Thursday 23 November 2017

Wow a real rockin'n'rollin tonight

Getting a little in front of myself as I still have plenty to blog about to getup to date. However I am on the boat now and Percy is riding our quite a storm. The boat is rocking and rolling - so much Leia is getting a little scared and has adopted her 'under my feet' location.

The last storm that blew through brought down part of the Willow tree between Percy and Sam's mooring.



Well C&RT have been down and removed the tree completely... plus a few others. Made a bit of a mess if truth be told but it could have been worse if my neighbour Mandy  had not helped move the boat and more importantly re secure the boat. 

This is the view now...



That was last night, today being retired and close to the NEC I went to the Motorcycle live show.... disappointed to be honest. Nothing there to compare with my now lost to me Honda ST1300. Closest was the BMW RT1200 or maybe for something lighter the BMW F800gt..... well I do have a little time to test ride the replacement. 


Tuesday 14 November 2017

The missing activities

This retirement lark is quite tiring and I don't think I have been so enjoyably busy for such a long time. Best job I've ever had !

Q.  Do I miss work ?
A. Not for one moment and I really do mean that.

Many I spoke to told me retirement was great but did have that wistful look. I think it is all about having

  1. Hobbies
  2. Ability to do stuff
  3. Fitness to do stuff
  4. Money to do stuff (not as important as you might think)
I am a serial hobbyist and wanna be fixer. I see the cerebral challenge as well as the time and project planning  of working out how to fix, mend and improve as well as  acquire things. It is a singular joy to have the time to do all the above and not have anything niggling in the back of your mind. 

I am even enjoying being the home keeper - cook and cleaner. I can do it my way and it helps Rachel as she can relax a bit more when home from what is undoubtedly a stressful and challenging job.

So  - I'll not detail all I have been up to, for my diary as this blog is I'll drop in the bits along the line to hopefully catch up. I use my Photo library as the reminders of what and where I have been - it's very useful for that.

After we (I) returned from the retirement cruise(ette) family was visited - here is the future Mr Wells ... I was the only son of an only son of an only son - I have two sons and this little fella is the custodian of the Wells surname for the future - Good lad  

Time allows my vehicles to get some TLC - this is my 650 Honda after its clean. The cars are getting done once again by me. I even had the chance to polish the cars headlights to get it through the MOT - more of that later....



Every time we go into the garden down south this little bird appears.


Walking is a simple pleasure that is free and saved gym membership and the views are so much better. I have a staple pack of a flask of tea and cheese sarnie.... This was a beautiful walk 10th October stopped and diverted by a field full of cows a bull and lots of calves  - experience says with a dog, avoid.


The pig farmer had moved his pigs across into the fields nearer the church - they are less interested but also behind electric fences and off the footpath.


Lots of empty countryside especially during the week - all to myself !


Ok, back a few days to a great trip early October with good friends who I ride motorbikes with in the south. It was to Bovington tank museum and then to Yeovil Fleet arm museum. This was over a few days and we started with a visit to Clouds Hill, the retreat of T.E. Lawrence, the person who Lawrence of Arabia was based on.  Most met at Loomies cafe for the obligatory full English  breakfast.




Also the church where TE Lawrances' funeral service was held and he was buried nearby.



On our way to the tank museum  - this is Dorchester, very pretty but ruined by traffic


Reminded me of my action man tank 


 This is the tank used in the film Fury  - good film IMHO


 The group shot - good men all of them 


The Fleet arm museum was better than the tank museum for me - but I like flying things. No need to introduce this plane - it was interesting to walk inside and feel how small it was.



More trips been had and accounts will follow....