There were no Protestants or Catholics at the V-E day celebration party in Linenhall Street, Lisburn in 1944. Just a big bunch of neighbours having a good time; especially the kids. Opposite the Wee Hall, foldup tables were lined end to end, full of goodies; no formalities. Just enjoy your Paris buns and bowls of jelly. Seventy years have passed, so memories fade, but I know we were happy, wagging any flag that was given to us by the women - I can't recall any men.
As the commemoration of D-Day approaches, and also the centenary of the start of the Great War, i salute those brave warriors who died that I might live; and I virtually offer my hand to their descendents.

Dabbler
Welcome back, I was beginning to wonder where you were!

I remember reading , here in the Vaterland I think, a Statesman once said that a mule was more valuable than a soldier, a mule had to be bought but all was needed to obtain a soldier was the price of a postage stamp for his call up order!
Kipling I think once wrote.

"It´s Tommy this, it´s Tommy that.
It´s Tommy go away.
But its thank you Mr Atkins.
When the band begins to play"!

donald

Donald
I keep looking in, even if I don't feel like writing. Like yourself, I am content with my present home, but childhood memories retain a strong grip.

I might add that I attempted to give an opinion on Barney and Ann's comments about Rory McIlroy, and it was rejected by the site censors. I was stunned, as I used no offensive language.

Dabbler, I missed you and am delighted that you are back again.

Today I was walking down Piper's Hill. I noticed a new sign up which read "The Pipers Hill". Did we discuss Piper's Hill a while back and someone suggested it had a different name. I may be getting mixed up with somewhere else, not unusual these days.

Anyway, whatever the discussion, Piper's Hill is now "The Pipers Hill". No apostrophes, so it could be one piper or a hundred.

A hundred pipers an' a' and a'.

I wrote a rather long reply but it was censored and extinguished
donald

Hi all,

Just a short one to make sure it gets accepted. Delighted to see you back Dabbler. I have had a total of seven posts rejected, trying again.
I always look in as it keeps me in touch with the "goins on"

Beano

Ann, thanks for that about the new name. I like to be informed. In fact, I hoped someone might tell us why that boy was nicknamed Rimmel.He did have that nickname, but I never knew why. IF he was 'into' horseracing, there was A very succesful British trainer of that name - two 'l's.
Beano; I remarked on young couples jumping into bed together without an engagement ring. THAT may have been too much for delicate exiles' ears.

Dabbler, I had to smile at the picture of a young couple "jumping into bed", with or without an engagement ring. Make the best of it - like everything else it's short-lived.