Tavira the day after tomorrow!

Excitement mounts as the 2 week holiday in Portugal approaches!

Today we took the grandchildren out to Durham since their teachers were on strike demanding pay rises in line with inflation. Seems perfectly reasonable to rational people ... which clearly does not include the Tory government. Now, the government's rationale is balancing the books, so public services take the hit. The 2020 lockdown is blamed for the overspending that year, conveniently forgetting that they massively overspent in support of martial law, declared around the "civilised" world!

Hey ho, dear readers, when will we ever learn not to trust politicians? !! Well, the mainstream media were dragooned into supporting governments falling into line ... notably, notoriously the good old BBC ... ... A Social Experiment as a friend observed. As for the BBC, well they're in the shit after trying to silence Gary Lineker, well known football pundit. His crime ? A tweet about Tories using immigration of refugees as a political football as a General Election approaches. His tongue in cheek comment comparing the Tories to Hitler upset the incumbent government and co-incidently the BBC Director General and the Chair of the Trustees are both Tories. Lineker, on the other hand is more inclined to socialism (otherwise known as compassion and common sense)!

Enough of politics dear readers ... it's all a game.

Eyemouth and back ...

Snow in March is not unusual in Scotland and England. We arranged to meet the elder daughter and her baby son in Duns, where she lives with her wife, a police officer. We found a bed and breakfast guest house in Eyemouth nearby, since their house is rather small and stayed there for two nights, which was delightful.

Wednesday we went over to Duns to see the family and had a lovely day, including a decent walk in the countryside. .. then returned to the b&b in Eyemouth and supper in The Ship Inn. The seafood lingiuni was quite delicious(and nutritious !) ...

Thus the week before Tavira passed peacefully, including a trip to see the partner's daughter and new grandson.

The snow today and yesterday was heavy enough and disruptive in places, including Stanhope, though only at the high places. This morning there's snow laying and Sun shining ... beautiful! !!

So, dear readers, just a week before the flight from Newcastle to Faro on the Algarve coast of Portugal ... no snow expected there next week ...

Lockdown exposed and other events ...

Well well dear readers, as you may recall from previous posts during 2020, there was consternation in the world over an outbreak of an illness known as Sars-cov-2, a serious disease though not lethal to the reasonably healthy. Death, as we know, comes in various guises, and in the end we all succumb for one reason or other. The key is to try to stay fit and take some chances in life since a life spent in constant fear of death is hardly worth living!

Your old blogger has certainly lived a full life this time round, having fun, making friends, being lucky enough to have two lovely daughters and recently a grandson too. The history of this life is the subject of an autobiography being prepared for anyone interested, notably for my daughters and grandson, and indeed as an aide memoire as memory fades!

This brings us back to the subject of the pandemic of 2020-21 ... a strange time indeed dear readers, as fear of death was stoked up by governments worldwide. Why, is the question of course. Somehow this fundamental question was left aside by many otherwise intelligent folks who reverted to fight or flight and buried their heads in the sand or up their own arses and fell out with those who examined the evidence and found a conspiracy against the people by those supposed to defend our interests!

Now Matt Hancock is involved in a row with Isabel Oakeshott, the journalist hired to help the hapless ex-minister write his book. Emails shared with her show government ministers joking about Partygate, quarantine hotels and generally deriding the public for falling for the story!

Will we never learn dear readers, not to trust politicians? !

Nearly March again!

Here we go again dear readers, March approaches and February will soon be done once more ... time marches on remorsely the way it does ... always forward.

Today, Saturday, dawns rather damp and at 11am the funeral of a much loved woman will be held in St Thomas's Church.

Around 1pm friends are due for lunch ... when doubtless discussion will include the usual questions of the meaning of life and why we're here. Joe came to Stanhope some years ago to join the circle of friends at A Place to Be at Wear Terrace seeking to understand these deep questions with others sitting in circle in meditation and seeking some answers.

The days, weeks and years have flown by since those times, and some friends have left, others passed on ,but Joe from South Shields still keeps in touch.

The week or so since the last post on here dear readers, has flown by, mostly at home in Stanhope. Last Monday we went to Beamish Museum with the boys on a sunny and breezy day and walked round the usual route, stopping for lunch of macaroni cheese then hopping on the old bus back to the entrance/exit and gift shop, where we found a gift for the front garden: a metal sign advertising the Women's Land Army! As it happens, dear readers, the blogger's Mother met Dad in Dorset after WW2 as she was serving in the Land Army  and he in the Army Medical Corps. The rest is history!

