Another of the dead flower series, was playing about with the backgrounds, I have a selection and I just play about with them,

So today was another day of the practice run for retirement, funny thing, for the first time in my life, I am not missing it or even gave it much of a thought, I was in yesterday and was told that i will be back working in a month.

Cass and I went fishing today, caught nothing, her great idea, she says said next time she suggests it, I have to say no, we are not going lol. oh yes, we caught nothing in 3 hours.

Tomorrow, having a little day out, going to see, some paintings, that someone we know is going to exhibit them, she had 18, but she has to only show 15 in the space, then they get shipped off to America.

I was asked if now am I going to try and make money from my photography, nope still not going to happen.

I have my first talk next week, I am the stand in, really had planned not doing them, but will see, will get a nice fish supper before it and then we have a walk along the shore, .

Never meant it to be this long, but just so much going on the last few weeks, then to add to it all, I got laid off from work for 4 weeks.

I see the next 4 weeks as a practice run for what it will be like when I retire, I think winter is the best time this could have happened with all the dull drab shitty days we get here, this was always going to be the hardest time for me, so yes very much the trial run.

I done my usual thing, went for a walk on Friday morning, processed it all in my mind as I walked, job done. Sat in the coffee shop telling Cass and all she said was guess S better get a box of Tetley Tea bags in

It will not all be plain sailing, I know that but it is just life. With all that I have had to deal with, at my age it is not the worst of things. I am sure, I will write more over the weeks.


I have been taking a few pictures of the seaweed that washes up on the beach, a long term project, a lot of times you walk and find nothing, the one posted is a black and white, not sure about it to be honest.

New log has washed up on the beach, nice place to sit, I often get my journal out and write here, will do so, till a storm comes along and takes it away or someone cuts it up for firewood.

When the offer of lifetime membership popped up yesterday and I never even gave it a thought,, it was like the final sign for me.

I had a moon picture go a bit viral yesterday and it was not to this morning, that i found out when my friend told me, close to 1800 people liking it and reshared over 120 times, pretty crazy, I only even got it, as i was out putting rubbish in the bin and knowing my long lens was on the camera and took 3 shots, for I was also making dinner at the time.

This is blog 20 since I have been leaving them up, each one could have been the last one.

I play by the rules on here, it means that I am pretty limited in what I get from the site now, once I was able to post a picture to myself add it to my blog, so people could see the full image, now you have to be ID verified and even then you have to ask for permission to post my own picture. You see everyday in here people breaking the rules and nothing is ever done about it, seen an another example the other day and for only the third time in all the years, I have been here I questioned why. Maybe I should have used a fake ID to get verified which has been offered to me twice on here, but like I say, I play by the rules. I believe that if I pay for premium by using my credit card, that should be good enough, it is on bigger sites than this and if I wanted too, could post naked pictures without have to do a Face ID.

One of my little villages Christmas Trees, i think it is pretty nice looking, might try and post the other at some point.

Executive decision was made, we were not going to the get together tonight.

My new lens came, not used it yet, will eventually , just one of those days where, I can not be arsed taking a picture, even this morning, my usual time to do so,, never even took the camera with me for the morning stroll at the beach.

Got asked to do another dog picture, as usual what kind was asked, an Airedale Terrier, see this is what happens, word spreads among these oldies, then got asked to do a cat, sorry no allergic to them.

i
This experiment in the use of a background card does not work in this situation, but another one did and gave me a nice image and future ideas.

My work year is done, if I work to I retire, I only have 6 more, earlier retirement or changing things, might be an option. I never ever use to think like that work work work was all I knew.

Since my Stroke, my concentration when writing has got a lot harder, gave up on where to add punctuation and spellcheck is used all the time, I never even knew how to use spellcheck before. I really just try and keep as simple as possible.

In my journals, I never bother, it keeps the mind active, which is more important, only Cass really reads them, they are not a secret, anyone could. I left it in the cafe once, her daughter admitted to reading, asked if I was angry with her, I just laughed.

I committed to a little project.

Turns out my eye doctor and Cass are friends, she greeted me yesterday by so you are the secret boyfriend, I just smiled, we really are just good friends, but others seem to need to title it somehow, we just do our thing, it works for both of us.

Going to be a wet and wild morning walk, but the woodlans trails call to me,, thank you for reading.

I took this, this morning, as I was walking over the bridge after getting some soda scones, I have always had an idea, there is a picture here, but this is not it, does not work for me in the slightest. The phone is handy in these moments. I take a xxxxxxxx and then wait till I get home and put them on the big screen to have a closer look.
I did stop going over the bridge, was a little bit of colour in the sky again, I have an idea, but well sometimes there is always just a butt. I never had much time, as I was heading to the cafe. The welcome, as I walk in, is always the same now, morning Dad, seems I am her adoptive Dad, I just smile. I am always early, her Mum, is always just on time. We have the pictures, I took yesterday to deliver.

In the end, we have 3 pictures, that I took, one of Cass doodles and some cakes for the oldie, she asks how much does she owe, but seeing the smiles on her face, who needs payment, To see a very happy old Lady, is well as good as it gets. I put the picture up for her, the doodle and one other sits on her chairside table and the last one, she says will be put in her room.

All the small things, add up to a lot of good things,

I made my little Tea Loaf and well it turned out well edible and not bird food, so a win.

I am 61 in just over 2 months time, where has this year went, highs and lows. but still here.


The view from the bridge this morning, sure this one might work one day. with the camera.

Last full working week of the year done for me, not the best of ones, got the news that one of the few people I have time for, got sent home from the hospital nothing more they can do for him, that dreaded disease has spread through his whole body, a good man, that had just done his 40yrs with the company and like me, had turned 60 this year, it hit me hard to be honest, you really have to just sit and wonder sometimes.

I walked the beach this morning, returned later in the day to do a portrait shoot of a West Highland Terrier called Flo, managed to get 3 pictures, that i thought worth keeping and in the end we printed of all 3 and framed them, this little dog is owned by an elderly lady and is all she has in the world, she thought that she was paying me, but there is no way, I would ever charge for this, tomorrow will deliver the pictures one large one and two little ones.

I use to mention who have crossed my path in life, might start doing so again. My journal has these writings, but in the last few years, met some truly nice people and two not so nice ones, they are all part of the journey in life.

I get my eye injection on Tuesday, going to Glasgow Thursday. I thought the CHristmas get together was tonight, out by a week.

Tomorrow, I am going to try my hand at baking, nothing to hard, will either be edible or it will be bird food,, win win either way..

If murder was allowed at work, we would have been 4 down today, maybe I am just getting to old now, but is it that simple things, that are pretty basic are forgotten and have to be re explained, waste of my time. My age time is precious.

But 3 days to go, i was going to try and get a picture, everyday, but nope, not going to, probably just see, what the weather is like.

I never really bother with taking pictures with birds, but when walking back home the other weekend, I still had the long lens in my hand, so when this treecreeper appeared and at the perfect height, I took a few shots.

My first day back at work, made me wish I was still as ill, as i was last Monday. I just dodged away thinking 4 days to go.]