Always clean and protect your windows

windows are wonderful

always letting you see through

providing they are clean

protecting you from the rain and cold

waiting patiently at night

allowing the early morning sun to greet you

providing a viewing platform for sunsets

opening for fresh air 

obediently sleeping when you close the blinds

always there when you want them

brutally honest giving you the view as it is

no filters or distortions

never changing with age

windows never lie

totally non-discriminatory

allowing anybody to look through

regardless of age, gender, race or political persuasion

windows are better than many people

much better than most politicians

somebody votes windows into office

windows begin to govern

an entire administration of windows is formed

nothing could be more transparent

never anything hidden, always in view

impossible to corrupt or subvert

windows rule

windows are cool

windows are kings

until somebody revolts

throws a stone

windows shatter

windows progressively collapse

an entire government is broken

society becomes windowless

invaders climb through broken windows

prisoners escape through broken windows

anarchy ensues

windows have failed us

an anti-window movement is formed

windows are hunted down and smashed

windows are boarded up

illegal transactions go unseen

everything is hidden from view

fear and uncertainty abound

news media stops broadcasting truth

nobody knows what is really happening

honest people are persecuted and abused

justice is nowhere to be seen

there is no more hope

until somebody installs a single window

a crowd gathers to admire the window

a bully is sent in to smash it

the crowd refuses to move

the bully does not like resistance

he runs away crying

more windows appear

spreading like wildfire

the bad guys move on

peace and love return

windows rule

always clean and protect your windows

Dave and John at the pub -Parts 1 and 2

Part 1 the full text, bold items translated in Part 2 below

John went to the pub last night, he met up with Dave for a few bevvies. 

They always have a good chin wag at the pub.  

After five beers, Dave offered to buy John a whisky but he said “No.”  Dave kept insisting so eventually John said “Go on then.” 

Lenny was at the bar having a skinful because of his newly arrived  grandson and he was wetting the baby’s head.  

By the end of the evening Lenny was totally legless and everybody was taking the piss out of him.  

Dave was totally gutted after the Saturday football results, he said that his team’s manager had totally lost the plot during the game.  

John said he found the game so boring on the telly that he took a kip instead of watching the second half.  

When he woke up, his moggy was laying on his stomach purring.  

“You need to get rid of that moggy” said Dave “He is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.”  

John said his misses was cheesed off again because he had not decorated the bathroom over the weekend as he had promised. 

 “You better pull your finger out soon” said Dave “Before she gets really pissed off at you.”  

John said “She wants us to go to Spain on Holiday this year, I am thinking of taking her camping in Wales instead and spend the rest of the holiday money on a new motorbike.”  

Dave laughed out loud, “That would certainly put a spanner in the works.”  

John laughed back “She is always whinging about something, I bet she will have the hump when I get home from the pub tonight.”   

Dave said his misses was always chuffed to bits when he got home.  

“She gets my dinner and lets me fall asleep in front of the telly with a beer afterwards.  

“She probably nicks all your brass while you sleep” said John.  

After the pub closed they walked home together, stopping at the chippy for some takeaway.  

Vinny pulled up outside the chippy in his vintage Morris Minor

Dave and John gave him a lot of stick for driving an old banger.  

“I have not seen one of those old rust buckets for donkeys years” said John.  

Vinny laughed at them saying ” I was going to give you both a lift but you have pissed me off now, I bet those chips will be soggy by the time you fat buggers stagger home in the rain.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Part 2 English phrases explained

Bevvies plural of a bevvy- an adult beverage

chin wag- when friends chat and gossip together

Go on then- OK you have convinced me

having a skinfuldrinking alcohol to excess

wetting the baby’s head- celebrating the birth of a baby with a drink to two (babies heads are wetted during a christening ceremony)

Legless- Completely inebriated from excess alcohol consumption to the point where your legs cannot support your weight

taking the piss- making fun of something or somebody, can also mean taking liberties

Gutted- very upset indeed

lost the plot- over reacting when things go wrong

took a kip- took a nap or a short sleep

Moggy- a domestic cat

as much use as a chocolate fireguard- sarcasm when something is useless

the misses- the wife, AKA the Mrs.

cheesed off- mildly annoyed

Decorate- literally to paint or wallpaper the walls of a room, for Brits it does not mean adding furniture or items to change the entire decor of a room

pull your finger out- get focussed and finish the job with haste

pissed off- to be very annoyed

Holiday– Vacation

put a spanner in the works- an action that messes things up in the way that a spanner (wrench) dropped into a mechanical device would clog up the mechanisms

Whinging- crying and moaning

have the hump- to be in a bad mood

chuffed to bits- to be very excited and happy

Nicks- Steals

Brass- Money

Chippy- Slang for chip shop, a carry out establishment selling French fries and fried fish

