east lower Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 hour ago, chara said: @east lower........",,and it was damned work hard work "👷👷♂️👷♂️ Reminds me of my first day on the dock on Cape Cod unloading fishing boats....dogged tired and next day said to an older guy.."Man I was tired last night"..pat on the shoulder and a rueful smile,,",That's why we call it work chara".🎣🎣🎣 Wonder how long some of our, and others, young millionaires would fare in such real world situations? For sure………..the archetypal Irish labourers aren’t even coming through/across now. Even the Eastern European’s that were propping up the labour market in the UK have started to be Anglicised and are getting lazy. It’s a strange phenomenon, how people (no matter what their background) tend to gravitate downwards far easier than the opposite direction in terms of behaviour and efforts. The latter can be laid against the best coaches I.e. the ones who improve their players and their team. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 hour ago, chara said: @east lower........",,and it was damned work hard work "👷👷♂️👷♂️ Reminds me of my first day on the dock on Cape Cod unloading fishing boats....dogged tired and next day said to an older guy.."Man I was tired last night"..pat on the shoulder and a rueful smile,,",That's why we call it work chara".🎣🎣🎣 Wonder how long some of our, and others, young millionaires would fare in such real world situations? Agree. Worked as a leather worker, treating 9 tons a day of chamois hides. Thought my back would break. My predecessor died after an industrial injury - details horrific. Lasted 24 hours. Then worked for two weeks on a fish docks in Exmouth shovelling fish guts and stinking of fish so bad I always had a compartment to myself on the train home. Football players? Money for nothing and their wags for free. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sciatika Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 hour ago, chara said: @east lower........",,and it was damned work hard work "👷👷♂️👷♂️ Hardest day's work I ever did was bringing in a potato harvest. You start walking behind a farm vehicle bent double picking up the spuds and when the cwt sack is full, you set it aside and start the next sack. At the end of the day you could barely move your back. Next day you would start again. 😱 It went on for about two weeks . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 5 minutes ago, Blue Moon said: Agree. Worked as a leather worker, treating 9 tons a day of chamois hides. Thought my back would break. My predecessor died after an industrial injury - details horrific. Lasted 24 hours. Then worked for two weeks on a fish docks in Exmouth shovelling fish guts and stinking of fish so bad I always had a compartment to myself on the train home. Football players? Money for nothing and their wags for free. The train episode...one day the dog fish swarmed and for some reason we were short handed so we worked our butts off quite late into the evening..the vacationers in Provincetown tend to be a bit flamboyant and as I walked home, fish scaled and mucky, through the evening throng it was like the parting of the Red Sea,,,an Alien cometh indeed! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 Agree. Did that too. With an army of Romanies. Didn’t manage two weeks - you obviously have a robust backbone ….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 1 minute ago, chara said: The train episode...one day the dog fish swarmed and for some reason we were short handed so we worked our butts off quite late into the evening..the vacationers in Provincetown tend to be a bit flamboyant and as I walked home, fish scaled and mucky, through the evening throng it was like the parting of the Red Sea,,,an Alien cometh indeed! The trawler boys landed an 80 pound moray one day, and the bastard leapt off the gutting table into our pile of fish guts. Never run so fast. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 (edited) Brief message from Mrs C - five hours in the morning picking strawberries, kneeling along the rows and nipping stalks until your fingertips bleed - then get home and have housework to do and dinner to prepare and cook for a family of five, three of whom were large boys with hollow legs. "A woman's work is never done" (TIM "typed it myself" SP) Added by me...see..a bunch of whimps we are! Edited September 6 by chara 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 You can see just how much ‘character-building’ stuff that the below 40’s have missed out on 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 37 minutes ago, Sciatika said: Hardest day's work I ever did was bringing in a potato harvest. You start walking behind a farm vehicle bent double picking up the spuds and when the cwt sack is full, you set it aside and start the next sack. At the end of the day you could barely move your back. Next day you would start again. 😱 It went on for about two weeks . Part of my own ‘apprenticeship’ was working with an Irish Gang, digging trenches in the footpaths, roads for new power cables. Those boys could work, like human JCB’s. Had to be, not many mechanical diggers around back then. And they dogged you all day, especially so as I was the bosses plant, and a ‘tan’. Some tales to tell, especially with the troubles also starting to get going over in Ireland. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 10 minutes ago, east lower said: Part of my own ‘apprenticeship’ was working with an Irish Gang, digging trenches in the footpaths, roads for new power cables. Those boys could work, like human JCB’s. Had to be, not many mechanical diggers around back then. And they dogged you all day, especially so as I was the bosses plant, and a ‘tan’. Some tales to tell, especially with the troubles also starting to get going over in Ireland. Thanks everyone for yet another terrific (and insightful) freewheeling debate off topic...one of the joys of the Forum... so many interesting members and all presented in the right spirit...no "clever me" posts..all with a rueful smile and a fond memory (easier than at the time!) