Home  >> Stories  >> The Tale Spinner #2012-47

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IN THIS ISSUE

• Eve Cassidy forwards an article on the origin of Mothers´ Day in England
• We get letters from Jean Sterling and Pat Moore
• Mike Yeager remembers an exhilarating experience with a new car
• Catherine Green forwards one solution to the problem of drinking and driving
• Zvonko Springer sends details of a senior´s efforts to entertain
• Catherine Nesbitt shares some unusual answers to exam questions
• Sites are suggested by Catherine Nesbitt, Irene Harvalias, Marilyn Magid, Pat Moore, Stan French, and Tony Lewis

Eve Cassidy, who edits a newsletter for seniors about the internet and computers, writes: As a reader from England in her mid-seventies, I was intrigued to read of the definition of Mother´s Day from an American point of view. I was aware that Mother´s Day is celebrated on a different day to England, much to the confusion of my Granddaughter, who was living in Clarksville during this year. I had not known about Anna Jarvis [who was responsible for the recognition of Mother´s Day in the US in 1914].

I include a little more information I found regarding Mother´s Day in England, which includes the explanation I was familiar with - that girls who were in service were allowed to go home. This was one of the very few days that they were allowed off from their employment.

MOTHER´S DAY IN ENGLAND

During the 1600s, England observed Mothering Sunday, or the Mid-Lent-Sunday, on the fourth Sunday in Lent. It was quite identical to the modern-day celebrations. In England, where small chapels of ease served the ordinary needs of the country parishioners, the people went on Mid-Lent Sunday to the "Mother Church" of the parish, laden with offerings. The historians hypothesize that the Mother Church was substituted for Mother Goddess by the early church, which adopted the ancient Roman ceremonies in honour of Cybele to venerate Mother Mary. And this is why it became customary to visit the church on the day of baptism or on Mother´s Day.

The custom began for those working away from home to return to their homes on Mothering Sunday with small gifts, or mothering cakes for their mothers. Back home, they presented their mothers with a cake and little nosegays of violets and other wild flowers gathered in the hedgerows as they walked along the country lanes. Entire families attended church together and enjoyed a dinner, consisting of roast lamb, or veal, at which the mother was treated as the queen of the feast. Everything was done to make her happy.

The custom of Mothering Sunday became more widespread during the 19th century. Any youth engaged in such act of duty was said to go "mothering". The day was celebrated with a festive mood appropriate to that day. The prominent dish was called furmety, made from wheat grains boiled in sweet milk, sugared, and spiced.

In the northern part of England and Scotland, there had been a custom of having steeped peas fried in butter, with pepper and salt. Pancakes, so prepared, were passed by the name of carlings. It was so popular that Carling Sunday became a local name for the day. The mothering cake also went by the name of simnel cake. This was a very rich fruit cake, the richer the better. For the Lenten fast dictated that it must be kept until Easter. First boiled in water and then baked, it sometimes had an almond icing. At other times, the crust was made of flour and water, coloured with saffron. The word simnel comes from the Latin simila, which means high-grade wheat flour. The customs of Mothering Sunday in England started declining with the changing patterns of the society following the Industrial Revolution.

ED. NOTE: My mother´s father died when she was 14, and she had to leave school and go to work as a "hired girl" for $5.00 a month, which was sent to her family. I don´t know how many times she was allowed to go home during the year, but I doubt that Mother´s Day was celebrated in Saskatchewan in 1916.

If you are interested in reading the ARP Webbers Newsletter, an internet and computing newsletter for active retired people, contact tedcarradus@btinternet.com

CORRESPONDENCE

Jean Sterling writes about my comments in the last issue about how Jay has been helping during my ongoing cold: He sounds like a great son - even if he does spoil your cat! As if a cat needs to be spoiled.

John has been guilty of spoiling the dog. Well, a few weeks ago, Abby developed problems which the vet politely referred to as the result of a "dietary indiscretion". The problems were unpleasant enough for all concerned that John has been on his best behaviour ever since. I just tell Abby, "No more people food," and eventually she figures it out and gives up her vigil.

