Sanders Blog

Sunday, 24th September, 2023

What a strange night. A warm contrast to the night before. 17C/63F all night. Fitful sleep punctuated by weird dreams. In one, I dreamt I was dreaming. I was absolutely convinced that I woke from a dream, woke my wife and asked her if I could afford to stop working – stop teaching – and retire. Then I woke up and woke my wife to ask her if that conversation had taken place. As I did so, the bubbling realisation of what nonsense I was talking flowed across me. Fortunately, my wife just laughed rather than sending for little men in white coats.

Hard to predict how the day will go after that unsettling start. Watching the morning political discussion and I realise that there are far more weird things across the country. I am almost sane. I love driving. I would always choose car over train but the HS2 project, which I was never in favour of, is becoming a national humiliation.

I/we argued at the time that Northern rail infrastructure badly needs investment and updating. Trans-Pennine travel is terrible. The trains are antiquated. The motorways are horrible almost all the time but definitely at peak times. I’ve never thought that shaving a bit of time off North-South travel was more worthwhile than treating the North of England properly. Of course, hi-speed broadband, video conferencing improvements and home working have all made the HS2 project something of a white elephant. Few people would even consider the boast on the billboard above.

What worries me is that Britain is becoming an insular laughing stock unable to afford and build major infrastructure projects.

Warm and breezy down at the beach today. Perfect weather for the windsurfers. Coffee shops overlooking the sea were crowded with onlookers as the surfers demonstrated their skills.

Monday, 25th September, 2023

Warm & sunny. Lovely blue sky. Went for an early walk around the development and out into the local park. The gardeners had already been by 10.00 am and the area looked cared for.

The walk takes us past our very own Stone Henge and the drift of wild flowers which have created an pleasant edge to the green.

The walk around our streets is a memory of the Past. Some of my readers are not keen to be reminded of past times but I know the past informs the future. All our pasts come back to visit us when we least expect it. Better to meet it head on than to be surprised by an ambush.

There is something satisfying about the village’s naming of our streets after villagers fallen in WW1. Harrison Crescent, Nanson Lane, Maynard Mead, Alexander Avenue, Lagden Gardens all commemorate those from the village who fell a century ago.

Tuesday, 26th September, 2023

Had to go out on a lovely, sunny morning to the Radiotherapy Centre in Preston Park, Brighton. It was quite an enjoyable drive which took 45 mins each way. I have two weeks until my intensive course of treatment begins.

From field to fork or, in this case, garden to kitchen, the Basil plants will soon be looking worse for wear so they are being used this morning. I am cooking a huge pot of Tomato Sauce with basil, garlic and Onions. It will be sectioned into boxes and frozen for use over the winter.

Had contact with my little sister, Cathy this morning. Well, I say little, she is 68 but she will always be little to me and I will always feel responsible for her welfare. She is mad about dogs – particularly ugly breeds of dogs. Sometimes, I think I will always fail to understand people.

I do understand this though. Little Cathy sent me a photo of her leg. She is super fit but has developed a condition called Purpura which is an abnormal build up of blood vessels in the skin and is not curable. It is seen in older people and called senile purpura. I’m not having that said about my little sister! I’m making an appointment with her doctor to put her straight!!

Wednesday, 27th September, 2023

Lovely morning after a warm night – didn’t fall below 17C/63F. Didn’t sleep well. Dreamt of my old friend, Nigel, who I lived with for 3 years at college. He was an Art teacher, Budhist and ran an Art Gallery. He was the first person I met when I arrived at College 54 years ago. I’ve seen him once since 1974. He was 75 yesterday.

I am in the doghouse because one of my wife’s favourite large, serving bowls – white porcelain bought in France – has been chipped probably by me unstacking the dishwasher. It is one of the reasons that I’m not allowed to stack the dishwasher. I tend to cram everything in without any real care. I have spent the last hour trying to find a replacement which is not as easy in UK.

You will be relieved to know, Dear Reader, that I have found something which is thought to be acceptable …. on Amazon and not one but two replacements will be arriving tomorrow.

Next the Fish Delivery arrived. Sides of salmon, bags of Squid Tubes, Frozen Prawns, Slab of fresh Tuna and, for the first time, some portions of Mahi Mahi. I wonder if you’ve ever eaten it. I only tried it in America and it is from the Pacific Ocean. It tastes rather like swordfish which is becoming difficult to buy here at the moment. Mahi Mahi is something of an oxymoron as a ugly-beautiful fish which is rather disturbingly also known as the dolphin fish.

Went out to tile shops for the second time to source the right floor tiles for the downstairs bathroom. We’ve found a good shop, Eurotiles & Bathrooms, who said immediately we could take any tiles home to match up with the tiled walls. They didn’t need any of our details. That is the sort of trader I like and guaranteed my custom. We found exactly the right tiles and now have to engage a tiler to measure up. What really took my interest was the ‘Smart’ (automatic) toilet which is a combine of toilet and Bidet, the functions of which are controlled by remote control. Now that’s what I call a toilet! Just £3,000 including fitting. I’ve got to have one.

Thursday, 28th September, 2023

A grey, warm day. Finding it quite hard to rouse myself to anything. Need to clean the car – can’t be bothered. Need to get some tilers to come and quote for a job in the house. Finding it tiresomely difficult. Have to do my exercise. Too tired! It’s going to be one of those days. I’m looking for a spring to put in my step. Briefly had some banter with JohnR who is preparing to give a talk, Kevin who is having his arm pumped with injections today and Julie who has suffered terrible gales around the house last night and didn’t sleep.

Do you know what cod cheeks are, Dear Reader? No, I didn’t until recently. If you can believe it, they are the actual cheeks of cod fish. Had to go down to the fish merchants by the beach to collect some which have come down from Billingsgate over night.

Cod cheeks are small and very sweet pieces of cod set aside when the main fish is filleted. We ordered a 3Kg box and went to pick it up this morning.

While we are out, the house is cleaned upstairs and down by the robots. They take about an hour each to negotiate the different rooms. All we have to do is leave all the doors open, set the robots off as we go out using our smart phones and leave the alarm off because the robots would trigger the infra red sensors.

While we were down at the beach on this warm morning, I thought I might be able to raise my spirits and reinvigorate myself by walking by the sea. Actually, there was a huge gaggle of school children beachcombing as the tide turned. Came away quite quickly.

Time to go on a real trip!

Friday, 29th September, 2023

Warm and sunny morning. Still feeling rather lethargic and empty. Spirits raised in Sainsburys carpark when I saw a new, Porche Macan in metallic, deep, dark aubergine. I have got to get one. As soon as I got home, I looked up the price and it is incredibly reasonable when compared to a new one of my car. Worth considering … if I can get it through the Management. First question will be, Why do you want to drive at 145 mph? I’m preparing an answer.

I have never really had pets. It wasn’t encouraged at home. It was a busy, full household with little time or space for animals. I was allowed a rabbit at about the age of 7. A hutch was built for it outside in the garden. I fed and watered it and was told to clean it out which I was less assiduous at. After a short time, a lot of little pink, wriggling babies arrived. I was too innocent to ask where from … something of a lifelong weakness. I only had one rabbit so, in retrospect, it must have been immaculate conception which would have appealed to my Catholic Mother.

Very soon after the birth, the babies disappeared and, a few days later, I went outside after breakfast to find my rabbit dead. I had killed my rabbit! I locked myself in the downstairs toilet and cried loudly for hours. The explanation I was given was that the dandelion leaves I had picked from the edges of the garden had been treated with weedkiller and then ingested by the rabbit. There were no more pets in the house until I left home.

When I moved in with Pauline in 1978, she had two, small cats – sisters called Flossie & Jemima. I wasn’t keen on them at all. Cat hairs everywhere. Flossie was long haired and constantly shed hair. I used to terrorise them with the vacuum cleaner. Flossie was a hunter and came back with mice, birds and, once, a young rabbit. She soon took one too many risks and was found dead on the road outside. Her sister lasted longer, was more careful and I (almost) came to like her but she, eventually, suffered the same fate. In both cases there were tears – not mine – followed by formal burials marked by a stick in the back garden.

Jemima died in 1979 but lives on in our Dressing Room. She has been carried around with us from house to house in framed photograph form, I hasten to add. She looks down on Pauline as she does the ironing just as she did in real life. She looks down on me as I get dressed and …. sneers.

Saturday, 30th September, 2023

The last morning of September is an absolutely beautiful one with blue sky and strong sunshine. Bit tired because I didn’t sleep well. I’m really suffering with fluctuating body temperatures at the moment. My weight is increasing again and my emotions are all over the place. Last night in bed, the air conditioning was switched on and off so many times as I cycled from cold to sweating and back. Feeling a bit listless without ideas.

One thing on my mind at the moment is that radiotherapy starts in just over a week. While I wasn’t sleeping at around 4.00 am this morning, BBC World Service ran an article about a very successful NHS trial of radiotherapy for men with prostate cancer. My fairly conventional treatment has involved hormone therapy – about 8 months of it – which has been really unpleasant but looks as if it has been very successful, followed by a month (20 sessions) of targeted radiotherapy.

This carries real risks for the patient of life-changing after-effects but does provide a fantastic rate of survival into the future. Having to attend hospital every weekday for a 4 weeks is demanding on patient and hospital. The new trial has established that the 20 sessions of moderate radiation can be replaced by 5 sessions of more intensive radiation with just the same success rate and no increased risk of after effects. Obviously, this cuts demands on the patient and frees up so much resource for the NHS. They could treat 4 times the number of patients. Looks like I have just suffered too soon.

Lots of signs of Autumn around now although the weather is not one of them. Trees around the Development are showing lots of die-back and grass is growing more slowly. We are still getting temperatures in the low 20Cs so hovering around 70F and with rain at night, flowers continue to bloom.

Paid a plumber loads of money to replace a faulty toilet flush, spring-loaded plunger button. It failed within a week. I ordered two more on Amazon and my wife fitted it in minutes with total success. That’s what a man needs – a wife not a plumber.

Sunday, 17th September, 2023

Today may mark the end of Summer for us. Incredibly hot – 27C – yesterday. Spent the entire day outside enjoying the sun. The very warm evening was a bit harder as the darkness fell. Didn’t sleep well last night. The outside temperature didn’t fall below 17C/63F over night which is not bad for mid-September but this morning is overcast and we are expecting rain this afternoon.

People leaving Gatwick seem to have got the memo – heading out over the Channel for foreign adventures and sunnier days to come. I’m going to be stuck for weeks now so I’m trying to remain optimistic by booking trips away next year.

The first three will be to Yorkshire, to Thessaloniki and to Athens. Looking at April for the North of England, mid-June for Saloniki, and late August for Athens. Somewhere in between those, we will do a couple of European drives and then discuss with the Caretaker when the best time is to visit our Florida home.

The trouser ordering has got completely out of hand. Another 6 pairs this morning which brings the grand total up to 14 pairs and £600.00 over just 3 days. I think life is spiralling out of control!

The weather forecast said it would rain at 12.00 mid day. It started ridiculously early at 11.45 am. Thunder and lightning, strong, warm rain. Garden furniture covered and we withdraw to the Kitchen …

We’ve talked about adding a Garden Room right across the back of our house for quite a while. It would basically be a glass-covered veranda without heating which could be opened up when the sun was out and closed when it was raining. The breaking weather has turned minds back to this.

Two hours on and hot sunshine has appeared in a lovely, blue sky. We’ll think about the Garden Room tomorrow when it rains.

Monday, 18th September, 2023

Very strange night. The sky was literally lit up for hours by an electrical storm that constantly flashed across the hot and humid, ink-blue sky for hours without thunder or rain … and then it came, briefly and heavily, refreshing the world.

It wasn’t difficult to capture a flash because they were so frequent. This photo was taken through the glass of the bedroom window across the street at 2.00 am. It’s funny but I remember a huge, electrical storm on a childhood holiday to Colwyn Bay. I dreamt about it last night. I could see myself as a young man as clearly as if it was now. I fell in love. I remember it well. I can’t say I enjoyed it.

Today I am driving to Surrey. I’m going to Byfleet to pick up very, very, elderly relatives to take them to hospital in Ashford. The drive is not easy or enjoyable but has to be done. It does mean that I will drive past the gorgeous Royal Holloway, University of London and close to Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed.

My friend, Kevin, has been suffering from the genetic condition of Dupuytren’s Contracture which is an abnormal thickening of tissues in the palm of the hand. The thickened tissues can develop into a hard lump. Over time it can cause fingers to curl or pull in toward the palm. He had the operation two weeks ago and went this morning to have the bandages removed to reveal a cut he hadn’t seen yet. Going to take a while to heal. Cycling is on hold.

Difficult drive this afternoon. First, I broke my toe this morning on a metal-framed Dining Chair. It swelled up and went blue. It is agony to walk on. Next, we drove up to Surrey and were making perfect time when we hit a queue which led to Police Blue lights and an accident. It would have delayed us for hours. We turned round and looked for alternative routes suggested by our sat.nav. which got us there but took forever.

Back home, my foot has ballooned and my spirits deflated. It will be a day or two before I can complete my exercise targets. It is depressing.

Tuesday, 19th September, 2023

I’m going to be restricted to cycling and rowing in the Gym today. My foot is not quite as painful and swollen as I expected but it is painful to walk so I’ll rest it today.

Talked to Kevin this morning. He’s still revelling in the fact he’s been told not to wash at the moment and keep his stitches dry. Means he can’t cycle though. Talked to John_R as his boat – Mariota – is covered for the winter weather on Ullswater in the Lake District. John, who did his Doctorate on Children’s Literature, named his boat after Arthur Ransome’s Swallows & Amazons fictional boat in the Lake District of the 1920s.

That was one end of the conversations this morning. The other end was Julie doing a Zoom conference call with a Naturist photographer in South of France but enough of that.

Recently, I’ve had contact from a friend who drives in Wales – Can you imagine it? – and who doesn’t sound totally enamoured with the new 20 mph zones.

I must admit that I spent all my working life driving like a demon at the maximum speed I could get away with. Driving across Europe, I just cruised non-stop at 120 mph for hours on the motorways to eat the miles up. Even in UK, I always felt there was no time to be lost and I broke every speed limit I could get away with.

