Forum Topic

Reasons to be cheerful, part 1:

1) Being born in Britain in the 20th century, into a land of freedom, peace, prosperity and safety, such as 2/3rds of the world's population can only dream of.2) Radio 4.3) Having a good health centre like Ealing Park a short walk away in a country where average life expectancy is now over 80.4) Jane Austen.5) Not being a miserable git who complains about everything.6) Kew Gardens. 7) Seeing the spring flowers come into bloom and the birds have babies.

Susan Kelly ● 4548d80 Comments

Yes, and I'll add:  looking forward to seeing Walpole Park restored.

David Bourne ● 4548d

Spending Saturday night flitting around the Hanwell Hootie!https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulrichardjames/sets/72157643549826713/

Paul James ● 4548d

I like  your list, but how's about mine?:-1 - Digital radio.2 - Mary Berry's cooking.3 - Strictly Come Dancing.4 - Rick Stein and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingthingey.5 - My wife who understands me.I'd like to see others.

Gerry Tan ● 4548d

Equality under the lawFree speech and expressionUniversal suffrageNeighbourliness with respect for the privacy of othersA nice cup of tea and a sit downA decent breakfast A decent pudding, with custard.

Keith Iddon ● 4548d

I also like Keith's list of cheerfulness.Describe your decent breakfast and what decent pudding have you in mind Keith?

Gerry Tan ● 4548d

Hearing a Buddy Holly Record for the first time on the dodgems at Kew fair when I was 10 ,got me hooked on music and definately shaped my "career" as such...so thanks Buddy.The anticipation of a new Beatles record,going in to the record shop on Richmond Hill (near the Ivy Shop) and asking the girl behind the counter what record was playing,"Sergeant Pepper" she said incongruously.Teaching grandchildren how to make small explosions and to be naughty in general. I am Naughty Grandad to them.Radio in general but esp. Radio 4 I like the shipping forecast and amateur radio. I worked in broadcasting for 27 years.The Silver Dollar Pizza place at Rayners Lane,been going there 46 years!Being an Old Git who complains about everything,in fact that was my secretaries name for me.My wife Carol and the Twins (40 yesterday), my dog Sprocket who wont go to bed unless I fight with her, all of them "tolerate" me,which can't be easy!Yes spring is good,best to enjoy them,none of us know how many more we'll see.

Tony Wood ● 4548d

If you are Naughty Grandad, Tony, what is their other grandad -- Boring Grandad?I'll certainly go along with a nice cup of tea and a sit down on the list.

Susan Kelly ● 4548d

Your background sounds interesting Tony. Thanks. Broadcasting eh?  I take it you mean radio? Or was it TV? I remember as a child refugee in Glasgow during the 1940s, going to Broadcasting House(Queen Margaret Drive Glasgow?) and meeting Scotland's Auntie Kathleen(Children's Hour) and a young Gordon Jackson.

Gerry Tan ● 4548d

:0) Grandpa! He's not boring just a safer pair of hands.Yes tea and a sit down should be on there,I'm doing that at the mo',with marmite and lemon curd toast.

Tony Wood ● 4548d

Susan, dozens of people are leaving Ealing Park Health monthly at the moment, the standards of care have become so low. Leave before you fall ill and have to go for them for help.

Peter Mcleod ● 4548d

Kew Gardens was set up with the directive that it should be accessible to all. There were riots in the Victorian Era when a charge for entry was introduced. It is now an over-priced media circus where only rich tourists and the rich can afford to visit it regularly. Its mismanagement is leading to massive job cuts in the very near future.I think that your view is very innocent. If you want these good things to survive then you must participate in fixing them, not waxing lyrical as the foundations crumble.P.S. I strongly suggest a stint down at Ealing's Food Bank if you really want to help.

Peter Mcleod ● 4548d

"Being born in Britain in the 20th century, into a land of freedom, peace, prosperity and safety, such as 2/3rds of the world's population can only dream of."I have one answer to this: "FOOD BANKS".Just look around you, your surgery is giving you cheap generic drugs, the hospitals are being closed because they are not fit for purpose, and Ealing Council has closed down all its day and care centres for the disabled, mentally ill, etc. Disabled carers are having to pay Council Tax out of their Carers Benfits because they live with the peope they care for (as are the people being cared for!).You live in a VERY VERY different world to most of the rest of Ealing.

