Busy day

I seem to be having a busy day today. It’s only 10am & yet I’ve already done this week’s ironing. I’ve also sorted out the beef ready for tonight’s dinner. The Fox is stir-frying again so I’ve been cutting some steak into strips ready to go into the marinade for velvetting before frying into the wok. The rest of the steak has been divided into appropriate portions & put into the freezer for another day. The Fox is hoping to do another beef stir fry next week. I’ve also found a nice looking bottle of shiraz to accompany the meal.

Now I’m here. First thing is to catch up on my freezer list, adding the steak I’ve just put in the freezer. Now it’s this quick blog.

Later on it will be the hospital yet again. Then after we get home the Fox has to go to the surgery for a blood-let yet again.

Yesterday we got to the library. Among other things I got out a guide book on Belgium. On our holiday in Bardolino this year, we met some lovely people from Antwerp. I felt ashamed I couldn’t enthuse over their country as they did ours. They’d been to see the Beatle tourist trail – they’re great fans of the Beatles - in Liverpool & to visit Manchester United stadium & museum. One of them was Dutch so we could at least enthuse about our visits to his country.

Last night we looked at some of the pictures of Antwerp & area. It looks fabulous. It confirms my impression it would be an interesting place to visit in 2019. Hopefully that’s what we will do.

The Belgians we met this year regularly visit this same hotel in September. We’re tempted to go again at the same time. It would be nice to say we’d visit their country if we see them again. Our conversations, though, I think will have to continue to be in English. French we might have managed, but Flemish, which is their language sounds too Dutch for us. We may gain a few words but that would be it.

Getting ready, or not

It is with some relief that we realise that next week will be our last week of thrice weekly trips into the hospital. We’re both pretty exhausted.

I seem to be doing better now. That one night of decent sleep has done much to restore me. The Fox, though, has been trying to do extra to spare me, with the result he’s even more tired. We’re contemplating a few days away at the end of it all, just to recover. Hopefully a few days of sleep away from our daily worries & chores as much as anything else. We’ve yet to decide where or arrange anything.

Meanwhile Christmas seems to be dominating the scene around here.

On the way back from the hospital last week, we noticed an enormous inflated Santa. When we got nearer we discovered he was accompanied by other Santas, one almost as tall as the two storey house it leaned against. Others climbed the roof. Reindeer framed windows. Snowmen bounced around. All a bit over the top.

This week we noticed the huge Santa was gone. The inflatables had thinned out. We later learnt it was the result of vandalism. I have to confess I’d had the urge to find a huge hat pin & prick the lot. Some teenagers had not shown my restraint. The inflatables are already beginning to proliferate.

Since then I’ve noticed more & more houses have their Christmas trees up. The golf club & local pub are both disappearing under garlands, twinkling lights & glittery balls. I can understand commercial businesses, shops and the like, feeling the need to start early & hopefully get people into the Christmas spirit & splashing out. Private homes are another thing. We’re still in December. It’s not even Advent, let alone Christmas. It will be a while before we start decorating the house.

Keeping young

I’m coming to the conclusion that looking forward is what keeps you young.

Some of our friends are older than us, many in their 70s, some nearer their 80s or even 90s. Those who seem vital in life, regardless of years, are also those who have an interest in today & the future, who don’t live on a diet of daytime TV.

Admittedly what they are interested in varies. Some are crossword enthusiasts. Some pursue sport with a passion, watching on TV if not able any longer to physically pursue their passion. Some are into computing & photography. All are keen to learn new things about their passion.

So it is I hear with relish that the Fox is keen to find out about some Italian history after our visit to Lake Garda.

I find if I’m on my own, I tend to gravitate to the history programmes on the TV. I also tend to read a lot of historical novels as an easy way to discover some history. I love my jigsaws, particularly those of paintings. In the process of making up the jigsaw I become aware of the way the artist composes his picture & uses his brush/palette knife.

Our holidays always involve visiting museums, galleries, old houses etc. We hope to come away with a feel of the country, culture & few words of the language of the country. We always want to discover something new.

Some of our friends, even those younger than us, seem to only look back. It’s as though their best of life is gone. Now they just exist. These are the people who seem old, regardless of years.

It’s important to exercise those little grey cells a bit. I know life can be difficult. Health, & events – one set of friends lost their teenage son in a motor accident – do intervene but it is essential to keep an interest in things of today & tomorrow, to want to find out new things, even if health & energy mean it is only actively pursued in small doses, from time to time. That interest is what keeps you going, keeps you alive & interesting to others, keeps you young.