“Thank you SO much” (#grammar)

No boob chat today 😦 (that’s my intention after just this second logging on!)

A serious Posting!

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  How lucky was I surfing the net and discovering this Hospital Doctor

A new phrase has wriggled it’s way into our spoken language, yes you guessed correctly a rather clunky sounding expression of gratitude “thank you SO much” has become common usage over here in the UK.

You’ll guess by the appearance of this posting this new grammatical immigrant rather fascinates me, I say immigrant for good reason because I first noticed this newcomer several years ago coinciding with the the first influx of East European economic migrants to these shores, but no talk of Brexit here my friends. I’d suggest to my ears it’s displaced the English phrase my Grandparents would have used “thank you very much”, a not too dissimilar declaration of gratitude which in turn displaced a phrase you’ll read in a Jane Austin or Emily Bronte novel, “thank you kindly”, pause for a second, can’t you just hear Elizabeth Bennet replying “thank you kindly dear Sir” as Mr. Darcy bows delicately lifting the babe’s outstretched hand to kiss.

I bet you that got Lizzie’s pussy juices flowing!

Anyway where was I?

Now as we all are aware, and often livid about, language usage in day to day conversation metamorphises adapts as the years pass and usually teenagers are to blame with “lolz” and the “like”, a fill-in word thirteen year old girls are addicted to! I’ll listen to their conversations on the bus home and it appears to me “like” has no meaning other than a pause to allow their brains to catch up with breathless conversation. Spoken language changes where ever you reside, and I’m reliably informed we Brits do not talk ‘like’ the characters in a Shakespearian Play…….. I wouldn’t know because I’ve never read Shakespeare but I’ve lusted over Julia Styles in ’10 Things I Hate About You’ and isn’t that another ‘Taming Of The Shrew’ reboot?

I digress.

So why does this one phrase “thank you SO much” with the emphasis on “SO”, fascinate to the point I’ll listen hoping the Romanian coffee lady serving in ‘Taylors’ delicatessen might (severe but lovely girl) reply after she hands me her hot beverage. Incidentally, I’m not annoyed by this recent interloper, hearing it doesn’t bother me or grate my ears, yet inexplicably “thank you SO much” has inhabited my consciousness and YES I’ve found myself using it again with my own emphasised “SO”. This affirmation of gratitude doesn’t roll off the tongue, sounding rather yes clunky in conversation and not Queen’s English and that’s why it fascinates me, and yes I think I can remember the exact place and circumstance I first noticed me using it, again with an emphasis on a rather earnestly spoken “SO”, now I’d suggest any recipient will appreciate the speaker’s gratitude is both heartfelt and not just a cliched platitude.

When you reply “thank you SO much” you really DO mean it and not just as a throw away servility!

So when and where did I first notice myself using this phrase, and why was I so SO grateful? I’ll tell you why, several years ago I suffered a fall at work and long dramatic story cut very short, I was whisked off to our wonderful John Radcliffe Hospital with what turned out was a fractured cheekbone in 4 painful places, however I was conscious and no bones had been depressed into my skull and I was going to be ok thanks for asking! After several hours waiting in a busy Casualty Department, with overworked doctors and nurses rushing here there and everywhere as warning sirens sounded, electronic equipment beeped and trolleys bearing really ill people were wheeled in from reverse parked ambulances……. I’d describe both ambiance and atmosphere as organised chaos.

Come my turn I was shown into a bare white examination room, instructed to take of my shoes and lay upon the bed….. I was a walking wounded brave little soldier, (way tooo many metaphors Andrew). Then minutes later a beautiful young woman wearing blue scrubs, tore open the curtain glided to my side beaming a confident radiant smile, AND I’d guess this angel was working a 14 hour shift! Wonderful men and women all.

Well I remember her as a cheerful chatty soul, I’d guess age 27 slim of an average womanly height with a beautiful face and short cropped blonde hair, a lovely intelligent young woman any mother would sell her soul to have a son marry such a goddess and yes I’m a sucker for a pretty face, I was smitten and SHE with her caring bedside manner did actually seem worried by my injuries probably because head injuries can change to horrifically life threatening very quickly.

For the next 10 minutes or so she gave me a full neurological examination, note with me fully clothed, I had to raise either leg on command as she pressed down upon the limbs, I had push her hands away then grip and pull hers toward me. I had to touch my nose with alternate fingers, watch as she checked my reflexes as she hit my knee with a small rubber hammer……….. yes this angel dressed in powder blue cotton uniform followed a neurological list of checks to test if I had suffered brain damage, I’ll not repeat what my work colleagues would have said.

To finish my initial examination before being shown to an overworked X-ray Department, my beautiful clinician whipped from her top pocket a slim black pencil like object, and with one click of a switch a bright light appeared on one end, with a graceful ‘lunge’ she hunched over me and began to shine her tiny torch into my eyes……………. and omg all I can remember this second is her face so close to mine as she inspected for I guess brain damage, so gifted are our betraying eyes. That close I remember her breath touching my face and yes I gulped, an involuntary emotional reaction triggered by having a beautiful young woman unnervingly close I could have kissed her on the cheek, lol I could’ve would’ve lol of but of course didn’t!

Isn’t there a name given to men who fall in love with nurses?

Oh and I forget to say this boyishly slender young woman displayed NO bust, nope there was zero boobage but for two hardly distinguishable mounds with only ‘bee stings’ for nipples visible as she moved, and hazarding a guess these tired young females, overworked in stifling hot Hospital Wards wear only a bra beneath as underclothes, and why wouldn’t they?

You see I’m emotionally incapable of recollecting a serious true tale without bringing a heroines breasts into my story.

Finally with examination completed and this young doctor no doubt relieved I wasn’t about to suffer a bleed to the brain, note I’m neither trying to be flippant or funny, damaged brain injuries can deteriorate within minutes to the point a patient requires urgent open brain surgery to save their life. With my beautiful clinician now content I wasn’t about to drift into unconsciousness, smiled and made plain her work was finished and now I was to be someone else’s patient, I bid her goodbye and yes I remember me saying a heartfelt “thank you SO much”, with an emphasis on the “SO” because I was genuinely thankful from deep within my heart, she’d never met me before but showed such care 🙂 .

And then she was gone! One of those moments in life when you realise you will never ever see a wonderful human being again, who’d have thought when I woke that morning for another humdrum day of work, that same afternoon I’d experience a beautiful young woman peering into my eyes and so close I could have kissed that soft skinned cheek.

Hospital workers are wonderful caring men and women and our NHS the gift that keeps on giving 🙂 .

A. Shepherdson 2021.

What could possibly go wrong?

I’m unsure how many people regularly read this WordPress anymore, lol I used to be quite popular (it’s all relative) but then I broke the golden blog rule which as we all know IS to Post ‘regularly and often’ (or is that fellatio?) Anyways not to worry I enjoy the creative process 🙂 .

