Nine Feet Underground

It's been a while since my last post, longer than I anticipated when I decided I didn't need to post daily. Since then, which was a little over a week ago, a lot has happened though quite a lot of it can't appear here. Work has been especially busy as my work on the project is coming to an end.  Unusually, design uncertainties are increasing rather than decreasing as things wind down, which means I am doubly busy with new stuff as well as trying to ensure I wrap up and tidy all my documentation. There's been lots of monitoring activity keeping me busy while I get to grips with the joys of SDR.  It's opened up a world of possibilities that inevitably come with new challenges including the need for better antenna or better-sited (higher, outdoor) antenna and RF filters on top of the RF amplifiers I've also required. The antenna issues are especially challenging when I'm in Liverpool, given the 'temporary' nature of my presence.  When I'm away I thi

Freed from the self-imposed shackles of daily posting, I can let my mind do its thing and roam far and wide. What things have been occupying my mind these past few days? I'll start with a random list and see what I want to write about.  Here's the list: England vs. Australia (Women's world cup); Software Defined Radio (SDR); Barcelona; future finances; work plans for August into September; son #1's uni assignments; a certain black cat; Karda Estra (band);  why do I keep putting on weight;  another serious conversation with E is due again; digital landline conversion; planning for E whilst I'm in Barca; and, loads of other shit I can't be bothered to list. SDR is both fascinating and has a steep learning curve if you're used to physical scanners.  SDR does require a hardware receiver (it's not magic!) such as the Airspy R2 or it's smaller, slower, mate the Airspy Mini and, as I have discovered, almost certainly there's a need for a low-noise RF a

Whatever happened to Thursday's blog post? You may well ask, or perhaps you haven't noticed and/or don't give a monkey's? Either way, this omission marks a change of approach to the blog. I've decided that for me at least, the blog has become a bit dull. Feeling that I have to write something regardless of whether there's anything worth saying and also holding myself to the expectation that I write every day, no longer suits the way my life is changing. So, henceforth I am not necessarily going to post every day, which will hopefully result in more interesting (??) posts. There may even be a shift in emphasis, that's something I'm mulling over. Friday started well and ended with a trip to Speke to watch 'Barbie' preceded by dinner at Nando's.  What did I think of the film? It's not going to enter my list of favourite films of all time, however, it was funny and I enjoyed it, in spite of the dance numbers.  I liked the opening 2001 spoof,

Q's brother and his wife are heading south today, so it's goodbye until we meet up in Spain later. Back to work... I have been breaking all my own 'rules' about the poems I read, so I've read a couple only once and skipped them (apologies to Geoffrey Chaucer). This week's poem is now by Edna St. Vincent Millay  (look her up) and goes like this: What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why, I have forgotten, and what arms have lain Under my head till morning; but the rain Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh Upon the glass and listen for reply, And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain For unremembered lads that not again Will turn to me at midnight with a cry. Thus in the winter stands the lonely tree, Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one, Yet knows its boughs more silent than before: I cannot say what loves have come and gone, I only know that summer sang in me A little while, that in me sings no more. A poem tinged with a deep sense of sad

What with all the sightseeing, eating out and socialising it's felt a bit like I have been on holiday the past couple of days. The reality is, of course, it's just been my normal long weekend, and thus today is a working day. Not so for Q, her brother and his wife. They are off out today, exploring Crosby Beach and more whilst I am busy working. The first working day of the week is over now and we're all going out for a meal at Duke Street market in town tonight.  It's the last night here for Q's guests as tomorrow they head south for more family visits.  Time has passed quickly and it's been fun starting to get to know more of Q's family. We had a great meal out at Duke Street Food & Drink Market: I had a starter from the Italian place, a main course from the fish place and a dessert from somewhere else. We all enjoyed the food, accompanied by a variety of wines. On our return, we shared a small bottle of sherry before heading up to sleep. Some of us ha

As yesterday, this will be a brief summary of the day, all written after the fact. Being in the moment, enjoying life as it happens and doing rather than thinking (though that never stops) is not conducive to extensive blog writing. All four of us (now known as the 'Fab Four' or perhaps the 'Fantastic Four') started the day with a home-cooked breakfast before setting off on today's adventures. After refuelling the car, we first drove to Wrexham or more specifically Wrexham FC to visit the club shop and to take some 'Ted Lasso'-related photos.  This is not something I'm familiar with, but I will come to understand it in the fullness of time. A brief stop to buy some walking shoes for me, then onwards to  Tŷ Mawr Country Park for a walk by the River Dee taking in the impressive architectural features that are the sandstone Cefn Viaduct and perhaps even more impressive  Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. During the walk, the weather picked up and became sunnier, a welc

