Vids other than surfing thread (cool doccos, movies etc)

Has blowin taken his bat and ball and said "I'm never coming back"?
See you in a week blowin, dude sweet dude sweet, or whatever you call yourself next time.

Of course he'll be back.

Years ago, he ranted on here about how the usual social media sites were all shite, and that he didn't need to waste his time on them, BUT he would treat Swellnet as his personal social media go-to (even though it was pointed out that, for all the 'usual suspect' social media's ills, they did have family and friends as paramount in their respective networks. It was kinda the point).

Anyway, maybe his new pseudonym will reflect his real underlying reason for being on here?

As an aside, One Hour Photo was on SBS World Movies the other week.

Sad and creepy.

Now, it's beer o'clock.

Robin Williams nails that role.

Sad loss.

So does Blowie.

Dunno about the loss, but.

Funny!

But I've got a soft spot for Blowie. He's alright.

Even though you tried so hard to be extra, extra carefull, you have been known to have made major, major bungles regarding character judgements zenny. Not to mention surfing ability.

Anyway blowie himself spilled his guts about the 'backstory' (yeh yeh, I know you're a swillnut club boy too). His exact words, his explanation when questions were asked by others as to why he wasn't banned, or deleted for endlessly threatening to assault people, stalk them, ad infinitum. Even though stupe' denied, even knowing him, became infuriated, when also asked the same thing. Then the sickening, home and away does neighbours melt down unfolded. blowie melted down and spilled his guts, spilled the whole ludicrous:

'I'm crushed... stupe owes me his life', secret mmmmaaaayyyteees underground slab chargin' secret mission 'backstory.

He'll be back, 24/7.

Well ya' big broad-chested, chiselled-featured, wise beyond your well advanced years, man about town, I've got a soft spot for you too.

Maybe my judgement should be called into question?

Hey, what's that zenny! Yeh, but I'm no fuckin' blowie. And I haven't got a sleezy, arse lickin' 'backstory'.

The truth is, I shouldn't even bother answering, its a waste of time. I've got a cancellation, its part of being a PT, but I've got 7 more today. maybe 8 if I weaken and say yes. And I'll finish about 8 tonight. You should come down zenny, you were a bit of a fitness guru, with ya somaltypin'!

If you came about lunchtime I'm training a lady who's one of only 4 women on the planet, to finish one of the world's toughest survival events. Its called Buckleys Chance. The slogan is, 'don't bother you won't make it'. If you really were into full on fitness, survival etc, you'd know the reality of that. But I know you don't. The same lady earned her way onto a winning Sydney to Hobart yacht team. Kinda like blowies missus, you remember, the one who he couldn't take on an Indo boat trip, when he was a gronk trying to get info about going to camps in indo, before he became a ledge, who's missus was an open ocean yachty inspiring all and sundry.

Ya little mmmaaayyyteee's trying to use Les's favourite term 'bloke' pretty much sums it up. blowie wants to be Les. He wants to be 'blowie'... 'blowieles...s'. I consider Les a really good friend. I had some awesome surfs and times with Les. Les was and is a legend. And not just for his way out of the water, which could be, you know... No, he was a legend, because when the ocean really got moving, he could do it. We used to joke at blax, because he loved his NW. But he loved blax too, and when a block of flats hit the reef, we'd laugh our heads off, because all the fuckin' banter... nup. I can just imagine you giving Les your blax speil, like ya when you conquered it on here wise ol' zenny. Fuck, he would've roasted the fuckin' shit out of ya, and made ya come over on the reef and line one of those block of flats up... and the rest would be history. Like if you went in over the reef at say, Tahiti, on a real block of flats day, with that guy you reckon was a real gronk, among other choice words. It wouldn't be like on here zenny. You'd be well and truly fucking history son.

So, I know club swillnut snobbed Les, a genuine ozzie surfing legend. I can imagine him tuning stupe and bennie, so who knows. Blowie wants to be Les. You know, if you go around the place, and mention, say blinders name, in his area, well he's like Les. A fucking surfing legend. Historical stuff. The whole place knows him. So blowie wants that, here's the place for him, to pull it off so to speak.

Blowie dun a yoga lesson (by a stinkin' immigrant too... one of your lot...) so swillnuts get 'blowanandi bushshitanda' crap (backstory protected but) 24/7 for weeks on end...