The holiday to Tavira approaches fast ... other holidays too, including Findhorn again.

Thoughts of another winter holiday are premature ... let's see shall we dear readers? !!

Thursday 16.03.2023

A brief post to update you dear readers and reflect a little on things past and possible future. As we know, dear readers, what's past is done and dusted and all we can do is learn any lessons worth learning and try not to repeat any not conducive to one's physical or mental health, or, indeed that of folks dear to this old blogger!

The past few days have passed happily in Stanhope ( clearly the best place to live in the whole world ....), plus a trip to Wallington Hall to enjoy the benefits of National Trust membership again.

It's been a contented life so far, though never boring ... the challenges have been met head on, sometimes successfully,  sometimes not. That's life after all and winning or losing is not the fundamental question, but to do our best to the benefit of ourselves and others dear to us.

As for future plans, well next month's trip to Tavira is anticipated with joy by your old blogger, dear readers, since he's spent lots of time there on and off over the years, starting when a good friend Pedro, a refugee from the fascist regime in Portugal, decided to return to join in the revolution against Caetano, the successor to Salazar a friend of Franco the fascist dictator in Spain. We had a wonderful time visiting old friends and relatives around Lisbon and then south to the Algarve and Tavira. Further trips to Tavira were as a base between walking the various Caminos to Santiago and Fisterra ... the partner however has never been there, so will see the beautiful town and surrounding countryside and seaside at its best time, which is Spring, when then flowers bloom, the sea is warm and the sun too.

It's been quite a life so far dear readers, and there's a few a few years left in this life with luck ... let's see!!

Coldingham, St Abbs, Holy Island and Farne Islands ...

Saturday again and we've returned from the visit to your blogger's daughter and grandson near Duns in the Scottish Borders.

The trip up to Scotland via Jedburgh for coffee and a scone was our first stop, followed by Coldstream for lunch and the purchase of a kilt at the army surplus store. .. let's see who will wear it and where! Next stop was Coldingham at the guest house where we'd booked for two nights. Having settled in we walked to the nearby New Inn for a drink and light supper.

From there we walked to St Abbs the following day for a snack of Cullen Skink or fish soup... mmm! Delicious. ..

After the snack we walked back and drove the car to see the daughter and her baby son near Duns. The afternoon was delightful and the weather stayed fine for a lovely walk in the sun, then returned to Coldingham to rest awhile then head out to walk to the New Inn again.

The next day ie today we left early and drove south to Lindisfarne or Holy Island where we had breakfast before walking round the island to burn off some calories. From there we drove past Bamburgh to Seahouses and embarked on the catamaran Serenity for a 90 minute guided tour round the Farne Islands seeing seals basking in the sun and heard the story of Grace Darling the girl famous for saving the lives of many survivors from shipwrecks.

We drive south again on the Coastal Route to Morpeth then picked up the A1 to Newcastle. From there it was not far to Stanhope and home after a great short break in Scotland!

Saturday 04.02.2023

Just a quick update dear readers on Saturday the 4th of February. .. after another fine morning walk up the hall road and round to Crawleyside via the redundant quarry, then home for lunch. Black bread toast spread with Philadelphia cream cheese and stuffed with smoked salmon followed by soup ... quite delicious and as usual nutritious!

The week or so since the last post has been mostly in Stanhope apart from a trip to Toft Hill to see the partner's daughter and grandchildren, which was fun as always. A tutorial with Mac in the week enabled the further development of the blog you're reading and the autobiography you may read as it moves through childhood memories, adolescence, adulthood, adultery, fatherhood, divorce (see above) and middle age, however that's defined. Both blogs are ongoing for now and both will cease when this life's done. ...

As for tomorrow, Sunday, the day is open ...

Mac again ...

Here we go again dear readers. Yes, you guessed it, Mac came back for lunch ... vegetarian curry and rice today and considered by all three diners as delicious and nutritious !!!

Yesterday we went up North to Duns via Newcastle for a reunion of the blogger's two daughters with the new baby boy ...plus the blogger's partner and the daughter's wife. Quite a drive and a lovely walk in the sun ...

Apart from that dear readers of Wear and Dao,  there's not a lot to report, as we emerge from Winter into Spring. Tomorrow February begins and before we know it it'll be March and proper Spring, when we fly to the Algarve via Newcastle Airport and Faro and on to beautiful Tavira, where your blogger spent plenty of time as you, dear readers will already know.

