Thoughts 10/4/24

Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

When sitting here I find it very hard to actually pinpoint a positive change I’ve made in my life. I’m sure I have made many however I find it difficult to pinpoint one in particular.

I guess if I had to choose one positive change, I would say that it would have to be that of not worrying, but that would be lying because I do worry I worry continually, it’s natural we all worry.

What I really mean is that I try not to worry about small stuff as that’s always been an issue with me. I let the smallest thing worry me I wish I could adopt the attitude of mañana just like the Spanish. Don’t worry about it until later. It’s a wonderful attitude in my eyes.

I struggle with it and it’s a constant battle, to not worry, it’s the way I’ve always been. It’s the way I’ll always be. I can only try to worry less.

This isn’t sounding very positive is it? So I guess I will just have to stop there to be totally honest. I can’t put my finger on one thing that I’ve been positive with change wise in my life.

I have failed terribly in today’s “Thoughts” I will have to try harder in the future.

That’s sad, it really is.

Happy day everyone

Thoughts 7/4/24

If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?

This is quite a tough one and I’ll have to think about that. I rarely read fiction so any choice I make will probably hark back to my school years.

I’ve got it. Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee. I’d have loved the life he had as he was a bit of an adventurer and an independent soul.

I know the area where he spent his childhood fairly well so could relate to some of the places he wrote of. The period of time was a much more innocent era and the characters are so well described, what they did and what he thought, all of this pulled you into the story. I read this at school and again only a year or so ago, but it meant more to me as an adult than it did as a child. I would have loved his life purely for the innocence and lack of responsibility in those hazy days of summers long past.

His follow up books of when he pretty much hiked all around Spain at the time of the civil war and then when he returned at the height of the civil war gave a fascinating insight to those particular times.

It’s amazing the feelings a well written book can stir inside you.

Have a peaceful day all.

Thoughts 6/4/24

What animals make the best/worst pets?

I’m going to be quite boring and predictable here, I’m a dog person having had the same breed of dog (Bichon Frise) throughout my married life, about 33 years now. Alf has been our constant companion for the last eleven years and is just an all round super fellow, funny little bundle of joy.

Alf – our little fellah

I’ve put Cats here as the worst, not that they are a particularly bad pet, but for me I have a severe allergy to them and their fur, so for me they are not a practical pet to be in my presence if I want to maintain an acceptable level of breathing. I used to have one as a pet as a youngster and that’s how I found out about this allergy.

Tabs – Feral cat

However there is an aside to this. When we purchased this house a few years ago there was a cat in all the outside photos of the property and we assumed the previous owner had one as a pet. We were very wrong. No one owns this cat known to us as “Tabs”. She is a feral cat that took ownership of this area many years ago and we live on her property. She is not scared of any animal, absolutely loves our Alf as she knows he is a right softy.

This garden is her territory, she chases foxes and any other uninvited visitors to the garden, she is an excellent mouser and will also bring evidence to the back door to prove this, much to the displeasure of the wife. She’s fed regularly by us as a result, and she is always missed if she goes off wandering for a few days as she often does.

So really there is no best or worst here, Im basing it solely on my own selfish “health” problems. She’s a lovely cat, I can’t touch her (she wouldn’t let me anyway) so we have a mutual distant respect for each other. She’s the dogs best friend though and they get on fantastically.

The dog has been through so much with us, helped us through some very tough times just by being a lovely form of stress relief for us. His companionship is without condition and his loyalty is unique. He’s my boy, he deserves nothing but utter love and respect. A true pet lover would understand.

Have a wonderful day

Thoughts 5/4/24

What job would you do for free?

I absolutely love the outdoors. In any weather you can throw at me, either torrential rain or the heat of the sun.

Hampton Court

Any job being a custodian of the country side would suit me just fine. Clearing paths, building shelters, erecting fencing, or just picking litter, I’m your man.

I feel happy out there, totally stress free so why wouldn’t I do it for free?

Stay safe everyone

Thoughts 4/4/24

What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?

That’s easy for me. I love the endurance sports such as the marathon and long distance cycling.

It’s amazing how the bodies of these athletes adapt to and endure such extremes of physical demand.

I’ve tried it in the past and the last Marathon I ran in was the London Marathon back in 2002. Nowadays for me it’s an endurance sport just getting moving in the morning, never mind breaking in to a trot.

Happy days all, stay safe.

Thoughts 3/4/24

How would you improve your community?

Where does one begin.

Like many large towns and cities in the Uk no one really gives a thought to other people. We are a mixing pot of cultures up here and integration is fairly low on everyone’s agenda, we all have our own little communities and it’s like we are all scared of talking to each other.

Many have tried and failed to address the issue and I guess there are still those trying now, it’s pretty much failed though and is going to take something pretty outstanding for things to work.

Maybe time will be the healer and we all sit back and wait for that to happen, but it’s not going to in reality is it?

Litter…maybe that’s where we start. I remember back in the 70’s we had the keep Britain tidy campaign and that really got me on side. Hand on heart if I ever have any litter it goes in my pocket/Bag and I dispose of it when appropriate. That’s just me though. It really grinds my gears, I go walking and take a bag with me for litter. My neighbours watch me cleaning the green area outside our houses but they contribute most of the mess, and I’m sure they do it just to keep me busy.

I’d love it if one day one of them would join me to lend a hand and show some respect of the area in which they reside.

Maybe that’s the answer, start a litter club, who knows.

In the meantime I’ll carry on doing my bit, you never know it might just catch on.

Stay safe.

Thoughts 2/4/24

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

Well, just like everyone else I’m glad it’s over and done with. I’m a bit mystified that after having all the jabs I’ve been told to have (as I am a high risk) I still managed to get hit with it bad about six weeks back. I’m not leaving this as bait for the tin foil hat brigade out there, i just live in hope that my suffering then was not as bad as it could have been.

I do however believe I’ve had some long term effects but I can’t even confirm that they are due to Covid, they could be due to the shift patterns I currently work (Aches, pains, tiredness and the on set of old age)

Other than that I’ve adapted quite well, I’ve never really enjoyed crowds and will still avoid certain situations, I work on my own and have done throughout the whole pandemic so to be totally honest nothing has really changed.

Let’s just hope it’s now treated in a similar way to seasonal flu.

Stay safe everyone

Thoughts 1/4/24

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

Wake-up.

Stretch….

Meds…

Cup of tea….

Cup of tea number two…..

That’s it I’m ready to go.

Bring it on.

Have a good day y’all

Thoughts 31/3/24

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

Attitude is like a finger print. We all have one however unlike a finger print we can change that attitude as we move through life.

Some decide to work on changing their attitudes to better themselves some decide to progress through life unchanged and unwilling to improve their attitude. It’s a life choice.

Do you want an easier life or a constant life of anger and struggle?

That choice is yours my friends.

Thoughts 30/3/24

If you could have something named after you, what would it be?

Straight to the point I’d like to have a statue of me named “Procrastination”

Its what I’m good at you know “Mañana” as they say in the Spanish language. It’s never really got me in to too much trouble, in some cases I do believe some people have appreciated the fact I don’t always run into problems. I tend to sit back and contemplate an outcome and then work on it to make sure the outcome is acceptable to all. It’s just I might take 24 hrs or so to do it.

Yes there are situations that require immediate attention, but I’m really at my best when I can have some time to think about it.

Don’t pester and I’ll get it done….someday 😂

Have a lovely Easter. Stay safe.