Sunday, 6th September, 2026
Another lovely, warm and sunny morning which is 19C/66F outside at 7.00 am rising rapidly to 24C/75F. Breakfast in the garden before the day’s tasks start with political discussion programmes – John Sopel from BBC and The News Agents is presenting the Sky Morning With programme. Then there is Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
I then have to turn my attention to Global Tasks like cleaning the car and putting the bins out. I am feeling a little listless at the moment with Summer travel over, a bit bored and lacking direction. I think retirement can be like this without a focus. Of course, dieting and fitness is currently back on the agenda. It will be all my life but I need a project to fill in the 8 weeks until I fly to Tenerife.
For 30 years, I’ve been designing websites and trying to cope with programming. I have a naturally logical mind which helps but, unless you do this sort of thing day in and day out, it is difficult to retain. I am old and have been using software that was cutting edge, industry-standard 25 years ago. When I bought the software for school, it initially cost a fortune although I was eventually able to equip classrooms with it before I left.
Macromedia Web Design Dreamweaver is what is known as WYSIWIG or what you see is what you get. Until it came out, all we had was programming. Now, we could create shapes, insert graphics, design fonts to look almost as the page would on the web. It was what I needed all my adult life a tool for self publishing on the web. It allowed me to publicise my school, organise internal operations in my school, organise my life, maintain a mass of social contacts and communicate across the world particularly when I was in Greece.
As an old man with a fairly boring life, my audience is small but I am its main reader anyway. I run two copies of my Blog which is now designed in WordPress software which is a new community of geeks in itself. My main iteration of the Blog receives a regular 2-300 readers although I have recently attracted over 700 for certain posts.
My backup edition of that Blog, has 60 regular subscribers. I don’t think I’m going to attract any advertising revenue with that readership. Might have to start writing about my sex life although I wouldn’t want to scare you, Dear Reader. My focus, as you will know is Time, Loss, Aging and the struggle against terminal Decline.
In that vein, I draw your attention to the subject of smelly, old people. You may often hear it said that old people’s houses smell of aging. I never really gave it much thought. My wife has been obsessed with me smelling at every age but I always associated old people’s houses smelling with the likelihood they are still living in older, damper houses which they increasingly struggle to keep clean and may not ventilate as much because they want to keep warm.
Well now there is some scientific data to suggest that old people really do smell of their age at which dry, old skin wrinkles and flakes, goes thin and doesn’t repair. It may be flying invisibly in the atmosphere of their house and settle to decay everywhere. Admit it, this is really going to attract advertisers and sponsorship …
Monday, 7th September, 2026
Muggy, warm but grey Monday morning. I don’t have to go to work ….. again. Actually got quite a busy morning with fairly inconsequential things which I won’t bore you with, Dear Reader. First to feed the mind, I am reading The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Guardian. I am focussing on the dangerous rise we are seeing in our ports of right wing vigilantes sponsored by dangerous outside actors.
Not many of my readers will remember the Fascist Blackshirt movement of the 1930s led by Oswald Mosley – perhaps Richard will – but we have echoes of the same appearing again in UK ports. To be honest, there has been a thread of this ultranationalist, authoritarian political ideology across time. From Mosley in UK, Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany the European model has regularly flirted with it.
In UK, Mosley of the 1930s & 4os morphed into the League of Empire Loyalists in the 1950s and were then replaced by the National Front in the 1960s, The British National Party in the 1980s, the English Defence League in the 2000s and can now be seen through Farage’s UKIP, Brexit Party and now Reform Party.
They all have a common thread of Nationalism, Racism, Authoritarianism, Militarism. Like Nazism, they pursue an ideal of racial purity which they imagine once existed but is now in danger of being polluted. They are essentially eugenicists without knowing the concept at all or even being able to spell it. They are obsessed with flags. They value a Golden Age in some hazy past which didn’t actually exist. The impulse is essentially emotional and eschews facts and realities. Protesters yesterday being told that small boat crossings were down by 40% since the turn of the year just flatly refused to believe it. It doesn’t fit their narrative so must be rejected.
