Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackie wilson]

Right then, shop shut down for the weekend [or is it shut up for the weekend], posh mudguards are proving tiresome on the DAX's trailer or trailor depending on whether you're C of E or R/C.
Got the best bib and tucker on and about to head inland to the village of BALLS CROSS, they have a very nice pub there called the STAG, good restaurant and some fine ales, dinner with daughter Sam and spouse.
Don't know how well its all lit up to take a phoggie for you. Tell you how i got on later.

[jackiewilson]

Typical Friday night in an english country pub------big log fires-----slow start----lovely atmosphere -----everyone talking to each other and the beer is sliding down nicely. We all arrived together, had a drink at the bar then wandered into the dining room. Waitress took the order immediately . Didn't have long to wait for the grub which turned out to be excellent, we drank too much which sent the ticket into orbit.
Got onto conversation with the folk on the next table, turned out to be two people I played soccer against 60 years ago-----conversation goes like this,
You're Jackie Wilson aren't you,
Yes but how could you possibly know that,
My names Peacock, you once punched my brother and laid him out cold.!

This is the narrative of that Saturday afternoon in 1954.
Southwater were playing against Kirdford-------they were fielding 11 players of which 9 were named Peacock. and the other two were married to the Peacock girls. They were known for their
"Robust" style of play------they claimed they were just" ENTHUSIASTIC".
They went 3 down and the sledging started, then this guy starts on about my family, I just lost it, simply walked over to him and whacked him, as hard as I knew how. He went down and stayed down------the only other person to see this was their goalkeeper, he came rushing up the field, fists a flailing, screaming he was going to kill me-------so I hit him too-------the ref saw this and gave me my marching orders-------that's when the trouble started-----20 odd players having a free for all and I'm stood on the touch line arms akimbo like -----what's it all about?
The guy I had clobbered suddenly comes to, sees me on the touch line and runs over and says
"Sorry about that mate, I was well out of order" and shakes me by the hand, drags the ref over, and Voila! We're back to playing football.
The guy was Dusty Peacock and he died last year, over the years we often talked about that match.

Just remarkable that over 60 years later I should be dining in the pub with two of his brothers.

Leaving Crack-O-Sparrow for Somerset to visit Matt-----bugger that I can't drive, just hope the snow stays up there until we're safely back home Monday afternoon, you may get a rest from the ramblings so have a great weekend peeps MYGGWY J.

[jackiewilson]

How 'bout this for a mighty coincidence .
one of my best friends and his wife, (Nigel and Pauline) are in New Zealand on vacation for five weeks.
He is staying with a guy called Mike Betts who used to work for "STEVERINO" and JEFF EDWARDS.
Half way round the world he says and still can't get away from me.

[CNC_Guy]

Isn't that the way it works nowadays! Morning Jackie.
Dave

[jackiewilson]

Isn't that the way it works nowadays! Morning Jackie.
Dave

Morning Dave,
Buggered if I know how life "works" anymore!
Escaped the bad weather on the way down to Somerset , Jill's. Out walking the levels with Matt.
Tomorrow we take him to bristol for his Chemo/Radio treatment, then head out East for home.
Tuesday, back in the workshop and life should resume as "normal".
Forgotton what normals like-----seems a bloody long while since that happened.

[STEVERINO]

How 'bout this for a mighty coincidence .
one of my best friends and his wife, (Nigel and Pauline) are in New Zealand on vacation for five weeks.
He is staying with a guy called Mike Betts who used to work for "STEVERINO" and JEFF EDWARDS.
Half way round the world he says and still can't get away from me.

Hey Jackie if Nigel and Pauline are staying with Mike Betts they are in safe hands.He started working for Dave Brockington at his Mercury dealership in Taunton I knew him when he was just 16 yrs old he worked on all the teams racing boats wether it was Mercury or Johnson Dave did a good job teaching him he went to most of the circuit races he was like a family friend.The last time we met was 15 yrs ago at Daves 60th retirement party I do know he had also worked for SWMF the UK Mercury engine importers and he had also just got his Skippers liscence to captain charter vessels.

[jackiewilson]

I used to know every single person employed at SWMF, was friends with all of them from Pat Frewer the boss man to Pete the delivery driver, all the meck-Nicks, Cherie, Pats secretary, that was one big happy family. So I probably would remember Mike-----you and I both know the memory is totally shot!
Mark comes back from skiing in Virginia today so we'll have a chat tomorrow and catch up on a few things.
Been a sad and happy sort of day, one day I'll unload the sorrow, but not today-----if I get a mad fit of inspiration I'll post something tomorrow but in the meantime MYGGWY. J.

[jackiewilson]

Tuesday and I'm back home in West Sussex . It's a hard white frost with light cloud, looks more like a covering of snow. Didn't get any snow during the trip to Somerset.
I need a full English breakfast----then back into the workshop to get stuck into the TRAILOR again.
Picked up several interesting pieces of wood during my travels, give them a clean up and see what springs to mind.
Shop is full of bits and pieces I cobbled together over the last month or so, time to put a couple more shelves up in the shed to accommodate them!
Still got plenty of stainless, but completely out of round bar, I used to go to the scrapyard in Bouzigues and forage for an hour or two, going through his bins, that was four years ago, time flies when your having fun!
Nothing of any great interest happened over the weekend, so will have to just make something happen.

