Archive for the ‘Activity’ Category
Posted by Shirley Anne on May 25, 2012
Retirement (Photo credit: Tax Credits)
Over the past few months I have written often about retirement. My attitude is one of fear, not having anything to do would drive me nuts so if and when I retire I would need plenty of things to occupy my time. I say ‘if’ I retire, it may be that I end up dying on the job! Well that wouldn’t be so bad but I’d rather go to sleep one night and simply not wake up the following morning. I guess most of us would like it that way, painless and without worry. At this moment in time I have only my work to keep me occupied for the majority of my day but even that is usually kept to the morning only with just the odd days work lasting into the afternoon. The jobs I have planned at home are on hold. Yes I play my guitar to keep myself occupied but that is for pleasure and is limited to between one and two hours each day depending on how I am feeling. I exercise on my treadmill and go for walks sometimes. I go to the pub to socialize or go out dining once or twice weekly too but these things are not done every day and there is still an enormous amount of time left. If I was to stop working I am not sure how I could fill all the extra hours. I don’t live to work but I do like working and after almost fifty years doing so it will be difficult to simply stop. I had two colleagues die soon after they retired which may have been due to the sudden change of lifestyle but that isn’t what I fear, it’s the possible boredom! I do get bored very easily at times which could be due to my age. I never felt this way when younger. I know people who are retired and their days are spent in a very routine way. They do the same things day in and day out seemingly without much change. Now that would drive me nuts! I like spontaneity and that is why I like my job, it is different each day. I like doing things on the spur of the moment and when I am in the mood. That is how I write my poems and songs, spontaneously. Like everyone else I do have a routine of sorts but it does vary each day. I never get up or go to bed at set times, I never eat at set times either and do things when I need to or want to. The only exception to that is where I have to keep appointments either for my work or to see the doctor or dentist for instance and they usually upset the best of any plans I might have made anyway. So whether I retire or not is partly irrelevant, it is more important that I am kept busy so that I don’t get bored.
Ecclesiastes 2 (NIV)
24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,
In context:
Toil Is Meaningless
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Shirley Anne
- On Retirement (erleargonza.wordpress.com)
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Posted in Activity, Occupation, Work | Tagged: Activity, Employment, Retirement, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on May 15, 2012
It was such a lovely day yesterday I went for a walk. I had telephoned my chemist to see if my prescription was ready for collection and it was. I telephone them whenever I need to apply for my prescription to be re-submitted to my doctor’s surgery and they do it for me. They would also deliver my medications to my house but in that case I would need to remain at home. They won’t simply post them through the letterbox as they need to be sure they go to the right person. I get twelve weeks supply each time. The medication I am referring to are my hormone tablets, something I have to take for the rest of my life. So off I went on my walk collecting my prescription on the way. It has been quite some time since I went out simply for a walk, I suppose I have been too busy. The forecast had been blustery winds and some heavy rain showers but I think the rain must have already passed because it was sunny with just a few clouds. The wind was there though! If it is windy I tie my hair back in a pony-tail else it gets all over the place. My workload has dropped off dramatically this past week although I did receive two requests to do a small job, however those ‘small’ jobs, I discovered after talking to the callers, weren’t small in the least so I turned them both down. I have reached that point in my working life whereby I set myself a limit on what I will do and I can choose which work I will take on board. Well after all I am over 66 years of age! I need to do more walking and perhaps less work, especially on nice days such as this. It is such a lovely day.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in General Chat, Activity, Weather, Leisure, Enjoyment | Tagged: Weather, Health, Happiness, Activity, Leisure, Wind, Medical prescription, Pharmacy, Prescription medication | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 26, 2012
Come Monday (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I was engaged in a very small job on Monday and was asked if I had anything else to do. I replied that I hadn’t and that is quite usual for me. I often find that I have one small job at the beginning of the week and nothing else booked but as the week progresses things change and I often find myself inundated with requests. Being self-employed is sometimes a difficult road to travel as you find you cannot find time to relax unless you specifically take it. During the normal working week you have to be available for spur-of-the-moment calls or lose the prospect of a job. When younger this isn’t a problem, more energy, more enthusiasm and probably more strength too! If I fancy having a glass of wine in the afternoon I either have one or leave it until evening depending on whether I want to take calls or not. I don’t know why it is but some people, knowing they want some work doing, often leave it till the last-minute before calling and expect you will be available for them. If it took them so much time to contact me another day won’t make any difference. I have been to remote locations in the morning and had to return home with nothing else to do and then get a call from such a person who happened to live in the same area! I could have done their job in the afternoon when they called. Unless it is an emergency such jobs are put off till the next day or whatever day suits the caller. I never know from one minute to the next if I will get work or not and what I do get is always different from day-to-day. This is what makes my work fascinating and enjoyable. No wonder I am reluctant to give it up just yet. One day I will have to, you never know!
