I have really long and good exterience with dogs. But now when I finally found one I fell in love with in rescue centre, I was told that I cant have it cos we dont have a a garden (even thou there is large linked to our block of flats).
Its kind of a shock for me now, coz I really want that dog.
And I started thinking of asking someone to adopt her for me.
Do you know if house and adopted dog are checked after you take it home. Can one sell or give to a friend the dog after adopting it, is it illigal?
THANK YOU!
Please, help me with dog adoption!?
I understand ur pain!!! I too fell in love with a dog (mind you it was 10 years old and you know how people hardly adopt senior dogs) and they refused me because I rented. I understand their ideas of many people who rent have a higher rate of giving the dog away, but I had papers to prove we already paid a pet fee where we lived!! Needless to say, I found another rescue and brought home the best puppy ever!
They will do home checks after adopting the puppy and do have a legal right to take the puppy, which i'm sure would be heartbreaking if you get attached to the dog. Just try going to different rescues.. it'll work out - good luck!!
Reply:From one of the rescues I've gotten 2 dogs from yes they do check and I had to sign a contract that if I could not keep the dog's I would have to bring them back to the rescue, If I couldn't keep, but knew someone who could take good care of them, that person would have to apply for adoption, find a rescue that does adopt out to people without a yard, if you do it the wrong way you can lose the dog which will hurt both of you.
Reply:Most agencies anymore have the policy that once the pet is adopted, it can not be sold to someone else, but rather returned to the agency to be re-homed. IF they find out that it has been given away, they have the right to go and take the dog from the person who has it. You risk having the animal taken away if they decide to do a home visit to your friends house to check in on the adopted dog and it's not there.
Reply:Garden? What in the world does a garden have to do with adoption?
I recently adopted my 3rd Pom from a rescue group. The process was very tetious and long. The application process was especially nerve wrecking - they asked everything question from our financial status to footage of our home, to the materials our fence was built out of to what kind of dog food we feed.
There are reason for these guidelines and there are certain guidelines that must be met. Once a dog has been adopted out, most agencies have a strick policy that the dog can not be sold and if for any reason something happens the dog has to be returned to the rescue/adoption group.
If this is something you really want and you have met all the appropriate guidelines, then go above their head and ask to talk to their supervisors and or council members - if you want this, don't give up...
Reply:No. When a dog is adopted, you sign papers to return it to the shelter if you cannot keep the dog. So someone else couldn't adopt it and give it to you legally. I don't know where you live, but they do home inspections before and after adoptions where we live.
Reply:You do sign a legally binding adoption contract, stating you will NOT give the dog to someone else after adoption if things don't work out.
Look for another dog elsewhere, this just isn't meant to be. Do not have a friend adopt the dog, and then give it to you.
Reply:Why must you have a garden? Surely they would prefer he stay in the house as much as possible.
Is he a puppy instead of an adult dog?
The rescue groups that gave me my dogs always reserved the right to drop by and check on them.
Reply:Most shelters will not allow people to adopt pets unless they have a yard and most shelters will have it in the contract that the pet is not to be transferred to a new owner without the shleter's consent.
Reply:It is not okay for shelters to disallow people who fall in love with a dog, to adopt it just because there is no garden. I got my dog from a shelter, and I don't have a garden. I believe it is better for my dog, because I actually take the dog and walk him, instead of letting it out for the day to fend for itself. Go back to the shelter. Tell them your point of view, explain how much time you can spend a day to walk the dog, and try to explain why you want the dog so much. Allow them to check up on you to make sure the dog is well cared for, and tell them to give your beloved dog a chance at a happy life. My dog is the happiest in the world, and I love him dearly. You should be allowed to do the same.
Reply:Whether one is required to have a yard to have a dog depends on many things including but not limited to the type of dog, the person's age and whether or not the person has real experience with owning a dog and all the responsiblities that go along with it.
It may seem like it is easy and a lot of fun to walk a dog every morning, evening and night but it is quite a responsiblity especially when it is raining and cold or very hot. There is the responsibility of having to go straight home after work because there is a living creature depending on you there. That means you cannot stop off for a drink with your friends. Not all people will be dedicated enough. Then add to that fact a large and/or active dog who may become destructive becaise he is bored and has not had enough exercise, it gets even more complicated. That is a dog who is shelter bound sooner or later.
It is the rescue group's responsibility to that animal to try to weed out the people who may not be mature enough or understand how much work this can be---day in and day out. They do not want this dog to end up in the same position as it was in when they got it.
Just because you want a dog does not mean that you should have one. If you want proof of that then go visit your local kill shelter. In fact, volunteer in the euthanasia room. Many of these dogs were in homes who thought they wanted a dog, who thought they would walk the dog, who thought they would come home every night and now they are going to die a lonely death.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Found a baby bird?
Hiya, i found a baby bird in my garden a few hours ago think it fell of the nest and cat got it! Rang the bird recuse people but they said all the animal centre are shut now. I will take it tomorrow if i can keep it a live. I'm trying to feed it dog food but won't eat and i have him well covered to keep him warm.
Any advice would be great?? xx We reckon it's a black bird x
Found a baby bird?
You have to watch as baby wild birds can die of shock quite easily.
If it is a blackbird dig up some worms from the garden and try holding them in a pair of tweezers directly in the birds view.With luck the bird will open its beak and you can start feeding it that way.
They do need fed quite often but it is rewarding if you are successful and the bird survives.
Reply:Use tweezers and feed by hand , cat food if you have any... although dog food should do. It wont take the food itself. If the dog food is firm mix a little water with it to make it mushy. During daylight hours you need to feed it by hand every 1-2 hours.Make a nest out of torn tissue paper in a dish (loo roll would do).
I sucessfully reared a greenfinch using the aforsaid methord (I thought it was a blackbird til it got older) As it gets older it will help itself to seed.
Reply:we raised a baby mockingbird and we fed it crushed insects and chopped up worms. you can buy live crickets and mealworms at your local petstore if you don't want to go dig for some in your garden. if it won't eat, try feeding it mushed banana with warm milk mixed in. our little mockingbird loved it. good luck!!
Reply:I found a baby robin and it was sooo cute kept it alive for 3 days..........It had some sourt of deasese.
Anyways feed it warm kibble soaked in milk you'll also have to cut the kibble into smaller peices. Try and find it's nest and put him back up there if you can.
Reply:try feeding it insects and seeds etc, mushed up worms, i know grusome. I dont think that it will ever sourvive in the wild again, coz the other birds will know that humans have handled it (they can smell us on them), but i hope the bird sourvives.
Reply:Smash some bananas and berries together(smash very well)!
Make sure you can get small drops of water on your finger and put it over its mouth so it doesnt get dehightrated!
Reply:http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/...
http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm
Good luck.
Reply:try soaking the the dog food till its a bit mushy and at about room temp.
Reply:call your local rspca or sspca they will collect it
Any advice would be great?? xx We reckon it's a black bird x
Found a baby bird?
You have to watch as baby wild birds can die of shock quite easily.
If it is a blackbird dig up some worms from the garden and try holding them in a pair of tweezers directly in the birds view.With luck the bird will open its beak and you can start feeding it that way.
They do need fed quite often but it is rewarding if you are successful and the bird survives.
Reply:Use tweezers and feed by hand , cat food if you have any... although dog food should do. It wont take the food itself. If the dog food is firm mix a little water with it to make it mushy. During daylight hours you need to feed it by hand every 1-2 hours.Make a nest out of torn tissue paper in a dish (loo roll would do).
I sucessfully reared a greenfinch using the aforsaid methord (I thought it was a blackbird til it got older) As it gets older it will help itself to seed.
Reply:we raised a baby mockingbird and we fed it crushed insects and chopped up worms. you can buy live crickets and mealworms at your local petstore if you don't want to go dig for some in your garden. if it won't eat, try feeding it mushed banana with warm milk mixed in. our little mockingbird loved it. good luck!!
Reply:I found a baby robin and it was sooo cute kept it alive for 3 days..........It had some sourt of deasese.
Anyways feed it warm kibble soaked in milk you'll also have to cut the kibble into smaller peices. Try and find it's nest and put him back up there if you can.
Reply:try feeding it insects and seeds etc, mushed up worms, i know grusome. I dont think that it will ever sourvive in the wild again, coz the other birds will know that humans have handled it (they can smell us on them), but i hope the bird sourvives.
Reply:Smash some bananas and berries together(smash very well)!
Make sure you can get small drops of water on your finger and put it over its mouth so it doesnt get dehightrated!
Reply:http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/...
http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm
Good luck.
Reply:try soaking the the dog food till its a bit mushy and at about room temp.
