Just The Two Of Us

Hello, dear reader!

Time, as they say, flies.

Nothing brings this home more than the slew of milestone celebrations 2024 has brought with it.

A 21st birthday, an 18th, myself and my wúnderwifey, Tina both turning a full half century. Each and every one of these events is a landmark, and each one of them makes me feel even older than the big 5-0 I turn in two and a half weeks.

But there’s one celebration that’s flown under the radar. Myself and Tina’s 12th wedding anniversary.

Out And About

Hello, dear reader!

And welcome to a busy old week.

Yes, it’s been a week of much activity, of reasonable long drives (for me), and jobs crossed off the list.

It’s one of those weeks that lends a strange sense of satisfaction to go alongside the creeping fatigue the unseasonably seasonal weather is failing to help. You will therefore, I hope, not mind too much if I keep this one on the short side. Oh, you do? Unlucky.

Dog Years

Hello, dear reader!

I have, on occasion, been accused of writing the same thing in these blog posts.

While this is not entirely accurate, I will admit to perhaps a smidgen of repetition when it comes to subject matter, and there is, of course, a reason for that which is the limited horizons of our (that’s me and my marvellous Mrs, Tina) lives.

This may be something that’s due a change in the coming years (fingers crossed), but at the time of writing, money and opportunity have conspired to limit the amount of subject matter available.

This week, for instance, we’re going to revisit the thorny issue of the dog.

Last Post

Hello, dear reader!

And how are we doing this fine if somewhat overcast day?

Me? Oh, I’m about as hunky as dory gets. A man filled with a new sense of optimism. A man enthused by possibility. A man ready to move on and see what the future holds

You see this blog post marks what I hope will be an ending. With a little luck, this will be the last blog post I write under a Conservative government.

A Kind Of Magic

Hello, dear reader!

They say kindness costs nothing. I’m a great believer in that.

True, there are some people who will take advantage of kindness, or see it as some sort of weakness, but we have names for people like that. Names I’ll refrain from detailing, lest delicate eyes are reading.

You see…kindness.

Last night was a case in point.

Bus Stop

Hello, dear reader!

It’s been another eventful week for this particular branch of the Rankin family and yet again, it’s a birthday at the heart of it.

This time it was the turn of my dad to celebrate another trip around the sun with a slap up feast of Chinese cuisine, and being the good son I am, I helped him do that.

I turned up and ate.

Not that it’s the celebration itself which forms the crux of today’s offering. No, that’s reserved for the way there and the way back.

Wheelchair Supporter

Hello, dear reader!


It’s coming home!

Well, probably not. I mean, as a Leeds United (I know) and England fan, I’m not un-used to disappointment, so it’s probably best not to get my hopes up too far.

Still.

For those of you that haven’t got a Scooby, what I’m talking about, I refer to the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 football championships.

I’ll pause here for the customary wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Hear, Hear

Hello, dear reader!


So it seems as though its my turn to write my thoughts this week, not sure when this was decided… But here goes !!!!!

Ballot Box Blues

Hello, dear reader!

It appears that, once again, we live in interesting times.

That’s right, folks, last week, just a little after I’d finished putting the final details of my blog together, everything changed. An announcement was made that has the potential to change everything, and pretty much ensures an entertaining few weeks are in store.

Because, last week, a General Election was called.

Gambling Man

 Hello, dear reader!

And welcome to an exceptionally wet and dreary day in West Yorkshire.

In fact, on the news this morning, I heard tell that this year has been one of the wettest on record in the U.K which doesn’t surprise me. I’m toying with the idea of building a boat and rounding up some animals.

All of which has nothing in particular to do with today’s blog post. No, that honour goes to yet another special birthday amongst the extended Rankin family. My eldest niece’s  21st, no less. 

And was the occasion marked? You bet it was!

All Done

Hello, dear reader!

This might not take long.

On the back of a very short offering last week, I find myself a little under the weather as I recover from a rather dramatically unwell tummy (I won’t go into the details, as some of you might be eating and even if you’re not…)

There is news, however, so, why don’t we?

Work In Progress

Hello, dear reader!

It’s going to be a quick offering, this week.

This is mainly due to the ongoing disruption in the Rankin household, it being difficult stringing words together while loud sawing, and needlessly upbeat remixes of early nineties dance music assault my ears, but also because, due to the new bathroom assembly, neither I nor Tina have actually been anywhere or done anything of note.

So, for now, this will have to do. Think of it as a placeholder. As a bit of an added bonus, I’m going to add a few pics we’ve been taking of the work in progress, so you get an idea of what’s been going on, and next week, with a little luck, I’ll be able to update you with news of a brand spanking new wet room, even more pics, a report on my nieces 21st birthday (yes, I know I’m old, and perhaps some news on the publication of my latest short story

For now, however, as the mutitool roars into life again, I’m going to leave it he

Until next time…


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Hey, there! If you enjoyed reading any of the above, why not take a look at some of my published work? Below you’ll find links to a number of short stories I’m lucky enough to have included in anthologies. I’d love to know what you think


New Tales Of Old


Death Ship


Pestilence: Drabbles 1


Reaperman: Drabbles 3


The Musketeers Vs Cthulhu


Eldritch Investigations

Workspace

 Hello, dear reader!

And welcome to disruption central.

Yes, after bemoaning that ‘waiting is’ last week all our dreams of getting a quick start on the bathroom have come true.

And, my word, is it fun!

Coming soon!

Hello, dear reader!

We had a very important visitor yesterday.