We have a day of sightseeing around Liverpool planned for the day, starting with brunch somewhere new. As I'm going to be busy 'doing it', this will be a short blog, almost entirely written after the event. Brunch was brilliant: I had crab-based eggs benedict, which was excellent. There aren't many better breakfasts to start a day. After brunch, we headed for the Albert Dock and thence to the Pier Head for a series of photo opportunities with the Fab Four statue.  This was the start of a Beatles-themed tour - the next stop being The Cavern Club where we enjoyed alcoholic refreshments and music.  The guy singing and playing the guitar had some great anecdotes about the Cavern, with some excellent guitar skills on his rendition of 'Norwegian Wood'. The 'tour' then took in John Lennon's home on Menlove Avenue and Paul's home, along with Penny Lane, Eleanor Rigby's grave and a Strawberry Fields drive by. Many photographs were taken. Home via the

I am going to Liverpool for the first time in a few weeks, but unusually I'm deliberately leaving late.  Why is that? It's because Q's brother and his wife are flying into the UK from Australia and will be arriving in the early afternoon. To avoid arriving before they get home from the airport and to give them a chance to settle, I'm going to leave a little later. Shopping, home for breakfast, packing, a spot of DIY (hopefully solving the mystery shower leak, which hasn't happened since son #2 first reported it), and time to hit the road. That was a journey!  Rain of biblical proportions. Lots of traffic, proving I'm not the only mad person, but at least I'm there. After introductions and chats, we decided to go for a walk to the pub. A chance for some English Ale: Doom Bar being the choice. Home for dinner, chat then bed, by way of a poem. Hollie Cook /  'Win Or Lose'   / 'Twice' [[] ]

Today starts with a trip to the GP surgery for a blood test, with some food shopping and a trip to the pharmacy thrown in for added excitement. All is going well, though I did have to wait for E's meds, but as I arrived home I got a call from one of the carers.  E's PEG tube has come out so they've had to plug it. They've alerted the GP surgery but I've taken a short cut and phoned the matron directly. He's called out the Abbott nurse and hopefully the PEG should be replaced in the next few hours because if her stomach seals up, the only solution is a trip to the hospital.  The Abbot Nurse arrived just before lunch and, after a slightly worrying start, the PEG was replaced. We haven't had an 'emergency' like that in quite a while... The morning was utterly disrupted, though I still managed to attend a couple of meetings, and so the afternoon was very busy as a consequence. In the evening we all ate together and then watched an episode of 'Dreamin

Work again and, for a change, it looks like being a dry day, so we all know what that means. Early doors son #2 and his gf headed to the airport as she is returning to Costa Rica via Houston. We're having shower leaks again, or appear to be.  Investigation is under way (as is a call to the plumber). It's going to be a very busy day, so I'll probably not have much else to say which may well mean I resort to posting this week's poem. I may not, though as it's not a favourite. It's by Thomas Hardy and he's from an era that generally doesn't light my fire. I'm more of a fan of the work of Laurel and. All week I've been attempting to take daily blood pressure readings (when I remember) ahead of  my annual blood test tomorrow. No pressure. There have been a few visitors today but no cleaner as she cancelled on me yesterday.  No worries. It's pizza night delayed (it was insisted upon) but the meal was nowhere near quorate so son #2 and I watched som

I could get used to this. A mid-week day off.  It's a one-off though.  A day to celebrate son #3's 21st and go out for a meal together. Although I'm not working, there are still things to get done: E's needs don't stop for anything. There's also another distraction, something that will come in more useful as the months go on, something I'll talk more about in the next few weeks.  All I can say is it's something that fully cements my 'nerd' status once and for all. Present giving and opening was later in the day than some of us had hoped for, and, once the fun was over, it was time for us all to get organised for our meal out tonight. There will be six of us and we'll be heading into town by bus, hopefully avoiding raindrops falling our heads. Luckily my feet are not too big for my bed. We had a great meal out at a 'surprise' location, or at least a surprise(-ish) for son #3. Noodles, tempura and mochi all round.  Good fun and by some

Back to earth with the regular weekly hard landing.  To counteract that, I began (more or less, washing aside) with a decent walk and a chat with Q. Looks like today the weather will remain dry with some sun. Hopefully a good omen for the rest of month?? Alongside work I have a bunch of things I must organise for E today.  First on the list is a call to NRS healthcare.  After forty-five minutes in a queue during which time I moved from third to second, I gave up. They say, thank you for your patients. I don't have any.  I think if they spent less time practicing the guitar and more time answering the phone it would be better all round. Eventually I got through, fourth attempt, though still I was second in the queue. The third and final thing that I needed to do for E involved a trip to the pharmacy. In little over a mile of driving I had to pass through three sets of temporary traffic lights.  It seems all the roadworks across the country (it's not just a challenge here) are be

Another one of those busy non-working days.  Sometimes there seems to be so much to organise meaning that I never get around to those simple things this extra is meant for, like reading the papers. There was a brief interlude whilst I took son #1 to and from the dentist and a trip to the post office (two actually, as one was shut because the 'system is updating' - can't that be done outside opening hours??) The evening came around and it was back into the usual cooking dinner routine.   We never became quorate for dinner and so we didn't end up watching anything in particular other live quizzes on BBC2. I think the Stranglers said it first. Suede /  'The Beautiful Ones'   / 'Coming Up' [[] ]