Month: June 2023

Sunday, 18th June, 2023

A hot and humid night which was punctuated by lots of flashes of lightning and, it appears this morning, a bit of rain. Thank goodness for the air conditioning. The morning has opened with beautiful sunshine but still very humid and sweaty. Orange juice and porridge for Breakfast. Nice to get back to it.

Kevin sent me, with pride, a photo of his newly mowed lawn this morning and it didn’t escape either of us that we would never have predicted back in 1969 that we would end up talking about that sort of ‘grass’. He is going back to Benidorm for a few days soon for another birthday celebration. He tried to get me to go with him before and I have already told him it just doesn’t appeal to me. Today, he sent me this note of optimism.

It is a wonderfully optimistic approach to this morning. The monkey could be around quite a long time. Hard Luck! It produced such a wave of optimism in me that I have pledged to Kevin that, if we both reach the age of 96, I will accompany him to Benidorm and I will …. sing Karaoke with him. I hope I haven’t let myself in for something I will suffer for. I don’t even know if Kevin can sing the aria, Sono andati? – Puccini’s La Boheme. Still he’s got time to learn it.

There’s a possibility we might get some rain for a couple of hours this evening. I do hope so. It will save me the trouble. Anyway, going out for a couple of hours walk in this hot sunshine this morning. Our lettuces are ready to cut so griddled tuna steaks with homegrown salad for our meal in the garden today. Just think of all that life I could have missed, all those happy moments.

Monday, 19th June, 2023

We heard last night that Pauline’s cousin, Joyce, died on Saturday at the age of 87. She had been in Oldham Royal for 7 weeks because she fell and broke her hip. Having been repaired, she was moved, temporarily, to a rehabilitation placement to help her learn to walk again. It was there that she contracted Sepsis and died. How often do you hear that sort of event? I always used to laugh at old people refusing to go into hospital for fear of never coming out but there is obviously a kernel of truth in it. Hospital settings are breeding grounds for infection.

We had a couple of hours of light but consistent rain yesterday and this morning has opened warm, humid and overcast. Came home from a long, hot week in France to find the garden had survived and grown extremely strongly.

The French Beans are flowering and will be ready for picking in under two weeks. The Lettuces are already being cut and the courgettes have infant fruit. In my experience, these two plants will deliver a glut over the next couple of months. We have hardly any rain forecast for the next week or so and I expect my daily routine to involve plenty of watering – I know, you can’t get much more exciting than that!

If, like me, you have no religion, it is all enough to almost convert one to Pantheism! Almost. To see one, tiny seed produce a huge plant with lots of fruit containing hundreds of new seeds is awesome in that word’s real sense.

Very busy day today. Some gardening followed by exercise programme plus watching David Cameron appearing before the Covid Enquiry and Parliament rubber stamping Boris Johnson’s expulsion. Going to be a good day.

Spoke too soon. Cooking outside this afternoon in hot sunshine, the ring circuit running from the house to the Garage blew a major fuse knocking out the Gym lights, the electric door and ….. the second Freezer. This freezer stores all the meat and fish and has hundreds of pounds of food in it. Fortunately, we managed to rig up a temporary fix to get the freezer back on and our electrician will be round tomorrow to sort out the overall problem. Bit of a sod, though, rather spoiling the end of a lovely day. And I’m not drinking so no consolation there!

Tuesday, 20th June, 2023

Well, the BBC (Met. Office) weather forecast was right for once. Just around 5.00 am, thunder started to roll in accompanied by flashes of lightning. As I got up to look outside heavy, noisy rain began to fall. My first thought was that I wouldn’t have to water today. A neighbour down the road took this photo this morning from the beach. Some people are obviously prepared to take a lot more risks for their art.

The rain lasted about an hour and all soaked away very quickly which shows how dry this area has become. After Breakfast, my first instinct was to get out in the garden. It is quite remarkable how well small seedlings and young plants survive under the battering of heavy rain. Everything was already springing back, fighting for life, reaching to the sun. It is a lesson to all of us. We only have one life and have to keep fighting every day to achieve the best we can.

A report in The Times this morning suggests I am doing the right thing with my exercise programme. In fact, I am doing more than they suggest. I was concerned about the pace of walking which I always think is slow but my 100 paces per minute is exactly what they recommend. They say at least 4 days per week and I do 7. They say that, although the 10,000 paces is a figure plucked out of the air, it is not a bad guide. Until my illness, I was doing 20,000 per day and I’m now doing 18,000 every day. My app says I have walked 7,000 miles in the past 24 months.

Just phoned my friend, Brian (ex-Drugs Squad/ex-Murder Squad), in Royton. He hasn’t been well recently. He’s been suffering with a prostate problem but it turns out not to be cancer. He, on the other hand, is having to cope with a catheter and has been for 9 months. I couldn’t cope with that for 9 months and have been coaching him on how to get some movement in his treatment – phoning the secretary of the Urology Department is one thing. Getting his Surgery to do the same is another. I’m going up to see him. It will be lovely to catch up.

Wednesday, 21st June, 2023

Absolutely gorgeous day. The Longest Day and I was up early to take Pauline to the hairdresser’s for an 8.15 am appointment. Who has their hair cut at that time in the morning? Well, now you know. It’s going to be a long day.

I’m depressed. This hormone treatment warns I will put on weight and I have. In spite of all the exercise I’ve been doing and reasonable control of my diet, I must admit I have drunk far too much (calorific) wine. Tried rather to drown out the sadness of life at the moment. Today I tried a pair of trousers on and couldn’t fasten them. I was shocked. I’ve lived in shorts and tee shirt for the last four months which has rather disguised the weight gain. To add insult to injury, I had to go to the Surgery for my second hormone injection. I just hope it doesn’t increase the rate of weight gain.

