SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 996 Title : Conversation 24: Three women chatting in a garden centre Author(s): N/A Copyright holder(s): Prof Christian J Kay SCOTS Project Audio transcription F606: So what would you buy if you had a big garden? F890: Small things and let them grow, F606: Yeah [laugh] F889: Well I've just done mines //Christian.// F890: //so that it'll be cheaper.// F889: Ah an I've covered it wi stones F606: Yeah. F889: an a big rock an itwis eh, it wis quite expensive, but at the same time that's it done forever. F606: mmhm F889: I'm so pleased wi it I keep lookin at it an think, "Oh that's lovely, that's lovely!" //[laugh]// F890: //[laugh]// F606: So have you got no plants at all //in it?// F889: //Eh// just shrubs, just shrubs, but I canna look after plants neither, it's gotta be just be something that lasts forever and F890: Yeah. F889: looks after itself. F606: mmhm F889: I like to see them but I'm no one for that neither, aw the flowers, I like the shrubs F890: Mm an it's quite simple, if anything's withered //cut it off.// F889: //Cut it off// //[inaudible]// F606: //Yeah.// F889: Cut it off if it's withered, eh? F890: Yeah. F889: Aye, I like tae see it //but I din-,// F890: //Yeah.// F889: I'm no a garden person, F606: mmhm F889: I just keep, my grandson always cut the grass but well he's workin noo so he's no got the time tae dae that F606: No. F889: so I've got aw, it's aw stones but it's, I'm fair pleased wi it, //it's lovely.// F606: //mmhm// So did you get someone in to do it? //[cough]// F890: //Yeah.// F889: //Aye, somebody came an done it, aye.// F606: mmhm F889: It's the, it's the stones that's the expense, F606: Yeah. F890: //Tell Christian what it cost.// F889: //well it's quite a big a-// It cost me nine hundred pound tae get it done. F606: Gosh. F889: That was a lot but the students' money paid for that eh, ye know I take the students eh? F606: uh-huh F889: Aye, //[inaudible]// F890: //An that's a lot.// F606: //uh-huh// F889: //Oh it's a lot, aye,// //that's it done for good.// F890: //but at least it's eh life, aye.// F606: //mm// F889: //Cause see the man next door?// F890: Yeah. F889: He was in his garden yesterday cuttin the grass, F890: Yes. F889: an he said that, he says, "I'll turn my back an it'll have grown again". //It's// F606: //mmhm// F890: //Yes.// F606: //yeah.// F889: //true though eh cause I would// //I'd, it does, it,// F890: //Especially// at this time of year, grass F889: Aye. F890: grows quickly, //yeah,// F606: //mm// F889: //Cause he has it aw nice an neat// //an then when you look back oot ye think, "My God, what a mess, he's needin to go an cut his grass",// F890: //yeah, I know, I know.// //[laugh]// F889: //he's maybe just done it a week or two weeks// //before that!// F606: //Yeah.// F889: Which is annoyin eh? //So I dinnae have// F606: //That's wha-// F889: tae bother aboot that F606: No. F889: [inaudible] [inaudible], an the wee, we've got a wee one up the stairs, she's two //so Isobel she's been// F606: //mmhm// F889: throwin aw the stones on the road! //I was so annoyed,// F890: //Oh!// F889: I drove up to the door one-, an I thought, "Oh, for heaven's sake, what's aw they white things?", there's a kind o creamy colour stone, they're different colours o stones //but they were aw on the road// F606: //uh-huh// F889: ah so wee rascal that she is, F890: [inaudible] F889: but here w- we've got a sorta community person that comes round the doors checkin //so did// F606: //mm// F889: they no go tae the mother's door an told them aboot this wee one, she's only two, bein on the pavement //an they// F606: //mmhm// F889: complained an aboot the stones an that, but they were concerned aboot her bein oot that gate. Well I took aw the fence doo- we took the fence doon, Jamie put the new fence up there at the weekend //but I mean// F606: //mmhm// F890: But it's not for you F889: No! F890: to F889: to, tae watch her, //no.// F890: //protect.// F889: But you're always frightened in case something happens to her //eh.