Peter Mcleod ● 4548d

That's more like it Gerry, I can connect with these! They are normal. Susan Kelly has a very strange view of life - it flies in the face of evidence.

Peter Mcleod ● 4548d

Excellent, I cannot disagree with ANT these.btw. Do you support that Susan Kelly has an equity stake in the Ealing Park Health Centre, or is related to someone there?

Peter Mcleod ● 4548d

Beautiful! Carpe diem! Do you think that Susan Kelly should get a life rather than trying to be spin doctor for the Ealing Park Health Centre?

Peter Mcleod ● 4548d

Both Gerry,but mostly radio,I started off going round the country building new studios then after about 17 years of that I had a sea change and got into outside broadcasts on the technical side, satellite up links and point to point temporary radio links sometimes from interesting places like the bowl of Vesuvius etc.I took early retirement at 50 and after a couple of years we moved to Scotland,here I built a recording studio in the upstairs room and for a while(until I went deaf in one ear) used to have bands coming up from England to mess about,it's a very relaxing place to make a noise.

Tony Wood ● 4548d

Oh Gawd!

Tony Wood ● 4548d

No, Peter, I am not related to anyone at Ealing Park health centre nor do I have, in some inexplicable way, an 'equity stake' in it. I'm just a patient who has had excellent treatment there for me and my family for fifteen years. If your experience of the place is different, then I'm sorry for you, but your experience is not automatically more valid than mine.You make no sense. One minute you claim that patients are deserting Ealing Park in droves and in the next breath complain that one can't get an urgent appointment, which suggests that they have all the patients they can handle. Yes, they operate a triage system, via a call-back from a doctor, which is eminently sensible and can even result in a prescription being issued without bothering to see a doctor at all.You are a tedious whinger and this is the last reply you will get from me.

Susan Kelly ● 4547d

Oh dear Susan,Things have changed mightily at the Ealing Park Health Centre in the past year. It is under investigation by one independent organisation and there are many people in South Ealing who have left that surgery in the past couple of months. Hundreds in fact since the administration changed. If you do not believe call the PCT. Nothing stays the same.You make a lot of assumptions based on history, no one likes the bearer of bad news, however, one of the good things about a forum like this is that we get to find out what is really happening in the land of paradise rather than what our local political groups would like us to think. Again, I cannot but recommend highly enough a stint at Ealing Food Bank for a glimpse into the reality of Britain today. Achat with some of the good burgers of South Ealing (or even some of the minor administartive staff at the EPHC on he q.t.) will give you an insight into the scale of the train-wreck happening there.

Peter Mcleod ● 4547d

"Again, I cannot but recommend highly enough a stint at Ealing Food Bank for a glimpse into the reality of Britain today."I would have thought the % of Ealing residents depending on food banks is very low. They seem to be a newish phenomenon; we had recessions in the past (when people by and large were poorer) and you didn't hear much about food banks.

John Walker ● 4547d

I think we need a "Reasons to be glum" thread....

Philip Coe ● 4547d

JohnI think, and with respect, you need to spend some time without the rose coloured blinkers.Hanwell Homeless Concern are as busy as ever providing free hot lunches to the disadvantaged. The soup kitchen at St. John's is as busy as ever if not busier. The churches in Hanwell are starting a food bank to deal with the 'overflow' of demand from the Acton and Greenford foodbanks and a further foodbank is planned for Northolt.This is not a case of 'if you build it they will come' but a response to real need from people who cannot put food on the table having paid their rent. Of course there will be some who play the system but there is real poverty in Ealing.Couple that with high numbers of trafficked women selling themselves on the streets and all is VERY far from rosy.

Nigel Brooks ● 4547d

No Philip, don't encourage the pessimists and 'doom - mongers' in our midst - lets keep life cheerful please.

Gerry Tan ● 4547d

I should add that I am far from pessimistic, far from it.There is however a tenet that we should all consider and that is “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” ― William Wilberforce

Nigel Brooks ● 4547d

Google nice cup of tea and a sit down and there is website that is mildly amusing.

Keith Iddon ● 4547d

Gerry, just trying to encourage them to have their own thread so depending on your disposition you can stick to cheer up or the glum down thread without being irritated by the other posters.  Might be useful for a few other topics as well.

