Rain!

The expected rain eventually arrived, thunder bellowing and lightning flashing somewhere further over.  Jolly nice for those of us indoors suffering only occasional splashes of water, not so much fun for those hiding under the trees across the way.  Situating yourself under a tree during such a storm is not the wisest move, although there is no chance of cover elsewhere around here.  

The power appears to have diminished now and constant steady rain washes the months of mire from the streets, a very welcome event.  However, the cloud now makes the world a darker place.  We have ben used to bright days, brighter, sometimes colourful evenings, and now a dim grayness steals across everything indoors.  We are no longer used to this.  

I could easily survive six long months in the far north during the summer, permanent light would benefit me greatly.  The six months darkness of winter might wells see me dangling on the end of a rope!   How can people, especially young folk, cope with that.  Many years ago I worked in a commercial darkroom loading lots of Black & White film onto a bar which then went through the developing process.  No skill required.  However, at that time of year I went to work in the dark, worked indoors all day, and went home in the darkness.  This did not last for very long which is just as well.  Six months regular darkness does not enable happy people, no wonder Scandinavians drink so much!

Maybe I should try that now while the monsoon rain drumbeats on the kitchen window?

Paris Street – Rainy weather (1877) by Caillebotte

Stupid Man in the Dark Rain

"Only a stupid person goes out into the dark, in the rain.  Especially when there is no need to do so"

You are talking to a stupid person. 

It crossed my mind that as darkness falls shop lights stand out, go take pictures.  Great idea!  There was no rain when this thought came to me.  However, out I went, into the downpour, cheerfully splashing through the puddles that arise on pathways that are supposed to be flat but are anything but.  Crossing the park meant meeting many such puddles and in the morning I suspect many an individual will grumble loudly as they walk the dog before the skies turn to gray.

As the 'rush hour' had ended, much improved by an accident at the roundabout that ceased almost all movement for an hour, much hot air in the atmosphere as people made their very slow way home, as folks had mostly gone and the rain drove others indoors the streets were quite empty.  This was helpful.

  

I could have remained wandering for a while and ventured down to the big church where the local candidates, including Mr Cleverley, a Tory who does not live up to his name but has reached cabinet level, is appearing.  This goes against the grain for Boris who I note has been replaced at Channel 4 TVs Leaders debate by a melting block of ice set in a Conservative Party symbol.  Boris is not keen on meeting people who ask questions.  Andrew Neil at the BBC has interviewed two leaders, a third on the way, but Boris cannot make a date?  His own constituency has not seen him for a while and he refuses to meet at their local debate.  Possibly he ought to take up running, he is good at that.

However there is a good chance he will lose at Uxbridge, maybe he wishes to lose?

  

Listening again to the Beatles 'Rubber Soul' album I was struck by the passing of time.  In 'You won't see me' there is the line 'When I call you up your line's engaged.'  A reminder of the time when to stop an incoming call you took the phone of the hook.  That does not happen today.  I suppose what they call 'voicemail' takes over or just ignoring the call, numbers of callers often displayed these days.  It just made me think how long ago this tremendous album was made.   December 1965 it appeared, long before we were born, yet it remains a great album, I think George claimed it was his favourite.  I read in the dreadful online 'Daily Express' that John thought the 'White Album' best, mostly because Paul disliked it as he was not in charge!  Paul preferred 'Sergeant Peppers' in which he was in charge.  Hmmm... Ringo preferred the second side of 'Abbey Road,' but I am not sure what he thought of the first, "Peace and Love," probably. 

Standing in the shop doorway I was a wee bit tempted to enter the 'Swan' but as it appeared only three people were making use of this recently re-opened pub I deferred.  That spot is where the market began in 1199 with a variety of locals dropping stuff in that area and trying to flog it to one and all.  King John was pleased as he got the taxes from it.  At some time a pub arose, when I cannot discover, but round the back a later addition is dated 1590 but whether it was a pub or a dwelling for one of the rich I know not.  I think myself the house came first and the pub later, it does not look like a success at the moment.

The problem with social media is that it does not go away.  Whereas in times past it was difficult to find something written in a newspaper or said privately in a pub or even at a public meeting, a search of past papers takes time, nothing can be proved in 'pub talk' and things said at meeting are difficult to obtain conclusive evidence about, today anything said can be fund quite easily.  So, daily we are finding candidates from all parties being hounded out because of things said many years ago in the press or on social media, no wonder so many false names abound online!  Boris apparently claiming single mothers produce poor quality children is a case in point, his child, the one he ignores and pretends does not exist, is now all over the social media, but not the Tory press, I wonder why?

I must go and delete my history...

I am not convinced by the sparkling town Christmas lights.  This does not reflect a booming economy.  Or indeed a council or town centre willing to spend money to encourage visitors.

It has been mentioned that Trump is visiting troops in Afghanistan, telling them the Taliban want a deal.  It may never cross his mind what the troops think of his visit, privately.  They can now tell the folks back home they have sat near the President of the United States, many relatives will ask "Where was your gun?"

"TAXI!" 

Time for home, this rain gets everywhere, even in my pockets...

 

Extravaganza, almost.....

