I'm an accomplished all-rounder. And this is my site.
Beautiful city. Weird circumstances. 4 days of frantic runaround, 500 photos and an hour of video later, the edible Nikki and I arrived home in time for the cats to leap on us with a cry of ‘Where the beep have you BEEN!? Some crazy lady came in to feed us but she smelled funny so we hidz in da closetz ’til she left then I came out first ‘cos I’m braver than her but it was all so scary I’m glad you’re back will you scratch my back?”
It is difficult to sleep with a cat licking your nose.
I watched with happiness as the thirty-third miner climbed out of that Chilean hole in the ground a few days ago. It is rare for everybody to get out. It was extremely good to see. Welcome home, everybody.
I grew up in a Yorkshire mining town. At one time, my town had over 20 coal mines: We saw more than our share of accidents and disaster. It was part of life, which explains a lot about Yorkshiremen and, I suppose, miners world wide. Those from mining communities are shock proof, quick to anger and slow to forgive, but will dive head first down a 600 feet deep hole without hesitation to save a stranger in need.
Surprisingly, we laugh a lot. Life is for living. If we ever forget that, it comes back with a heart stopping flood when the next emergency siren floats across the air. All conversation stops. For a second, everybody wonders where their dad / brother / uncle / son is. And then, after one brief whispered prayer, as one well-oiled machine we drop whatever we are doing and make our way to the pit face. And help where we can. Again.
I landed some pick-up work sub contracting a web site build. Should keep me going until X-mas and is worth…well. X-mas is covered, put it that way, and the credit card can take a week off. I also heard that a couple cheques are in the mail, from people I believe actually mailed them. I’m covering quality control at my day job, passing expert opinion on other peoples performance. For a Brit, there are few things more satisfying than making sure people do things your way… I must be doing something right.
On top of all that, the edible Nikki and I are pencilled in for a trip to Ottawa in November. Parliament, museums, riverside cafes. Touristy things. A Fall road trip with a camera and video. Good company and great times, and TigerDirect on the way home: Geek paradise. I’m neither a pessimist or an optimist. I believe the world has a way of balancing things out and right now, everything that could be good is good. My glass is neither half full nor half empty. It’s brimming over. A valuable lesson here: It won’t last. Nothing ever does. I’m going to enjoy this to the full while it does. Seize the fish.
I like to see new horizons. Always have. It keeps me young and maybe explains why I still have all my hair and a spring in my step, though that could also be the extra stomach I grew this summer. I always look over the next hill with fresh eyes and new wonderment.
The world turns.
This month alone, much has changed. The Ex I moved to Canada with 6 years ago is moving to Ottawa, starting a new life with her new BF. Her kids have their own lives now and can fend for themselves, so why not and good luck to all! I have grandkids in the UK I’ve never seen; a couple of my relatives are moving on in lfe, location and love; my niece just brought a new life into the world, and that young life has already seen some dramatic things most of us never will.
Most of us do not like change, but it is the only real constant. Things ALWAYS change, however much you fight for them to stay the same. The irony is, those wishing desperately for change only have to wait. It may take 20 years of misery, but it WILL happen. Of course, you will have lost 20 years from your life by then… but Time will change it, it cannot be stopped, for good or bad. If you want the change to be immediate, you really have to take the initiative. Bite the bullet. If you change your life, you can beat time at it’s own game and not lay dying in your old age, wishing you had done it. Carpe Diem. Seize the fish.
The world turns. I’ve been thinking.
I get homesick sometimes. Nothing major, just restless. I want to take the edible Nikki to some of the places I love and share them with her. I also want us to go to places neither of us have yet seen in countries we never thought of.
I’m getting a little antsy for far-off exotic places like Huddersfield, Heckmondwike, Hanging Heaton, Hemsworth and Holmfirth. I can feel the old wanderlust taking hold. Nikki tells me she will follow me to the end of the world, and I believe her. Sometime soon I’m going to put a couple cases in the car and toss a coin to choose a direction. Don’t know how long for, or if we’re coming back. Part of the fun is playing it by ear. I know it will be a great ride, and a comforting memory to share on our death beds, hopefully many centuries from now, medical science permitting. Just two more aging hippies, still holding hands and laughing at the world, while the world will keep on turning long after the sound of our laughter has faded into history. Seize the fish.
This shot was taken just below the peak of the location used in the film Highlander: the shots where the helicopter circles the peak as the Highlander finishes his training and gets struck by lightning. The Scottish Board of Tourism actually keep plastic swords on this peak, for any intrepid tourist to get his buddy to take a photo. All you got to do is climb. The actors were air-lifted up there.