Philip Coe ● 4547d

Ah, that might be a good idea Philip - why not?

Gerry Tan ● 4547d

I am sorry that I upset you with my comments about the Ealing Park Health Centre - it used to be a very good health centre. Things are not like that there any more. As to Kew Gardens, it is a national treasure (which as a "Friend") I have followed for a couple of decades. Unfortunately, an American marketing manager steered Kew Gardens away from its community emphasis and tried to grow the business in an American way that maximised income. Unfortunately in the drive for increased revenue generation such events as the Friends Wednesday Coffee Mornings were dropped and, for example, it became impossible to use the rest rooms in the Orangery when it was being prepped for use as a (very expensive) wedding venue (a long walk to the next restrooms). Kew Gardens is presently in crisis with a large number of redundancies on the cards. I continue to enjoy the fascinating treasure trove of plants grown there as well as seeking inspiration from such endeavours as the model allotments that the Kew Diploma students are required to grow as part of their diploma course. I am less taken by the pop-art that has invaded it.I think that £14.50 is a ridiculous amount of money for entry into what was originally created with Royal patronage as being somewhere that people of all walks of like could come and enjoy and learn from. £5 would be a more reaonable fee, bearing in mind that the way umemployment benefits are calculated include £7 to £8 for entertainment for an unemployed person PER WEEK.One quote that I like very much is that "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men (women) to do nothing".A Forum like this gives you the heads up on what is really happening locally. Rather than ignoring what is happening we should stand up and say "this is wrong" otherwise we are probably committing a sin of omission.

Peter Mcleod ● 4546d

Peter as I posted elsewhere.“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” ― William Wilberforce This forum, may exercise a few 'keyboard warriors' at times but, as you rightly say, the sin of omission we should, and must, stand up when we see wrong.

Nigel Brooks ● 4546d

Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?Sunshine makes me smile (wish there wasn't so much pollution with it) following so much rainSo does my upcycled chest of drawers with new multicoloured knobs from TigerThe plants coming into flower in the garden

Philippa Bond ● 4545d

"Couple that with high numbers of trafficked women selling themselves on the streets and all is VERY far from rosy."What, in Ealing?!

Tony Colliver ● 4545d

Yes indeed.There are groups, like Ruby Ministries, out every night trying to help them to ultimately get away from their minders and pimps. Many of the woman have been 'sold' by their families and trafficked from eastern Europe onto the streets of Southall and other parts of the borough. 100% of the money they take goes to their pimps who keep them plied with drugs for the, average, seven years they are ‘useful’. Modern day slavery does exist and it's on the streets of our borough.

Nigel Brooks ● 4545d

I have heard of an East European brothel in Greenford, and there was one for a year fairly recently in South Ealing.The problem is massive.

Peter Mcleod ● 4545d

Hardly 'Reasons to be cheerful...' eh?

Keith Iddon ● 4545d

True.

Peter Mcleod ● 4545d

I still have an episode of Hannibal to watch. That has cheered me up a little bit.

Peter Mcleod ● 4545d

True Keith, but as I posted earlier I am a pragmatist with optimistic 'leanings'. Ealing Council could do a whole lot to help these wretched women in Southall and other areas if it was so minded on things other than building (always nearly empty) car parks.

Nigel Brooks ● 4545d

You know Nigel, I think that it is something to cheerful about that you care about what is happening to these people. The rosey-tinted spectacle brigade would only notice if it affected their image or their dinner.

Peter Mcleod ● 4545d

Thank you Peter.I wasn't aware of the problem until I went to a meeting at St.Stephen's church which screened a film about  the global trafficking of women into sex slavery. This was followed by a short presentation from Ruby Ministries who 'opened or eyes' to the scale of the problem (actually no one knows how many tens (definitely) if not hundreds (probably)of these wretched woman are 'working' in our borough.I find it impossible to believe that anyone given the facts could not care.

Nigel Brooks ● 4545d

I resent the implication that I don't care about these people. It does deserve it's own thread so why not start one rather than hijack a light hearted and mildly amusing one and stigmatise anyone who doesn't wish to co-hijack (if that's a word) it with you?I wonder how much easier to traffic these poor wretches our membership of the EU has made it?

Keith Iddon ● 4545d

A good wife.Six grandchildren.Retirement.U3AGood beerSingle maltsSunday roast.

