Hello from Nova Scotia

[Tim Arnold]

Hi Dave, I’m Tim from Wisconsin. So glad you joined us and I hope you have a lot of fun. So many things here to enjoy, music, videos, pictures, I’ve been here a little over a year and have not seen everything yet. Mona and Lisa are so gracious and bring something new every Friday. So much fun, hope you have a good time.

[Dave Anderson]

Thanks Tim, yes, I have been amazed (all over again) every time I come and look around on here. Who, apart from M&L, makes tutorial videos for their own website?

The music that brought us all here is, of course, superb but the extra personal touches like the travel videos, “What’s on the Table”, Q&A videos – I find something new every day – just make this a truly special place.

It’s friendly too. Friendly is good.

Thanks again Tim. I’m sure we’ll bump into each other round here again soon 🙂

[Tim Arnold]

Thanks Dave, the forum posts are great too, sharing stories and videos with other members of the club is a lot of fun. Don’t be afraid to jump in and share your opinions. If you really want to see what Mona and Lisa are about watch some of the advent calendar livestreams from this year. It’s under the Fun and Games section. Any of the Christmas Livestreams are great but the daily livestreams during the advent calendar this year were so fun. Over an hour each day just chatting with the club members was so much fun, the ones with Michaela and Rudi were fantastic. It was like one big family sitting in the same room. I’m sure I’ll see you around, I like reading everyone’s comments and chiming in. Thanks for joining us, have fun.

[Dave Anderson]

Ah! I heard something in one of the other videos about the Advent Calendar but haven’t looked yet. I guess that’s where I’ll go next. Thanks (I’ve been saying that a lot lately 🙂 )

[Jacki Hopper]

Gidday Eh there Dave…. I’m just a few provinces over from ya…. in Ottawa ….lol… A most #MLTBUZZLUVGROOVIFIED Welcome to you here, yes, Enjoy All the Team MLT offerings on here, and the fab kinship amongst everyone here ….

I’ve been #MLTBUZZLUVGROOVIFIED Bonafide going on 16 yrs now myself…. the discovery occured while I was trying to see if a decent or near good/equal as original cover of ” California Dreamin ” on YouTube …and I struck Gold that day I saw their rendition and in my own view/opinion theirs Equals The Mamas & Papas version, indeed and was immediately a fan, no doubting, right off the bat, right from The Get Go …no hesitation … 😉🙃🤩😎💯🤘🏻🇨🇦🍁

[Dave Anderson]

Thanks Jacki. Yeah, Ottawa’s not so far in the scheme of things – only ONE time zone 🙂 .

I watched the California Dreamin’ one the other day and I can understand the reaction – and the Twins were SO young then – 14 or so?

My equivalent was the Penny Lane one. So much impressed me about that. I had to watch twice; once just to sit back and soak it up (watch like we’re supposed to) and then again to say “What did I just watch?” and pay attention to the casual professionalism of it all – in the performance and the editing and production. So seemless and (apparently, but obviously not really) effortlessness.

I’d never heard of Papa Rudi in those ancient times (early last week) but HUGE respect now.

I know Ottawa a bit (or I used to – Hawkesbury was my first Canadian home). Are right in it or one of the “satellites”?

[Jacki Hopper]

Hi again, yes have driven through Hawkesbury many a time with my late parents eons ago, when Dad used to do Sunday drives and/or Saturday/Sunday drives …. fond memories of those drives, and do enjoy catching up at your own #MLTBuzzLuvGroovified pace of all the MLT Club Offerings, posting whenever you can/do ….✌🤘🇨🇦🍁

[Paul]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the Club! I’m a recent new recruit too and I can certainly second your comment that you’re “finding it hard to listen to anything else right now”!

I note that you’re from London. Being nosey, I was wondering what part of London you’re from and (if you want to share) what took you to Canada. I’m originally from west London (not far from Heathrow Airport), but we moved down to the south coast 20 years ago to be nearer to the in-laws and find a better school for our 2 daughters.

