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Still here

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For the record COVID 19 has not gone away. People generally are just not testing for it and going on as usual. I’ve had it this week, the new Nimbus strain. It’s nasty. Razor throat, extra sleepy, runny nose, like a cold on steroids. I went out after 5 days because I needed to buy over the counter medication and that is one thing you can’t get delivered. I wore a mask. I stayed away from people as much as possible. I explained to the checkout assistant why I was masked having been asked if I had a cold. I was thanked for having taken it seriously. The woman behind me in the queue looked mildly irritated by someone bothering to take such precautions.

It’s surprising to me that the postman was unaware. Is it still a thing he said.  Before launching the parcel into the porch when I told him I had it. Not a thing but still scary then! It’s still here. It will still seriously damage vulnerable people. It still requires people taking care of each other. Rant over.

Milling around

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We just got up and decided to go. This time it was Quarry Bank Mill. It’s a National Trust property. I’ve been with a work group of new students who can’t believe the conditions a 10 year old child might expect to work in.

Quarry Bank is special because it was the very first “ideal village” in that Mr Greg (not the pasties) built housing and two chapels and a pub for his workers as well as housing. Paying them with one hand and taking it back in the shop or over the bar.  This is one of those properties that gets more visitors in the week because it’s popular with school parties.

What an amazing place.

Park sign
Oak Cottages
Inside the spinning shed

Engels visited this place. He found it to be better than central Manchester but couldn’t speak to the residents privately so was pretty sure there was stuff to hide all the same. Yep model.villagw ties directly to the Communist Manifesto. Bear in mind that although the village had a school and a library the Greg family very much controlled what people could learn and read.

History. I mean .

Booker Off

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I do this to myself regularly. I buy and attempt to read another or more Booker nomination and/or winner. I should know by now that it’s not fun and it will not make me happy but I keep on trying.

This year’s winner is called Orbit. It’s an esoteric little number about the brew of the International Space Station. The guy at Waterstones gushed about it. There was a woman on the train clearly enraptured. To me it just seems a bit forced and pretentious. I  mean, I do read the occasional pretentious book. I read hard books all the time. I’m going to be a PhD sometime soon, fingers crossed. My point is that it’s not engaging. Not to me anyway.

What is the qualification to be a book prize judge? I say this carefully as one of my close friends is a prize winning writer. I mean… I joined a book group once. Hated being forced to read other people’s preference. Oh, the arguments. I can’t say it was a peaceful or enlightened experience.

These days I’m not afraid to put down a book and walk away if it’s not for me. Sorry Booker judges.

Happy New Year

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I start the year with one less parent. It’s a strange feeling. It was a strange Christmas too. There seems to be less people at the table every year. Don’t get me wrong I’m grateful for the care given to my dad in his final months. The NHS is a treasure we must fight to protect with every fibre of our being. I’m also grateful to the hospice staff. I couldn’t do their job for any amount of money.

On the upside I still have one parent. She’s well enough and involved in many community groups and organisations which keeps her busy and surrounded by friends. She’s also been used to the absence of my dad as he spent his last months in hospital. My brother pops in daily. I call her to chat as do her sisters and friends. In fact I practically have to book an appointment to visit which I love because it means she’s not alone.

We are warm and cosy here despite the recent snow in the area. We grit the path outside the house and along the streets as far as we can to help prevent people slipping and falling. In truth the ice doesn’t seem so icy today somehow. It is due to drop to minus two Celsius tonight. Meanwhile in California LA is on fire. 

The pure joy of a walk in the icy weather this morning really raised my spirits. I heard back from my PhD supervisor about our next meeting as time slips away before I am due to submit. I need to focus more. I have no excuse. I hope you are all well and safe and surrounded by people you love and who love you. Happy New Year.

Sorry for my absence

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Over the past few months my father has been unwell. Very unwell. I’ve been spending time hospital visiting g and caring for him alongside my mother and brother. He passed away a few weeks ago and I can now let you know.

I promise my next post will be normal service resumed. I have not forgotten the blog just taking care of business.

Hospital Visiting

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When you get to a certain point in your life, hospital visiting becomes inevitable. Over the past weeks it certainly has for me. Thankfully it should shortly come to an end and life will shrink back to normal.

