Bamber anecdote

[Bamber]

Another anecdote from my life.

In his World According to... thread, Konifur mentioned one of the best known horse races in the world, the Aintree Grand National.

Here in the UK, many workplaces and pubs have a Grand National draw; I have not taken part in one since the late 1970s.

The Reason? I am a danger to horses.

One year the horse I drew fell at the third fence.
The next year the horse I drew fell at the second fence.
The following year the horse I drew fell at the first fence.
In the final year I entered a Grand National draw, the horse I had fell down in it's box on the way to the race and had to be shot.

I have refused to enter a draw since.

 

[squirt]

lmao ... you're bad luck for horses! lmao :rofl:

:bravo: :xxsandoos:

 

[konifur]

The last time i backed a horse on the grand national was in 1997 and it was cancelled due to a bomb scare.
I haven`t bothered since,but i`m not a gambling man anyway,i`m to tight fisted.:frownupsidedown:

 

[Bamber]

[QUOTE="squirt, post: 3961040]lmao ... you're bad luck for horses! lmao :rofl:

:bravo: :xxsandoos:[/QUOTE]

I was frightened what would happen if I entered the following year - the stable burning down with the horse in it? The town from which the horse came involved in a major disaster? There were just too many unsavoury possibilities.

 

[kipper]

Stop drawing horses then and give your crayons to Koni...Simples...

 

[stevent222]

Holy!~Crap! I don't want you to bet on anymore horse's either. Far as that goes no betting on anything!

 

[Bamber]

Like Koni, I'm not a gambling man; good job too with this record, I'd say.

 

[konifur]

I did put a bet on this year, as i was chatting to my big sis and i saw that there was a gee gee with chicago in it`s name, so i thought that might be lucky.
Two horse died in the race.
So for now on i will not bother with this betting business.

 

[Bamber]

Another anecdote from summer holidays in Harlech, North Wales.

Most people I know go on about summers here in the UK "Not being like it was when I was a kid", generally meaning that they were hot and sunny.
I honestly can't recall a summer holiday when it wasn't dull and wet most of the time.
This wet weather did result in seeing something quite spectacular, however.

Harlech castle sits on a rocky cliff, which at the time the castle was built jutted out into the sea.

Over the years the shoreline has receded, and left the castle quite a distance from the sea.

We stayed in a caravan belonging to a friend of my mother, which was situated on the flat area between the sea and the castle. One year there was a terrific thunder storm in the evening, just as we kids were going to bed. We sat and watched the clouds get lower and lower over the castle cliff, and then they started to actually spill over the cliff and roll down towards the base...

...with bolts of lightning shooting through the falling clouds! It was God's own fireworks display - I've never seen anything like it since.

 

[kipper]

Do you think these horses dying and Tesco's burgers are linked?

Lidl stores have also been found with horse meat in their burgers, they call them "The My Lidl Pony Range" ...:hehehaha:

 

[Bamber]

I've said in another thread that in my family dad's mother was renowned for using the wrong words.

Again, while on holiday in Harlech, on one of the rare rain-free days my parents and grandfather went into town and gran took us three kids and two dogs to the beach. We had a variety of sandwiches which mother had made us for lunch - cheese, ham, watercress, egg, fish paste. During a lull in the chatter as we were eating lunch gran came out with what is now a family classic:

"Would anyone like another waterproof sandwich?"
:laugh3:
What could be better for the beach than a waterproof sandwich? :hehehaha:

 

[Bamber]

More about holidays in Wales.

We used the caravan of my mum's school friend Pauline at least three times for holidays between 1964 and 1968. (Being aged between 6 and 10 at the time, my memory is a little hazy.)

On every occasion we went in the first car I ever remember my dad owning - a 1953 Daimler Conquest similar to this.

The car had seen a lot of heavy use by a farmer before my dad bought it, but it served us well. He paid £25 for it, kept it on the road for 5 years, and eventually got £30 for it in part exchange for our next, much smaller, family car. It only did 18 miles to the (imperial) gallon, but with a 12 gallon tank had a range in excess of 200 miles between refuellings.

The car only ever broke down once, when it blew a cylinder head gasket. We named it 'Dorcas', because according to The Bible, Dorcas was "full of good works".

Although the Daimler was a good sized car, we made it earn it's living when we went on holiday - it had to carry 4 adults, three children, two dogs and all the belongings required for a 2 week stay away from home.

The car was never any trouble on the 135 miles each way; the only thing it couldn't do was carry us all up the 1 in 3 hill at Harlech between the caravan site and the town. Dad tried it once and we all had to get out as it was overheating, creating an enormous cloud of steam.

 

[Bamber]

About the dogs:

Our dog was called Toby. He was a collie/cocker spaniel cross a little older than my big sister, and looked very much like this dog:

The other dog belonged to my grandparents and was also a cross, between a bearded collie and God-knows-what, and looked similar to this:

She was given her name by a friend of my grandparents who came from somewhere very remote in Australia; he christened her "Bouse" (pronounced like house) - a local word from where he came meaning "excellent".

 

[squirt]

how AWESOME!!! :bigsmile:[/COLOR][/B]
:bravo: :xxsandoos:

 

[squirt]

[QUOTE="kipper, post: 4187911]Do you think these horses dying and Tesco's burgers are linked?

Lidl stores have also been found with horse meat in their burgers, they call them "The My Lidl Pony Range" ...:hehehaha:[/QUOTE]

roflmfao ... :rofl:
:clap: :kisses:

 

[Romford Lad]

Great stories Phil ~ but more important...great memories...... enjoyed reading through my friend.

 

[Ms.Diablo50]

Great memories there Phil, they are awesome stories. plus you have a sweet read so to speak.... Carry On sir!! :heehee:

 

[muchtrouble10]

I agree! I LOVE hearing your personal stories. Okay...if I'm honest, I have to admit I enjoy everyones personal stories...I'm a nosy person, but you tell about such interesting things.

 

[Goodgrief]

Love your anecdotes! Memories are to be shared, good or bad!

 

[Bamber]

[QUOTE="squirt, post: 3961040]lmao ... you're bad luck for horses! lmao :rofl:

:bravo: :xxsandoos:[/QUOTE]

Want to know the really sad part?

My name, Philip, means "lover of horses".