Needless to say I having nothing wise to say about Ukraine. I could come out with some meaningless platitudes to signal my concern but that would stick in my throat so instead I will carry on as if all that really matters is me and my family. Turn away now if that offends you.
I am really brain dead at the moment so I have nothing remotely entertaining to say – so I won’t attempt so to do. This post is a guilt post, triggered by a sense of ‘I haven’t posted for ages – I really should.’ I have no idea why I feel this way but perhaps, as I have reported in the past I have a habit of starting things and then losing interest and this blog is a rare example of sticking at something so I feel a compulsion to keep going even if I have nothing to say. blah blah blah blah blah blah blah…..
This achievement contrasts with my ‘work my way through 6 CD’s of Charles Ives songs while pedalling the cross trainer’ fad, which lasted two go’s and about 8 songs. It turned out to be a poor musical match. Many of Ives songs are painful to the ear so combined with pain to the body the result was just pain. I swapped my Charlies’ – Ives for Mingus (Epitaph) – an example of a symphonically long Jazz composition that A admires – assuming it would be an easier listen, but that also lasted only two go’s just enough to finish CD one. I can now declare that distracting myself from the pain of fat reduction routines with challenging listening projects is a non starter. I neither listen nor pedal with any increased enthusiasm. I just can’t find the motivation to try to get fitter even with great music playing in the background. You would imagine, in my circumstances, I would see it as a damn good idea but try as I might even the prospect an early death by fat arsehole syndrome in advance of death by cancer is not sufficient to persuade my errant brain to make any effort. So sod it!
A Poem Perhaps
The steel post preventing cycles using the daffy field path has been removed. Eddie is ecstatic and stopped to remark upon it on his way home from work.
His bike had two flat tyres but it didn’t seem to bother him.
I have done some digging. A trench to ensure that the build up of soil under our new fence doesn’t rot it away.
The trench is very straight. I set it with a string and two sticks. I believe it to be the straightest trench in our garden.
Our ornamental fountain was cut off when the sewer blocked and the plumber gave it a shove.
It is now full of autumn leaves turning black and putrid.
When out walking we can now pat other peoples dogs without worrying about catching COVID. We hope.
The birds adore our feeder. They are fussy about the fat balls preferring the more expensive recipe.
The cats have yet to notice the bird feeder. Do cats ever look up?
Yes when in danger of attack by Magpies I am told.
Our Ukrianian friend Maria who made Maria (Bovino) pasta meat parcels Ukrainian style when she broke her foot cannot understand why the parish church is so empty.
Perhaps she has a point.
News up here, most of you are down from us, is negligible – and that’s good. Maria and I continue to lead a fairly hermit like life although Maria does go into work three days a week – still seated defiantly at her instrument protected by a massive perspex screen with the window open behind her even when it’s really cold. Nonna keeps defying all the odds and soon will be the proud possessor of the BMW of electric beds which will raise her up to a semi seated position and slide her backwards to remain level with her bedside table and associate necessities when she gets breathless – mighty expensive but worth every penny. We also have a petrol generator to provide power during our all too frequent power-cuts, the last one indirectly triggering an ambulance call-out when Nonna was forced to sleep downstairs for half the night which left her breathless and panicky. So now she has a spare bed downstairs, an electric bed upstairs and power to move her between the two and keep the Italian telly on the go whatever the elements throw at us. Can’t be bad. I have a reading week ahead so that means I can concentrate on some fun things rather than the rather endless prep I am required to do to keep up with teaching the latest software. All is good with our four – all very busy and creative which is fantastic.
Arthur is drumming on this album – which we love!
https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/7iuuUH70q6cEMA3lNVtFsu?utm_source=generator
Love xxx