Month: September 2023

Sunday, 17th September, 2023

Today may mark the end of Summer for us. Incredibly hot – 27C – yesterday. Spent the entire day outside enjoying the sun. The very warm evening was a bit harder as the darkness fell. Didn’t sleep well last night. The outside temperature didn’t fall below 17C/63F over night which is not bad for mid-September but this morning is overcast and we are expecting rain this afternoon.

People leaving Gatwick seem to have got the memo – heading out over the Channel for foreign adventures and sunnier days to come. I’m going to be stuck for weeks now so I’m trying to remain optimistic by booking trips away next year.

The first three will be to Yorkshire, to Thessaloniki and to Athens. Looking at April for the North of England, mid-June for Saloniki, and late August for Athens. Somewhere in between those, we will do a couple of European drives and then discuss with the Caretaker when the best time is to visit our Florida home.

The trouser ordering has got completely out of hand. Another 6 pairs this morning which brings the grand total up to 14 pairs and £600.00 over just 3 days. I think life is spiralling out of control!

The weather forecast said it would rain at 12.00 mid day. It started ridiculously early at 11.45 am. Thunder and lightning, strong, warm rain. Garden furniture covered and we withdraw to the Kitchen …

We’ve talked about adding a Garden Room right across the back of our house for quite a while. It would basically be a glass-covered veranda without heating which could be opened up when the sun was out and closed when it was raining. The breaking weather has turned minds back to this.

Two hours on and hot sunshine has appeared in a lovely, blue sky. We’ll think about the Garden Room tomorrow when it rains.

Monday, 18th September, 2023

Very strange night. The sky was literally lit up for hours by an electrical storm that constantly flashed across the hot and humid, ink-blue sky for hours without thunder or rain … and then it came, briefly and heavily, refreshing the world.

It wasn’t difficult to capture a flash because they were so frequent. This photo was taken through the glass of the bedroom window across the street at 2.00 am. It’s funny but I remember a huge, electrical storm on a childhood holiday to Colwyn Bay. I dreamt about it last night. I could see myself as a young man as clearly as if it was now. I fell in love. I remember it well. I can’t say I enjoyed it.

Today I am driving to Surrey. I’m going to Byfleet to pick up very, very, elderly relatives to take them to hospital in Ashford. The drive is not easy or enjoyable but has to be done. It does mean that I will drive past the gorgeous Royal Holloway, University of London and close to Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed.

My friend, Kevin, has been suffering from the genetic condition of Dupuytren’s Contracture which is an abnormal thickening of tissues in the palm of the hand. The thickened tissues can develop into a hard lump. Over time it can cause fingers to curl or pull in toward the palm. He had the operation two weeks ago and went this morning to have the bandages removed to reveal a cut he hadn’t seen yet. Going to take a while to heal. Cycling is on hold.

Difficult drive this afternoon. First, I broke my toe this morning on a metal-framed Dining Chair. It swelled up and went blue. It is agony to walk on. Next, we drove up to Surrey and were making perfect time when we hit a queue which led to Police Blue lights and an accident. It would have delayed us for hours. We turned round and looked for alternative routes suggested by our sat.nav. which got us there but took forever.

Back home, my foot has ballooned and my spirits deflated. It will be a day or two before I can complete my exercise targets. It is depressing.

Tuesday, 19th September, 2023

I’m going to be restricted to cycling and rowing in the Gym today. My foot is not quite as painful and swollen as I expected but it is painful to walk so I’ll rest it today.

Talked to Kevin this morning. He’s still revelling in the fact he’s been told not to wash at the moment and keep his stitches dry. Means he can’t cycle though. Talked to John_R as his boat – Mariota – is covered for the winter weather on Ullswater in the Lake District. John, who did his Doctorate on Children’s Literature, named his boat after Arthur Ransome’s Swallows & Amazons fictional boat in the Lake District of the 1920s.

That was one end of the conversations this morning. The other end was Julie doing a Zoom conference call with a Naturist photographer in South of France but enough of that.

Recently, I’ve had contact from a friend who drives in Wales – Can you imagine it? – and who doesn’t sound totally enamoured with the new 20 mph zones.

I must admit that I spent all my working life driving like a demon at the maximum speed I could get away with. Driving across Europe, I just cruised non-stop at 120 mph for hours on the motorways to eat the miles up. Even in UK, I always felt there was no time to be lost and I broke every speed limit I could get away with.

I got points twice for speeding and, on one occasion, appeared at the Crown Court in Manchester after a murder case because I was away for 6 weeks in Greece when I had been picked on a camera in Shaw breaking the speed limit on the last day of term. The letter arrived and I missed the date to respond while away. The judge just laughed and dismissed the case when I got in the dock.

Since retiring, I don’t feel the need to speed at all. My time is completely limitless. I just set my Speed Limiter/Intelligent Cruise Control facility in the car for the speed limit it reads for me and accept what happens. Just in case I get carried away one day, I use a radar detector app on my phone which announces well in advance that I am approaching a camera or police trap and advises me of my required speed. It is free to download and use. It works in the background and it has never let me down.

Even so, 20 mph does feel excessively slow and many drivers behind do get worked up but we have had these limits in our area almost since we arrived so I’ve got used to it. Pauline just cannot get herself to drift over the white lines never mind break the speed limit.

