Paul Fookes

Nancy Reading wrote:I'm used to NOPQR as the letter order (UK) , but maybe they changed it.... (or was it just a joke Paul?)

The first time I went to the UK at 16 to visit relatives, we had to stand in a queue to buy toilet paper sheets and then pay the admission fee via a slot in the door - hence the term, spend a penny.
My parents were in the UK to get married immediately post WWll.  Mum always said that if a queue formed, you jumped in line to see what you could buy that was probably rationed or short stocked.

Probably needs to go  into the UK thread but I will put it here and move it later: Hence - Q for everything and Pee for relief (my parents version)

Origin and Popularisation (Wikipedia)
Clapham and Dwyer

   The Cockney Alphabet was popularised by the comedy duo Clapham and Dwyer in the 1930s.
   Their version, titled "A Surrealist Alphabet," was recorded in 1936 and featured a series of humorous phrases that correspond to each letter of the alphabet.

Example Phrases

Here are some examples from the Cockney Alphabet:
Letter  Phrase                  Translation
A   A for 'orses                   Hay for horses
B   B for mutton           Beef or mutton
C   C for 'th highlanders   Seaforth Highlanders
D   D for 'ential           Deferential
E   E for Adam                   Eve or Adam
F   F for 'vescence          Effervescence
G   G for police          Chief of police
H   H for respect         Age for respect
I   I for Novello         Ivor Novello
J   J for oranges         Jaffa oranges
K   K for 'ancis                Kay Francis
L   L for leather                Hell for leather
M   M for 'sis               Emphasis
N   N for 'adig                In for a dig
O   O for the garden wall Over the garden wall
P   P for a penny         Pee for a penny
Q   Q for a song         Cue for a song
R   R for mo                 Half a mo'       (short for moment)
S   S for you                 It's for you
T   T for two                Tea for two
U   U for me                You for me
V   V for l'France        Vive la France
W   W for a bob        Double you for a bob
X   X for breakfast       Eggs for breakfast
Y   Y for God’s sake        Why for God’s sake
Z   Z for breezes        Zephyr breezes

This alphabet serves as a humorous reflection of Cockney culture and language, showcasing the creativity and wit of its speakers.

Long answer Nancy - Yes 🤣

I give this book 10 out of 10 acorns.

You say different: I say individual (My journey in finding the woman within) Shauna Wilson.
This book is not only an in depth narrative about Shauna's physical and emotional struggles to find self, but an inspiring life journey.
I, who do not read biographies or novels in any way shape or form, could not put it down.  Bugger you Shauna!!  And I did shed a macho tear or two.

I got some good take-a- ways from it to help  me cope with my chronic back pain, PTSD, anxiety and depression.  Over all, my life has been pretty good.

I first met Shauna in 1990 or so when she was working at the Albury- Wodonga Army hospital.  And since that time, our paths have crossed in the Army and through the Australian College of Nursing (ACN)
She mentions, in the book,  about Kylie Ward asking her to speak at an ACN conference.  I was there and it was a highly emotional yet well delivered presentation.  From her struggles  till  now, Shauna has had grown into the forthright woman she is today.  She is a great ambassador for nurses and folk who are not stereotypically "normal".

The huge take-home for me is her list of Mottos:
- Do not let anyone tell you you cant.
- You can find a way around or through any obstacle.
- It may take time but you can do it.
- Have faith and trust in yourself and those around you.
- You do not have to be a statistic.

I think that overall this list dovetails nicely with Paul's "Be Nice" Rule for Permies.com.  And the family around us here at Permies.com

Personally it fits into my philosophy of life which is: I don't care what you are or what flags you fly, but who you are and what you bring to the table (discussion)

https://shaunawilson.com.au/

r ransom wrote:I can't tell if he is making it up or if there are vast swathes of people out there, who grew up in the English language world and think that lmnop is one single letter (not 5 individual letters).  It's an amusing watch either way.

Also, twinkle star.  Why did i never notice?

