Nine Feet Underground

It didn't seem to make sense that today was Tuesday, given that 'everyone' wasn't working yesterday.  I think yesterday felt like a Sunday, and therefore today should be my non-working day, which, sadly, it is not. Apparently, I must have had some kind of bad dream as I screamed in terror in the early hours and my heart was racing.  I don't recall what I was dreaming but it must have seemed and felt both real and frightening. Work now takes precedence. For both of us. Once Q returned and I finished work, we went for a mini shopping excursion. On our return, Q made dinner with a little help from me, after which we sat down and watched another 'FUBAR' (having explained earlier what the abbreviation means). Let's call it a day. "It, you are a day." Job done. Robert Lloyd / 'Part Of The Anchor' / 'Me And My Mouth' [[ ]]

Last night we made a decision to head into town for brunch at the Duke Street food and drink market.  We've all got up and are ready to drive into town before it gets busy on this sunny bank holiday morning. Duke Street food and drink market is very cool. I guess it's a converted warehouse or some such - very industrial chic inside.  I had eggs bendydick with ham hock washed down with a couple of flat whites.  The return home was via a local hand car wash before chilling.   Φ is heading off for a couple of days whilst Q and I return to work tomorrow.  A relatively chilled afternoon ensues, with a bit of birthday planning and organising. Q made a Mexican-style dinner, with some help from me as sous chef.  After clearing up the dinner stuff, we watched a couple more episodes of 'FUBAR', which manages to be fun at the same time as being non-sensical and unrealistic. Time for bed said some well-sprung, moustachioed, French chap.  Queens Of The Stone Age / 'Emotion Sickn

Off to Liverpool this morning, thus breakfast and packing are the order of the day. I am largely packed now, with some of it in the hall ready to load into the car.  One of the carers said, 'you take more stuff than a woman'. Clearly this is a compliment and is partially the result of needing to take my 'Ulysses' stuff, ands also the base station scanner that I'm going to leave in Liverpool (I've especially programmed it for that part of the world). I'm packed, I've said my goodbyes and I'm about to leave. Now I'm in Liverpool, after a rather annoying journey. Why annoying? Well, it went like this.  About thirty minutes into the journey I realised I'd left my wallet behind, prompted by the thought of travelling by the toll road.  Annoyingly, before I'd left something was telling me to take a jacket I wouldn't normally take.  A jacket I'd worn yesterday when I went shopping.  A jacket that had my wallet in the right-hand pocket. Th

Plans are always in flux. Originally I was heading for Liverpool today, but now I'm not going until tomorrow. A reasonably standard Saturday is ahead, I've already been shopping and have washing on.  On top of all the standard Saturday chores, I must pack, catch up on the papers, programme the scanner I'll be taking to Liverpool, start 'Ithaca' and chill. Over lunch, I started watching a documentary on the writer Kurt Vonnegut.  I'm not far into it yet but I already sense that by the end of it I'm going to like Mr. Vonnegut a lot more. Sons 1 and 2 have gone to a BBQ this afternoon but are due back in time for dinner, which I start making at around seven-thirty. Not long after I serve the dinner sons 1 and 2 return and we all sit and watch the penultimate episode of 'Colin From Accounts'.  It's a cracker. A creepy cracker. After that, I watch part of a documentary on Mount Everest, discovering that there are very close links between the Nazi part

Another walk to start my working day. It's sunny again. PTL! I don't know about you, but I often get phrases stuck in my head which keep coming to mind. Today I can't get the phrase ' Là ci darem' out of my head.  The eagle-eyed amongst you will know that this is Italian and is actually a shortened version of ' Là ci darem la mano', which is the title of a duet from Mozart's opera, ' Don Giovanni'.  As a general rule, I consider opera to be a musical form which is akin to torture, and thus this tune is not one I am familiar with, though I'm sure you guess where I heard the phrase. At the moment it's rattling around my brain and I would like it to stop. {In case you aren't a fluent Italian speaker (I'm not), the full song title translates as, ' There we will give each other our hands'.} Opera, schmopera, it's time for work. After work, I suggested we walk to the local pub near the ford, and so I was joined by sons 1 &am

