The Lights are Going Out...

 

 

I'm sitting here watching the room slowly darken around me.  For February the day has been surprisingly bright and sunny, though I was hobbling about too much to do anything much about that.  Outside it remains quite bright, inside darkness gains ground.  

Like many others today I am making the natural light last for as long as possible, I have seen the last bill from the electicity people!  I am not one to complain, however, with BP and the like claiming billions of profits (Just who is paying for all the social media telling us to return to work?) and our prices increase I wonder why this government, which appears to be in the pay of everybody from BP to Putin, does not make use of a 'windfall tax' and get these companies profits to pay for my gas and electric?  If memory serves me right Labour under Blair did this at least once, am I right?

I did manage to hobble up to Sainsburys, though only because I had to, and found the half dozen things I obtained just as expensive as always.  I wonder how it is possible to tell if Sainsburys prices have increased, they are always needlessly high anyway.  Tesco is just a bit far for my back at the moment, and their boss has maintained prices will rise by about 5%, this while Tesco made billions of profits thanks to Covid.  I wonder what his bonus will be this year?   I am not against profits, but with the constant cry of people doing without it all appears Boris and his 'divide and rule' policy is baring fruit, that is if we can afford the fruit and if it is not locked up in a lorry queuing for days at Dover.

However, I had one or two bits of coloured paper that were printed out last time I visited this shop.  The young lady logged them into the machine and I gained several points from this, I reckon I may have made 8 pence all in.  Rejoice!

After 5 pm and while the sky outside is light (the sky usually is outside) I am relying on the laptop screen for light indoors.  

Looking for ways to cut down I found instead I had to do a washing, this means electricity, gas and water, plus routine things like cooking.  I am glad for the microwave there.  I also found the more I seek to cut the more I find reason to use things!

You will recall 'Mean Mr Mustard,' a man in the late 60's who's wife divorced him because he was er, thrifty with the lights.  He would switch of the lights while listening to the radio as you do not require light to listen, he shaved in the dark and that year had given his wife only £1.  Now she had a job but still.  This all sounds fine to me, especially as I have not shaved for a week or two, my back was making bending difficult, but soon it will be required, I might try this in the dark!  I wonder where the 'Elastolast' is kept?

I of course can survive well enough but I wonder how others can manage?  We were always struggling when kids, yet we had more than enough, I wonder if the demands for things is greater amongst some today than it was back when we were used to only having what we needed?  Cutting back is possible for many, though if you have kids their demands may be proving too much, and we all want to keep up with the Jones's.  How hard it is, when you have had plenty, to do without?

Well, I have cheered myself up with that.  Now I must go and find a candle...

 

 

Sundown Again

A gentleman said to me "You are the type who brightens a room," then tapping me on my beer belly added," simply by walking away from the window!"  A similar experience today after the rain that has fallen for the last 24 hours and continued this morning gave way in the afternoon to bright skies and an attractive sundown.  
So attractive was this I left behind the heater and ventured out into the freezing cold.  Crossing the park offered the usual collection of Christmas holiday types, kids with new motorised vehicles, scooters, bikes, girls in bright outfits, and adolescent males in tight groups pouting at passers-by as they huddle around their new iphones.  Most of then texting the male standing next to them I suggest.  Grumpy people also pass by, these are the workers, they have no holiday and have been up since six in the morning and resent not having time off like so many others appear to have.  Occasional dog walkers, well wrapped up freeze as they pass while the dog wags its tail as it happily explores exciting smells all the while not realising the weather is cold no matter how often the owner mentions this.  
Then there is the council smokers.  In spite of the weather a couple of women, dressed for indoor activities, stand smoking and shivering against the wall.  A third, wrapped in large coat, smokes rather too obviously as she wanders across the damp grass ruining her shoes as well as her lungs.  Why are people allowed to have 'smoke breaks?'  If I suggested having 'Standing in the park just looking' breaks would they be acceptable?  How can people take ten to fifteen minutes out of their day several times a day to smoke when others cannot do this just to stand and stare?  And why do people smoke these days anyway?  We have known for sixty years that it kills you, few now accept it as normal behaviour, yet people from many walks of life insist on participating in this ugly habit.  They have never seen the fear on the face of a man being investigated for sickness obviously.  This is not a nice sight.
Many men still smoke as this is what 'rough men' do.  It is part of 'looking hard' and many men participate because that is what their mates do.  Usually they are not the brightest or just feel that, like swearing, it has to be done to keep in with the boys around you.  Women often smoke thereby giving them something to do with their hands, hiding behind a cigarette, while others smoke funny cigarettes and claim it gets them through their day, they never blame that for their mistakes however.  One of the best laws in recent times was banning smoking indoors, it cleaned up so many environments and saved many lives.

