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 welcome to erixlife - blog - August 2009...share Eric's story in words and pictures |
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Sunday 30 August 2009
 electric blanket
Second very cold morning in a row, and with my irregular sleeping pattern, retrieved the (rolled up for safety during the summer) electric blanket. Had to re-make the bed, and it is warming up as I write - at around 0530. Looking forward to hopping back into bed in a few minutes. It is still quite dark outside, and even the birds are still snoozing. Before I go back to bed I'll take out their breakfast. Yes, I've just put my hand under the bottom of the duvet, and its feels beautifully warm - won't be long now...   swimming
After all the walking exertion earlier in the week, I was surprised to find myself on the way to a nearby swimming pool yesterday afternoon. Along with three friends (one with a car) we had joined the sports centre for free swimming, and had a few time slots each week. For all of us it had been a while since we had been swimming, so none of us stayed for the full hour session. People have told me how wonderful swimming can be for full aerobic exercise, and wow are they right. First my arms ached, then my stomach muscles, but my legs coped well. Lacking confidence after such a long absence, I hesitated to swim over the deep end, and did semi widths and three quarter side to end movements, trying to dodge the more fit, ten length brigade. I was puffing and panting, and feeling weak, so frequent stops at the shallow end or side of the pool to gain my composure. We have vowed to attend on a weekly basis, and I am looking forward to this, but right now, am seriously feeling the effects. I had forgotten about trying to put clothes on over a damp body - great fun eh? The facilities were good, and after I had managed to get everything on again, I got to the poolside cafe before the others, and was half way through my cappuccino and cake before they joined me. A good afternoon, and I am sure it will get easier...  bbq
Yesterday finished better than it started, with an evening barbecue by the canal. As I approached the house I could smell the inevitable odour of burning flesh, which even to a semi vegetarian is a pretty disgusting sense. On these occasions I always claim to be totally veggie in order to avoid possible food poisoning caused by underdone cooking or not fully defrosted meat, or worse - cross contanimation between foods. Don't think too much about it... However my veggie sausages were prepared, cooked slowly, and served piping hot, even though they were cooked on the same grill as all the meat items. No soft drinks, so I had to have a can of beer (which tasted pretty awful to me). I avoided the Cola alternative. I rarely drink any alcohol, so I am a host's worst nightmare. People were chatting pleasantly, and of course it was soon slipping into darkness. The best guest was a small baby girl of a few months who amused herself and smiled at everyone. Perhaps she was overcome by the barbecue smoke? As ever at these events I am often the last to arrive, and the first to depart. So it was again. At least it was pretty dark by then, so I made my farewells and slipped away into the night, hoping to avoid an upset stomach.  overslept
Yes, and it was in fact just about twenty past nine when I realised... Trouble was the bus departed from the end of the road at 0930, so at first I tried... but quickly abandoned the idea. It should have been another health walk (done 3 already this week) but my body refused. In the old days I may have made it, but with so many chores I had planned to do before leaving, plus of course dressing, it was just plain impossible. So, I sat down with a cup of tea to gather my thoughts. In this way I may be able to achieve my desired aims before going out somewhere else by 11am. My life is not always this hectic, but so often, appointments seem to gather together instead of being spaced out. Don't you hate it when you oversleep, and your brain and thoughts are so muddled. You just can't get into gear. I must say I don't like alarm clocks because they force the daily reality upon one. I rarely use one these days, as it is usually not vital what time I get up. Sleeping so badly means I am often up at 2 or 3 or 4, and likewise this morning, but later. Foolishly I went back to bed about seven o'clock, thinking that in an hour or so I would gently awake, but of course being physically tired from all the walking previously, had contributed to my super bonus sleep of over two hours, just when I thought I didn't need it. How wrong. So here we are, one hour later, some of the jobs done, but not all, and suddenly I only have half an hour to shower and dress. How did I ever have time to go to work before I retired? Its bad enough waking and "going" but when you wake and you can't remember where you live, it seems serious. This was the