I got points twice for speeding and, on one occasion, appeared at the Crown Court in Manchester after a murder case because I was away for 6 weeks in Greece when I had been picked on a camera in Shaw breaking the speed limit on the last day of term. The letter arrived and I missed the date to respond while away. The judge just laughed and dismissed the case when I got in the dock.

Since retiring, I don’t feel the need to speed at all. My time is completely limitless. I just set my Speed Limiter/Intelligent Cruise Control facility in the car for the speed limit it reads for me and accept what happens. Just in case I get carried away one day, I use a radar detector app on my phone which announces well in advance that I am approaching a camera or police trap and advises me of my required speed. It is free to download and use. It works in the background and it has never let me down.

Even so, 20 mph does feel excessively slow and many drivers behind do get worked up but we have had these limits in our area almost since we arrived so I’ve got used to it. Pauline just cannot get herself to drift over the white lines never mind break the speed limit.

Wednesday, 20th September, 2023

A warm, humid grey morning. The order for trousers increased to 17 pairs. We had to drive into Worthing to collect/try on the final pairs. That did it. Now, 17 have been reduced to 6 pairs. £2000.00 has been reduced to £500.00 and all is well. I can cope with that.

Nice to walk on the beach opposite M&S even though the light was grey. It was very warm and dry. Many areas of the country are bathed in water. Here, the tide was out exposing a large area of beach. I nearly drowned but, don’t worry, Dear Reader. You won’t get rid of me that easily!

My foot was much better than I had thought and I did a couple of hour’s walk before cooking Dinner. I love cooking. No tepid beans for me! Today, I was producing Chicken Thighs roasted with White Wine, Garlic and Dill accompanied by Briam (Green Peppers, Shallots, baby Plum Tomatoes, baby Courgettes from the garden and Chicken Stock.) It was delicicious and left us floundering!

You would have loved this, Dear Reader. Unfortunately, it’s gone. My wife eats so much, I can’t save enough for you.

Thursday, 21st September, 2023

Lovely warm and sunny morning. Walking with a purpose because a mobile unit is offering walk-in access for Covid Boosters.

Quite a queue formed – all grey haired, old people apart from us – to get their Booster. I was pleased to find they were giving Pfizer shots which meant that all my 5 jabs have been consistent. Getting the Flu jab next week so I will be up to date in time for this month of radiotherapy which begins in 3 weeks.

Booked two trips away this morning. Flying Gatwick – Thessaloniki in mid June. Hotel (7 nights) + return Flight = £2,100 + £390 = £2,490. / Flying Gatwick – Athens in late August. Hotel (7 nights) + return Flight = £3,400 + £680 = £4,080. I will hold these in my mind when I submit to a month of radiotherapy.

Next is to sort out a week in the North of England and all the people to meet in April after Easter Holidays are over. Then some time driving in France in May. Calendar is starting to take shape with jewels dangling from the timeline.

Friday, 22nd September, 2023

Gorgeous morning of warm sunshine and blue sky. Shopping morning – Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Aldi plus Tapi Carpets. Looking for new flooring in our downstairs bathroom and cloakroom. Went to look for vinyl tiles to replace wood but realised we needed to think again after finding a poor choice. Going to visit a tile shop.

As the weather was so warm and beautiful, we drove down to the beach to get some sea air and drink in the light.

We walked on the beach with just a handful of others this morning. Strong sun silhouetted the off-shore wind farm glinting far out on the horizon, the water lapping gently under a windless sky as, far out on the rim of the world, a belt of fleecy clouds hovered … over Bognor Regis.

Forgot to say that I booked a hotel in the North of England in the second half of April. Just 4 nights = £520.00 although it can be extended if needed. I don’t know if it is part of my psyche or not but I like the idea that, in Greece, I use the Electra Hotel Group which leads to me being awarded Gold Member status with considerable benefits attached. Elsewhere in UK and Europe, I try to use IHG Group hotels where I have accrued around 100,000 points towards future bookings. Both mean that I know what standard of accommodation to expect anywhere in the world.

Similarly, we have bought Hondas for 40 years which has led to a much better quality and level of service than one would otherwise expect. Goodness, don’t I sound old! I suppose I am. We all are.

Saturday, 23rd September, 2023

It is the Autumn Equinox when Day & Night are of equal length. It is also another beautiful day of clear blue sky and strong sunshine. I woke up at 2.30 am and thought I had died. I couldn’t feel any moving part of my body. Had to turn the air.con. off. Checked my phone to find the outside temperature had dropped to 9C/48F. It is the first time it has dipped into single figures since last winter.

Still, clear skies at this time of year do lead to a dip in temperatures. The upside is a beautiful day to come. Going to cut the lawns this morning. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that.

Well, it does but all things are on hold until after the treatment. Ambitions and future joys are held in obeyance out on the horizon to be worked for.

You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometime you’ll find
You get what you need

I know I will get there. It’s just a matter of time and, maybe, a bit of luck. I am like the character in Philip Larkin’s poem, Next Please. Impatiently waiting for the Future to come. It will come only too quickly.

It has been the most gorgeous day. Non-stop sunshine for 12 hrs. Dinner cooked and eaten outside in the garden. Griddled chicken with mushrooms & onions and cucumber salad. There are not many things which will improve on that although … there are somethings. Late into the evening the conversation / planning has flowed. The year ahead has been planned. My wife really understands me!!

Sunday, 10th September, 2023

Decided I just couldn’t cope without my Blog. After almost 15 years, it is so much part of my psyche that I was uncomfortable not posting it. Someone suggested I commit it to paper and then ‘burn it’! I thought about it, considered doing it but realised it was never going to happen. Do you know, there is nothing in my life that embarrasses or demeans me so much I dare not admit to it. There are things I’ve done that I’m ashamed of, embarrassed by, could be ridiculed or rebuked for but I just have to confront them in the court of public opinion.

I have to mark the anniversary of the death of my brother-in-law, John (Jack) Barnes. He died an awful although quick death from Brain Tumour in Pinderfields Hospital, Leeds in 2006. I remember it so distinctly that it could be last week. And yet, we haven’t spoken for 17 years.

Jack worked in advertising in a wide span of his life but was quite well know as a singer in the pubs & clubs of Manchester in his early days. Of course, he was much older than us. Jack was born in 1934 and died at the tender age of 72. My age now!

Friends have sent videos of spectacular thunder & lightning across the North of England last night. No such luck here. We stayed out in the garden until late because of the extreme heat. Back in the house, every window was open to draw the air through. Bedtime meant aircon on all night. I just sleep on the top of the bed, luxuriating in the cold air. I woke in the middle of the night, felt so cold I couldn’t feel my legs. I turned the aircon off but was sweating profusely within 10 mins. Aircon back on until I got up.

This morning is insufferably hot and humid but a little overcast. Went out for an early walk to keep the fitness going. It was hard work but we can’t afford to seize up. In fact, I am not prepared to give up on Life at any time until I drop. I hope my friends and relations feel the same way. There is no benefit in attending funerals when we could be going to parties together.

There are some things that come up over and over again. At the top of the list for fitness and well-being is …. Walking. This is followed by, if you can believe it, connecting with loved ones on social media and then – and you really won’t believe this – writing a daily Blog. All of this is followed by eating ‘indulgent meals with wine’ followed by taking multiple naps. You can see why I’m optimistic about living forever.

The one thing I’m not doing enough of at the moment and I’ve got to get back into it is strength training and balance exercises. My balance is poor – particularly after a couple of bottles of wine and I definitely need to get back into rowing for muscular maintenance and skeletal strength. I’ll keep you posted.

Monday, 11th September, 2023

Another warm night which didn’t fall below 18C/65F or, in our bedroom 0C/32F. These are lovely days to be treasured. The Winter will come soon enough.

I wonder who is on these flights from Gatwick to the Continent – buying extended Summer. Hot & humid weather might be uncomfortable but, for me at least, it is preferable to cold and wet.

It is hot and I am wet this morning. Autumn tidying up of the garden. Booked a slot at the local Waste Disposal for this afternoon. Amazing how much collects over the season. Lots of it appears to be housing spiders as big as saucers. I let my wife deal with those. The car is packed and we will have a lovely afternoon trip out …. at the tip. Could it get much better?

One reader wrote to me this morning to say I had to keep the Blog going or he would never get to sleep. A bit cheeky but I can take it! I’m going to the Bupa Radiotherapy Centre on Wednesday and I am currently working out the best route. I think I’m going to drive down the coast

Tuesday, 12th September, 2023

What a lovely morning – warm and welcoming. Had nice messages from friends. I’ve never thought of myself as a people person although my wife insists I am. I do love people in my life. Heard from little Cathy, my sister who wants to come and see me. Don’t know why she doesn’t just turn up. She only lives 15 mins away. Heard from John-2, John Morris, Dave Roberts, Kevin and Julie all from the north of England. Next door neighbour, Jason, stopped in the middle of the road to ask after my welfare. Lovely lad with a lovelier wife who is as thin as a stick insect.

My next door neighbour on the other side has just come to ask if we’ll look after their cats while they are in Canada for a month. We have a key for a number of houses who also have a key for ours. Of course we’ll help them if we can.

If I could hold you
If only for a second I could hold you
And let the fear rage on
Cling to each other in the eye of a storm

Steve’s Song

I am cooking Dinner tonight. It will be Tomato, Dill & Garlic with mushrooms, Giant Prawns and Cod Cheeks. Of course, it will be brilliant. You would love it, Dear Reader, and you are very welcome. While I am preparing the meal, I am listening to the soundtrack from Keeping Faith which is so un-me but I find so moving after a number of years. I really don’t listen to popular music but I can indulge myself with this ….

Wednesday, 13th September, 2023

Up early on a warm but overcast morning. Driving to Brighton to the Bupa Radiology Centre where I will be receiving my treatment in 4 weeks for 4 weeks. Just 19 miles but 1 hr driving each way. It is going to dominate my life for a while.

Well, left home at 8.15 am and didn’t actually arrive until 9.45 am. Traffic and route were awful. Can’t face that every day! It is all very high tec. which would impress me in other circumstances but looked a bit overwhelming this morning.

I’ve been told this morning that the treatment will leave me feeling exhausted, sick and lacking in appetite. Can’t wait. Actually, the drive will be the most trying. Feels a bit like going to work all over again. Up at 6.00 am. Liquid Breakfast and out driving. Reminds me of work days.

One of the good signs that my prostate is seriously shrinking already is I don’t need to wee so often. Just realised this morning that I had drunk the juice of 2 freshly squeezed oranges, a large cup of Yorkshire tea followed by a huge, Cappuccino before driving there and back over a 3 hr period and hadn’t needed the loo. Suggests that the hormone treatment has really worked. If the tumours haven’t escaped out of the prostate (metastatic) then they will have had to shrink as well so there will be less to irradiate.

Hopefully, targeted external beam radiotherapy will do the job and I will be roaming the world again soon. I really want to see people, talk to them and share my life without moaning about illnesses. I have to keep Covid-free and it is really on the rise at the moment. I am pushing to get the Booster immediately to keep me healthy. Learnt today that the Booster will be the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The much-lauded British vaccine has been quietly dropped because of its side effects.

Thursday, 14th September, 2023

Gorgeous morning. Very warm 26C/79F at mid day. Had to be at the clinic for 10.00 am for another javelin-full of hormones but this time just for a month. I still have one more to come.

The atmosphere at the surgery was quite shockingly different to previous times. On the last two occasions that I had these injections, I was the only patient in the waiting room. I was in and out within 5 mins. Today, on a beautifully warm and sunny day, the clinic was packed with grumpy old people all complaining about how long they had to wait.

They weren’t very pleased when I, the last to arrive, was called before them all. I’m afraid I left the embattled Receptionists to deal with that. It’s a big needle and I’m bruised for a few days afterwards. I play on that a bit so that I get better treatment than I normally would. Today, we went straight from the clinic to Sainsburys where I was treated to a box of fresh figs. They’re Turkish not Greek so didn’t quite have the flavour but lovely all the same. As you will know, dear Reader, quite a moving fruit.

The day has progressed fabulously with hot sunshine and largely cloudless skies. Really enjoyed the walk this afternoon and looking forward to Dinner of Kalamari & Salad with Skordalia (Σκορδαλιά). Skorda is Garlic. Skor-Dal-I-Ah is Garlic Sauce made with Garlic, Bread or Potato and Olive oil. It goes beautifully with fish &/or salad. We will cook and eat it outside in the garden, basking in the sunshine and the warmth.

While my chef cooks Dinner, I will toil on the internet. Thank goodness it works so well out in the garden these days. Gigabit Broadband reaches right across the house, garden and gym. It supplies the TVs, mobiles, and so many home devices. I even control the air-conditioning, heating & lights from bed on my smartphone. I have talked to most of my friends today. As I pointed out the other day, this is keeping me alive!

Of course, some friends are still teaching. Every working day of my life, I drove across the Pennines each way. It was a nightmare then and it is worse now. Often, I would go on the M62 J23 – J22 and reverse. I would be struggling today. The Manchester Evening News sent me a warning this afternoon of long delays after another accident. Just look at the sunshine (NOT).

Friday, 15th September, 2023

A lovely morning which is forecast to give us another beautiful and warm day. The times are definitely changing though. Half way through September, Nightfall is coming increasingly early. The sun goes down at 7.15 pm and the nights are less warm now – about 16C/60F. I’m still sleeping with aircon on but maybe not for long now. The real test will be how long tee shirt and shorts will last. Chef serves Breakfast at 7.00 am and the sun has only been up for about 30 mins by then. Moisture from the night air can be seen on the garden furniture. Fortunately, it soon evaporates as the sun burns it off.

I’m afraid my wife of 45 years has to go. She has spent the past 10 years looking for trousers that don’t exist. This week, she thinks she has found them and ordered 8 pairs. White Stuff, and Boden seem to be causing commotion. She really has gone over the top this time spending £500.00 on trousers. Some couples keep their finances separate. I cannot even understand that idea. I gave everything I own to my wife from the outset – nearly 50 years ago. I know I seem to be dominated by money and cost in my Blog. It interests me but it really doesn’t worry me much at all. The car is in her name. The house is in her name. The investments and savings agreements are in her name. I never want her to worry about money or me.