// F606: //uh-huh// F890: //Because she lived// in the top, it's up to the people on the top floor F889: Aye. F606: //uh-huh// F890: //who live up there.// F889: I used to leave the door open, Christian, an I used to go home fae Isobel's an she would be in the house an she'd been in the bedroom puttin music an everything on! F606: mmhm? F889: Two! F606: Really? //Yeah.// F889: //You know what I mean?// Oh she's smart, she's smart as anything, but that's, I mean her mother shouldna allow that. F606: No, she shouldn't be wandering around on her //own at the age of two! Especially in this world, I mean,// F890: //No, two years of age, no.// F889: //No.// She's got two, she's got another one, she's, she's got another three girls, one fifteen, one eight an one six I think, an there's another one due in six weeks F606: Kiddin? F889: so that'll be a treat for everybody! F606: //Yeah [laugh]// F890: //[laugh]// //[inaudible]// F606: //She won't have much time to// //run after a two-year-old then.// F890: //[inaudible]// F889: //No!// //No and she goes oot to work!// F890: //cryin its head off.// F889: No she's, I think she's got another three weeks to work an then she finishes up. F606: mmhm F889: mmhm F606: So is she hoping it's a boy this time? [laugh] F889: Well aye, I hope so, aye, F606: Yeah. F889: well that's four girls she's got, //so she'll// F606: //Yeah.// F889: be hopin for a boy, eh? an I was speakin to the man next door in his garden yesterday so he says, "Oh we're havin an addition in October", I thought, "Heavens, there's gonna be nothin but prams roon aboot here", F606: Aye. F889: so, but there's, they've got two boys, Isobel, an they're gonnae have another boy //so that's three boys.// F606: //And they know that?// F889: They know aye, they told, he says, //"We're havin another boy", aye, three boys.// F890: //It's a boy [inaudible]// F606: Yeah. F890: Must be very disappointing. F889: Aye. //Yeah.// F606: //Yeah.// F889: Aye when it gets to three an four ye think, "Oh we're wantin a wee change", //eh?// F890: //Yes// F606: You would wouldn't you, //yeah,// F889: //Aye// //but once// F606: //uh-huh.// F890: //yeah// F889: they're here ye cannae put them back, that's it. F606: No. F890: //Ye just have to// F889: //Well ye wouldnae want tae put them back,// //aye// F890: //accept them.// //[laugh]// F606: //mm, yeah.// F889: //[laugh]// F606: Well in some ways it's easier with the clothes an everything //if they're all the same, yeah.// F890: //Yes it is, yes I quite agree with you.// F889: //Oh aye, oh aye, uh-huh, oh aye,// //mmhm// F890: //I've// got a first grandaughter and she's two months old. //She was// F889: //She's gorgeous, aye.// F890: born prematurely, because, ye know, eh, Jackie was in the hospital having other //tests// F889: //uh-huh// F890: an the doctors were worried about the eh heartbeat of the baby, //so// F606: //mm// F890: right away they did a c-, this eh caesarean F606: //mmhm// F889: //uh-huh// F890: and the baby was only four pounds. F606: //mm// F889: //uh-huh// F890: But I went in to see her one day and, you know, when I realised that years ago before they had incubators she could have died, F606: //Yeah.// F889: //Aye.// //I know, I know.// F606: //mm// F890: //[inaudible]// but she's now, there were lots of babies smaller //but// F606: //mmhm// F889: //uh-huh// F890: she's now two months old, and eh eight pounds. F606: uh-huh? F890: I could, she's up at [inaudible] nearly every //afternoon [laugh]// F889: //Is she?// Does James take her up? F890: Yes. F606: Is this James's baby? F890: //James,// F889: //uh-huh// F606: //ah// F890: //he's got a// partner, she, they're not married, Jackie, she's an awful nice girl, //I'm very fond of her.// F889: //Aye, she's nice// //uh-huh, she's lovely.