David's Cruise

121 years should read 112 years.

Last weekend was fairly unremarkable as I started to, at long last, fall into an established routine brought on by retirement, winter and lockdown.  The previous week had been most pleasant and I was able resume almost daily walking.  On Sunday, the snow returned as an advent to a much speculated beast from the east. 

I had intended to tune into Litchfield Cathedral’s Sunday Eucharist, but somehow, didn’t get around to it.  Apart from going over the road for lunch on Sunday, I am not leaving the house until this present weather system has moved off…it won’t be here for ever.

Netflix series “The Durrells” came highly recommended. I chose to try it out, and although I will watch it to the end, I find much of it embarrassingly over-acted and unrealistically silly. But there’s just enough to endear me to the real-life characters. And it’s a good antidote to the endless interruptions of trailers and commercials on regular T.V.

In 1909, Fishguard on the South Wales coast became an anchor port for Cunard sailings from New York to the U.K. Speed was of the essence 112 years ago as it has always been. London could be reached at least a day earlier than if sailing to Liverpool and travelling from there. But, the advent of WW1 put paid to this short cut, and sailings resumed from Southampton circa 1920. However, commemorative souvenir mugs were created at the start of this short-lived service, which was much promoted at the time.

Thanks for reading, David 23.19hrs 9/2/21.

Continued

The morning mist had long since disappeared leaving several hours of bright weather, another lovely February day.

After taking the above photograph, I made my way home, in good time to enjoy lunch over the road. On my walk, I met and conversed with a neighbour from the road below, parallel to where I live, and also a couple, also from nearby, the gentleman telling me that, as a young teenager, he had been to my very first effort as a D.J. at the then Harpur Hill Club in November1977. While I would go on to run a local mobile discotheque until 2009, he reminded me that the local youth on that very first night knew I had never done this before! At the time, I had been assured it my efforts (albeit with one turntable) were successful, and the Wednesday night gigs would continue for around another two years, during which time I would invest in professional sound and lighting equipment.

Friday evening, 5th February.

This morning, I had a plan. After getting up, I would have breakfast, and before doing anything else, go for a decent walk. Just as I was striding out, the people repairing my carport roof arrived, requesting a brew! They appear to have carried out an excellent job in preventing further leakage of driving rain, which seems to be a regular occurrence these days. I returned inside the house and made a coffee for both men, and then set off on my walk. But, it wasn’t long before I bumped into a former neighbour revisiting the house on our lane he still owns. I did walk for 53 minutes around the estate, but nowhere near as far as I managed yesterday. The roofers were just finishing off when I arrived back at home and were glad of a second coffee…I was happy to oblige.

I chilled out this afternoon, watching some T.V. and preparing a simple meal. Cold weather is forecast from tomorrow to well into next week. It all brings the advent of Spring. The snowdrops planted in my front garden in 2018, and which I have never seen, because I have always been away, have yet to appear, while elsewhere in Harpur Hill, they flood people’s gardens.

I was recommended to watch The Durrells on Netflix the other day. I’m about to watch episode 5 of series 1. For some reason, although there are no trains in it, (yet?) it does remind me, somewhat, of The Railway Children, except that in the Railway Children, the bread-winning father has ended up, unjustly, in prison; in “TheDurrells”, Mrs Durrell is left to bring up a family of (I think) three boys and a girl, ranging in ages from 11 to 21, as Mr. Durrell has departed this life. As in “Thee Railway Children”, the family are plunged into financial hardship. Am I enjoying this? It’s OK but I’m not exactly waiting for the next episode.

The week has flown by; I am less alarmed by the prospect of cold weather next week. No doubt I will post further pictures of snow scenes, but Spring is around the corner, as is the advent of “year 73!” (and of course, Lent!)

Thanks for reading, David, 20.15hrs 5/2/21

Thursday 4th Febrary.

I have my sister to thank for this!  At the weekend, I was going through what I can only describe as the “lock-down three blues” We had a long phone-chat on Saturday afternoon, after which the symptoms of “cabin fever” receded substantially.  One of her characteristically helpful suggestions was to resume walking every day, if only for just ten minutes. For two months, each day was too cold, too wet, or there was an east-wind which would behead you!  I needed little incentive to stay indoors.  There were mild days in December, and occasionally, I did leave the house, particularly on Sundays to attend church.

On Saturday 30th January, I resolved to walk for at least ten minutes, whatever the weather.  In fact, I have reminded myself of the joys of last year when I would explore lovely places and expansive panoramas so very close to home.

This morning, a murky mist had descended and any view from home was obliterated by a thick light grey mist. “That should be interesting” I thought to myself; “I don’t need a view to get some fresh air.”  (To be continued, the battery’s low! 18%).

