iro-iro

I have just pinched this post title from my friend in Tokyo.  It means "various" in Japanese.
Well it's obvious I didn't follow the advice in my last post. You must be thinking I have pressed the pause button.  Actuallly there have been a series of diversions from the norm!  I had a rather painful session at the Eye Hospital and for three days this week I have been feeling like death.  However today I only feel half dead so I must be recovering.  (My Scottish neighbour once said to his doctor "Oh Doctor I'm near dead".To which the doctor unsympathetically replied  "You are the liveliest looking corpse I've seen today".) To continue - the house has been swarming with workmen cutting off the electricity among other things so no computering.
The fridge freezer episode turned out to be a case of serendipity, a happy accident.  As well as having a lovely new fridge freezer my kitchen has been much improved and reorganised by Amanda and our clever builder friend. The electricity is now back on .  Yesterday it was a case of keeping on the move to keep warm!  The weather today is very cold but bright.

In March I have lived in Hove for 7 years.  Amazing where the time has gone.  It was a wise move of Mike and Don's although I hadn't contemplated living here without Don who died only two months after we moved. One never knows what surprises, nice or nasty, life has in store.

The Thief of Time

As age and lethargy overtake me I think procrastination is my worst sin.  I am forever putting things off until tomorrow.  I have just read some good advice.
1.   Do it now.
2.   No delay is the best way.
3.   Do that chore every day  (except Sundays.)
4.   Write down somewhere  "At the  end of today I will have done .........
5.   Assemble all the tools or ingredients needed to do the job.  You really can't put them all back unused.
Well I have read the advice.  I'll start tomorrow.  Oh no! that's Sunday.  I'll start on Monday.

Music Practice

My son tells me that my nine year old grandson is doing well with his violin lessons.  My daughter learned to play the violin at about the same age and went on to join a Youth Orchestra and to play for the Folkestone Folk Dancers.When I lived in Sandgate in Kent a ceremony was held every Armistice Day at the War Memorial at the bottom of our road.  After an abbreviated morning service at the Parish church the congregation would process to the Memorial led by the Vicar and choir.  Following them were the churchwardens and sidesmen, of whom Don was one, then the members of the British Legion, the Scouts and Cubs and my Guides and Brownies. We would be joined by members of the Congregational church and local people.  The Vicar would hold a short service and after a hymn the Last Post would be played, somewhat tremulously by George, a Boy Scout.  The point of this story is that George , for a few days at the beginning of November,  would go into the woods behind our house and practise his piece on the bugle. A learner on the musical instrument is not always the most popular member of family and neighbours.  Don was heard to say to our daughter " Very nice,  dear. Why don't you go up in the woods and practise with George?".

Black Wednesday

I woke this morning to find my fridge freezer was not working.  Oh calamity!  All my frozen food was awash.   It all had to be thrown away.  To one of the wartime generation this was a disaster.  To waste food was the eighth deadly sin.  However as I had inherited this fridge from my daughter and it was nearly 20 years old I suppose I shouldn't grumble.  Look on the bright side.  I shall now have a new fridge freezer that does not need that wearisome chore of defrosting.

Modern Marriage

It used to be said that marriages were made in heaven. Nowadays it would appear that it is not the angels who decide who shall marry who but the computer.Apparently a girl seeking a husband no longer follows Jane Austen's advice and looks for a young man with a good income who is in need of a wife.  Instead she feeds the details into a computer of what she has to offer as a wife and what she requires of a husband in return.  Some wizard at Microsoft or wherever presses a few buttons and Hey Presto! out come the details of exactly the right man with all the attributes she specified.  If she is really picky she can have another go.
In former days consanquinity was the most likely way to find a marriage partner.  In an earlier post I said I had found that one either married a neighbour, a school fellow, a work colleague or someone  met at church or a social gathering such as a dance or tennis club.. I wonder how much more successful are marriages arranged by a computer.  In my opinion any marriage needs a great deal of tolerance, give and take and a shared sense of humour to succeed.