2009 — 19 December: Saturday
Next thing I know, it's 00:47 or so, jolly cold outside, and time to catch some sleep as we now have a walk planned for a few hours time, and I have my next crockpot experiment waiting on, as it were, the starting block. In the light of those green boxes, by the way, one who knows has suggested I try the Chrome web browser. Maybe, but not tonight.
Meanwhile, down in NZ Big Bro has chipped in with a factoid or two about that "Davis Monthan" desert airfield, too. Having tidied up his spelyng...
I see you have found the Aircraft regeneration centre in Tucson Arizona... great place. Home of sometimes up to 5,000 tired and retired aircraft. Some of which are smelted, some are given away to friendly countries (who have to pay for regeneration), some are converted to drones and eventually fall into the sea after a missile shoot, and some believe it or not, are put back into service for the games in Iraq and Afghanistan etc.
This is probably the second or third largest air force in the world and at the rate the US is downsizing the front line fleet, will probably become No2, with I suspect China or India being number one. Called the balance of power these days.
Thought he would. I know my Bro and his plane-spotter leanings!
G'night.
Resuming...
... at 07:56 or so, to a clear sky, a sun that's yet to rise above the horizon, and what looks very like icy conditions out there. Brrr again. Just been reminded why (shades of Sartre's definition of 'hell' — L'enfer, c'est les autres) I'll never go on a sea-cruise: "Prior to the ship embarking on her next cruise, a thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the vessel will be undertaken, so her departure will be slightly delayed". (Source.)
Need a cuppa! The sun has finally appeared at the back of the house (it's 08:38) while the front porch thermometer is currently showing -6C. Haven't been here for a while. (Shome mishtake, shurely?)
Fritham is our destination, and shovelling in the breakfast quickly is now the name of the game. The stuffed crockpot is set to 'stun' and I'm excused driving duty this icy morning... thank you, Mike! It's 10:14 and very sunny. Sheet ice here we come. I've also rounded the corners of a couple of box styles for anyone browsing with Firefox. Modern and professional, heh, Ian? Pah!
Resuming again...
... at 15:10 with a hot bath, a change of clothes, and a delightful seven minute video burst from Terry Pratchett (here). At one point he dismissed stars as not very interesting, asserting that street lamps are far more rare (existing, so far as we know, on only one planet in the universe). Fritham was cold, which is just as well as the rutted tracks would have been very unpleasantly muddy had they not been mostly quite well frozen.
Yum, yum
The mouth-watering signs of another reasonably successful crockpot experiment are gently calling to me from downstairs. It's 17:59 and the BBC R3 Jazz Record Requests programme is just winding down very nicely. Time for another blast of Seinfeld, methinks. It's cold and dark outside but, in another three days or so, the days start getting longer again!
Another useful "note to self":
And note to Bro... there's no "c" in "anorak"! :-)
The boy stood on the (un)burning deck...
Well, more of a bridge, I suppose. Close examination of the left boot would allow you to deduce the temperature of the sodden foot enclosed within it.
I had five layers on. Just about enough.