Nature

LL in the UK

For a complete change LL this blog contains photos of flora and nature generally.

Most were taken here in the US, but there are some from Europe as well. Enjoy!

'Have a nice day ma'am'

More Musings ...

For LL in the UK

Back in Concord after several days in Nantucket, LL. Massachusetts has more Covid-19 cases by quite a way than here in New Hampshire and as both my home there and here are fairly isolated, I'm fine and flew back here easily. (Helicopter). Seems I am allowed to visit my home in Florida too using the jet. So may head off for some sun tomorrow. Domestic vacations/ trips are allowed and not using scheduled airlines even better LL!

Being on the ranch is great it suits me down to the ground. I have loads of countryside, the horses and a few other animals and the luxury of my home and the indoor pool. Mustn't forget Ben and Prince. Ben is knocking on a bit now. A little gray around the muzzle has appeared...bit like his owner, although mine is on my head.

I wonder how you are pottering around in your place...I do know 'your place', just in case you are wondering. Pottering is something you once said I was doing when you were in your nasty phase. You were so wrong about that, as you were about everything else. After we parted, I thought that you were a very naive woman, nowhere near as clever as you thought you were.

I persist in working, by and large, through the 5- 600 'people', LL mainly because you were so 'up yourself' over our parting. Hope you 'enjoy' reading them, the ladies enjoyed every minute!

 First of all, you wanted to be friends (I couldn't believe that after our two years together and you playing around) then you decided you had made the wrong decision by leaving.

In the first instance your wish to be friends was accompanied by your coldness when you handed back the wring. How you thought I would still warm to you over that and the fact you had gone behind my back, beats me. Secondly, you did indeed make the wrong decision...period! No need for me to comment further, is there.

Then there's you very fat, morbidly obese man. How is he surviving without soccer, I wonder. Re-living past matches I would guess and in isolation.

One thing about all this virus stuff, it has enabled me to write a lot mere and I'm well on with my twenty third book now. Whether I'll keep writing, I'm not sure. So far I haven't suffered from writers' block! I intersperse it with exercise here on the ranch and also blogs such as these. I do of course have company, our lockdown isn't quite as strict as where you are LL and of course we are careful.

Must be a real pain in the butt for you though, in an urban location. At least here in the country there's room to breath and move around...lots of room.

I often wonder how things might have turned out if you hadn't been such a fool. I bet you do, too. Now it's far too late. You missed out and missed out big time...and missed the boat. Your life would have changed beyond all recognition. Your choice - your decision - your mistakes - your loss.

Ciao

Cigars...

 For LL in the UK

I realise I haven't 'mused' for you for awhile, so thought it may be entertaining to do so.

I am sure you are missing the 'obligatory cigar' in your isolation. You can read into that quote what you will. But I am sure you will guess my reference is not entirely about smoking. Life has a funny habit of delivering to those that are deserving and denying those that aren't, doesn't it.

I am in a quite unique position LL. The land I own here extends for miles, not just acres. To the east there is a home on my land and also to the north. They are owned by me, but occupied by others. They are not the only properties, but I mention these two for a reason. Each is occupied by a lady, as is a cottage here, near the main house. So, unlike you LL, I have more than adequate 'company'. A choice even, in rotation. Funny thing is they don't know each other, or of each other. Big country this LL. Lots of space between places and people.

I drove out this morning with my right hand man, except it is a woman an employee. We were taking a drive up to the ridge above the pastures and meadows where the horses graze. Soon after you leave that area, you are among birch and hemlock tree and then as we wind up the track to the top of the ridge pine trees are the main part of the forest. Down the other side is the lake I have featured previously.

Our days are still cool this far north. The air is clear and sweet and the only sound we both heard when we stopped was that of a slight breeze and birds. I saw a mature buck (deer) on the way there. I often see deer although mainly when I am just sitting still in the woods. I don't allow hunting on the forest near where I live but elsewhere on the land I own I have the licences for hunting. Men pay me or rather the company for the privilege.

There are raccoons here, but no  one has seen a wolf for quite a few years. There are bears also mainly in the mountains to the east and north, although they do venture down if they are hungry.

I managed some good shots today and my lady friend was just the right company this morning. She knows the country better than me, having been born hereabouts. When we returned we both went for a swim in the indoor pool. I'll darw a veil over that activity, especially here on this blog.

