Friday 9th october 2020

 When I lived at Clifton Road with my parents in Salisbury, I did a bit of reasearch on the building lately and discovered the propert was built in 1901.  This must have been standing when the Titanic left for Ireland and it's final destination, I wonder what the rooms must have looked like then in 1912?

My bedroom was at the back of the house and had a boarded up fireplace with only the blue mantlepiece visable, I also had Disney's alley cat wall paper which I naughtily sometimes wrote on. 

At the end of our back garden was a red brick wall with a glased over window covered by a grid, I never knew what it's purpose was.  The building behind it must of had a fire because I remember the rafters were exposed to the elements, pidgeons used to land on the rafters while watching our house.  It was there when we moved in 1981, but that was the last I saw of it, because it was pulled down later.

We had an outside loo with a wooden handel on the chain, the cistern was oainted red.  During the windy month's the door used to open, it was only fastened by a latch; the days before locks came a long.

dad went back a couple of days to get some stuff after we moved.  Gran had gone by then, she did visit us at Clifton Road when she was alive but we ended up visiting her house more in the end.

She lived at no 5 Hudson Road, I'm confused about how old those houses were.  Just up the road from Stratford village, most of the houses had a front lawn with a tree stump by the wooden gates.  Most of the front lawns have been turned into car parks now, but then they were grassy lawns.  Gran had a neighbour who lived over the road called Mrs Dyer, she's now gone but she babysat me when mum had to go into hospital a few times.

Gran had (like most people then) a vegetable patch but it did get a bit too much for her, a lot of people who lived during the war had vegetable patches.  The smell of a burning bonfire brings back memorie's, I used to spray the vegetables with a hose which I thought was great fun; especially aiming it over the neighbours fence and seeing a few cats shoot out.  I rember the rhubarb that grew and the bitter taste, also peas were grown and the pods.

I was never allowed upstairs, I got shouted at if I tried.  I did see grandad before he passed away, occasionally a man would come down stairs to make a cuppa; to me he was just the 'man who lived upstairs'.  

This is the nearest I can get to what the living room was like.  Ignore the furniture, the floor was carpeted (a dark colour) gran sat in a chair on the left, i think there were shelves behind.  A picture of uncle Bill and grandad in army uniform hung near the larger window, I would love to know what happened to that picture. 

On the right by the window stood the tv, Gran loved crossroads; dad said none of them could act.  I remember the fireplace had white tiles, gran used to place the butter by the grate to melt when it was teatime.  In front of the fireplace was a beige rug, a gas fire replaced the fireplace in the end. On the mantle piece she had a picture of a dark haired man (Lord Pomeroy) she worked for who used to live in cathedral Close.

Aunt Maria used to have the bedroom next to hers, there were steps leading into the room; the window faced the back garden as grans faced the street.  The house must have been very lonley after aunt Maria died of lung cancer. 

I hated the chain pull toilet, when anyone pulled the chain it made a thunderouse clanking noise before whistling into an eerie silence. 

This is who Hudson road is named after.

John Cattrell Hudson Salisbury Mayor 1926-27

The kitchen was small with a pantry smelling of pickle's, gran had the backdoor open on fine days and I loved sitting in the back garden because it was real countryside.

had a paddy this morning and had to take windchime round to Sarum jewellers to get it unmuddled.  Those command hooks are very good, I have to leave it for 60 mins to set then it's ready to use.  I managed to get though to Jen, she's my support worker and needs the patience of a saint to put up with me.     

A map of UK prevalence of the virus from PA - the darker the colour the worse it is

 Apparently shielding is going to be reinstated in the North, a lot of students are spreading the virus and thinking they are invinciable; its our elderly who get the brunt from these thoughtless assholes!  Lockdown measures could last six months as ministers admit coronavirus is "getting out of control".  England's Chief Medical Officer issued the grim warning to northern MPs as they brace for their pubs and restaurants to shut - and thousands of vulnerable locals to start "shielding" once more.

And they will be bringing it with them during the summer month's, and we will be forced to stay away from our own beaches because of these damned 'grockle's'.  I couldn't go to Bournemouth for a day out or on holiday, because these tourists from the North wouldn't social distance and their so agressive with it. 

During the first lockdown London bus drivers played a vital role in keeping the capital moving, and for that too many paid the ultimate price.  Here our buses drivers only have a plastic sheet across the counter which doesn't look very good, all passengers must wear a face covering which steams my glasses up..