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on April 24, 2012
Statue of Pheidippides along the Marathon Road. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On Sunday morning we had television coverage of the London marathon event which I normally watch if I can. I watched as the exhausted athletes reached the finishing line, the goal of their preparations and months of training. Before the event started some athletes were being interviewed, among them certain celebrities and people participating in support of their chosen charity by raising funds. For some this is an annual event, a once a year thing. For others it is just another event in their diary, one of many they participate in during the year. A couple of men being interviewed had been involved in other multiple marathons only recently. When I think of the achievements of people like Eddie Izzard who have run several marathons in as many days I am really amazed at their strength and endurance but I do wonder if the human body was designed for such punishment and what damage is being done to the body in the name of sport. The original marathon was undertaken by a runner in ancient Greece……
The modern Athens Marathon commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. Legend has it that Pheidippides delivered the momentous message ”Niki!” (“victory”), then collapsed and died.
It is a sad fact that there have been a few people who have collapsed and died after putting themselves through a marathon race. Soon after I penned this post I learned that a woman had died whilst running in this marathon. Personally speaking I have never run a marathon and have no desire to do so although I did once run twenty miles in the name of my then personal hobby. I started running when I was about 34 years of age and eventually was running 4 miles every two days and doing 8 or 16 miles on a weekend day. Up until fairly recently, about 8 years ago I was still putting in 4 miles in the morning before work every couple of days and doing this at 3 in the morning! I am reduced to the occasional stint on my treadmill these days and really speaking it’s probably all that I need to maintain a level of fitness. Many of the marathon runners do it in order to raise funds for their charity of choice and that is a good thing. It might be a tiring experience but it is also an enjoyable one. Running gives you a sense of freedom and it is one of those things we can be involved in which allows us time to think about life itself and how we live it.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Exercise, Health, Humanity, Life, People, Sport | Tagged: Athens, Eddie Izzard, London, London Marathon, Marathon, Pheidippides, Running, Sport | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 23, 2012
Cleveland Plain Dealer Friday Magazine January 27, 1978 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I have been gainfully employed this past week, not a lot but just enough. On Friday evening I went to bed and did not sleep a wink all night. Obviously not tired enough. Saturday I spent some time in the bedroom before trotting downstairs for breakfast at 10.15. I spent much of the afternoon fending off admirers! I sat at my computer for hours writing emails and comments, checking my bank accounts and doing some searching on the Internet. E had gone to her monthly meeting with her friends and fellow compers and I felt somewhat at a loose end and had I not been on the computer I should have gone bonkers! I went to the pub on Friday afternoon for a late lunch but being a good girl didn’t stay too long this time. I was back home around 7pm I think. I had a very small job to do in the morning and then I went to the supplier to buy some electrical goods for my van stock. I was sorting it all out in my garage back home when I received a call on my mobile. It was a woman police officer who asked if I wouldn’t mind answering a few questions about Margaret, one of the women here who were murdered a month or so ago. I knew her quite well and she had been a customer of mine. We often sat and chatted together. I told the police officer that I was at home and she could call anytime in the afternoon. It was around 12.30 then I think. She dropped by a half hour later and we chatted. She took a five-page statement from me which I duly signed and she asked if I would object to being present at court should the need arise. Well you know me and courtrooms having spent the first two weeks in January as a juror, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I said I would make myself available if necessary. I was a little surprised that the police hadn’t seen me earlier but I guess they’ve plenty to do. This meant a late lunch and I decided I didn’t want to cook it, hence the pub. Believe that and you’ll believe anything! Sunday was an average day with nothing going on to speak of except that I went to the pub in the evening. Today, Monday, well I’ve a little job or two to keep me occupied. I should retire and then go completely bonkers trying to fill my days.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Rest and relaxation, Rest and sleep | Tagged: Boredom, Murder, Police officer, Rest and relaxation | 5 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 19, 2012
Excuses messin cover (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I love that saying. It speaks of course about procrastination, that famous thief of Time. Did you ever hesitate to do something? What was it that kept you from pushing the boat out and getting on with it? Fear? Anxiousness? Insecurity? Well it could be any of those things I suppose and probably many more. I love doing things on the spur of the moment but I don’t do that very often. Some people are ‘go-getters’, doers rather than watchers but others are more at home with being at home and remaining as they think, secure. It’s about being an extrovert rather than being an introvert too. Life is for living as the saying goes but many are content to simply exist and thereby miss out on things they’d probably enjoy if they would only give them a try. For many years I was a person like that. I couldn’t care less about what other people got up to and I didn’t want much to get involved with anything or anyone, preferring my own company. It took some years before I changed my outlook on life and began to mix with others. I didn’t really have any ambitions save for my only desire to