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

 

How it all goes so wrong and so right

 

A beautifully located door in a little village en route to Naples. The lock broke and we couldn't get in. the resident came down to help and locked himself out as well. Then the neighbours joined in and we all waited for the locksmith. But it was all good. Out of the evening I got a free beer and a bag of crisps. Perfetto!

The favourite bog in Tallinn Estonia

 

Folk Dancing Estonian Style

 

Work in progress