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I’m an impulsive sort of man, in the past I’ve chatted to a woman I hardly know online, then afternoon the following day we’re to be found f****** in a budget priced Motel bedroom….. however I’ve written those postings. Spontaneity acting without forethought could be regarded a lazy way to organise your life, carefree or reckless even, well late Thursday evening I was surfing booking.com’s webpages looking at Hotel accommodation whilst feeling an irresistible urge to visit somewhere anywhere! So after 3 months lockdown then 6 weeks unbroken work, I booked myself into a London Hotel for several nights, paid a non refundable £ by credit card soon followed by a confirmation email with the upshot being tomorrow night I’ll be sleeping in a quality Hotel bedroom (prices are unbelievably cheap at the moment)……….. fantastic!

Then I put myself to bed.

Next morning the first thought on my mind was ‘pandemic’ closely followed by ‘oh s*** the virus R rate (?) is on the increase again’ or so the media keep telling us! Move along several hours later after having consumed several mugs of mint infused tea, and calmed my frayed nerves reading the Hotel’s covid-19 precautions they’ve taken, I thought why not just go and have myself a short break in London.

(Walking across the common I overheard a woman talking to a friend “we took the kids to the Cotswold Wildlife Park and it was packed…. after a while it’s impossible to socially distance so we gave up” In other words ‘what will be will be’.)

I guess with the World gripped by a disease we’re all desperately trying to avoid catching, as highly infectious as the common cold (then again that’s another coroner), I’ve done my best however throughout Government enforced solitary confinement I’ve increasingly been asking myself “am I earning to live? Or just living to exist?”

(A wise old colleague told me that one.)

I’m not a fatalist but I have come round to thinking I’ve read far tooo many scare stories this past four months………. first the Government says avoid public transport! This past six weeks I’ve been travelling to and from Oxford for work and still here to live to tell the tale, I wear a mask, socially distance ‘Try to’ avoid touching my face, I sanitize my hands with alcohol cleaner ALL the frigging day… what more can I do? Life is a mere game of luck and chance, I could catch this nastiness at Tesco’s supermarket on the estate or anywhere so if you don’t read another posting on this WordPress you know what’s happened……. shouldn’t be flippant Andrew.

Ok I’m not climbing Mount Everest I know, I’ll take precautions, try and enjoy myself if only because we all have to return to some resemblance of normality, covid is here to stay and I need a change of scenery, anyways I have a day ticket for the famous Kew Gardens and that’s outside in the fresh air.

A. Shepherdson 2020

Snowing in Oxfordshire

Ok I realise I said in an earlier post that I’m not going to share quite so many of my YouTube videos, but you should know be now, I change my mind nearly as much as the weather does……………. hmm a pretty clever timely analogy don’t you think?

Not to worry though 🙂 perhaps I should learn not to take myself tooo seriously, so below you can see the video uploaded just now swirling snow flurries and all! I filmed it 12 o’clock last night and hopefully also compliments the blog photographs I ‘snapped’ in the previous post click Panic buying in Tesco’s

A. Shepherdson 2019

Use Vinegar! Costs less and it works

This post isn’t blogging advice per say but its dawned on me over this past 10 months, those people Reading my thoughts March 2018 won’t be the same as today, so if you haven’t already noticed Andrew’s WP is an eclectic jumble of personal anecdotes which I guess is the theme, jeeze I’d get so bored writing about just one topic hence the tag-line ‘Blogging Thoughts Photos and Life’……….. (another way of warning you I’ve written a true tale sharing the first occasion a ‘knicker-less’ lady sat on my face 😛 , though I should add I’ve enjoyed more pleasurable experiences in my lifetime!)

A post I’ll save for another day.

This evening I have a household tip for you which I’d guess many male/lady Readers will already be aware of but hey the magical cleaning effects of Distilled Vinegar still astounds me……. ‘no s*** Sherlock’ these are seriously impressive results!

Several posts previous you may have watched my instructive YouTube Video where I show you How To change bathroom basin taps blah blah blah………… well just be aware I live in an area of the UK plagued by hard water, Oxfordshire, seriously Limescale is deposited into every appliance that heats water as a process of its purpose in life, kettles, washing machines, dishwashers, plumbing joints, Limescale f***s them one and all.

Basin drain pipe BEFORE being dipped in Vinegar 😦

Basin drain pipe AFTER being dipped in Vinegar 🙂 ……… I know it’s a frigging miracle!!

The very first time I tried this ‘Life Hack’ (isn’t that the term cool kids say on YouTube sharing easy tips for solving technology problems?) I was amazed, in fact so amazed I’ll show the ‘before and after pics’ side by side!

Hmm I wonder why ‘Johnson and Johnson’ doesn’t share this £0.34 household cleaning tip with customers?

Without wishing to labour my incredulity tooo far, I’m absolutely amazed how a God awful looking Limescale’d component can look spectacular sparkling shiny and brand new after immersion, and better still I didn’t have to spend a fortune buying fancy plastic bottles (future landfill) full of corrosive chemicals that DON’T work ANYWAY? Furthermore Vinegar is completely safe to humans and metals though apparently being a mild acid it can redden human skin, so wear gloves (I didn’t he says wincing when a little entered a cut on my hand) but hey I’ve lived to tell the tale.

Wear rubber gloves!!

I should add my Grandmother pickled many a garden food stuff in Distilled Vinegar so I doubt a little on the hands will kill me, and better still this life hack requires zero elbow grease which if you are lazy like me is fabulous, so what’s not to like about cleaning components using a 34p bottle of Vinegar? What’s more the magical liquid is guaranteed to work (because chipping away with chisels doesn’t!) Btw if you are worried about plastic destroying aquatic environments you can still purchase Distilled Vinegar sold in glass bottles! 

Immerse in Vinegar, wait 10+ minutes then watch the Limescale just fall away, btw please comment if the information I’ve imparted is wrong suspect or hazardous, thank you.

©A. Shepherdson 2019.

Christmas Lights & busted by Security!!!

 

Listen to the audio at 2 mins 45 seconds, 😀 where I get busted by a very pleasant and friendly (Shopping Precinct) Security Guard!

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Do I have a story for you this evening, oh and this is my final photo Post of 2018!

Several hours ago I thought why not take a few photographs of my Town’s Christmas decorations and lights, so carrying my Samsung Galaxy Tablet with me, I took the short walk into Town making for to the Main Shopping Precinct. Then for the next 15 minutes I photographed the lights also a video up above, I must admit I could see I looked a little conspicuous holding the Tablet aloft walking down an empty Street at 9.30pm.

Oh yes the photos, you’ll see a 10ft diameter Tree decoration at one entrance, and a Christmas Tree with flashing lights at the Cinema entrance, well by coincidence at the same time as I’d finished filming a Security Guard, very pleasant he was to, strode up to me to ask what I was in fact doing?

He went on to say the Police had been watching ME on their CCTV then contacted the Guard to have a word in ‘my shell like’ ear……………… anyways not to worry he made me laugh, I guess overt Security is a sign of the sad times we live in. Happy Christmas 🙂

A 10 feet diameter Christmas tree decoration…….. quite impressive actually

 

©A. Shepherdson 2018

Do YOU know who’s reading your Blog?

You may have read my post themed ladies who perform in Chatrooms, all very tame reading with an absence of sex talk, anyways tonight’s post is I hope an intriguing interesting follow-up.