// F606: //uh-huh// F890: And fortunately they got a council house in Callander. You wouldn't know it's, they're sort of like cottages, //stone cottages,// F606: //Yeah// F889: //uh-huh// F890: whether they were built for agricultural workers I don't know, F889: uh-huh F890: but eh there was one man in this house, and he was on drugs, and had kicked in every door, every door, F606: uh-huh? F890: and hadn't done a thing in the house, F889: Mmhm F890: and two young couples turned it down F606: //mm// F889: //mmhm// F890: whether they hadn't the know-how to put it in //order// F889: //mmhm// F890: I don't know. F606: mm //So was it a real mess?// F890: //So they've been lucky// James and Jackie, lucky //to get this,// F889: //Oh aye.// //mmhm// F890: //hou-, this ehm// //house.// F889: //mmhm// F606: Yeah. F890: An that's it and Jam-, it's eh a named house //it's,// F889: //mmhm// F890: the, it's really like a a sort of, eh, an old-fashioned village or something. F606: mmhm? F889: It's lovely, upstairs an downstairs, oh //it's lovely.// F890: //Yeah.// //Yes// F606: //mm// F889: //We saw it// //eh Isobel, at first when they'd just got it, eh?// F890: //yeah, yeah.// //and it had to have everything// F606: //[inaudible]// F889: //[inaudible]// F890: done to it, eh, it was all decorator //and// F889: //uh-huh// F890: painter //[inaudible] yeah and// F889: //An then we went back to see when it was done, it was beautiful,// //it was lovely,// F606: //mmhm// F890: //carpets// everything. F889: it was lovely. F890: James laid tiles in the kitchen and papered the kitchen [laugh] //and it's// F606: //mm// F889: //uh-huh// F890: very attractive //really is.// F889: //oh it's lovely.// //nice an homely// F606: //mm// F890: //[inaudible]// F889: //It was r-// really lucky to get that wee //house eh// F890: //Yeah,// //oh they were very lucky// F889: //It's beautiful.// Oh aye. F890: but in a year's time they can buy it. F606: mmhm F890: Well on the whole I really don't approve of selling council houses. This was the Conservatives who started it and they're still boasting about it, //but// F889: //uh-huh// F890: what about the next generation F606: //mmhm// F889: //Aye.// F890: coming along, they won't have houses //for them.// F889: //No.// //mm// F606: //No.// F890: //This is happening already.// F606: //Yeah.// F889: //Aye it is uh-huh.// F890: But James has got a bathroom upstairs and James really would need to have a loo downstairs, F889: mmhm F890: and eh the only way they can get it is by buying it F889: Aye //mmhm// F606: //Yeah// F890: //which I think they will eventually.// F606: //Yeah// F889: //But it's lovely// and they're right at the end and they've //got a back and front gardens,// F890: //Yes it's very// //attractive,// F606: //Aye// F889: //so it's nice.// F606: nice for a baby. F890: //very nice, yeah.// F889: //Oh aye, it's lovely,// an it's actually in a cul-de-sac //eh? Uh-huh// F606: //mmhm// F890: //Yes, it is, uh-huh// you would hardly know it was there. //I wouldn't know it was there,// F889: //No, it's nice.// F890: never seen it. F606: So what's the baby called? F890: Rebecca. //I'm thankful// F606: //Oh that's nice.// //[laugh]// F890: //it's not a name I hate like Sharon or something,// F889: //[laugh]// //mmhm// F606: //uh-huh// F890: //but you know,// but I like Rebecca. F606: Yeah. F890: And this Jackie is, she's one of four girls, I think she was a twin F606: mm F890: so they were the last I think, and one two, two girls and thentwin girls, F606: mmhm F890: so it's all dau-, all sisters //she's got// F606: //Yeah.// F889: mmhm F890: and eh she, she's a very very nice //girl [inaudible].// F606: //mmhm// F889: //Very, sensible.// //mmhm, mmhm// F890: //Bright, very// she's been, she's with a hotel group and eh she's been setting up computers all over the country, F889: uh-huh F890: Scotland mainly so she's quite, you know, able. F606: Yeah. F889: An Rebecca's got two mothers wi James an Jackie, //cause James is absolutely wonderful!// F890: //Yeah oh he's go- oh// //James is// F606: //Really?// F889: //Yeah.// F890: abso-, I [inaudible] if anything happened to that child //he would// F889: //Oh my God, aye.// F890: break his heart, //because really he just,// F889: //Oh aye.// //[inaudible]// F890: //like a mother.