Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, East, West & North London (The NEXT Chapter).

Week 209 Saturday 16^thJune until Friday 22^nd June 2018.

Last weeks blog felt a little negative, so hopefully this week will be a more positive read.

 “Mum making herself comfortable”.
 
I spent a lovely long weekend at my mums (mainly sitting in her garden watching birds feeding).  People in the countryside do seem so much more chilled than city folk (which won’t surprise anyone).  There is no science behind my thinking, but over the weekend I noticed a couple of things.

   “Spent a lot of time relaxing watching birds”.

Step on a bus in the capital, say hello to the driver you might get a nod from the person behind the steering wheel (Of course I realise there busy).  Occasionally they will mutter something, but most of the time the only acknowledgement is a slight twitch of a muscle on one side of there face.

 “Love these old boxes”.

DISCLAIMER, I do know a couple of London Bus Drivers, and I am sure that they smile and say “hello” every time DISCLAIMER ends.

  “Always enjoy visiting The Cock Inn”.

In the countryside say hello to a bus driver not only do they smile but they answer back.  One driver I saw chatted back to her regular passengers even asking how they were.  In the capital if you don’t know how to get to your location you might get pointed to the correct bus stop or just told “naw, don’t go that way”.  In the countryside things are different, I saw two guys ask the driver how to reach a village.  The men produced maps; the driver leaned out of his cab to help.  If this had been in the capital people would been shouting “get a move on” impatiently within seconds.  Seeing this act of kindness gives me hope about the future of the human race.

 “Witnessing a little act of kindness”.

And Now For Something SLIGHTLY Different……

 “Do you like my jugs”.

 

Leaving mums village I stood at a bus stop that I have never used before.   After waiting a short time (there is only one bus an hour) with only a few minutes left a “Top Gear” style sports car pulled up.  I immediately prepared my “I don’t live around here” speech when asked directions to the Post Office.  Of course I know where the Post Office is in the village, but I panicked just then because I needed to name a place for this part of the blog.

  “Home grown Strawberries, i love this garden”.

Sorry, back to the ramble.

 “Sing along, The wheels on the bus go round and round…..”.
 
Behind the wheel sat a well dressed business women who asked if I wanted a lift to the station a journey of about 20 minute.  It was only after I belted myself in that it crossed my mind was I going to wake up later in an isolated barn only to discover that the woman and her favourite sheep flossy had had their wicked way with me.  On route i discovered we worked in the same sort of business, however she clearly has a position of power and authority.  If you have read this shiz before, you will know that a coffee stain in the communal kitchen has more authority than me.

 “Thank you Jules for the trim”.
 
This little act of kindest saved me £4.50 (which of course I did offered, and am glad she refused as the coins were hot and clammy from being in my hand for the duration of the journey).  Ok I didn’t get the satisfaction of saying “hello” and “thank you“ to the bus driver and there will be other country bus journeys when I can hum to myself “the wheels on the bus go round and round”.  But travelling in a sports car around and around the many roundabouts of MK was an unexpected treat.  Thank you so much Lesley for the lift.

  “And they call it Puppy Love”.

Yes county people really do seem nice; I look forward to my next trip “up north”.  Maybe that’s the answer to stress in the city; we all need to go to the countryside.

 “Interesting dept seen at a hospital in Oxford”.
 
And Finally……

  “Poppy the puppy, and a couple of beautiful ladies in the garden”.

Highlights of the long weekend include.  Seeing my nephew and niece spending time with grandma.  Going to the pub for a meal and drinks with family.  Visiting Oxford with Aunty H and travelling on the Park & Ride bus which has very friendly drivers.   Meeting Poppy a 3 month old puppy at my cuz Catherine house (hello Thomas).  Thinking about this I should mention Catherine’s cute Guinea pigs I wouldn’t want them to feel left out and get jealous.  They were very pretty ladies.

  “I enjoyed my day out”.
Special thanks to Mum and Aunty H for letting me stay and mess up there bungalow, look forward to seeing you at the airport.

 “X really does mark the spot”.

And Finally, Finally (Honest)……

“Lemon curry?”

 “Writing this Shiz, in mums garden while bird and Python watching”.

My Mid Life Crisis Conts……

This week I have mainly been watching:  

“Are You Being Served?”, (S2, ep 2).  “Bottom”, (S1, ep 5 & ep 6).  “Click”, (TX: 16/06/18).  “Flowers”, (S1, ep 4).  “For  The Birds”, (2000).  “Hidden”, (S1, ep 1 & ep 2).  “Hi-Di-Hi!”, (S5, ep 6).  “How It’s Made”, (17, ep 12).  “Humans”, (S3, ep 5 & ep 6).  “Keeping Up Appearances”, (S5, ep 4).  “Lou”, (2017).  “Missions”, (S1, ep 10).  “Monty Python Almost The Truth, The lawyers Cut”, (S1, ep 1, ep 2 & ep 3).  “Monty Python And The Holy Grail”, (1975).  “Monty Python Live (Mostly) One Down Five To Go”, (2014).  “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, (S3, ep 4 to ep 13)(S4, ep 1 to ep 6).  “Monty Python’s Life Of Brian”, (1979).  “Monty Python’s Personal Best”, (S1, 1 to ep 6).  “Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing”, (S1, ep 1, TX: 20/06/18).  “Pigeons”, (2010).  “Secrets Of McDonald’s: 50 years Of the Big Mac”, (TX: 20/06/18).  “Stranger Things”, (S1, ep 7 & ep 8).  “The Graham Norton Show”, (S23, ep 11, TX: 15/06/18).  “The Crystal Maze: Celebrity Special”, (S4, ep 2, TX: 15/06/18).  “The Vicar Of Dibley”, (S4, ep 2).  “The World Of Peter Rabbit And Friends”, (S1, ep 2, ep 4 & ep 5).  “World’s Tallest Skyscrapers: Beyond The Clouds”, (S1, ep 1, TX: 19/06/18).  “You Rang, M’Lord?”, (S4, ep 4).

This week I have mainly been listening to:

“Anti – Social Show”, (ep 53, 15/06/18).  “Chasing Earhart”, (ep 48, 16/06/18).  “Grief Cast”, (ep 42, 20/06/18).  “Iain Lee (Bonus)”, (15/06, 21/06/18).  “Iain Lee (Highlights)”, (14/06, 15/06, 2x 19/06, 20/06, 21/06/18).  “In Poor Taste”, (ep 59, 29/01/17)(ep 98, 17/06/18).  “LBC Podcast: Cristo”, (03/01/09).  “LBC Podcast: Nick Abbot (Whole Show)”, (16/06, 22/06/18).  “NASA: Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 50, 22/06/18).  “NASA: In Silicon Valley”, (54, 10/08/17)(ep 94, 15/06/18)(ep 95, 15/06/18)(ep 96, 22/06/18).  “Political Intolerants”, (ep 3, 16/06/18).  “Skeptiod”, (ep 628, 19/06/18).  “Soundtracking With Edith Bowman Podcast”, (ep93, 15/06/18)(ep 94, 22/06/18).  “The Rabbit Hole”, (ep 58, 21/06/18).  “Morrissey”, “Queen”, “The Pet Shop Boys”, “Vangelis”, “The Stone Roses”, “Manic Street Preachers”, “The White Stripes”, “George Michael”.