I have been away from writing my musings in here for some time. They (who are they?) tell me that this is not good practice. I need to be regular (don’t we all) and reliable. Can I assure you, my good reader, that I have still been writing regularly, I have even published (I use the term loosely) some of it on that X place but I haven’t been as loyal to my Blog as the metrics say I should be. I didn’t make a conscious decision to not be here but life, or perhaps more accurately, death got in the way.
I have started tapping away as I wait for my mother to prepare her breakfast. We had a huge new kitchen built last spring but somehow, she can still make it impossible for anyone else to do anything in there when she is accessing any of the vital bits of the room such as the hot drinks machines, the sink, even the huge island. But eh, oh. She is now very much part of the change that has happened over the past few month, and I am delighted (well most of the time) she is here with us. The reason she is with us, is that we had planned, as a family, for her and my Dad to move into our abode after significant works were completed. This created a new ensuite bedroom, a new kitchen and a few other alterations. Sadly, Dad didn’t make it. He died on the day we were starting their move last September. He didn’t want to move so he opted for a rather dramatic way out. Way to go Dad!
I am not going to dwell on Dad’s departure in this piece but I can tell you that it has caused not only the emotional upset you would expect, but a whole new part of my life which I have termed ‘deathmin’ to be created. WOW, there is a lot of paperwork to do after someone dies. Now, a full three months on, we still don’t have his death certificate because there has to be an inquest. Despite being 92, he died of asbestosis (amongst other things) so we have to go through ‘the channels’, whatever they are? Anyway, when you add this into looking after an Aunt who has dementia, was in a care home that wasn’t caring (she had to be moved), still trying to sell her house which is 450 miles away in another country, finish the building project off (we still have outside to do and some decorating), moving site and then continuing to run a manufacturing business, coping with my in-law family (Mum in law also has dementia amongst other diseases) and our ‘normal’ daily life, things have been at best, distracting.
Whilst in my hiatus from the Blog has been frustrating, it has allowed me to reflect on how to deliver these ramblings. Although I like my title, ‘The Diary of a Fifty Something Nobody’, I have been advised by some professionals that you may not be attracted to reading anything written by ‘A Nobody’. There is also the matter of time marching forwards and I only have a few years before fifty will turn to sixty. This means (BIG ANNOUNCEMENT COMING!), I have decided to change the name to ‘Train of Thought’. I was inspired (again) by the film ‘Inside Out’ which has a Train of Thought which takes thoughts and imagination from Island to Island in the main character’s brain and then back to Headquarters. I am going to make a slight change to it though. I have four Trains, rather than just the one. 
Are you ready then…. The four trains are:
- The Random Train of Thought
- The Dementia Train of Thought
- The Reading & Writing Train of Thought
- The Travel Train of Thought (mainly based on our motor home – Joe le Taxi)
There will be one Train each week which will leave the station on a Friday lunch time. Yes, yes, I have published this before the next Friday so this is a ‘Special Train’, but the regular timetable starts on the 5thJanuary 2024. Toot, toot! The first Train out on to the tracks will be from the ‘Random’ Shed but I think it will on a subject close to all of our hearts, which is health, weight and diet. What else in early January?
Righty oh, I will finish up for now. My new year started on the 22nd December (a future subject for the Random Train) but I know, as we head towards the 31st of the month, it is traditional to send the following message.
HAPPY NEW YEAR and I hope that 2024 brings you much joy.