transition and even that didn’t bear fruit until many years later. That story is in my pages above. Even now I find it difficult to just go and do things. I find myself trying to rationalise my motives and making excuses for not doing something at times but if other people are involved I find the decisions easy to make. That is because I love the company of others and it is one of the reasons I go to the pub every so often. Over the last eight weeks I have been living in quiet isolation at home with only the occasional visits from my sons to break the silence. This is because of the rift that exists between E and myself and her refusal to admit her horrible behaviour toward me. This situation has resulted in no work being done at home on the numerous tasks I’d like to get done but which I refuse to undertake until things change. It is an ongoing story that has lasted for years. I have worked very hard to make all that has been achieved at home come into fruition but sometimes I feel or have felt in the past that I wasn’t being appreciated, taken for granted if you will. However, whatever I have done has been done out of love for E and I have enjoyed doing it. There is more to life than work though and I yearn to do other things too sometimes but I find the urge to do so is not there. It doesn’t help if I haven’t anyone to do them with so I don’t bother. I shouldn’t beat around the bush I know but sometimes I feel better off just lying beneath it instead. I feel my life is just ticking away and I am getting nowhere. I remain hopeful as usual.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Ambition, Life | Tagged: Extraversion and introversion, Life, Lifestyle, Relationships | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 6, 2012
My tired kitty. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I write this on Wednesday evening after completing a day of doing one of my favourite things. I’ll let you WORK it out, LOL. A full day at ‘the office’ has become a rare event of late, which, don’t get me wrong, is very welcome. However sometimes it is necessary to fill the day but I am not getting any younger so it does get harder putting in so many hours. The plus side is that I shall sleep well and as they say I have aches where I didn’t even know I had parts! I could easily fill each day being fully occupied but what would be the point in that? So far it has been the worst day of the week weatherwise, as forecast, but here in Southport it has been the wind which has been the prominent weather feature. It is now quite sunny as I sit here writing this post and the wind has died down quite a lot too. We have had no rain except for what fell yesterday and we certainly haven’t had any snow. I feel sorry for many people across parts of the county the who have been unfortunate in waking up this morning to heavy falls of snow with all the disruption that entailed. I reckon I still have the vestiges of the common cold lingering about my system which isn’t helpful when I need to be active. The reason I say that is the fact that I do not feel 100% well, not enough to prevent me from doing things but most probably enough to slow me down! As I was driving home my upper lip began to swell, just as my lower lip did a day or so back but the swelling has all but disappeared as I write this in the evening. I have never experienced this before, I either get the full-blown cold sore or nothing at all. Generally speaking though I enjoy good health so I can’t complain. Last night I had a really good night’s sleep and had another one of my weird dreams but I awoke very refreshed and rearing to go. I hope that will be the same again tonight.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Rest and sleep, Work | Tagged: Common cold, Conditions and Diseases, Health, Herpes labialis, Herpes simplex virus, Southport, Work | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 5, 2012
This is a chart showing employed civilians by occupation and sex in 2007. Source: Statistical Abstract 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’ve been quite busy lately in the electrical field (excuse the pun). Used to it I might be but I sometimes wonder what other occupation I might have pursued had I not chosen the electrical one. I have come across people from many walks of life and with many different occupations but I’m not sure if any of them appealed to me. That’s not to say that those occupations are unworthy or uninteresting, they just didn’t hold an interest for me as a full-time occupation. I guess I don’t really know what else I might have become involved in. So I ask my reader what would you be doing today had you chosen a different path in life? Are there any reasons why you didn’t choose something different to what you are doing now? I suppose it is easy to say that we might not have done just as well had we chosen a different career but is that true? One thing I am sure about is that whatever other career or occupation I might have chosen, it would have to be one where I wasn’t stuck in the same place every day, in an office, shop or factory for instance. I think I would not have remained in such a situation for very long because I like the freedom my job has given me. Having said that I did spend 21 years in the same place some years ago when I worked in the maintenance department of a bank. However, the bank wasn’t a single building but several buildings on the one site, each one different from the other in size, functionality and equipment. That job required competency in many disciplines and was challenging and satisfying but after so long there I needed to get out and back into the world. I did that 15 years ago when I became self-employed. During my working life I have learned many things, been involved in many different tasks and I can say with hindsight that none of them were boring in any way. I think that is essential in any occupation. Whatever occupation, job or career we choose in life I think it is important that it isn’t boring but that it is diverse and full of interest. Unfortunately not all are just so. It must be hard for those seeking work in today’s economic climate were jobs are scarce and where any job is better than none, boring or not.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Occupation | Tagged: Employment, Career, Job Search, Changing Careers | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 28, 2012
Cover of Jinxed!