Wednesday, 20th September, 2023

A warm, humid grey morning. The order for trousers increased to 17 pairs. We had to drive into Worthing to collect/try on the final pairs. That did it. Now, 17 have been reduced to 6 pairs. £2000.00 has been reduced to £500.00 and all is well. I can cope with that.

Nice to walk on the beach opposite M&S even though the light was grey. It was very warm and dry. Many areas of the country are bathed in water. Here, the tide was out exposing a large area of beach. I nearly drowned but, don’t worry, Dear Reader. You won’t get rid of me that easily!

My foot was much better than I had thought and I did a couple of hour’s walk before cooking Dinner. I love cooking. No tepid beans for me! Today, I was producing Chicken Thighs roasted with White Wine, Garlic and Dill accompanied by Briam (Green Peppers, Shallots, baby Plum Tomatoes, baby Courgettes from the garden and Chicken Stock.) It was delicicious and left us floundering!

You would have loved this, Dear Reader. Unfortunately, it’s gone. My wife eats so much, I can’t save enough for you.

Thursday, 21st September, 2023

Lovely warm and sunny morning. Walking with a purpose because a mobile unit is offering walk-in access for Covid Boosters.

Quite a queue formed – all grey haired, old people apart from us – to get their Booster. I was pleased to find they were giving Pfizer shots which meant that all my 5 jabs have been consistent. Getting the Flu jab next week so I will be up to date in time for this month of radiotherapy which begins in 3 weeks.

Booked two trips away this morning. Flying Gatwick – Thessaloniki in mid June. Hotel (7 nights) + return Flight = £2,100 + £390 = £2,490. / Flying Gatwick – Athens in late August. Hotel (7 nights) + return Flight = £3,400 + £680 = £4,080. I will hold these in my mind when I submit to a month of radiotherapy.

Next is to sort out a week in the North of England and all the people to meet in April after Easter Holidays are over. Then some time driving in France in May. Calendar is starting to take shape with jewels dangling from the timeline.

Friday, 22nd September, 2023

Gorgeous morning of warm sunshine and blue sky. Shopping morning – Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Aldi plus Tapi Carpets. Looking for new flooring in our downstairs bathroom and cloakroom. Went to look for vinyl tiles to replace wood but realised we needed to think again after finding a poor choice. Going to visit a tile shop.

As the weather was so warm and beautiful, we drove down to the beach to get some sea air and drink in the light.

We walked on the beach with just a handful of others this morning. Strong sun silhouetted the off-shore wind farm glinting far out on the horizon, the water lapping gently under a windless sky as, far out on the rim of the world, a belt of fleecy clouds hovered … over Bognor Regis.

Forgot to say that I booked a hotel in the North of England in the second half of April. Just 4 nights = £520.00 although it can be extended if needed. I don’t know if it is part of my psyche or not but I like the idea that, in Greece, I use the Electra Hotel Group which leads to me being awarded Gold Member status with considerable benefits attached. Elsewhere in UK and Europe, I try to use IHG Group hotels where I have accrued around 100,000 points towards future bookings. Both mean that I know what standard of accommodation to expect anywhere in the world.

Similarly, we have bought Hondas for 40 years which has led to a much better quality and level of service than one would otherwise expect. Goodness, don’t I sound old! I suppose I am. We all are.

Saturday, 23rd September, 2023

It is the Autumn Equinox when Day & Night are of equal length. It is also another beautiful day of clear blue sky and strong sunshine. I woke up at 2.30 am and thought I had died. I couldn’t feel any moving part of my body. Had to turn the air.con. off. Checked my phone to find the outside temperature had dropped to 9C/48F. It is the first time it has dipped into single figures since last winter.

Still, clear skies at this time of year do lead to a dip in temperatures. The upside is a beautiful day to come. Going to cut the lawns this morning. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that.

Well, it does but all things are on hold until after the treatment. Ambitions and future joys are held in obeyance out on the horizon to be worked for.

You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometime you’ll find
You get what you need

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ef9QnZVpVd8?feature=oembedOh, yes you can!

I know I will get there. It’s just a matter of time and, maybe, a bit of luck. I am like the character in Philip Larkin’s poem, Next Please. Impatiently waiting for the Future to come. It will come only too quickly.

Sunday, 10th September, 2023

Decided I just couldn’t cope without my Blog. After almost 15 years, it is so much part of my psyche that I was uncomfortable not posting it. Someone suggested I commit it to paper and then ‘burn it’! I thought about it, considered doing it but realised it was never going to happen. Do you know, there is nothing in my life that embarrasses or demeans me so much I dare not admit to it. There are things I’ve done that I’m ashamed of, embarrassed by, could be ridiculed or rebuked for but I just have to confront them in the court of public opinion.

I have to mark the anniversary of the death of my brother-in-law, John (Jack) Barnes. He died an awful although quick death from Brain Tumour in Pinderfields Hospital, Leeds in 2006. I remember it so distinctly that it could be last week. And yet, we haven’t spoken for 17 years.

Jack worked in advertising in a wide span of his life but was quite well know as a singer in the pubs & clubs of Manchester in his early days. Of course, he was much older than us. Jack was born in 1934 and died at the tender age of 72. My age now!