Well you just don’t do you? I mean we publish our tales whether true or fiction hoping that people enjoy reading, then the icing on the cake is if they like and comment, but at the same time we’re quite trusting that everyone is reading with good and kind intentions…………….. so I’m wondering has anyone over the course of 8 months copied one of my posts? A Canadian blogger by the name of Skinny and Single once commented me it’s likely because my content lends itself to copying, though personally if plagiarism has occurred I’d rather not know, anyways not to worry.

Hold that thought for a second because I’ve a true tale to tell you.

Returning to my Title, about three weeks or so ago I received a slightly unnerving comment on one of my blog posts beautiful princess Anya, a chatroom lady, now if you haven’t read beautiful Princess Anya (read later 😉 ) she’s a lady who frequents a rather well known and legally run website featuring women who take their clothes for monetary game in the form of tokens, yes male viewers purchase digital tokens (not me) on their credit card then pay these chatroom ladies considerable amounts of money to strip naked, or go private and watch the lady play with herself using sex toys enough said! However note this financial agreement is all good clean fun and consensual, the ladies are age 18+ and I’d guess they choose to strip naked and perform because they want to or possibly need to!

Who knows why 🤔 live and let live I say, take your clothes off for money if you want to and stick two fingers up to anyone who says you shouldn’t. (I was going to swear but won’t!)

Confession time!

Now I have on occasion looked at this legal and 18+ Chatroom website and no I’ll not divulge the name, watching female adults taking their clothes off is well fun once in a while. So uhmm returning to my Princess Anya post I ‘borrowed’ a fully clothed photo of the lady to illustrate my tale, I removed her name removed the website title and published on my blog………… and that’s my tale in a nutshell. I’ve been blogging for the past eight months and ‘borrowed’ many a photo via Google, perhaps I shouldn’t but if you wish to copy one of my own photos then please do, you have my blessing fair’s fair.

However my tale doesn’t stop there!

Several days later WordPress notified me someone had commented said post by the name of Patti (not her real name), well cutting a short story shorter, Patti very politely asked me to remove the photograph because the lady was in fact herself! And just so as you know there are good reasons why I’m certain she was telling the truth and note Patti was very polite probably because she’d been fully clothed! 

But still she was unhappy I’d used her photo without her permission which is perfectly understandable 😞 .

I did apologise.

So within minutes of reading Patti’s comment I removed her photo also Princess Anya’s and I have to admit my heart was racing a little because hell, a Chatroom performer from the internet had read my post, I guess she Googled ‘Chatrooms’ or whatever and by chance saw her photo on my post. OMFG what odds would you take on that happening? Well after removing, Patti replied again thanking me with a very polite message accompanied by these amused Smileys 🙄🙄🙄because I’d spoken of her in such glowing terms, no drama no further correspondence and I hope that’s the end of the matter.

But this has definitely sharpened my thoughts, we merrily post all manner of facts about ourselves, personal photographs, even our real names written into Published creative writing with no thoughts of who might be reading. Experts do say that cyber criminal require only three pieces of information and if gleaned by skilled criminals who understand how to use it, they could unravel your whole life.

And those three pieces of information are (I realise I’ve shared before but hey it’s worth saying again)………

1. Your Full Name.
2. The name of the City you live in.
3. The name of your Employer.

…………… Yep that’s all a criminal needs!!

Scary isn’t it! And the longer you stare at those three truisms, the more you understand how easy you or your family could be uncovered, then armed with a full name and knowing the employer’s City a criminal could trawl an internal telephone directory, discover email addresses and well the possible consequences sends a shiver down my spine………….. jeez hundreds of businesses etc own my personal details, tie it all together and well need I say anymore. 

So there you are you never know who’s reading do you? We assume our content is consumed by fellow bloggers and lovely Followers (99.8%), I’m not aware of everyone who but I get a sense they’re blog writers, anyways the peeved lady who contacted me was within her rights to ask me to remove her photo…………. incidentally I have watched her perform within her Chatroom and very sexy she was to 😛 . 

So that’s a lesson learned and I like to think she enjoyed my tale especially because I’d been very respectful.

A. Shepherdson 2018 

Post script! I’d suggest don’t worry and assume only bloggers hang out in this internet back water called WordPress.

Body image, Boob chat and Breast lumps

My earlier post Racist Britain rather depressed me, so I thought why not cheer myself up and write about women’s boobs, and as you know I love women’s boobs!

Oh dearie me how an earth am I going to try and explain this one away (however before reading remember I both respect women and adore their boobs) well all I can say is you will have your own opinions by the end! 🙂

Did you know there’s a website teaching artists how to draw breasts? I know you didn’t but just goes to show you’ll discover anything on the internet if you lol look hard enough!

I could dedicate a whole blog to the human female breast, no I’m not joking I could honestly! But I would NEVER post photographs on the internet neither would I ever make fun of a woman for a reader’s amusement, most definitely not, I would be positive and respectful because I am a decent well mannered guy who adores women, in fact I’m in awe of these delicious delectable gorgeous creatures I don’t understand them mind you and there lies my insecurities. 

Btw just so as you know I am a feminist.

My breast blog (hypothetical) would be informative positive, neither salacious or kinky but yes I could be guilty of sexualising breasts however anything I’d write would be body image positive and written all because I’m obsessed fascinated by a lady’s breasts, hmm perhaps a little tooo much? 

(Everyone these days seems to suffer from questionable personality traits, I have AvPD but does a disorder exist for breast obsessions if so I have a feeling I’m afflicted, seriously!)

Note I’m NOT being disrespectful to women, I’d guess it’s essential (male) artists understand how to draw breasts properly. 

You’ll be relieved to read I won’t be writing a breast themed blog!

Jeeze that’s a lengthy introduction to my tale AND I haven’t started yet.

I’ve enjoyed naked sexual fun and games with many women in my lifetime, ages range from 19 to 48, (though Karina told fibs, I’m sure she’s 55 years but a gent never asks does he!) And as you’d imagine all twenty-five ladies were gifted with very different breasts, large or small, pert or saggy, high and round, firm or squidgy, empty and drooping, not to worry I loved them all! Imagine a boob size and shape well I guess I’ve squeezed one…………….. and don’t get me started on sucking nipples or I’ll be here all evening.

(Note Karina for the purposes of this tale isn’t the lady’s real name but I like the name so Karina she is, perhaps one day I’ll write the tales of how I came to meet these women but for now I prefer not to.)

So yes in my lifetime I’ve squeezed many pairs of unenhanced natural, as God intended, human female breasts and gorgeous they were to, and truthfully each time I near fainted when they took their bras off, put it this way the reveal and drop is the definition of eroticism. But not until meeting Karina had I ever slept with a woman who’d implants in her breasts and to be honest I’m in two minds, still! On the one hand I’m okay with falsies because they were Karina’s life choice, she both paid for and loved them so that’s fine by me, enhanced plastic boobs helped her body image, calmed any insecurities and the shape and size made her happy so it doesn’t matter what I think does it.

If I were ask to take a guess I’d say she didn’t get them because men demanded them, OR maybe sublimely did she?🤔😯😕 Who knows either way I didn’t really like them but didn’t say!!

