Posted in Midlife, Music, Rants and Raves, Video, tagged Anything is Possible, BBC, best-selling, decade, Evergreen, Midlife, midlifer, Music, Radio 1, single, Video, Will Young on January 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Will Young, The Pop Idol winner of 2002, had the best-selling single of the last decade with his double A side Anything Is Possible / Evergreen. It was sold 1.8million times. I hadn’t heard it for a long time until yesterday on BBC Radio 1. It brought a tear to this midlifer’s eye I have to say – I absolutely love it. So here is Will Young on video for all my midlife music loving friends.
Posted in Family, Lifestyle, Men, Midlife, Photographs, Rants and Raves, Women, tagged canal boat, Chesterfield Canal, hot tub, hotel, log fire, Midlife, midlifer, narrowboat, red wine, short break, weekend break, winter breaks on November 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
As a result of Sunday’s brisk walk alongside the Chesterfield Canal in bright sunshine, I have spent some considerable time surfing the net looking for a canal boat with a real fire on board.
Quite fancied a weekend break wending gracefully along our waterways with very little traffic or interference, save for a few swans and ducks. The idea of mooring up at random isolated places for a snooze or to make a meal really appealed to this weary midlifer. And on our chilly November nights afloat we would be very cosy snuggled up in front of a spitting and sparking log fire, sharing a glass or two or three of good red wine.
One would think that it would be easy to organise this simple midlife short break request. Many of the boat hire companies offer winter breaks afloat with every conceivable comfort; however the bottom line reality is somewhat different.
Most of Friday would be taken up with training and familiarising ourselves with the mechanics of canal cruising. Training? Surely it can’t be that difficult. And you can only moor up in specified places apparently. Where’s the freedom in that? Failure to locate a single available canal boat with a solid fuel fire was the final straw of frustration; my starry-eyed midlife plan for a relaxing weekend break was blown completely out of the water.
It finally occurred to me that we could book a very nice hotel, not floating of course but hey ho; we could have a spacious room (not just 7 feet wide), a hot tub, a huge bed and all mod cons for considerably less cost than the narrowboat idea. Think we’ll do that and leave the canal boat plan for a summer time adventure. Besides, all those lock gates look like incredibly hard work. Hardly be a holiday would it?
Posted in Fashion, Humour, Lifestyle, Men, Midlife, Photographs, Rants and Raves, Women, tagged Fashion, Food, ill-dressed, just midlife, market, Men, middle aged, Midlife, midlifer, shopping, South Yorkshire, teenagers, well-dressed, Women on November 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It occurs to me that huge chunks of the British population really do not care what they look like. This opinion was formed whilst shopping in a large South Yorkshire town a good few miles away from my home this afternoon.
The place has a fantastic market; the best for miles around I’d say. If it’s food you’re after then this market is short of nothing. I’ve never seen so many meat stalls, fish stalls, fruit and vegetable stalls, cheese stalls and delicatessen stalls anywhere before. I love the place for fresh food shopping. I would suggest, however, that you don’t go browsing in the food halls with an empty stomach, because you’ll spend more than you intended, guaranteed.
This busy town also has a great indoor shopping mall, recently extended to house some of the best shops and brands known to the UK. There are some marvellous designer shops tucked away down side streets as well, with window displays to die for.
Midlife women shopping in South Yorkshire town
But the people walking about. Dear, oh dear. They are a sight to behold. Well, most of them I’d say. Today I’ve seen young and middle aged women with tatty hair, in baggy dresses with anoraks over; young men and midlife men in ill-fitting jeans and cheap shirts; and numerous teenagers dressed in shell-suit style fabrics with scruffy trainers. There was a distinct lack of well dressed people out and about. And every time I go there I think the same thing.
Ill-dressed midlife men hanging out in South Yorkshire town
This town has a busy, somewhat affluent feel to it. The shops are full to brimming with fashionable and attractive clothes. So why does the population here appear to own nothing but mismatched clothes from jumble sales or charity shops? And more to the point, how on earth do the shops survive? Who the hell is buying their goods? Because it’s definitely not the local population this midlifer was shopping with today.
Posted in Family, Feeling Great, Humour, Midlife, Rants and Raves, Video, tagged Family, Humour, just midlife, kids, life, middle aged, Midlife, midlifer, midlifers, mother, Mrs Hughes, Video, wife on November 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Mrs Hughes jokes about midlife, family life and kids. Funny stuff – midlife humour from a middle aged mother and wife to put a smile on the faces of all midlifers out there. Enjoy this video.
Posted in Family, Midlife, Rants and Raves, tagged crimes, criminalised, Labour, law, middle aged, middleclass, Midlife, midlifer, motoring, police, retired, targets on October 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
New Government figures this week reveal that more middle aged people (over the age of 40) than ever before are being “criminalised” by target-chasing police here in the UK. How many exactly? 65 of us to be precise, every day. That’s more than 23,000 “midlifers caught red handed” every year. Incredible.
Problem is, you see, midlifers are sitting ducks. We tend not to run away from our beliefs and generally have the courage of our convictions, which is getting us into hot water.