Friends have sent videos of spectacular thunder & lightning across the North of England last night. No such luck here. We stayed out in the garden until late because of the extreme heat. Back in the house, every window was open to draw the air through. Bedtime meant aircon on all night. I just sleep on the top of the bed, luxuriating in the cold air. I woke in the middle of the night, felt so cold I couldn’t feel my legs. I turned the aircon off but was sweating profusely within 10 mins. Aircon back on until I got up.

This morning is insufferably hot and humid but a little overcast. Went out for an early walk to keep the fitness going. It was hard work but we can’t afford to seize up. In fact, I am not prepared to give up on Life at any time until I drop. I hope my friends and relations feel the same way. There is no benefit in attending funerals when we could be going to parties together.

There are some things that come up over and over again. At the top of the list for fitness and well-being is …. Walking. This is followed by, if you can believe it, connecting with loved ones on social media and then – and you really won’t believe this – writing a daily Blog. All of this is followed by eating ‘indulgent meals with wine’ followed by taking multiple naps. You can see why I’m optimistic about living forever.

The one thing I’m not doing enough of at the moment and I’ve got to get back into it is strength training and balance exercises. My balance is poor – particularly after a couple of bottles of wine and I definitely need to get back into rowing for muscular maintenance and skeletal strength. I’ll keep you posted.

Monday, 11th September, 2023

Another warm night which didn’t fall below 18C/65F or, in our bedroom 0C/32F. These are lovely days to be treasured. The Winter will come soon enough.

I wonder who is on these flights from Gatwick to the Continent – buying extended Summer. Hot & humid weather might be uncomfortable but, for me at least, it is preferable to cold and wet.

It is hot and I am wet this morning. Autumn tidying up of the garden. Booked a slot at the local Waste Disposal for this afternoon. Amazing how much collects over the season. Lots of it appears to be housing spiders as big as saucers. I let my wife deal with those. The car is packed and we will have a lovely afternoon trip out …. at the tip. Could it get much better?

One reader wrote to me this morning to say I had to keep the Blog going or he would never get to sleep. A bit cheeky but I can take it! I’m going to the Bupa Radiotherapy Centre on Wednesday and I am currently working out the best route. I think I’m going to drive down the coast

Tuesday, 12th September, 2023

What a lovely morning – warm and welcoming. Had nice messages from friends. I’ve never thought of myself as a people person although my wife insists I am. I do love people in my life. Heard from little Cathy, my sister who wants to come and see me. Don’t know why she doesn’t just turn up. She only lives 15 mins away. Heard from John-2, John Morris, Dave Roberts, Kevin and Julie all from the north of England. Next door neighbour, Jason, stopped in the middle of the road to ask after my welfare. Lovely lad with a lovelier wife who is as thin as a stick insect.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gun6Jsmf7WQ?feature=oembedSteve’s Song

My next door neighbour on the other side has just come to ask if we’ll look after their cats while they are in Canada for a month. We have a key for a number of houses who also have a key for ours. Of course we’ll help them if we can.

If I could hold you
If only for a second I could hold you
And let the fear rage on
Cling to each other in the eye of a stormSteve’s Song

I am cooking Dinner tonight. It will be Tomato, Dill & Garlic with mushrooms, Giant Prawns and Cod Cheeks. Of course, it will be brilliant. You would love it, Dear Reader, and you are very welcome. While I am preparing the meal, I am listening to the soundtrack from Keeping Faith which is so un-me but I find so moving after a number of years. I really don’t listen to popular music but I can indulge myself with this ….

Wednesday, 13th September, 2023

Up early on a warm but overcast morning. Driving to Brighton to the Bupa Radiology Centre where I will be receiving my treatment in 4 weeks for 4 weeks. Just 19 miles but 1 hr driving each way. It is going to dominate my life for a while.

Well, left home at 8.15 am and didn’t actually arrive until 9.45 am. Traffic and route were awful. Can’t face that every day! It is all very high tec. which would impress me in other circumstances but looked a bit overwhelming this morning.

I’ve been told this morning that the treatment will leave me feeling exhausted, sick and lacking in appetite. Can’t wait. Actually, the drive will be the most trying. Feels a bit like going to work all over again. Up at 6.00 am. Liquid Breakfast and out driving. Reminds me of work days.

One of the good signs that my prostate is seriously shrinking already is I don’t need to wee so often. Just realised this morning that I had drunk the juice of 2 freshly squeezed oranges, a large cup of Yorkshire tea followed by a huge, Cappuccino before driving there and back over a 3 hr period and hadn’t needed the loo. Suggests that the hormone treatment has really worked. If the tumours haven’t escaped out of the prostate (metastatic) then they will have had to shrink as well so there will be less to irradiate.

Hopefully, targeted external beam radiotherapy will do the job and I will be roaming the world again soon. I really want to see people, talk to them and share my life without moaning about illnesses. I have to keep Covid-free and it is really on the rise at the moment. I am pushing to get the Booster immediately to keep me healthy. Learnt today that the Booster will be the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The much-lauded British vaccine has been quietly dropped because of its side effects.

Thursday, 14th September, 2023

Gorgeous morning. Very warm 26C/79F at mid day. Had to be at the clinic for 10.00 am for another javelin-full of hormones but this time just for a month. I still have one more to come.

The atmosphere at the surgery was quite shockingly different to previous times. On the last two occasions that I had these injections, I was the only patient in the waiting room. I was in and out within 5 mins. Today, on a beautifully warm and sunny day, the clinic was packed with grumpy old people all complaining about how long they had to wait.