Since I last visited, the Surgery has instituted a new entry policy. The computer screen sign-in where you give the year and month of your birth along with your surname initial has gone ‘remote’. I must admit that, during the pandemic, I was amazed that people were expected to wear masks, sterilise their hands and then tap a screen that everyone before them had tapped. By definition, the likelihood is that the majority of those tapping the screen are there because they are ill. What better way to transmit their illness to others? One could also just go to the Receptionist and Checkin. Not any more.

Now, you cannot even get through the door to the surgery without scanning the QR Code with your phone and doing all that Checkin stuff on its screen. At least that means no swapping of finger infections. After that, the door remains locked until you speak through the intercom to the receptionist who releases the door. The Receptionist said that this is a national initiative which will be rolled out across England & Wales. You can see the effect it has on the Waiting Room. I had no one to talk to.

One sadness of life at the moment is the loss of an old friend. The tree I grew from a seed collected in Tenerife 8 years ago and which was almost 10 ft tall having been nurtured through 7 winters has died over its 8th. I talked to it, kissed it, told it I loved it, wrapped it in fleece for the cold weather and lovingly fed it but it was not enough and it has died. It makes me very sad. Even so, I will not be opening a bottle of wine this time.

Thursday, 22nd June, 2023

Very warm and humid morning … again. Got Sainsbury‘s shop followed by exercise routine and a busy gardening afternoon. My arm is painful and badly bruised from the latest long needle forced into it to deliver a three month shot of hormones. They were right about the menopause being simulated. I have weight gain, tiredness, increased emotions and I’m now starting to suffer hot flushes. What it is to be a woman!

I am going back to basics with my diet. Calorie counting. Checking everything and setting it against my output. It is incredibly hard to force myself to maintain my exercise routine but I am determined to do it at least until the radiotherapy month. Breakfast is freshly squeezed juice of two, large oranges (100 cals), a large cup of Yorkshire tea and a large cup of freshly ground coffee plus a bowl of porridge(250 cals).

No Lunch other than a banana (100 cals) and then, today, griddled Tuna steak with green salad for Dinner (320 cals.). I need to keep my intake to below 1500 calories per day. The average man burns 1800 calories a day doing absolutely nothing. My usually active day burns an additional 1000 calories. Only by doing that will I get back to normality quickly. My aim is to getting my weight back to acceptable at the same time as completing my radiotherapy sessions. Maybe, then, I can get on with life again.

Two years ago this month our lovely neighbours, Pat & June, left their home to downsize. Pat, who was 81, had been diagnosed with skin cancer and was receiving treatment for it. We went round to see their new home and they seemed very happy there. They both looked very fit and healthy and Pat was particularly positive about the future and travelling to Australia. We heard today that he had died. The cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. All lives end in tragedy!

Friday, 23rd June, 2023

Glorious morning – weatherwise – but not so good politically. On this day in 2016, we learnt that we had left the EU. It was one of the most crass acts of national stupidity one can imagine. I argued so at the time and was told I was scaremongering. We now know that a majority of UK voters would choose to remain and 33% of all Leave voters would favour returning to the EU.

We had been in our new house for 3 months. To cheer ourselves up, we went out to collect our new car and I took a photo of our recently planted front garden hedge.

Just 7 years on, we have collected two more new Hondas and our hedge has grown a little. The tree outside has developed quite a bit as well.

Over the past couple of days, I have been chronicling coming to terms with my recent weight gain. I am expecting to spend a few days in Lancashire in the near future and I will need a good suit. Pauline has been searching and ordering a couple which will get me through. Quite a while – at least two years since I wore a suit and tie. Be nice to get back to it. Amazing how (relatively) cheap suits are these days.

I bought a suit almost exactly like this in the summer of 1972 for £99.00. Today, over 50 years later, this suit will cost me £195.00. Unbelievably cheap if you take inflation into account. That £95.00 in 1972 is the equivalent of £2000.00 today. Even I wouldn’t be prepared to shell that out for a suit.

Of all the newspapers I read everyday, The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian are the ones I concentrate on. I love the cartoons which prove how true the saying is: A picture’s worth a 1000 words. Yesterday’s, above, really does sum up what an entire Times Leader article took many words to point out – the irony of international concern over 5 rich but foolhardy men on a ‘joy ride’ in a tin can compared with the 400 poor but desperate people escaping poverty and looking for a better life.

Today, it is little Rishi Sunak’s inability to make an impact on the failing world of Tory politics and totally unable to acknowledge the obvious paucity of Brexit.

Saturday, 24th June, 2023

It’s amazing how Summer creeps up on us. We are about to enter the last week of June already. I’ve been living in shorts and tee shirts for months. We’ve virtually lived outside for the past two months and the garden is filling out and bearing produce already.

I am watering every day. The hedge is needing to be cut every two weeks. The air-conditioning is on in the bedroom where we just have a top sheet (Even then I sleep on top of it.) and the 1-tog duvet has been banished to storage until October. It’s light for almost 17 hours a day and the sun just won’t stop. We hardly dropped below 21C/70F over night with the most gorgeous clear sky and bright moon. The morning has broken cloudless, sunny and hot. The only worry is, will it still be snowing when I drive up to Lancashire shortly?

