Settling in to my new life

Jephson Memorial in Jephson Gardens, Leamington, June 2026

Alongside the search for a badminton club and a Buddhist group I started the hunt for a new Personal Trainer to replace Muscles (although I can't imagine anyone better). The nearest gym is a short walk away, so I dropped in to see if it would do, and have been put in touch with someone who takes as much time as I do to respond to text messages. Eventually I met him, he seems OK, and we've set up a few sessions to see if we get along.

I had to go back to Leamington because of a periodontist appointment that I couldn't move. I thought I might as well make best use of the day so I had a training session with Muscles as well as having a repeat blood test. I actually had a blood test before I moved away, but there was a 'lab error' so it's lucky I've had the opportunity for a repeat - if they mess it up this time I'll have to start again with a new local GP. I also tried to give mum's old VHS video player to Leamington's recycle warehouse, but there was a sign saying they couldn't take any more donations at the moment. I met Nameless Man for a cup of tea and mentioned the video player, and he took it for the Library of Things. Result!

Mum and I have started on the kitchen, weeding out all sorts of things that haven't seen the light of day for years, and hopefully putting more of the things she uses within her reach. There is so much that is no longer needed, both of mine and hers. Her friend came round and helpfully took away one or two things, and the family WhatsApp group means that some of the rest will find a new home, but I anticipate a new kitchen section in the local charity shop. I have promised mum that I will clear the boxes in the kitchen by the time I go away... because I have taken advantage of the certainty of having moved to book a whole lot of retreats and volunteering activity up to the end of the year. Then I will need to calm down and spend more time actually living here.

At various times this week we hosted Lola II, Mr M and Sister D who assisted with more unpacking and helpfully took various items away with them. The saga of the cooker continues - I think I wrote about the broken knob and the unsatisfactory replacements, but the next thing has been that the gas ignition spark failed, and mum thought that it needed a battery that is no longer available. I persuaded her to consider a new cooker, and went as far as investigating where we might get one second-hand (a brand new one seeming unnecessary). Then I actually looked at the battery (which was a standard size), took it out and put it in again and the spark is back. I still think a replacement would be an improvement to our quality of life, but that will have to wait until I have a bit more time to spend on it.

It's taken a couple of weeks but I've now applied for my 60+ Oyster card, which is the same as the Freedom Pass but funded by Transport for London rather than the London borough I live in. So I'll be getting free trains and buses (and trams etc) in London, which is the second big benefit I've attained simply by remaining alive, the first being my Senior Railcard. I went back to the library to make sure I understand how it works - the building is so small that they encourage you to reserve books you want to read rather than expecting to find them on the shelves. I also enquired about borrowing an OS map, which was promptly ordered for me, and then I made the classic error of not simply leaving the library without looking around. So I've borrowed two books, as if I didn't have loads already on my shelves waiting to be read.

This last weekend brought my first retreat with my new Buddhist Group, who started holding a Camping retreat when they couldn't meet any other way because of Covid. The tradition has continued, and there were nearly 30 of us in a field in Essex, meditating and chatting and generally doing Buddhism together, and it was very lovely and people were splendid. It's also been my only camping trip this year, which is very unusual.

Bomber Command

International Bomber Command memorial, Lincoln, October 2025

Since coming back from the retreat, which isn't all that long ago, I have managed to maintain a less busy programme. So far, so good.

So what is significant enough to mention? 

I've been spending quality time watching films and going to a Ukelele concert with Nameless Man. At the moment he is busy setting up a Library of Things, which is where you can borrow items like a hedge trimmer or a long ladder or a set of spanners or a wheelbarrow - things that you don't need very often but are very useful to borrow when you do. He's leased a small shop and together with some local eco-warriors they are fitting it out and acquiring what they need and setting up the necessary socials and webs. I find my chats with him very useful - we share the same fundamental values, I think, so when he's done some research into something I can just follow his lead, and he encourages me to do the right thing. This week I walked to Morrisons to do my shopping rather than driving.

The music group has started up for a new term, and the baritone sax parts for two of the five pieces have not a semiquaver rest all the way through - I have to say I find this kind of arrangement tiresome. Muscles the Personal Trainer and regular badminton continue to help me improve my physical state, and there was great news at the optician where nothing has deteriorated for a year. For mental exercise I've managed to attend the U3A board games group and a day at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre on the subject of ethics.

Inside the spire

The LTRP continues with a bit of remedial plumbing and - at last - a visit from the recommended roofer to look at the stained patch of ceiling in the porch, and some more areas of concern in the hall. He had a good look and his verdict is that most of the problem is condensation, and the bit that isn't condensation is probably due to the construction of the turret over the front door. I tend to agree with him, so I can deal with this in the spring.

In other acronym news, I've been on a coach trip to the IBCC with the U3A. This is the International Bomber Command Centre, which is a memorial site in Lincoln dedicated to all those killed in WW2 who were working for Bomber Command, which I discovered was one part of the RAF (other parts included Transport Command, Fighter Command, Training etc.) I signed up for the trip because I know so little about this recent history of ours; other people I met on the trip were already fairly knowledgeable or were going because of a relative or friend who served. 

The memorial and exhibition was established fairly recently - it opened in 2018, and was well worth the visit. We had a guide who pitched his talk slightly higher than my level, but I still learned a great deal from him and from the exhibition there. Targeting civilian populations with bombs in order to destroy morale is certainly not an ethical issue that is confined to WW2.

View of Lincoln Cathedral behind ceramic poppies laid out in the shape of a Lancaster Bomber