Month: January 2025

Our famous school computer – as featured on Tomorrow’s World

Write about your first computer.

My school had its own computer in 1963

It was a cause of great excitement

At least it was for some.

I couldn’t see the point myself

All it could do was sums.

It was a very big machine

And soon a famous one.

There weren’t a lot around just then

And almost none in schools.

So a school with its own computer

To some seemed really cool.

It was so big it occupied

A classroom to itself.

It took the whole of a science lab

With banks of flashing lights.

Something to do with binary maths

And lights flashing on and off.

They let us watch it do its stuff

Fed big numbers in it

Waited while it flashed and hummed

Spewed reams of paper out.

I couldn’t see the point myself

All it did was sums.

Our school had its own computer

It soon attracted fame.

It featured on Tomorrow’s World

The TV cameras came.

It caused a fuss

Bought fame to us

But all it could do was sums.

Read more about our famous computer here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0154hns

I’m a rugby convert

What are your favourite sports to watch and play?

There’s just one sport

That I still play.

For most I am too old.

You know that I love running

So we’ll leave that one alone.

Football was my first love

The obsession of my youth.

Law, Best and Charlton

My idols growing up.

I played a bit of rugby

We did a bit at school

But I didn’t have a feel for it

And barely knew the rules.

Our leisure sport was football

Our games would last all day

Memorably in Germany

When we’d won our World Cup.

It was when we moved to Twickenham

I caught the rugby bug.

The home of English rugby

You kind of get caught up.

The crowds that went to Harlequins

Would go right past our door.

One day I followed, took a look

And liked it right away.

There’s less a threatening atmosphere

The rival fans all mix

There’s physicality on the field

But off it there’s respect.

There are no boring 0-0 games

There’s jeopardy to the end

And so much happening on the field

You can watch it all again.

There’s different kinds of players

With different sets of skills

Though I prefer a running game

Ball quickly through the hands.

I still follow football

The universal game

But rugby’s now my favourite sport

And Harlequins my team.

I wished I’d understood it more

Back in the days I played

We just did what they told us to

We didn’t know the rules.

If I won the lottery…

What would you do if you won the lottery?

If I won the lottery

It’d be a big surprise.

I seldom buy a ticket

So that’s the reason why.

The chances of you winning

Are really rather slim

I’d rather have smaller prize

But more chance of win.

Big prizes can bring problems

Bitter jealousies.

I’m sure you’d not please everyone

How ever hard you tried.

But if I were to win a sum

To do with as I pleased

I’d find ways to bring together

My scattered family.

Id love a special holiday

That we could all enjoy

My far flung sisters

Sons and wives

And of course their kids.

To have us all together

That would be my dream.

There’s reasons that won’t happen

Short of that big win.

I like a book related to places I have been

What books do you want to read?

I like a book related to

places I have been.

Better still related to

places where I am.

Isabelle Allende is

who I’m reading now.

Her book Long Petal of the Sea

A novel of Chile.

I’d like to read some more of hers

A history I don’t know

Of South American exiles

And the Spanish Civil War.

I like it even better

As it’s partly set at sea

And features places

We’ve just cruised

South American seas.

Dad’s Chair

Write about a favourite family tradition.

We lived in many houses

We had so many homes

But one thing never, ever changed.

Dad always had his chair.

It’d be a different one of course

The seats came with the house

But there’d be a seat our Dad sat in

He’d have a special chair.

You might perch on it now and then

But soon as Dad came in

We’d quickly leave the special chair

Our father would sit in.

First beside the radio

Later front TV

He’d choose the entertainment

What we all could see.

A three piece suite was standard

A second chair, settee

But just one chair was special

The one that Dad sat in.

He’d seldom venture from it

If he was in the house

To us it was the seat of power

A kind of family throne.

I like to jump off bridges

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

I thought we’d all just answered this.

Do you need the same again!

I’ll have to answer differently

It can’t just be the same.

So I’ll try to answer differently.

I hope you’ll like this more.

It maybe won’t be truthful

But you might enjoy it more.

I like to jump from bridges

My toenails painted pink

To go around with orange hair

And cause a mighty stink.

I carve my name on doorposts

Paddle in the sink

Ride a trike quite recklessly

Give passing cars a dink.

I go where I’m not wanted

And rudely interfere.

I ruffle people’s feathers

And then just disappear.

I aim to be a nuisance

Get pleasure from the mess

Do I like just causing trouble?

The answer’s clearly yes.

You asked the same old questions

Just in a different way

Provoked me into this response

My answer for today.

‘I get around’.

Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.

Can’t think of any we’ve not been to – so with apologies to the Beach Boys.

Round, round, get around (I get around)
Missed some place? Heaven no! I get around
I get around (get around, get around, get around town)
From town to town (get around, round, round, I get around)
I have an old head but I (get around, round, round, I get around)
I keep myself busy (get around, round, round, I get around)

I’m not tired yet of this this same old strip
But if I need a new place I’ll hop on a ship.

Our local area’s real well known
Yeah, no place near we won’t be goin’.

I get around (get around, round, round, I get around)
From town to town (get around, round, round, I get around)
I’m a cool old head (get around, round, round, I get around)
Too old to make bread (get around, round, round, I get around)
I get around, round, get around, round, round, ooh

Wah-wa-ooh
Wah-wa-ooh
Wah-wa-oohI

I’ll take car our cause it can’t be beat
Though we always get stuck in the traffic we meet.

We’re still fairly steady ’cause it wouldn’t be right
To walk with a zimmer on a Saturday night

I get around (get around, round, round, I get around)
From town to town (get around, round, round, I get around)
I’m a real old head (get around, round, round, I get around)
Too old to make bread get around, round, round, I get around)
I get around, round

Round, round, get around, I get around
Yeah, get around, round, round, I get around
Get around, round, round, I get around
Get around, round, round, I get around
Get around, round, round, I get around
Get around, round, round, I get around
Get around, round, round, I get around

Five fun things

List five things you do for fun.

List five things you do for fun

Well silly rhymes for one.

This is kind of one of them

So guess I have begun?

Let’s put running number two

Another thing I do.

I feel like a kid again

That’s fun in my view.

Watching sport is number three

Obsessed with it that’s me!

Football, rugby; either game

I watch obsessively.

I’ll be dad dancing number four.

My efforts clear the floor.

Anything that has a beat.

I can’t ask for much more.

Number five the countryside

Just to be outside.

Give me space and good fresh air

To wander far and wide.

Andrew: My Name

Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

Andrew is a Greek name

From ‘Andros‘ – of a man.

It’s meaning apparantly

‘Manly’ or ‘bold’.

One of Christ’s disciples

A fisherman by trade

Simon-Peter’s brother

Among the first Christ called.

Patron Saint of Scotland

Of Greece and Russia too.

I had a Scottish grandad

Is why they called me that.

His flag is the diagonal cross

Used on the Scottish flag

It’s said it’s how they crucified

This early Christian Saint.

I’m in love with a penguin

If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

I’m in love with a penguin

It’s wildlife that floats my boat.

I’m not that struck on a dog or a cat.

It’s penguins get my vote.

We’re out on the ocean

One whale of a time

I like to see wild creatures

Don’t need them to be mine.