After decades of abiding by the law, midlife people are being deliberately targeted and punished for crimes such as motoring offences or refusing to pay wheelie-bin fines. These are classed as “solved” crimes and tick all the boxes for the police force. The Labour government’s targets give the same weight to catching a speeding motorist as to snaring a rapist or paedophile. We’re looking at grossly unfair mass criminalisation here guys.
Not surprising then that complaints against the police have risen, with much of the increase coming from law-abiding, middleclass, middle-aged and retired people who no longer feel the police are on their side.
I’d like to hear from any midlifer who has personal experience of our over-enthusiastic, box-ticking policing system please. I’ll be sharing mine with you shortly.
Posted in Midlife, Music, Rants and Raves, Video, tagged A-Trak, anyway, Armand Van Helden, Duck Sauce, Midlife, midlifer, Music, Video on October 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
What a great sound. And check out the fancy foot moves in this music video – Armand Van Helden & A-TRAK Present Duck Sauce – aNYway. This midlifer can remember when dancing like this was the norm. Let me know what you think of it please midlife friends.
Posted in Family, Lifestyle, Midlife, Photographs, Rants and Raves, tagged cats, cider, countryside, dogs, Family, friends, geese, good life, home, jam, Lifestyle, middle aged, Midlife, midlifer, reality check, rural, wine on October 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Called to see some friends for coffee yesterday afternoon. They have a new puppy and that was part of the reason for the visit. I first saw him a few weeks ago when he was a lovely lollopy little thing; can’t believe how much he’s grown since and he’s absolutely gorgeous. It was, of course, also good to see old friends and catch up with all the local midlife news.
Whilst visiting it occurred to me yet again that the way these midlifers live their lives is amazing. If anyone remembers the UK TV series “The Darling Buds of May” then you’ll immediately think “nostalgia”, of living in the country, growing your own produce and having a relatively simple yet very satisfying lifestyle. It’s also hard work!
This time of year is particularly busy for the family. Cider is made from the apples from the orchard (standing at about 40 gallons right now!), using a home made apple press. Dozens of jars of plum jam are already stored in the pantry, and wine making is in full production using every type of fruit, vegetable and flower available at this time of the year from our wonderful rural surroundings.
Big baskets of apples stand on the courtyard ready for storage for the winter; I came home with a bag full of Bramley’s which make delicious apple sauce to accompany winter dinners. But much more than that, I came home with a warmth in my heart. I always do. I am transported back to the world in which I myself grew up. Open fires; big cooking range; healthy wholesome food; huge family dining table; Wellington boots; dogs; cats; chickens and geese.
And the warmth generated in their home is a natural, sincere, relaxed affair, born out of a lifetime of hard work and lovingly bringing up a family. Many thanks to both of these dear middle aged friends for yesterday’s boost in the arm. And for the reality check that this crazy midlifer needs every now and again.
Posted in Family, Humour, Let's Talk About, Midlife, Rants and Raves, Religion, tagged aged, Church of England, funerals, middle, Midlife, midlifer, Music, religion on October 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
A Church of England vicar has apologised for his rant about the rise of secular funerals characterised by “ear-splitting” songs and “bad poetry”. The Rev Ed Tomlinson said he was fed up with officiating at cremations where Frank Sinatra is played as the bodies of people with no hope of resurrection are “popped in the oven”. He said he felt “like a lemon” as mourners rejected traditional hymns and prayers in favour of a “poem from Nan” or a “saccharine message from a pop star”.
The 35-year-old vicar of St Barnabas’ Church in Tunbridge Wells made the comments in a post on his blog entitled “death of death”.
He wrote: “In the last few years it has become painfully obvious that many families I have conducted funerals for have absolutely no desire for any Christian content whatsoever. I have then stood at the crem like a lemon, wondering why on earth I am present at the funeral of somebody led in by the tunes of Tina Turner (Simply the Best) …and sent into the furnace with I Did It My Way blaring out across the speakers!”
Calm down Rev! It’s just a trend. I’ve sat through several funerals myself where the most appalling music has been played. Completely cringe-worthy in my own cranky midlifer’s opinion. Pretty sure that a sense of religious decorum will eventually prevail when people realise that the majority of mourners much prefer to sing along to god music at funerals. Maybe Reverend Tomlinson himself should be the instigator of a trend to reinstate the tradition.
He might also see a marketing opportunity here, and do a deal with his parishioners. Offer them the chance to hire the village hall at half price for the wake, on the condition that he’s allowed to run the funeral in a traditional and appropriate manner. That way, the family gets to play whatever music they like for however long they like – a sort of after-funeral gig. In my own midlife experience this would go down a storm, as most middle aged people I know love a good party no matter what the circumstances.
Posted in Midlife, Photographs, Rants and Raves, tagged autumn, leaves, Midlife, midlifer on October 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t you just love scuffling through autumn leaves? Tramped through four and a half miles of the deliciously crispy, crunchy things this afternoon. Just swished and crunched our way round the lake at Clumber. Hugely enjoyable stroll. Smelled amazing too.
Posted in Music, Rants and Raves, Video, tagged Arctic Monkeys, Midlife, midlifer, Music, Video on October 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This is what I’m listening to right now. I love this second single from the Arctic Monkey’s album “Humbug”.
Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone – All music by Arctic Monkeys. I do not own this song, no copyright infringement is intended.