Full circle, we have the return of the black shirt fascists who believe that might is right. Just as with Mosley, they will find that right is wrong but it is an unpleasant sight at the moment. We cannot allow a gang of yobs to direct our policies. Just as nationalism sweeps across Europe and America, just as part of Gremany has voted to return to a Nazi past, so we must stand up and be counted.
I do my bit on a regular basis. I constantly write to influence and counter the right wing stream of bile across social media. And while I do that, I am actively engaging with the world, with ideas, concepts, philosophies, with facts and arguments. While I am doing it, I am exercising the muscle know as Brain which can fail as we get older unless we keep it fit as an interesting article in The Telegraph reported this morning.
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganize, change, and adapt its structure and neural connections throughout life. We need to encourage it and train it through the stages of our lives. I don’t think I do too bad so far although I have terrible weak spots.
Since birth, my sense of Geography and Place are a total mystery to me. I can get lost in a large room or sometimes even a small one. I once got out of the Dentist’s chair, thanked the dentist and walked blithely into a stoor cupboard. I notice now they have a WAY OUT sign on the correct door. My wife can drive to some unknown place 100 miles away and then direct me back faultlessly without help but she cannot hold a number of 4 digits in her head. I can be given a 10 digit code and remember it for hours. I turn it into music and the cadences just stick. We are all different.
Tuesday, 8th September, 2026
I am dying, Dear Reader. I am dying. After all that talk of brain health yesterday, I am dying of a terrible cold. I was up half the night coughing and spluttering. My ears are painful, my nose is sore, my head is aching. I have a raking cough and I’m sneezing all over the place. In short, I am dying. I’m never ill like this. If I do something, I like to do it properly. Cancer, for example. None of these germs normally attack me like this. I don’t like it.
Outside, there is a scene to celebrate because we’ve got rain. I wonder if I’ll live long enough to experience it. From the window, the world looks wonderful but then I suppose it does to all of us who are dying. We yearn for life.
I must complete my exercise routine even if it is my last ever so I will brave the rain and walk across the garden to the Gym. As regular readers will know, I like to distract myself in the Gym by watching drama on TV. Currently, I am watching a dystopian drama series that is based on a well know American novel of the same title. There are echoes of yesterday’s Blog here. Dystopian visions key characteristics feature oppressive control, loss of freedom, constant fear and social collapse. Think of a world run by uneducated, illiberal black shirted thugs and you are on your way to that society.
Examples of dysopian visions inlude Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World. The drama that I’m watching on Netflix is called The Man in the High Castle and it is based around a twist of history in which Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan rule the world after their victory in World War II. It is set in 1962 and Hitler is still alive. Films collected by the “Man in the High Castle” are newsreels depicting numerous other alternative scenarios, including some where the Allies were victorious, some featuring executed Allied leaders such as Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin and some where an American resistance is doing well. The events depicted include real history and possible alternative timelines.
As you can tell, the whole concept is incredibly challenging but enjoyable and instructive at the same time. Whether a dying, old man can cope with the physical demands of Gym work and the mental demands of dystopia at the same time will be seen.
If I am allowed to live, we are going up to Surrey later in the week to visit Colin in the Dementia Care Facility. He is extremely well fed with even wine for Dinner but he can hoover up sweets any time of the day or night. We are not supposed to give him any but, at the age of 90, he deserves a treat. So it was, I let a little munchkin free reign in the chocolate aisle at Sainsburys. Actually, I think she enjoyed it.
Wednesday, 9th September, 2026
Glorious morning. Up early and out to Honda for a 2-year Service. We’ve done the grand total of 7,200 miles. Hardly got started. It is looking like we will have to wait another year for a new model so this will be one of the longest serving cars for us.