Well not as much of an extravaganza as we had hoped.  The town lit the Christmas lights tonight and this meant the museum joined in.  Marcel offered his Punch and Judy, balloons and stuff, fun and games were on offer and the Twirling lassies performed.  However it appears most who came into town were drawn away from us by the variety of attractions elsewhere.  The shop was nowhere near as busy as hoped and far too few of the regulars were around today.  This Sunday, being the first of the month has tempted everybody to put on a show at the same time and left us all bereft.  Enough came to make it worth their while and we were happy chatting to those who arrived.  Much of the early morning was spent attempting to get three 'pricing guns' to work. I feel we failed at that!  How is it that something that is so easy to operate is impossible to reload?  Not one person had any idea, and four of us were at it at one point!  They still don't work, probably caused by the bashing they received.  

They would not let me on the train!  Pity, I like trains and as a kid always thought these roundabout wonderful attractions.  The other open with  variety of transport on board used to fascinate me, especially if we could climb upstairs.  The kids love them still, and only £2 a go, we used to pay 3d if I remember right.  

The girls attempted to do the Majorettes thing in spite of the cold sunshine.  Few were watching bar passersby heading into town, probably to the coffee stalls.  The girls appeared happy enough and I am told get around the country doing their show.

Some of the usual stalls appeared, all the way from Italy, via north London I expect.  Vast array of goodies on show which are beyond my miserly pocket.  This is a shame because all the fattening bread they and others offer I find delightful.  Mind you it does cost over £3 a go!  

  
I reckon this van did itself a lot of good today.  Both they and the fudge stall next door must have loosened a few purse strings, especially as they were right in the centre of activity.  Parents were pulled this way and that by eager kids, an occasional balloon would escape the owners hands flying, Helium powered, high into the sky, leaflets were shoved into unwilling hands for this and that, stallholders cries were renting the air, machinery ground away as turntables ran their course and almost smiling security men wandered, alert, through the throng.  It was good to see happy families with the kids, well cared for it appeared, occasional adolescents in the throes of first love strolled shyly hand in hand, six foot snowmen and furry animals greeted young children while the balloon seller wandered abroad with twenty balloons high above him leaving me wondering why he does not take off?  I left early as there were plenty of peoples to deal with things and headed home for the football, about which nothing shall be said.  The rest entertained with a choir, offered hot punch and lit the lights on the tree outside.  The council enlivening the decorations with blue lights on the town centre trees as opposed to an actual Christmas one (which of course has nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas!).  They looked good and I went out in an attempt to picture them.  

 
The night pictures are not too successful tonight as I did not take the time, too much clearing up going on and vehicles knocking me over were a bit of a nuisance.  However the roundabout was not too bad.

The place is quickly bereft as folks race home to eat their fill.  The kids grasping those balloons, some shaped by Marcel into dogs, spacecraft or swords, mum wondering if they are going to sleep with their faces painted like tigers or clowns, parents happy to get their feet up and watch trash on the telly.  For many an enjoyable day out.

Night falls

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Sadly I cannot remember where this picture originated, but I suspect I found it on the NASA site, but I post it as I like it a lot. A few days ago we enjoyed the longest day of the year, although much of it was hidden behind cloud, and this picture sums that up, the good times are over, the nights are drawing in!  A most disagreeable situation in my mind but one we must endure with our usual cheerfulness. Do at least try to be cheerful about this, I always do. Of course had the shuttle taken that picture a hundred years ago it would have been very different indeed. Gas would have supplied most of the town lighting in big towns and cities, and many would still use oil lamps in more rural area. The cities lighting would not have been as efficient as the masses of amber lights that line our roads, nor would shop fronts, well lit though they were, be as efficient as the neon tubes that scream out at passers-by. Africa may well have been almost unlit, although bush fires can be seen from space they say and the Europeans who dominated in that 'humble' manner would have found some way of lightening their path in the evening, at least in the main centres. Much of the world would have been a black ball with occasional small outbreaks of light, while today that black reveals huge areas of brightly lit life and only much of Africa and the furthest reaches of Russia, and I suspect, Motherwell, miss out. The big ball may well turn black again soon as the energy runs out, it certainly will be dimmer soon when the hiked up prices start falling through our doors in the Autumn. As from tomorrow I switch everything off unless needed, except this PC of course.  

hodgepodgeryripple

I am annoyed that this Blogger system uses such a bad spellchecker.  This brute uses American English, and the world and his Grannie knows that Americans canny spell!  Several times I have been stopped because this dictionary does not know the correct spelling for everyday words, like 'Motherwell,' or ' realise.'  It appears to think that a 'z' is required, and who in their right minds would think that?  Worse still is the imperialist manner in which the spellchecker operates.  Those of us who believe that the world needs to hear our ignorant rantings on newspaper comment columns have found that all are using American spellcheckers!  Surely this is a disgrace and the imperialist English press ought to stand up to this rather than submit meekly.  I suspect however most of the dozy trainees who appear to be running the media today have yet to realise that their spelling is incorrect.  Facts and getting things right is a lost art in the press today.  (I can talk!!!)   I also note that on 'Word' even if you change the font default to 'UK English' it still wishes to return to the 'American Way.'  Bah! Imperialists!  Good job I am not one to complain that's all I can say!


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