Sanders Blog

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.

Sunday, 16th July, 2023

Lovely day – warm but breezy. Old crows circling but I can cope. Watched Blair interview on the incoming Labour Government and its necessity of moving back towards Europe. It has to happen. Retrospectives can be really useful.

Talking about retrospectives, the 760th week of my Blog will focus on exactly that. These photographs were sent to me by a friend and take me back to 1970. I’ll let you work out how long ago that was. The first one was taken in the Students’ Union Bar in the Wilkinson Building (aka The Wilkie) in 1970 for a College prospectus but was never used. I didn’t spend a lot of time there but it never looked like this when I did. I used to time my run over to the bar in order to get there 5 minutes before ‘Last Orders’. Two pints were lined up for me and throwing out time was around 11.00 pm – ish. I must admit, I haven’t really drunk beer since.

Of course, photographs prompt memories other than those intended. This photograph was never used for the prospectus in the end but the two lads at the bar – Chris & Kevin – didn’t normally look as smart as that. My eyesight was never brilliant which often led to me making the wrong choices but I learnt to recognise people by certain features.

The lad in the back window is Dave Weatherly and seated are Bob B-W and ‘Chopper’ Gill. No ideas who that is behind the bar. It was usually a big, fat man called Maurice but he was probably not photogenic enough. Strangely, I remember the curtains and the girl’s dress fabric is definitely of its time.

You won’t believe who the couple on the right are/were! The Rev. Kent and his wife were the College’s attempt to reach a modern generation with religion. Failed with me although I quite admired Kent. He drove a flashy sports car and would drop into the student Common Room and play Honky-Tonk piano with ease. You can tell from his attire that he was quite alternative. Whether that was to attract the young, I don’t know. It didn’t do it for me.

A girl who (unsuccessfully) asked me out once wrote to me recently with a story about being taken aside by an Education Tutor after being observed on Teaching Practice . Miss Knight, a frosty old spinster, threatened her with failure unless she got the Speech and Drama Tutor to help get rid of her Black Country accent. How times have changed and, I think, for the better. Having said that, we are all in our 70s now. Some have died and some have less good health than the rest of us. The old lad on the left of this trio has Motability problems and lives in Social Care. Life deals us some difficult hands and one never knows when friends will become important.

Monday, 17th July, 2023

A lovely warm and rather humid morning. Just as I opened the conservatory doors to cool the house down over breakfast, a girl from Oldham wrote that she had just put the Heating on. At the same time, my news alert service reported a retail park in Rochdale cordoned off by police in very wet conditions. MEN reported storms rolling across Greater Manchester. I forgot to say the other day, one fantastic thing about being in the North last week was the price of petrol – 15p/litre or 68p/gallon cheaper than down here. Would it swing it for me? Don’t think so.

This morning’s jobs involve cutting lawns, walking but, first a visit to the investment bank to discuss impending movements. I phoned Head Office on Friday hoping to make an appointment. Oh, just turn up and they’ll see you, I was told. I did and they didn’t. There were lots of customers and very few staff. Appointment tomorrow has given me chance to review my course of action.

I am definitely going to have 2-yr ‘fixes’ at 6.05% on a large, lump sum that we won’t need. I am then going to put 2 x £20,000 into 2-yr ‘fix ISAs at 5.35% and hold back the same amount to take out more ISAs when we are able in April. The rest will go into Easy Access savings accounts at 4.25%. At last we will be making our money work and produce a return for the first time for years.

I was reading an interesting article in The Guardian this morning. It was about First Loves and the indelible, psychological imprint they leave upon one for years to follow. I thought I’d tell you about my first love.

‘Tricia Adams – ah, who could forget her? She was flighty and vivacious. She lived on the right hand side of Gordon Villas – a property built by Sanders & Son. On the left lived the much more dour Elizabeth MacDonald. Actually, I think I fancied ‘Tricia more because her Dad had a brand new, white Triumph Herald convertible than for her own charms. I did buy her a small, pink, plastic packet of hair grips and she bought me a large box of Liquorice Allsorts. I definitely came off best. We were both 7 and had our first kiss. Well, it was mine. I can’t vouch for her.

It didn’t last long because I moved on to Mary with the long, blond hair. She was the vicar’s daughter but I’ve never forgotten little ‘Tricia. Was it love? I suspect not. Mary was replaced by Anna, the daughter of Derby County’s Assistant Manager to Brian Clough. Free tickets were the attraction but it didn’t last long. I couldn’t perform well enough in the Disco. And so I arrived at Marilyn while I was in the 6th Form. She was lovely but not my love. I finished it awkwardly to go to College. Even so, they are indelibly imprinted on my memory banks.

Tuesday, 18th July, 2023

Gloriously hot and sunny day. We had to be out early to get to the Investment Bank branch. As ever, I was in tee shirt and shorts.

They were waiting for me. I think I had been so forceful yesterday that they hadn’t yet recovered. It took about an hour of paperwork. They filled all the forms in for me for three, separate accounts. Just as well. I’ve literally forgotten how to use a pen. I had to sign my name about 8 separate times and that was agony enough. Why everything can’t be done by computer, I have no idea.

Walking away, I felt a sense of euphoria at having everything settled. Investment is my responsibility and it is important to get it right. I have spent a few weeks preparing for this because I knew the dates were pending. Even after yesterday, rates had risen again this morning. At least I know that I have a very good deal in mixed investments over the next 2-3 years. I believe that I’ll look back at the age of 75 and think I’ve done alright. Rates in general should be well below where they are today. I’ve even been able to strike a deal that will allow me to keep the ISA rate that I’ve fixed today at 5.35% right through to a second tranche of £40,000.00 to invest in ISAs in April for the new tax year.

Back home, our electrician had arrived and was working on the garden lighting. He is a lovely lad who comes when we call and is always reasonably priced. We cut him two of the biggest lettuces to take away with him. I picked another huge batch of French Beans. I am absolutely loving them.

One of my little sisters – who can be very annoying – announced today that she had been invited back to coffee with the Duchess of Edinburgh and she was on her way to Bagshot Park. Skinny Lizzie, as she is known in the family, is Executive Director of Adult Social Care & Commissioning for Surrey. She can be an annoying little sod but I’m quite proud of her!

Wednesday, 19th July, 2023

Warm morning but not very sunny. No rain forecast although there’s a chance we might get some on Saturday evening. I will have to water for the next few days.

Got a meeting with the Oncologist on Friday to discuss the results of my blood tests. Hoping that PSA is down and testosterone is low. I then go on for a CT (computerised tomography) Scan in Brighton on Monday. The aim of this is to examine the tumours growth/shrinkage and to plot the radiotherapy beams when I start my treatment. I have rather pushed all this to the back of my mind just in order to get on with life. It has populated some of my dreams but receded in waking moments. Now it is coming to the forefront of the day.

I don’t want to feel like a patient. I want to be proactive and take charge of myself. It is much harder dealing with illness in ones you love than in oneself. It seems so much more painful to see someone suffering and not be able to do anything about it than to suffer oneself. I am definitely more comfortable being a giver than a receiver. I reside in the belief that I will live into my 90s, live to see great days still to come.

Kept active all day. Shopping, gardening, walking. Haven’t had time to watch the Test Match apart from snatches over a drink. The weather in Manchester appears to be a bit better than down here today although not as warm. We started off with blue skies but, as we walked around our development this afternoon, the grey clouds scudded across the blue expanse and threatened rain. The weather god seems not to have got the memo.. Better in Manchester? Nothing should be better in Manchester.

Thursday, 20th July, 2023

Really tired after not sleeping last night. Seems to be a regular feature now. Getting a bit jittery about a meeting with the Oncologist tomorrow for an interim assessment. Of course, it is with a consultant on a strike day. So far, I’ve heard nothing which I took as good news but then I heard a Hospital Manager interviewed this morning say in many cases they wouldn’t know until someone didn’t turn up for work so cancellations would be very ‘last minute’.

I’ve tried to phone the department this morning but a recorded voice says they can’t promise to respond within 24hrs so I might as well hold my breath. Had nice support from family and friends. My little sister, Cathy, who is just back from a Greek holiday, contacted me this morning to ask about my progress. I have to admit I am all over the place at the moment. The sands of time keep shifting. Got up to sunshine but now the clouds are darkening the sky. Cathy’s husband, who is much younger than me, has had really serious medical issues recently and is still in treatment. It all makes one feel old and sound boring, doesn’t it?

I’m in the final throes of moving money into new investment accounts. I love internet banking and digital financial management but when it comes down to pressing a SEND button to move thousands of pounds from one place to another, it is very nerve wracking. All the possibilities of it going astray rise in one’s mind. In fact, some relatives of ours had exactly that happen last year. About £250,000.00 was sent from a bank account to another country and it just didn’t turn up where it was expected. Can you imagine the nervous reaction one might have in that situation. We had to fill in the gap temporarily for them. In this case, it resolved itself but the converse is unthinkable.

There is often an agonising time lag between pressing SEND and the funds appearing in the account. For that reason, I never do it over a weekend because I would have no recourse to Banking help. Anyway, yesterday and today all transactions have gone through which is a great relief to a boring boy. My desk is now filled with Medical files and Financial ones can be put back in the filing cabinet. Apparently repeating yourself is an early sign of Dementia. Apparently repeating yourself is an early sign of Dementia.

It is 9.00 pm, and I am out walking alone. Really alone. I usually have a friend on my shoulder but not tonight. I have 3 miles to do to complete my target. I will do it but it seems so much further alone. Kevin, John & Julie have contacted me in the past hour but it’s not the same. Somehow, I still feel alone. I’m obviously mad!

My old friend, Peter Holgate contacted me to say he had gone out to vote in the Selby and Ainsty by-election and had high hopes of getting the Tories out. I do hope so. Peter is another of the band of 20 men in my college. He spent many years as a Primary Head Teacher.

Friday, 21st July, 2023

Out early this morning to the Oncology Department at Worthing Hospital. If you have to visit a hospital, this one is so human and welcoming. The artwork and gardens are delightful. Not sure today what I would find because of strike action.

My consultant was there and saw me early. He seemed very positive and optimistic. I was just pleased to see him at work on a strike day. He is taking his family to Greece next week so felt he should be in work. What a lovely man he is. I just love intelligent people.

My PSA – prostate-specific antigen – was 7.1 which rang alarm bells and started this whole process. The average level for a man of my age is 5.5. Today, after 5 months of hormone treatment, my PSA is just 0.3. Unfortunately, my radiotherapy treatment has been pushed back to start on October 11th for 4 weeks.

I have had to contact the hotel in the North that I’d booked for October and cancel. I am very disappointed that I won’t be able to visit my friends but, if I’m going to live, I will have time to rearrange. The good news is that we can have our 10 days in Athens at the end of August which I am really looking forward to.

Back home from the hospital, we have celebrated with a bottle of champagne and I am feeling a little euphoric. How things can change from one day to the next! Almost immediately, I experience the bathos that I would get when a longed for Summer Holiday from work finally arrived. The first evening I would move from elated to exhausted to inexplicably empty and wondering why.

Saturday, 22nd July, 2023

Lovely bright and warm morning although I’m told it is not as warm as I think it is. This hormone treatment is giving me sweats. Had a better night. Dreamt of Lunch with Rebecca-Jane. I never dream or, at least never remember it. In this case, I did very vivdly. We were in a restaurant decorated in muted greys with crisp, white cloths and glittering cutlery. A large lobster split down the centre with drizzled garlic butter was between us with a bottle of chilled Sancerre and sparkling glasses. She’s a professor of English Lit. now you know. Gone now.

