Brushing-up my French

I have been brushing up my French over the last few days. It's actually a language I like very much and studied it at school many years ago. I do with I paid more attention though. It was one of the few subjects I really enjoyed and to this day, I have retained a few words and phrases. The course I am learning with is from Michel Thomas. It is different to other courses as you are actually the third student - there are two others on the CD and they are learning also, making mistakes so you don't feel you're the only one failing. The system actually works and very well. I have already learnt quite a lot and more importantly, I've retained what I've learnt. One day, I'd really like to visit France again (last time was in 1989) and spend some proper time there. I have suggetsed to my wife that we move there when we retire...

I've heard absolutely nothing from Stagecoach despite two letters, one of them to their head office. I'm convinced now that they don't care and my respect for them has all but disappeared.
I haven't completely given up on my wish to have a PCV career but I am being forced to look for IT-related jobs. I was turned down for the job at the local schoool though I notice they haven't found anyone as their vacancy has been extended. I did though find a vacancy at a components company at Wisbech. I had no idea they existed but a little research threw up the fact that they are one of the UK's largest component suppliers. Quite how I hadn't heard of them I don't know. It just goes to show what's on your doorstep sometimes.
So I've applied for the position of IT Technician looking after the computers and network at their offices. I hope to hear something in the enxt few days. Even if it's a polite 'no thank you' then I still have what's needed for my mortgage insurers to pay out.

I've been able to harvest a few tomatoes which I'm quite pleased about. They taste wonderful - sweet and juicy. There are many more still attached waiting to ripen and I hope that they weather allows for them to turn red before the frosts set in. We are forecast cold temperatures, ice and snow in the coming weeks.

I have been self-pollinating my watermelon plant. The female flowers have a round ovary just beneath the flower and I have been pollinating them by removing the male flowers and bringing the stamen into contact with them. If successful then the ovaries should begin to elongate after a week or so and develop into a water melon. Again I'm hoping the weather doesn't turn too cold as this may affect their growth.





My parents are decorating at the moment. They're currently working on the kitchen and have chosen a greeny-blue colour which frankly I think resembles that of a public convenience. But hey ho I don't have to live there. I visited this morning and was relocated to the front dining room, comfortable and with nice views.
They have a friend coming to visit on the 20th from London, a good friend of the family hence the panic to get everything redecorated in time. I know my father would rather be tinkering in his garden. At 72, he's really too old to be painting ceilings and walls. Well that's my view.
While I sat there with my breakfast, I recorded these images for posterity and it made me realise how we take for granted our location and what's around us.

It struck me that I hadn't really noticed how eleborate the fireplace is...

The view as I sat eating my breakfast and the garden still full of colour...

The view from the front looking out on an almost unspoilt view across the fields toward the Wash...

Besides my French language course, I've been listening to a range of different music types. Music for me is very much like sunshine and has similar effects. It is food for the mind and soul and can alter the way I feel or the way I think. So, I've been feeding my ears with the likes of Rick Wakeman's Myths and Legends of King Arthur how I ever missed this I don't know), Eurovision winning ditties, Gheorghe Zamfir, music from the Soong Sisters and anything else that pushes the right button. I've also added to my already immense MP3 audio book collection - lots of new mysteries and ghost stories, perfect as we approach Hallowe'en.
 Which reminds me, I must ask my father to provide a pumpkin for my little man. I've convinced him we need one so we can scarte away the witches...

Broadband

Broadband is one of those things we try to leave alone. When its working, we hate anything to interfere with it, but when it does, it is worse than having an illness.
So, why am I writing about it? Well, I have been with Pipex for as long as I can remember. Not so long ago, they were swallowed-up by Opal and not long after that, Opal were swallowed-up by TalkTalk. Now I have a letter telling me that Pipex are being taken over by TalkTalk. This is confusing enough. But what really gets my goat is the fact that I'm being forced to pay more for the priviledge of my service being migrated and pay more for what is in fact a lesser service (40Gb limited Internet rather than unlimited).
But the worst part of all this is the experience I've had to endur this afternoon in trying to discuss this with someone at TalkTalk. It has been as painful as having my arm foreably removed from its socket. It has left me feeling utterly exhausted.
Why oh why does anything Broadband related need to be so bloody difficult? Why is it so difficult to speak to aomeone and be understood? Why do I have to repeat my dilema to every person I am put through to? Why am I told my exchange 'hasn't been upgraded' so cannot provide me with unlimited broadband, when I have had unlimited Broadband for the last 9 years? It's all so absolutely ridiculous.
Sort yourselves out TalkTalk. I've had enough.

