New to Gransnet?

Hello I am Lauren from Kent, UK.
I am working as a Social Entreprenuer. Now let me tell you what is the social entreprenuer means. Social entrepreneurship is, at its most basic level, doing business for a social cause. It might also be referred to as altruistic entrepreneurship.

Yes Ardwick's still there Rufus
Buffybee: Thanks for that! Even Baden St.? I understood Ardwick had been obliterated by landmines, but obviously would have been rebuilt since. Our Uncle Percy, an LMS engine driver, and family lived at Gorton and he delighted in taking my younger brother and me to Belle Vue Zoo after hours (I never knew how he managed that!) to see the rats cleaning up the lions' left -overs! Sorry about that! I wouldn't be surprised if it all looks tatty these days. Remember seeing Blackpool Tower, (where our family went regularly for annual summer holidays), as an adult and having all my childhood dreams shattered. It looked a mess; litter everywhere.
To the more pleasant subject of dogs, although unfortunately I now have none. Jessie, a kelpie, died Easter 2016 at 15 yrs and I reasoned I couldn't properly take care of a replacement at my age. We had some great conversations and I still miss her terribly.
Vera and me had had dogs all our married life, one after the other over the years, from a lost dogs home. Our first border collie Dougal, named after a kid's TV "star" I think, was followed by Rufus 1, after a few other varieties, hence my nickname.
Anyway I must stop rambling. Discussing memories is very therapeutic, especially coming up to Christmas; my dear Vera died Christmas Eve 2015, four days after our 62nd wedding anniversary, so a few bottles of Shiraz will help our commemoration. Cheers

We have had Labradors living with us for the last 26 years. Just one now, who is convinced she is 2, not nearly 8!

Buffybee, Just catching up oniPlayer with Mrs Wilson. Not at all sure what I think! Well acted though.

Hahaha! Yes Ardwick's still there Rufus, used to love going to Belle Vue when I was a kid.
How old is your Border Collie and how many others have you?
I am dog mad......I only have one but Son's family have a Border Terrier and Daughters family have a cross Border Collie/Labrador and a little Cavalier King Charles, so I often look after all of them for different reasons. They all get on together.
Yes, Sophie the girls absolutely love Newcastle and have said they wouldn't mind living up there. By the time they've done their Masters, they will have lived there for 4 years. A long time in their short lives!
I look after my Dgs 10 after school today, so I need to get going with his tea, I made Chicken Curry this morning. He's going to Rugby training tonight, so needs to eat early.
Nice to "speak" to you all.....

Buffybee, thank you for the lovely compliments about my native land! I’ve never been to Manchester but Mancunians seem a friendly bunch too. I think the further north you go, the colder it gets and we huddle together for warmth, encouraging friendliness! My son lives in Jesmond, it’s a lovely part of Newcastle. I live near Tynemouth now, but used to live nearer the countryside. A lot of students never leave the city, putting down roots after university.

I say up there as I am from Manchester
Buffybee; Welcome to GN and as a "fellow" Mancunian, another welcome! Born in Ardwick,( is it still there?), not far from the sounds and smells of Belle Vue Zoo; family moved out to Wythenshawe. Like you my nickname adopted from one our several dogs, a lovely Border Collie, a real dynamo, not very obedient especially when let off the leash, a bit like me really, but not the dynamo bit, I'm afraid.
Love to hear more about M/c whenever you have the time.
Go City!

Thanks for the welcome Sophiesox!
Like you I am named after my Dear dog Buffy! (named after the Vampire Slayer).
She's 15 and rules the roost.
She has a few pseudonyms: Buff buff, Buffy woof and Buffybee! So I just pinched one!
I've been visiting Newcastle for the last two years as my twin Granddaughters are at Uni up there. (I say up there as I am from Manchester).
I have to say that I absolutely love Newcastle, I love the city and the countryside and the beach. The girls love it, they're in Jesmond and either tram or cycle into Uni.
The Geordie people are lovely, it's somewhere that I could quite happily live.

What did you think about Mrs Wilson Wolwol?
Intriguing?
Whose Dorothy???
Can't wait for next week....

Rufus, you can certainly call me Sophie. It’s my dearly departed little cat’s name, which I thought I would have as my user name in her honour. She didn’t wear socks though, or even sox, but I had to have one that no one else had already nabbed!
My call plan is very simple, no calls, only landline for broadband, but I have a couple of thousand of mobile minutes so that’s ok. My cousin rings my landline for hours on end, but I cunningly have caller ID, so if I’m busy, or need to go out soon, I can postpone until later. Of course, if she rings my mobile, I’m stuffed! My Geordieness is truly authentic, born and bred within the sound of the Tyne. Hopefully all you foreigners can understand me, despite the flat vowels! I like the sláinte reference as there’s more than a drop or two of Irish blood flowing through these Geordie veins. Wishing you good health too! Enjoy the rest of your evening, although the witching hour is fast approaching...

Hi Buffybee, I only joined a few days ago, so welcome to the new gang. Your hoodie sounds like the height of luxury. I think Wolwol is head of the gang though, as she has 6!

