Sunday, 15th December, 2024
Had my hair cut this morning before it all falls out. It is definitely thinner now and I don’t like it. When this haircut song was first out in 1970 my hair was as thick as a bush …. in fact, it was a bush. How the mighty are fallen!
At least I haven’t got a bald, monk’s crown like my Dad developed quite young. He was so embarrassed about it that he tried umpteen quack potions without success. Nowadays, of course, he would shave his head and look trendy.
Talking about monks: I went to a Church of England College. Goodness knows why. Anyway, I never saw any of the students I associated with show an ounce of religiosity while I was there but some have developed it in old age. Fear of the abyss, probably. One of them has been trying to convert me – a hardened atheist – to Christianity. I can tell you that he has more chance of shoving a camel through the eye of a needle …. Don’t know where I read that!
I do like to taunt them with their delusions though. I’m sure one of them believes god arranged it for Newcastle to beat Leicester 4-0 yesterday. I sent them a video of pantheistic delight this morning. I’ve been reviving my rudimentary ‘skills’ of video editing and dubbed some music onto the natural soundtrack from this morning’s walk.
I’ve been sending cases of wine across the country to old friends for Christmas. I thought they could help me drink them by proxy. I have been alcohol-free for 110 days now. I’m thinking I might soon qualify as a Methodist. These cases of wine were ordered from that well know wine merchant, Amazon. I don’t care what anyone says about their ability to avoid taxation, they have delivery down to a fine art.
Every single case has been successfully delivered over the weekend and I have been able to watch in real time where they were on the journey. Alcohol has to be signed for so I could make sure they were in to receive it. My friend, Kevin, sent me this photo within minutes of receiving his. He’s probably drunk his by now – thinks it’s communion wine.
Monday, 16th December, 2024
My friend and former digs-mate, John-R, who has always had religion, poor lad, sent me this from a Carol Service he attended at Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire. Looks positively balmy doesn’t it. Beautiful setting though.
The average daytime temperature in UK at this time of the year is 7C/45F. Overnight, we were double that and warmer than Athens. Beautiful sunrise this morning. Got quite a (relatively) busy week ahead. Daft thing to say when I look at it and compare with work times but all things are relative.
Got the window cleaner coming this morning – thank goodness. Going to cut and edge all the street lawns in time for their Chrsitmas visitors. My housekeeper needs taxiing to the hairdresser tomorrow. Two service engineers coming on Wednesday to check the Burglar Alarm and the CCTV camera system. The camera-feed software needs reinstalling. Thursday we are driving up to Surrey to visit M&K who are back from Florida and to deliver Xmas cakes and presents. All of that has to be fitted around my fitness regime which takes at least 2 hours each day. You see what an exciting schedule you are missing, Dear Reader.
On my walk this morning, the sea was in and the horizon far away. I stared out longingly to that blue-rimmed line of possibilities. Who and what is out there? Whatever, it will definitely be warmer than North Yorkshire.
Pauline has an operation coming up early in January and she has a meeting with the consultant next week. This week she is preparing be testing her blood pressure twice a day and I am recording on my Health Spreadsheet so she can take a print out with her to inform the conversation. Annoyingly, her blood pressure is always absolutely perfect so there should be no problem having a general anaesthetic.
My Mum would have been 101 this year. She was from Croydon in South London. She went to a Roman Catholic Girls College and then trained as a Montessori teacher although I don’t think she afforded her own children that liberality. Having finished training, she moved down to our village in the Midlands met Dad and the rest is history although there are those of us who don’t believe in it.
A formative part of Mum’s history was the Second World War. She was 16 when it broke out. London was badly bombed. Her Dad, my Grandad was a bomb damage assessor – a loss adjuster. Mum was evacuated to rural Wales. I think she was near Builth Wells. They took us there once to reminisce. It rained. It was so exciting, I certainly would never go back. However, evacuation did have a profound effect on Mum and so many others as the were dislocated from city to country.
Currently, I am watching an interesting film on Apple TV called Blitz directed by Steve McQueen, Briton’s leading, black film director. It tells the story of a young, black boy who was put on a train by his Mum to take him out of London bombing and give him rural safety for the duration. The boy has to cope with the minority status of being black and with being wrenched from the safety of his home. He jumps off the train en route and stubbornly walks his way back to London. In contrast, I think Mum’s experience was one of liberation, new horizons, finding first love. She remembered it fondly.
Tuesday, 17th December, 2024
A grey but warm start to the day. All the statistics were going well this morning. My weight was down again. My INR was stable. My shaver app reported 98% ninja performance. I have done my 7 miles a day target every day for 108 unbroken days. No alcohol for 111 days. All is well with the world. Well, almost, Dear Reader. I do have one or two loose ends to tie up and I will. If you know anything about me, you will know I will.
Out for an early walk. Hard to know what clothes to wear today. Opted for a fleece and was sweating by the time I got home. It’s the same in the house this year. When the winter period arrives, I close the air-circulation vents on windows and dooors. This year it has been so warm that the house is permanently too hot. Not that I am complaining. British Gas contacted me to say that they were returning a considerable amount of money that we had over payed this year. You only get this sort of weather under a Labour Government!