disturbing dream I experienced during the night. I became aware that I was in English speaking Ottawa in Canada (although at first it seemed like an Australian city). Somehow I was befriended by some mature, white catholic women who were neighbours in a drab concrete high rise. It was more downtown than upper west side. It seemed a challenge to survive as I saw some people living in cars, and other more modest spaces. Several forays into the unfamiliar city didn't solve my lack of identity. My mobile didn't seem to work, but I managed to acquire a local chip... no one answered. At some stage I was offered a job as an "accountant" if I could operate a printing calculator, because the woman from the job agency couldn't find the original applicant. I was unable to decide whether to accept the position, which attracted a high rate of pay, because of my basic desire to return home - wherever that was. And so it went on - without conclusion, as I struggled to note down the events from my semi-conscious memory. Weird, eh!  ashes
Yes, I am a bit pleased that England retained the ancient symbol of international cricket, but I don't share any national pride or excitement because I don't like cricket or any sport. At least I don't have to apologise for this any more. I remember going through the motions of expressing some interest to please my sport loving parents, other boys at school, work colleagues and neighbours. My friends already knew. Sport is such an aggressive activity, reminiscent of early cave man survival, and modern warfare. Participants seem to be meat eating, beer drinking, tabloid newspaper readers, and often perpetrators of physical violence. Not my scene at all. I am thankful I can avoid as much of this as possible - I don't often read a newspaper, I can mute the TV or change channels when it comes up. No more do I have to listen to boring discussions of performance in the sports arena. I am free. It may have taken all my life to get to this point, but retirement it seems is a liberator. But beware of old men - they are often worse than their younger counterparts in this respect, just more boring. I often wonder whether it is simply peer pressure that produces this state of affairs. Can people really be keen, or is it a way of them achieving equality. Taken to extreme this means, they all live in little boxes, wash their car on Sunday mornings, and sit on a beach in Spain... need I go on?  monday walk
Today's health walk started in newly discovered Gadebridge Park in Hemel Hempstead Old Town. This site dates back to Roman times, and the walled garden (above) is a supreme example of work by local authority gardeners - well done Dacorum. The Park runs alongside the meandering river Gade, down from the Old Town twisting above, with many ancient buildings still in use. Our walk today started here, and we passed a mix of private and council dwellings, walked along part of the Nickey Line (the site of an old railway from Hemel Hempstead to Harpenden, some seven miles away). A steep descent finished the slower than usual ramble, back into Gadebridge Park. I departed at this point, because unlike most of the other walkers with cars parked in the car park, I was returning home on the bus from the bus station. I had time to purchase a tasteless coffee, and boiling hot sausage roll from the Salvation Army cafe, but didn't enjoy either, although I was able to sit outside in the hazy sunshine. A good morning, and tomorrow it is a walk along the Grand Union Canal - there's no stopping me now! Hatfield Country Show Taken to the Hatfield House Country Show yesterday, and the video today is simply of the helicopter ride that I won. It has always been an ambition of mine to fly in a helicopter - inspite of my fear and hatred of conventional flying. I didn't have time to stress, as I was booked on the the first flight of the day. The team operating the helicopter were supreme, put me at ease and offered me the front seat next to the Captain. There were two other passengers in the rear. The noise of the engine, slight smell of aviation fuel and just being there made me feel nauseous even before we took off. I was overcome with the forward acceleration, and frightened by the "tight" turns, but we quickly reached 1000 feet and goodness knows how many hundreds of miles per hour. We circled the House and grounds until we reached maximum altitude, and as you can see the views were stunning. It is such an unreal experience, which I actually enjoyed, but it was over too quickly like most first time experiences - yet they are always the ones we remember! Well done to the crew of Kudos Aviation who operated the service.  if only
