Don't Talk To Strangers...
Well I do and often I must have the kind of face that attracts people to have a little chat. If that chat makes their day easier and gives them something to think about then that's fine by me. It works for me too.
And so as I made my way to the music club on Tuesday evening(and I went out in good time to be there at the start of it)I had missed the previous two weeks. I was stopped or somehow found myself in conversation with two people(at different times)one being a businessman who runs a carpet shop in the town and its been there years to be honest. He apparently lives near me(I had no idea)and the only connection is that he walks his dog in my area and sometimes we've passed each other. Normally without speaking but on Tuesday we did.
Turns out in his spare time he has for a number of years played bass guitar in a band and has backed some quite well known performers on stage. Well, after that chat he introduced himself put his hand out and shook my hand.
So I got a little further along my route and there was a lady walking her grandson home with shopping and again somehow we got talking and again as I left her she put her hand out and introduced herself too.
Now tonight after a small shop a couple who attend the music club were packing their shopping away and started to talk to me. I share their taxi with another person at the club coming home and usually we only speak for a few minutes whilst waiting for the taxi to arrive.
Now his wife paid me a big compliment tonight, she said that she had told her husband that I am a very interesting person and she wishes that we had time to have a chat rather than the few minutes that happen at the club. I could only say thank you...and I guess once again I am seen in a similar way as my Mum was but you don't always know it yourself. As time goes on(its still early days)I may make a new circle of friends...
Now that music club is so good I'm afraid I don't always remember the names who performs there and probably it used as a tryout for performers hoping to make the big time because to be honest the singers appear for free and the fun of doing so.
The last person came on and played guitar accompanied by someone on a set of drums. He brought the house down and sang four songs, one by Ricky Nelson(I did not know it)Billy Fury's Wonderous Place, Roy Orbison's Only the Lonely and anyone who knows that song will remember it has a very difficult part that requires you hitting some high notes...he did and as I looked at him he reminded of Cliff Richard when he was starting out in the 50's doing Rock N Roll on TV shows like Oh Boy! and ended with one of Cliff's early hits...my memory fails me as to which song he sang. He also dressed in the style of Orbison.
I don't know what had happened on Tuesday but the club was packed and more busier than normal and a few new acts had come along.
And so as I made my way to the music club on Tuesday evening(and I went out in good time to be there at the start of it)I had missed the previous two weeks. I was stopped or somehow found myself in conversation with two people(at different times)one being a businessman who runs a carpet shop in the town and its been there years to be honest. He apparently lives near me(I had no idea)and the only connection is that he walks his dog in my area and sometimes we've passed each other. Normally without speaking but on Tuesday we did.
Turns out in his spare time he has for a number of years played bass guitar in a band and has backed some quite well known performers on stage. Well, after that chat he introduced himself put his hand out and shook my hand.
So I got a little further along my route and there was a lady walking her grandson home with shopping and again somehow we got talking and again as I left her she put her hand out and introduced herself too.
Now tonight after a small shop a couple who attend the music club were packing their shopping away and started to talk to me. I share their taxi with another person at the club coming home and usually we only speak for a few minutes whilst waiting for the taxi to arrive.
Now his wife paid me a big compliment tonight, she said that she had told her husband that I am a very interesting person and she wishes that we had time to have a chat rather than the few minutes that happen at the club. I could only say thank you...and I guess once again I am seen in a similar way as my Mum was but you don't always know it yourself. As time goes on(its still early days)I may make a new circle of friends...
Now that music club is so good I'm afraid I don't always remember the names who performs there and probably it used as a tryout for performers hoping to make the big time because to be honest the singers appear for free and the fun of doing so.
The last person came on and played guitar accompanied by someone on a set of drums. He brought the house down and sang four songs, one by Ricky Nelson(I did not know it)Billy Fury's Wonderous Place, Roy Orbison's Only the Lonely and anyone who knows that song will remember it has a very difficult part that requires you hitting some high notes...he did and as I looked at him he reminded of Cliff Richard when he was starting out in the 50's doing Rock N Roll on TV shows like Oh Boy! and ended with one of Cliff's early hits...my memory fails me as to which song he sang. He also dressed in the style of Orbison.