You have to pinch yourself to understand how far we have come over my lifetime in terms of home comforts.From coal fires to central heating and from draughty windows to perfect seals that require vents. You can only imagine what privations these people from almost 150 years ago thought were just normal ways of life.
The photo was posted this morning and I had never seen it before. It was taken in Montmartre in 1887 and is the only known photo of Van Gogh and Paul Gaugin together. Third from left smoking a pipe is Van Gogh and far right is Gaugin. Thinking about it, it’s no wonder they turned to absinth and don’t forget, absinth makes the heart grow fonder.
Driving Pauline to the hairdresser’s because it is difficult to park. I will come home and drive back just over an hour later. She’s beginning to worry about her hair. She has the odd grey strand starting to appear but it is not really noticeable. What she’s worrying about is that her already ‘fine’ hair is thinning. I’ve offered her some of mine but it was rejected. Of course, the internet always comes to the rescue. I’m going to buy her this for Xmas. I may have to make myself scarce for a while afterwards ….
…. Just picked up the returning warrior/worrier and she tells me the hairdresser said her gey streaks are so minimal as to be merely highlights. He told her that, in his experience and it is extensive – He trained and worked at Vidal Sassoon in Manchester – Pauline’s hair will now never go grey having survived 73 years and thinning is just something she will have to cope with.
I retired from teaching in the same month I was 58. I received my Teachers’ Pension and Lump Sum immediately but I had to wait another 7 years until I could have my State Pension. I was born on 6 April 1951 which made me eligible for the enhanced, New State Pension. One day earlier and I would have been on the old system. I was aware of the WASPI Women and their anger about the pension age qualification changing and them having to wait longer for their pensions. They claim that changes to our SPA were implemented with inadequate or no notice.
I know of quite a few Teachers who claim to be WASPI Women and I have have been a bit sceptical. Today, the government confirmed it wouldn’t be paying out the £10.5 Billion compensation. I don’t know about other professions/jobs but teachers have always been kept in the information loop. We did know about it. I keep records, Dear Reader, to the irritation of my not-very-grey friend. I have payslips going back to 1972 and communications from the Pension Service stored in chronological order in the Office. I submit this evidence from 2008 of when I was informed of my State Pension eligibility by the T.P.S.. All other teachers should have received the same advice but did they read it?
Wednesday, 18th December, 2024
Another very warm night opens on to another warm and grey morning. I’ve got a security service engineer arriving to day. He will service the burglar alarm and help me out with the software which runs the CCTV system. It will take a couple of hours this afternoon.
Woke up this morning to hear inflation had risen to 2.6% mainly on the back of petrol price rises. Although inflation is a national problem, for me as an individual it is not so much. It will force the Bank of England to keep interest rates higher than otherwise. If you are a borrower of money, that is a problem. If you are an investor of money, it is lucrative. My fixed rate Bonds are still earning more than double the inflation rate and will do for the next year
Petrol prices are becoming much less significant in my life both because I am currently clocking less miles but also because I drive a self-charge hybrid Honda. I have driven Honda cars since my first in 1984. Over the years, I have bought 4 new Preludes in the 1990s. I even wrote one off in a moment of madness.
Preludes haven’t been made by Honda for a few years and I do enjoy the higher seating and road view of the CRV SUV which I’ve been driving since 1998. Yesterday, I read that Honda would be bring the Prelude back in 2026. It looks nice and I am tempted but I’m not sure it will be for me now. It is a young man’s car, low slung and sporty. I have to admit the realities. Anyway, this morning it was announced that Honda were exploring the possibility of marriage to Nissan to combat the flood of electric cars built in China and taking hold of the market. It does make one wonder what sort of child this marriage could produce. We will see.
The grey of the early day has blown away to be replaced by blue sky and sunshine. Still lovely and warm, The sea was looking frothy and crashing sweet and clean.
Sometimes the world can be a beautiful place and it was this morning. What better circumstances to celebrate the marriage of Honda & Nissan.
Thursday, 19th December, 2024
Glorious morning. Driving up to Surrey to meet M&K back from Florida. Taking cakes and puddings for two families plus presents. Nice day for the drive although the low sun will make the M25 harder to cope with.
Got to get a walk in first or I will be struggling to make my target. Went out early to get an hour in before leaving to fight with the M25. It will take us about an hour to get up to Surrey as long as all goes well. Received a phone call from an old friend from my birth village, Repton, this morning. David Beasley is 10 years older than me. He has a small holding in North Wales. His wife died five or so years ago and, after an intense period of loneliness, he has found a new friend to share his life with. The effect, the change in his voice and his view of life is quite transformational. Optimism and happiness abounds.
The drive up was a lot better than I expected. We chose to miss the motorway out and go through posh Cobham. Bumper to bumper Porches but otherwise pleasant. Spent a lovely couple of hours with M&K and P&C. They are looking well and happy and are driving to Oldham tomorrow which will be rather a climate/culture shock having just returned from Florida.
