Category: Thoughts

Today, brought to you by the number 21

A title that sounds like an intro into the latest episode of Sesame Street, refers in reality to a question my wife has put to me over the last few days.

How many projects do you have on the go at present?

Now, she wasn’t asking how many types of different projects i get involved in, she was specifically asking due to the amount of deliveries that i am currently getting from online sale rooms and auction sites. I didn’t honestly think about it at the time, I wasn’t aware of the actual number, however i am now very aware.

A selection of outstanding repairs that I have in draft mode

And that number is 21. I have that amount of draft repair posts on this platform awaiting completion. Some are quite complex and demand time that i just don’t have at the moment, others are awaiting components that are needed to complete them. My wife, bless her has pointed out to me that rather than obtaining yet more items for repair, wouldn’t it be better if i just cleared the back log first? She is of course right, and a small selection of those draft posts awaiting attention can be seen in the photo above.

Not only do i have a back log, i also have a number of boxes that are full of now, fully operational items varying from microphones and cameras all the way through to a working music system. I think i need to break away from sentimentality and start to move some of these items on. To be honest this would be the best thing to do as it would release some funding for a few other projects that i wish to look into in the near future, and it would also create some extra space at home.

I love being busy that’s just me, knowing i have a batch of drafts awaiting allows me to spread my focus over a wider area of interest. I do pop into them all occasionally and just add a few lines here and there, or an item of interest that I’ve just remembered, so they are all in fact works in progress. I do need to concentrate on that backlog though, and maybe reduce that backlog to probably 5 or 6 repairs in total.

This whole website/ blog thing has been something that I have really put my heart into, I’m by no means an ace practitioner of blogging practices and I have never set out to be such a person, and will definitely never be one. I started this site purely for my own benefit, an extension to a journal i used to keep at home, that i may have discussed within these pages a few times previously. I’m not trying to teach anything, it’s a personal record of my failures, my learnings and achievements, and it just works just fine for me.

I really don’t understand how it has now gained a good few followers, I never expected that but I am eternally grateful to everyone who reads a post or comments upon them. That said i would still do the same if there was no one paying an interest in what is posted. Again, as stated earlier in this post, it was always set up as a personal journal. And it has worked for me. It has been a good well being tool.

So. I have temporarily agreed to cease any further purchases until I’ve got the backlog under control, and I’ve also agreed to employ a one in, one out policy in regards to all repairs and incoming projects, and believe me there are some quite complex ones to be published shortly.

Let’s call it a late spring clean.

Happy wife, Happy me, Happy life.

Have a great day.

I thought you said Bands!

What are your favorite brands and why?

Got exited originally as I thought this said favourite bands, had to sit back down and rethink my reply, as well as putting away my collection of R.E.M memorabilia.

So Brands it is then. I have no real affinity to brands to be totally honest, I have Apple devices, and Dyson devices at home but to be honest with you I would be just the same if they were Samsung phones or a Shark hoover, as long as they do the job I’m not that fussed.

Lindt shop Wembley

Chocolate though is a whole different topic. I love chocolate, but my go to brand has always been Lindt. I don’t think you can beat or replicate the taste of their offerings. I will actually go out of my way to purchase from their own shops. Some people prefer Cadbury chocolate, but to be honest if you go to any branch of Aldi and try their own brand fruit and nut bar you will be hooked. It actually has fruit within and that is something the Cadburys bar severely lacks.

So it’s Lindt chocolate for me. No contest.

And as for Coffee it can only be this bad boy.

Skull Crusher it does what it says on the bag

At work where we are fighting fatigue through long hours of working a 24hr Roster, you cannot beat this coffee. Too much and your heart rate is racing and you will be awake for the next millennium, just like a fine wine or good medicine it has to be taken in moderation. But by heck, does it make you alert. Just what you need, and that’s why we have a tea kitty that we all contribute to so we can keep a good stock of it at hand.

So no real fancy brand expense for me, as long as I have good Chocolate and good Coffee, then Dave’s a happy chap.

Get the kettle on!

Have a super day.

A little advice…

List the people you admire and look to for advice…

I guess we will all at some time look to a mixture of people for different kinds of advice.

