Hi,
As they say round these parts, “Eee, it’s a bit wharm“. There we go, that’s the box ticked for the obligatory British weather comment. 😉 Readers in climates that are hotter than late 20s may wish to roll their eyes now 😏 However, that offer is null & void if you’re sat in the pool and/or somewhere with aircon.
Quiet Thursday
Given the heat and move into summer, Chams’ membership takes a wee dip. It’s pretty much par for the course with the warmth, holiday season, and the lighter nights put people off. FWIW, Child 2.0 has decided to skip their outdoor activity due to the weather, so I dare say it’s not just a Chams thing.
Given the above, I think there were around half a dozen of us who made it to the Centre. Mind you, the traffic certainly didn’t help, as roadworks are pushing a high volume of vehicles down the usually quieter routes.
Still, thank goodness the electro-dad-mobile’s aircon works. I did feel sorry for the folk who’s car had overheated and conked out on the ring road. Someone had already stopped, so I left it to the experts.
Due to the weather, I did not pack a bag, just the key to let us in & out. Given the traffic delays, perhaps that’s a blessing in disguise. I am… grateful for a night out with friends – we’ll come back to that in a mo – and also, a smidge miffed* that I was in bloke mode.
[ * There’s two fantastically inaccurate words to describe both amount and emotion 😏 Mind you, not that (AFAIK) emotions have an exact gradient. Could you take this call please? It’s only1.6 milli-karen-kens, so they’re fine 🙃 ]
But needs be while humanity’s cooking the planet, so you have to make the best of it.
Talking of which, we had a slight plumbing incident – no, not a grim one – as we arrived to find the kitchenette water was off. Someone who shall remain nameless – or to use an Internetism: SWIM – someone who’s isn’t me 😁- asked for a hand in turning it back on. I mean, there were no notes, warnings, and I’d not had an email about it.
Cue twenty minutes later and I noticed water gently dripping out from the cupboard. Whoops! So, off I went to get a mop, while Val applied her engineering skills – including the application of an old roasting tin as drip tray – to halt the flow. I emailed the Centre so they were aware. Yes, I did feel a bit guilty. However, as per, I shouldn’t have worried, as the clerk apologised for not letting us know (these things happen) and that the sign had probably been removed by the plumber. Hopefully they’ve since removed the scrawled version we left, using an cardboard wrapper.
Friendship
I spotted an article this week about research into middle aged blokes and their social circle. How uni/college friendships fade and that issue of men being fairly pants at keeping in touch. That reminds me, I must ping two friends a message to see how they’re getting on.
Being – at least outwardly – ‘a bloke’ I guess I fall into the above, and certainly my -ahem- oddly mixed up genderfluid internals (no, don’t be filthy! 🙂) means that I’m guilty as charged in terms of a variable level of communication between meeting a friend.
But what I will say is that Chams has helped me keep a social circle. Certainly one more long term that my work related one (that’s due to end soon due to changes) and as I don’t do sports or interest group stuff, my little bubble is…. well, quite little.
It might be only twice a month, but the meetings are regular which is great for proper conversation. I don’t really do social media – not sure a blog or the forum counts? Feel free to comment yay/nay/meh/dunno 🙂 – so that door is closed. Mind you, on hearing about some of the on-line lunacy and advertising slop that’s rammed into feeds, I’m not sure I’d want to rejoin.
Thinking back to the article, there was a comment about friendship. Not just the elements of trust, shared interests, or outlooks; but the bond between people. That – according to the article at least – friendship meant having acceptance of all of you by your friend, and you accepting all of them.
I think that’s true for friends at Chams. I mean, they know me as Lynn and as ‘Richard’, and good-natured jokes aside, I’m accepted for who I am. Yeah, I’m a bit odd, but hopefully the kindness and providing tea & cake helps balance that out.
L x
Blogs totally count, by the way. That’s how I stay connected too—and honestly? I think it’s just as real and meaningful as in-person stuff (sometimes more). Also, yes to the bit about friendship being full acceptance.
And also… totally went filthy with it and you can’t stop me.
