Sunday, 26th November, 2023
Sunday morning of the final week of my 72nd November started at 5.00 am with the radio news. On Sunday, it is followed by a contemplative exploration of religious/philosophical concepts which the BBC consider appropriate for a Sunday morning. In exploring these concepts but entertaining at the same time, Mark Tully weaves an eclectic mix of words and music. I have no religion but I am interested in the concepts.
This morning, the topic was Memories and started with the most hauntingly beautiful Miserere Mei (Have mercy on me.) which reminded me of my childhood and the religion I was forced through. It was followed by a piece of Chamber Music by John Barry: A Childhood Memory. The two pieces evoked so much that I remember of my childhood and the trappings of Catholicism that were so important to my mother.
We are often urged to live in the Present but that doesn’t mean we should forget the Past. The one is informed by the other. In my beginning is my end. Early life unerringly shapes later life. The Jesuit principle contains a lot of significance: ‘ Give me a child till he is seven years old,’ said St Ignatius Loyola, ‘ and I will show you the man.’ I’m an historian. The past is of huge importance for the present and the future.
I was brought up in a large and vibrant family with 7 siblings all exhibiting blossoming personalities, views, beliefs, tastes. It was a place where conversation flourished and musical instruments were practised. The flute, the violin, the mandolin and umpteen recorders/melodicas in one house made it fairly full-on. We were encouraged to compete and we certainly did – which is why we dispersed like shooting seeds from a pod scattering to fertilise new lives out of the shade of our family home. I think that is why my early years away from home were so bewildering.
The next piece Tully played was Memories from Cats – a rather saccharine, romanticised view of the past which it is easy to fall into:
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
TS Eliot/Richard Stilgoe
I can dream of the old days
Life was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
This was followed with Days from The Kinks and a much tougher approach to follow:
Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I’m thinking of the days
I won’t forget a single day, believe meI bless the light
Ray Davies – 1968
I bless the light that shines on you, believe me
And though you’re gone
You’re with me every single day, believe me …
These are hard words to say. If, like me, you are inclined towards sentimentality, you like to believe that somethings will never grow old and die and, in one, enduring sense all things persist in memory if slightly imperfectly.
And all this before 6.00 am, Dear Reader. No wonder I’m exhausted before I get up. The same thoughts will still be there at the end of the day. In my beginning ….
Monday, 27th November, 2023
Bonjour, Cher Lecteur. Salutations de France. Désolé, je teste juste …
Actually, I’m going to France tomorrow morning so just practising for the language shift. We are only going for a few days but it will be good to have a change of scene. Doesn’t matter how long or short a period away from home, quite a lot of the preparation is the same. Nowadays, we have to be at the Tunnel at least an hour prior to departure. Gone are the days when it was a turn-up-&-go service which is a pity but understandable.
I don’t have many good qualities but I do have tenacity, doggedness, stickability. I don’t give in. Every morning since February 2020, I have completed a data return for the Zoe Health Study led by Professor Tim Spector of King’s College London. I have the app on my phone and complete my return every morning wherever I am in the world. It started as a Covid Survey but has now widened out to Diet and Fitness.
I often reflect that I am odd in being so persistent and I am amused when I find others who do the same and make me feel rather more normal. It was pleasing this morning to find my friend in North Yorkshire referring to the study and his ongoing involvement with it. Mind you, he is mad as a hatter! If you like data, contributing to a national study and are mad as a hatter which, of course, is a prerequisite to living in the North, you might enjoy downloading the app and joining a worthwhile movement.
Been a strange day. It opened wet and warm. We then had a lovely 4 hour spell of sunshine in which we did a walk. Just got back around 3.00 pm as light rain started to fall. Now, at 4.30 pm, the sky is darkening, heavy rain is falling and a strong breeze is bringing down the temperature. Yesterday, I wore clothes for the first time since April. Today, I am back in shorts & tee shirt. Taking both to France.
Tuesday, 28th November, 2023
Lovely, mild and bright morning with weak, Winter sunshine which followed a clear night sky of beautiful, full moon and bright array of stars. Couldn’t be better for a drive down to the Tunnel. My Butler‘s jobs include packing, making Breakfast, stacking the dishwasher and making herself look beautiful. I’ll leave you to decide the most difficult task there. My jobs include getting the technology – laptop, iPads, phones, shavers, toothbrushes and all the associated chargers plus multi-socket together and then packing the car plus setting up the automatic lighting throughout the house. Obviously my jobs are far more difficult and serious as befits men’s work.
