Serendipitous Self Care

Today's blog is a bit different. I wanted to share a couple of recent discoveries that I have enjoyed and maybe others will.

The first is a series of TV programmes, namely those by Anthony Bourdain entitled "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservation Required". In his own words the presenter he is someone who writes, travels and eats. His programmes are part travelogue, part celebration of food, but they are not a cooking programme.

Each one has a theme and a story and I find them both entertaining and in a way energising. He usually has a relevant, often local guide, looking at the origin of the food and visiting a variety of establishments or events, primarily ones open to ordinary people. He samples street food, local restaurants, community parties and the like. He did one that culminated in an extraordinary meal at El Bulli, arguably the best restaurant in the world that is now closed.

I confess I like eating and trying different foods and I find his blatant enjoyment of food infectious. It is something my wife and daughter don't share so this programme has become my guilty pleasure.

In the UK, the programme is available on Sky and I have seen DVD sets.

The other discovery is also personal. Some time ago I bought a device that connects and plays internet radio channels. The other night I put it on and after selecting the comedy genre chances upon Abacus.FM . It seems to be playing endless episodes of old British radio comedies. At the moment is seems to be an interleaving of Hancock Half Hours and The Clitheroe Kid.

I expect many readers will have heard about first set, being classics. That said they were before my time and to be honest they don't resonate with me.

It is The Clitheroe Kid with Jimmy Clitheroe that has my attention. I am not sure it was or ever be a classic. It is not the content of the comedy that grabs me, but rather that it sends me back to Sunday afternoons of my childhood. At time when Sundays we more family oriented, and no shops opened. In that environment we had a family Sunday roast pretty much every week and on radio (BBC 2 I think) there was a comedy hour at 2pm, something we as a family took time to listen to. the Clitheroe Kid was one of the shows as was The Navy Lark and many more.

Nostalgia tells me these were good times and usually followed later in the evening by "tea by the fire" with crumpets and cake and listening the official BBC Pop charts between 6 and 7.

These are good memories and it is good for the soul to be reminded of them.

These are relevant to me, but we will each have them. It is important to savour them when we find them as they nurture our inner well being and sustain us during difficult times.

What are yours?

Post Script: I turned on last night and there was an episode of "The Navy Lark"!

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