When people can be so cold?
They’ll hurt you, yes, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh, but don’t you let them …

You’ve got a Friend

Who thought it would be good to hold a vital Ashes Test in MANCHESTER? Sheer madness! England are by far the superior side but will draw the match and lose the series because of MANCHESTER!!

Fly to Athena in just over 4 weeks so I’m going to work harder on my diet and fitness before that. I’ve then got about 6 weeks until my radiotherapy and I don’t really know how that will affect me yet. They say it makes one very tired but they said that about the hormone treatment and I’ve managed to work through that. Ignore the advice and NEVER GIVE UP has usually worked for me so that’s what I will do.

My photo bank threw up a memory from 20 years ago this morning. Soon after the building of our Greek house was completed in the early 2000s, we were adopted by a ferral cat who was pregnant. My nearest experience to Fatherhood. We imaginatively named her Mother Cat as she soon gave birth and presented us with one ginger and one tabby kitten who just as imaginatively became known as Tabs and Ginge.

The hardest part of leaving after a 6 months stay was deserting the cats. We felt we were abandoning them. Fortunately, Mother Cat always came back the moment we returned and charged up to the house to greet us/demand food. After a hard winter, she would look malnourished and unkempt. After a month of two meals a day, she started looking sleek and had put on some weight ready to produce more offspring and, by the end of our 6 months’ stay, she looked like the most contented cat you could imagine.

It is a month until we fly but Easyjet emailed me this morning to say I could Checkin online immediately. It is all too easy now. We have no ‘Hold’ luggage so we can take a large cabin bag each and a small bag each. Checking in on-line saves so much time and then we just go straight through security at the airport and avoid queuing at bag-drop at all.

We still have the ignominy of the queue at the Non-Eu Gates in Athens, the careful check of the passport, the stern surveillance stare and the thud of the passport stamp. We are definitely outsiders now.

Sunday, 9th July, 2023

Rain over night but the early morning has opened dry and warm. Went out early to walk on the beach. The sea had deserted the land. Glowering clouds blanketed the skies. The air was warm and motionless. The colours muted, downbeat.

I’ve been struggling to live with myself for a while. I seem to be running to stand still. Physically, mentally and emotionally, I am struggling to adjust to failure, to loss, to impending pain. I feel like I am going through the motions, playing out time to some inevitability. All sounds very self-indulgent and defeatist. Ultimately, it isn’t. In some respects, it takes a lot of courage to articulate one’s fears and disappointments and publicly admit them. It is also the first stage to confronting them. I’m told I shouldn’t be surprised by this because of my drugs but I am.

If there is one thing I know about myself it is that I NEVER give in. At the moment, however, I am carrying a weight around with me and it is colouring my days. Trying to keep busy to stop my thoughts. Night time is the worst. Poor sleep. Constantly waking. Radio on. Concentrate on the news and not on myself. In the early hours of this morning, it was a philosophical exploration of Living in the Moment accompanied by complementary music which only served to move me more. The topic was something I find difficult to do. Everything must be planned and controlled. Outcomes must be predictable. At the moment, I have little control of events.

Currently, I am using gardening to distract me. Actually, I am finding that the names of plants I grew for years in Yorkshire but which I haven’t grown over the last decade down here are eluding me. Hope it’s not a sign of dementia. I’m forgetting birthday dates as well.

At least with plants I have an app which helps me. Google have brought out a new app called Google Lens which allows one to photograph a plant and it instantly matches it to other images in its bank and names them. Goodness knows what I do about birthdays.

Monday, 10th July, 2023

Woken to a lovely, sunny day. There is a feeling about the world that it is bursting with bounty. My garden is throwing out more produce than we can eat. Rather than relax and enjoy the season, Nature – birds and plants – is rushing to fruition. You may know, Dear Reader, the lines from Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot:

They give birth astride of a grave,
the light gleams an instant,
then it’s night once more.

Life is only a brief flash of time, an instant, and then death is the inevitable end. Time is ultimately rather meaningless when one’s whole lifetime is condensed into a brief moment.

It is only early July and yet blackberries are rushing to fruit and ripen. Birds all around are testing their readiness for sweet and succulent food.

On our walk this morning a wonderful Buddleia Bush is in full bloom. Of course, it is known as the Butterfly Bush and, true to its name, this one was covered in Butterflies. Nothing very unusual but quite spectacular in colour as it pursues its short life as a winged insect.

It is strange to think of the time continuum as a human and translate it into the lifespan of a mayfly, a butterfly, a bird or a rabbit. We see ourselves on this earth forever but a day for a mayfly is a life for a man. The speed at which things must resolve themselves if you only live for 24 hours! Life flutters by in the blink of an eye.

The awful thing for man is that, not only do we have the ability to be self reflective but we have the time as well. I suspect this butterfly won’t experience angst, ambition, rejection, failure, disappointment. It won’t agonise over achievement or longevity. Its time continuum is preordained … subject to predators.

Tuesday, 11th July, 2023

Up and out walking at 5.00 am on a warm and pleasant morning. No point just lying in bed when I could be active. Back for Breakfast and then watering all the pots and raised beds in the garden. Now, an hour in the Gym. Lots to get through today. Watched a new episode of Long Lost Family last night and I’ve still got the sadness of it populating my mind as I go about my daily tasks. Going to spend some time on the Ancestry website over the next few days.

M&K were back up in Oldham over the weekend with their three adopted lads for a family wedding. Aren’t wedding photos the very core of historical records?

Rediscovering the past is so important and I am travelling back to Greater Manchester to revisit my History. On the loose around old stomping grounds is a lovely feeling. Surprise visits are on the cards! It was 23C and sunny when we left the South Coast. After an hour we were at Toddington Services in light cloud.

An hour and a half later, we had driven through a cloud burst which obliterated the motorway markings as we arrived at Leicester Forrest.

The journey has taken 4.5 hours. Quite delightful. Quiet, traffic free without problem. A24/M25/M1/M26 – all notorious roads but, today, really nice to drive.

By the time we arrived at our Yorkshire hotel, the world was delightful. We were welcomed with a lovely room, completed my exercise routine in the Gym and relaxed into the comfort of familiarity. Can’t wait to see people over the next few days!

Wednesday, 12th July, 2023

Up and out walking at 5.00 am. Cool and gloomy sky. Walking for about an hour and a half. Back for Breakfast. Won’t eat that again!

With a black suit and tie on, I drove across the Pennines to Oldham. The scene was suitably sombre as we drove. Wore a suit every work day for 40 years. Putting one on today felt nice/weird.

The funeral was an atheistic service which suited me. Met quite a few ex-pupils and teachers who had been friends of Joyce & Harry. Good to see them again although we both agreed that we could never live back here again. The housing stock and the landscape makes it feel like the century before last. Antiquated, unforgiving, impoverished, harsh, there was nothing to recommend it other that the familiarity of the past.

The service for Joyce was lovely. It was sad but reaffirming. I looked around the congregation and wondered who would be at my funeral. Would you, Dear Reader? Don’t worry, I won’t blame you if you swerve it.

I will never give up. At the end of the afternoon, came back from Oldham to complete my exercise routine. It was hard but required. I’m still working to stay alive until someone tells me otherwise.

Thursday, 13th July, 2023

Up at 5.00 am. Out walking. Actually quite warm and pleasant … well for Yorkshire. At least 13C/57F … felt like Winter. Did 5 miles before Breakfast. Definitely won’t be eating that again. The hotel gives the impression of classical splendour but fails on both ancient and modern accounts.

The bed was terrible. I really didn’t sleep at all. For £170.00 per night it was poor. That was the price of a fairly ordinary room. Because we were there at short notice, we had to take what was available. It was poor.

At least the view was good and the weather was dry. You could still hear the M62 droning away in the distance but, other than that, the prospect was lovely.

The drive back was really good. The M1 and M25 were excellent. A sign of the times, we managed to drive home on a tank of petrol with 200 miles to spare. A hybrid engine is so economical that we can do almost 500 miles on one tank of unleaded at motorway speeds.

I was using a newish radar trap warning app which sits on my smartphone on the trickle charger in my car. It gives multiple audible warnings of approaching speed cameras and reminds us of the speed. Tested it out today. It was never wrong.

Friday, 14th July, 2023

I was tired last night after a 5 hr drive and then a shopping trip. Went to bed early and slept right through to 5.30 am. Something of an achievement at the moment. Had to be up early on this overcast but incredibly warm morning. Expected to see rain but it was dry. I had an 8.30 am appointment at the surgery. As usual now, the waiting room was almost empty – just me and two girls.

I signed in on my phone and was told my blood test would be performed by Miss Lovelock. Sounded promising. I sat down and read messages on my phone. I was so engrossed that one of the girls suddenly said, Are you John Sanders? Thought it was a chat-up line but it appears my name had come up twice already on the waiting room screen. Unfortunately, Miss Lovelock turned out to be a 40 something bruiser with butterflies tattooed up her arms. She hurt me with the needle and my arm bled quite badly afterwards.

My blood test was to check my PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and testosterone levels. Hopefully, the prostate has shrunk and, with it, the cancer. I’ve always had too much testosterone so I hope that is lower at the moment as well. Apparently, testosterone feeds the cancer so reducing levels will starve it at the same time as the hormone treatment shrinks it. How much medical science one acquires when one’s life is in danger.

One of the lovely things about yesterday was to be reunited with Dr Andrew Jones, Joyce’s son. I last saw him in the 1970s when he was a quiet, polite and timid little lad in my English class. He went to London University to do a Science Degree and then came back to Leeds to do a Doctorate. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts to work as a Medical Scientist, married a Boston girl in the same profession and has never returned – apart from for fleeting visits.

It was really good to see him again after all these years and to meet his wife, Kirsten. They are very keen for us to go over and stay with them in Boston. We could combine it with a trip to Florida. Co-incidentally, my boyhood friend, Jonathan, has lived in Boston since the early 1970s with his wife, Cathy. I have been meaning to visit them for some time. I can feel a trip coming on.

Saturday, 15th July, 2023

Very humid night and incredibly humid morning. I’m feeling OLD! I saw a photo of my face from just 6 years ago and I looked so YOUNG. Whenever I meet people and tell them my age, they always affect surprise. I have no way of knowing if they mean it. I chose to believe them and flattered myself. I’m beginning to think I was wrong. Got up to go to the loo in the night and could hardly get my legs going. It shocks me. I do walk 10 miles every day and carry round the residual tiredness that my legs suffer from that but, compared to my 20s, I recover less quickly. The trouble is that I fear the act of admitting it to myself and to you, Dear Reader, will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Driving back from the savages in the North can be a journey into sophistication. Leaving behind the Land of Fish & Chips, a more delicate and nuanced cuisine prevails. En route this time, we stopped off at Toddington Service Station in Bedfordshire. There was a charity book sale as we walked in and I spotted immediately this book:

It is French and totally in French but the recipes are wonderful. Have you been to Lyon? I stayed in a hotel there en route as we drove to Italy. I need to explore it more if this recipe for Filets of Carp with Frogs Legs and Snails in a butter sauce with garlic and chervil is anything to go by. This is how the world should be fed!