I don't know what had happened on Tuesday but the club was packed and more busier than normal and a few new acts had come along.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 9:14 pm
10 Comments:
As a pensioner I have worked out that I am living on about £3.50p per day for food and cleaning stuffs.
I have breakfast,dinner(occasional meat and mainly fish) and tea. Obviously I don't buy washing powder every week,that week will be substituted by buying tea or coffee for example.I am also able to have biscuits and occasional chocolate.
I wondered how that compared to your budget? You probably do better?
I think your budget is pretty good.
Perhaps I should add more tips of living on a budget and recipes to my blog but others do it so well, I doubt I could improve on them.
I pften cook from scratch and if I add lots of vegetables that reduces the cost of meals cost. It also depends if I am having a day where I eat a "Big" meal or a few little snacks.
I often eat one meal. I waste very little but I am always hovering around the reduced shelves in the supermarket.
My meals vary between 50p-£2.50 but are usually on the lower side. Portions are smaller and meat/fish is shared over a number of meals.
Tonight I purchased 4 Bird's Eye Chicken and veg pies for £2. Well that's four meals and I just have to decide what to do with them.
Again tonight I found a carton of fruit salad,yogurt,granola altogether for 38p but the original price was £1.50(It wasn't worth that)but reduced was ok.
I think my budget could increase if I purchased more cleaning items but again I look for offers and not always branded but that can be false economy.
The other day I found £4 of lamb reduced to £2. I may have mentioned I purchased a duck breast roast worth £6for £3. I have never eaten duck and may never again...not at the normal price.
That has been cut into three and frozen and doing that means I can avoid cooking the whole thing at once...and having to use it up within days.
Talk about being tight...I can get upto 5 mugs of tea out of one tea bag without it becoming too weak and like a mug of hot water.
........funny you should mention the tea bags, Gildy.
Just recently, I have been trying to use them more than once.
I find that it works very well although I wouldn't have said that you could get 5 cups out of one teabag but you can certainly get two or three. I keep a small dish by the kettle now, just for the purpose of parking my teabag there.
If it gets a bit used I have been known to pop it in with the other one :o)
I can make coffee go a long way too...recently using dried milk for my tea has perhaps helped as milk does not soak into the bags...
Of course that can be avoided by taking the teabag out before adding milk. Dried milk(if you don't mind the taste lasts ages)I use the everday value brand from Tesco's.
Then again perhaps I should start using the tea strainer again but initially when using that method you have to be a little careful as if too quick with the water it can splash and if you are a bit weak in the wrists you are holding a kettle longer than just pouring it into the cup/mug.
Of course you can have less water in the kettle and just boil what is needed or put extra hot water into a flask to save reboiling too often.
You know all this already.
Aldi's have a general box of teabags with 160 for £1.99 and if you have three cups per bag that comes in at approx 0.004p per drink.
I now buy my fresh milk for £1 for two litres.
I may be repeating myself here but other things I have found...
My milk does not go off by the date on the bottle and it is not the treated type that lasts longer like Cravendale and often it is ok upto 7 days after the date(and you always know when milk has gone sour)
So often now I waste less than I once would've.
The same with eggs, I have thrown many away in the past but now I do that test where you put them in water and see if they float or sink.
And if I am boiling an egg rather than boil one, I boil half a dozen so there is always one to add to a salad or a sandwich. And again in a fridge they remain ok for days...
There are some wonderful sites to look at for ideas and tips on health, food and being thrifty. I may start to post some on my blog or rearrange those on the side of it, something to do this weekend.
More often than not, I use 'Lite' evaporated milk. I prefer the taste and, also, I can buy quite a few at a time and pop them into the cupboard, where they will keep forever.
Although, I'm impressed with your frugality, Gildy, I'm even more excited to hear about your new potential circle of friends! :o)
I knew it wouldn't take you long once you were ready. You're a great guy and it's easy for people to see.
Although, I'd miss you terribly, Gildy, my greatest wish is that you are so busy with friends and having a good time and your social schedule is so full, that you have little time to post!
(Except for the occasional one to let Jan know how fabulously things are going, of course! ;o)
Truly happy with this news, my friend.
Jan :o)
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