The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 06

[Rustyoznail]

Acronyms do my nut in what is SJ please.

Sorry, I get lazy using an iPad keyboard.

 

[oggbashan]

Hubby has a whole shelf of Biggles books, 20 or more, inherited from his older brother, so mostly 1950's editions. I think he read each one once and never again, he just kept them around because they were his brother's rather than because he was super into them. As a boy, I think he was more into the 'Jennings' books, I think he identified more with the scruffy, naughty schoolboy than the super-poised Sopwith Camel/Spitfire/Jet fighter/helicopter pilot Biggles character. Will gave me this, you might like it:

ROYAL AIR FORCE OATH OF ENLISTMENT

I, Crabby, swear to sign away four years of my useless life to the Royal Air Force because I know I couldn't hack it in the Army and because the Marines frighten me. I swear to sit behind a desk and take credit for the work done by others more dedicated than me who take their job seriously. I also swear not to do any form of real exercise, but promise to defend our bleep test as a valid form of exercise.

I swear to uphold and defend the Crown, even though I believe myself to be above that. I promise to walk around calling everyone by their first name because I know I'm not really in the military and I find it amusing to annoy the other services. I will have a better quality of life than all those around me and will at all times be sure to make them aware of that fact.

After completion of my (hehe) "basic training," I will be a lean, mean, doughnut-eating, lazy-boy sitting, civilian-wearing-blue-clothes, Sick Bay Ranger. I will believe that I am superior to all others, and will make an effort to clean the knife before stabbing the next person in the back with it. I will do no work unless someone is watching me (and it makes me look good), will annoy those around me, and will go home early everyday.

I consent to never getting promoted -- EVER -- and understand that all those whom I made fun of yesterday probably will outrank me tomorrow.

So help me God.

Signature: ___________________ Date: _________________

During WW2, my father-in-law was a junior Civil Servant in the Ministry of War Transport. (Incidentally where he met my mother-in-law, another Civil Servant.)

He was called up to join the RAF and appointed as an aircraftman, servicing RAF bombers. Why? All his life he was incompetent with tools. As soon as became my wife's boyfriend, I had to do all the odd jobs around her parent's house. He couldn't be trusted with a screwdriver and even his painting skills were missing. Yet, to his surprise, the RAF promoted him, he thought for his competence with a broom, until late 1944 when they decided he would be more useful to the war effort in his old civil service job.

He was the prime example of a square peg in a round hole. His older brothers became Army officers a role he would have been more suited to. But two of them died - one on Walcheren with the Royal Marines, another in Northern Italy as a tank commander. The third brother served with the Gurkhas in Burma and was wounded at Kohima.

My father-in-law always thought that his time in the RAF was a waste of his time and theirs.

 

[Cindy027]

Sorry, I get lazy using an iPad keyboard.

No need to apologise, I am on the outside looking in

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

The third brother served with the Gurkhas in Burma and was wounded at Kohima.

It's possible he knew Will's father; dad was with 111th Indian Army, Lentaigne's Chindit brigade, where he knew and served with the author John Masters; dad was awarded The Burma Star with Oak Leaves (Mentioned in Despatches) for his actions at Kohima

 

[NotWise]

It's been a rather quiet morning in here. I can hear the mice scurrying around the cupboards.

We're having our second overcast morning in two days, but no chance of rain. I spent the first part of it writing and made some progress toward the last scene of the penultimate chapter in "A Valentine's Day Mess." I might get some more done later.

I don't know if the story is going to be any good. I do know that absolutely no-one will be happier to see it end than I will be.

 

[oggbashan]

It's possible he knew Will's father; dad was with 111th Indian Army, Lentaigne's Chindit brigade, where he knew and served with the author John Masters; dad was awarded The Burma Star with Oak Leaves (Mentioned in Despatches) for his actions at Kohima

Probably. There were very few at Kohima, and even fewer that survived. My wife's uncle was seriously wounded very early on in the battle.

 

[Haulover]

I've got nearly every one of them. A fair few are very early editions. Because of him, I was dead keen on joining the RAAF, but I knew I couldn't be a pilot because of my eyesight. Biggles made that clear.

I turned up to our school's careers night and only wanted to talk to the RAAF. The Flight Lieutenant leaned over the table, tapped me on the glasses and said "We won't accept you with those. Go and talk to the Army or Navy. They're not so particular."

Pretty crushing for a 15yo. I just asked mum to take me home.

You 'n me both.

I'd planned to be an airline pilot, and had two uncles who were pilots and were prepared to help me through the process. But my eyesight ruled me out. It wasn't bad, but anything less than 20/20 and you were a non-starter

 

[oggbashan]

You 'n me both.

I'd planned to be an airline pilot, and had two uncles who were pilots and were prepared to help me through the process. But my eyesight ruled me out. It wasn't bad, but anything less than 20/20 and you were a non-starter

One of my friends wanted to be a Royal Navy navigating officer. But he couldn't tell red from green - a disaster at sea. He became a supply officer instead.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Will just walked into my office with a pair of Reuben sandwiches, a monster sweet dill pickle, a gigantic bag of chips and a pair of cokes; my God, I've never eaten anything so delicious, he found an open deli and they told him about Reubens and they were right, I ate mine and half of his, I nearly bit his hand off grabbing it from him, something tells me we're picking some more up on the way home...