Of course, it would have to be accompanied by these wonderful yellow, French Beans. There is little choice. I have a glut from really only about 15 plants. We are going to be eating them hot with garlic or cold with mayonnaise for weeks. I’m hoping these beans have a rejuvenating element and that I can turn back the ravages of time.

Sunday, 2nd July, 2023

Glorious Summer’s morning after a hot and humid night with a wonderful almost full moon. Back to garden watering this morning. My friend, Kevin, is off to Benidorm for the fourth time this year already and Summer has really arrived there.

He has had quite patchy weather previously but this week, it will be perfect. I envy him that but not the location. If only Lancashire could be like this..

Yesterday, I was proudly showcasing produce from my garden and, this morning, my Memory Box threw up this from 2010 in my Greek kitchen. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

Be quite nice to be reading the Sunday Times on our patio and under our pergola this morning but … it’s not to be. There are other things to look forward to.

Monday, 3rd July, 2023

Lovely morning again. Going for an early walk. Had an absolutely terrible day yesterday – the worst for a long time. Agonisingly tired all day from the moment I got up until I went to bed. Sweating profusely. Skin itching. Very emotional. I had to fight all day to do my exercise and fight back my emotions. Nearly lost!

Today, after my walk, I am driving to the Royal Sussex Cancer Centre in Brighton and The Macmillan Centre. This is a dummy run. We have been warned by friends and medics that the journey is a nightmare and parking is even worse. I am given a ‘free parking’ pass but, if the small carpark is full, I will have a real problem.

Well, the drive down was better than expected – about 40 mins with reasonable traffic at 10.30 am. Brighton is an amalgam of the old, 19th century glory and the brand, spanking new which a rich city can afford. The medical centres are no different.

The Cancer Centre is state-of-the-art and leading facility in the country. Having walked past the old and gulped, the new is really impressive and the support is wonderful. Even the coffee bar and restaurant is airport style.

I was greeted warmly and really reassured by the service. I have to go for a CT scan in Brighton towards the end of the month which will tell me how well the hormone treatment is working and tell the radiographers where to target the beam when I go for my next stage of treatment which should be towards the end of August and just after I come back from Athens. Let’s hope that it turns out to be worth it!

Tuesday, 4th July, 2023

A warm night and the early morning has brought light, sporadic rain. We currently need heavy rain and we are grateful for anything.

With the hot, humid weather we have been having for weeks and my consistent watering, everything is growing like mad. I am being threatened by a glut of lettuces, endive and courgette. The first meals are great – fresh, clean produce from the garden – but you can have too much of a good thing. On the plus side, all this lettuce is helping me to lose weight and get back towards normal.

Just got to get on with life while it gets on with me. Not going to be messed about by anyone. At 9.30am, the sun is out now and I’m going out for a long walk. As we drove home from Brighton yesterday, our Gym Machine Service Engineer texted to say he could arrive a day early. Fantastic! He arrived ten minutes after we got home and fixed the problem in 20 mins. Makes me feel totally inadequate. Today we’ve got a plumber coming to fix a small leak under one of the bathrooms’ basins. Should be simple for an expert. At one time, I might have attempted it myself but, these days, I’d rather an expert did it for me.

Today, I am going to spend a second bout of time on something I am quite good at – investing money. I have most of our ‘fixed’ investment accounts coming to maturity this month and it is a really interesting time in the financial markets. A lot of our money will be coming out of ‘fixes’ just under 3% and I can now get fixes at around double that. I’m looking at Investec Bonds at 5.85% for a 3-year fix. This is important if you have money you can do without for 3 years because rates, while not quite at peak yet, are not far off.

I will take this but the problem with it is that we will go well over the unearned income allowance for 2 people of £2,000.00 per year so we will definitely pay a lot of tax on it this year. The one way to mitigate that is to take out ISAs which are tax-free. Everyone went off ISAs because the rates were so low. Now, they are back with a bang and I have selected Virgin Money 3-yr fix at 5.2%.

These are rates only dreamed of for the past decade and to get them fixed for 3 years is a real bonus. The downside is, I can only put £40,000.00 in now and have to wait until April before I can put another £40,000.00 in.

Fixed rates do allow withdrawals but a penalty accompanies that so I will need to put some into a rainy day/easy access account. I can even do that at 4.25% at the moment. Mark my words, these rates will seem fantastic in a couple of years time when all around us they are falling for new money. Happy days!

Wednesday, 5th July, 2023

Torrential rain over night. Wonderful to hear. This morning the world looks fresher and cleaner. The lawns are already greening back up. Warm and dry as we went out early to Worthing. My in-house tailor has been struggling to maintain the integrity of my suit jacket sleeves with its 4-button vent. I suggested from the outset that we farm it out to a private concern but she wanted to do it herself. It is so long winded and difficult that I have won the battle and I found a company last night which will do it for us urgently.

I decided to be there early in order to get it done and I was proved right. The works is down a quaint, 18th century alleyway that would have originally been formed out of fishermen’s cottages some of which are still standing. Lovely people who have been running it for almost 30 years. They are snowed under and were, initially, reluctant to take it on at short notice but a little charm and a bit of cash go a long way and it will be ready for Saturday.

We have lived here for 7 years now and walked down the main street at the end of the alleyway without ever noticing it. There are lots of little concerns down here including a bakery, an ‘alternative’ jewellers and one which might interest my little sister who lives about 5 miles away. She is mad as a hatter and has been Vegan for years. Can’t be many places specialise in services for lunatics but this is one.

We eat Pesto so often that my in-house chef make lots of it at home. If you’ve ever bought a commercial jar of ‘Pesto’ and tried it, you may never eat it again but, trust me, home-made pesto is a totally different and infinitely superior thing. I grow the Basil in the garden and Pauline makes copious amounts of pesto with it. Last year I grew lots of Basil but less this year for a reason.

Pesto is made from Basil, Pine Nuts, Garlic, Parmesan Cheese and Olive Oil. These ingredients are all blended together and can be stored frozen. That’s exactly what my chef does. We are just finishing 2021 pesto and starting last years.

Today, we did a stock check before harvesting Basil for this year. We still have over 100 portions left. Chef knows the amount of pesto we are allowed in our calorie controlled diet each meal and portions it up for freezing. Today chef will be harvesting, chopping and freezing a field of Parsley and then make the first batch of 2023 Pesto. This evening, Dinner will be Roast salmon with Pesto Crust and Green salad from the garden. Got to finish my Gym session first.

Thursday, 6th July, 2023

A really lovely morning with blue sky and sunshine and high humidity again. The garden is at that perfect state on the pivot between full grown and over blown. As August develops, plants will start to go over, become overgrown and turning to seed and thoughts will turn to Autumn. The Child in the Grave. A theme for life. From Cradle to Grave.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted …

Ecclesiastes

Today is Cosmos Day for me although they have been flowering for weeks and will go on until the frosts. They will be approaching their best in the next couple of weeks.

Hot, sunny weather and a good drink brings most things to fruition – even me – and that’s what these Mixed-Colour Cosmos are showing this morning.

Whatever you think of the advance of New Technology and however it frightens you, it is essential to embrace it. Otherwise, you will be increasingly left behind. You only have to look at the closure of Bank branches, the reduction of Post Offices, the closure of Rail Ticket Offices, the increasing access of Government services on-line, the way Health services from the NHS are to be rationalised through on-line delivery with remote consultations, etc, to know that you just cannot afford to be left behind.

Today, a new social media facility has started to challenge Twitter. I communicate with lots of people on Twitter every day but, recently it has become uncomfortable with the ownership of Elon Musk and now, Facebook/Instagram have launched a new platform called Threads. I have downloaded it this morning and will trial it during the day. See you on Threads! Well, maybe not you!

I drive a Honda CRV Self-Charge Hybrid car. I have been demanding of Honda that they upgrade this model to a Plug-in Hybrid but the biggest drawback of all is the Range that is possible between charges. I want to drive around Europe without having to search for and spend hours waiting for my car to re-charge.

Well, this morning, Toyota have announced the holy grail. They have developed a new battery that will allow me to drive London to Milan – a drive I have done many times – before needing to re-charge and that re-charge will only take 10 mins. I won’t necessarily be buying a Toyota but I will be personally demanding Honda produce the same.

Friday, 7th July, 2023

Gorgeously hot and sunny morning. Not a cloud in the sky. Poor night’s sleep again. Up early. I’m going to the Beautician’s. Not personally, of course, but I am chauffeuring. My next door neighbour texted me this morning to ask permission if he can mow his lawn. I have been regrowing it for him because it had almost totally died. I went to have a look this morning and it is lush, green and long. Just right for its first cut. He is delighted and I am relieved.

The day just got hotter as it developed. We reached 28C/83F at peak and I both gardened and walked in it. Kevin was sea swimming in Benidorm and the temperature was just a little warmer but not much. Julie was only 18C/65F but was delighted her car had passed its MOT. What is an MOT? I’ve never had one. John R is out cycling in 26C/79F and even Wales was dry.

Lovely to pick beans for our Dinner. They are producing quite a yield. Good job I love them. It is 9 years ago today that we sold our Greek home. It was a screamingly hot night – in the 30sC/90sF – at 9.00 pm in the evening in the office of our friend, Elerania Milliotie, the Notary.

Unlike any transaction of a house sale in UK where solicitors exchange monies electronically into Bank Accounts, we were paid for our Greek house in cash – hundreds of thousands of bank notes which we were expected to count out in front of our purchasers who were paying us. I found the whole thing rather embarrassing, almost demeaning but the reason was that our buyers didn’t want the tax authorities to know how much they were paying us and so would have to pay tax on it.

Our only problem was converting cash to a Greek bank account entry without being asked where it had come from. Fortunately, we had spent time cultivating workers in the Bank of Greece and the Piraeus Bank who looked kindly on us and passed the transactions through with a blind eye. We stayed in the house for a week after the sale as we packed up and prepared for the drive home. We felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to buy and own the land, to design and have the house built and live in it for almost 15 years. But we equally felt grateful that we had found a great buyer and we could take our investment home for future use.

It is 7.30 pm. I have just completed my Gym routine. The temperature outside is still 27C/81F and sultry. Air conditioning and a Netflix film tonight. I have walked 10 miles, cut 6 lawns, reseeded a neighbour’s lawn and done a Gym routine. You would expect me to sleep. Testament to the turmoil I am in that I rarely do.

Saturday, 8th July, 2023

Incredibly hot and humid night. The temperature didn’t fall below 20C/68F and it was 23C/74 as we set off for Worthing at 9.00 am. Air conditioning in the bedroom on full. Woke up in the night and was so cold I couldn’t feel my limbs. Not good when you’re going to the loo. Air conditioning on in the car on icy so getting out in town feels like getting off the plane at a Mediterranean airport. My glasses steam up.

Picked up my altered suit. Fantastic quality. Lovely people. So cheap. I will always use them in future. went on to M&S to collect an order and so it was I found myself photographing the Bra displays. Two women went past saying, We’ve heard about men like you. I thought, I bet you haven’t. but I actually said, I’m doing it to show my friends. I don’t think that improved the situation.

Back to do grocery shopping. A lot of our produce is from the garden at the moment. In fact, my heart sinks a bit when I see this in the kitchen. One thing we can’t grow is low calorie frozen yoghurt lollies. I am addicted to them.

We get them in Sainsbury’s. Low calorie, sweet and creamy. What’s not to like? It looks ominously like they are discontinuing this stock.

