Don't be sorry - it's really interesting. And I'm in the same boat, only here because of the war, though possibly in a less direct way than you.

My grandfather on my mother's side got shot and killed by the French resistance during WW2. He wasn't a Nazi, just a regular German soldier.

My grandfather's brother on my father's side got abducted by the Gestapo/SS who raided his house without warning. Nobody knew at the time what had happened to him. He turned up unannounced 3 months later with a shaven head. I expect he was lucky not to have ended up in a death camp.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Himmler

Dad came to England via Harwich and the Kindertransport operation, ended up in Devon living with his guardian, who passed away one year before I was born. Mum was originally from East Prussia, ended up in a concentration camp in Denmark after the war and with her brother, sisters and mother were repatriated to what was West Germany. Later mum came to England to work for the local landowner and was introduced to dad by a neighbor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindertransport

Dad's brother wasn't allowed to leave Germany via Kindertransport, as he was too old and ended up in Switzerland after nearly dying of tuberculosis. The only cure in those days was to go to an alpine clinic.

Like I said, it's all very complicated.

It's all fascinating though, jra. I'm hoping to sort out my family tree when I retire - but by comparison with yours, think mine will be a doddle.

Today, I have been gardening. I now ache in places I didn't think it was possible to ache in

all potato famine stuff in my background

Fairly sure there's some of that on my ma's ma's side, too - as well as the German stuff she was convinced of. Her father's side was far less interesting

Most of my family are/were insane. It's amazing I turned out so normal.

*puts on bat costume and jumps out of window*

Ooh, fambly history! Cool!

jra, that's facinating stuff. Sad, too, as you say.

My Mum's family are the more interesting ones - her Mum's family were from Hartlepool, so lots of sailors and one notable captain who went down with his ship but sent home a letter to his wife in a bottle . Mum's Dad's family were all Scots, and my Grandpa on that side was in the Royal Scots Greys; he commanded a tank in WW2.

Dad's lot are all farmers, so haven't really done anything exciting - but we go back a long way in one small area, which is nice and comforting somehow.

blimey a full week for me this week

Wotcha lovelies

Been trying to log into here for most of the evening but it just didn't want to let me - so I just attempted to reply here and it loved me again... What's not to love 'eh?!

Most recently I have been doing bugger all... but I've been doing it in style so it's all good

(That was nowhere near grumpy enough I know - I fear I've lost the knack )

Hi, Collette!

Looks like a busy old Monday fro the GOWs - hope Tuesday treats you all well

I went home early to keep Melony occupied so that Mr M could watch the England match without her climbing all over him. She was really good, although he *did* have to nurse baby doll whil she had her bottle...

Morning Handy

Loving the idea of multitasking while watching the footy - we've had sweepstakes going on the score for each match and so far I've got every one wrong... Obviously missed a trick there as a pundit!!

Where's Paul the octopus when you need him...

I might try asking the dog

Is there some football on, then?

One woof for a draw, two for a win etc.

Sad, do I take it you're not glued to the Poland v Russia game?

Polska!




With you lot all talking about WW2, somehow I ended up on Amazon, which recommended stuff to me which lead to this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Retro-Unifor...sbs_k_h_b_cs_5

Look at "Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed" : four pages of knee trembles ... D

Evening Grumpies

Afternoon.

I'm having a day off. Doing nuffink I don't want to. I've finished reading a book and the evening is reserved for a Game of Thrones fest. The boy loved season 1 so we've saved up season 2 to watch in one or two chunks. We've even got popcorn and hotdogs (dogless ones obviously ). Bliss.

That's just cobs innit? *midlander alert*

Just off to a meeting and then straight after that it's a Wednesday night so that means it's cocktail night... experimentation usually occurs (Sad and probably a few others have seen the photographic evidence of how these evenings tend to progress...) so new ingredients tonight are tequila and lemon curd. What could possibly go wrong?!

<--- will probably accurately depict the looks on my face this evening!!

It's your face tomorrow morning that will be interesting......


Here, I am tired, dehydrated and very peeved. Going to step away from the work emails and breathe, count to ten and cook dinner. Grump.

knackered.com

A global internet body has voted to allow the creation of new website domain suffixes, the biggest change for the online world in years

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13835997

knackered.grumpy
knackered.gow

I have to see this

That trailer was on when we went to see The Avengers (did I mention I'd seen The Avengers...? )

Looks like a Lovefilm job to me, that one!

I'd love a .grumpy website.

After my lazy day yesterday, I'm finding it quite hard to get motivated.