Morning folks, another Sunday and another great adventure so far and it’s only 0930 hours BST on the 26th May 2024. My target of life expectancy had always been to see in the Millenium, but as I’d only be 53 it wasn’t too ambitious, I do like targets like that ones that are relatively easy to acheive. Having said that I’d had close aquantances dying aged from 21 to 73. And in any case life is a difficult commodity for setting a target as really it’s largely out of your control. So my advice is savour every day.
I do, when I awoke at 0330 hours, well I’d had a late night (for me), end of production run with the Am Dram group, I’ve only been the Head Cook and bottlewasher but it still takes it out of you til after the last performance when we have a Pizza party. I left the hyped up cast at about 2300 hours. I know how they felt having experienced such a sensation when working.
Anyway when I awoke this morning I didn’t think I would bother writing today, I felt mentally drained so athough it looked like rain I thought I’d get out on the bike, it’s been quite a few days since my last ride. I had a shower and got dressed in my riding gear, had my breakfast then at 0700 hours checked for any new emails.
An estate agent had alerted me to a terraced property that had just come on the market for rent in Postcode S20 which is the one next to me so I decided to drive to have a look at the area before continuing on the bike for a ride around the area.
The house is worth looking at so after this note I’ll give them a ring. You have to be quick with these things . The last one I looked at had only been advertised for three and a half hours before they closed the viewing list, shows how great the demand is. Anyway it didn’t suit me, so I’m still looking.
I haven’t looked up the demographic profile of S20 but did my own asssessment revealed its diversity. The house in question is on what I would term a modern middle class estate, the cars all of recent age, quite a few BMW, Audi and Mercedes with many obvious run-about 2nd cars.
I left the car after fitting the bike with mud deflectors, it having now come onto rain and found the track, part of the Pennine Trail. I followed the track towards the city centre area where the postcde changes. I then rode away from the Trail into a Labarynth of streets, the estates they call them Townships (not as posh as a country estatee) in Sheffield, it’s a term I associate with South Africa having read about Soweto, but I’ve never been abroad, seems such a waste of time queuing at airports etc, so I speak from a position of ignorance. However I suppose the good Burghers of Sheffield think they are supporting and empathising with the poorer people of South Africa by calling these areas Townships. I suspect the people who live in such places would like the opportunity to live anywhere but in a Township. Anyway it’s only a name or is it?
On entering this area I could not believe it was anywhere near the area of the house I’d looked at. I thought I was entering a military Arsenal. All the flats, what seemed like rows and rows of them were all surrounded by fitted steel barriers at street level, obviously local authority built accomodation probably 1960 vintage. However the positive side of this was, as a bike rider or walker there is a network of well paved pathways everywhere linking shops one way and the Rother Valley recreational areas the other. The City Council is to be congratulated on their planning in this latter respect.
Of course I got lost in this maze but made my way back down hill as that must surely lead to a river and to the South , I think, but with the overcast sky it was impossible to tell. When I finally came upon a main road I found I had shot past where I’d left the car and was nearly home on the road to Killamarsh, so I found the trail and was to experience the greatest joy of the morning. There on the track was the most beautiful young bird (of the feathered variety) a Great Tit, (the variety of bird). It had obviously just been ejected from it’s birth home and still had its yellow beak. It was perfectly fit but could not yet fly. It hopped into the undergrowth as I bid it farewell, good luck and a long life. There can be no finer sight than seeing new young life in early spring.
Finding the car I loaded the bike inside and looked at my watch. 0845 hours, back home for 0900 hours wet through, my coat is obviously not waterproof any more, back in the shower that’s the third soaking this morning. then a second breakfast, first load of washing in and down to writing to my friends.
What an exiciting life I lead, phone the Estate agents now, then the novel.
Haven’t time for the quotation I promised, another time perhaps?
Have a good day and may your god go with you from The Yorkshire Fenix.