High above us and almost unnoticed the moon keeps watch.  
In spite of Brexit and other follies, riots in Iran, bombs in Kabul, and a decent but not great footballer being transferred for £75 million the moon just waxes and wanes as normal, going about its business with little concern for such small things.  The business of raising and lowering the sea levels is business enough for the moon, that and watching lovers stare blindly at it while thinking of words to rhyme is enough for any moon.
When a lad we read in the 'Eagle' and other magazines how we would live on the moon, so far, in spite of preparing to reach Mars, we have not done so.  It appears cheaper to spend three years travelling to Mars, UFO's permitting, rather than establishing one of those glass domed centres that would transform the moon into valuable living space.  The dreams of the early 1950s have never been accomplished in my view.  The moon was reached, more from national pride rather than human ambition, but in so many ways the future that looked so bright has turned out to be very dull.  Human nature keeps getting in the way or possibly it was reality that got in the way?

Longer Days

The longer days started well.  Wandering up to Sainsbury's for the things forgotten last time out I noted the rising mist against the slowly rising sun.  How lovely to be out there in this weather.  This however was not the attitude of the workmen unloading their vehicles across at the building site.  A more grumpy tendency was noticeable as they heading into the old school they were turning into expensive flats.  I considered smiling but avoided this as unpleasantness in the morning is unwise.

At Sainbury's I obtained lots of things, some of which I went for, and yet again forgot to make use of the reward vouchers, I have about £8 that would have been useful this morning.  I suppose this will be even more useful when January kicks in.  British Gas (overpriced) sent me an email informing me i had won thousands of points on this voucher system.  Hmmm, sounds good.  I was tempted to click on the link to my account but hesitated and went to that through my own link.  Nothing there as yet I noted.  This does appear to be British Gas as they send such things often, it is on an email account in which spam is rare, and my first name is given, however while cheered by a gift I await the points being added (in 10 days) to see if this is genuine.  If not I delete, if it is true then lunch is served!

On a serious note I was kept awake last night by the Police helicopter choosing my bed to hang over for what appeared to be hours.  In fact there was a fire in a nearby street which left two dead and house destroyed.  The cause will be uncovered in due course.
This sad incident has revealed much in the town.  Traffic has been affected, it occurred on a main road, and people have been leaving tributes.  Now traffic problems in these circumstances just have to be borne, the tributes and attitudes revealed do not.  
It was something not done in Scotland, a Presbyterian nation, the leaving of flowers at an accident spot.  To me it still appear 'Romanish' and even worse synthetic.  People die and flowers, teddy bears and gifts arrive but the victims will never see these, why do it?  It is not done for the victims, it is done for the people leaving the gifts.  When incidents happen people grieve and this is good and understandable.  However you do not know these people and in life may have resented them if you did so why do this?  You do this because you ache, not they.  This is not 'Love your neighbour.' 
Photographs of the firemen at work have appeared on the local facebook page.  Many are complaining these ought to be removed.  I object!  Publishing photos shows to us what occurred and those girning appear unable or unwilling to accept reality.  The nation once was renown for the 'Stiff upper lip' and just 'getting on with it,' today we must sentimentalise all events, death, accident, war memorial, you name it.  The minutes silence once rare at football grounds is now compulsory at all events even when the incident is neither local nor connected in any way with the football.  Some events are worldwide but these are few, the death of Brazilian footballers recently was one, but while all mourn these men there is no minute silence for Syria, no mention of the dead in the Congo, no concern for hunger elsewhere.  
The emotion is a false one, limited in scope and spurred on by young folks who cannot face life  with 'tough love' and must live in a soap opera daily.  This cannot be allowed to continue.  We all feel emotion at such times but this needs control.  Once footballers stood silently at a minutes silence, now they must place arms around one another,once we faced life's tragedies now we must emote them.  It is not right!  Compassion does not mean removing hard pictures, it means doing something about it.