Anyway I better bolt... or fuckin moth might even come gunnin' for me... on here but. I barely know the cunt to be honest. Fuckin' Pete asked me if I'd help some guy he knew out when I was living in the Philo's, so next thing I meet moth. The legend... He was smashed off his scone, after he'd been chucked on the reef at Cloud Nine, on a little kids day too small to surf. So he was fucked for the rest of his trip. He actually found me, and next thing I'm helping him out totally, fully, laying it on to the fucking hilt. His missus was a really nice lady, and my wife is really kind, really kind, so she went out of her way in her village for them. Its a tiny village. He still won't have a clue. I went to west java, when it was nothing. Some kiwis rolled up in this village, blotto as fuck, mouthing off pissed off their scones day and night, and one day, shit hit the fan. They had no idea they were offending everyone left right and centre, and were trussed up, surrounded by machete wielding villagers about to be fucked up. Somehow we convinced them to let one of them go to Yogyakarta and get some fucking goat to offer to them. Thankfully it was enough and they chucked them out of the village and let them go. different culture, different ball game. My wife smoothed it all over for the drunken load mouth in our village. He wouldn't have a fuckin clue, and she's too kind to say anything. But I helped him out to the hilt. Next thing, he's on here takin' me on... FFS Fucking surfees, ya gotta fucking laugh. Come down to the gym mate, its easy to find. Jump in with tonks.

See zenny, blowie just wants to be a Les. and this is where it all happens. This is where he can pull that shit off.

The backstory zenny, whatdya reckon, that secret stuff. Its un Australian that sleezy arse lickin' shit.

Well big fella, it's a kind offer but a bit of a hike from here. Who knows, next time i'm back home, I might drop in and say g'day. You can give me a bit of advice and correct me on my form. I've always wanted to see that part of Australia. You know, where "blokes" are.

Have a good day mate. I've got a class myself then I'm up to nice little breakwall we surfed yesterday. The sand is good. Fun lefts. Nothing like Blax but I'll have to make do.

Yeah, thanks for the Alone tip, I started it last night too. I was wondering why there were no women... maybe just none made the cut? Probably a lot more male entrants.

It's one thing to find your own food, water, stay warm and build shelter but chuck in all those serious predators... faaark.

Some people defo drew longer straws than others in the initial drop off.

Great concept.

Gidday zenny! Hope you got a few. Watch out for 'twitch kickin' 'blokes' with fish batons at the ready but... If it was small and poxy enough, they sort the locals out... in fact the whole town will cop a serve!!!! But I know, you got a soft spot for that...

But more importantly, I see you demanding answers... you make it clear, you like answers, to very tricky, slick even, questions!!!?? Just coz, well, I'll let you supply the dots on this one

So, you haven't answered at all zenny. And I know ya got ya swillnut ties... one of them boyz... so ya gotta have ya wits about ya. So whatdya reckon... zenny... ya would have seen it, in your soft spot!!!

'The backstory zenny, whatdya reckon, that secret stuff. Its un Australian that sleezy arse lickin' shit.'

I suppose we all have our stories big fella, or photos, or memories and if we're really really really lucky, at the end of the day, we can kick back, smile a little and just remember. Hopefully too we're just that little bit wiser.

But help me out a little- I'm not demanding anything, I'm not a particularly demanding person, what are you asking? My opinion on Blowie helping Stu? If you want me to be honest, I wasn't there so can't really say. But all things being equal, if I got hurt or vice-versa, it's cool to help a brother out.

Anyway mate, I enjoyed/am enjoying your insights re. shark conditioning, fascinating stuff but scares the shit out of me. Not sure about the backstory thing though, or the frontstory, or the threestory walkup. They're all just stories and we all have our own.

Night night ya big lug and all the best to you. Hope you're getting a few as well.

Of course I'll help you out zenny.

Its just that when questioned, on several occasions, stupe' denied even knowing blowie. And he got very indignant at the mere suggestion!!! So, someone's... fibbin'... again...

I'm sure you understand the dilemma. Its un-Australian for starters. Imagine, about to head off for another big day in the trenches, only to hear, 'we'll send the 'backstory boyz' out with ya today, they'll be watchin' ya back...'

Obviously you'd think, 'shiiiiiitteee... what about the farkin' backstory!!!!' And your next move would have to be to get one last message off to the wife and kids, and get your affairs in order.

'Well, where are they then, the backstory boyz?'

'They're over there, with their other mmmmmaaayyyteess...'

