Where will all the tourists go?
In truth, I tend to avoid watching the news too often nowadays, as its usually pretty depressing stuff, especially if Brexit, or Trump are involved, and at present, they usually are! But for once, tonight, I’m glad I watched the regional news at least, as it gave me something to blog about, a matter I was seriously lacking until then.
Before I was born, the plan my family had, was that I would be born in Yorkshire. Apart from being the home county at the time, there was also all this thing about only people from Yorkshire could play cricket for the county, so my father, in his wisdom, wanted his child born in the county, just in case. The snag was, my father was in the Navy, based in Chatham, in Kent, and I decided to enter this world a few days early. Thats why, sadly, I have Chatham as my place of birth, and not Haworth, or Keighley. Not that I would ever have been good enough to play cricket for Yorkshire (School team was highest standard I reached), so that didnt matter at least. I did get the consolation prize of being baptised in Yorkshire, but that was it.
So, intermittently, for the first 3 or 4 years of my life, we lived in Kent, and had a small place in Haworth too. When I say small, that, and the house next to it, are now one dwelling, and its still just a reasonable size!
Haworth is generally famous for 2 things. One is the steep climb up Main Street, which believe me, from experience, I can say isn’t fun in winter! The second are a family including 3 authors, from the Victorian era. Anyone who didnt know they’re the Bronte sisters, hold your head in shame!
Back in the 60’s, and 70’s, when I used to live there/visit, beyond a small area at the top of the hill, it was a typical Yorkshire mill village. Life wasnt easy, and even worse for Haworth, with the regular influx of tourists. Then slowly, during the 80’s, the tourism area began to spread down the village, and now its pretty much the whole area, in truth. So what does a village that attracts so many tourists need? A tourist information office, of course! And very popular in summer it was too.
But now, due to all the cutbacks, one of the prime tourist destinations of West Yorkshire, no longer has one, it closed recently, as part of the council cutbacks. I know, I doubt it will stop tourists invading the village in large numbers, in the tourist season, but it still seems crazy to me. Hopefully someone will see sense before the summer, but who knows?
One certainty as an author was though, that no matter how successful I was, I was never likely to be more than the 4th most famous author from Haworth! Ah well…
Right, video time. I doubt many will remember this song, it was a very minor hit. Some might recognise 2 of the group, as they went on to far more success, as The Eurythmics! Tourists, get it?
Here Comes The Snow Again
No, dont worry, it was nothing significant today when I woke up, and though we’ve had a few snow showers during the day, it still hasnt amounted to anything dramatic. Yes, I hope its the same when I get up in the morning, though if you believe the so called weather experts, I might be disappointed. They do say the worst day will be Thursday, when thankfully I dont have to leave home, but I wouldnt mind even that being something that doesnt come true.
To show how slight it was up here, the buses kept running, no issues. And lets face it, they are more than happy to stop running at the slightest excuse. Yes, I walked through snow on the way to Physio this morning, though such an insignificant amount that even a ‘frail old lady’ like me could cope with it, very easily. To be fair, I think its been worse down south, than up here, but believe me, I have no desire to go and investigate that.
Therefore I was surprised when I reached the Physio clinic this morning, to hear that I was the first to turn up for my appointment. Yes, there should (probably) have been 3 ahead of me, and the 1 behind me had cancelled too. Yes, there was snow on the ground, but no, it wasnt slippery out, and the roads were clear, as per the fact that the buses were all running around town.
Of course, to be fair to those people, as the clinic said, most, if not all of those people would have been older than me, and lets face it, you have to have some level of frailty to be going for Physio in the first place! Still…?
I have to admit, in advance of my last treatment next Tuesday, that I can honestly say my knees havent felt as good as they do now, in years. I’d love to say thats just down to the electricity that has got pulsed through my knee, but I’d be lying if I did. Not saying that that, and the ultrasound treatments havent played a big part, but so have the very simple exercises I have to do, as they have definitely strengthened the muscles in both knees that needed it. Oh, and the electrics have definitely made my circulation better, both my feet are pink (or almost pink) again, as blood has started to be forced to flow down to them. The old scars on the right knee are never going to go away fully, but they’re far less noticeable too, for the same circulatory reasons.
Now, if only she could zap my back (or my whole body?) like that…? 😀
But yes, seriously, I’ll be glad when the weather gets a lot warmer, especially for my back. Unless someone wants to buy me a home, somewhere with all year round heat…? No, thought not!
OK, video time. Its the wrong type of weather, technically, but its a gorgeous song, so lets roll with it tonight
Can I drive, and have I been made to forget?
Silly title, but events today have driven me to the point of stupidity, or is it concern? Yes, more less than memorable moments in the battle to get this passport in my new name!
As you may remember from Wednesday’s blog, I had a letter from the passport office, requesting details that I’d registered my name change with the driving licence people, and I told them that I didnt have a driving licence, issued solved, I hoped? Wrong!
Today, I got another letter from the passport office, telling me that I was actually issued with a driving licence in 1983. Well, I know I certainly didnt do that, as that was the year I moved to Somerset, and I certainly didnt apply for one then! And no, I certainly didnt order one either in the 2 and a half months I lived in Kent, before moving down there. I did in fact hold a provisional licence, somewhere in the late 1970’s, but that was it. Mainly because my driving talents matched those of Frank Spencer (of Some Mothers Do Have Them fame), so I quickly gave up on the idea.
