In a previous blog I had mentioned that granddaughter Laura was back-packing after finishing her actual Architecture Degree and before beginning the next phase. And I used the word 'faffing about' which I unhesitatingly withdraw. John has sent me some super pictures and, aAs you can see from Picture 1, she has been camel-trekking in the desert with her boyfriend Joe. Apparently the camels came equipt with a table and two chairs - one of whch is pictured. If I implied even the hint of criticism I certainly don't feel it because these sorts of experience are much more valuable than boring old Uni and jobs and if she can't do it now when should she? I'm really proud of her !
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, as we used to say, it has been a routine Burton Joyce day. I delivered Y to the tram and then called in at Morrisons for essential supplies and, as Picture 2 shows, after a beautiful bright July day yesterday, we are now back to normal. In the really badly flooded areas around Tewkesbury there are some terrible stories. Pure drinking water is short and the bowsers are struggling to maintain supplies. People are managing to take more than their fair share and it is hard to believe but the bowsers are being vandalised. Vandals are switching the taps on and leaving them so that they run dry. We must be approaching the stage where the government ought to consider emergency powers. Personally I would have no hesitation with adult vandals and looters (of sound mind) in instructing that they be shot. And I never ordered an officer to do anything which I wasn't prepared to do myself.
Without access to clean water, all sorts of nasties, even cholera will lurk. And people can't boil it because they have no power.
My route to collect Y from Burton Joyce was circuitous. I encountered much flood water too deep to safely traverse and several roads which were closed. Nevertheless we made it and enjoyed our jacket-potatoes and salad and I had keyed-in sufficient leeway with the oven timer so that we weren't rushed. I have plugged in the new phone in The Office, but putting all the numbers in the memory will have to wait. Steven and Lisa and family go off on holiday tomorrow. Miles has discovered to joys of the 'spoken word' because he now has a CD/MP3 Player and was listening to Micahel Rosen reading Hairy Tales and bits he wanted to share, so we had to listen to one earphone while he listened to the other. He loves them, and 'laugh' is inadequate. It is a long time since I heard someone chortle, but that is exactly what he was doing.
Which conveniently shoehorns me into a Byron quote:-
- "Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine."
- Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
I hope David and family at Weymouth are reasonably dry. And Debra's lot are OK. And we are off to TJ's for lunch on Sunday.
I'm off to bed now. Sleep tight everybody.
I'm off to bed now. Sleep tight everybody.
1 comment:
I fully agree about the benefits of a gap year. It can provide the sort of experiences for which we, the fogey generation, had to rely upon Youth Hostelling and National Service.
The former led me to a trip to Norway and the latter with an abiding respect and fondness for Libyans and the desert.
I would however disagree with the idea that Uni is boring.
It wasn’t Uni in my day of course, it was the School of Architecture. But, although that was, in many ways, the most stressful and hardworking time of my life, it was also one of the most enjoyable and memorable, particularly as it was the great Trad Jazz era, with Humph and Chris Barber and Ken Collyer and all.
But then, of course, came the unforgettable release of the 60s.
But still there is tension and excitement to be had.
Today, for instance, has been eventful and exhausting.
I had set my alarm for the ungodly hour of 8.00, as I knew that the gasman cometh to powerflush the system and fit a new condensing boiler. I was rudely awakened at 7.30 by the phone. It was that very gasman wanting directions – no house number because no one would give us one.
I told him,
“Straight on at the mini-roundabout and we are next door to the flower shop”,
“Which side?”,
“It depends which way you are going”,
“Which side of the flower shop?
(When your facing it. From the road)”.
That’s what I like; precision.
But they got the job done quicker than expected (the apprentice –from Eastwood - spent most of his time - 6 hours? - up a ladder in the pouring rain and Ralph thought that their dust sheet was a new blanket and was reluctant to let it go) so they were able to call the electrician to come today instead of tomorrow. Because of new regulations, he had to put approx 17 metres of bright yellow and green earthing cable just below dpc level from the fuse box at the front right hand end of the house all the way round the outside to the rising main at the left hand end of the back of the house. In the rain.
But everybody remained remarkably cheerful, it’s all done now, and I’ve switched the heating on because the lack of sleep has left me chilled and shivery.
And I’ve accepted a quote for a new patio door, so that will be the next thing.
I hate disturbance!
Although I too consider looting a vile and offensive act, only possibly understandable in wartime, I think the difficulty with the RadioG suggested treatment of offenders is that in order to decide whether or not they are of sound mind, they have to be apprehended. Are they then to be allowed a proper trial, or should it just be a kangaroo court before they face the firing squad?
I am reminded that you considered the treatment of Saddam Hussein to be barbaric.
As some of us remember (was it 1987 ?), being without electricity is inconvenient but manageable, probably for several weeks, but a lack of clean water for more than a very brief period is a far more serious matter that is not easy to solve under present circumstances – even after allowing for the fact that, in terms of newspapers and broadcasting, anything which happens down south is regarded as being 50% more serious than what happens in the north (discuss and evaluate in no more than 1,000 words).
As the current spell of weather continues, travelling more than a few miles from home certainly seems inadvisable unless absolutely unavoidable.
An original joke (well, I haven’t heard it before so I must have invented it):
A major Japanese car manufacturer is to start production of a Stretch Limousine.
It will be known as the Nissan 'Lycra'.
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