then Watch this REEL

About age in general, I hear people saying that they are nearly 60, nearly 70, coming on for 75, and I feel like saying well so what. Look at Mary Berry the cook. She is 90 and is as bright as a button. What keeps her going?  a sense of purpose and an outgoing personality. I am 80 nearly 81 but am a teenager inside, and I propose to remain that way.

So Sunday was a real active day and I decided yesterday Monday to do absolutely nothing and ended up by watching a lot of TV including a lot of good stuff on BBC about people’s reactions to the end of the war.

I am as always mesmerized by the world snooker going on at the moment. I love the atmosphere of fellowship that exists among the competing players and it seems like it’s more then against the game, than against each other.

Jim Haynes

Today I had a lovely response to my invitation to a complete stranger to attend my party on 8th June. This ‘party for all’ has to be a good formula. I am reminded that the famous giver of Sunday parties in Paris, Jim Haynes, who died in Paris on January the 6th 2021 and showed us how to do it. 

Jim’s Sunday occasions lasted almost 40 years and only ended with the covid-19 confinement. See the intro video here.  He used to cook for 60 but frequently got double that number.

Another very good article is here.

How I create my social event

I’ve decided 16 guests are enough partly because my place is small. I’m up to 12 confirmed so we just need another four and then we are complete. I want to invite some artists to see how they see the whole topic of communicating with other people.

I think the standoffishness of Brits is almost a disease. Standoffishness refers to a manner of behaving that is slightly unfriendly and too formal, often perceived as aloof or reserved. It can also describe a general disposition to be distant and unsympathetic. In some cases, standoffishness might be mistaken for shyness, or it could be a result of not knowing what to say. 

The good news is that once you break through the meniscus they are very happy to talk. I do this on a daily almost hourly basis whenever I am out and about. It has become instinctual.

If you go along to an event and don’t know anyone here are a few clues.

Most people if not all attend parties in order to meet people so if you open a conversation they’re not going to bite your head off. Always start with something bland like where are you from then, or what brings you here.

The first few sentences of the conversation will make it clear if the person wants to talk to you, if there is something in common, or whether you just leave it with a few pleasantries. No offense is caused if the latter pertains

Take a genuine interest in other people and don’t talk about yourself all the time. People are good at listening but the payback is that they can talk about themselves, their situations and their problems and there is nothing wrong with working through a situation at an event so long as you don’t tell your life history

NB Golden rule – dont moan about your Ex.

Paying too much for a book

Paul Golding is the chat who runs the political party ‘Britain First’ and he has great courage, all credit to him, and he goes out on a limb with regard to grooming all rape gangs and is not afraid to speak out what he believes is right in the interests of the United Kingdom.

He wrote to me today about his book ‘ the Battle for Britain’ which looks like a slim volume which he is selling for £24  My guess is that he wants to build up funds for his political party but there is such a thing as going over the top and I felt that £24 for this A5 book was a step too far so I went to worldofbooks.com and found the same thing free of postage for £6.20 

okay I don’t get his promised signature but I can live without that and it’s not that I can’t fold the requested some from his appeal to be ourselves we should look around. I have saved 18 quid and I can put that into my petrol tank and get quite a long way.