If I die, if we separate, she will always be alright. That’s why I feel confident in throwing her out for overspending on her clothes bill. I mean, why would anyone consider buying these many trousers? Once she gets into the buying mode, the fever takes over and all is lost. Today, all was lost quite early!

I’m pleased to report that our pool in Florida is now complete and looking good. No expense spared – only what I deserve. Heated Pool, Jacuzzi Plunge Pool, outdoor shower, seating area and Pizza Oven.

Outside the statutory poolside railings which I regret, a strange man has been developing a pitch and put green. I mean, who does that? Well, I’m allowing relatives to use it at the moment until this cancer is GONE! I’m looking forward to a dirty month in Brighton.

Saturday, 16th September, 2023

Absolutely lovely morning with blue sky, strong warm, hot even, sunshine. Woke a bit tired because the mobile next to my bed announced a Whatsapp coming in at 1.45 am from a girl in Florida. She was having Dinner in a Steakhouse in Florida and felt the need to tell me how good it was. I might even go and try it but not at 1.45 in the morning.

I found it hard to get back to sleep, put the radio on and heard hours of discussions about the misery of the Libyans lives destroyed by a burst dam and about the need to ban dangerous dogs. Personally, I would ban all dogs but some people seem to need them.

It got more and more boring to the point when I fell asleep. It was a hot night and the aircon was on until it got too cold… and off until it got too warm …when I had a hot flush … and on again. I am a nightmare to share a bed with at the moment. I don’t know how anyone else copes!

I was woken by the new BBC day starting at 5.00 am with its usual round up of things from this day on past years. Appeals to my sense of History. This one particularly interested me today because it linked to the communication from Florida.

On this day in 1959, the first commercial photocopier was successfully launched on live TV in New York. The Xerox-914 links to the girl from Florida because she was once a big cheese in the Xerox company. What astonishes me is that, when I started teaching in 1972, schools didn’t have and certainly couldn’t have afforded photocopiers. I was reproducing worksheets using a primitive spirit Duplicator which we called a Banda. We had to generate page reproductions by turning the wheel by hand and the smell of the spirit certainly woke you up in the morning.

The other item that stuck in my head was the anniversary of Black Wednesday and – for us – Black Friday. On this day in 1992, a speculators’ rush on the pound meant that the UK fell out of the ERM – European Exchange Rate Mechanism that pegged the values of disparate economies which were desperately trying to integrate with each having their own currency. The pound crashed on this day in 1992 and, two days later, interest rates went up from 10% – 15% which was very painful on our mortgage rates. No ‘fixed rate’ deals in those days.

As a result of these sorts of tensions, the Eurozone introduced the common currency , the Euro, in 1999 and it was adopted across the Union 3 years later. The nay-sayers predicted its downfall within months and then within a few years but here it is more than 20 years on and a real force to be reckoned with on the World stage and certainly eclipsing Sterling.

Sunday, 3rd September, 2023

Well it looks like the Indian Summer is coming. Just as well because I am stuck here pining for more. We have put the suitcases back into store. At least we have a south-facing garden because Pauline insisted on it. I wanted a bigger house but she wanted sunshine and won. She was probably right although I won’t be admitting it to her.

I am talking to friends a lot at the moment because I cannot go to meet them. I have to face this medical course I’m on with realism and determination. I am just 5 weeks away from the hardest part and then another 5 weeks until I get a verdict.

I am renowned for learning someone’s life story within 5 minutes of meeting them but I am always surprised when I learn new things about old friends. In contact with three of them over the past couple of days, I learnt that one has had two bouts of breast cancer to deal with, one has the early stages of the hereditary disease known as Dupuytren’s Contracture. The third one just doesn’t like cheese. I mean, who doesn’t like cheese? I’m on a diet but I’d kill for some Dolcelatte right now …. and it’s only 9.30 am!

So much for the BBC weather forecast. It’s 1.00 pm and we are already seeing 27C/81F. Both sunshades up and out. Dinner outside tonight. Now for a 2-hr walk. The beach will be packed so the countryside today. At least the kids go back to school on Tuesday here so the beach will be left to the grownups. Might have a swim. There again ….

Monday, 4th September, 2023

Gorgeously warm night and a lovely start to the day. I’m starting this at 9.00 am as the blue sky and sunshine is already delivering 22C/70F. Good day in prospect. Nothing special – walking, garden tidying, etc..

Got a nagging hurt inside me this morning. Reading an article about my forthcoming treatment – well, about one man’s experience. You can read it here.

Have found it upsetting. Of course, it is probably just the coward coming out in me. Makes me feel icy – even in this warm weather – and lonely. I wasn’t helped by something else that appeared on my phone, iPad and computer. It was the anniversary of the death from brain cancer of one of our Oldham friends. His widow, Diane, who also taught with us, put on a sad, sad piece marking the occasion from Woodstock in New York which is where they made their last trip. We were in New York at the same time.

Frank was headteacher of a private school in Oldham they bought in the 1990s and ran until about 5 years ago. He had two, main hobbies – cycling (He was a fitness fanatic.) and playing the guitar (He had a number of them.) Diane’s tribute to him one year on was a guitar piece I had heard many times before but didn’t know much about. It is the R.E.M piece: Everybody Hurts with that famously , hauntingly, sad riff that tears into one’s memories and scatters them across the sky in razor-sharp shards of glass ensuring everybody really hurts.

Hold on. Hold on.

Tuesday, 5th September, 2023

Must start today by wishing my very, very old sister-in-law happy 86th birthday. Born in 1937, can you imagine living to that age. She’ll probably see me out if the family tradition is sustained. Hope she has a nice day in the sunshine.

Hot, hot, hot. We saw 28C/83F yesterday which was the Athens night time temperature but felt scorching here for walking. We are forecast for the week to get hotter which I will love although I’m not sure Phyllis will approve. This is exactly the sort of weather I revel in. We haven’t been to the beach yet but we must in the next few days while the kids are in school.

Today, I am spring cleaning the garden … in Autumn. I am the world’s natural tidier. Things must not be out of place or I feel uncomfortable. There is creativity in untidiness but, for me, it is the drawing together of disparate elements that unite to make the whole. For me, it is the same with ideas and communications. I can’t allow an idea or subject to go by without understanding it. I cannot hear or see a word that I don’t understand without immediately looking it up. I am a nightmare for other people because I just stop in the middle of the road until I have resolved those sorts of things.

Do you send communications – letters, emails, texts, etc., to people and then they make you wait for ever for a reply? I can’t do that myself. If someone contacts me, I see it as my responsibility to reply straight away. Actually, I prefer to communicate face to face, skin to skin knowing that I have made myself understood. Of course, modern life means so much contact is remote and I regret that but take advantage of it. It does allow me to control the narrative more and do it in my way.

Our lovely neighbours are doing at the moment what we did 40 years ago … falling in love with Greek islands. In their case, Skiathos. They are excited and planning to build/buy/long term rent a property on the island that they can retire to in the future. They’ve only ever been there in the height of Summer. Some people assume that is what the island is like all year round.

Last weekend, most people left the islands for their mundane jobs back home leaving behind 38C of weather. Yesterday, the weather broke and, as so often in September, the first rains for 6 months hit the country hard. This was Skiathos, their holiday idyll, yesterday.

We, on the other hand, were experiencing 30C/86F and I was in my element – the sauna of sun. Kevin was at home, convalescing but in his garden enjoying the lovely weather. Julie was happy that this late, hot sun was helping to ripen her impressive bell peppers – certainly better than anything I’ve achieved. John R was in the Lakes enjoying his last days of sailing before his ketch, Mariota, is hauled onto dry land for the winter. All of us sharing our experiences from across the country as we see ourselves through our retirement. I find it quite moving to be able to share.

Wednesday, 6th September, 2023

Another sunny day. Another hot day. Looking forward to it. Actually, Indian Summers are quite common and I looked back just two years to this photo down at the beach. On this day, the temperature was around 82F

The sea looked delicious although I didn’t go in. It’s the colours I love and the light. That’s why I love the Med..

But I am stuck at home and, at the moment, there are worse places to be. The weather is wonderful and the surroundings are beautiful. In the green space at the edge of our Development, the gardening contractors set aside a swathe of land to sow wild flowers. We were sceptical at the time but it has worked out quite nicely.

Just got to keep going. Hold on. Hold on.

Thursday, 7th September, 2023

Another gorgeous day. Went down to the beach but the tide was out. A few people had walked out to swim. I just took photos. Hot with no breeze. It was 28C/ at 10.00 am.

Feeling lonely. Talked to lots of people but without purpose. Did no work just my exercise programme. Can’t be bothered Blogging. Might have come to the end of the cycle after all these years ….

Friday, 8th September, 2023

A quiet, empty morning punctuated only by the arrival of workers. Our new, favourite carpenter is hear doing some adjustments to fitted, bedroom furniture. Across the road at our neighbours – the lovely Italians – the scaffolding went up yesterday and solar panel installers started work on the roof.

We have talked about doing the same for quite a while. At our ages, it is debatable whether the installation will ever be cost effective. I was surprised when Filippo told me that, with Local Authority subsidy, the 6-panel installation + Battery storage would come in at around £10,000. We spoke to the installers and may be in contact ourselves when we’ve thought it through. Our neighbour’s house is South Facing so panels are going on the front of the house. Our back garden is South Facing so any panels will be hidden away which is preferrable to us.

Went out to the Greengrocers to buy some cherries. The English season is very short and harvesting them is very labour intensive. They have always been expensive but I bought this bowl – 1.3 Kg of Kent cherries – for £19.13. I asked if I could have it on interest-free-credit but apparently Greengrocers don’t offer that.

Brilliant cartoon in The Times this morning encapsulating the chaos that is broken Britain. Dovetailing the news that Britain has paid to go back into the EU’s Horizon Science Programme after losing it through Brexit.

Saturday, 9th September, 2023

Our next-door neighbour, Dee, an English lecturer in a local College, went back to work on Monday and by Friday she was off work with …. Covid. The latest variant is spreading across the country like wildfire and there are rising numbers in hospitals. The latest covid variant – Pirola – is sweeping the States and figures have been rising rapidly here. I have to keep myself clear over the next few weeks as I travel to hospital each day for radiotherapy.

Had a hot flush in Sainsburys this morning. From normal to soaking wet in 30 secs. Goodness knows how women cope with the menopause.  At 10.30 am, the temperature outside was 28C/83F as we walked into an cool, airconditioned store. Being completely contrary, I suddenly stoked my body temperature up to heatwave and my body flooded. Too much information? Tough! It will be over by mid-October and I will start to become a man again. Sex in the afternoon. You can’t beat it!

Our neighbours across the road have really rekindled our thoughts about installing solar panels. Our LEA, Arun, has a group buying scheme to cut the cost. We submit our requirements to Arun – We think 12 panels + Storage Battery – and they take all residents requirements and put them out to ‘auction’. The installers bid their best price in the knowledge that they are getting a lot of business. Certainly saves us having to haggle and the installation gets LEA approval. We estimate £10,000 – £12,000 should do the job. If we can generate the largest part of our own requirements and sell some back to the Grid plus add value to our house, we think we can justify the expenditure at our ages.

Sunday, 27th August, 2023

This morning I remember my lovely Mother-in-Law who died aged 96 in 2010. Today she would be 109. If I believed in a life after death, I would wish her the best. Unfortunately, I don’t.

Instead, I will tell her a joke.

Your Mother has been with us for 20 years, said John.
Isn’t it time she got a place of her own?
My Mother? replied Pauline. I thought she was your Mother.

I had a run round the modern (old) Olympic Stadium in 36C of hot and steamy sunshine. Pauline did what she does best ….

There is only so much you can do in this heat. Quite a bit of my exercise is done in the slightly cooler evenings on the ancient, marbled and glassy streets of Athens.

I walk under darkening, azure skies in the much cooler 28C past the imposing building that is the Grand Bretagne Hotel and on up the road to Kolonaki and all the foreign embassies. The couple of hours exercise is rewarded with two scoops of the most wonderful and refreshing Tiramisu Ice-cream.

It is the perfect antidote to burning up on Athens streets unless, of course, you are on the mean streets of Manchester, in which case, you’ll need an umbrella and a blanket!

Monday, 28th August, 2023

Coming home is always a strange and multi-levelled thing. I used to feel disappointed that our time in a place had come to an end. I no longer feel that because I know that I will be back and could go back whenever I chose. The difficulty is rationing myself. I must admit, I think of people back home as soon as I begin to travel. Up early – 6.00 am – this morning because we are going to the airport. We (Pauline) packed last night. Breakfast at 7.00 am and then checkout.

The checkout desk announced that I was now a Gold Card Guest which entitled me to considerable reductions and benefits. They called us a taxi for the airport and we were off.

At the airport by 11.00 am, we didn’t bother with a Lounge today. Actually, the airport was reasonably quiet and we had a coffee and then went down to air conditioned Gate. I contacted my friends in UK. Kevin wished me safe flight. Julie winked. Michelle wished me a good time and Dee said the sun was out and she would save it for me. One or two other people didn’t reply but that’s OK.

I was hit by an incredible sadness, loneliness and separation as I sat on board. Life – Past, Present & Future – has an incredible depth at the moment I really don’t understand what’s happening. It has huge meaning for me if not for others. I am a basically a good person. I have good intentions towards others. I know they find that difficult to understand. I love them come what may.

Never eat on short haul flights but the time difference meant we were starving and ordered ham& cheese toasties. Disgusting but necessary. The plane arrived on time. Took off more or less on time and I read and snoozed for the 3hrs. 20mins to Gatwick. In the early 1970s, it used to be 4hrs. 30 mins. This is so easy. As we landed, I sent kisses to friends to let them know. The news coming in was quite a shock. There had been an air traffic control IT problem with real knock on effects across Europe. We only learnt as we landed.

We have never been through the airport so quickly and down to the Long Stay Carpark which I had recorded on the way out because I remember nothing. The shuttle bus was waiting for us and the car was just a short walk away. I drove home in 45 mins and the post was waiting along with Welcome Home notes from friends and neighbours.

How incredibly lucky I am to have such nice people in my life. Jason had cut the lawns and John had put the bins away. The plants had all survived and we even picked some vegetables for our meal. Pauline unpacked while I cooked sea food Linguini. We drank champagne which immediately reacted with tired bodies and we went to bed.

