It’s the only place on the planet I’d happily move to
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I’ve answered similar prompts to this before therefore it won’t be a protracted answer.
That answer is southern Cyprus. West of the island, Polis and Latchi to be precise.
Love the people, the food, the culture and quite simply the quality of life. it’s a fantastic place operating at a speed I can quite easily blend in to.
It’s our very happy place.
Have a beautiful day.
A year ago today we lost our little dog Alf. It’s been a tough year and I must say time has not been a good healer, it’s as tough now as it was back then and he’s left a massive void in our family structure.
I’d say now that if you aren’t an animal lover then read no further. You wouldn’t understand.
However if you have a modicum of appreciation for a species that loves another being, unconditionally, then please read on.
Is there a cure for a broken heart 💔
I wrote this last year at his passing, nothing has changed.
I really miss walking this little fellow.
Good day to you all. Have a happy and peaceful one.
List 30 things that make you happy.
I’m sure I could add a lot more, but at this time of the morning this is all you are going to get.
Another pointless prompt from the AI gods at WordPress. Enjoy, glad I could be of assistance.
Next please……
Have a great day y’all
Just as Neil Diamond serenaded us in 1976 in the middle of a summer heatwave, it was the first song that came to my head when I awoke around 06:30 this morning.
It was raining. The UK, or at least our little bit of it up here in the East Midlands has been under heatwave conditions for a few weeks now. We haven’t seen a good rainfall for a couple of months now, only the occasional spot of rain, but not sufficient to fill a hollow tooth….of a mouse.
It has been proper raining today, and it reminds me that in one of the upper gutter systems i have a joint that needs attention as it leaks a constant metronomic amount of water on to the downstairs conservatory roof, giving a constant, tap, tap, tap that is somewhat comforting to listen to. My water collection butts around the house are all nicely filling as a result with good fresh water that the plants and baskets love and crave.
It’s a beautiful sound.
I know there are parts of the world that probably only hear or feel this kind of weather on very rare occasions, and for those people, when it does finally arrive it must be super special and spectacular.
But they manage.
Where as here in the Uk or any other part of the so called developed western world, a week without rain and the whole nation starts to panic, water companies that are ripping us off with their inflated prices are telling us to cut down, and then the nanny state kicks in with its list of things you must and mustn’t do. It’s crazy, we’re in a crazy world.
But my part of that world just lays here quite content, I have my metronomic drip to comfort me, I have a cup of tea beside me, and my whole world lays beside me in a comfortable and cool slumber, totally unaware of the weather situation developing around us. She will be happy when she awakes. The plants are happy, the birds are content and for a brief moment the world is good.
Then the weather report comes up saying we are in for another heatwave next week. Oh well, that didn’t last long did it. A brief reprieve from the intense heat was nice, but I can’t complain at seeing the sun, as to be honest that will soon be gone and we will go through a long autumn and winter all praying for its swift return. We can’t have it all, can we?
But it is an absolutely beautiful noise isn’t it?
Have a super day, enjoy the rain, sun or whatever you have in your region. Just stay safe.
This could also be titled, “When is a mum not a mum?”
I married my dear wife over 30+ years ago now, and to say she has been the stabiliser of my life would be an understatement, the rudder to my boat, you get the point I’m a lucky guy.
However we knew very early on in our marriage that we would not be having children, and that was difficult at the start. Not as much to me as, to be honest, children weren’t really in my plans at that early stage, but to my wife, she viewed it as if it was her duty to produce a child, she was a woman after all and she dearly wanted a child. And I’d do anything to make her life complete. However this was never going to be a dream come true in our life time as unfortunately and for reasons I won’t discuss here, we were dealt the bum deal as they say. It wasn’t to be. We were to remain childless.
Those first ten years of our marriage were an immense test of our feelings for each other, I’d come home at times and often find her crying for the child she could never have, and yes my heart broke every time, it was a very sad period in our lives. We explored every possibility, in the early days when Kim Cotton was the first in the UK to venture into surrogacy, we followed that closely and were considering the possibility of going down that same route, it was early days and there were lots of pitfalls and heartbreak stood in each corner of the decision making progress. It was fraught with problems and legal issues. We stepped away from this opportunity, reluctantly.
