Menogurgulation; A Bit of This, A Bit of That

That's the year well and truly getting settled in, then. How's it going for you? Life in the Hutch remains much as it spent the previous two years, but there is the promise of things changing up a bit - or at least the desire for change! What sort of thing?

Well, you've witnessed a wee bit of it with how the bloggy has been running. Deciding to rest from the photo blog and the Monday and Tuesday posts here has unsettled this scheduler a tad. Still, I am getting used to it now and appreciate the extra time it affords me for researching and preparing the Wed-Sun posts. A little more breadth and depth. When I get more photography done again, Me-Now-Views and My Take will resume business, but that could be well into the year.

A significant part of creating change has been the financial situation. I am not making any $$/££ declarations here! Only to remind folks (or advise newbies) that I get by on my Aussie superannuation stipend. As 2022 progressed, that stretched less and less. You all felt that pinch, I am sure. It is a great privilege to have been able to own the Hutch outright, so those funds have been sufficient, but of course, there is no leeway for anything other than the necessities and the occasional delivered meal or online movie purchase/hire (getting my Indian film fix!). Maybe an Amazon order or two now and then. Indeed, there is no material lack in life, and there are no desires for 'stuff'. 

There remains, though, the desire to roam. This has been curtailed so severely since 2019 as to have become pretty much extinct. We all know one major trigger for that - and it remains among us. However, being back full-time in the Hutch from the start of 2021, I have been anchored here, with just a few day outings courtesy of visitors during that two years. With COVID still being a risk, plus other infections making themselves felt, I just haven't been able to face getting onto public transport again. Since this year turned, though, that is beginning to become something I think about. Partly because I am getting a wee tad cabin crazy. As much as I love the Hutch, these four walls are going absolutely nowhere. Due to the 'incarceration', it is also to be admitted there is an element of not wanting to venture out. Not agoraphobia as such, but definitely a reluctance... inertia? I'll have to hop on the ferry over the water and take the bus down to Greenock for a walk around a few shops to break that mental barrier.

There are signs of dad's estate finally reaching completion, and we four Mac sibs will know what our lot will be by the blessings of our late parents. Let's be clear, we are not talking megabucks here! However, there will be a tidy wee nest egg each. I have already hinted in earlier posts, but now I can say with a degree of certainty that the YAMster will be on the move again! Exactly how that will manifest is yet to be thoroughly planned out. To be frank, some practicalities must first be attended to, like getting the ceilings in the Hutch mended. The bathroom and kitchen ceilings, long-termers here may recall, collapsed rather spectacularly quite some time past. There are one or two other niggling maintenance things, also. This is likely to take up till at least summer. Then comes the big decision stuff. 

Do I set up van life here... or finally repatriate to OZ? You will see that develop as and when... watch (as they say) this space!!!

I managed my dozen crochet bags for the pain clinic; Mac1 will be visiting next week, and she will gather them together with the ones she is sewing and deliver them on her way back east. I have enjoyed doing these. Easy to work while watching the snooker or listening to podcasts. Must get back to the Domestika courses that I bought last year! Have gotten about halfway through two of them, but the three garment ones are yet to be started.

As you will have gathered from the Menotural Saturday Sounds posts, I feel a tad homesick for the Great Down Under Parts. I have been getting my fix for it via those, plus the tubular channels I follow, plus there has been a third in the Mystery Road series starting to show on the telly, so I am savouring that. (YouTube has them for pay-to-watch if you are interested. There are also three films.) One of the fave tube channels that I have shared with you before is the Fully Electric Show... and currently, the founder and lead presenter, Robert Llewellyn (any Red Dwarf fans here?), is in Brisbane - he's married to an Aussie gal - where he will be reporting on a few things around the country, leading up to the big Sydney event they are holding to showcase living and driving in the age of electric power. In his first "Breaking News" episode of the year, Bob tells us a bit about how exciting OZ is now that there is a government in place that believes in green power. As a nation rich in natural resources, there will be no getting away from the fact that mining will continue - but as is pointed out, if those resources are long-lived and recyclable, then let the mining of them be as clean as possible. Hence the mega truck you witness on the front screen here - yup, full BEV, supersized! 

That's my spruik for the environment over for this week. All that remains is to remind you that next week is the first Final Friday Feature posting day already! Hooroo the noo.