And yes laying beside Karina looking at her burgundy lace bra cupping high round breasts they did indeed look womanly fabulous, her bust profile was exquisitely proportioned to her slim body frame (not porn star pneumatic balloons, yuck no!) The implants suited her, gave her a feminine cleavage however after she’d leant forward, reaching her hands behind to unclip then tossing her intriguing lingerie to the beside chair, well after the moment of freeing those bundles of fun from their restraint they didn’t drop 😦 and I enjoy watching saggy boobs fall to above the belly button. Anyways only after first setting eyes on Karina’s falsies did two horizontal pink lines etched into her skin capture my gaze.

Yep you’ll have guessed (cause I’ve already said), those pink lines were in fact the result of a surgical blade slicing into her skin, 2″ long incisions through which silicon implants had been forced underneath her breast tissue in what must have been a brutal operation. 

Why an earth go under the knife? She could have died!

Now I’ve seen these breast implant operations on the TV and I liken them to meat butchery, horrendous, my Great Grandfather was an army meat butcher in World War One (close to Ypres) and I’d guess he lol could have been a surgeon in another life but I shouldn’t be disrespectful. Well enough to say her surgeon stitched the incisions together (a nice job) and once healed Karina was left with two red unsightly marks for the rest of her life……… hmm I’ll be honest I don’t agree with breast augmentation.

BUT she loved them both so who am I to judge, live and let live I say.

Well because I’m an inquisitive sort of guy, an engineer by trade, I spent the next quarter of an hour asking all manner of questions, prodding squeezing basically giving her my own unskilled type of breast examination and she was happy to teach. In fact she guided my hand with hers to a point above her left implant, I gently pressed and felt a hard 4mm sized circular lump under the skin, I near freaked out with the shock and Karina had a look of concern etched across her brow then she said,

“Don’t worry the lump’s not cancerous”.

Jeeze I don’t think I’ve received such a heart stopping shock before, she should have warned me of a hard lump because I hadn’t frigging expected it!! Karina then went on to explain a hospital biopsy had revealed the lump wasn’t cancerous but I think her broken Polish accent meant I missed the true reason in translation, however she assured me the implant hadn’t split which was my next worry. Suffice to say she was booked in to have surgery this ********* though I could see she was quite concerned………………. don’t you think it a shame that a woman has to endure surgery and silicon bags inserted under her skin to improve the way she sees her body? AND didn’t she understand men love boobs whatever the size and shape I guess not?

I felt disappointed that afternoon, Karina’s implants were firm hard and yes they gave her a perky profile, but I’d loved them to have to been squidgy and jiggle, pendulously swing when she moved just as God intended, so okay they were hard but after 5 minutes of sucking licking and caressing I overcame any doubts……………. well nearly all!

Anyways we both relaxed and began to enjoy each other’s bodies, we kissed passionately the womanly smell of her freshly showered skin passing my nostrils and just so as you know I’m not a great fan of bottled perfume because ladies naturally smell divine ❤ , I’ll choose the clean animal scent of a woman over manufactured smells every time…….. I’ll share no further details, you’re all sexual animals lol you 😉 understand many of the ‘positions’ naked lovers get up to in bed together, even with her dodgy knee! (She got out of bed at one point to click it back into position.)

Enough said, joking apart I learnt you should always see a Doctor if there’s something medically not right with your body.

Artists drawings of naturel breasts 

I’ll wrap up this post by saying Karina and I will see each other again and no doubt chat about her (our) health but I’ll leave any ladies reading with one thought. I’ve worked with many men, both young and old over the past thirty five years and I’ve yet to come across a guy who liked breast implants, and yes the subject has raised it’s head upon many occasions. Btw if you’re 🙂 curious my take is why bother putting yourself through major surgery if your identified sexual partner doesn’t like them? Discuss. 

There you are lol knowledge shared from me to you, we guy’s love ‘au naturel’ unenhanced breasts whatever their size shape and ‘squidgyness’ so ladies please don’t ever assume we don’t.

©A. Shepherdson 2018

 

On Days Like These

Perhaps a little self indulgent self promotion, but hey I’m feeling chatty this evening and I’ve always wanted an excuse to share the video below, ‘On Days Like These’ is the Title music to a very British Movie Classic you may never have heard of……… Michael Caine’s ‘The Italian Job’ possibly one of the greatest British crime films ever made, the tune is sublime and sung by Brit crooner Matt Monro. Have you heard of Matt, he was our very own Frank Sinatra……….. oh and a bus conductor!

The song and video are perfect together, the Lamborghini Miura driving through the Alps is spectacular and the Italian gangster even manages to make smoking a cigarette look cool…… not easy! And not forgetting Michael Caine staring in possibly his wittiest and coolest acting performance ever. Enjoy 🙂 .

Eight months writing for my own little private space on the internet!

Let me explain, I began March 10th 2018 with a fictional erotic tale published on this very personal WordPress I described as ‘Blogging Thoughts Photos & Life’, well 122 randomly themed eclectic writings later and that’s exactly what’s transpired, (not forgetting a sprinkling of saucy sexy admissions) 🙂 Btw I’m quite popular in India which is a constant source of joy.

So I have to be honest and say I’ve not run out of ideas quite yet, I have several posts currently in draft stage however before ‘publishing’ those literary masterpieces (not!) I’ve a series themed The Tower of London. (Yikes I’d better pull my finger out and start them!!!)

Let me enlighten you, 2 weeks ago I visited The Tower of London taking many photographs and seeing as I’m a history buff I’ll be writing factual shorter posts than usual he says! They always begin with dreams of being short but finish 1000 words long, anyways I love them.

The Tower had quite an effect on me, slightly emotional even, my Country’s History has ALWAYS captured my imagination and where’s the harm in admitting I’m proud to be British?…………. Sometimes I feel to be an English male with an ancestry I can trace back 4-10 generations isn’t something to be proud of within a multicultural Britain, a melting pot of ethnicities, if ever there’s a TV program screened with lol tooo many white faces then Twitter suffers a meltdown, a tongue lashing by thousands of mortally offended keyboard warriors, anyways no point harking back to those good old days that (perhaps) never were?

Hmm are you a touch shocked? Well don’t be, try to enjoy your life that’s what I say, people across the Globe live in the moment happy in the knowledge whatever happened pre fifty years ago isn’t worth worrying about! Earning a wage to put food on your family’s table, now that’s important! 

Anyways I’m far from being racist (feel free to comment) but I am proud of my heritage so before you read my three unfinished posts, you’ve an English History lesson coming your direction and as always I’ll write from a very personal perspective.

🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy reading (they could be considered ‘slightly dry’) and don’t forget the photos were all taken by me 20/10/2018.

Finally my post with the most views is!!! Helen

A. Shepherdson 2018

Crafting – A response post

Wouldn’t you agree ‘imagination’ is the mother of all inventions? Me aged @10yrs beside a go-cart I’d constructed from old pieces of wood, stolen buggy (stroller) wheels and my parents old kitchen lino floor for a roof! I’d even painted it racing blue and added a bike wing mirror.

Oh and the hair is but a distant memory (sigh) 😀 , back in the 1970s I was always making things from old scraps of wood so was I taught to be creative or inherited the skills through my genes?…………… Happy days! 😀 And back in the days of my youth pram wheels were childhood currency, if you had them some kid would always buy or exchange for a swap……….. I’m wondering do children play like this in 2018 or am I looking at my past through rose coloured spectacles?