It wasn’t all that unexpected, and it wasn’t in any way unprompted but, with a little luck, it will get the ball rolling on something quite exciting.

You see, our visitor was a surveyor.

Walk It Off

 Hello, dear reader!  

They say every journey starts with a single step.

I’m on a mission to see if that’s true.

Mum's The Word

Hello, dear reader!

Its the sainted wifey again ….. Just popping by to share some thoughts with you. Hope you don't mind!

As some of you may know, I chat quite often about my mental health journey, and part of that journey is made more challenging because of the fact that my mum has dementia. More accurately, mum has vascular dementia - and also an inoperable brain tumour, which has been diagnosed for about 7 years or so.

Checkpoint Charlie

Hello, dear reader!

Last week, I fell into the trap of navel gazing (Not naval gazing, as I first wrote. That’s ship-spotting, and completely different).

It’s something I’m prone to. I tend to live in my own head, with my own thoughts, which is probably a bit of a boon to anyone else thinking of taking a peek in there.

However.

Idle thought and rumination alone will only take one so far. There comes a point when action has to be taken, and to that point I started off this year with some goals and aspirations. Not resolutions, you understand. Nothing that concrete. Just things I’d like to achieve.

So, let’s see how we’re doing, shall we.

Age Old

Hello, dear reader!

It is, as has been noted in previous posts, a bit of a landmark for me and mine.

There are reasons to celebrate aplenty. Everything from big birthdays to wedding anniversaries and a lot of those occasions happen to fall in the month we are (fortunately for my bank account) coming to the end of.

And, my word, how it ages me.

Freedom

Hello, dear reader!

Some things are worth the wait.

In fact, although the act of waiting (and waiting, and waiting) can be a soul-sapping purgatory, I’d almost (almost!) say that the act of waiting has sharpened my joy at the events of the past week.

But what are those events? I hear you cry.

Well, just two days ago, I received my brand new wheelchair!

My Mama Mia

Hello, dear reader!

It just little me again - the sainted wifey …

I just wanted to share some thoughts with you today, thoughts that I hope make you think, inspire you, and even might even make you laugh.

The rankers have had a busy few weeks. Mark touched on this in his last blog when he chatted about a wedding anniversary, a hotel stay - and a very busy and expensive March.

Flushed!

Hello, dear reader!

Well, with the golden anniversary of my sainted parents now a thing of the recent past it’s time to sober up, refocus, and get on with one of the major challenges planned in for 2024.

No, I’m not talking about the perennially knackered wheelchair (although that is on the horizon), nor am I doing much planning for the upcoming combos of my nieces 18th, step-daughter’s 24th, and Mother’s day.

No, the challenge Is more bathroom based.

Going For Golden

Hello, dear reader!

And so it begins…

2024 is a very special year for the extended Rankin clan. A year of landmarks, of big birthdays and anniversaries. It means a lot of family meet ups, a lot of parties and meals out, possibly an above average amount of booze and associated shenanigans.

Oh, yeah, and a fair bit of expense.

Off Road

Hello, dear reader!

My, but these are exciting times.

Not only is it Valentine’s day, not only has Tina, my wúnder-wifey, landed herself an amazing job, the first administrative throes of which are now firmly under way, but, on the way back from the latest chapter of the latter, we had an encounter that, immediately, I knew would frame today’s offering.

It involved myself, Tina, two strapping blokes, and a rather scared woman.

New Shoes

Hello, dear reader!

It's just little old wifey me ….. I like to make good on promises so here is my latest news that I can finally share with you all.

Wash Day Blues

Hello, dear reader!

And how’s the weather where you are?

Here in (not so) sunny West Yorkshire, we’re suffering our second major storm in the same number of weeks.

Which is nice.

The garden furniture (such as it is) looks like it’s been arranged by a set of angry toddlers who’ve been at the blue sweets, the howling wind and driving rain have been loud enough to give us several interrupted night’s sleep, and going much of anywhere feels like some dire, post -apocalyptic quest. At least we had the foresight to lose a fence panel before the current weather hit, though. We’re nothing if not proactive.

Not that any of that has anything to do with today’s blog post.

Dogleg

Hello, dear reader!

And, as those of you who have the somewhat dubious pleasure of following these inane ramblings might expect, welcome to a blog post all about fitness.

Yes, the last couple of weeks has seen me muse about New Year aims and goals (not resolutions, which I think are self-defeating), and set out a few of these in regard to my own health and a landmark birthday that is on the fast approaching horizon. So, it only seems natural that, this week, we continue with that theme

Although, perhaps, not in the way you were thinking.

Honest!

Hello, dear reader!

It has, on occasion, been mentioned that I can be a tad repetitive in my musings on life. I put this down to the heady, roller-coaster ride of day to day existence throwing up similar if not identical issues to navigate my way through than any lack of inspiration but, then again, your mileage may vary.

And so, that being said, it’s that time of year when I look back at last week’s New Year aims and ambitions and document the start I’ve made.

You know, like last year.

The Aim Game

Hello, dear reader!

And a happy new year, one and all!

As is the norm at this time of change and renewal, I intend to spend a little time reflecting on the year just gone, and a little time exploring the possibilities of the one to come, because, you see, the dust has just about settled on 2023. 

It was a year of quite significant change for myself and, especially, for my wúnderwifey, Tina. A year that included the wonderful, exciting chance for Tina to spread her wings and re-enter the world of gainful, and rewarding employment in a role she is ideally suited for (once a certain former employer get’s its thumb out of its posterior and sends her references in).