FFFFFFFFFAAAAAARRRRRKKKKK!!!! HOW FARKIN' MANY OF 'EM ARE THERE THEN...

You talking out your arse again, Michael?

Or .

Or.....

Or two people who previously didn’t know each other met one time.

Unimaginable I know.

Carrying on like an elderly pork chop isn’t Australian either. Accept that people on the internet don’t have to tell you every detail of their lives - particularly after you’ve made a career out of talking dung about them - and get your shit together.

Watching Alone right now.

Surely the participants mustn’t have been told where they were going ? One bloke shit himself and left after the first night . I agree the bears are scary and I wouldn’t want anything to do with them myself but surely the crew involved must’ve known there’d be huge aggressive omnivores involved before they signed on ? It certainly changes the situation.

it's a bit of a carny trick though.

black bears are somewhat dangerous, but nowhere near as dangerous as brown (grizzly) bears.

I went quad biking with a mate in Alaska in grizzly country.

the kit was stupendous. .44 magnum. More high powered weaponry. Bear spray, whistles etc etc.

we came around the edge of a swamp and saw a massive grizzly.

when this thing stood up on its hind legs to check us out and I saw the size of it I felt like I swallowed a brick of cold lead.

gnarly animal.

Crew carry on about how dangerous Australia’s animals are and I even enjoy playing it up a bit to foreigners myself but reality is that we are pretty safe here. We don’t even have monkeys for which I am eternally grateful.

Give me brown snakes over grizzlies, tigers , hippos and wolves anyway.

I didn’t think that black bears were to be scoffed at ? They still look pretty hectic to me.

Biking through Alaska with a local would be epic. So would seeing a grizzly......from a safe vantage.

re the women in Alone - keep watching. In series 3 I think (Patagonia), there are a couple of very impressive women contenders, one I developed quite a fondness for. The remaining one in series 2 currently running on tv is also doing a great job, especially given her prior medical diagnosis.

sbs aired series 3 back in winter, and after just discovering it while channel surfing, I was hooked. Was keen as to see the other series on Vancouver Island having spent some time in that landscape - hats off to them, its a tough environment in winter. Surprised on the limited cougar encounters

Recently listened to ‘Survival’ by Tim Bowden, easy to borrow from an online library, and it almost defies belief what some of these guys went through.

What makes this special is that it is just the voices of the men, and one woman, who was the sole survivor of the Bangka Island massacre, telling their stories. Absolutely riveting stuff and the fact that the stories are real makes them even more amazing.

https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Survival-Audiobook/B00FNVDV4I

See zenny, what did I tell you, you got all soft and weepy for nothing!!! Again... Seriously, where's poor blowie gonna go!

And you're thinking, 'its a miracle!!!'

'You talking out your arse again, Michael?'

I found stupe too, brought him back from the dead, I'm performing miracles for ya from both ends!!! You asked, I answered!! In the case of the backstory boyz, I felt a feeling in me guts and just let it rip... and out shot stupe and blowie! Admittedly, covered in shit, and few stray pubes stuck in their teeth, and its not just their breath that stinks, at least their gums are flappin again!!!!

The whole neighbours does home and away backstory episode is still a bit all over the shop isn't it though!!!! First, stupe starts bristlin' and reckons although they're neighbours, he doesn't know blowie from a bar of soap, so to speak... Then when blowie is asked how he gets away with his bintang fueled stalking and threatening to murder everyone, he says its because he's got a backstory!!!??? Then they move to summer bay, suddenly become mmmmaaaaaayyyyttesss that weren't mmmaaaayyytees, and blowie save's stupe's life!!! Next in a thrilling neighbours does home and away episode, they turn on each other!!! And blowie gives the most guts spilling, pain wracked, gut wrenching, bleeding heart, shattered, shell shocked, distraught, where's my mummy, logie winning performance of his secret life... again!!! The backstory unfolds!!! Stupe' denies his saviour!!!!!!!!!!! And, in true summer bay fashion, he's gone, blowie can take no more, turns on the place, and vanishes in thin air!!!! But the plot thickens... stupe... stupes just dissappeared off the face of the earth, last seen bristling from head to toe, looking like he copped a fish batton to the scone!!!

I hear ya zenny, you wanna know what sort of qualifications it takes to literally, miraculously spray the backstory boys, amongst other amazing shite, out of your arse!!! For starters, me father's over ninety... and me sister's crook... I hear you again... zenny...

'THAT'S INCREDIBLE, NO WONDER, SAY NO MORE YOUNG MICHAEL!!!