How many times have we thought it - if only I could sleep longer or better or even without interruption. That is my problem, last night it was three times, usually twice - getting up. It must be more common than I realise. It is often not spoken of, like so many other conditions, and then suddenly one discovers they are one of millions with exactly the same problem. Being retired I can catch up during the day, but that deprived feeling exists. Humans are meant to sleep at night time, we are designed that way. The day can seem long after a short night, and no wonder older people say they feel tired. I can understand now. Sometimes even the sleeping pill doesn't work like I'd like it to. How frustrating is that. Yes, I've tried everything, and at last I have to admit defeat... So, lets think positively. Think about quality rather than quantity. When I do get my bonus sleep, often from something like 0600 to 0900, I wake and feel a million dollars. It doesn't happen very often, so when it does, Wow! I wouldn't want to be drugged up the whole time, but from past experience that is when you can sleep and sleep. The side effect of that is that the awake time isn't much use as its "zombie" time as well. At least there are things to do during the dead of night - TV, computer/internet, read, drink tea etc. I'm up now, its 0700, so no more sleep as I'm going out at nine am, but I will look forward to tonight, and the next attempt.  wet
It seems the one thing we humans hate most of all is getting wet. It is easier to cope with hot and cold, but not the rain. I got wet this morning, after scootering up the hill with a neighbour, to Abbots Langley village for a coffee and some errands. The day started well with blustery sunshine, although the forecast was showers, I didn't bother to take any extra clothing, but was soon cold with just a shirt. By the time we had completed our tasks, and enjoyed a cappuccino, the clouds had gathered covering the sun, and as we began our journey back, it started - at first a light shower, but quickly gathering pace until it was really heavy. The temperature dropped suddenly, and as my shirt and trousers were quickly sodden, I became very cold. There was nowhere visible to shelter, so we plodded on. Very quickly I was quite miserable, and so delighted to get back home, when I could change. The scooter was too wet to cover, so I left it as it was, just folding the back of the seat forward to cover the base of the seat. At least I was wearing my favourite hat - a baseball cap, but the rest of me was dripping, so I changed into something dry, and hung my clothes over the rack to dry. It is quite dark now, yet only 12 noon, and still raining steadily. An ideal scenario for my siesta - sleep well! South Bank walk A hot day in London yesterday, but a friend and I strolled along the South Bank admiring the views of London and the River Thames. St Cuthmans Went with a friend by car to the Open Day at St Cuthmans Retreat House, near Coolham in West Sussex. We journeyed down the M25 past the widening road works, and stopped near Dorking at a Winery for coffee. We arrived in Coolham to meet my friend who had travelled up from Worthing where we had a pub sandwich in the garden before going to nearby St Cuthmans. The old house is situated in 25 acres, including a lake of some five acres. It is a mix of woodland and grass, with some traffic noise from the A272 running past the property. Apart from that it was a delightful spot and ideal for a retreat. Although run by the Roman Catholic Diocese, it is ecumenical, and can accommodate up to 24 people. The house is wonderfully furnished, and bedrooms are well appointed. I would say it was equivalent to a 4 star hotel. Staying there, although subsidised is relatively expensive at £68 per person per night (full board). Most retreat houses are more spartan and change half as much. We were taken around in groups of up to ten - this was well organised, and we visited the interior of the house, the garden with views of the lake, into the chapel with a stunning full glass window behind the simple altar, and then into a hermit hut. The afternoon visit ended with tea or coffee, but we had to pay for cake or biscuits. A good day, but I felt it was more a quiet hotel than a spiritual retreat house, so I don't think I'll be going to stay. One of the hermit huts might be more suitable? Tuesday 18 August 2009  simples
Immediately British TV viewers will recognise the aristocratic Aleksandr Orlov, founder of comparethemeerkat.com - not to be confused with comparethemarket.com - an insurance comparison website. Advertising insurance products must have been a difficult challenge until now, but the ad gurus have created the TV commercial of the decade with this amusing iconic figure, and his antics. The catchphrase is repeated by school children and adult workers each new day after the showing of one of several TV ads, with a new one coming this autumn. There is a campaign to get "simples" into the language of the dictionary. Can "erixlife" also be listed? Who would ever have thought making what is a silly campaign, and nothing actually to do with boring insurance, could have increased viewer awareness of the "compare the market" brand by 