Honda dealerships are quite delightful, comfortable, well appointed with wonderful staff, great coffee and wifi. An hour there speeds by with an iPad and and e-newspapers. Outside a strong, warm sun was shining and glinting off the very expensive and highly polished metal parked inside. Amazing to see the Prelude brought back in its new iteration after so long away.
Back in the 1980s and 90s, we had 4 of the original designs. Over 30 years on, it still looks quite sleek and rakish but I wouldn’t want a driving position so low down now. The services are ‘free’ for 3 years by which time I expect to replace this car and start the procedure all over again. It may be old fashioned but I enjoy the relationships we build up with the dealership and its workers. I feel it rewards me as well when I trade in for a new car.
Drove out into the sunshine and down to the beach to collect fresh fish and smell the sea air. But it wasn’t just the ozone on the breeze.
The whole scene of of bright sunshine, warm, late summer air, the scraping of shale underfoot and the crashing of waves from the turning tide was so relaxing. Just play the video with sound on and sit back on the pebbles, smell the air, feel the sun and you will be here.
Thursday, 10th September, 2026
Sunny and fairly warm morning, Had quite a few jobs to get through before walking. First, my computer did an automatic upgrade over night and opened up with this message:
Tell me what you would have chosen, Dear Reader. I chose the safe option of No.3 and the computer opened up. Of course, closing down and reopening brought the same warning screen so I had to choose 1 or 2 but which one? These days, you don’t need to phone a friend or pay an expert. All you need to do is ask AI which examined my PC, pronounced it completely healthy and told me to choose Option 1. Problem solved and huge sigh of relief.
Next, I had a message from Premium Bonds to say my winnings for the month were upgraded. Instead of £50.00 they were £150.00. So the new table of the experiment loooks like this. It’s still not good enough but just one bigger win of say £50,000.00 would wipe all that away. Might keep them until the new tax year when we will buy new ISAs.
Of course, I immediately spent it and so much more by booking a week in Athens next August. Our suite has gone up quite a bit and the exchange rate is a little weaker at the moment but we actually had a debate on whether £4,500,00 was extravagant for a week in a hotel. Ultimately, we decided that we only live once and went for it. Amusing to hear English hoteliers arguing that a small proposed tourist tax will destroy their businesses. I’ve just booked a hotel that will me charge me €15.00 per night or £105.00 for the week.
On the subject of only living once, this morning we were invited to book our Flu jabs. We did that on the NHS site and chose Kamsons Pharmacy attached to our Doctors’ Surgery. While we were doing that, the Covid Jab was mentioned. Last year, I didn’t get Covid jab because I was too young. (Hold that thought.) This time, we’ve delayed our jabs until late October so Pauline is 75 as well. Both will be done at the same time.
I don’t remember having to ‘Do my Feet’ when I was in my 20s & 30s. Why do I have to have them ‘Done’ now? Why do old people need hard, dry skin filed from their feet. Why do my nails grow so quickly? I do a lot more ‘walks’ but I was on my feet so much in younger times that I’d be surprised if the amount was much different. I am forced to put it down to aging. Well, today the chiropodist is calling round to ‘do’ my feet – when she’s finished making Breakfast, washing up and all her other Housekeeper tasks. She’s got a new, electric foot file which she bought from Amazon and she’s looking forward to testing it out on me. Looks too much like a sex toy for my liking.
That job done, I’m going out to test my new feet. The sun is out; the air is warm. A walk by the beach should be lovely. I’ll let you know.
But I must just record the fact that it is 20 years ago today that my Brother in Law, Jack, died in a Leeds hospital. Twenty years ago. It is hard to believe. It feels so much longer that I saw him for the last time talking, panicking about the effect of the tumour in his brain and his failing abilities. He died that day. It was shocking, moving and numbing. The day before, he had begged me to search the web for potential solutions. I, of course, agreed but I think we both knew there wasn’t one. If he’d lived, he would be 92 this month.