They weren’t very pleased when I, the last to arrive, was called before them all. I’m afraid I left the embattled Receptionists to deal with that. It’s a big needle and I’m bruised for a few days afterwards. I play on that a bit so that I get better treatment than I normally would. Today, we went straight from the clinic to Sainsburys where I was treated to a box of fresh figs. They’re Turkish not Greek so didn’t quite have the flavour but lovely all the same. As you will know, dear Reader, quite a moving fruit.

The day has progressed fabulously with hot sunshine and largely cloudless skies. Really enjoyed the walk this afternoon and looking forward to Dinner of Kalamari & Salad with Skordalia (Σκορδαλιά). Skorda is Garlic. Skor-Dal-I-Ah is Garlic Sauce made with Garlic, Bread or Potato and Olive oil. It goes beautifully with fish &/or salad. We will cook and eat it outside in the garden, basking in the sunshine and the warmth.

While my chef cooks Dinner, I will toil on the internet. Thank goodness it works so well out in the garden these days. Gigabit Broadband reaches right across the house, garden and gym. It supplies the TVs, mobiles, and so many home devices. I even control the air-conditioning, heating & lights from bed on my smartphone. I have talked to most of my friends today. As I pointed out the other day, this is keeping me alive!

Of course, some friends are still teaching. Every working day of my life, I drove across the Pennines each way. It was a nightmare then and it is worse now. Often, I would go on the M62 J23 – J22 and reverse. I would be struggling today. The Manchester Evening News sent me a warning this afternoon of long delays after another accident. Just look at the sunshine (NOT).

Friday, 15th September, 2023

A lovely morning which is forecast to give us another beautiful and warm day. The times are definitely changing though. Half way through September, Nightfall is coming increasingly early. The sun goes down at 7.15 pm and the nights are less warm now – about 16C/60F. I’m still sleeping with aircon on but maybe not for long now. The real test will be how long tee shirt and shorts will last. Chef serves Breakfast at 7.00 am and the sun has only been up for about 30 mins by then. Moisture from the night air can be seen on the garden furniture. Fortunately, it soon evaporates as the sun burns it off.

I’m afraid my wife of 45 years has to go. She has spent the past 10 years looking for trousers that don’t exist. This week, she thinks she has found them and ordered 8 pairs. White Stuff, and Boden seem to be causing commotion. She really has gone over the top this time spending £500.00 on trousers. Some couples keep their finances separate. I cannot even understand that idea. I gave everything I own to my wife from the outset – nearly 50 years ago. I know I seem to be dominated by money and cost in my Blog. It interests me but it really doesn’t worry me much at all. The car is in her name. The house is in her name. The investments and savings agreements are in her name. I never want her to worry about money or me.

If I die, if we separate, she will always be alright. That’s why I feel confident in throwing her out for overspending on her clothes bill. I mean, why would anyone consider buying these many trousers? Once she gets into the buying mode, the fever takes over and all is lost. Today, all was lost quite early!

I’m pleased to report that our pool in Florida is now complete and looking good. No expense spared – only what I deserve. Heated Pool, Jacuzzi Plunge Pool, outdoor shower, seating area and Pizza Oven.

Outside the statutory poolside railings which I regret, a strange man has been developing a pitch and put green. I mean, who does that? Well, I’m allowing relatives to use it at the moment until this cancer is GONE! I’m looking forward to a dirty month in Brighton.

Saturday, 16th September, 2023

Absolutely lovely morning with blue sky, strong warm, hot even, sunshine. Woke a bit tired because the mobile next to my bed announced a Whatsapp coming in at 1.45 am from a girl in Florida. She was having Dinner in a Steakhouse in Florida and felt the need to tell me how good it was. I might even go and try it but not at 1.45 in the morning.

I found it hard to get back to sleep, put the radio on and heard hours of discussions about the misery of the Libyans lives destroyed by a burst dam and about the need to ban dangerous dogs. Personally, I would ban all dogs but some people seem to need them.

It got more and more boring to the point when I fell asleep. It was a hot night and the aircon was on until it got too cold… and off until it got too warm …when I had a hot flush … and on again. I am a nightmare to share a bed with at the moment. I don’t know how anyone else copes!

I was woken by the new BBC day starting at 5.00 am with its usual round up of things from this day on past years. Appeals to my sense of History. This one particularly interested me today because it linked to the communication from Florida.

On this day in 1959, the first commercial photocopier was successfully launched on live TV in New York. The Xerox-914 links to the girl from Florida because she was once a big cheese in the Xerox company. What astonishes me is that, when I started teaching in 1972, schools didn’t have and certainly couldn’t have afforded photocopiers. I was reproducing worksheets using a primitive spirit Duplicator which we called a Banda. We had to generate page reproductions by turning the wheel by hand and the smell of the spirit certainly woke you up in the morning.

The other item that stuck in my head was the anniversary of Black Wednesday and – for us – Black Friday. On this day in 1992, a speculators’ rush on the pound meant that the UK fell out of the ERM – European Exchange Rate Mechanism that pegged the values of disparate economies which were desperately trying to integrate with each having their own currency. The pound crashed on this day in 1992 and, two days later, interest rates went up from 10% – 15% which was very painful on our mortgage rates. No ‘fixed rate’ deals in those days.

