Another friend passed away recently. We had not been in touch much over the last few years, which now the opportunity has passed, makes me sad. I read once that you make your friends first at school, then work ,then through your wife talking to other mothers at your kids school.
I moved away from any school friends years ago. My work has never been local to where I lived so though I have friends from work I speak to them mostly through Skype as they are scattered across the globe. No kids , no wife come to that , so that avenue closed also.
Apart from a few work friends I would say that most of my friends have come from two of my interests. Shooting and Landrovers. The shooting ones tend to be from clubs I have belonged to. The landrover ones via Internet mailing lists which have turned into meeting for a beer at a show. Even when travelling to Africa I was able to meet up with people I had only talked with via mail for several years.
So anyway I have decided to get back in touch with the friends I do have and make an effort to meet up again. So make up the spare bed – I’m on my way.
Reading through some Evelyn Waugh quotes on Wikipedia and it struck me that one was missing.
In Brideshead Revisited Charles Ryder towards the end says ” I’m homeless, childless , middle aged and unloved”
Now I wonder why that struck such a cord with me.
Yesterday went up the range to do some paper punching. Snowing and five below. At one point I was having trouble holding the zero as I was shivering so much (and bear in mind I am built like a seal or at least as well insulated). I was using a friends rifle (thanks big Ed)and in order to get set up properly had to remove both winter clothing and the shooting mat so only a thin layer between me and concrete. At least with pistol shooting you can keep your parka on.
This morning woke up to being in one of those nature documentaries showing the great thaw. Water is dripping off the thatch and I can see the garden again. I suppose this means that the snow in my truck will also have melted at last. The snow off my boots has just lain in the footwell with not enough heat in the cab to melt it.Forecast for tonight is back to below zero so it will be a slow crawl till I hit the main road again.
Not me it seems.
Fitted some lights above the dining table today. Electric ones! And I’m still here!
Welcome to my new website at johnmill.com.
Over time, I will update these pages.
