Sunday, 17th November, 2024
Beautiful blue sky and strong sunshine to start the new week. Just 3 weeks until the Blog has be going for 16 years. Many have died both literally and metaphorically in that time. For some, it was a welcome release. The Assisted dying Bill may be as a direct response to Blog readers.
To celebrate the day, I had my haircut and then went for a lovely walk in the park for a change.
The equipment in the Gym is all computer driven. Computers are sensitive to temperature and low temperatures particularly. Of course, the garage was not connected to the house heating system so I had to have a separate system installed.
I bought an oil-filled, electric vertical radiator which seemed to work well but I soon realised it had a function missing – remote control. While we were away in the winter months, I couldn’t turn it on. This morning, 3 years after installing it, I’ve found it isn’t working. It gives me a chance to readdress the issue.
Things have moved on and improved. There are always benefits for the righteous, Dear Reader. There are so many radiators available that provide an app to control from my phone. That is what I will order tomorrow.
Monday, 18th November, 2024
Lovely morning – mild and comparatively bright. My first job on a Monday is to take the bins out. Was rather shocked to read that some areas in England are so cash strapped that they are proposing to collect Black Bins only once a month. Ours are collected weekly and there is no current suggestion of changing.
Did an early walk by the beach. The tide was on its way out. The sky was watery bright and the air was comparatively warm. The news from the North of England is less comfortable. Quite a bit of snow is forecast for them this afternoon. If I had been at work this morning, I would have been wondering if there would be a problem driving home over the Pennines to night and then getting to work tomorrow. I know we always felt it was our responsibility to be there early, before other staff arrived to make sure things went smoothly, the school was safe and had enough staff to work it.
Sometimes, I get up and suddenly realise I no longer have any responsibilities. A weight is lifted almost like a revelation of freedom. I wonder if I’ll ever throw that off. I don’t know if this happens to you, Dear Reader, but I experience a regular and frequent discomfort in retirement. I cannot sit still and indulge myself for long without getting an uncomfortable feeling of disquiet that I should be doing something and I am ignoring my responsibilites. It’s rather like an inverse imposter syndrome. It is hard to reconcile the fact that I am no longer needed.
While the sea promenade is being redeveloped the old buildings, including the toilets, have been demolished. I’m not sure they have successfully resolved the issue however temporary.
My tutor at College 55 years ago died yesterday. He was 95 and he had relinquished his responsibilities long ago.
Talking to friends/ex-students this morning, we reviewed our pioneering group of 24 boys who went through the 69/72 courses and only 20 are still alive with at least one living is sheltered accomodation. It does make you wonder who is next and under what circumstances.
Tuesday, 19th November, 2024
Humankind has been obsessed with time since, well …. Time immemorial. As Philip Larkin wrote, Days are where we live. What has always fascinated me is our differing reactions to it. What I’ve never been able to understand are the ones who say they have no interest but staying in the moment. The Now.
You, Dear Reader, may be more familiar with Morrisey and The Smiths than I and you will know his song, How Soon Is Now?
When you say it’s gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
See I’ve already waited too long
And all my hope is gone
Sometimes the slowness of time can bring real angst. When we long for something else, a watched pot never boils. When we are enjoying an experience, we want time to stand still. We want that moment to go on for ever. Stop the World. I want to get off.
Of course, neither position can be realised in reality but both are responses to our being trapped in the space-time continuum concept of Stephen Hawkins book. I’m not interested in History, people say. Why live in the past? It is not a thoughtful, intelligent or reflective view of our lives. I remember a film in which a family were all in a car driving to the seaside and singing:
We’re here because we’re here because
We’re here because we’re here because
We’re here ….
ad infinitum. The circularity, the very insularity, is almost an attempt to blot out the past and block thoughts of the future. We are here only because we are here is a denial of humanity. It is the ultimate vacuity. I can tell you that getting cancer really concentrates the mind on time left and puts things into perspective.