The drive down to Folkestone was absolutely wonderful. The M25 was quiet and the M20 was deserted. We arrived at the LeShuttle, Folkestone about an hour early. The weather was wonderful and the carpark almost empty. We chose to relax and make the crossing at our booked time instead of the earlier train they offered us. When we did leave. We watched Greasy Gove at the Covid Inquiry on my iPad in the car on the train under the sea using my smartphone as internet source to provide the connection.
Rolling off about 1.00 pm (ET/12.30pm UKT), we drove to our hotel, checked into our suite and then went out to do some shopping.
Christmas has seriously hit the French shops. It looks as if they are trying to boost footfall by raising the advertising although there is no mention of Black Friday/Cyber Monday unlike UK.
The supermarkets are geared up to market their traditional wares. We walked round to find something for Dinner but I felt as if I was going through the motions. I’m not sure if I’m well enough for this. Pauline is worried about me and that is worrying me. She says I am looking drained and lifeless. My face and lips are white. I am feeling tired. I can’t give up but it is a struggle.
I was boosted to hear from friends. Julie in North Yorkshire sent me best wishes for my trip and a photo of the sunshine on her local beach. Kevin wished me a good trip and we discussed the drama Boat Story which I’ve been watching and advised him to follow. John Morris and JohnR wished me a good trip. Dave Weatherley in Bolton sent some photos. Got to keep going!
Wednesday, 29th November, 2023
Slept well and didn’t get up until just after 7.00 am (FT)/6.00 am (UKT). It is good to be away. It was quite cold here 4C/40F last night although it was -4C/25F in Greater Manchester and I can just feel the cruel chill from those streets. The TV news showed pictures of snow in Yorkshire – on the roofs in Scarborough of all places.
Breakfast was lovely and relaxed and then coffee before setting off out to a favourite place – Wissant. A beautiful, sunny day to walk down to the beach. First the sleepy market square.
This place only really comes alive in the height of Summer. Most of the beachside properties are holiday homes. Unfortunately, Summer isn’t that much better than Wales so that wouldn’t draw me. It is this Mediterranean-esque light and colour that I love.
Bright and sunny, lovely and deserted, we largely had the place to ourselves. It was market day in this sleepy hamlet and all eyes were drawn to the square and away from the sea.
Got back to the Hotel in time to watch Prime Ministers Questions. Sunak was murdered by Starmer and his own backbenchers. Out in the afternoon for Shopping. I have to become bag carrier as my Chamber Maid indulges her passion for clothes.
We visited the Channel Outlet Store which is mainly clothes shops but also some Chocolate, Coffee and Technology shops.
My job is distinctly secondary. My opinion is consulted at times but I’m not sure if my answers make any difference really. I am allowed to carry the bags which is something of an honour. See what you’re missing out on, Dear Reader.
Thursday, 30th November, 2023
It has taken just two nights for the time difference to be accepted by our sleep patterns. Actually, I didn’t sleep well myself but my friend did, thank goodness. I was listening to the radio on my phone for about 3 hrs from 4.00 am. It meant that we were up reasonably early and down to breakfast. Lazing around, reading newspapers and watching BBC News in our rooms. Out to Carrefour to buy fresh produce for the fridge and then drive to Eurotunnel.
It costs us just over £100.00 each way for car and people which is double what it was before the pandemic but still good value. We have to arrive an hour before departure but it only takes 35 mins to cross and we are off and straight on to the roads so it is really efficient and comfortable. Wouldn’t even consider a ferry at any price now.
We were early and they offered us an earlier train. At this time of year, they are only one per hour compared with three in the Summer. Even then, traffic is light. Import restrictions mean it is less popular all together. Even so, upstanding citizens like us are never searched so we feel free to ‘bend’ the rules to suit us. While travelling through the tunnel, we watched Matt Hancock floundering in the Covid Inquiry.
