I’m sure I’ve received some compliments in the many years I’ve been walking this big old world.
I’m just one of those people that doesn’t seem to register compliments when they are given.
It’s as if I prefer to constantly question myself and my abilities, and react with disdain towards anything complimentary.
Strange isn’t it? I’m sitting here really trying to think of a moment in time and then one does pop into my mind…
My mother on her death bed holds my hand, looks at my wife and I any says, “You are a lovely couple”.
Maybe that’s why I struggle with it all. She was the best and nothing can ever trump that moment in time. Maybe I’ve locked the door to compliments from that moment on, who knows?
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?
I guess it would be the Hedgehog.
Hedgehog
People always poking at me and seeing my prickly exterior, people always trying to express their love and feelings for me but I’m trying to avoid feelings and emotions at any cost.
In the words of the children’s song:
I’m very Prickly, not that tall
When I feel frightened away I crawl,
And curl up into a ball
Children’s song about Hedgehogs
Yep that’s me, always been a bit of an introvert and a loner. Don’t like crowds….. how have I managed to get this far?
Hey you, we’ve come this far and it wasn’t all that bad was it? Had a bit of a dodgy start and you were heading in the wrong direction but you pulled it all back in, not half bad mate. Met a wonderful woman after thinking it was never going to happen and look how it turned out, if you’d taken the other route who knows if you’d made this day.
I wish I’d had more friends but I believed I had enough, now I’m here alone, everyone is a stranger everyone has left me now. It’s punishment I tell you, society has lost its glue now, things are so different and I’m constantly confused.
I think we’d have made great parents if fortune hadn’t dealt us such a bad deck of cards, I still think of how we’d have brought our kids up, you the soft loving touch and me the stern father. But we had tons of love to give, it didn’t go to waste as we loved each other and all those around us.
I’ve never envied anyone and that’s the same today, admire those people for what they have and for what they have achieved and and be happy for them, don’t ask why not me? You know I always used to say that.
There is a lot of hatred around, you know how much I detest that word however there is no escaping it, it frightens me and I still struggle to understand it all even at this age.
I’m waiting now until I can join you all and we can all start again, am I wrong to say I’m excited about that?
I’m surprised I made it here, I never thought I’d be that one but then again why not.
Memories are still strong and looking back I often ask myself if I’m happy, I think I’m content and just biding my time. Would I have done anything differently? Hell yeah but I’ve learned from my mistakes. I did what I could with the tools I had.
Regrets are few, expectations now are low. My time is nearing the end and I think I’ve made my peace with the earth. This cage that is my body will one day break open and let myself be free again from the ties of this existence. I hope I will then meet with my family and friends and that we can do it all over again.
Shopping where would I go.? To be honest shopping is my wife’s forte and to be totally frank from what I see of the bank statements, she is very good at it.
My wife pretty much buys all the stuff that enters our home, I just have the pleasure of earning the cash to pay for it all, but to be honest I wouldn’t have it any other way. Today for instance I was wearing a tee shirt to garden in that was over 25 years old. It’s still in good condition and fits…I look after my stuff but I’m not a tight arse by any means.
I love my hobbies and interests and to be honest any buying I do is for purely selfish reasons and usually involves the purchase of some tech kit such as recently, when I have purchased a Microscope for electronic work as well as a new solder flow rework station and a bench power supply.
If really pushed I guess I’d be heading for my favourite destination of Latchi and Polis in the north west corner of Cyprus. It would be expensive as I’d probably want to buy a seaside villa or something similar…. So I guess for the meantime that shopping spree is just going to have to be a pipe dream. We all need a dream or three in life though.
What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?
Though I don’t have a recognised or official middle name I always grew up thinking it was “Arsehole” as that is how my father – lovely chap 🤦♂️ used to address me. If I’m asked now, my first thought is to reel that one off but I’d probably come across as facetious and that’s not probably a good way to introduce one’s self. So the correct answer in this situation is probably “I don’t have one”.
Looking at this sorry attempt of a blog thing that I have set up, the thing I have learned is no one is really that concerned anyway. I’ve pretty much known from the start that I’m probably putting stuff out there into the ether, and who knows 50 yrs down the line when I’m back to dust some ancient civilisation who might have just seen the voyager space probes zap by might see some old chuff I’ve enlightened them with about old Cameras…
I guess I just need to somehow increase my output with some better content but I’m not that way inclined, I’ve just got so much going on i seriously need to retire to be able to do that.
So I’ll just tootle on and do much the same. I’m not fishing for likes or follows here please don’t think that, it’s just I was asked what was the last thing I learned and that is that this t’internet thing is not easy!
Heard last night that an old work colleague who mentored me in my early years had passed away. I must admit I shed a tear for him as he was a wholly decent individual. A family man, fit as a fiddle and had time for everyone. Unfortunately struck down with the big “C” carrying a brain tumour. We’ve know he has been unwell and his prognosis was terminal but he even beat the two weeks previously diagnosed to go on for at least 2 months. He was a true fighter.
I sent him what I’d class as cheerful and thankful messages each week telling him what a fantastic man he was, and each time he’d reply back sending his love to the family. He was always thinking of others.
However this week I had no reply…
His wife made contact last night to say in the last few days he had lost the ability to eat and speak and passed away surrounded by his family last evening.
I looked back this morning at all my text messages and I could see that he did read my last text I sent, that gave me comfort in that he knew just how much I appreciated him and how special he really was. It was my last contact with him.
Here’s wishing you eternal peace dear friend. You will never be forgotten.
Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.
I had always been a fit and active individual, taking in part in any challenge that came my way. I used to set myself physical challenges that I’d always throw myself into without any fear or concern for injury. However come the mid fifties of my life and aspects of my health changed immensely. I began feeling pains and symptoms I’d never felt before and have had to accept since then that my mind is issuing cheques that my body can no longer cash.
Yes my mind is active but age has meant I am now having to say good bye to the health I once enjoyed.
It’s like being asked to leave a party when you are just starting to enjoy it…
Stay young if you can, enjoy life. Peace to you all.
I live with my wife and dog. I do not wish to objectify or itemise them as they do not deserve that, they deserve an immense amount of love and respect, I’m just putting it out there that they are all I need in my life and have been for many years.
However as I dutifully have to make a choice or three here we go.
Medication 💊 without the two that I currently take (I won’t go in to detail) I guess it would be game over so to be honest this is probably the most relevant
Books 📕 my constant thirst for knowledge and learning means that this object slots comfortably into second place. As I’m a child of the sixties it’s books over Internet all day long, as the internet didn’t exist then, fast forward 3 decades and my choice if I’d been born in a different era might be slightly different.
Camera 📷 what better way to remember all those wonderful places, people and memories you have created along the way. Whether using the old film cameras of my generation or the new fandango units and phones of today, how else are you going to peek into time gone by and put a smile back on your face.
Yep, I’m happy with that, had to think a bit but these are the three items I could not live without.
Foxes Den 
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