Rub-a-dub-dub. Two in a Tub,

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Hose pipe bans again?

It must be that time of the year I guess.

We are continually told that it is due to lack of rainfall, but I recon it is more likely due to an increase in the population, especially here in the south east of England. I expect we will all be asked, in a week or two, to ‘share a bath’ or more likely ‘share a shower’.

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There is actually a ‘Share a Shower’ campaign with Facebook pages. (whatever that means?).

Way back in the ‘good old days’, sharing baths and using second-hand bath water was quite normal. In the late 40’s, early 50’s most people were a bit hard up and it cost quite a few bob to use the immersion heater to fill a bath. Friday night was bath night and us three boys all piled in together. I was the eldest and as I grew larger there was not room for three so my two brothers were washed first and I had their second hand water!

The Great Western Railway had an engine named “The Knight of the Bath”.

This was always nicknamed “Friday Night” by the engine drivers.

So where is all this leading?

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Well, I was going to do a post on ‘Bubbles’ as in ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’ but found I had already done one here.

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Two and a half years ago! How time flies.

You see, on sorting out all my old photos I had come across a picture of a wee carving I had done of a seahorse. It was done in about 1976 and I gave it away to my then ‘girl of the month’ who thought it really nice. It didn’t have a stand and she asked it I could make one with the words ’Oh Bubbles’ on the base.

The things us chaps have to do to keep you ladies happy.

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I was glad I found the picture - it brought back happy memories.

And there were even more memories of those days as I sorted out my collection of old LP’s. To make more room, I am gradually converting them to CD’s and giving the old records to the charity shops (and brothers to sell on eBay).

Some of these discs haven’t been ’given a spin’ for thirty years, but of course sounded as good as new. The one that did make me smile and gave me the idea for todays wee video was Meri Wilson singing ’Rub-a-dub-dub, two in a tub’.

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See, there were even water shortages way back in 1977.

As children the words used to be along the lines of -

“Rub-a-dub-dub,

Three men in a tub,

And who do you think they be?

The butcher, the baker,

The candlestick-maker,

All put out to sea.”

So, here we go, for your entertainment and maybe approval, Meri Wilson singing ’Rub-a-dub-dub’.

Any resemblance to Uncle B in the following is pure coincidence.

(Oh yes, and no blowing it up to full size for a better view!)

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He,he,he.

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"Ee bah gum. I loves a bit of history."

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Just before Christmas, I had an email from Sylvie telling me about how she had found an old song by Gracie Fields. 

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Sylvie said -

“When I was a child,  ’Fanny Fernackerpan’ was used as a kind of jollying-up name to get me to do something but I never realised it was a song, until a few years ago, I came across – something – an old magazine, perhaps, which had it printed out in a song format.”

So, before searching through my piles of sheet music, I thought I would google ‘Fanny Fernackerpan‘ and see what turned up. It appears there were several different spellings of this name, but all referred to either the Gracie Fields song or old 1930‘s expressions for being ‘finicky‘, ‘pernickity' or as Sylvie said more politely, 

‘Move your a**e’.

Now here are two old words you don’t often come across,  but our Mom was always telling us boys not to be so finicky as we poked around in our kippers looking for the smallest of bones!

My dictionary tells me -

finicky ['f?n?k?], finicking

adj

1. excessively particular, as in tastes or standards; fussy

2. full of trivial detail; over elaborate.

And what about pernickity? 

Well, digging deep into my Scottish Dictionary -

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Yes, I have a 'English-Scottish' Dictionary.

"pernickity"

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"She's far owre pernickity."

But back now to Fanny, or Fan.

Someone on the web said -

I vaguely remember Fan Fanackapan; I think it was my great aunt who used

it. I have to admit I always took any of these phrases used on me as

telling me I was being a ‘pain in the behind‘.

Another tells us -

Fanny Fernackepan has always been used in my family to get the attention of somebody who had wandered off from the group when we were out as in - 

"Oi Fanny Fernackerpan! Over here!" 