As I crossed the roaring cascading water that is the local river I noted a wee beastie running over the traffic cone helpfully planted near his home.  I could not make out what it was but suspect it was a water vole as I canny think what else would live there.  He was well fed mind.  The ducks appeared to ignore him, they were playing football with a large green ball kindly donated by someone, and I thought that this wee burn could be made attractive if the time and money was there.  As it is several trees were removed and houses built.  Above this section a block of flats now stands and the tenants passed me by dreaming of paying off mortgages in the 2030's if they are lucky.

 
For once I have rendered the sun as it was tonight!  As it slipped down behind the crumbling 1960's estate it gave off such a glow that I had to catch it.  The passing public did not notice this great sight, their eyes were on lesser things like Christmas, evening repast or drink!  How often we miss such sights because small things obscure our vision.

'Boot's Boot's Boots Marching and Left to Rot.'

The 'troubles' in Northern Ireland that erupted in 1968, ending around 30 years later, still leave heavy scars both on Ireland itself and those who became involved there.  The rioting, including gunfire soon after the beginning, soon led to the much unwanted deployment of British troops to police the area. No government wishes to deploy troops on the streets but clearly the many armed IRA men, soon replaced by the far left and more dangerous 'Provos' and then the various armed groups opposing them required strong action to provide what safety was possible in town and village.  A great many police officers, soldiers and civilians as well as the terrorists themselves died or were wounded during the needless struggle, today many suffer trauma still from these incidents and wounds.
The media, that is Rupert Murdoch's vile 'Sun' reported the police in Norther Ireland (the PSNI) were investigating anew the killings by the British army.  This has been taken up by the tabloids also and one 75 year old has been brought to court concerning the death of an alleged innocent civilian many years ago.  The media claim is that some 500 British troops may now be handed court cases for action in the past.
A few days ago Theresa May who masquerades as a Prime Minister informed the House of Commons that there would be 'No witchhunt of our troops.'  The 'Sun' story appeared soon afterwards.
The British army did kill 302 during the 'troubles' but as has been stated by the PSNI the majority of killings during this time, both in Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole, 90% were committed by the Provo IRA. 
On inspection the PSNI make clear that the 'Sun' is shit stirring again.  Ten years ago a committee was set up to investigate all deaths in Norther Ireland, this group were considered to be failing in their duty and the PSNI took over the review of all deaths.  They maintain that all killings were to be investigated not just those by the British Army, this appears to be more sensible than the media story led many to believe.  However those who served in NI during the 'troubles' question why the Tony Blair 'Peace Process' which ended the conflict for the most part allowed murderers from terrorist groups on both sides to walk free and many were offered 'Letters of comfort' assuring them that they will NEVER be prosecuted for their crimes, including murder!  The ex-servicemen who walked the streets of Belfast and Londonderry always with the knowledge that a bullet in the back or a roadside bomb could kill or maim them at any time wonder why they are not worthy of a similar 'Letter of comfort' while terrorists are?  These men carry the result of their wounds, the memory of men killed in action there and often with what is today called PTSD from the situations and sights they saw peacekeeping on was considered Britain's streets.
This nation has always treated ex-servicemen badly.  The physical pain is treated then ignored, mental pain hardly accepted even today.  Many soldiers sleep rough and have difficulty returning to a civilian life, the nation cares little, officially and unofficially.  
It is time the nation as a whole, the devolved assemblies also, stood up for our troops.  It is time they were cleared of all wrong in similar fashion to the terrorist and ignore the Irish who still wish to attack our men while they walk free.  It is time proper medical care was available in the army, proper mental health encouraged and proper support, for life, for those who risked their lives to bring peace in difficult troubled areas.  Soldiers can do much wrong, without their actions however much more wrong would occur, should those who send them out not support them?

