Sunday, 6th April, 2025
We are 74 this morning. It is not a good situation. 74 is a distinctly scary number. I woke at 4.30 am to find Birthday greetings on my phone from two, lunatics in America. At Breakfast, I was given a card by my Carer. She thought I wouldn’t realise it was the same one I gave her last October being recycled. Effectively, I bought my own birthday card. That is the watchword of my Carer – Thrift in Everything …. unless she is looking at Clothes Brochures.
Talking about thrift. I moved a significant amount of money – £40,000.00 yesterday from one financial institution to another. As a sign of the times, I did it at the click of a finger print from my phone. It still feels a significant and edgy thing to do. I needed it to repatriate funds for new ISAs in a couple of days time. It didn’t arrive immediately as one would like for easy assurance. The original account said it could take up to 24 hrs. Then, I did do it on a Saturday. Would it show on a Sunday? At 4.30 am, I woke up and checked my phone. It hadn’t arrived. In fact I was told my account was being upgraded. Wonderful.
Gorgeous day outside. Going out for a walk to start the day. Before that, I received lovely Birthday wishes from lots of my old College friends around the country. It included people I don’t talk to very often. Kevin Sellers in North Scotland. Derek France in Skelmanthorpe, Heather Mellows in Cambridge. At times like this, you realise who your friends are. Nice messages from my Brothers and Sisters in Yorkshire, Ireland and Berkshire. Lovely wishes from my neighbours here. How lucky am I to live in such a wonderful place?
Just as I am about to start on my walk, a ping informs me that £40,000.00 has arrived in my account. Phew …. the day can develop happily. As we walk, we see many regulars out doing the same or working in their gardens. It always surprises me how certain plants / shrubs are particularly popular or do especially well in certain areas. Here Photinias (a Laurel derivative) are very popular and successful. Photinia Red Robin Hedge is everywhere and beautiful at this time of year.
Wisteria is popular and very successful in our warmer climate. Usually, it is the traditional, blue, mauve coloured flowered one. On our walk, one man has a wonderful display of this white Wisteria climbing his walls. I asked for a seed pod to try and grow my own. I wasn’t successful but today he has offered to root a cutting for me. I haven’t told him but I will give it to my next door neighbour who loves her Wisteria.
One couple who we see regularly stopped to talk today. He had recovered from cancer just like me. Today they were coming back from Covid-19 Spring Boosters which are available at Angmering Medical Centre for over 75s.
We had told them that we retired 16 years ago and today I said I was 74 so couldn’t have the jab. They genuinely said they thought we must be in our early 60s which was nice. Certainly Pauline could pass for that if not me.
Warm sunshine makes all the difference to walking. This morning, we are 22C/70F which is warmer than Athens. I love it. Come and share it, Dear Reader. Sun is good for the skin and the soul …. if you’ve got one.
Monday, 7th April, 2025
Already 74 years are bedded in and advanced by a day. Nightmare! This once young man is no more. Too dramatic, Dear Reader? Maybe but probably only because you have got there before me.
I grow old ... I grow old ...
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me.
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
By T. S. Eliot
I woke up thinking about it this morning. The house and the bed were too hot. Cremation was all around … and yet, even at 5.45 am, sunshine was striking through the blinds. We are going to be a support unit for even older people than us. This morning, early, we drive up to Surrey. It is the most glorious journey through newly minted hedgerows along freshly carpeted roadsides under deliciously, clear blue skies warmly lit by a rising sun.
An hour or so of enjoyable driving up to Byfleet in Surrey. Collect P&C and off for another 30 mins drive to Ashford Hospital effectively in Staines on Thames near Heathrow Airport. Planes were taking off and landing all around us. Fortunately, P has a Blue Parking Badge so leaving the car was quick and easy. They disappeared into the bowels of the hospital and I had about 90 mins to walk in the sun. I did exactly that around the huge hospital carparks and those of the mega-Tesco store next door. I covered 6 miles in that time.
The wounded soldiers returned from the hospital to be driven home. There was a problem with their TV which I attempted to sort out. It looks as if their Freeview box is failing and I’ve identified a new one to replace it. I will have to drive up next week to fit and configure it for them. They are probably the last generation to be rather uncomfortable with digital technology although I know some stragglers from mine.
The drive home was equally enjoyable and remarkably quiet … probably because it’s school holidays. Back home, my first thought was for my seedlings out in the coldframes being attacked by the savage sun. I opened them up to breath the air and my under gardener watered them. Then out for an hour’s walk before Supper – fresh Tuna Steaks griddled outside and eaten with a fresh, green salad. Delicious meal. Delicious day, Dear Reader.
