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Today I have mainly been v3

Jamie said:
Morning out in Newark for an open day at the new Newark Air and Space Institute, the college the boy has bet all his eggs on for a commercial pilot course. Lovely new building, one hall containing a whole Airbus A318 (minus most of the wings).

He started his GCSE's on Friday. Yesterday I went to Morrisons and looked at the nursery over the fence he used to go to many years ago, when we lived nearby. I recall how I used to pick him up after a long day at work, and him always asking if we can go to the park, so how could I say no. Where did all those years go, it's all a blur?
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I wish him all the best for the exams and future career.

A friend decided on a career change at 40 and qualified as a commercial pilot. Not quite the stretch you imagine, he was flying in gliders before he was born! Solo at 16 eventually a PPL. He now flies fixed wing air ambulances for the Scottish Ambulance Service. We all wished him luck on the appointment with the proviso that we hoped we wouldn't be his passenger anytime soon.
 
Afternoon in Kensington Gardens, such a lovely spot. Then dinner at our second favourite Chelski restaurant, Le Colombier.
 
Just been sitting in the hotel bar in Tenerife thinking it's full of "auld folk" then remembered I'll be 68 in 2 weeks.

Also contemplating that next week marks the point where I become older than both my wife and my father who shared a birthday and both passed away in their 68th year. Both taken too soon, Heather with lung cancer and dad from an aortic aneurysm. As it happens I was alone with both of them as they took their last breaths. Dad by chance and for Heather what she would have wanted.

I've never smoked and had the AAA screening so should hopefully avoid both of those fates.

Being on holiday has given me loads of time for reflection. I sometimes wonder what Heather would be doing if she had survived me. I suspect she would have moved to a smaller house with a smaller garden (I have considered this but the house is in a nice part of town and conveniently located and being detached I don't have to worry about my music affecting neighbours). She might be going on holidays with some of her friends. Women often have a different type of friendship that makes that easier.

I don't really have anyone I think could share a holiday with at the moment. I will really need to explore options which involve traveling in a group. Yesterday I went on a stargazing event and spent more time speaking than I had over the previous 5 days. I've always been socially inept and find many things difficult. A bar is really an alien environment for me, I have no interest in sport or many typical male interests, striking up a conversation with a stranger is very difficult.

Heather as a primary teacher recognised a degree of autism in me, as a youngster I found it much easier to be in adult company. How we got together I don't know. Well I do, she certainly made the running, all I had to do was follow her lead which I did very willingly. Our relationship revolved round each other, very much on a one to one basis rather than being part of social group, which life easier for me. I was amazed how intense our relationship became in such a short time. Having only had one "maybe" girlfriend before it was new world for me.

Sorry for the rambling post. It's been a while since I really had time think things through.
 
cctaylor said:
Just been sitting in the hotel bar in Tenerife thinking it's full of "auld folk" then remembered I'll be 68 in 2 weeks.

Also contemplating that next week marks the point where I become older than both my wife and my father who shared a birthday and both passed away in their 68th year. Both taken too soon, Heather with lung cancer and dad from an aortic aneurysm. As it happens I was alone with both of them as they took their last breaths. Dad by chance and for Heather what she would have wanted.

I've never smoked and had the AAA screening so should hopefully avoid both of those fates.

Being on holiday has given me loads of time for reflection. I sometimes wonder what Heather would be doing if she had survived me. I suspect she would have moved to a smaller house with a smaller garden (I have considered this but the house is in a nice part of town and conveniently located and being detached I don't have to worry about my music affecting neighbours). She might be going on holidays with some of her friends. Women often have a different type of friendship that makes that easier.

I don't really have anyone I think could share a holiday with at the moment. I will really need to explore options which involve traveling in a group. Yesterday I went on a stargazing event and spent more time speaking than I had over the previous 5 days. I've always been socially inept and find many things difficult. A bar is really an alien environment for me, I have no interest in sport or many typical male interests, striking up a conversation with a stranger is very difficult.

Heather as a primary teacher recognised a degree of autism in me, as a youngster I found it much easier to be in adult company. How we got together I don't know. Well I do, she certainly made the running, all I had to do was follow her lead which I did very willingly. Our relationship revolved round each other, very much on a one to one basis rather than being part of social group, which life easier for me. I was amazed how intense our relationship became in such a short time. Having only had one "maybe" girlfriend before it was new world for me.