Tuesday, 29th August, 2023

Went to bed early last night because our body clocks were 2 hours ahead and we had drunk a bottle of champagne. I never need a lot of sleep and woke at 3.00 am. Lovely, quiet time of night. Felt really happy.

The more I listened to the News, the luckier I felt about yesterday’s flight. In retrospect, I now realise why certain things happened at Athens Airport. When we got to Gate in readiness for Departure, our Boarding Passes were not checked. The Easyjet official called for Speedy Boarding passengers – which we always buy – to go on board first. Usually, they would check our Boarding Passes which indicate that but no one checked anything. We were rushed on board and the plane went down the runway unusually quickly.

Normally, the passport e-gates at Gatwick are like a cattle market as we are forced to snake around taped off lanes and queue for ages. We landed at 2.00 pm and found the airport almost deserted. We were told not to queue but to go straight through the e-gate. I have never been through an airport so quickly and we didn’t have to wait for Baggage reclaim so we were driving home very quickly. Foreign travel should always be like this.

Rather overcast this morning. Already missing that stark, brilliant blue, Athenian sky from the past week and the searing wall of heat. From 37C yesterday to 20C this morning is quite a contrast. Still I am very happy and thankful that I have the freedom to do what I want in my life. If I can get the all-clear in December, who knows what we will do, Dear Reader. Actually, I have felt quite positive this morning, floating on a wave of optimism.

Self indulgence is now over. Got quite a grim few weeks leading up to the middle of November. Really working hard on my weight and fitness prior to an intensive month of radiotherapy. I have never experienced anything serious like that so I don’t really know any more than I have read. I am going to have IGRT which is said to be less likely to damage me while killing the tumours. I have already been scanned to provide the images. I have now had 6 months of hormone treatment with two more to come. Let’s get it over with!

Wednesday, 30th August, 2023

Beautiful morning if a little Autumnal. Blue, cloudless sky. Strong, warmish sunshine but the temperature did go down to 12C/54F last night and there is a dew outside on the grass, spiders webs stretch out across the bushes, glistening in the sunshine and the patio flags feel distinctly cooler than Athens streets.

We have to face it, Dear Reader, that the Summer is over (already) and Autumn begins. Kids around the area are enjoying their last few days of freedom – many oblivious about what is to come. Parents are getting their heads down and facing the long, working stretch up to Christmas to come. I am starting my second day of hard diet and renewed exercise programme.

I use two apps on my phone that many others use also. When I met up with Kevin a couple of years ago, I was slightly surprised that he was using exactly the same apps: Garmin Connect and MyFitnessPal. They mesh together to provide an input/output data recorder.

My radiotherapy begins exactly 6 weeks today, on Wednesday, 11th October. That is my first fitness target. A month later, I will be fighting through the after effects and I don’t intend to take a backward step if I can avoid it. The rehabilitation programme will continue until I meet the Oncologist on December 29th.

My in-house chef is making strawberry jam while I have a number of ‘Office’ jobs to complete but exercise has to be incorporated into that day. Gave up constructing the cold-frames so got to engage a handyman to come and do it for me. Have to look at our energy suppliers because our 2-year contract is up at the end of December.

Our new car is only 6 months old and we have learnt of a new, plug-in hybrid model coming out in the new year. I have been asking Honda for this for ages. We may be changing our car sooner than we thought.

This morning I’ve given myself the arduous task of researching the details. It will probably be available in the early months of 2024 and will cost around £54,000 so a bit of an increase on our model which, at this rate will only have done around 6,000 miles. Still, I’ve only got a finite number of new cars left in my life so I won’t be waiting too long for it.

Thursday, 31st August, 2023

Well, we reached 22C/70F yesterday but it felt cold after Athens. This morning has opened gloomily grey. We are expecting rain so I will be in the Gym quite a bit. First I’ve got a practical problem to sort out. I know, I’m not a practical person at all but it has to be done.

Got home from a walk yesterday and heard the house Bleeping. First thought it was the Answerphone? No. Smoke alarms? – We have 4 around the house which are mains powered and interlinked. They have a battery backup system. When the batteries in one die, the unit bleeps and flashes.

Stress rises as each unit is checked in turn and the bleeping continues. Smoke Alarms not guilty. What the hell can it be and where is it coming from? Eventually, the noise is isolated to the Utility Room and a little unit on the wall that I had never noticed before – a Carbon Monoxide Alarm. After all, we’ve only been in the house 7 years. Why would I go in the Utility Room?

I understand what they are and what they do and now I’ve found it and it is next to the central heating boiler, it makes sense. How to stop it bleeping and what did that bleeping mean? Getting off the wall was easier than I expected. It is a free-standing unit just fixed with a plastic headed stud to the wall. How to open it to replace the batteries looked much more difficult. With all practical problems, I just use brute force. It makes me feel better even if it doesn’t solve the problem. It was flashing Fault. Not for long. I stuck a screwdriver into the front panel to prise it off.

Well, Dear Reader, I have never know my own strength and it flipped off immediately to reveal …. no batteries … but it was still bleeping! I thought I should start to read about this. I’m better at reading. Suddenly, on the side of the unit, I spotted the words: Replace by May, 2023. When I looked it up on the web I learned it was Battery powered by a sealed 10 year lithium battery.

By the time I had found all this, I realised it had stopped bleeping and I could research a replacement. That’s where I am going this morning. Even I can manage to hang the new one on a pin in the wall.

Friday, 1st September, 2023

I know I say it many times but time is seriously running out. The start of a new month just underlines and emphasises that feeling. It is interesting to me the psychology of that feeling. I go from a panicky sense of Stop the World I want to get off and seeing my remaining life ambitions receding as the timeline shortens to a determination to address those ambitions more urgently and with more determination. Strangely, although I know people celebrate a new month and I try to recognise it, I can’t really join in.

Why should I want to leave August? Can it ever be better to move from Summer to Autumn and then Winter. If it was practical, I would buy permanent Summer. Alas, Dear Reader, it isn’t and we are already in the Autumn of our lives.

Had a bit of ‘fun’ with the old, CO2 Alarm yesterday. Having removed and replaced it, I had left it on the worksurface in the Utility Room while I worked out where to dispose of it. Having Dinner, we were shocked to hear the dying alarm suddenly start bleeping loudly from the other room. Because I am incredibly practical (not), I thought, I can’t put this outside to risk waking my neighbours in the night. I couldn’t work out how to disable this ‘sealed’ unit. My highly attuned scientific understanding led me to submerse it in a bowl of water in the Laundry. Seemed to work. At Breakfast this morning, still under 6″ of cold water, it bleeped and flashed.

I took a hammer …. and a couple of screwdrivers … and with a bit of brute force, broke open the unit to reveal a perfectly ordinary, Duracell battery. Ridiculously, the sealed unit had to be destroyed to find that out. Good fun though … and before you say, Get a Life!, as I’ve already pointed out, that is a diminishing possibility.

Got to go to the Eye Clinic this morning. Had to go out for an early, 2hr walk. It is quite warm. Overnight, we were 18C/65F and now, at 10.00 am, we are 21C/70F. Looking forward to an Indian Summer over the next few weeks. ….

Been to the Eye Clinic which is in an old, scruffy, ex-hospital. I suppose they think people who need their eyes testing won’t notice the scruffiness! I do. It makes me uncomfortable as if I’ve re-visited 1950s Britain. Suppose that appeals to the Brexiteers. Anyway, eyes tested and photographed. Confirmed I still have two but only one works. As I’ve never known any difference, nothing has changed. Before the scan, I have powerful drops put in to enlarge the pupils. Helps to show up unusual things for examination. The drops sting like hell and leave me intensely light sensitive for 3 or 4 hours afterwards.

This afternoon, we’ve got a carpenter coming over to construct two, huge cold frames and look at a wonky door handle. Might tap him up to construct some shelving under the stairs as well.

Saturday, 2nd September, 2023

Hot and humid morning eventually reaching 24C/75F. Shopping day – Tesco & Sainsburys. Have a real craving for Dolcelatte but it is off the menu at the moment. It will be back SOON.

Lawn mowing day – for ourselves and 7 neighbours. The list is growing nearly as fast as the grass. Yesterday was really successful. The first carpenter we chose turned out to be perfect. I bought two, heavy duty, cold frames from Robert Dyas for £300.00 but the ‘sleeper’ logs they are made out of proved too tough for me to reconstruct. Had to get a man in.

When Ben arrived yesterday afternoon, I immediately liked him and felt I could trust him. It turned out he was an ex-policeman who was married to a teacher, lived in the next village and completed the job in under an hour. Asked him if he could look at a wonky door handle while he was with us and he soon sorted that out. I didn’t ask him up front how much he charged. It didn’t matter. I wanted the job done. Turns out, he charges just £40.00 per hour. I had predicted £100.00 so everything was good.

We have been incredibly lucky in the past 7 years. For 5 of them, everything was covered by our house warranty. Since then we have found wonderful tradesmen: Electrician, Plumber, Security and now Carpenter.

Sunday, 20th August, 2023

An interesting day yesterday. Hot and sunny but humid, reaching 27C/81F, which made walking quite uncomfortable. However, it was a notable day for lots of reasons as you will know from yesterday’s Blog. One event absolutely flabbergasted me.

This ‘elderly’ couple who are neither very elderly or ‘officially’ a couple appeared out of the blue at our door. It was late afternoon and most jobs and exercise had been done. We were sitting in the kitchen to watch Man.Utd (lose to Spurs) and have cheese & biscuits with a bottle of red wine. We set off for Gatwick tonight so we thought it was one of our neighbours coming to wish us a good trip.

Pauline opened the door and I could see immediately who it was. They will only mean something to a few of my readers but the ‘old/84 yrs man’s name is John. The lady with him I didn’t know but was introduced as Pat. Of course, because I am subtle, I immediately asked her age. She is 81. Both of them were pupils at my school – when it was Counthill Grammar School – one started in 1951 and the other in 1954.

They met at school and became childhood sweethearts. When they left, John went to Newcastle University to read History and returned to Counthill School as it changed from Grammar to Comprehensive as a History teacher and, subsequently, Head of History. He is a very intelligent man who I really like in spite of the fact that he’s a staunch Methodist. I immediately liked Pat who is bright, sympathetic and gentle. John was clearly very in love with her as a young man but they drifted apart when he was at university and Pat married a farmer and moved away to Preston.

John married his university girlfriend and had a perfectly happy life together raising two, intelligent and well educated children who he dotes on. John still lives in Rochdale. Most of their married life, John’s wife, Dori, suffered ill health and she died about three years ago. To our surprise, John popped up with the tentative news very soon afterwards that he had a ‘friend’ to help him get through his grief. Although I’ve communicated with John particularly to sympathise with his loss, I haven’t seen him for 20 years. Imagine my shock to suddenly find him sitting at my Kitchen table with his new/old love. It was really heart-warming. They looked so relaxed and happy together and I suspect will extend each other’s lives.

We will be in Athens early tomorrow morning with all the hubbub, fragrances and colours that the Greek capital displays. M&K flew back to Florida yesterday and the first thing they did after that long and tiring flight was throw themselves into their new pool which was completed while they were here in Surrey. Must look at BA flights to Florida!

Monday, 21st August, 2023

Left home just after midnight to drive to Gatwick Airport. Normally it takes 90 mins but in the crystal, clear darkness of the empty roads, we did it in an hour. I love night time driving and the stars were really shining. The only danger was from the many badgers which wander across the road at that time.

The carpark is the first hurdle – especially in August. Not many free spaces and certainly not big enough for us. Found one, parked, cases and bags out, car locked … record where to find it in the future. Trundle off to a shuttle bus stop. Everything is delightfully quiet and empty. The joy of being one of the first flights out this morning.

We got a manic, headcase of a taxi driver who gabbled for 40 mins in Greeklish – the blend of Greek & English popular in Greece – about his hard life and how he couldn’t survive without big tips. Checked in to our 5* hotel, the Electra Palace. The suite is delightful and we made ourselves at home. Soon, we were going out to Evgenia – Paradosiako, a no*, roadside taverna, on the edge of a carpark which we’ve used for years and which has a great reputation for homely cooking.

After Lunch, we went back to our hotel, turned the air conditioning to it lowest against the 37C/99F war outside. We went to bed for a couple of hours and rose completely refreshed and raring to go.

I had a lot of walking still to do and we went out as the sun was going down and the moon was rising. The temperature was a claustrophobic 34C/93F down from the mid day peak of 37C/99F as we walked with those others on the traditional volte. All the way round the base of the Acropolis is about 7 miles although it is hard on the feet as you can see. There are little jewellery stalls along the route.

Buskers playing classical guitar, violin and piano line the route along with wonderful little dramatic episodes like the one above. This is a magical, entrancing city which I would so love to show friends round. It has lots of History but also lots of the Present to enjoy.

Today, I have shared experiences with Jason & Dee, our lovely next door neighbours who got home from Skiathos as we left for Athens. I have talked to our friend, Margaret in Marsden, to Julie and to Kevin in Yorkshire and Viv in Oldham.

Tuesday, 22nd August, 2023

Up late this morning. Catching up on sleep. By 8.00 am/6.00 am (UK), it is 32C/91F outside. In our suite, it is freezing because we have the air-con on its lowest setting. Breakfast is always a ‘killer’ on these occasions. Rather more than a glass of orange. Always enjoy it. Always regret it. Got to be done.

The main choice at Breakfast is inside or out. No dispute for me in that heat. Always choose the air-conditioned Breakfast Room. I’ve seen the Acropolis so many times that I don’t need it at Breakfast.

Today would be my Mum’s 100th Birthday. Many people, girls especially, spend time seeing and caring for their mothers as they leave this world. My mum failed to tell me that she was ill although I phoned her twice a week. From my perspective, she booked herself into a hospital and died without giving me the chance to say Goodbye or to comfort her. I had the haunting experience of seeing her kept artificially alive but it felt a heartless experience.

Mum was extremely influential in my life not least because Dad died when I was only 14. She was instrumental in giving me my love of language, of words and reading. She forced me to address ideas and modes of thinking, of politics, philosophy and religion.