A Wander

Ah the dying suns rays brighten the darkest skies!
Actually it would be lighter but I set the camera to the wrong setting and this resulted.  Good enough for me I must say.  Doing that and pointing the camera at the sun gives a better picture as it hides the town beneath it, and that canny be bad.
I sauntered around half dead, I forgot to eat properly again, looking for unusual signs and views with which to entertain myself.  This meant walking slowly, as I do, looking up dreamily at the buildings in the High Street and being accosted by folks rushing past on more normal Saturday duties.  Tsk!  The taxi driver I unwittingly stood in front of was most kind, he picked me up and dumped me at the side of the road after running me down in that side street. 

   
I'm sure someone will know the significance of this flower (?) being placed at the entrance to the parish church.  There is a similar but different one at the other side.

It may just be decoration but it is the first time I have noticed these.  The advantage of actually 'looking' enables you to see what lies in front of you, the things that you ignore just because they are always there!  I still don't know what purpose these met.

Opposite the church door stands a tree that is home to some sort of bird.  Quite a large nest and it is only at this time of year these become exposed.  I wonder what nests here?  In one of the villages the zimmer bus passes through one tree has half a dozen very large nests visible high above the main road.  Clearly home to someone, Crows possibly?

This does not respond to my day!
I found this in a small shop, once upon a time a pub, which sells variety of ice cream to the kids and teenagers also I suspect.  Quite how it survives I do not know but it was open today and with a couple of folk inside.  There were other words on the other windows but this one can be used again and again, about twice a year if the present is anything to go by...

The town has lots of 'Gants.'  These are narrow alleys between buildings in the town centre mostly, the word originating most probably with the Flemish weavers in the middle ages when the arrived here to avoid persecution.  Many moved down the road into Bocking and their trustworthiness was such that the 'Bays & Says' they sold far and wide were never checked on arrival as their honesty was without reproach.  If it said so many yards then that is what you got!  
There were roadsigns placed at the gants a short while ago to remind us of the town's heritage, many being rather obvious such as this one but others being somewhat strange to the eye.

Now work that one out!
This relates to a small pub that once worked from the back door of the building next door to the sign.  There were an enormous number of pubs in this small town, in olden times many found them warmer and more social than their own rather poor housing, but others were cheap and not always so cheerful.  I would not like to guess what this one was like, not what was on the menu!

Can you guess what this is?
Yes indeed, it's used by a small dance company!
This once was the church vestry, used for such meetings and indeed was used by the town council in times past I am told.  Until recently a law firm stored their documents in here but they have moved to safer dwellings, I hope.

Twilight

Having cycled speedily to church this morning I sat there for the next hour nursing my knees, lovingly no-one offered to nurse them for me.  This exercise idea is all right I suppose but there are problems.  However we had an excellent morning and I only kind of fell out with one person today so things are improving...  I cycled back the long way round enjoying the sun while it lasts and then I spent the rest of the day watching football and nursing my knees. 
Tonight however as twilight fell I got the rusty bike out and pedalled slowly, oh so slowly, half way up the old railway to seek a photo.  They are not quite how the sky actually was at the time but give the general idea.  The top one is my favourite, that s close to reality.
 

The sky is always worth looking at whatever time of day or whatever season we are in.  Looking one way gives a different sky from looking in the opposite direction, the colours vary with the slight movement of the sun.  Of course at dusk things do get darker which explains why the supper chasing blackbirds almost had my front wheel upon them.  

In the cool of the day everything is changed.  Being Sunday few are about, kids at home doing the forgotten homework, people preparing for work, rubbish TV being endured.  This means the streets are very quiet, so quiet in the distance the rumble of the bypass can be clearly heard as movement continues elsewhere out of town.  In town few move, some laughter from the pubs open doors is heard, an occasional clink of glass, a barking dog in the distance enjoying freedom in the park, a huddle of youth carrying their secrets guiltily pass by scowling at one and all, lights can be seen in the local church for evening service, a bus containing one passenger slowly fulfills its duty passing in the opposite direction from a lone cyclist worrying about how his knees will feel in the morning.
The quiet cool of the day, possibly equal to the early Spring morning in beauty. 