David 11.40hrs on the former Cromford and High Peak Railway

Yesterday, 2nd February

Today, Wednesday 3rd February

Yesterday morning, the promised snow had fallen overnight leaving around leaving around five inches of the “white stuff” everywhere.

Since the weekend, I have taken to resuming walking albeit for short distances to begin with. Today, I walked along roads which did not exist this time last year, where new houses are being constructed. While many homes are in the early stages of construction, many now complete are already occupied.

It has been a lovely day today, not overly cold, no rain, but a continuing build-up of leadened skies as the afternoon progressed. Tonight, I felt like going out again. A letter needed posting and the walk to the post box was most pleasant, the streets dark and quiet, save for the occasional car or van on the main road.

Yesterday, the T.V. News announced the sad death of Captain Tom Moore, the centenarian who just before his hundredth birthday last year set out to raise £1,000 for N.H.S. charities by walking 100 lengths of his garden in Bedfordshire. This event caught the imagination of a country in a pandemic. Funds raised in excess of £32,000,000, propelled the now knighted Sir Tom to “national treasure” status.

This morning, I contacted my travel agent in Ipswich to confirm that my voyage in June was still taking place. So far, so good. I do have something to look forward to.

Thanks for reading, David, 22.44hrs 3/2/21.

My account at the end of the last blog, of the service from Lichfield Cathedral I watched on YouTube needed to be amended; I made some errors writing about this which I trust are now corrected. This revised blog can be accessed via Google: http://www.davidscruise.wordpress.com

David, 22.16hrs 1/2/21

1/2/21 11.17hrs.

I must have been asleep when 01.21hrs 1/2/21 slipped by this morning. Yesterday was most pleasant, the claustrophobic feeling of lockdown three having fairly recently beginning to become overwhelming, not just for me, but everywhere. (I feel better today, and my optimism has returned!)

Probably, stepping out for short walks, was a good idea. I resumed conversation with a few people I had not spoken to since last year. The idea for a street party re-emerged; yes, we will come out of this confined situation. The trouble is, all this is world wide. Even if was possible, it is just not sensible to get on a plane (no ships are running right now) to some country enjoying their summer. This time last year, I had just spent a day in Manaus after two days sailing up the Amazon on Cunard’s Queen Victoria. In the evening, I would attend a concert arranged by Cunard in the world famous Opera House. It was a time when Coronavirus was not on everyone’s lips. Reports from Manaus today are heartbreaking.

It’s good to look back once in a while.

As mentioned earlier in this blog, I have attempted to resume walking a short distance. There is something healthy about the north Derbyshire air at this cold time of year; but in small doses!

Roger joined me for lunch, yesterday, courtesy of The Tradesman’s Entrance whose weekly home cooking is a godsend. Even I, with my still substantial appetite need to divide one meal into two portions, although usually, I do manage to put away the serving in one go!

I awoke this morning and did a small amount of cataloging.

Many thanks for reading,

David 12.01, 1/2/21.

I forgot to add that, last night, I tuned into a celebration of Eucharist for Candlemas held yesterday morning in Lichfield Cathedral. Their weekly services can be accessed on YouTube. For once, I am grateful for modern technology which is of enormous benefit in enabling one to keep in touch with the outside world. I even approve of Zoom now, ‘though I am not a fan quite yet!

And soon, it will be Lent!

Cheers, David.

Friday 29th January 2021

Does anyone else think that the first month of 2021 has flown by? I have distinct memories of feeling quite optimistic at the beginning of the year. Already, the Covid vaccine was being rolled out, and other good things seemed to be happening; ‘though I hadn’t reckoned on the “Storming of the Capitol on January 6th!

We seemed to be having a “real” winter – more snow than in recent times, although nothing like when I first lived in Buxton. But even as the temperatures dipped below freezing, and I couldn’t get into my red car, the delivered milk hadn’t frozen up. Everywhere was bathed in white shrouds of snow for several days, but warm south-westerlies and accompanying rain had washed away almost all evidence of winter by Wednesday, and the regular central heating setting was no longer required. But, there is all of February to come, and the possible vagaries of March and even April.

I was relieved (albeit a tad apprehensive) to have received my first Covid inoculation on Wednesday, and was not aware of any side effects other than a slightly sore arm where the needle had gone in. I shall be more relieved when I receive the second injection which, at the latest, should be some time in April. But already, the “Beeb”, being the harbinger of doom they always are, with “R.A.D.A solomness”, announce in their news bulletins, possible problems with future vaccine supply, and, with “forced illuminated glee”, the prospect of a fourth vaccine, developed elsewhere, to be manufactured in the UK, somewhere “oop-north”. Thankfully, there seems to be a reduction in the numbers of people becoming infected.