As a result of these sorts of tensions, the Eurozone introduced the common currency , the Euro, in 1999 and it was adopted across the Union 3 years later. The nay-sayers predicted its downfall within months and then within a few years but here it is more than 20 years on and a real force to be reckoned with on the World stage and certainly eclipsing Sterling.

Sunday, 3rd September, 2023

Well it looks like the Indian Summer is coming. Just as well because I am stuck here pining for more. We have put the suitcases back into store. At least we have a south-facing garden because Pauline insisted on it. I wanted a bigger house but she wanted sunshine and won. She was probably right although I won’t be admitting it to her.

I am talking to friends a lot at the moment because I cannot go to meet them. I have to face this medical course I’m on with realism and determination. I am just 5 weeks away from the hardest part and then another 5 weeks until I get a verdict.

I am renowned for learning someone’s life story within 5 minutes of meeting them but I am always surprised when I learn new things about old friends. In contact with three of them over the past couple of days, I learnt that one has had two bouts of breast cancer to deal with, one has the early stages of the hereditary disease known as Dupuytren’s Contracture. The third one just doesn’t like cheese. I mean, who doesn’t like cheese? I’m on a diet but I’d kill for some Dolcelatte right now …. and it’s only 9.30 am!

So much for the BBC weather forecast. It’s 1.00 pm and we are already seeing 27C/81F. Both sunshades up and out. Dinner outside tonight. Now for a 2-hr walk. The beach will be packed so the countryside today. At least the kids go back to school on Tuesday here so the beach will be left to the grownups. Might have a swim. There again ….

Monday, 4th September, 2023

Gorgeously warm night and a lovely start to the day. I’m starting this at 9.00 am as the blue sky and sunshine is already delivering 22C/70F. Good day in prospect. Nothing special – walking, garden tidying, etc..

Got a nagging hurt inside me this morning. Reading an article about my forthcoming treatment – well, about one man’s experience. You can read it here.

prostateDownload

Have found it upsetting. Of course, it is probably just the coward coming out in me. Makes me feel icy – even in this warm weather – and lonely. I wasn’t helped by something else that appeared on my phone, iPad and computer. It was the anniversary of the death from brain cancer of one of our Oldham friends. His widow, Diane, who also taught with us, put on a sad, sad piece marking the occasion from Woodstock in New York which is where they made their last trip. We were in New York at the same time.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PGCFIvqyr48%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Frank was headteacher of a private school in Oldham they bought in the 1990s and ran until about 5 years ago. He had two, main hobbies – cycling (He was a fitness fanatic.) and playing the guitar (He had a number of them.) Diane’s tribute to him one year on was a guitar piece I had heard many times before but didn’t know much about. It is the R.E.M piece: Everybody Hurts with that famously , hauntingly, sad riff that tears into one’s memories and scatters them across the sky in razor-sharp shards of glass ensuring everybody really hurts.

Hold on. Hold on.

Tuesday, 5th September, 2023

Must start today by wishing my very, very old sister-in-law happy 86th birthday. Born in 1937, can you imagine living to that age. She’ll probably see me out if the family tradition is sustained. Hope she has a nice day in the sunshine.

Hot, hot, hot. We saw 28C/83F yesterday which was the Athens night time temperature but felt scorching here for walking. We are forecast for the week to get hotter which I will love although I’m not sure Phyllis will approve. This is exactly the sort of weather I revel in. We haven’t been to the beach yet but we must in the next few days while the kids are in school.

Today, I am spring cleaning the garden … in Autumn. I am the world’s natural tidier. Things must not be out of place or I feel uncomfortable. There is creativity in untidiness but, for me, it is the drawing together of disparate elements that unite to make the whole. For me, it is the same with ideas and communications. I can’t allow an idea or subject to go by without understanding it. I cannot hear or see a word that I don’t understand without immediately looking it up. I am a nightmare for other people because I just stop in the middle of the road until I have resolved those sorts of things.

Do you send communications – letters, emails, texts, etc., to people and then they make you wait for ever for a reply? I can’t do that myself. If someone contacts me, I see it as my responsibility to reply straight away. Actually, I prefer to communicate face to face, skin to skin knowing that I have made myself understood. Of course, modern life means so much contact is remote and I regret that but take advantage of it. It does allow me to control the narrative more and do it in my way.

Our lovely neighbours are doing at the moment what we did 40 years ago … falling in love with Greek islands. In their case, Skiathos. They are excited and planning to build/buy/long term rent a property on the island that they can retire to in the future. They’ve only ever been there in the height of Summer. Some people assume that is what the island is like all year round.

Last weekend, most people left the islands for their mundane jobs back home leaving behind 38C of weather. Yesterday, the weather broke and, as so often in September, the first rains for 6 months hit the country hard. This was Skiathos, their holiday idyll, yesterday.

We, on the other hand, were experiencing 30C/86F and I was in my element – the sauna of sun. Kevin was at home, convalescing but in his garden enjoying the lovely weather. Julie was happy that this late, hot sun was helping to ripen her impressive bell peppers – certainly better than anything I’ve achieved. John R was in the Lakes enjoying his last days of sailing before his ketch, Mariota, is hauled onto dry land for the winter. All of us sharing our experiences from across the country as we see ourselves through our retirement. I find it quite moving to be able to share.