She was a very strong and forceful woman whose strength and forcefulness some would say I inherited. She also had much which I rejected. Her unflinching commitment to Roman Catholicism and political and cultural conservatism was total anathema to me. She closed her mind to innovation and resisted technological development. It took a long time to get her to buy a television but, when she did, she loved it. She insisted she didn’t want a refrigerator until I bought her one and then she bought a bigger one. She saw no point in computers and the internet but, when I bought her a computer and got her connected she did at least try admittedly without much success to use it.

Many mothers are soft, gentle people who let their children find their own way in life and support them in the background. My mother was not like that. She wanted a say in my education, my career choice and my girlfriends all of who she rejected as not being good enough for her son. As a trained teacher herself, she definitely wanted a ‘higher’ profession for me and saw training college as a failure.

Because we were both strong people, we argued a lot. As I became increasingly more educated, she struggled to keep up and became increasingly more exasperated. We fell out a lot and our last few years were difficult together. Of course, when people die, we have regrets. Initially, I regretted our separation physical and intellectual but only initially. On reflection, that separation was absolutely necessary for my own development and self respect. Still, others will judge me while I pay my respects to Mum.

Just as I was anticipating this Blog piece, a fascinating article was posted in the Guardian about a Mother who took her own life while her child missed the signs and her passing. Might be worth a read here.

Wednesday, 23rd August, 2023

Had to work really hard to complete my walking last night. Didn’t finish until 10.00 pm by which time it was dark. Started in daylight around 8.00 pm just as the sun was turning into a fiery, orange globe and the Athenians were out gently strolling the neighbourhood …

…. and ended around 10.00 pm in darkness as we walked through a packed Monastiraki Square. Tavernas’ tables spilled out everywhere and Diners clamoured for seats at this most popular hour for Greek Dinner.

We only eat once a day after having Breakfast and we try to do it mid-afternoon. Eating at the conventional Mediterranean time of 10.00 pm means I can’t sleep until 2 or 3 in the morning. It’s alright if I have time to adjust but, on a short stay, I don’t.

Even so, the temperature, as we finished our walk at 10.00 pm, was 34F/93F and it stayed like that through the night. Thank goodness for aircon..

Up early, light breakfast and down to Piraeus to meet old friends. So many years we have been there – first in 1982. We know every metre of the port, every ticket office, every boat, every hydrofoil. I love revisiting people and places, words and faces. It is the height of the season and incredibly busy. on the Metro down from Monastiraki to Piraeus, a man with his family get up at one stop and photographs his team’s stadium.

I said to him, It’s not Old Trafford., as he excitedly photographed the Olympiakos Stadiou. He immediately switched from fluent Greek to broken English. Liverpool, he said. I love Liverpool. We were friends for life and so were his wife and children. They smiled, patted me and helped me with the ticket machine as I got off. He said he would meet me in Anfield. We both knew he wouldn’t but it was a lovely moment.

Piraeus was badly affected by the pall of smoke drifting across Athens on the August Meltemi wind. It smelt of wood smoke and hung like a haze over the sky. Cars were queueing for the F/b Antigone to go to Poros island just as we have done so many times across the years for Sifnos. I told you I like to revisit my past – to touch, taste, smell and feel. It is fundamental to my being and I won’t be denied.

My sister, Ruth, says she is never aware of the past but prefers to embrace the Future. It isn’t true, of course. I even attended her 70th birthday party so she remembered that. As the saying is, For an understanding of the future, look to the past. Experience informs future decisions. I will never let my past go and I will revisit it – sometimes at the least expected moment.

Thursday, 24th August, 2023

Good Morning. Today the Blog is about People …. people I meet, know, like and people I love. I love travelling and meeting new people, I love sitting in foreign places – cafes, restaurants just watching people – but I always have this worry about those I’ve left behind. I have a strange feeling of responsibility for them and distance makes my support so much more difficult. What if they need me?

I have to keep in contact to assure myself of their welfare. Some respond with kindness. Some respond blandly. Some don’t feel able to respond at all. This morning, I made contact in different ways with 25 people. Most replied as they got up. My neighbours responding before setting off for work. Others contacted me directly. Talked to Kevin and JohnR on the phone. It is a lovely thing to do when I am in Athens. Feels even more special. It really touches me. Even my electrician, Eric, has just contacted me from a tented commune in Surrey.

I have no sense of direction in the present but a strong memory of people from the past. I have images stored in my head about the way they look, the way they walk, their smell …. and I see them in crowds wherever I go in the world. If you know me, I have almost certainly seen you – young or old – walking round Thissio at the foot of the Acropolis as my heart missed a beat. People, skin, touch, taste, smell, voice, attitude are the very stuff of life. People of my past, present and future is how I measure existence.

Because I am a people watcher, I try to look into total strangers and imagine what they are thinking. I try to construct their Biography from the looks on their faces. For example, the bouzouki player in the blue shirt in the top photo sits alone for 10 – 12 hours each day playing his music, occasionally speaking to thank passers-by for their contribution. His face is a handsome, kind and noble one that still holds dignity. He sits through temperatures of upper 30Cs day after day, playing alone. No one does that for pleasure. It takes huge effort in duration. That man goes through it because he needs the money.

In just the same way, look at this woman’s face. There is sadness but reluctance to seek pity. She sings beautifully – classical songs to her husband’s classical guitar. They are clearly an educated, middle class couple who have fallen on hard times in a country where there is little, national safety net to support them in their times of need. They are fending for themselves and fighting to provide for themselves by swallowing their pride and busking.

It fills me with sadness as I do the walk each day. Here am I just by good fortune able to indulge myself to my heart’s content, over eat, over drink, not worry about my home or my clothes. I travel the world as much as I like and want for nothing. These are good people who fate has dealt a rough hand.

Friday, 25th August, 2023

Athens is always a buzzing capital city which I have known for 40 years. It would be delightful to show my friends around it … might even make me see it differently. Towards the end of August most years and this year in particular, the city is incredibly full, busy, hot, noisy, exciting. It is nice to have a quiet, sophisticated base from which to go out into the crowds and to which we can retreat when we need some respite.

The Electra Palace Hotel is such a place. It is refined and sophisticated providing luxurious accommodation and facilities with a gym, as well as indoor and and outdoor pools.

As soon as we step out of the hotel doors into the scrum that is Athens, we are assailed, badgered, implored by taverna owners and waiters to go in and try their food, drink – anything they can relieve us of money for. Most experienced people put on a hard face and ignore them. I don’t. They are ordinary people doing their best to make a living. I owe them a polite and sincere response. I say in Greek, No thank you. and they really do appreciate that.

The tourists are enticed in by simplistic, English signs. Next to them are detailed menus in Greek. The language is not difficult to learn and the value is huge. Eat like a tourist or eat like a native. I know which I’d rather do and I would like my friends to do it too.

Today we will eat at Ella Taverna on Ermou Street. The cooking is lovely and our evening meal comes to about €65.00/£55.00 with wine.

Long gone are the days when we are tempted by street food that abounds in Athens streets. In the winter, roast chestnut sellers can we found. In the summer, they become griddled corn cob sellers.

In this very hot weather, they branch out into refreshing pieces of coconut. They look lovely on the barrow although I can’t imagine them being anything other than drying. But, if you want some, Dear Reader, you only have to ask.

Saturday, 26th August, 2023

One of the reasons I love Greece, the Greeks and Athena in particular is that they are all so politically aware. They argue/debate constantly about everything but particularly the government and how they should change it.

It is a social time for enjoyment and self-expression, for discussion with your neighbour and total strangers …. even tourists.

On Thursday evening, a huge, Communist Party (KKE) rally was held in Syndagma – Constitution Square. The riot police lined the entrance to the Parliament building in case they rushed it which they’ve been known to do before.

Last night, young and old attended a rally in the square in 37C/99F of really humid heat to protest about the politician’s mismanaged responses to the wildfire outbreaks. Might seem futile to the outsider who may see it as a force of nature and climate …. until they are told that these fires are not all they seem to be.

Fires usually start on open land with dry grass and/or trees. It happens in the season when people are forbidden to light fires outside for obvious reasons. Of course, these lands are attractive to builders of properties but the regulations designed to protect the environment are strictly controlled. How to get over a law that says you cannot spoil a wooded area with buildings? ….. Just accidentally on purpose start a fire which rips through the area, clears it of trees and leaves it charred and bare. Wait a decent (short) time and then apply for building permission. Problem solved!

Sunday, 13th August, 2023

It’s raining! My neighbours sent me Whatsapp messages to say how wonderful it is on Skiathos … which I thought was nice of them wasn’t it. That’s not a question. Still, not long to go to hot sun. We’re already thinking of post-cancer although it might be tempting fate. As the Past disappears into the grey mists, need something to look forward to.

After we return from Athens, I have a long hard slog through to the end of the year. I have an Oncology meeting on December 29th which could go either way. Either, I will be signed off as cancer-free to sail away into the sunset OR the aggressive cancer element will have failed to die and potentially have spread in which case …

Anyway, looking to get some Canarian sun in the first months of 2024. We have decided to visit southern Lanzarote which is probably the warmest and driest at that time of the year. We’ve found a hotel with a reasonable Suite at a good price. Probably book it early so that it makes me work harder over the next few months and keep focussed on getting better.

I have been shaving for quite a few years. I shaved my beard off in the mid 1970s and my moustache (too late) in the 1980s. Shaving is a bit of a chore but I do it every morning just to prevent the itching of stubble. However, it seems I have been doing it all wrong for years …. like so many things.

My new shaver has been pronounced a real success after one shave. My wife says she can’t remember me being so well shaved before. It is all down to … the app on my phone. This shaver connects to my smartphone by Bluetooth and, through a Philips App, instructs me how to shave my 72 year old face. It is quite revolutionary.

It has three, independent, circular heads which I haven’t had before and take some getting used to. What I do like about it is the automatic cleaner/balm dispenser. The head is thrust into a separate unit that contains a soothing balm. The shaver is run for a few seconds and emerges totally clean. If you shave every day .. and I’m sure you do, this is really helpful.

Actually, the day has developed beautifully and we ate Lunch outside with a bottle of champagne. Celebrating being alive! Now, at 7.30 pm, Pauline is cooking Calamari outside and serving with freshly cut salad from the garden. I suppose life could be worse.

Monday, 14th August, 2023

Lovely sunny and warm morning. I say that but I should qualify it with other news. I have absolutely no idea what is happening to my body temperature.

In the car, I have the air conditioning on freezing at all times and Pauline puts on a jumper. At Breakfast, I have the conservatory doors open and Pauline shivers. Out walking, I wear shorts and tee shirt and Pauline puts on a Fleece. In bed, I sleep naked on top of the sheet with the air conditioning on cold. Pauline pulls the sheets around her for warmth. My Breakfast coffee has been destroyed because one sip and I break out into violently hot sweats. I’m still drinking it in the hope that I can beat it. It is madness!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

Still, who can do without fresh coffee in the morning? I’m constantly asking, Is it hot in here? because I have totally lost my personal gauge. What it does mean is that my Valet is packing double the number of my normal clothes for sunny Athens because she’s anticipating trouble.

Got a big appointment today. I’m going to visit …. the HYGIENIST!!! Absolutely hate Hygienists with a passion. Still, I’m told that it has to be done. It’s all within our Dental Plan so can’t waste money! I’m going to look at holidays in the sun again. Keep focus!

So many people have said to me, Oh, you don’t die of prostate cancer. You die with prostate cancer. I know they mean well and they are probably right but, when you’ve got it, you are immediately alert to all the alternative possibilities as well. People with prostate cancer and in the news jump out from every place.

This lad, who looks full of life and testosterone, (Actually, he looks like Peter Holgate to me – for aficionados.) is a member of a group called Duran Duran. I’ve heard of them although I’ve never HEARD them. I’ve just read that Duran Duran were one of the biggest pop bands of their era – whenever that was. His name is Andy Taylor and, apparently, he was their original guitarist. He is 62 and has terminal prostate cancer. The cancer has become metastatic which means it has spread and is in his bones. He is dying.

Found a hotel in southern Tenerife that looks weirdly promising – The Ritz-Carlton – has good facilities and reviews. The suites look promising.

I surprise myself by rather liking the ethnic, Moorish outside. Usually, I prefer aggressively clean lines of very new and modern.

A few weeks in the sun after all the trouble is over feels like something worth aiming at and getting super fit for.

Tuesday, 15th August, 2023

Half way through August. The UK Summer is nearly over. It is 9.00 am (UK) / 11.00 am (Greek) 16C/61F her and 29C/84F there.

I will be down here at the Port of Piraeus next week. Maybe you will come with me, Dear Reader, as I chronicle the days.

For now, I am pushing myself to keep fit. I hit a milestone yesterday when I achieved (if that’s the term) 200 consecutive days of my 10 mile-a day goal. Previously, my record was over a full year of consecutive days (371). I have been fighting back from illness in America, and Cancer Hormone Treatment but they say I will struggle during radiotherapy so that is my challenge!

Anyway, all I can do is take it one day at a time and keep fighting. It is astonishing how the milestones are achieved, slowly but surely.

What will be nice will be if predictions come true. They told me I would put on weight with Hormone treatment. They were right. They have told me I will lose appetite and lose weight during Radiotherapy. Please let them be right! I will assist it by going on a hard diet myself and pushing to do as much exercise as I can manage.

The day has improved here and turned sunny and warm. First 90 mins walk done. All the lawns to cut. My new garden cold frames to construct and then another walk before Dinner. Half an hour in the Gym … and relax.

Always loved the sounds of foreign voices singing songs in hot and moody, Mediterranean nights. Actually, when you get to learn the language and understand the lyrics, they are often absolutely trite. Of course, there is a place for sloppy romanticism on holiday but it often does not translate to home.

Yesterday, I was feeling sad and I made the mistake of following a link to an Andrea Boccelli performance on Youtube. Bésame Mucho sounds to die for but, like so many opera lyrics, is laughable in reality.

Wednesday, 16th August, 2023

Didn’t sleep last night. Hot even though the air conditioning was on. Couldn’t clear my head of thoughts. Even though the radio was on, it drove me mad!! Turned it off. Nothing improved my head. Heard from Kevin in Spain and Julie in North Yorkshire this morning. Made no difference. Struggling. Got to break out and do something positive even if it breaks eggs!