Back home just as the sun was setting but had to get my second walk in before resting. Confined the walk to our local neighbourhood and parks. It felt bitterly cold as the sun disappeared over the horizon and the breeze bit into my flesh.
What I don’t understand is why the cold doesn’t affect kids who carry on biking round the area and kissing girls without a care. Not being observed by adults seems to be worth paying the price of pneumonia.
Friday, 20th December, 2024
Gorgeous morning after a crystal clear night. Got a day of jobs to get through before I am allowed to eat.
Still receiving lots of cards. I’m not at all bothered about the event but I love the annual human contact. I get lots of newsletters and lots of cards. I told myself off yesterday when I caught myself looking for the missing ones rather than the ones I had received. Each year, I keep a record of those I received and those I didn’t. I make it a point of principle not to stop sending to people who haven’t sent to me for a while. You have to be big about these things.
Last year Pat, the wife of my old friend, Sam – an international rugby referee and all round wonderful man who died 20 years ago – didn’t send me a card. I sent one again this year and then her card arrived yesterday from a Nursing Home in Oldham. I have sent another one to her new address and might go round to see her when I’m up in Oldham soon.
Two cases of wine were delivered in Oldham this morning. One for Margaret in Marsden and one for Viv in Oldham. They got cases of quality, Spanish red. Actually, I was quite enjoying Spanish red before I stopped. Julie in North Yorkshire and Kevin in Leeds both got cases of Australian white wine. Actually, I was quite enjoying Australian white before I stopped. Do you get the pattern, Dear Reader? Alcohol by proxy is a wonderful thing!
I bought my wife an Alexa for the Kitchen. It has obviously released a long suppressed need to listen to popular music. Everytime I arrive there, I am greeted by Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Take That, Leonard Cohen mingling with the smell of newly baked bread. It makes me feel quite bad.
Over 46 years, obviously I’ve forced her to listen to Chopin, Rachmaninov, Beethoven and to shut herself away as I’m belting out Puccini and Donizetti while she really wanted to let her hair down with Gary Barlow. I do feel generally awkward.
In the early 1970s, as I was studying for my degree, I had to explore classical 19th Century composers alongside literary, philosophical and political texts. I started to listen for the first time, realising that I knew nothing of classical music and opera. It felt like a deficit in my education and I had to address it. I bought a battery operated tape player and a handful of cassete recordings and played them night and day as I studied. I knew every note of the Études and Nocturnes. I sang Donizetti‘s ‘Lucia di Lammermoor‘ until I thought I might get a booking. I thought pop music was banished for good.
I still love the classical but, in old age, I have been able to go back to popular music. As we drove to Greece – a journey of some 15 hours – we sang to James Taylor and to Take That over and over again. The kilometres (all 1200) sped past. It was a time when we didn’t have internet in the car so CDs were the only source of entertainment when BBC had long faded out.
Now, I put my smartphone through the infontainment system and listen to anything I please. The hot choice currently is a political podcast like The Newsagents. Five are recorded each week and I am lost for an hour of enjoyment.
Saturday, 21st December, 2024
A dark, damp morning opens on the Shortest Day. At least it’s warm. Looks like most exercise will be in the Gym today. At 5.45 am, the radio wakes me and by 6.00 am, old College friends are posting messages around. I thought I was odd waking so early but not at all. They are all unable to sleep in the early hours of the morning. What we all need is a job. Then, we would sleep right through. Today, it looks as if we will not see the sun at all. If we could, it would be for less than 8 hours. De…press…ing!
My sister in Flockton, West Yorkshire sent me this photo from her back garden. Not sure what that delicious green is. Looks like watercress but might be green manure.
At least the sky dried long enough for a walk round the local area. As you can see, the park near the Community Centre was not very hot and sunny this morning.
Found this little delight growing wild in the park. The orange berries shone in the darkness. It is called the Stinking Iris or Iris foetidissima and is common in UK and in Greece. It is called stinking because the leaves when crushed smell of roast beef which puts some people off.
I am trying to lift my spirits by looking at colours like this. It is so difficult to choose a property and commit to £5 -7,000 at a distance. So often things are not what you see in the photographs. I have learnt to book through respected agents. I have set the first week of January to decide on a property in Southern Tenerife for the month of November.
I have a couple of places I’ve identified already through a company I’ve used before. VRBO or Villa Rentals By Owner has been reliable in the past. I used it when it was called Home Away because that is what I wanted. Move home to the sunshine for a while. Set up by an ex-teacher (Why didn’t I think of that?), it’s owned by Expedia now. I’ve also used and tend to trust Booking.com and I am looking through their offerings as well.
Of course, there is always a downside to life. Received two lots of Christmas Greetings this morning. The first was from the postman saying they wouldn’t deliver an item until we had paid £5.00 unpaid postage by the sender of something. I just hope they weren’t meaning the second delivery which was from the friendly HMRC informing me that I owe them £1000s of back taxes. It’s not a scam. I do. It just hurts more somehow when they don’t just tax me at source as they do with my pensions.