Aerial installation (may be one for Bill)

On Saturday, 6 October 2018 10:57:53 UTC+1, wrote:
On 06/10/2018 10:02, Roderick Stewart wrote:

We all see the timewasters in the surgery and in hospital. They're easy
to spot.

True, they exist, but they're not everybody who is over 60, and I hope
they don't ever include me. I don't like it when people waste my time
so I try not to waste anyone else's.

I was thinking more of younger people when I said timewasters. I don't
think many old people go to the doctors unless they have to.


The NHS was founded the same year I was born. I hope it doesn't die
with me too. It's one of the finest things we have.
I agree. An extract from my autobiography:

The NHS had been founded roughly at the time of my conception. Whether
this was part of my dad’s forward planning I don’t know, but if so the
scheme went awry: because of my mother’s blood pressure I was not a
National Health baby; I was born privately at a cost of 48 guineas,
something which in my later years must have given dad pause for thought.

Bill

Nearly two grand at current prices - more than a funeral!

On 06/10/2018 13:30, Ian Jackson wrote:

The NHS had been founded roughly at the time of my conception. Whether
this was part of my dad’s forward planning I don’t know, but if so the
scheme went awry: because of my mother’s blood pressure I was not a
National Health baby; I was born privately at a cost of 48 guineas,
something which in my later years must have given dad pause for thought.

Bill

You mean you were an only child?

No, they were late starting because of the war. To quote again:

During the Second World War many commodities were rationed, and it
sometimes seemed as if all the nice things in life were withheld. Tasty
items like bananas and chocolate were extremely scarce. For the
servicemen abroad there was one particular comfort that could be very
hard to come by. It was something that those of stern morality could
only get at home, and thus it was that the mass demobilisations of the
mid-forties were followed by several years of compensatory catching up.
Family life had been postponed, but now was the time to get back on
track. Our brave British boys faced the challenge as they had faced all
the challenges that had come before. They stood proudly to attention and
then they got stuck in. One result was me.

After me the NHS settled down a bit and Dad decided to risk it again in
1953. That child died at birth but success came (and at no cost) in 1956
with the birth of my sister. She was a lovely child and dad used to say
that she was almost enough to compensate him for me.

Bill

On 06/10/2018 15:35, R. Mark Clayton wrote:

The NHS had been founded roughly at the time of my conception. Whether
this was part of my dad’s forward planning I don’t know, but if so the
scheme went awry: because of my mother’s blood pressure I was not a
National Health baby; I was born privately at a cost of 48 guineas,
something which in my later years must have given dad pause for thought.

Bill

Nearly two grand at current prices - more than a funeral!


He was earning £5 a week at the time.

Bill

On Thursday, 4 October 2018 22:08:25 UTC+1, Norman Wells wrote:
And eye tests
Free if you're over 60, or fall into certain other categories.

Like living in Scotland. ;-)

Owain