“…totally went…” – Stop it and get some help 😉
I find the blog situation really useful in feeling connected, when I can’t reach the group. It also lets me find new folk – like yourself – and hear from on-line people too.
That said, it’s a different feeling compared to the real world of Chams. At least, real world in that we’re in a space together, can chat, listen, share stories, and enjoy tea & nibbles. I guess that’s quite the usual human routine.
It was worth going just to sit in an air conditioned room ! , and glad we are not in trouble with the centre 🙂
Ha ha! 😁 You’re not wrong about the blessing of the aircon. That certainly helps and it was nearly 30C in the room before I switched it on. I guess the building gets the sun in the afternoon.
As to ‘trouble at mill’, so to speak, yes; I was relieved about that too. Mind you, that carpet could do with a deep clean. Tsk. We’ve never spilled owt on it. Cis people eh! 😁
Fingers crossed the plumber sorts it out. That and the clerk said that they thought Val’s idea of a third valve to the boiler, would be a good idea.
Personally, I am finding this week’s temperatures here on the Italian coast as perfect as can be: 28 by day and 24 by night, cloudless but with a gentle breeze. I think your heat problem is to do with the British Isles themselves. Earlier this week I was tuned in to a discussion with migrants to the UK from places like the USA and Russia that have extremes of temperature but they find both UK winters and UK summers very difficult despite the much less marked temperature range in Britain. The conclusions (by non-experts) were that the UK’s ever changing weather and its high humidity made for an unpleasant experience at any season. To illustrate, Moscow is very cold in winter but it’s a crisp, constant, expected cold; Canberra is very hot in summer but it’s a dry, regular, expected heat. All I know is that I have felt so much better bodywise, healthwise, even mentally, since moving away from the UK’s crazy clammy climate. So I sympathise with your suffering and hope you and Miss Holiday Goblin can catch a break soon.
Friends are vital. As much as it’s a useful resource for trans people, Chams also provides an opportunity to make those vital connections, especially in middle age. Keep up the good work.
Have a good weekend
Sue x
Twenty eight would be a drop from the early thirties in Dear Old Blighty (or is that, the Old Dear Blighted? 🤔). It’s cooler today and dropping during the week, so there’s that to look forward to.
Good to hear that the Mediterranean climate is working for you: body and mind.
I’m no expert on temperature and the effect on the human body, so fact checking may be necessary. I do think the damp of the UK affects how we experience the hot summers and colder months. Yes, the UK is not as humid as certain tropical places. However, a dry heat (“Knock it off, Hudson” #Aliens 😉) is easier to cope with. Likewise in colder climates where there’s not that lingering fog. Canada at -3°C was fine with a jacket.
I did read the other day, that as the British weather is so variable, we Brits don’t build up a psychological tolerance to hot weather.
That or we’re just a bunch on whingers 😁
Yes, it’s variable, but also within a narrow range of temperatures over the year compared to other places. Really hot days can be counted on your fingers so they come as a surprise, as you say. Similarly, you try getting to work in London when there’s a millimetre of snow on the ground (like, about once every three years). Transport chaos guaranteed!
Miss Holiday Goblin is cute. I’m sure she uses a quality sunscreen to keep her leathery skin protected while she tans to a nice rich green. Good elf and safety practice.
Sue x
“Good elf and safety practice.” – I see what you did there 😉
The Bing Image Creator had created Mx Goblin is a deep pink. So I wonder if they’d been overdoing the sun, and not following your sage advice 🙂 However, a quick run through Paint DotNet to fix the skin tone, and they were ready for the cover of Vague (pun intended).
In the handful of times I’ve been to ‘dat Lundun’, I’ve missed the rush hour Tube. Partly as on a holiday trip we weren’t out of the door before eight or nine. When I was down there for work, both times I could’ve taken the Underground, but preferred to walk.
The first time was staying near Aldgate East and the course was not far from Bank. Certainly walking distance. The second time was staying near the Millennium Wheel and the venue was at St Katherine’s Dock. A longer walk, but I got to see both the north side and Southbank.