Monday turned out to be a really good day. I got back to the old lady’s house and fitted her wall lights and new bell push with only a minor problem concerning the bell push. Well something had to be problematical given what happened on Friday. If I didn’t know any better I’d swear her house was jinxed! Whilst there I received another request to do a job some miles away in the next town and that turned out to be quite lucrative and easy to do. Swings and roundabouts I guess. I finally got home around 2.30 and fixed myself a snack after which I took my guitar outside and sat in the sunshine-soaked patio playing for an hour. A neighbour was having a glass and brick-constructed conservatory demolished ready for a single-storey extension to be built in its place, something that required planning permission from the local council and which had been granted last year. In order to gain permission to build it is necessary to post a formal proposition so that people living in the immediate area can oppose it if they consider it might cause a problem of one sort or another. In most cases like this one there are no reasonable objections. I sat far enough away from the work in progress for it to be a ‘nuisance noise pollution‘ as it were and my music drowned out the sound anyway. Before long they had demolished most of the structure. I don’t know what it is with me but I love watching the progress of a building being erected, the various stages leading up to that final finish. I shall be taking an interest over the next few weeks as the work progresses. I do have an interest in buildings, in their architecture, they are one of the success stories of the human race I think and some of them are really imaginative in their construction. They are beautiful things in their own way, well I think so anyway. I heard that we are going to continue having warm weather at least until Friday. Currently the temperature is twice the seasonal average at 19, 20 and even 21 degrees celsius. I suppose next week will see a marked change to cooler days. I’m happy with that as long as it doesn’t get too cold!
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, General Chat, Life, People | Tagged: Building, Environment, General Chat, Home and Garden, Life, Listed building, Noise pollution, Planning permission | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 15, 2012
bloated_bunnies (Photo credit: Brent Nelson)
It is now Tuesday, well it was a couple of days ago, and I am sitting at home at eleven in the morning and I am absolutely wacked. Yesterday, that is Monday, I finished off the remainder of the chilli-con-carne I’d made the previous day. I boiled some fresh rice to go with it. It was late in the afternoon as I had missed lunch because of a job I had to do. Apart from some fruit I had later that was all I ate for the remainder of the day. I went to bed a little early as I had to get up for an early appointment in another town. I found that I had some trapped wind which made me feel very uncomfortable but gradually I began to expel it. Unfortunately I kept producing more and my stomach by now was hurting a lot. It kept me awake for hours. On top of that I was getting cramp in my feet, something I seem to be getting a lot of lately. I have been told that the cramp is due to inactivity rather than the other way round. My knees were hurting too whilst I was lying down but stopped whenever I got out of bed and get out of bed I did, about six times to relieve my bladder! It was almost as if I’d drank huge amounts of liquid but I knew I hadn’t. It all served to keep me awake most of the night and by six o’clock, when I had to arise, I felt really lousy. No matter. I spent time in prayer, got washed and dressed and went downstairs ostensibly to have my breakfast but I was still feeling poorly in my stomach although not as bad as it had been during the previous few hours. No sooner as I got downstairs but I had to return upstairs to the toilet again. It was a while before I could leave the bathroom! I forewent breakfast and simply had a glass of milk which seemed to settle me somewhat. Eventually I was on the road to my appointment, not a big job but it proved not to be straightforward, in fact it was proving to be one of those jobs where everything went wrong. I managed to finish it and off I went to another appointment back in my own town but I had to wait almost three-quarters of an hour for the client to appear. Not her fault as we had arranged to meet at a certain time, I had completed the first job well within time. The reason I had to attend on the first job so early was to accommodate that client who had to go to work before nine o’clock. So there I was sitting in my vehicle trying desperately to keep myself from nodding off to sleep! Eventually my client arrived and I did the small job for her, basically disconnecting an old circuit and checking on one or two other minor things in the apartment she was letting out. I got back home before ten-thirty and the rest is history I suppose. Here I am sitting down, feeling much better after eating a banana and drinking a large glass of milk but I am sure struggling to keep my eyes open!