Reply:call your local rspca or sspca they will collect it
My 14 month old toddler is, i guess bored most part of the day?
this is our first kid and both me and my husband work full time. My parents who stay with us look after my son. I work from home most of the days and take an hour break in the afternoon most days to play with him. We have toys for him (not many) and he is usually interested in playing with household stuff and the house is pretty much child proof. However, i find him not very happy most part of the day. He wants to play only with me. He gets bored and whines with my parents to play sometime with one toy and soon with another. He is very happy when he is taken out but we can do that only in the evenings (weather is quite hot for afternoon outings for him with my parents and our house doesnt have a garden). Is there something that my parents can do and he is better occupied? Is few hours in a day-care centre better for him with company of other children?
My 14 month old toddler is, i guess bored most part of the day?
may he knows you are there, and can't understand why he can't have you. if he is intrested in household stuff, just have them walk around the house with him and show him stuff and tell him what it is. i do this with my daughter and she love it. her new favorite thing is to point to all the clocks in the house and say clock, then i say ( very happily) yes! clock, you are so smart. good job. this makes her very happy and eager to learn more. sounds like he wants to learn things, alot of things if he is anything like my daughters! good luck. hope this helps.
Reply:I do think u should put him in a daycare part-time because he would have other kids to play with and develop his social skills also
Reply:u should put him in a day care... he will get to play w/ kids his own age
Reply:When you are not at home he can't play with you, Your parents can show some of your photographs %26amp; talk about you. And also they can tell some stories to him.
Reply:If he is only spending time with adults, he could certainly benefit from daycare. They will do arts and crafts, take walks, play on the playground, and generally keep him quite busy the entire time they have him. My daughter loves daycare and we have trouble keeping her entertained on the weekends. We go grocery shopping, to the park, on walks, paint, color, read books, chase birds ... anyway, my point is that we are constantly working to keep her from getting bored.
Think about it, if you have half the day to work, uninterrupted, and he had half the day to play his heart out, maybe your parents wouldn't have to work so hard to keep him happy and you could spend more time with him in the afternoons.
Curves VC workoutmake up brushes
My 14 month old toddler is, i guess bored most part of the day?
may he knows you are there, and can't understand why he can't have you. if he is intrested in household stuff, just have them walk around the house with him and show him stuff and tell him what it is. i do this with my daughter and she love it. her new favorite thing is to point to all the clocks in the house and say clock, then i say ( very happily) yes! clock, you are so smart. good job. this makes her very happy and eager to learn more. sounds like he wants to learn things, alot of things if he is anything like my daughters! good luck. hope this helps.
Reply:I do think u should put him in a daycare part-time because he would have other kids to play with and develop his social skills also
Reply:u should put him in a day care... he will get to play w/ kids his own age
Reply:When you are not at home he can't play with you, Your parents can show some of your photographs %26amp; talk about you. And also they can tell some stories to him.
Reply:If he is only spending time with adults, he could certainly benefit from daycare. They will do arts and crafts, take walks, play on the playground, and generally keep him quite busy the entire time they have him. My daughter loves daycare and we have trouble keeping her entertained on the weekends. We go grocery shopping, to the park, on walks, paint, color, read books, chase birds ... anyway, my point is that we are constantly working to keep her from getting bored.
Think about it, if you have half the day to work, uninterrupted, and he had half the day to play his heart out, maybe your parents wouldn't have to work so hard to keep him happy and you could spend more time with him in the afternoons.
Curves VC workout
Should I accept this flat?
my boyf and I live near enough in the centre of town in a housing association old style 1 bedroomed top floor flat, its small but fine for a couple it has a good sized lounge and bedroom but the kitchen is tiny 4 months ago we had a baby boy. Even before I was pregnant we had our names on various council housing lists as we wanted a house with a garden etc of course now that we are overcrowded we have a bit more priority, the thing is the housing assocation have offered us a new build ground floor, 2 bedroomed flat, close to where we stay the rooms are quite small should we take it and lose our chance of a house or wait until something better comes up, like a terraced house or even a flat where we had our own front door and bit of garden? what would you do?
Should I accept this flat?
With the housing situation in crisis, I doubt very much any council will give you a house with just one child. Houses are like "gold dust" and very few and far between, and given to those with most points. It's a difficult situation, as people cannot afford to buy houses, but there are not enough council (or association) houses to fulfill the needs of an ever growing British population. I would accept the 2 bedroomed flat graciously, at least it's on the ground floor, and not high up in a tower block. If you don't accept it, it will be snapped up by some foreigner, and you may find yourself at the back of the queue for refusing a decent offer. As for the idiots who suggest these people wait till they get adequate housing, before having kids, you do not know what you are talking about. It may be fine for people who can afford to buy a house, or bought before the housing crisis, but how many of our young people do you think can afford to get on the bottom rung of the housing ladder these days? NOT MANY, but does that mean they have to remain childless, and are denied the right to a family?? Maybe it's the very reason our Country is being taken over by Muslims, as the housing situation (and people who think the poor should stop breeding) is forcing our own people to stop raising families!!!
Good luck sweetheart, my son has just been given his first house after 7 years with a 10 year old girl, and 6 year old twin boys, in a 2 bedroomed 2nd floor flat.(imagine carting a twin buggy, and twins up 2 flights of stairs for at least 2 years??)
Reply:Sorry, you may not like what I am about to say, but why have a baby and expect the council to house you. Would it not have been better to fend for yourself and have the baby later. I think the council have been more than conciliatory in offering you another place, as a lot of people in far greater need, still have no home, so I suggest taking what is offered and make the best of it.
Reply:It seems that the housing council is the one that decides on where you will spend the rest of your lives. If you can not wait for something better to come up, why not come to the Philippines where you could freely settle into the house that would suit your needs?.......
Reply:I would wait for a few months. I would also get married to legitimize my baby
Reply:If you can hold out, then wait. Maybe another 6 months or so.
Reply:Can you not take it temporarily? it would be much easier with the baby and pram/pushcair etc. Is a terrace actually going to give you more space? don't forget stairs take up a lot of room, (debate I'm currently having with hubby about moving our staircase!) and rooms are smaller, unless you have some in mind, and a good chance of getting one of those, I think I would go for a nice trouble free, fresh new build, you might be able to swap later? Baby won't be playing in the garden for a while! I had a lovely(council) 2 bed 'maisonette' top floor - difficult with a baby and pushchair and not high so no lift! Take no notice of other people - that's where my son and I started, now got my own (bought) 4 bed house with big garden - circumstances change! Good luck to you all!
Reply:Jeeze! Seriously, my mum and dad were on the list for 11 years living in a bedsit with my older sister since she was born, and when I was three, my sister ten, we finally got offered our three bedroom house. Our previous house had only one actual bedroom for all four of us. You shouldn't expect things like a garden or a terrace. That's a plus with a house, not a standard, whether you have a kid or not. Take what you can get, especially when others can't get anything at all. We don't even have anything outside now, just a small balcony.
Should I accept this flat?
With the housing situation in crisis, I doubt very much any council will give you a house with just one child. Houses are like "gold dust" and very few and far between, and given to those with most points. It's a difficult situation, as people cannot afford to buy houses, but there are not enough council (or association) houses to fulfill the needs of an ever growing British population. I would accept the 2 bedroomed flat graciously, at least it's on the ground floor, and not high up in a tower block. If you don't accept it, it will be snapped up by some foreigner, and you may find yourself at the back of the queue for refusing a decent offer. As for the idiots who suggest these people wait till they get adequate housing, before having kids, you do not know what you are talking about. It may be fine for people who can afford to buy a house, or bought before the housing crisis, but how many of our young people do you think can afford to get on the bottom rung of the housing ladder these days? NOT MANY, but does that mean they have to remain childless, and are denied the right to a family?? Maybe it's the very reason our Country is being taken over by Muslims, as the housing situation (and people who think the poor should stop breeding) is forcing our own people to stop raising families!!!
Good luck sweetheart, my son has just been given his first house after 7 years with a 10 year old girl, and 6 year old twin boys, in a 2 bedroomed 2nd floor flat.(imagine carting a twin buggy, and twins up 2 flights of stairs for at least 2 years??)
Reply:Sorry, you may not like what I am about to say, but why have a baby and expect the council to house you. Would it not have been better to fend for yourself and have the baby later. I think the council have been more than conciliatory in offering you another place, as a lot of people in far greater need, still have no home, so I suggest taking what is offered and make the best of it.
Reply:It seems that the housing council is the one that decides on where you will spend the rest of your lives. If you can not wait for something better to come up, why not come to the Philippines where you could freely settle into the house that would suit your needs?.......
Reply:I would wait for a few months. I would also get married to legitimize my baby
Reply:If you can hold out, then wait. Maybe another 6 months or so.
Reply:Can you not take it temporarily? it would be much easier with the baby and pram/pushcair etc. Is a terrace actually going to give you more space? don't forget stairs take up a lot of room, (debate I'm currently having with hubby about moving our staircase!) and rooms are smaller, unless you have some in mind, and a good chance of getting one of those, I think I would go for a nice trouble free, fresh new build, you might be able to swap later? Baby won't be playing in the garden for a while! I had a lovely(council) 2 bed 'maisonette' top floor - difficult with a baby and pushchair and not high so no lift! Take no notice of other people - that's where my son and I started, now got my own (bought) 4 bed house with big garden - circumstances change! Good luck to you all!