Tuesday, 8th April, 2025
What a lovely morning. Hope it is with you, Dear Reader. Blue sky and strong sunshine really makes me want to be up and out and exercising. You? Actually, we have appointments at a Health Clinic – Our Future Health.
It is our contribution to the future health of our fellow citizens. We have to give a blood sample, be weighed and have our body dimensions measured and recorded. There will be a follow up and a scan and we will get DNA information and ongoing monitoring.
Fifteen years ago, we had been retired for a year and were still feeling strange about getting up, opening the blinds and thinking, I am free to do what ever I want today. Actually, it was Easter Holidays for those going back to work. We were in the final days before driving to Greece. We had a new car – the latest iteration of the Honda CRV. In the last few days before driving off to Hull Docks for the trip to Zeebrugge, the boot looked like this:
All the essentials for 6 months in Greece which we couldn’t fit in to the car for driving over was packed up in boxes and sent by Post Office parcel rate. It was actually very cost effective. I noted 50 kg cost £120.00 to get there and these parcels would arrive on the island about the same day as we did.
This year we are not driving but flying to Greece twice. In June, we will be in Thessaloniki and, in August, we will be in Athens. Actually, yesterday a friend from Saloniki posted this interesting weather which contrasted sharply with our blue skies and sunshine. By the time we get there, it will be roaring hot!
Wednesday, 9th April, 2025
Bad night. Couldn’t sleep. Up at 4.00 am and watching Arsenal beat Real Madrid by 3 fantastic goals on replay. Back to bed for an hour and listening to The Rest is Politics Blog. Fell asleep and didn’t get up until 7.30 am. Late. Got to be at the Bank by 9.00 am to open a new ISA. Nice morning and warm and sunny. Later I will go down to the beach to look for a false leg that someone posted they had lost there. Usually, there is plenty washed up over night although I haven’t seen legs recently.
Going out to fix new ISAs as quickly as possible. I’ve been researching them on and off for days. Thought I knew exactly what to do and then … Trump happened. The whole market was destabilised and all the deals I was seeing were pulled over night. Yesterday, I spoke to an investment bank customer manager who told me they had no offers left at all. They had all been pulled off the market.
I decided that I would just have to cut my losses and take a High Street offer at Nationwide B.S. Strangest thing happened. Just as we were going out of the door, the investment bank phoned and said they were prepared to make us an offer because we were existing investors. I have a number of ISAs with them at 6.05%. They offered me a new one at 4.37% which is good for the existing market.
So we went out to see them in Littlehampton. At this rate, £40,000.00 over 2 years will make £3,572.00 but, because it is tax-free, that is the equivalent of £4,287.00. So, just over 5% in actuality. It’s not brilliant but better than a poke in the eye.
Walking back to the car in beautiful sunshine through this quaint, little seaside town, I realised how pretty it is. It took us past a Lidl supermarket where they were advertising Greek olive oil. Just tasted it. From Chania, Kriti, it really is good first press, extra-virgin and costs just £13.00 per litre. I could be spending my investment income on it.
When I retired 16 years ago, I told my Carer that we weren’t going to fall into the Old Person Sydrome which includes the tenets of:
It’s not like the old days.
I don’t do on-line / technology.
I’m too old for that, too old to learn new things.
I’ll be dead by the time that happens, thank goodness …
I don’t know how I found time to work.
Well, I heard myself say this last one today and berated myself for saying it. Life is very busy at the moment and I should be grateful for it. Busy is good. New things are good. Being tested is good.
Thursday, 10th April, 2025
A cooler more over clouded morning start. Lawn mowing day. Seedling repotting day. Walking day. It’s hard to cope with the excitement. Now the Finances are sorted out for a few months, that can all be put to the back of my mind although the next period of frenzy will be in July when another large tranche matures and needs reinvesting. Unfortunately, the likelihood is that interest rates will have fallen by then and returns will be much reduced.
I’m champing at the bit for travel but I’ve got to wait until next month. This day fifteen years ago, we had just arrived at our Greek house. My chef had made a batch of bread. I had got the essential services – satellite TV and internet reinstalled, the over-winter bills were paid and things for the core of life were in place. We drove out to the pretty, fishing village of Vathy (Greek for Deep which it is.) Lovely Taverna there for Lunch. Lunch? What is that? Nowadays, Lunch is for wimps!
I miss the long drive as much as anything. This time in 2011, I was driving around Lake Como and on to the Milan Ring Road. Everyone said what a nightmare it would be to drive in Italy. I loved it. Usually, we would set off to get to the island before Greek Easter which is often on a later date than UK Easter. This year, they both arrive on the same day – April 20th – so we would be leaving this weekend.