Sunday, 25th June, 2023

Scorching hot morning after very humid night. Still no sign of rain although we could get a little bit on Thursday. Had to go down to Next to return a suit which was ‘rubbish’! On to a Pickup Shop to collect an order from La Redoute for my Butler and then into Worthing to go to M&S for some white shirts.

The coast road was busy, lined with parked cars. As we went in to M&S, one side of the Pier was very quiet.

As we came out with some shirts, the other side of the pier was quite busy. Always shocks us the ‘holiday’ feel this hot weather generates down here. Someone said to me recently that it was so hot that there was no need to go abroad. I love ‘abroad’. I don’t go for a holiday. It takes me out of my ‘comfort zone’ and forces me to come to terms with Language, Culture, Conventions – in fact, everything that goes to make up a Culture. I am not drawn by the tourist ‘must sees’. I am much more into sitting with a cup of coffee or a glass/bottle of wine and watching the world go by. You can learn so much of the milieu that way.

We’ve spent a week in Thessaloniki, a week in Northern France, we are going to Athens for a week in late August and may slot another week in France before that. This morning, I’ve been researching hotels in Napoli. Always wanted to visit. You know what they say, See Naples and Die. I though we could test the theory. Actually, what it really means is Naples is so beautiful that one needn’t look upon anything else after seeing it. We’ll see.

Monday, 26th June, 2023

Lovely, sunny morning. Another gardening day. The French Beans are beginning to ‘fruit’ quite quickly now which is encouraging. Going to re-seed some patches of my neighbours’ garden this morning while they are out at work. Although it will need heavy watering, this temperature should be perfect for quick germination.

I noticed that Northern England has a Weather Alert for strong winds and big hail today. Warned Julie that her strawberries and other allotment vegetables are in danger. Mind you, short of erecting a huge tent, I’m not sure what she can do about it.

I have been praying for rain for some time. As I don’t believe in divine intervention, you won’t be surprised that my prayers have not been answered. We might get a little bit of light rain over night Thursday-Friday but it means, otherwise, I am having to provide it manually myself. It’s very time consuming.

I have never been a natural lover of discotheques or ‘pop’ music. I never liked Elton John’s records. I had been to a few discos to meet girls in my school days but never felt comfortable. I like talking to people and discos are definitely not the places for that. Hot, sweaty, noisy, having to shout to be heard. It really isn’t me. The first disco I walked into at College in 1969 was held in the Drama Room. The first record being played as I walked in was Elton John although I can’t remember what. I had never heard of him although my girlfriend at the time had. I tried to be impressed but failed. I tried to enjoy disco dancing …. but failed.

I don’t listen to or watch ‘pop’ music these days. I have never been to a ‘Pop Concert’ or Festival in my life but I indulged Pauline last night in watching Elton John as he closed the 2023 Glastonbury. The Elton John of 2023 is a bloated, terribly bewigged, queen who sounds rather more a semi-drunken ‘pub singer’ than the giant of popular music he is revered for. And yet, I found it genuinely emotional. I had a tear in my eye for this tableau of my times. Elton John is almost a symbol of all our aging. From slim, hairy youth to bloated, gold-lammied, hirsute, old age, performing for the ‘last time’.

It is time to admit that I only ever bought one vinyl record in my life. It was ….. Cat Stevens: Mathew & Son. I played it loudly at home (the home built by Sanders & Son) and was very disappointed that my Mother loved it. It was fascinating to see a white haired, white bearded Cat Stevens at Glastonbury.

He is equally a symbol of the change in times. Although born in London, he was of Greek Cypriot origin and his real name was Demetre Georgiou. He had to anglicise that to Cat Stevens for the ‘pop’ market in the 1960s-70s but then converted to Islam and felt able to come out publicly as Yusuf Islam. Now, a white haired old man just 2 years older than me. We are all aging and I don’t like it. All lives end in tragedy. Just don’t let it happen too soon!

Tuesday, 27th June, 2023

There is something nice about doing things for nice people, particularly the people who live around us. They are bright, clever, hardworking, enthusiastic people pushing themselves to achieve for their families. They all do significant, well-paid jobs which demand a high level of commitment. They want their street to look good but are cash-rich and time-poor. I don’t need cash but I have time so I’ve voluntarily taken on some garden maintenance work. I can spend hours outside in the sunshine and expend energy at the same time.

Yesterday morning, I was working on my next door neighbours’ lawn re-seeding some faded patches. I raked out the old grass and bent down to pick it up thrusting a sharpened end of a pruned branch straight into my right eye. Only those who have been close to me will know that I was born blind in my left eye so any threat to the other one is panic stations.

I don’t panic often but I have lived my life trying to protect my ‘good’ eye. They tried to stop me playing Rugby and fighting but, as a lad, they were on a loser. However, any threat to my eyesight has been taken seriously immediately. Can’t believe how lucky I have been. Blood from the wound has seeped into the corner of my eye and the flesh around it is quite deeply gashed but I’ll live to fight another day. Always enjoyed fighting.

My Dresser has found me a reasonable suit for my trip to Lancashire. The only thing is that every suit I’ve ever bought ‘off the peg’ has to be adjusted on the arms. I inherited my Dad’s short arms. That didn’t help with the fighting. Just means I have to hit harder. Anyway, the sleeves will need turning up by a couple of inches.

Of course, then we (She) have the job of parcelling up the other suits and sending them back. This means a trip to a ‘ Returns Shop’ – the Co-Op, in this case, near the station which means a forever wait for commuter trains to pass by. Am I impatient? Yes, for so many things and time is diminishing.

On the way back home we learnt that Kirsty & Phil were filming Location, Location, Location in the village. Look forward to watching that one.

Wednesday, 28th June, 2023

A very humid and still morning after a bad night. I’m just not sleeping well, waking at 1.30 am and 3.30 am. Put the radio on and listened to the BBC World Service – a programme about Nuclear Reactors in Japan – which sent me back to sleep. At least the radio works in blocking out the disturbing stream of thoughts …

Last night I watched Newsnight just before bed. Had to turn it off part way through because it upset me so much. The subject was Food Poverty in UK. The programme featured a group of ‘older’ residents in Gateshead. They all ‘survived’ just on a State Pension. How anybody does that goodness knows but these poor people were cutting back on everything and, particularly, food.

One lady only ate every two days. A man had one meal a day and tried to substitute any other food by filling up on coffee and tea. He had dropped from 17st to 11st in one year. One lonely lady said she could no longer have her grandchildren to stay because she couldn’t afford to feed them and when the wider family invited her out to eat, she starved herself for two days to ensure she could afford to contribute. And here I am, a man trying desperately not to eat to much!

This hormone treatment makes me rather more emotional than usual but this really got to me. It is unbearable to think of such hardship. I had paid £200.00 for a fish delivery and these people were right on the edge of survival. The irony is that it has taken so long for people to rumble the Tories. I remember being so angry to hear a Northerner say, I’m voting Tory because they’ve given us so many more foodbanks than Labour would do – as if that was a sign of beneficence. I shouldn’t have been surprised when Tory MPs and Councillors had publicity shots taken of them celebrating the local foodbank.

I went to bed with a tear in my eye and woke up AGAIN at 3.30 am. My damaged eye seems to have developed a bit of infection in spite of the ministrations of my Home Carer. I have got some eyedrops I picked up in Worthing this morning but I may need a stronger antiseptic.

Of course, we’ve got the best part of another year with this government and inflation will be with us throughout that period. The Bank of England forecast an inflation (CPI) rate of 7.2% by September and 5% by year end. That is beginning to look a little optimistic but, even if it is correct, it means that State Pensions and Public Sector workers’ pensions (Teachers) will increase by the September figure. Ironically, I’m expecting to add the equivalent of our joint State Pensions in investment earnings as well. Money makes money. Poverty kills.

This cost of living crisis is killing the Tories. Sunak looked really out of his depth in PMQs this morning. His back benchers were thin on the ground and quiet in support. So many of them are stepping down at the next election. Their polling adviser has told back benchers that if they don’t have a majority of more than 15,000 then they are ‘toast’.

Thursday, 29th June, 2023

Another poor night. What a tormented, weak specimen I am. Woken to flashes of lightning and distant rumbles of thunder at around 4.30 am. The storm didn’t come closer but when we got up before 7.00 am, it had rained which was something to be thankful for. The morning is dry now because, in Sussex, we voted to have rain delivered just over night so that the days are free for ‘playing out’.

Last night, one of the girls – Sharon – whose lawn I have been trying to revive, came over with a large and expensive bouquet of flowers. It made me feel awful because I can’t cope with things like that. I’m definitely a giver not a taker. Even so, they are absolutely lovely. To make myself feel better, I’m going to give her a bottle of champagne and get her Whatsapp contact so that I can send her a photo of the flowers.

The package next to the flowers I took in for another neighbour, Jill, who is away in Calabria, Italy. I Whatsapp-ed her to tell her the sex-toy had arrived. She seemed quite pleased.

News in the political world just gets better day by day:

1. The Lords vote down significant sections of the Illegal Migration Bill (Screams of horror from the Daily Fail / Daily Express readers).
   
2. The Commons Privileges Committee releases a secondary report naming a list of the lunatics who supported Johnson even though they knew he had lied and attacked the committee members to try and influence the decision. Threats were issued by people like Mad Nad Dorries, supine Rees-Smugg, (Not so) Priti Patel, etc.. No longer will parliament accept their shenanigans.
   
3. The much vaunted Rwanda migrant plan has been ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal. Suella Braverman’s dream is crushed and one of Sunak’s 5 pledges is thwarted. At least they can console themselves that the Home Office economic assessment of £169,000.00 per migrant exported will be saved.

Friday, 30th June, 2023

A cooler, fresher day after the humidity of the past month. Last day of June already. Just preparing to go up to Lancashire for a few days. Having my seamstress alter my new suit. Short arms demand shorter sleeves. The trouble it poses is for the 4 buttons and the lining but my worker will manage it!

Don’t you just hate it when a line of communication suddenly breaks down? Makes you feel cut off! We have 5 Sky-Q boxes around the house and one in the Gym. Every morning Breakfast is accompanied by BBC R4 Today. Intelligent, quality analysis of the political and societal scene. We receive it digitally through the Sky -Q box in the Kitchen. It is a routine. This morning, the software failed on the Q-box. Ultimately, I managed to fix it but wonder how Pauline would have done it on her own. Amazing how an ordinary and routine thing can put one out.

Later in the day, our mobile texting service stopped working. Resetting phones, checking EE site for reported faults, reinstalling text apps – all to no avail. Incredibly frustrating. It really gets to me. If there’s a problem, I have to solve it. I have to say that we virtually never have a problem with EE but then we pay quite a lot for the service but you only miss it when it’s gone like so many things. Anyway, in age, I am learning to take it patiently and a long walk in the rain found the problem solved on my return.

You may have noticed that I am fixated on the weather. I have a very good weather app on my phone, another on my iPad and I use the BBC on my computer. It is not just mine but places I visit regularly, places I used to live in, places that friends live in, etc.. BBC weather used to be provided by the government’s Met. Office for years. Recently, they have dropped the Met and taken on a private concern called MeteoGroup. Many people think that was a mistake and the accuracy has been compromised. Certainly, I find my phone app much more targeted and accurate. Yesterday, the BBC Weather site had every area in the country experiencing 7C for the foreseeable future. It looked as if winter had returned. How would I know the best time to walk? At the same time, we were enjoying a sweaty, humid 23C/71F. Anyway, today order is restored. Looks wet in Wales.