Wednesday, 6th September, 2023

Another sunny day. Another hot day. Looking forward to it. Actually, Indian Summers are quite common and I looked back just two years to this photo down at the beach. On this day, the temperature was around 82F

The sea looked delicious although I didn’t go in. It’s the colours I love and the light. That’s why I love the Med..

But I am stuck at home and, at the moment, there are worse places to be. The weather is wonderful and the surroundings are beautiful. In the green space at the edge of our Development, the gardening contractors set aside a swathe of land to sow wild flowers. We were sceptical at the time but it has worked out quite nicely.

Just got to keep going. Hold on. Hold on.

Thursday, 7th September, 2023

Another gorgeous day. Went down to the beach but the tide was out. A few people had walked out to swim. I just took photos. Hot with no breeze. It was 28C/ at 10.00 am.

Feeling lonely. Talked to lots of people but without purpose. Did no work just my exercise programme. Can’t be bothered Blogging. Might have come to the end of the cycle after all these years ….

Friday, 8th September, 2023

A quiet, empty morning punctuated only by the arrival of workers. Our new, favourite carpenter is hear doing some adjustments to fitted, bedroom furniture. Across the road at our neighbours – the lovely Italians – the scaffolding went up yesterday and solar panel installers started work on the roof.

We have talked about doing the same for quite a while. At our ages, it is debatable whether the installation will ever be cost effective. I was surprised when Filippo told me that, with Local Authority subsidy, the 6-panel installation + Battery storage would come in at around £10,000. We spoke to the installers and may be in contact ourselves when we’ve thought it through. Our neighbour’s house is South Facing so panels are going on the front of the house. Our back garden is South Facing so any panels will be hidden away which is preferrable to us.

Went out to the Greengrocers to buy some cherries. The English season is very short and harvesting them is very labour intensive. They have always been expensive but I bought this bowl – 1.3 Kg of Kent cherries – for £19.13. I asked if I could have it on interest-free-credit but apparently Greengrocers don’t offer that.

Brilliant cartoon in The Times this morning encapsulating the chaos that is broken Britain. Dovetailing the news that Britain has paid to go back into the EU’s Horizon Science Programme after losing it through Brexit.

Saturday, 9th September, 2023

Our next-door neighbour, Dee, an English lecturer in a local College, went back to work on Monday and by Friday she was off work with …. Covid. The latest variant is spreading across the country like wildfire and there are rising numbers in hospitals. The latest covid variant – Pirola – is sweeping the States and figures have been rising rapidly here. I have to keep myself clear over the next few weeks as I travel to hospital each day for radiotherapy.

Had a hot flush in Sainsburys this morning. From normal to soaking wet in 30 secs. Goodness knows how women cope with the menopause.  At 10.30 am, the temperature outside was 28C/83F as we walked into an cool, airconditioned store. Being completely contrary, I suddenly stoked my body temperature up to heatwave and my body flooded. Too much information? Tough! It will be over by mid-October and I will start to become a man again. Sex in the afternoon. You can’t beat it!

Our neighbours across the road have really rekindled our thoughts about installing solar panels. Our LEA, Arun, has a group buying scheme to cut the cost. We submit our requirements to Arun – We think 12 panels + Storage Battery – and they take all residents requirements and put them out to ‘auction’. The installers bid their best price in the knowledge that they are getting a lot of business. Certainly saves us having to haggle and the installation gets LEA approval. We estimate £10,000 – £12,000 should do the job. If we can generate the largest part of our own requirements and sell some back to the Grid plus add value to our house, we think we can justify the expenditure at our ages.

Sunday, 27th August, 2023

This morning I remember my lovely Mother-in-Law who died aged 96 in 2010. Today she would be 109. If I believed in a life after death, I would wish her the best. Unfortunately, I don’t.

Instead, I will tell her a joke.

Your Mother has been with us for 20 years, said John.
Isn’t it time she got a place of her own?
My Mother? replied Pauline. I thought she was your Mother.

I had a run round the modern (old) Olympic Stadium in 36C of hot and steamy sunshine. Pauline did what she does best ….

There is only so much you can do in this heat. Quite a bit of my exercise is done in the slightly cooler evenings on the ancient, marbled and glassy streets of Athens.

I walk under darkening, azure skies in the much cooler 28C past the imposing building that is the Grand Bretagne Hotel and on up the road to Kolonaki and all the foreign embassies. The couple of hours exercise is rewarded with two scoops of the most wonderful and refreshing Tiramisu Ice-cream.

It is the perfect antidote to burning up on Athens streets unless, of course, you are on the mean streets of Manchester, in which case, you’ll need an umbrella and a blanket!

Monday, 28th August, 2023

Coming home is always a strange and multi-levelled thing. I used to feel disappointed that our time in a place had come to an end. I no longer feel that because I know that I will be back and could go back whenever I chose. The difficulty is rationing myself. I must admit, I think of people back home as soon as I begin to travel. Up early – 6.00 am – this morning because we are going to the airport. We (Pauline) packed last night. Breakfast at 7.00 am and then checkout.

The checkout desk announced that I was now a Gold Card Guest which entitled me to considerable reductions and benefits. They called us a taxi for the airport and we were off.

