I suppose that it has been an eventful few days. Not so much for me, perhaps, as retirement in lockdown remains a cocktail of walks, decluttering and cataloging. But, generally away from my sleepy home. I will leave commenting on U.S. politics to other people if they so desire!
Here in the U.K. we were commemorating Armistice, the day, and the hour the guns of WW1 fell silent, and those who never came home. To mark Remembrance Sunday, it was suggested as a mark of respect, that we should stand outside our front doors at 11am for the Two Minutes’ Silence. Many on our road, including me, did just that; it was all very poignant and meaningful.
The following day, Monday, the mild weather continued, although somewhat misty, and I made a point of walking around the village for just under three miles. It was interesting to see how the new houses were turning out. While I have an inbuilt dislike of change, these new homes appear to be attractive and well thought out. Thankfully, the eyesore left by the abandonment and demolition of the former High Peak College is, at long last, being developed into what appears to be what may become, an attractive estate. If I was younger, I might have been tempted to put my name down for one of these new properties. But right now, I am loathe to leave my home of (would you believe) forty-five years.
The next day, Tuesday, I had promised to assist Roger with his annual task of cleaning the gutters at the United Reform Church in Higher Buxton. I took the opportunity of walking there. No, I haven’t suddenly become a cleaner of church guttering, but I did hold the ladders! Some forlorn looking rose-hip bushes in the church grounds seemed to make a good subject for photography. By way of reward, Roger prepared a superb chicken lunch which had been cooking slowly since the morning.
On Wednesday, the weather had deteriorated. Thus, I stayed at home and progressed quite well with cataloging a pile of ocean liner menus collected over the last fifteen years or so via eBay which has been the major source of my more recent collection.
On Thursday, although by now, much cooler, I did venture out on a series of short walks, each about twenty minutes in duration. These included a brief visit to the High Peak Trail at Hurdlow. But the breeze was too strong and cool for this to be any kind of pleasure and I returned to the comfort of a freshly cleaned home; I had let the professional housekeepers take care of their fortnightly tasks without getting under their feet!
The typical almost continually brutal climate of North Derbyshire has taken its toll (over the years) on my house, and I have only just become aware of a significant damp problem which needs immediate attention. I am now “on the radar” of a local roofing company whom I have known for a long time and hopefully, this unwelcome discovery can be resolved in the not too distant future.
Yesterday, Friday, I awoke to a bright, breezy, and still fairly cool day. I had slept well and a walk was scheduled. Rather than wait till an ever shortening afternoon, my neighbour and I drove for a second time to Macclesfield Forest which Roger feels resembles British Columbia. It’s rather good to know that in these confining days of lockdown, such gorgeous scenery is on the doorstep and may take up to fifteen years to explore fully at the present rate we venture out. We did have a decent summer and even now, although obviously cooler, it remains possible to go out quite frequently.
On returning home, I subjected Roger to my version of spaghetti bolognese. It seemed to work out ok.
And, today, Saturday 14th November, I awoke late, after a bit of a disturbed night, ready to set off walking again. However, the wind blew, and continues to howl as lashings of ice cold horizontal rain does nothing for the “damp problem”. T.V. and idleness was the order of the day. This morning, I watched snippets of live performances on YouTube, which I can now enjoy on my T.V. instead of on the mobile phone. I now have technology available to me which includes being able to “talk” to my remote control and instruct it to either tune in to a chosen channel or find (if available) any subject I choose. So, if the weather is lousy, I have “tons” to keep me occupied at home. I am having less luck with my laptop computer, which I have decided to start up again, after two years of using only my phone for e-mails and the like.
The less said about UK politics, the better. However, I was somewhat amused to read that Barnard Castle has become an unlikely tourist attraction with visitors to the town taking “selfies” outside Specsavers! Monsieur Johnson is now bereft of his revered Senior Advisor. “He’ll be Cummings round the Mountain when he Comes”…ugh!
And, on that note, thanks for reading, David. 14/11/20. 21.56hrs.
David's Cruise 