To cap a week of breakdowns, the treadmill I bought just under three years ago developed a fault as I tried to balance and tighten the belt. It was beyond my capabilities to fix so we drove down to Shoreham on Sea where JTX – the company we bought it from – are sited. So pleased that we decided to go for the top of the range model because it has been fantastic, comes with an annual service and 3 yr warranty. It cost just a bit more than two subscriptions to David Lloyd Health Club for a year so it has already paid its way. JTX were fantastic and will have an engineer out to repair it on Tuesday.

Until then, I am relying on good, warm weather for outdoor walking plus my static bike and rowing machine. Really need to do more rowing. I’m not good at it!

Saturday, 1st June, 2023

New month, new start, new hope. You know what I mean. All things will go well and all manner of things will go well. Kevin is flying to Spain for the 4th time this year. Our neighbours, John & Jill are flying back from Calabria where they have had a wonderful week. I’m going to …. Lancashire soon.

Today, I have been out in the garden picking the produce of my labours: Courgettes, Ruby Oak-Leaved Lettuce and Green (Yellow) Beans. The Tomatoes were grown by Sainsburys. We’ll be eating these this weekend. They have only travelled 30 mtrs from soil to plate without any chemical treatments. Whatever they are like, we are bound to think they taste better than shop bought. Julie sent me a photo of her first pick of peas this morning. She seemed to be happy with them

My sister, Ruth, and her husband, Kevan, are celebrating their 51st wedding anniversary today. We wish them a happy day and many more to come.

Down here it’s a hot and sultry morning. We haven’t had anywhere near as much rain as we need. Guess what I’m doing … going out for a walk. I really am pleased with my improving fitness again now. I am achieving 9 miles every day for the past week, month and year so I think I’m fighting through the hormone treatment. As someone said the other day, never give up. I won’t!

I am certainly not giving up on Europe and the pendulum is definitely swinging back. At last, all over the media, people are feeling free to observe the Brexit-effect on trade, imports, jobs, travel, education and the finer things of life. I have always believed that it would be reversed eventually and I really think I will live to celebrate the day. You can celebrate it with me, Dear Reader!

Sunday, 18th June, 2023

A hot and humid night which was punctuated by lots of flashes of lightning and, it appears this morning, a bit of rain. Thank goodness for the air conditioning. The morning has opened with beautiful sunshine but still very humid and sweaty. Orange juice and porridge for Breakfast. Nice to get back to it.

Kevin sent me, with pride, a photo of his newly mowed lawn this morning and it didn’t escape either of us that we would never have predicted back in 1969 that we would end up talking about that sort of ‘grass’. He is going back to Benidorm for a few days soon for another birthday celebration. He tried to get me to go with him before and I have already told him it just doesn’t appeal to me. Today, he sent me this note of optimism.

It is a wonderfully optimistic approach to this morning. The monkey could be around quite a long time. Hard Luck! It produced such a wave of optimism in me that I have pledged to Kevin that, if we both reach the age of 96, I will accompany him to Benidorm and I will …. sing Karaoke with him. I hope I haven’t let myself in for something I will suffer for. I don’t even know if Kevin can sing the aria, Sono andati? – Puccini’s La Boheme. Still he’s got time to learn it.

There’s a possibility we might get some rain for a couple of hours this evening. I do hope so. It will save me the trouble. Anyway, going out for a couple of hours walk in this hot sunshine this morning. Our lettuces are ready to cut so griddled tuna steaks with homegrown salad for our meal in the garden today. Just think of all that life I could have missed, all those happy moments.

Monday, 19th June, 2023

We heard last night that Pauline’s cousin, Joyce, died on Saturday at the age of 87. She had been in Oldham Royal for 7 weeks because she fell and broke her hip. Having been repaired, she was moved, temporarily, to a rehabilitation placement to help her learn to walk again. It was there that she contracted Sepsis and died. How often do you hear that sort of event? I always used to laugh at old people refusing to go into hospital for fear of never coming out but there is obviously a kernel of truth in it. Hospital settings are breeding grounds for infection.

We had a couple of hours of light but consistent rain yesterday and this morning has opened warm, humid and overcast. Came home from a long, hot week in France to find the garden had survived and grown extremely strongly.

The French Beans are flowering and will be ready for picking in under two weeks. The Lettuces are already being cut and the courgettes have infant fruit. In my experience, these two plants will deliver a glut over the next couple of months. We have hardly any rain forecast for the next week or so and I expect my daily routine to involve plenty of watering – I know, you can’t get much more exciting than that!

If, like me, you have no religion, it is all enough to almost convert one to Pantheism! Almost. To see one, tiny seed produce a huge plant with lots of fruit containing hundreds of new seeds is awesome in that word’s real sense.

Very busy day today. Some gardening followed by exercise programme plus watching David Cameron appearing before the Covid Enquiry and Parliament rubber stamping Boris Johnson’s expulsion. Going to be a good day.

Spoke too soon. Cooking outside this afternoon in hot sunshine, the ring circuit running from the house to the Garage blew a major fuse knocking out the Gym lights, the electric door and ….. the second Freezer. This freezer stores all the meat and fish and has hundreds of pounds of food in it. Fortunately, we managed to rig up a temporary fix to get the freezer back on and our electrician will be round tomorrow to sort out the overall problem. Bit of a sod, though, rather spoiling the end of a lovely day. And I’m not drinking so no consolation there!

Tuesday, 20th June, 2023

Well, the BBC (Met. Office) weather forecast was right for once. Just around 5.00 am, thunder started to roll in accompanied by flashes of lightning. As I got up to look outside heavy, noisy rain began to fall. My first thought was that I wouldn’t have to water today. A neighbour down the road took this photo this morning from the beach. Some people are obviously prepared to take a lot more risks for their art.

The rain lasted about an hour and all soaked away very quickly which shows how dry this area has become. After Breakfast, my first instinct was to get out in the garden. It is quite remarkable how well small seedlings and young plants survive under the battering of heavy rain. Everything was already springing back, fighting for life, reaching to the sun. It is a lesson to all of us. We only have one life and have to keep fighting every day to achieve the best we can.

A report in The Times this morning suggests I am doing the right thing with my exercise programme. In fact, I am doing more than they suggest. I was concerned about the pace of walking which I always think is slow but my 100 paces per minute is exactly what they recommend. They say at least 4 days per week and I do 7. They say that, although the 10,000 paces is a figure plucked out of the air, it is not a bad guide. Until my illness, I was doing 20,000 per day and I’m now doing 18,000 every day. My app says I have walked 7,000 miles in the past 24 months.

Just phoned my friend, Brian (ex-Drugs Squad/ex-Murder Squad), in Royton. He hasn’t been well recently. He’s been suffering with a prostate problem but it turns out not to be cancer. He, on the other hand, is having to cope with a catheter and has been for 9 months. I couldn’t cope with that for 9 months and have been coaching him on how to get some movement in his treatment – phoning the secretary of the Urology Department is one thing. Getting his Surgery to do the same is another. I’m going up to see him. It will be lovely to catch up.

Wednesday, 21st June, 2023

Absolutely gorgeous day. The Longest Day and I was up early to take Pauline to the hairdresser’s for an 8.15 am appointment. Who has their hair cut at that time in the morning? Well, now you know. It’s going to be a long day.

I’m depressed. This hormone treatment warns I will put on weight and I have. In spite of all the exercise I’ve been doing and reasonable control of my diet, I must admit I have drunk far too much (calorific) wine. Tried rather to drown out the sadness of life at the moment. Today I tried a pair of trousers on and couldn’t fasten them. I was shocked. I’ve lived in shorts and tee shirt for the last four months which has rather disguised the weight gain. To add insult to injury, I had to go to the Surgery for my second hormone injection. I just hope it doesn’t increase the rate of weight gain.

Since I last visited, the Surgery has instituted a new entry policy. The computer screen sign-in where you give the year and month of your birth along with your surname initial has gone ‘remote’. I must admit that, during the pandemic, I was amazed that people were expected to wear masks, sterilise their hands and then tap a screen that everyone before them had tapped. By definition, the likelihood is that the majority of those tapping the screen are there because they are ill. What better way to transmit their illness to others? One could also just go to the Receptionist and Checkin. Not any more.

Now, you cannot even get through the door to the surgery without scanning the QR Code with your phone and doing all that Checkin stuff on its screen. At least that means no swapping of finger infections. After that, the door remains locked until you speak through the intercom to the receptionist who releases the door. The Receptionist said that this is a national initiative which will be rolled out across England & Wales. You can see the effect it has on the Waiting Room. I had no one to talk to.

One sadness of life at the moment is the loss of an old friend. The tree I grew from a seed collected in Tenerife 8 years ago and which was almost 10 ft tall having been nurtured through 7 winters has died over its 8th. I talked to it, kissed it, told it I loved it, wrapped it in fleece for the cold weather and lovingly fed it but it was not enough and it has died. It makes me very sad. Even so, I will not be opening a bottle of wine this time.

Thursday, 22nd June, 2023

Very warm and humid morning … again. Got Sainsbury‘s shop followed by exercise routine and a busy gardening afternoon. My arm is painful and badly bruised from the latest long needle forced into it to deliver a three month shot of hormones. They were right about the menopause being simulated. I have weight gain, tiredness, increased emotions and I’m now starting to suffer hot flushes. What it is to be a woman!

I am going back to basics with my diet. Calorie counting. Checking everything and setting it against my output. It is incredibly hard to force myself to maintain my exercise routine but I am determined to do it at least until the radiotherapy month. Breakfast is freshly squeezed juice of two, large oranges (100 cals), a large cup of Yorkshire tea and a large cup of freshly ground coffee plus a bowl of porridge(250 cals).

No Lunch other than a banana (100 cals) and then, today, griddled Tuna steak with green salad for Dinner (320 cals.). I need to keep my intake to below 1500 calories per day. The average man burns 1800 calories a day doing absolutely nothing. My usually active day burns an additional 1000 calories. Only by doing that will I get back to normality quickly. My aim is to getting my weight back to acceptable at the same time as completing my radiotherapy sessions. Maybe, then, I can get on with life again.

Two years ago this month our lovely neighbours, Pat & June, left their home to downsize. Pat, who was 81, had been diagnosed with skin cancer and was receiving treatment for it. We went round to see their new home and they seemed very happy there. They both looked very fit and healthy and Pat was particularly positive about the future and travelling to Australia. We heard today that he had died. The cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. All lives end in tragedy!

Friday, 23rd June, 2023

Glorious morning – weatherwise – but not so good politically. On this day in 2016, we learnt that we had left the EU. It was one of the most crass acts of national stupidity one can imagine. I argued so at the time and was told I was scaremongering. We now know that a majority of UK voters would choose to remain and 33% of all Leave voters would favour returning to the EU.

We had been in our new house for 3 months. To cheer ourselves up, we went out to collect our new car and I took a photo of our recently planted front garden hedge.

Just 7 years on, we have collected two more new Hondas and our hedge has grown a little. The tree outside has developed quite a bit as well.

Over the past couple of days, I have been chronicling coming to terms with my recent weight gain. I am expecting to spend a few days in Lancashire in the near future and I will need a good suit. Pauline has been searching and ordering a couple which will get me through. Quite a while – at least two years since I wore a suit and tie. Be nice to get back to it. Amazing how (relatively) cheap suits are these days.