Shirley Anne
- Feeling More Human (dna100.blogspot.com)
- Stomach Flu (anincompletepicture.wordpress.com)
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Posted in Activity, Rest and sleep | Tagged: Bloating, Chili con carne, Fatigue, Rest and sleep, Sleep deprivation | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 21, 2012
Less work, more work sounds a bit daft but in my corner of the world it makes great sense! The less occupational work the more time I have to do the other tasks I have to do at home. This seems to be the case for yet another week lately but at the moment I don’t mind. The thing I like about any work that I do is the challenges that are presented before me and as in every task I undertake I am constantly assessing the situation and making adjustments as necessary until it all comes together as a completed job. There are very few things I cannot turn my hand to around the house and it all comes from a lifetime of experiences both in my occupational work and work done privately at home. This makes any project easier to do as I have most of it already done in my head before I actually do anything with my hands. I see the finished job long before it is started and really only have to make minor adjustments along the way. It is very satisfying to see the fruits of my labour and to be able to enjoy the finished job. Whenever I have completed a project I find myself beginning to think about the next one. Between jobs and indeed during them I like to take time out for myself for a day which gives me time to recharge my batteries and sometimes reflect on my game plan. There’s a lot to be said for having a busy work schedule whether that is for yourself or working for someone else, it gives purpose for life. Living it up for a season might be fine and for some people that’s all they want to do but for me, I need variety and something to keep my mind active and my body exercised. Work does both for me.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Work | Tagged: Activity, Construction and Maintenance, Philosophy, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 18, 2012
On Monday we have someone arriving to install the roller-shutter door on the garage. It has been quite some time since we purchased the door so we hope it works! I shall be fitting the control panel this weekend ready for the door wiring to be connected via its plug. Earlier in the week I purchased an extract fan and transformer for the new wet room and I plan to begin work in that room this coming week. There is plenty of work to do but at least we have the room stripped and ready. I cannot make any more excuses for delaying this project. I didn’t want to work on it over the last couple of months for several reasons but now I am eager to start. On Wednesday I finished clearing away all the tree branches and shrubs we had cut down a few weeks ago. The weather, coupled with other things I had to do prevented me from finishing the task beforehand. We still need to dig out all the roots and remove the many large stones that had been laid there years ago. The whole area needs sculpturing and that will take quite some time to do but I am afraid it will have to wait a while yet. I might be able to do something with it in the meantime but that will depend on my other commitments. It is time to start the ball rolling. On Thursday when E went out to do the weekly shop I set about knocking the hole through the wall for fitting the extract fan. I set up the ladder to get on the new garage roof and I drilled two pilot holes where the hole would be on the outside but I didn’t remove the brick as I didn’t have the grill to fit over the hole. Apart from that it began to rain a little so I abandoned the idea. Instead, I went indoors and dug out the brick on the inside together with some plaster that had become loose over the years and which needs replacing. I had to stop work after this because I had other things to do but it has put me in the mood to continue as soon as I am able. Yesterday, Friday, E and I went out to lunch so nothing much got done in the morning. Maybe I’ll do something tomorrow instead. Watch this space.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Garden, House and Home, Time, Work | Tagged: Construction and Maintenance, Garage door, Home and Garden, Home Improvement, Roller shutter, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 13, 2012
Image via Wikipedia
I’ve been rather busy this last week doing various things but on Monday E and I went out for lunch. I had woken up to find my face rather swollen and had to pay the doctor a visit. I wrote about it a few days ago. As I was not dressed for work but rather in casual smart clothing I decided to put it to good use by going out! On Friday, although I had work to do I decided to go out again and got dressed accordingly. We went out again for lunch and to the same place we’d been on Monday, not because we wanted to do that but I was visiting somebody late in the afternoon who lived along the route to the restaurant. Usually we choose different places in which to dine. So far this year we have dined out seven times and four of them at this same place and it is not yet the middle of February. We go there because it is a carvery, it is good food, we are always made welcome and we have a good relationship with all the staff as we also have in the other places we visit. If we didn’t go out I think it would drive us both mad. It is fine getting things done and working hard around the house but unless there are times to relax and enjoy life as well then it isn’t worth living it I think. Life is getting more difficult for everyone these days and we all have to economise, however we must also make provision to spend more time relaxing. All work and no play isn’t good for anyone. Most of what E and I do in this respect is dining out but we do other things occasionally too like going a show or to the cinema. Driving around the country to visit different places is good too but it is becoming so expensive to go anywhere in a vehicle these days. I do possess a free transport pass which I can use after 9.30 in the morning so if I want to go somewhere I can do it without much cost. E unfortunately isn’t old enough yet to qualify for such a pass. During the summer months of course it is nice to relax in the garden at home and as we now have a patio we can make good use of it. The problem with staying at home though is that there is always the temptation to do some work! ‘A Mars a day’ notwithstanding I shall get my rest and play anyway!
