October 2023 - Time for an update.

Almost four months since my last entry, I suppose this sums up my present life, KD only is a small part of these days as I get distracted by other but good things in my life. It is strange how life changes more than you imagined once you retire, you sort of live for the moment and hopefully you are able to reach certain goals for the future.  

As mentioned in my last entry, I never attended the annual ‘Sparkle’ weekend in July and since then I have at least manage to get out on three occasions, twice in August and at beginning of this month which has been something all to different locations too. Yes, first one Village, Manchester to meet Carole and the usual enjoyable evening had with for a change a nice meal in Velvet too. We felt sorry for the the young girl waitress serving us as she seem to be on her own and serving the few people there. However, she was superb and a credit to Velvet too. The second outing was an unexpected meeting with Angela in Knutsford, who I have not seen or heard from for some time. Another enjoyable evening and playing catch up too but sadly it will be some time before I see her again as now gone to ‘Down Under’ for work purposes, a shame as we do get on well with each other. The third outing was to the October Leeds First Friday event including an overnight stay with Carole which was at the usual Travel Lodge. It was good enjoyable occasion including a nice meal and service at the nearby Italian Restaurant, Viva. It was unusual seeing the Cosmopolitan Hotel being closed as that was the usual early and late evening meeting point for most girls who attend the monthly event. Consequently, meeting points seem too be elsewhere including the Viaduct but although we had a good enjoyable evening, I had the impression and observation, not as many girls out and about as previous, certainly once midnight arrived, as if the whole area was taking over by students! No bad thing and they were there to enjoy themselves too along getting some compliments thrown at us too. Yes, we will go again, sometime next year but LFF not the same without the Cosmopolitan as that was centre of the events. 

Since LFF, I have not manage to get out again, although still trying to meet Christine from Southport but it is an ongoing saga to say the least but we will get there eventually. Certainly hope to meet sometime in November along a couple more outings before Christmas. Fingers Cross.

I must admit, my ‘online’ activities are getting less too especially attempting to communicate with other girls, it seems to be a waste of time, not helped that some seem to insist you must communicate via ‘xyz’ social media. Clearly some girls have lost the ability of proper communication which is usually telephone (voice), e/mail too and eventually meeting face to face. Well if you really wish to get wrapped up in Whats App, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc then you are welcome to it but I do find it very sad that your lives are based on those Apps, but yes it is a changing world for sure but for the better, sadly no. And before anyone asks, no I am not a dinosaur either but I just prefer traditional ‘real’ communication. One thing I cannot figure out though, some girls use the media mentioned yet they are attempting to keep themselves secret from family and friends, yet they use some of those Apps were you got more chance of being outed! How strange! 

One thing I have realised, due to Covid and other things my friend base has completely changed, so much so that any friends I had from 3/ 4 years ago (and before), have all disappeared for many reasons. A question I do ask, did I really have ‘good’ friends to begin with and the answer would be I suppose is no, the best way to put it, they were just ‘passing’ friends during different stages of KD’s life (so far). So it was nice to know them but good luck to them for the future, we move on!    

July 2023 - It has been a while - Part Two.

Well I had every intention in writing this entry not long after the previous one which was April but certainly not expect it would be almost three months, now being July! 

So I commence writing this on ‘Sparkle’ Friday were usually I am in attendance, sadly this year, events have conspired against me which makes it almost impossible to attend. However, had I gone it would of been just for the Friday rather than the whole weekend as I am not sure I could take a whole weekend again. Anyway, it don’t matter, I am at home but hopefully everyone has a good time who are going.

So what has happened since I wrote my last entry? Basically nothing as far as outings were concerned, there have been none which was not been the plan! Unfortunately for me, I had injured my calf in mid April and the hospital suggested it would 8 to 10 weeks recovery period! Well they were not far out and it is only just now I am more or less recovered. In that period getting out about has been not easy at times but one thing for sure, no chance of wearing any heels! During that period I also picked up a (non covid) virus which affected me for about six  weeks too, this included a irritating cough which would just not go away! I’m fine now thankfully.

With the issues above, any outings planned especially the Burlesque evening in May went out of the window which I was looking forward too but at least I gave my friend Carole notice that it was not going to happen. Carole consequently rearranged to go with another friend, but hey presto, her friend let her down at the last moment which was a little lousy to say the least. Fortunately, had enough time to cancel the hotel booking but no refund on the Burlesque tickets sadly. I had made a couple of temporary plans to get out with a couple of friends but with my calf injury not recovering not as far as I hoped, they have put on hold. It is only now, that I am able to think about getting out again. So fingers cross.

In April, I found out by almost default that one of my long time friends, Kate Kat (Collins) had sadly passed away too. Although I had not seen her for about 5 years for numerous reasons, I was certainly not aware all was not well. Other friends who knew her did not even tell me what was wrong with her other than on a couple of brief online occasions that Kate was under the weather with no indication it was a little serious. When I did found out after her passing, I was a little shocked to say the least and she never deserved that for sure. My heartfelt condolences to Shirley and family but sadly I am unable to pass them on personally as I do not have any details nor am I am able to receive them. However, I understand they have been passed on. 