// And they've [inaudible] Rebecca was in this eh F889: Incubator. F890: incubator and he was able to you know, she was all wired up but they were able to //get in and change her nappy.// F889: //Aye, put their hands in, aye.// F890: But James an Jackie fed //her// F889: //Uh-huh// F890: so they've got her home quite early. F606: //Yeah.// F889: //He does, he can dae everything!// //We were// F606: //mmhm?// F890: //I know!// //He's marvellous!// F889: //standin at the back door and he says,// "Eh could you shut the door please because we don't want the baby gettin a draught", cause //he was changin her nappy,// F890: //I know!// //[laugh]// F889: //[laugh]// //He's just like, eh does everything// F890: //[inaudible]// //he's amazing isn't he?// F606: //uh-huh?// F889: //eh? Aye// He's really good.Yeah. //uh-huh// F606: //That's quite nice, that makes you a great-granny.// F890: //[inaudible]// //Great// F889: //Aye!// F890: granny, somebody said, "How do you like being a g-?", I said, "I just feel old." F606: //mmhm// F889: //[laugh]// //No, it keeps you// F890: //[laugh]// //I am old! [laugh]// F889: //young, uh-huh.// F606: Well you're upsides with Jessie now [laugh]. F890: Yes! That's right [laugh] //Yes// F889: //mmhm// F606: //mm// F890: //but James is// thirty-three and Jackie is thirty-three, F606: mm F890: so they're not teenagers; //they know what they're doing.// F606: //No, they know what they, yeah, yeah, yeah.// F889: //No but that's a nice age, aye.// F606: How's Christine feel about it? //Is she// F890: //um// well I phoned her yesterday, I think James has been up there every afternoon with Rebecca //and James// F889: //[laugh]// F890: looked in the window, he was telling me one day he was outside and Johnny his father was kneeling, looking at the baby one side and Christine was kneeling down looking at //the baby on the other side,// F889: //[laugh]// F890: and the baby was sleeping. //And// F889: //Ah right.// F890: James, "Oh, if she wakes up she'll think, 'It's a couple of gorillas //looking at me'" [laugh]// F606: //eh// F889: //[laugh] ah dear!// //Aye.// F606: //Yeah.// F890: //He's really quite funny.// F606: //Yeah.// F889: //Aye he's, he's full o nonsense him, eh?// //mm// F606: //mm// F890: //Yes.// F606: Good! F890: But she's so tiny I'd be terrified to, even to hold her. F606: //Yeah.// F889: //Ah but you, you we-, haven't got your pictures oot yet// //ehm, aye you did, I've ta-, aye.// F890: //I think I held her once that was all, yeah.// //Yes, yes, yes.// F606: //mmhm// F889: //I've took your pictures wi her so I hope they turn oot.// And we had the, the, oh did ye get the pictures, eh, did you send the pictures Isobel? //Christia-, oh right!// F890: //I haven't, I've still got them cause I'm going to write a letter// to Jessie, F606: ah //oh yeah!// F890: //taken at your birthday.// F889: //Party.// //We've got aw the pictures, they're good though eh?// F606: //Aye.// F890: //Yeah.// //They are but it was a very dull day, wasn't it?// F889: //[inaudible] youse are good and you an Frances [inaudible]// //uh-huh// F606: //Yes it was.// F890: //It wasn't a good// //day for photography.// F889: //uh-huh// F606: //No it was a bit gray an// F890: //Yes.// //Yeah it was very// F606: //when we got out it started raining, didn't it?// //Yeah.// F890: //[inaudible], yes// F889: //mmhm But the pictures are good, I think there's maybe two that's kind of// //blank because they were taken fae facing the window; you've to face the other way// F890: //yes, yeah, yeah.// //Yeah.// F606: //Yeah.// F889: //but there's, they're good// //ones o you an Frances an.// F890: //Yeah.// Yes. There's a, been meaning to write to Jessie //so I just put off// F889: //Oh right so, aye,// //uh-huh, uh-huh// F890: //sending until I'm writing a letter.// F889: mmhm, the time goes in that quick eh? F606: I know, yeah. F890: So she'll be very pleased when she //gets them.