Graham Weeks ● 4545d

I neither implied nor intended to imply that you do not care Keith.It's not a hijack but an alternative view and a harsh reality which you have to deal with.If you cannot deal with that then, with a modicum of respect, that is your problem.End of discussion on that point.

Nigel Brooks ● 4545d

My post was not addressed to you Nigel and although I tried to insert it in the correct place it went beneath yours. Perhaps I should have put Pete's name on it. I can deal with whatever is said and done on here btw but whether it is a hijack is a matter of opinion and likewise, if you can't see that the 'problem' is yours. Bickering about it here is pointless. As I said, why not start a thread about it as you obviously feel strongly about this issue and it might make a needed change to the 'everything in our petty bourgeouis (sp) garden is rosy' nonsense that sometimes permeates matters on here.

Keith Iddon ● 4545d

Then my apologies Keith. Perhaps we should focus on getting a half-decent application upon which to base this forum.I have to say I didn't feel at all strongly about the problem simply because I was unaware of it until the meeting. What roundly 'pisses me off' is the attitude of this incompetent bloody council of ours to admit that there is a problem.  The last councillor to even mention it, albeit wrapped in a veil of racism, was censured and castigated by his own party. It is an ethnic issue sadly, as all one of the girls 'encountered' by Ruby Ministries were from eastern Europe and the clients predominantly Asian.I fear being branded 'yet another bloody racist' for en posting that on a public forum.

Nigel Brooks ● 4545d

Graham, in keeping with the 'light-heartedness' of this particular topic of Susan's, I'd like to add a couple of things to your seven which are: my modest monthly pension payments, salt beef rolls and "Strictly Come Dancing"(when it returns).

Gerry Tan ● 4544d

Graham, its three not a couple of things.

Gerry Tan ● 4544d

Gerry salt beef rolls - sacrilege!Salt beef can only be served on Rye with a huge haimisha pickle - it's the law :-)  Oh, a nice latke as well  if you want to 'hear' your arteries harden.For a healthier alternative Chicken Noodle Soup  or  Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls for Passover Seder.I am not Jewish but a good salt beef bar is hard to beat.

Nigel Brooks ● 4544d

Nigel, you've cheered me up no end. I like your soup selection...I'll add chicken soup with barley.

Gerry Tan ● 4544d

Better yet Gerry a 'Jewish bacon sandwich'.Slices of smoked beef, served on rye with a 'lashing' of Glick's yellow mustard.

Nigel Brooks ● 4544d

Nigel, stop this at once - you're not doing my diet much good and goodness knows about my colesterol.(Just joking, I really love it)

Gerry Tan ● 4544d

Can you be called a racist if they are the facts?

Tony Maxey ● 4544d

I was brought up: "Stick and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me". Who cares what people say.

Peter Mcleod ● 4544d

(1) A nice steak with pepper sauce(2) Sashimi(3) Holidays in the sun(4) Non return of strictly come dancing(5) Final conclusion to Eastenders and Coronation Street (6) Simon Cowel calling it a day on all his shows(7) Cure for cancer(9) Meeting my son again after 10 years

Tony Maxey ● 4544d

Agree except for 1( I'm not a fan of sauce on steak),7 ( unfortunately they haven't cured it) and I'm wondering what no.8 is...

Keith Iddon ● 4544d

(8) Cure for dyslexia

Tony Maxey ● 4544d

Like you, I was unaware of the scale of things locally.Now that I do know I care.(Not that I didn't before but you get my drift - I had no idea is was so extensive locally.)

Tony Colliver ● 4544d

And where is the nearest good salt beef bar?I had occasion to be in Tooley Street a couple of times this week for the first time in ages and I noticed an establishment called Absolutely Starving.The first day I selected AS for lunch and was pleased to find them serving salt beef rolls and what a delight it was.The second time was not so good - same product but served by a different person who clearly did not have a clue and ruined the whole thing by applying way too much mustard.However, Tooley Street is a long way to go just for a salt beef roll.

Tony Colliver ● 4544d

Tony, there are some excellent delis in Golders Green and along the Finchley Road, but my favourite is Gaby's Deli near Leicester Sq(just south of the station), a famous haunt of theatre folk - their salt beef sarnies or rolls with sliced sweet pickled cucumbers and mustard are delicious imo. Other nice food there too - yum yum!

