Thanks, Damian............ I'm not bragging about the good fortune bit, I feel almost guilty because I don't deserve it - I've just been very blessed when I least expected it. I've always put love before material things, and was poor two out of three times when I got married - nobody ever married me for my money!
That sounds both 'cute' and at the same time rather sad - for me my 50th birthday and 52nd (last month) were really excellent.
When I was 50 I cooked lunch for my son who was just short of 20 years old and two friends. It was quiet but very pleasant - although my then wife was in the states looking after her dying mother. We then went out and shot a few games of pool.
In the evening I had a few free curries delivered that were owed to me.
I spent hardly any money but had a great day.
This year I cooked a curry lunch as a 'birthday party' for eight guests. I could have gone out on my own, but what's the point of going out to a really good restaurant, having a fantastic meal and only talking to the wall for company?
People are what make a 'party' enjoyable. A party of one is a party pooper! lol
My WORST birthday party was in London in 1989.......... I took over the London Tower hotel's nightclub and invited about 300 people. The management took on extra cocktail waitresses for the night and I had 40 bottles of 'free' champagne as I'd paid 'x' pounds per person and there was some deal on.
I had a mobile phone stolen out of the Mercedes Sports car I'd hired, for which i got billed an extra £200, spent over £3,500 and only eight guests turned up! Not even my own brother who had always maintained a property in central London could be bothered to turn up.
I felt a complete idiot - I guess I was! I only got through 2 of the 40 bottles of champagne and when I asked for the rest the next day I was told 'No way!' as they'd employed so many extra staff who weren't in fact needed.
It was an all time low. I was a stranger in London having just returned to the UK from Berlin and I packed my backs and left London feeling almost suicidal. I was only a 'kid' of 34 and had a lot of growing up to do.......
They say you can only make a first impression once - how true!
It seems that I made an excellent first impression on a few lovely ladies yesterday - they are ganging up like the witches in Macbeth to decide what to throw in the cooking pot with me!
'Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble - isn't life a muddle?'
Oh, well - I guess I'll just concentrate on ladies in 'my age group' - any nice grannies out there?
Thanks for the info.....I remember that when my parents went on this particular cruise I went out to a public 'phone box to call them and the few pounds I had were gobbled up in what seemed like a few seconds. I felt so cold, miserable, hungry and, I admit, quite jealous!
To add to some other threads:
I think it must have been 1990 as it was just before I went to University as a so-called 'mature' student. I remember feeling very old compared to 'normal' students who were starting University at about 18 years of age. I wish I was 35 again in some respects...... 35 certainly isn't old, but then what is?
As far as the later age 'digs', I am sure that Brunette will consider herself still young when she has reached my advanced age - maybe she'll be chasing after toy boys 20 years her junior.... and why not?
Age is NOT just a number, but not being bothered about it is a sign of maturity........ although I said I wish I was 35 again in SOME respects I am so much happier now that I wouldn't want to go backwards!
Life begins anew every day..... I hope I become a little wiser in future without grumpily snapping at 'young' ladies!
Yup - I read the post wrong and I apologise. There was no need for me to take offense, and certainly no need for me to be offensive in return. I don't know why, but I misread it to mean that I was too old to be a father with a woman of an age that I'd want to be with.
I know a lady whose dad was 76 when she was born. It must be sad to grow up knowing one of your parents hasn't got long to live.
On re-reading the post I can see that I was wrong. I'm sorry for reacting badly to something I imagined. I apologise to the lady concerned and all other ladies who read my rude reply.
Now I certainly feel I don't deserve to go on this cruise.
A good question - it's 'quality' versus 'quantity'
Ask an American and the answer must be a long, boring life! (I'm being mean and joking).......
I asked my dad this question a few years back when a 'wonder drug' offered people a body a decade younger but with the increased risk of a heart attack.
I asked him 'Dad, which would you prefer - five years in good health or 12 years in constant pain and deteriorating physical fitness?'
Without hesitation he replied 'The twelve years'.
I was surprised.
To me quality has always been more important than quantity.
I'd rather live than merely survive........... so I am NOT like my father!