My suits were always made-to-measure by a Yorkshire Tailors while I was working. Since then, I’ve not had too much call for them and now, I think, Carl Stuart Tailors, Cloth Hall Street, Huddersfield has gone out of business. Of course, there is a lot less call for suits and any formal wear. I used to spend a fortune on Business Shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt but even they have had to reduce their prices. Working from Home has brought about a revolution in British society and I think it is all for the good. I am a strong proponent of Teaching from Home.

Anyway, my Dresser has ordered me 4 different suits on-line this week. I had to go and pick the first two up this morning … from Next! Can you imagine me buying suits from Next? I’ll be considered trendy soon. At least I’m not old and wrinkly and aloof.

It’s going to be a day in the garden today and we are going to be eating our, courgettes, our lettuces and our herbs. Julie is excitedly eating strawberries from her allotment. Kevin is doing the ironing. Can you believe that? The world is full of surprises!

Sunday, 11th June, 2023

Had the best sleep last night for a while even though it was very warm all night. The temperature didn’t drop below 20C/68F over night and today has almost been impossible with 29C/84F and very high humidity to the point of suffocation. I’ve been struggling to do my exercise. I even asked my friends, Kevin, Julie & JohnR if they would do the last hour for me but they weren’t very keen. In fact one of them just said, “No chance!”, which I thought was a bit brusque.

Suddenly, this afternoon, while out walking, rain started to splash on the pavement. It felt delightful in the furnace of humidity. We rushed home and put the covers back on all the furniture. It is so long since we saw rain that this is delightful.

Another delightful thing to report is: I’ve got a daughter. Of course, Rebecca-Jane, she is not but lovely all the same. I have been helping all the neighbours out with their lawns this Spring and have got to know some people for the first time in the 7 years we’ve lived here. I’m quite shy and retiring – insular even – so I haven’t talked to many until recently. Michelle ( a Proof Reader) across the road has gone out of her way to offer help to ‘the old people’ – well we are 72. Dee (a Lecturer in English) has tried to coax me into talking just as Jill (a former B.A. Air Hostess) has.

But Sharon (Finance & Loans) has recently taken every opportunity to enlist my help. Calling from the bedroom window, stopping me as I walk by, stopping in her car while I am out walking. In the end I gave in and I’ve been helping her with her lawn. Today, we walked past as she was watering and she told us that she was informing everyone I am her Dad. Nearest thing I’ll get to it now.

Monday, 12th June, 2023

Another lovely, hot and sunny day. Had lots of messages from people across the country wishing me a good time in France. What they don’t realise is that they will accompany me as I will carry them around in my head throughout the trip. No doubt, Kevin will want to know where I am and if I’m enjoying it. Jason says he will check-in. JohnR and Julie expect reports. I’m only away until Sunday but we wrinklies must stick together. Just hope M&K manage Wordle in French.

The weather really does seem set to be fantastic. I can’t remember a June trip quite as good as this. To be fair, even wet Wales seems to be good this year.

I’ve been spending the day, cleaning the car, watering the garden and making sure that everything is ready. Going through the Tunnel, means turning up an hour before departure nowadays and we allow 2 hours to get there from home so we set off 3 hours before departure – almost as bad as flying. Still, going in the car means we just throw in anything we need – sorry, we can neatly pack any perfectly washed and ironed clothes that the Laundry Lady sees fit. But I can also take iPads, Kindles, Laptops, multi-sockets, extension leads – in fact, anything which makes life worth living.

Tuesday, 13th June, 2023

Awake at 5.00 am and up at 6.00 am. on a gloriously warm morning. The air conditioning in the bedroom made life worth living last night which was very humid but have still not had any significant rain. Dave Roberts in Norden said they’d had a storm on Sunday but nothing yesterday. The Man.City. celebration featured pouring rain.

Dave Weatherly in Bolton reported heavy rain. Kevin contacted me in the middle of the night to report a violent storm in Yorkshire. I spent hours watering the garden in preparations for going away. There is no rain in our forecast until late next week.

The great thing about driving rather than flying is that we can take what we want. Amongst every electronic gadget imaginable, the back of the car will feature a huge fridge. You can’t go to France without bringing back mountains of fresh produce much of which will need keeing chilled. In fact room for clothes is fairly minimal. After all, who needs clothes?

Of course, when you’re 72 – as all little wrinkly people will tell you – the first thing you need is the toilet. For all, old girls, this is the Mens’ Toilet at the EuroTunnel.

We only got there with a few minutes to spare before boarding. On some occasions, we are queuing for ages. Today, traffic was very light and we were soon driving down to gate. The sun was so hot that getting out and stretching was important. A cup of coffee and driving down to the train. Aboard, I opened the windows to suffocating heat, tried to snooze and dream but was driving off before I knew it. Just over 5 minutes later, we were off and soon parking in our hotel grounds along with strutting cockerels.

Wednesday, 14th June, 2023

Last night was hot, humid and sweaty. Of course, having been up and out early in the morning, I still had to complete my exercise before midnight (ET). I did it but the humidity was exhausting.

The evening was beautiful to look at and walk through. At least it gave me an excuse to stop and rest just to drink in in the views.

A gloriously hot morning that saw us reach an uncomfortable 29C/84F during the morning. I ate Breakfast because it comes in the price of our Suite. I instantly regretted it even though I enjoyed it. Back to our Suite for coffee and to listen to BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’. Out for a long walk in the sun.

The fields of Flax – the basic constituent of Linen – were in full flower this morning and looked beautiful. Heat takes it out of me more as I get older. There are some real disadvantages to being wrinkly! It maybe my cancer treatment as well but, Dear Reader, I am struggling at the moment. Really having to fight hard to complete my fitness routines. I am tired all the time.

