What talent or skill would you most like to have

Are you sure it is too late, Woody - do you mean for health reasons? I was 70 when I took up hill walking, 58 when started snorkeling, and I am going to learn cross-country skiing if there is still any snow when I get back from New Zealand. (Seems silly not to have a go when I live in a ski resort).

My mother was a wonderful ballroom dancer - she had to dance with a woman friend as by the time she was in her 80's most of the men had died off! She reminded me of that Joyce Grenfell song -'Stately as a galleon she sailed across the floor, doing the miltary two step, as in the days of yore'. She danced until she was 86 but then , sadly, a series of small strokes caused the gradual onset of dementia.

Some things that I would have loved to be able to do when I was younger but money/availability didnt make them possible are - ski-ing, ballroom dancing and running (as in jogging), too late now but I still admire those that can do those things.

Greatnan, if you thought you were the only mad one, you probably weren't here at Halloween. Pure fruitcake!

Thank goodness I am not the only mad grandmother - I must tell my daughter!

If you've got three legs, it does good chords! If not, take a friend!

I think I want one, very much!

Wow, arty, I'm going to John Lewis tomorrow - hope they have one of those in our local branch!

The only chance I get to dance these days is with my grandson (5)! Strictly not ballroom! I was in John Lewis's with DD today and in their toy department they had a floor piano - you hop about on it and play the notes. I had a whale of a time hopping about furiously playing bits of nursery rhymes much to the amusement of other shoppers - and the utter mortification of DD - she walked away but I knew she was laughing! When I'd finished I was breathing very heavily and someone offered to fetch me a chair! I must write to Father Christmas....

Thank you! I was amazed to receive a copy of the book Crimson China after entering the competition on Grans Net. I never win anything!! I am halfway through it now and it is a brilliant read. So thank you again.

susiecb
I just read your comment on the newsletter. Your second point alone makes it worth belonging to gransnet and I totally agree !

I would just like to be 'truly' good at something/anything - music, singing, dancing, painting - mind you it doesn't stop me from singing and dancing my way around the kitchen. And you should see me with a few pots of poster paints with my grand-daughters ...........who incidentally think I am brilliant at everything
Thank goodness for their innocence

Thank you, thank you, you have reminded me that - I CAN JIVE - so I'm not completely inartistic.
One of the few disco's I ever went to was on Balloon Street at the Co-Op in Manchester Greatnan.

I was 16 when Bill Haley came to Britain and I went to see 'Rock around the Clock' I loved rock and roll - I started work at the CWS in Manchester and we spent our lunch hour jiving at the Plaza - it was 3d. for the session.
I had ballroom dancing lessons for five shillings an hour, above Burtons' shop - I could follow any good partner but unfortunately my husband had two left feet.
I miss dancing but I can always have a bop to my old 1950's tapes!

Oh, I know what you mean, Artygran. Jiving was an utter nightmare back then when I was a young 'un. When they spun me round I would completely lose it, and was terrified I'd grab the wrong man - or the wrong bit of the right man - terrifying!!

Oh yes, and would LOVE to be able to JIVE!! I could never get the hang of it...

I'd like to be able to sail a yacht, but think I might have left it a bit late to learn - when you retire and have the time to do things you quite often don't have the stamina. I'd like to be a better pianist (working on it) and catch a trout with a fly rod (working on that too - DH bought me a day's tuition on a local river; I'll probably end up in the river with the fish!) And I would like to be able to build a brick wall!

I have a sister and a daughter who are both unable to tell left from right, but oddly enough they are both good artists.

I have little or no artistic skill - in anything.
I have learned how to be an appreciative audience for my multi-talented family and friends though.
My husband is on his way home from an award's ceremony in London - where he (and his team) won a First Prize - and I am so pleased for him because, in addition to him having natural talent in his field, he works very hard.

I just wish I could translate what's in my mind into reality. I make mosaics, wonderfully accomplished creations ... in my mind's eye. In practice the pieces don't quite fit together, I worry endlessly about whether I'm using the right colours, and my grouting lines are way too big. And how to do the background?! All sorts of possibilities.
So, whilst I quiver with anxiety inside, I just get on with it and see how it turns out. They're my babies and I love 'em all.

I would love to be able to dance! At school I was made to sit out Country Dancing lessons as I just couldn't get the steps right. I am almost totally ambidextrous - can do most things with both hands, write, eat, text etc. I think this may have something to do with my lack of co-ordination skills as I don't have a "leading" side. I am very musical so it is not a rhythm problem. Say to me "left foot forward" and by the time I have decided which is the left foot, everyone has moved on apace. Groan . . .

I went to Adelphi House, Crimson - long before the University was built on the other side of the river. There was just Salford Tech, where girls taking biology had to go for their 'A' level study - the nuns wouldn't have it in the school because it meant..........sex!
When I was a child, Eccles was quite posh, but I am afraid time has not been kind to it. Monton is still quite upmarket - I took my sister to an Italian restaurant last year, and it cost me an arm and a leg. (She lives in Swinton).

Both my daughters had horses when we lived in Willaston, in the Wirral. I did ride a little, but never got up the courage to do more than a trot - it is a long way down from a 15.5 hands horse! It amused me to see them all togged up in their riding gear and I thought about my own impoverished childhood in the back streets of Salford.

Would love to be able to play a guitar and ride a horse; possibly even at the same time [think Roy Rogers and Trigger . Greatnan; my ex went to Salford University [his dept was in the old Brylcreem factory. We lived out at Eccles and then Monton [where the canal is orange]. Before we moved away I took lots of photos of the old back to back houses, which, unfortunately didn't turn out. Fond memories of talent shows in local pubs with people playing spoons and such like.

Hattie . And be cautious among bracken. It harbours ticks as I know only too well...

Also an area of stinging nettles, or brambles, they are terrible, when you get your knickers snagged by them.
Violin, I would love to play that, I can tinkle the ivories a little, but well out of practice.
My eldest son taught me how to use a chain saw, and very useful I hope it will be eventually.

That has happened to me too, Crimson, but I am getting very adept at spotting good places! Pine forests are useless - not enough undergrowth.