Get A Job ... Monday 6th – Friday 10th Jan

GET A JOB. I know it’s a bit of a shocking way to start the New Year, but it is my one and only New Year’s resolution. I’m not being specific about the role, the money or even the timing. It is just a generic, get a job call. After all the kids are getting older and Mrs P is getting a bit fed up with me being at home all the time, while she goes out to work. Be sure I will share my thoughts on this matter further over the coming weeks and months. Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Having got the painful news out of the way, I can report that the festive period went well in the Perry household with no disasters. My collarbone continues to heal, though I have got the physio to agree, albeit slightly tongue-in-cheek, that I should steer clear of vacuuming and ironing. Mrs P doesn’t agree and made me do the housework this week, so it was back to the duster and vacuum for me. I’m back on preparing meals as well; you would almost think that I’d never been injured. So the kids are back to school, Mrs P is back to work, and I’m contemplating my next move. Though to be honest as I write this, I’m currently eating a box of Terry’s All Gold dark chocolates, so my next move is most likely to be a cup of tea. Still shifting the last of the Christmas chocolates you see.

One thing that has come to an end is the paper-round. The company involved has decided to put it online, or make people pick up a copy from a local supermarket. I’m sure they see it as progress; personally I see it as another way to isolate the elderly, especially those not online. But then again when did big business ever really care about their customers? As we saw last year, service is generally awful in Great Britain, with big companies especially, using technology and outsourcing, to make dealing with them a confusing and miserable experience. Maybe this will be the year they improve … hey ho!

Yours wondering what a job is.

Jay

 

 

Keeping it simple ... Thursday 19th – Friday 20th Dec

It’s a cold day Thursday, with the wind whistling down the streets. I have a decent walk to run a couple of errands and reflect on the fact, that since breaking my collarbone I haven’t put on any weight. I had expected that with the reduced mobility I would have done. It got me thinking, either I did nothing before, and so enforced idleness was no different. Or, and this is the theory I prefer, my increased walking has done the trick. Walking, it’s free, easy, and available to everyone right outside your front door. Fresh air and exercise for the masses. Walk somewhere, and then walk back. Who needs gyms? I may just have found the next great evolution in health. Then again, maybe it’s too simple to catch on. Here’s hoping in the New Year people leave the car at home and walk somewhere.

Wonder of wonders the youngest wanted to go shopping to buy a present on Friday; just the one mind. This is the boy who doesn’t do shopping. So it is we have some father-son bonding as we walk to the train station and catch the train into town. Then we visit one shop, just one mind, and that’s the youngest’s shopping done. No browsing, no impulse purchases, just in, buy, and out. Nice and neat. To be honest if everyone adopted this strategy the shops would be a lot less crowded. We decamp to the pub for lunch and then it’s back home on the train. To finish our time together before Mrs P comes home (the eldest being out socialising), we play some games of Cluedo and Jenga. Great fun and a great way to get in the holiday spirit. Turn off the telly and all digital gadgets and spend some quality time together as a family. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Or is it eating and drinking too much? Hmmm, sounds like another theory to road test.

Yours in the festive spirit.

Jay

NB. As the family Perry are now all home for the festive period, the house husband is taking a break. See you in the New Year when I may even be able to resume duties. Happy Christmas.

Not driving towards Christmas ... Tuesday 17th – Wednesday 18th Dec

I’ve now been without my car for 6 weeks, ever since I broke my collarbone. Its funny how you get used to changes in circumstances that you think may be difficult. I had expected being without the car to be difficult, but I have found it to be relatively easy. Granted the folks have had to drive me to the hospital and physio, but apart from that I’ve walked everywhere. I’m sure if I had the car I would be using it, spending money on petrol and probably other unnecessary things. It just goes to show what you can do without, if you need to, and brings into question how many cars people really need. Because if you take the car away suddenly you might find that the things you had to do, because you could, because you had a car, you can suddenly manage without. It might stop people spending so much, it might keep families at home more. It could even benefit the planet, though maybe that’s stretching a point. Here endeth the Christmas message.

Mrs P bought our annual Radio Times the other day, and I took a quick look at the Christmas Films, and I must say how disappointed I was by them. There are plenty on, but they all fall into one of two categories, either I’ve seen them, or I don’t want to see them. What I would like, is some old Marx Brothers films, or a decent new blockbuster, but it doesn’t look like this house husbands Christmas Film wish is to be granted. Oh well, back to watching the darts for me.

Yours in the Tungsten Thunderdome.

