Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in East, South West, Central London, Essex & Surrey (The NEXT Chapter).

Week 297 Saturday 22^nd until Friday 28^th February 2020.

A date for your diary is Friday 20th March; this is when week 300 of this ramble will be published. That will also be the last So-Called blog for a few months. I started this ramble when I went to Mozzibeak and wanted family and friends to know what I was getting up to. In early March I have been back in London 4 years, that’s a lot longer than planned. But every week I have written about my life, experiences, things that have made me happy, sad even angry. The nice thing is that people other than family have dipped in and read this.

“Winston’s very handsome, and he knows it!”

The mid-life crisis has not stopped in fact its only just starting (again). This incarnation of the blog is coming to an end; the new version will appear towards the end of May, early June which I hope will be even better. If you have read this for any period, you may have picked up that I am a huge lifelong Doctor Who fan. The key to the success of the programme is the ability for the lead actor to be replaced. For this blog (or a version of it) to continue it needs to regenerate, hopefully what comes next will be even more interesting. I hope the new version will be weekly, it will all depend on what connection I have. But if all goes to plan then you will still get a weekly dose from me.

“This Leia, really is a princess”.

There is a lot that I must look into, advice taken from friends before the next adventure happens. But week 300 will be the last of what could be considered Season 1 of this blog. Season 2 is going to be so much better. If you have liked the blog, then continue to read until week 300 and then have a look at the new version in a few months’ time. I think it’s going to be a real adventure.

And Now For Something Completely Different……
High streets all over the UK are suffering. Shops closing all over the place, some stay boarded up and left to rot, while others become another charity shop, betting shop or worse an estate agent! The news regularly blames on-line shopping for the bad health of high streets.

“Lovely meeting the Big Fellow again”.

A few days ago, I visited a small local convenience store with a friend, the type that sells everything an Aladdin’s cave of “stuff”! As we perusing the shelves chatting, my friend moved a couple of metres in front. Suddenly the space between us was filled with a pram that had swerved around the corner of the end of an aisle. The “Stig”, sorry mother in control appeared completely oblivious that I was about to occupy the same space as her.

“The birds are loving the expensive Mealworms”.

Because the aisle was not big enough for me to squeeze my lardy ass past and mum was not interested in anything other than what was on the shelves. I had to back up and dashed down a parallel aisle to reappear in the original one slightly further up. My grand entrance was blocked by the pram that had been moved forward blocking the T junction of aisles. Craning my neck to the left I saw my friend further down; who didn’t appear to notice I was gone.

“The Moon and Venus”.

Turning around again, I walked to the very back of the shop, to appear at the start of the original aisle. My friend was holding a box; however I couldn’t offer her the empty basket because the mother and pram had also made their way to that end of the shop. Unlike me, my friend is very slim which allowed the wide load on wheels to pass by without causing her an issue. This was when I caught site of the baby; the cute smile said it all! He/she/it** the “dribbling one” was the boss; mum really was just the engine. Putting down the box my friend spotted me and indicted with a nod to the exit. We left the way we entered with an empty reusable bag!

“Love a Daff”.

This kind of problem has happened before in a small local shop, I try to buy local whenever possible. But because clicking a mouse or touching the screen is so easy, plus most products arrive on the doorstep within a few hours on-line shopping is just so convenient. No wonder high streets are becoming ghost towns. The real problem is shops like my local one need wider aisle. We are told that we are a nation of fatties, were getting wider (except my friend). Small shops need to find a way to make a little more room for wobbly bottomed customers like me full access. Maybe prams the size of a small tank needs to be left at the front. There is a real need to save our high streets; no one wants even more estate agents popping up. In some areas there like a spreading disease no one wants that do they?

“Made for her Brother”.

** it’s not for me to say how the little one identified, its 2020 after all!

And Finally……

“Cheese”.

While asking for a person’s title, the women I was talking to thought I asked, “what’s were her vitals”, she sounded very puzzled.

I said, “shall I lick the flap, or tuck it in”. This was about an envelope; I didn’t want to make a mess.

“Really enjoying this, lots.  Buts should be writing this shiz instead”.