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Will just walked into my office with a pair of Reuben sandwiches, a monster sweet dill pickle, a gigantic bag of chips and a pair of cokes; my God, I've never eaten anything so delicious, he found an open deli and they told him about Reubens and they were right, I ate mine and half of his, I nearly bit his hand off grabbing it from him, something tells me we're picking some more up on the way home...

Your first Reuben? Wow. I kept myself alive on those things one long time. Kudos to Will and try them with a nice lager.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Your first Reuben? Wow. I kept myself alive on those things one long time. Kudos to Will and try the, with a nice lager.

That combination of salt beef, Russian Dressing, sauerkraut, and finely sliced corned beef, sweet onions, and just a hint of sweet pickled red cabbage in a toasted rye sandwich OMG! We picked up a trio on the way home, and Will's Aunt Jonny, she of the svelte swimsuit body and the appetite of a sparrow, packed one away like the famine had just ended then sent Will out to go get her another one! I now have a new obsession...

 

[ecorche]

Your first Reuben? Wow. I kept myself alive on those things one long time. Kudos to Will and try the, with a nice lager.

I had one at Katz's Deli, because sometimes you just have to do something touristy, - and it was large enough to feed a family of four.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

I had one at Katz's Deli, because sometimes you just have to do something touristy, - and it was large enough to feed a family of four.

These were just the right size: two-handed and sliced down the middle, on a bed of potato chips, with a stick of pickled baby onions and sweet pickles impaled in each half and packed in a cardboard carton with a carry-loop of ribbon - great presentation, French deli's know how to make food look good

 

[Handley_Page]

These were just the right size: two-handed and sliced down the middle, on a bed of potato chips, with a stick of pickled baby onions and sweet pickles impaled in each half and packed in a cardboard carton with a carry-loop of ribbon - great presentation, French deli's know how to make food look good

I cannot imagine Greggs doping something like that, particularly in the more Rural areas.

I'm due at the Eye Clinic tomorrow for 'the assessment'.
And now it is time for a large Tea.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

I cannot imagine Greggs doping something like that, particularly in the more Rural areas.

True; buy anything from Greggs and the paper bag is transparent with grease by the time you get it home, but, having said that, their cheese and onion pasties are delectable, if really bad for you, but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the winds and carpe diem...

 

[Handley_Page]

True; buy anything from Greggs and the paper bag is transparent with grease by the time you get it home, but, having said that, their cheese and onion pasties are delectable, if really bad for you, but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the winds and carpe diem...

Their "Cornish" pasty is pretty decent at times, too.

But it is surely time for a brew.

 

[TxRad]

I'm working on baby back ribs, potato salad, and beans for supper.

 

[SamScribble]

I'm working on baby back ribs, potato salad, and beans for supper.

Slumming it, eh, Tx? As my father used to say: 'I wonder what the poor people are eating tonight?'

Can I please have a little bit of coleslaw with mine?

 

[TxRad]

Slumming it, eh, Tx? As my father used to say: 'I wonder what the poor people are eating tonight?'

Can I please have a little bit of coleslaw with mine?

I don't know if it is slumming or not but it was all delicious and filling.

No coleslaw. It gives all three of us gas.

Fresh coffee for the evening crowd is now available.

 

[NotWise]

I don't know if it is slumming or not but it was all delicious and filling.

Eating baby back ribs is eating high on the hog, literally.

I think we go on daylight savings time on Sunday. That will give us enough time to grill in the evening and have dinner at our usual time. I'll take the cover off the grill and scare away the spiders, and we can start grilling again.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I don't know if it is slumming or not but it was all delicious and filling.

No coleslaw. It gives all three of us gas.

Fresh coffee for the evening crowd is now available.

Thanks. Coffee and a hot cross bun from the supermarket bakery. Most of the others have a lot of cinnamon, which Bec isn't fond of. And they don't have peel, which I don't really like.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Thanks. Coffee and a hot cross bun from the supermarket bakery. Most of the others have a lot of cinnamon, which Bec isn't fond of. And they don't have peel, which I don't really like.

I make my own candied peel, can't make a proper bread pudding, Chelsea Bun, or hot cross bun without it, and the French have never heard of it, so I had to learn to make my own.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Is there still some way to delete individual comments in Beta?

 

[TxRad]

Eating baby back ribs is eating high on the hog, literally.

I think we go on daylight savings time on Sunday. That will give us enough time to grill in the evening and have dinner at our usual time. I'll take the cover off the grill and scare away the spiders, and we can start grilling again.

Yeah, about as high as you can get and still be on the hog.

Sunday starts the daylight savings time.

In Rusty's case, he fires up the barby with the spiders still in it. Some of the ones I've seen down under are as big as blue crabs. I'd ask about the taste but they are all poisonous, so....

 

[TxRad]

Is there still some way to delete individual comments in Beta?

Go to the story in your story list, click on the comment balloon on the right side. Each comment should show it's own delete button.