So, in a neighbours does home and away miracle, here they are zenny, delivered at your pulsating, happy feet!!! And guess what all is forgiven, mmmmaaaaayyyyteesss that weren't mmmaaaayyyyteeesss, that suddenly became mmmaaayyytees, and then weren't mmmmaaaayyyteees are covered in shit mmmaaaayyyteeeess... again!!! And stupe' gave blowie a promotion... raise!!!

And now they are synching in unison, as it gets even more exciting, both are survivors of the infamous red mist!!!!

Street fightin' Stupe made it 'to the beach, red mist descending, threw my board on the sand ready to fight every motherfucker', whilst scone mashin' blowie just claimed it, claiming, 'the red mist came over me
It was the assumed resentment of the women that really got me.
The smug superiority of some small minded no- one cunt moll that set me off. I turned to face Loud Mouth in front of his cunting piece of shit friends and with every ounce of will ,energy and misdirected anger from every point of my life i drove my fist into that cunt's putrid face and punched him to the sand.
I was standing over Loud Mouth's form bellowing that he was an imposter king presiding over a weak, gay wave, raising my fist for another blow when i realised my hand was broken . Then i heard a lady screaming and i was back in my head, concious of what i'd done , aware of where i was' as he beat the whole fucking useless summer bay to a boody pulp!!!. Maaaayyyyttteeesss united forever!!!!

And yes only one question remains, and I hear you MandyM, you've got another one of those brilliant, swillnut MandyM feeeilin it' statements to spray out!!!! Fire away Mandy... let it rip son...

'STUPES'S FAAARKIN BLOWIE!!!!'

Thank you MB. These forums are far more interesting & enlightening when your around. Keep it coming mate. Cheers.

I virtually stand and applaud, MB.

Bravo.

Wow that was something different to wake up to

Fuck me, I had to pull apart me phone and wipe down the inside of me screen after that spray.

Just remember - I’m always here for you Mick, with Barry Manilow in the background like angels pissing in your earholes.

“Oh, Mandy
Well, you came
And you gave without taking
But I sent you away
Oh, Mandy
Well, you kissed me
And stopped me from shaking
And I need you today
Oh, Mandy”

It’s allright, I need you too Mick

Today’s headlines :

“ Insane sexagenarian kerb crawler furiously types spittle flecked rant into his phone because strangers on the internet won’t tell him the details of their lives......”

“ Intermediate expert fisherman opens overcoat in front of Asian prostitute to reveal poorly typed resume including reference from Geraldton’s third best gymnasium....”

“ Biff Tannen moves from Adelaide to Eyre Peninsula in order to categorically name drop every competent surfer , waterman and semi pro athlete there so as to create illusion of similar skill set for himself....”

“Elderly man resembling Lurch arrested in beachside car park caught whilst eyeing off surfers get changed into their wetsuits , masturbating and repeatedly moaning “ The Toddler , The Toddler.....ooohh ......”

Watch how funny he is until someone gives him a spray back and he goes to water....again.

That’s the thing about bullies and gymtards - neither stand up to any kind of real resistance. It’s all piss and wind until they hit a slight bump in the road and the wheels fall straight off like a mail order bride’s undies at the sight of a dollar.

Look away stupe'!!!!

Haha, see zenny, its too easy, I told ya I'd get the smarmy little cunt back for ya! Again!!!! Miracles can happen zenny, I just visualize him on to the stand, and he can't help himself, he does the rest on cue, ya soft spot maaaayyytee just blurts out again!!! And you honestly reckon he's never coming back... haha, he's always here zenny, I mean seriously, where else is he gonna go!!!

'Intermediate expert fisherman opens overcoat in front of Asian prostitute'

'and the wheels fall straight off like a mail order bride’s undies at the sight of a dollar.'

And deep down, you know more about that 'soft spot' than you're lettin' on aaaayyee zenny... You remember, my son was away, so my really kind wife offered to help video some rehab stuff for some people on here, little realising what she was in for!!! Being a qualified fitness professional lecturer yourself (more qualified than ever, because as well as an old dad and sick rellie, you have had heaps of injuries... like ya fitness guru mmmaaayyytee blowie), so you felt the need to be involved, to help an' shite... You spotted my wife, and you were shitey with me, so, fuck i'll take her on aaayyyeee, and you got a boot into her from afar as well!!! Sneaky, smarmy shite!!! Swillnut softies ho!!!