Now to find the name in a Gracie Fields song.

It didn’t take long to unearth it, as the name was actually in the title, but not a Fanny Fernackerpan, more a Fred.

The title is “Fred Fannakapan” 

and it was written and composed in 1932 by Reg Low.

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Gracie Fields sang and recorded this comic song, which is about a sister's new fiance who had been invited round to the family home for everyone to scrutinise  the poor fellow.

Can you just imagine going round to your girlfriend for tea, when all of the girl’s relations turn up to give you ’once over’? 

As with many sayings the general opinion seems to be that the name pre-dates the Gracie Fields' song, but no-one seems to know when it originated.

During my searching I also uncovered a poem by the late Spike Milligan.

"I am a mystery goblin. 

I'm Fred Fernackerpan. 

I wear one sock that's yellow, 

the other dipped in jam. 

I walk about the countryside, 

I walk about the town. 

Sometimes with my trousers up, 

and sometimes with them down. 

And when they were up, 

they were up. 

And when they were down, 

they were down. 

And when they were only half way up. 

I was arrested."

And here is a lovely old recording from 1932.

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Gracie sings Fred Fannakapan
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And if you want to 'sing along' -

FRED FANNAKAPAN 


There's been a bit of bother through our sister Mary Ann,
She had a sweetheart and his name was Fred Fannakapan.
She said, “I'll ask him home to tea, he'd love to look around,“
So all our family turned up to see what she had found.


There was Father and Mother and sister Mary Ann,
All waiting to welcome Fred Fannakapan.
There were Uncles and Aunties and others of our clan,
All waiting to welcome Fred Fannakapan.


Round the kitchen table they sat twiddling their thumbs,
When they heard the door bell ring they all said, “Here he comes.“
Father said “You look a gump, the same as Mary Ann,
Sit down and make tha-self at home, Fred Fannakapan.“


The family then questioned Fred as fast as they could speak,
How much he'd got in bank-book and how much he earn’d a week?
He didn't say a word, so Father said, “It seems to me,
The poor gump’s proper poorly, let him have a sup of tea.“



There were pancakes and pork pies and plates of beef and ham,
All waiting to welcome Fred Fannakapan,
There was cold tripe and trotters and lots of bread and jam
All waiting to welcome Fred Fannakapan.


Fred sat there without a word, as mournful as can be,
Mother said, “What ails thee lad, get on and have tha tea.”
He said, “My teeth have fallen out, I dropped them as I ran.“
And the only one who couldn't eat was Fred Fannakapan.


We finished tea and sat there looking like a flock of sheep,
And Mary Ann was so fed up she went right off to sleep.
Then Father said, “We can't sit here like images all night,
Let's have a drink and then perhaps the lad will feel alright.”

There was whiskey and brandy and port wine in a can,
All waiting to welcome Fred Fannakapan,
There was bottled ale and bottled stout, enough to fill a van,
All waiting to welcome Fred Fannakapan.


Then we heard a knock and someone said, “Is Freddy here?
It's eight o'clock and time for you to be in bed, my dear.“
He said, “My Mother's come for me,“ and out he quickly ran,
And that's the last we ever saw of Fred Fannakapan.


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"Ee bah gum. I loves a bit of history."

and a joke!


Fred, a Yorkshire farmer,
went into a jewellers shop in Harrogate.
He was constantly chewing.
The salesgirl said, "Can I help you Sir?"
"Aye" he said, still chewing.
"I'd like one 'o them theer rings".
"Yes Sir, wedding or engagement?"
"Wedding, tha nos", he said, chewing constantly.
"Gold or Silver?", said the salesgirl,
watching him chewing.
"Gold", he said.
"Eighteen Carats?", said the girl.
"Nay lass", he said.
"It's toffee and it's stuck in me teeth".

Searching for a subject.

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This last week or so,

I have been stuck for a subject to write about.

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So I went digging through my piles and

heaps of sheet music for ideas.

I found this one.

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.....but I expect I moaned about fireworks

upsetting animals last year, and the year before.