Anyway, enjoy the site, which I’m sure you already are. I feel that I’ve only explored a small portion of its riches so far.

[Dave Anderson]

Thanks Paul. I don’t mind at all. I was born and raised in Mitcham, south London, squashed between Wimbledon and Croydon. As an adult, I lived in Croydon, right on the line with Selhurst, SE25.

I worked for Thomas Cook from 1970. First in the City, then Berkeley Street, W1, always in the Foreign Exchange business. In 1991, I transferred to Toronto to help with a merger and stayed. We got taken over ourselves in 2001, by Travelex (who you probably know). I stayed for 7 more years then moved out here to Nova Scotia. It was supposed to be retirement but I ended up working 15 more years for the NSLC, the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation, the provincially owned off-licence chain. Finally retired last Halloween.

[Paul]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your response. I grew up in Ashford (Middlesex), so not a million miles from you in Mitcham. I also worked in Kingston for a few years at the start of my insurance career and nearly bought a flat in Streatham Common in my late twenties! I spent about 16 years working in the City too before getting fed up with office politics and deciding to set up as a freelance translator in mid mid-forties. Having done it, I wished that I’d taken the plunge a lot earlier! I am now starting to wind down to retirement.

I’ve sometimes thought of retiring to somewhere like Spain but I’d miss being able to go and support my football and cricket teams. I take it that you’ll be staying in Canada for your retirement.

[Dave Anderson]

Right, I get the office politics thing. Suffered a bit of that at times. I was mostly able to stay out of it. Managed operational departments, worked on IT projects, spent the last dozen years as the banknote trader – like an FX dealer but with real cash for the bureaux de change business. Got to travel quite a lot at times too. Long spells in Germany, Ireland and the USA.

Yes, I’ll stay here now. I live at the seaside (albeit the Canadian seaside!), playing in a popular band, regular radio show. It’s home now.

What language(s) do you translate?

• This reply was modified 1 month, 1 week ago by  Dave Anderson.

[Paul]

I also got to travel a fair bit for work too, Dave, mainly to South America where a lot of my department’s business came from. Unfortunately I didn’t really get to see much of the countries that I visited as most of the trips were short ones (less than a week).

In answer to your question, I translate written documents from Spanish and French into English.

[Dave Anderson]

Cool! I was wondering if you could talk to the Twins in German – I have some German, did A level and then worked there, talked a lot to traders on the phone in Germany and Switzerland (their English was flawless but they humoured me), but most of what I remember wouldn’t be much use here. Did A level French too but it’s mostly gone now and Canadian French just makes it worse. (“Non, il est alle au lunch” and “Je vais checker au baque (or is that “back””.

I never got further South in the Americas than Mexico City (one of those quickies you speak of). I was once very close to going on a whistle stop tour of South American cruise ports; Montevideo, Santiago & Caracas (before it got silly!) but it never happened (politics again). Got to know Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam, DC & New York (well, Manhattan & parts of Queens) but the rest were short. Once,in pre-cellphone days, I flew London to Sydney for three days, whole round trip Saturday to Thursday and, before I was checked in at Heathrow, everybody but me knew there was no point me going. Crazy but I had a nice three days in Oz.

Yeah, I know, I rattle on too much. Happy Monday 🙂

[Paul]

Sadly, German is not really one of my languages, although I did take a crash O level in German many moons ago, but have forgotten practically everything now! So you’re well ahead of me through having secured an A level and worked in Germany. You may be interested in looking at the forum thread that I started recently entitled “German youtube video” to see how much you can understand of some early German videos of the girls when they were still in Austria. The one video for which subtitles are not provided by youtube was very kindly translated by MLT Club member Jürgen, but you might want to see how much you understand.

My business travels took me to France, Andorra, Spain, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Mexico (I think that’s it!).

