How exciting.. A package from England… from Eleanor… from Snugs!!!! Many of us at FR have been especially honored(or it is honoured?) to meet & love this remarkable woman - and some especially thrilled to receive a package or two of “English” goodies from her. In the several years she has graced Free Republic we have taken our knowledge of the English ways beyond what we had from James Bond, Austin Powers OR Groups like THIS
We have had FUN with the recipes, “tea”, customs, language & word use differences….never mind the spelling!
She is a Y-O-U-N-G 45 and was born: Shoreham next Brighton, Sussex England. She lived all of her life in South East England mainly in Kent though did live briefly in both Sussex (2 periods - 0 - 5 and 12/13) and Surrey (3 months when 14).
She has lived in Ashford Kent for the last 30 years this August. She completed her education (School - at Homewood Comprehensive in Tenterden as she lived there before moving to Ashford and Kent County Council allowing her to stay there to finish my schooling even paying the bus fare. She had great headmaster who encouraged her tremendously.
In the early 80s Eleanor was involved with children's missions . The first is a group photo of some of the helpers - can you find Snugs? .
Above is a view from inside the marquee. The event is the first week of August every year and we have the children in the morning for more Sunday School activities, singing, stories, quiz etc. Ending up with a story preaching the gospel and encouraging the children to commit to Christ. In the afternoon though there is a story and a quiz it is more games/fun based. At the end of the week the children that have attended the morning session and bought the most friend, they get hole punches on a card for attendance and friends get prizes which are normally a Christian book. .
When she left school at 17- almost 18 - she went to the South Kent College of Technology in Ashford to do a Secretarial Course for 2 years. After that she worked for about 9 months at a company just outside Ashford which made steel molds for concrete structures such as the tunnel in Japan and many projects in the Middle East.
Due to general bad economy in the early 80s she was let go (downsized, I guess we would say) as she would say “ first in first out “ and joined her present company in March 1981. She joined as a clerk typist in the Buying Department was then transferred to Sales several months later in June and via many changes in both job spec and department has now returned to Sales as Cold Weld Product Manager.
Hot Link for more on Snug’s Company
She is an only child, mum(mother, mom for those of us in Lola Linda & other parts of USA) had a sister, Eleanor’s only Aunt, and dad was an only child. Family is very important to Eleanor.
Dad - ultra conservative father
Mum - mother not really interested in politics though voted conservative.
Above Taken in about 1995 when we were at Arsenal(Soccer Stadium) to dedicate 2 seats for my grand parents (dad's mum and dad). In England Soccer is comparable to our NFL in popularity
“Nan, mom’s sister & my only aunt, played a very big role in my life as mum worked so she looked after me during”the week and grand dad used to met me from school“
Eleanor is single, white, Christian no children though plenty of racing pigeons. She loves traveling and has had some special trips. She has had a long time friend Phil who she has traveled with over the years and shared many of life’s experiences & now a very special friendship. They have not married due to faith walk variances. As well as working full time and a commute on public transportation(no she doesn‘t drive!… seems strange for us in USA), she is also prime care giver for dad in the home they share..
She spent her 40th birthday in Brussels, was in Egypt (riding a camel, of ALL THINGS!) in 1999,
In the past she have been involved in children's missions and taught Sunday school but unfortunately due to family commitments this was & is no longer possible. This is where FR has been her “life line as I can be involved in things such as posting the dose, supporting other fFeepers in prayer yet still be able to spend time with dad“.
She drops in here at the Finest on occasion but most often can be found at the Dose where she posts the thread on Monday’s and Thursdays & often she will surprise us during the week to fill in for one of the other four posters. She shares posting at the Dose with MJY1288, GretchenM, Wolfstar, and ohioWfan. They rotate in much the same way we rotate hostess duties at the Finest. On weekends she is at the Talk Show Thread & you can often find her at the Canteen
Snugs Favorites
(Favorites for we Yanks)
My favourite book is actually a book written for children and was one of ours to read either top junior or lower senior.
The Silver Sword which is the story of a Polish Jewish family during the second world war and how they get separated and also pick up an orphan street child along the way. They are all re-united by the red cross after the war in Switzerland. A lovely story with a great moral meaning and a good ending.
My favourite movie is the Alfred Hitchcock Marnie.
Music rock folk is my thing such as Fairport Convention, Linsdisfarne (sp). I also like Enya and country and western. Really across the board as I do listen to classical and gospel/worship music as well. Very catholic with a small c taste really.
Historic figure no one really like overall history but never got into one person or period though. I was always more a political geography person.
Movie Star Paul Newman
Colours - mauve, purple violet lavendar
TV show Only Fools and Horses
Soccer team - Arsenal
Love chocolate of all kinds apart from Hersey milk.
Favourite meal any type of roast meat (chicken, beef, lamb turkey etc) roast potatoes, roast parnsips and greens of some sort.
And of course we all know she is a
Pets have been special for Eleanor & she is always willing to share from her heart on big & little matters via thread posts or FReepMail for someone hurting or with a question.
I posed a few questions to Eleanor:
(1) What are my hopes/aspirations?
At present I am living each day as it comes and as long as I am healthy dad not too bad I take that as a bonus. At present I cannot make that many plans etc due to caring for dad I know you understand that with your situation regarding your mother.
Having said that I enjoy and look forward to the occasional social outing with friends from work and each week invite my ex around for a meal and evening socialising.
Life may seem boring to others but with vista that the internet/Free Republic opens to me I can always find something interesting and simulating to get involved with.
I enjoy using my digital camera and playing with graphics albeit it on a very small scale compared to you and others on the finest.
One aspiration is to do more and understand more HTML and in particular tables but time never seems to be in my favour to do so.
(2) Tell about your new FRiends from America and elsewhere. (
The major thought which is something I know through over 25 years working in sales/export basically people are the same world wide and deep down have the same fears, needs and desires. They may have a different way of expressing it and a different way of trying to achieve it but human nature is very much the same worldwide.
I am found the majority of people on FRiend (except the usual suspects, trolls and disruptors in particular the isolationists) to be friendly helpful and fun.
I particularly enjoy the cultural exchanges verbal and actual. There are many people who I have daily or weekly contact with who have exchanged food and other items with me that somehow makes the divide between our countries not seem that great.
I love the fact that the same word can have a completely different meaning. In my country from North to South this can be true how even more so for yours and ours.
I have even exchanged "chocolate" items from a Freeper in Australia.
I have been given a military pendant by one ( you probably guess who that is if you follow the canteen threads).
Kindest and generosity of FReepers is overwhelming from sending DVDs of TV speeches programs etc to the unselfish prayer support.
I have refrained from mentioning freepers names who I have exchanged bits with from the point of view some maybe embarrassed and others hurt if I forget to mention them.
when she says “goodnight with the distinctive graphic, this is where she places her head (note the pix on her nightstand?.
Snug Links
Snugs Profile/about Page
Snugs in Forum
The Dose Threads
Congratulations Eleanor, your contribution to Free Republic has helped make it what it is today....
