2008 — 21 September: Sunday
It was a day of much radio listening yesterday. And not just music, for a change. The weather's still looking most promising for another little jaunt out in the countryside somewhere — my navigator is working out the route as I type, I suspect. So, at a tad past midnight, time for tonight's picture of Christa, and then sleep:
Christa and the forgotten Bonsai, 1976
Many years ago, I bought her the little Bonsai tree you can see here in front of her left foot. She looked after it very carefully all the time we had it in Old Windsor. Sadly, in all the hassle and upheaval of the relocation to this house back in the autumn of 1981 (when I was already living here, working at Hursley, and commuting by train back to Old Windsor just at the weekends) the little chap got overlooked when Christa and Peter moved down here in the October. Since I was away on a one-week trainee writing course1 in Boeblingen when they actually moved in, I fear I wasn't around to do a last-minute check of the old house, so I basically blame myself.
G'night.
What's that bright stuff?
Morning sunshine, unless I miss my guess. It's 09:20, breakfast is going in, there's a lunch to be packed, and the "Girl from Ipanema" was as tall and tanned as ever, it seems. There's a fascinating list (from the Library of Congress) of this and other notable recordings. And, on a related musical theme, I learned a little more about Janis Joplin (allegedly) than is possibly quite the thing for a Sunday morning. (Source.)
Right! It's time (09:56) to hit the road(s).
Back again...
... it's still sunny, at 17:36. The bod has been showered, the outer integument refreshed, and I shall now prepare something for the inner man before heading out one more time to deliver a still-unhacked Xbox back to its owner and simultaneously arrange to dispose of a Humax digital HD Freesat receiver that is now surplus to requirements. Today's trek (after following a series of cautious Cuthbert Sunday drivers out along the A272) was right up that Shoulder of Mutton hill (last walked back in May) just outside Petersfield, and it will be interesting to see if there's any adverse effects on the musculature of the lower limbs tomorrow morning. It was a glorious day, though disappointingly hazy as far as photos went. I really must find out how to persuade the Canon to use specific ISO settings so I have a better chance of optimising some of the trickier exposures. Fully auto is too seductive, and makes you (me) lazy.
Furthermore, the dutiful son has dutifully rung his dear Mama2 on the (mistaken) assumption that it was she who had left a pair of non-messages on the answering gadget. I've arranged to call in and say "hi" on the day of her sister's funeral this coming week, though she is still adamant that she cannot attend the event herself.
Good grief, I've just heard on the news that our Home Secretary is now going to outlaw "first-time kerb-crawlers". Has this government totally lost the plot? Still, at least I didn't vote for them (or, indeed, any of their predecessors). Last time the Liberals ran the show I was long unborn. Next time they do, I suspect I will be long dead!
Speaking of...
... things I bought many years ago, I bought my copy of The shock of the new by Robert Hughes back in 1980 at the time of his original TV series. I see he's on Channel 4 so I've set the PVR to collect up his bits for me to review later this evening. I've also just had to turn away another meal from my neighbour as it's already time I wasn't here! Sorry, Zahid.