Took Pauline for her hair cut. Parking is impossible. Drove home for a while then picked her up and slouched down the coast road as the waves crashed against the shoreline.

Had some financial changes to make to savings and loan agreements . I don’t borrow money other than to help myself. Buying a new Honda comes with 5 year ‘free’ servicing if you take out ‘Honda Financing‘ of £5000.00 min towards car purchase. The commitment is to pay off just 6 months of it and then settle. The interest is next to nothing and it saves me a couple of thousand pounds on servicing over 5 years. It also helps to maintain a healthy credit rating if it is ever needed.

Lovely, hot day – reaching 26C/79F – and I couldn’t be bothered doing anything but sit around and dream. Did my 10 miles walk though and started to look at constructing the new cold frames for the garden. Someone as impractical as me needs a long lead-in time before attempting that. Their are 14 screws – yes, 14! – to be put in and some of them are big ones.

Thursday, 17th August, 2023

Well, I failed the first test. I put the power screwdriver on to charge overnight in readiness for constructing two, 6ft cold frames this morning. It appears that either I didn’t push the battery firmly enough into the charger or the whole thing is so useless having not been in service for the past 5 years that I’ll need a new one. Obviously, a metaphor for life. Might have to ‘get a little man in’ if all else fails.

Actually, there is a handy video guide showing just how difficult the whole process is. It’s scared me already. I’m sure my wife will manage it if I leave her in peace for an hour or two.

Talking about little men, the laminate wood flooring in our downstairs toilet seems to be looking rather the worse for wear – particularly around the toilet. I have no idea why. I have been trying to train my wife but to no avail. We have decided to replace it with laminate tiles until she gets the hang of it. That is a project for when we get back from Athens. Currently, we are going to make it the last trip until I get some resolution and then look to go somewhere with sun in March.

I told you the other day that people with prostate cancer and in the news jump out from every place. Today, it is the turn of Michael Parkinson who has died at the age of 88. Not a terrible age but still much too young for me. Parkinson had prostate cancer and was treated with radiotherapy. I have prostate cancer and will be treated with radiotherapy. Just saying.

Friday, 18th August, 2023

Well, we’ve woken to find strong and persistent rain this morning. What a welcome sight. Saves me watering before going away. Thought for the Day on BBC_R4 this morning echoed my recent theme of August Weddings. It’s certainly not the weather for them this weekend and definitely not the snow-filled fun we had back in December 1978.

While we were sweating away last night on the South Coast, Kevin was enjoying an evening of 22C/71F in Spain celebrating his granddaughter’s A Level passes for university, John R was on his boat on Ullswater on a balmy evening but Julie, in North Yorkshire, had lit the log burner because it was so cold and she’s a hardy type.

Typically, our power company has chosen the day after we go away to instigate a power cut for ‘essential maintenance’. They say it will only be for 2 hrs and that should be fine. Just got to hope that the return of the power doesn’t create a surge and blow out the fridges and freezers, the alarm system, the computer system on which the lighting, heating, CCTV circuit and Sky system and the broadband + phone systems depend. As soon as I review that list and there must be others I haven’t thought of, you realise the central importance electricity plays in our lives and how disadvantaged so many are across the world who have to manage without it.

Pauline is completing the packing. I am not allowed near it in case I pinch a shirt intended for holiday. I always break the rules just by instinct. If there is something I really want, nothing stops me. I’ve always been like that since a child. I can be rather bull-in-a-china-shop but it usually works. At least I know myself just as when I find something I like, I buy it in bulk to ensure a continuing supply. I even surprise myself in that sometimes. This week it was trainers and trainer socks.

I get through lots of pairs of trainers a year because of all the walking I do. Over 7,500 miles in 2yrs take their toll on trainers and socks. I found a pair of Sketchers‘ trainers that really suit me. Go-walk/Arch-fit are perfect and they are reasonably priced around £90.00. As soon as I was sure, I ordered 4 pairs. They will see me into the new year. Unfortunately, they were due to arrive the day after we had gone abroad.

This morning, a ring at the door and an American uniformed UPS man delivered 4 delicious looking boxes. Couldn’t be better.

I unpacked them and they said: Size 11.5! I had visions of them being sent back to the States and having to wait all over again. Then somebody who actually reads things came into the room and pointed out that 11.5 was USA sizing equivalent to 10.5 UK sizing which just happens to be mine. Phew!

The other things I go through all the time are the socks I’m so addicted to. Low cut, trainer socks. I love them even though I have a permanent sun line round my lower ankles. I think I might be becoming obssessed!

Well, by 11.30 am, the rain has stopped, the sun is out and it is hot and steamy …. just as I like it, Dear Reader. A 90 mins walk in the sun and then Lunch of cheese and biscuits with a bottle of French Bière. This afternoon, we have done a second harvest of parsley, washed, spun, de-stemmed and chopped before bagging up and freezing. The afternoon has just become hotter and hotter to a very sweaty 27C. One final walk before the evening rain began to fall and then the heavens opened. Excellent end to the day.

Saturday, 19th August, 2023

This is a special day, Dear Reader. On this day in 1978, I took Pauline to The Royal Exchange in Manchester to watch a play called Leaping Ginger. Before the performance, we had Dinner in the top floor restaurant. I remember it distinctly for two reasons. Firstly, we ordered Cotswold Duckling in port with Black Cherries which was a favourite at the time. We can’t remember our Starters but I will definitely have had Cheese Board for Sweet.

Secondly, we got engaged. We had only dated for just two months but I had already decided she was going to be my wife. I had to take out a huge bank loan to buy a ring. I didn’t consult her or check the size. In fact, didn’t even consider there were sizes until asked by the jeweller in Manchester. The ring – in my view – was modern, slightly arty with a single stone set in white gold. I liked it even though I didn’t like the price.

I was wearing a black, 3-piece suit with blue shirt and was terrified of losing the ring which was in my jacket pocket. Over Dinner, I asked Pauline to marry me. Of course, she said, Yes. What was worrying me was would she like the ring. Firstly, it fitted perfectly which was a huge relief … after talking to the Jeweller about the cost of size adjustment. I could see another bank loan on the horizon. Secondly, she professed to love the ring although I had my doubts at the time. In retrospect, she still assures me that she loves the ring and it still fits perfectly.

Having seen the close-up photo this morning, we have had to go straight out to buy a jewellery cleaning solution. I know she has done it before but it is beginning to show the wear of 45 years of experience.

Musical Theatre is not my choice but Pauline likes it so I started as I meant to go on by deferring to her. It starred a young Robert Lindsay and was alright – a bit raucous for me but it was all in a good cause. Like so many events in our life, we kept the accoutrements as reminders. In fact, Pauline had the Theatre Programme immediately to hand when I asked for it. I also found a copy for sale at the huge price of £1.99.

I love the minutiae of people’s lives. That’s why I record my own. People, knowing people, knowing how they live, love and grow old is absolutely fascinating. Particularly, I like to track the people, past & present, who have crossed my life, touched and changed it for better or worse. I also permanently and strangely feel a life long obligation to them, a responsibility to them and protection of them. It all remains my responsibility!

Sunday, 6th August, 2023

I don’t know how much longer I’ve got but I’ll have to go soon before this obsession gets out of hand. What were you doing at 5.30 am, Dear Reader? I was listening to a 1960s Reith Lecture by Bertrand Russell on Radio 4. The subject was Authority & the Individual. It is what the whole of my intellectual life has been centred on. My mother introduced me to Bertrand Russell, Mathematician, Philosopher, founder of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. As we emerged from the war years, Russell was considered the leading intellectual of the 1950s -60s. Political Philosophy fascinates me. It gripped me this morning and, for once, I didn’t fall back asleep.

I am obsessed with people and places. I am obsessed with failure and success. More than anything else as I get older, I am obsessed with time – observing, chronicling, recording time. I have been writing my Blog for 14.7 yrs. I wonder how many more I can achieve. We have been in West Sussex for 7 years now but I started recording this path on our walk to illustrate the growth and changes in Nature and Climate just 3 yrs ago. This year, the grass is lush and green – so lush even I could eat it.

However, talking about eating, blackberries in the hedgerows around here are as advanced as I can remember them. We have only just started August but the birds have almost had enough already. I must admit I’m not a great fan but Pauline can’t resist them.

Monday, 7th August, 2023

Blue sky and sunshine this morning. Must admit, it isn’t quite doing it for me . Last week, I was recording the fact that so many of my Year were celebrating Wedding Anniversaries last weekend. Another two from my cohort contacted me to report their 50 years. Unfortunately, I was reading an article from Leeds University asking: Does the Past matter? I’ve often viewed the past as a bereavement rather than a foundation for the future which I know is perverse but that’s the kind of ‘fun guy’ I am. I constantly want to retouch, taste, see, the past to reassure myself that it wasn’t illusion. Do we all see our lives flash before us occasionally and then sink back into the mists of time? I suspect we do but does it hurt with a long, low ache?

What certainly wasn’t an illusion this morning was a fraud on one of Pauline’s credit cards. We have four cards but only regularly use two of them. The others are back-ups. We never pay for anything if it can be put on a credit card but all are paid off automatically each month. Borrowing money in retirement is bonkers. This morning, she was checking a credit card account and found a £500.00 charge made by Manor Lettings Agent Ltd, of East Ham, London – the place where dreams come home … to haunt you!

Pauline phoned the bank’s Fraud Department who cancelled the card and re-issued her with a new one. They refunded the £500.00 immediately and will follow it up to reclaim. I phoned the Lettings agent to be told that they had had a number of such complaints and they were grateful to us for putting it in the hands of Bank Fraud investigators. The more worrying question is: How did it happen? Presumably, someone not only got hold of the card number but the PIN number as well.

The one good thing about this event is the reassuring way our Bank dealt with it immediately in our favour. No longer do we need to make a case. The refund was instant which gives one confidence in a digital world. I wouldn’t know what to do with actual cash if you threw it at me in handfuls. I can’t remember the last time I saw a paper/plastic note. I don’t even physically handle credit cards. Everything is done via my smartphone so easily. I even paid the deposit for a new car with it recently. Everything is collected within a single, digital wallet which also provides immediate financial records. Fingerprint access makes theft virtually impossible …. unless they cut my finger off!

As I walked out across the garden to the Gym this evening, it felt like AUTUMN. I was in my shorts and tee shirt and felt cold! The first week of August! This is unacceptable. We are not in Wales, after all. Yesterday, my wife was talking about driving to Anglesey. Can you imagine it? What hell would we find there?

Tuesday, 8th August, 2023

The day is warm – humid even – but overcast. Did an early walk and now I’m shattered. Need a friend. Kevin was there right on cue. He is ill like only men can be ill. He has a cold. I have prescribed red wine … at 11.30 am. It always works for me.

Nothing like a good glass of Rioja to cure a cold. Non-drinkers/White Ribboners take note! Hamilton Street will fall apart. There are worse things in this world than alcohol. Mind you, beer is down there with the worst! A good Rioja, on the other hand, relaxes the mind and frees the sinuses to enjoy the aroma of Spanish grapes. Actually, sex helps but I won’t mention that. Oh, I have!

We fly to Athens in about 10 days for 10 days. The weather is set to be warm. It will hover around 35C/95F each day and not fall below 24C/75F at night. We will do a long, early morning walk before getting back to the Hotel for Breakfast and then have a leisurely swim in the rooftop pool before setting off to travel the city. I have driven through Athens city centre many times but I wouldn’t choose it.

This time, we will purchase public transport travel passes. A 5-Day pass for tram/trolley bus/bus/Metro/train unlimited travel costs just €8.20 per person. I will buy two of those and relax as someone else drives me around.

I have written many times before about my desire to record and save records and my wife’s propensity for recording all financial transactions, earnings, tax bills, purchases, etc. from the day we got married in record books and, subsequently, on an accounts software package. She updates it daily even now. Even so, she berates me for wanting to store all our pay slips back to the early 1970s. They are filed in box files in my Office along with records of many other things like house purchase/sales documents, investment records/ tax records, etc..

For 50 years, I have been a figure of fun. Don’t need horrible cows to tell me that! However, small vignettes of light have helped me deal with that reputation. My Mother-in-Law recorded all her outgoings in notebooks and on post-it notes. Going through my Mother’s papers, I found she had saved all the financial records of her Honeymoon in 1949 in the Cotswolds including the Hotels and meals, etc.. Perhaps it was our families which were strange.

Well, no. My friend, JohnR celebrated 45 years of marriage last weekend and sent me his Honeymoon record along with the news that he records all expenditure across time. You see, someone IS out of kilter but … it’s not me.

With a new and virulent strain of Covid currently sweeping the country, we’ve just booked our booster jab for mid-September. It will come just before my Radiotherapy month. I have another Oncology meeting in late December. Dying or Living, I will go up to Yorkshire-Lancashire early next year.

Wednesday, 9th August, 2023

An absolutely beautiful, warm and sunny morning. A morning to celebrate being alive and yet I feel rather trapped. In the immediate term, I am trapped at home by a number of deliveries this morning. A new tumble dryer will be arriving and the 7 yr old one taken away. That is a matter of life & death for my housekeeper.

The Fishmonger will deliver the month’s fresh fish – 2 x sides of Salmon, packs of frozen Tilapia, huge bags of King Prawns, 3 kgs of fresh Tuna, 2 x bags of frozen Squid Tubes. My chef will prepare all of this into portion sizes, bag and freeze.

Outside, under the blue sky illuminating the back garden with its Mediterranean light, silver planes travelling from Heathrow and Gatwick glint brilliantly as they soar en route to the Mediterranean reality. Excited travellers will step out into the intense sunshine and searing heat that hits them like a wall. But I am anchored firmly to the ground, the ground of my own reality, observing from afar. If I get rid of this cancer, I am going to travel until I drop!

A huge, Polish study of a quarter of a million people suggests that the 10,000 paces generally prescribed for improved fitness is far more than are really necessary. In fact, just 4,000 paces helped a person start to reduce their risk of dying from any cause. Just an extra 1,000 steps a day was associated with a 15% reduction in the risk of dying from any cause. I have walked 20,000 every day of the last 3 years apart from the months over Christmas last year when I was ill.