"Snigger" Sunday

I failed to cross the threshold till dusk was falling tonight.  Not for the first time my Sunday has not been what I wished it to be!  The sun shone brightly outside but foolishly I watched mediocre football instead of striding around in possibly the last sun of the year.  Ah well walking in the cool of the day when few people pass by is a good thing.  The gray like sky was blue when I shut the door but darkening by the minute as I caught the trailers of people rushing for late holidays in the sun or heading back home for work in Edinburgh or Belfast tomorrow.  Flying in the dark is not as much fun as in the day, I like to watch the earth pass me by way down below.

I awoke to a man chattering on about writing letters.  The thrust of his chatter concerned people no longer scrawling words onto paper and sending the epistle in an envelope to a recipient and how awful this is.  Today we send e-mails or even texts, those can can work text or understand text speak that is, and for many this is now a crime.  No more heartless informal e-mails they cry, get a pen and write it all down.
I disagree.
Indeed receiving a letter though the post is a great joy, I received one myself only the other day and after carefully steaming open the letter, reading how much they wished me to pay, I resealed it and wrote "Not Known" on the front and sent it back.  Receiving a letter is always a good thing if from a friend or if it contains something of value.  However since the telephone became popular in the late 60's and commonplace by the 70's and with the mobile phone that doubles as a computer writing letters is a needless action much of the time.  People can speak via the phone or text/send e-mail or just ignore you as they do me.  The requirement to sit down and cogitate on a letter no longer exists.
When a postman I reckoned one day I had three 'letters' to deliver, all the rest were routine stuff, bills, banks, birthday cards etc, as these need papers copies or contain gifts, letters as such are overtaken by e-mail.  
I like letters but I prefer e-mail as it is quicker, cheaper and gets a quick answer, usually!  However if any young woman wishes to write to me in a perfumed £20 note please note I am willing to rush downstairs and collect it when the postie gets here!

You will have noticed how the world is laughing at England just now.  The imperialists considered this was their world cup and took it for granted they would win it.  The bombast over playing Wales fell flat when the Welsh stuffed them good.  Murmurings were heard everywhere as this was not supposed to happen.  It wasn't in the script prepared by the media and the people.  The build up to the game with Australia is best summed up by 'The Sun.'

Naturally the Aussies stuffed them and stuffed them right good at that!  How the tears flowed!  Now when your side loses a big game it does hurt however when you for reasons unknown believe you will win and believe you are better than all the others in spite of the facts to watch your suffering becomes a delight to those trampled by your imperialism in days gone by, such as yesterday!  How the English cannot believe they have lost, how they weep and wail, how the search for scapegoats and demand hanging is brought back.  The fact is it is only rugby and not that important, but it is good to see them suffer, not that I enjoy this in any way whatsoever.

 
"snigger"

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A Gloamin to Roam in...

All day I lingered indoors.  The Lurgi still lay its cold hand on my shoulder and I had no care for wandering abroad.  My passport is lost in the drawer anyway so I slunk around the home.  My ear aches as wax has built up and nothing moves it, not even the stuff that is supposed to move it.  My mood therefore has lessened from last night when I spent needless time enjoying the English suffering from a rugby defeat by Wales.  Especially as the arrogant ones were boasting of their victory before it had arrived.  The Welsh, in spite of several men being carried off injured, came from behind to win an outstanding victory, and the world rejoiced, certainly in Wales, Scotland and Ireland!  Gloating over the fall of an enemy is a bad thing but I managed to suffer that last night.  The morning papers, desperate to speak of a victory instead hunted for a scapegoat in the normal manner.  In Wales they just hunted for something to ease the hangover!

Anyway I was unable to watch Scotland crushing the USA rugby team, even though this was the first time I heard the USA had a rugby team, as I fell asleep for a long time and missed the game.  The idea of falling asleep appears a good one to me at the moment.  Tonight after damaging my eyes on the laptop I suddenly decided to go out roaming in the glaoming.  At seven the darkness had already fallen and I grabbed the wee camera and crossed the park.  Nothing special about the sunset tonight but behind was a huge glowing moon awaiting three in the morning when it turns into a 'blood moon' and excites folks world wide.  Sadly my camera failed to capture this and I have a variety of wee bright dots, some shaky, against a lot of darkness and this is somewhat unsatisfactory.  