Sorry for the rambling post. It's been a while since I really had time think things through.
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I can’t manage much exercise due to heart conditions. But I walk my and sometimes, others dogs. It got me into the habit of frequenting the same places at similar times on a regular basis. Not religiously, just often enough to see the same folk repeatedly. I now know many, many faces and lots of names. Coffee stops are rarely solo affairs. Outside is best by far. It surprised me how many folk are eager to chat as life slows down and it isn’t all blokey banter!

I even do it when I’m away now, see if I can “fast track” friendly encounters. My family commitments take me and the dog to their places now and again where we end up with plenty of downtime.

The very worst that happens is getting blanked or them not getting the funny observation you make. But they were a stranger anyway!
 
lounging around, thinking hard about putting up a shelf to rearrange some lego. Thinking hard about removing an unwanted gate post.

We will walk to town soon to pick up some supplies from the Indian Supermarket.
 
walked to town, shopped in the Indian supermarket - some spices, split moong, stone flower, fresh curry leaves, Indian bay leaves and some bitter gourd for a side dish with the fish curry to night.

took the long route, walking past the site of a few long gone town centre pubs pubs. Including Cat and Fiddle. When I last went in there, some bloke left his sawn off shotgun on the pool table marking his reservation of the table for night.

Now sat in the 'spoons garden
 
Interesting start to the day. En route to Refrotech via M40, before 7 am. Not hanging about but, just approaching the Silverstone turn off and see a car in the rear view approaching quickly but something didn't look right. Appeared to be slightly unstable.......

Red Audi A3. Passed me at an easy 100 + but then started weaving, one lane to another. Next thing, straight into central crash barrier, bounced off, spinning and up the bank to the left, back onto hard shoulder and carried on driving, albeit slower, with a rather crumpled Audi and a youngish driver. Form your own theories......

Called police who were unimpressive. The control room lady was useless but said she will pass on the details to cars in area (if there were any) and highways guys. They rang me back to ask exactly the same question. Jeez.
 
Jubal said:
The very worst that happens is getting blanked or them not getting the funny observation you make. But they were a stranger anyway!
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I'm so glad you are able to do this.

I however, have 60 plus years experience of not really feeling comfortable in initiating conversations. I'm often socially clumsy in a group.

Even at primary school (a rural school with about 90 pupils) I didn't fit in well.

The relationship with Heather started rather by chance. Had we not both been helping the youth theatre group, a few months later the group was asked to reprise the production at Eden Court Theatre. Heather ended up sitting next to me at the Eden Court stage managers desk and I ended up getting a recent bad experience with a school visit to our farm off my chest. I'm not sure if Heather would have made a move anyway. I know when we're setting up the stage she was quizzing a mutual friend about me. (She was told "he's a fine lad")

There was clearly a mutual attraction, our relationship was very self contained, not having any reliance on other social groups. We very rarely went out other than as a couple.
 
cctaylor said:
I've always been socially inept and find many things difficult. A bar is really an alien environment for me, I have no interest in sport or many typical male interests, striking up a conversation with a stranger is very difficult.
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FWIW when we met last year I found you very easy and enjoyable to chat to and wasn’t aware of any awkwardness in our conversation. If you were making a huge effort, it didn’t show at all!
 
Marchbanks said:
FWIW when we met last year I found you very easy and enjoyable to chat to and wasn’t aware of any awkwardness in our conversation. If you were making a huge effort, it didn’t show at all!
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I did think about our meeting last year. Strangely the pfm connection meant you weren't a complete stranger in my head. The meeting if remember correctly was also your suggestion. I can be brave at times but preparation time helps. You were very easy to talk to and we had plenty in common.

On the other hand @Jubal 's remarks applied: if it didn't work out no harm done.

From our first conversation, it took a month before Heather and I had our first night out. She wrote me after 2 weeks to arrange a visit to the farm to check it out for a school trip, I really think she was checking out the farmer! During the visit I suggested going to the pictures the following Friday. I was worried about maintaining a conversation for an evening and at worst I'd get to see Crocodile Dundee and I wouldn't see her again! However, Friday went so well we agreed to meet again on Saturday night! The following Wednesday was her birthday so we met up again!

You can see that spontaneous action didn't really play apart other than suggesting Crocodile Dundee!

In less than 5 months we were to all intents engaged having spent a week feeling totally comfortable together in Peebles and York.
 
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