I bought a suit almost exactly like this in the summer of 1972 for £99.00. Today, over 50 years later, this suit will cost me £195.00. Unbelievably cheap if you take inflation into account. That £95.00 in 1972 is the equivalent of £2000.00 today. Even I wouldn’t be prepared to shell that out for a suit.

Of all the newspapers I read everyday, The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian are the ones I concentrate on. I love the cartoons which prove how true the saying is: A picture’s worth a 1000 words. Yesterday’s, above, really does sum up what an entire Times Leader article took many words to point out – the irony of international concern over 5 rich but foolhardy men on a ‘joy ride’ in a tin can compared with the 400 poor but desperate people escaping poverty and looking for a better life.

Today, it is little Rishi Sunak’s inability to make an impact on the failing world of Tory politics and totally unable to acknowledge the obvious paucity of Brexit.

Saturday, 24th June, 2023

It’s amazing how Summer creeps up on us. We are about to enter the last week of June already. I’ve been living in shorts and tee shirts for months. We’ve virtually lived outside for the past two months and the garden is filling out and bearing produce already.

I am watering every day. The hedge is needing to be cut every two weeks. The air-conditioning is on in the bedroom where we just have a top sheet (Even then I sleep on top of it.) and the 1-tog duvet has been banished to storage until October. It’s light for almost 17 hours a day and the sun just won’t stop. We hardly dropped below 21C/70F over night with the most gorgeous clear sky and bright moon. The morning has broken cloudless, sunny and hot. The only worry is, will it still be snowing when I drive up to Lancashire shortly?

My suits were always made-to-measure by a Yorkshire Tailors while I was working. Since then, I’ve not had too much call for them and now, I think, Carl Stuart Tailors, Cloth Hall Street, Huddersfield has gone out of business. Of course, there is a lot less call for suits and any formal wear. I used to spend a fortune on Business Shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt but even they have had to reduce their prices. Working from Home has brought about a revolution in British society and I think it is all for the good. I am a strong proponent of Teaching from Home.

Anyway, my Dresser has ordered me 4 different suits on-line this week. I had to go and pick the first two up this morning … from Next! Can you imagine me buying suits from Next? I’ll be considered trendy soon. At least I’m not old and wrinkly and aloof.

It’s going to be a day in the garden today and we are going to be eating our, courgettes, our lettuces and our herbs. Julie is excitedly eating strawberries from her allotment. Kevin is doing the ironing. Can you believe that? The world is full of surprises!

Sunday, 11th June, 2023

Had the best sleep last night for a while even though it was very warm all night. The temperature didn’t drop below 20C/68F over night and today has almost been impossible with 29C/84F and very high humidity to the point of suffocation. I’ve been struggling to do my exercise. I even asked my friends, Kevin, Julie & JohnR if they would do the last hour for me but they weren’t very keen. In fact one of them just said, “No chance!”, which I thought was a bit brusque.

Suddenly, this afternoon, while out walking, rain started to splash on the pavement. It felt delightful in the furnace of humidity. We rushed home and put the covers back on all the furniture. It is so long since we saw rain that this is delightful.

Another delightful thing to report is: I’ve got a daughter. Of course, Rebecca-Jane, she is not but lovely all the same. I have been helping all the neighbours out with their lawns this Spring and have got to know some people for the first time in the 7 years we’ve lived here. I’m quite shy and retiring – insular even – so I haven’t talked to many until recently. Michelle ( a Proof Reader) across the road has gone out of her way to offer help to ‘the old people’ – well we are 72. Dee (a Lecturer in English) has tried to coax me into talking just as Jill (a former B.A. Air Hostess) has.

But Sharon (Finance & Loans) has recently taken every opportunity to enlist my help. Calling from the bedroom window, stopping me as I walk by, stopping in her car while I am out walking. In the end I gave in and I’ve been helping her with her lawn. Today, we walked past as she was watering and she told us that she was informing everyone I am her Dad. Nearest thing I’ll get to it now.

Monday, 12th June, 2023

Another lovely, hot and sunny day. Had lots of messages from people across the country wishing me a good time in France. What they don’t realise is that they will accompany me as I will carry them around in my head throughout the trip. No doubt, Kevin will want to know where I am and if I’m enjoying it. Jason says he will check-in. JohnR and Julie expect reports. I’m only away until Sunday but we wrinklies must stick together. Just hope M&K manage Wordle in French.

The weather really does seem set to be fantastic. I can’t remember a June trip quite as good as this. To be fair, even wet Wales seems to be good this year.

I’ve been spending the day, cleaning the car, watering the garden and making sure that everything is ready. Going through the Tunnel, means turning up an hour before departure nowadays and we allow 2 hours to get there from home so we set off 3 hours before departure – almost as bad as flying. Still, going in the car means we just throw in anything we need – sorry, we can neatly pack any perfectly washed and ironed clothes that the Laundry Lady sees fit. But I can also take iPads, Kindles, Laptops, multi-sockets, extension leads – in fact, anything which makes life worth living.

Tuesday, 13th June, 2023

Awake at 5.00 am and up at 6.00 am. on a gloriously warm morning. The air conditioning in the bedroom made life worth living last night which was very humid but have still not had any significant rain. Dave Roberts in Norden said they’d had a storm on Sunday but nothing yesterday. The Man.City. celebration featured pouring rain.

Dave Weatherly in Bolton reported heavy rain. Kevin contacted me in the middle of the night to report a violent storm in Yorkshire. I spent hours watering the garden in preparations for going away. There is no rain in our forecast until late next week.

The great thing about driving rather than flying is that we can take what we want. Amongst every electronic gadget imaginable, the back of the car will feature a huge fridge. You can’t go to France without bringing back mountains of fresh produce much of which will need keeing chilled. In fact room for clothes is fairly minimal. After all, who needs clothes?

Of course, when you’re 72 – as all little wrinkly people will tell you – the first thing you need is the toilet. For all, old girls, this is the Mens’ Toilet at the EuroTunnel.

We only got there with a few minutes to spare before boarding. On some occasions, we are queuing for ages. Today, traffic was very light and we were soon driving down to gate. The sun was so hot that getting out and stretching was important. A cup of coffee and driving down to the train. Aboard, I opened the windows to suffocating heat, tried to snooze and dream but was driving off before I knew it. Just over 5 minutes later, we were off and soon parking in our hotel grounds along with strutting cockerels.

Wednesday, 14th June, 2023

Last night was hot, humid and sweaty. Of course, having been up and out early in the morning, I still had to complete my exercise before midnight (ET). I did it but the humidity was exhausting.

The evening was beautiful to look at and walk through. At least it gave me an excuse to stop and rest just to drink in in the views.

A gloriously hot morning that saw us reach an uncomfortable 29C/84F during the morning. I ate Breakfast because it comes in the price of our Suite. I instantly regretted it even though I enjoyed it. Back to our Suite for coffee and to listen to BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’. Out for a long walk in the sun.

The fields of Flax – the basic constituent of Linen – were in full flower this morning and looked beautiful. Heat takes it out of me more as I get older. There are some real disadvantages to being wrinkly! It maybe my cancer treatment as well but, Dear Reader, I am struggling at the moment. Really having to fight hard to complete my fitness routines. I am tired all the time.

Maybe, I am dying and don’t realise it yet but it is really getting to me. I just can’t do what I used to be able to. It is embarrassing. Jason, Dee, John Morris, Christine, Kevin & Julie all contacted this morning as I walked which really made me feel better. I’m glad I have them in my life. It really makes me feel better.

Doing an 8 mile walk this morning after Breakfast. It takes me through huge swathes of prime agricultural land. This morning, I was shocked to find a large tract of land was being developed for a new, Medical Centre. The building site was dominated by this great crane which was essential in the process.

Back to the hotel to watch Prime ministers Questions in which Sunak rather died on his feet and then went out to do some shopping. Pauline bought her third pair of shoes in two days and we sourced cold fish & meat for a snack Dinner with wine in our Suite this evening. It gives me the chance to catch up on correspondence, my Blog and the News.

Thursday, 15th June, 2023

Well, on this beautiful morning, I’ve done wrong again. I’ve eaten Breakfast. I regretted it immediately and I’m not even sure that I enjoyed it at the time. Have I no self-control? I will never eat ever again when I get home.

Over Breakfast this morning, I chatted with my cousin, Sue, who lives in Salles–Lavalette in the Charente Department in southwestern France. I also talked to Martin, a friend from my time on Sifnos and to my brother, Bob in Maidenhead who was instructing me in photography.

In baking sun, we drove down to Wissant (en Franglais – White Sand) for a walk. The Promenade is wonderfully flat and open. As you can see, the beach was packed but we weren’t sunbathing.

I let Pauline look in the local Fish Restaurant window, read the menu and smell the cooking. It was packed at Lunchtime which is a good sign. We booked a table for tomorrow.

On the drive back, I treated my bag carrier to a shopping experience – well a couple of pairs of shoes. It will balance out my wine purchase on the way back. Drove home having walked a hot 10 miles today to watch the hot news of Johnson’s execution. Couldn’t happen to a nicer person. Someone once said, Well, he’s doing his best. Of course, they were absolutely right. He was doing his best for himself and even that wasn’t good enough.

So tired this evening, going to spend it in our Suite, writing my Blog, talking to friends and following the political news. Some wine, might watch a film on Netflix and have an early night. I think I need it. Well, I’m doing my best!

Friday, 16th June, 2023

Another gloriously hot morning. We were so tired after yesterday that we were up late and didn’t get down to Breakfast until 8.30 am when the temperature outside was HOT and we chose to eat in the shade of the pergola.

We were obviously some of the last through Breakfast and it was very quiet. In fact, after 3 days, I can hardly look at food at all and we have unanimously decided to cancel our restaurant Lunch reservation in favour of abstinence.

After a very hot – 26C/79F – 16 km walk in the countryside had coffee and a chat with friends in England. Julie was watching her granddaughter, a student at Oxford University, who was rowing for her college in the Henley Regatta. It was on YouTube.

She was also preparing to listen to The Test Match (Ashes) commentary on the radio. I watched a bit on my Sky app. Julie hasn’t got Sky which must be hard for someone who loves sport. Talked to Kevin who sent me a video of his perfectly striped lawn. He was very proud.

My friend and neighbour, Dee, contacted me to say that our County had declared a hosepipe ban. Fortunately, she hadn’t seen the caveat published by our council leader who assured us it didn’t apply to our area. Phew! We spent a while teasing each other in French which was fun.

We went out for a drive to Peuplingues and parked up for a walk. Isn’t retired life enjoyable! John Morris, a friend from College, has been waiting for 2 years for a hip replacement and left hospital last night. I must admit, I couldn’t have waited that long at his age but we are all different.

We went on to Carrefour to buy things for home. We leave at midday tomorrow. While we were there, we were nearly run over by the robot cleaner. I was pleased to see it. There should be more around. Those little, wrinkly old people who can’t be bothered to clean can rely on a robotic friend. By 12.30 pm today, my friend, Jason, was celebrating that Friday Feeling – something I haven’t known for almost 15 years.

Saturday, 17th June, 2023

Every leaving day is uncomfortable. We are leaving today. Out early for a 2hr walk. Back for a shower and a change of clothes. Down to the Tunnel. It is incredibly empty. We are one of six cars on the train. We spoke to a worker who told us that traffic was all one way. Bookings out were solid but back very light.