Contentment

For emotional advice there is no one but my wife who I’d turn to in the first instance. I think for her, I’d fit that bill as well, heck, we’ve been together so long we sometimes know each other better than we know ourselves. She’s my confidante and I know anything we discuss stays totally between us. She’s just such an understanding and calm influence for me. I need that sometimes. Don’t misunderstand me, when she cracks she goes full loop de loop, and is known in the family as the Rottweiler, you just don’t cross her. And when this does rarely occur I’m the one that calms her. God, we were truly meant to be together to keep each other at peace. So far so good.

At work I’m in probably the best work team I have known in all my working days. We are always there for each other, there is always support for each other 24hrs a day, and when things get a bit too much, there is always a calming elder figure to talk to. I guess that is why it’s recognised in our organisation that our depot pretty much runs itself, with no issues and no need for guidance, we self manage and are a well oiled machine in all aspects. The guys I work with are just the most fantastic, supportive and caring bunch you could ever work with. And a combined fabulous sense of humour doesn’t go unnoticed.

Work

Outside of these two highlighted above, I look to some older and much wiser friends, elders of my life if you like for that additional advice, that advice that sometimes you just have to run past someone on the fringes of your group, to see if you are thinking it all out correctly, and addressing any issues logically.

I don’t really look to anyone else in my family group for advice, but saying that it is sometimes good to discuss approaches to issues with the younger members of the family to see their reactions and ways of dealing with similar issues. Sometimes they just seem to have a less tangled and somewhat easier approach to problem solving. Some times though they don’t.

So here I guess I am saying, that I can advise the younger generation from an experienced point of view, but at the same time I must be open to learning from them. It really is two way traffic.

Advice must be listened to and acted on, if we are to learn how to deal with a multitude of problems/ issues. Taking advice and not following through with it achieves noting and leaves you empty and confused. And that is where the “What ifs” arise. Good advice can definitely alleviate doubt.

Want some advice?

Be happy and have a great day – there you go 👍

Yes. I do.

Do you vote in political elections?

This is going to be quite a short post. Do I vote? Yes I do.

And if apathy has gotten to you and you don’t vote, do you have the right to complain when it all goes wrong? You could have made the difference, but you just couldn’t be arsed, could you?

Many good people died on the way to ensure we all have a right to vote.

Do your duty for you and your fellow citizens, make your voice heard. Kick apathy into touch, then maybe we might not end up with so many half wits in positions of power.

Have a great day.

Garden therapy

Currently I’m in the west of London in the Sunbury on Thames area. I’ve brought my wife down to spend ten days with her friend as I’m about to embark on a long stint of night shifts. It will allow them to spend good time together. I shall be heading back to the East Midlands later today on my own.

Anyone who reads my posts will know that last year we spent a lot of time down here as her friend went through quite a bad episode of poor mental health. My wife assisted her through that, and helped put her on a care plan and arranged for her to have visits, so she could be checked on regularly to ensure she was receiving the necessary care and attention that she required.

I’m pleased to say all that worked out well, her friend has recovered and is back to her old self, confident and strong willed, you’d have thought nothing had happened. She has been weaned off her medications by the doctor, the welfare visits have ceased and it is so wonderful to see her back to her old self. We all need a little care and attention at times, and it certainly helps. And it’s good to have such a friend as my wife.

Azalea

And the above picture from her garden sums it all up for me. Last year there was none of this, the garden, though well kept lacked colour. This year it is so different and is ablaze with colour. This is what she is capable of, producing things of beauty just like this fantastic Azalea plant.

I’m lucky if my Azaleas get just a few flowers each year. She is so talented when it comes to gardening.

As I’ve always stated, never show envy, always turn that into appreciation and that’s what I have done here, she has such a talent, she is so capable and knowledgeable and I can only appreciate that I will be a better person, a better gardener by listening to the wisdom of those such as her.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Cyprus & Iceland

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

For me, there are two places on this planet that I’d go to at the drop of a hat and those two places are southern Cyprus and Iceland.

The two features that both destinations give me are safety and a feeling of being welcomed. I feel safer in these two places than I do in my own home city, and that is quite sad and real in equal proportions.

