This site is the reason that I had for getting involved in computers in the first instance, I never had or used a computer, I didn't need a computer, I do now.

My wife, Sarah, passed away in February 2003, after nearly 40 years of married life, and, as I now know it to be normal, the following period of grieving, a period that is unimaginable prior to it occurring, eventually made me wonder if I could help others.

On www.wordscanhelp.co.uk is my story, I experienced the feelings and pain that all bereaved persons must go through, and, it is only now that I know, that these symptoms are very similar to those felt by others.

To try and let others know that they are not alone, that these feelings are normal, to offer possible steps to be able to start living their lives again.

The site has no advertising, the site is non-commercial, there is nothing to sell or buy, it is anonymous. There is a forum to leave a message, or, just words that you would like to say or share, maybe, a problem shared is a problem halved.

Keying in a word on the "flickr" website displays all the photos with that word somewhere in the text about the photo, i.e._,
"Heaven" brings up 107,151 photos, but, "Hell" brings up 122,553,
"Devils" brings up 112,011 photos, but, "Angels" brings up 291,978.

Other examples from http://flickr.com/ are,

Christian.....163,897
Atheist....... 1,058
God...........216,395
U.F.O.s....... 21
Man.........1,146,141
Woman.......585,375
Good.......1,336,142
Bad...........372,209
Sex............81,802
Superman...26,773
London.....1,928,790
Glasgow......137,552
Barrhead...........322.

That's where I live, at least we beat the U.F.O.s.

What do these figures prove?, nothing, or, anything, just like all statistics.

Languages are important. English, so they say, is the hardest to learn, being born in Worthing with English speaking parents, I didn't find it that hard. Spelling, yes, possibly that would have been easier had I been born in America, and "The COLOR of the sports CENTER" would make sense.
Its 1953, I am sixteen years old and foreign languages are a foreign world. I went to West Tarring School and the teachers had enough trouble with teaching us English, I am working now, and I have never needed a foreign tongue.
Sitting with several pals in the ice cream parlour, lingering over a coffee, for far to long, in the proprietors opinion, we, we are sixteen years old, have no shame, and all eyes turn to watch as the I.C.P. (ice cream parlour ) is filled with young ladies, and it doesn't take us long to realise that they are from France.

Now we know all about French women, we have heard about the films that we are not allowed to see, we have heard about the books that we are not allowed to read, and we have hormones bursting out all over us. They ignore us, even though we invest in a record on the juke box, "Under the bridges of Paris with you". I don't tell my pals, but, I have a plan.

My sister, she had been to Davidson's School ( a bit "posher" than mine), she had been taught French, she could teach me.

I do not remember what she would have charged me for the lesson that I wanted, but, I must have thought it worthwhile, and it was only much later when I realised that she could have told me anything and I would have been none the wiser.

"Kom on voose appelay voo" and "Voo lay voo promenard avec mhwa" and that was the lesson over.

It worked, but that is another story.

p.s. for those that also didn't learn french, my sister said that the first phrase was, "What is your name?", and the second, "Will you come for a walk with me?".

My school days were a long time ago, but, some memories remain.

Our last few weeks at the junior school . and when my parents had got over the fact that I was not clever enough to go to the High School, where we could have learnt Latin and logarithms, no, I spent those days looking forward to the secondary modern, West Tarring School, and Woodwork and Metalwork lessons.

West Tarring School, Worthing, Sussex, Headmaster Mr D.A. (Dabber) Best, then there was, Mr (Bill) Stone, mathematics. Mr (Percy) Lewis, music. Mr Young, geography. Mr Warne, science, and also the after school boxing training. (Ted) Cavey and (Stan) Mathews P.T., and others, names that have faded in to the past, except for one, and his name was Mr Turnbull.

Woodwork was the domain of Mr Turnbull. Hammers, chisels, saws and drills, and not a pair of goggles or gloves in sight. We did, of course, get a safety talk, "Chisels are very sharp".

Mr Turnbull was a craftsman. The "Mortise and Tenon" joint that he had made was a thing of perfection, and it was only many years later, when I was called on to carry out a little d.i.y. project that I realised this.

"The" mortise and tenon joint was passed around the class so that we could admire the precision of the sliding parts. It was good, but, we were twelve years old.

Each of us boys receiving our two bits of wood, saws, chisels, scribe rs, etc commenced making, what would turn out to be , blood covered kindling for the fire.

I have convinced myself that Mr Turnbull was to blame. He should not have left us alone, But, if he did have to, he should have removed his "Mortise and Tenon joint.

It was just too tempting, the pot of glue was on the stove, there was a brush in it, it wasn't just me, and if Dave C reads this, well, he will know who I am writing about, the "joint" was stuck for ever.

Two days later I was in the prefects room, I was bent over a desk, and "Bill" Stone, in charge of punishments, was caning my backside. I found it difficult to walk for a bit, I found it very hard to sit down for a lot longer. Of course I deserved it and I didn't dare tell my parents, and I still can't make a "mortise and Tenon" joint.

Hello Visitor, this is my first blog, so, i think it's good to say hello, and i would very much appreciate to hear from you.

O.K., "The Bismark".

You know, that German battleship, of course it's not the real one, this is a scale wooden model, and, it is free with a weekly magazine, I didn't notice the name of the magazine, it was advertised on the tel' last night.

Now, do not miss the first part this week, as they said, "It's free, when you buy their publication for only 50p".

There is just one little snag. The parts are free with each edition spread over the next 140 weeks, after this weeks "introductory" issue, each issue will cost £4.99.

So, your "free" Bismark will take 2 years and nine months to acquire, and, you will have spent £700. ( and you have put it together yourself ).

Dear Publisher, rush me my copy at once.:D