Post 392: Family and Biker pal over.
Visitors aplenty today — and why not? The first came on his motorbike and looked the part in his leathers and strong boots.
It’s essential to wear full road protection because if the worst thing happens you need all the help you can get, just like with cancer — we need friends too — and it was absolutely fab to see him.
The time flew with talk of me and him getting out on the road together sometime soon, everything willing. It will take quite a bit of planning and an awful lot of luck to do what I love the most on tarmac. I love travelling on two wheels. We had a coffee but my thoughts were of having a coffee somewhere where the two-wheeled vehicles go, to be amongst friends.
When I was a naive 16-year-old I had friends, but not very many had bikes.
At the time, I didn’t think I was different.
That I had little money never really bothered me. I had been working since a couple of months before I was fourteen and the “paper lady” soon realised she had a reliable pushbike-riding lad. It was years of graft that got me a better bicycle, which was transport, something to allow me to work the papers on a paper round. Getting up early was an ideal way to spend time in my mainly solitary life; it stayed that way for most of my life except for my Darling — otherwise I’d still be alone (but not lonely).
Where the hell is this going? I started talking about my love of two-wheeled vehicles and soon the words collided with a solitary existence, which is not the whole truth, but nothing is ever straightforward, is it?
After years of paper rounds I had to stop them for part-time jobs in a high-street food shop - The International Store. Nothing like the superstores and hypermarkets we have now.
It’s funny how things change without us noticing much. The benefits always seem to propel us into a new age and the old ways die without anyone worrying about why, or whether it’s really for the best.
My time as a Saturday boy (turned full-time worker) ended my time there a little before its own slow demise — a fight to the death on the high street meant that the bigger out-of-town shops prevailed. Their days were gone, but my work colleagues, the same age as me, were not phased by the death kicks of the smaller supermarket; we were all off to pastures new.
I had a new job, a 5 year apprenticeship that my Mum (with my Dad struggling along behind) had signed me up for, and times changed overnight.
That’s where my first motorbike comes in. An MT50 Honda (other bikes are available — but not as good, ha ha) which suddenly took me everywhere. Boy oh boy that bike was slow amongst the un-baffled varieties of 50cc bikes of that era, but it started a lifelong love of that marque, and why not? The Honda is a stalwart breed. It was bought by my own money out of my wages for 3 years on the never-never (HP).
As times changed so did the family fortunes and with Mum buggering off three counties away (which seemed, and was a huge distance for one that was on a 50cc little bike, like I was) and leaving me with a 25% mortgage on Dad’s house as it transpired to my cost), which made the selection of a replacement bike after I reached adulthood and the little MT50 died because of the strain it was under, I bought a cheap bike that was 32 years old at the time; which is the one I want to ride out on as soon as I can.
So the potted history of my budget bike purchases is dull in comparison to my pals’ lives. I was unlucky, but it taught me the value of money, and where one of my mates had his Dad’s Jag 3.8 to play with I had a cheaper runaround. Oh how all our lives change with the depth of mum and Dads pockets (and their ability to stick together).
And for my Mum, gone were the days of yore, there was a new kid in town and after the bras were burned quickly followed the divorces, “without shame”.
Well I must say I didn’t expect to have written that. Where did that come from I wonder?
So I have hatched a plan with my pal who kindly visited today. Stepping stones to getting on the road again.
Big Sis arrived slightly early today and sat down. She refrained from getting her picnic out but instead patiently listened to two bikers talking bikes; but he was soon off in his travels and disappeared out of sight down the dry and inviting road.
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It’s always nice to chat to Big Sis and today was no exception. But the time rolled on even quicker today with the email that pinged into my inbox as we chatted.
While she munched and chatted, the Friar, who I’m in contact with, about Mum’s ashes, had not only found her mother’s grave, where we want to bury her, but also detailed the costs and days that are suitable. He also wanted to know what days we preferred so that arrangements can be made.
Incidentally, the costs were £206 for the interment and an additional £50 for the hole to be dug.
So we are now getting closer to organising the burial but still need to nail down a date, so after a quick call to Little Bro’s wife (because I need to talk to the organ grinder etc etc) a future Friday was picked and the email was replied to immediately, after which I had earned my own picnic.
Big Sis chatted and I chatted and soon enough the time for her to go home was upon us, but not before I had picked out the gifts from the reusable bag of plenty. I had savouries and sweets and some dark chocolate Hobnobs. Oh my, what a treat, but also the flowers she bought were smashing too.
No sooner had Big Sis given me a big hug and headed off, I was arranging her flowers in a vase (not a vaaaase) for my Darling, when she arrived back home with great news.
She had reached target weight at SW after losing 2.5 stone, which is amazing.
My Darling has really tried hard for this and what an achievement.
The facts are that between her and her bestie they have shed just over ten — yes indeed, ten stone.
That achievement is somewhat to do with the shared camaraderie that got them through the hard weeks to reach their goals.
Amazing. Well done girls. I knew you’d do it.
Later little Bro, his wife ( that I spoke to earlier) and their youngest had us all o fits of laughter with stories and silliness.
What a great day.
So it’s a very good night from us both.
How shall we celebrate?
Good night
Take care
