At the Vanessa Bell Exhibition, MKG

 

What books are made for

Universal leaning... Books on display at the British Library and British Museum, along with their human companions.

Playtime

 

The grey slog of January

 

After a while, it's endearing

 

This is my town. And it suits me, perfectly.

Myself, I'm planning on shooting some books

I drive over to someone else's town twice a month now. This is so I can attend their Photography Club.

I am not a good photographer. But I have been kicked into action because a) I have a camera which is a proper big one with different lenses and dials, and I would like to learn how to use it; b) these are nice people who are gentle, meet in the pub, and talk about shooting wildlife, shooting people, shooting pets and shooting their families without surfacing at any point to recognise their words might mean anything other than related to aperture, focus, and composition.

Let's call it gardening

 

Aged in my 30s, I would have planned my new garden feature as a week's project. 

I'd work daily, spurred by the imagination of myself, this coming Sunday morning, on the new enclosed garden. Feet on the beautifully laid old stone surface, table and chairs repaired and treated, the whole cradled out of sight by a circle of salvaged metalwork, through which I've planted clematis and honeysuckle, waiting to spark with Spring.

Today, I am aged in my 60s. I am at a 45 degree angle with the green waste bin in the back lane by midday, saying to the neighbour, 'I should have it done by March.'

Note Book for the Archaeologist

 

I now have, in my family, an Archaeologist. I say, Plumber, Electrician, Laywer, all useful too, if you're looking to shift career focus.

Anyway, this was inspired, with old maps, small broken metal detecting finds, discarded leather, and a ripped up pair of cotton trousers.

Morning

 

First world complaint

I swim regularly at the baths in town. I reckon, it saves the gas and I don't have to clean my bathroom after. 

Also, swimming is excellent for doing things to my body that my body will be grateful for. Even if it doesn't yet appreciate the effort I'm giving over to its well-being. 

Instead of complaining, it could be grateful once in a while, and leap out of bed with a cheery smile, rather than rise from its morning unconsciousness groaning like a soul dragged from the dead.

Anyway, I go swimming to lower my gas bill, wake up the body properly, and hopefully extend its life.

Over last year, I got the body to enjoy a slightly colder-than-tepid shower. I'm sure I've read how colder showers are good for bodies. They don't like them at first but over time they enjoy them. 

I find this is partially true because this morning I arrive at the swimming baths to find the Powers That Be have 'upgraded' the showers. I now cannot set the temperature.

Result: I subject the body to what feels like boiling water spat from an unavoidable hose. This puts the body into a shrieking.

I complain at the desk. I prepare myself to be Mad Old Bag who already has cut-price access and is now complaining about things that everyone else likes.

Gratifying, the woman at the desk chirrups brightly, 'We've had loads of complaints about the showers!'

Expect nothing to happen regarding the shower temperature setting, and all my good work on cold-showering the body to be undone.

Walk to work

 

Permanent obsession

 

We have a Duchess moving in

I met a Duchess tonight. At my garden gate. No, this is True. She crossed the road to greet me, just as I set out to find supper at Lidl.

She asked about a house for sale down the road. She said, since she is a Duchess, it would be very useful to buy this house, since we have a railway station and she needed to visit Buckingham Palace. She added, all she needed to do, was some paperwork. And she wouldn't need to pay Council Tax. Also, by way of an addendum, she said she could put in for the Crown if the present occupier died, being on the list.

I just engaged her in conversation about Victorian housing stock. I kept it all going for as long as I could but I didn't tell her I'm a paid-up member of Republic.

But, if you do read in The Lady that Duchess so-and-so (I think she said her name was Sharon) is now a resident at a terraced house in Smalltown, well, you read it here FIRST.

Film night

A day spent making lists of things to do without actually doing much at all. 

On the plus side, a trip to the local film club to see Á Ferð með Mömmu Driving Mum. Highly recommended. Schmaltzy at the end, but mother got her comeuppance, while man and dog both found places of belongings.

Gas Safety Certificate

 

Time spent explaining to several and diverse others the annual Gas Safety Certificate / Protective Equipotential Bonding tick box. 

I have little grasp of the significance and consequence of Protective Equipotential Bonding (PEB). Or indeed, what is the PEB. 

Also, now I am warming to my subject, why is PEB marked as Pass on certificates 2022-23 and 2023-24. But Fail on certificate 2024-25. 

I do not know. Having further questioned this anomaly with the Inspecting Engineer by email, the answer seems to be that last March they couldn't see it.

This led to me following Teach-Yourself-Gas-Engineering on YouTube. I think the PEB is something to do within 600mm of the meter. A sight, indeed, not visible at the boiler. Visiting the meter would require walking downstairs to look at it.

Regardless, I have now furnished several and diverse others with inadequate and uninformed responses that failed to sounded authoritative and will come back to haunt me a week on Tuesday.

Not a day where time was well spent, I'd say.

Farnham Park Surrey

 

Medieval deer park. Saw no deer. But did see walkers.

The Horns, Ashbourne, Fairytale of Brew York Stout

 

Excellent! Served not cold, not warm. Just right.

And that's where I work

 

New York

 

Then spending the evening with a heavy foreboding.

Women’s March to the White House, Washington DC

 

James River, Richmond Virginia

 

Jamestown Settlement Museum

 

Queen Mary II Transatlantic crossing

 

Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare's Globe

 

MK Calling 2024

 

Not often exhibited, so enjoy the sight of a Knickers Book in the Milton Keynes Gallery, MKG, in the tactile section of the summer exhibition MK Calling. Hurrah!

With Hair!

 

Living out the van in Northumberland

 

The favourite bog in Tallinn Estonia

 

Folk Dancing Estonian Style

 

Work in progress