The air was however very 'summery,' indeed almost warm, but not quite, and I wandered about looking for a sky to photograph.  A dog walker in the gloaming far off, a man with a child wondering home seen through the gloom and a light here and there in a distant window.  The peacefulness found on a Sunday evening is heightened as kids are forced to stay indoors and prepare for school tomorrow.     

The churches gathered together in the Salvation Army hall for a meeting tonight, and I was trying to picture the light in the darkness but this was all I got.  I wondered how many gathered tonight and was tempted to go myself as I could not get out again this morning.  I noticed the 'Wagon & Horses' had only four occupants as I passed, one couple and two single men.  How lonely a life when it is spent finding company in a pub on a Sunday night?  I once knew many who were like that in London. Cricklewood in the seventies was full of Irishmen who went from work to the many cafe's for a decent cheap dinner and to the pub at night as they had nothing else to do.  Irish women preferred more sophisticated men, that is non labourers, so there were many lonely Irishmen there at the time.  The pubs were always full.  London, like most cities, is one of the loneliest places in the world. 

I suspect that area once a mixture of rich and poor has now been gentrified and the poorer lads have been heaved out and houses will no longer offer 'bedsits' having been turned into expensive properties.

 

I limped back the way I had come, again failing to capture the moon.  This of course is the last of the four 'blood moons' that some believe herald Christs return.  This could well be the case.  In Matthew he speaks of such events, famines, earthquakes and wars before his return.  I cheered me somewhat that he will come and we will see him again.  It also made me realise how much  I must change before he comes, and I am becoming convinced we will see him ourselves!  There are many false prophets, wise people research to check the false from the real as Jesus will return, and wishes you to be waiting for him.  I hope we are all ready as this is life, in between the earache and bad knees, that nothing else can equal.

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Waste of Day

How nice to see the sky change colour as the sun goes down.  
It's been a quiet day, I went to the museum and found my place taken by another, what a waste of a bath, and then rushed home to laze around doing nothing.  Tomorrow I go somewhere out of town for a change, if I can be bothered.  
Nothing else happened bar the brute failing to connect with wifi again, grrrrrr. 
I'm disappointed you all, and the cats, failed to appreciate music....

Dusk

The sky appears full of dark clouds as the sun lowers itself into the Americas.  However today was remarkably mild and this has been the warmest Autumn/Winter that I can recall.  Global warming is having its effect.  Of course if we tend to the tropical I will not complain I prefer warmth to cold. The resultant effects elsewhere may however be unfortunate.
I spent much of today attempting to find TV & Radio worth watching/listening to.  I have the tapes/DVD's ready for recording but so far have found two programmes worth noting, and one of them might be rubbish.  Around 33 channels, not counting kids ones, can be received by my cheap TV setup and tonight I see one programme worth watching and one possible.  Dreadful choice as all channels appear happy to delight the dumb and ignore those who wish something a bit more satisfying.  Some programmes are those American detectives made in the 70's, I do not wish to see 'Kojak' these days.  There is hope in the wireless, hopefully...

The Glasgow tragedy, where a dustbin lorry driver appears to have had a heart attack, crashed into the shoppers in the main street killing six and wounding others, gets much publicity.  However around this area we have had several serious road accidents, I suspect caused by impatient or foolish drivers, in which several people have died and others face long days of hospital treatment. To read of granddad and 18 year old granddaughter dying together is more than I can bare, and just before Christmas too.  Other tragedies have occurred most of which we never hear about and the cheeriness of the adverts stuffed with shiny things and smiling faces must hurt dreadfully.  However when I worked at Maida Vale Hospital most patients were sent home and only the needy remained. This led to a more pleasant atmosphere and surprising amounts of alcohol, cake and such like would appear in the open wards.  Patients able to enjoy, in between being drugged by nurses to kill pain, usually have a decent time in the circumstances.  Some prefer it!  Still, it is a tragedy at this time, especially when I am informed my niece was in that street five minutes before!

