Retirement Life In The Week Ended 5th January 2024
I was going to have nearly a full week at home in Devon. However the oldie gremlins had other ideas. I was called back to Essex as Mum got poorly. At least I got to see friends at a couple of parties during my three nights at home.
As I’m not a saint I’m getting fed up now. My ‘pecker’ is definitely not up and I’m tired and grumpy. But in spite of the seemingly humdrum life of the full-time carer I have managed to find snippets of interest to share.
What I Was Given
I don’t get many presents at Christmasses and birthdays and I’m good with that. In fact I positively try to put people off buying me anything. The main reason is that I have pretty much everything that I want. Also if there’s something that takes my fancy I go and buy it. Simples! I know quite a lot of people expressing that sentiment these days.
But my son and his girlfriend like to gift me. I ask them to buy me an ornament for our Christmas tree. They obliged with two, a handmade willow heart and an intriguing 3D printed stocking. But I also asked for this book, Mosaics Inspired by Nature by Rachel Davies It’s an absolute beauty. As well as the photographs of stunning work by the author and other mosaic artists it provides instructions for using different media and techniques to what I usually use. I’m going to try some of them out…….when I get a moment!
My American friend Martha also gifted me something that she knows that I love. Each time we meet she brings me carrier bags from Trader Joe, an American grocery store that has Lidl and Aldi vibes. Each state issues its own bags with wonderful graphics. Martha picks them up for me on her travels. I love using them out and about. But then when they get a bit manky I repurpose them from shopping bags into a lovely covering for the bin bag in our motorhome. Here’s one I reused earlier!
What I Gifted
I bought Martha this beautiful tin caddy by Williamson Tea. I got it from Porridge, a wonderful little store in town. As well as buying store cupboard staples such as dried goods and herbs and spices there I’ve found it to be a good source of presents. I figured our that this little elephant was light enough to carry home on a plane and that everyone likes tea and pretty tins. Except the funny folk who don’t!
What I’m Studying
My spiritual text of choice, A Course in Miracles, is divided into three parts, the main body of the book, a manual for teachers and a 365 workbook of daily lessons. I’ve studied the workbook before but last time started in the middle of the year all on my ownsome. On this occasion I decided that I would commence my studies on 1 January and find a whole bunch of other people doing the same thing.
For twenty dollars a month I’ve taken out a subscription with the Circle of Atonement, an organisation with lovely welcoming people that has produced their own version of the Course . It gives me access to a wealth of material and meet ups so seems very good value. They teach from a very practical perspective which I like and relate to. As well as notes on each lesson I’m joining a weekly study group. I’ll let you know how it’s panning out as I go along.
On the similar theme I left a comment on a post of one of my favourite Course in Miracles teachers, David Hoffmeister this week. OMG he replied. He’s such a darling man who radiates peace and joy. I feel l like such a groupie!
Where I’ve Been
To cut a long story short I arrived back at Mum and Dad’s from a little respite break earlier than I thought I was going to be. Things aren’t working so my family have had a total rethink and plans are afoot for radical change before the purchase of their bungalow goes through. I’m still able to do my afternoon walks while the oldies have a snooze.
On Friday, a beautiful crisp cold day, I visited Southchurch Hall. It’s a moated house that dates from the fourteenth century. When I moved to Southend as a little’un it housed our library. I remember sitting on shelves on the walls in the children’s section that the floor level in the olden days when people were short arses. Gee that was over fifty years ago.
Anyway it’s a museum now but it was closed. No matter, a wander around the grounds was highly therapeutic and brought back so many memories. The gardens surrounding the Hall are small but perfectly formed. As kids we used to roll down a slope and feed the ducks. We went there often.
Here’s the main body of water where the bird life hangs out. There were black swans in the seventies but they seem to have departed. Instead one of the reviews of the park that I read said that there were turtles. I got quite excited but then realised that they were probably hibernating. And so they are.
But there’s a special name for what turtles do in winter. It’s called ‘brumation’ and during that time they breathe through their arse rather than their nostrils. That’s new on me. Never let it be said that this blog does not provide you with an education,.
What I Made
During my whistle stop tour back home I managed to make two batches of fudge to gift to friends. It’s one of the things that I’m famous for. I use the recipe from Carnation Milk and then, at stage 4, of the process often add bits into the mix. I normally chuck in whatever’s in the food cupboard. On this occasion I left one batch plain and transformed the other with currants, walnuts and sea salt. Don’t ask for the amounts. I don’t have a clue as I just do it by eye.
What I Subscribed To
Last January I bought a subscription to the New York Times for a bargain price, maybe about twenty pounds. This was mainly for the puzzle content. I got hooked on Wordle, of course, but there are also two other word games that I enjoy, Spelling Bee and Connections that are only available to subscribers. The time to renew came up and I was umming and aahing about whether to join up for another year. The price, of course, had gone up.
One of my reasons for thinking about leaving was that I’m not playing games as much anymore. I’m trying to use my time more meaningfully: writing, gardening, make, spiritual study and the like. The other is that, to a degree, I do try to distance myself from what’s going on in the world. I stopped listening to Radio 4 some years ago as I didn’t think doom and gloom on the hour was necessarily good for me.
In the end the New York Times came up with a subscription deal that was too good to pass by. I’m quite glad. As well as the puzzles some of their content is fascinating. For example I’ve just read an article about proper scientists who research life after death. I’ve added the link because I think that even non subscribers can access limited articles. On a lighter note I love looking at the real estate and seeing where fancy Americans live. In a more serious vein I believe that it’s good to get some of my new input from another country and not just hear things from a British perspective.
Disclaimer
This post contains links to companies and organisations just because I’m happy with the products or services that they supply or I’m spreading the word about what they do. There may also be affiliate links to Amazon for books and other items that I am personally recommending. If you decide to make a purchase from them, I might get a little bit of commission at no cost to you.