At the airport by 11.00 am, we didn’t bother with a Lounge today. Actually, the airport was reasonably quiet and we had a coffee and then went down to air conditioned Gate. I contacted my friends in UK. Kevin wished me safe flight. Julie winked. Michelle wished me a good time and Dee said the sun was out and she would save it for me. One or two other people didn’t reply but that’s OK.

I was hit by an incredible sadness, loneliness and separation as I sat on board. Life – Past, Present & Future – has an incredible depth at the moment I really don’t understand what’s happening. It has huge meaning for me if not for others. I am a basically a good person. I have good intentions towards others. I know they find that difficult to understand. I love them come what may.

Never eat on short haul flights but the time difference meant we were starving and ordered ham& cheese toasties. Disgusting but necessary. The plane arrived on time. Took off more or less on time and I read and snoozed for the 3hrs. 20mins to Gatwick. In the early 1970s, it used to be 4hrs. 30 mins. This is so easy. As we landed, I sent kisses to friends to let them know. The news coming in was quite a shock. There had been an air traffic control IT problem with real knock on effects across Europe. We only learnt as we landed.

We have never been through the airport so quickly and down to the Long Stay Carpark which I had recorded on the way out because I remember nothing. The shuttle bus was waiting for us and the car was just a short walk away. I drove home in 45 mins and the post was waiting along with Welcome Home notes from friends and neighbours.

How incredibly lucky I am to have such nice people in my life. Jason had cut the lawns and John had put the bins away. The plants had all survived and we even picked some vegetables for our meal. Pauline unpacked while I cooked sea food Linguini. We drank champagne which immediately reacted with tired bodies and we went to bed.

Tuesday, 29th August, 2023

Went to bed early last night because our body clocks were 2 hours ahead and we had drunk a bottle of champagne. I never need a lot of sleep and woke at 3.00 am. Lovely, quiet time of night. Felt really happy.

The more I listened to the News, the luckier I felt about yesterday’s flight. In retrospect, I now realise why certain things happened at Athens Airport. When we got to Gate in readiness for Departure, our Boarding Passes were not checked. The Easyjet official called for Speedy Boarding passengers – which we always buy – to go on board first. Usually, they would check our Boarding Passes which indicate that but no one checked anything. We were rushed on board and the plane went down the runway unusually quickly.

Normally, the passport e-gates at Gatwick are like a cattle market as we are forced to snake around taped off lanes and queue for ages. We landed at 2.00 pm and found the airport almost deserted. We were told not to queue but to go straight through the e-gate. I have never been through an airport so quickly and we didn’t have to wait for Baggage reclaim so we were driving home very quickly. Foreign travel should always be like this.

Rather overcast this morning. Already missing that stark, brilliant blue, Athenian sky from the past week and the searing wall of heat. From 37C yesterday to 20C this morning is quite a contrast. Still I am very happy and thankful that I have the freedom to do what I want in my life. If I can get the all-clear in December, who knows what we will do, Dear Reader. Actually, I have felt quite positive this morning, floating on a wave of optimism.

Self indulgence is now over. Got quite a grim few weeks leading up to the middle of November. Really working hard on my weight and fitness prior to an intensive month of radiotherapy. I have never experienced anything serious like that so I don’t really know any more than I have read. I am going to have IGRT which is said to be less likely to damage me while killing the tumours. I have already been scanned to provide the images. I have now had 6 months of hormone treatment with two more to come. Let’s get it over with!

Wednesday, 30th August, 2023

Beautiful morning if a little Autumnal. Blue, cloudless sky. Strong, warmish sunshine but the temperature did go down to 12C/54F last night and there is a dew outside on the grass, spiders webs stretch out across the bushes, glistening in the sunshine and the patio flags feel distinctly cooler than Athens streets.

We have to face it, Dear Reader, that the Summer is over (already) and Autumn begins. Kids around the area are enjoying their last few days of freedom – many oblivious about what is to come. Parents are getting their heads down and facing the long, working stretch up to Christmas to come. I am starting my second day of hard diet and renewed exercise programme.

I use two apps on my phone that many others use also. When I met up with Kevin a couple of years ago, I was slightly surprised that he was using exactly the same apps: Garmin Connect and MyFitnessPal. They mesh together to provide an input/output data recorder.

My radiotherapy begins exactly 6 weeks today, on Wednesday, 11th October. That is my first fitness target. A month later, I will be fighting through the after effects and I don’t intend to take a backward step if I can avoid it. The rehabilitation programme will continue until I meet the Oncologist on December 29th.

My in-house chef is making strawberry jam while I have a number of ‘Office’ jobs to complete but exercise has to be incorporated into that day. Gave up constructing the cold-frames so got to engage a handyman to come and do it for me. Have to look at our energy suppliers because our 2-year contract is up at the end of December.

Our new car is only 6 months old and we have learnt of a new, plug-in hybrid model coming out in the new year. I have been asking Honda for this for ages. We may be changing our car sooner than we thought.

This morning I’ve given myself the arduous task of researching the details. It will probably be available in the early months of 2024 and will cost around £54,000 so a bit of an increase on our model which, at this rate will only have done around 6,000 miles. Still, I’ve only got a finite number of new cars left in my life so I won’t be waiting too long for it.

Thursday, 31st August, 2023

Well, we reached 22C/70F yesterday but it felt cold after Athens. This morning has opened gloomily grey. We are expecting rain so I will be in the Gym quite a bit. First I’ve got a practical problem to sort out. I know, I’m not a practical person at all but it has to be done.