Reply:Jeeze! Seriously, my mum and dad were on the list for 11 years living in a bedsit with my older sister since she was born, and when I was three, my sister ten, we finally got offered our three bedroom house. Our previous house had only one actual bedroom for all four of us. You shouldn't expect things like a garden or a terrace. That's a plus with a house, not a standard, whether you have a kid or not. Take what you can get, especially when others can't get anything at all. We don't even have anything outside now, just a small balcony.
Hi could you correct me this letter please?
i'm italian and i'm not good ^^
Dear Jim,
how're you?
thanks for your letter which i received yesterday!
At weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things! (here i don't know how write impersonal form "si possono fare")
Some day my friends and I go to the centre to do shopping like you or we go to mondello
beach (the sun comes in mars!) or we play volleyball in some common garden or we go skating on the ice!!
And the saturday evening we often go to eat pizza and after to walk in centre or sometime we
go to the disco or usually we see a film in my house or in my friends' house.
Every weekends we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things the saturday evening?
Write-me soon
kisses Gabriella
Hi could you correct me this letter please?
Gabriella, how about this? I corrected it for you and changed many words but, the meaning is the same. Have fun!
Dear Jim
How are you? Thanks for your letter which I received yesterday!
On weekends here in Palermo we can do many things. On Some days my friends and I like to go to the shopping center just like you do in the States. We often go to Mondello Beach to watch the beautiful sunsets, play volleyball in the garden or go ice skating!!
On Saturday evenings we often go out to eat pizza and go for a walk in the mall afterward. Sometimes, we go dancing and usually watch a film in my house or at my friends' house.
We really enjoy our weekends! Do you do similar things on Saturday evenings?
Write me soon,
kisses,
Gabriella
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you?
Thanks for your letter which i received yesterday!
At the weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things!
Like you, some days my friends and I go to the centre to shop, we also go to mondello beach, play volleyball in a garden or we go ice skating.
On Saturday evenings we often go and have a pizza and sometimes walk in the centre afterwards. We go to the disco or usually we see a film in my house or in my friend's house.
Every weekend we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things on Saturday evenings?
Write-me soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:The impersonal form of 'si possono fare' can be expressed in a few ways in English.
'you can do a lot of things' (between friends)
'one can do a lot of things' (formal)
or 'alot of things can be done'
Your English is very good but see my corrections below.
Some days (or sometimes) my friends and I......
...or we go ice-skating.
And on Saturday evening......
And afterwards we walk.....
Sometimes we go to the disco.....
...in my friend's house.
Every weekend.....
Do you do other things on Saturday evenings?
Also we don't usually use the expression 'to go to the centre' in English. We mostly say 'to go into town' or 'to go into the city'.
Reply:Dear Jim,
Thanks for your letter I received it yesterday.
How are you?
In Palermo at weekends there are a lot of things for us to do.
Some days my friends and I go to the centre to do shopping, or we go to Mondello
beach (the Sun comes in mars!), we play volleyball or go ice skating.
And the Saturday evening we often go to eat pizza, walk in centre after. Occasionally we go to the disco or to see a film in my friends or my house.
We really enjoy ourselves every weekend.
What do you do on the Saturday evening?
Write soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:I saw some grammatical errors but I don't think you should have a personal letter edited by somebody else. If this were a professional letter, that would be different. Since this is personal, send it the way you wrote it.
Some of the grammatical errors is what makes it more personal.
Reply:The corrections offered by Jodie, Teddy Bear and others are poor. DO NOT USE THEM.
Your letter is a true example of your good English.
With a little more practise it should become excellent!
Many native English speakers (includes USA) could not compose a letter such as yours - just look at the questions and answers on Y/A!
Reply:Dear Jim,
How're you? Thanks for your letter which I recieved yesterday! Durind the weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things.
and:
every weekend, we really enjoy ourselves.
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you? Thanks for your letter which I received yesterday. Weekends here in Palermo there are many things to do. Somedays my friends and I go to the center to do shopping or we go to Mondello beach . We also play volleyball in some common garden or go ice skating. On saturday evenings we often go to eat pizza and after go walk to the centre or go to the disco. Sometimes we see a movie at my house or a friends house. Every weekend we really have a good time. What other things do you do on Saturday evening. Write me soon.
Kisses,
Gabriella
I am not to sure what the sun comes in mars means. Hope this helps!
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you? Thanks for your letter which i received yesterday!
At weekends here in Palermo we do a lot of things!
Some days my friends and I go to the shopping centre like you, or we go to mondello beach (the sun comes in may!) or we play volleyball in the garden, also we go ice skating!!
And on a saturday evening we often for a pizza and after that we have a walk in the centre. Sometimes we go to a disco or we watch a film at my house or at my friends' house.
Every weekend we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do any other things on saturday evenings?
Write back to me soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you?
Thanks for your letter which I received yesterday!
At weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things!(Here I don't know how to write impersonal form "si possono fare.")
Some day my friends and I go to the centre to do shopping like you or we go to mondello beach (the sun comes in mars!) or we play volleyball in some common garden we go ice skating!!
On Saturday evening we often go to eat pizza and after to walk in centre or sometimes we go to the disco or usaully we see a movie in my house or in my friend's house.
Every weekend we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things on Saturday evening?
Write-me soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you? Thank you for your letter which i received yesterday. Over the weekends here, in Palermo, theres many things we could do. Some days my friends and I go into the town centre to do shopping like you or we go to mondello
beach (the sun comes in mars!), play volleyball or go iceskating.
Saturday evenings we often go out to eat pizza and then walk into the centre of town. Sometimes we
go to a disco or we watch a film at my house or at my friends' .
Every weekends we really do enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things on a Saturday evening?
Write to me soon
Kisses
Gabriella x
(Hope this helps)
Reply:you know something funny?
Palermo in brazilian portuguese means someone ''retarded'', ''slow brain''.
Sorry, I really would like to help you but I think my english sucks more than yours.
hehehehe
Reply:"I am getting laid every night but don't worry as I am making sure that they use protection so I wont pass anything on to you. Can I bring Marcos home with me?"
Reply:Dear Jim,
My english sucks so I really should get a translater.
Sincerely,
Gabriella
Reply:Wow, what an exciting life. Yawn- oh well, andare la casa.
Reply:ok
Dear Jim,
how're you?
thanks for your letter which i received yesterday!
At weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things! (here i don't know how write impersonal form "si possono fare")
Some day my friends and I go to the centre to do shopping like you or we go to mondello
beach (the sun comes in mars!) or we play volleyball in some common garden or we go skating on the ice!!
And the saturday evening we often go to eat pizza and after to walk in centre or sometime we
go to the disco or usually we see a film in my house or in my friends' house.
Every weekends we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things the saturday evening?
Write-me soon
kisses Gabriella
Hi could you correct me this letter please?
Gabriella, how about this? I corrected it for you and changed many words but, the meaning is the same. Have fun!
Dear Jim
How are you? Thanks for your letter which I received yesterday!
On weekends here in Palermo we can do many things. On Some days my friends and I like to go to the shopping center just like you do in the States. We often go to Mondello Beach to watch the beautiful sunsets, play volleyball in the garden or go ice skating!!
On Saturday evenings we often go out to eat pizza and go for a walk in the mall afterward. Sometimes, we go dancing and usually watch a film in my house or at my friends' house.
We really enjoy our weekends! Do you do similar things on Saturday evenings?
Write me soon,
kisses,
Gabriella
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you?
Thanks for your letter which i received yesterday!
At the weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things!
Like you, some days my friends and I go to the centre to shop, we also go to mondello beach, play volleyball in a garden or we go ice skating.
On Saturday evenings we often go and have a pizza and sometimes walk in the centre afterwards. We go to the disco or usually we see a film in my house or in my friend's house.
Every weekend we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things on Saturday evenings?
Write-me soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:The impersonal form of 'si possono fare' can be expressed in a few ways in English.
'you can do a lot of things' (between friends)
'one can do a lot of things' (formal)
or 'alot of things can be done'
Your English is very good but see my corrections below.
Some days (or sometimes) my friends and I......
...or we go ice-skating.
And on Saturday evening......
And afterwards we walk.....
Sometimes we go to the disco.....
...in my friend's house.
Every weekend.....
Do you do other things on Saturday evenings?
Also we don't usually use the expression 'to go to the centre' in English. We mostly say 'to go into town' or 'to go into the city'.
Reply:Dear Jim,
Thanks for your letter I received it yesterday.
How are you?
In Palermo at weekends there are a lot of things for us to do.
Some days my friends and I go to the centre to do shopping, or we go to Mondello
beach (the Sun comes in mars!), we play volleyball or go ice skating.
And the Saturday evening we often go to eat pizza, walk in centre after. Occasionally we go to the disco or to see a film in my friends or my house.