// F889: //mmhm// F606: Well I'm going up there in //two weeks,// F890: //Oh you're going in two weeks// F606: so I could see them then if you send them. F890: //oh uh-huh// F889: //[inaudible]// F890: they'll be sent long before that, //[inaudible]// F606: //Will you, yeah [laugh] mm// F889: //uh-huh yeah// Cause your birthday must have been April or something eh? F606: Yeah, it was the beginning of April. F889: Oh right yeah. F606: Yeah, it was a nice occasion, //yeah.// F889: //It was lovely, it was lovely.// F606: When you got there. //[laugh]// F890: //yeah, when we got there, oh what a panic// F889: //Oh I know! An that [inaudible]// F890: [inaudible] knew the road so well //all the way,// F606: //mm// F890: um because I've //I've gone so many times and I should have turned// F889: //Uh-huh and the thing is [cough]// //[inaudible]// F890: //right for Balloch.// //I knew where [inaudible]// F889: //uh-huh// //Aye.// F890: //an I went// on and we were lost! //and of course [inaudible]// F889: //We were go-, we were goin intae Glasgow!// F606: mmhm F890: and we s-, actually stopped a, there was a girl on horseback [inaudible] Joyce got a [inaudible] a kick from that horse. F889: It was the only person I could ask //was the girl on the horse.// F890: //Yeah.// F606: Did you ask her? //Yeah.// F889: //Aye, yeah,// she wasna very helpful mind you, eh, she just sent us back tae where tae F890: "Oh", she says, "You'll have to go back to //Drymen"// F889: //Aye.// that was far too far. F890: Yes of course it was, //an I knew// F889: //Aye.// F890: where roughly, //I knew// F889: //Aye.// F890: we should be away over to //the left.// F889: //An the thing is Isobel,// //see when// F890: //So we did// //get there eventually,// F889: //that was// //exactly the same road up past, the [inaudible] there// F890: //yes, yes.// //That's right, yeah// F889: //so we, we shoulda went up that road// //but we didnae we went to the Glasgow road// F890: //yeah, yeah// F889: but, but the, when I went up the road, remember you said, "Turn to the right", so there's a sign for Balloch, so you turn that, that's the road you went to Dunoon, so we went right past where we went to see //Christian, right past it eh?// F606: //mmhm// F890: //Yeah, yes.// Yeah, //yes, uh-huh, yes that's right// F889: //That was the road cos you went right in to Balloch and then turned right again to go tae Dunoon.// //uh-huh I said that, I says, "This is the road we should've ca-", cause I recognised it on the way back.// F606: //mmhm// F890: //yeah, that's right, yeah, yes, yeah.// And then you go on Loch Lomond side, right up, F889: uh-huh F890: and then eventually the road goes left to Dunoon, //right to Inverary.// F889: //Oh right.// Oh that's what I meant to ask you, what's, remember you said the Rest and Be Thankful is the Rest and Be Thankful over the hills, Isobel? F890: Car- yes, //but I can't remember,// F889: //Over the hills?// //Aye// F890: //no, just exact or// //where it is, yeah.// F889: //I was tryin to remember// what that, but I thought, "I wonder where it is, the Rest And Be Thankful?", I knew it was //over there somewhere. Is it? Oh right but it's a beautiful, beautiful drive// F890: //Well it's over there somewhere [laugh] not sure.// F606: uh-huh //mm// F890: //It's lovely countryside.// F889: //Aye, mmhm.// We'll go one day to Botanic Gardens. F890: Yes, that'll be //nice.// F606: //What in Glasgow or// //Edinburgh? In Dunoon?// F889: //No, in Dunoon.// //Oh it's lovely.// F890: //Why, you see the Drymen one// is a, is really part of Edinburgh //Botanic Gardens.// F889: //mmhm// //mmhm// F606: //yeah// F890: //They are in charge of it.// F889: Aye it's lov-, it's no near as big but it is lovely F890: It's not as big, F889: No. F890: but it's had a lot of, when we had a hurricane some years ago, it went right across toward Dunoon, F606: uh-huh F890: towards Dunoon, and Benmore Gardens had a lot of trees F889: uh-huh F890: blown down. F606: Oh I remember that, //yeah.// F890: //Remember that? Yes.// F889: //Aye.// //So why is it called Benmore then?// F890: //Yeah.// //Well I don't// F889: //Is that a wee village that's near there?// F890: know, I think it's been an estate an, F606: //mm// F889: //Oh aye, Benmore, it was called// //Benmore, aye.// F890: //Yeah, I think so.