80% (according to the Daily Mail). Well, it is just brilliant isn't it. Just look and see for yourself, if you are one of the few that have not seen him yet. There are links above. It is so brilliant, its just "simples". Bus Rally in Hemel Hempstead This was the 4th vintage bus running day organised by the Amersham Motor Bus Society in Hemel Hempstead, and with brilliant August weather a large crowd of transport fanatics arrived for a day of bus journeys, photographs and even more photographs. Most participants were male, over 50, wearing an anorak and carrying a photo bag - probably containing sandwiches as well. I am being a bit judgmental aren't I. It was an excellent day, superbly organised with nearly 100 scheduled departures on various routes and vehicles. Everything seemed to run to time, yet there was no apparent control. The preserved vehicles were driven by loving enthusiasts, and because of the age of the vehicles we proceeded in an orderly manner at all times, so each journey was in real comfort - compared to the harsh braking and acceleration provided by most contemporary drivers. My favourite bus is the Routemaster, and I had several trips to local places of interest. One had to jostle slightly to get a window seat, and this became more of a challenge as the day progressed. A satisfactory replacement for the sadly cancelled narrowboat trip, but very worthwhile, and I have noted their next date in October to be held in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.  anticlimax
This should have been the day when we went on a narrowboat outing on the nearby Grand Union Canal. It is an annual event, and I have been for the past two years. Unfortunately at the last moment there was engine failure, so the day was abandoned - late on the evening before! What does one do at such short notice, with a packed lunch ready in the fridge, and with the anticipation of a pleasant day out? All my friends seemed to be busy as far as I knew, but in any case it was too late to call anyone! Amazingly early this morning I remembered that there was a Bus Rally in Hemel Hempstead today, so off I went... details tomorrow.  squirrel
Because my garden feeding squirrels are such athletic comedians, I was captivated by this photo and story on sky.com (photo courtesy of them). A Canadian couple set the camera self portrait button and just before it snapped them, a "local" popped up to appear with them! I have mentioned these delightful animals before, and they appear in one or two of my videos. It is just such a cute little furry creature, and they deserve to survive and prosper. They are so cheeky, and will tackle any challenge to obtain food - of course "stealing" my bird food is top of their list. They always seem to be the first to arrive and the last to go. They often stay longer than any other species, and have an amazing pecking order where the alpha male of the group just "looks" at an alleged contestant for the food, and they will immediately scamper off towards their home in a nearby tree. Often a brilliant photo is taken by chance, or is one of many to be selected. With the internet we can share and enjoy them more easily. I am looking forward to trying out a tripod panoramic attachment I have recently purchased. I'll let you see the results. You can see a large collection of my photos at PicasaWeb Keep snapping!  yes or no
One of life's many challenges is making the correct decision. I wonder whether in a lifetime we make more wrong decisions than right? I suspect the former, and certainly in my case. Is it more complicated now, or as one gets older - theory suggests it should get easier with life experience, but I think we have more decisions now than ever. Just think back to the last time you were in a supermarket agonising on which cereal to buy, or in a coffee shop where the choices are endless. They might be habit decisions though, I am talking about new and difficult decisions. There must be some formula for solving problems, and making the correct decision. What is good for one though, may not help another. My parents' best advice was "to sleep on it". Something I seem to ignore! I tend to be impulsive, and this may be why I get it wrong so many times? With choice comes responsibility, with money comes more choice. Imagine a monk in a monastery following the rule of St Benedict, well there is not much choice, not much decision making strategy, except to be there of course. Accepting discipline reduces choice making, but is that what we want. Not many people could accept such a regime. Another example would be the armed forces. So we would probably choose the freedom to decide, but what a difficult time this creates. Maybe we don't want imposed discipline, but we need self discipline to make the right choice. This would naturally come with experience - learning from one's previous mistakes, but do we learn enough? Are we sometimes on a path of near self destruction, knowing that this is "wrong" but still going down that path. How many times have we woken up next to someone, that we knew was a mistake in the beginning. Was it desperation or something else? I am responsible for my own decision making, and the consequences. I must keep saying that the next time I feel I need to buy something that I don't really need. Regret will often follow a poor decision, but a negative value on its own may not cause a change in us the next time. One thing that seems likely is that a joint decision is best. Without a partner I seem to be at a disadvantage in this respect, but maybe I could ask a friend instead. Choose your friend wisely in case there is a hidden agenda... Yet another decision ! Thursday 13 August 2009  Young Pretender
