Wednesday August 26th 2026 "Are YOU having an 'active day'? Seems like everybody in the UK is really 'powering' through the day today!"

Yes, Friends, are YOU having a particularly 'active' day today? It seems like the whole country has "ants in their pants", if we're to believe the headlines in today's Onion News!

And, for my wife Lois and me, reading these stories here in leafy Liphook, Hampshire, it's making us feel tired just reading about all this 'activeness', if that's a word! [No! - Ed]

my wife Lois and me - a recent picture

Recently dubbed by neighbours as "possibly Liphook's busiest-looking retired couple" we've decided to surprise the locals today with an unannounced, and sudden, "change of pace", taking it easy for a change (!), and about time too!!!! 

Exhausted by really "going at it" for our 54th wedding anniversary yesterday (!), we're going to take it easy for once! Lois has a pile of ironing to do, which is mad!

(left) me showcasing Lois's trademark ironing-board, finally at rest

after "getting a right bashing" from her this morning (!), and (right)

only the sheets are left to do now, which is encouraging!

And meanwhile, Yours Truly has some more "strategic" work on my agenda today, would you believe! I'm planning our next 3-night break in Bournemouth to see Lois's cousin Brian and wife Ruth, which is taxing my poor little brain, to put it mildly - it's a logistical nightmare, given our usual busy schedule!!

me, doing my head in, trying to somehow fit in a 3-night break

in Bournemouth, given our predictably hectic September schedule - what madness!!!

And I'm also having to somehow find the time today to install a 4-way plug extension near our TV so we can have the benefit of subtitles for when the people on the screen are "mumbling" (!). This is for when we're having a rare opportunity to "chill" on the very-occasional "night in", to catch some ground-breaking drama or documentary or other, would you believe, so we can keep ourselves "down with the kids" and, at the same time, up-to-date with any troubling international crises !!!

us, caught on camera recently, during a rare chance to "chill out" 

[It's poor Lois I feel sorry for! You lazy swine, Colin!!! - Ed]

14:00 Both of us feeling thoroughly exhausted by the time we climb into bed this afternoon for "statutory nap-time", and, with our minds in turmoil because of this morning's "issues" (see above!) we're almost more exhausted when we climb out of bed again a mere two and a half hours later, would you believe!

What a crazy world we live in !!!!

20:00 Finally able to relax properly on the couch this evening, we can't resist watching the retrospective on comic film actor Gene Wilder, on the free-to-view Sky Arts channel, which is nice!

Gene will always be Willy Wonka to Lois and me, because of the way our two daughters Alison and Sarah, watched the film repeatedly during their teenage years long ago. But tonight Lois and I learn a lot more about Wilder, including the fact that he did his actor training in Bristol, England at the Old Vic Theatre, right there in the heart of the city - who knew?! 

And it's nice tonight to see again our favourite Gene Wilder scene, in "Young Frankenstein" where Wilder is being attacked by his own creation, the eponymous "young Frankenstein", and, while being slowly strangled, and unable to speak, Wilder has to "mime" instructions to his two assistants, "charades-style" - what madness, wasn't it!!

So far so good, as regards the first two syllables - "Said-a-", (!). But what about the third syllable?

Did YOU get it? Lois and I are used to all the top TV quiz shows and game shows, and immediately recognised that Wilder was asking his assistants to give the monster a sedative to calm him down, which makes perfect sense given the situation, as you'll know if YOU have ever had a monster, young or old (!), trying to strangle YOU!

Yes, of course, and it seems obvious when you know, doesn't it!  "Simples", really!

a typical "sedative"

Fantastic stuff, though, isn't it, and kudos, too, to a very young-looking, handsome, and hooded, Marty Feldman, playing "Luckless Assistant #2", who, we think, should have got at least a crack at "best supporting actor" at the 1974 Oscars, but, once more, no joy there for Marty, which was a shame, we think!

Poor Marty !!!!!!

(left) noted comedian Marty Feldman, passed over for the Oscars again

- poor Marty !!!!

Will this do?

[Oh just go to bed! - Ed]

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzz!!!!!!