Maybe, I am dying and don’t realise it yet but it is really getting to me. I just can’t do what I used to be able to. It is embarrassing. Jason, Dee, John Morris, Christine, Kevin & Julie all contacted this morning as I walked which really made me feel better. I’m glad I have them in my life. It really makes me feel better.

Doing an 8 mile walk this morning after Breakfast. It takes me through huge swathes of prime agricultural land. This morning, I was shocked to find a large tract of land was being developed for a new, Medical Centre. The building site was dominated by this great crane which was essential in the process.

Back to the hotel to watch Prime ministers Questions in which Sunak rather died on his feet and then went out to do some shopping. Pauline bought her third pair of shoes in two days and we sourced cold fish & meat for a snack Dinner with wine in our Suite this evening. It gives me the chance to catch up on correspondence, my Blog and the News.

Thursday, 15th June, 2023

Well, on this beautiful morning, I’ve done wrong again. I’ve eaten Breakfast. I regretted it immediately and I’m not even sure that I enjoyed it at the time. Have I no self-control? I will never eat ever again when I get home.

Over Breakfast this morning, I chatted with my cousin, Sue, who lives in Salles–Lavalette in the Charente Department in southwestern France. I also talked to Martin, a friend from my time on Sifnos and to my brother, Bob in Maidenhead who was instructing me in photography.

In baking sun, we drove down to Wissant (en Franglais – White Sand) for a walk. The Promenade is wonderfully flat and open. As you can see, the beach was packed but we weren’t sunbathing.

I let Pauline look in the local Fish Restaurant window, read the menu and smell the cooking. It was packed at Lunchtime which is a good sign. We booked a table for tomorrow.

On the drive back, I treated my bag carrier to a shopping experience – well a couple of pairs of shoes. It will balance out my wine purchase on the way back. Drove home having walked a hot 10 miles today to watch the hot news of Johnson’s execution. Couldn’t happen to a nicer person. Someone once said, Well, he’s doing his best. Of course, they were absolutely right. He was doing his best for himself and even that wasn’t good enough.

So tired this evening, going to spend it in our Suite, writing my Blog, talking to friends and following the political news. Some wine, might watch a film on Netflix and have an early night. I think I need it. Well, I’m doing my best!

Friday, 16th June, 2023

Another gloriously hot morning. We were so tired after yesterday that we were up late and didn’t get down to Breakfast until 8.30 am when the temperature outside was HOT and we chose to eat in the shade of the pergola.

We were obviously some of the last through Breakfast and it was very quiet. In fact, after 3 days, I can hardly look at food at all and we have unanimously decided to cancel our restaurant Lunch reservation in favour of abstinence.

After a very hot – 26C/79F – 16 km walk in the countryside had coffee and a chat with friends in England. Julie was watching her granddaughter, a student at Oxford University, who was rowing for her college in the Henley Regatta. It was on YouTube.

She was also preparing to listen to The Test Match (Ashes) commentary on the radio. I watched a bit on my Sky app. Julie hasn’t got Sky which must be hard for someone who loves sport. Talked to Kevin who sent me a video of his perfectly striped lawn. He was very proud.

My friend and neighbour, Dee, contacted me to say that our County had declared a hosepipe ban. Fortunately, she hadn’t seen the caveat published by our council leader who assured us it didn’t apply to our area. Phew! We spent a while teasing each other in French which was fun.

We went out for a drive to Peuplingues and parked up for a walk. Isn’t retired life enjoyable! John Morris, a friend from College, has been waiting for 2 years for a hip replacement and left hospital last night. I must admit, I couldn’t have waited that long at his age but we are all different.

We went on to Carrefour to buy things for home. We leave at midday tomorrow. While we were there, we were nearly run over by the robot cleaner. I was pleased to see it. There should be more around. Those little, wrinkly old people who can’t be bothered to clean can rely on a robotic friend. By 12.30 pm today, my friend, Jason, was celebrating that Friday Feeling – something I haven’t known for almost 15 years.

Saturday, 17th June, 2023

Every leaving day is uncomfortable. We are leaving today. Out early for a 2hr walk. Back for a shower and a change of clothes. Down to the Tunnel. It is incredibly empty. We are one of six cars on the train. We spoke to a worker who told us that traffic was all one way. Bookings out were solid but back very light.

We just turned up and went an hour earlier than booked. There were 4 cars before us and 2 behind. We were supposed to travel at 12.50 but we actually crossed at 12.20 arriving at 12.50 (ET) / 11.50 (UKT). We had lovely, light travel home and arrived at 14.00. There were some heavy rain spots on the way home but nothing that amounted to much. I unpacked and then watered the garden. We will be picking French Beans and Courgettes in the next couple of weeks.

The drive back from Nord–Pas de Calais to West Sussex coincided with a significant anniversary for us. I know I acknowledge it every year but I could have missed 43 years of life and that is worth celebrating. On this day in 1980, a man driving out of Oldham to work lost control of his car on a bend and drove straight into our car completely writing it off. Pauline & I both were taken to hospital by ambulance and, initially, it was thought that I was dead. You would have missed me if I was, Dear Reader. Can you imagine: No Blog. How on earth would you get to sleep?

Sunday, 4th June, 2023

And the sun goes on … Up early although I hardly slept at all. I feel like I am a man casting round for a purpose. Rather aimless. Asking what life is for. Some answer that with children; others with Religion. Some focus on achievements.

