Monday 7 May 2012

It's OK to be normal

I've always thought "I don't want to be normal".
Or ordinary.
But recently, I've come to the conclusion that it's not so bad.
The last 12 months of my life have been far from ordinary, and as many of you will know, this hasn't always been a good thing.
Edith's arrival signalled a massive change in my life, as I'm sure is the case with all first born children.
It's obviously a nice change, but a change nonetheless.
I've found myself distanced from friends and sometimes unable to do the things that I really want to do.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining but at times it has been hard to watch the world carrying on without me whilst this little thing consumed all my time an effort.

Recently though, I've noticed a change. As Edith has grown, and become more independent (well, as independent as a 12 month old can be) I've noticed my life start to creep back.
Bit by bit, I've noticed that parts of my old life have merged into this new life, and this makes me very happy.
Karen and I have been to a gig and had a few beers in town, I've been out for drinks with work (more than once, as Karen will testify) and I managed a few beers with the lads on Cup Final Day, I'm booked for two stag weekends and one is ABROAD!!
Notice a common theme?
I'm planning to get out on the bike this coming weekend, something which I haven't done for ages, other than the new daily commute to work, but that doesn't count.
We have even booked to go camping this month, something we used to do regularly before Edith came along. I don't know how we will go on with Edith in a tent. Maybe that will be the subject of a future post.
It might not be a rock and roll lifestyle, but I'm OK with that.
It's just pleasantly normal. No hospitals, no dying wife, no dramas, no newborn babies, no colic, no nothing really.

So, here I am.
Sat on my own, quietly typing this whilst the females in my life have an afternoon nap, on a rainy Bank Holiday afternoon.
I couldn't be happier


PS.
As I was thinking about my ordinary life, I thought of all the extraordinary things I have done in the last 36 years. For your reading pleasure, amusement and amazement, here are the first 10 that came to mind:
In no particular order, I have:
  1. Flown a Russian Fighter Jet (albeit for a few seconds) and engaged in a dogfight with a Spitfire.
  2. Chopped off my own ears
  3. Spent 3 days at sea with the Royal Navy on HMS Cardiff
  4. Narrowly avoided jail in Arizona
  5. Saved Les Dennis from drowning
  6. Cycled from one side of the country to the other, raising £10,000 for charity
  7. Had beers in the Bronx in the small hours
  8. Played golf on the lowest course in the world
  9. Met Bobby Ball
  10. Chartered, captained, capsized and had to be subsequently rescued from a 20ft catamaran, in the Gulf of Mexico.
I think I've had my share of excitement, now, where's my slippers?

4 comments:

  1. The cycle commute does count. Don't let anyone tell u different.

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha, you're right mate. Every mile counts, just the daily commute isn't the cycling I necessarily want to be doing. More of a need more than a want. These miles count towards fitness. Miles on the fire track count towards fun!!
      Thanks for reading

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