Life isn't about the big stuff, it's always the little things that either lift the spirits or dash all hope. The news of Boris the buffoon becoming Prime Minister had no affect on me because I cannot influence it however I found the following story very uplifting.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/steve@gym.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-5524 size-thumbnail" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/steve@gym-200x200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></a>At the gym on Friday, Tracey my personal trainer, was showing me her tattooed eyebrows (don't ask). She explained that the tattoo artist, who she knew, did it for free because Tracey was so good to other people. As a consequence, Tracey had decided to give her training services to someone who was overweight and unfit - the pay it forward principle. This is such a lovely story and we should all endeavour to pay it forward - it was a philosophy Jane followed whole heartedly.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/pigletaug16.jpg"><img class="alignleft wp-image-3787 size-thumbnail" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/pigletaug16-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a>Talking of the love of my life: apart from 40,000 bees and piglet there are no other significant females in my life. Even my queen seems to have deserted me. I'm desperate to open the hive to see if a new queen is laying eggs but I must be patient and wait another week.

As for piglet, she has recently been serviced because she would stop in mid cycle. It turns out after 3 years and 2,400 hours of operation the battery had failed. It probably wasn't helped by an incident when she ran over a small branch which stopped her from moving forward or going back so she sat there trying to go backwards and forwards until the battery went completely flat. She's back to mowing again however I have changed her working hours so that she now gets the weekend off and a 2 hour lunch break. What she will do with all of this additional free time is a mystery to me, maybe she's contemplating the world's problems and the rise of the far right - who knows.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/online-dating.jpg"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4409" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/online-dating-200x143.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="143" /></a>On the dating front there is nothing to report. I've had a couple of close shaves (not literally). One lady who I introduced to my college friends was described as someone with "entrapment" in mind. The ending of a relationship, even after one or two dates, is so difficult. In some ways not dating is a lot easier.

Speaking of which I continue to find out who I am without Jane. A simple but telling example of this exploration is that I have a very boring breakfast routine - in the winter it's porridge and in summer weetabix however recently I've taken to eating muesli. In my previous life I would refer to it as sawdust but now I like it - go figure.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/project-echojul19.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-5735" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/project-echojul19-200x135.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="135" /></a>I'm also considering volunteering to help St Barnabas Hospice with a technology project they have been running for six months. <a href="https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/video-conferencing-improves-palliative-and-end-of-life-care-in-lincolnshire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Project Echo</a> derives from New Mexico where specialists/experts make an online presentation to care homes and other professionals via video conferencing to improve palliative care. At my introductory session it was very apparent it was a worthwhile project with people from care homes submitting case studies for discussion with experts. The only downside is that it would require my input every Tuesday afternoon from September until early December. I ask myself - what else would I be doing on a Tuesday afternoon? Yes, I could be reading a book but I don't at the moment... Watch this space!

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