Carefree pasts

Sometimes I just feel like sitting down and writing things like short stories and reading although I struggle with both having done so since childhood but that whole carefree feel doing something is what I think I need.

There are reasons today for it not least the continual speculation and general noise about Covid as facts and figures are published by the minute, the varying spins on interpolation of data and what that means and the claims of different sections of society for measures or there removal.

Dealing with this thing has always been a balancing act rather like when I was younger the business around keeping us safe from terrorism did between our freedoms on the one hand and those who'd use them to maim or kill us as we went about our everyday lives.

It was quite scary then, I won't deny that period has left it's mark on me in many ways but we did and people respected the need to let us have the space to process what was going on as we understood it while still having a childhood without it invading your mental spaces.

I think this modern world with its twenty four hour news coverage available right down your  smartphone is making things harder to cope emotionally than it was when we had to wait for news bulletins on tv and radio for updates.

Year in review

We are moving out of the old year while preparing very much to be in the new with some uncertainty about just how the first few months are likely to go.

Last year was very messy with us being very much locked down for a few months and very gradually restrictions coming off and places opening up such as museums and holiday accommodation. 

We were able to go away for a bit in the summer but even so we had to be careful keeping the windows open and of necessity, we weren't able to go on things like the trains as there would of been too much risk.

I also decided to just go with whatever I felt okay with.

The boy fully emerged looking very much the part in a brand new blazer  and cap, wearing much shorter short trousers than before which just felt right even if we did have a fair bit of shower and rain during that time.

It was said "Someone looks as if they're ready for school".

B-B-Q with everything that could be toasted was had which was absolutely fun and fun was had for Halloween too which only showed how much face to face contact had been missed.

Forum was fairly activity this year having its own cycle of peaks and troughs with new people joining complementing ASB.net talking about a range of interests and observations.

This year I had a Hornby OO gauge British Railways class 3F "Jinty" 0-6-0 Tank Locomotive 47458 R058 in it's original box this Christmas as my main present.

That was a good sign of the progress in getting back to how I see me and acting on that rather than anyone elses ideas had come on.

We'll see how Twenty Twenty-Two turns out.

Christmas edition

Gosh we're almost there aren't we which means we take a bit of a break over Christmas as we help out and join in the various community activities as difficult as some things remain as that eternal boy.

In the past one had to tune in you tv to act as a computer monitor which is what that boy is doing for the sharpest colour image before using a game, a precompiled program or trying to write your own.

That stare was the one I had for "syntax error" as you looked in disbelief at lines of Basic code trying to figure out what went wrong.

School is out, local high schools finished early on Friday with concerns about the new variant form of Covid and the last couple of days were just games cos you can't start anything new until next term anyway.

I am fairly confident according to a leaked memo to Mr S Claus of the North Pole a Beano annual may be on the cards even if the world has changed as has the comic from this 1956 edition.

That was something many of us get and no doubt got too but isn't in the modern world and won't be in this years I'm quite sure.

Annuals were so much and for a good number still are a part of Christmas that to pick one one up and read it takes back to our boyhoods where things were simpler.

Having got this far in my three inch grey school shorts and turn over top socks from one boy to another:

****HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND ALL THE BEST FOR TWENTY TWENTY-TWO****

Finishing things off

Typical muddled up Winter week here with some strong winds, heavy showers including on Friday sleet landing on my thighs and even brilliant sunshine with temperatures up and down like a yo-yo.

The last couple of days have seen things up to about ten degrees so I've been in my three inch inside leg grey shorts walking about taking a few pictures for the other blogs between watching Jamie Johnson and listening to the latest album by the Chorister's at Kings Cathedral, Cambridge in a very Christmassy selection.

It has both traditional Christmas carols and winter songs all expertly arranged and sang.

There's just something about choirs and especially boy choristers voices that just moves me in both the singing itself technically but also the "soul" in their voices that is stronger than just the bare words sang.

I'm getting things like my cards written to be posted or hand delivered so after next week will will take a short break until after Christmas.

Blown but reading edition

As I am typing this there is a really awful gale blowing around so I've got my super powerful torch, Not Jamie's magic one ready and a stack of comics ready to read should we lose the electric

Sadly the Dandy isn't one although I'd love there to be one say either monthly or every three months as I'm sure there is a demand provided it is aimed at children and isn't too frequent to making working and publishing too hard going.

I mean they did advertise the Dandy Summer Special to actual children via the Beano and got sales that way even though they'd be lucky normally to had seen an annual recently and a summer special to get a feel for what Dandy was all about.

That's one that is in the pile, this years sixty eight pager of exclusive cartoon strips and obviously this weeks Phoenix.

It's time for a hot cup of cocoa and some dinner here!

Chill out zone

This week of necessity has had to be a bit less active with me because Winter returned with a vengeance with a good deal of snow about and that does make getting about when you have difficulties walking and staying upright more challenging.

Thus I spent time listening to a double album of Mozart's Wind music  and  the last part of series of recordings of Bartok's String quartets apart from being in story time on Sunday afternoon that I find rather relaxing.

The funny thing was earlier on Saturday I had actually seen a good many small birds in the hedgerows  where it was cool but sunny!

I am making my way through this years Beano Christmas Special, savouring each section a bit at a time rather like I will be as I start my way on the Paw Patrol choco advent calendar, one bit at at time!

 
It wasn't the only bit of box opening as I had a new pair of trainers on Monday.

The New Neighbour

This week I'm just finishing off a few things like ditching one site that promised much but really didn't do anything me while I'm just back from spending time out in Grey shorts with minus 1 degrees temperatures!

Thinking really about what boyhood was really about, not least when in my junior years we had an influx of new boys as the estate was being built rather those we'd grown up with from the first weeks of infants and even the Play Group our Mums had all enrolled us in I saw this beautiful poem.

All right in this country most of us don't play Baseball although I do like to watch it but for us going down the lane bouncing your football towards the park or a patch of open land has the same feel.

You do have that he's the New Kid in town feel and maybe go over to him and open up a conversation and perhaps offer to be friends.

Sadly you can oh so easily tell the boys who's without any close friends but you know it's our responsibility to make him an offer. 

Until next week, Bye!