It rained at dawn, thereby shooting one of my pet theories down in flames. Well not really because I don't argue that it never rains at dawn, just that it seldom does. So this picture over the football field was at maybe 3.30pm. I don't need to tell you it's the football field today, because the goalposts being up gives you a clue.The wax in my ears is much, much worse. Although I've softened it with olive-oil and tried the proprietary stuff Otex for several weeks, I'm not having much luck. The practice nurse syringed some out last week but I not due to return till 5th December by which time Y will have thrown something at me. I simply can't hear - I can't hear the microwave ding - I couldn't hear the mince sizzle as I browned it for a spagbol. I can't hear the toilet flush and the TV and Radio are completely beyond me. Philip Larkin once wrote to Barbara Pym to tell her that his hearing-aid had broken but he was going to leave it a fortnight before getting it repaired. Not that I have a hearing-aid but I don't share his view at all. I really need to hear. Even though I'm a keyboard thumper, I can't hear the keyclicks and I'm making many more than my customary number of mistakes. Ho hum! as Ray would say. The spagbol wasn't up to standard. I bought the mince from a Mansfield butcher because I was there and thought it would save a trip up the road to Redgates. Not a good idea at all. It was edible but not delicious.
Picture 2 is the evening sky at the rear of the bungalow and I think, had I waited a few more minutes, it would have 'reddened' more. Bit I needed to get on with my Blog. And there will be other red skies, won't there.Simon Sharma on Van Gogh was very good last night. But we both wish he wouldn't show a detail from a painting, without showing the whole picture. For instance, he insisted on showing a rectangle the size of a playing card from the Sunflowers without once showing it in full. One very interesting bit which we didn't know anything about was how he used to illustrate his letters with sketches, particularly to Theo. The sketches were obviously the work of genius and Theo's continued loyal support was understandable. If anyone would like to look at them please click here. Although he was only active for 10 years he produced an incredible volume of work.
Helpful tip from Bob (via e-mail) which might help Jill with her 'comments' posting. He always prepares his stuff in 'Word' and then copy/pastes it into the 'comments' box. It matters not if he then has a problem with the 'word verification' function - he simply repeats the 'paste' bit.
Y has done tea. So I'm off......................
Hope Bungus has got his sun-glasses on - I think it's a great photo!
ReplyDeleteWas woken up at 7.30 this morning by a huge crack of thunder, then by lightning which illuminated the bedroom. Most unexpected in late November (but I haven't changed my mind about the non-existence of global warming).
Thanks for the comment tip.
I’m sure you told me it NEVER rains at dawn but cnnot find evidence. And certainly in your blog of Fri Nov 17th you said ‘seldom rains … at dawn’, so I’ll give you the benefit!.
ReplyDeleteRe the photo, I cam honestly say that I cannot recall ever having seen such red trees in all my natural (certainly not between Ollerton and Chatsworth 'cos I was looking).
As to your ear wax, welcome to the real world. In my late teens/early twenties I had to have mine syringed every six months. In those days they used to soften it with hydrogen peroxide and, at my National Service medical, when I had deliberately left them blocked for months in the vain hope that I would be declared unfit to serve Q&C, they blew them out there and then without any softening.
At my doctors’ now, it is just two days of olive oil and whoosh! I have found Otex no better than anything else (including one doctor who saved the NHS pounds by telling me to use a bicarb solution, which worked as well as anything). Now, even when mine are not blocked, I cannot hear the microwave or my mobile phone (except the alarm) and, although I can hear Sandra talking, I don’t know what she is saying most of the time. But do I complain?
What I do find surprising is that, despite my affliction, I can still hear intimate conversations from several tables away in a crowded restaurant, as well as Moorhens and Little Grebes at 100 metres. Not necessarily accurately, of course (the Little Grebe could be a stallion), which is part of the fun. There is, after all, the gratifying benefit of an element of surrealism. Having heard on the radio, in 1991, the headline ‘Germans Overwhelmed by Killer Whales’, I have no doubt that Dali’s ears were blocked. I later discovered that the Welsh soccer team had surprisingly beaten West Germany by one goal to nil (Alan Rush).
My advice is, ‘Don’t fight it, enjoy it’.
I am inclined to believe that it is not the fact that it was a MANSFIELD butcher that led to your mince dissatisfaction. I suspect you called in at that bargain meat shop near MacDonalds; in which case, it serves you right. If I am wrong, my grovelling apologies.
Re the photo, I cam honestly say that I cannot recall ever having seen such a red sky in all my natural and when I do I shall consider it apocalyptical (or at least a result of GW).
I have always liked van Gogh; and to think he only managed to sell one picture. But who said life was fun? Ear wax, dandruff, corns, NSU, and the poor girl’s only just turned fourteen …