Compassion Int'l

Welcome to a cool and mild South Manchester with light clouds but sadly no sunshine. We just had a few days in Tenerife where the temperature was about 20 degrees Celsius during the day but a little chilly at night. It was like a lovely sunny British day, even with a little rain at times. I managed to practice my limited Spanish and it was fun.

Shall we answer some daft questions from Sunday Stealing? 

1. Do you ever have funny dreams at night? 

I don’t have funny dreams, as in amusing but I do have strange dreams that make me wake up thinking “What on earth is going on in my mind?”. I wouldn’t mind if they were troubling dreams – they’re not – they are just strange. Perhaps I should write them down and send them off to a dream analyser or a psychiatrist/therapist and see what they make of them. On second thoughts, perhaps not because I may end up spending the rest of my life in a lunatic asylum.

2. If you could make a law for your country, what would it be?

I would force us to rejoin the EU (if they would have us back) and exile all the über-Brexiters like Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson etc. to a remote island in North Scotland.

3. What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

I would probably spend the whole day getting free entrance into huge events like a football match or a rock concert and go behind the scenes to witness the action close up. I’m not a malicious person so I wouldn’t do any harm or do anything naughtier than that. 

4. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?

I would be Rishi Sunak and my first activity would be to resign and call a General Election.

5. What would you like to change about yourself?

I wouldn’t mind changing my body to be the one I had at 21.

6. What is your daily routine.

It depends on the day. 

On a school day, I get up and immediately go for a four mile walk. I return, have a shower and then start work (usually between 7am and 7:30). I stop and have lunch with Mrs at about 12:30 (we both work at home – except Tuesday when I tend to pop into the office). I watch the news headlines at 1pm and then return to work until about 4pm. I then practice piano, do a little Spanish, a little writing and tend to spend the evening mooching and watching TV.

On a Friday or weekend, I don’t set the alarm but I go for a four to five mile walk. And then it depends on what I have planned for the day. I usually go to bed later (around midnight). 

7. What would your perfect day be like? What would you be doing?

I would be abroad and I would like to delve into the local culture walking around visiting things for most of the day with a little relaxation before enjoying an evening with Mrs PM. But it depends on where we are. For  example in Tenerife, we tended to go for big walks along the coast, stopping off for coffees and perhaps a cheeky beer before relaxing by the pool with a good book and some music. In a foreign city we usually walk a lot further and spend most of the day exploring rather than relaxing.

8. How old were you when you learned to read?

I was probably about four or five years old I think. 

9. What is the most interesting thing you know?

Interesting to me or interesting to you? 

If you are not a mathematician I can prove:

(a) 1=0

(b) In a race between a hare and a tortoise where the hare can run twice as fast as the tortoise, the hare will never win.

Obviously, if you are a degree educated mathematician you will easily disprove both, but if you are not, I can convince you of both.

Also, the world’s first stored-program electronic digital computer was designed and built in Manchester, my adopted home.

10 What makes you nervous?

Lots of things. I usually get over them though.

11. What is your favourite flower?

I don’t really have a favourite flower – maybe a rose? I can tell you a flower that I hate – sunflowers. They’re like triffids with heads.

12. Have you ever ridden on a horse or any other animal?

I haven’t ridden on a proper full sized horse, but I have been on a couple of small horses and donkeys.

13. What time do you go to bed?

Sunday to Wednesday I am usually in bed between 9:30pm and 10pm. 

On Thursday I usually go to bed at about 11pm.

On Friday and Saturday bedtime is usually after midnight but usually before 1am.

14. What time do you get up?

Monday to Thursday I am up at 6am.

Friday I usually get up at about 7:30 am.

On Saturday and Sunday, I am usually up by 9am.

15. What is something that is always in your refrigerator?

Cheese – of course.