Never fear about ratting on. What’s the worst that can happen? A slapped wrist from Michaela or the girls? 😉

[Dave Anderson]

Oh! thanks, I haven’t seen those yet. Yes, I’ll have a look. I learned to follow Swiss German fairly well years ago (it’s a bit like Geordie is to English) but only went to Austria for a couple of ski holidays (again, in ancient times) so I’m not sure how much I would get. I’ll try to find them

[Dave Anderson]

I just watched the unsubtitled one. The interviewer is clear enough although my vocabulary lets me down. The girls are harder. Interesting that they say “The Sixties” , not “Die Sechzige”. “Garfunkel”, obviously originally a German name, is pronounced with an American “U” but a German “L”. Fascinating 🙂

I’ll try watching the subtitled ones. I might be able to get my ear around it.

[Paul]

Dave, please note that the other two videos don’t automatically come with subtitles, but you can select them in YouTube’s settings. Alternatively, given your language ability, you might want to watch the interviews without them. Either way, have fun!

[Dave Anderson]

Thanks Paul. I’ll try without first – I’ll soon know.

[Dave Anderson]

Hi Paul. Well, I watched the ZDF interview with German subtitles. They were a bit hit & miss but certainly helped. I could follow some of it and will probably get it all after a couple more runs. I don’t think it tells us anything we didn’t know but it’s great to see and the dialect is interesting. I will definitely listen again.

A strange consequence. I am a fan of BBC’s “Pointless” and watch on YouTube. I am now watching an old episode and I am suddenly getting German subtitles on the commercials. I could probably get rid of them but I don’t think I’ll even try 🙂

[Paul]

Hi Dave,

Glad that you seem to be getting back into the swing with your German! If you’re interested, the literal translation kindly provided by Jürgen for the unsubtitled one can be found here: https://test.monalisa-twins.com/forums/topic/german-youtube-video/

I agree that the ZDF interview (much like the 2 subtitled ones) doesn’t really appear to add anything that we don’t already know, but, being a linguist, all 3 German videos piqued my interest.

As for the other two, the subtitles (in English in my case) are indeed hit and miss, but they do at least give you a general idea of what is being said.

The “Pointless” consequence of you using German subtitles is indeed strange, as you say! I am also a fan of the show and we used to play along as a family a few years back.

Did you know that Richard Osman has had his own quiz show for a few years now on BBC2 (immediately after “Pointless” on BBC1) called “House of Games”, where four celebrities (often B, C or even Z list ones sadly!) try to solve his games/quizzes? I really enjoy it. Have you tried it yet? There seem to be some episodes available of YouTube if you haven’t already seen the show. BTW, another quiz show called “Impossible” is also quite a good watch IMO.

[Dave Anderson]

Ah, good. I’ll follow that link in a minute.

Yes, I like ROHOG too. Apart from the occasional older guest, I have know idea where in the alphabet the “celebrities” belong – I’ve been gone too long. Every now and then I am moved to Google one to see who they are but most might just as well be pulled off the street for all I know. I’ve currently caught up with the ones on YT, I think. Pretty much up to date and waiting for a new season.

I’ve also read all his “Thursday Murder Club” books. They are fun. Good stories but hilarious characters.

OK, off to hear some German. I’ll let you know.

[Paul]

“Every now and then I am moved to Google one to see who they are but most might just as well be pulled off the street for all I know” 😂 Nail on head!

I’ve heard varying opinions of his “Thursday Murder Club” books. I’m not really much of a reader of books any more these days (I think that having to read lots of French and Spanish books at school and uni must have put me off this for life!), but I think that I’ll probably buy one and read it when I’m either on the Isle of Wight or in the Algarve in the summer.

Enjoy the German. Viel Glück!

[Dave Anderson]

Hi Paul. It just occurred to me to ask this. You worked in the City and you’re about 3 years younger than I am so you were probably there at roughly the same time (1970-75 for me).

