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for me it would have to be the battered almost rusty dinner fork that my granddad had used. He had brought it back with him from the Japanese prison camps although it had belonged to someone else.
We had all forgotten about it sitting in the cutlery draw when my Nan died and all the cutlery went to a charity shop.It was only remembered 3 months later, so now each time i visit a charity shop guess what I'm looking for, although I know it has most probably been melted down now or on a landfield site somewhere

For as long as I can remember it was always  cold  meat, mashed potatoes and pickles for lunch on boxing day at my grandparents house and for some reason it is what I now serve in my house for the family and any guests who happen to turn up.

may I voice a word of caution for  anyone thinking of getting a laminator to preserve photos. Make sure you get one with hot and cold settings, as some of the hot only laminators can get too hot for photos. I have in the past damaged photos in a hot laminator, thankfully they were not ones that meant a lot to the family, I now preserve anything important on a cold setting just in case. I also place a piece of white photocopying paper behind the item to help strengthen the finished item.

I hope no one minds this poem being posted, but i think it says a lot of what is on everyones mind at this time of year.
                             JUST A COMMON SOLDIER
                               (A soldier died today )
                             By A. Lawrence Vaincourt

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past,
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes everyone.

And tho` sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his legion buddies listened , for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we`ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world`s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won`t note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land,
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country and offers up his life?

A politician`s stipend and the style in which he lives,
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

Its so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicions, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier`s part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he`s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let`s give him homage at the ending of his days,
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.