Anyways chatting about ‘meee’ isn’t necessarily the point to this post.

My mother is a perfectionist she can turn her hand to almost anything, as a small child I remember her sitting at the dining room table, cutting out material for dresses, shortening curtains by sewing machine and taking the hem up on my Jeans because she could never buy…………….. LOL long story!!! Most evenings leading up to Christmas she’d be baking mince pies, cooking a fruit cake, icing when cool with brilliant white sugar solution then leaving on the dining room bureau to dry. My mother used to make everything and anything before arthritis took hold of her hands (they’re not so bad which is a blessing but sewing is a hobby of the past), and only just recently she helped me assemble a bathroom cabinet holding it up while I drilled screwed and attached to the wall……….. yep a lovely family anecdote to put down in writing.

Ah where was I? Oh yes crafting a response post to a lady blogger I follow, about the age of nine and for some unknown long forgotten reason I had to make from scratch a small ‘sitting stool’ from oddments of timber. You know the scenario, this crafting project was a task to be completed earning me a badge from my Cub Scout leader, successful and mum would later sew onto my arm. The point to my tale is I guess mum could have left me to my own devices, and yes I could would have presented a half decent chair to my Cub Scout leader, earned the badge because well I was good with my hands and now I’m a time served engineer by trade.

Anyways rather than leaving me to work on my own, mum helped with the measuring cutting drilling screwing together before trusting me with a tin of brilliant white gloss paint!…………… And measuring each small piece of timber is the key to my tale, the dimensions had to be marked with a pencil then cut to a line, left to myself I’d have used rule of thumb and yes as I remember the ‘sitting stool’ EXACTLY resembled the picture on the plans……… even if I say it myself the stool looked pretty darn spectacular with its shiny paint drying under bright sunlight.

As an aside after the presentation ceremony, unbelievably one rather catty bitchy mouthed mother had the nerve to criticise mum saying,

“I don’t agree with parents doing the children’s work for them!” (Mum let it pass!)

Ffs I physically made it! Mum just instructed me how to use tools properly and to this day I still live and work by the mantra measure twice and cut once, and yes still to this day there are occasions when in a rush to get tasks done the initial first measurement turns out to be wrong…………. don’t you think that bitchy mother was out of order? I guess some parents compete against other parents through their offspring and it gets outer hand, anyways very childish behaviour but there you.

So what’s the point to my tale? We all have childhood memories experiences which only when many years later as adults ourselves do we realise shaped our lives, to this day I can close my eyes and picture us two knelt on the concrete front drive with tools and oddments of wood scattered around about us, I guess some would use the word bonding though I’m not so sure? To me our labours were more an exercise in how things should be done correctly, and yes on reflection the anecdote is a happy childhood memory which perhaps I’ll appreciate even more in years to come……… sadly.

I’m employed as an engineer so perhaps her early construction lessons rubbed off?

The amusing part to this tale is knowing my mother as a person I’d guess she was herself competed against other parents, however note she was very careful NOT to make the ‘sitting stool’ for me (btw I’ve asked mum and she cannot remember what happened to it), yes a competitive parent but cheating to win an award wasn’t and isn’t her style!

So my message to the blogger I’m responding to, don’t worry about the mess, the child is crafting and baking but life skills are being learnt, I’d guess treasured memories are being locked away for future reference and at least the child isn’t staring at a screen zombie like watching TV.

A. Shepherdson 2018

Steam Railway visit (pt 2/2)

(I realise part two of my recent visit to a heritage steam railway is a little late, it’s a photo blog so nothing tooo heavy but better late than never? Anyways reading part one really will help you understand the narrative of this evening’s post. 🙂 My take is enjoy the photos of a very unique British tourist attraction.)

GWR’s crown jewel is a Type Merchant Navy Class locomotive now lovingly restored

 

Several of you will be aware 01/09/2018 I visited a Gloucester Steam Railway Attraction click here for part 1 where you’ll discover ‘many’ photographs taken by moi on the day.

Cheltenham Town platform the beginning of my journey, the gentleman standing on the platform wearing Company dress of the day is in fact an UNPAID volunteer……… in other words his passion and hobby is steam trains. (Btw that’s my train under the bridge.)

Below Toddington Station and a very typical railway platform scene, I travel British railway of today and I cannot remember seeing flowering hanging baskets……….. again arranged by volunteer enthusiasts God love them oh and the homemade cakes were lovely.

Several station stops after Cheltenham Town and I am now standing on Toddington station platform

Below I’d guess this is how a 1940’s railway waiting room would have appeared, a telephone manufactured from Bakelite and a coal burning fireplace to heat the room in winter. 

Below photographs taken from within the carriage I was travelling in, yet again built 1940’s with wooden panelling and extremely comfortable it was to! Incidentally heated via steam pipes from the err steam engine!

Below our locomotive taking on water a common sight on all steam railways of the era.

In light of present day terrorist atrocities blighting every town and city across the globe, my photos below just show how times have changed with these piles of unattended suit cases laying unattended on a platform, I would add this scene is far from being staged for a camera! Watch any black and white movie of the era and this is what you will see stacks of luggage!……….. A security nightmare if ever you saw one.

The heritage railway also has vehicles owned by the train Company on display with the lorry below left painted in GWR dark brown and cream livery……… incidentally I’d never seen a three wheel truck before.

Now for two photographs (below) taken by me gazing out the window at the countryside gently rolling past……….. if you are interested the County is Gloucestershire.

……………. and finally the Railway is also home to heritage diesel locomotives circa 1960’s and my opinion JUST as important to save for future generations to enjoy and travel on.

©A. Shepherdson 2018 (Feel free to copy photos from these two Heritage Railway Blogs)

My take on computer games

A reflective post this evening discussing the differences between the childhood era I grew up in as compared to youth culture of today……….. we’re talking computer games! Oh and keep in mind I AM a cheerful ‘live your life as you wish’ kind of guy, remember this whilst you’re reading. TY 🙂

Note I’m not having a go at young people, I do understand computer games are more than just play to today’s children unlike in my youth when I was outside riding my bike or constructing go carts from old timber AND (stolen) pram wheels………… but I get it! Gaming’s socialising, it’s what kids do in 2018.

I get that gaming is an important part of youth culture, a time for children to bond with their friends whilst playing on XBOX’s but they do seem an awful time waster. AND I’m not alone, I chat to a Grandfather colleague at work and he has one hell of a difficult time getting his 10 year old grandson to put down these addictive consoles that will keep him engrossed and quiet for hours if allowed to. His Grandad wins after much good natured persuading and then they’ll bond going fishing on their bikes, and I use the word addictive as a description because yes computer games are designed by games inventers to be as addictive as any drug.

Am I wrong of course not, these clever games inventers understand exactly how a child’s brain is wired, visual graphics, high octane action plenty of age appropriate gun violence and of course achievable goals, if you concentrate and learn then you’ll reach another level to…………… err who knows where? Win and you get……………… nothing? But yes I concede the point to gaming is enjoying the moment with friends……. I get it.

Do you recall my opening line, I’m not having a go at the youth of today? Well you’ll be pleased to know I’m not, I’m speaking of course as an out of touch older generation, “Gaming is brilliant fun” some little people say to me and I understand I’m out of touch, but then I think back to my youth and I hear my mother’s exasperated voice saying, 

“Will you turn that TV off………….. please”, “go outside and ride your bike…………… please!”