Even if you were later, my old workplace was still there until ’84 so you might remember it- The Thomas Cook branch on the corner of Gracechurch and Leadenhall Streets which are the continuations of Bishopsgate and Cornhill respectively. Last I knew, it was a “Pret a Manger”.

[Paul]

Dave, I worked in the City from 1982 to 1999, as I went to uni after leaving school and then spent about 4 years working in Kingston before going on to work in the City.

My first City job was actually in Gracechurch Street, just the other side of the Leadenhall Market entrance towards Lombard Street from where you worked, so we were probably drinking in the same pub at the same time all those years ago.

It’s a small world, isn’t it?!

[Dave Anderson]

Sorry Paul, I just saw this reply. Wow! That IS a coincidence. HSBC used to be about where you describe, before their huge tower went up. Also CIBC, I think. We used to do business with a lot of the banks in the City and deliver rate list flyers to all of them.

[Paul]

No worries Dave. Yes, my first office location in the City was literally a few doors down turning left from the New Moon in Gracechurch Street with a Lloyds broker called Harris & Dixon. We were only there for two or three years after I joined before moving to Devonshire Square near Liverpool Street station, where we had a nice local called The Magpie which served the best French bread sausage sandwiches in the City!!

[Dave Anderson]

Oh! I’d forgotten Harris & Dixon! They were occasional customers of ours at Cook’s City Office. I imagine they did their business travel through Cooks, I don’t remember, but we (often I) used to do their foreign exchange – currency & travellers’ cheques.

[Paul]

Wow, the world just got even smaller. So, there is a distinct possibility that you might have handled the foreign exchange (cash and travellers’ cheques) that I might have taken with me on a foreign trip for H&D all those years ago! 😮 I am speechless (Did I hear a few shouting “Good”?).

[Dave Anderson]

You were right, I hadn’t seen this one. Yes, very small world indeed but I would not have made up your currency orders. You say you were there from 82 to 89 and I moved on to a different job in Cooks in 75. That branch closed for redevelopment in 84 but the FE dept. continued from premises in Fenchurch Street so I would have known the person who did (although it could have been any one of several). I had moved to the Berkeley Street, W1, head office to work on the first ever point-of-sale computer in foreign exchange ANYWHERE! A very primitive machine by today’s standards but cutting edge in 1975. Total system memory 16k, expandable to 20k if we needed to run more than 5 tills with it 🙂

[Paul]

Oh, so not quite as small as I was imagining then! I was actually in the City from 82 to 99 (not 89!), and at H&D for about the first 4 or 5 of those years, but, in any case, you were obviously long gone from the Thomas Cook branch near Gracechurch Street before I even arrived on the scene!

I bet that it must have been pretty exciting working on the first EVER POS computer – wow! As you say, the computer world has moved on a bit since then.

[Dave Anderson]

Yes, very exciting. I got to travel all over the UK training cashiers on the system. Most of them had never seen, let alone touched, a computer before. Some were downright scared of it. Made a lot of lasting friends, had some great times – including some football matches which influenced those biases we talked about. Sunderland, Newcastle, Derby, Plymouth, Derby (including a 12-0 thrashing of Finn Harps in the Inter Cities Fairs Cup). Mostly mid-week games, of course, cos I was usually on my way by noon on Saturday, but not always.

[Paul]

Finn who? Just checked, they’re Irish. The Inter Cities Fairs Cup – that definitely ages you!

[Dave Anderson]

Yep. Would have been early in the 1976/7 season, I think. Derby used to put the time of their goals on a board, way up one of the floodlight pylons. Poor bloke who had to climb the ladder that night sometimes didn’t get down before he had to go up again. 🙂

[Paul]

😄 It wouldn’t be allowed to happen these days, of course, what with elf and safety and all that!

[Dave Anderson]

True. I thought I had attached a video of the Finn Harps game (2+ minutes but hilarious) but I see it’s not here. I’ll try again

[Dave Anderson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNkVtLHY1qE

[Paul]

The commentator on that sounds remarkably like Danny Baker, but I thought that he was a Millwall fan. Ah, but, hold on, didn’t he used to do football video compilations too? So, it’s probably part of one of those. The Irish goalie was world class, wasn’t he, especially in terms of ball distribution?