That was my morning. After lunch, I wrote this and also some of my 23rd novel. Now I am planning to check in with my horse guy and gal and then I guess it will be heading toward drinks and dinner.

That is just a typical day in lock-down for me LL and I have plenty more things to occupy me and the company if I choose...female of course!

As to you, well your life was mundane to start with, so it must be deadly boring now LL. Imagine if we had married, you had stayed faithful etc. Your life and indeed mine would have been so different. I landed on my feet afterward...well, in fact, before. For the period that you were mine alone, I loved you and would have done anything for you. As I said once, I wasn't going anywhere...but it turned out you were. You would have been by my side to this day if you had made the right decisions...but you didn't, sadly.

You made your bed and ever since you have had to lie in it....with or without the 'obligatory cigar'

Separate Lives

Are you separated from the flour man? I'm not separated - in fact my companion works and now lives here. If you go back in my blogs under 'Mutuality' you will find her. I am guessing, although I have not heard from my NW UK friends to the contrary, that you are indeed separated. Interesting...

The difference in our lifestyles and locations are quite disparate. Here I am with acres and acres of countryside, forest and mountains and there's you in an urban location. I know where I prefer to be in the current crisis. Not only that I have people here that are close to me, so we are fine.

Way back when you must have thought I was a fool when you started 'playing away', and my apparently not reacting. Now, of course, you know that I did indeed react by looking elsewhere and very successfully. In three years time it will be twenty years since we met. What a difference in our lives that twenty years has been witness to.

I've watched, and been kept informed, of your rather mundane life. I have written my blogs to show you that I survived extremely well without you and indeed prospered beyond your wildest dreams. Whereas, you have had a few long distance flights over here, to Oz etc., I travel, present times excepted, a lot each and every year to my various homes around the world from Hawaii to London. From New York to LA to Brisbane. From France to Spain to Italy etc etc. Then there's you and him...almost always in Spain.

Over those years you have grown fat. That isn't surprising given the alcohol and food you consume. He was obese to start with and remains obese. Do those two conditions count as underlying health problems in the current pandemic, I wonder...hmmm. I have probably put a couple of pounds on but that is about it. I have had a number of physical activities to keep me fit and having my own gyms helps. Not bad in my case is it, when you think that we are both fifteen years older than we were in 2005. Time hasn't been quite so kind to you though LL.

Time is something you can't get back. Think of the times you might have enjoyed in utter luxury. Compared to your life before you met me, it is another world. A world I think you would have revelled in. Think of the difference it would have made to your small family.

However, you either knew best, thought only short term, or acted on impulse. Perhaps all three. Whatever your thought processes they let you down yet again.

Letting people down is part of your make-up it seems. You certainly did that to me, but as they say he who laughs last laughs longest and I'm still laughing...lots. You said you had a close shave with me, but in reality it was me that had the close shave. You had been unfaithful long before I came along and a leopard doesn't change its spots.

I think it is about time you saw where I live and it isn't some old farmhouse! I/we also get to swim all year round...see below. The place is large but I have staff to look after things...and me.

The middle shot was taken from one of my/our drones last summer

See what you missed and this place I am in now is just one of my homes. Talk about jumping the wrong way - you sure did that. No patience, no commitment, few morals and all impulse... that's you LL. I could add poor judgement and decision making but I think I have ribbed enough salt into the wound.

Back to where I started separate lives. You undoubtedly separated from flour man and most certainly from me. Whereas I have a quite youthful companion and others here to keep me company and amused. I'm writing this in my study/office. I'll leave you to guess which window that is.

Ciao

Another Update

For LL in the UK

Fully stocked with groceries, busy on the ranch with the new foals and enjoying the sunshine. Not a bad position to be in, given the situation we are all in. At present we are not locked down as you are in the UK but it will come. I'm still able to visit my home in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

I don't really need to leave here as I/we have everything we need and more. Add to that the ability to drive or ride on my own land for quite a few miles, the meadows, the forest and the mountains, there's not much else I could ask for.

Quite a bit of my time has been spent on Skype and Facetime talking with the myriad woman I know (you should see my contacts section!) here in the US, Europe, the UK, Japan, Australia and New Zealand...oh, and Canada just to the north of me. I could write a book on what they tell me about what is happening over there.