We just turned up and went an hour earlier than booked. There were 4 cars before us and 2 behind. We were supposed to travel at 12.50 but we actually crossed at 12.20 arriving at 12.50 (ET) / 11.50 (UKT). We had lovely, light travel home and arrived at 14.00. There were some heavy rain spots on the way home but nothing that amounted to much. I unpacked and then watered the garden. We will be picking French Beans and Courgettes in the next couple of weeks.

The drive back from Nord–Pas de Calais to West Sussex coincided with a significant anniversary for us. I know I acknowledge it every year but I could have missed 43 years of life and that is worth celebrating. On this day in 1980, a man driving out of Oldham to work lost control of his car on a bend and drove straight into our car completely writing it off. Pauline & I both were taken to hospital by ambulance and, initially, it was thought that I was dead. You would have missed me if I was, Dear Reader. Can you imagine: No Blog. How on earth would you get to sleep?

Sunday, 4th June, 2023

And the sun goes on … Up early although I hardly slept at all. I feel like I am a man casting round for a purpose. Rather aimless. Asking what life is for. Some answer that with children; others with Religion. Some focus on achievements.

I have no religion, no children and it is a little bit problematic in one’s 70s to have a lot of achievement targets. That’s why I try to keep striving for health & fitness and have tried to rekindle friendships that I have ignored over a busy working life. Some have worked. Some have failed miserably. Hedonism is really what I have left and I try to satisfy that with travelling. More often than not, it is successful but temporary.

Temporary will have to do at the moment. Going to France next week and intend to spend some time walking in Le Touquet, Boulogne, Ardres, Hardelot, Hesdin, Wissant visiting some old haunts and markets. Hope this lovely weather holds. Apparently there was an air frost in North Yorkshire on Friday night. Can you imagine it? And I’m told it’s going to snow in North Wales this coming week.

I suppose that success for me in the near future will be to stay alive longer than the year. Today, I am going out for a walk in the warm – 25C/77F – sunshine with the aim of giving myself the best chance of survival. I had my haircut this morning so that I will at least look respectable if it all goes the other way. Dignity in Death, Dear Reader!

Just had a wonderful walk. The scenery, the sunshine, the warmth all calculated to make one feel good but, when it’s over … I cannot live for the moment. I am always looking for the future value. Where will it take me? How does it help me in my ultimate goal? I have always been like that and, no matter how loudly I shout at myself, I have never changed. I want; I want; I …..

Monday, 5th June, 2023

Clear blue sky. Strong warm sunshine. What else could it be? I am watering everything constantly and so is everyone else.

I’m watering the raised beds so much that I’ve fused the fence lights and had to get our electrician back to sort them out. The window cleaners pouring water down the sides of the house at the moment and my My Housekeeper is cleaning the Gym this morning so I can dirty it this afternoon. Most things are proceeding normally.

When I was completing my Masters Thesis, I could be found on a screamingly hot, Greek beach reading works of Durkheim and Weber – French and German Sociologists – Ferdinand Tonnes ‘ Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft or Community & Association. I have no idea why but, today on this screamingly warm day, I am re-reading Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations – the 18th century tract upon which most Tory economic thinking is based. Haven’t read it for at least 30 years. It is nice to rechallenge myself. It does me good to make my head and heart hurt a bit.

Even Political Philosophers need new Trainers at times. Certainly, the miles that I’m putting in each week mean that I go through mine in no time. I always buy from Sketchers. The best pair I’ve had in the recent past I bought in America. I looked to replace them this morning. Do you know how much they cost? Two pairs will set me back £180.00!! Still, they should get me through until the Autumn.

My neighbours have told me they are so grateful for my efforts in maintaining the street that they are going to club together to buy me a ride-on-tractor-mower. They want to know which sort I would like. Of course, I won’t let them …. well …

Tuesday, 6th June, 2023

I like to be in control. I like to be in control of the world around me and the events affecting my life. Sounds megalomaniacal and probably is but, at least, I recognise that in myself. I find gardening suits my personality because I am telling Nature how I want it to look, where to grow, in what colour and what form. I like neat edges, straight lines, considered blends of colours. I like to know I am in control of my environment.

In just the same way, I like to be in control of events. The first thing I do after laying the table for Breakfast is to check my phone for messages and the calendar for the day’s planned events. The calendar is on my Android phone and on my Apple iPad. It is on Pauline’s phone and iPad as well. All four iterations of the calendar are continually and instantly synchronised so either of us can add an event at any time and it will appear in all the others.

This morning, I received an email reminding me that I will have to renew my driving licence again on my next birthday – 73 – and then again every 3 years. It is an offence punishable with a huge fine if you forget. So, I set my online calendar up to tell me on 6/4/2024 that my Driving Licence should have been renewed and to warn me one calendar month before that date to renew it. I also told it to renew this arrangement every 3 years in perpetuity. Now that’s optimism for you!

All the more optimistic because of what’s happening to me that I’m not in control of. I am beginning to get increasingly concerned about the radiotherapy that I’m going to be receiving/subjected to around the end of August – month of September.

My prostate has a lot of Adenocarcinoma in it. On one side there are slow-growing tumours which would otherwise only need regular monitoring. On the other side, I have more aggressive and much quicker growing tumours. That’s why I’m being treated with hormone therapy followed by external beam radiation radiotherapy. Although I have a high percentage chance of surviving the next ten years, there are some considerable and potentially life-changing side effects that I’d rather avoid.

I received a letter from my Oncologist this morning. He was a man I immediately bonded with. I discussed my life as a teacher in the North West somewhere he had trained. I love Opera and so, it turned out, does he. We discussed my love of Greece and the house we built there which coincided with his love of the same and the fact that he had actually been to Kamares where our house was built. We were just about to set off for a trip to Thessaloniki and so was he. The letter to my Surgery and copied to me actually refers to all those coincidences which was a nice, personal touch.

Wednesday, 7th June, 2023

Another lovely morning tinged with a strange feeling of sadness and separation that I have been feeling for a day or two. Don’t know what it is. When I feel like that, I turn to music and, on a day like today, Beethoven’s Pastorale is perfect. I can see myself now, 30 years ago, after a hard day at work, driving in a Honda sports car across the Pennines, warm, sunny weather, sunroof open, windows down, sheep grazing silently on the moor and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony bursting the eardrums and drowning out negative thoughts.

Kevin returned from Spain a couple of days ago and JohnR is flying back from South Korea this morning having left his only son there where he teaches EFL and makes films. Must be quite a wrench for him. When you get to our age and JohnR is two years older than me, you must think that separation will increase the chances of not seeing a loved one again. These are quite big things. Momentous things. I know how he dotes on his son and how much it pains him to not have him near. I suppose it is an emotion that most parents experience but, then, how would I know?

What I do know is that the beach is so much nicer without children. This morning it was delightfully warm but quiet, almost deserted. This is how the world should be.

It was lovely to walk in the sunshine unencumbered. There was no breeze and the tide had turned so the gentle lapping of the water on the beach was so soft that it reminded me of the gently breaking Aegean on the sands of Kamares Beach on Sifnos.

Thursday, 8th June, 2023

Don’t think I slept at all last night and now … a busy morning. We have guests arriving for Lunch in the garden today. I am ‘On Call’ throughout the morning – cleaning, tidying, fetching, carrying – in preparation. Nothing can be left to chance. The Chef is working flat out. She is producing a Greek -themed meal. We are having:

• Beetroot and Garlic Sauce – Σάλτσα παντζαριού και σκόρδου
• Tomato & Feta Salad – Σαλάτα ντομάτα & φέτα
• Courgette Fritters – κολοκυθοκεφτέδες
• Griddled Tuna Steaks – Μπριζόλες τόνου
• Roasted Peppers – Ψητές πιπεριές
• Black Asparagus – Μαύρα σπαράγγια

As usual, we are doing too much. Hope they’re very hungry. Have to ply them with lots of sparkling wine to make them hungry. Failing that, I’ll have to send for this group of Gannets that Julie sent me this morning from her latest photography trip.

I was shocked to hear that they have hardly seen the sun up on the East Coast of Yorkshire and the temperature has hovered around 13C all week. What with snow in North Wales, they should all move to the South Coast where I am and it is always sunny!

I haven’t told you this but I am by nature an anarchist. I believe rules are made to be broken. I am also an Aries boy. Passionate, determined and motivated, headstrong and impatient. I have always practised the principle that the ends largely justify the means.

Actually, these days ….. I am a moderate anarchist if that isn’t a contradiction in terms. I try to make sure that I don’t hurt people (too much) to achieve my goals. But, make no mistake, I am driven to get there and to break the rules to do it. To illustrate, I spent my working life driving like a maniac, never observing the speed limit. In retirement, I have time so I set my Automatic Cruise Control to the Speed Limit + 1mph to ensure I am breaking the rules but not too much. I am unable to do anything else.

Friday, 9th June, 2023

Up at 4.00 am on a hot and sticky night. Amazingly light at that time now. Drinking tea and watching Sky News. Going to be a hot day ahead although the rain that has been trailed for most of the week will not hit us and we could really do with it. We’re going to France next week and I was hoping for natural watering because I won’t be able to do it. Unfortunately, the first rain predicted for us is a week on Thursday for two hours.

According to Meteorologists, a weather cycle known as El Nino has officially formed in the Pacific Ocean – which will likely add more heat to a warming planet.

I was instructed that, after experimenting on our guests yesterday, we need a much bigger parasol to cover the whole table. One hour later, £253.98 poorer and absolutely shattered in 27C/81F of sunshine, I was allowed to rest – well, to water the garden.

Bought these lovely Alliums in Sainsbury’s yesterday. They look so perfect, you would be excused for thinking they were synthetic. They have a life of around 6 days, which is a pity, but I love them. They are ‘onion’ flowers, of course, but developed into the most majestic blooms.

I bet you don’t know who this is. It’s Sam Fender from Newcastle. Well I’m down with the kids but even I’d never heard of him. This morning at 9.30 am, my next door neighbours set off on a train journey of 5.5 hours and 3 changes of train to Newcastle to see him in concert tomorrow night. Can you imagine it? What kids today will do. Mind you, they are in their 50s.

Jason, who is a soft southerner, was shocked to find that he was leaving 27C and would be arriving in a strange land at 14C. I told them to take fur-lined anoraks and snow boots with them and they almost took me seriously.

Saturday, 10th June, 2023

Up at 3.33 am drinking tea. The milkman was delivering to a house up the road. At 3.33 am? Why? The moon is out but is replaced by the sun over the next hour. Feels like the night is over but back to bed for a couple of hours.

Feels like it’s over. The end of it all. How ironic on such a lovely day to be walking away from a lifetime’s obsession. Boris Johnson had always dreamed of being World King and now he has been rejected for what will probably be the last time. It will be a bitter pill to swallow. But we all have two choices: fight on or walk away from failure. He always does the latter. I don’t!

The mainstream Media is full of scare stories about the development of AI – Artificial intelligence – and the dangers of it challenging it’s makers, the human race. The great fears range from an assault on jobs to direct attacks on and control of us. I have to say, I welcome AI as we eventually did the automation of Manufacturing which moved population from the fields to the towns; as we swiftly did the introduction of the steam train and the combustion engine motor car; as we did the internet and email, mobile phones and texting.

It still comes as a bit of a shock when I search a product on-line and a day later I receive an email saying, You were interested in these trainers but didn’t complete your purchase. Have another look and we’ll offer you a 10% reduction. The sophistication of the algorithms is regularly shocking but can be turned to our own benefit. People learn to visit and not buy to entice a reduction.

