leonardcohenforum.com

Aha.I've been away in Poland on a walking holiday and I've missed being part of a heated discussion.I went with a group of 40 Welsh people all having fun,we laughed ,how we laughed and yes we do have a sense of humour.
I did cry one day though when we went to Auschwitz Concentration camp and it confirmed in my mind that racial discrimination is the most evil thing on this planet.

I went to see my doctor and I told him about my upcoming trips to Wales and Barcelona.
The funny man always puts his advice in rhyme form. And he went:

Don't hug, don't fuck
don't kiss, don't miss
a chance to wash your hands
at the meetup with your friends
no swine, no bird, no gnu
will catch you with a flu

The German delegation is ready for the walk.

Btw Henning, great verse there.... so sorry then but I cannot give you a Ber hug when we meet lol.

Will you still push or pull me on that mountain if I cannot move

Anne & I will still be there (I'll be walking). I really don't know what to say as I'm not clever like Henning. I grew up in a little town in Wisconsin called Tigerton where no one really felt like they were simply an American as they were all Norwegian, Irish, German immigrants etc. We had a small number of Native Americans who lived there in what we called, "The Indian Village." I used to deliver newspapers there and befriended a young man, Wesley, who told me that his grandmother didn't speak English and since the railroad ran right by their house, and there wasn't a word for "train" she called it "Chou, Chou!" When Anne & I were in Krakow a couple of years ago, we got stuck in traffic on our way to the train station and I asked our driver, who didn't speak English to let us out to walk since we were hopelessly stuck. As we walked down the road, all the folks we asked about the location of the station, just said, "No English! No English!" Anne finally looked at someone and said, "Chou! Chou!" He immediately directed us to the station.

There is always the heritage of the ugly Americans. I know Christy Moore's song, "America, I Love You" with its derisive comments. We had the war between the states. There were no African Americans in my home town. One of the most memorable moments of my childhood took place when one of my childhood heroes, Hank Aaron, inquired about buying a farm near Tigerton. I was so excited and suddenly I realized a certain undercurrent of tension. I asked my father, "Why wouldn't people want Hank Aaron to live in Tigerton?" He said, "Well, they are afraid that he will bring up a lot of other Negroes to work on the farm." I asked, "What would be wrong with that?" He said, "Nothing, It's just the way people are."

Joe

The blessings ....

"Be careful, be kind - that's a tough one.

May you always be surrounded by friends and family, and if this is not your lot, may the blessings find you in your solitude".

Looking forward to meeting EVERYONE in Barmouth.
Judy

Byron wrote: I live in Chester which has been called the Capital of Wales, sometimes. Why? Because when you walk around the city centre shops you will hear the Welsh language being spoken by hundreds of people.

Byron! I have had always had visions of you out walking with the penguins, one of those brave members of the Antarctic Survey, cut off all winter in your lonely cabin with just us on the Forum to talk to on your lonely computer. I am just too gullible.

Evie B wrote: Byron! I have had always had visions of you out walking with the penguins, one of those brave members of the Antarctic Survey, cut off all winter in your lonely cabin with just us on the Forum to talk to on your lonely computer. I am just too gullible.

Ah, Evie B, the answer lays in the penultimate word.

The trick of one's mind managing the art of bilocation.

Bipolar, does that mean you need new specs and don't know whether you are at the North or South Pole?

Evie B wrote:Bipolar, does that mean you need new specs and don't know whether you are at the North or South Pole?

Most of the time I don't know if I'm coming or going. But that's what happens when you're a cross-eyed non-swimming polar bare.

I can't say too much because 'they' don't know I'm off the ward and Matron is bound to do a head count before 'lights out.'

Many years ago ( over 40 to be a little bit more precise ) my best friend and I used to spend our weekends during Summers at Benlech on the isle of Anglesey. We jumped into his car after work on Friday afternoons and taking our camping equipment, we set off on what were the old 'A' roads to wend our way through Conway's old town and all other towns on the route, arriving after a 2 hour drive at least. These days it is half that time on the A55 expressway.
Anyway, we pitched our tent and then set off to the Glanrafon Pub where we spent the next two evenings enjoying good beer and good company. We had our guitars with us and a long list of folk songs which we played and sang in the pub. Those were the days of Peter, Paul and Mary, early Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Donovan, and many Liverpool folk singers. This was pre-Beatles music that we played. We and the regulars in the pub enjoyed folk music.
On Saturdays and Sundays we spent our time on Benlech beach. There were a few tourists but not many. In fact I seem to remember that there was only a small caravan park and the one field that we pitched our tent in, with 2 chemical toilets !!
Eventually we became such good friends with the locals that we were able to pack our camping gear and leave it in the garage of one of the lads who lived in the village, until we returned the following weekend.
Happy days...
The reason I've given this preamble is to bring me to the following observation.
My pal and I are 'scousers.' ( Liverpool lads )
The locals were/are welsh blokes and their wives. Some of whom had Welsh as their first language.
We used to take the piss out of them and they used to take the piss out of us. And even if/when we had all had a drop too much to drink, there was never any animosity shown or used by anyone. Being scousers we had our Achilles heel and being Welsh, they had theirs too.
What was said in jest was accepted in jest. Face to face. We would sharpen our wit on them and vice versa.
We all enjoyed our drink. We all enjoyed good company. We all enjoyed sharing our favourite music. Sometimes on Saturday afternoons we couldn't walk passed the pub without being invited in to start an after lunch sing-song. Those were the days when Anglesey was 'Dry' on Sunday. ( No alcohol was allowed on the Lord's Day )

Thank you Tinders, and I'm looking forward to meeting you also.

Thanks Rob, and sorry but I did not realise you were coming to Wales too. i am sure we will all have a great time..... but I really better start doing some lunges and stretches soon or I won't get far up that mountain

Hey Paula, that's great. We will have lots of fun I am sure.

Byron wrote: No alcohol was allowed on the Lord's Day

Quite right too