Back in the early 90s the adoption process was not as open as it is nowadays, we just wouldn’t have been considered, it was so selective and as we were quite young and in local government housing at the time, we wouldn’t have even got through the initial application stages, oh how times have changed.
There’s a strange feeling taking your wife to baby shops such as “Mothercare” to chose prams and a decor for the child you would never have, we knew we would never be buying but it was “fun” in a weird sense as we learned a lot about how life would have been if we were dealt a fairer set of cards.
Then the younger members of the family started having children of their own, I thought things would be worse for us as I was worried about my wife’s reaction to all these upcoming births. I needn’t had worried, as this turned out to be the point in our married life where it all changed for the better.
We pretty much became permanent baby sitters, it’s fair to say we probably witnessed more periods of excitement and firsts in their little life’s than their own parents did, it was fantastic, and we could hand the nippers back at the end of the day, even though we did have the occasional overnight stay.
That was definitely the turning point, and my wife changed when this occurred, she was accepting of the fate she had been dealt, but she now had what she wished for, children to look after.
We had brilliant days out with them kids, we did all the stuff you just do and we could now visit those shops to buy gifts for these little visitors that we had been gifted the chance to look after.
To this day those kids, or should I say young adults spend so much time with us, they’ve even joined us on a recent holiday and the relationship we have with them is fantastic. They have grown up to be beautiful souls and it’s nice to think we played a part in their stories. We still ask each other what we think our kids would have been like, and often comment that if they are just like the nieces and nephews we helped bring up, then we couldn’t do much better than that.
The prompt for this post was encouraged by the fact that even though we are the only childless couple in our family, every Mother’s Day and Father’s Day we are showered with cards and gifts, and whilst I question it every year it’s their way of showing their appreciation, and just saying thank you.
I’ve sent them all a WhatsApp message telling them what I have purchased with their gift cards, as I like them to know where it’s been spent. This year I’ve purchased some new tools and a special extraction fan for my soldering, just so I can stay around and appreciate them a little longer. They and their parents changed our life’s for the better.
I should really be thanking them. But they know I’m always here for them. I’m not a dad, but they make me feel so much like a dad. ❤️
Thanks for passing by. Stay blessed and try to be happy.
My wife is a fantastic organiser. The family owes an awful lot to her as she always arranges meals and get togethers keeping us all in touch. Without her doing this I very much believe we’d all lose contact quite rapidly. She keeps the family together. And she is brilliant at what she does.
Today is one of those days, Easter Saturday, she has hired the Skittle alley at our local pub and we are all meeting there for a meal prior to throwing our “Cheeses” at the skittles. No perfectly round balls here, these are good old solid wood, full of splinters and shaped more like tin cans to be honest. And they can go off in any direction, there is no way to control them. Just don’t get in their way!
We play it differently up here in the East Midlands as can be seen here:
In the East Midlands, people play Long Alley in which the projectiles are rough balls or small capsule shaped logs called “cheeses” and a score is only made if the cheeses bounce a single time just in front of the pins.
Wikipedia
It can be quite brutal. But that’s how we roll in the East Midlands 😂
It’s a beautiful old pub, and we kind of adopted it when we moved up here. A right old traditional pub. I think there is about 22 of us up there tonight from all different areas, so it should be a nice evening.
Tomorrow is a different story when we will all be off to watch our home football team get slaughtered at home to our visitors- Liverpool.
But let’s not get too depressed about that, here’s how today has gone instead.
4 rounds of 3 cheeses each and we had sorted out the final four of the contest, cousin Paul wins outright and wins the first prize a Cadbury crème egg. Highest score of the evening went to niece Julie who managed to down eight skittles in one round.
The remainder of the evening was just people talking and catching up. It was a lovely day and My wife has already sorted out the Christmas party dinner. She’s so damned organised.
The day started at our house earlier when everyone went down our garden pub to play darts, have a drink and kick the day off in a really fun and friendly fashion. It’s ended around 12 hours later when the tiredness sets in and people start to make their excuses and gradually filter off into the night.
Tomorrow we go again when we meet at my nieces home for her house warming party. It’ll be a little more subdued as some are back to work on Monday, however I’m really looking forward to meeting up with them all again.
Good times. Good company. Nothing beats it.