Three Depressives and a Birthday

Today was special for being one of the days in October which broke our weather record. It has been unseasonably warm and sunny, weather which frankly is far from the norm for this time of year. Tomorrow will be the day things begin to change and I'm told we can start seeing overnight frosts and possibly snow very soon.
It was also my wife's Godson's Birthday party and we were all invited. For a change, I was quite relaxed and rather looking forward to it. It was a very pleasant event. My son was in his element, a little hoarse perhaps from a recent cold, but he joined in with glee squirting water at everyone and generally running around as kids of his age do.
While I was sitting there, it suddenly dawned on me that I was accompanied by two others who have been affected by varying degrees of depression. We have all been affected in different ways for this illness is quite unique to the individual. But to each of us, our experiences were intensly private and whereas three men would normally exchange banter about football, gardening or the weather, this did not happen. Of course we all had a good idea of what we had each been through - and were still going through - but it's simply not the sort of thing you can strike up a conversation over. There was just a very quiet knowing sense among us of the dark places we had all been to, and most probably feared returning to.
For I don't actually think depression is something you can discuss in a 'therapy' kind of way. It's not like being an alcoholic or drug abuser. You don't choose to have depression, it forces itself upon you like some enormous weight, pressing down. I know this.
So amongst all the jovality and the fun, I was so deeply aware of this 'secret pain' that existed hidden from normal view. But it is something all the 'grown ups' are aware of. They understand and are sympathetic, for they all know someone who is affected by it. I felt comforted to know this and a closeness quite unique to 'people like us'...

Radioarchive.cc

What's going on with radioarchive.cc? It's been more than two weeks and the site is unresponsive. I really hope it hasn't gone forever. I realy love this site and I'm missing its content. Is there anyone else out there who uses this site or perhaps knows what's going on...? I'm having withdrawal symptoms!

Senior Moments

It's incredibly warm, warmer than it normally is for this time of year. There isn't a cloud in the sky. I haven't seen one all day. Some call is glorious. Others tell us to make the most of it. Apparently Winter will be here will a vengance and could bring ice and snow within a few weeks from now. Hard to believe when I glance outside and see the bright blue sky and the lush green grass.
I'm finding I'm getting more and more frustrated with my mum. She's in her late mid sixties and admits herself that her memory isn't as good as it was. But I do find that she is becoming increasingly out-of-touch with what's going on around her. A for instance is my son's school intake photograph in the local paper. Now I know my mum has read the paper but has managed to miss the photograph. It wasn't so long ago that she would be calling me to tell me she had seen the photo.
I had a heavy cold at the weekend and I felt really rough. Nevertheless we all popped over for the afternoon as it was my father's 72nd Birthday. We had a great time. I saw my sister and her kids and the whole thing was very pleasant. Everyone commented on how poorly I looked, but I made as much effort as I could. But by yesterday, all this had been forgotten. I coughed and was told 'you sound as if you're going down with a cold'. 'But I've had a streaming cold for a week', I replied. 'Have you?', was the response. 'I haven't noticed'. Err hello... ?
I know I shouldn't get frustrated and I know there's every chance I'll get like this at some point, but it does frustrate. And it is getting worse. I can recall vividly how my nan went down hill fast, dementia eventually taking over her mind convincing her of things that simply weren't there. People, voices and scenery all seemed so real to her that you were forced to go along with whatever scenario was being played out. It is all so sad and you feel so helpless. I keep telling myself my mum won't go the same way but the more and more I witness these 'senior moments', I can't help but worry that history will repeat itself...

A Kindly Neighbour

It's comforting to know that around you there is at least one person looking out for you or prepared to offer their help. Yesterday, we experienced the kindness of a neighbour. He lives opposite and runs his own roofing firm. Everyone knows him, he's the best in the area. He had been spraying his drive to kill off weeds and having some remaining in his tank, he came across to us and offered to spray ours. It has to be said that our weeds have been nigh on impossible to get rid of. We've only been using the shop bought stuff whereas his looked industrial and the real thing. He sprayed the whole drive and the border where he informed me we had some 'Deadly Nightshade' growing. What a great guy! It really is the little things like that can make all the difference. Thanks again.

School Mornings

Don't know where my text has disappeared to. I had typed about school mornings and how I enjoy taking my son each day.
I'm one of the few dads that's about to take their children to school. I might as well wear a sign saying I'm out of work and have nothing else to do with my time. I do enjoy it though. There's always an anxious wait for the bell to ring - I'm actually more anxious than my son. The children then go and line up, my son like a little soldier standing to attention. My son shows no fear. He's confident and happy to be there. But there is a boy in his class for whom every morning is a nightmare. He clings to his mum and sobs his heart out. She disappears into the classroom with him while the rest of us wave at our kids until they have disappeared into the darkness. For her it must be heartbreaking. It's upsetting to watch and I'm thankful that our son is the complete opposite.
As a youngster, I feared school. I would do all I could to stay at home. I do wish my son would befriend this little chap. Perhaps that would help him become more confident. Such a shame though.
My wife and I aren't part of the 'in crowd' so we don't drawn into the little clusters of parents that form in the playground each morning. They are friendly toward us but perhaps it's the fact we live in a different part of the street or we have a different type of house that sets us apart. There are one or two who do like to converse with us. We have such a short walk to and from the school that it isn't really possible to talk about anything substantial. But for the most part, we keep to ourselves and speak only if we're spoken to.
So weekday mornings are like this. I'm fortunate I suppose that being out of work does have this small benefit. I will certainly miss it if I ever do manage to return to work. I will miss the hand holding and the anticipation of what the day might hold. I will miss that father-son hug and the confidence of knowing that he went to school happy. But I know that all too soon, this opportunity will end and I will be in a car on the way to work or even worse, staring at a computer in an office. I simply don't know at the moment. For what I want to do seems as far away as ever and will need a miracle if it is ever to become reality.
For my son though, I suspect and hope that things will be different. He has the confidence I lacked and this will take him to great places. But before he begins that journey, he needs to be able to put his shoes on the right feet. It doesn't seem to bother him though... Happy days.