New York and New York State to the south of me don't look too good so all told I'm glad I/we are in splendid isolation. The emphasis being on splendid. The countryside here and the lakes easily match your Lake District. We farm crops and stuff for the house and there are fish in the lakes...almost self sufficient, add to that a few cattle and we are pretty much home an dry.

From what I read you must be in lock-down. Only allowed out for essential reasons. Must be tough. Of course, and you know what I'm going to say, you could have been here away from it all but you knew better...except you didn't.

Here are a few shots around here that I have taken over the years........

Ciao

A Little Slice of Heaven

It's been a while since I gave you an update LL, so perhaps now is a good time.

If you have been following my movements over the last month or so you will know that I left my home in Naples, Fl several weeks ago and went to my New York apartment to spend a very long weekend with friends from Boston, Mass and .... and a friend. More about the latter in another blog sometime.

Now, I'm up here in New England, nicely isolated from all the furore over the virus. I can easily and happily spend the whole summer here with all the acreage, pool, horses etc etc....and I don't have any health problems. Photography, writing and art, plus the ranch will give me plenty to do, alongside a few female friends.

No vacations for you in Spain it seems, or anywhere else. Hope you haven't booked any. That would be a shame. You are almost back to where you were a few years before I met you, in regard to vacations. Plenty to do over here with my homes etc. I will never get bored here or at my other places. I always recall you saying you can't suffer from boredom (spelt boredum, by you). I thought the last three letters of that word were very prescient. Mainly, because you were dumb in making your decisions

You once asked if we could be friends, after you went your way. I refused and I guess you know why. No friendship can be based on a lack of trust LL. If you had acted differently I wouldn't have cut you off. You  would have had a friend for life. As I told you way back when, I wasn't going anywhere...until you did. Then I did, far more effectively. Your fault, your bad decision and your loss in more ways than one.

We are fine here on the ranch away from everyone and anyone almost. The news doesn't make good reading but the government here is mobilising all the power and resources of the US, so I reckon we will come out the other side just fine.

Food previsions are also fine here. We grow stuff apart from raise horses and my staff always ensure there is a good stock held. I have images of you battling around a supermarket somewhere...maybe that Tesco off W Rd.

I have company of course. I am rarely without it and, with Spring just about started, it looks pretty good here. I also have my home on Nantucket to escape to if I wish. It's not so far just over 160 miles or about four hours by car, although I rarely drive. The helicopter takes just about an hour.

I'm assuming you haven't contracted the virus or even passed away, given your absence from social media.

A few random thoughts from someone you should have held onto....

Here are a few photos of a place, not a million miles from here. It's the reconstructed Plimoth (Plymouth) Plantation that was set up by the first Elizabethans, or pilgrims, to arrive on these shores in the 1620's. It's located near Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Finally I thought you might like to see some of my land and the scenery. Photos taken over the last few years. Just so you understand what you missed...Of course you are a townie so may not appreciate the scenes as much as I do.

Ciao

Strategy and Tactics

For LL in the UK

It's some time since I've posted a narrative here LL but, having fairly recently returned here to Florida, it seems appropriate to do so.

First of all I was in Lanzarote, because we own an hotel there. I didn't bump into you of course and I wasn't looking to do so, given the company I had. Rebecca from London to be precise.

Then it was a flight in my jet to the UK and a trip to catch up with a few friends ... and lovers. Rebecca returned home to her place in London. After an overnight stay at my London home LL, it was off to somewhere near York to see a woman that I was seeing regularly back in your day. She's now in her mid forties and just as frisky as she was fifteen years ago. Exactly the same when  I reached Cumbria and Keswick. Two ladies, one in Penrith and the other fairly close by made my intimate re-acquaintance during my stay a few weeks ago.

I also had two visitors from your city. Friends of yours, friends of mine. They are the two friends that contacted me when you did what you did in 2005. I bet you are wondering how they could contact me, back then. Just have a think. I'll say no more than that.Whilst they are/were your friends, your name is shit with them for the way you treated me. They have no idea of course of the women I was shafting soon after March 2004.

I headed this blog 'Strategies'. I had a strategy - you didn't even handle your tactics well.Do you understand strategy LL? Strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a long term aim. Whereas tactics, your approach, are the means to achieve an objective. Except you had no idea what yours was.

Put simply, your approach was only for the next objective in your life, without thought to the overall picture. You realized that in early 2006 when you said to me 'why do I always make the wrong decisions P'.