I had the enjoyable experience of being invited to a meal out at nearby carvery restaurant the Young Prentender in Kings Langley yesterday. Set in rural surroundings just outside the village of KL on the road to Apsley and Hemel Hempstead, it has a modern addition of a Premier Inn on the same site. The restaurant was not that busy being mid week, but sprawls around a large bar area. Do you remember how the smell of smoking spoilt any visit to a pub restaurant? Being a carvery, we chose that, but I always find the meat a little dry, and the prepared vegetables never quite hot enough. I believe the theory is that one can return for a second helping, but there is always so much the first time I wouldn't be able to eat any more. The floor being wooden, a loud echo of noise persisted, and we had to ask for the piped music to be turned down. The youngish waiting staff were friendly and efficient, but I felt they didn't have their hearts in it. More like a production line than a restaurant. I just never felt quite at ease there. I suppose I prefer the smaller intimate setting, which would probably be more expensive? Luckily we were away from the main part of the restaurant, but I couldn't help noticing the behaviour of other customers. There was absolutely no dress code, and even in a group, some were using their mobile phones! It felt more like Hemel Hempstead than Berkhamsted, but I admit to being a snob! More like Asda than Waitrose. Perhaps I am being ungrateful as I was a guest, but this was my feeling. I wouldn't choose to go there again - unless invited!  cardiac rehab
Have now finished the cardiac rehabilitation programme at a local hospital - seven weeks, twice a week for three hours each. Exercise, and talks plus the opportunity to chat to other cardiac patients with differing experiences. It has been a great experience and has got me back on the road to exercising. Already I have started a local weekly heath walk, and plan more. I have joined a local heart support group for more walks and social activities. So, its looking good, but just the beginning... I still have coronary heart disease, so there are some limits, but I will know when I get there! Most of the other patients are male and over 60, and they all have a story to tell. Surprisingly many report they were not aware of a heart attack at the time, and others relate gruesome stories which I would not want to repeat. I was lucky, it was discovered before the "attack" but it has been a life changing experience - I won't keep on about it for too much longer, but all I can say is that I was wrong - I am not invincible, and how you treat your body as a younger person will affect how you are in later life. Like, smoking, cholesterol, stress etc - so many factors. I would say to any younger readers that it does matter... I am a prime example, so take care! However there is life after... and I am determined to make the best of it. I plan to be around for a lot longer.  future famine
For once I applaud the UK government in planning ahead, instead of the more usual last minute panic measures over something that we all knew would happen years before. Today they are talking about the very serious food famine that could affect our country (and the rest of the world) in years to come. Causes are over population, global warming and factory farming methods which seem to have meant paying farmers to leave fields empty because of possible over production? To hear them discussing something that may (will) happen in 40 years time is quite amazing. I have heard of government five and ten year plans (often abandoned before time at a cost of millions) but to think this far ahead is revolutionary and far from the usual party politics that we hear. Well done them, and such a pity that we did not have this thinking before over vital issues like public transport and sustainable energy resources. It seems clear to me that there will be mass starvation, and a return to World War 2 values when families would be food rationed, but grew their own vegetables and kept small livestock in their gardens. People were much fitter then, because of a better diet and more exercise. There was no obesity, and no supermarkets full of obscene amounts of luxury food items. Markets were more important, and fresh foods often bought daily were the mainstay of family life - when they sat and ate meals together. Sounds altogether better, doesn't it. I'd like to see a partial return to these ideas anyway, but we must adapt to the facts and the future. We need to talk and plan NOW. It is crazy that we import so much food from overseas (air miles!) so that we can fill our plastic shopping bags full of food, much of which is wasted anyway. Join the debate where you are. Its up to us.  afternoon tea
