No, I like sunny weather as much as the next guy but for some reason I think there is nothing better than sitting in a place outside or inside and just listening to the rain on the roof. To me it’s very settling and to be honest I’m probably more productive in my hobbies during such a period.
It’s a pain in the Ass right now as I’m trying to get in to the garden to finish a project I started a few weeks back, but this being the Uk what else can you expect but copious amounts of the wet stuff.
Spring time is lovely as you get a bit of both, a tester of the sunshine to make you look forward to those potentially balmy summer days, and then some rain and some beautiful rainbows to boot.
Rain for me. Though in a couple of months I’ll probably say sun.
I really wish I could participate in all those things that I love to do on a daily basis. The only problem is as I’ve always stated is that Work gets in the way of everything I enjoy doing.
I can’t understand how many people go into retirement and have nothing else to do. I work in a business, where the employees are so use used to working a regular shift based timetable that they become so ingrained with the work ethic, retire and very shortly you are attending a funeral.
I know that sounds a bit exaggerated but that’s the way it seems to anyone who retires from this job, it is as if they are now entering the corridor to the end of their days, strange i know but we’re so used to it when someone says they’re going to retire we all think the worst.
I don’t want that to be the same for me. I have so many interests that I can never see myself being bored or getting to the point that I just sink into being happy with my lot.
I used to work in Customer services years ago for some globally recognised brands and institutions. I struggled at times in the role and it was only when my wife was bluntly open with me that I realised the issue. “You know your problem, you just don’t like people”.
Though not totally true it made me think, I don’t like crowds of people to be honest and I can count my trusted friend on the one hand, I like to keep my pack small, and upset me and I’d drop you without a second thought.
I’d say I was an Introvert.
An introvert is commonly characterised as someone who is quiet or reserved, and an extrovert as enthusiastic and outgoing. Introverts may sometimes avoid social situations or engagements in larger, unknown crowds in the fear that they will be left feeling drained and mentally exhausted
The quote above is from a person who sees it just the same way I do. I work as a one man mobile trouble shooting team for my company now and that suits me down to the ground. I get things done and I like to think I do it well.
I don’t like uninvited visitors to the door, I see this as an invasion of my privacy, and this puts me at odds wife my wife as she is my polar opposite. She is gregarious, sociable and totally outgoing, all the things I am not.
She puts up with me and my ways. We’ve been a team for over 35 years now.
Maybe thereis truth in the saying “Opposites really do attract”
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.
Foxes Den 
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