Another early morning walk to kick start my day, before being glued to the screens. Nurse! The screens! As far as the day went, mundane is the word. Greece, of course, is a different word. The only out of the ordinary event was a visit by a former near-neighbour to collect a letter wrongly addressed to our house (in the middle...).  I haven't spoken to her in a long time and so it was good to catch up. I do like talking with people. I do like people. Generally, I guess. She said something along the lines of 'you'll definitely be going to heaven', to which I naturally replied that I doubted it. Work comes to an end and I arrange a call with my big sis.  A phrase that sticks in my mind is 'your life is always uncertain'.  It was good to catch up. Idler drinks tonight, and tonight's topic is rewilding Britain with the appropriately named Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell. (They have written a book on it, ' The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding

The sun is shining again, I could get used to this.   Apart from my early morning walk, I'll not really be able to take advantage of it, sadly. Back from my walk and a chat with Q before we both start work. The most exciting thing during the working day was the delivery of a Jeppesen High Altitude Enroute Chart I ordered. Super nerd! I have to find time to finish 'Eumaeus' before this evening, so in every small break I'm going to try and read a page or two. Not the best way to read it, but as it's in the same day it should be OK. I've finished work and am reading the last ten or so pages of 'Eumaeus', so I will make it.  It's a fun episode full of jokes and humour (there's a particularly funny piece where some Italians are arguing and swearing profusely, Bloom hears this and marvels at the beauty of Italian and it being a language of love, it's very amusing.  One of the Italians in our group read it and then translated it. Where else?) as wel

Tuesdays, however, are the 'new' Mondays. I started the day with a brisk walk, to help get my head ready for work.  On my return, a large insect was sitting on the doorstep. With help from friends it was identified as a May bug aka Cockchafer.  Luckily I am not made aware of why it is named thus. It's been, dare I say it, another sunny day and so after work I decided to cut the grass.  Tomorrow evening it's UFA and Thursday it's the Idler drinks and so, given I plan to be away at the weekend, tonight is the best night. It's now or never.  I am still reserving an area for 'no mow May (and June)' to see what insects I (or at least the longer grass) can attract. I'm making dinner tonight and it's chicken fajitas, a kind of assemble it yourself meal.  In dribs and drabs people arrive and, when fully quorate, we watch an episode of HIGNFY. I am still valiantly attempting to finish 'Eumaeus' before Wednesday evening, even though I have had less

I do like Mondays. Not working helps a lot. Today has multiple possibilities, let's see what unfolds. The alternate plan sees me immersed in books again.  I've decided that my 'James Joyce' book case should hold all my JJ books, without 'edge-stacking', so a whole shelf, plus half of the remaining one will have to find temporary new homes. As I start to get rid of books I no longer want or need (all (will it be all?) the computer/IT books must go) space should be freed up. I'm trying to narrow down the subject range that I keep books on, limiting it to my deepest interests, but when I stop to think about what this means, I'm concerned I'll have to keep most of them.  Books that are definitely going are as follows: IT and productivity related (FT!), novels I've read (and won't read again), novels I'm never going to read, and miscellaneous others. There may have to be an element of ruthlessness. Over lunch I started watching another music d

I'm feeling even better today, in fact the carers even remarked upon it, so it must be true. I had a bit of a lie-in, but also had to be reasonably prompt getting up as my book case is due to be delivered between nine and one. After breakfast I moved the piles of books onto the bed in preparation for the arrival of the book case which will (hopefully) house them all and maybe a few more besides. This is the first step in a much bigger operation which will see a large number books leave this house, one way or another. The book case arrived around midday and son #3 helped me carry it upstairs.  Let the assembly begin. The book case is now assembled and the shelves are all in place, but before I can load it, I need to go shopping for salad to have as part of lunch. Son #3 and finished off making the lunch on my return.  I sat and ate mine whilst finishing watching the Brian Jones documentary, which was very good but also sad in equal measure. I've loaded all the books and made a h

