Keeping going

John Wilkes and I played golf together for three years.
Bearing in mind our ages and state of health it would be more truthful to say "we played at it!".

The owners sold our first and favourite course so that it could be turned into an academy for Bournemouth Football Club.  No comment other than look for them in the Premier League

                               
Many clubs have problems these days!



For a really happy time we found a second heaven every Tuesday at Wareham Golf Club.
However, health, age and other problems that hit both equally hard overcame us.
Surprisingly,  heaven can disappear in a very short period of time.

But now, working hard at putting aside our troubles, we are learning to live again: Tuesday is now "going out to eat day". 
Why Tuesday?  Well firstly it was our golf day. Secondly it is getting on towards the weekend which means it is not too long until Tuesday again. Sound Irish? Try it - you'll be surprised.

Each of us has own fancies when it comes to eating, but occasionally you may be lucky enough to come across a restaurant that almost everyone thinks is the best or very close to it.

Seafood there is in abundance in Poole, although like all foods some is better than others. The Poole Arms, on Poole Quay is among the very best. It  has the background to prove this - it has been there getting on for 400 years.

This picture of me, grandson Jack, daughter Alison and Jack's partner Sammy may offer an idea of the Poole Arms character.

If you ever come to Poole you now have somewhere to aim for.

Many thanks to all who replied to my last blog. Fantastic replies and some telephone calls.
Keep it up please; something good to which I can look forward.

Easy Rider

You need to look carefully here. Could be a picture of a midget with a blue face and blue cap.But it's not: it is my latest transport machine to take the place of a car I cannot drive following Christmas heart attack!

Following my recent blog, this is another attempt to put me on a par with other sane people. I received a few replies to my first message  but need more to enable me to stay with you in a hard world    -   please?

I am still a learner scooter driver, having collided with fully stocked shelves in
Boots the Chemist on my first outing. The lady assistant who helped me re-enact this accident for this blog was very kind.
Her first comment when I entered the shop to stage the collision was:


" I remember you!"




This was after I had backed into the display - again!



I am not sure that I am getting better yet.
Notice in today's picture below that the streets are fairly empty and the pedestrians are the ones wearing bright jackets and safety helmets!





I thought I would try my arm at volunteering to help people and went off to a local venue where I discovered elderly ladies in general settling down to a sausage and mash and trifle lunch before bingo.  The lunch was very good especially after cooking for myself - with the help of  M&S.
I didn't stay for the bingo but have an offer to be the caller on any afternoon I care to return.
Not quite sure this is my cup of tea.

As you can see, I am still trying hard - but I badly need your help.

To those friends to whom I sent blogs a year and more ago, you may be surprised at receiving one now.

Most of you know that Doreen my wife died in December. A week later I found myself in hospital, the victim of a heart attack was the diagnosis.
It was not a Merry Christmas!

My friend John Wilkes with whom I played golf would have been the ideal companion at such a time, but John has been going through times as bad as mine and golf is no longer our salvation.


What do you do when you are lonely?

Get and do something is one suggestion: get back to painting.
There are many things that fully fit can do. Not me unfortunately.

Being with other people is another answer and I have the pleasure of a very attentive family, but there are still long periods alone.
Could watch the television but have you really seen what's on? I could watch sport, but have you seen where Bournemouth are in the Premier League and can you imagine where they might be next season. Talk about lonely.

And then I thought; when I wrote my blog years ago I often received nice replies.
And so I am taking the plunge. Some of you I haven't seen for years, although old workmates Trevor Jones and John Beaty Pownall came all the way down from Cheddar and Devizes to join me for lunch this week.

This then is a trial blog to see if you will write  to me and bring me news of how you and you families are. Write about anything - except your football team if it is the level of mine.
If you live or worked where I did, write and tell me what's going on in Welton for example.

I have had one piece of good news today: John Wilkes is coming to collect me next Tuesday for lunch.
Coupled with what you can do for me, perhaps things are changing.

Are people getting more thoughtful?