And yes thinking back my sibling and I would watch trash TV at any given opportunity because ‘tech with graphics’ is addictive to a child’s brain, the only problem is I would be watching mind numbing cartoon series to badly acted Aussie soaps all afternoon! Crap TV which leaves the viewer in some ridiculous cliff hanger so I have to watch the next episode to see what happens next!

And nothing ever did apart from I’d wasted my life!

I was of course addicted to this blessed rubbish, jeeze when I think back to the hours of my youth I’ve wasted watching American sitcoms Coronation Street and EastEnders! But I’ll share a secret, I’m a changed man I haven’t sat through an episode of BBC’s EastEnders in the last 25 years, and if I do ever catch an episode’s trailer I’ll just shake my head at all the disgusting arguing shouting and fighting.

Would you believe I used to rush home from Scouts to watch this crap?

So yes I should cut the youth of today some slack, time to time I observe two little people playing games with friends in the living room and yes they are socialising, forming strategic friendships to kill an enemy, they’re arguing, there’ll be tears and laughter but the children are happy and having fun so reluctantly I have to admit gaming’s okay in moderation………… just not for me. I was exactly the same at their age although addicted to a whole different outlet of electronic media………….. so reluctantly YES I’ll admit computer gaming is a good thing in moderation.

No comment!

Only when you’re older and ‘wiser’ do you realise how precious those childhood years actually were, there’ll come a time when teenage boys and girls will switch off their consoles, put the handsets in a draw and go out dancing with their friends. Then again if you meet two girls like the couple above, well all I can say is I wish computer games were around when I was a young man!…………. she’s even playing wearing a pink bikini for heavens sake ❤ !

See I told you I wasn’t ‘having a go!’ Incidentally a very British phrase, writing’s a great way to work through your prejudices.

A. Shepherdson 2018

Eavesdropping on Girls Talk

We ALL listen into stranger’s conversations………… don’t we?

A question for you, why are women’s conversations so darn interesting?

I am a people watcher by nature, I was going to write aren’t we all? But I know for a fact some people are so self absorbed they are oblivious to what goes on around them, perhaps a little unfair of me. So yes guilty as charged I can’t help watching people go about their normal lives, nothing creepy mind it’s just that if you find human nature fascinating well you have to observe! Oh and I should qualify that statement with I have a terrible habit for eavesdropping, perhaps an unsavoury character trait but if you’re going to chat to your friend about sexually transmitted diseases, then what’s a guy to do except listen in?

I really can’t help myself however I’m far from blameless in fact I blame this new phenomenon of telling the world your private business fairly and squarely on mobile phones! I can stand next to someone in a bus queue and they’ll happily chat about their lives to a friend consequently I’ve become very attuned to conversations going on around me, and I’ve heard some corkers when sitting on the bus enduring the awful evening commute out of Oxford. But what’s to do? For some unknown reason people seem totally comfortable having intimate mobile phone conversations out loud, however the eavesdropper only hears half the conversation so has to fill in the pauses while the other person answers, but don’t you think eavesdropping is just human nature?

(I’m not a gossip though, oh no tell me a secret in confidence and my lips are sealed)

Recently I overheard a lady explaining to a friend on the phone, how she’d just left a solicitor’s office after a meeting with her ex husband, a guy she described in these glowing terms,

“Thankfully I’ll never have to see his stupid little face ever again”, you get the idea they were divorcing.

I should add the half of the conversation I was listening to was the lady gleefully taking her ex hubby to the proverbial cleaners, the alimony, the furniture, the house she got the lot! Although she had to give him a token lump sum, and by the time she’d hung up I both felt sorry for the poor guy and thanked my lucky stars I am single! Mind you she had a pleasant well spoken voice and a personality you could call ‘bitchy’ but then again she was divorcing an ex hubby so perhaps her attitude was understandable……………….. 😀 hmm do I really want to ever marry?

I’ve lost count of the shear number of Court case conversations I’ve eavesdropped on, you see our County’s Crown Court (second highest Court in the land) resides in the city I commute out of, consequently all I can imagine is people leaving Court at 4pm are SO excited and intellectually stimulated, or are so frigging relieved, they jump on the bus, whip out their mobile and tell friends mothers or girlfriends what went on in Court and the outcome of the case, and again I fill in the gaps. I’ve overheard defendants discuss their knife crimes, wounding, robbery convictions and often accompanied with foul language, not forgetting drug abuse and all absolutely staggering conversations so much more entertaining than reading tabloid newspapers, or soap operas on the TV (I don’t watch TV!) Btw I’m not joking the stories I have heard!!

I’ve also overheard conversations that are so sad and upsetting, bare in mind they’re impossible not to overhear, perhaps when someone sits in their comfy Italian leather reclining seat they’re totally aware the person in the seat behind can hear every word? The other week a young woman from the seat in front of me was chatting to her mother in tears, letting her heart out as daughters do explaining how she could no longer afford the mortgage payments on her house and other bills, and by the time I’d descended the double decker stairs to get off believe me when I tell you 20minutes of sadness and upset had left me in bits. I almost felt like giving the young lady a gift of money (but is that patronising to admit), I’ve even felt guilty that I am lucky to be relatively well off!

I don’t know some people seem do get the rough end of life, so far I haven’t, but I’m afraid I’m unsure I could emotionally handle having my life turned upside down? Perhaps the consequence for my timidity is I’m a guy who doesn’t take a risk……. is still single…… a little unhappy lol.

The most entertaining eavesdrop I’ve had by far lol was again sitting on a bus! A jaw dropping tale where the girl behind who was retelling lurid stories of her slutty behaviour while being on holiday with friends in some Spanish holiday resort, fabulously entertaining that was! You’ll get the gist when I say she was a ‘sleep all day, drink party and sex all night girl’, well turns out she’d slept with a different guy every SINGLE night, good for her, you’re a long time dead!

Jeeze I was so envious………… why didn’t I go to Spain in my twenties? 😀

(Btw I’ll skip the conversation where three girls were comparing their shopping purchases and discussing the pitfalls of wearing bras that are tooo small……………….. honestly I ask you!!! And just the other week the girl sitting next to me was regaling tales of her first leg waxing session to her friend………….. after five minutes or so I had to turn and look at her, I smiled with raised eyebrows, she went red and her friend couldn’t stop laughing………….. either I’ve never noticed this before or times have changed and I’m getting old?)

Oh yes back to the entertaining eavesdrop!

Well on another journey home two teenage (@15) girls were seated across the aisle on the other side of the bus, a row in front of me, and suddenly my attention was pricked so to speak because the two young ladies were chatting about relationships and sex, oh and loudly with plenty of passengers within earshot. Well as you can imagine I’m listening into the conversation and I’d guess all the other commuters would have turned down their mp3 media, stopped reading their paperback novels all ears drawn to the girl’s sex talk. Then mid chatting about their love lives, one girl earnestly said to her friend and I could tell she was rather concerned worried and confused, saying in hushed tones,

“Can you catch STD’s from sleeping with another woman?”