[Dave Anderson]

“Distribution”. Funny, I’ve always thought of that word as meaning something rather different :-). I remembered that they were BAD but it still came as a surprise to see HOW bad, watching after all these years. I went with a few guys from Thomas Cook Derby and we were behind the FH goal for the 1st. half – very close to the poor bloke on ladder duty – so we saw the early goals really close up. 2nd half, not so much, but we kinda had the idea by then.

[Daryl Jones]

Hello Dave, I’m pretty much at the opposite end of the country from you (although you can get another 1000kms west of me if you really wanted to) where winter still hasn’t seemed to let go of it’s icy grasp. You can get away with shirt sleeves in the afternoon most days if you don’t mind some goosebumps still. I’ve never made it east of Quebec City thus far, but really want to see the Maritimes, hopefully soon. My goal is to be able to ride the east coast while I’m still able to tour on my motorcycle.
I hope you really enjoy your retirement, and if you figure out how a person managed to find the time to work a job prior to retiring, let me know. I sure can’t figure it out!🤣

[Dave Anderson]

Haha! Thank you Daryl. So you’re in interior BC somewhere?* I had one whistle stop visit to Edmonton in 2018 (an award junket to the Grey Cup) but that’s as far West I’ve been – In Canada, anyway – went to California and Hawaii long ago.

I do have lots of down time but you’re right, I don’t know how I worked 40hrs/week. I expected the down time to drag but it doesn’t. It whizzes by.

A bike ride across Canada has to be a huge adventure. Hope you get to do it. If you do, be sure and let me know. I’ve never met another MLT member (yet 🙂 )

* Just looked at your profile – it’s Alberta. Guess I thought BC was thicker than it is.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 1 week ago by  Dave Anderson.

[Daryl Jones]

BC is a large piece of real estate for sure. I’m 5 hours from Jasper, and roughly 8 from Dawson Creek; 2 hours north of Edmonton, almost smack in the geographical center of the province… but we are considered “north” since most of the population is Edmonton and south. It’s a “very” long day from here to Vancouver but it can be done.
I’ve ridden from here to Niagara Falls, took me four days of mostly 10 hours each in the saddle. I’ve only been in a car to Quebec City. Wife has been to PEI and Halifax a few times, just without me…
If I do get to ride out East, this will be my conveyance, like they say, getting there is half the fun:

[Dave Anderson]

Wow, yes HUGE spaces out there. By comparison, Nova Scotia is roughly the size of England but with about 1/50th of the population.

Well, it looks like, if you’re gonna take on a huge 2 wheel journey, you’ve got the right one 🙂

[Paul]

BTW Dave, have you watched the MLT’s video for “Dreams” yet? If not, I would suggest that you take a look as there are some locations in there with which you’ll be very familiar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxSe8OqC_i4

[Dave Anderson]

Thanks Paul. No, I hadn’t, but I have now. Yes, lots of half remembered views there, a lovely song and a deceptively complex video. I thought I saw Burlington Arcade there but realized it’s Leadenhall Market. The look on the two policemen’s faces was one of those moments you just can’t plan.

[Paul]

Yes, it is indeed Leadenhall Market, a stone’s throw from where we both once worked. I certainly remember going into the Lamb and the New Moon a few times all those years ago! I wonder if the Wagner family visited one of those pubs for a swift half and a Ploughman’s on the day of their filming there.

[Dave Anderson]

Oh yes, certainly The Lamb and The Moon. Our usual local was the Swan in Ship’s Tavern Passage – a little alley off Gracechurch St. that led into the market. A little tiny pub, long and VERY thin (like, two people wide if they were both narrow).

[Paul]

Yes, I remember The Swan. Quite unique!