Shirley Anne
- Food, drink and good times (minkyweasel.com)
- Rest (uncommonowls.wordpress.com)
- Dine Originals Week | November Preview (persephoneskitchen.com)
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Posted in Activity, Leisure, Lifestyle, Rest and relaxation | Tagged: Activity, Friday, Monday, Rest and relaxation | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 27, 2012
The year has been slow in starting for me on the whole. Last year as with previous years I have found plenty of things to do, most of it work related either at home or in my capacity as an electrician but not all of it work related. I usually have goals that I wish to complete and set my mind on those things. Once I have an idea in mind that I know I can do or have done for me if it is too much or outside of my capabilities, then I get on with it. The main problem I have is that I tend to procrastinate regarding setting the starting point, that is the day I’ll begin the work. This year is no exception! Two of my projects have been started but after long periods of dragging my heels thinking about them! I do have excuses, especially if I have electrical work scheduled but sometimes I simply don’t want to start. On Tuesday E and I started work on our proposed wet room by disconnecting and removing the existing furniture and fittings and as I didn’t have work scheduled for Wednesday I should have continued with that but instead I decided to chop up the tree branches and twigs that we had felled the week before. We couldn’t put off that job any longer but it will still take a few days to complete. Here is a picture taken when about a third of the branches had already been removed and disposed of.
It doesn’t seem a lot but when we have to chop it up to fit into our wheelie bins it takes a considerable time. Burning them is out of the question as they are not dry so we have no choice but to cut them by hand. We do possess one of those machines which chips up the branches. If you remember (those who have been regular readers last year) it was used quite a lot last year when we had an even larger tree chopping exercise. However it won’t tackle the thinner twigs and branches or the long and sinewy ivy as they simply clog the machinery. Clicking on the picture will enlarge it and perhaps you will then appreciate the task we have. I spend about three and a half hours cutting and chopping it on Wednesday and still only half of what was left is done, for we had already disposed of a third of it last week. My upper arms were left aching for quite some time afterwards. I seem to have more than one job on the go at any one time at home but I find that better than just doing them one at a time. For one, it relieves the boredom and gives me a break from some of the larger projects which can become a burden. To be honest I like the variety. There is plenty for me to be doing this year but there will also be plenty of days for leisure too, same old routines or not!
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Gardening, House and Home | Tagged: Activity, Home and Garden, Waste collector, Waste container, Wednesday | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 24, 2012
Image by Topsy@Waygood via Flickr
No, I am not about to write something on foodstuffs. When I am out at work and sometimes elsewhere I often joke about my shelf life and how it has expired or about my sell-by date having passed on by. Sometimes I will laughingly blame my age whenever I make a mistake. It’s all my way of acknowledging that I am not getting any younger and more specifically how I am getting older. I am asked how long I intend to carry on working when people discover how old I am. I have been in continuous employment for forty-nine and a half years and mid-July will mark my fiftieth year in the electrical industry. I am slowing down but I can still work at a pace and often surprise not only my clients but myself too! Since the beginning of the new year I have been gainfully employed but I seldom work a complete day now. Last Friday however I did work for most of the day altering existing wiring and installing new circuits and light fittings in a house which had recently been extended to form a third floor apartment. The contracting electricians had omitted to provide outlets for a cooker and other things so I had the task of putting that right. I might be thinking that my shelf life has expired but in reality I seem to be just as active and effective as I always have, albeit maybe a little slower. There’s plenty of get-up-and-go left in me yet I think. I am one of those people who will probably just switch off like a light bulb rather than become slowly dimmer each day. What motivates me? I take an interest in what I do and it gives me a sense of achievement. It is a job that is never the same each day and sometimes it challenges me. I get to meet people and work in different places. I get time off whenever I want it and I get paid too! For the time being my shelf life has been extended.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Energy, Work | Tagged: Activity, Electrical, Light, Shelf life, Work | 2 Comments »
