Blogging and Fun

As my older readers know I started blogging here and in New Zealand as a diary for my friends and family largely to save me dozens of repetitive emails. Over the years it's gradually morphed into what it is today: a vehicle for keeping up with blogfriends and for reading interesting bits about people's lives and where they live. Over the years I have made some really valued friendships through blogging and some of those have remained when they have long since stopped blogging.

Most of the people I follow have quite different blogs falling into various different categories. Some, like YP or Cro, make no bones about their political leanings but leave everyone to get on with their own views whilst having an occasional spat and then getting on with life.  Some avoid politics altogether .  Some, like David,  concentrate largely on one topic (in this case birds). Some like Tasker can blog on anything and, heaven alone knows what Bob will blog on next. Monica and Meike and the New Zealand blogs that I follow all eschew controversy. Adrian is Adrian. He and I have agreed to disagree about many things for about 15 years and we're unlike to change now. As most of his blog is devoted to stuff which is stratospherically beyond my ken that's rarely an issue.

So, in a nutshell, my Blogland is a tolerant one. It is going to stay that way. I, too, am going to stay that way. I have learned my lesson in entering into a discussion with someone on that person's blog  in the full knowledge that there is only one point of view allowed on the blog - that bloggers. I'll stay in my usual Blogland. After all, for me, blogging is about enjoying comfortable companionship.

Oddly yesterday the above Peanuts appeared on my Facebook page. It must have been serendipity.

I've just looked out of the kitchen window to see a couple of hooded crows seeing off a sparrowhawk. There isn't much that will take on a corvidae: even eagles beat a retreat when sense tells them to.

Frustrated and Wasted Hours

(Written yesterday) I woke early this morning all ready to make my next two Christmas Cakes. All went well and by lunchtime I had two new cakes sitting waiting to be fed and wrapped until marzipan time.

I had some printing to do so thought I'd get that out of the way. The first job was just two copies. The first copy went through and the second didn't.  Duh! Then I realised that the printer had dropped its connection to the internet. Ah well. Not a problem. Surely! 

Three hours later I decided to contact Hewlett Packard. I sent a request for assistance. About 2 minutes later a technician rang and suggested that we go through things from step one even though I had probably done it all already (which, of course, I had). 

After the first set of things had been done without success the technician suggested we move on to stage two. No problem. Been there and done that.

However what I was not prepared for was the fact that it worked and I was back on line. Interestingly because I use HP Instant Ink (by far the cheapest way to run my 2 printers) the technician had the whole history of my printers on line. He was even able to tell me that I changed my colour cartridge three days ago.

I had recently been considering a post on the frustrations of never being able to speak to someone these days when a problem arises. It's on hold for a little while!

Have You Noticed....

 ...that men these days seem to have taken over the bare leg fashion trend? I think it was started by postmen (using the male term deliberately) who, one told me, found it so much easier to cope with in the rain that full wet weather gear; particularly in rural areas getting in and out of a van all the time.

Driving through the town recently on a cold, windy and wet day I noticed, however, that there were still a lot of young men with bare legs, shorts and short socks or just trainers. However, almost all the young women were wearing either lycra figure-hugging tights often with no 'skirt' or anything else to hide their nether regions. Few were showing any flesh.  When I was a lad the girl's mini skirts might have been little more than a wide belt but at least they left something to the imagination.

I blame global warming, the permissive society, lack of parental control and, of course, Brexit. 

Booboo

No. Not boohoo. I have boobed. I have been making Christmas cakes ever since 2000 when I had a heart attack and was confined to barracks (in that I couldn't drive) for six weeks and suddenly decided to make a Christmas cake or two for Christmas presents. I have made 6 most years since then - even when I was living in New Zealand for half the Scottish winter. Basically it take me a day free of any major distractions to make two cakes. So I set aside today for the purpose and, after having written a couple of letter cards to get into this morning's post,  I started measuring everything out. At that point I had a lightbulb moment. I didn't put the dried fruit to soak in brandy last night. Ah well. I will get everything ready and first thing in the morning will use the by then well-soaked goodies to complete the task.

So I had a mince pie and cream and did a cross-word with my coffee and will spend the day as productively as I can doing other things.

Settling Back In

There's just me again Chez Moi. I was on the Mainland at a pal's and having hospital visits for nearly three weeks. I came back home over a week ago with my pal, Anna. She left on the 'plane earlier in the week. It's been a Good Time.

As is always the case, I've missed Blogland. I don't know how some people manage to blog profusely and still have a full 'real' life too. Perhaps I'm just a little slow of thought or perhaps I have too many other distractions.

Mind you when I was younger I managed on 5 hours sleep every night and now I need  considerably more. Old age doesn't come alone.

Modern technology doesn't necessarily help either. I have an electricity smart meter. When it was installed it was brilliant. I realised that by altering the settings on my bathroom underfloor heating I could save £1 a day without compromising my warmth when I wanted it. That alone was worth the meter. However, after a few months the smart meter ceased working and for the last 6 months I've been trying to persuade EDF to repair it. My contract ends next month. They have no way of reading my meter without sending someone out either to repair the connection or to send out a meter reader. I would have to go up a step ladder and being a frail old OAP I just am not going to do that (for them!). They have said they will repair it!

My garden has suffered from my absence too; not helped by the atrocious weather - gales and rain. 

On the plus side the medics have once again come up trumps and seem to have sorted my constant UTIs (and therefore my hosptiat visits with insipient sepsis). My cancer seems to be well under control. And (sorry Bob and the Grammar Brigade) thanks to the docs and physios my wayward and extrememly painful jaw and my shoulder (the latter of which has stopped me playing bowls even when Covid restrictions have allowed it) are both back functioning and almost pain-free. I played indoor bowls last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hopefully I'll manage to think of some blog subjects and get back to reading blogs later. If I'm alone in the local community charity shop and it's quiet this afternoon that may be the start. Indeed, I could tell you about the charity shop.