We really enjoy ourselves every weekend.
What do you do on the Saturday evening?
Write soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:I saw some grammatical errors but I don't think you should have a personal letter edited by somebody else. If this were a professional letter, that would be different. Since this is personal, send it the way you wrote it.
Some of the grammatical errors is what makes it more personal.
Reply:The corrections offered by Jodie, Teddy Bear and others are poor. DO NOT USE THEM.
Your letter is a true example of your good English.
With a little more practise it should become excellent!
Many native English speakers (includes USA) could not compose a letter such as yours - just look at the questions and answers on Y/A!
Reply:Dear Jim,
How're you? Thanks for your letter which I recieved yesterday! Durind the weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things.
and:
every weekend, we really enjoy ourselves.
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you? Thanks for your letter which I received yesterday. Weekends here in Palermo there are many things to do. Somedays my friends and I go to the center to do shopping or we go to Mondello beach . We also play volleyball in some common garden or go ice skating. On saturday evenings we often go to eat pizza and after go walk to the centre or go to the disco. Sometimes we see a movie at my house or a friends house. Every weekend we really have a good time. What other things do you do on Saturday evening. Write me soon.
Kisses,
Gabriella
I am not to sure what the sun comes in mars means. Hope this helps!
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you? Thanks for your letter which i received yesterday!
At weekends here in Palermo we do a lot of things!
Some days my friends and I go to the shopping centre like you, or we go to mondello beach (the sun comes in may!) or we play volleyball in the garden, also we go ice skating!!
And on a saturday evening we often for a pizza and after that we have a walk in the centre. Sometimes we go to a disco or we watch a film at my house or at my friends' house.
Every weekend we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do any other things on saturday evenings?
Write back to me soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you?
Thanks for your letter which I received yesterday!
At weekends here in Palermo we could do a lot of things!(Here I don't know how to write impersonal form "si possono fare.")
Some day my friends and I go to the centre to do shopping like you or we go to mondello beach (the sun comes in mars!) or we play volleyball in some common garden we go ice skating!!
On Saturday evening we often go to eat pizza and after to walk in centre or sometimes we go to the disco or usaully we see a movie in my house or in my friend's house.
Every weekend we really enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things on Saturday evening?
Write-me soon
kisses Gabriella
Reply:Dear Jim,
How are you? Thank you for your letter which i received yesterday. Over the weekends here, in Palermo, theres many things we could do. Some days my friends and I go into the town centre to do shopping like you or we go to mondello
beach (the sun comes in mars!), play volleyball or go iceskating.
Saturday evenings we often go out to eat pizza and then walk into the centre of town. Sometimes we
go to a disco or we watch a film at my house or at my friends' .
Every weekends we really do enjoy ourselves!
Do you do other things on a Saturday evening?
Write to me soon
Kisses
Gabriella x
(Hope this helps)
Reply:you know something funny?
Palermo in brazilian portuguese means someone ''retarded'', ''slow brain''.
Sorry, I really would like to help you but I think my english sucks more than yours.
hehehehe
Reply:"I am getting laid every night but don't worry as I am making sure that they use protection so I wont pass anything on to you. Can I bring Marcos home with me?"
Reply:Dear Jim,
My english sucks so I really should get a translater.
Sincerely,
Gabriella
Reply:Wow, what an exciting life. Yawn- oh well, andare la casa.
Reply:ok
Vancouver canada---what to do?
Can someone tell me about the places I have listed below?
We were given free tickets to all these attractions and am trying to figure out which ones are worth it...and if they are better in the summer or early winter?
Also we are 2 adults--no children if that helps choosing which things are best....Thanks in advance for your help
Vancouver Lookout! Harbour Tower
Grouse Mountain
The Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Sciences Centre
Science World
Vancouver Maritime Museum
The Capilano Suspension Bridge
The University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology
Stanley Park Horse Drawn Carriages
Sewells Marina (May thru October)
Vancouver Whale Watch (May thru October)
Van Dusen Garden
Dr. Sun Yt San Classical Chinese Garden
Harbour Cruiseschar
Vancouver canada---what to do?
Grouse Mountain is always a tourist favorite, the view is fantastic ( you take a gondola up the mountain to the ski hill ) and there is a bear habitat at the top and you will see Grizzley bears, not black or brown bears but Grizzley bears!! Capilano Suspension Bridge in on the road to Grouse Mountain so you could easily do both in the same day.
The Aquarium is in Stanley Park and is a must see as well. They have Orcas and belugas and other species native to our waters, really neat to see. Stanley Park is the park right downtown and you can take the horse drawn carriage around the seawall for great views of the inlet. Again, both things you can do in one day. The harbour cruises leave from just out the park as well so that works out as well.
If you are into gardens then you can go to the Sun Yet San Gardens they are in China town which is right next to Gastown, a good historical walk through Vancouver (just don't mind the drug addicts and homeless people). Van Dusen is considered the best gardens but it is a 20 minute drive from the centre core but still in Vancouver.
I would check out the Museum of Anthropology it is at UBC ( the university ) which is on the Endowment Lands ( basically a big forest ) and is near quite a few beaches. It is a lovely drive there ( 20-30 minutes? ) from d/t and you can check them all out, there is even a nude beach ( Wreck Beach ) but don't worry it is not something you can find easily just ask if you want to end up there though!
I wouldn't bother going to Science World it is mostly for kids. The Maritime Museum is interesting if you are into boats travelling through the Arctic Passage but otherwise.. skip it.
September is the best time to visit Vancouver, all the kids are back to school and everyone is back to work so it will be easier for you to get around. Plus the weather is always gorgeous the whole month of September, blue skies and no rain.
Have fun, congrats on winning everything!
Reply:WATCH A CANUCKS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
otherwise go to grouse or aquarium. awesome places.
Reply:My husband and I's first visit trip to Vancouver was in June last year and totally fell in love with Vancouver.
Stayed 5 days in a hotel by Coal Harbour.
Coming from a first time Vancouver tourist, I would suggest the following MUSTS:
* strolling along Coal Harbour ... the view is fantastic (I might as well mention, it's quite a long walk but scenery is well worth it.)
* Lookout Tower ....and just a block or two at the back of the bldg. is....
* Gastown, which is quaint and pictureque...
* the Storyeum is also in Gastown... but more for kids.....well, would have been worth it if we had our grandkids. But, taking pictures with the "Jurassic" -theme facade and animals was nice.
* Stanley Park ... again, walking the harbour with the waterfront view. We did not try the Horse-drawn ride but still enjoyed just strolling.
* Vancouver Aquarium, also in Stanley Park
* Van Dusen Garden is a bit farther from downtown but we made it there nicely and safely by just taking the bus. I am sure your hotel will gladly help you with the route.
BEST of ALL.........the BEARS ALL OVER downtown and neighboring areas!!!
On our first day, that's what caught our attention and we made it a point to take a picture of each and every bear statue we encountered. BTW....the bear statues are a work of art in itself.....each one is unique and very colorful!
Enjoy your trip!
Reply:it really just depends wut ur interested in. personally, if i had a choice out of those, I would DEFINITELY do grouse (summer or winter is great) and the suspension bridge. the other things (like science world and the aquarium) are great, but you can do that almost anywhere. these things are unique to BC.
Reply:I have only been to Grouse Mountain. You can take a scenic ride up to the top of the mountain where you have a great view of Vancouver and a restaurant I believe. Also if you go in the winter there is skiing/snowboarding.
Reply:harbour center so so Expensive restaurant Quue ELizabeth Park Just as good or better Grouse Mountain GREAT any time Aqarium summer science world not bad Good Imax theatre Cap suspension Bridge TOURIST TRAP Go were we go Lynn Canyon Were old shoes Nice hiking traills ( its FREE) Ubc Museum Good lots of indian artifacks Horse drawn Carriages Ride the free shuttle bus instead Sewells not Bad Vandusen Gardens good But Park %26amp; tilford Gardens smaller but free dr Sun Yet gardens Good Harbour Cruises Nice Summer b is best Get a day pass for buses Less than 10 bucks See metro town mall 500 stores Granville island Ride the little ferries see gastown
We were given free tickets to all these attractions and am trying to figure out which ones are worth it...and if they are better in the summer or early winter?
Also we are 2 adults--no children if that helps choosing which things are best....Thanks in advance for your help
Vancouver Lookout! Harbour Tower
Grouse Mountain
The Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Sciences Centre
Science World
Vancouver Maritime Museum
The Capilano Suspension Bridge
The University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology
Stanley Park Horse Drawn Carriages
Sewells Marina (May thru October)
Vancouver Whale Watch (May thru October)
Van Dusen Garden
Dr. Sun Yt San Classical Chinese Garden
Harbour Cruiseschar
Vancouver canada---what to do?
