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[Splinter]

Adri's away in Uruguay with her girlfriends till Sunday, a break which she really needs. In fact we almost had to push her onto the plane and drag her away from all this shit.
She didn't push back and is having a wonderfuel time with her best friends, walking on the beach and doing what she needs to do ie forget the bullshit and switch off.
I think we all know what it's like to be under pressure and I'm so glad she took the chance.
Meanwhile, I'm looking after Alexis and it's been an eye opener.
As an act of fate, the power went off and we improvised, sat on the balcony and chatted until the sun went down.
It's amazing what we spoke about without his Mum around and the barriers down.
He's a very good lad and helped where he could in the fading light, lighting candles and stuff.
We know each other a little better now, thanks in part to the power cut...or mainly?

[Wooster]

Life the way it used to be, eh? 

[Kryten]

Life the way it used to be, eh?  

Indeed. There are times I wish there were more power cuts here, down south.

Although born in London, I spent part of my childhood in Cyprus between 1968 and 1974. Lived in a small village which had 400 inhabitants and went to school which had 40 pupils in total; that's for all 6 grades.

I look back at those years with fond memories. The village was located very near the coast and during the summer months, as soon as school finished, we were off to the beach where we stayed till late afternoon. Crystal clear water and my grandfather used to take me out on fishing trips in his boat. He was quite a good fisherman and swimmer. I have vivid memories of him diving off the edge of the boat and then coming up a few seconds later with a small octupus wrapped around his arm; dinner for that day, which was barbecued on the beach along with other fish.

There was no TV but we did have a radio. There were no computers or Nintendos or Playstations. Life was simple and we knew how to live and enjoy it to the full. We created our own entertainment, climbing nearby mountains, exploring caves or just simply enjoying a swim in the sea.

Sadly, following the invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the village no longer exists. I'm told that there is now a motorway running through the ground where I once played as a child and all the old buildings have long since been demolished. It's a shame because I would have loved nothing more than to have been able to take my boys there and show them where I grew up.

Sometimes, just sometimes I really do wish that I can give it all up, grab my wife and go to some remote Pacific island; I'll even settle for an atoll. Don't want any computers, no mobile phones, no telly. Maybe a Ham radio for emergencies but that's it. A small fishing boat and the only contact with other people would be with the locals.

[keasy]

I often feel that way too, Kryten.

When I was young we had a really nice woods in our area with an old railway lines embankments still prominent. The woods are still there but a lot thinner and less dense than they used to be. Straight out my back garden was fields that led to the woods. We used play for hours in those fields. When the farmer cut the grass for his hey we would bundle it up into little piles ready to be built atop of each other in order to create trenches as we called them, forts in other words. The local shop would have its bread and rolls delivered in the early a.m. and the bread boards and baskets were left outside. Being kids and not viewing it as theft we would help ourselves to to a few. These would also be incorporated into the trenches as little sliding doors and stuff. Sometimes the baskets would serve as little viewing areas where one could pop their head out to spy on the enemy trench (the kids from across the street) safe from any stones or sticks that would be hurled towards said trench.

That field is houses now, over priced, artificially inflated new pre fabricated new builds. The embankments are now dumping grounds for the less refuse considerate of the new estate and the only place for my kids to play (I should have mentioned I live in the same street I grew up on) is the gardens and roads. No council playparks, nothing.

Sometime I think people that withdraw from mainstream society and either go it alone or live on boats or join more mother earth like communes have actually got it far more sussed than any of us rodents running around the traps maze of life's pressures.

 

[Wooster]

The old railway was always a bit of a tip tbh, especially the bit behind Kilmichael Avenue. 

[keasy]

The old railway was always a bit of a tip tbh, especially the bit behind Kilmichael Avenue. 

That bit was always a bit of a dump granted but the rest of it towards Clelland wasn't as bad.

[Wooster]

Aye, and the woods were pretty good as well.
Especially down around the old mill where the punching tree was.

[keasy]

The pineys were sweet too.

Remember this... ' red sky at night means Brixton's alight' ?   

[Splinter]

Remember days like that as if it were yesterday.
As a ten year old, climbing Scafell, in winter wearing only shorts. Climbing, climbing...always climbing.
Using OS maps to navigate around the Lake District, again as a ten year old.
Rugby, endless exercise and boundless energy. Always ready for adventure.
We were very lucky, as Kryten has said. We didn't have the distraction of 'permanent connection'.
Today I cycled for more than three hours and came back feeling wonderful and full of energy, even in this heat.
Alexis, being a good lad and knowing me by now, simply looked at me dripping with sweat...'A beer?'
And he grabbed one for me from the fridge, opened it and even poured it for me.
I didn't offer him one as he's only 15, but I'm pretty sure what the reply would have been  

[keasy]

Fuck it!

Give him one!

[Splinter]

It's odd really or maybe it isn't.
I don't think he's ready to drink a beer with me.
Just an instinct.

[Wooster]

The Mrs might go spare..

[Splinter]

Probably.

[Splinter]

This conjures up some memories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz-DJr1Qs54#

[BarrieB]

The past is another country (as someone once said) & we always look at it from a distance.

We never had rain during the summer & it always snowed hard in winter until you check the official records. Our memories are always a mixture of truth & desire.