And going to check Mrs Wilson in a few minutes; thanks for that

Hi Buffybee,
Only just joined myself, but welcome

Any or no hoodie I'm sure is fine. A lovely inclusive bunch here

Hello Rufus, Sophie, wolwol and all.
Can I join your gang?
I have a hoodie! So do I qualify? It's navy blue with white fleece lining, and very cozy as you mentioned.
Wouldn't do in today's weather though! Would soak up the rain like a sponge.
Have only ventured out once today to close the garden gate, left open by window cleaners and got a good soaking.
Coat dripping on the back of dining chair!
Btw I've just been doing my tv recording for tonight. Don't know if you're interested but there's a programme on 5 at 8pm Our Yorkshire Farm and a drama on bbc1 at 9 Mrs Wilson. Both have good reviews.
Bye for now!

Sophie, I have about 6 including 2 velour, one grey one purple so I feel smarter. So need them as the cold can be debilitating

Hope you enjoyed your ‘extreme’ phonecall
Sophiesox; or may I call you Sophie? It's easier on my typing finger! Our regular week-end phone calls are always enjoyable. We're both night-owls and Michelle could talk all night, except that she is on a "Plan" so when it's her turn to ring me the boom is lowered after 1 hour precisely and apparently a higher call rate applies so she literally calls it off, but with me being a gallant gentleman I then phone her back and off she goes again! She enjoyed your "beigegate" description. . Are you a fair dinkum "Georgie"? Would I be able to understand your dialect, or would it sound "furrin" like Welsh, or even Scotch.? I ask because I mixed with some Geordies many years ago and couldn't understand a word they said. There are are a few around GN and I recall one saying they once had a French visitor who learned the language and I thought "What!? Geordie with a French accent!?" My mind boggled!
Anyway, don't worry about threads; from a wise old hand use the old-fashioned pencil and paper to chart your way.
Hope that extreme wind that they've forecast for you today doesn't ruffle your coiffures too much.!
Sláinte is táinte or something like that!

Hope you enjoyed your ‘extreme’ phonecall Rufus2. North Shields seniors don’t bother with Range Rovers, it’s skateboards all the way for us. We only have cheap coiffures so crash helmets or hoodie hoods hold no fears. This thread is great for memory training exercises as I have to try to memorise posts in order to write relevant replies. Otherwise, I get lost for hours, trying to find the post I’m replying to! So apologies for the completely random nature of some of my ramblings/waffle. I’ll get the hang of it soon I’m sure. Well, this side of the current millennium hopefully.

Wolwol. I’ve only got one so far, so I’m stuck while it’s being washed! Must buy more a.s.a.p. They’re so flippin cosy!

try to stay out of trouble on Gransnet!
Sophie; Don't you worry; there's no trouble to get into yet.
Spoke with our Michelle on the phone last evening and she reckons there's no way the B'mouth seniors would wear hoodies as they would wreck their expensive coiffures. She said Eastbourne might be a better bet, but I don't know anyone there. Apparently the place has been transformed since I last knew it; must have been, seeing it's football club is in the EPL
Michelle was more concerned with a rant about apparently wealthy "Seniors" parking their Range Rovers in suburban car parks and then using their free passes for the onward journey into town. I'm inclined to think "so what?"; if them's the rules then we're told to "play to the whistle" Seeing as how it was her phone call I played "shtum" with just the occasional virtual nod! None of my business really!
Anyway, after 2½ hours she suddenly remembered other things to do; just as well! I was exhausted and way past my sleepies time.

Sophiesox I do hoodies! The hood stops me getting too cold...

Hi all,

Been lurking for a while; finally joined, mostly to join in with a couple of health threads. No grandchildren, adult children in mid twenties.

I do love the support (mostly!) here

keep me sane
Lindy123; Welcome to GN! But who wants to be sane and not be able to enjoy this mad,mad, world. Most of our very best comedians e.g. The Goons lived in the 2nd half of the 20th. century and you wouldn't exactly call them sane! Gave enjoyment to millions.
Good Health and take care in some of those threads!

Hi lindy and welcome. Have a look at the other threads and join in!

Hi to anyone out there
I’ve just plucked up the courage to join. Feels like a new chapter in my life. Stopped full time teaching in the summer to finish an OU MA, but now find myself with grand child no 1 on the way in March so different things to focus on. I’m early 50s ( birthday next week) and in a tiny South Northants village with cats, hubby and one twenty something one to keep me sane. Would love to talk to others

Rufus2, Good Morning. Ooh ‘Ancient Vibe Retreat’! I love all the tangents we can go off on when the written word doesn’t quite match up the spoken one. This is from someone who can easily spend an hour being led up the garden path by Mr. Google, that loveable rogue! Sadly, there is no little red riding hoodie in my wardrobe, not yet! Well, I’m off to that Mecca of Geordieland now, Newcastle City Centre, aka The Toon. Have a good Saturday, and try to stay out of trouble on Gransnet!