Grouse Mountain is always a tourist favorite, the view is fantastic ( you take a gondola up the mountain to the ski hill ) and there is a bear habitat at the top and you will see Grizzley bears, not black or brown bears but Grizzley bears!! Capilano Suspension Bridge in on the road to Grouse Mountain so you could easily do both in the same day.
The Aquarium is in Stanley Park and is a must see as well. They have Orcas and belugas and other species native to our waters, really neat to see. Stanley Park is the park right downtown and you can take the horse drawn carriage around the seawall for great views of the inlet. Again, both things you can do in one day. The harbour cruises leave from just out the park as well so that works out as well.
If you are into gardens then you can go to the Sun Yet San Gardens they are in China town which is right next to Gastown, a good historical walk through Vancouver (just don't mind the drug addicts and homeless people). Van Dusen is considered the best gardens but it is a 20 minute drive from the centre core but still in Vancouver.
I would check out the Museum of Anthropology it is at UBC ( the university ) which is on the Endowment Lands ( basically a big forest ) and is near quite a few beaches. It is a lovely drive there ( 20-30 minutes? ) from d/t and you can check them all out, there is even a nude beach ( Wreck Beach ) but don't worry it is not something you can find easily just ask if you want to end up there though!
I wouldn't bother going to Science World it is mostly for kids. The Maritime Museum is interesting if you are into boats travelling through the Arctic Passage but otherwise.. skip it.
September is the best time to visit Vancouver, all the kids are back to school and everyone is back to work so it will be easier for you to get around. Plus the weather is always gorgeous the whole month of September, blue skies and no rain.
Have fun, congrats on winning everything!
Reply:WATCH A CANUCKS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
otherwise go to grouse or aquarium. awesome places.
Reply:My husband and I's first visit trip to Vancouver was in June last year and totally fell in love with Vancouver.
Stayed 5 days in a hotel by Coal Harbour.
Coming from a first time Vancouver tourist, I would suggest the following MUSTS:
* strolling along Coal Harbour ... the view is fantastic (I might as well mention, it's quite a long walk but scenery is well worth it.)
* Lookout Tower ....and just a block or two at the back of the bldg. is....
* Gastown, which is quaint and pictureque...
* the Storyeum is also in Gastown... but more for kids.....well, would have been worth it if we had our grandkids. But, taking pictures with the "Jurassic" -theme facade and animals was nice.
* Stanley Park ... again, walking the harbour with the waterfront view. We did not try the Horse-drawn ride but still enjoyed just strolling.
* Vancouver Aquarium, also in Stanley Park
* Van Dusen Garden is a bit farther from downtown but we made it there nicely and safely by just taking the bus. I am sure your hotel will gladly help you with the route.
BEST of ALL.........the BEARS ALL OVER downtown and neighboring areas!!!
On our first day, that's what caught our attention and we made it a point to take a picture of each and every bear statue we encountered. BTW....the bear statues are a work of art in itself.....each one is unique and very colorful!
Enjoy your trip!
Reply:it really just depends wut ur interested in. personally, if i had a choice out of those, I would DEFINITELY do grouse (summer or winter is great) and the suspension bridge. the other things (like science world and the aquarium) are great, but you can do that almost anywhere. these things are unique to BC.
Reply:I have only been to Grouse Mountain. You can take a scenic ride up to the top of the mountain where you have a great view of Vancouver and a restaurant I believe. Also if you go in the winter there is skiing/snowboarding.
Reply:harbour center so so Expensive restaurant Quue ELizabeth Park Just as good or better Grouse Mountain GREAT any time Aqarium summer science world not bad Good Imax theatre Cap suspension Bridge TOURIST TRAP Go were we go Lynn Canyon Were old shoes Nice hiking traills ( its FREE) Ubc Museum Good lots of indian artifacks Horse drawn Carriages Ride the free shuttle bus instead Sewells not Bad Vandusen Gardens good But Park %26amp; tilford Gardens smaller but free dr Sun Yet gardens Good Harbour Cruises Nice Summer b is best Get a day pass for buses Less than 10 bucks See metro town mall 500 stores Granville island Ride the little ferries see gastown
Is this any good?/novel?
BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW
Chapter 1
Wow, that was some story thought Joan as she placed the paperback onto the coffee
table. The novel, Chick Lit, was not really intended for her age group, mid sixties, but she’d thoroughly enjoyed it, and why not? The elderly were just teenagers in old skin.
Joan sat back on the shiny, leather sofa and sipped her coffee. Sparked off by the contents of the book, she reflected on the fifty years she deemed wasted on two dead leg husbands.
Jeez, that’s half a century! The first, fat, flawed and futile, the second and current one, well, yes, the second and current one…
She lit a cigarette, drew heavily on it and made her mind up there and then that she was going to get a life, not just any old life, a young life, a sort of Chick Lit life, a life she’d missed out on all those years ago. Three kids before ones twenty first birthday had been far from a good starting point. Joan hadn’t been in love with him but a sexual ‘experiment’ had led to an unwanted pregnancy and society at that time made sure there were to be no single mothers. A man-child for a so called husband and an even worse mother-in-law, the type you could gladly drop into an acid bath so all trace had gone, well except for dentures.
She glanced at the calendar and pondered on a date from when her new life should begin.
But where to begin? Botox, Crystal-blast, Face-lift? I need something. It’s ok to think chick but when your skin thinks hen…there’s more lines on it than a Rhode Island road map.
Dvorak’s Humoresque belted out from the phone and penetrated Joan’s thoughts. ‘Help the aged,’ she answered.
‘Hi, it’s me.’
‘Jules! I was going to ring you but I thought you’d still be zedding it. How’d it go?’ Joan perked up at the sound of her best friend’s voice, and then realised, that her voice sounded wary.
‘You’re not going to like this Joan, are you sitting comfortably?’
For Jules to say that, the news had to be big. Joan leant against the arm of a chair.
‘Go on, what happened?’
‘She’s blonde, tubby… and wait for it…about twenty five years old.’
Joan was silent for a moment. So it was true beyond a doubt, Pete had a bit on the side. She slid down the arm of the chair to the seat. Maybe Jules had seen the evidence, but Joan herself hadn’t.
‘Get her address?’
‘Yeah, rough district, look, I’ll come across and we can chat at length. Ok?’
Joan replaced the receiver and went to the drinks cabinet. At least she’s fat. She mused.
Selecting the most expensive red, she uncorked it and poured a large, no, a very large glass. Her friend liked red too, as she always said, ‘at our age it’s good for the old arteries.’
Jules arrived in her brand new Smart car; it had made a good disguise the previous evening for tracking Peter, Joan’s husband.
‘I suspected some time ago he was playing around Jules, although, really I can’t imagine who’d fancy a clapped out eighty two year old. He’s recently invested in some new Y-fronts too, what sort of woman shags a man who wears Y-Fronts? The mind boggles.’
The second bottle of red was having a pleasant couldn’t-care-less attitude on Joan’s grey matter. She giggled along with Jules imagining Pete getting his leg over.
‘Perhaps he makes a better sugar-granddaddy than a sugar-daddy,’ she laughed.
For all the mirth, Jules could see a deep sadness behind her friend’s eyes. Pals from school days they’d stuck together over the years. They’d become more like sisters than their own sisters.
‘This isn’t the first woman Pete’s shagged but this time I want facts, enough’s enough. besides, this new sex-on-legs-cow’s had a profound effect on him.’
Basically a kind person, in recent years he’d become retaliative, sarcastic and decidedly cold in his manner towards her.
‘In the early years my ‘fiery’ nature turned him on and he even admitted that to this end he sometimes goaded me! What really bugs me as well, he used to love the way I flounced off when we rowed, he loved watching my long, dark hair swinging about. Now, he says I’m aggressive or I need anger therapy, cheeky sod, he obviously thinks silver hair isn’t good enough for him. Jeez, he doesn’t even have looks. Mind you, he has some charm and a good sense of humour.’
‘Joan, you’re getting morose, have another glass.’ Jules uncorked another bottle.
‘The only saving grace in all this is that he’s fifteen years older then you.’
‘And?’
‘Well, odds are that he’ll die before you.’
Joan held her head back and laughed, it was a long drawn out belly-laugh.
‘Don’t make me laugh; he’s like a ******* robot. Do you know the only thing wrong with him is that he’s got a corn?’ She laughed out loud again then gulped her wine. She became morose again. ‘Do you know what the experts say in the scientific world? They say if one is fit by the age of eighty, there’s no reason, as to why one won’t reach ninety.’ She began to sob. ‘I can’t go another shite decade with him’
‘The booze is making you miserable Joan. You know, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, being a widow. Ones income’s halved for starters.’
‘You’re right, I’m always bloody moaning, aren’t I? The only thing is, in ten years time, I don’t want to be sitting here wishing I’d got a life, and just crocheting antimacassars. Anyway what do you think of this idea?’ Joan lit yet another fag.
‘Let’s have a bite to eat and a nice black coffee first, don’t forget I have to drive home.’