Anyway its a buzz helping , even though that cost me time and money, I've done it more than once on here, behind the scenes too, at my cost... and I guess you and stupe , well, the boyz, figure me wife should faaaarrrkin pay as well!!!!! In a nutshell!!!???

Mandy, of course you sing that over and in your head!!! Its obvious!!! Oh what a feeelin'!!! One of them MandyM feelin's... again.. and again...

Haha, goofers on the money but... again... and again... and again... and again...

'Wow that was something different to wake up to'

'I'll be with ya in a minute luv, I just got some real important shite to attend to down at the swillnut club aaayyee...'

'Wot, aaayyyee... nnaaar... I got a soft spot at the moment.... an, its getting softer aaayyee... lifty brought stupe' and blowie back from the dead for zennie... its a miracle... he's got blowindo back too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

'Aaaaayyyeee... noooooo... nooooo... I will not be fffaaarrkkin bullied by bullies inta goin' hard, I'll stay as soft as I faaarkin well like, so there!!!! And as a matter of fact, now the whole fuckin' vibe's fucked up, its neggy as, so I'm outa here, I'm of for a surf... They reckon its pumpin' over at the minin' thread and blowindo's rippin aye!!!

'Ayyyeee ffaaarkkk... ya headin' for the dandy markets agin' blowindo... wait up mmmaayytee, I'll jump in with ya, the vibe's farked here, give us a pozzie, lets grab the boyz!!! We got some real fucked up, genuine sick shit we can do, and be real proud orv aayyeee!!!! Coz, deep down we just be real good 'ol proud boyz aaayyee mmaaaayyytee...'

See zenny, its a fullproof recipe for miracles!!! Just put some corn, syrup one swillnut blowie in a pot, let it rip and bring him to the boil, and presto, its a miracle, they're poppin up everywhere, pinging around like a swarm of blowies bouncing off the walls!!!

I'm a bit lost.

Are you talking about my dad?

He died suddenly and unexpectedly June 9th. He was the best dad anyone could want. I tried to get home but was denied because of Corona.

As for the fitness stuff, I try and receive the tips, not dispense them.

And there's nothing wrong with liking people on here, for the most part they're all pretty cool, even the people I don't always agree with. That includes you, Blowin, Andy, Facto and Indo.

Anyhoo, back to work, hope you're having a good day. Raining and miserable here so a good day to be at work.

Did you forget my wife zenny?

I don't know anything about your wife. I'm sure she's lovely.

(and very patient)

Well, you commented on someone you know nothing about again, a bit of a habit that one!!!

Really? I hope I wasn't rude and if I was, I apologise.

Like I've said before, I'm trying to evolve.

Legitimately insane

Yeh, it was rude zenny, but maybe more just thoughtless. But, I think your apology is sincere, so have a good one, and pack the flyspray!!!

Well mate I do apologise sincerely. That's not my style I'd like to think. I'll be more careful next time.

You too.

Yes agreed, my mistake, sorry about your dad. That would be tough, my dad is in his nineties, so I understand a little.

I was hoping my dad would get to his nineties- he was only just shy of 79. It was a shock as he was super fit as a young fella, non-smoker, walked every day, golfed, lifted a few weights, ate well, enjoyed a beer but not to excess, laughed a lot, loved even more. Mum is inconsolable.

I'm glad your dad is still kicking along. It's so sad when that inevitable tap on the shoulder comes.

Cheers big fella.

I
Doctors say that the key to living a long life is to sit well out on the shoulder during a surf session.

Apparently there’s some old guy at Elliston who they reckon should live to see 120 he sits that wide of the takeoff.

They reckon he makes up for it with talk in the car park but !

No worries. It’s a tough one zen, he watches all his friends drop off one by one. My mum went and that fucked him around. Luckily he has all his wits about him, and is still healthy. But some days I see he wonders if he will wake up tomorrow, and then I do. At least I can see him, so again that would be tough. Hopefully you can see your mum soon. I have to bolt, all the best.

I can't remember us ever really having a barney Zen, you're one of my favourites on here.
Sorry to hear about your dad, not being able to travel to see him must have been really, really tough.

We never have Andy and unlikely we will. I only included you because you were mentioned in the big fella's diatribe preceding and the point I was making was that I like most, if not all the contributors here regardless of how they think or what they may think of each other.

And I won't lie, it has been tough. My dad was awesome and losing him was heartbreaking but even more so that I couldn't be with my family and I'm still prevented from seeing them. But thankyou for your kind thoughts Andy.