My Mid Life Crisis Conts……

This week I have mainly been watching:
“Age Of Outrage”, (BBC Wales). “Astronaut Chris Hadfield Debunks Space Myths”, (YouTube)(Wired)(TX: 23/04/18). “Astronauts Likely Survived Challenger Explosion”, (YouTube)(WESH 2 News)(TX: 28/01/11). “Bumps”, (BBC Pilot). “Cheers”, (S8, ep 15 to ep 26)(S9, ep 1). “Click”, (TX: 22/02/20). “Haunt”, (2019). “Hidden”, (S2, ep 3). “Him & Her: The Wedding”, (ep 1). “Inside No.9”, (S5, ep 4). “Last Tango In Halifax”, (S2, ep 6)(S3, ep 1 to ep 5)(S4, ep 1 & ep 2). “Star Trek: Picard”, (S1, ep 6). “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, (Extended DVD Edition)(2012). “The Last Leg”, (S19, ep 6, TX: 21/02/20). “This Country”, (S3, ep 1 & ep 2). “Top Gear”, (S28, ep 5, TX: 23/02/20).

Doctor Who Watched This Week:
“The Missing Episodes, Pt 1, Marco Polo, The Reign Of Terror And The Crusades”, (YouTube)(17/01/19).

“The Missing Episodes, Pt 2, Galaxy 4, The Mission To The Unknown and The Myth Makers”, (YouTube)(24/01/19).

“The Ice Warriors”, (S5, Prod Code OO)(ep 2, TX: 18/11/67, LC Recon)(ep 2 & ep 3, BBC Recon)(ep 3, TX: 25/11/67, LC Recon)(ep 4, TX: 02/12/67)(ep 5, TX: 09/12/67)(ep 6, TX: 16/12/67)(Loose Cannon, Outro, Intv: Peter Barkworth, Nov 04).

“The Enemy Of The World”, (S5, Prod Code PP)(ep 2, TX: 30/12/67, LC Recon)(ep 3, TX 06/01/68)(ep 4, TX: 16/09/68, LC Recon)(ep 5, TX: 20/01/68, LC Recon)(ep 6, TX: 27/01/68, LC recon)(Loose Cannon, Intro, Outro, Intv: Mary Peach, Mar 01)(A Change Of Identity, Recon, 1998??, Intro, Outro, Recon of BBC Trailer for ep 1).

“The Web Of Fear”, (S5, Prod Code QQ)(ep 1, TX: 03/01/68)(ep 2, TX: 10/02/68, JV Recon)(ep 3, TX: 17/02/68, JV Recon)(ep 4, TX: 21/10/67, JV Recon)(ep 5, TX: 28/10/67, JV Recon)(ep 6, TX: 04/11/67, JV Recon)(Joint Venture Recon Mar 98, “Intro (JNT & Nick Courtney, BSB), BBC Trailer/Recon) .

“Fury From The Deep”, (S5, Prod Code RR)(ep 1, TX: 16/03/68, LC Recon)(ep 2, TX: 23/03/68, LC recon)(ep 3, TX: 30/03/68, LC recon) (Loose Cannon, “Intro, Roy Spencer” , Feb 05).

“Ascension Of The Cybermen”, (S12/S38, ep 9, TX: 23/02/20).

This week I have mainly been listening to:
“Blood On The Tracks”, (S2, ep 4, 29/11/18)(ep 5, 07/12/18)(ep 6, 13/12/18). “Iain Lee (Highlights)”, (20/02, 21/02, 24/02, 25/02. 26/02/20). “In Poor Taste”, (ep 113, 23/02/20). “LBC: Mystery Hour”, (20/02. 28/02/20). “NASA: Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 133, 28/02/20). “Nick Abbot (Whole Show)”, (22/02, 28/02/20). “Rule Of Three”, (S5, ep 4, 27/02/20). “Soundtracking With Edith Bowman”, (ep 182, 21/02/20). “The Nick Abbot Habit”, (24/02/20). “Walking The Dog With Emily Dean”, (ep 31, 08/03/19). “What’s Your Problem? With Nick Abbot And Carol McGiffin”, (S1, ep 6, 24/02/20). “Morrissey”, “Billie Eilish”, “Take That”, “R.E.M”, “Simple Minds”, “Kyu Sakamoto”, “Adam Faith”, “Tasmin Archer”, “Fleetwood Mac”, “Nancy Sinatra”, “Guns N’ Roses”, “Bob Crewe (Barbarella)”, “Toad The Wet Sprocket”, “The Teardrop Explodes”, “Tears For Fears”, “Soft Cell”, “P.M Dawn”.