Because it only takes 35 mins to cross, you always drive off into the UK before you even left France. Our train was 1.50 pm from Coquelles and we arrived in Folkestone at 1.25 pm. It’s a great trick to keep young! As we drive off, our sat.nav. sets the clock back to UK time, our phones reset to UK time and synchronise with our watches to show UK time. My brain has to reset to drive on the left which becomes more difficult the older I get but soon we are on our way to do the 1hr 35 mins journey back home.
While we are driving, I turn the the heating on at home from the Hive app on my smartphone and listen to a politics podcast to wile away the time. While away, I tried to keep in contact with my friends. Kevin tells me he’s had his bandages removed and the surgery has gone well. Julie has been celebrating her Mother’s 95 birthday and dodging the snow. JohnR is busily organising ‘Carols by Candlelight’ at Fountains Abbey this weekend. He never stops with his good works. John Morris contacted me to reminisce over trips to Wissant. Sharing lives makes me happy. I wonder what you are doing this week, Dear Reader.
Friday, 1st December, 2023
Old year, new month. Happy December, Dear Readers. Hope it’s good for you and not too cold.
Down here on the South Coast, last night was crystal clear and bright with a brilliant sky of moon and stars. Quite cold, we dipped into -1C/31F for a while. There is just a hint of frost on the edges of the roofs this morning. Even so, it won’t be a shorts day.
In Greece, many people long for a period of rain after a Summer of scorching sun. Of course, when you don’t get much Winter, what people crave most of all is … Winter. In Brighton, it is artificially created. Once again, Brighton Pavilion is adorned with this magnificent ice skating rink.
It is hard to believe but the Blog is coming to the end of its 15th year next week. I am surprised as you, Dear Reader. I really didn’t think I would be alive this long. It makes achieving my targets in the next few months even more important. I will press on regardless towards my goals. In the end, you have to do what is important not what is right. There are so many things in my life that I need to correct that I may be detained here for another century.
Had to complete the Office for National Statistics Covid Survey this morning. They have sent us 14 monthly test packs to test ourselves and report on-line. It is a simple but helpful contribution to the cause. As two of the increasingly rare members of the nation who have never been infected, we hope to be making a useful intervention. This time, we are doing it for ‘free’.
Saturday, 2nd December, 2023
Not a cold night although that is relative. We went down to 2C/36F but it was far colder in other parts of the country. Just as well because, irony of ironies, last night we had a problem with our central heating boiler.
It is seven years old which is nothing for a modern boiler. It is twin phase and linked to two, Hive thermostats which control the upstairs and the downstairs separately. We have hardly used it since last April apart from for hot water but last night we decided we would need warmth in the Lounge. I put it on and felt the radiators some time later …. stone cold. I put the heating on upstairs and the boiler came on and heated the radiators immediately. Ironically, the boiler is called Ideal.
I am hopeless with anything like this but we have a British Gas maintenance agreement and they serviced it in March. At 9.00 pm last night, I contacted them and was told they would be out to fix it today before 6.00 pm. So, I am tied to the house until then. Trust us to have such a problem on the coldest week of the year so far. Fortunately, I’ve got an industrial strength fan heater I bought from Screwfix to heat the Gym before I had the radiators installed and that is filling in until Mr BG Serviceman arrives.
We have no frost but JohnR in North Yorkshire has. Thirsk this morning and I would definitely need full heating for that sort of weather.
Julie says it is thick ice outside her house and Kevin thinks he is suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is quite a debilitating condition. Lots of people get it – many without knowing the cause. It is basically getting lack of sunlight to raise the mood. He didn’t seem to know about the lamps SAD sufferers can buy to compensate for lack of sunshine. I found one and he’s ordered it from Amazon already plus booked a holiday to Spain.
Joy of joys, the gas engineer has arrived at mid day and the problem is minor. Just as I predicted, it was a glitch in the Honeywell Motor 3. Had to be didn’t it. It took me no time to fix it and, of course, it was absolutely free apart from a cup of tea for the little man who came out to watch me sort it out.
Life is now (largely) back to normal. Radiators are hot, I’m back in my shorts and most things are alright with the world. I’m going to spend a couple of hours in the Gym but first I going to the Beach for some sunshine.
Lovely and quiet on the drive through town as if they haven’t been told of the build up to Christmas. The beach was warm and empty and enjoyable to walk on across the crunchy pebbles.