Nostalgia

Saturday morning - just listened as usual to Sounds of The Sixties. Bit of a tradition - the weekend wouldn't be the same without it. I am quite nostalgic really - but apart from that I still really enjoy listening to sixties music. The weather is cold and damp with mizzely rain that soaks in to your clothes.

This week saw a milestone in my working life - I started my first proper job at the Inland Revenue in Bradford on 20 October 1969 - and have now completed 40 years for the same employer. No gold watch, no thank you letter and definitely NO BONUS payment. Instead I am losing my job - which is being privatised next year. So I am being forced in to a career change or I could choose to take early retirment. Sadly at the moment this isn't financially viable. With just over three years to work I'm sure I can manage to do whatever I end up with - but I must admit to feeling rather sad and hugely disappointed at the way me and my colleagues have been treated. I am over the anger now - honest.

I left school - Cow Close County Secondary - in July 1969 with two GCE's and five CSE's - obviously an underachiever as my school reports are littered with "could do better", "must try harder". Clearly the teachers could see potential in me that didn't materialise. My first paid job after leaving school was at John Colliers (mens outfitters) in Horsforth, Leeds. I worked in the cloth stock room. My job was to pick the rolls of the cloth for the cutters to cut out the suit lengths and then return the rolls to their rightful place in stock room. My granddad (Joe) also worked there - he was passed retirment age by then but was employed to sweep up and keep the stock room floors clear etc.

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the GAP retail store. They are doing a promotion selling shirts and jeans etc in the style of 1969. I couldn't resist - I'm now the proud owner of a pair of slimline denims - exactly like I wore in my youth - the waist band is only slightly larger!! I can wear these with my baseball boots - didn't have a pair of those back in the day though. So maybe I am regressing - reliving my lost yoof!!

Life is full of coincidences - Leeds United won the First Division title in 1969 and here we are 40 years later and they are top of the First Division again!!!

My favourite songs from 1969 - Blackberry Way (The Move); Something In The Air (Thunderclap Newman); Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival); First Of May (Bee Gees); and Saved By The Bell (Robin Gibb).

What else happened in 1969 - the moon landing of course in July; Golda Meir becomes the first female prime minister of Israel; British troops arrive in Northern Ireland to reinforce the Royal Ulster Constabulary; the very first U.S. troop withdrawals are made from Vietnam; the Woodstock Festival begins in upstate New York, featuring some of the top rock musicians of the era; Monty Python's Flying Circus first airs on British Television.

What will our children and grandchildren look back on in 40 years time - Barack Obama first black American President is inaugurated; swine flu virus classifeid as a pandemic; longest recession in Britain since records began in the 1950's; Michael Jackson dies; Sri Lankan Civil War ends after more than 25 years of conflict; Israel completes its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

We're off to the seaside today - to see Jayne's brother, Ian and his wife Irene. Maybe we will get to the beach chalet and watch the world go by - probably with the wind gusting, the rain lashing and the sea raging. What is it with British fascination about the seaside - perhaps it's because we live on an island.

Thought for Tomorrow - You know you're getting old when you decide to procrastinate but never get round to it.