Kate was a good person at heart, was always trying to help other girls and what a lot of girls do not realised, it was me who got her out in the big wide world back in 2007 and became good friends for 10 years were we then unintentionally drifted apart due to Kate being a fan of Facebook but I was not for communicating purposes. We had many good times though were we had many group evening outings mainly in and around the Village and the way Kate progress over the years was a transformation in itself. Likewise, again numerous girls did not realised either, although Kate had the initial idea of ‘Manchester Minx’ (MM),  Kate and I got it off the ground as a joint effort which included me doing a lot of the background work including the building of a website for that purpose which initially was successful. However, the use of  ‘Facebook’ became more prominent, so the MM website became defunct. With Kate no longer around sadly, I am not sure whether any form of Manchester Minx will continue as will someone else take on the mantle? Only time will tell. Anyway, farewell Kate, we had some good times, a pleasure to know you and no doubt you will be getting things off the ground in the ‘Angels’ heaven. 

Anything else? Still selling clothes on Ebay occasionally but certainly by Autumn, there will be another sort out to reduce the size of my wardrobe. Just keep what I really need. However, still purchase the occasional item, a new blue dress for summer and a couple of vintage skirts which are part of my ‘mature’ look for the future. So that is it for now. 

April 2023 - It has been a while - Part One

It has been a few months since my last update, in fact it was last year, almost five months ago. Strangely it has not been done on purpose, just how life seems to be these days, that there are numerous things keeping me occupied and busy. Why? A simple one word - retirement! Yes, since finishing work over 15 months ago, bit by bit there has been a change of priorities regarding my life and being KD is further down that list than it has ever been. More of this later.

First, may I wish everyone a very belated happy new year and hopefully at least it has good so far, if not hopefully it improves soon. So I best to bring 2022 up to date and how the year ended. I manage to get out twice before the year was out, once in late November with my friend Carole, a nice meet and catch up, then again on the last Saturday before Christmas with Carla and friends as initially there was going to be about ten girls going but in the end just four! Does that sound familiar I wonder. We went to the Village and for Christmas Saturday, it was like a Friday evening during the year for the amount of people that were out. Regardless it was a good enjoyable night out and my thanks to Carla for the additional make-up touches too. So that was good end to the year and I was wondering what 2023 had in store for me. 

January came and went as far as girly things was concerned but did manage two outings in February, meeting Carole on both occasions for a cheap meal and good social evening, once again in the Village, Manchester. Both evenings enjoyable with also meeting other girls too. It seems Wednesday evening are becoming slowly more popular which is a good thing and hopefully it continues too. I did have ‘plans’ to get out again during March and during April, again meet up with Carole and also another girl but other things seem to get in the way. However, I did firm up arrangements to go out with Carole to a Burlesque evening at the Richmond Tea Rooms in May, as well as making plans to go to Leeds First Friday in October, so at least something to look forward too and I am too. However, making these arrangements as well as other proposed meets never seem to get off the ground with other girls, has got me thinking about my life in general and were really does KD fit into it? 

Well, this goes back what I mentioned at the beginning, there has been a change of priorities since retirement and the one thing it teaches you, live for the day and make the most of it too as you never know what may happen shortly. Now making the most of it for me, involves M.R. for obvious reasons as we have now been together for 50 years and we still love each other’s company, so that is priority number one. Likewise, there are other things in my ‘Bob’ life I enjoy and wish to do more of while I am able too, so it is now become trying to fit everything in too. Also, there has been a small change at home too and we now have another four legged animal to keep us occupied and that is very nice, especially we thought we would never get another one after he went to Rainbow Bridge 20 months ago. However, we both realised, now that we are getting into retirement, we were missing some thing in our lives and our new member of the family confirmed that! Added to this, after a visit to the Doctor, I was ‘invited’ take up a gym fitness regime which I accepted and is beginning to have a positive effect on my health. So this has got my thinking were does KD fit into this and simply she almost does not! Wow, I was never expecting to come to that conclusion! 

I have always mentioned in the past, once a TGirl always a TGirl, it never leaves you so best not to fight that part in your own mind, as you will just lose the battle in the end. As it seemed that I was beginning to let KD go, I began to think were does she fit in my retirement anyway. For a few weeks I have been wondering what to do or may be how to resolve the matter and cutting a long story short, I have concluded to go out as KD on special occasions only which means a handful of prearranged events per year and leave it at that. I realise, I am in no position these days to wait around or arrange hopeful meets with other girls as I really do have other things I wish to do therefore not wasting any more time in arranging possible girly meets then they don’t happen. Simply time is not on my side anymore. So this is were the Burlesque and LFF outings come into play, preplanned, arranged and something to look forward too with getting on with my life in the meantime. Yay, sorted! 

Well I have more to write but that will come in Part Two of this long entry, hopefully soon.