The rest of the week, indeed tomorrow is unknown, though other visits to Dun are quite likely before Tavira ...

Mac strikes back!

After a little rest from blogging dear readers, whilst we wandered (lonely as a cloud) Mac, or Doogie have spent time competing with your blogging chef and his partner over culinary issues!

Meanwhile we've been mostly cooking at home and visiting friends and relatives. Plus one National Trust trip to Cragside. Today we've had a delicious (and nutritious ) lunch with Mac ... potato skins stuffed with potatoes, butter, smoked haddock, hard boiled eggs etc. Dessert was fruit salad with ice cream ...

We came home with leftovers for tomorrow, which was kind ... so that's tomorrow's lunch sorted.

All this revelry was interspersed with plenty of walking ... keeping fit for holiday in Tavira in March and for general health.

Saturday again ...

Time for another update for any readers of Wear and Dao after a week of silence on the blog, though not in the world of the blogger and his partner. ..

Well, dear readers, we've kept up with Mac and Gillian, the blogger's elder daughter, the partner's mother and others either virtually or in the flesh.

Today it's still quite early to decide what may happen, though rest assured it'll include a walk to exercise the body and maybe shop for some food at the Co-op or greengrocer ... beyond that dear readers, who knows?

Friday 13th January 2023

Yesterday was fun dear readers ... Mac came for lunch (fish pie and plum crumble ... right up there with Mac's fish and chips last Friday i.e. delicious and nutritious! !).

In fact it's been quite a week what with the birth of a grandson on Thursday and various outings since. ...

The outing to Bowes Museum was fun despite the rain and a visit to the partner's daughter and grandchildren too.

Otherwise there's not much to report dear readers. .. editing and publishing the autobiography still on the cards!!!

Today is still early and what we'll do undecided. ..

Monday post fish and chips Friday ...

Well well dear readers of Wear and Dao,  we've not seen Mac since Friday after his wonderful home made fish and chips Friday!

Saturday we drove over to the Buddhist place near Bellingham close to the Scottish border. .. The Land of Joy at Greenhaugh, where your old blogger volunteered some years ago, clearing the brash and planting native trees to create bioversity in the woods. This suited my interested in Buddhism and I stayed there a few days each time, joining the Sangha in meditation and philosophical discourse  ...

Yesterday we drove up to Alston in Cumbria intending to have a coffee and walk along the South Tyne Railway ... only to find the cafe closed!  Since the weather had turned rainy we drove over to Teesdale and Barnard Castle via Langdon Beck for coffee at the hotel run by Jane a friend from Stanhope where she used to run the Post Office some years ago. In Barney, since it was still somewhat wet, we sought a place to eat and found a place at the Redwell Inn for roast dinner for the partner and a risky curry which turned out rather hot for my delicate palate!!!

Today we stayed in, though the weather was sunny, and had lunch at home. A delicious (and nutritious ) salad was served and we enjoyed the day inside ... and walking around Stanhope in the sun.

Meanwhile it was F.A Cup weekend ... Newcastle eliminated and Southampton through despite being bottom of the Premier League.

Tomorrow of course is unknown and unknowable, though something will happen though nothing's certain.

Fish & chip Friday ...

As readers of the previous blog may recall, today we went to Mac's bungalow for home made fish, chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce followed by cheesecake with ice cream. .. whilst the description of delicious and nutritious may be rather overused, in this case its well deserved!

Yesterday we went to Jarrow to visit the blogger's partner's mother ... she's doing well and enjoyed her Christmas and New Year with her other daughter and son, plus his children ...

Tomorrow's another day and nothing's planned ... though if we're spared something or other will occur and we're likely to have lunch at home. Whether it's delicious and nutritious is yet to be seen!

Mac ...

The new year is well underway dear readers of Wear and Dao and the mild weather continues, albeit sometimes wet.

Stanhope comes back to life after the shop closures over the holidays and old friends emerge from apparent hibernation. .. bringing us to the subject of Mac, an old friend from the village, who spent the holiday season just up the road, though only appeared last night in The Grey Bull. .. a pleasant surprise indeed! After a good chat in the pub we went to the house for more reminisces, of which there were many, plus new news from the holiday season.

An invitation to a fish and chip lunch at his house is accepted with alacrity by your old blogger and his partner. .. that's friday lunch sorted then dear readers!