As they say Wagon Wheels are a treat for me! This is a lovely walk down memory lane for me. Never got to see the cafe, a deprived childhood, best tell Ester Rantzen and contact Social Services.
Thank you for that photo BrummieG. I can show my family where I took that involuntary dive. If I hadn't been rescued then my wife would have married someone else I guess and I would not be my children's father.
Very much a man after my own heart though with 2 replacement knees, one new hip and another soon climbing isn't realy my thing any more. Sounds like you have life sorted, good luck to you.Same here, I positively hate water deeper than two or three feet, and I think I have paddled once during my 15 years in Crete. Previous to that I had a paddle in Bournemouth in 1976. I don't really care for sandy beaches either, and much prefer to go up in the mountains here - far more enjoyable.
Maurice
So nowadays I stick to tracks and don't tend to wander far from them, but I stopped driving at the beginning of the year so that is a hindrance too. However, we're wandering off topic again, so I'll just confirm that my sole six swimming lessons took place at the age of 11 at Sparkhill Baths and I hated every minute of them! The whole world of emojis is a mystery to me! Sorry you have various problems but take the attitude that growing old is better than not growing old, as my wife died at 45. So use it or loose it is the motto!boringmike,
Thanks, but my problem now is age and eyesight. Until about three years ago I could scramble about quite well, but now a combination of poor balance and poor focus makes such scrambling a bit more hazardous, though not impossible. Hence, I don't take many photographs now - it's one thing if I take a bit of a knock, but could turn out to be a bit expensive if the camera takes one too!
Maurice
PS The sunglasses are not very appropriate as it's been Bambi weather for the last few days .......drip, drip, drip!
Sad isn't it, starting to remember the other pool, if you can touch the bottom, perfect! Had to take your free pass in the big pool, why I did it I don't know but guess my Mum thought I was a little Fighter Pilot!
My mother was determined that I learned to swim and in the early 50s used to drag me to the awful cold Sparkhill baths. I too hated the place and learned nothing. When I started at Wheelers Lane school we were taken to Kings Heath baths, it was warmer and had a little, shallow pool for kids. Progressing from treading water to the Dog Paddle, then the Breast Stroke, I was swimming within a few weeks.
Hi Mike,
Sorry to hear that your wife died so early, my daughter was 43 when she died 5 years ago. For emojis, you can either click on the smiley face icon on the Edit toolbar and it will insert whichever ones you want wherever the cursor was in the text, or as I generally do, type a colon, a hypen and a close bracket without spaces and it will give you the choice of the two I used in post #67 above.
Maurice
So sorry to hear about your daughter, it's just too young by far.
I also learnt to swim at Sparkhill Baths but in the sixties and was at Anderton Park primary school. I lived in Stoney Lane. I am a new member of those forum. It's very interesting Indeed.
I remember the Bovril treat after a swim back in 1969-60
