Nine Feet Underground

Bank Holiday Monday, so no yoga, though I am due to have flying lesson number two later this afternoon.  Had yoga been on, I could have managed to fit both in, which would have been quite a result as I think yoga, and the flexibility it gives the body is useful for flying - certainly for getting in and out of the cockpit! My flying lesson is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m., so around midday I call the flying club to check the weather is OK for my lesson, and it is. I was pretty certain it was as I've been watching the planes in the circuit at White Waltham and listening to the radio calls they make just to familiarise myself with the heights, speeds and to find out which runway is in use. At some point I'll be the one making the radio calls and though I'm reasonably familiar with normal circuit procedures, I need to learn with a view to being the pilot as opposed to just knowing which aircraft are where (which is, of course, also vital!) It's almost half-one and time to head

Most of the usual Sunday things are planned for the day, so they're not worth mentioning. Whatever happens, it's primarily going to be a relaxing day, give or take the odd disturbance. I had a video call with a friend in the morning, which was interesting if nothing else.  Over lunch I finished watching the first of a two-part music documentary called 'Laurel Canyon', which was the centre of the music scene in late 1960s, early 1970s Los Angeles.  Amongst those that were drawn to the area were Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Alice Cooper, Graham Nash and more. It was interesting to see how chance meetings led to so many musical collaborations, not to mention couplings and falling outs. Music is never far away and inevitably, given the weekend, I found myself listening to the BBC's live broadcasts from the Reading Festival. Highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly this evening's performance by Wolf Alice, though there are a

I'm still not getting my life very well organised, or rather I'm not changing it in ways that I wish to.  Some of the changes are going to take time, and my natural impatience (which doesn't seem to dim as the years accrue) requires me to try and keep those changes out of my mind with as many other distractions as I can find.   I am incredibly good at getting the boring things done, or rather the really essential boring things - my motivation for some of the things that need doing but don't have to be done hovers around zero to less than zero - but it's not really advancing things in my life much.  I have started some new things, but seemingly little else changes despite my efforts. More effort and change required. Spent a little time watching planes on 'radar' in the circuit at White Waltham, watching their height and speed and thinking about what throttle setting would be required for the speed. Getting mentally prepared for my next lesson. After an early

The last working day of the week, and so that dominated the day, until the early evening, when in and around taking son #1 and his gf to the station (town being incredibly quiet, despite the festival), I found time to listen (at last) to the Quietus' Low Culture podcast from June. The June podcast which featured an interview with Colin Newman of Wire talking about one of his favourite albums, Todd Rundgren's 'A Wizard A True Star', which is one of the albums I'd take to a desert island, should I crash-land there (I carry it with me at all times along with a copy of 'Finnegans Wake', just in case).  As I'm sure you all know, Wire are a band that came to prominence during the punk era, with their debut 'Pink Flag' being released in 1977. Colin Newman is a founder member of the band, who are still making excellent new music and pushing boundaries some 40 years later. Apart from his love of 'AWATS', Colin also said that Todd's preceding a

It is, of course, another working day so I'll probably not have a lot to say, at least not until later. I started the day with a visit to the opticians for a contact lens check and a full sight test.  Glasses-wise my prescription is unchanged but the contact lens specialist reckons she can improve my reading vision through the lenses without sacrificing much of my distance vision, something I don't want to impact.  Trial lenses are on order, so let's wait and see what they're like.  Comparing my reading vision between the old and the new will be easy, but I need to work out an objective test to check my distance vision is not reduced in a way I'm not happy with. After a late afternoon walk (couldn't walk in the morning due to my eye test) the last work activities of the day were completed and it was time for another 'Idler Rogues' Zoom call.  Only four of us tonight, but we don't let that stop us having lots of chats and laughs! Six of us for dinner

Work again today, and not a lot out of the ordinary planned. It seems like it's going to be another sunny day, which will make a warming backdrop as I spend most of the day sat at my desk, staring at screens, as opposed to screaming at stairs, which is planned for tomorrow. Not much to say today as I've been working and not had time to stop and think about anything but work.  About six months ago - maybe more, time has been distorted by the pandemic - I had a plan to include 30 minutes 'thinking' time into every day.  The idea being that you set aside the time and don't try and think about anything in particular, letting your mind roam where it will (and mine sure does like to roam), and - if it happens - noting down anything interesting that may occur to you. There is no goal other than allowing yourself free reign to think. This is not the same as meditation, when the goal is not to think about anything at all (as if!!!), rather to be aware of all the physical sen

