Thankful Thursday

It's getting late.  I'd almost forgotten that it is Thursday.  When one is retired one day is very much like any other.  So what have I got to be thankful for today?  Lots obviously.

I don't usually go with these answering questions things on blogs but Jenny did a very interesting post (all her posts are interesting actually) a few days ago and invited her readers to answer some questions (you'll find out why if you read her post - those of you who haven't already done so).  I thought that I'd share the questions and my answers:

1. If there is one candy left in the box, do  you have to eat it, or can you leave it sitting there all alone for the next few weeks?

A. I'd probably eat it if I was in the mood simply so that I could dispose of the box and have one less thing cluttering the fridge or cupboard.

2. What do you want to remember most of all, if you survive to be very old?

A1. I'm getting to the stage when I'd be very happy to remember anything when I get very old.

A2. I'm really not sure that I want to get very old although my parents both lived full and happy lives into their 90s. They both had excellent memories at the time of their deaths.  I've never had an even half decent memory.

3. Would you enjoy being a very rich and famous celebrity? ( after all you don't HAVE to be like the unedifying Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson and pay someone £1,600 a week to clean your silver and gold collection....)

A. Rich perhaps. Famous definitely not.

4. Which of the photos in this post is your favourite and why do you like it?

A. Learning to ski.  I have no idea why but it touched my heart and my eyes.

5. What piece of music do you personally find most emotionally moving?

A. That is an impossible question to answer.   I listen to music most of the time and what I listen to depends upon the mood I'm in although it's mostly what is referred to as classical.  I can be moved almost to tears by a piece of piano music or by some of Gounod's Mass to St Cecelia: the list is endless.  On the other hand Laura Branigan and Bonnie Tyler also sing songs with great emotion.

6. How do you deal with anxiety, depression and bad times?

A. Once you've been told that you are going to die and that it's likely to be sooner rather than later anxiety, depression and bad times just don't exist any more.  If I wake up in the morning then it's a good day.  It really doesn't matter what shit is delivered it's likely to be small stuff and there's no point in sweating the small stuff.

7. What do you love doing that bores everyone else stiff?

A. Hopefully not blogging.  I've learned not to mention croquet to The Family.

8. Did you ever encounter an inanimate object that seemed to have a will of its own?

A.  Not apart from my croquet mallet.

9. What is your very favourite hotel or restaurant? (This blog does have "travel" in the title, after all)

A.  I've thought long and hard about this and I just can't answer it.  There are just too many I really enjoy or have enjoyed for various reasons: some very expensive and some very simple.  I feel very at home though having coffee or a simple lunch at The Woodlands Centre on Lewis.

10.  Do you think prisoners who have committed particularly vile crimes should be segregated in jail for their own safety?

A. Perhaps many of them should possibly be segregated for the safety of others.  I suspect, though, that you were thinking of vile crimes perpetrated against children and so on.  That's a more difficult question to answer.

11. What do you wish you had known when you were 18? (if you are under 18, ignore this question

A. When I was 16 I was a teenager so I knew everything.  By the time I was 18 I realised that there were things I didn't know. Now at nearly 70 I can't remember what they were.

The funny thing is that looking back I'd answer some of the questions differently even though only a few days have passed since I wrote those answers.

If you feel like answering any of the questions I'd be interested to know your answers.  

So what made me think of this for Thankful Thursday?  Question 6.  I woke up this morning.  It's been a very good day.  For that I'm thankful.