Cement

Cement- now this is going to be a really tenuous link and if I find a photo of cement that truly fits the theme today- I'll come back and add it!!!!! But can't think of anything for cement. We did borrow next doors cement mixer years ago- but don't think he'd agree to trundle that round just so I can take a photo- and not sure where the photos are that we DID take when we borrowed it! My dad built us a wall- and the girls were allowed to lay foundation stones- so they weren't THAT boring!!!!!

My dad used to be a builder, then a site foreman and he ended his working days in charge of the apprentices training schedules. He trained as a bricklayer and taught bricklaying to other soldiers when he was doing his National Service. The officers would use the squaddies to build certain things that were needed rather than employ people!  He has a leather photo album from that time of 'bricklaying' photos with photo corners and writing- the first 'scrapbook' I probably ever saw.

He also used to lecture on 'cement' at the local college. It must have been a fascinating subject(???!!!!) - but there is a lot more to a bag of cement than you might first think!!!!!!!

He's been in charge of various concrete car parks built around the area- the really ugly ones!!!!! But architecture has come on a long way since the late 60's and 70's when concrete  really was the buzz word!

He does tell stories of his days before Health and Safety was the 'watch word'. They used to climb up the huge cranes and across the arm to the 'bucket'. They also used to walk along the scaffolding - something that would have me clinging to the first one for dear life. I don't know whether my fear of falling has a foundation in listening to all these stories as a child!!

Anyway- this is a photo of my mum and dad - reposing for some Golden Wedding photos using the special glasses they had- and the balloons! Mum loves balloons!

One side of the all my dad built for us. I don't use our front door at all- so hadn't realised how much garden work is needed!!!!!!!!!! So need to do a little bit every day from now on!!! Both sides used to have walls that joined onto ours- but unfortunately there were vandals who knocked down the garden walls in the area- so ours is now just a frontage!!!!! I hope they keep their vandal hands off it- it's the last thing my dad ever built. I think the problems he has with his hands- could have something to do with all the years of 'cutting' bricks to size by hand.