In my case, I was looking to the long term plan, not what might come next. I achieved mine in business and in love and intimacy. I'm pretty certain you didn't, and haven't. When you played away, it was just a tactical thing without regard to the long term outcome, or consequences. That is how you have ended up where and how you are and, I would say, how you have been in the past.

I employed tactics of course, but only in the context of my long term plan.

Turning to our day to day lives, or mine in particular. I'm not interested in yours. It is probable, or possible, that you think I live most of my life alone. Nothing could be further from the truth. My blogs, under the heading 'Mutuality' give you some idea. Among all the women, there are permanent ones. Here, in the UK, on the West Coast, in New England and of course in Europe's various countries...not forgetting a delightful lady in the Brisbane area.

I am sure some have their suspicions of my having other women in my life, but they don't really know. They are all happy with what I provide and with my company LL, so all is well. Rather like you throughout 2004.

As I have said in the past, you never really knew me. How could you. I had a whole life behind me when we met. A married one and a single one. Naval service, Government service and business lives.  I guess, reading my blogs, that you have come to the conclusion that I am a womanizer, Don Juan, Casanova, Lothario or whatever term you think of. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Whilst I have consciously sought out the company of women during my life. It is they, rather than me, that have in almost all cases made the moves toward sexual relations....and that includes you LL. OK, so I didn't refuse those advances. Why would I. I'm a red blooded male who, by the mouths of the women I have known, is highly sexed. Blame it on my hormones, but that is what it is and how it is.

Back in your time I made some of the running via Internet dating sites, seeking women to spend time with. As you once said there are plenty of women out there that want to get laid. They made it known to me and not wanting to disappoint, I acceded to their wishes....with one or two exceptions. There always exceptions LL.

All of which brings me to something you once said to me. That was, I didn't seem to have many friends. Seem was the operative word and the one one I think you used LL. I guess my friends are 30% men and 70% women. When you said that you really had no idea of who my friends were or where they were. You often shot your mouth off about things you had no evidence of. My friends being one of the subjects you commented on.

I had, and have, many friends LL. I'm still in touch with old school buddies, mostly men. Navy guys I served with, all men. Some people I can't talk about that I knew when working for the Government and all my friends from the banking world. That included more than a few women, who for various reasons like to stay in touch, metaphorically and, in a few cases, physically.

That brings me to the many women I know. I wouldn't call all of them friends, but many are. A few are just fuck buddies. Back when I knew you, I had quite a few women friends. I had known some when my wife was alive. After she passed and during 2004 and onward from there some of those lady friends became a lot closer, especially after I let it be know that I was 'available' following your infidelity.

As I said you made your remark about friends without even knowing me and based purely on your opinion (for what that is worth), but not on evidence.

I've enjoyed spending my winters here in Florida, almost ever since you went your mundane way. It's great and if ever I tire a little of the sun here, I fly to the West Coast. Initially, that was San Diego but now it is LA. I still maintain a home in San Francisco as well, so I have options. San Fran is better in the summer. In winter it can be misty and raining, being that little bit further north, a bit like Oregon.

There and Oregon are reserved for the Spring, Summer and Fall. I think the home I enjoy most is New Hampshire, the ranch, the horses and the Great Woods  and my seaside home in Nantucket, Massachusetts. There is 'over there' in Europe as well, of course, but my winter months are normally spent this side of the Atlantic.

Books - I'm still writing. These blogs are just a small break from the novels. I have just finished my twenty second and am thinking about another...any ideas, for a story-line or plot?  I'm joking. I have a very good imagination and lots of experiences and travels to provide more than enough material. I think you would enjoy the thrillers - maybe you already have without knowing it!

I still do the occasional cooking program on a local station in Miami, but I have wound that down a bit. I'm still very busy and not getting any younger. Six years your senior LL, but pretty fit and energetic.

I use the helicopter a lot in New Hampshire and to go down to Nantucket. It's great being in one again these days, after not having done so since my Navy days

Then of course there is business and pleasure travel to Europe and sometimes beyond, to visit my many friends, lovers, enjoy life and make a few bucks while I'm doing it.

Travel time is looming - mainly next month, but I'm off to LA for a few days from tomorrow, Thursday, so I'll call it quits on this little missive for now LL.

Ciao