Pens and Pals

Welcome to a strange South Manchester where we are gripped and enthralled by a strange phenomenon. I can see it now – a bizarre bright orange thing in the sky radiating warmth upon us. This is good because I am going to watch cricket today and the forecast is not rain – not one drop.

I may even scare the other cricket spectators by wearing shorts. 

In the meantime, let’s answer some silly questions from Sunday Stealing (even though it is in fact Friday). 

1. Things I would do first if I won a billion dollar lottery

The first thing I would do is organise a round the world trip, first class with the best hotels. I would make notes about my experiences with the aim of writing a massive travelogue. 

Then I would return to Manchester and buy a house or two in Spain, Italy and France.

I would of course make sure friends and family were comfortable and give some money away to charities and worthy causes.

And then I would plan another round the world trip …

2. Something I probably spend too much money on

Holidays I would say. 

During my normal mundane existence, I don’t spend that much money. Of course, I pay bills, buy food, buy clothes etc. but huge purchases are rare. 

Having said that and as I have mentioned before, we are having some work done on the house in the next two months, this involves fixing flooring, new carpets, painting, new desk, new sofas and other bits and bobs and that will cost some money.

But with the prospect of a trip to Malaysia next year as well as a holiday to Italy this year and perhap more, it is definitely holidays.

3. How I feel about the dentist

It is a necessary evil. I am not the biggest fan of the dentist but I go every six months for a visit to the dental hygienist and the dentist himself to make sure that my teeth are not going to all fall out. It is never a pleasant experience but it doesn’t scare me like it scares some people.

Here is a post I have written on the subject.

Fear (Part Four – The Dentist) 

4. Foods I am most picky about

I am slightly picky about bananas. They have to be perfect without even one blemish and also they are better if there is a slight amount of green on them. Anything else and I will not eat them. I was horrified by a guy I used to work with who would leave them until they were brown before eating them. YEEEUUUCCCHHHH!!!!

I am a little picky about certain vegetables too. I have to be in the mood to eat courgettes (zucchini in American) and I will only eat sweet potato if it is fried like chips. I only eat parsnips at Christmas and even then I am not too keen on them.

Cheese I love but I am not keen on any that contain blue veins – like stilton. Yet, bizarrely, I love blue cheese sauce.

Go figure.

5. Internet friends / penpals I want to visit in person

Every single one of you. 

I have met two readers of my blog and they are as great in person as they are in blogland. 

So beware – if I am visiting your country or city, I will be on the lookout for all of you.

6. My healthiest habits

I walk every morning, usually a distance of about four miles. My current average number of steps for this year so far is 8843 (4.36 miles per day) which, if I maintain it, will mean I have walked almost 1600 miles this year. What a geek I am.

On schooldays, I eat very healthily. I have fruit for breakfast and a salad for lunch. 

If I have the choice of walking I will usually do so rather than going in the car. I will always try to use the stairs instead of a lift. 

I have been tempted to start running again (I haven’t done so for years) and my next door neighbour thinks perhaps I should. But at the age of 60 I think I prefer just to walk. I have run in the past and I know that it can put a strain on knee-joints and hips. I'm happy to walk.

7. Easiest, low effort foods and snacks for busy days

I have a problem. If there are crisps, cakes or anything unhealthy in the house then I will be drawn to them like the proverbial moth to the flame. Mrs PM is the same and that’s why we try not to buy such things apart from for special treats or occasions.

What we do buy, snack wise, is fried fruit and nuts (usually flame raisins and almonds) and we both love cheese so cheese and biscuits is something we have fairly often. 

For busy days, a sandwich (or “butty” as we call them in Manchester) is a good low effort snack that we probably have most of all.

8. Where I go in summer to unwind

Abroad. As regular readers will know, I love travelling and try to go abroad as often as time, work leave and money will allow. 

That said, I also like to travel in the UK too. Next week, for example, we are travelling to London primarily to see the recent Abba concert but also to meet an old friend who lives there and do some sight-seeing if we have time. 

Also, watching cricket is a good way to relax and that is exactly what I am doing today.

9. My comfort books, tv shows, and movies

Comfort books? Whatever novel I am currently reading. I have just finished a trilogy of horror stories, something I have read less and less over the years. It is a genre I have missed and I will have to explore the subject again. And yes, I realise, dear reader, that finding comfort in reading stories designed to scare people to death does sound weird. But if you haven’t already noticed, I am a weird person.

Comfort TV shows? It has to be a bit of comedy. I love a stand up show or a funny comedy show, particularly an old one. For example, we are currently watching reruns of Frasier, one of my favourite US sitcoms, but I will also watch things like Blackadder, Red Dwarf, Bottom or other decent British comedies that make me laugh.

Comfort Movies? Anything where I can turn my brain off and enjoy them. I love action movies like the Mission Impossible series, any super hero movie, a decent science fiction movie or, as I hinted above, a great comedy film.

10. A list of good things

Mrs PM, music, football, anything that makes me laugh, friends, family, beer, travel, a good book, a sunrise or a sunset over a calm sea, a weird looking sky, my cats, pubs, sleep, a nice cuppa, a lovely meal, a walk in the countryside, a walk through a strange new city, a walk on the beach, writing this blog, reading anything, a strong breeze on a sunny day, a good wine, a sunny summer day in England, people who think they are boring but are in fact the exact opposite, a rock concert, Manchester, writing generally, Walsall winning a game and so on.

There are far too many good things to list on a blog like this.

11. Favourite places to take photos

I love taking photos of sunsets and sunrises even in places like Manchester where (as I hinted above) sometimes the sun hides behind clouds. Here is a Manchester sunrise taken earlier this year at about 6:30 am.

And here is a sunset in Tenerife taken in February this year:

12. The routines and habits I stick to most

I have a set of what I call “daily duties” which I try to perform every single day:

Read something – anything. I tend to split my time between a novel and a book that is out of my comfort zone (usually non-fiction).

Write something - anything. I have a junk journal in which I write every day and is usually in the form of freewriting, which is basically just writing anything, whether it be brilliant (which it isn’t) or most likely just inane thoughts and bullshit. Either way it works for me. But I will never let anyone read it because it is absolutely rubbish.

Learn Spanish. I have been trying to teach myself Spanish for a few years now and I try to practice every single day. It has helped and I feel comfortable trying to communicate my needs in Spanish speaking countries.

Play piano. Playing piano is difficult – very difficult – but if somebody asked my to play a little tune – I can actually do it – as long as I have played the tune before and vaguely got it right. I am playing very simple tunes from a teach yourself book. I can play this believe it or not (this isn't me by the way):

13. Topics I’d love to learn more about

I would love to learn more about playing a keyboard instrument (as I said above). My aim is too eventually buy a synthesiser and explore the weird and wonderful realms of electronic music. I think it will be a good retirement hobby.

I am also a science geek and I am fascinated by anything to do with the universe, planets, the big bang etc. Another potential topic for study when I retire.

There are many more.

14. This time last year ...

I went for a meal with my eldest son and his girlfriend and was looking forward to a cricket match at the weekend. 

15. Favourite memories of someone I’ve lost

I lost my sister two years ago. She was two years younger than me and was taken so suddenly. 

She was clever and witty and brutally honest with me. If I were doing something daft or stupid she would be the one to tell me in no uncertain terms that I was an idiot. She lived in Walsall but we would talk for hours on the phone, trying to sort out the world’s problems. I am certain that if she and I had taken over the world together as joint rulers, planet Earth would be in a much better state. 

And she loved to tell stories about me in front of people; as a world leader I would have been at her mercy.

I miss her.