Parcels have arrived!

Parcels have arrived!

Paul Arden | Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Yesterday was a good day; two parcels that I’ve been waiting for expectantly, both arrived. The first was a huge box sent over by my mother. Very thoughtfully posting over things that are unavailable in Malaysia and certainly the part where I am. Coffee beans, liquorice, English mustard and olives for example. Also, somewhat mysteriously for late June, not one but two Christmas puddings. There was also a mobile signal booster I had purchased, from what I had assumed by their website to be a UK company, but which later transpired to be based in Hong Kong. Had I known that I would have had it simply shipped to me directly. Also, because my mum is also completely bonkers, a pair of garden firefly lights for the Battleship.

The other package, equally exciting, contained a new tip section for my HT7 Cannon (I smashed the first one on a breather pipe on the Battleship roof in a previous lockdown, and I’m delighted to have this replaced – what excellent service!! AND… wait for it… two new HT Prototypes. A 10’ Competition T27 and a HT905 prototype no. 1473.

So this week I shall be feasting while night time casting at garden fireflies. Christmas puddings in June? Perfect!

Incidentally anyone who thinks that to finish Covid off all we need do is lockdown for one month is mistaken. We’ve been in full lockdown for over a month here and it’s still rampant.

You know I used to think that the reason I was always behind on projects, struggling to reply to emails, sometimes taking months to reply (I once took 18 months to reply to an email), never starting projects or having them drag out for months and often years, was because I fish all the time. 330, sometimes 350 days/year. I can now categorically tell you that this is not the reason, or at least not the only reason. One month into lockdown I now know it’s also because I’m bloody lazy.

It’s amazing what you can discover about yourself when you are 50.

Here is another discovery I’ve made, because I know you’re hanging on my every word. I’ve discovered that it’s possible to be fit as a fiddle when you are 50. Every night, when the sun goes down, I jump on the indoor bike and bust my guts out. I’ve been doing this for over 18 months. I’m faster, leaner (well I wasn’t very lean to begin with to be honest, more like Buddha) and I can’t wait to be able to compete in Ironman again. That indoor bike trainer has been the best thing I’ve done in years.

Right. It’s a week of casting and feasting for me! Have a good one. :)

Cheers, Paul