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.
What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
My father was a demon. Consumed with jealousy towards my mother she couldn’t speak to anyone without being questioned about her motives. Most of my formative years were spent as a youngster protecting her and my younger sister from his rage. Going to bed at night as a young teenager with a metal bar under the covers to be ready to go at him should he fly into another of his rage’s leaves a scar on my memory to this day, almost 40 years later.
I always stated that I would never be like him, and all these years later I think I’ve done ok. My life is better than his, I have achieved more than him and I have never raised my hand to anyone especially a female in my entire life, so in theory I think I have won.
He still haunts me in my dreams though and it is as if I am still being challenged by him even though he is no longer here.
I’ve grown from this experience, no child should ever have to suffer this amount of emotional abuse, no female should ever have to live through that constant fear of an abusive partner. No man should ever be capable of such coercion.
But it happens.
Just not in my life anymore… I’ve grown.
Stay smiling, you are a beautiful person who deserves happiness.
I believe you shape your destiny and fate. Nothing too complex, don’t read too much into it, if you are nice and polite to people, you will get the same in return. Opportunities will surface due to your attitude so take what is presented to you as a result.
What makes me laugh? Really, I try to laugh at most of what I see and do partly because it cheers me up and partly because if I can’t see a sensible logic to something, laughing helps me get through the situation. Not perfect or suitable in many a situation and to some people I guess I might come across as quite inappropriate however it’s a coping mechanism for me. My dog Alf makes me laugh, he’s been a comfort to me throughout his short life and now as he’s starting to slow down and enter senior life he can still do it, he’s a beautiful soul.
My dog – Alfie
Humour has allowed me 32 wonderful years of marriage with my lovely wife who also has a wonderful sense of humour, it’s gotten us through some really tough times, and it works for us.
My sense of humour was inherited from my father, one of the good things he gave me. It’s kind of very low rate humour at times laughing at some quite crass things but hey, you’ve just gotta laugh. I’m laughing as I write this piece because a rude text has just popped up on my phone from a friend 🤦♂️. And that’s it I guess, you can use it as a measure to how someone is feeling, he’s told me without saying anything that he’s fine because I know his sense of humour, if he’d been more serious I’d be asking myself and him questions.
There is a time and a place I guess, but laughing makes you feel good and happy, and I believe the world needs a lot more of that.
Foxes Den 
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