August 20, 2019

So after over three weeks away on my cycle to Vienna (see Posts elsewhere on the site) I was quickly into what my Favourite Eldest Daughter calls ‘life admin” or what I’d call outstanding paperwork. However before I started on this a trip to the supermarket was in order.

My bride had switched off the fridge and freezer before flying out to join me in Austria. This is something that I could have done. It’s worrying to know she has acquired my gift. The fragrance was not attractive on opening the front door. Despite the cleaning up and emptying the putrid freezer it does offer an opportunity to stock up on items that you want to eat. I expect you all experience the same swerve on various frozen foods that have lain dormant in your freezer for months when you check what there is to eat.

One loss was emotional for me; it was gooseberries. We’d picked a good amount at a local farm in July and frozen them. The plan was to use them at Crimbo. Gooseberries are not widely available today. They seems to have migrated into the ‘old person’s food’ category along with haslet, mintoes and dandelion & burdock. I only point this out because you can easily obtain frozen mango, kiwi fruit or other exotic fruit. If anyone knows of a place where I can lay my hands on these frozen jewels then let me know.

Another task that seems to be unavoidable was the chore of various IT matters. How the hell the less technically survive today remains a mystery as I feel to be hanging on by my fingernails. First the printer failed to connect to the PC. This is done by bluetooth rather than that 20th Century nonsense known as cables. After about 20 minutes of lying doggo and failing to respond it sprung into action. Don’t ask me. 

I replaced my Garmin bike Sat Nav. This model is about 10 years ‘younger’ than my first device. Switching it on and off and setting up the options is one thing but first you have to ‘pair’ it with your PC and iPhone and before this you’ve got to re-register it all. What was the password I dreamt up in 2009?

All this tribulation was nearly assisted by Divine Intervention. Knock on my door were two quite old ladies: Jehovah’s Witnesses. After their introduction I was asked if “I thought there would be an end to sickness in my lifetime?” This was quite nostalgic because when I lived in Basildon in the 1980s I had a few knocks from these folk. I learned an important lesson of not rising to the bait. I was asked an open question and answered it. Whatever your answer then in effect you’ve joined their conversation. Anyway, as they say, I gave my excuses quickly (and kindly) and on their way they went.

Both offspring now live in Manchester. (Have I failed them?) It was delightful and a sign of the times that we were invited across for Sunday dinner at Katrina and Matt’s flat. Her sister and partner were also invited. The food and hospitality were superb. 

So lastly talking about other unavoidable jobs then nestling at the top of my ‘to do’ list has been to remove the broken pointing between the paving stones and replace it. As they say “into every life a little rain must fall”. And you thought my life was all music and bicycles!