Akamas peninsular- Cyprus

We’ve been going to Cyprus on a regular basis for pretty much 30yrs now. The sunrises and sunsets are amazing. We avoid the really touristy parts and situate ourselves on the west coast of the island in two areas pretty much untouched by all the madness of modern day tourism. We get on exceptionally well with the locals who have come to know us like “Neighbours “ as we are there that often. We have regularly thought of upping sticks and moving there, but something has always held us back. It is still an option to this day though. Friendlier locals you’d struggle to find anywhere, they are just so welcoming and friendly, and you feel safe to go anywhere and that is most important.

Skogafoss – Iceland

Now Iceland is a relatively new destination for us, we’ve been there three times now and number Four has already been booked. Horrendously expensive but don’t let that put you off, it is such a friendly, welcoming destination, it’s a “New” country that is constantly evolving due to its volcanic and seismic state. It is a fascinating island to witness nature at its most violent, and it is amazing to witness the locals just taking it all in their stride. There is no panic and madness, a calmer bunch of folk you’d struggle to find anywhere else in the world.

That’s it for me, my two favourite places. If I’m not at home you know where to find me.

Have a beautiful day.

Camping and Scrumpy cider

Have you ever been camping?

Oh yes many a time, always with my friends back in the day. Whenever there was a bank holiday we would all pack ourselves up and head off to a little place called Farleigh Hungerford not far away from Bath in Somerset.

Perfectly placed for visiting places such as Glastonbury Tor, Wookey Hole and Cheddar gorge we used to always have an enjoyable few days away, and were always suitably chaperoned by one set of parents (Well to be honest they always tagged along because they enjoyed our company and we enjoyed theirs). There was a local delicacy that could only be found in the Cheddar gorge area and that was Knee Cracker cider.

Knee Cracker

Unfortunately no one will ever be able to experience the joys of Knee Cracker again as I believe the company that produced it ceased to trade a few years back. They used to say that when purchased it had to be left to settle for a few days to be fully enjoyed. Nah, we were impatient teenagers and we would drink it walking across the fields heading back to the campsite after a day out, hence we would be taking in all the sediment and nastiness and by god it was potent. They also used to say, “Drink too much of this cider and you will fall to your knees, praying to the gods for forgiveness”. They weren’t wrong, the hangover this and many other “Scrumpy ciders” from the region used to leave you with were well documented. I remember being so drunk one night I actually fell over a cow sleeping in the field, the resulting noise from said bovine suddenly awaking and alerting the rest of the herd, sobered me up fairly quickly and I went through that field like Usain Bolt on acid.

I’ve tried to convince the wife all through our married life to go camping, and she’s having none of it. She always says it’s fine for me to camp but she would be in a local hotel. So I know where I stand there.

I still have camping equipment, in fact I renewed it all only a couple of years ago, and intend to do some wild camping when I get the chance. I really love camping, being out in nature, absolute peace and quiet and tranquility is unbeatable, the campsite full of families though is not for me.

Give it a try, it’s one of those things you’ll either love or hate. For me it’s definitely love.

Have a superb day.

Have a day off

I’ve woken up this morning, after finishing a fairly boring stretch of late shifts at work, to find an email from the National lottery telling me I had won a prize. I sometimes get these emails but I never rush to open them as it normally lets me know I’ve won a free entry for the next draw or a share of the latest £140 million pound euro millions jack pot of around £3:75GBP. Hardly life changing amounts i know.

My first cup of tea of the day beside me I’m now ready to open that email, Wow I’ve won £30:00GBP, that’s an improvement on the usual amount i win. I then proceed to inform the family of my good fortune, informing them to not send any begging letters. And asking them to form an orderly queue.

I’ve won…

That got me to thinking, just what would be the amount you would like to realistically win that would change your life?

