The Nice People Thread, No.16: A Universe of Niceness.

Pyxis

Pastures, it might be worth you emailing the U3A team to enquire about the calligraphy. Sometimes the courses aren't too progressive, and newcomers may be able to join in at any point in the year/term.

Jackmydad

PasturesNew wrote: »

Years ago, wealthy people used to hire hermits ..... because it was a trendy thing to have living on your estate. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/18th-century-aristocrats-hired-people-live-hermits-their-gardens-1429663

Even in 2017 a hermit was hired in Belgium.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/19/hes-hired-belgian-lands-dream-job-as-hermit-for-austrian-cliffside-retreat

I could do that job. I could be a paid hermit. The Belgian bloke was just a loony as he did it for no pay and without the Internet

If we discount the phone call I got on 2 January, from somebody needing a lift to A&E, I've not seen/spoken to anybody now since 24 December... I'm kind of well qualified

I'm a bit of a hermit.
One thing about it is that you can be as crabby as you like. . .

PasturesNew

Jackmydad wrote: »

I'm a bit of a hermit.
One thing about it is that you can be as crabby as you like. . .

And wear the same (even odd) socks two days running if you wish

I'm still wearing what I put on yesterday after my bath .... I nodded off in it ... and woke up this morning still wearing it. No point changing it yet ..... Not brushed my hair either.

There's no point wasting time/effort/good clothes if you're not leaving the house.

GDB2222

PasturesNew wrote: »

If we discount the phone call I got on 2 January, from somebody needing a lift to A&E, I've not seen/spoken to anybody now since 24 December... I'm kind of well qualified

Gosh! What have you done to be locked up in solitary?

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/find-a-walk-or-route/walk-detail.aspx?walkID=3999949

The Ramblers are very friendly, and people will be happy to chat to you without it having to be a deep and meaningful conversation. That link is to a leisurely walk, which I'm guessing you'd find quite easy.

The very, very worst that can happen is that you get a bit muddy. Obviously, give it a miss if it's bucketing with rain!

Pyxis

GDB2222 wrote: »

Gosh! What have you done to be locked up in solitary?

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/find-a-walk-or-route/walk-detail.aspx?walkID=3999949

The Ramblers are very friendly, and people will be happy to chat to you without it having to be a deep and meaningful conversation. That link is to a leisurely walk, which I'm guessing you'd find quite easy.

The very, very worst that can happen is that you get a bit muddy. Obviously, give it a miss if it's bucketing with rain!

Yes, there are usually quite a few local organised walks in places. Again, the U3A usually has some too, and Local Authorities often organise them.
You don't have to talk to anyone. A couple of walks I went on in the past had one or two people who would just hang out and not say anything. No-one minds. They might be too out of breath to talk, anyway! :rotfl:

The beauty of an organised walk is that they can take you to the nooks and crannies of your own town that you didn't know were there. They're not all in the depths of the countryside. One I went to was in a large wildish park in a different part of town, and I'd never been there before, but there were some interesting things pointed out.

PasturesNew

GDB2222 wrote: »

The very, very worst that can happen is that you get a bit muddy. Obviously, give it a miss if it's bucketing with rain!

They do start to get all "precious" and "better than you" these days as they're all wearing "all the proper gear", from pricey shops... and I've not got anything like the relevant gear to be honest.... and sourcing a "waterproof/windproof coat" in my size would prove to be a challenge too far as few clothes are made in my size/fit.

And I get chronic ear-ache if it's windy/cold - so that discounts 8 months of the year. I feel faint if out in direct sunlight for more than 2 minutes - so that discounts a couple of weeks of the year... and if it's raining/cold it could take me days to warm up/dry out - and, with a house on "viewer alert" where'd I be drying all this dripping wet stuff?

AND ... they're pretty pricey, especially as the Ramblers has an Anti-Single policy of charging them so much more "per head" than any other members

£35.85 for a single
£23.92 for each of a couple.

GDB2222

I knew you'd have several reasons why it could not possibly work. You won't believe me, but your reasons are mostly misplaced.

Clothing: Anything goes. I usually wear trainers, old trousers, and a sweater. It's most definitely not a fashion parade. If you have boots, that's great, but it depends where you are walking.

You don't need waterproofs. As I said, avoid it if it's raining. It's only a walk in the park for an hour and a half, so check the weather forecast and dress accordingly/avoid going.

"And I get chronic ear-ache if it's windy/cold - so that discounts 8 months of the year. " Some exaggeration, perhaps?

"AND ... they're pretty pricey" - you don't pay anything at all, unless you join, which is most definitely NOT necessary. People come along for occasional walks without joining.

I wouldn't want you to get ear ache or sunstroke, but I do think you're over-worrying about the rest of your concerns.

PasturesNew

GDB2222 wrote: »

"And I get chronic ear-ache if it's windy/cold - so that discounts 8 months of the year. " Some exaggeration, perhaps?

It is very windy/windier at the coast.... noticeably so... almost daily. And the West is a lot windier than elsewhere.

GDB2222 wrote: »

... you don't pay anything at all, unless you join...

I thought you had to join .... if you can go, for free, without joining, how come anybody joins?

Pyxis

PasturesNew wrote: »

They do start to get all "precious" and "better than you" these days as they're all wearing "all the proper gear", from pricey shops... and I've not got anything like the relevant gear to be honest.... and sourcing a "waterproof/windproof coat" in my size would prove to be a challenge too far as few clothes are made in my size/fit.

And I get chronic ear-ache if it's windy/cold - so that discounts 8 months of the year. I feel faint if out in direct sunlight for more than 2 minutes - so that discounts a couple of weeks of the year... and if it's raining/cold it could take me days to warm up/dry out - and, with a house on "viewer alert" where'd I be drying all this dripping wet stuff?

AND ... they're pretty pricey, especially as the Ramblers has an Anti-Single policy of charging them so much more "per head" than any other members

£35.85 for a single
£23.92 for each of a couple.

The local authority type ones are either free or have a very nominal charge.
The U3A ones, you just pay your annual fee, and then it counts as one of your choices.

And yes, no-one I saw had 'proper gear'. I certainly didn't, and in good weather, on the 'town' walks, you just wore your normal clothes, and it wasn't windy at all. The only thing you should wear is boots of some description, or very old shoes, in case it's muddy.

If you get a local authority newsletter through the door every quarter, have a look, because that's where I see a lot of my local walks.

Or just google local walks.


Re, the ears.... I know what you mean because I like my ears kept warm in the winter, especially if it's breezy, so I wear a hood, or a woolly hat, or both!

Jackmydad

Nothing against clubs, associations or whatever.
They're mostly not for me though.
OH feels the same.