This may well be my last blog,
I've only written 16 this year, including this one.
I've not really felt the urge or inclination to sit at the keyboard like I used to.
I have one fan though, who signs in everyday, according to my live traffic feed, from Wilmington, Delaware in the US, my guess is it's Google. Having said that, I'm registered as signing on from Newcastle upon Tyne, so gone are the days when I could almost pinpoint the viewer from Maidenhead!
What a year it's been though for the man with the scythe!
Although I suppose, the longer one is on this Earth, the more names one comes across, so for somebody of my age(68 next March) that's anybody who was famous, or known to me from the 1950's onwards.
It does of course relate to family, friends and acquaintances, and I've lost a few of those this year, only this last two months three funerals,my cousin Joyce, my uncle Reg, both of whom have been mentioned in the past, and old Bern around the corner.
Rest in Peace
So, on to other things.
I've fished a good few times, but nothing to write home about fish wise, I've even taken my notebook for those quiet moments, and it's stayed in the bag. The chub are calling though.
Our house didn't sell!
There were not many viewings, we can count them on two hands, not certain of the reason, although living in the sticks with no facilities, apart from the pub and the village hall probably doesn't give great appeal.
We've decided to stay on now though, having discussed again the reasons we decided a move and they are not insurmountable problems.
We'll probably take the equity out of the house, update and rejig here and there, and have more long haul holidays....who knows how long we have left?
We're both in agreement that we don't want to leave inheritances!
Talking of holidays, this year saw us floating across to, and up the Amazon, We have learnt from this, 42 days at sea probably isn't the best way to spend our hard earned gains, and that with 1200 folk on board a boat, no self respecting jaguar, or come to that bird, is going to be posing for a photograph when the hoards off load!
Which was really what we wanted from that cruise.
As a result of being too far from the wildlife, I've upgraded my lens on the Nikon D3200 to a 55-300mm, so may well be hunting out the bird life a bit more.
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| First test on our Mr & Mrs sparra! |
The Amazon trip took care of most of January and half of February. We visited Plocton in March, picking up our resident Scot's (Stirling) friends on the way up. A beautiful spot and pub, to stay in and wander the hills.
In May we had a few days in London by the river, seeing the sites, eating good food, and generally soaking up the big smoke. Pauline having not been in the "Big Smoke" for almost 30 years was somewhat overwhelmed by the changes
July found us wandering the Lake District for 10 days.
Our trip to Portugal failed as reported, and was replaced somewhat by pub 3 day stopovers, in Poole, Leyburn and Thorpe Market.
We've been at home since November, but 2017 so far, will take us to Torremolinos for some long winter warming, a long weekend in a foodie pub near Newbury, around my birthday in late March, and a luxury long weekend in Dubrovnik at the end of April.
The International Drinking Society has lived on, as have the six remaining participants, with 5 trips throughout the year to London pub venues of good repute.
My turn to find a new venue in March.
So, as I've mentioned, this may be the last blog entry, then again it may not be. It will depend how the mood, and my delve into photography takes me.
A great 2017 to look forward to, especially the signing off of our EU membership.
The referendum was the first vote in my life, and I always vote, that I felt would really make a difference,we shall see!
Thanks to my readers, have a great 2017, with good health and tight lines for my fellow anglers.
