the town hall.

The crowds pressing forward toward the Town Hall, along Castle St in Liverpool, all eager to get a glimpse of their favourite band.

The white building on the top left of the picture is where Barbie and I stood to get a glimpse of our beloved Beatles... Grandstand view!  .

..Barbie and I were at the very front of the crowds and  a kindly policeman let us slip under the barrier, as fans were in danger of getting crushed,  many girls fainted in the clamber. 

We were so lucky, when the boys got out of their limousine, we were so close, that I managed to touch Paul's arm.

 200,000 fans lined the streets to welcome them home from their successful trip to America.

 

Performing on The Ed Sullivan Show in the US.

They'd made it in The US... to follow..The World Tour and we all know the rest!

 

My sincere thanks to the brilliant Denise for having the bravado in devising abcwednesday and also to the bookish Roger for being the backbone  in his administration.

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