What I don’t understand is why I keep getting mail from Prostate Cancer charities. How do they know? Why do I keep getting mail from Funeral Services? What do THEY know? This morning’s offering almost made me embrace death.

In the meantime, politics will be hotting up as the Summer draws to a close. Yesterday, a newspaper/website/blog that I follow, The London Economic, published the results of a large and very recent poll of 13,000 voters and found that the current small boats/migrant barge/anti-asylum rhetoric of this increasingly far right Tory government had only served to solidify opposition to another Tory win.

In fact, it suggested that the Tories would be reduced to just 90 seats against Labour’s 461. That would all but guarantee Labour in power for the next decade and mean I would see the return to Europe in a second term by which time I would be 83, Dear Reader. I wonder how old you will be.

Wonderful Dinner in the garden tonight. Lovely and warm – 23C/72F – and windless. My brilliant chef cooked Kolokithia Keftedes (courgette fritters) and Tilapia with cheese & parsley crust. Just to die for! I am absolutely exhausted. I’ve done 5 hard hours gardening for my community plus a 2hr walk. Feeling a bit wobbly and my heart hurts. This should not be happening in old age. It is the stuff of boring boys!

Thursday, 10th August, 2023

A glorious, warm and sunny morning. I’m driving to Surrey later but I’ve got to get a walk in first. Over breakfast, I completed a survey sent to me by the Prostate Cancer Research organisation.

I found it quite shocking. The questions were based on two areas one of which came from patients. I thought I was the only boringly sad and lonely wimp who had ever suffered with prostate cancer. Sadness and loneliness are not things men admit to readily. I am not scared or embarrassed to admit my weaknesses. I do not subscribe to the stiff upper lip approach to manhood. I am feeling incredibly sad and incredibly lonely as a result of my hormone treatment and I now know that lots of men have gone through that in the past. It featured strongly in the survey questions.

I am furious that I am having to run to stand still at the moment. I now know that it is a common feature that the fittest of men have suffered serious weight gain during treatment and many have given in to fatigue. At least I am fighting that. But I’m drinking too much again. I tell myself that it numbs the pain but I know it’s a lie. Actually, it accentuates my emotions and makes me reckless. It also encourages weight gain. I’m a boring old fool. I know that …. but I am still alive and many are not. This morning, I saw my Mother on her death bed. It is still hard to erase that memory.

Kevin invited me to join College students from my Year for a lunch in Ripon in November. Unfortunately, it coincides with my radiotherapy treatments and I can’t go. If I’m feeling sad like this, I suspect I would be very poor company.

Today we spent lunch in lovely company with M&K back from Florida and P&C. M put on the most lovely lunch which included smoked salmon which I love, Parma Ham which I love, baked Camembert which I love, cheese straws which I love and a wonderful bottle of red wine just for me. I felt rather too well treated and had to get my chauffeur to drive me home. Actually, I could get used to that.

Still had a 90 mins walk to do when I got home. Had messages from John-R who is sailing in the lakes, Julie who is restarting her diet in North Yorkshire and Kevin who is in Leeds packing to go back out to Spain for the 4th time this year already.

Friday, 10th August, 2023

We didn’t have a honeymoon. We were too busy paying mortgages and buying cars. Although we got married in 1978, we didn’t have a foreign holiday until 1981. Before that, I had survived a really bad car accident and had almost a year off work. In August 1981, we flew to Athens for the first time. Actually, we were going on holiday for 3 weeks (never the conventional 2 weeks) on Zakynthos (Zante). In those days, there were no flights to Zante. We had to fly to Athens, get a bus to across the Peloponnese to Kylini and then a ferry to Zante port. It took the best part of 12 hours from door to door. We were exhausted.

The accommodation was very basic but we were young and ready for adventure. Can’t believe how naïve I was. I expected heat but certainly hadn’t experienced 32C/90F before and it came as something of a shock – almost claustrophobic.

As a measure of my naivety, I had insisted on taking with me a huge and heavy radio cassette player because I am a news junkie and I was determined to listen to BBC R4 as well as playing Chopin in more romantic moments. I hadn’t realised that you couldn’t pick up UK Long Wave on a Greek island. All I got was the Short Wave babble of Greek ‘pop’ songs.

We immediately fell in love with Greece and began a life long affair. The next year we went to Naxos in June and Milos in August. I couldn’t get enough of it. We went to Athens every single year, sometimes multiple times each year and sometimes for weeks at a time. We have only missed the pandemic year which, annoyingly, spoils a good record. When we were 30, a hot, concrete villa without air conditioning on an island with little or no tourism infrastructure like Zakynthos was a dream.

I remember, on Zakynthos, as fit, young things we rented bikes and cycled everywhere under a baking sun. There were only a handful of hotels and very few Tavernas. More than 40 years on it is like Benidorm on steroids … so I’m told.

Eventually, we graduated to scooters & motorbikes on Naxos, Milos, Andros & Corfu before we settled on Sifnos and moved up to open-topped Jeeps.

Now, we wouldn’t even consider it. Have no inclination to rough it. Only 5* will do and our hotel in Athens will do nicely. Really looking forward to going back and listening to Greek TV, reading Greek place names & signs, menus and shop windows. I certainly read Greek better than I speak it.

Although I will continue to visit Athens every year, I quite fancy plaguing M&K in Florida particularly now their new pool installation is nearly complete.

Saturday, 11th August, 2023

Lovely morning. Something went wrong and I didn’t wake until 7.30 am. The day has gone! Even shaving was an effort. Decided, I’ve got to have a new shaver. Looked up when I bought this last one and it was only 2 years ago. This is the price you pay for the such virility!

Quite fancy this one but I suspect it will be off the menu if my Valet has anything to do with it. So, I’ve ordered one of these and it will be delivered by 10.00 pm this evening. All mail-order should be like this. It WILL be when the drone delivery service comes into operation.

My Housekeeper’s focus now is on preparing clothes for travel. I have to admit that I’d just throw a few pairs of shorts and tee shirts into a bag along with my shaver and toothbrush BUT, apparently it all has to be done scientifically and according to the weather.

This is what is forecast for the first few days as far as I can get at the moment. Not icy cold or very wet. In fact quite hot and very sunny. I have to pack clothes for the daytime and 35C/95F (You’ll sweat a lot, John!) which can be challenging for a man suffering menopausal hot flushes. By the way, I’ve discovered that fresh coffee triggers them in me. I have to pack clothes for eating out (You’re not going out looking scruffy!) when it doesn’t fall below 23C/74F and the mosquitoes are biting.

Sunday, 30th July, 2023

Sounds like the weather is going to be quite dogy for the next few weeks. Thank goodness we’ve booked Athens. I need the sunshine to continue …. desperately!

I was sorry to hear that my cousin, Sue, sold her large, old French property yesterday after spending 8 years renovating it. After years working in the city of London and, before that, in Australia, Sue and Phil ‘retired’ to Salles-Lavalette in the Charente where they ran Gites and a Cycle-Hire franchise.

We dropped in on them when we were staying in the Dordogne 5 years ago. They have retained French Residency status and may well buy again. Who knows, they may well go back to Australia – the place of Phil’s birth. Nice to think you have that option. I just can’t imagine living in the same place and the same house most of my life. Can’t imagine being so lacking in adventure and ambition. The experiences of my houses and moves, of Greek ownership and travel have been so formative and provide such memories.

My friend, Julie, in North Yorkshire sent a photo of her Mum who is still alive at the age of 93. She sent me a lovely photo of the two of them together over the weekend.

Now there’s a face etched with experience, one that has seen many events that have formed so many memories. The ambition must be to reach that age and remain healthy enough to enjoy life and not be dependent. Banish the negatives. Accentuate the positives. Keep walking you mad fool!

Monday, 31st July, 2023

A wild, warm but wet & windy night. Couldn’t sleep. Put the radio on to stem the thoughts train and promptly fell asleep at 4.00 am. Up at 7.00 am to a wet world. Fortunately, it quickly dried up and I did a walk.

Came back to address a PROBLEM. I use Ancestry website to research family trees, find births/marriages/deaths and generally fill out life’s story. Over the weekend, I found that I had been billed, wrongly, for additional, worldwide membership at £360.00 per year. I know it’s not a great amount but I didn’t ask for or want to pay it.

I checked the website and then the bank site and found that my credit card had been used in a place in Florida where I had last been almost 2 years ago. If you’ve ever had to follow through these sorts of problems, you will know they are a nightmare. In this case I was lucky and a call to Ancestry UK which is based in Ireland for tax purposes got the contract cancelled and I was able to change my password and reopen it to start research. It’s one of those draining problems to solve though which I could have done without.

It’s certainly a day when I’d rather be abroad enjoying warmth and sunshine. Got to wait another 3 weeks and, even then, I’m fitting it around medical interventions. Let this be over! David Roberts, who never stands still, is currently in Rome. For those aficionados, he sent me a model he found that reminded him of Tolley.

I’m looking forward to getting back to lots of foreign travel after Christmas assuming I get the all-clear, even though it looks as if European travel will be made more cumbersome by the brainless Brexiteers.

Tuesday, 1st August, 2023

Happy August 2023 Dear Reader if I can raise my spirits to wish it to you. August is a difficult month in the memory as you will know. Things could be better. I suppose they could be worse.

Today, here on the South Coast, is the most lovely day of hot sunshine and blue skies. I fear it is a blip in the bad news for the next couple of weeks. At least we aren’t in Wales!

Today, I’ve cut and fed all the lawns in the neighbourhood. My lovely next door neighbour, Dee, sent me a message to say her guests for Dinner last night said the street looked ‘really pretty’ with flowers and the manicured lawns. I told her that me and pretty were antithetical. She told me not to put myself down. A little old man at the end of the street, whose lawn I’ve not taken on, stopped me and asked for help with his grass. We chatted.

He said: I don’t want to be patronising but are you a professional gardener?
I said: I was a teacher many years ago.
He said: You’re so good with the gardens round here that I thought you were a professional. Could I employ you to look after mine?
I said: I’m a 72 year old retiree. I don’t need paying for anything.
He said with surprise: I’m younger than you. You’ve got a really young wife, haven’t you?

I have to admit that I pretended that she was much older than me although she is actually younger. The poor, old guy nearly fell off his feet. When I reflected, though, Pauline does look young for her 71 years. She has hardly changed since 1981. If only the same could be said for me!

Of course, teachers’ weddings were usually timed for July/August before the new year started. We chose … December 1978. I hope we can celebrate somewhere abroad this time.

Wednesday, 2nd August, 2023

Nice, warm but rather humid morning. A bit breezy but not as bad as forecast. In this week 2010, the tilers were just finishing tiling all around our house in Greece. It suddenly became apparent that we needed more tiles at the back of the house so we took a ferry to Athens to source and order them. Everything had to come from Athens by lorry on a ferry which always added to the building costs.

It was in the middle of a heatwave which made our trip more difficult. Of course, a trip to Athens was not a one day-er at that time. We had to have a hotel for a couple of nights. Pauline managed to have her haircut in the city at the same time.

We bought the tiles in Leroy Merlin in Piraeus and more air-conditioning units in Kotsovolos (ΚΩΤΣΟΒΟΛΟΣ). As we got out from the taxi and in to the airconditioned store, the temperature outside was a shattering 45C or 113F. That is a level which almost defies one to walk.

Must be feeling a bit more optimistic for the future. This morning I ordered a couple of cold frames for the garden. Won’t need them until next Spring so I’ve got to stick around a few more months. Just feel like I’m marking time at the moment. Life has to be more than this!

Thursday, 3rd August, 2023

Well, the day definitely went down hill in the afternoon yesterday. Strong winds which drove very wetting fine rain across the world outside. Did a couple of hours in the Gym in the afternoon. Our neighbours across the road set off for Ibiza last night and next door will go to Skiathos at the weekend. We have been left in charge of the street. Rather be abroad myself but the lonely battle goes on. Going to the hospital this afternoon so every activity has to be crammed into this morning.

Terrible sleeping again. It is depressing. I haven’t slept well for almost two weeks. You would really think that all this exercise would make me sleep like a log but it doesn’t seem to work like that. Even went to bed early last night to see if that would help but just found myself wide awake at 2.00 am.

Apart from exercise, the big task today is to research a new, tumble dryer. I know, the excitement is too much for a boring boy like me but I’ll cope! Actually, I’m quite excited to look at the latest models of Heat Pump Tumble Dryers as opposed to ‘vented’ or ‘condenser’ types. You see, I told you it was exciting. They are much more expensive but also much more more efficient.

It seems to be wedding anniversary season. John Morris is celebrating 50 years this week and Kevin celebrates 51 on Saturday. Julie doesn’t celebrate that day. August was a popular month and the 19th was the most popular of all. Teachers are so predictable.

Off to the hospital to see if I’ll reach my 45th anniversary in December. Hope it won’t involve snow!

Friday, 4th August, 2023

Sometimes an empty Present is lifted by a memory of the past. This morning, my memory box served up a pictures that chimed with the morning. Just about to wish my next door neighbours, Καλό ταξίδι! (Have a good trip) to Skiathos in the Sporades Islands.

In 2012, we had lived in our Greek house for many years and some parts were in need of upgrading. It was built up a track/road away from the port. The ‘illegal’ garage was built from the very stone of the surrounding hillside. You will have seen the tiling around the outside of the house that we had done. A large part of our daytime was spent outside on the patio under a pergola. This was over the flat roof of the garage.

At this time of year, we spent so much time outside, sheltering under the pergola from the intense heat of the sun. We read, cooked, ate, drank wine, listened to the BBC Radio, watched TV, snoozed, everything. When it got too hot, we drove down to the bay for a swim. The thing you expect to do in Greece is to sunbathe. When you spend six months of Summer there, just like the Greeks themselves, you do everything to stay out of the sun.

We had a small oven and hob outside where Pauline magicked up the most wonderful – too wonderful – meals. It was where I learned to love κολοκυθοκεφτέδες or fried Courgette Balls. The courgettes were fresh from our garden at the back of the house.

The full upgrade must have cost us about £25,000 but it was well worth it. The house needed it and so did we.

Saturday, 5th August, 2023

Terrible day. Heavy rain and strong winds. Our temperature is only 14C/57F … in August on the South Coast! Just imagine what Wales must be like. I’m going to go mad and have my hair cut.

