InThe Summertime Again

Welcome to South Manchester on a sunny summer’s day. The weather seems to be improving now – let’s hope it stays that way.

Shall we answer some silly Sunday Stealing questions? 

1. What are your plans for August

I have quite a busy August. First I will be doing a “Real Ale trail” with a couple of mates. This involves catching a fast train directly to Huddersfield, a town that is just over the Pennines in Yorkshire, before catching a slower return train that stops at a couple of the stations back to Manchester where we will stop off in a local pub and have a pint before catching the next one. Some of the places are scenic little villages surrounded by hills and lovely countryside. It will be fun.

We’re also going to Nice in France for four days around Mrs PM’s birthday to just take in the beauty of the French Riviera and relax by the sea. We are staying in the old town and will almost certainly venture out of the city, perhaps to Cannes or Monte Carlo on the small state of Monaco. 

I will be going to a cricket match too, a test match between England and Sri Lanka, as well as seeing the band New Order. 

Finally I am going to a tribute band festival in Prestwich, North Manchester, where I will see tributes to bands like Rush, Ghost, Metallica, AC/DC and Metallica.

2. Your mid-year resolutions or goals

They are pretty much the same as they were back in January and still on track. My goals are linked to my resolutions and the big one this year was retirement, which is happening in about a month and a half. I need to start considering what I will aim to achieve in 2025 soon; I might just wait until I actually retire before doing that. 

3. Are you good at taking care of plants

I would say I’m average. I have inadvertently killed a couple over the years but others have thrived. 

4. What makes you feel nourished

Food. How else can I answer that?

5. Which animals do you see most in your area

There are quite a few dogs and cats but there are also loads of different types of birds and I also see the occasional urban fox and lots of grey squirrels. 

6. Books on your summer reading list

I have a couple of Dean Koontz novels waiting to be read as well as a couple of sci-fi thrillers. I will get through a couple when I go to Nice that’s for sure. 

7. Projects you want to tackle this summer

Nothing in particular leaps to mind. I had a massive reorganisation earlier in the year and I think that’s enough. I like to relax in the summertime. 

8. Do you have weddings, graduations, summer celebrations

Nothing coming up this year, although I did go to a friend’s wedding last month. My eldest son is getting married in just over a year’s time.

9. Which summer snacks are you excited to enjoy again

I eat pretty much the same all year round, but in the summer perhaps I will have some ice cream as a treat. 

10. How much time do you like to take for vacations

As much as life allows me. Sadly there are constraints that limit my time, like work (although that constraint will be lifted when I retire). Money is also an issue of course but I will be happy to spend as much as I can on such things. Mrs PM will be another constraint (and I mean that in a nice way) because she is younger than me and has no plans to retire for at least another five or six years. Cats are also a constraint because I can’t just leave them for ages. Such constraints are a good thing though really because if I didn’t have them I would bever be in the UK – and I love it here. England is my home and I always look forward to coming back. Moreover it makes holidays that much more special when you actually take them. 

11. Where are your favourite picnic locations

I don’t really do picnics but if I were to have one I would choose, a beach or a lakeside or riverside in the country.

12. Something that would be out of character for you

Being nasty. I don’t bear grudges and I don’t like people who are nasty generally. I have lost my temper once or twice but I try not to do so. Even if somebody is nasty to me, I find it hard to retaliate because such things can escalate and people end up saying and doing things they regret. I am more likely to walk away and avoid such people. 

13. Which summer movies are you excited to see

I am planning to see Deadpool and Wolverine next week. I enjoy the Deadpool movies because they are funny and violent and this one promises to be the best of all of them. 

14. Your favourite free / cost effective ways to have fun

Manchester is a great place to have free fun. I can easily get to the city centre if I want to see a museum or two and I am close enough to the countryside to be able to go for a lovely walk, if I choose. 

15. Who do you trust most to house & pet sit

We have a Russian cat-sitter who doubles as a house sitter. We’ve known her for about three years and she loves the cats. When we are away, she comes in twice a day and feeds the cats but also stays with them for a while to keep them company, as well as making sure that the house is safe. She has lived in the UK for many years but she still has a Russian accent and to hear her talking to the cats is very funny, especially when she sometimes slips back into Russian. She films them on her phone and sends the videos via WhatsApp so that we can see them while we are away, which puts Mrs PM’s mind to rest. It works really well for us. She is a cat lover of course and she has a beautiful cat of her own.