Gerry Tan ● 4544d

Freecycle. That is a cause for celebration.

Peter Mcleod ● 4530d

Susan, is there going to be a Part 2 to this interesting topic of yours?

Gerry Tan ● 4529d

The thread above this is part two!

Ben Owen ● 4528d

Hilarious thread! Perspective please people! Yes there are problems, theres always going to be but I`m guessing this thread was meant to be geverally, are you happy? Are you really going to be a pessimistic old git (no names) about everything in the world ever just because theres a problem with something else? Generally I am very happy where I am apart from the amount of abuse Susan and other have recieved on here for starting what was supposed to be an optomistic post. Take your crap elsewhere doommongers!!!!

Tom Clifford ● 4527d

'Abuse'...now there's a much over used word nowadays and one whose meaning seems to have changed. Where is the 'abuse' that 'Susan and other have received' Tom?

Keith Iddon ● 4527d

If you wouldn't say something to someone's face then you shouldn't say it to them online.  There are things directed at Susan on this thread, not necessarily by you Keith, that I would be shocked to hear said to her face.

Andy Vaughan ● 4527d

Oh really? Well unless you can be more specific I'll file that under another of the curious and unnecessary modern fixations of 'being offended on someone else's behalf 'that seems to permeate more and more situations. I do not know Susan but do know from her posts on the forums over the years that she is perfectly capable and willing to respond to something if she thinks it's offensive. No offence intended btw.

Keith Iddon ● 4527d

none taken Keith.  Merely playing devil's advocate.and i would be 'shocked' not offended ;)

Andy Vaughan ● 4527d

I'll ignore your post as spurious then Andy.

Keith Iddon ● 4527d

One should rejoice that after such a long time the public telephone (a rarity these days) has been repaired and replaced on the back of the cash machine at the North junction of the South Ealing Road and Popes Lanes.

Peter Mcleod ● 4527d

On the Picadilly Line train this morning, a kind lady offered me her seat as I was standing and without one. I accepted her kind offer and smiled a thank you to her, so that the able bodied men took note and hid themselves more behind their papers. A cheerful outcome.

Gerry Tan ● 4505d

Well, I went to a wonderful celebration of a life today. A requiem for a lady who was a regular attender at our church for over 30 years since she first moved to Hanwell.Marvellous to see her friends and family who had flown all from all parts of the globe sharing memories of this lovely gentle woman.

Nigel Brooks ● 4505d

Waking up to find the sun shining and the garden shrubbery silhouetted on the blind and moving gently in the breeze.

Philippa Bond ● 4505d

A mystery benefactor has started a Hidden Cash Twitter account - similar to the mystery hidden cash campaign recently in San Francisco - in the UK.  The mystery benefactor is about to hide £100 cash envelopes in Brighton and London. I wonder if this surprise bounty will be hidden in sunny Ealing? Would be great if its hidden here.

Gerry Tan ● 4494d

The Grosvenor pub has reopened.

James Beach ● 4494d

Last night, England 3 v Peru 0.

Gerry Tan ● 4494d

Northampton 24 - South Africa, sorry, Saracens 20

Nigel Brooks ● 4494d

We've enjoyed watching Great Tits rearing 9-10 chicks in a nesting box in the garden ,watching their maiden flights/crashes is better than TV.What an incredible work rate the parents have for something so small.

Tony Wood ● 4494d

Blinkin' 'eck - that's a lot of chicks!

Tony Colliver ● 4493d

Isn't it just? Evidently 12 eggs are quite common and they often do it twice a year!  I'd like to put a webcam in the box now that it's empty, I've just tried a camera in the box but it's way too dark (only a 1" hole)high on the side of the box.  LEDS would do it but would probably cause sleep deprivation or worse!,and I can't stand infra red pictures,what's left of my brain needs more info than they can provide. So as it doesn't really get dark up here at this time of year,todays project is to cut a small glass window on the north side of the box,I don't really want roast Great Tits,I've tried 'em and they taste horrible :0)Sorry for the OTeedness and random jibberish,we need more elections.     

Tony Wood ● 4493d

I'm cheerful because I've seen and experienced another lovely month of June.

Gerry Tan ● 4492d

I'm cheerful just because I can be :-)

Tracey Mehdizadeh ● 4489d