Have you ever tried or are you just a dreamer..........

I received the above title via an E-mail from ‘Damn’, a fellow Britain and ‘all round good egg’, never did quite understand that saying, anyway the guy’s a good un and his blog is well worth a look. The question asked was certainly harmless enough and just referred to comments left on BeMistified’s blog, Neon Green Blathering, with Damn just inquiring as to whether I’d used a long bow or not, well the answer is no but why not is another matter. This simple inquiry struck a chord with myself about basically, perhaps, the fact is I do dream a little to much as to the person I’d like to be and to how I’d like others to think of me. When I think of the past year and of how little I’ve actually achieved considering the plans that I had laid out, it really does feel that I’ve become complacent and lethargic since the year started.

Oh yes I’ve my list of excuses; the operation, the financial loss of a months salary because my tight arsed employers refuse to pay sick pay for said operation, the feeling that I’ve still to regain my strength after the operation (even though it’s fast approaching a year since it happened), a hundred and one chores around the house, the ever spiralling cost of living, the turbo ‘going west’ (another saying I don’t get) on the fun cruiser, the crappy shift rota that I’m on at the moment, oh yes indeed the list goes on and on. But hold on a minute what kind of excuses are they really? After all I’m not the only person on this sphere that has health, money or work worries am I? If I’m truly honest with my self I’ve indulged myself with far too much dreaming this year and way too little doing. I mean to say I’ve hardly touched any projects in the sanctuary of the garage (please, heads bowed whilst mention of that sacred refuge is made), the walking has been steady but one would hardly call it challenging now would they? As for Carpe Diem, she still rests upon her stand untouched and unfettled now for months. It just seems that I’ve let slip the drive and energy that I’d previously enjoyed without even being able to acknowledge this fact, sure I’ve filled my blog with enjoyable enough tales, but there should have been so much more to share with you all! I’ve come to realise that I’ve let myself, my beloved Clare and your good selves down in so many respects this passing year, there simply should just have been more, it’s as simple as that.

With this in mind I’ve revised and compiled a completely new, unabridged, bucket list, I hope you’re ready for the tedium of reading through it all:-

1.     Get off my lardy arse a do a damn sight more.

Ok finished the readings have we? then let’s move on. Having admitted my shortcomings I’ve dived headlong into doing more, rash? of course but hells bells one has to commence as one intends to carry on. First things first, my workmate, and long time ‘trying to get me to sail a boat on my lonesome’ type chap, Captain Jim, has been blathering on at me to restart my crewing and then sailing solo now for some time and also keeps mentioning a two day sailing event upon Windermere up in the lakes next summer.  A quick phone call last night and we’re booked in for said two day camping and sailing jolly (gulp). Taking the plunge with the fun cruiser (notice the word fun’s back) not only has the turbo being replaced but the dreaded MOT has been overcome and new brake pads are winging there way towards me as I type, garage job? oh no way that’s one to be done by my good self. Another workmate, Chunkey Monkey has convinced me to go halves upon a fruit press (please do not tell Clare) so you can guess what we’ll be up to next week.

Mmmmm Cider!

As for the walking, well three trails (two new) in two days, one of which had the sweat pouring from my not so sylph like figure, and one of which was without the bog monster! Now before you all start lambasting me and reporting me to the not so proper authorities, one of the ‘excuses’ for the lack of walking any distance was that Lucy’s getting on in age now a days so I can’t go as far with her. Pah what a load of tosh, if I can learn to sail solo I think that I might just be able to manage to walk solo. Yes, of course I was guilty about leaving her sprawled out in the settee, snoring her bonce off, but there’s only so much walking she can do now and she needs to have breaks in-between.  Below are just a few of the pictures taken of the walks, can you guess which one was without ‘she who sticks of slime’?

I even managed to sneak a couple of hours fishing between walks down at the Mount;

and yes I've even done chores at home, simple things such as setting up the new, ill gotten, composters and plumbed in the water butts, hopefully encourage more and better crops next year in our limited space.

So yes, I had my momentary droop of the head and a wallow in self pity, but that’s not going to achieve anything is it. All there is to be said now is thank you ‘Damn’ for unconsciously bringing to the fore what I’d already known deep down. Oh yes I never did get to learn the long bow (offers anyone?) but in my youth I did at one time use to hunt rabbit (amongst other stuff) upon occasion with a cross bow but that came to a rather swift end with an incident involving some snares, an arse of a poacher and the local constabulary but I think that may well be a tale for another day!

Cheers for reading (that’s if you managed to get this far), and I’ll be sure to write some more soon.

Your friend,

John