I have no religion, no children and it is a little bit problematic in one’s 70s to have a lot of achievement targets. That’s why I try to keep striving for health & fitness and have tried to rekindle friendships that I have ignored over a busy working life. Some have worked. Some have failed miserably. Hedonism is really what I have left and I try to satisfy that with travelling. More often than not, it is successful but temporary.

Temporary will have to do at the moment. Going to France next week and intend to spend some time walking in Le Touquet, Boulogne, Ardres, Hardelot, Hesdin, Wissant visiting some old haunts and markets. Hope this lovely weather holds. Apparently there was an air frost in North Yorkshire on Friday night. Can you imagine it? And I’m told it’s going to snow in North Wales this coming week.

I suppose that success for me in the near future will be to stay alive longer than the year. Today, I am going out for a walk in the warm – 25C/77F – sunshine with the aim of giving myself the best chance of survival. I had my haircut this morning so that I will at least look respectable if it all goes the other way. Dignity in Death, Dear Reader!

Just had a wonderful walk. The scenery, the sunshine, the warmth all calculated to make one feel good but, when it’s over … I cannot live for the moment. I am always looking for the future value. Where will it take me? How does it help me in my ultimate goal? I have always been like that and, no matter how loudly I shout at myself, I have never changed. I want; I want; I …..

Monday, 5th June, 2023

Clear blue sky. Strong warm sunshine. What else could it be? I am watering everything constantly and so is everyone else.

I’m watering the raised beds so much that I’ve fused the fence lights and had to get our electrician back to sort them out. The window cleaners pouring water down the sides of the house at the moment and my My Housekeeper is cleaning the Gym this morning so I can dirty it this afternoon. Most things are proceeding normally.

When I was completing my Masters Thesis, I could be found on a screamingly hot, Greek beach reading works of Durkheim and Weber – French and German Sociologists – Ferdinand Tonnes ‘ Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft or Community & Association. I have no idea why but, today on this screamingly warm day, I am re-reading Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations – the 18th century tract upon which most Tory economic thinking is based. Haven’t read it for at least 30 years. It is nice to rechallenge myself. It does me good to make my head and heart hurt a bit.

Even Political Philosophers need new Trainers at times. Certainly, the miles that I’m putting in each week mean that I go through mine in no time. I always buy from Sketchers. The best pair I’ve had in the recent past I bought in America. I looked to replace them this morning. Do you know how much they cost? Two pairs will set me back £180.00!! Still, they should get me through until the Autumn.

My neighbours have told me they are so grateful for my efforts in maintaining the street that they are going to club together to buy me a ride-on-tractor-mower. They want to know which sort I would like. Of course, I won’t let them …. well …

Tuesday, 6th June, 2023

I like to be in control. I like to be in control of the world around me and the events affecting my life. Sounds megalomaniacal and probably is but, at least, I recognise that in myself. I find gardening suits my personality because I am telling Nature how I want it to look, where to grow, in what colour and what form. I like neat edges, straight lines, considered blends of colours. I like to know I am in control of my environment.

In just the same way, I like to be in control of events. The first thing I do after laying the table for Breakfast is to check my phone for messages and the calendar for the day’s planned events. The calendar is on my Android phone and on my Apple iPad. It is on Pauline’s phone and iPad as well. All four iterations of the calendar are continually and instantly synchronised so either of us can add an event at any time and it will appear in all the others.

This morning, I received an email reminding me that I will have to renew my driving licence again on my next birthday – 73 – and then again every 3 years. It is an offence punishable with a huge fine if you forget. So, I set my online calendar up to tell me on 6/4/2024 that my Driving Licence should have been renewed and to warn me one calendar month before that date to renew it. I also told it to renew this arrangement every 3 years in perpetuity. Now that’s optimism for you!

All the more optimistic because of what’s happening to me that I’m not in control of. I am beginning to get increasingly concerned about the radiotherapy that I’m going to be receiving/subjected to around the end of August – month of September.

My prostate has a lot of Adenocarcinoma in it. On one side there are slow-growing tumours which would otherwise only need regular monitoring. On the other side, I have more aggressive and much quicker growing tumours. That’s why I’m being treated with hormone therapy followed by external beam radiation radiotherapy. Although I have a high percentage chance of surviving the next ten years, there are some considerable and potentially life-changing side effects that I’d rather avoid.

I received a letter from my Oncologist this morning. He was a man I immediately bonded with. I discussed my life as a teacher in the North West somewhere he had trained. I love Opera and so, it turned out, does he. We discussed my love of Greece and the house we built there which coincided with his love of the same and the fact that he had actually been to Kamares where our house was built. We were just about to set off for a trip to Thessaloniki and so was he. The letter to my Surgery and copied to me actually refers to all those coincidences which was a nice, personal touch.

Wednesday, 7th June, 2023

Another lovely morning tinged with a strange feeling of sadness and separation that I have been feeling for a day or two. Don’t know what it is. When I feel like that, I turn to music and, on a day like today, Beethoven’s Pastorale is perfect. I can see myself now, 30 years ago, after a hard day at work, driving in a Honda sports car across the Pennines, warm, sunny weather, sunroof open, windows down, sheep grazing silently on the moor and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony bursting the eardrums and drowning out negative thoughts.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xWDIwsfgQnE%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Kevin returned from Spain a couple of days ago and JohnR is flying back from South Korea this morning having left his only son there where he teaches EFL and makes films. Must be quite a wrench for him. When you get to our age and JohnR is two years older than me, you must think that separation will increase the chances of not seeing a loved one again. These are quite big things. Momentous things. I know how he dotes on his son and how much it pains him to not have him near. I suppose it is an emotion that most parents experience but, then, how would I know?