All true

Did you know that most roadside speed cameras are situated on relatively steep declines?
Well, they are down here as I now know to my misfortune.
Over the limit by the smallest margin: little bits over the limit are not forgiven.
I only wish I had a name similar to that in this cartoon.

With a number of alternatives to face up to, I have chosen to attend a Driver Awareness Course.
Although the rules are fairly strict about turning up late and not having the essential documents, I was delighted to see that my course is to be held at a Brewery.
Honestly!
Not only that but;
" Free tea/coffee is available at the break during your course. In addition the Brewey Tap bar/restaurant ia open between 8.30am -5.00pm, serving drinks, snacks and lunches".

Not making this up and I am hazy as to whether not their beer is as good as the brewery companies I worked for many years ago, nevertheless still a nice gesture don't you think?


I suppose the following is thoughtful, but it in a different sort of way.

Today I visited the doctor's surgery where we have a chemist attached.
Parked my car and met an elderly gentleman I had not met before who was about to enter the shop.

"Son is coming home from Jamaica today" he told me.

"The wife said, 'I hope she will not be having any more family'.
Go down to the chemist and get some you know what."

I'm 86 and having to ask for them at my age is a bit embarrassing".

But he went in.

I just thought if I had been in the same position I would have been quite proud.

I think he was really!

The world was never perfect

Hey! You!

Where's the water gone?

How do you expect me to stand here on tip toe trying to get somebody to turn the tap on?


(Seen in Poole Park today)

And what about me?

Talk about child labour.

I didn't ask to move house.





















My friend John forwarded this newspaper cutting.






And the swan and Harrison think they have troubles!

What's in a name?

Having recently moved to what some of us would regard as an out-of-the-way place to live, Cheddar, my friend Trevor Jones asked me if I had deleted his name from recipients of this blog, not having received any news for some time.
The truth is that I have 'unblogged' myself over the winter because of age and level of frailty.
It is hard enough to walk half a mile down to M&S to buy a ready-made dinner and a newspaper without attempting excursions into Dorset's  winter wonderland.

The other day while walking from the Tesco car park to their store, a gale of some force blew shopping bags from a lady's trolley straight past me. I forgot I could not walk well, let alone move with any pace, and immediately ran after one of the bags and speared it with the end of my walking stick for which I was rewarded with cheers and great votes of thanks - and sly remarks from a fellow sufferer who was clearly jealous of my athleticism!

Why, when only at February's start, have I picked up keyboard and mouse again?
I have mentioned previously, springtime arrives early in Dorset and today has been a bright sunshine filled awakening.
For me, Springtime is here and, with Doreen my ever faithful companion, we set off to record its beginning in Winterborne Zelston. Lovely name isn't it. The river Winterborne runs overground through Zelston only in winter, hence the name: Zelston having been the home a million years back by somebody with a similar name.
Trevor, it could have been Winterborne Jones!

Here are the snowdrops in the churchyard and here is the way in to them which is clearly not made for fat people. As you can see from the trees, this second picture was not taken by me today.

Although this one was!

You must admit it is different from a Greek statue of a lady with an urn!

Memories of Morecambe and Wise.       

"What's a Greek Urn Eric?"

"About 30 bob a week Ern!"

Lovely old cottages here.

and you can walk along the river bank if you so wish.

As written on the first faint line of this notice at the church entrance:

"This is none other but the house of God  and this is the Gate of Heaven"

Could have been written about Winterborne Zelston!

Should have known!

Getting old with a great grandson,
it is wise to know your limits.

I had a stick so he had a stick.

















Lesson 1:

do not give big sticks to small boys, especially if they are well trained in unarmed combat.
His great grandmother seems to think it amusing!











I was unaware that he had been out teaching his grandmother yoga!

Lesson 2:  Learn to live with it; after all he is two years old this week.

 

We get on quite well really.

Here is my portrait of us walking into the sunset - or the fog

He's quite kind; holding my hand to make sure I don't get lost"!