He and my mother did this cruise a couple of decades ago...my mother is paralysed after a massive stroke 3.5 years ago. my dad looked after her for 21 hours per day, every day until he also collapsed. A few years later, on their golden wedding anniversary, I couldn't even give them my best wishes as they were under canvas on a safari.
I am so lucky to have such wonderful parents. Yesterday my dad had the last of three tetanus injections after a nasty fall that caused a nasty gash in his head. They put on his card another date.....i complained 'He's had all three tetanus jabs now!' 'Oh' the nurse replied 'He needs another in 2017 in ten years time - dammit, he won't give a damn about tetanus jabs then when he'll be 98.5 years old - only people he bites will need a vaccination!
They are both doing great now and have excellent carers, nurses, physios, doctors and consultants in the family villa.
~smiles~
Robert P.S. I was joking about the rich widow.......... as long as she doesn't want any children, apart from me, 'she' is ok!
My dad, a truly wonderful man, told me I need a break......... as if being retired isn't a break! lol
Anyway, he's offered to pay for me to go on a 12 day cruise from Bergen in Norway up past the Arctic circle and back again next month! Initially I was excited, then I thought about it, then I declined, and now I think I'll go - but it'll be a bit sad going on my own (but, there again, maybe I'll meet some beautiful young rich widow who can't have any kids on the cruise - yum yum!¬)
Should I go, or should I miss this fantastic opportunity?
Hey! I want some TLC too........but none of this cyber stuff! All I want is a nice filipina nurse for Christmas to look after my elderly parents by day, and my 'special needs' by night - mmmmm!
I wrote and asked Father Christmas nicely, but he said I had been a 'bad boy' and told me to clean out the rheindeer stables as a penance - bums!
Ok, I was posting 'tongue in cheek'. Swiss people are so polite (especially when they take your money ), but I do have several Swiss friends - even in Gozo, Malta!
I have to agree that the Maltese at least appear to be far more friendly than the Swiss and that Switzerland has many other industries other than tourism, BUT tourism IS important and if you lost all your tourists it would be bound to hurt the pockets of many people and not only foreigners working in Switzerland but many Swiss as well..........
By the way, as a landlocked country without a navy I think you have an Olympic sailing team - yes? I think Malta should have a snow skiing team if they haven't already got one - do they?
Maybe the Swiss are more quiet and reserved because if you talk very loudly in the mountains you can encourage an avalanche - there are no snow avalanches in Malta!
I think that Malta and Swirzerland should make an ideal subject of comparison for discovering differences in culture between two countries - one surrounded by the sea and the other surrounded by countries who would love to own a little piece of the Swiss chocolate industry.
Oh - if you wish to impress me please send me case of a good quality 'Valais' wine. No toblerone, thank you!
Oh dear; if all people were Swiss who would work in nice Swiss restaurants and bars etc? (joke!)
I've lived and worked in many countries in several continents and find that people are very similar in so many ways but also different - maybe differences in culture are cultural mutations that have adapted to the environment and that the cultural mutations that have adapted 'best' have survived.
For example one way that the Swiss and Maltese are similar is that they both have a culture of being warm and friendly to foreigners - surely useful in countries where tourism is so important!
I'm sure that Maltese would be very happy to employ poor Swiss people in the tourist industry if Malta had evolved a culture of also welcoming money from whatever source into a discrete banking service for wealthy foreigners - mind you, 'The gnomes of Valletta' just doesn't sound quite right!
I mean, what a name! It started off as the EEC, then then EC and now the EU............and now what are we supposed to do as good Europeans - get forever closer together? yum yum!¬
I fly from Malta to the UK tomorrow (~sniff~), but return on the 29th of September (deo volenti).......I'd love to help arrange a get-together for anybody who'd like to come over to Gozo.
Let me know if you'd like me to organise a dinner dance or 'whatever'!
Soemtimes I look in the mirror and say 'Robert, ich moechte (German) myedlennor (Russian) te besser xx' but i am told that the french is a bit on the naughty side!
rusty_knight Forum Posts (6,840)
lol
Making a good first impression
Thanks, Damian............ I'm not bragging about the good fortune bit, I feel almost guilty because I don't deserve it - I've just been very blessed when I least expected it. I've always put love before material things, and was poor two out of three times when I got married - nobody ever married me for my money!