Interesting!! he says "hAch" which is the Irish derivative.  The nuns apparently taught the soft and hard sounds together "h" as in huff and the hard "H" as in Atch (saying the letter)
He also says "zee" which is American phonetics.  Us colonials follow the mother tongue and say "zed" .  I have not heard the new version but have no doubt that somewhere it is real.

By the way, having done some travelling, I was interested that "Q" comes before "P" in England.  Mind you, Q comes before most things in England. 🤣

BumP

The test email shows up just like any other.  But all emails are worth reading for goodies.
The links worked

The first thing I have found is:
Raising the head of the bed can significantly improve sleep quality for individuals experiencing nocturia. This adjustment helps in several ways:

Fluid Redistribution
  Decreased Nighttime Urine Production: Elevating the head reduces the amount of fluid that redistributes to the kidneys during the night. This can lead to a decrease in nighttime urine production, thereby reducing the frequency of bathroom trips.

Sleep Disruption
   Minimise Interruptions: By limiting the need to wake up frequently to urinate, individuals can maintain a more continuous sleep cycle. This is crucial for achieving deeper sleep stages, which are essential for overall restfulness.

Additional Recommendations

To further enhance sleep quality for those with nocturia, consider the following strategies:

  Elevate Legs During the Day: This helps process excess fluid before bedtime, reducing the likelihood of nighttime urination.
  Limit Fluid Intake Before Bed: Avoid drinking fluids at least two hours prior to sleep to minimise the need to urinate during the night.

By implementing these strategies, individuals with nocturia can experience improved sleep quality and overall well-being.

Information from Wiki and various university sites.

It is not pleasant having to get out of bed in the middle of a very cold winter to pee.  Night time passing urine frequently is called nocturnal enuresis.  Particularly in the older  population, this can lead to trips and falls as well as increased confusion.  So the question is:  What can be done to stop getting up  so many times during the night?

Nocturnal  enuresis is, to be frank, a pain in the backside.  Whether it is cold, causing you to wake up tired in the morning or disturbing a partner, it is not pleasant.  Let me know what your experience is and if you have found a  solution.

Getting AI to read stories is a treat.  "St" can come  out as street or saint. The full stops are read out as stop and quotation marks for conversation is called asterisk (*).  Read will come  out at red or reed.   AI is classically unable  to  place context on any word that can be pronounced in more than one way.  In the worst case scenario, AI has a profound negative effect on people  with mental health issues, and especially if those folk engage in a conversation.

In October 2023 and 2024 my wife and I hosted two open gardens.  Thanks to R. Ransom and other Permies, we where able to prepare a party pack with information on cleaners you can eat, hugelkulture, and other useful stuff.
For a few dollars we provided morning tea, with home baked biscuits and slices, as well as home made bread and soup made from vegetables grown in our garden.

We had a couple of presentations on alternatives to conventional  inputs and growing proper soil.  The garden walk, with the explanation of edible weeds and perennial vegetables, was the highlight.  Participants taking home weeds, walking onions, other other vegetables and seed, was very rewarding and heartwarming.  After a small fire which took out 0.2 hectare, we are rebuilding the garden with a view to another open garden this October.  
Thanks to Bettina who has been helping me get back on track while my back mends.

What worked:
Food, garden walk,  discussions, being able to forage, collegiality through common ideas.

What didn't work:
Formal seating arrangement.  I completely forgot to  take any pictures

Gardening - successes and failures are all part of growing flowers, fruit, and vegetables in a journey towards self sufficiency.  This is the place demonstrate how to make the world a better place to live starting in your own backyard by changing habits and minds one brain at a time.

No matter how much knowledge we have about gardening, there is always more to learn and more to share.  Inviting friends to our garden is both rewarding and an ego boost.  Knowing that our efforts are appreciated.
This thread is somewhere to post about how to host a  garden tour, and things which will make is a better experience for you, your friends and visitors.

Share your experiences here - what works and what didn't.