Takeaway- Carry out food service

Morris Minor- A British family car produced my the Morris Motor Company 1948-1971

gave him a lot of stick- to criticize him incessantly

old banger- an old vehicle in poor condition

rust bucket – a very rusty old vehicle

donkeys years- a very long time

give you both a lift- give you both a ride in my vehicle

pissed me off- seriously upset me 

Chips- French fries, not to be confused with potato chips which are called crisps in Britain

Soggy- The Brits douse their French fries in salt and vinegar to add flavor. However, if not consumed quickly, the vinegar causes the fried potato to lose crispiness and become soft or “soggy”

Bugger- a despicable, annoying and troublesome person

How do you cope with the unexpected

Sometimes things do not go as expected

Plans that never materialize

People who break the promises they made to you

Suppliers sell you things that are backordered

Items are delivered damaged or to the wrong address

Accidents occur that destroy things

You or a loved one suddenly fall very ill

The weather brings floods and damaging winds

You drop your reading glasses and they shatter

Extreme cold causes your pipes to burst

New neighbors turn out to be obnoxious and noisy

Your boss at work decides to blame everything on you

You don’t get the pay rise you were promised

Somebody stole your car and its never recovered

Wine gets spilled over your expensive suit 

You drop your cellphone into a sink full of water

The dog is sick all over the bedroom carpet

Your child gets into big trouble at school 

The spring and summer extensive landscaping work is eaten by deer in one night

The TV DVR did not record your favorite show

Dreaded relatives show up at your door unexpectedly

Your credit card stops working when you need to pay for dinner

You cannot find one shoe and you are late for work

You break a tooth while eating popcorn at the movies

Despite your pleading, the policeman still gives you a speeding ticket

Your partner announces they want a divorce

Your employer sells the company and the new management lay you off

The roof starts leaking during a heavy storm

Your pet dog runs away and never comes back

No spare bicycle inner tube and a puncture 30 miles from home

You desperately need a shower but somebody used all the hot water

The list is endless

How do you cope with all these things

The word cope is a big fat clue

You must develop coping mechanisms to deal with life’s problems

Without coping mechanisms you would probably curl up and cry all the time

Coping mechanisms help you navigate through the rough spots

Then you can enjoy the brief moments of peace and tranquility

Until the next unexpected calamity hits you

Use your coping skills to handle the unexpected gracefully

Watermen

Crab harvesting

Boat glides

slow approach

A tight turn pirouette

Mate effortlessly hooks a float

Pulls up the trap

Empties the contents on a tray

The boat is 3/4 turned now

Rebaiting trap

Tossing it back into same spot

Boat completes 360 and speeds to the next marker

Crabs on the tray rapidly sorted

Undersize go back into the water

Keepers into a basket

Boat slows alongside next floating marker

Whole process repeats

A rhythmic dance on the water

No music but they talk to each other constantly

Harvesting a long line of baited traps

Then speeding off to the next area

Traps must be visited daily

In all weathers

Rain, wind or shine

The watermen keep working

A symbiotic relationship

Man, boat, water, crabs

Harvesting crabs

For your table

Next time you eat crabs

Give thanks to the watermen

Hamish and Dougle Part 3

The drive to Glasgow International airport was uneventful

At the checkin they learned their flight was delayed

Hamish knew this would be a problem

Two extra drinking hours for Billy would end in trouble

Security was the next challenge to overcome

Billy got pulled aside when his carry on bag was scanned

Airport security found six bottles of single malt in his bag

He was pulled aside for a pat down body search

Gloved hands ran the length of his out stretched arms

Then up his legs and under his kilt

Bright yellow egg yolk started to run down his legs

Billy was led away by security

The rest of the commando squad got through security unscathed

They waited in the bar but Billy never showed up

Hamish was worried about the deal he had made back in New York

He had accepted a “loan” from a guy called Vinny 

Vinny was part of the New York mafia 

Hamish had promised Vinny that they would bring back a dozen haggis eggs

Now they were down to ten as they sat in the airport bar

Hamish had promised that he would bring back enough eggs to start a hatchery in the US

