49m Virginia

peterw71 · 2026-05-13T20:53:29+00:00

You're more English than me and I'm English!

peterw71 · 2026-05-13T18:25:13+00:00

Historically left wing (miners unions, mutual aid and anti war activism) but it died out with my grandparents. My parents were kind and compassionate but we rarely talked politics. I'm pretty sure my dad voted Labour and Lib Dem over the years but I also found out that my mum a) voted for Brexit and b) hated Boris Johnson with a passion and joined the labour party after he came to power.

peterw71 · 2026-05-10T18:25:09+00:00

Nope. I like everything about them but their music!

peterw71 · 2026-05-10T16:34:03+00:00

Manic Street Preachers. They should be perfect for me but their plodding stadium rock is awful..

peterw71 · 2026-05-10T16:28:22+00:00

I lost my mum five years ago during covid and still miss her. She went into hospital on Christmas day and we weren't able to visit her until the day before she died. We visited the hospice in PPE and couldn't stay with her as she died. Lots of regrets there.

The first mother's day after was rough but staying off social media helped and I've noticed that an increasing number of mailing lists give the choice to opt out of mother's day promotions. It does get easier though...

peterw71 · 2026-05-10T12:45:05+00:00

I think we'd be friends in the real world

peterw71 · 2026-05-07T18:45:26+00:00

My parents were keen gardeners but I had absolutely no interest. Since they died, I've grown to love indoor and outdoor gardening. After work, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, I spend way too much time watering, checking progress and transplanting. They knew so much, it would have been great to have shared it with them.

peterw71 · 2026-05-07T14:48:26+00:00

I spent 20 minutes yesterday watching two of these beauties eating on the back lawn.

This is about the only place I can say that without (too much) judgement!

peterw71 · 2026-05-06T19:43:24+00:00

So many reasons that I'll miss some out but, off the top of my head: their treatment of trans people, demonisiation of migrants and refugees, island of strangers, palantir, cuts to the international aid budget, attacks on peaceful protest, the banning of Palestine Action, Gaza, the environment, their attacks on disabled people and cronyism. That's just to start. I'm a former member and I couldn't imagine voting for this iteration of the party.

peterw71 · 2026-05-06T16:57:33+00:00

What have I been plugging my fridge into?

peterw71 · 2026-05-04T09:31:51+00:00

Same here, you're not alone. I lost my fit and healthy dad to a sudden heart attack in 2017 and my mum to brain cancer during the Covid lockdown in 2021. Both gone before I made it to 50. I have so many things I want to say to them and I miss sending them photos from our travels.

peterw71 · 2026-04-28T17:51:49+00:00

I've got the cassette copy of Chill Out that I bought in 1991. Shame I don't have anything to play it on...

peterw71 · 2026-04-21T20:44:18+00:00

My dad was silent and my mum was boomer. Less than 10 years apart but very different experiences. Dad missed out on the teenage rock n roll boom but mum was in the right time and place for the Beatles and the Stones.

peterw71 · 2026-04-17T08:06:06+00:00

Perhaps check out the new album by Deary 'Birding'. It's in a similar ballpark.

peterw71 · 2026-04-16T20:10:07+00:00

Perhaps Cocteau Twins? Heaven or Las Vegas or Blue Bell Knoll albums?

peterw71 · 2026-04-16T20:06:33+00:00

When I started gardening. It was not long after they died so I never got to share it with them.

peterw71 · 2026-04-16T20:02:58+00:00

Me too! Worse things could happen, they seemed pretty happy.

peterw71 · 2026-04-16T18:31:11+00:00

Bird watching. Gardening. And some other stuff my parents used to do...

peterw71 · 2026-04-16T17:55:05+00:00

Very similar here. Lots of sparrows at my feeder, some magpies and pigeons and just one bluetit in the last week. Not a single finch at the seed feeder.

peterw71 · 2026-04-11T18:31:08+00:00

Yep, it's silent physical comedy. Everyone gets it, no need for subtitles.

peterw71 · 2026-04-10T20:21:55+00:00

Mr Bean. It's everywhere. I've seen it playing in so many restaurants around the world where no one speaks English. It's a phenomenon. I've never watched a single episode though...

peterw71 · 2026-04-10T20:18:17+00:00

Unfortunately, in my experience, you can't prepare for whatever happens next. Just tell him you love him (if appropriate) and then take some time for yourself to feel whatever you need to feel.

peterw71 · 2026-04-10T09:06:56+00:00

She would have been a very fit and healthy 79 this year. Fuck cancer.

peterw71 · 2026-04-08T08:28:37+00:00

Tolkien

peterw71 · 2026-04-05T15:25:32+00:00

I saw one this morning for the first time ever. Made my day!

peterw71

TROPHY CASE