After yesterday's flying lesson, everything today is a bit of an anti-climax, and I'm back at work, to boot. Back to work means less words here both because there's nothing other than the most general of things I can say about work and because work takes up a large chunk of the day, meaning there's less time to write making it harder for me to motivate myself to put fingers to keyboard. As I've thought about the flying lesson, I realise there are a lot of things I picked up yesterday and that are only just starting to sink in and slot together.  Roll on the next one! Not much else to say about the day: walked in the morning and again in the evening with son #1; otherwise, just the usual working day stuff culminating in me retiring to my freshly changed bed. Steely Dan / 'Haitian Divorce' / 'The Royal Scam' [[Despite the cod-reggae guitar motif, this song has always managed to retain a place in my heart! (Thinks: I should put together a list of succes

'Aetheris Avidi', which translates as 'Eager for the Air', is the motto of the West London Aero Club based at White Waltham, and today I should be eagerly taking to the air around lunchtime for my first proper flying lesson. Today is thus a day out of the ordinary run of Mondays - no yoga, no early morning walk (planning to do that later) since I think it might be a little anti-social being stuck in an aircraft cockpit with a sweaty bastard. I'm feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness as I head off for White Waltham, though excitement is the dominant emotion. On arrival, a little early (eager for the air 😉), I park and take a look around the visiting and based aircraft, which are pretty varied, including historic aircraft like Chipmunks and a Nanchang CJ-6 (Chinese-built, in Sri Lankan Air Force markings, photo below) and take a few photos before heading to Operations to check in. I check in at Operations and they tell me to sit in the bar and fill out the

I'm aiming for a relaxing day, washing and a few other essential tasks aside.   The morning carers arrive very early - about 8:30 a.m. - so I'm not dressed and ready when they get here. One of the carers is heading off on leave today, travelling to Liverpool with her sister who is already on leave.  I guess they're planning to set off in plenty of time. Good for them. After breakfast it's time for 'The Observer' and, after yesterday's chat with son #1, I decide to read all the coverage on Afghanistan, in what's probably a forlorn attempt to keep myself vaguely informed. The sun seems to be trying to break through, so maybe we have a dry day in store. Let's hope so as I've taken leave of my senses and hung the washing out to dry. Early evening and it's still warm, sun shining, and so I go for my walk bathed in the golden glow before settling down to listen to music, starting with the Caravan box set and ending with my mega playlist on random p

'I write this sitting in the kitchen sink': obviously I don't, but it's a great opening line - full marks if you know which novel this is the opening sentence of. Sink notwithstanding, a pretty mundane start to the day; I really do need to do something about this. Son #1 and I sat and ate breakfast together, shopping all put away, and had a long discussion about Afghanistan, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Buddhism and the general success (or not) of intervention in the Middle East.  When I get time with my sons (when they aren't asleep, chirpsing, or on video calls with their gfs) we do have interesting discussions about all sorts of things with son #1 having a much a broad knowledge of pre-modern civilisations and religions which put mine to shame. Afterwards I always think I really need to learn more about some of these things, but there's only so much time, or at least there is while I'm working. I made lunch, read the papers and then finally found the time to un

A quiet Friday that didn't start with a walk but instead with a trip to the shops to pick up a prescription and buy a couple of birthday cards for my father-in-law.  Who says excitement is dead? Without so much as an interlude to calm down from my heightened state, I'm straight into work, coffee in hand. Work occupies my mind until the early evening when it's time to take son #1 and his gf back to the station, before settling down with an alcohol-based unwinder. Despite having a fledgling compilation CD (most likely titled 'The Best of 2021 (Part 2)') on my mind, I don't find time to listen to music properly, nor do I have time to visit the Caravan box set, 'Who Do You Think We Are?', which will have to wait until tomorrow. I've also been informed that tonight's Tim Burgess' Twitter listening party will be Microdisney's great album 'The Clock Comes Down The Stairs'.  I won't be able to listen live, but I will watch the replay