A people without history
Is not redeemed from time, for history is a pattern
Of timeless moments.Little Gidding (1942) – T. S. Eliot
There is no present or future, only the past, happening over and over again – now, as Eugene O’Neill wrote. And when we examine those who deny interest in the past, they are the first to recognise and celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, lay flowers at the graves of those who have been and are gone.
Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.Four Quartets – T. S. Eliot
This morning, my wife is off to the Beautician’s for a couple of hours. Quite a lot of restoration is required – reclaiming the past. I’m home alone waiting for a delivery and booking people to install my new radiator in the Gym. And that’s where I will be this morning because it’s raining. Getting fitter by the day and trying to stay alive as long as possible into time future. Have a lovely day, Dear Reader.
Wednesday, 20th November, 2024
What is happening? We have distict signs of frost on the lawn. The sun is out but the temperature is only 2C/36F. Might need a fleece when I walk outside this morning even though we have gorgeous sunshine.
Got some workmen calling first to inspect a small job. The new radiator for the Gym was delivered last night. Some exhausted young man hurriedly arrived in a white van, ran to my house at 6.30 pm with a 50lb package and ran back to his van. He had disappeared almost before I’d closed the door. What a life! Who would be a white van man?
When I was a young teacher, full of vigour and ambition, I was always tired. Mind you, I was surviving about 4 hours sleep a night and studying for an Arts Degree while teaching full time. Later in Education Management, mental tiredness left me driving home with a head feeling like concrete and almost incapable of thought. Now, tiredness is physical and utter bliss.
There is something really wonderful and self-congratulatory about the fatigue of exercise and that is what I feel in retirement. I am an all-or-nothing personality and pushing myself to the limit is genuinely rewarding. An old friend was declaring his achievement of Dry October. Three months without alcohol and counting for me at the moment. All or nothing. I love red wine but I also love my power over it rather than adiction to it.
My new varifocal glasses have proved so successful that I ordered a second pair this morning and my wife who already has 4 pairs of reading glasses ordered a fifth pair combined with sunglasses so she can read her Kindle out in the garden – unless, of course, she’s thinking of wearing them in bed. We went on to buy some Christmas cards – with robins on, of course. This year will be a crossover year. Anyone who can be reached by Whatsapp or Email can expect an e-card. Those who I can only reach by text or snail-mail will get a robin.
On to the fish shop for 2 dozen locally caught sea bass and 2kg of Tuna and then on for a walk. The beach and sea were looking gorgeous today at a time when our old stomping ground of the Pennines was looking as illustrated above.
Thursday, 21st November, 2024
Up before 6.00 am and out before 7.00 am on a cool, dark morning. Driving to Gatwick Airport South Terminal to meet a B.A. flight from Tampa, Florida. Collecting P&C and driving back to Byfleet, Surrey. Just hoping we don’t get caught up in rush hour to the city.
I love driving in the dark and that was the first half of our journey. Long queues at roundabouts as people headed for work. Couldn’t do that every day. We arrived just after 8.00 am but parking was difficult. South Terminal Short Stay was packed. We drove around for some time before finding a spot.
Out across the concourse to Arrivals and the Flight Board which confirmed for us that the Landing would be 20 mins early. We found the Passenger Exit point and waited. And waited. And waited. One full hour after landing, the 5 strong party came into view. The apparatus around flying seems to have got more onerous and time consuming since we first flew 45 years ago. It really makes me prefer to drive if it is a viable alternative.
David, James & Jade went off to their car. P&C came with us. A 40 mins drive to Surrey, drop off P&C and then an hour’s drive home.
This last leg is always lovely but today it was absolutely beautiful with trees in strong Autumn colour in lovely sunshine from a gentle sky. The round trip took us 5 hours and then I had my exercise routine to complete. An hour in the Gym and an hour out walking will do today.
A sign of the times: on this day in 1971, the band, Lindisfarne performed at my College as part of their Lady Eleanor Tour. Look at them now.