For me, as I’m already considering retirement in the near future, it wouldn’t be millions that’s for sure. I’d probably want just enough to see me through, selling my current house, buying a new one and having just enough to get by. We have no Mortgage, we are not looking to increase the rooms in our home as there is only the two of us. I’d love a workshop or workspace though, and I’d love to be able to maybe just work part time doing something I love. Maybe working in the great outdoors somewhere, forest management that would be perfect. £50:000 would be enough for me to leave work this very minute and seek that small alternative employment job, £250:000 I believe would be sufficient for me to put my feet up for good, and there lies the problem. As anyone knows who “reads” my posts, I’m a constantly on the go person who has to be busy. That £250:000 would probably make me consider starting my own business to address that need to be constantly on the go, I’d have to do something that I enjoy, as I wouldn’t want to have a retirement where I’m tied to working shifts through a 24hr roster system as I am at the present.

I need time off. I really do.

I don’t need a mahoosive amount of money. Looking at the figures now, that £50:000 injection of money would probably be all I need to massively change my life, not for the better as I already have a blessed life, but to allow me to enjoy it even more, and spend valuable time with those I love.

And you can’t put a price on that.

Have a beautiful day.

Nicknames

Very shortly I will be heading off to work for another fun filled day of shenanigans on Britains railways. Whilst sitting here at the living room table looking out to the road that passes by, I watched a van with a friends surname on it pass by, and that suddenly flooded my mind with happy and fun memories about old friends, and especially how did they get their nicknames.

A nickname is a familiar or informal name given to a person, place, or thing, often based on their characteristics, habits, or traits. Nicknames can be a fun way to personalize relationships and add flavor to interactions.

We had a little group of four that hung about together through our childhood years all the way up into the teenage years. We did everything together and pretty much knew everything about each other. There were only four of us so here we go with the explanations.

Balders – that’s me. A simple play on my surname, and that I used to have a constant crew cut hairstyle as a child, so bald by name and bald by nature.

Daz – his name was Darryl and his clothes used to always stink of the washing powder his mother used to use, that also just happened to be called “DAZ” again a play on his name and this time his aroma.

Doug – His name was Derek and he loved Wolverhampton wanderers football club, so we named him after one of their players at the time who had a suspicious “Mullet” hairstyle, as Derek had at the time, so Derek Dougan leant his name to our Derek, it was shortened hence “Doug”.

And finally the most complex and humorous nickname goes to our old buddy Mick.

We were walking home from junior school one day back in the late 70s when Mick was complaining of stomach pains, he was doubled over in pain, so he leant on a brick wall and began to attempt to break wind quite violently. He was unsuccessful in this activity and in polite terms, he followed through. Or in layman’s or younger speak he “Sharted”.

How we got Mick home after this I fail to remember, I think the stinging of the tears of constant and uninterrupted laughter clouded our memory of this part of the day, even Mick, a fantastic person was able to see the funny side of it all, and took part in that laughter. He had a lot of explaining to do to his mum when he got home.

Anyway, fast forward a couple of days and the three of us came up with the name “Mick muddy pants” that stuck for a while but was eventually reduced to the one word “Smudger”.

He, in fact we, are all still known by these names to this day. Sadly Doug passed away about two years back, but when we see each other, rarely do our real names ever get mentioned.

The phone I’m writing on has all their names in, in a nickname format. I’ll be seeing Smudger in a couple of weeks, and it always makes me smile when someone asks, “Why is he called Smudger?” You just don’t seem to see such childish behaviour in today’s world, and I think that’s quite sad.

Give me those old days of being out with your friends, rather than being stuck behind screens as everyone is today. (Me included writing this piece)

Keep smiling. Be happy.

Jumping out of an aircraft

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

This is a hard one to pinpoint to be honest. We all as a race of people on this big old world dynamically risk assess pretty much everything we do on a daily basis. I must admit I’m not a natural risk taker.

In my job I’m responsible for taking people around a live railway and the last thing you really want in that role is to be a risk taker. One foolish decision for me puts peoples lives at risk. I just don’t do it.

Now thinking of it, the biggest risk I probably ever took was throwing myself out of an aeroplane with an instructor attached to my back on a tandem sky dive. It earned a considerable amount of money for a Hospice in my local area at the time, but would I do it again? Probably not.

Let’s do it 😂

See, I risk assessed that activity to the point I’d never do it again. I took note of something my Father had once told me being a parachute regiment veteran. He said, “ The worst jump is always your second. You are fully aware of just what could happen”.

Probably the only good advice I’d really ever listened to from him.

Wise words?

Have a great day all, take care.