[jackiewilson]

You can keep this sort of day, absolutely nothing went right-----house telephone would not let me make a call. Called BT on my mobile,they will take a LOOK For £129:55. Figured it would be cheaper to just nip round to CURRY'S and buy a pack of three (phones that is) £70,.
Spent an hour installing the damn things-------nothing in this world is interchangeable any more, somebody somewhere just might miss out on screwing a shilling or two out of me if you could buy just a replacement phone.
Every thing I touched turned to worms------every hole i bored went oval, Every nut and bolt had a burr on it, every weld I did looked like poodle pup.
Threw my tools OUTA the pram and stormed in for lunch--------now having a bitch before my nap.

[jackiewilson]

To be honest, I'm mad at the world-------I really could have done without a series of bloody strokes
Just when I need to be able to drive more so than ever before, I can't.
Last person in the world I need to get cross with is Jilly!
Keep giving you insights into our life----things overlap-----maybe they shouldn't. Started out as a post in an on line boating magazine------brought a bunch of old friends back in touch with each other, we reminisce------laugh with each other-----joke with each other-----we're easy with each other, we meet new friends. We lose some of the old ones and then there's a time for sadness.

Coming up nineteen years ago my eldest daughter Sandra,was diagnosed with cancer, she was just forty one years old, the shock was devastating--------she had a husband, a twelve year old son and a ten year old daughter--------a brother and three sisters. Somebody had to steer the boat, me being the patriarch stepped up.
For the next few months I had to hold everything together-----until the day we buried her, I never let my feelings show to anyone.
Afterwards, with no one around I could get lost in my workshop or build a house, break something for no reason. I tried ever since to find someone to blame, just give me a reason WHY?----No parent should ever bury his child, that is so totally unfair and one of life's bitterest pills.
Time passes, you think you have finally got over it, then someone mentions her name, the tears flow until you are fresh out of h2o until the next time.

Now it's all about to happen again, but this time-------problem is, I know exactly Whats about to happen, again I am not allowed emotion, .
It may seem odd to some of you out there to be using S&F a powerboating website for offloading feelings, but if you can't talk to friends, who the hell can you talk to, just occasionally I revert back to being a normal human being with deep feelings and emotions just like the rest of you MYGGWY J.

[ron54]

Jackie, you're allowed emotion here and I am certain there will no p**s taking replies either.. it is your thread after all.....P

[seeroy]

Jackie - After posting for a couple years, and finally meeting face to face 7 years ago, and knowing all along how my brother & Vida felt about you, I have always known that, under that gruff exterior, lived a truly special person. Iris & I both loved you immediately. As you know, Iris is a Hospice nurse. We talk a lot about her every day experiences. I am very proud of her ability to comfort the families of her patients. Your experience with your daughter certainly taught you how to give comfort during difficult times and I know that you will do so for Jilly this time. Sometimes I think I see little bit one of my great British hero, W.C.

Sorry, but now this news, I am writing this from hospital bed. I had a biopsy of left kidney today. Have not seen results yet, but visual results do not look good. I may lose it. Fortunately, most people do fine with just one. I think that is also true with only 1 testicle . I absolutely refuse to lose me sense of humor!!! - Your Forever Friends , Steve & Iris Sirois. PS, it is nearly midnight here. So Iris says I must
turn ipad off until morning.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie, you're allowed emotion here and I am certain there will no p**s taking replies either.. it is your thread after all.....P

No Phill----it's not My thread------it's OUR thread, it's for EVERYONE who's got anything to say!

[jackiewilson]

Jackie - After posting for a couple years, and finally meeting face to face 7 years ago, and knowing all along how my brother & Vida felt about you, I have always known that, under that gruff exterior, lived a truly special person. Iris & I both loved you immediately. As you know, Iris is a Hospice nurse. We talk a lot about her every day experiences. I am very proud of her ability to comfort the families of her patients. Your experience with your daughter certainly taught you how to give comfort during difficult times and I know that you will do so for Jilly this time. Sometimes I think I see little bit one of my great British hero, W.C.

Sorry, but now this news, I am writing this from hospital bed. I had a biopsy of left kidney today. Have not seen results yet, but visual results do not look good. I may lose it. Fortunately, most people do fine with just one. I think that is also true with only 1 testicle . I absolutely refuse to lose me sense of humor!!! - Your Forever Friends , Steve & Iris Sirois. PS, it is nearly midnight here. So Iris says I must
turn ipad off until morning.

Stavros, you didn't take a blind bit of notice of what I told you did you? Stay away from hospitals, they have a tendency for nicking bits out of you------you are running low on spares.
Mark says your name is shown up more than any other in the "LAKE X FILES", you must have tested more boats than you had hot dinners!
Didnt you know that you can never lose your sense of humour------you can misplace it for a while, but like a shadow, if the sun goes out for a while, it may not show, but the minute the sun comes out, there it is again.
Maybe folk who wonder what the purpose of S&F is, will now maybe get a fleeting glance of what we're all about and get a feeling and understand some, if even a bit rubs off, then we won't have done too bad after all.
You get well soon Steve, I've loved ya since the minute I met you( and Iris), you don't get many like you for a dollar these days.

[Rotary John]

Jackie: There are plenty of shoulders to lean on on this site of old friends. And I certainly offer mine if needed. I buried my sister to cancer 25 yrs ago, so I know somewhat the feeling. Just remember if you get really down in the dumps, we can talk about rotaries. That'll cheer you up for sure.