Another day's post that'll probably end up being light on words, mainly because I'm busy with work.  There are probably several things I need to write about but time will probably be against me. Usual early start with cleaner arriving before first carer; I did my walk and stuff with an added outing to the post box to post a letter and a birthday card, then back to work... Whilst I was out posting things FedEx came and delivered Caravan's massive career-spanning box set, 'Who Do You Think We Are?', but other than to open the packaging I've not got time to look at it properly.  When I get the time, I will probably have something to say about it.  Apart from the day's carer visits, work has been the main focus, and there's not much to say about that. The only other thing of note is that son #3 has had his second vaccination today, so we are now all doubly vaccinated, though that news comes against the backdrop that one of the carers has gone off work (y

Struggling for words to say, today, both because I'm working and because when I'm working it often takes over my brain and I don't have time to think about much else.  There are no lyrics from Kevin Ayers either: not because I've run out of them, there are many more great words, but I've decided I want a change.  I may come back to them, I may not. Usual sort of morning, only the arrival of the NRS engineer to repair E's hoist disrupted the normal. Work-wise I'm trying to get to the bottom of a complex problem, made complicated by the fact that no-one seems to know exactly what's going wrong, other than that the results are wrong. We move forward slowly. Work continues to be the theme of the day until a plumber arrives in the evening to come and take the details to provide an estimate for replacing the en-suite and the bathroom. Dinner, 'The Haunting of Bly Manor', bins and then sleep.  Ready to go around and do it all again. Kit Sebastian / '

So many choices you have to run Because when life is made too easy It's much harder to simply have fun Now you're always on the run You panic when someone tries to unfold you Scream for the dream that seems to hold you You want to give love but only on condition That it's on your terms and that position is lonely This I know The working week begins today and I know I need to focus on getting my one-pager for my architecture level 2 certification completed today, as once other things kick in I'll have less time to focus on it. All the usual things happen, with one minor blip: Tuesday is one of the two days a week my wife is lifted out of bed via the ceiling hoist into her tilt-in-space chair, but today the hoist seems to have some problems and the emergency stop cord snapped.  Luckily the problem occurred before E was hoisted into her chair, because how we'd have got her back otherwise is a challenge we'd rather not face.  Time to call out NRS Healthcare. The usu

Once upon a time there was, so there is still Loving of a kind that rhymed here until Doors began to close, and love was left screaming When life was diagnosed by the doctors of dreaming A typical Monday with walking and yoga, followed by a period of time chasing plumbers to get quotes to repair/upgrade our en-suite and also re-do our main bathroom.  As is customary, it seems, I only get through to voicemails.  Will they call me back?  Do pigs fly? We shall see... As a reward for the tedious process of tracking down and calling potentially good plumbers I decide it's about time I booked my first flying lesson. Walk to the edge, sir. Fall forwards and flap your arms vigorously. Nope not that sort. Powered flight. With an engine. Propeller. And wings, etc. I call operations at the flying club and the phone is answered by a friendly female voice, who wants to take down my particulars. I reply, 'That's very kind, but I'm here to book a flying lesson!' That hurdle succes

What do you do, when it's all behind you Every day, someone else reminds you When times were sweet. Wings on your feet, and bells on your toes Ahh, only heaven knows... A day of chores, weekend papers, music, and the book club novel, and not a lot else.  One of my 'change my life' objectives is still not in play - must try harder, I guess. Over lunch I watch the end of the first part of a documentary from BBC4 entitled, 'The Summer of Love: How Hippies Changed The World'.  It's an interesting documentary, with excellent music: one thing I have discovered - why on earth have I never seen all of D.A. Pennebaker's film 'Monterey Pop'?  This is clearly an omission that must be rectified.  The second and final part of the documentary will be an exploration of the darker undertones, especially from a woman's perspective.  Should be interesting. 'Adults' by Emma Jane Unsworth is this month's book club read and though it's easy to read, I

It begins with a blessing but it ends with a curse Making life easy but making it worse "My mask is my master" the trumpeter weeps But his voice is so weak as he speaks from his sleep Saying "Why, why, why are we sleeping?" Shopping, washing - all of life's pleasures bundled up into one day and not a lot more to say.   I guess the most notable part of my day was a two-hour guided meditation session with Talking Therapies which took place against a hectic backdrop in the rest of the house: son #3 is heading off up to London to meet his gf, a day out and a comedy gig in the evening; and sons 1 and 2 are walking to the GP surgery for dose #2 of the Covid vaccine.  It's difficult to focus the mind when there's so much activity going on around you, but somewhere amidst all this I managed to find moments of calm and focus, fleetingly. I read the papers, I hung washing out, I went for a brisk walk in the evening, listening to music as the sun continued to beat