Is this boring?  It bores me.  While my knee is aching less and I get about a wee bit more there is nowhere to go and nothing to do this week.  Shops crowded, folks disappearing to warm places, and the news drying up as nothing important is put through at this time.  At least not up front!

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Dusk Phone Calls

With the dark blue sky at dusk, such a change from the fifty shades of gray that have covered us for days, I was strongly tempted to find a 'night' view somewhere.  The only one suitable was 'The Bull.' I admit this is not a picture I would take later in the evening, especially at the weekends, as the crowds leaving the premises are not always as sober as wisdom would hope.  There is something attractive about deep blue sky and bright lights.

Sadly after I wrote that I returned to watching Southampton play Manchester United and forgot to finish it.  I blame late nights and weak head.  The weak head gets many votes around here, just ask the man who brought an old fellow in a wheel chair into the museum today.  I made it clear the way to do it was charge the disabled one £1:50 and the carer goes free, other wise he pays £ and the chap goes free. This is the best way so I took his money and gave him change of £3.   It was as he questioned this I realised I had got it wrong.  I explained as I gave him the proper change that in this manner we often made money.  
I expected to be busier as Christmas is approaching and while some browsed and bought nowt I did manage to collect a good sale from one of the town's well known respectable gents.  I did my best to avoid the rest of the staff as they all suffered colds and I did not wish to add another to my year.  
I came home, ate and slept!  That indicates how hard I work, doesn't it...?

I almost forgot this again!
I just spent an eternity listening to my sister on the phone, how women talk! There is of course regular chat between us, I called only last July, and she dropped a note not long ago to me.  The communication would be better as she now has one of those 'Tablet' things but cannot connect it to anything.  If I receive an email she does not receive the answer, now he aged computer has died and her daughters husband is attempting to rectify the situation I reckon she will be computerless for a while yet.  He being a mere welder will know little about the gentle art of making computers work. 
The purpose of the call was to inform her her the huge parcel will be posted tomorrow, that is if I get it wrapped up tonight, and now the football has come on, what will I do I wonder......

Being bored at one time during this morning I attempted to capture the interesting sky in the distance by picturing the butterfly sticker on the window. All it shows it that the window requires cleaning!  I just remembered my back is aching, I'd better leave that to another....

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Tea &Talk!

I spent the day in a drowsy dream today.  Nothing got done.  However in the afternoon I went to the 'Tea & Talks' at the museum and listened to a chap discuss ancient places.  Greece, Herculaneum, Rome, Crete and the like.  It was an enjoyable way to spend an hour.  
The picture from Herculaneum revealing the old buildings and the height of the ash that had covered them for hundreds of years was worth seeing alone. These buildings were at least two if not three stories tall and the ash had covered them by almost two stories on top of them.  Thousands died because of the volcano and they remained in the town believing they were safe.  Interestingly Naples, which stands underneath the same smoking volcano, contains two million people.  The centre is full of tourists and the locals live all around the city.  Guess who gets away first when she blows next time?  Italians are not daft!  
I would have liked to visit Crete also, the pictures from there are interesting. Why I am not made able to live in the sun, surrounded by blue sea, is a mystery to me.  As long as a Tesco is nearby and football on the telly I think I could cope.  The large expanse of the ancient cities surprise some folks. I canny see why these guys could build better than us.  Some places the chaps showed featured tunnels, either rough cut, twenty feet wide, or as in Egypt similarly wide by plastered and lavishly painted so you could identify the one buried there.  
So, making my way home through the mire, I considered the bright blue sea, the dazzling sun and the dim lights from the rear of the Town Hall.  It doesn't seem fair does it......?

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A Thought at Twilight.