Do you remember this, Dear Reader, from 1971? Don’t think I’ve heard it since then. I remember Whispering Bob Harris on The Old Grey Whistle Test though.
Friday, 22nd November, 2024
Gorgeous morning opens with just a hint of frost on the roofs. It had been a night of huge, sparkling stars. Were you gazing, Dear Reader? I was before I went to sleep, perchance to dream.
Busy morning. Lots of shopping and then I am contacting a new security company to discuss taking over our CCTV system. I haven’t been happy with our initial company so I’m going to invite our Burglarm Alarm servicers to take over management. I want them to install a video-doorbell which will alert our smartphones as well.
Can’t believe how lucky we were yesterday. We did the Gatwick Airport run successfully and all went well. Today would have been a nightmare. There has been a bomb scare which has closed all the access roads to the airport.
Those in the airport or arriving back to the airport have been forced to evacuate and stand outside in the cold. There is a suspected bomb in luggage on an arriving plane. Very exciting!
We very rarely eat red meat – occasionally Stuffed Peppers & very occasionally grilled Steak. Tonight I am making Beef Ragoût for Supper. It will, of course, be outstanding and a real treat. I make it from the most wonderful Skirt of Beef from our Butcher. It is so tender, I am almost tempted to turn it into Steak Tartare but wouldn’t be allowed.
Saturday, 23rd November, 2024
I am back in shorts and tee shirt. It went from 4C/39F to 14C/57F over night …. but wet. Exercise will be in the Gym today. On days like this it is a life saver. Kevin in Leeds and Julie on the North Yorkshire coast have both got snow this morning. I’m going to spend a bit of time looking for some sunshine.
First, though, my eye was caught by a story from the mean streets of Oldham. A story appeared in the Manchester Evening News that immediately flooded my memory banks. Around 46 years ago, we appointed a bright new Maths teacher called Frank to our school where he had been a pupil. A couple of years later, we appointed an attractive, young Home Economist called Diane to the staff. Within months, they were an item and subsequently married.
After a short spell, Frank decided he didn’t want to teach in Oldham and he and Diane went off to teach in Malawi. As a staff, we learned the Malawi National Song to sing to them as they left. That didn’t last long and they came back rather sheepishly. Frank went into Insurance for a while and Diane came back to us.
Suddenly, we were told that they were buying a school! It was Farrowdale School in Shaw – a private school for kids aged 3 – 16 yrs. They ran it successfully for 30 years although I think it was harder work than they imagined and not the money spinner they hoped either.
They retired and sold up, about 10 years after us and started the normal retirement travel plan – Australia, New York, Spain, etc. Suddenly and without warning, Frank was diagnosed with a Brian Tumour and was gone in weeks. Diane had been left to continue a long, lonely retirement of narrowing possibilities.
Sorry – all triggered by a news item – and rather sad but a salutory lesson to measure life by.
And so to the Gym all the way across the garden. Two full hours I’ve got to do today. Fortunately, I’m watching an engrossing and intelligently written drama spanning four tumultuous decades during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. It’s available on Disney Plus and called Say Nothing which is what IRA families were taught to do in the face of an authoritarian military occupation from the mainland.
It is our history, my history and centres on the 1972 abduction and murder of Jean McConville by the IRA who suspected her of being an informer. She was a Protestant married to a Catholic in Belfast. She was torn from her family, dragged away and never seen again until her body was discovered some 30 years later. The drama strongly indicts Gerry Adams as a central figure in the action. He has always denied his membership of the IRA in the face of strong evidence. I have always believed that a united Ireland was the only acceptable position and we do look as if that will come about maybe even in my lifetime.
That is Gym-time watching for me alone. Evening sharing is the most unlikely pick for me but I am really enjoying it. You wouldn’t put me down as someone who enjoys stories about love and relationships but that is what I am doing. I pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Disney Plus, ITV-X but ‘free’ on iPlayer is a genuinely funny and gentle series of mini episodes called Cheaters. It is a drama, semi comic series about sex, relationships and infidelity.