What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to?
I used to love cycling downhill, leaning forward and down over the handlebars. I was quite good especially on twisting roads.
I never went on ski trips when I was a child, but I think given a chance I would have been able to do well. But that is the kind of risk I think I would have taken when I was younger. I can imagine slaloming down a beautful snow covered hill. Zooming properly not on a computer screen, but I’ve never had the chance. X
Our pear tree grows lovely pears. These were sweet and juicy when they ripened. And big too. They are lovely baked into a pie or a cake, or just freshly sliced.
Pears seem to take ages to ripen, then suddenly they all get ripe at once. Five years ago we had a massive crop, this year much more meagre. Perhaps the tree blossom was too early, and the bees and other pollinators hadn’t emerged yet? Or maybe the wind blew the blossom off to soon. Hopefully next year will be a good crop?
Another image drawn on holiday, this one is from 1994 whan we were on holiday near Settle. We cycled around the area and I did this sketch in biro when we stopped to have lunch and look at the view I think. But this was 29 years ago so I may have misremembered. By looking at the notes it looks like I revisited in the October of the same year.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
When I was young I read that the world record for one armed pressups was one. It was a fun fact in a comic I used to read. I asked my mom to watch me and I did two, my Mom said it was closer to 2 1/2 so we wrote in explaining what I had done.
A few, weeks later I bought the comic and opened it up only to find a cartoon of a muscular man in sports gear collapsed on the floor, and a cartoon of a young girl in running gear smiling as she continued to do one armed pressups. The little write up below explained what I had done! I was amazed and proud to find the little article!
It was never ratified, I never held an official world record, but it was an amazing experience. I cut the article out and carries it round in my purse until it fell apart! Not many people know this about me!
When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?
It’s taken me ages to decide on a person or group of people to represent this.
I could have chosen a single person, a musician, an actor, sportsperson, vet, doctor, or a news caster, and of course the richest people in the world.
But no, I’ve decided scientists would be the best choice. There success has bought us so many inventions and knowledge. Yes there have been bad inventions too, but these are because of political influence to some extent? Yes, there are bad scientists that either create bad things, or alter the results of research to allow bad things to happen. For example Thalidomide was originally being used for elderly arthritic patients, but to sell more of the drug it was sold to pregnant women as a tablet that would stop morning sickness, with the resultant tetaragenic damage to babies (see the Sunday? Times report into it’s effects).
But then these are weighed against chemistry’s inventions such as the creation of analine dye that led to the discovery of quinine? The invention of batteries, using chemistry and physics. The use of x rays following discoveries by Marie Curie. And biological knowledge including genetic treatments, monoclonal antibodies, knowledge of how our behaviour is damaging the environment.
As with all successes they are balanced with failures. Each person will have their own opinions on this.
I don’t care who they are as long as they are friendly.
Respectfully, I think the best neighbours need to be friendly, but not always friends. We all have different ways of doing things. Some people have noisy pets or play loud music, but as long as you can speak to them and work things out you have a chance of living in harmony. I always try and be polite and considerate. I’ve only ever fallen out with neighbours once in 30 years. They were students and we’re playing loud music day and night for a week.
They were disturbing my next door but one neighbour who was due to have a baby. They would not answer the front door. So I stuck my hand through the letterbox with my panic alarm beeping very loudly. Eventually someone came to the door. I asked them if they were at college? Yes. So I said, you understand you are creating a nuisance as you are intelligent? The student told me they never had problems in their halls of residence. I then explained the street was full of normal people. She apologised and the noise stopped! Not my friendliest action but it sorted out the problem!
My hubby has had about 35 train engines stolen out of our sheds in the garden, 30 carriages, various sizes, n gauge, 00 gauge, tt gauge. And a g gauge train. Plus a mountain bike (black) shopper bike (white) and a Raleigh titanium racing bike and a spade which we think they’ve used to get into the sheds?
I rang the police and they told me to post to social media. I put this on local pages with a bit more information, but I wonder if it will actually help.
Meanwhile in other news I’ve got to keep all three cats in tonight as one is having an operation in the morning. Instead of using the litter trays he just peed in a random box which leaked into the floor so I had to clean that up. I don’t have any airfreshner. Help! Then he threw up a big furball, ugh. Cleaned that up. He’s run upstairs and then hubby came down for a cup of tea.
The world is destroying itself in many places so I shouldn’t grumble. But I am!
When you go through bad times anxiety and nerves can hold you back. These emotions can make you hold your tongue, stop you going out, make you forget to write to, or email, or phone people. You put off till tomorrow and forget to do today… Eventually everything piles up and you don’t do anything, or just the bare minimum.
But I’m learning through counselling to do easy tasks first, then as they get easier and less onerous you can move on to medium difficulty tasks, and finally difficult ones. But if you have a set back, don’t give up. Start again with things you can cope with and gradually move on. Self repair, self acceptance. Be kind to yourself.
Last week I found myself laughing, I hope I can start doing more of the things I have been putting off. Hopefully…. Unless I get too stressed.
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
Yes, actually 18. I left school and I was in the real world. I had to leave my old life behind. It was a shock. I felt like I was falling off a cliff.
It’s a long time ago, but I remember fighting to get into college. I had to choose between that and staying in the job I had. It was the biggest decision of my life and I’m glad I made it!
When I was older I thought about life and that your feelings and world suddenly changes. You have rights and responsibilities. You still have support but it’s up to you to follow your own path (if you are allowed to). I realise that I am lucky as a woman to have rights a lot of other people in different cultures don’t have, and seeing the way governments can change, or bring in restrictions, I don’t always feel those rights will be maintained.
I was lucky to grow up and become an adult during feminist times. I hope those becoming adult now continue to have those rights.
