They say variety is the spice of life; I tend to agree and this week has included some fun. It has also included a lunch invitation, still plotting our new-look bedroom and loving the mellow, misty mornings as the first hint of Autumn arrives.
On Monday my mother finished her little stay with us and headed home, just in time for me to get ready for a lunch invitation. You see I had been invited to a Probus lunch. I was thinking Probus was a new step for me as, when I worked for the jolly old Probation Service, I had been invited to give a couple of after dinner speeches. They might have been Probus, although I think one was the Lions and the other a Rotary Club.
Either way they are pretty much the same. You make sure you’re smart: this involves me making an effort to wear a tie and generally spruce myself a bit. Then you arrive, shake a million hands and get seated for dinner, hoping the “I’m vegetarian” message got through. After the meal, I’m introduced and then I wax lyrical to an audience of 30-50 nodding grey haired heads. At the end they clap, politely ask a few tricky questions and I shake a million hands once again as I gradually ease myself out of the door before the brandy and cigars start.
The Probus meal had many of these ingredients, although I was a guest and potential member. Interestingly another chap had been officially welcomed into membership while I was there (a bit like church I suppose, but without the prayers). He was photographed receiving the official tie, collar pin, a handbook and given an invite to the Christmas lunch. Now that would be jumping ahead for me by rather a long way.
I was invited by a chap who I’m friendly with and like a great deal. He’s recently lost his wife and I think values the fellowship a club like Probus can bring. He’s a little older than me but I’d say the average age of the other members was considerably older. As for the other members, all grey, each wearing the regulation tie except, that is, the lone woman in the group and me. Apparently they felt obliged to admit women a few years back and they say it has been a positive move.
So I had my vegetarian bangers and mash followed by a high cholesterol serving of cheese and biscuits. The conversation was pleasant and very convivial as the four of us, on our socially distance table, got to know each other. Afterwards there was a raffle and I won a book (the odds of winning something were pretty good with all four of us winning something). Afterwards there was a talk by a local historian which got a lot of people really excited.
I came away with mixed feelings and an invitation to go back for another trial meal in October. They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so we’ll see where this leads, if anywhere at all.
Later that day Rachel and I headed down to the south coast to stay with Hannah. All I can say is I’m getting too old for sleeping on a sofa! I found it hard to fall asleep there, although just as I drifted off I did manage to roll off onto the floor! The following day we were up bright and early for the three of us to head to the Southampton Boat Show. As you can see from the above photo, we had a blast around The Solent in a rib – terrific fun!
The rest of the time we sauntered around. I drank lots of coffee, eat some street food and Hannah talked sailing with various people. There was clearly a lot of wining and dining going on as millionaires were being schmoozed into buying a modest super-yacht. Now I know it is a case of “if you need to ask the price, you can’t afford it” but these floating gin palaces can easily set you back a million or more. C’mon peeps, there are people starving and homeless out there and you’re buying a super-yacht?
Moving on, a couple of 5k runs this week. I know I need to do this, for my health and my sanity. But I do have a niggly problem in my right foot. It has been bugging me for a few months now and I have been assuming it is an inflamed tendon. Now having learned a little more about my kidney condition (in a rather stark letter from a Doctor) it might be a related bone problem. Nevertheless I did enjoy the Dunstable Downs Parkrun and being able to catch up with some friends afterwards.
I enjoyed playing a part in an online AGM of a charity I’m involved with and apparently I’m now a volunteer driver of an “ambulance” in the village. I haven’t actually seen said ambulance but from the descriptive phone conversation, I’d say it is more of a mini bus, thankfully.
Bedroom wise, things had stalled. We might well have new curtains, nicely painted walls, a cannily repaired ceiling, bare floor boards, a partly dismantled walnut wardrobe and a new bed, but things had ground to a halt. The good news is we have now decided on the furniture – wardrobe, drawers etc and a new carpet is being fitted next week – yay!
So all in all, a good week.