I use Google search engine, Google Maps and a secondary Google email. I am invested in Google. Google is invested in me and tracks my mobile phone activity. I don’t mind it at all. In fact, I welcome the record. It is interesting to se the spread of our movement both within UK and the wider world.

From London and the South East, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey to the Midlands, Repton & Burton to the North, Yorkshire & Lancashire and up to Scotland & Edinburgh. Driving down through Europe, through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy visiting Coquelles, Paris, Reims, Metz, Colmar, Mulhouse, Basel, Lucerne, Como, Milan, Parma, Bologna, Ancona and on down the Adriatic to Greece, to Patras, Athens & Thessaloniki. Down the other side of France to Bergerac via Orleans and Limoges.

And then there were trips to the Canaries within touching distance of the Western Sahara and to America and different parts of Florida so close to Cuba as well as a trip to New York. Throughout these travels, Google Maps has tracked and recorded my movements, even downloading images that I’ve taken or are representative of places I’ve visited.

Sunday, 28th May, 2023

May is drawing to a close. Time is running, running, running out … and, yet the Summer really has arrived. The sky is blue; the sun is shining; the temperatures are warm. All the signs are there. The Continental Quilt – I’m told I must call it Duvet now. – has been banished until October/November. All the vents on the windows are open. The air conditioning will be brought into service soon. I am living in shorts and tee shirts and will do for the 6 months.

Outside, the bedding plants, and seedlings are being left to fend for themselves. The weather covers have been removed from the garden furniture at last. No rain forecast for quite a while. The hosepipes and sprayers are back in action.

I just can’t sit still any more. An hour of writing or reading at a stretch is the absolute maximum I can manage these days. I was interested to find that Kevin is the same. He has to be out in the countryside on his bike. I have to be walking, working in the garden or in the Gym. It is holding my cerebral projects back. Today, of course, the weather is far too nice to spend in the Office. I am cleaning and tidying the patio.

Fortunately, a girl at the end of my road has been badgering me to help her with her lawn for weeks. I’ve been resisting but, when she said, You’ve got all the equipment., my resistance fell. I’ve agreed to stripe her lawn. What can I say. No self-respecting gentleman could refuse. While my gardener takes care of our garden, I will be tending to another woman’s.

Monday, 29th May, 2023

Lovely, sunny morning with a bit of sea breeze. JohnR has just sent a photo of his latest Lunch venue. The closest thing I’ll get to a restaurant in South Korea. I’m not planning on visiting any time soon.

Kevin is packed and ready to fly to Benidorm where the weather is rather uncertain. I’ve given him a link to a live WebCam overlooking the beach which looks very regimented – rather like an Italian one – and prepared for large numbers of people. I must admit, I prefer the anarchy of a Greek beach and the peace & quiet of an isolated cove.

Julie’s going to Flamborough lighthouse – I went there once. – with her Camera Club to photograph seals …

… and I’m going to … um … um … clean the patio. Still, only a couple of weeks and we are driving to France so must accept the situation. I hate Bank Holidays now that I’m not working. People on the roads, at the beach, in the shops that are open. They should all be at work!

Tuesday, 30th May, 2023

At 6.30 am, on this beautiful morning, I wished Kevin ‘safe flight’ as he set off for Leeds airport and his Jet2 flight to Alicante. John R wished me Good Morning from Hanok Village, Jeonju City, South Korea which I, admittedly childishly, find quite thrilling. Just getting out of bed at 6.30 am and talking to Jeonju City actually fascinates me. The distance and communication really grips me, means something to me. I love it. Someone even suggested it was sunny in Wales which is stretching it a but we can all fantasise.

I have long enjoyed reading the work of Dr Anthony Seldon, alumni of London School of Economics, currently, biographer of Boris Johnson, educator … Yesterday was Celebration Day and you would have found me in the Office, weeping softly, (Yes, again!) as I read an article by him in the Guardian: A simple truth: when love ones die, they never really go away. In it he argues, just as I have, that those who are gone, live on in the memory. I have long known that as I expand it to anyone who is far away, dead or alive. I don’t take well to desertion or rejection any more than I do to bereavement.

It is a strange thing and others don’t understand it but I have always felt a responsibility for them, their happiness and safety. I have never been able to explain it fully to myself but it is a strong thread running through my life. Maybe, it is my sentimentality. I make no apology for that. Certainly, Anthony Seldon isn’t so soft. He is writing about the death of his wife and subsequent remarriage but he concludes:

Life is not like anything I was led to believe it was when I was young. It does not start at birth, I have realised, and it does not end at death. So today, Celebration Day, is a day not for sadness but for renewal and, indeed, celebration.

It has made my need to visit my friend, Brian, in Royton all the more urgent. He wasn’t well last time and we have only talked once since then. It is my fault and I must address it. I’ve just got to fit it in around medical dates.

Big trip of the day: out to Lidl to buy 2 12 pks of Almond Milk. There’s is so much nicer than anyone elses’s I have tried. It means going past the beach and the sea was looking lovely with a green-blue colour. I just love the warmth.

In the warmth of the afternoon, after a long walk in the sunshine and a couple of hours cleaning up and planting out seedlings around our neighbours’ trees, we sat in the garden and griddled Sea Bream which we ate with a green salad and a broad bean salad. Accompanied by a white Rioja, the meal was fit for a City restaurant. Absolutely delicious.

Wednesday, 31st May, 2023

Didn’t sleep last night. Put the radio on at 3.30 am. The first BBC World Service news item was about evacuation sirens sounding across South Korea’s capital city, Seoul. It was caused by the launch of a rocket by North Korea although it, ultimately, crashed and burned. I immediately thought of JohnR who is visiting his son in Jeonju City. I don’t think he heard the sirens but he was visiting a Laundry. I don’t know if the two events were connected.

From a JohnR’s South Korean Laundry to Rattan Direct. The great fun of the day is trying to get the biggest possible discount on the order of replacement covers for our garden furniture.

We found that two people – me & my Housekeeper – logged on using two separate email addresses each – we could reduce the total cost of £200.00 by £80.00 by using a voucher code. Felt a little bit grubby but my Housekeeper loves the chase. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this!

Most of my friends are reliable and we talk regularly. I try to talk most days and at least 3 or 4 times a week. It makes us feel that we are part of each other’s lives even if at a remote level for a lot of the time. Sharing a life – particularly when you know how limited it could be – is a lovely thing to do. At least I get to see them once or twice a year.

Thursday, 1st June, 2023

If I could hold back time …. but it’s June already. My 72nd June although I don’t remember most of them. At least my computer’s Memory Box does that for me. Anyway, I’ve celebrated the new month by waking at 4.00 am, talking to JohnR about the false crisis in Seoul (He knew nothing about it because he is 100 kms away from it.) and then …. going to Sainsburys. That’s how exciting my life is at the moment.

You know how the start of a supermarket is almost always dominated by fresh produce. Our shopping almost starts and finishes there. I’m not meaning to boast. It is just the way our diet is now structured. The trolley is piled high with salad things and green beans, shallots, mushrooms, peppers, beetroot.

Most meals for Dinner start with a simple combination of a herb – Basil, Tarragon, Dill, Oregano or Parsley, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. The protein is fish, shellfish, chicken and/or pulses. I love Cannellini Beans and Broad Beans.

Today, we are going to break out! My chef is making Chicken Kiev (Kyiv) which is wicked but lovely. It will be cooked and eaten outside in the sunshine. I will have to do so much more exercise to merit such indulgence. I am really struggling to control my weight at the moment and that really upsets me.

Kevin is enjoying lovely weather in Benidorm – quite contrary to earlier forecasts. Who would bother putting their trust in BBC forecasting when it changes so swiftly? Here it is only 20C/68F today but lovely and sunny. I’m having to water every day at the moment. There is no rain in sight and that suggests hosepipe controls in the near future.

I am incredibly loyal … to the point of embarrassment. For the past 40 years, I have bought and driven Honda cars. For the past 40 years, I have used IHG hotel group in UK & Europe. For the past 40 years, I have used the Greek, Electra Hotels group.

All of these organisations reward me with forms of privileged membership. No request is too much for Honda to satisfy free of charge. After all, we have had some 20 new vehicles from them. IHG Hotels have given me a Gold Elite membership which entitles me to quite a few things including free nights stay in hotels. Today, Electra Group have given me Gold card status which entitles me to 12% off all bookings, automatic use of an executive car transport between the hotel and the airport, free upgrades, Late checkouts, ect.. Sometimes Loyalty pays off. Sometimes, of course, it is abused.

Friday, 2nd June, 2023

Strange start to the day. Where is the sun? So used to it now that an overcast sky is a shock. At 8.00 am it is 12C/54F – very similar to yesterday but there is a distinctly chilly breeze. My plants don’t like it. At least we haven’t got Welsh rain!

My friend, Julie, in North Yorkshire has been a bit down for a few days after an operation. To cheer her up, I told her a joke although I think I could have made it worse.

Give it to me! Give it to me! she yelled.
I’m so wet, give it to me now!
She could scream all she wanted, but I was keeping the umbrella.

We were driving down to the Fishmonger for a 3kg joint of sushi-quality, fresh Tuna which will be cut into steaks and griddled. A 3kg piece of Tuna is £85.00 now. It’s one of the few things that hasn’t gone up much recently.

We are entertaining during the week and Tuna will be the centre of the meal. Let’s hope we can eat outside in the garden.

The day has rapidly developed into a hot and sunny one. I’ve spent the morning, like some itinerant Road Sweeper/Gardener, mowing, edging, feeding and watering all the grass verges for my neighbours. The local Estate Agencies sell houses in our street describing them in Millionaires’ Road. None of us complain because it adds to the cachet when we want to sell.

Even so, it gives us something to live up to and I contribute by maintaining the external appearance. After all, I’ve got the time & money to do it so, why not? The only problem is that people walk past and say, How are you doing that? I can’t get ours to look like that. Can you come up to No. 10 to advise me and, like the softie I am, I go and find myself taking over.

I have just invited Julia – a Rebecca Jane substitute – to join us down here on the coast in the sunshine instead of trekking all the way to St Ives where she is spending Half Term.

Saturday, 3rd June, 2023

And yet another sunny day. When will it end? The forecast says it will continue for another fortnight at least. It is 22C/70F and lovely but people we lived with on our Greek island always said they longed for more defined seasons and rain in the Summer.

Well, my friend, Filoktitis, a news agency photographer, took delight in publishing these photos of last night in Kamares as it RAINED. We built our house up above Kamares Port. Rain is not completely unusual by any means but I’ve asked him to send some to the South of England where we desperately need it.

I am constantly watering my own garden and everyone else’s. Yesterday, D&J asked what they could do to repay me. Of course, I told them I would be embarrassed by anything like that. This afternoon, a lovely card came through the door from M&C thanking me for the effort in making things look good and asking if there was anything they could do for us. It is a wonderful to be able to say that I am in need of absolutely nothing.

In the meantime, we are enjoying a bottle of Champagne in the sunshine of our garden after a long, hot walk. Cheers to absent friends!

Kevin sent me a video at 2.00 am (UK) / 3.00 am (Sp) today of a terrible Beatles tribute act somewhere in some bar in Benidorm. He was drinking Pernod & Lemonade. He must really believe he’s back in the 1960s. The only reason I read it was because I was awake too.