What I do know is that the beach is so much nicer without children. This morning it was delightfully warm but quiet, almost deserted. This is how the world should be.

It was lovely to walk in the sunshine unencumbered. There was no breeze and the tide had turned so the gentle lapping of the water on the beach was so soft that it reminded me of the gently breaking Aegean on the sands of Kamares Beach on Sifnos.

Thursday, 8th June, 2023

Don’t think I slept at all last night and now … a busy morning. We have guests arriving for Lunch in the garden today. I am ‘On Call’ throughout the morning – cleaning, tidying, fetching, carrying – in preparation. Nothing can be left to chance. The Chef is working flat out. She is producing a Greek -themed meal. We are having:

• Beetroot and Garlic Sauce – Σάλτσα παντζαριού και σκόρδου
• Tomato & Feta Salad – Σαλάτα ντομάτα & φέτα
• Courgette Fritters – κολοκυθοκεφτέδες
• Griddled Tuna Steaks – Μπριζόλες τόνου
• Roasted Peppers – Ψητές πιπεριές
• Black Asparagus – Μαύρα σπαράγγια

As usual, we are doing too much. Hope they’re very hungry. Have to ply them with lots of sparkling wine to make them hungry. Failing that, I’ll have to send for this group of Gannets that Julie sent me this morning from her latest photography trip.

I was shocked to hear that they have hardly seen the sun up on the East Coast of Yorkshire and the temperature has hovered around 13C all week. What with snow in North Wales, they should all move to the South Coast where I am and it is always sunny!

I haven’t told you this but I am by nature an anarchist. I believe rules are made to be broken. I am also an Aries boy. Passionate, determined and motivated, headstrong and impatient. I have always practised the principle that the ends largely justify the means.

Actually, these days ….. I am a moderate anarchist if that isn’t a contradiction in terms. I try to make sure that I don’t hurt people (too much) to achieve my goals. But, make no mistake, I am driven to get there and to break the rules to do it. To illustrate, I spent my working life driving like a maniac, never observing the speed limit. In retirement, I have time so I set my Automatic Cruise Control to the Speed Limit + 1mph to ensure I am breaking the rules but not too much. I am unable to do anything else.

Friday, 9th June, 2023

Up at 4.00 am on a hot and sticky night. Amazingly light at that time now. Drinking tea and watching Sky News. Going to be a hot day ahead although the rain that has been trailed for most of the week will not hit us and we could really do with it. We’re going to France next week and I was hoping for natural watering because I won’t be able to do it. Unfortunately, the first rain predicted for us is a week on Thursday for two hours.

According to Meteorologists, a weather cycle known as El Nino has officially formed in the Pacific Ocean – which will likely add more heat to a warming planet.

I was instructed that, after experimenting on our guests yesterday, we need a much bigger parasol to cover the whole table. One hour later, £253.98 poorer and absolutely shattered in 27C/81F of sunshine, I was allowed to rest – well, to water the garden.

Bought these lovely Alliums in Sainsbury’s yesterday. They look so perfect, you would be excused for thinking they were synthetic. They have a life of around 6 days, which is a pity, but I love them. They are ‘onion’ flowers, of course, but developed into the most majestic blooms.

I bet you don’t know who this is. It’s Sam Fender from Newcastle. Well I’m down with the kids but even I’d never heard of him. This morning at 9.30 am, my next door neighbours set off on a train journey of 5.5 hours and 3 changes of train to Newcastle to see him in concert tomorrow night. Can you imagine it? What kids today will do. Mind you, they are in their 50s.

Jason, who is a soft southerner, was shocked to find that he was leaving 27C and would be arriving in a strange land at 14C. I told them to take fur-lined anoraks and snow boots with them and they almost took me seriously.

Saturday, 10th June, 2023

Up at 3.33 am drinking tea. The milkman was delivering to a house up the road. At 3.33 am? Why? The moon is out but is replaced by the sun over the next hour. Feels like the night is over but back to bed for a couple of hours.

Feels like it’s over. The end of it all. How ironic on such a lovely day to be walking away from a lifetime’s obsession. Boris Johnson had always dreamed of being World King and now he has been rejected for what will probably be the last time. It will be a bitter pill to swallow. But we all have two choices: fight on or walk away from failure. He always does the latter. I don’t!

The mainstream Media is full of scare stories about the development of AI – Artificial intelligence – and the dangers of it challenging it’s makers, the human race. The great fears range from an assault on jobs to direct attacks on and control of us. I have to say, I welcome AI as we eventually did the automation of Manufacturing which moved population from the fields to the towns; as we swiftly did the introduction of the steam train and the combustion engine motor car; as we did the internet and email, mobile phones and texting.

It still comes as a bit of a shock when I search a product on-line and a day later I receive an email saying, You were interested in these trainers but didn’t complete your purchase. Have another look and we’ll offer you a 10% reduction. The sophistication of the algorithms is regularly shocking but can be turned to our own benefit. People learn to visit and not buy to entice a reduction.

I use Google search engine, Google Maps and a secondary Google email. I am invested in Google. Google is invested in me and tracks my mobile phone activity. I don’t mind it at all. In fact, I welcome the record. It is interesting to se the spread of our movement both within UK and the wider world.