Feels like I'm getting better. At what, no one will ever know. Usual Saturday crap, natch.  I have so much to do I don't know how I fit working in. Be that as it may, today is cliché day.   It is a beautiful day, though. The sun is shining and I'm going to go and get my hair cut while I'm out shopping.  Hair today, gone in an hour or less, see you the other side. Back. Chores. What fun. Later I'm due to collect son #3 from his university accommodation for the last time,  another milestone and yet more change is in the air. (It wasn't me, officer.) In amongst all the activities I've been watching a BBC2 documentary called ' The Stones and Brian Jones ', which has been been captivating and a reminder of how talent (and life) can be squandered.  Read more about it in this Guardian piece . I will try and finish this today or tomorrow. About to set off and collect son #3, his gf and - more to the point - all his stuff.  Home with everything, now it's

I'm not even going to say it. I still have the cold, but I think it may be on its way out, at last. Work, ofc.  My brain is still not quite fully operational. The most exciting thing about today is that I have a book case on order for Sunday delivery (and assembly by me). More unexpected washing. Nobody expects the washing inquisition. This week's poem is by T.S. Eliot which, also unexpectedly, is becoming out of tune with the current weather, but let's keep quite about that. It's called 'Prelude 1', and it goes like this: The winter evening settles down With smell of steaks in passageways. Six o’clock. The burnt-out ends of smoky days. And now a gusty shower wraps The grimy scraps Of withered leaves about your feet And newspapers from vacant lots; The showers beat On broken blinds and chimney-pots, And at the corner of the street A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps. And then the lighting of the lamps. Work's over and time for me to make dinner. We watch a

Still not sleeping properly. Ho hum. Another slow start to the day, which is only possible today because the cleaner cancelled late last night. A lucky coincidence! Work, obvs. Back to The Idler drinks again tonight with guest speaker Madeleine Bunting , talking out English seaside towns and her book ' The Seaside: England's Love Affair ', an extract from which can be found here . Madeleine was a great speaker and had some interesting thoughts on the English seaside, bringing back memories of teenage summers spent in Torquay and Babbacombe as well as many more recent favourites. After the talk, a chat with Idler friends before dinner with sons 1 and 2.  In the end - there are always delays - son #1 and I watched another, very funny, episode of ' Colin From Accounts ', which I'm loving. Off to bed early. Again.  Chatted with Q, natch, then hoped for sleep. Jane's Addiction / 'Just Because' / 'Strays' [[ ]]

A slightly better night, thanks in part to Lemsip Max Day and Night. As I'm still feeling lousy, I start the day with a COVID test (remember those?) Early morning I had a brainwave.  I'm going to get rid of a load of books.  Sell them. Give them to charity. Give them to book club members if anyone is interested. The computer books will have to be trashed, I guess, since not even charities want these. I'm going to buy a new book case too.  I'm probably delirious.  Must be the cold. I shower whilst it's cooking and when I come out it's negative, thankfully. Still feel crap though. Talking of which, it's work today, so let's see how I can manage with cotton wool for a brain. It's over. Next up, 'Ulysses For All' and the final lesson/discussion on 'Circe'. I have a confession to make. I am behind and have not found time to finish this chapter, so I shall have an uphill struggle for next week. Unlike all the other episodes, 'Circe'

Even worse night's sleep than last night.  Now I know why though. I have a stinking cold.  Sore throat. Cough. The dam has been busted. My bin looks like a bin from an 'all-night cinema', if you know what I mean. I started my day with one of the best breakfasts it's possible to have: smoked salmon on scrambled egg on toast. Breakfast of champions. (IMHO) Despite feeling like death, slightly warmed, it's work today, so I will be busy. Eating a protein-based breakfast really works. I don't get hungry and so I don't end up eating snacks (chocolate, most likely) that are fattening. It's been a sunny day so I've changed my bed again (only when the sun is out (only kidding!)) and washed it all and hung it out to dry. Who says men can't multi-task? Dinner tonight is Mexican-stylee. At the start of the day I marinated some chicken in fajita sauce (am I organised or what?) which I'm now going to cook and serve in tortillas with refried beans, avocado,

