2010 — 8 October: Friday
Having been wrenched from sleep1 I stayed with BBC Radio 4 just long enough to hear a phrase along the lines of "many listeners will be saying you made your choice: to have ten children..." before scooting quickly to the safer haven of Radio 3. Call me prejudiced if you will, but I cannot begin to conceive (no pun) why any rational couple would choose to be anywhere near that fruitful in their multiplication efforts.
Condensation again suggests an excess of cool last night, but the sun is shining at 08:23 or thereabouts. Soon be time for an early supplies run. Busy day ahead.
As Baloo the bear...
... once memorably remarked: "I'm gone, man,... solid gone!" It's 10:37 and I'm off on an adventure/picnic.
Safely back at the ranch
Just like the last time I was there, the Isle of Wight was invisible from the beach at Bournemouth but, although on this visit I still couldn't find a second stickered book to get my discount in WH Smug, I bit the bullet and bought this interesting pair:
I didn't get much time to experience my new-found taste for the BBC 6Music breakfast show when I first retired as Phill Jupitus gave it up in March 2007. And having read what Stephen Fry says in his latest chunk of autobio about his inability to offend people, I'm left wondering about the blurb on the cover. But both books made me laugh in the bookshop — and that's a major selection criterion, these days.
It's now turned into a nice, sunny afternoon (as it was down at the seaside) and I still have an evening of hi-jinks to look forward to. The tooth, by the way, has indeed lost its sensitivity to temperature, though is still a little willing to make known its objection to pressure. Such good design. Still no word from Mr Staples2 about the broken bits of bookcases and my suggestion to call it a day.
Picking up the Peaces
Henry Kissinger didn't show up in Oslo in 1973 to collect his Nobel peace prize. Le Duc Tho, the North Vietnamese negotiator, refused his because fighting resumed. Tom Lehrer's perceptive comment remains valid. Today, the Chinese guvmint was reportedly describing this year's award to one of their political prisoners as "obscene".
I see AudioLab has just taken a leaf out of my NAD CD player's book. Their new high-end CD players also allow you to connect digital audio to exploit the on-board high-quality DAC chippery. Good idea. Not cheap, though.
A call a few minutes ago was just in time to delay my departure for a couple of hours as Mike told me the guest of honour (who's crossed Spain and should have arrived in Plymouth by ferry earlier) has yet to show up in Winchester on what would have been the first of his intended trains. So, time to do a tiny spot of further CD artwork scanning — my first today, in fact. Time for another cuppa, too (but then I find there's always time for another cuppa). Judging by the look of the motorway earlier this afternoon I shall be enjoying the more scenic route when I do eventually set off.