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Blood Is Blue Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Loved reading all those posts and no way I can compare in any way, I’m one of those below 40s (just) I’m afraid @east lower! I did once dig and line a pond though and my Dad would have me out helping him often enough! Paid work for me has always been sat behind a desk, although it’s now standing behind a desk due to dodgy back issues… must have been that pond! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sciatika Posted September 7 Popular Post Share Posted September 7 I was lucky. Working on farms was a summer job while I was at uni. I wanted money to supplement my grant but knew I would be all right without it. It was warm, there was fresh air, and I felt young and alive. Chiefly, though, I knew that it would end soon. The people who had it hard were the ones, men and women, who needed the money to get by and who didn't have an end in sight. They had no alternative. Most farms where I grew up used convertible husbandry based on arable crops (wheat, barley), so the main harvest was mainly mechanised. However, fruit and veg picking, a supplementary crop, was manual. I never did strawberries because that's in term time, but, as Mrs C. says, they are supposed to be the pits. Apart from the spuds, it's mainly about veg and fruit picking. Note: It's essential to wear gloves for gooseberries and other berries with thorns. Pea-picking was quite fun because it's mostly standing up. The workers were mostly middle-aged and lived locally. Some of them were my relatives. They moved from farm to farm, either walking or on bikes. It could be a long day. They were a happy bunch for the most part, and the women were really lovely and kind, though, being a young man, they would spend most of their time pulling my leg about stuff. I liked them. Later, in winter, the men would look for manual work. They used to stand in groups on the corner of roads, and people would stop and pick out one or two for the day. This was a tricky time because, generally, women couldn't get those jobs and would have to live on what they put by at harvest time (and "the social"). 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 1 hour ago, My Blood Is Blue said: Loved reading all those posts and no way I can compare in any way, I’m one of those below 40s (just) I’m afraid @east lower! I did once dig and line a pond though and my Dad would have me out helping him often enough! Paid work for me has always been sat behind a desk, although it’s now standing behind a desk due to dodgy back issues… must have been that pond! Standing is the new sitting. Generalising of course and with a little bit of tongue in cheek with the below 40 thing. But, the point about the labour market is happening and has been for the last 10 years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 46 minutes ago, Sciatika said: I was lucky. Working on farms was a summer job while I was at uni. I wanted money to supplement my grant but knew I would be all right without it. It was warm, there was fresh air, and I felt young and alive. Chiefly, though, I knew that it would end soon. The people who had it hard were the ones, men and women, who needed the money to get by and who didn't have an end in sight. They had no alternative. Most farms where I grew up used convertible husbandry based on arable crops (wheat, barley), so the main harvest was mainly mechanised. However, fruit and veg picking, a supplementary crop, was manual. I never did strawberries because that's in term time, but, as Mrs C. says, they are supposed to be the pits. Apart from the spuds, it's mainly about veg and fruit picking. Note: It's essential to wear gloves for gooseberries and other berries with thorns. Pea-picking was quite fun because it's mostly standing up. The workers were mostly middle-aged and lived locally. Some of them were my relatives. They moved from farm to farm, either walking or on bikes. It could be a long day. They were a happy bunch for the most part, and the women were really lovely and kind, though, being a young man, they would spend most of their time pulling my leg about stuff. I liked them. Later, in winter, the men would look for manual work. They used to stand in groups on the corner of roads, and people would stop and pick out one or two for the day. This was a tricky time because, generally, women couldn't get those jobs and would have to live on what they put by at harvest time (and "the social"). Character building stuff, the likes of which are rare now. What you describe as regards the casual labour happened in construction/civils/groundwork a lot. Used to drive the mini-bus up to the Elephant (Elephant & Castle) with orders from the boss about how many lads to pick up tomorrow. They’d be living above the pubs and there’d be a labour master picking out who’s going where. They’d change their boots and caps, buy a tweed jacket on the Friday for the weekend and be at work in it on the Monday. Hardy souls, bless them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisb Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 I picked peas with my older brother when I was about 9 and you were paid by the bag. The bag was as tall as I was at that age! Joined the army when I was 16 and then learned exactly what being tired was actually like! 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 12 hours ago, Blue Moon said: The trawler boys landed an 80 pound moray one day, and the bastard leapt off the gutting table into our pile of fish guts. Never run so fast. In latter years, say when the hard work was starting to pay back a bit and on a moray-eel theme. Scuba diving was a bit of a hobby. Used to reef dive a bit in the Indian Ocean, most of the time nice gentle dives, drifting along. Occasionally though when diving in the channels, the currents would get quite strong so the best (only) way to move across or against the current was to fin like billy-oh and hook on or hold onto the reef then hand-over- hand for a bit and go again. One dive we’re doing this and three times a different moray-eel decided to poke its ugly looking head, with its mouth full of teeth straight out of its hole/home on the reef. No more than a metre or so away. The oxygen in the tank didn’t last as long as it normally did on that dive, scared the living daylights out of me. Evil looking things, preferred the reef sharks to those damn morays. But they certainly weren’t as big as 80lb. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post east lower Posted September 7 Popular Post Share Posted September 7 13 hours ago, Blue Moon said: ………Money for nothing and their wags for free. Tell that to Kyle Walker 🤣🤣😂 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 1 hour ago, east lower said: In latter years, say when the hard work was starting to pay back a bit and on a moray-eel theme. Scuba diving was a bit of a hobby. Used to reef dive a bit in the Indian Ocean, most of the time nice gentle dives, drifting along. Occasionally though when diving in the channels, the currents would get quite strong so the best (only) way to move across or against the current was to fin like billy-oh and hook on or hold onto the reef then hand-over- hand for a bit and go again. One dive we’re doing this and three times a different moray-eel decided to poke its ugly looking head, with its mouth full of teeth straight out of its hole/home on the reef. No more than a metre or so away. The oxygen in the tank didn’t last as long as it normally did on that dive, scared the living daylights out of me. Evil looking things, preferred the reef sharks to those damn morays. But they certainly weren’t as big as 80lb. You’ve got me thinking - maybe it was a conger. Certainly 80lbs - we weighed it once the gutting knives had done their work. Evil buggers, big eels … 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 5 minutes ago, Blue Moon said: You’ve got me thinking - maybe it was a conger. Certainly 80lbs - we weighed it once the gutting knives had done their work. Evil buggers, big eels … If it was from cold water, might well have been a conger, although there’s some other beasty that resides in cold water that looks like one of them. Scary thing nevertheless. That fish smell though, yuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Got up to another round of great posts,,Thanks again,,,,,,won't add too much to the underwater stuff except to say it's really scary at times! Looked behind me one time with a huge barracuda just stationary watching me,,,more scary than dangerous (as I kept telling myself) but that's not much comfort as he watched! We forget how hard it is for some people even now and especially in the past. No mention of working in the pits....not a casual thing as Mr Williams can attest I'm sure from family memories. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 4 hours ago, chara said: Got up to another round of great posts,,Thanks again,,,,,,won't add too much to the underwater stuff except to say it's really scary at times! Looked behind me one time with a huge barracuda just stationary watching me,,,more scary than dangerous (as I kept telling myself) but that's not much comfort as he watched! Should have ate him, they’re delicious!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 (edited) 20 minutes ago, east lower said: Should have ate him, they’re delicious!! I was concerned that was what the critter was thinking about me! I seem to remember a rule of thumb that stated they were ok to eat if no bigger than inner elbow to the hand,,to do with toxins or such. Edited September 7 by chara 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
east lower Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 11 minutes ago, chara said: I was concerned that was what the critter was thinking about me! I seem to remember a rule of thumb that stated they were ok to eat if no bigger than inner elbow to the hand,,to do with toxins or such. I think you may be right, caught the one I ate using a hand line and wooden spool off a Maldivian dhoni type boat on a night fishing trip. It was a small one, round about the size you mention. Caught and ate within a couple of hours. When we were diving once a small school of them hung around in the water quite close, mouth full of razor sharp looking teeth and so quick in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 Swimming off Nevis a couple decades ago, realised a couple were swimming with me - metre or two long - decided to let them swim alone. Prefer my fish barbecued, not me … Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted September 7 Share Posted September 7 (edited) 1 hour ago, Blue Moon said: Swimming off Nevis a couple decades ago, realised a couple were swimming with me - metre or two long - decided to let them swim alone. Prefer my fish barbecued, not me … Interesting posts by all,,,certainly more interesting than the England game...especially second half,,,,, dislike JG but he certainly looked a lot more productive in the set up instead of the loop game we seem to see from him,,out left,,,runs into trouble or stops while everyone gets set in defence,,and the perfected fk winning performances, a far better player to me today. Watery creatures,,,, used to take small groups snorkelling off the reef,,,boat out to sandy spit then snorkling...always had a knife strapped to my ankle,,worried vacationer.."Do you wear the knife for protection?,,do we need to worry? "..huh?... once got caught up on a submerged rebar,,used knife to help me untangle..no dramatics but explained it was the same as carrying a pocket knife...pointed out that everyone is afraid of bears in the woods but how many of them had met anyone mauled or attacked by a bear ?(actually I have but) Poison ivy far more likely to cause a problem. than bears..same with sharks and fire coral and some small avoidable fishy things.... Edited September 7 by chara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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