I spent the day working on updating the war memorial site and listening to people sniggering worldwide at my Win 8 problems.  It may indeed be 8.1 but I have yet to work that out.  This is a Bank Holiday weekend, one of the biggest of the year.  Today many disappeared to get away from it all and spent the day with millions of others doing the same thing.  One day people will learn something about this.  I did many years ago when I arrived at Kings Cross station on my way to Edinburgh.  The queue was long and the trains were coming and going, station staff attempted to keep order in the queues but not always successfully.  This was a busy Friday and not the situation I adore. Eventually one of the staff shouted that an extra train had been put on over on platform whatever, and pointed in that direction.  Half the concourse ran over there and crushed themselves onto the train.  I waited thinking, stupidly, that this meant less people and more room on our train.  Wrong!  I got in and sat down.  In those days open coaches had four seats, two facing forward, two backwards, with a table between them.  Acceptable when quiet not so when trapped therein for four hundred miles through the night!  I do not know how I survived but I did.  I had to and folks were standing all along the train!  When we arrived at Newcastle the other train came in also at the other platform and I could see they too were standing crushed together all the way.  I never travelled at a holiday time again, bank or otherwise.  I chose off peak as it was quieter.

My holiday consisted of taking a walk after seven as the sun was going down in a vain hope of getting a good picture of the sky.  This was a mistake as the camera is full of dust and I have had to faff about with the one decent shot. The colour is now w bit iffy but reflects something of what was out there.  The cool off the day, especially after it has rained, gives off a distinctive aroma as the flora (or is it fauna I can never remember) absorb the water after the dry day and fill the air with sweetness, well in my mind anyway.  The streets are quieter, except in town centres, less traffic, no children, and walking where I have not wandered for a while refreshes this dulled mind greatly.  Simple pleasures for the simple minded.  Cheap too!

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One Dreich Morn

While Australians sit on the beach grumbling about the 40% of heat I wandered across the damp park looking for a chink in the gray clouds above.  They fight fires in Tasmania which destroy homes and lifestyles, around here we light fires in the streets just to keep warm!  It's no fair so it is!  I was inspired this morning to sit here after what passes for breakfast and watch the folks outside cough their way to market.  By lunchtime the dank atmosphere has lightened to allowed me out for the cheap veg.  "Happy New Year," greetings came from the veg stall, desperate to keep their loyal customers.  (The other stall has many more for no good reason)  It made no difference to me, I am still using up the left overs in the fridge!

Glory be!  The afternoon saw the sun appear and left us with this lovely dusk view, Once I chopped of the view of the back streets at the bottom of the picture.  It is always a good piece of advice to ;look up' rather than around you.  The place you stand may be a dump but the sky almost always looks good, unless the clouds are gray of course!  Tonight the sky was fab, and hopefully it will stay this way, well, not when dark I mean.

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Red Sky at Night...

Sadly the picture cannot convey the sky form one end to the other covered in a deep pink hue.  Oh to live higher up and get a clear picture! What a wonderful sight this was, and well past ten O'clock at that! Wonderful evening, the rhodur... rhodand.... the big bush over the road filling the air with fragrance and setting the scene nicely.

Red sky at night, 

Shepherds delight!

Since the back of two this morning the rain has been coming down constantly!  The papers, radio  and TV are full of scare stories.  A months rain in 24 hours is expected today, floods, disasters, catastrophes and would you believe that when the storm eased this morning as I went to Tesco's   I saw a man in sailors uniform!  It was that bad they have called out the navy!  

The Daily Mail Scream Loud Story

If you see any shepherd's while out today, run them over!

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Red Sky at Night

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Dusk

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Red sky at night flashes across the world for a brief moment and disappears within minutes. 

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Saturday

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The rain that decided to fall somewhat heavily last night left behind thick gray clouds this morning. At least by the time I dragged myself out of the pit of sleep the rain had ended and only the clouds with their occasional glimpses of blue were left. Proper winter has arrived at last, you know, the cold wet winter that we are used to. No snow or horrid stuff like that, we left that in Edinburgh where it belongs, just rain and miserable looking postmen pushing paper mache through the letterbox. However just in case it decided to snow I remained in doors most of the day venturing out only for veg, a losing Lottery ticket and my copy of 'Private Eye.'

Today is 'Cup football' day in Scotland and England so I was able to find myself bored by Arsenal cheating Leeds United out of a victory. I did however have the sniggers when I discovered the Hibs fans distress at their teams performance in the 0-0 draw with Ayr United. How football makes you hurt, although for some of us we are enjoying this season and have every hope of another cup win ourselves. Excuse me while I take up the 'smug' position for a while. To stop smirking I wandered across the park and pictured the bright evening sky provided by the advancing dusk    

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