Friday, 11th September, 2026
A warm night -17C/63F – which was obviously quite wet, opened to a blue sky with strong sunshine, The world looks lovely even though I had a terrible night and I really am still dying. At 9.30 am, I’m in the Office reading and writing and listening to Andrea Bocelli. It always moves me.
I was supposed to be driving up to Surrey this morning to see Colin but I am too infectious to be around a lot of captive old people so we’ve postponed it. Fortunately, he has received another visitor this week so that has made us feel better.
When I’m ill, I am slow, ponderous and useless. I am being chauffeured this morning. Sainsburys and then down to the beach for fish and a walk. I’m feeling weak and groggy but exercise targets have to be achieved. Did I tell you I am dying? I don’t think I’ll last long enough to see the bill going through Parliament today.
I am still quite ambivalent about it after spending years advocating Assisted Dying. This article in today’s Telegraph wouldn’t influence me. I still think people own the rights to their own life and have the right to ask for help to take it away. I’m increasingy worried about the Health Service and Doctors becoming involved in hurrying up death and that process widening to those who are not diagnosed as within the last 6 months of life or that becoming an excuse to be easily diagnosed. The older one gets, the more precious the concept of life appears. I think, on balance, I want to see it passed and have it supervised by strong controls.
The other news item that caught my eye was the tourist tax that Mayors of English regions will have the ability to levy. So many complaints from people living on an island an looking inward. Just look to Europe and you will see that it had been used for a decade in so many places without harming their tourist industry at all. Greece is an excellent example of that. In the early days, hoteliers apologised when they charged it. Now they just shrug or laugh. We take it for granted. Poor, old, little Englanders will just have to get on with it.
You know what they say: There are two certainties in Life – Death and Taxes – which rather sums up this Blog. Nobody wants to die but they know it is inevitable. Nobody likes paying tax but they know it is imperative. Having said that, I wasn’t overjoyed by my Vehicle Tax Reminder this morning at a cost of £640.00. It really is beginning to feel quite steep. The standard rate is only about £200. Most of the charge is the expensive car supplement, which was introduced in 2017 by the Tories for vehicles with a list price above £40,000. It hasn’t been uprated since.
Saturday, 12th September, 2026
A bright, warm morning for a walk by the sea. First going to the Garden Centre to buy garlic bulbs for planting out this week. Then on to the beach for an hour or so. We will just miss the crowds from the Beach Run which happens every Saturday.
Before going out, I booked Easyjet flights for August/September 2027. You can’t get them too soon you know. Interesting, I booked the same day, time, flight and exactly the same seats as this year. This year, the Return cost was £830.00 for two people. Next year it is only £722.00. Can’t explain the drop although Easyjet have been advertising and discounting heavily recently.
By the time I’d got to the beach the day had changed. Clouds had rolled in and the blue sky was largely gone. Still lovely and warm and people were actually swimming in the sea. Over the beach promenade, the Local Authority have been developing small food and drink outlets on the dunes which have been planted up with grasses and hardy plants like sedum which loves the sandy, salty wind. There are lots of Barbecue platforms and tables and benches for families to come and cook and eat their Lunches. It really is well designed.
I am exercising harder and dieting harder at the moment. In a masochistic way, I am almost quite enjoying the self discipline. Just to make it a bit more difficult, a friend of mine from North Yorkshire sent me a photo of her Lunch. I must admit, I haven’t had chips for years and they do look good although I must say that my memory of them is that they were more enjoyable in the head than the mouth. I don’t really miss that sort of thing at all.
Supper for me tonight will be Γεμιστά / Gemista / Stuffed Peppers done the Greek way. They are hollowed out bell peppers then stuffed with medium-grain white rice usually Carolina rice cooked in water, tomato pulp, onion, garlic, parsley, mint and oregano. It can have minced lamb or beef sauce in as well although we probably won’t tonight. So if any if you vegetarians are free and hungry, don’t despair.
I always write about food when I’m dieting even though I’m not finding it difficult at all. In fact, with retrospect, I found over indulgence harder in the end.
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