From the poison comes a flower Butterfly for just an hour But it burns ecstatic fire The kind of life we all desire Desire! Fire! Remember, remember, the 13th August, especially when it falls on a Friday. Or something like that... (For reasons I can't explain I find myself drawn to the songs of Kevin Ayers at the moment) A different Friday... For starters, I'm on leave (again).  The day starts in the usual way, but then deviates from the mundane.  I'm helping with a local charity again, making up lunches for local children in the school holidays and then delivering them. First off I need to go and pick up D, who's also helping, then to the hall to begin.  I'm on cake duty to start with, again: taking freshly-made cakes and packing individual slices ready to distribute. It's been decreed that my hair is getting long now, so I have to wear a hair net and very fetching it is! (Not!) I wrap 84 slices and then move on to assigning food to lunch packs.  During this pr

It's a long way till dawn And you've got to get warm 'Cause you're shivering deeply inside So you turn on the light Try to burn up the night But your spirit has run off to hide Work dominates again, in fact I can think of barely any thought that isn't work-related, though there must have been some... I need to pay the deposit on son #1's student flat at the Birmingham University: that fact has registered in my consciousness, but not much else until I joined the Idler Rogues Zoom call at 6 p.m. Another fun 90 minutes or so talking about a whole range of topics, occasionally touching upon The Idler, but especially mentioning Gladstone's library/retreat in Hawarden, the weather in San Diego, the perils of staging a Harry Potter-like play in San Diego (without infringing copyright), P.G. Wodehouse, Neil Gaiman and the relative merits of books versus Kindles (other eReaders are available) and the proper way to treat books, amongst many other topics. Aren't pe

A lot of things can happen When you're walking down the street But it never fails to amaze me When people that I meet Say, well I'll see you later... I just answer how? How will you see me later When you can't see me now? It being a working day, I'll probably not have much to say, my head being filled by work, rather than play. E's feed pump is playing silly buggers and the primer button seems to have decided enough is enough (I know the feeling) and one of the carers tells me, "I can only hold the button down by using my nail" and we agree that I'll get in touch with Abbot and hopefully arrange a replacement. Change is required. Big change. Mid-afternoon son #3 arrives home from his week in Brighton - he's had a good time, but says he only managed to get in the sea on one day.  If his mum had been with him, she'd have been in the sea every day - she never let anything like rain or cold to stop her at least paddling in the sea: the sea was like

You're safe and you're warm Got a break from the storm And it's visiting time in the past And you've just reached the part Where you're losing your heart And your spirit is leaving you fast Work again today, so not a lot to say...during the day. While sorting through things as part of the Great Reorganisation of 2021 (as it is now termed), son #2 found a couple of letters amongst my wife's papers.  She'd written a letter to each of the twins 20 years ago, when they were four.  The letters were both written 8 years before her MS diagnosis and suggest she expected to die young.  I can't for the life of me understand why she felt this was likely at that point, unless she had some premonition or feeling she was unwell.  She never told me about the letters nor did she ever suggest to me that she would die young, in fact she always used to worry I'd die first (being male and older, I guess) and was disturbed by the idea.  I always used to tell her I'd

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a simple man in possession of a good tune, must be in want of a life.  So begins another day in the series of days of rebuilding. Today is my last day of this period of annual leave, well, strictly, Friday was in reality since I no longer work on Mondays, but it feels that way, and that's what counts. For reasons I can't fully explain I had a sudden urge to send a 'Hello' card to a friend I've not spoken to in a while, which may bring a little joy - who knows? You'll probably think I'm crazy, and perhaps in some ways I am, but I have been doing an online course, 'How To Write', and doing the exercises with some enjoyment, despite the fact that it is, essentially, work. I love words, I love writing, I love language and I love playing around with it. At some point in the near future I hope the course begins to pay off, though I'm not there yet.  I did two lessons today and the second one on narrative was