A Day in the Life of a Retiree

 Dear Marmite

As both of us are retired you'll know where I am coming from. It isn't that I don't have anything to do. it is just that my week days and weekends slip seemlessly by and I don't notice where they have gone. 

I get up happy, usually set off to do some sort of exercise; then back at home I potter and fiddle with stuff. Monday was different. It was the Queen's Funeral. This I have to say was spectacular on so many levels and I appreciate totally how long the history of the pageantry is. It made me chuckle when at one point a commentator said that one part was a more recent addition in the early 1500s. 

Lines like that are pure comedy. I did, however, get a bit irritated by the inane commentary about what was happening and also the number of familiar faces wheeled out to tell us at home how wonderful Her Maj was. By the time the coffin had been transferred to the hearse, I turned the sound off and just had it on in the background.

Just thinking of our history - the abbey, fininished in 1276, is amazing considering they had no cranes and modern technology. Not only is it grand on a large scale, it is magnificent in its decor too and it is still standing. This is a testament to how well it was made. I am glad I don't have to get the cobwebs from the rafters though. That must be a bit tricky even now. Westminster Abbey is not the only old place still standing. This country is full of really ancient stuff. Buildings around you in Singapore get earmarked for redevelopment after 30 years. Lucky that Dairy Farm is clinging on!

Last Friday I did quiz night at my place. It makes me realise what clever friends I have here. My round was on HRH... From my research I found this one...Do you know why the longest serving Saxon King was called Ethelred the Unready? It is all to do with a play on words and nothing to do with an incompetent monarch!! That was news to me.

A pro arts quiz by a pro artist!

I have been making tree name signs for the orchard. I am learning pyrography. This literally is playing with fire and I am not totally relaxed with the process but it fits with my aim of picking up new skills in my dotage. I have also been making a blanket for the cold weather. I plan to have my heating one degree lower than last year. Bills over here are threatening to be scary. 

And so Marms, I am off to tennis- need more practice to get more medals-  shortly followed by an afternoon pottering in the garden. Lots to do before the temperatures really drop! 

Miss you and love you loads

Hugs

XXXX

In search of Heathcliff

 Dear Marmite

I know it has been a time since I last wrote. Last weekend we had a Community Orchard Day where little children and my daughter, Danielle could make bug hotels and clay animals. I made 24 crumbles to sell and we did a roaring trade in preserves too. These were all from orchard produce. The weather was perfect, the atmosphere as always in the orchard is so nice so I knew I would enjoy it. I wasn't disappointed. On top of that we raised money to keep the place ticking over.

This week I went up to Howarth in Yorkshire to meet up with an old friend you once knew and to walk the moors. Even with warm sunshine the moors are bleak and when you are on top of them, you really can see the world. For me, it was my first time in this part of the world and I fell in love with it.

I also very nearly fell in love with a dog too. His name is Rollo - a young Alsation with impeccable manners. We got there on Monday and to be honest Haworth was closed. The Pub where we stayed was almost the only eating place open on that Monday night and everybody we were in the pub with was on the circular path to see the Wuthering Heights house way up on top of the moor - a 7+ mile round trip. So it wasn't difficult to spot Rollo and his family - big wide open space - not many people - easy!

Things livened up for us when we got back to town from our walk. Outside a brewery-cum- distillery pub was a man sitting in the sunshine holding a pint. He said it tasted good and he certainly looked as if he was enjoying it so we too had a pint. We then tried their speciality gins - nuff said. As it was Tuesday they weren't serving food and everywhere in the Main Street was also closed when we had finally finished (It was Haworth after all) so the only possible answer was to pop into another pub for another gin! Long walk plus mini pub crawl equals great day!

Now I am back home. I have caught up with my swimming. You and I Marms are close to the finish line - 40 lengths only. The next challenge is the Channel - 22 miles in 12 weeks. If you think we are up to it, I'll put your picture on the chart and we can do that one together as well.

Today I am off to do some tidying up in the church graveyard of my little village. A little bit of give back to the lovely place where I live. The sun is shining. The birds are singing - the bloody geese are making a racket - they always do.. almost idyllic.

Love you

XXX

A New Era Ahead

 Dear Marmite

You have probably heard the very sad news that our monarch, Queen Elizabeth ll, died this week. It will be one of those things that we will always remember exactly where we were when we found out - and it doesn't matter if you are a royalist or not. 85% of British people were born after she came to the throne so most of us will never have known anything other than the queen. 

I had just got in the car and turned on the engine. On the radio the National Anthem was playing. I changed stations and then realised the enormity of what I was listening to.  I cried. Ridiculous really. I cried at the sound of the National Anthem and it isn't even a particularly nice one as National Anthems go. The significance of the end of an era is what got to me. I have cried since when I heard the peel of bells and the gun salutes.

I had read about the code for the queen dying. It is London Bridge is down. I seem to remember Prince Philip was The Forth Bridge and the Queen Mum was Tay Bridge. These are the codes that means all the important people swing into action and follow a strict set of plans to ensure a smooth transition and organisation of the funeral. I got home from my quiz and read the whole protocol - wow... a truly defining document that leaves nothing to chance. They have even rewritten the National Anthem words already!

It is also phenominal how fast te news travelled around the world. I got my first message from Asia 7 minutes after I first heard the National Anthem. However, the bits I have found crass are the bits that must have been planned and archived ready for 24 hours news coverage of everything monarchy. I wonder if the queen signed off on all the bits we are hearing now? How weird is that?

In my little life, I played and won a mini- tournament at my club - Now I cover up completely after having a squamous cell carcinoma removed from my collar bone. Total skin protection from now on. I will adapt to anything so that I can keep moving!! With these mini competitions it is really all about the men you get to partner and I was lucky to be on the same side as some of the best that NPTC has! Thank you men!!!

I also had an eye test this week. I still have 20/20 vision. In fact, as I have artificial lenses in my eyes, I actually have X-ray vision. This means I not only see you nice and clearly, I can see under the fur and clothes you are wearing... not a pretty sight. As I am officially an old dear, I was given a free hearing test as well. I have near perfect hearing too so don't say anything in earshot you don't want me to hear. Of course I did the Woolhead thing where the audiologist says, "We'll test your hearing now." and I say, "pardon"... I know, not funny... but it always feels like it should be at the time. 

So now I am off to peel yet more apples. I have no more room in my kitchen to store stewed apples but I have promised to make 24 crumbles for the Community Orchard do on Saturday. I am juggling logistics and apple peelings.. I even have blisters from cutting up so many.

So this is where I must say Bye Bye... apple peeling waits for no man!

Love you

XXX