They will kill us if we don’t bring back a dozen eggs

Dougle was more optimistic and smiling

We are going to make a fortune he whispered to Hamish

Don’t count your haggis before they hatch said Hamish

The three remaining New Yorkers in the squad were drinking heavily

Somebody accused them of wearing their kilts backwards

A fight broke out with chairs and tables flying

Hamish and Dougle quickly stepped outside the bar 

Police rushed in to break up the fight

The New York squad were arrested and taken away

Hamish prayed that him and Dougle would make it back safely

They were now down to just four haggis eggs

The flight to New York was uneventful and they slept the entire way

Immigration was going to be the next challenge 

What’s the purpose of your visit? asked the female officer

Dougle smiled and said we are here on holiday

She looked him up and down and her eyes were drawn to his kilt

The front of his kilt was moving erratically

The haggis chicks were hatching in his underwear

The officer smiled at Dougle as his hands tried to subdue his bobbing crotch

Enjoy your vacation she said as she handed them their passports

Dougle limped outside the terminal alongside Hamish

They were met by four large men dressed in black

Hurridly pushed into the back of a big black limousine

Hamish froze when he heard the words

Vinny wants to see you

To the bitter end

I was taught from an early age to always be prepared

Keep your home well stocked

Never run out of toilet paper

Always have a few cold beers in the fridge

Keep the bar well stocked in case of unexpected guests

We tend to buy replacement liquor before the bottle gets empty

There is however one exception

Angostora bitters never run out so why bother buying a backup

The bottle has an oversize lable that completely covers the contents

Rumor has it the label was printed oversize in error

They decided to stick with it as a gimmick

I do not buy into that theory at all

I think the bottle contains a magic beetle 

That absorbs water from the air

And feeds on some tropical plant that grows in there too

The beetle secretes a bitter liquid

That’s why your bottle of bitters will never run out 

Yesterday we had guests and I made a Manhattan

I followed my usual recipe

Starting with one of those oversize ice cubes in a glass

I poured in some Bulleit Rye and Dollans red vermouth

Then I started to add 4 drops of Angostura bitters

But horror of horrors only three drops came out

I tried shaking and squeezing the bottle to no avail

For the first time in my life I witnessed the end of the bitters

Perhaps the magic beetle just died of old age

He had lived a long happy life inside that bottle

Providing bitters for me to share with friends and family

He did us proud

Right up to the bitter end

What did he just say?

I started to dread noisy places

crowded bars, busy restaurants and parties

straining to follow conversations

I smiled and nodded a lot

probably at the wrong times

my hearing has deteriorated over time

this could not be ignored any longer

a trip to the audiologist ensued

confirming what I already knew

my hearing was down by fifty percent

it was time to get hearing aids

the choices were vast but costly

after many hours of research 

a decision was made

opting for the latest AirPods 

far less expensive than conventional hearing aids

but technically as good if not better

the setup was smooth and simple

my hearing test results scanned directly

optimism when I popped them in

the difference was dramatic

I could hear so much better at home

listening to streaming music was so much fun

but what about in a noisy environment

we picked the loudest restaurant for dinner

I added a small wireless microphone

clipped to my chattering bride

switching the AirPods to mute all external sounds

apart from those transmitted from her microphone

I beamed when I listened to her voice

crystal clear in my ear

normally drowned out by the background noise

I put a second microphone on the table near our guests

instantly transporting me back into the world of dinner table conversation

with one small problem to overcome

with the background noise eliminated in my ear

I did not instinctively raise my own voice

nobody at the table could hear my softly spoken words

as they all shouted at each other over the background din

I might buy them all AirPods for the next meal

How do you deal with your reality?

Reality is there

All around you

Staring you in the face

Sometimes it is hard to accept

You may not like reality

You can try to ignore it

You can create your own version

To convince yourself it is different

But reality stands firm

Unwavering

Unimpressed by your fantasy version

You may decide to wage war on reality

Plunge yourself into a constant battle

It is a futile exercise

Reality reigns supreme

Reality will never change by your will

Reality totally ignores your fantasy

If you simply accept reality

Embrace it for what it is

Accept that it is never perfect

Acknowledge that your version was just a fantasy

Your fantasy will whither away and die

Reality will certainly forgive you

Welcoming you back

Without any hard feelings

Reality can become your best friend

Then comes the bonus part

You will have found peace

enjoy the ride while it lasts

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

alternating days and nights

temperatures follow the seasons

financial markets go up and down

housing markets boom and crash

the popularity of movie stars explodes then fades away

sports teams rise to ascendancy then slip back into oblivion

a new restaurant attracts crowds 

but over time empty tables appear

political leaders are initially adored 

their ratings inevitably fall with time

babies need caring for as they develop

growing into adults who care for their own babies

then they get old and need to be cared for again

nothing is constant

atoms from dead stars make up the cells in living organisms

the cells in your body die off daily

replaced by new ones

over time the replacement cells are less reliable

ultimately leading to death

but the cycle continues

the atoms from dead plants and animals get recycled

new life begins again with atoms from dead stars

stars in the sky burn bright but eventually burn out

our ever-expanding universe will one day go dark again

it will shrink back to nothing

before another big bang creates a new expanding universe

everything follows a cycle

enjoy the ride

while it lasts

Retirement life

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Sleep

Alarm

Snooze

Wake

Pee

Meds

Tea

Write

Poetry

Edit

Share

Watch

Sunrise

Tea

Breakfast

Cycling

Pedal

Pedal

Home

Shower 

Tea

Read

Book

Walk 

Surf

Web

Read

Lunch

Read

Tea

Nap

Snooze

Alarm

Drive

Car

Shops

Browse

Buy 

Stuff

Drive

Bar

Beer

Beer

Laugh

Beer

Beer

Laugh

Pee

Uber

Home

Dinner

Netflix 

Scotch

Chocolate 

Scotch

Smile

Tired

Brush

Teeth

Giggle

Meds

Bed

Cuddles

Sleep

Dream

Repeat