Well I’m all frigging ears mulling over questions like ‘well can a woman catch an STD from sex with another woman?’ ‘And if so which ones?’ And I must admit I was as confused as the two girls! Well to cut a short story even shorter, her friend wasn’t much help and didn’t seem to know?

Then all of a sudden a middle age woman sitting a few rows in front of me, turned around from her seat, leant across to the two girls and answered,

“Yes you can my dear, you can catch STD’s.”

And having shared her caring advice she returned to her seat as if nothing had ever happened, then the worried girl turned to her friend and rather seriously said,

“I’d better get myself checked out then” and with that their conversation stopped or changed subject I cannot remember?………….. Hmm I wonder if she did get checked or have an STI.

Well as you can imagine I was in my element listening in (wouldn’t you be? Btw we all were), however I couldn’t help wondering who the rather brave knowledgeable helpful woman was? I remember thinking she must be a lovely person to bravely come to the rescue of a troubled teenager, perhaps she was a mother with daughters? A school teacher? Or just an example of someone with such great empathy, devoid of embarrassment, that she could no longer remain quiet knowing both the correct STI answer and how important the teenagers understood diseases are exchanged skin to skin.

I was truly touched.

I wouldn’t have had the nerve to speak up possibly because I was pretty confused myself! My brain was listing any number of sexual diseases before settling on Genital Herpes, I’m reliably informed Herpes is very easy to pick up from skin to skin sexual contact, but either way I wouldn’t have had the nerve to pipe up and neither did all the other commuters within earshot…………. hmm perhaps men should never get involved #MeToo and all that.

In life there are those who get involved and help others, and there are those who watch and do nothing? So I’m left wondering which one am I?

(Stating the obvious boys talk loudly over their mobile phones………………. but for some reason I only remember lurid tales told by young ladies 😀 probably because lady’s conversations are FAR more interesting engaging and darn right entertaining!)

©A. Shepherdson 2018.

A baby, a horse, and a woman

I have an ADMISSION to make (lol all very dramatic), I wrote this Post way back in, err ‘History’ informs me the date was ‘April 13th’, yes 6 months ago! Well eversince then it’s been in Draft form and short story I reread yesterday and thought why not publish! Thoughtful and yes wordy but I enjoyed creating and that’s why we’re here 🙂 .

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An observational brain-teaser of a post for you this evening and perhaps a little over the place but not to worry 🙂 so lol if you’re struggling with my stream of consciousness (wittering’s) keep in mind how wonderful the human brain is! Lol it helps.

Many years ago I heard a rather memorable saying, by chance mind, possibly off the telly who knows? I cannot remember the context or who said it and why, only that I remember this saying still to this day……………….. so lol do you wish to know what it is? 

If you’d rather not, click away from this post right now! 😦

Oh you’re still here fabulous. I’m glad because I think my phrase is conceptually a fascinating saying for many many reasons, so here we go accompanied by an imaginary virtual drum roll! Jeeze lol I hope I haven’t built this moment tooo much, not to worry oh and the saying is more of a question where you fill in the answers……………….. possibly several or different from my own?

‘What are the three most beautiful sights to behold in all of creation?’ (I know a real mouthful!) Answer ‘a sleeping Baby, a running Horse and a naked Woman.’ 

So can you better these?

A sleeping Baby

A running Horse

…………… and a naked Woman. 

Don’t you agree all 3 images are gorgeous on the eye? Especially the ‘naked’ woman I think she is quite stunning although the Artist escapes me. (As an aside I go to bed at night naked, doctors say it’s healthier 😀 )

Throughout history all the great artists have painted the female nude, perhaps you’ve the opinion God surpassed himself on that day of creation, I know I’m beside myself with joyous incredulity watching a sex partner take her bra and panties off! And the baby and horse come close.

Where was I? 😀 Oh yes phrases you’ve heard that lodge in YOUR brain forever and ever! Baby horse woman is mine, perhaps name me one of yours.

Have you ever listened into a conversation, overheard people chatting at a bus stop only to hear a phrase or saying that for some unknown reason, becomes hard wired into your brain, lodged in your consciousness, so much so out of all the other hundreds of human voices you’ve listened into that day you’ll remember this ONE phrase for the rest of the day? Perhaps be able to recall and quote it by the end of the week? Or incredibly it will seep back into your psyche at the most inopportune moment for the rest of the year! Life!

Of course you have and for some reason my brain will NEVER forget Baby Horse Woman and here’s I think why, it’s a natural World conundrum, three living images that are perfect in every way, a question that’s rather profound but perhaps most of all a puzzle that exercises my brain………………. lol over and over again!

Further still, I will run any number of combinations whilst idly sitting on a bus, or deep in thought walking to work! Here’s just a few.

1. I cannot think of any images more beautiful in all of nature. Not one.
2. I cannot think of a 4th worthy of inclusion, I’ll rack my brain but I honestly can’t come up with a 4th that deserves inclusion, not one! I’ll run through the order in my brain, are they equally beautiful or is there a 1st 2nd and 3rd? 
3. If there is a 123 then which comes first? 
4. If you were to ask me, lol a naked woman is 1st but I’d guess a mother would say the angelic serenity of her sleeping baby wins hands down.

Conundrum’s such as these can never be answered and you’ll of course have your own that’ll keep your brain ticking over when you’re bored, I have many.

So that’s the phrase hard wired into my brain.

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A rather personal story follows which may not be of interest but was fun to write 🙂

The human brain holds a deep fascination for me, I’ve attended lectures given by eminent University Professors, I’ve purchased many books, always watch the latest TV documentaries and perhaps in part my interest is because I suffer from a brain disease! Yep each day I take 3 tablets, twice a day morning and evening, and they suppress electrical activity in such away that neurologists have pinpointed the dose at which they stop me having lol wild limb uncontrollable fits, and yet not tooo strong a mix of chemicals that would stop me functioning as a living human being.

My tablets are a potent mix of chemical compounds, if I take too many in one dose they alter enough activity in my brain, they suppress enough electrical activity to such an extent my eyesight becomes blurred and I’m unsteady on my feet, in effect they temporarily shut down brain functions.

Perhaps now you see why I often talk about my brain lol in a WordPress Post!

Why is it you can close your eyes and across your minds eye see the face of your first girlfriend in picture perfect clarity? Or say (I’m not married) why is it a mother could close her eyes and see a picture perfect photograph of the first occasion she set eyes on her daughter wearing her brilliant white wedding dress? Amazing fascinating and incredible.

Lol and I’ll not even begin to discuss human consciousness and the reason why we believe in supernatural spirits, have blind faith in the concept of an almighty God so much so that when we take our last human breathe, die so to speak why an earth have our brains convinced ourselves we will meet this spirit in an afterlife?

Yep I’m an unbeliever an open minded atheist, I don’t believe in Gods but I TRULLY wish I did because belief gives life a purpose, an end in sight that’s worth living through pain and hardship for, because you’re utterly convinced we’ve been put on earth for a reason? An amazing organ is the brain and that’s quite enough of atheism.

Returning to overheard sayings that remain with you for eternity, btw when you make it to the afterlife I guess your wonderful amazing brain remembers all life’s happy memories, photos of your loved ones and keeps them safe for ever and ever and ever? The amount of dirty legal consensual sexual activities I’ve gotten up to in my life, with ladies btw I’m not talking frigging sheep! Lolol, do they stay with me forever?

