Tag: cats

Morning Routine

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I’ve read a lot of motivation porn in my time, and I’ve concluded that, whilst fascinating, it’s mostly about young white guys making money. Not all young or white but 99% about money. OK, the retired person says, “Nah”. Yes, it’s lovely to have more than enough. However, my observation is that no one ever quite knows what “enough” is. I have a better question. What makes you happy?

I’m going to tell you about my morning routine since that’s a common productivity theme. I’m usually wakened by my cat. He lives a morning cuddles, and he’s released around 8 am by my other half, who then brings me tea in bed…. well in a mug. I might have 2 or 3 mugs full, which can make for a lot of washing up, but folks, that’s what a dishwasher is for… that and saving argument about who’s turn it is as the dishes pile up. Generally, whilst I’m taking on my morning caffeine, I’m streaming YouTube videos to the bedroom telly.

My video choices tend to be US politics. I’m fascinated by that car crash as with the current UK situation. There’s usually a music video or three. I watch stuff on how to do various creative things like drawing or music (like how to use my OP1, which I’m not good at), an occasional healthy recipe sneaks in there. So that’s about an hour or sometimes two. I keep out of the way whilst my wife sets up the office and heads to work that way, I’m not upsetting that routine. Working from home became a yhi g during the pandemic and has stayed. We really enjoy this as we can get lunch or do jobs around the house more easily.

I’m up and showered by 10 or before. Blanket on the bed for cat sleeping and allergy avoidance. I make breakfast. I like porridge. Chia seed and pistachio with some cardamom. Nice, my brother calls it pretentious. He’s an undertaker. (That’s a funeral director for my American chums)

Now, there’s nowt, as we say here, about motivation in any of that. I will say that at the weekend, when I get up at 8 am to go scuba diving, I’m not a happy bunny. I do love to dive, though, and it makes me very happy. Yes, even in the 4 degrees centigrade waters of a UK quarry.

So there you have it. A complete absence of exercise, supercool, meditation, or reading. There’s nothing about “monetizing” or productivity. Imagine a person just doing what feels good! Magic.

Paperwork

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Visa applied for and received… 10 minutes.  Wife’s visa applied for ….. still waiting. Flights ( multiple) checked. Hotels checked….oh shit…that one is booked for next year … free cancellation and rebooked for this year (oops!). Train tbc but that’s the last part of the puzzle. This year’s trip is a big one. Oh, we’re not off yet. No first there’s a wedding and gig and all ki ds of normal stuff to to but the anticipation is becoming palpable (big word for a Sunday).

Ivwr the coming weeks and months the there will be the arrival of the wife’s visa (hopefully), the unofficial quarantine just in case. The test packing. Repacking. Unpacking and re test packing. The camera practice. Perhaps a little dietary adjustment to ensure the fit of the prepacked clothing. Jabs, extra medicines… all the usual pre trip things. Oh..insurance… don’t forget that.

Cat/house sitter confirmed. Money to change. Bank to be informed.

And then again the new fireplace needs fitting. Then there’s the re plastering bu ti doubt the decorating will get done this side of the exodus. Not that there’s any pressure. None. Really. Well maybe a bit. Oh, did you remember…

Sunshine and Showers

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We do not do heat well in the UK. Usually summer falls on a damp Wednesday in July and we sit around drinking our teas slightly more tepid than usual so we can cool off. This year however we seem to have had almost a week of extreme heat. To all my Australian chums I say, yes 40 degrees C, in London (!) and even in Lancashire 37 degrees. I accidentally left my diving computer in the car and it reached 43 degrees in side there before I rescued the poor thing. Dogs and computers die in hot cars. The hype is such that there is talk of disallowing any sun cream under factor 30. I know that Aussie chums will sniff and state that nothing under factor 50 will do…except staying indoors until winter.

Naturally the moment the schools break up for the summer it begins to pour down and winds blow up to 40 miles an hour up the Welsh coast ruining your ‘staycation’ which you were secretly gloating over when your mate got stuck in a 7+ hour queue for the ferry at Dover because Brexit and the end of freedom to travel. Not so many LOLZ as the tent came down in a hooley eh? As if the new strain of Covid and a stack of staff illness/resignation etc. hadn’t overworked the NHS enough now there’s a crop of folks with heatstroke. I’m feeling particularly political and contentious today (so hang me) and suggest that nurses need a decent pay rise and the promised ‘Brexit dividend’ needs to reach the NHS pronto alongside the extra funds from the new higher National Insurance.

On a lighter note we managed to persuade even the most skittish of our cats to lay on the cool mat we bought for them… when we weren’t using it of course. Apparently there’s another heatwave on the way. That should be fun.

Spring has sprung

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First really warm day of the year. I can just about stand to be out without a jacket and the washing (laundry) is on the line outside. It is spud chitting time. The Maris Pipers have been sitting on the window sill in an upturned egg carton for about 5 days now and possibly tomorrow they will be going into the grow boxes. The cats are, of course, rolling all over the warm, planted areas of the raised beds but regardless I can see radish begin to sprout.

Potatoes chitting

On the warmest window sill the mange tout and peas are showing green shoots but no-show yet from the broad beans.

Pea shoots

Even after a late night, at a long anticipated concert, the sunshine has lured the family, cats and all, outside. Walking down tne Street people are smiling. There’s a sourdough loaf being manufactured and brownies ready to gift to a sick friend. Its one of those ‘Famous Five’ Enid Blyton kind of days (historic children’s adventures from my youth. Those of a certain age will know what I mean). Lashings of ginger beer.

Sowing the seeds

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Spring is sprung. The raised beds are finished but we are yet in danger of frost. The radish and lettuce were sown today. The beans and peas put into the propagator inside on the windowsill. The cats are very interested. It’s a question of what they dig out first I suspect.

Sowing legumes

We decided on planting our own food crop before the pandemic but have only just managed to get the beds together. I suppose there is about five square metres. I’m not sure how well we will succeed but it will be a grand experiment. In this, of all years, with a war in the Ukraine and a rise in taxes and energy costs before that, this is a good time to focus on a bit of self care and those closest to home. As I write those in Kyiv are being shelled, surrounded and besieged. They had no warning, no time to plant less time to tend a garden. There is certainly still a good chance of a frost in Kyiv.

Sorry, a bit heavy for a short post about food. These are interesting times. Stay safe.

Going deco

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Not a SCUBA reference which is strange for me. I’ll come back to that at some point. No, today is the day of the festive festooning of the old homestead. The cats are excited, boxes that must be investigated and, of course, ‘sat in’ added to the smell of cooking. Clearly they believe this is a good day.

The annual trip into the attic (technically bi annual as the Halloween decorations are up there too) has been undertaken. It’s been a week of ladders since I cleared out the gutters too. My hands are covered in welts as my dust allergy kicks in. What larks. After 30 not so grumpy minutes the tree is up and resplendent now the real fun begins. Is it me or is the best bit wrapping parcels? Mind you I can obsess. I did once wrap a teddy-bear so that it was teddy-bear shaped and the recipient (my uncle) said he had no clue what it could be. How we laughed. Those were simpler times. Nothing too challenging in the first tranche mostly fully square, boxed and books….although there was that one package. Can’t say too much.