Various occupations of pensioners

Sunday morning we acted as marshalls for CACC (the local athletic club).  I know I mentioned doing this before, last month.  This time we had to stand guard at the camp site by the river and persuade pairs of runners and bikers to cross the river at the shallowest part.  The ones that had competed last year had done it before, but some new ones looked fairly shocked.   I’ve done this crossing myself in the summer when the river is flowing gently, but it has been raining a lot over the past month and I didn’t fancy the athletes’ chances.  However, only one person fell over and that just involved a wet knee and not a complete dunking.    And it didn’t rain.

Monday was one of the two book clubs I turn up for in the month.  This was the NEDWA book club (for ladies) at the Kitsch Café in Excideuil.   I rather messed up.  I have become so devoted to my Kindle that I imagine that all books can be obtained on it.  This isn’t the case, so by the time I had realised that this month’s book wasn’t available to download, it was too late to order a copy.  Or rather, I did order a copy and it didn’t arrive in time.  So I hadn’t read it.   The book was Crooked Angels by Carol Lee and dealt with physical problems related to mental health issues.  The ensuing discussion was an eye opener with one or two people even saying that they thought that people with mental health issues ought to “pull themselves together”.  I truly didn’t realise that people of my age still felt like that.  But there were others who bravely owned up to having  mental health problems themselves in the past.    My personal view is that we're all mad.  We're all constrained by our own points of view.  It's just a question of degree as to whether we can function or not. 

Tuesday Mike and I had a day in Perigueux and a good bicker -  over whether it was worth repairing my bike or not.  He is against as I don't use it much - I am for as I'd like it in useable condition.  We flung the matter around a bit and got quite heated but then went to the Chinese buffet place for lunch and calmed down. 

Dolly has become so insistent on her walks that she has taken to going to sit in the garage whenever possible to ensure that I shall not drive off without her.   She was installed there when we got back from Perigueux.   Karl, who was repairing our big front gate, had been asked to release her from the house, and she had hastened to guard my car.  We would like to dissuade her from these garage visits but, unfortunately, it must seem to work for her because I do walk her daily, anyway.    

Yesterday evening was fine enough to sit on the terrace for a game of scrabble.  It did rain a little but we braved it out.   Scrabble with umbrellas could be a new craze - we know how to live,  you know.