// F889: How do you say the name, Isobel? S.T.R.A.C.H.U.R.? What is that? F890: eh, S. F889: S.T.R.A.C.H.U.R. F890: Strachur. F889: Strachur? Oh right //Strachur.// F890: //Strachur.// F606: //mm// F889: //I, I saw it but I thought, "Wonder how you say that?"// //That was just// F606: //Where's that?// F890: //Strachur.// //Yes, Strachur.// F889: //af-, that's just before you go intae Dunoon eh? Near it, quite near it, aye.// //uh-huh// F606: //mmhm// F890: //Yes.// uh-huh F606: Right, thank you. This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Audio Audio audience Adults (18+): For gender: Mixed Audience size: 2 Audio awareness & spontaneity Speaker awareness: Aware Degree of spontaneity: Spontaneous Special circumstances surrounding speech: Part of lunch-time chat about everyday domestic matters Audio footage information Year of recording: 2005 Recording person id: 606 Size (min): 19 Size (mb): 72 Audio setting Private/personal: Recording venue: Garden Centre Geographic location of speech: Stirling Audio relationship between recorder/interviewer and speakers Family members or other close relationship: Speakers knew each other: Yes Audio speaker relationships Family members or other close relationship: Audio transcription information Transcriber id: 631 Year of transcription: 2005 Year material recorded: 2005 Word count: 3307 Audio type Conversation: General description: Conversation in a garden centre. Some noise from people clearing tables. Participant Participant details Participant id: 606 Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Academic Place of birth: Edinburgh Region of birth: Midlothian Birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Glasgow Region of residence: Glasgow Residence CSD dialect area: Gsw Country of residence: Scotland Father's place of birth: Leith Father's region of birth: Midlothian Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's place of birth: Edinburgh Mother's region of birth: Midlothian Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: midLoth Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: All Language: Scots Speak: No Read: Yes Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: Work Participant Participant details Participant id: 889 Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1940 Age left school: 15 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Carer, Housewife Place of birth: Alva Region of birth: Clackmannan Birthplace CSD dialect area: Clcm Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Stirling Region of residence: Stirling Residence CSD dialect area: Stlg Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Power station worker Father's place of birth: Alva Father's region of birth: Clackmannan Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Clcm Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: School cleaner Mother's place of birth: Alva Mother's region of birth: Clackmannan Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Clcm Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: at work, at home Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: No Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: at work, at home Participant Participant details Participant id: 890 Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1920 Educational attainment: College Age left school: 16 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Housewife Place of birth: Stirling Region of birth: Stirling Birthplace CSD dialect area: Stlg Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Bridge of Allan Region of residence: Stirling Residence CSD dialect area: Stlg Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Clerk Father's place of birth: Liverpool Father's country of birth: England Mother's occupation: Book shop assistant Mother's place of birth: Tillicoultry Mother's region of birth: Stirling Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Stlg Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: At home Language: Scots Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: At home