From London and the South East, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey to the Midlands, Repton & Burton to the North, Yorkshire & Lancashire and up to Scotland & Edinburgh. Driving down through Europe, through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy visiting Coquelles, Paris, Reims, Metz, Colmar, Mulhouse, Basel, Lucerne, Como, Milan, Parma, Bologna, Ancona and on down the Adriatic to Greece, to Patras, Athens & Thessaloniki. Down the other side of France to Bergerac via Orleans and Limoges.

And then there were trips to the Canaries within touching distance of the Western Sahara and to America and different parts of Florida so close to Cuba as well as a trip to New York. Throughout these travels, Google Maps has tracked and recorded my movements, even downloading images that I’ve taken or are representative of places I’ve visited.

Sunday, 28th May, 2023

May is drawing to a close. Time is running, running, running out … and, yet the Summer really has arrived. The sky is blue; the sun is shining; the temperatures are warm. All the signs are there. The Continental Quilt – I’m told I must call it Duvet now. – has been banished until October/November. All the vents on the windows are open. The air conditioning will be brought into service soon. I am living in shorts and tee shirts and will do for the 6 months.

Outside, the bedding plants, and seedlings are being left to fend for themselves. The weather covers have been removed from the garden furniture at last. No rain forecast for quite a while. The hosepipes and sprayers are back in action.

I just can’t sit still any more. An hour of writing or reading at a stretch is the absolute maximum I can manage these days. I was interested to find that Kevin is the same. He has to be out in the countryside on his bike. I have to be walking, working in the garden or in the Gym. It is holding my cerebral projects back. Today, of course, the weather is far too nice to spend in the Office. I am cleaning and tidying the patio.

Fortunately, a girl at the end of my road has been badgering me to help her with her lawn for weeks. I’ve been resisting but, when she said, You’ve got all the equipment., my resistance fell. I’ve agreed to stripe her lawn. What can I say. No self-respecting gentleman could refuse. While my gardener takes care of our garden, I will be tending to another woman’s.

Monday, 29th May, 2023

Lovely, sunny morning with a bit of sea breeze. JohnR has just sent a photo of his latest Lunch venue. The closest thing I’ll get to a restaurant in South Korea. I’m not planning on visiting any time soon.

Kevin is packed and ready to fly to Benidorm where the weather is rather uncertain. I’ve given him a link to a live WebCam overlooking the beach which looks very regimented – rather like an Italian one – and prepared for large numbers of people. I must admit, I prefer the anarchy of a Greek beach and the peace & quiet of an isolated cove.

Julie’s going to Flamborough lighthouse – I went there once. – with her Camera Club to photograph seals …

… and I’m going to … um … um … clean the patio. Still, only a couple of weeks and we are driving to France so must accept the situation. I hate Bank Holidays now that I’m not working. People on the roads, at the beach, in the shops that are open. They should all be at work!

Tuesday, 30th May, 2023

At 6.30 am, on this beautiful morning, I wished Kevin ‘safe flight’ as he set off for Leeds airport and his Jet2 flight to Alicante. John R wished me Good Morning from Hanok Village, Jeonju City, South Korea which I, admittedly childishly, find quite thrilling. Just getting out of bed at 6.30 am and talking to Jeonju City actually fascinates me. The distance and communication really grips me, means something to me. I love it. Someone even suggested it was sunny in Wales which is stretching it a but we can all fantasise.

I have long enjoyed reading the work of Dr Anthony Seldon, alumni of London School of Economics, currently, biographer of Boris Johnson, educator … Yesterday was Celebration Day and you would have found me in the Office, weeping softly, (Yes, again!) as I read an article by him in the Guardian: A simple truth: when love ones die, they never really go away. In it he argues, just as I have, that those who are gone, live on in the memory. I have long known that as I expand it to anyone who is far away, dead or alive. I don’t take well to desertion or rejection any more than I do to bereavement.

It is a strange thing and others don’t understand it but I have always felt a responsibility for them, their happiness and safety. I have never been able to explain it fully to myself but it is a strong thread running through my life. Maybe, it is my sentimentality. I make no apology for that. Certainly, Anthony Seldon isn’t so soft. He is writing about the death of his wife and subsequent remarriage but he concludes:

Life is not like anything I was led to believe it was when I was young. It does not start at birth, I have realised, and it does not end at death. So today, Celebration Day, is a day not for sadness but for renewal and, indeed, celebration.

It has made my need to visit my friend, Brian, in Royton all the more urgent. He wasn’t well last time and we have only talked once since then. It is my fault and I must address it. I’ve just got to fit it in around medical dates.

Big trip of the day: out to Lidl to buy 2 12 pks of Almond Milk. There’s is so much nicer than anyone elses’s I have tried. It means going past the beach and the sea was looking lovely with a green-blue colour. I just love the warmth.

In the warmth of the afternoon, after a long walk in the sunshine and a couple of hours cleaning up and planting out seedlings around our neighbours’ trees, we sat in the garden and griddled Sea Bream which we ate with a green salad and a broad bean salad. Accompanied by a white Rioja, the meal was fit for a City restaurant. Absolutely delicious.

Wednesday, 31st May, 2023

Didn’t sleep last night. Put the radio on at 3.30 am. The first BBC World Service news item was about evacuation sirens sounding across South Korea’s capital city, Seoul. It was caused by the launch of a rocket by North Korea although it, ultimately, crashed and burned. I immediately thought of JohnR who is visiting his son in Jeonju City. I don’t think he heard the sirens but he was visiting a Laundry. I don’t know if the two events were connected.

From a JohnR’s South Korean Laundry to Rattan Direct. The great fun of the day is trying to get the biggest possible discount on the order of replacement covers for our garden furniture.