The place to be today is Greater Manchester – 3C warmer than us. I’m hoping the Labour Government will quickly reverse that outrage. The sun is out here and we have set up our new, cantilever parasol. We constructed it from the Chinese-manufactured box and ignoring the lunatic instructions in under 20 mins and without threat of divorce which augers well that we will get through to Supper …. out in the garden under our new parasol.
Friday, 11th April, 2025
Gorgeous start to the day and a lovely, warm and sunny day in prospect – in fact, the next two or three days. We actually need some rain and there is none in prospect until Tuesday.
Out early for Part 1 of my annual, medical review. Lots of samples of data this morning. Blood, urine (proud of my specimen), weight, height, blood pressure, heart rate, etc. The resuts will appear on my NHS app within two days and then I will be invited in for Part 2 to review them with my doctor. Great service.
I have been medicated for Atrial Fibrillation since 2009. I take warfarin blood thinner daily and test myself weekly. I also have a statin and a blood pressure tablet. When I was travelling to Greece for 6 months, my doctors (Yorkshire & Surrey) broke all the rules and prescribed 6 months of medication a prescription so I manged the time. Actually, at that time, 2 months was the maximum prescription one could ask for.
Now, National Guidelines have halved that period. We are no longer considered responsible adults. Apprently, there have been incidents of people over medicating so all people have to be restricted. It’s a nonsense. I am going to be travelling a lot this year and need have a store of medication to take with me. I will have to argue that case this morning. I have been on this diet, exercise and and no alcohol regime for almost 8 full months now. My data will be excellent and I will receive plaudits for once. Nice to look forward to a Medical.
Lovely lady saw me and we chatted for about 20 mins. She talked more about her diet, her attempts to cut out alcohol and to reduce her cholesterol than mine but I didn’t mind. She was extremely flattering about my weight and fitness improvements and said she would send off urine & blood samples to the Lab and I would be contacted in a few days. I left and drove out of the car park thinking about the blood and urine samples being tested. Suddenly, it hit me. She took my urine sample and we joked about its purity. I suddenly realised, she hadn’t taken any blood.
I was about to turn round when the car phone rang and it was her feeling rather sheepish. I drove back. She took two phials of blood – so I’ve donated 4 this week already, almost an armful – and I went on my way happily out into the glorious sunshine.
More grass cutting today. A bit of overseeding to do where bare patches show. The cold frames are bulging so I will soon have to move things out. It’s looking as if I will be able to safely now. Not much chance of a frost on the west Sussex coast in mid-April. Two dozen Green Bean plants will go out today. I’ll be eating them by late June and successive sowing will take them through the whole Summer. I eat them three times a week at least along with Asparagus but that is more challenging to grow in a small space.
The Green Beans are planted out. Lettuce is sown – 4 types which will mature at different times over the Summer. I cut the neighbour’s lawns this afternoon in scorching sunshine. The grass hasn’t done very well over this dry Winter and I am struggling to make it look good for them at the moment. I really don’t want to let them down. Looks like I’ll have to make more effort.
Saturday, 12th April, 2025
Another gorgeous morning after a warm, moonlit night. Actually, it will be full (pink) moon tonight. Last night, we didn’t fall below 12C and it is already very warm at 10.00 am today. Not a day to go down to the beach with school holidays and beach weather combining on a Saturday.
Blood Test at 9.30 yesterday morning. Results were sent to me through my Patients Know Best app just 5 hours later. What a fantastic service from the NHS. It is exactly the way forward. Digital reports from a very human service and all ‘free at the point of delivery’. It is interesting that I will be reading and interpreting them days before my clinician.
In general most of the 15 separate tests are very pleasing and positive. Particularly, my Cholesterol levels are excellent. There are just three readings which are out of range:
- Neutrophils count
- Lymphocyte count
- Tryglyceride count
Like most of the others, I had no idea of their significance and had to look them up. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that play a crucial role in the immune system and low Lymphocyte count, also known as lymphocytopenia, in a blood test can indicate a weakened immune system. Both of these readings are intimately connected to the effects of cancer treatment. It is now just over a year since my treatment ended and I had hoped that my immune system would have recovered by now.
The third out of range reading is low Tryglyceride count which I am told are not usually a cause for concern but can be as a result of a low fat diet, nutritious eating or even fasting – so I plead guilty on each of those points. Over all, my results are not too bad for a 74 year old although I must seek advice on how to boost my immune system.
Our lovely neighbour across the road, Michelle, is going to be just 50 next week and is partying tonight. I expressed my surprise that she was still only 49 but she seemed to cope with it. She does occasionally check that we (the old people) are alright which is nice of her. One day we might need it.