And, as last year, and the year before,

I have been making Tomato soup.

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Hey Tom, I think we're in the soup!

And talking of 'being in the soup',

I notice that all the european leaders are

re-arranging the deck-chairs, yet again!

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...and making plans!

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And whilst on the subject of

being in 'hot water'.

Here's a 'clean' song -

"Singing in the Bathtub".

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And would you believe it,

here's a lady who takes her hen

into her bath with her!

Looks more like a cock bird to me.

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A soapy cock.

And this chap, has got one up on

the old rubber duck he had as a kid!

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A soapy duck.

And, still on the subject of soap,

I found this.....

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And this......

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Every bloody week I lose a sock!

And so after all this searching,

for something to write about,

I found these.

And I remembered.

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Where are the boys of the old Brigade,

Who fought for us side by side?

Shoulder to shoulder, and blade by blade,

Fought till they fell and died!

Who so ready and undismayed?

Who so merry and true?

Where are the boys of the old Brigade?

Where are the lads we knew?

Over the sea far away they lie,

Far from the land of their love;

Nations alter, the years go by,

But Heav’n is still Heav’n above,

Not in the Abbey proudly laid

Find they a place or part;

The gallant boys of the old Brigade,

They sleep in old England’s heart.

Words..... F. E. Weatherly (1848-1929)

The words are from a song "The Old Brigade".

I have the music, but only in a book of 'Parlour Songs'.

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One of my interests,

is digging out these old songs and tunes.....

....many of course, long forgotten.

But let us not ever forget the many who died

fighting for our freedom.

We will remember them.

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"In the Gloaming"

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Where have I been?

What have I been up to?

Busy bee, that's me.

Actually, before all this activity,

I hurt my back heaving the organ back up the steps into the house on my return from Cookham.

So that meant I had to sit quiet for a bit.

Ideal, I thought, for photographing my hedgehogs,

who have been visiting every evening,

for Hazel's and Wesley's left-overs.

Mainly Hazel's, mind you,

as Wes hardly ever leaves a scrap!

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This was the set-up by the back door.

That was not the camera I was using.

(I'm holding that of course.)

I did think of poking it through the cat-flap!

But you could bet that once I had it set up,

they would insist on going in and out!

Here's one nice picture.

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I had to be careful they didn't hear me or even

catch a wiff of me!

When they came out of the undergrowth

you could see their little noses

sniffing the air for 'danger'.

Well after several nights of this and they got used to me,

I started trying to get some video shots.

The result is up on YouTube now and I have

put a link in at the end of this post.

Sitting there, I also noticed the young going

in the greenhouse and trying to build up a 'nest' for their

winter hibernation.

Into the workshop, (sorry - 'hobby-room') I went - to 'knock-up' a hedgehog house for them.

I have seen these in garden centres selling for around £40!

I made mine out of off-cuts for nowt.

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All set up about a week ago.

And a couple of days later -

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All stuffed with bits of 'hedgehog bedding'.

I have left them well alone - and,

of course, I have to remember,

to leave the greenhouse door open all the time now.

Here's the video.

It's only about three minutes long and

has a wee bit of music to go with it.

Enjoy.

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I enjoyed making that.

I need another nice rest now.

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A Day by the River. (Again)

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Today is the day of Cookham Regatta.

I was there last year as a spectator,

and did my usual 'write-up'.

Now, as I'm very busy this morning, I am going to cheat again,

and repeat last years 'do' for any who missed it.

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From where I sit, prodding at this keyboard with one finger, I can look out across the Thames and up the hill on the opposite side. That is Winter Hill and is in Berkshire.

Up on top of this hill is Cookham Dean. On the eastern approach to the hill, is Cookham Rise and finally, down at river level is Cookham Village where I once lived.

Years ago it was quite a round trip to either Marlow bridge or Cookham bridge to get across to Winter Hill. Today we have a footbridge added to the side of the old Great Western Railway Bridge.