I didn't sleep very well and woke up with an earache and a sore throat. Strange. I don't have any firm plans for the day, so lets see what unfolds.  The weather seems good, so I'm sure that washing will feature somewhere in the day. Early morning we were treated to a low-flying pair of Chinooks heading North / North West. I soon became aware that these were 'PEGASUS 1 +2' on their way to Luton airport to pick up President Zelensky and take him to Chequers to meet the PM. Poor bloke.  A pair of Chinooks flew over three more times. It rained overnight so the bird poo on my car has been loosened.  I had a go at cleaning it off, getting the worst of it off, and decided to take my car to be washed and get some food shopping. Son #2 is having a wisdom tooth out this afternoon, so I'll be collecting him after that as he'll want to home and taking painkillers ASAP. Some of the day was spent programming my new scanner and some spent listening. I am impressed with the

All good things must come to an end, and so it is that another week in Liverpool is coming to an end. We got up even later today, before I began the tedious process of packing away my stuff and loading it back into my now bird poo camouflaged car. We had a very hearty breakfast, so much so that I don't think I'll need to eat for a while. After we'd said our goodbyes I headed for home by way of the Tesco petrol station. I'm think of trying to drive all the way home without stopping.  We shall see. I'm back.  Took longer than usual due to roadworks, accidents and just volume of traffic, but I didn't stop. Mode switch. Flipped. E seems a little different, but not markedly so.  Everything seems normal. Now I've seen the car from above, the bird poo looks even worse.  They must have been very large, very unwell, or perhaps both. Sons 1 and 2 are just emerging.  After sorting stuff out and installing the new scanner, we had dinner (made by son #2) and son #1 and I

Late night last night, so a late start to today.  We decide to have breakfast in a local Baltic bakery/café, a fifteen minute stroll from home in the sun. After a relaxing breakfast we headed home.  Next stop gardening. I cut the grass whilst Q trimmed the hedges and strimmed the edges. I dug up some old woody plants after which we decided to call it a day. A day. When we stepped back we were impressed with the results. The garden is much tidier and looks bigger.  Hopefully Bagheera will like what we've done. A spot of lunch (very small amount) preceded a trip to the shops.  We're getting some food in for tonight, and beyond.  For the first time in recorded history I am going to watch the Eurovision final, live on TV. Q is a big fan, which I am not, but on the principle of 'try anything once', I'm giving it a go. It's over, I've seen it, and I didn't burst into flames. I'm sure you're really interested to know what I thought of the experience.  I

It is Friday and I still don't have my access back. It's going to make work today interesting. Access was restored at around half-one, just after I meditated. Om. A very busy afternoon of work, trying to catch up on lost time, but I still finished a little after five as we are off into town and out for a meal tonight. A quick change before catching the bus to Liverpool One.  Back home now.  Had a great evening - we queued up at the Eurovision store and bought some souvenirs of the event, though not necessarily for ourselves. As we left with our purchases we headed for the Italian restaurant on the Albert Dock.  Again the place was buzzin' with a dude dancing atop a yellow submarine hosting a DJ playing dance music. Flags of many nations.  People happy just to be there. After dinner, we wandered the docks and grabbed an ice cream before heading back. A fun night out! Caravan / 'Here Am I' / 'Blind Dog At St. Dunstans' [[If you're paying attention, you'