‘Good idea.’ She glanced at the clock, ‘Pete’ll be at least another hour yet.’
Whilst they both tucked in to ham sandwiches and sipped black coffee, Joan explained a few ideas she’d come up with to enhance both hers and Jules’ lives. Her friend listened intently, eyes widening from time to time.
‘I’ll get back home now and I promise that I’ll have a good think about what we’ve discussed.’
The two women bade their goodbyes and Jules drove off, back to her bungalow a few miles away.
Joan tidied up the lounge then washed the dishes. She liked everything to be neat and tidy. The bungalow was a new build when they had bought it. Three bedrooms, a large lounge, the kitchen wasn’t small either. The gardens front, back and side were extensive and over the years the many plants and shrubs they had planted together now gave the garden a colourful, mature look. Joan’s favourite spot was where the swing seat was positioned. Under a pagoda, covered with purple and white Clematis, it gave shelter from the hottest sun and a peaceful haven away from neighbours prying eyes. She was proud of her achievements for someone stemming from a childhood of poverty; you’ve not done bad lass. She often told herself.
She heard Pete coming in after his visit to his daughter’s, well, after his night of passion rather.
‘Hi,’ she greeted him all smiles.
‘Hi,’ was his response.
‘Have a nice evening?’ She continued dusting the furniture, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.
‘Oh, it was ok, she wasn’t well enough to make us a meal so I went out for a take-away.’
Oh, yeah, a blonde-tubby-about-twenty-five-year-old one, she wanted to say but desisted.
‘When she feels better, she wants me to take her to her old school friend’s for a weekend, she lives in Newcastle.’
‘That’ll be nice for you both,’ said with just a tad of sarcasm.
‘You don’t mind, do you?’ Pete side glanced at Joan and waited for her reaction.
‘Who? Me? I’ve never restricted your movements, of course I don’t mind.’
Great stuff, she thought, now my plans can come into being, how could he moan about me travelling now? Ha. She laughed to herself, some men are so stupid.
Pete went off into his study, no doubt reliving the night of passion he’d had with his lover and dreaming about the forthcoming weekend with the slag. Joan continued with the housework whilst plotting her new life, well, he was being economical with the truth and what’s good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander, but in this case surely that should be what’s good enough for the gander is good enough for the goose. Who wrote these proverbs?
Dvorak’s Humoresque rang out. ‘Orphaned widows,’ she answered.
It was her friend Mo, crying down the phone, should she get a divorce from her lying, cheating husband. Jeez, that’s all I need. Why can’t others deal with their own nightmares? I’ve got plenty of my own to be going on with thanks.
Mo’d found a packet of condoms again in the pocket of his best suit.
Think yourself lucky he’s got the sense to use ‘em, she wanted to say but thought it too cruel.
The husband in question was six feet four, drop-dead-gorgeous and had women just drooling and dropping at his feet. Joan had wondered how long it’d be before he strayed when he took Mo to the registrars…well, it was her third marriage, (church was out of the question) but at least the ceremonies had been that close together, Joan had been able to wear the same outfit for each one.
‘Best not to worry Mo, why don’t you go out and go mad with his credit card.? That’s good therapy.’
‘You’re right Joan; I’ve seen a gorgeous leather coat and boots I like.’
‘Good, hurt his pocket. I’ll see you next week then.’
Joan replaced the receiver. Women just can’t win. Here’s an ugly old fool shagging around and there’s a handsome young fool doing the very same. Or was it the women? Why do women shag others husbands?
Sex with Pete that night was as boring as ever even though she suspected he was practicing various methods to try when screwing his tart.
Besides Joan had other things on her mind, she had dinner to cook tomorrow for four friends…vegetarian friends. What the hell can I make? Pete turned her over.
Perhaps a Soya spag bol could be the answer. Where to get Soya though? Pete’s hand was wandering. I could get some humus and tortillas, yes, that’d be nice as a starter.
Pete was reaching his climax now. Jeez, planning dinner for four is damned harder than having sex.
The following evening, Joan served up the spaghetti bolognaise. It had been simple to make and she was most impressed with the taste of the Soya meat.
Pete poured out the wine for their friends. Joan had a head start on the others; she’d partaken of a few glasses whilst preparing dinner.
The strange mixture of characters seated themselves at the table. Sebastian and wife Isabel, not their real names but they liked the sound of them. Both retired civil servants they were quite boring and staid.
Joan had thought long ago that their real names were probably Cyril and Ethel or the likes.
John and Anne, real names, he was great fun and an extravert, how he came to be married to her was always a mystery to Joan. He was still quite shaggable. John was a lawyer; she was a barmaid when they met. She sure knew what she was doing having got pregnant a couple of weeks later. They had more money than sense. Nevertheless, they were good fun and Joan liked them both, she sat with her guests. ‘Help yourselves to Parmesan and get stuck in.’
‘So, what are your plans for this summer, each and all?’ asked John.
‘Jules and me are going for a month to a nudist complex in Jamaica,’ she blurted out.
The others didn’t know whether to believe her and reacted with guffaws.
‘I’m serious. Then we plan on going to Bali for a further month, lots of nightlife there apparently.’
‘I’ve always wanted to try nudism,’ offered Sebastian.
‘You’ve never mentioned that.’ Isabel looked horrified.
Joan viewed Seb from the corner of her eye, hmm, more to him than he lets on. Dark Horse, eh?
‘When was all this arranged then?’ Pete’s eyes flared.
Oh here we go; there’ll be a few days of sulky silence now, the cheeky two-timing bastard, don’t get mad…get everything Joan, she smiled back at him. ‘Oh, it’s not been arranged yet, me and Jules were just talking about it, when you were at your…’
‘I would never go anywhere without John.’ Anne butted in.
Joan sipped her wine and eyed up John this time, I bet you wouldn’t, now if my husband was as gorgeous as him…..’More garlic bread anyone?’
‘Why don’t we all go to Jamaica?’ John took the proffered bread. ‘Sounds great fun.’
Joan bit into a chunk of bread, yeah, right; your wife’d look gorgeous nude….not.
Anne was at least eighteen stones but only five feet two. She’d had a weight problem as long as Joan could think back, well a stuffing-your-face-with-food problem more like.
She had a copycat problem too, constantly clocking the clothes Joan wore and racing down to the shops to buy duplicates. This amused Joan greatly and took it as a compliment. Sometimes and just for devilment, she would tell Anne a different shop to where she’d bought her clobber and watch her friend’s frustration when she couldn’t find replicas. Even if she did, there was no way they ever looked as good on her as on the five feet ten, slender Joan.
‘I need a facelift or something before I travel, either of you tried that crystal-blasting treatment?’
Anne looked indignant, ‘My skin doesn’t need any treatment whatsoever, and I haven’t even got any wrinkles yet.’
Oh yes you do, it’s just that the fat puffs your face out, wrinkles with it. Joan smirked to herself. Lose ten stone and your skin’d look like a bloody pachyderm’s.
‘Yes, you have beautiful skin,’ commented Isabel.
‘For her age,’ quipped John at which Anne’s face became decidedly ugly. John’s and Joan’s eyes met, she quickly looked away and bit on a gherkin to stop her bursting into laughter. That would have been the end of her and Anne. The trouble with Anne was that if she wasn’t the centre of attraction, she wasn’t playing but this sort of attention wasn’t the type intended. Joan waited for her to explode and wasn’t disappointed.
‘You’re a **** a friggin’ ****. Do you know that?’
Isabel blushed to the roots of her hair and chomped on a gherkin. These gherkins were coming in handy. Seb looked at his watch. John didn’t react; he was as used to these outbursts as were the hosts. There were a few moments silence.
‘We’re going to the Festival Hall next weekend,’ announced Seb.
‘What’s on?’ Pete asked.
‘A Beethoven concert, it should be excellent.’
‘Indeed,’ said John.
A conversation about the classics ensued. Anne went into a sulk but Joan was accustomed to that and knew that she would soon ‘come round’.
Apart from the one fracas the evening went well and it was three am before the guests left.
John had still seemed keen on the nudist holiday, as did Seb but Joan didn’t want any hangers-on, not at the launch of her new life.
Pete’s hands began to wander. Oh, no, puh-lease not at this time in the morning, does he never stop it?
This time there was no dinner for four to plan so she lay back and thought of her session at the gym and pool the next day.
The four friends relaxed in the Jacuzzi, a white wine each. This was their time to be together once a week; an hour in the gym followed by forty lengths in the pool and then a dip into the hot bubbling water for a natter. Privately owned the complex was luxurious never crowded and suited the quartet perfectly.
Anne was still reeling from the night before, ‘I’m going to really go mad with the credit card now,’ she sipped her wine.
‘Not another Prada bag, how many’s that you’ve got?’ asked Brenda.
‘Do I give a ****? I’ll buy matching shoes an’ all.’
‘He was only joking Anne,’ said Joan.
‘Yeah, well I’m teaching him not to give sly digs even in jest.’