Yesterday afternoon I hosted my first social event for many weeks, and a delighted nine neighbours turned up by invitation, each sweetly bearing a small gift of food to share. We sipped many varieties of tea, and chatted in the cool of the living room for a couple of hours. It was so lovely to be with so many helpful friends, but stupidly I declined the offer of washing up - so its all still there! Tea with friends is just so civilised, and one can gossip away or just listen to the excited talk of others. Some never say a word, but just love being there, others say so much that they interrupt the answer before the question is finished. Many will arrive early to secure a favourite seat, others will jostle for position whenever they arrive, and some even turn up late! I often over indulge on these occasions, as I don't normally have such a rich diet of calories to consume. That means I am full and don't want to eat my regular evening dinner. I used to think I preferred going to others, but now I enjoy hosting even more. Its great to move things around to accommodate a large number - although the effort meant muscular chest pains. I managed to be shipshape soon after they had departed. It only takes one to rise and make their excuses, then others will follow quickly in their shadow. Three were left, and I thought, oh! this could be a long haul, but in a few minutes even they were gone. At the door of departure I remembered to thank everyone for their gift, and waived a farewell as they drifted back to their homes, then sunk back into the sofa to enjoy a moment of solitude and peace. It was a good afternoon.  heartbreak summer Well its been the longest summer of my life following the triple bypass operation, and now with thoughts of autumn already creeping upon us (especially as the British weather has been all too typical) I am feeling better, stronger and even more positive. I have used the time well attending a cardiac rehab programme, and am beginning to move again. Each week I join a local health walk - up to four miles at a brisk pace, which leaves me panting, but does give me essential aerobic exercise. I have dumped the psychotherapist, and now feel free again. I am still struggling with the custard cream biscuits, but have given up spread on the bread. For the first time I feel able to sit at my PC and write the blog again. There has been no activity for over two months, but still readers write, and I am so grateful. My YouTube viewers are still looking, and I am so pleased about this. In fact, I was inspired when I saw that the ironing video had gone past the 4000 mark! I have made friends and lost friends. I am still making mistakes and wrong decisions, but I am still able to laugh, and spread some joy with strangers and friends alike. The new donated scooter has been a life saver, and is essential for the hills of Kings Langley, but in one sense I have outgrown it, because I do need to exercise, so it is reserved in pride of place for hilly excursions only. September travel plans to Cornwall have been postponed to late October, but I have enjoyed a few day trips by train to Worthing, Winchester and London, and regular bus trips to local places for shopping and errands. From now I am hoping to achieve a more regular appearance... so please say "welcome back".
lots more comments on my YouTube channel
As a meditator I love your videos, they're so serene. I would love to take one or two of them and add breath to them to make them a mediation piece. K (UK) Thank you for your You-Tube videos. It helped me a lot for ironing. Hope everything is fine in the future have a lovely time. MG (UK) How are you doing? Are you getting on. Is the old ticker behaving. Sending you best wishes and thinking of you often. CM (UK) |
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please link to erixlife <!--start erixlife link--> <a href="http://www.erixlife.net/blog.html"> <img src="http://www.erixlife.net/erixlife-blog80x15.gif" border="0" height="15" width="80" alt="erixlife - blog - pictures and more"></a> <!--end-->  see whose linked INDEX OF ENTRIES (22) August 2009 alphabetical order afternoon tea anticlimax ashes bbq Bus Rally in Hemel Hempstead cardiac rehab electric blanket future famine Hatfield Country Show heartbreak summer if only monday walk overslept simples South Bank walk squirrel St Cuthmans swimming wet where am I yes or no Young Pretender |