Over the hump and on we go. A very early start so Q can go into town for a meeting and to give me time to review a document before work. It's going to be a long day! Halfway through the afternoon the weather dramatically changed.  First heavy rain, then hail and finally thunder. Not that frightening. After my last call of the day, my access was suddenly revoked.  Perhaps the change in the weather was an omen. Somehow Q managed to avoid being out in the rain, despite her travels, and had apparently just arrived back over the road when the heavens opened. It's been quite a day and, in the end, decided not to go to The Idler tonight. Instead, we ordered some Chinese food and ate that, sat at the table chatting. Watched the first couple of episodes of 'Colin From Accounts', which was very funny, followed by the last four acts on Eurovision.  Hell's teeth. How can you write a song referencing Edgar Allan Poe and manage to make it so dire? Nevertheless, Q voted for this A

More or less the middle of the working week, or it will be when the working day is over.  I started the working day with a walk to the shops, mainly for exercise but also to get some more milk. Oddly, when I arrived home I found I'd bought milk and chocolate, not quite sure how that happened. Mystifying. 😎 After work, it was time for the latest 'Ulysses For All', with this week's subject being the first of two weeks discussing the 'Circe' episode.  This week Caroline Elbay gave a talk entitled, 'Take Her Up To Monto: Madams, Murder and Mariolatry'. 'Circe' is set in the red-light district of Dublin, as was, and is in the form of a drama or play and the talk was a fascinating, at times gruesome, history of prostitution in the area. I didn't stick around for the discussion as I wanted to have dinner with Q and watch the final two episodes of MAFSA, and what a final two episodes they were.   Tayla!   Harrison!! Alyssa!  Cameron! Dan!  We both h

It doesn't feel as if today should be Tuesday.  I guess this is in part due to the fact that Q isn't normally off work on a Monday, whereas I am always not working on Mondays. Perhaps. Just feels odd that today is Tuesday. Whatever feeling I have, it IS Tuesday and I have work to do. Onwards and upwards. As usual, not much to say on a working day.  It is a very sunny day which is invigorating. No doubt tomorrow will be wet. Q has to go to Bury for work this afternoon, so she puts in a brief appearance before driving east. Worked later and when Q returned we had dinner and watched the end of 'The Night Agent'.  We now have the final two episodes of MAFSA to watch, when we get time. Until tomorrow. PJ Harvey / 'A Child's Question, August' / (Single) [[This single from a forthcoming album (her first in something like seven years) is very hypnotic. It has a 'folk horror' feel to it - I don't think it would have been out of place on 'The Wicker Ma

Yesterday was busy and very active, in contrast, today will be a bit more chilled and laid back. Got the day off to a good start with a cooked breakfast and then we both sat down and got on with some stuff:  Q reviewing a thesis and me planning frequencies to load into my scanners. Having sat down for a while, we switched to outdoors mode: Q has some plants to plant in the front garden.  I became a labourer under the direction of the garden designer. A little later we headed out for a quick shopping trip to Tesco, dodging (not very successfully) the raindrops.  The weather is very unsettled, rain, sun, and now rain again today. After loading the first set of frequencies from my laptop into the scanner, Q and I continued watching 'The Night Agent' on Netflix. Dinner, TV, getting organised for back to work tomorrow, then time to head to bed. Say She She / 'Reeling' / (Single) [[ ]]

Living life has overtaken the blog and I am behind, post-wise.  This does not matter, though, because living life is more important than writing about it. Saturday can be summarised as a day of travelling.  Packing, saying goodbye, then driving.  I arrived in Liverpool in time to unpack and see a bunch of helicopters and the Red Arrows flying over central London on the TV.  It was originally meant to be a much bigger flypast, but the weather was too poor with too low a cloud base for the full show.  We had considered being in London for the flypast but decided against it. Good decision, made in advance.  Son #2 and his gf were in Hyde Park for the event and saw the planes for real I am ambivalent if not actively uninterested when it comes to the big event happening in London, however, in contrast, Q is very interested. She had watched the whole thing and we watched the highlights (?) together. Apart from the planes (is there anything else?) I wanted to see if I could spot Nick Cave in