Saturday found me crossing here on the way to ‘suss out’ the goings on at Cookham Regatta. As I crossed I managed to catch the ‘ Magna-Carta’, a floating hotel, on it’s way upstream from London to Henley. A week on here will put you back a ‘pretty penny’ but for some reason seems to be priced in American dollars!

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Here’s a holiday for you Jan?

I have walked the tow path to Cookham many, many times over the last forty odd years and gazed at the expensive mansions back on the Buckinghamshire side.

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A favourite of mine - the Thames Slipper launch.

This regatta thing was all a bit of fun really,

mainly larking about in rafts, canoes and things called ‘Dragon Boats’.

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I have to admit I was not greatly enthused,

so I sought out the beer tent,

and then went in search of some old friends.

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I met up also with two friend from my ‘working’ days, Chris with one of his old Wolseley‘s and Howard who had brought along a couple of his vintage motorbikes.

There was a very good turn out of vintage vehicles considering it was called a Regatta.

The one that really caught my eye - and camera - was this huge American automobile!

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Complete with an American style snack.

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Later in the afternoon was the usual ‘Duck Race’.

£5 a ticket - £100 First prize.

Loads of yellow plastic ducks thrown in the river at the start.

First past the post takes the money.

A slight snag this year.

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A narrow-boat decides to do a run through and sets the ducks all amok!

No, they didn’t have a re-start.

And if you had spare £20, you could ‘splash out’ on a nicely carved wooden one.

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To finish, another of my favourite Thames boats - a wooden skiff.

I have rowed many miles up and down the river in one of these.

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And there is of course, my YouTube bit -

"Down beside the Riverside".

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And what shall I be doing this year?

Well, celebrating my 'nth' Birthday -

by - Playing there!

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Must go and load up the organ.

The Regatta awaits,

the Beer Tent is ready,

and the beer is getting warm!

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Hazel's going to miss NOTW.

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It's not easy to find "News of the World" music!

Best I could do.

However, I do have a copy of the so called 'newspaper.'

Not last weeks, nor the very last edition today,

but one from Sunday 23 December 1917.

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Bernard hoards anything!

I am a great one for raking around antique shops although these days there tends to be more junk than antiques.

But it is the 'junk' that firstly, I find more interesting and secondly more affordable.

I will always 'home in' on a pile of old music. Some places sell this at £1-2 per sheet, but others, in a bit to get rid of it may sell a whole pile for a fiver.

These piles hold hidden secrets, for between the sheets of music, all kinds of things can be found.

I have come across newspaper cuttings and even old family photographs.

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This bit above is of the First World War song "Goodbye" sang to the troops as they went off to the trenches. It was here reproduced in the newspaper and someone had saved it in with their music.

Just imagine that bit of news had been tucked in with that music for around 94 years!

The date was Sunday 23 December 1917......and look at the circulation...2,750,000 copies.

.....and an advert for Lipton's Tea. And how about a 94 year old 'tea stain'?

Here's a few bits of news -

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This paper dates back to the First World War,

when the ‘in joke’ was:-

“What is the difference between Lord Kitchener and a Beechams Pill?”

“One sends you out to the front and the other sends you out to the back.”

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and....

Real men playing real football in 1917.

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Someone in the news this morning said:-

"It was an important piece of the furniture of the UK, and closing it so abruptly as a cynical commercial manoeuvre is a disgrace, given its popularity.

Furniture!?!

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and....

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When I was a paper-boy I can remember taking a peep

into the NOTW, and also a wee publication

called 'Tit-bits'.

Anyone remember that?

This chap has given up on NOTW and moved up

in intellectual reading matter!

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I like to give Hazel something to read

when she is sitting on her 'throne'.

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Under her litter tray!

You see, I don't buy/read any newspapers.

Never have - all my life.

So I have to beg old newspapers off friends,

not only for Hazel's box, but also for lighting the fire,

in the winter.

No NOTW anymore Hazel.......

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You'll have to make do with the Bucks Free Press.

under your 'potty'!

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Talking of news papers....here's another joke to finish.

