Linda has recently retired. She now has the time to embrace life, laugh a lot and do all that she loves. Discover what that looks like for her and let her adventures inspire you…
LIVE
An amazing and exciting visit at this time of year is to go to a Christmas Market. It’s amazing to view the creative ideas that people hope to sell on a stall. It’s exciting when someone’s ideas catch my imagination and purse. It’s interesting to see new stalls. The Tuesday craft market at South Causey Stables this week was displaying Christmas ideas. The pretty products picture shows an alternative to wrapping paper. The printed paper handbags are there to pop a present in. Fab ! Stalls selling homemade Christmas tree decorations are always fun. They present a glorious array of colour and seasonal gifts. Looking for unusual presents is a must. For me, it is a mini warm-up to Christmas Day. I enjoy tasting products. Recently after tasting yummy small xmas puddings, I purchased three -sadly only two have survived so far. Ha ha. I have marked several dates on the calendar to go to: Alnwick Gardens Christmas Market and also Harrogate Christmas Market on 19 November are two. Maybe next year, I will get to Edinburgh’s Market.
LAUGH
Some people hate cold calling. Now that I’m retired, I realise that this is an age group that is a definite target. In fact, my other half and I are so sick of them, we have found a way to deal with them. We have a competition to come up with the most bizarre excuse for saying ‘No, not interested’. The usual answers of no money, got a new one, ‘Oh my husband deals with the energy and he’s out, but I think he has just changed company’, have all been given. The excuses are of course given regardless of whether they are true or not. Recently a call came to upgrade my husband’s phone, supposedly from his provider. He said ‘ Thank you for the reminder. I have spoken to the phone people and got an amazing deal, much better than last year’. Her reply was ‘Oh! Um! Oh! OK! ‘ That put an end right there to two weeks of constant calls at odd times – early morning, all day and late evening – that his provider knew nothing about! Ha ha ha! Result – but he’s now in the lead! I need to get some good ones ready!
LOVE
Walking in the glorious autumn weather today along the Derwent Walk turned into a ‘Spot the Tree’ walk. Today I have seen at least six varieties. Horse Chestnuts are one of my favourites, especially at present. I just love conkers. It is a childhood memory of climbing, throwing sticks and finding any way to knock them down. Collected as a child, they were soaked in vinegar, put in the oven to harden or just used ‘au naturel’. My family even painted them in clear varnish. I am not sure what the modern methods are. Then the fun begins. Trying to smash another’s conker brings out the competitive child. These ‘playful’ contests are hilarious. I can even remember playing blindfold. Held at Peterborough every second Sunday in October are the World Conker Championships. Wow! Maybe next year?
I try to live, laugh and love each day xxx