I say shrink because, although it’s been a tough couple if weeks and I really need a long sleep and/or a holiday,it has shown me a.lot of things I never thought I’d be capable of. Disturbed nights sleep. Stupidly long days (I’ve never had kids, so bear with me), missing planned events for the sake of someone you love and facing some harsh truths and difficult conversations. I’m certain that I’ve grown as a human being over the course of these past weeks.

I know I have the ability to share duty and responsibility with my close family… and that we can have reasonable conversations about it! I know that my support network is amazing and always there for me. Its different seeing them in  action than just having the idea it’s there. I know that you need to let people around you hear that you love them and to accept their love too. I know that you can’t look after anyone unless you look after yourself. I know how much I value time out/alone.

Mostly I know not to take my health for granted. As a wise person once said… there are no pockets in a shroud. Time to live a little.

The Greatest British city

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Happily watching Susan Calman as she tours Liverpool. The joy of this is that I know and love this city well. People if ypu can get the UK channel 5 please check this out.

The Liver Buildings, Charles Dickens, Williamson’s Tunnels, the Atheneum, St George’s Hall. It’s an amazing city about more than the Beatles, more than tne football teams.

If you’ve never been, please visit. Walk the  streets, see the sights but above all talk to the people. You won’t regret it.

Welcome to 2024

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I’ve been sitting in my usual chair but not doing the usual things. I’ve been painting. Creating new pieces of art. I’ve been listening to long form vlog/podcast broadcasts. I’ve been taking my ease.

Some art I’ve been making

The festivities were lovely. I’ve enjoyed spending time with family (with the louder and quieter ones) and with my better half. I’ve enjoyed having the house decorated and lit. I’ve enjoyed the roaring fires and the special food and all of those things…. but now I feel like I can relax. Is it just me?

This year will bring more PhD. work, especially as I made it through the internal review just before the break, more travel, for fun and study, and things I don’t expect. More time.spent on committee work and at my club. Imalso hopeful that I’ll get back underwater as the Achillies injury heals slowly.

Tonight’s tea is a new to us recipe. Tomorrow, a visit to the chiropractic. Next week I’m seeing my parents. Funny how the whole world failed completely to change at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve or the first minute of 2024.

Engerland.

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Well, it’s the world.cup final. Sydney Australia. I can’t pretend to have watched all the games. I am going to watch this though. I was at Cambridge watching Billy Bragg when we won the Euros. Today, I’m home, snacks at the ready. As ever doing better than the men’s team. If these gals don’t win sports team of the year, there is no justice. BBC are you listening, not ‘women’s team’ just team. Full time professional women playing football. First team in the final since 1966. Speed shopping this morning as women rush home.to watch. Remember it’s the Lionesses who do the hunt while the lions laze around. Many a man is losing that argument this morning.

Sadly, whoever loses that nation tends to see a rise in domestic violence against women afterwards. Perhaps since less men are invested in this the cycle will.not repeat. It’s a sad reflection on the fragile male ego that sports teams losing cause such things but proven again and again. If a person’s self-esteem is so small that a team, in which they do not play, losing causes them to lash out.

Spain 1 – England 0 at half time.

Much discussion on our house about the dodgy yellow card just into the second half. (Heavens open a run to bring in the washing.) More shots this half for England, but still Spain win. It has to be said some dirty play, some yellow cards… what a game.

Things you don’t need

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Or at least things I don’t need. In the process of redecorating the house (these things we do when retired) there’s always been that charity shop bag by the door. I had a notification this week to say that, with gift aid (a tax back scheme for charities in the UK), the things we’ve chucked in this bag and walked to one of the shops in town had raised over £170 for the charity. How’s that for one person’s trash?

I’ve also been up in the attic (loft) and brought down the small library that has lived up there for the last 15 years. We’ve had new bookshelves built-in to the living room. Obviously, space is limited, but with some books stored in the office space, there had to be a cull. I hate giving up on books, but here’s the question do I need them? Many have not seen daylight in years. Thankfully, I have lots of friends who are happy to take some off my hands, there are apps that let you sell books, and I’d all else fails that the charity shop bag will be filled.

Increasing our ‘one in one out’ policy is becoming a ‘meh I don’t need that’ policy. The house is slowly emptying. Slowly. Tne decorating, new garden, time spent here because pandemic/retirement/working-from-home means that paying more attention to these surroundings became inevitable. When was the last time you really stopped to appreciate all that you have and wonder what you can actually live without. If nothing else ebay might help you pay for your next holiday!