Murphy was sitting there in the Pub reading the Dublin Times, and he turns to his mate Pat and says

“Isn’t it amazing how just enough things seem to happen every day to exactly fill a newspaper!”

Must dash! - off to Flackwell Heath Cherry Fair.

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"If I had a Talking Picture"

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When I first started blogging - I only did ‘text‘.

I didn’t own a digital camera you see,

but after a while I did manage to use my printer/scanner

and upload my first images.

What a difference -

‘A picture paints a thousand words’ they say, and so it did.

Having failed English Language (O level) at school three times,

this introduction of pictures came to my rescue,

and I didn’t have to write as much.

Well, it was about two years ago that I thought about trying video clips.

I thought you needed a video camera

and fancy editing software to get started.

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It must have been last year,

I discovered my digital camera took ‘moving pictures’,

provided you had enough memory in the camera.

Thirty frames a second soon gobbles up a few Mbytes.

‘Discovered’ is perhaps not quite the right word,

as I knew about it when I bought the camera,

it was that I just never tried it out and additionally,

to make it more difficult,

all the instructions were provided on a CD rather than a ‘real’ document.

So I did try a short clip of still pictures first, -

at a Steam rally - and used blogger to upload it.

tracker-bar.blogspot.com/2010/10/medley-of-summer-days-out.html

Since then I have done short movies of the cats but no headers or music.

monkey-organ.blogspot.com/2010/10/two-overnight-movie-stars.html

monkey-organ.blogspot.com/2011/02/yesterdays-birthday-boy.html

So I dabbled with the Vista version of ‘Windows Movie Maker’.

This is how I produced the slideshows for the last two posts.

(There are now four up on YouTube, by the way.)

I’m sure you can tell that I’m no expert,

but you have to start somewhere and the best way is to ’suck it and see’. You will make mistakes and you will learn from it.

I didn’t sit down with the User Guide open alongside,

it was more a case of “I wonder what this does?“

and then finding out!

Helen asked me for a Movie Maker tutorial, no doubt she is planning to entertain us with a slideshow of her English holiday perhaps. I gather she took hundreds of photographs whilst over here this May.

So I will describe what I did.

I am not an expert and I’m sure there are better ways of doing things - and I’m sure there are probably help videos up on YouTube although I haven’t checked.

I am doing a write up over on the my other blog for any interested.

here:-

tracker-bar.blogspot.com/2011/07/using-vista-movie-maker.html

This means I can carry on here with my usual ramblings later.

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Hikers, Walkers and 'Road-runners'.

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I'm not really a 'hiker' but I do enjoy a good walk.

My Dad was a keen walker,

and he belonged to several groups in his local area.

When he came down to stay with me for a week, I used to

arrange a nice series of interesting walks.

I didn't take many pictures at the time,

as I only owned a film camera,

but the one below was the day in 1995,

when we ended up at Didcot Railway Museum.

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I like it best if I can start my walks from home

as I did here, up along Winter Hill.

But the weather this last week,

has not been ideal for walking anywhere!

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My road the other day was water from side to side.

It looked more like a canal.

Here's the same bit of road on a sunny morning.

Complete with a 'road runner'.

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This was taken through the front room window.

We have these small fellows all around the area.

I have no idea what they are. You usually see them running and

in fact I've never seen one fly.

Most (dry) mornings, around 6 o'clock,

I will be out on my early morning walk.

More for exercise really and I don't take my camera, but,

recently I have been spotting more of these birds,

out for their early morning peck.

So I have started taking my camera with me and yesterday,

I struck lucky.

Here's one.

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Too far off to identify it.

Here's another couple.

A bit closer

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And finally I managed to get a closer shot.

Not easy as they 'scoot off'' when you get too close.

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So, what are they?

And can you cook them?

No, I'm only joking.

( I know for sure they are not Jenny Wrens! )

Bright and sunny this morn and

Conifer lopping is complete.

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I have to admit though,

that I don't think I've improved the view?

Next task please.

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