MAILBOX SPECIAL
you very much for the SEnine Magazine and
congratulations for the success of your mag over the last four years. Being a new member of your amazing following, I am now happy to know that Eltham is once again being put on the map, deserving all credit for the proud historical landmark situated in the South East and with all it’s glorious past shown in all parts of our own town - and I have to wonder why we have not received the honour of becoming "Royal Eltham" — we’ve missed out somehow.
We were very lucky. My husband, Ron, who died in 2008, and I had always thought ourselves extremely lucky to have moved into our house in 1952 and we were able to give all of our six children a very good start in life, thanks to the old G.I.C. and what was then, Woolwich Borough Council. We did not expect hand- outs or benefits for anything, but paid our way implicitly as we went, did not run up any debts and kept always on the right side of the law, really enjoying our lovely surroundings, our children - all planned - growing up into reasonable, adult citizens, Yes, we were very lucky.
How things have changed since then - and no, I am not a grumpy old white-haired woman living in the past - I still love young people and within this battered old body and in my heart, my sympathies have to go out with the young folk striving through all the trials and tribulations thrown at them in this enlightened age. Enlightened, is that the right word to describe the new way of life brought to them - we know and have experienced drastic changes - not well thought out policies introduced willy-nilly by folk who could see no further than their own noses.
Zimmer frames But this letter is not about past histories - what we have to face now is the grim reality of life in this technological age and I wonder if other old people feel the same way as I do - there are a lot of us about with our mobile scooters, walking sticks, Zimmer frames, not to mention our hearing aids and dentures.
I am very pleased with the comprehensive list of retailers which appeared in a recent issue of SEnine and this has enabled me to make my own League Tables for the pure fun of it.
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Business League Tables First on my list has to be Marks & Spencers which has treated me exceedingly well, particularly since my husband died. I enjoy a visit to the store just once a week and cannot fault the service in any way. M & S has done more to boost my morale in every way, especially so this year when the Mothers day gift sent to me by my eldest daughter who has lived in Germany for years was lost within the building of the Eltham Post Office (I still have all the evidence to prove that it was this once efficient institution that lost track of my present and not the fault of Marks). However I actually received compensation in the form of a gift voucher from the firm who insisted that I accept it and spend it - I only hope that M & S received the compensation due to them from Royal Mail.
SEnine
Edna Barnes of Eltham Has Her Say Thank
Edna at her 90th birthday party earlier in 2010, with her daughter Sandra
The second is Norman’s Music which has always been there for my musical family and supplied the needs of each individual within my family - my grandson for whom I was a child minder during his formative years and now is one of my constant visitors has also become well acquainted with Francis Eastwood who has supplied him with all he needs - he’s now following a music career at university.
And the third is my ever faithful, ever efficient hairdressers Pia Bang, the salon above the Pizza Hut at the end of the High Street- which I have supported from the start - I have watched Alan and Jan, working and reaching the heights of success, seen their two children growing up and what’s more, have witnessed the results of all the first-class training that has given their would be stylists and beauticians the `benefits of work fulfilment - some now have their own salons. A lovely bunch of people making it a joy to enter the salon and to go out with the feel - good factor.
Bottom of the List At the bottom of my list is (you've probably guessed) Eltham Post Office and one has to wonder what we have done to deserve such treatment. I still do not understand how we came to depend on our old Post Office which never failed to come up with the goods - a mixed staff from any part of the world giving us a service to be proud of - disappearing on a Saturday at 12.30 never to be seen again. On the following Monday the replacement staff lined up behind a few of the counters (a new regime had taken over) and that’s when the whole system deteriorated. Firstly we had an acute language problem with staff not being able to understand our language, nor we theirs, especially we "oIdies" who are hard of hearing anyway. Then there were queues outside and into the post office, sometimes drivers waiting for the appropriate License Forms to arrive - same treatment when bus passes were needed. I well remember the scribbled notices which were put up around — one I especially recall was a sign with "Please que at the end of the shop”. Funny how the word "queue" stumps a lot of` folk. I can still giggle over it - and it’s not allowed in Scrabble. Then there is the shop which sells other items like drinks and confectionery - last year there were fireworks on sale. Things have improved here slightly but it is not a place I like to visit
Un jour horribIe Now let me describe what I now look back on as "Un jour horribIe" (I don’t know the
Pick up litter and bin it
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