Aprosexic - Old age should burn and rave at close of day

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Wildlife my ar5e

We normally do the shopping for a whole month in one hit, so on Sunday we cleared out the freezers and ditched the “past the eat-by date” stuff in a large plastic bag. Which the dustbin men should have collected yesterday. Only they didn’t.

Today, for the first time in years (literally) the entire household was out and about getting ready for work. Anticipating the short fuses etc, I’d got up earlier than usual, so as to be clear of the bathroom before the crush.

Then we discovered that, overnight, some kind fox had taken the bag of food/rubbish and strewn it over the entire side access. Then taken a dump.

So at 6.15 a.m. I was shoveling fox sh1t off the path. And missed my train. And had to stand all the way in on the next one.

Hope the b@stard gets food-poisoning.

# posted by Mr.D. @ 12:16 PM

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Monday, July 26, 2004

Getting out more ...

Admittedly the various house refurbishments are well-overdue and familial duties have been somewhat neglected of late, but everything seems to be occupying all of what little spare time we do have.

Saturday involved visiting the diverse in-laws and outlaws – always enjoyable but a long day – then Sunday saw the end of Number One Daughter’s bedroom re-dec and a serious attempt at liberating the loft of some of the rubbish which has secreted itself up there.

And then back to work again. Ho hum.

I’m bemused by ACL syndrome.

Everywhere I go, there are abandoned cycle locks attached to unoccupied railings. Now presumably, they were actually used to secure a bike to the facility. Then the owner returns – minus key – and decides that it will be cheaper to cut the wheel than the cable? And they fortunately have a spare wheel to replace the deliberately damaged one?

Or * light comes on * they belong to ‘regulars’ – who return to the same railing each day and can’t be bothered to take it home with them?

Any other theories?

# posted by Mr.D. @ 10:01 AM

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Thursday, July 22, 2004

All white now

I’ve now been back to work a week today, having returned from the beautiful Greek island of Crete (during which time the Olympic flame was driven through our village – quite exciting)

So although I’m still looking unseasonally healthy (i.e. tanned) I’m nonetheless a bit peeved that I’ve yet to see a reasonable burst of British sun, whether during the working day or when eventually get home in the evening.

But reading Fiennes’ excellently-researched (and brutally honest) account of Scott’s expeditions - and the diary extracts interspersed throughout - I’m in awe of the appalling weather conditions they experienced – albeit of their own volition.

It must have galled Scott to belatedly become aware that he was actually and unwittingly in a race to the South Pole, against the duplicitous Amundsen.

Then to find he’d arrived second must have further (dis)coloured his achievement, which was still a remarkable one, despite the fatalities.

So I’m going to stop moaning about the weather and enjoy what gets sent..

# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:43 AM

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Monday, July 19, 2004

C3

We don't actually need another cat - we're just trying to get out of the old cat/young cat cycle which leaves you with a loner when the elder shuffles off its feline coil..

So yesterday we put down a deposit for another Burmese, which will give the younger one something to assault and leave the old feller alone (so he'll be pleased, too).

We've bred/owned/known dozens of this breed and never found one that wasn't completely humanised. "Aloof" doesn't figure in their dictionary - they spend more time with you than dogs tend to.

Suggestions for a name, anyone? (Female and colour is 'cream').

# posted by Mr.D. @ 12:41 PM

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Friday, July 16, 2004

Holiday Highlights (the abridged version)

1. A 16-kilometre trek through the Samaria Gorge, dropping from 1400m to sea level. Booked when the temperature was a 'cool' 30c. Undertaken when it had risen to 37c! Many Amstels were drunken after..

2. A scuba dive in the Toilet Cavern. Involving diving down through the U-bend, then exiting up through the 'bowl', where gas was naturally escaping through the porous 'rim'.
Shame we lost the underwater camera...

# posted by Mr.D. @ 12:50 PM

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Thursday, July 15, 2004

Ist with the news

Back from furlough and just in time to see Number One Daughter graduate with a Ist in Human Psychology. We were on holiday when the result actually came through - how emotional a telephone call was that?

Now - does anyone know of a vacancy for a clinical placement for the next two years, pending her Doctorate?

# posted by Mr.D. @ 12:48 PM