I love my Mother and my guess is that most love their’s too but do we need a special day for it?

I know when I was younger I took my mum for granted as she just seemed to always be there when I needed her. Mum always knew what to do and was never at a loss to provide comfort, love and, most importantly, tea.

Yes mother could be a force to deal with and at the time it was hard to understand the reasoning behind admonishments for going near a hot stove, or screaming in a shop but as the years go by it all fits into place and makes perfect sense.

I know there will be many who have lost their Mothers or are having to cope with illnesses or difficulties but its almost impossible to break the invisible bond that will always be there.

Mum is in hospital now and is a frail little old lady and it just seems so unfair that she has to be helped with every aspect of her daily life. I feel so useless and helpless not to be able to repay all her love and teachings from when I was a child but settle with keeping the knowledge that it wasn’t a waste of time and effort on her behalf.

Mum will always be the centre of my being and still is and, unknowingly, always has been.

So yes there should be a special day for All the Mums around the world but that special day should be every day as before you know it the time has drifted past.

So a great big salute and thank you goes out to my Mum and all the others here and passed.

Bless them all and everyone.

I can stomach most weather and some I relish but wind just is not my bag.

To say I don’t like it is an understatement. I hate it with so much passion that it makes me windy.

Wind just makes me angry and it creates such a bad karma.

Everything becomes so difficult and tedious. I mean take wanting to go out for cycle  ride. On a nice sunny day its fine. Even if it’s a bit chilly tone can layer up and enjoy the thrill of the pedal power. But add in wind and it just ruins everything. Rarely does the stuff help. No; Normally it buffets from the side or just blows a hooley in your face and makes the ride feel like one is pushing through sand towing a caravan. And the noise!

Walking is assaulted by wind and trying to do work is just stuff of nightmares.

So I am a bit downhearted today when I awoke to a fitful gale. I haven’t been out on my beast of burden for a few weeks due to such a busy social calendar (tongue in cheek is say as its probably more like being lazy) and I thought today a good day to go out. However, I am not risking life, limb, damaged bike, bruised goolies or anger so will stay off it for another day.

I am very lucky to have friends old and new and in the past twenty four hours I have been reacquainted with two and introduced to a few more.

This makes me happy, proud and, more importantly, whole.

Beer. What’s that got to do with anything? Well if one abstains from quaffing the foaming nectar for a while it is a pleasant joy to find an alehouse that serves a particularly fine tipple in the form of Timothy Taylor. 

Both situations have their welcome and pleasing values. Old and new friends a warmth of love and good ale a sense of comfort and “aarrrhhh, that’s better”. 

I’m by no means saying that friendship is equal to beer as that would be very eccentric but they share traits of similar values.

As one can grow apart from friends and can meet unfriendly people the same can be said for beer. They can both make one feel wretched and leave a bad taste in the mouth.

So it has been a very welcome day as old friendships are as though only weeks have past since getting together (whereas it’s been 15 years in reality) and tippling back beer has awakened tastebuds that haven’t been roused for several months.

They are both really quite welcome feelings and have merits in their own ways.

Of course there are downsides as beer leaves one with a dry and stale mouth in the morning and knowing that one will have to return home will leave friendship ties separated but they were both worth the effort and shape the person further.

I thoroughly recommend both or either.

This also proves another point. 

As mentioned in previous blogs I have accepted a state of depression and sought help. Now a few months ago I would have found it almost impossible to have found the confidence and will to stay away from home for the night and not drink myself into oblivion thinking it was the only way of expressing my emotions and being able to sleep. So I would have made every and any excuse not to do it.

However, with the help and support of friends and medication I have appeared to have made a significant step forward for the better. I still found it hard but pushed the boundary. The results far out way the negative thoughts and feelings I put up in ways of barriers.

Brilliant..and I know it’s arrogant and self centred but well done me and a pat on my back.

Anyone who is in a similar frame of mind should try it once they have truly accepted their mental and physical situation. The benefits are good and full filling.

So I give beer and friends and equal thumbs up and hope to revisit both new and old again.

Cheers.😄🍺👫👬

The word work often gets me thinking and I have looked at this word from many angles and still have no definite opinion.

For most of us it is a necessity rather than a want but what are the alternatives?

I constantly yearn for the day I don’t have to go to work any more but do I?

What would I do without an income?

The harsh reality is that for the majority of people work is a part of life and takes up a vast amount of our time. The pay is rather poor and the tasks often monotonous, draining and pressured. But is does fill the day.

That is very sad. I would love not to work so I could follow my aspirations like cycling, travelling, making things in a shed, walking the dog and meeting up with friends but unfortunately without a lottery win that is a pipe dream.

I think most of us quite like working and the jobs we do but its the amount we are expected to do and the pressures from deadlines, budgets, management, bullies and hours that make something simple so hard.

It all sounds rosy and idyllic not to work or to retire. However, once the jobs that one has saved up have been done, and the novelty has worn off what happens? All too often folk drift into a sedentary life and hanker for something to do and end up either volunteering or going back to work to fill their days and bank balances.

The reality is that we need things to do but most things cost money and that is the elephant in the room that is a constant nag.

I honestly do not know how the professionally unemployed do it. I was out of work for six months or so in the 90’s and it was crap. I filled my days with cycling, walking, running, reading job adds, writing letters and popping into the job centre. They were full on days and had the benefit of getting me fit and active but if it wasn’t for the fact that I was still living at home at the time life would have been a lot different.

Thinking about retirement is good but planning for it is far better. Having contingency plans is a good idea too. For example. I love cycling and walking but these may be physically too much for me so something outside which is less demanding would be a better option like photography, bird-watching or drawing. Learning new skills could be a beneficial addition to one’s life like playing an instrument, writing, pottery or woodworking.

I would hate to think that my days be filled with morning television, going to the pub and then more telly box and bed.

Work also makes us feel needed and a part of the community. It keeps us mentally and physically fit. I cuts boredom and petty crime. It gives us a sense of being.

I guess work is fundamentally good but does it always have to be so hard and punishing? But even that is better than mind numbing boredom.