‘Why, what did he say?’ Brenda leaned forward; she liked nothing better than a bit of gossip and others’ disharmony with one another.
‘He implied that I looked alright for my age.’
Jules glanced at Joan and they both smirked. Anne lacked self esteem and they all recognised this, it did get tiresome sometimes though, always trying to reassure her that she was a loved and treasured friend. She had more clothes in her possession than the whole of Debenham’s put together, or should that be Christian Dior or the likes, only exclusive stuff was good enough for Anne.
‘Have you seen Newbloom’s new range?’ asked Brenda enthusiastically. ‘They’ve got some gorgeous tops in.’
‘I haven’t been in recently,’ replied Joan. Newbloom wasn’t her style but did agree that the stuff was enough to pay for fashion items that were out of style within weeks. Brenda didn’t look nice in anything, at sixty four, she’d no fashion sense but none of the others had the heart to tell her. Today she’d mixed a trendy top with a 1970s skirt, and a pair of 1980s shoes. The top as usual was way too young for her and bordered on the ridiculous, she preferred sleeveless too and Joan thought there was nothing worse than having wrinkled old arms on display. Brenda and husband were vastly rich and so she got away with any look according to her, and not giving a damn for what anyone thought.
‘Anyway, I’m more interested in face treatment at the mo,’ said Joan.
‘A friend of mine has just had that…that…er, is it crystal-blasting or something?’
‘Round here, Brenda?’ Joan was keen to find out.
‘No, in London somewhere.’
‘Fancy a trip to London Jules?’ Joan and her friend chuckled.
‘I’m up for anything these days,’ she replied.
‘I’ll come with you an’ all.’
‘You said last night that you’d never go anywhere without John.’
‘I know but that were last night and I’d had a few jars,’ Anne sipped her wine. ‘Any road, I’ll be able to shop at Harrods, that’ll piss him off.’
The four left the complex and went to the nearby pub for lunch and to discuss their plans for a weekend in London.
Is this any good?/novel?
WAY TOO LONG TO READ ; O
roller blades
Chapter 1
Wow, that was some story thought Joan as she placed the paperback onto the coffee
table. The novel, Chick Lit, was not really intended for her age group, mid sixties, but she’d thoroughly enjoyed it, and why not? The elderly were just teenagers in old skin.
Joan sat back on the shiny, leather sofa and sipped her coffee. Sparked off by the contents of the book, she reflected on the fifty years she deemed wasted on two dead leg husbands.
Jeez, that’s half a century! The first, fat, flawed and futile, the second and current one, well, yes, the second and current one…
She lit a cigarette, drew heavily on it and made her mind up there and then that she was going to get a life, not just any old life, a young life, a sort of Chick Lit life, a life she’d missed out on all those years ago. Three kids before ones twenty first birthday had been far from a good starting point. Joan hadn’t been in love with him but a sexual ‘experiment’ had led to an unwanted pregnancy and society at that time made sure there were to be no single mothers. A man-child for a so called husband and an even worse mother-in-law, the type you could gladly drop into an acid bath so all trace had gone, well except for dentures.
She glanced at the calendar and pondered on a date from when her new life should begin.
But where to begin? Botox, Crystal-blast, Face-lift? I need something. It’s ok to think chick but when your skin thinks hen…there’s more lines on it than a Rhode Island road map.
Dvorak’s Humoresque belted out from the phone and penetrated Joan’s thoughts. ‘Help the aged,’ she answered.
‘Hi, it’s me.’
‘Jules! I was going to ring you but I thought you’d still be zedding it. How’d it go?’ Joan perked up at the sound of her best friend’s voice, and then realised, that her voice sounded wary.
‘You’re not going to like this Joan, are you sitting comfortably?’
For Jules to say that, the news had to be big. Joan leant against the arm of a chair.
‘Go on, what happened?’
‘She’s blonde, tubby… and wait for it…about twenty five years old.’
Joan was silent for a moment. So it was true beyond a doubt, Pete had a bit on the side. She slid down the arm of the chair to the seat. Maybe Jules had seen the evidence, but Joan herself hadn’t.
‘Get her address?’
‘Yeah, rough district, look, I’ll come across and we can chat at length. Ok?’
Joan replaced the receiver and went to the drinks cabinet. At least she’s fat. She mused.
Selecting the most expensive red, she uncorked it and poured a large, no, a very large glass. Her friend liked red too, as she always said, ‘at our age it’s good for the old arteries.’
Jules arrived in her brand new Smart car; it had made a good disguise the previous evening for tracking Peter, Joan’s husband.
‘I suspected some time ago he was playing around Jules, although, really I can’t imagine who’d fancy a clapped out eighty two year old. He’s recently invested in some new Y-fronts too, what sort of woman shags a man who wears Y-Fronts? The mind boggles.’
The second bottle of red was having a pleasant couldn’t-care-less attitude on Joan’s grey matter. She giggled along with Jules imagining Pete getting his leg over.
‘Perhaps he makes a better sugar-granddaddy than a sugar-daddy,’ she laughed.
For all the mirth, Jules could see a deep sadness behind her friend’s eyes. Pals from school days they’d stuck together over the years. They’d become more like sisters than their own sisters.
‘This isn’t the first woman Pete’s shagged but this time I want facts, enough’s enough. besides, this new sex-on-legs-cow’s had a profound effect on him.’
Basically a kind person, in recent years he’d become retaliative, sarcastic and decidedly cold in his manner towards her.
‘In the early years my ‘fiery’ nature turned him on and he even admitted that to this end he sometimes goaded me! What really bugs me as well, he used to love the way I flounced off when we rowed, he loved watching my long, dark hair swinging about. Now, he says I’m aggressive or I need anger therapy, cheeky sod, he obviously thinks silver hair isn’t good enough for him. Jeez, he doesn’t even have looks. Mind you, he has some charm and a good sense of humour.’
‘Joan, you’re getting morose, have another glass.’ Jules uncorked another bottle.
‘The only saving grace in all this is that he’s fifteen years older then you.’
‘And?’
‘Well, odds are that he’ll die before you.’
Joan held her head back and laughed, it was a long drawn out belly-laugh.
‘Don’t make me laugh; he’s like a ******* robot. Do you know the only thing wrong with him is that he’s got a corn?’ She laughed out loud again then gulped her wine. She became morose again. ‘Do you know what the experts say in the scientific world? They say if one is fit by the age of eighty, there’s no reason, as to why one won’t reach ninety.’ She began to sob. ‘I can’t go another shite decade with him’
‘The booze is making you miserable Joan. You know, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, being a widow. Ones income’s halved for starters.’
‘You’re right, I’m always bloody moaning, aren’t I? The only thing is, in ten years time, I don’t want to be sitting here wishing I’d got a life, and just crocheting antimacassars. Anyway what do you think of this idea?’ Joan lit yet another fag.
‘Let’s have a bite to eat and a nice black coffee first, don’t forget I have to drive home.’
‘Good idea.’ She glanced at the clock, ‘Pete’ll be at least another hour yet.’
Whilst they both tucked in to ham sandwiches and sipped black coffee, Joan explained a few ideas she’d come up with to enhance both hers and Jules’ lives. Her friend listened intently, eyes widening from time to time.
‘I’ll get back home now and I promise that I’ll have a good think about what we’ve discussed.’
The two women bade their goodbyes and Jules drove off, back to her bungalow a few miles away.
Joan tidied up the lounge then washed the dishes. She liked everything to be neat and tidy. The bungalow was a new build when they had bought it. Three bedrooms, a large lounge, the kitchen wasn’t small either. The gardens front, back and side were extensive and over the years the many plants and shrubs they had planted together now gave the garden a colourful, mature look. Joan’s favourite spot was where the swing seat was positioned. Under a pagoda, covered with purple and white Clematis, it gave shelter from the hottest sun and a peaceful haven away from neighbours prying eyes. She was proud of her achievements for someone stemming from a childhood of poverty; you’ve not done bad lass. She often told herself.
She heard Pete coming in after his visit to his daughter’s, well, after his night of passion rather.
‘Hi,’ she greeted him all smiles.
‘Hi,’ was his response.
‘Have a nice evening?’ She continued dusting the furniture, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.
‘Oh, it was ok, she wasn’t well enough to make us a meal so I went out for a take-away.’
Oh, yeah, a blonde-tubby-about-twenty-five-year-old one, she wanted to say but desisted.
‘When she feels better, she wants me to take her to her old school friend’s for a weekend, she lives in Newcastle.’
‘That’ll be nice for you both,’ said with just a tad of sarcasm.
‘You don’t mind, do you?’ Pete side glanced at Joan and waited for her reaction.
‘Who? Me? I’ve never restricted your movements, of course I don’t mind.’
Great stuff, she thought, now my plans can come into being, how could he moan about me travelling now? Ha. She laughed to herself, some men are so stupid.
