God only knows how I’ve made it to be still here to celebrate my official retirement! Perhaps because I’ve many good reasons to live these days. I have a beautiful lady, a lovely home, and my love of the work that fills every hour of the day. Oh, and God.
There were times in the past when I would’ve been embarrassed to mention God. Some people reading this will feel cringy with my saying it now! But my God, the Divine force of love and good has never been more present than he is today. Yes, the Divine has always been there – I just wasn’t aware of it.
Anyway – today I’m sixty-six years young, and I want to indulge you with some photos from the morning so far. I have been spoilt again.
I received everything on that table this morning. Everything is a thoughtful gift and meaningful to me, from the cards to the photos and the books. I so very much appreciate everything.
Of course, the top gift would be the Kindle Scribe that I was given ahead of my birthday because I couldn’t wait. It’s my top gadget and gets used every day for reading and writing. It’s what I use to transcribe the WFSIW sessions too.
Amongst the cards I received was one from my good friend and Spirited Talk Envoy Jon. In the card, Jon had included a photo I’d never seen before. It was taken by his late wife, Susan, when we walked Ben Nevis in the early noughties. I can’t believe we did that too. An amazing event in my life and that photo will soon be framed for a place on our walls. It’s evidence that you can take your shirt off up a mountain in Scotland!
Recently, I was reminiscing with Jane about cowboy comic books. When I was a teenager, I loved reading them. My dad worked with a man who used to buy and leave them at work, and he used to let me read them. Jane sourced one for me and I can’t wait to read ‘Range War’!
My beautiful daughter, Kay, bought me that steel tongue drum and within minutes of opening it, I was in my element, knocking out some tunes. Obviously I’ll never be as good as my musical hero Reinhardt Buhr, but it’ll be fun trying!
This is synchronicity at work again. For months, I’ve been watching videos of people playing these instruments. Kay wouldn’t have known that. We live 250 miles apart. But yet again, she managed to get me something that absolutely perfect. I should mention she also sent a photo of my wonderful grandson Luca. The photo was taken by my other talented grandson, Charlie Farlie.
My children have had to get on with life without a father nearby to be part of it. A day doesn’t go by without me thinking of them. I can’t wait until we visit them again in October.
Time has come for me to wrap this up. Jane has just squawked me on the walkie talkie to tell me my bacon sandwich is ready in the kitchen. Tonight we’re having a kebab! You could say, as my old mate Melvin says, I’m living the Dweam!