Pat Moore writes about the X-rays she endured after her recent car accident: Last week I was back in the hospital for three hours for another set of X-rays, and it really was a very hurtful experience. They had to take about 20 X-rays by positioning me every which way on the table, and then finally they took another set of X-rays through my open mouth for the neck, back, and head. It was very exhausting and I came home and went to bed.

When I wrote to a friend who is a nurse about getting an X-ray through my open mouth, she replied: "I can tell you why they take an X-ray through your open mouth because I used to be an X-ray technician. Your neck vertebrae (cervical) are seven bones numbered from the top just at the base of your skull. When a frontal view of the neck is done, your jaw bone (mandible) is in the way and they don´t get a good view of the top two vertebrae. The only way to get a good shot of the first and second vertebrae is through your open mouth."

On another subject, thanks to all readers who sent interesting and funny stories about what they or their friends experienced in hospitals, the E.R., the X-ray department, and in doctors´ offices, plus stories regarding health care policies. Some are quite different in other countries.

I will be collecting stories for the next few months while I am recuperating so there is no rush - just send your stories to pamoore2@shaw.ca

From Mike Yeager´s blog at http://www.aretiredboomer.blogspot.com, here is his story about

THE PSYCHEDELIC DRIVE

When I was in Vietnam, I saved most of my pay with the intention of buying a brand-new car when I returned home. I accumulated enough money to buy just about any car I wanted. During the considerable lulls in the war, I spent a lot of time looking through car magazines, trying to make an informed decision.

I didn´t want to buy a big car, but in 1968 even the mid-sized and compact cars were large by today´s standards. It was a big year for "muscle cars". For around $3,000, I could buy any number of cars that were ridiculously over-powered, which appealed to some part of my young male ego. A few of the cars I was considering were the Plymouth Road Runner/Dodge Coronet Super Bee, with a 335-hp 382-ci V-8, or if I felt I needed to go a little faster, the Dodge Charger with a 375-hp magnum 440-ci engine (wings were optional). At $3,500 this beast was pushing the limits of my finances.

I also considered a Chevy Camaro Z-28, a Malibu 396 Super Sport, a Pontiac GTO with a 350-hp 400-ci engine, or an Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 with that same engine. The Cutlass was a main contender for a long time. One of my fellow soldiers told me it had a large comfortable back seat, and being just 20 years old, I had a wild and vivid imagination about what I could do back there.

My MGB GT (click to enlarge)

When I returned to the States and was home on my 30-day leave, I abandoned all plans to buy a muscle car and bought an MGB GT instead. I had owned an MG prior to entering the army. I loved sports cars, and the sports car image appealed to another side of my nature, the more sophisticated side that spoke French and loved literature. It was the first year MG came out with this hard-top hatchback design. The back seat folded down, which allowed for a surprising amount of storage space. The car cost $3,200, and with the rest of the money I had saved, I had the dealership install an eight-track tape player with custom speakers. The seats in an MG are low and the speakers were mounted high on the door panels. This gave a stereo effect that was like sitting inside a big head phone. I loved it. My new MGB-GT.

The car was canary yellow with black interior. On the day I bought it, I was outside in the parking lot of my parents´ condo wiping it down. My parents lived in Jeffersonville, Indiana, at the time, right across the river from Louisville, Kentucky. My dad was standing there keeping me company, when one of the neighbours, an older man with a big belly, idled over to us. Dad introduced me to the man and told him I was just back from Vietnam. He didn´t comment, but kept looking at my new car. Finally dad asked him, "What do you think of my son´s new car?"

The guy took his time responding, "What kind of car is it?"

"It´s a brand-new MGB GT. I just bought it today," I proudly replied.

"It looks like a god-damned peanut," was all he said before turning and walking back to his condo. What did that fat old guy know anyway? I thought the car was beautiful.

I had been out of touch with popular music for over a year, so on a foray to a music store in Louisville, I bought some of the latest eight-track tapes. The Beatles had just come out with "The White Album", a double album of all new music. I was very excited about it, and true to the Beatles, and except for one long track, Revolution #9, they didn´t disappoint. I think John was hitting the drugs a little too hard on that one.

