Tag: family

A little break away part three

Our last day today was a hot one. Here in sunny Broadstairs it hit a balmy 28 degrees so I suspect summer has now officially been and gone.

We have a family wedding up north in about seven weeks and I’ve been hanging around in getting a new suit, as the only one I seem to have that fits now is the one used for funerals. Probably not good to turn up at a celebration wearing that I guess. No I’ve been good and got myself a nice new three piece one that should do the job, I’m very happy with it and the wife has also given her seal of approval so I suspect for once, the boys done good!

Whilst we were shopping we came across this strange sign. I know Apple have brought out the iPhone, iPad, iWatch etc I’m just curious to know what this is:

Icrack…what’s that then?

I’m wondering, does it tell the time or stream the internet? The mind boggles. Do I need one or shall I stick with what I have….oooerrr missus.

That aside we’ve had a lovely day just walking around the seafront people watching. Tonight we have been out to celebrate a 50th Birthday at Sittingborne dog track, otherwise known as Central Park stadium.

12 races, a lovely dinner and some alcohol free drinks as yours truly was driving. Spent a little, lost a little, didn’t come out any better off. Gambling is a mugs game, thank god I don’t do it that often. I don’t really know what I’m doing, maybe that’s the problem. Anyway it was fun and good to meet up with distant family.

And they’re off
Winning post
One of tonight’s winners
Betting…a mugs game.

So I sit here perusing the past week and what a fantastic time we’ve had. The driving is by far the worst part and by tomorrow afternoon I will have racked up almost 800 miles, and on Uk roads that isn’t fun. However we’ve made memories, spent time with the family and seen friends we have not seen in a while. So the inconvenience of driving pales into insignificance considering what we have done.

I’m looking forward to the next get together in about 7 weeks from now. I’m just not looking forward to the last leg of driving from Kent to the East Midlands tomorrow.

But I’m sure it will all be worth it.

A little break away Part two..

We’ve finished our small break away in the Devon countryside and taken a long and protracted drive across the south of England to the garden of England. Kent.

Devon to Kent

We are here to attend a surprise 50th birthday celebration, and thank god we are not doing anything tonight as I’m absolutely cream crackered (Slang for Knackered). Britains highways are crumbling away and to be honest they are not fit for purpose. An allegedly “fast route” of 250 miles should have taken 4hrs and 55 mins, so we finally arrived at our destination 7hrs and 30 mins later. Awful, and a bloody embarrassment to this island as are all forms of transport we operate in this country. It really is a pathetic state of affairs.

Anyway that aside the last couple of days in Devon were beautiful. I saved a baby rabbit from the attention of a wild cat, our beautiful best friend (our dog Alf) even though extremely ill loved the time with his mate Herbie, they played together and brought smiles to our faces, tears to our eyes and love to our hearts, as anyone who knows Alf, knows this is not expected with his illness, it was lovely to see the old Alf. if only temporarily. He’s a beautiful soul, not an angry bone in his body. Just a gorgeous little dog.

Baby Rabbit

We’ve headed off to Kent now whilst Alf has headed back to the East Midlands in the company of my Brother and Sister in law who know how to look after him and how to treat his illness. We will be back with him in a couple of days.

Alf and Herbie.

Now in Kent we’ve booked in at our hotel that is a lot less luxurious than the farmhouse in Devon, but comfortable all the same. A quick visit to my Sisters for a Coffee and whilst sitting in her back garden we get dive bombed by a juvenile Seagull on its first flight. But he seems unable to get airborne so his parents start to dive bomb us in the garden, protecting their young I suspect.

Baby Seagull

So what with all the chaos that has prevailed, with all the noise and aerial activity we have decided to retreat indoors to leave them to it. Hopefully they’ll be able to get junior airborne once again.

Back to the hotel as tiredness has silenced me and I need some rest. Tomorrow we are off to the dog racing in Sittingbourne for a meal and some light entertainment. Hopefully there will be no further animal shenanigans.

Peace to you all.

A little break away

Not been answering the standard sometimes mind numbing questions that WP throws out on a daily basis as I’m currently enjoying some time away in and around the coast of Devon. Family time, good food and drink and company and a few nice little walks away from it all on my own some.

Beer – Seaton – Beer. Lovely walk
A little east Devon walk

I’ve been swimming and taken loads of photos, here are a selection below.

Rose and Crown Bath
Rose and Crown Bath
Alf having some icecream
Our accommodation in Devon
Our dining room in Devon
View of our accommodation in Devon
Our pool
A selection of local beers
The orchard and the dog
Beer
Beer high street
Beer high street
Dogs more welcome than humans
Beer beach
Beer high street
Poetry post
View in to Beer
Marshmallows and chocolate digestives

We’ve brought our dog Alf with us as it’s probably the last holiday he’ll have with us due to his illness. He’s thoroughly enjoying it and tiring him self out constantly. It’s lovely and we are all enjoying our time with him. Time is precious.

I’ll return to normal operation when we get back if I can be arsed. Having too much of a good time.

Have a pleasant day everyone.

That’s all folks

List 10 things you know to be absolutely certain.

  • You will be born
  • You will live a life
  • You will be taxed for everything
  • You will make good choices
  • You will make bad decisions
  • You will experience deep joy
  • You will experience excruciating pain
  • You will grieve
  • You will love
  • You will die

You choose your direction in life. Make it good.

Peace to all.

Neither, I believe

Are you seeking security or adventure?

I have security in particular aspects. My job and my relationship being the main ones.

Adventure, nah I’ve done all of that, I’ve got numerous tee shirts to prove it.

For me it’s now comfort. I have it in my relationship but not my job. I have itchy feet in that aspect.

When I’m in a position to vacate this role I would have then found the comfort I seek.

