#'s 7, 8, 14 and 25 - The Incidentals: Pets, Books and The Good Life

"It's just the little things, the incidental things." 

These are the profound words from pop sibling duo Alisha's Attic's from their single 'The Incidentals' which hit the dizzy heights of number 13 in the charts back in 1998. A forgettable tune - but a sentiment which passes the test of time.

Since I set out on my journey to complete 30 new things before I turned 30, I've traveled the world, met some amazing people, seen some incredible sights and experienced some truly amazing things. But when it comes being happy, I've learnt that sometimes, it's just about embracing the little things in life. Immersing yourself in a good book, being at one with nature and the companionship and affection of a pet.

My list wasn't just about experiencing new things and going to new places - I wanted to reconnect to, and do some of the things which I'd long forgotten the enjoyment of doing.

So, it might not be edge of your seat stuff, but here's my back-to-basics enjoyment of life:

Number 8 - get a pet

The Angus-cat mindset is perhaps similar

Cats vs dogs. It's a debate which is older than time. It can divide families, ruin relationships, melt the coldest heart and spark an irrational, vitriolic hatred from the normally friendliest of folks. 

Now I'm well and truly in #TeamCat. It's not that I particularly dislike dogs; it's just I was never around them as a child so I've never felt fully comfortable with them. The same can be said for young children...both of which can sniff out my uneasiness from one hundred metres or more. I just don't fancy getting slobbered on, having to clean up someone else's mess and have something sniffing at my groin every time I walk through the door. If I wanted to do that I could just spend a night in a Dudley nightclub.

Me and Ollie - before the shed

Cats are different. This may well say more about me than anything else, but the relationship is a symbiotic understanding. Neither of you want to be tied to the other for too long. You quite like the fuss for a while but you don't want it to go on too long and as long as you're both fed and watered, you're generally pretty happy. They'll walk themselves and when nature calls it craps in the neighbour's garden. Win-win.

I grew up with cats from a young age. Sam and Ollie were our first. I don't remember Sam - but I'm told that when he went to be castrated he only had one ball - the other had never dropped. Mom says he had 'one ball and half an idea'. Sounds like a character. But it was Ollie who I really remembered from a young child. She was a ginger and white cat who loved lying in the garden by the hedge next to a hole which led to our neighbour's garden. Apparently when my mom was expecting Ian, Ollie moved downstairs. When Alex was due she moved into the garage and when I was on my way she upped-sticks completely and moved-in next door! Still, she came back and I was utterly devastated when she died. We buried her in her favourite spot...then dad built a shed on top of it.

Who wouldn't want one?

We then had Pepsi and Domino who were the best cats ever. They lived for more than twenty years and to this day I still miss them both. The waifs and strays my parents have taken in over the years; Tip (who I still maintain was killed by dad feeding him dodgy turkey about 6 days after Christmas), Bruno, Heskey and now Patch; have tried their best to fill the void left by the girls but, bless them, they've never quite lived up to the billing.

But like or loathe cats; there's something comforting about having a pet. So - I decided to get one. Her name is Tammy and I got her...from Argos.

Tammy, the 21st century pet.

It might be a cop-out but the life I lead right now, it just wouldn't be fair to have a pet. I'm out too often and it's not healthy for an animal to be left alone for so long. So I decided to dig up a fad from the 1990s...

At one stage in the mid-90s, the latest gadget to have was a tamagotchi. A pet on a key ring which you had to keep alive by feeding it and playing with it. Invariably, these things died after a few days once the kids had got bored of them, but the craze really did sweep the nation with some gusto. I had one; albeit not for long. I lost mine in an ill-considered wager to Simon Stewart.

But not to worry - they're back. It's like tamagotchi 2.0 via the iPhone. Play with it, fuss it, feed it and try and keep it alive as long as you can. If it's alive on 1st August I'm considering this task well and truly complete!

Number 7 - Read a Dickens Novel

Dickens; one step up from The Twits

I consider myself to be fairly well read, but in recent years I've hardly picked up a book. Aside from holidays, I just don't make time to read. It's something I used to really enjoy doing. But in the world of iPhones, Facebook and Twitter, it's a past-time which has passed me by. Even my Kindle is loaded with Championship Manager.

To this day, my favourite author, alongside the distinctive illustrations by Quentin Blake, is Roald Dahl. I read all of his books when I was at school and to this day, Mr and Mrs Twit are two of the funniest characters ever created.

But I figured it was time to move beyond Matilda and George's Marvellous Medicine and pick up a classic. And what better writer, so I'm told, than Charles Dickens. So, I've broken my Dicken's virginity with his ghostly short-story of 'The Signal-man' and as I write this blog, on a balmy summer's evening, I've almost finished 'A Christmas Carol'. Both are great reads - although I'm finding it difficult to get Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, Fozzy Bear and co. out of my head.

Always been a fan of the outdoors.

The Good Life - Numbers 14 and 25

Aside from the fact that Richard Briers had an incredible voice and that Felicity Kendall was incredibly cute, I've never really seen myself as one for The Good Life.

Putting vague references to a mild-mannered 1970s sitcom aside, I have to say I love being in my garden. After being cramped in a hot, stuffy office all week, the chance to be in the fresh air is a real release from the hustle and bustle of every day life. And I've discovered that there's a huge amount of satisfaction from growing your own food. Lettuce, onions, tomatoes, peppers and leeks are all in the garden this year - with varying degrees of success so far. But watching something develop from a seedling into a thriving fruit thanks to your care and attention is really satisfying; and perhaps makes up for my lack of natural paternal instinct! So with lettuce grown and onions picked - I've completed number 14 - and it helped me complete number 25 too.

Sunday roast using home-grown onions for the gravy.

I love cooking. I don't profess to be the greatest chef in the world but I do get a lot of enjoyment from cooking. But when you're working and living on your own you rarely have the time nor inclination to put a lot of effort in. And what greater effort than cooking a sunday roast from scratch. Getting the timings right, not over-cooking the meat and trying not to burn the yorkshire puddings...there's huge pressure to prepare a feast. But get your timings arse-about-face and everyone's sunday is ruined. Having never cooked one before, I now have new found respect for mom. Three hours of sweating and swearing, but eventually I was ready to serve up. Roast beef, homedmade yorkshire puddings, roasted potatoes, carrots, broad beans, broccolli and a homemade gravy of red wine, stock and rosemary. Exhausting but exhillirating; and both parents are alive and well to tell the tale so I'm ticking this one off the list too.

Incidentally, time is ticking on my 20s - looks like I've got a busy two weeks ahead...