It's my biggest brother's birthday in just over a week. That's my biggest brother, in years not in size, not my 2nd big brother who's nearly 3 years younger than him but 4" taller. My big brother will be.........75.

I'm sure there's something wrong somewhere. Some years have, apparently, been put in a time-cruncher and disposed of in a hurry. It's not that time already, is it?

We first met, obviously, on the day I was born. I don't remember this meeting - the mists of time, you know how it is - but, I gather, he and my 2nd big brother had no idea I was about to arrive (such matters were, in 1943, considered too indelicate for children to know about). I made my rather loud entrance into the world at 7.15...

West Ender

Well, it has been a proper grey old day today........it really has felt like Winter is advancing...what with the grey days, the evenings drawing in and the mornings being darker.

We walk through Mercer Park to Take Miss Bossy drawers to pre-school...the squirrels are rampant and eating as many of the horse chestnuts as they can...dropping any bits they don't fancy onto the grass...so watch your head if you go that way, as some of the bits aren't so little.

Some of the leaves are already off the trees.......and the air smells of leaves.....i can't explain what I mean by that, except it is a very rustic Autumn smell.

A lot of the shops have the Hallowe'en merchandise, and (groan)....... there are even...

Margaret Pilkington

Well, our Jo and John came back from Majorca last night. Jo said she'd collect Travis this morning, as it would be late when they got home, so I said that was fine.

We've had a good week. Travis has become one of the family while he was here and was absolutely "at home", sleeping on my bed (when I was too asleep to kick him off) and lying on the floor with Laura, her head on his flank, snoring gently. He's had lots of very long walks, been brushed until he almost shone and has been generally adored.

The only thing that didn't gel was his name. I've called him Jet/Jo/Nik/Alan/Laura/Erm/Travis, more than once but the piéce de résistance was Nik on Saturday afternoon. On one of their walks Trav mutated...

West Ender

Well im recovering bit by bit. Am sat here watching the last night of the proms. I used to sit and watch it with my mum every year and i've carried on with watching it. Its only the last night that she used to watch. It would be an experience to go to the last night - down at the albert hall, not to the park ones that they have now.

Anyway what have i done - not much this week seeing as ive been recovering. It is hard typing this - my little finger is hurting - so a's etc are hurting my finger!!! Tidied up the house after spug had gone home. No rain today so i've done a little bit of weeding on the front, have to wait for it all to dry out before i can attack it properly. Pulled out the lettuces that were left in the...

shillelagh

Today I have been on the bus to Blackburn.
I didn't go for anything in particular...just a mooch round the shops.
Blackburn shopping centre is getting dire, but not quite as dire as Accrington.

I went out and stood in Blackburn Road waiting for the bus to arrive.
I had been there only a few minutes when a young fellow came to the bus stop......all the way down the road I could see him talking...and gesticulating.
I really didn't think anything of it at the time...well, I thought perhaps he was talking on his mobile phone...with one of those 'blue-tooth' things......I couldn't see his ears as he had his hood up (well, it was raining).
As he drew closer, it was obvious that he wasn't using a mobile...

Margaret Pilkington