Skye is a beautiful, evocative and mysterious island. I enjoyed my brief time there, an extended weekend on a mission of mercy. That’s all I’m going to say on the subject, except “Thank you”.
I heard a show today that addressed a listeners question about whether breast implants can make noises. Apparently they can, for the first six months, when they are new. Truth! Made me think.
I wonder if there is a market for custom implants? Maybe I could get rich selling ones with those little dog chew toy noisemakers that squeak when you squeeze them? It would keep babies amused for hours, never mind any straying husbands. Maybe a different squeak for each breast? Wow. Imagine a thousand of them at a hockey game. Who needs air horns? Or hockey, with that kind of a spectacle. I could even expand the range to transparent ones with fish in them… Be honest. If it was possible, someone will have it done. You know it’s true. Makes you think, doesn’t it? 🙂
The edible Nikki is working and I’m not ready to go home yet. As I type this on my iPhone (You notice that, our Vyv? :)), I’m bored. Sitting alone in a bar full of empty, nursing a lonely drink. When it’s this quiet, you can’t help reflecting… I have spent many hours waiting in bars. Some of it waiting for people, some for the night to end, some to forget, some to see who I would wake up with. Some avoiding going home, for various reasons. If you have to ask, you wont understand and you’re obviously too young to drink anyway.
This waiting is different. I can honestly say I am looking forward to the end of the evening. Why? Because the edible Nikki will be there with me. Curled up on the couch, end to end, rubbing each others feet, laughing at the same jokes and enjoying the hell out of life. We took very different roads to get here. Me? UK. Mining community, old school, respect parents or die. Nik? Pretty much the same, Canada style. Were both from broken families: My dad died, hers left to make his own path. Yeah, i know, boring. Point is, same result; broken kids seeking unconditional love. Here’s to the future. We found it.
Life moves forward with or without you. Remember the past with a smile and don’t let it die, but you can’t live there and be happy. Not if your brain works properly (Old age can be a blessing).
Keep moving forward. Remember that.
Over the years families tend to grow. Mine is no different: We have a new addition to the clan.
Daughter of niece Rachel, if she grows to be half the no-crap ass kicking soft hearted heartbreaker her mom is, the world will be a better place. Hugs and Congratulations from Uncle Carl.
From 3,500 miles away, I raise a glass and salute you both. CheerS!
I saw a news item today about a Florida preacher that plans to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 with a book burning of the Qu’ran at the church he is pastor of. Just the suggestion of that has already caused riots and the retaliatory burning of US flags in Afghanistan, Iraq and a host of other countries. There will be deaths on both sides and the end result will simply be further suffering.
More weeping mothers in a dozen countries. And why?
What exactly is this fool trying to achieve? The church he claims to represent promotes love, mutual understanding and the teachings of the Word of their God. Burning religious texts goes beyond national boundaries and government, it strikes to the very heart of Faith, whichever one you believe. Or don’t. It is, quite simply, a call to war. And in response? ‘They’ show righteous anger at the thought (as would most Christians) of their most sacred texts being destroyed in a public act of dishonor. But still, these protesters choose to dishonor the U.S. flag, not the faith of its people.
I have yet to hear of any terrorist (or the mosque across the street) burning a single bible.
Even ‘they’ have respect for the deeply held religious beliefs of others. This man of God should hang his head in shame for the pain he will cause on both sides.
I’m new to blogging but I fully expected a certain amount of spam comments and replies. It goes with the territory. Anyone that puts their head above the Internet wall can expect a few sniper shots. I got one last week from a person claiming they could make me and my visitors rich within a week, simply by following a link and yadda yadda yadda. Well, you guess correctly that I trashed it on the spot. Imagine my surprise today when I checked my comments and there was an angry post from that sender, asking me why I deleted it when all he was trying to do is make people rich and stuff. I’m used to spam, but spam with menaces is a new one on me. Screw that, thought I, and retaliated. I’m what you could call ‘a bit of a techie’. Instead of blocking the IP both messages came from, I traced it. A professional spammer would neither waste the time nor risk contacting a site owner, so it’s quite possible he’s dumb enough to use his actual IP, not a spoofed one: If so, he has a pretty long plane journey ahead before he can egg my windows. I won’t lose any sleep just yet.
If I get a repeat performance I’ll post a Google Street view of the buggers house for all to see. Paybacks are a bitch. If that person happens to read this, please try me. I’m sure my visitors are all dying to know what kind of car you drive. 🙂