That’s a tough one Zen.
My wife lost her Nanna in England. Who she was very close too.
It was very distressing not being able to be there at the funeral .
Sorry for your loss mate.

Sorry to hear about your dad Zen. Sounds like you had a great relationship with him. Take care,
VL.

All good guys, thankyou for your kind words.

I'm sure most of us are looking forward to seeing the back of 2020.

Yeh, lots of issues in 2020 zen. My wife's young sister just lost her baby, my wife is what's known as ate in the Philippines, and its important for her to be there, to support her sister. They are very close, and she feels very guilty as well as pain. Its chaotic over there the covid thing, especially the rural areas, so fuck knows.

The old boy had all these plans of one last trip os, to see all his friends who are still alive, while he could. He wants to see his sick daughter in vic as well, but who knows when that will happen. I hear you when one of them passes, the effect on the other, they've been together for what would seem like forever. Everyone is so different, and he'd cared for her for 20 odd years, and was then totally lost. Luckily I could get him over here to be with us for a while. He was about 88, and a total physical and emotional wreck. I was shocked how frail he was, but in a way that was self inflicted.

Seeing as the present subjects are vids, and oldies, and positivity, I've trained tons of oldies over the years, and exercise can be a saviour. If you get some muscle on them everything feels and works better, but getting them into that when they are most down can be easier said than done. I have a lot of caring qualifications and experience, so sometimes that can help, not always though. But, once there, muscle can be added at any age, and huge changes can still take place. I know the old boy well, and had to get in his face a bit, that approach won't work for some, but for his type is best. In 6 months he had changed heaps. He couldn't get his arms over his head in the beginning, fucked knees (replacement), hip, back. he's seen what I've done for years, so the trust thing wasn't an issue. You have to be really on the ball to do programs for oldies. Older people should do personal training before attempting classes, even though the social aspect appeals to them, to be sure they get proper, individual help. Finding a good trainer is like anything, they should have ample references and clients where you can see real results, because its easy to fuck oldies up badly, and to also put them off exercising. In a way they are great to train, often they are at a point in life where they let you quickly know what they reckon, which can be entertaining.

A reporter from the local news was doing a feature on elderly people, when he bumped into the old boy doing his workout. He couldn't believe that he was ninety, and legally blind as well (macular degeneration). The old boy has trained his peripheral vision in an amazing way over the last 30 years, and people have no idea of his issue. Plus he 's a gun on siri, and all the blind tech. Again some are so closed to the help available, and he does a lot of work trying to help people learn about and use it. Anyway the news mob did this feature on him, as they were so inspired. Its so good that he has stuff like this to keep his need to be seen as useful and fulfilled, and to have things to be enthusiastic about. If it wasn't for his vision he would love to fish, and hike and swim more, but with his fitness, he's totally independent and he does awesome. This vid fired up some of the older people over west.

I hope that your mum finds a way to feel enthusiastic about life again zen, and that you get to see her soon. Its not the same, but at least we have the facetime stuff. That's some comfort to my wife as well.

Just watched the first episode of the first season of Alone. Fark that’s intense! Knowing that bears cougars and wolves are lurking around Hahahaha fuck that!

Hah! That's awesome- what a dude. Inspirational stuff and his mind sounds so sharp too.

I could go on and on. Dad was always active, he was a great footy player, boxer, great swimmer and the most insane body surfer when I was growing up. He surfed a bit too but preferred to body bash. He let himself go a bit when he retired and I guess he saw mum getting frail too as she has a lot of problems with arthritis and the drugs she's on makes her fat even though she eats like a sparrow. Dad (with advice) started doing weights about 10 years ago- just simple light dumbbell stuff, then he got a bench and a bar and he'd do his routine everyday. He confided in me he was doing it so he could look after mum because he was worried about her. Sad to say he just dropped dead one afternoon. I'd spoken to him the day before and he was perfectly normal. Mum found him after getting back from the shops- she thought he'd just nodded off.

Anyway, our family are incredibly tight- I've got my bro's and there's the grandkids and great grandkids and we've all pulled together and are keeping an eye on mum and keeping her busy. She loves it and even though she misses dad terribly she'll be ok- we're a close mob.

I hope things get better for your wife and sister too. This awful virus has resulted in a seismic shift in the world and more often than not, not for the better. In these times I don't think anyone can underestimate the importance of family.