Fred's ramblings

[fredk]

Halloween; I prepared a large orange bucket with plenty of sweets (treats). I also included a few baby potatoes, as a sort-of 'booby' prize  

The childer came to my door. I got the bucket and told them to dive in and take lots. One we lassie got a spud. She laughed as she exclaimed 'I got a potato'. Then all the others cried they wanted one too. I tried to tell them it was a trick but they weren't listening 

They all crowded round the bucket and would you believe it the buggers  err, the wee darlings all got a spud each! and were really happy  

There goes my Sunday dinner spuds  

 

 

[Sheilajeanne]

LOL! Who would have thought they'd actually WANT the spuds?? 

Oh. Wait.

You live in Ireland... 

[fredk]

When I was a small boy going to Primary school (Grade school?) one of my mother's annual rituals was to take me to a shoe shop a week or so before the school start after the summer break to buy me a new pair of shoes and a new school satchel, aka a school bag. Even though the last year's school bag was still good a new one had to be bought. ( see below, first image)

Every child in Belfast had one of these school bags. Made of good stout leather and always brown. Since those times I've come to believe the bags were made by disabled WW2 veterans in some sort of work programme

Thats not me, just a photo off the internety

Last year I was passing a top women's fashion shop in Belfast and spotted what looked like a school satchel for sale. So I wandered in and had a look.

I soon retreated when I saw the prices - £360( $475 USD / $665 CD) and some were reduced to 'only' £250 ( $330 USD / $460 CD). They were almost exactly the same as my old school bag, but available in a range of fashionable colours, eg bright blue, yellow, bright red, grass green and so on

This is a picture from the shop's website. Except for the fancy strap on this one can you tell the difference. And below it is a genuine school satchel being sold on ebay for £65

[Sheilajeanne]

My parents bought me a school bag almost identical to that one when I was in grade school. However, I think it was a combination of fabric and leather. The main part of the bag was a dark green and black plaid, and I think the flap and strap were leather. The bottom might have been leather, too.