I have resumed the cataloging of my collection after a break of around ten days, each item being allocated a number and as fuller description as I can write, giving any future possessor, some idea of what they have “inherited”. I don’t expect other people to derive the same enjoyment that I have during my life, putting all this together. Even now, I still trawl eBay for items which interest me, rather than as a speculative investment.

The red car burst into life yesterday after having had its almost new battery charged from its state of being completely flat, and, according to the A.A., in need of replacement. I just couldn’t see my supplier taking it back under warranty, having emphasised that I should run the car frequently during the cold weather. This, of course, I am not allowed to do right now – Covid regulations forbid unnecessary travel, and there is a risk of being fined. Driving to the Covid vaccine centre, (coincidentally where my G.P.’s surgery is) was something of a relief. I don’t think that I have been into Buxton since attending Church on 3rd January, prior to this current period of lockdown. At least last year, I did get to see much surrounding countryside, and was allowed to venture out of town. I also got to stay at the newly opened Crescent Hotel, which managed to do business for possibly five weeks, before enforced shut-down. Curiosity caused me to drive past on Wednesday, after my “jab” and I was slightly dismayed at its sense of abandonment. Not one light was visible as I drove by, the only life being people grouped in the doorways. I just hope that minimal heating has been maintained.

Let’s see how today turns out; I may write again later, and try to include some more photographs.

Thanks for reading, David, 10.55hrs 29/1/21.

Day 308, Wednesday 27th January 2021

I have just received the AstraZeneca inoculation against Covid 19. It was all very efficient, and almost three weeks earlier than I was expecting my turn to come up. This, of course, does not mean that I can resume normality quite yet; in three weeks’ time, I can expect the immunisation to begin to be effective, and that will, at least, reduce the fear of contracting the virus which has, so far, claimed over 100,000 lives.

It was this “out-of-the-blue” pandemic which prompted me not to discontinue my travel blog at the end of March. I did intend to write each day, but found, just as I did on holiday, that daily entries could become somewhat tedious, more so than my present output of around two or three days’ writing each week. I shall be very thankful when I have received the second and final inoculation which the little leaflet advises should be between four and twelve weeks from now.

Suddenly, today, even for Buxton, the weather has become mild, any remaining snow lying on distant hills. It was a different story over the weekend; only yesterday did rain wash away the substantial snow which still lay around. If dry tomorrow, I may feel inclined to take a modest walk. My blogs serve to remind me of the fascinating, if somewhat different, year I experienced in 2020, discovering many new and interesting places almost on my doorstep.

Towards the end of last year, I signed up for Netflix and Sky Q, which enables me to access YouTube on my 42 inch TV which I purchased from Bernard Hulley in 2009. It continues to serve me well. Sadly, the telly has outlasted Bernard Hulley who once supplied all my hi-fi equipment, previous televisions and some of my earliest disco lights, mics and decks. Such independent electrical outlets are very few and far between these days.

At the moment, I am in my car at the carpark outside where I received my Covid jab. It is now an hour since this was administered and so far, no side effects except possibly a feeling of relief. I am assured any adverse reaction will be short-lived. Now to drive home.

Wednesday evening 7pm.

It feels later. I prepared a fairly decent cooked meal of breaded cod, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, onion, mushrooms and potatoes. It wasn’t at all bad! The arm feels ever so slightly sore, but I am expecting a decent sleep tonight.

It looks as if I am going to have to get used to not having a haircut at least until March 8th. Inconvenient this might be, but far better than the likely consequences of a further spike in the virus should lockdown be ended too soon.

That’s about it for today. Many thanks for reading. All the best, David, 19.12hrs 27/1/21

At long last, I was persuaded to attend a church service on Zoom, hosted by one of the clergy from St. John’s. Roger gave me the very simple procedure to access this virtual act of worship from Churches Together in Buxton. To begin with, all.sorts of weird meaningless panels would pop up and “throw me out”. I still don’t quite understand how, eventually, the relevant images presented themselves. Seemingly, all those “attending” the service could see me in a panel on their computer screens, which was slightly embarrassing owing to having had a coffee and two cups of tea after lunch…and needed to leave the proceedings for a short while!

I was a little bewildered during the whole thing, but did have to marvel at the futuristic technology now taken for granted.

Do I like Zoom? Am I a convert? No, not really! I have been on better maiden voyages. No doubt I will give it another try!

The fallen snow persists as do sub-zero temperatures. Oh, how I appreciate the warm comforts of home with an infinite menu of things to watch on regular T.V., Netflix, You Tube and programmes videoed previously. The winter feels endless, and the pandemic confining. On the distant horizon, pandemic permitting, a quick trip on Cunard’s QE, and a long voyage on QM2 beckon.

Back to today, I figured my first Zoom trip was worthy of note!

Thanks for reading, David, 20.58, 24/1/21.