Got home from a walk yesterday and heard the house Bleeping. First thought it was the Answerphone? No. Smoke alarms? – We have 4 around the house which are mains powered and interlinked. They have a battery backup system. When the batteries in one die, the unit bleeps and flashes.

Stress rises as each unit is checked in turn and the bleeping continues. Smoke Alarms not guilty. What the hell can it be and where is it coming from? Eventually, the noise is isolated to the Utility Room and a little unit on the wall that I had never noticed before – a Carbon Monoxide Alarm. After all, we’ve only been in the house 7 years. Why would I go in the Utility Room?

I understand what they are and what they do and now I’ve found it and it is next to the central heating boiler, it makes sense. How to stop it bleeping and what did that bleeping mean? Getting off the wall was easier than I expected. It is a free-standing unit just fixed with a plastic headed stud to the wall. How to open it to replace the batteries looked much more difficult. With all practical problems, I just use brute force. It makes me feel better even if it doesn’t solve the problem. It was flashing Fault. Not for long. I stuck a screwdriver into the front panel to prise it off.

Well, Dear Reader, I have never know my own strength and it flipped off immediately to reveal …. no batteries … but it was still bleeping! I thought I should start to read about this. I’m better at reading. Suddenly, on the side of the unit, I spotted the words: Replace by May, 2023. When I looked it up on the web I learned it was Battery powered by a sealed 10 year lithium battery.

By the time I had found all this, I realised it had stopped bleeping and I could research a replacement. That’s where I am going this morning. Even I can manage to hang the new one on a pin in the wall.

Friday, 1st September, 2023

I know I say it many times but time is seriously running out. The start of a new month just underlines and emphasises that feeling. It is interesting to me the psychology of that feeling. I go from a panicky sense of Stop the World I want to get off and seeing my remaining life ambitions receding as the timeline shortens to a determination to address those ambitions more urgently and with more determination. Strangely, although I know people celebrate a new month and I try to recognise it, I can’t really join in.

Why should I want to leave August? Can it ever be better to move from Summer to Autumn and then Winter. If it was practical, I would buy permanent Summer. Alas, Dear Reader, it isn’t and we are already in the Autumn of our lives.

Had a bit of ‘fun’ with the old, CO2 Alarm yesterday. Having removed and replaced it, I had left it on the worksurface in the Utility Room while I worked out where to dispose of it. Having Dinner, we were shocked to hear the dying alarm suddenly start bleeping loudly from the other room. Because I am incredibly practical (not), I thought, I can’t put this outside to risk waking my neighbours in the night. I couldn’t work out how to disable this ‘sealed’ unit. My highly attuned scientific understanding led me to submerse it in a bowl of water in the Laundry. Seemed to work. At Breakfast this morning, still under 6″ of cold water, it bleeped and flashed.

I took a hammer …. and a couple of screwdrivers … and with a bit of brute force, broke open the unit to reveal a perfectly ordinary, Duracell battery. Ridiculously, the sealed unit had to be destroyed to find that out. Good fun though … and before you say, Get a Life!, as I’ve already pointed out, that is a diminishing possibility.

Got to go to the Eye Clinic this morning. Had to go out for an early, 2hr walk. It is quite warm. Overnight, we were 18C/65F and now, at 10.00 am, we are 21C/70F. Looking forward to an Indian Summer over the next few weeks. ….

Been to the Eye Clinic which is in an old, scruffy, ex-hospital. I suppose they think people who need their eyes testing won’t notice the scruffiness! I do. It makes me uncomfortable as if I’ve re-visited 1950s Britain. Suppose that appeals to the Brexiteers. Anyway, eyes tested and photographed. Confirmed I still have two but only one works. As I’ve never known any difference, nothing has changed. Before the scan, I have powerful drops put in to enlarge the pupils. Helps to show up unusual things for examination. The drops sting like hell and leave me intensely light sensitive for 3 or 4 hours afterwards.

This afternoon, we’ve got a carpenter coming over to construct two, huge cold frames and look at a wonky door handle. Might tap him up to construct some shelving under the stairs as well.

Saturday, 2nd September, 2023

Hot and humid morning eventually reaching 24C/75F. Shopping day – Tesco & Sainsburys. Have a real craving for Dolcelatte but it is off the menu at the moment. It will be back SOON.

Lawn mowing day – for ourselves and 7 neighbours. The list is growing nearly as fast as the grass. Yesterday was really successful. The first carpenter we chose turned out to be perfect. I bought two, heavy duty, cold frames from Robert Dyas for £300.00 but the ‘sleeper’ logs they are made out of proved too tough for me to reconstruct. Had to get a man in.

When Ben arrived yesterday afternoon, I immediately liked him and felt I could trust him. It turned out he was an ex-policeman who was married to a teacher, lived in the next village and completed the job in under an hour. Asked him if he could look at a wonky door handle while he was with us and he soon sorted that out. I didn’t ask him up front how much he charged. It didn’t matter. I wanted the job done. Turns out, he charges just £40.00 per hour. I had predicted £100.00 so everything was good.

We have been incredibly lucky in the past 7 years. For 5 of them, everything was covered by our house warranty. Since then we have found wonderful tradesmen: Electrician, Plumber, Security and now Carpenter.