Another Year Over

[backman]

 It's that time of year when we reflect upon the past months,and look forward to the coming new year.Any members wish to select their best acquisitions or experiences of 2014 & their top wishes for 2015 ?

[wilfb]

Hi Peter,

I certainly do - in fact In have written (yes, I do sometimes!) - a brief article on my acquisitions of the year... I will try to get it on-line in a few days.

Collecting wise I have had a very good year - a couple of things I would really like - A London Hospital SEN (named/dated) is but one example. But then I suspect that a lot of people would like one of those....

If one comes up (after you of course) please put me next in line!!!

Very Best to you and Yours.
Will.

[nursesue]

Its hard to believe thats another  year done and dusted. My "acquasition of the year" is my new 12 month old rescue dog - my last dog died of cancer in january.
Am still after a scottish RNMD - have been so near and yet so far but most of all i would dearly love to see the end of animal and child cruelty/exploitation
on my wish list a bugatti veyron!!! (yes i do have expensive tastes)
so all the best for 2015 and happy hunting  :-*

[backman]

Glad to hear that your dog has a new home,What is he/she and name? I stayed near(not in) Battersea Dogs home for a few days last year and it was hard to keep walking past when I knew the dos inside needing a good home.My rescue dog,Baxter( A.k.a.bad Baxter),is pretty set in his ways now and I don't think he would cope with sharing.Still,since my retirement he does at least get a long daily walk.Enjoy!
I will make sure your items are added to my Wanted list,you just never know?

[wilfb]

Hi.

On the subject of dogs! We were at the General Hospital n Iraklion today. Opposite is a very large café. Outside and in are stray dogs - they are very well behaved and do not approach the food sales areas.  One sat and looked at us with those big doggy eyes imploring a gift.  I offered a piece of bread.  It was turned down flat while those big eyes followed the consumption of the ham from my sandwich.

Well even I know that dogs don't eat ham and besides, it didn't have any badges to swap!!!

Will.
Ps. Stray dogs in Greece are mostly well cared for. Allowed to roam freely and are not aggressive at all.  They only seek a new owner - or the ham from your sandwich!!! 

[nursesue]

She's a Labrador cross ( think crossed with baby elephant!!) and her name's Rosie She came from the Dogs Trust and we got her at 6 months old and we're her 3rd home She's just a rather large boistrous puppy
Wilf - have spent many a happy hour finding the waifs and strays in Greece and my friend Aleyne is known as the mad cat woman of Piraeus so you're not alone
xxxx
Happy new year

[wilfb]

And a very final (our weather is atrocious - sand-bags just down the road) Happy New Year to everyone.

Next year is going to be another great one for us at SoN - we have been unexpectedly delayed at the end of 2014 - but not by much. The next SoN news will be at the end of January 2014.

Meanwhile all the very, very best.  I'm off for a glass of port (age, age) with my wife Pam - another nurse - before we lose the net and the electricity. Of water we have much..... But it is all going down the mountain on which we sit - hopefully.

Will.

[backman]

A very Happy New Year to all, I feel very positive about the coming year and all it brings(politics excepted!) Enjoy!

[wilfb]

Hi.

Briefly.  And here is a start to that finding New year from our own Sarah Rogers:-

http://www.schoolsofnursing.co.uk/Collections1/Collections44.htm

Enjoy.

Will.

[Magpie]

Really interesting read Sarah, congratulations on all of your hard work! Where did you get the autograph book from? Rosemary

[Magpie]

My good wishes to you all for a happy, healthy 2015. Looking forward to lots more interesting information and anecdotes on SON site.
Wilf - hope you haven't been washed away and all goes well from now on for you both.
Re Dogs - we have always had rescued dogs, all real characters. Have had my latest, Basil since January 2007. He is a Cardigan Corgi and looks like a fox hence Basil Brush!! Rescued dogs seem to have an added loyalty as if thanking you. All great company and someone to talk to if you're on your own!

[backman]

 Yes Congratulations Sarah on another excellent piece of research,I look forward to more in 2015.

[Sarah Rogers]

Hi, thanks- this one just wanted to be researched- and Amy was easy to find-her relatives were such a great help. My husband found it on ebay- , it is a treasure.
Sarah

[barrysutton]

I had a very good year in 2014 collecting wise and I've even aquired 5 medical related items so far in 2015, I wish you and yours all the very best for 2015 and may all your wishes (and collections) come true.

[backman]

Over all,2014 was a good collecting year for me too . Highlights were a Military Chatelaine and instruments from the Boer War, A cased Nightingale for my own collection as well as 7 others which were all successfully re-homed!,A full set of Royal Worcester Nursing Sister figurines also mostly re-homed,several from my wants list including a St Georges in the East,several Welsh badges and a Male Nurses Society badge.Perhaps my favourite though was right at the end of the year,namely a Royal Red Cross First Class along with a cased prize medal for Southampton Incorporation Shirley Warren infirmary to the same nurse which just cries out for further research.As I worked at Southampton General Hospital for several years I had already collected a variety of memorabilia for that hospital and whilst I knew such medals existed I had never seen one.
Like everybody else there were ones that got away including a Lowestoft and North Suffolk Hospital,an Anglo-Russian hospital,and a few others but there is always next time.
The launch of my sales website has provided a steady stream of customers and thus enabled me to find good homes for several of my badges,something I hope to do again this year. Thank you to everyone has supported me over the last 12 months and good luck in your own collecting and researching endeavours for the coming year.