Pete went off into his study, no doubt reliving the night of passion he’d had with his lover and dreaming about the forthcoming weekend with the slag. Joan continued with the housework whilst plotting her new life, well, he was being economical with the truth and what’s good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander, but in this case surely that should be what’s good enough for the gander is good enough for the goose. Who wrote these proverbs?
Dvorak’s Humoresque rang out. ‘Orphaned widows,’ she answered.
It was her friend Mo, crying down the phone, should she get a divorce from her lying, cheating husband. Jeez, that’s all I need. Why can’t others deal with their own nightmares? I’ve got plenty of my own to be going on with thanks.
Mo’d found a packet of condoms again in the pocket of his best suit.
Think yourself lucky he’s got the sense to use ‘em, she wanted to say but thought it too cruel.
The husband in question was six feet four, drop-dead-gorgeous and had women just drooling and dropping at his feet. Joan had wondered how long it’d be before he strayed when he took Mo to the registrars…well, it was her third marriage, (church was out of the question) but at least the ceremonies had been that close together, Joan had been able to wear the same outfit for each one.
‘Best not to worry Mo, why don’t you go out and go mad with his credit card.? That’s good therapy.’
‘You’re right Joan; I’ve seen a gorgeous leather coat and boots I like.’
‘Good, hurt his pocket. I’ll see you next week then.’
Joan replaced the receiver. Women just can’t win. Here’s an ugly old fool shagging around and there’s a handsome young fool doing the very same. Or was it the women? Why do women shag others husbands?
Sex with Pete that night was as boring as ever even though she suspected he was practicing various methods to try when screwing his tart.
Besides Joan had other things on her mind, she had dinner to cook tomorrow for four friends…vegetarian friends. What the hell can I make? Pete turned her over.
Perhaps a Soya spag bol could be the answer. Where to get Soya though? Pete’s hand was wandering. I could get some humus and tortillas, yes, that’d be nice as a starter.
Pete was reaching his climax now. Jeez, planning dinner for four is damned harder than having sex.
The following evening, Joan served up the spaghetti bolognaise. It had been simple to make and she was most impressed with the taste of the Soya meat.
Pete poured out the wine for their friends. Joan had a head start on the others; she’d partaken of a few glasses whilst preparing dinner.
The strange mixture of characters seated themselves at the table. Sebastian and wife Isabel, not their real names but they liked the sound of them. Both retired civil servants they were quite boring and staid.
Joan had thought long ago that their real names were probably Cyril and Ethel or the likes.
John and Anne, real names, he was great fun and an extravert, how he came to be married to her was always a mystery to Joan. He was still quite shaggable. John was a lawyer; she was a barmaid when they met. She sure knew what she was doing having got pregnant a couple of weeks later. They had more money than sense. Nevertheless, they were good fun and Joan liked them both, she sat with her guests. ‘Help yourselves to Parmesan and get stuck in.’
‘So, what are your plans for this summer, each and all?’ asked John.
‘Jules and me are going for a month to a nudist complex in Jamaica,’ she blurted out.
The others didn’t know whether to believe her and reacted with guffaws.
‘I’m serious. Then we plan on going to Bali for a further month, lots of nightlife there apparently.’
‘I’ve always wanted to try nudism,’ offered Sebastian.
‘You’ve never mentioned that.’ Isabel looked horrified.
Joan viewed Seb from the corner of her eye, hmm, more to him than he lets on. Dark Horse, eh?
‘When was all this arranged then?’ Pete’s eyes flared.
Oh here we go; there’ll be a few days of sulky silence now, the cheeky two-timing bastard, don’t get mad…get everything Joan, she smiled back at him. ‘Oh, it’s not been arranged yet, me and Jules were just talking about it, when you were at your…’
‘I would never go anywhere without John.’ Anne butted in.
Joan sipped her wine and eyed up John this time, I bet you wouldn’t, now if my husband was as gorgeous as him…..’More garlic bread anyone?’
‘Why don’t we all go to Jamaica?’ John took the proffered bread. ‘Sounds great fun.’
Joan bit into a chunk of bread, yeah, right; your wife’d look gorgeous nude….not.
Anne was at least eighteen stones but only five feet two. She’d had a weight problem as long as Joan could think back, well a stuffing-your-face-with-food problem more like.
She had a copycat problem too, constantly clocking the clothes Joan wore and racing down to the shops to buy duplicates. This amused Joan greatly and took it as a compliment. Sometimes and just for devilment, she would tell Anne a different shop to where she’d bought her clobber and watch her friend’s frustration when she couldn’t find replicas. Even if she did, there was no way they ever looked as good on her as on the five feet ten, slender Joan.
‘I need a facelift or something before I travel, either of you tried that crystal-blasting treatment?’
Anne looked indignant, ‘My skin doesn’t need any treatment whatsoever, and I haven’t even got any wrinkles yet.’
Oh yes you do, it’s just that the fat puffs your face out, wrinkles with it. Joan smirked to herself. Lose ten stone and your skin’d look like a bloody pachyderm’s.
‘Yes, you have beautiful skin,’ commented Isabel.
‘For her age,’ quipped John at which Anne’s face became decidedly ugly. John’s and Joan’s eyes met, she quickly looked away and bit on a gherkin to stop her bursting into laughter. That would have been the end of her and Anne. The trouble with Anne was that if she wasn’t the centre of attraction, she wasn’t playing but this sort of attention wasn’t the type intended. Joan waited for her to explode and wasn’t disappointed.
‘You’re a **** a friggin’ ****. Do you know that?’
Isabel blushed to the roots of her hair and chomped on a gherkin. These gherkins were coming in handy. Seb looked at his watch. John didn’t react; he was as used to these outbursts as were the hosts. There were a few moments silence.
‘We’re going to the Festival Hall next weekend,’ announced Seb.
‘What’s on?’ Pete asked.
‘A Beethoven concert, it should be excellent.’
‘Indeed,’ said John.
A conversation about the classics ensued. Anne went into a sulk but Joan was accustomed to that and knew that she would soon ‘come round’.
Apart from the one fracas the evening went well and it was three am before the guests left.
John had still seemed keen on the nudist holiday, as did Seb but Joan didn’t want any hangers-on, not at the launch of her new life.
Pete’s hands began to wander. Oh, no, puh-lease not at this time in the morning, does he never stop it?
This time there was no dinner for four to plan so she lay back and thought of her session at the gym and pool the next day.
The four friends relaxed in the Jacuzzi, a white wine each. This was their time to be together once a week; an hour in the gym followed by forty lengths in the pool and then a dip into the hot bubbling water for a natter. Privately owned the complex was luxurious never crowded and suited the quartet perfectly.
Anne was still reeling from the night before, ‘I’m going to really go mad with the credit card now,’ she sipped her wine.
‘Not another Prada bag, how many’s that you’ve got?’ asked Brenda.
‘Do I give a ****? I’ll buy matching shoes an’ all.’
‘He was only joking Anne,’ said Joan.
‘Yeah, well I’m teaching him not to give sly digs even in jest.’
‘Why, what did he say?’ Brenda leaned forward; she liked nothing better than a bit of gossip and others’ disharmony with one another.
‘He implied that I looked alright for my age.’
Jules glanced at Joan and they both smirked. Anne lacked self esteem and they all recognised this, it did get tiresome sometimes though, always trying to reassure her that she was a loved and treasured friend. She had more clothes in her possession than the whole of Debenham’s put together, or should that be Christian Dior or the likes, only exclusive stuff was good enough for Anne.
‘Have you seen Newbloom’s new range?’ asked Brenda enthusiastically. ‘They’ve got some gorgeous tops in.’
‘I haven’t been in recently,’ replied Joan. Newbloom wasn’t her style but did agree that the stuff was enough to pay for fashion items that were out of style within weeks. Brenda didn’t look nice in anything, at sixty four, she’d no fashion sense but none of the others had the heart to tell her. Today she’d mixed a trendy top with a 1970s skirt, and a pair of 1980s shoes. The top as usual was way too young for her and bordered on the ridiculous, she preferred sleeveless too and Joan thought there was nothing worse than having wrinkled old arms on display. Brenda and husband were vastly rich and so she got away with any look according to her, and not giving a damn for what anyone thought.
‘Anyway, I’m more interested in face treatment at the mo,’ said Joan.
‘A friend of mine has just had that…that…er, is it crystal-blasting or something?’
‘Round here, Brenda?’ Joan was keen to find out.
‘No, in London somewhere.’
‘Fancy a trip to London Jules?’ Joan and her friend chuckled.
‘I’m up for anything these days,’ she replied.
‘I’ll come with you an’ all.’
‘You said last night that you’d never go anywhere without John.’
‘I know but that were last night and I’d had a few jars,’ Anne sipped her wine. ‘Any road, I’ll be able to shop at Harrods, that’ll piss him off.’
The four left the complex and went to the nearby pub for lunch and to discuss their plans for a weekend in London.
Is this any good?/novel?
WAY TOO LONG TO READ ; O
roller blades
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