We found that two people – me & my Housekeeper – logged on using two separate email addresses each – we could reduce the total cost of £200.00 by £80.00 by using a voucher code. Felt a little bit grubby but my Housekeeper loves the chase. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this!

Most of my friends are reliable and we talk regularly. I try to talk most days and at least 3 or 4 times a week. It makes us feel that we are part of each other’s lives even if at a remote level for a lot of the time. Sharing a life – particularly when you know how limited it could be – is a lovely thing to do. At least I get to see them once or twice a year.

Thursday, 1st June, 2023

If I could hold back time …. but it’s June already. My 72nd June although I don’t remember most of them. At least my computer’s Memory Box does that for me. Anyway, I’ve celebrated the new month by waking at 4.00 am, talking to JohnR about the false crisis in Seoul (He knew nothing about it because he is 100 kms away from it.) and then …. going to Sainsburys. That’s how exciting my life is at the moment.

You know how the start of a supermarket is almost always dominated by fresh produce. Our shopping almost starts and finishes there. I’m not meaning to boast. It is just the way our diet is now structured. The trolley is piled high with salad things and green beans, shallots, mushrooms, peppers, beetroot.

Most meals for Dinner start with a simple combination of a herb – Basil, Tarragon, Dill, Oregano or Parsley, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. The protein is fish, shellfish, chicken and/or pulses. I love Cannellini Beans and Broad Beans.

Today, we are going to break out! My chef is making Chicken Kiev (Kyiv) which is wicked but lovely. It will be cooked and eaten outside in the sunshine. I will have to do so much more exercise to merit such indulgence. I am really struggling to control my weight at the moment and that really upsets me.

Kevin is enjoying lovely weather in Benidorm – quite contrary to earlier forecasts. Who would bother putting their trust in BBC forecasting when it changes so swiftly? Here it is only 20C/68F today but lovely and sunny. I’m having to water every day at the moment. There is no rain in sight and that suggests hosepipe controls in the near future.

I am incredibly loyal … to the point of embarrassment. For the past 40 years, I have bought and driven Honda cars. For the past 40 years, I have used IHG hotel group in UK & Europe. For the past 40 years, I have used the Greek, Electra Hotels group.

All of these organisations reward me with forms of privileged membership. No request is too much for Honda to satisfy free of charge. After all, we have had some 20 new vehicles from them. IHG Hotels have given me a Gold Elite membership which entitles me to quite a few things including free nights stay in hotels. Today, Electra Group have given me Gold card status which entitles me to 12% off all bookings, automatic use of an executive car transport between the hotel and the airport, free upgrades, Late checkouts, ect.. Sometimes Loyalty pays off. Sometimes, of course, it is abused.

Friday, 2nd June, 2023

Strange start to the day. Where is the sun? So used to it now that an overcast sky is a shock. At 8.00 am it is 12C/54F – very similar to yesterday but there is a distinctly chilly breeze. My plants don’t like it. At least we haven’t got Welsh rain!

My friend, Julie, in North Yorkshire has been a bit down for a few days after an operation. To cheer her up, I told her a joke although I think I could have made it worse.

Give it to me! Give it to me! she yelled.
I’m so wet, give it to me now!
She could scream all she wanted, but I was keeping the umbrella.

We were driving down to the Fishmonger for a 3kg joint of sushi-quality, fresh Tuna which will be cut into steaks and griddled. A 3kg piece of Tuna is £85.00 now. It’s one of the few things that hasn’t gone up much recently.

We are entertaining during the week and Tuna will be the centre of the meal. Let’s hope we can eat outside in the garden.

The day has rapidly developed into a hot and sunny one. I’ve spent the morning, like some itinerant Road Sweeper/Gardener, mowing, edging, feeding and watering all the grass verges for my neighbours. The local Estate Agencies sell houses in our street describing them in Millionaires’ Road. None of us complain because it adds to the cachet when we want to sell.

Even so, it gives us something to live up to and I contribute by maintaining the external appearance. After all, I’ve got the time & money to do it so, why not? The only problem is that people walk past and say, How are you doing that? I can’t get ours to look like that. Can you come up to No. 10 to advise me and, like the softie I am, I go and find myself taking over.

I have just invited Julia – a Rebecca Jane substitute – to join us down here on the coast in the sunshine instead of trekking all the way to St Ives where she is spending Half Term.

Saturday, 3rd June, 2023

And yet another sunny day. When will it end? The forecast says it will continue for another fortnight at least. It is 22C/70F and lovely but people we lived with on our Greek island always said they longed for more defined seasons and rain in the Summer.

Well, my friend, Filoktitis, a news agency photographer, took delight in publishing these photos of last night in Kamares as it RAINED. We built our house up above Kamares Port. Rain is not completely unusual by any means but I’ve asked him to send some to the South of England where we desperately need it.

I am constantly watering my own garden and everyone else’s. Yesterday, D&J asked what they could do to repay me. Of course, I told them I would be embarrassed by anything like that. This afternoon, a lovely card came through the door from M&C thanking me for the effort in making things look good and asking if there was anything they could do for us. It is a wonderful to be able to say that I am in need of absolutely nothing.

In the meantime, we are enjoying a bottle of Champagne in the sunshine of our garden after a long, hot walk. Cheers to absent friends!

Kevin sent me a video at 2.00 am (UK) / 3.00 am (Sp) today of a terrible Beatles tribute act somewhere in some bar in Benidorm. He was drinking Pernod & Lemonade. He must really believe he’s back in the 1960s. The only reason I read it was because I was awake too.