I also bought the following: "Wheels of Fire", the new Cream album. At the time I thought their first album, "Disraeli Gears", was the best rock album of all time. I didn´t expect them to top it, and I was right; the album was good but not great. "The Rascals´ Greatest Hits", this was a great band and their hits were really great. "Strange Days" by The Doors. Most groups that have an excellent first album fall short on their second, but Jim Morrison proved to be a major creative force for many albums to come. Jimi Hendrix´ "Electric Ladyland", another double album containing some of Jimi´s best songs.

When my 30-day leave was over, the drive back to Fort Hood, Texas, proved to be a most spectacular welcome home. For about two years I had been out of touch with American culture, immersed in military life. I had not yet come face to face with the hostility of the young towards us soldiers. It was November and my route took me through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas at the height of the fall foliage. I deftly maneuvered the MG through the Appalachian and Ozark mountains, the car an extension of my body, the road an extension of the car. The landscape passed by my peripheral vision as a multicoloured manifestation of the music, a total psychedelic experience with no drugs involved.

I had one more year to serve and when I got out I planned to travel Europe with my friend, Paul, and then enter college. I had my whole life ahead of me. Except for the nightmares, life was looking pretty good.

Catherine Green writes: I would like to share a personal experience with my family and friends about

DRINKING AND DRIVING

As you well know, some of us have been known to have had brushes with the authorities on our way home from an occasional social session over the years.

A couple of nights ago, I was out for an evening with friends and had a couple of cocktails.

Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I´ve never done before - I took a cab home.

Sure enough, I passed a police road block but, since it was a cab, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a cab before, and am not sure where I got it or what to do with it now that it´s in my garage.

Zvonko Springer describes

A RETIREE´S LAST TRIP TO FOOD LION

Yesterday I was at my local Food Lion buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Jake, the Wonder Dog, and was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.

What did she think I had? An elephant?

So because I´m retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn´t have a dog, I was starting the Purina diet again. I added that I probably shouldn´t, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I´d lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and I.V.s in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina Nuggets, and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well, and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stopped to pee on a fire hydrant and a car hit me. I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack, he was laughing so hard.

Food Lion won´t let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

Catherine Nesbitt sends the questions to resulted in

A STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% ON AN EXAM

I would have given him 100% - little smarty pants!

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die? * His last battle

Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? * At the bottom of the page

Q3. River Ravi flows in which state? * Liquid

Q4. What is the main reason for divorce? * Marriage

Q5. What is the main reason for failure? * Exams

Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast? * Lunch & dinner

Q7. What looks like half an apple? * The other half

Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea, what it will become? * It will simply become wet

Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ? * No problem; he sleeps at night.

Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand? * You will never find an elephant that has only one hand.

Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ? * Very large hands

Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it? * No time at all. The wall is already built.

Q13. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it? * Any way you want. Concrete floors are very hard to crack.

SUGGESTED WEBSITES

Catherine Nesbitt sends this link to a site which specializes in toys for men, just in time for your Christmas buying:

Irene Harvalias forwards this link to a powerful video which suggests without words that people in cars wear seat belts:

Marilyn Magid sends this link to a video of a young couple winning the 2012 Junior Division National Carolina Shag Dancing Championships. The boy is 17, the girl only 15. They´re dancing to Joe Turner´s "Flip, Flop and Fly."

Pat Moore suggests this site for a video of a 16-year-old son of a sheep farmer in Australia, who taught himself to play the piano:

Stan French forwards a link to a brilliant commercial which is fun and well worth watching:

Tony Lewis sends the URL for a video of birds of paradise, which live only in New Guinea, in deep rain forests. It has taken years to track these birds and study them:

Tony also suggests this site for a great impromptu musical performance, which so enthralled the audience that none left, or even moved, after they reached the front:

The Ugandan Parliament is set to pass a brutal law that could carry the death penalty for homosexuality. If they do, thousands of Ugandans could face execution - just for being gay. To sign a petition to the president of Uganda urging him to withdraw this bill once and for all, go to

To check out the features of the "freedictionary", which changes daily, go to