AND never ever forget this astonishing organ is the sole reason we enjoy sex! Experts say at the point of ejaculation, dopamine adrenalin serotonin and other mind altering pleasure giving neuro transmitters are coursing through the brain.

Orgasmically incredible don’t you think!

© A. Shepherdson 2018 (Original as always was it worth waiting months for?)

 

“Cabin boy stuffed his arse with broken glass and now he’s circumcised the Skipper”

I love the English Language.

I have for you this evening a fun amusing (finger’s crossed) light hearted post not to be taken tooo seriously, and jeez don’t you find time passes all to quickly in life generally, oh and here on WordPress, a week’s passed and I haven’t ‘published’ (for several reasons) but there you are.

So like I said time for a post that’s a little more light hearted and how does the Muppets backing vocals to a Sex Pistols song grab you? Hey? I’d like to theme this post our love of Language and introduce you to a word you may have never heard before.

Frigging! (And yes it’s in the Oxford English Dictionary)

Frigging: My go to Blog word in place of profanity/vulgarity, I’ll even go as far as to say it’s becoming a firm favourite, you’re all lovers of the English Language, so have you ever heard the word and do you know what Frigging means? Have you ever seen it written into a Blog? I tend to use Frigging in place of swearing within my Blog, it’s less vulgar and sound’s awesome dripping off the tongue!

But before I begin, here are the Sex Pistols and quite unbelievably a Muppet cover! I dare you not to smile. 😀

(I do hope the Band’s South London accent translates and you’ll understand the lyrics if not Google! However alas I don’t think the video ‘combo’ is Jim Henson’s but apparently he loved it!)

A second reason for writing this evening’s post is I came to realise after writing for a few months on WordPress my language was appalling, and by that I mean foul language. Oh yes I used f### and s###, as noun verb and it’s descriptive sister in crime adjective far far tooo often, once or twice is ok? Any more and the F word loses all shock value, it’s okay to perhaps emphasise a calamity or the worst of behaviour but unacceptable remembering teenagers may read my Posts? Don’t please 🙂 . AND as my old School teacher used to chastise, swearing is ‘lazy writing’ and I’m inclined to agree.

Not quite acceptable in everyday spoken polite society but if you did say “Frig me” or “Frigging Hell” it’s just about acceptable………… certainly sounds less harsh on the ear than ‘F’.

I first stumbled across Frigging as an 11yr old and I can remember precisely where I was and who said it. By Martin Ashby on a Scout camp in Hampshire 19##. But I’m doubtful anyone reading this post has either used or perhaps ever heard of Frigging? ……………… OMFG I’ve only this second realised I haven’t shared The Oxford English Dictionary meaning with you………….. Frigging means clitoral stimulation or to a lesser extent male masturbation, and now you know the meaning doesn’t it sound rather delicious? Anyways I apologise for revealing so late in this evening’s post. 

So there you are, Frigging! I hope to see it written in your blog posts sooon! And btw don’t assume I’m a grammatical expert ask me to define verb and I’ll answer FU.

©A. Shepherdson 2018

A blogger’s thoughts on Internet security

I’ll theme today’s post a few thoughts on being safe on the internet because I’ve facts I wish to share. Now I wholeheartedly agree we have to be super careful on the internet, we all know that!

I’d guess we all adhere to the basic rules for internet safety like no names, no addresses, no telephone numbers, no email addresses, no workplace names, no City/Town street addresses, no photographs in fact don’t give any personal information away whatsoever.

As an aside, I read something the other day to the fact an online criminal only needs three pieces of information, three keys to unlock a carefully guarded secure safe and discover every fact about you if they have the evil skills to no how to track you down.

Yes apparently all that’s required are three facts and Jesus if true this is absolutely scary as f###, I’ll enlighten you because you may be curious, but apparently all that’s required are,

1. Your second name.
2. The City or Town you work in.
3. The name of your employer.

And what if someone you know in real life unscrupulously gives away those three sacred pieces of information?

Frigging scary isn’t it! We’re so careful with the information we tell of ourselves, but it turns out from collecting just these three pieces of information, cyber-criminals could potentially unravel your entire life, and the more I look the more I agree 123 is all that’s required.

We were sold a dream the internet is this wonderful tool for pleasure and work, turns out the internet is 90% pornography driven, then there’s the money laundering, dark web, credit card fraud, terror beheading videos on YouTube, FB and fake news and any number of signed for websites giving your personal data away to all and sundry!

A. Shepherdson 2018

Update! I am not a man who’s easily beaten

If you read my previous post you’ll know Wednesday I woke up early and left the house after breakfast with the intention of visiting a heritage steam railway, well events conspired against me (long story involving broken down trains) and being as I’m not a man who’s beaten I set out a second time this time travelling by coach (1/4 cheaper than by train) and success I arrived, spent the day riding on steam trains, took lots of photos and as you’ll guess a blog will follow!

My souvenir mug, 🙂 I’ll use this at work!

(I hope readers are interested they are trains after all 😀 , and give me a day or two to write a post).

A. Shepherdson 2018

Tasty raspberries and broken down trains!

‘Exercise the writing muscle everyday’, a response

Nesting! The Manor House dovecote

Photographs taken by myself April 2018. 🙂

I’m a happy Englishman, 3 weeks ago snow covered my home Town and surrounding countryside, the temperature plunged to -6 degrees, but joy of joys a warm British Spring has finally arrived, I do so hate the cold.

I carry a camera with me everywhere I go, well last Saturday as I approached ‘our Town’s Common’ walking alongside the outer wall of a 16th Century Manor House, part of which is a dovecote.

TV’s ‘Downton Abbey’ is filmed here, you may have heard of it?

I’d noticed earlier a small group of people standing gazing up at the outer wall, so ‘as you do’ I stopped to see what an earth they were looking at and photographing on their mobile phone cameras? And there sat a female white dove on her nest of twigs. (Below)

A very impressive nest of twigs don’t you think, and better still she’s another sign Spring has finally arrived, yay! Incidentally she’s not in the slightest bit phased by the shoppers walking past, I guess our Doves get used to gawping tourists!

Btw if you’ve ever heard the phrase ‘Cotswold Stone’, Century’s ago Churches also village Cottages were constructed using locally mined Cotswold Stone, which begins life a clean sandy yellow but over time many strains of living lichen attach themselves and along with the effects of wind and rain the Stone turns a mixture of greys and honey coloured hews. Tourists (especially the Japanese) travel from right across the Globe specifically to visit Cotswold Stone Villages!

I’ve a soft spot for weathered Cotswold Stone, but then I would say that, home is where the heart is. 🙂

The scenic photograph below was taken at the height of summer of 2017 and shows a picturesque Manor House now from the rear, which err means said Dovecote is unseen because it’s ‘on tuther side!’

You may have already ‘read’ several Posts on my WordPress, thank you, so you’ll have gathered this Blog possess no one single theme, which means the following Post could be wildlife, cookery, erotica or whatever! There’s no specific reason, it’s just my ‘publishing style lol!

(The following Post is themed Lesbians, you’ve been warned!)

© A. Shepherdson