Jay  

What could the future hold? ... Monday 16th Dec

December – religious celebration or commercial spend-fest? It would be nice if it was the former but I fear it is turning into the latter. Certainly Mrs P seems to find more ways to spend every year. To add to the excitement for us in the Perry family, we have the eldest’s 18^th birthday coming up. So for us it’s a double whammy on the spending stakes, but she’s worth it. I suppose like a lot of people I find it incongruous that we save all year to splurge over just one week. A bit like a holiday, but without leaving home, and without the sun. Well now that’s my Grouch impersonation out of the way, I must confess I’m looking forward to us all being off together, though the eldest becoming technically an adult is a thought too scary for me to consider. Instead I’m concentrating on extending my repertoire of one-handed, wrong-handed, house work. I’ve managed to get in washing some dishes, drying some dishes, minimal dusting and minimal vacuuming. No ironing. Preparing a few meals, and helping Mrs P to clean some windows. If you asked Mrs P she’d probably say I never did much more anyway.

If I keep up the physio I could be back to full working order in the New Year, though the rest of the family may be hoping for a new improved version. Talking of which I must give some thought to my New Year’s Resolutions. See if I can’t actually commit to something worthwhile next year. Hmmm, the possibilities …!

Yours thinking big.

Jay

Christmas blues come early ... Wednesday 11th – Friday 13th Dec

It’s quite possible now to order a complete Christmas online, presents and food, from the comfort of your own home without ever putting on a coat and braving the cold and the crowds. To be honest we do a lot that way, but I do worry that its killing the romance of Christmas. The touchy-feely pleasure, of finding and buying a present for someone. Handing over cash, and returning home laden down with shopping bags, a warm feeling flowing through you. Whilst I have had some of that this year, the majority of my experience has been the doorbell ringing and another Amazon parcel being delivered. Mrs P and I do though still have the big Christmas food shop to look forward to – I say look forward to, when I really mean dread – pushing a fully laden supermarket trolley, through crowds of shoppers, while trying to avoid getting your ankles rammed by a pensioner who has just come in for a pint of milk. You see, I really am full of the joys of Christmas already.

I wonder if Friday 13^th is regarded as an unlucky day in all countries. I know there are historical precedents of bad things happening on this date, and 13 is regarded as an unlucky number by some. In fact many of my local roads don’t have a house numbered 13. But I think I’ve found a new reason for it to be regarded as unlucky. Today I tried left-handed dusting and vacuuming. A new experience necessitated by my broken collarbone, and whilst it was slow, it did work. So it is that I may be in a position to resume some of my house-husbandry duties. Whilst only light duties still, my improving injury means that for me every silver lining has a cloud.  

Yours taking it easy.

Jay

Monday 2nd – Tuesday 3rd Dec

I’m still spending some of my time visiting hospitals at the moment. Either for physio, or doctor’s appointments. I know the NHS gets a lot of stick in the media, but my experience with the broken collarbone has been pretty positive. True if I’d seen the shoulder consultant sooner after I’d broken it - it took 9 days - I might have had the operation sooner, but apart from that it has all gone smoothly I’m pleased to say. I got to see the new x-ray today which showed the metalwork now holding my shoulder together, and very robust it looks. I have setting off metal detectors at airports, every time I go on holiday, to look forward to now.

The physio can be painful. Today when I explained it felt ok apart from when you touch the bone in a particular place, I was told it needed to be de-sensitised, and you do this by touching it! Which he did! Oh how I jumped, at least I would have done if he hadn’t been holding me down. I have now been instructed to carry on massaging the bone and the surrounding area myself, something I am not looking forward to. Inflicting deliberate pain on myself has never ranked high on my list of favourite things to do, and I don’t see it making an appearance any time soon.

Yours tentatively.

Jay

 

 

TV wishes and Ashes misery ... Friday 6th Dec

Another quiet day on planet Perry. Given my current incapacity I was limited to a walk round to see the folks for a cuppa. In my current situation I actually find myself looking forward to the start of the Christmas TV schedule. At least it may mean there is something worth watching during the day. If not I shall have to seriously considering looking into the Box Sets that are available through the TV at the moment. Though I’m not sure I want to start anything right now, it’s a big time commitment, what with Christmas and everything. My current moment of sunshine in the TV schedule was to be the Ashes highlights, and I avoid hearing the overnight score so I can watch with optimism. Unfortunately this is swiftly crushed by Australia piling on the runs, and what seems like England’s obligatory batting collapse.

But it did get me thinking what I would like to see at Christmas. Some new films, some old films - preferably including the Marx Brothers –, lots of sport - preferably including England winning a test Match –, and no reality TV or so called celebrities. At least there should be some good sport to watch, though I’m not holding out much hope for the Ashes.

Yours feeling festive.

Jay