This weekend starts the Wedding Anniversary season for my friends. Popular with teachers because … well for the obvious reasons. Today, it is Kevin & Christine’s 51st, John & Anne’s 45th, Tash & Sheila’s 36th. Surprisingly, they are all High Church weddings with the old stone churches of Yorkshire. You would expect some Methodist Chapels particularly for John who is a life long Methodist. I sent Kev & Chris a bottle of champagne last year for their 50th. This year they just get an emoji.

Maybe our generation didn’t do honeymoons like earlier ones. John & Anne, befitting good Methodists, had 3 days in the Lake District. I don’t think Kev & Chris went away at all. They were too busy paying for their new house and yellow Ford Cortina. Pauline & I, of course, waited for others to get theirs out of the way and then went for the end of December in the Pennine blizzards. It’s always good to be unconventional.

Sunday, 23rd July, 2023

Heavy rain overnight has left the world looking and smelling fresh and clean. It is exactly what we needed and now the sun is out to highlight the changes. Got a busy week with a trip to Brighton tomorrow for a CT Scan, a funeral of a neighbour to attend and a number of other jobs to complete. This is what living the high life looks like!

Even going to cut the lawns today. Don’t want you to hold your breath but I’ve bought a new, half-moon, lawn edger. If you want the title of boring boy, this is the way to cement it.

You know that you’re old when you meet yourself coming back. This morning, two lads who I taught as 12 yr olds in 1972 posted a photo of themselves out rock climbing together yesterday. Friends from Primary School, they are still close friends after 55 years and I can still see the youth in their faces.

One of my adopted girls is 44 this week. Emma worked for me in school as a pupil and I engineered a relationship for her with another of my favourite lads in Yr.11. We used to take them out on holiday trips to Blackpool, Scarborough, etc at a time which I can fix by a pop song that they liked. My car never heard pop songs but they insisted and I gave in. We all sang:

Because you’re gorgeous
I’d do anything for you
Because you’re gorgeous
I know you’ll get me through

Song by Babybird – 1996

If only it were true! Obviously, I over-engineered the relationship because they only lasted another year and then Emma married another ex-pupil, Peter. They are still happily together 25 years on. Emma contacted me a few days ago to find out how I was. Nice people. There are nice people in the world.

Monday, 24th July, 2023

Hot and sticky morning of what could be a significant day for me. In the past, some men might go to Brighton for a Dirty Weekend, others would go to provide evidence for a divorce when Infidelity was the only option. Boring Boy that I am, my reason for visiting Brighton is to get my bits scanned. After blood test results, I am a bit more confident that there won’t be bad news lurking in the grainy, black & white photos. I’m going to ask for a copy for my Blog. My wife says I won’t get it. We’ll see!

This cancer thing is so terrible that it’s surprising solutions haven’t been found earlier. I read yesterday that Jeremy Hunt has skin cancer and his brother and both parents all died of different cancers.

This morning it has been announced that the lovely George Alagiah, BBC journalist and newsreader has died aged 67. He had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and, at one point last year, thought he had beaten it. He started reading the BBC News again but it re-emerged as the cancer spread to his liver and lymph nodes and he has gone at just 67. I don’t often feel sad for people I have never met but, in his case, I knew him intellectually, as a good man and I am shocked by his loss.

In Leeds, Kevin has got out of his Man-Shed and it’s dry but too late for the Test Match. I’ve been out for a 2hr walk because it will be a long day in the hospital. I have to drink 2 litres of water before I go to ‘hydrate my body’. I ask you, who can drink 2 litres of water? I find it hard enough to drink 2 litres of wine! 2 litres of water is a terrifying prospect.

Don’t know why but this was reposted by one of the girls who was in the year before me at College. She posted the whole final photo in sections and, of course, I understand why this section stood out with the beauty of the central character. Pity Kevin spoilt it but you can’t have everything. I noticed that there were a few people I knew who were missing. Talked to Julie about it yesterday because she wasn’t on it. She said she deliberately missed it. I’m glad to have a record.

Tuesday, 25th July, 2023

Slept heavily after a stressful day. My appointment with the radiographers had been brought forward from Tuesday to Monday because of this:

I had done a 2hr walk in the morning and, duly showered and scrubbed up, set off for the hospital at 1.00 pm. It is an hour’s drive in normal conditions and my appointment was 3.00 pm.. I was told to hydrate by drinking 2 ltrs of water before getting to the Brighton Radiology Department. Of course, I was forced to do as I’m told by my wife. What followed is a prime example of why you should never listen to your wife.

Everything went well until we hit the town centre which turned out to be inexplicably CLOSED. We now know that there had been a serious fire in a beachside hotel and traffic was being redirected through narrow streets. Brighton in Summer is like central London on steroids. It was incredibly busy and we sat in queues for what seemed like a lifetime. The hour leeway we had allowed ourselves was whittled down to 15 mins but sat.nav., eventually, got us there … by which time I was screaming with a bladder full of 2 ltrs of water.

Arrival at the hospital was a blessed release and the radiographers we met were absolutely delightful but they were trying to cram two day’s work into one and my appointment was delayed by almost an hour. I was immediately presented with an enema stick to shove up my bum and squeeze a release of goo. I was also presented with a box of 20 additional enema sticks to administer every morning before I go for my radiology sessions. I do want to lose weight!

I don’t know how you feel about tattoos. I hate them. I think they look awful. I have spent 72 years avoiding tattoos and people with tattoos and now … I have 3!! It came as a complete shock to be told that I would be indelibly tattooed. The CT scan was ordered to scan the area which would be targeted by radiotherapy in October. It was laying down gridlines of my body to precisely target the prostate without damaging other organs. My feet were in fixed stocks. My head was fixed in place and then tattoos were engraved on each hip and somewhere in between. It didn’t hurt … much.

Now I’m down with the bad boys! I did ask for seagulls or hearts-with-initials but I was told the style was pre-ordained. Eventually, I was done and I drove home through Brighton & Hove rush hour traffic. A day which should have been completed in 2.5 hours actually took around 6 hours door to door.

When you don’t have cancer, it is just a terrible condition you hope will never visit you. When you get cancer, the whole structure of your life changes. You research the words of cancer that were previously abstract. You go to see Cancer Clinicians where you rub up alongside other cancer sufferers. You are inducted uncomfortably into the cancer world. Now it may be that my condition will be beaten and the terrible word will recede into the mists of time but so many people who suffer from it, get over it only for it to return somewhere else and more aggressively.

A friend with experience of cancer told me I would adjust and accept my condition. I won’t and can’t. I have almost dismissed it from my days other than the effects of the drugs. I may be in denial. George Alagiah, BBC journalist and newsreader who died of bowel cancer yesterday aged 67, said he had learned so much about the people who loved him and the importance of time left with them. He would never have wished the condition on himself but he was grateful for the experiences of love and support it had condensed into a much shorter timeframe that he didn’t take for granted. Such a pity that it takes a death sentence like that to fully appreciate life. Of course, it can encourage you to be boring as well.

Wednesday, 26th July, 2023

Lovely, warm and sunny day. I want to go out walking but I’ve got lots of niggling things to clear first. My Blog is read by about 1500 people a month. I pay quite a lot to a company, Ionos, who host it on their platform.

Some time ago, my Blog went down and I panicked that I had lost over a decade of my life’s records. They got it back up eventually but, by then, I had leased another site to backup the first one. The backup of my Blog is read by about 500 readers each month as well. At the weekend, my Backup Blog stopped working.

Over the past week or so, I have been moving (relatively) large amounts of money around from my Bank accounts to Savings/Investment accounts. I use both online banking methods and Banking apps on my phone and iPad. Suddenly, it stopped working. I phoned Nat.West.. Fortunately, it was not caused by Farage. He would never be in my bank. Their Technical Department worked out that it was a browser problem and I’ve solved it by installing Google Chrome as well as my standard MS Edge. Suddenly the clouds fell away and light shone across all operations. If only all problems could be so easy to solve!

Maybe a trip up to Manchester could be on the cards. Always looking for something to pay a good return on investment. This was sent to me yesterday:

It guarantees 7.0% on investment for 10 years. 7% until I’m 82 years old! Give me a good excuse to visit Manchester regularly. The 7% is in addition to capital value increase. Worth exploring!

One of the other things I’ve got to do is fend off my GP service who are desperate to counsel me about my cancer. I really don’t want that but they keep coming back to it. I will deal with it myself but I’ve got to find a polite way to repel their offers of help. They keep ringing me. I keep putting them off. I have to speak to them directly and firmly without being rude. Tough ask for me. Now I’ve got three tattoos, I can do anything! As a Bad Boy, I don’t care who I hurt.

A couple of years ago, the lovely Dee, our Australasian-Bavarian neighbour gave us a present of a Calla Lily (Zantedeschia). It is a deep, sexy aubergine, mauve. This year it is just starting to flower again. Let’s hope I will!

Thursday, 27th July, 2023

Wonder of wonders … we have rain. It is so unusual to look out and see the world soaking wet. At 9.00 am, it’s still coming down. I’m going to be spending more time in the Gym than outside.

At the moment, I’m watching an infuriatingly boring/funny/clever drama called Detectorists on Netflix although it was originally made for BBC and stars Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones. I must admit I wish I hadn’t started it but, now, I have to finish it even though there are 3 series.

Despite its title, all life is here. Ambition and failure, Love and Loss, pregnancy and impending fatherhood are woven into ordinary lives. It has its sadnesses and extraordinary touches of affection. Even so, I am having to force myself to finish it. I am gradually being sucked into its narrative.

It turns out that speaking to the Doctors’ Surgery was easy and very positive. They have a Clinician who counsels cancer patients but is happy to wait until they request it. I just hope I don’t have to.

There seems to be so much media fuss about pan-European temperatures as if they were highly unusual. In my experience of years of travelling to and living in Greece, they are fairly typical. Even the wild fires fanned by the meltemi winds are fairly typical. As we drove back to UK from our island, we would have to go over the Korinthos Canal and along the Peloponnese along the National Highway to Patras. Regularly, it showed all the signs of fire damage with burnt and smouldering vegetation and chunks of melted tarmac.

On this day in 2010, I was only 59 and a team of Albanians were working outside in 39C/103F as they tiled our patio around the house in Greece. It was virtually the last thing we did to complete the property after we had retired. I can tell you that 103F is incredibly hot to be out in never mind carry weights or pushing wheel barrows full of cement. It didn’t really help that they were paid such a pittance to do it either.

Friday, 28th July, 2023

A bright, warm morning. Going out for an early walk because we are attending a funeral this afternoon. It’s what tends to happen in age isn’t it? It is the funeral of someone who we hardly knew but who lived across the road from us down here for about 5 years. Pat was a retired businessman. He had established and run an large electrical service in the city of London. They specialised in shop and office fitting. He turned 80 soon after he arrived in this 5 bedroomed house with his wife, June. Pat was a mild mannered and softly spoken Irishman who was extremely friendly and helpful to me.

About two years ago, we were very disappointed that they put their house up for sale although we subsequently learned that Pat was being treated for advanced Melanoma – skin cancer. They were obviously downsizing in preparation for June living alone. We went round to see their new house which was smaller but very comfortable. A month ago, we heard that Pat was bedridden and two weeks ago that he had died. Neighbours all around liked him and are attending the funeral at Worthing Crematorium.

Never been there before. Maybe, I’ll end up there. I certainly will not have the attendance that Pat will have today. I may just be left there at night in a binbag. Certainly, on these occasions, I find my mind drifting to my own circumstances. Obviously self-obsessed and selfish but unavoidable. Maybe you know this feeling, Dear Reader. Do you put yourself in the place of the deceased? Do you wonder whether you will be next? …. Sorry, onwards and upwards! Well, perhaps not upwards at a crematorium.

A small anecdote that tells you so much about me. Apparently, Pat wanted bright colours at his funeral. He didn’t want sombre black to dominate. Some mourners we know are talking about wearing Hawaiian shirts in gaudy informality. I just can’t bring myself to do it – not that I own an Hawaiian shirt anyway. I will wear a black suit but will compromise with a bright tie and silk handkerchief. Will that do? You can judge me if you like!

Saturday, 29th July, 2023

It’s been a sad week. Yesterday I tried to do my best to be bright – well that tie is fairly luminous – but it felt strange on such a sombre occasion. We drove to the crematorium near Findon in hot sunshine. Not really appropriate for suits and sadness. I think it’s the impulse of my age but I do find these occasions make me seriously maudlin.

About 70 – 80 mourners were present to say goodbye to Pat. The service was excellent. Like me, Pat was a lapsed Catholic and the service reflected that. He had three sons who all spoke about him and there were two large screens up showing a photo presentation accompanied by his favourite Jazz piece.

It was the pictures that told a 1000 words and really got to me. From Pat as a child, his first motorbike, proudly showing off his first car and meeting his wife. Through the years of bringing up his boys, travelling round the world on multiple occasions and then, the really brave but horribly painful last few weeks in the hospice.

Death through cancer is truly devastating for the human form. It almost robs one of the will to live. Gaunt, grey and obviously desperately ill, the spirit of Pat looked beaten. Even so, I thought it was absolutely right for the family to mark his final days. The obvious corollary is, will I end like that? Will we end like that?

I also find myself musing on my own funeral. Pat had 80 people. I’d be lucky to have 8. Then I started musing on who those 8 would be and I only got to 4. Actually, forget it. Pauline can just hand me over to the incinerator staff and have my ashes scattered on the rose bushes. She chose green for yesterday but she can wear what she likes for disposing of me – gardening gloves would be appropriate!

Mourners were invited to a meet at a local pub. We hate pubs and chose not to go but rather slip away quietly into the sunshine and drive home. It’s strange (I thought I’d say it myself before you could.) but I felt the need to mark the occasion with a glass of wine at home. It is the way I prefer to do things.

Later, if you can believe it, we went out for a long walk and I followed that up with some Gym work. Got to do my quota whatever the circumstances! Still living … but sad! Pat’s wife, June, must get up this morning alone. Having spent the past few weeks preparing for and being involved in his funeral. Today, all those supporters, well wishers, loved ones … are gone and she is left to live her life alone. Now is the time she needs friends. Now is the time we all need friends.