It will come.

Patience young man….

Retirement beckons

Dinner for 14 please..

If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?

Strange one this, it would have to be a mix of those who are living and those who have passed.

It would be something like this:

  • My Wife – we always have plenty to talk about, relevant and irrelevant.
  • My brother John – passed away a few years back, but such a funny soul.
  • My Mum – again passed away but such a beautiful kind soul.
  • Karl Sagan – this guy cemented my interest in the universe with his Cosmos tv series and the book I still have to this day.
  • Professor Brian Cox – the modern version of Karl, and someone he could talk to, I’d love to eavesdrop this conversation.
  • Michael Stipe of REM – my favourite group, I have so many questions and what a lovely guy.
  • Michael Collins – Apollo 11, what was it like to be floating about out there when your colleagues were getting all the acclaim on the lunar surface?
  • My Brother in law Tel – always good company.
  • My sister in law Liz – absolutely lovely, and always ready to stir it up.
  • My sister Anne – a duplicate of my dear mum.
  • Bob Marley – my introduction to Reggae.
  • Bing Crosby – my dad’s favourite singer, and I was brought up listening to him, as I don’t want my dad there this would be close enough to him.
  • My Nan – Dads mum. A lovely tortured suffering soul that would do anything for anyone.

That’s about it. What a mixture of people. I’m sure I’d sit there for ages just holding the hands of my loved ones and just listening and savouring every little moment.

Perfect

Happy days everyone

The long plod up to retirement

How do you want to retire?

That would be nice….

Now this is a prompt I like. I’m in My late 50s and I’m looking into this seriously. My boss knows i plan to retire 2 years from my next birthday and the planning has already started to be looked into.

I want to retire comfortable, not looking at massive amounts but something that will keep us as we are currently. The mortgage is already paid so we are fortunate there, and outstanding debts will all be realised within the next 18 months so in theory by the time I do retire we will owe no one anything, so the need for a higher Income will not be necessary.

I am paying extra into my pension and we obviously have a small amount put aside for incidentals, to be honest the future looks ok. Touch wood (That’s my superstitious side shining through

I may take a little no responsibility, part time job to keep my hand in, but to be honest we want to travel, and just take it easy. Oh and my hobbies and garden can then get the attention they all deserve.

That’s of course as long as fate doesn’t throw a spanner in the works.

Peace all

Living the good life or your “Best life”

What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

In my honest opinion this is truly an individual choice. However I can only speak for myself when I answer this question.

Enjoy the journey (internet)

What is the good life? Do we refer back to the old tv sitcom of the 70s with Richard Briers and Penelope Keith, when the good life was living off the land and being totally self dependent? Or is it something else?

In modern society I suspect it is something else, even though many would long to have a similar simple existence as the “Goodes” did back then.

Realistically, that life is not attainable by all so we have to resort to what we individually class as the good life. To have a good life and what I personally would class as the good life, there are a few aspects of our own demeanours that we have to make changes to.

Now I don’t have what I’d call the good life, I have a pretty good life and I’m happy with that. I’d imagine the Good life in truth contains a number, if not all of the following, that we strive to achieve on a daily basis but may not be fully versed in just yet:

  • Financial security
  • Job security
  • A steady relationship
  • A loving family
  • The freedom to travel
  • A good attitude
  • Humility
  • Kindness
  • Compassion
  • Understanding

We are all probably able to say we are fully conversant in a number of these aspects, however we are more than likely striving to attain these goals rather than exercising them on a daily basis. Just looking at these myself I can see where I fall down, and what I need to do to attain a fully “Good life” but a number of factors will probably step in and stop me ever achieving that.

So I guess I’ll just have to be content with achieving my “Best life” and be satisfied with that. And you know what? I’m content with that choice, as I’m sure many others will similarly be.

Enjoy your days, stay safe.

Thoughts 7/6/24

Who do you spend the most time with?

I spend most of the time with my work colleagues to be honest. Well. Truthfully it’s probably even Steven’s between them and my wife and dog, though it does sometimes feel that I’m more at work than home.

As I can’t show any work pictures on here, please enjoy this delectable little YouTube short of my dog wishing you a happy day.

Our Alf wishing you a happy day

Enjoy.

Thoughts 31/5/24

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

Unplug

There are two ways at approaching this. Are we referring to unplugging from technology or unplugging from life when things start to get on top of you?

In technology apart from using WordPress as I am using currently for this blogging thing, I don’t use any other social platform apart from Twitter or “X” or whatever it is known as now to keep tabs on some groups I follow. I don’t partake in posting on it, it’s a vile, filth filled platform of hate that you only have to log into to witness. I don’t really need it to be honest and can delete it and feel no loss, and the world in my eyes becomes a better place. This is where social media falls down, the low life element of society now has a platform to spread its questionable ideology.

So technology in this aspect can just be deleted. In fact I’ve just this minute deleted Twitter so that’s a positive move, no antisocial media to worry about. Ignorance is sometimes bliss.

However the second aspect of when things start to get on top of you will differ from person to person. Personally for me as I have stated in the past, my job role bleeds over into my private life quite literally and I have now put measures in place to stop that. Previously I was available 24hrs, believe me you cannot do that and enjoy a healthy balance in life. You must stop and make immediate changes.

Work phone goes on when I start work and off at the end of the day. The business has been informed not to contact me via my private phone or email. All company WhatsApp groups have been deleted, I will find out what’s happened when I book on. All overtime shifts have been refused.

Result: my home life has improved, I’m a better person to be around and my priorities have been realigned. I’m resting better, my mood has improved and I’m starting to enjoy a life with my loved ones that I was in danger of jeopardising.

Work to live, don’t live to work.

Shine bright people.