As far as I remember, since then, I have never held a driving licence, nor have I ever driven a road vehicle at any time. So yes, this news concerned me, a lot, even if its long before identity stealing became popular! So I rang the passport office up, informed them of this, and they told me an examiner would be requested to get back to me quickly. That was 11.00 this morning, still no call. I’ll leave it until Monday afternoon before I chase them, but anyway… The thing is, why didnt all this come up when I changed my name in 2010? Thats right, I heard nothing then, when only changing name, but not gender. Suspicious, maybe? Hopefully not?
Or did I really learn to drive, pass my test, apply for a licence, and was then brainwashed to forget it ever happened? Much though I’d love that to be discovered to be the truth, its not going to be the case, is it? And lets face it, if I was brainwashed by a sinister government department, surely another government department wouldnt now be telling me about it?
I suspect the more likely story is far more dull. When I applied for a joint mortgage in 1987, we had an issue, because of a man with the same name as me. He lived in Derbyshire, I had to prove I’d never lived there, and all was solved. And yes, my intuition is that this driving licence was issued to him, not me.
But its all dragging out this event (its now 5 weeks, instead of the standard 4, and I still havent got it) that is causing me problems with job hunting, at a time I really dont need it! And of course, its Catch 22, to get identity papers anywhere, you need a passport. And they are doing their best to slow down this process, and I really dont need this! This will lead again to stress issues, which makes getting through interviews, getting a job, and some much needed money, even harder! And people wonder why I dont feel like going on with life, seriously! Yes, its getting that bad, about 6 weeks before I have major problems, and thats far too soon for my liking.
Right, rant over, though if anyone wants to issue me a passport (USA would be heaven), so I can travel, and job hunt legally, I’d love it. Before I decide to do something silly, anyway!
Right, video. Alright, the licence issue is going to be related to a guy, but I’m now a girl, so this great track will do nicely.
Life is funny at times
No, nothing to do with having a string of beaus offering to take me to the cinema, that wouldnt be funny, it would be downright amazing lol! No, not even one, beyond one very long distance caller as yet lol! Maybe I do need to wear a flapper dress, heels, and try and bob my hair after all lol to attract the guys. No, I doubt that would bring any more offers lol.
Oh, and related to that, yes, I’m blonde. I looked up the road that the Grand Theatre is in, and knew where it was. Thats handy, I thought, I’ll go to the box office and get my ticket for the film, as its easier for me to pay cash that way. Snag, I didnt realise that Briggate went both ways across Headrow, thought it only went down into town. So yes, you’ve guessed what happened, I never found the theatre. Checked Google Maps when I got home, and discovered that Briggate is a longer road than I thought lol! Aiming to get ticket on Wednesday now, next viable day to do so work wise, so guiys, you have your chance to charm before then at least. Holds breath, maybe not? 😉
But seriously, thats not the funniest thing thats happened recently. My CV is still up at a couple of on;line agencies, simply never got taken down after the last job search a few years ago. Yes, I did change the name on it when I changed mine, and became a Ms, but that was about it. Anyway, while away in the US, I get an email from an agency enquiring if I was still job searching. Well, I would hardly call the search active, but at the same time, I’ll listen to offers, so…I told them to call me when I got back over here, as I didnt think they’d pay for a phone call to the US somehow.
Interesting thing was, because it was in the finance industry, they asked my gender. Given there was an option to prefer not to say, I took it. Mind, as I had earlier filled in that I was a Ms, they would probably assume female anyway. So why not say so, simple, because the Passport people, and the Tax Office wont give me female status until I’ve had all the surgery. So to them, I’m a Ms, but still a male. Ah well… But what they also wanted to know was any previous names, so…Yes, I told them, and told them the name change was due to transition to womanhood. Now, given attitudes, especially I assumed in that sort of industry, I thought that would be it. Wrong, seems that is fine with them. I do wonder if they will bring the matter up at the phone interview thing on Tuesday though, lets see? Or, if after that, it still goes any further.
But yes, hard to believe, telling them I used to be a Mr, but am now a Ms wasnt the most entertaining bit. One question I’ve never seen before on the form, sexual orientation! Seriously, is it legal to ask that on a job application form? I answered assexual, bet they dont get too many of those lol! Had to add it as an option unsurprisingly. Maybe they have a matchmaking section or something?
Lets say the job is a consideration, and no more, but equally it will be interesting to see just how potential employers react to an openly transgendered woman (pre-op) for future reference, in case the need arises.
Oh, last comment on holiday, I have never been called a lady so many times as I was in my time in the US. And people wonder why I want to move over there, its because all think I’m a woman lol. Well maybe not all, but a very high percentage all the same, its lovely. Got called Blossom, in a flattering way by the guy at Dublin Immigration coming back, no doubt there either. Does seem far less nowadays over here to be fair, but anyway…
So OK, after all those musings, lets get to the bit you come here for, the video. Fooled you, no clue in the title, but definitely in the blog. Just love Annie Lennox’s look in this
stevielounicks 
Recent Comments