Monday 11 April 2011

One Week in the Life of a Nobody.

Continuing the theme of 'diaries', one week of my life. (I won't do it regularly, honest!)

Sunday

Harry went home. Harry is a scruffy, very adorable dog, a terrier definitely, whose parents could be Jack Russell, Yorkshire Terrier, Cairn, or similar, take your pick. My wife is a 'dog minder' through a franchise. This entails having dog 'visitors' whilst their owners are on holiday. Great fun in the main and you have the joy of experiencing the idiosyncrasies of various breeds. The last five including Harry have been a Cockapoo (Don't ask), a Staffordshire Terrier, a Miniture Manchester Terrier and a Lhasa Apso. Next weeks visitors are a Whippet and a Bedlingon Terrier.

Monday.

I've started doing reviews for a free paper. It keeps me busy, my wife loves dressing up and 'hob-nobbing! Plus the free tickets are more than welcome. Went to see 'Annie' at the Assembly Rooms. Very impressed, it has a real 'feel good' factor. Su Pollard of Hi-De Hi fame was good but the star was a mere child playing Annie whose singing made an old man almost emotional. 'Almost' as we British men have been taught to keep a stiff upper lip!

A young man squatted in a street, obviously begging but without intimidation as we went on our way to the venue. On our return he was still there. I gave him a little money and we had a brief chat. Jay is twenty six, lives in a squat, his family have disowned him and he obviously has problems. Was I wrong to give him my loose change? I know, I know, he may be telling me 'porkies' but nearly three hours squatting in the same place! That indicates problems are there. 'There but for the grace of God' and all that.

Tuesday, wife dressed up again, another theatre visit in Derby to see Verdict, an Agatha Christie play written in 1958. Not so sure about this one. Full of elderly Agatha Christie fans who hung on every word and nodded knowingly. I too nearly nodded, nodded off I mean. But it livened up second half. It must be me, I'm too young for that sort of stuff. (Peter Byrne of Dixon of Dock Green fame was in the cast and he's eighty three!)

Wednesday

Went to the pub for a change. (not really!) Extraordinarily ordinary except that one thing caught my eye. A family sat nearby, not exactly the creme de la creme. Then again, it's not exactly a posh pub, my local and anyway, who am I to judge, it is the diary of a nobody after all. Although it wasn't that hot 'Father' in the group took off his tee-shirt to reveal only a singlet on top. Why, because he had one hell of a tattoo on his arms and torso. (The funny thing was, exactly what it represented I was not sure. Some descriptive writing would have helped.) But if you're into tattoos, what's the point if you cover them up. The interesting thing was, 'Father' put his tee-shirt back on when they left. I wonder if the family don't have a television at home and watch dad's tattoo instead?

Thursday

The weeks going well. Far too well. The grandchildren, ages nine, seven and two are here for an hour or two. Super children, no angels, all well looked after; well adjusted; well loved. I notice one seems troubled by his hair so I examine it closely. It is shiny and clean, a fact appreciated by all, including the head lice and eggs I encounter. Quick examination reveals the other children have similar visitors. When I was a child after the war it was normal to share everything with your friend at the next desk in school, including both his sandwiches and his nits. In 2011, in a modern, far from bottom end school nothing changes. Our discoveries are commonplace, not the slightest bit unusual, we appear to be going backwards in Britain in the 21st century.

Friday

A 'nothing' day. I spend almost the entire day pottering in the garden. I say 'garden', its really a patio with pots plus a bit of soil round the edges. Not a blade of grass in sight! (My ancient knees are a problem. They're getting on a bit, I've had them since I was a child!) So strenuous gardening is difficult; lots of pots instead. I love it, very English I reckon but I'm far from an expert. Mind you, I'm learning. I buy any bulb that catches my eye (only one eye cos' only one eye works properly, honest!) I plant them, lose the labels or just forget which is which and wait and see what develops. It make gardening much more interesting! At present included are; astilby, nerine, hedichiums and gingers, brugmansia, lycoris, daffodils, tulips and of course musa (banana plants, still indoors which even I can remember).

Not an 'exciting' day but we all need days like that. the sun shone, Spring seems to have arrived. It was a day that suggested it was good to be alive.

Saturday

Football day, Derby County versus Coventry City. My wife and I are season ticket holders and join 25,000 plus people in Pride Park Stadium. My wife, normally very mild and polite shouts continuously at the players and referee throughout the match. It is expensive, we are a poor team, having a poor season but manage to draw 2-2. It wouldn't do for us all, but as the sayings go, 'Whatever turns you on', 'Live and let live' and all that. So endeth the week. My idea of 21st century living. How did your week go? What did you do with your time?

12 comments:

the fly in the web said...

Football brings back memories of my father, whose cries of encouragement of his team included

Kill them and we'll bury them

Referees were brought out in laundry baskets to keep them from the wrath of the mob.

He remembered Old Firm games in the 1920s where one half of the stands resounded to

Hail glorious St, Patrick, dear saint of our isle

while the other end of the ground rejoiced in

Turalura, kick the Pope
We'll tie him up in tarry rope..

The good old days?

quilterliz said...

G'day Ken.What a great week you have had. Full of good things by the sound of it. Take care...

Andy said...

Like the pots Ken and understand your request now, great show of colour.
The thought of the dog sitting appeals too.
Do they still have a Nit Nurse in Schools?
Sounds like a full week, I would have to have a rest after all that.

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

A good bit o'everything including Gardening! I have this yen - you may have noticed a start with my review of Welly Jewell - to do garden reviews of all the bloggers I follow. On the ground. Hah, you may think you are safe from Lady Mondegreen's Kiwi gardener. Well, just make sure your pots are in glorious winter health in December...

Ruthie said...

I love your blog! You follow my dads blog (RJR Daydreamer) please take a look at mine RuthieTootieWishes I'd be honoured! A new follower.

Unknown said...

What an interesting week you've had Ken!

Valerie said...

I can't believe Peter Byrne is 83, seems the years have been going faster than I thought. I like your patio pots very much ... and would very much like to be a dog minder.

John Teal said...

Sounds like a busy week.. As always an enjoyable read.

RJRDaydreamer

Prettypics123 said...

All I have to say is that the week passed too darn fast!!!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good week over all! Nothing like the company of a pooch to either lighten your spirits or remind you why you yourself don't own one! Also - I can't stop laughing at your line, "I wonder if the family don't have a television at home and watch dad's tattoo instead?". I've seen many a macho man do this in hopes to impress the people around him (usually to no avail!). Keep doing what you're doing Ken - you're great at it!

Stranger in a Strange Land said...

Reading about your week made me feel more homesick than ever!
I spent the week trying to chase after my son's passport - sent to Washington to renew with 2 weeks more than the recommended time- We are supposed to fly home to the UK on Thursday. Still no passport and no help from the 69p + VAT per minute UK help line. Officialdom doesn't care!
Love the picture of the pots - reminds me of my Mom's garden x

Eesti said...

Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?