Another production on an iPad from my 2012 era. God knows what I was on at the time as I was doing some right old tripe. But hey ho, it’s done and it covers a particular time of my life so it has to go out there. Not just showing the good stuff (not that I do any good stuff….). I guess if I had a name such as Picasso or Banksy it would be worth an absolute fortune. But I don’t, and it’s not. Enjoy, laugh, critique, slap your forehead. At least it’s got a reaction 👍
This is the first prompt for days that I’ve been able to answer as I’d already answered those others previously. I’m going to make a slight change to this prompt and remove the word “Hate”. I never use this word as it’s such an awful one, and unfortunately it’s too prevalent in our world at present. I’m going to use the word “Dislike” as dislike can always be improved upon rather than the other word that is just so final. Once Hate is in place. There really is no turning back. So here we go.
Anyone that keeps an eye on this blog and reads the content will know I’m an individual who likes to keep himself busy. Just look at the projects and stuff I’ve posted recently, and the fact I still have 18 posts still in draft mode and you will see I’m a busy guy. On top of that I am a full time employed individual with a house to run a garden to look after and a wife who loves spending (Bless her x)
My time is quite well planned, so when that phone call comes in asking me, “Are you busy?” That’s when I have a sharp intake of breath. Normally it involves fulfilling tasks for friends and family, giving time that is precious to me and in many cases already accounted for. Now don’t get me wrong, I do not mind helping anyone, there is no greater pleasure in seeing someone’s face light up at the end of a well done project. The thing is I take so many on, that it normally means the same job at my own home is being neglected, it’s always more fun doing the job at someone else’s property for some unknown reason though.
The reason I dislike being asked is that I just can’t damn well say no. Saying no makes me feel guilty but that’s just the guy I am. I guess to me it’s just like that word “Hate” it’s just not in my vocabulary.
So that’s why I dislike being asked this question as I’m just not wired to say “No”.
One day I’ll learn to say it. But that’s not today. And probably even tomorrow.
Hey ho.
Happy days everyone.
Write about your dream home.
My optimistic side would say i’d love to live somewhere warm, who wouldn’t? I’d probably live in my favourite destination and that is the Western side of Cyprus. The people are friendly, the weather is warm and even the winter months can allow you the freedom of still being able to wear shorts. Yes, my old aching bones say that, that is the place for me.
However my realistic side thinks different.
I live in an old 1930’s house that did not have an ounce of insulation in its core fabric. Was it warmer back then? I think not. I am in a most fortunate position that our little old creaking, cold and demanding abode is ours. We are very fortunate.
I sit here writing about dream homes, when some people are dreaming for just a home, thats the problem, realising a dream. Sometimes its just out of reach. And here i am now thinking just what an idiot i am when in theory i have it all. Well, I don’t actually have it all, but in the eyes of many I’m well off. But i would have to disagree with that, comfortable yes, wealthy definitely not. What we have has taken a lot of self sacrifice, a lot of effort and more downs than there has been ups. We are nothing if not survivors, as are many others out there. We are bordering on retirement. It’s been a struggle to say the least.
So let’s approach this subject again probably from the angle i should have done in the first place.
I have an old house, it’s comfortable but cold in winter, and i love it. I wouldn’t ever want to be anywhere else and i am thankful for what i have and for those i have around me. I’m thankful to those who come into our little home and share the good and not so good times with us. Why would i ever wish to live abroad when i already live in my dream home. A new location does not fulfil the dream, those around you, the familiar landmarks and all those memories that we are creating on a daily basis are what make that thing of beauty. The bad times we learn from, we move on and become wiser.
This is my dream home. even though it’s bloody chilly.
Stay safe and warm. Peace to all.
Describe your most ideal day from beginning to end.
If just for 24hrs you could be with those you miss the most, those who have gone before you who have left you with so many unanswered questions, this would be the perfect day.
To spend more time with loved ones, to walk another mile with them, hold hands and just look at that reassuring smile, how lovely would that be?
Talking with them to the point that comfort and assurance is restored and having those doubts and worries brushed away. To know they really are happy, well and worry free, and that you are loved and still looked after, wouldn’t that just be perfect?
The end of the day would come, you’d be upset for sure, you’d say gentle goodbyes, but this time you’d be smiling, what a difference to the last time you parted company. You could now live the rest of your life free and without the worries and doubts of your past to haunt you. No more grieving.
Never again to ask the question, “What if?” as you’d already have the answers.
What a lovely day that would be❤️
Foxes Den 
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